Looking for a sports coupe down the road that's reliable and under $25K used. Thoughts?

VQ's with a manual are awesome. Infiniti has taken a beating the past 10 years but these are still great cars (of course regular used car caveats)....

Worst handling sports coupe (or sedan) I've ever driven. Shocked how loose the steering was. Nice looking, decent interior. But I can't get past the weak steering. I guess as a cruiser it's ok, but don't expect to enjoy great responsiveness with curves.

WoMD said:

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Worst handling sports coupe I've ever driven. Shocked how loose the steering was. Nice looking, decent interior. But I can't get past the weak steering. I guess as a cruiser it's ok, but don't expect to enjoy great responsiveness with curves.

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Any suggestions on another type?

zooguy96 said:

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WoMD said:

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Worst handling sports coupe I've ever driven. Shocked how loose the steering was. Nice looking, decent interior. But I can't get past the weak steering. I guess as a cruiser it's ok, but don't expect to enjoy great responsiveness with curves.

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Any suggestions on another type?

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I tend to drive German, but then the reliability concerns pop up with used options. Of course, since their resale value tends to drop so quickly you can get a great deal. I have a 2013 135is, and couldn't recommend it more for the combination of refinement, interior quality, and overall fun factor. It's low mileage, but probably worth under $25k now. Would be an amazing deal for anyone if they were to buy it now. Even at 7 years, I adore this car as much as when I first drove it off the lot.

Other than that, you could consider the Lexus IS or RC. My sister has an IS, and it will be a rock solid ride for her for a long time. The RC is similar, just in coupe form. I'm not a huge fan of the infotainment system (my Lexus NX has the same setup, and it's been a bit disappointing on the intuitive side), but the interior is fantastic otherwise, and the ride is smooth and comfortable. I test drove both the IS and RC when she was looking to buy, and I was a fan of both. I would've picked the RC, but she needed four doors and more room in the back. Not as fun as my BMWs, but I liked them a lot.

Would help to know why you're looking for a sports coupe and what your priorities are. Manual or auto?

Why 1) acceleration 2) handling 3) interior (leather, power everything, infotainment lower on the list).

Prefer manual, but auto is ok.

E46 BMW M3 w/ a 6 speed manual. You should be able to find a mid-mileage one in good shape for ~$25k. Make sure it had the rod bearing recall performed if the VIN# is covered by it.

gggmann said:

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E46 BMW M3 w/ a 6 speed manual. You should be able to find a mid-mileage one in good shape for ~$25k. Make sure it had the rod bearing recall performed if the VIN# is covered by it.

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I love them, but they're a lot to take on from a reliability standpoint. And they're all getting pretty old.

2018 Audi A4 Quattro premium plus... should be able to find one at your price point still under factory warranty...handling superior to my previous E90 and F20...yeah it's a turbo 4 banger but still has plenty of giddy up...ride and cornering tough to beat...and still 33 mpg highway...test drive it and you'll see.....reliability? Been driving German since 2008...no major issues...stand by for incoming horror stories...

WoMD said:

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Worst handling sports coupe (or sedan) I've ever driven. Shocked how loose the steering was. Nice looking, decent interior. But I can't get past the weak steering. I guess as a cruiser it's ok, but don't expect to enjoy great responsiveness with curves.

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Did you drive the previous generation (G37) or the current generation?

For it to be a manual transmission, the one from the OP would have to be the previous generation that was called the G37 before Infiniti rebranded everything for no real reason,...

the FM platform is venerable, but aging.

Im sure there are a lot of aftermarket parts that can be slapped on to help with handling since this is similar to a Z car.

Great value used. The interior trim doesnt seem to age well.

I think the steering issues are around the Direct Adaptive Steering that makes it feel very disconnected from the road. I've never driven one so I don't not first hand.

Edit: Not QX60......Q60

Maybe consider a slightly used VW Atlas. Maybe not quite as sporty as you're looking for...but you can get one with very low miles for well under your budget.

AgGrad99 said:

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Maybe consider a slightly used VW Atlas. Maybe not quite as sporty as you're looking for...but you can get one with very low miles for well under your budget.

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Yeah, that's a no-go. Have to have the sporty part.

AgGrad99 said:

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I had one.

When everything was ok. It was a great SUV. It was quick, responsive, and a really smooth ride. But it had more problems than any car I've had in the past. Engine was replaced, had transmission issues, had to replace the transfer case, Suspension had issues...and that was just the big stuff.

I have friends with this vehicle, who love theirs. Maybe I just got a lemon.

I'll say this...Infiniti customer service at my dealership was second to none. They were fantastic.

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You're thinking of QX60, the tarted up Pathfinder



OP was asking about Q60, the sport coupe

Ah. You're correct.

My bad.

I did drive a Q60 as a loaner once. It was really tight inside, but was fun to drive.

I used to have an '03 G35. No issues with it at all. I'm mainly thinking 1-2 years out, which is why I do extensive research before I make a major purchase now.

I had a 2003 G35 6 sp, and now a '17 Q60 Red Sport.

It is a great GT car. Exceedingly fast, easy highway driving, comfortable cabin.

The good - it is damn fast. There is a little turbo lag off the line, but spinning wheels is possible even up to around 30 miles per hour. It is a very comfortable quiet ride. 90 mph feels like 60. The electronic steering improves with speed. It is very stable at high speeds. On slick roads, I was nervous about how the car would do given 400 hp at the rear wheels, but it has been stable in situations my old G35 may not have been.

The interior is very nice. Critics pan the mixed screen setup. I would give it a B. Certainly does everything well, could do things better.

Cons - The direct adaptive drive is very weird at first and doesnt have the feel of a connect steering setup. Think arcade game, very light and overly responsive.

The driving assists are gimmicky. Yes, the car will drive itself on the highway, but I can't find the trust to use it more than second or two. When it is on, the steering feedback feels flinchy. I use it situationally.

The transmission can be a little surge happy. There are times in city driving it can pause then want to lay a hammer down. Strangely, putting it in Sport mode stops this. It may be my driving style, I tend to be pretty far on the unaggressive side driving wise.

It doesnt have the character of my previous cars (G35 or 240SX). I dont know if it is the lack of a manual, or the wind up you would need to get real power out of them, it just isnt as much fun.

So overall, I would recommend if you have a good deal, even more if you can find a RS without the adaptive drive (but you give up some safety features).

wxguy95 said:

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I had a 2003 G35 6 sp, and now a '17 Q60 Red Sport.

It is a great GT car. Exceedingly fast, easy highway driving, comfortable cabin.

The good - it is damn fast. There is a little turbo lag off the line, but spinning wheels is possible even up to around 30 miles per hour. It is a very comfortable quiet ride. 90 mph feels like 60. The electronic steering improves with speed. It is very stable at high speeds. On slick roads, I was nervous about how the car would do given 400 hp at the rear wheels, but it has been stable in situations my old G35 may not have been.

The interior is very nice. Critics pan the mixed screen setup. I would give it a B. Certainly does everything well, could do things better.

Cons - The direct adaptive drive is very weird at first and doesnt have the feel of a connect steering setup. Think arcade game, very light and overly responsive.

The driving assists are gimmicky. Yes, the car will drive itself on the highway, but I can't find the trust to use it more than second or two. When it is on, the steering feedback feels flinchy. I use it situationally.

The transmission can be a little surge happy. There are times in city driving it can pause then want to lay a hammer down. Strangely, putting it in Sport mode stops this. It may be my driving style, I tend to be pretty far on the unaggressive side driving wise.

It doesnt have the character of my previous cars (G35 or 240SX). I dont know if it is the lack of a manual, or the wind up you would need to get real power out of them, it just isnt as much fun.

So overall, I would recommend if you have a good deal, even more if you can find a RS without the adaptive drive (but you give up some safety features).

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Thanks. Just what I was looking for. I had an '08 Civic Si for a while, and although the cornering was better, the G35 blew it out of the water acceleration-wise. Sounds like I'd like the RS.