Colby is a recent law school graduate and has been rocking a sturdy but boring 2014 Toyota Venza. He wants a fun car before adult life demands otherwise. He has a $35,000 budget for something with three pedals and good handling. What car should he buy?
๐ The Core Development
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I'm graduating from law school and I want to get into something fun! I'm currently in a 2014 Toyota Venza and while it's about as practical as it could get, I need something with a personality. I have grown up driving 911s in the Appalachian mountains so I want to car to be something that I can really carve some corners with. I am a Porsche guy at heart so I would love to hop into one of those. I would like a bit of cargo space but it wouldn't be a deal buster with a lack of space. If possible I would like something I could modify a bit but it will be a daily driver as well as a corner carver. A convertible would be fun but again not a dealbreaker if not. I also really want this car to be a manual as well.
๐ Background & Sector Context
Congratulations on the law school degree. That's no easy task, and neither is sourcing a 911 in this market for under $35,000 that isn't a total basket case. There was a time when a decently sorted 996 could be had in the $30k range; those days are long gone.
However, there is a reasonably affordable option that will give you Porsche-like handling and relatively stress-free ownership. The Toyota GR86 and its Subaru BRZ twin were engineered to offer Porsche Cayman/Boxster experiences at less than half the price of what the Germans are asking. While it lacks the horsepower of the Porsche sports cars, if your primary goal is zipping around corners, there are few cars at this price point that can match the Toyobaru twins.
๐ Industry & Real-World Impact
The only real downside is the lack of Toyota depreciation, so used examples in the low $30,000 mark aren't too far off brand new cars, so you may want to consider a budget stretch to get a full warranty. If you insist on adhering to that $35,000 ceiling, here is a 2024 Toyota Certified Premium model with about 30,000 miles.
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๐ฎ Strategic Outlook & What Lies Ahead
Congratulations on graduating from Emory, Colby. I mean, I don't know for a fact that you just graduated from Emory, but come on. We both know it's Emory. "ATL metro area"? I highly doubt that's Georgia State. Your football team might not have been as good, but allegedly, there's more to law school than tailgating and football. Emory's a solid choice if you care about those things. Now you just have to pass the bar and buy that new car.
The problem is, I don't know if the car you want to drive in the mountains is the one you want to sit in on your commute. Porsches are pretty comfortable, but I've driven in the Atlanta area for decades, and manuals get old fast. A PDK 911 would work, but the ones in your budget aren't all that nice. So I say split your fun life and your work life. Buy a professional, responsible-appearing commuter like a Toyota Prius or Lexus ES hybrid. Heck, buy this 2014 Lexus GS 350 for $19,000 .
