Main Street Rides

Sports cars are a dime a dozen these days and they cover a range from the very entry level to the astronomically extreme.  There truly is a sports car out there for any budget.  The trick is to find one that hasn’t been tampered with.  It’s easy enough to find a high-end model that is relatively stock and if it isn’t, you can bet its been tuned properly.  Unfortunately, for the middle class sports car connoisseur, many affordable examples have either been driven into the ground or so carelessly modified that it would be cheaper in the long wrong to set fire to your savings account and start over from scratch.

The problem with modifying any car is that there actually is a science to it.  Most people who own sports cars and are interested in modifying them are aware that you need more air to achieve more power.  That would be the reason that many sporty cars found on the road have been equipped with aftermarket air intakes and forced induction systems like turbo or super chargers.  When pricing, used sports cars, it’s generally a good idea to avoid these examples, as they are early warning signals that the car has likely been driven hard and could possibly have serious problems.

What most people don’t realize is that when the capacity of oxygen is increased, the increase of fuel flow is also needed.  Then, of course, with more fuel and oxygen the car becomes more powerful and needs better brakes, suspension, and exhaust.  Just as the circulatory system and respiratory systems of our bodies work together so do the various systems of the car.  If the fuel, ignition, and intake system are upgraded, so will the cooling and lubrication systems need to be.  Higher powered cars produce more heat in the engine blocks and the cooling and lubrication systems will need to be beefed up in order to maintain efficiency and avoid damage caused by overheating.

As a general rule of thumb when buying any car, avoid those that have been modified.  Few have the knowledge required to properly modify a car effectively and even fewer have the funds.  Properly modifying a car takes thousands of dollars and when done on the cheap, can cause major problems.  An example of this is a 2003 Nissan 350Z that I have been working on recently.  Thinking he’d received a good deal, the owner brought the car in wanting some squeaky belts and a fuel leak fixed.  It only took minutes to realize this Z had been submitted to some heavy modifications and was in tough shape.  Stock Nissan Zs are supremely confident sports coups; classically attractive and extremely addicting to drive, these cars are in little need of modification.  This particular 350Z, however, had been dropped two inches in the suspension, resulting in a teeth-rattling ride and the ability to lose its bumper on any number of curbs or driveways.  At one point the car had been turbo charged, had the coolant recovery tank removed and was left with a leaky capped off tube that leaked coolant all over the radiator and engine block.  Lamborghini doors had also been installed, resulting in a poor fit in the door and large dents in the fenders that probably were a result of someone ignorantly opening the door as they originally were meant to.  Screws held the A pillar molding in place where after market boost gauges had likely found their home and it seemed that none of the body panels quite lined up like they should.  Last but definitely not least a ram air intake system had been installed, placing the air filter just inches above the ground in the front air dam, the perfect place to suck up water from a puddle and fill your engine with water.

Simply put, when looking for a sports car, it is wise to avoid those examples that have been modified.  More than likely they have been driven into ground, slammed into guardrails at high speed, or damaged due to overheating or lack of lubrication.  Look for good clean cars that have been left in their original state and have been cared for properly.  It’s much cheaper in the long run to buy a more expensive car that has been lovingly maintained than it is to buy a cheaper tired one that will need endless repairs and replacements.

Related articles

• What’s The Best of Affordable Sports Cars (athingforcars.com)