New or Used: SHO, Don't Tell

Sajeev Mehta and Steve Lang
by Sajeev Mehta and Steve Lang

Charlie writes:

Dear Steve & Sajeev, I am hoping you can give me some advice & feedback on a replacement for my currently daily driver that I will be purchasing some time next year. I am currently driving a 1995 Ford Taurus SHO with an automatic transmission (the transmission was not by choice, I would have preferred the manual…just couldn’t find one at the time I was looking) This is the fourth Taurus SHO I have owned (I have previously owned a 1989, 1994, & a 1997 also) My budget is somewhere between $10,000 – $15,000 (though I may be willing to push toward $18,000 for the right car.

My primary concerns, in order of importance, are:

  • Performance – I refuse to buy anything slower than my current car. I realize it is not as competitive as it used to be but it will still run down any of the supercharged 3800 GM cars. I don’t do any “professional” racing, but I refuse to get spanked by a Toyota Camry or a Denali pickup at a light or merging into traffic.
  • “Fun to Drive” Factor – I realize this is a very personal feeling aspect that is in the eye of the beholder, but at least have some level of fun attributed to it. For example: Driving a Toyota Camry is no fun even if it is fast (V6 models), but it’s just so boring to drive.
  • Looks – There, I said it. I am very superficial when it comes to my cars. I don’t necessarily want a “flashy” car such as an M3, WRX/STi, Evo, etc…. I kind of like the flash to be a bit more subtle. I like sleeper cars (like my SHO).
  • Cost to Own/Maintain – Costs to keep up on maintenance & repairs. I don’t want to get into the more unique import brands that parts are not readily available for in my area because we don’t have a dealership to have parts available or service it if my local repair shop can’t do it (That excludes any luxury car brand & some imports such as BMW, M-B, Volvo) I also don’t want anything older than about 10 years old. I’m tired of finding out parts are discontinued & no longer available for my car. I like to keep my car in 100% PERFECT operating condition with no noises, leaks, etc.
  • Driver Comfort – Ergonomics, Features/Amenities

Here is the list (in no particular order) with some of my own thoughts so far on it:

  • Mazdaspeed 6 – Great power & sweet 6-speed MT only. Not crazy about AWD. I drove an ’06 model and it is at the top of my list. Very fun, exciting, fast…. yet still can be driven tame and rides nice. Love the power & the turbo lag. The manual was a bit more finicky than the TL (below) and took some getting used to but I eventually got the hang of it. I really fell in love with this car.
  • Mazdaspeed 3 – All the benefits of the 6 but without the AWD. Like the look of the hatch too, even though I’ve always owned 4-door sedans
  • Acura TL Type S – Preferably the ’08-’09 model but I realize that will probably be pushing above the $20k range. I think the styling is great (FU Acura for ruining the new ones), great power & smooth 6-speed MTX available. However, I would be happy with the older generation too like from ’03-’04 or whenever it was. Not a very “exciting” car to drive, but a very nice car nonetheless. Still high up on my list
  • Nissan Altima SE-R – Don’t really know much about Nissans as far as driving them, and I didn’t care for the styling of these in the ’05-’06 years in the base models, but the SE-R trim added a nice touch along with those wheels. The Nissan VQ engine is always a smart bet and could also get a 6-spd MT available
  • Subaru Legacy 2.5GT – the last generation, not the new ones. I’ve never owned a Subaru but after about 3 minutes of driving it, I turned right around and took it back to the dealer. Nice car, rides nice and quiet… but BORING!! And doesn’t feel very fast at all. I’m not sure if the manual is that much more exciting but I’ve taken that off my list permanently.
  • Chevy Cobalt SS (Turbo , not S/C) – Ok, it’s a little boy racer and a bit smaller than I would care for, but oodles of power & probably can be found for cheap as long as they all aren’t completely trashed by the I know the insurance is INSANE on these though.
  • I was also thinking this morning on my way to work and drove by a newer Nissan 350Z. I was thinking what about something like that? I am a single man with no kids, why couldn’t I have something more along the lines of a sports car? I don’t need anything crazy because I want to keep regular maintenance & upkeep down to a minimum and don’t want to pay through the nose on insurance for a daily driver… but maybe something like that would be ok too?

Your thoughts, comments, suggestions, additions?

Steve Answers:

This part of your question struck me as funny: “I don’t need anything crazy because I want to keep regular maintenance & upkeep down to a minimum and don’t want to pay through the nose on insurance.”

May I suggest a ten-year-old Buick?

That’s pretty much the only thing that’s missing in your cornucopia of cars. I honestly believe you will be perfectly happy with any of the vehicles you already mentioned. Then again I don’t know you. The Internet offers amazing variations of Yuppiedom and I don’t see anything on your list that wouldn’t allow the quintessential Yuppie 10+ years of happy driving.

Except perhaps that 350Z. I won’t call it an outright POS. But buying one of those used represents the ultimate of crapshoots. They are expensive to keep up. Expensive to maintain. Expensive to insure. If it were me, I would start with finding a good owner for the vehicle du jour. Get it independently inspected, and then make a reasonable offer. Either that or really go crazy and invest in a few Vanguard index funds.

Sajeev Answers:

You like SHOs. Matter of fact, you like them enough to mention the 2010 SHO’s comeback in your email signature. So I’m gonna go with my gut, and assume you need an “Executive Express” much like the GEN II SHO’s marketing materials suggested. But this time with a little more Executive (nicer interior) and less Express (mid-pack performance) than whatever a modern day V6 SHO might be. Because, let’s face it, torque steer blows and AWD isn’t necessary here.

And the only Executive Express worthy of my gut’s consideration is the Acura TL, with a stick and an understated color like silver, gray or black. Its got enough power, but it isn’t the rocket ship that the SHO was back in its heyday. Since it’s Accord based, it’s more than a little “bullish” on cheap parts and easy servicing in any part of the country. The interior is worthy of any mid-level luxury car, which will be a big improvement in your life. You aren’t sold yet, and you shouldn’t be.

Most importantly, just like any good hot-rod Taurus, the aftermarket erases the dull feelings you have towards the TL. While this video may not be the correct vintage TL, it gives away the big secret: the aftermarket offers you the option of a mild dusting of suspension bits to make the Acura the best thing since the Yamaha V6 SHO died in 1995. And someone looking for the best Executive Express for the dollar really has no other choice.

Need help with a car buying conundrum? Email your particulars to mehta@ttac.com, and let TTAC’s collective wisdom make the decision easier… or possibly much, much harder.

Sajeev Mehta and Steve Lang
Sajeev Mehta and Steve Lang

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  • GeneralMalaise GeneralMalaise on Jan 06, 2011

    Thanks, Dan... been lurking and enjoying the posts and comments (what a wonderful site!), but just couldn't take another cheap shot taken at one of the best sports car values on the road today... the 350Z.

    • Jellodyne Jellodyne on Jan 09, 2011

      There's nothing wrong with a new 350Z, but a used one is going to be dependent on whether the previous owner thrashed it to within an inch of its life or treated it responsibly. I'll grant that that's true of any car, but when you're talking about sports cars like the 350Z, there's a far greater chance of previous owner hoonage than you'd get with just about any 4 door sedan.

  • Adub Adub on Jan 06, 2011

    I faced the same problem when replacing my 1st Gen SHO. I eventually settled on an Accord V6. It was fast, nimble, had an excellent ride, and the steering was a dream. If you shopped a Legacy GT with an automatic but found it slow, consider an Accord V6. However, you could also consider a used Saab 9-2x Aero. Same mechanicals as the WRX, but more subtle looks, and it comes with goodies like the steering rack out of the STI. Plus, for two grand it can easily be upgraded to over 400 hp.

  • CanadaCraig You can just imagine how quickly the tires are going to wear out on a 5,800 lbs AWD 2024 Dodge Charger.
  • Luke42 I tried FSD for a month in December 2022 on my Model Y and wasn’t impressed.The building-blocks were amazing but sum of the all of those amazing parts was about as useful as Honda Sensing in terms of reducing the driver’s workload.I have a list of fixes I need to see in Autopilot before I blow another $200 renting FSD. But I will try it for free for a month.I would love it if FSD v12 lived up to the hype and my mind were changed. But I have no reason to believe I might be wrong at this point, based on the reviews I’ve read so far. [shrug]. I’m sure I’ll have more to say about it once I get to test it.
  • FormerFF We bought three new and one used car last year, so we won't be visiting any showrooms this year unless a meteor hits one of them. Sorry to hear that Mini has terminated the manual transmission, a Mini could be a fun car to drive with a stick.It appears that 2025 is going to see a significant decrease in the number of models that can be had with a stick. The used car we bought is a Mk 7 GTI with a six speed manual, and my younger daughter and I are enjoying it quite a lot. We'll be hanging on to it for many years.
  • Oberkanone Where is the value here? Magna is assembling the vehicles. The IP is not novel. Just buy the IP at bankruptcy stage for next to nothing.
  • Jalop1991 what, no Turbo trim?
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