Doug DeMuro: What’s the Best Third Car To Buy?

"Thousand Oaks, California USA - September 11,2011: Dodge Viper SRT10 orange with black stripes, profile low angle shot, photographed in the a parking garage with flashes and spot lights.
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Choosing a third car (or second car if you are single) is less about necessity and more about enjoyment.

In a YouTube video, Doug DeMuro said the best pick depends on if you have extra income, available space and have the time to drive it. He said the right third vehicle should be reliable, relatively modern, relatively affordable and fun to drive. Below are six of DeMuro picks for the best third car to buy.

Also here are five cars you’ll want to avoid, according to DeMuro.

 

C6 Chevy Corvette Z06

  • Price: $33,640 (2006 Corvette Z06)
  • Horsepower: 505 @ 6300 RPM
  • Fuel economy: city 15 mpg/hwy 24 mpg
  • Engine: V8, 7.0 liter

DeMuro said the Corvette Z06 is not expensive to own, doesn’t require much space and is a fun car to drive. He added that most used Z06s are between $32,000 and $42,000. All car details are according to Kelly Blue Book (KBB).

 

Dodge Viper

  • Price: $57,500 (2003 Viper SRT)
  • Horsepower: 500 @ 5600 RPM
  • Fuel economy: city 12 mpg/hwy 21 mpg
  • Engine: 10 cylinder, 8.3 liter

DeMuro said that the Dodge Viper, as a loud and aggressive vehicle, is the antidote to commuting in a boring car. Car price, fuel economy and engine details are according to KBB. The Viper’s horsepower was sourced from Edmunds.

Mazda ND Miata

  • Price range: $26,650 to $35,925 (2019 Miata MX-5)
  • Horsepower: 181 @ 7000 RPM
  • Fuel economy: city 26 mpg/hwy 34 mpg
  • Engine: SKYACTIV-G,  2.0 liter

DeMuro told viewers that the ND Miata is really fun to drive with its communicative steering and handles wonderfully. All car details were sourced from Car and Driver.

Mercedes AMG GT

  • Price: $65,003 (2019)
  • Horsepower: 630 @ 5500 RPM
  • Fuel economy: city 15 mpg/hwy 20 mpg
  • Engine: V8, 4.0 liter

DeMuro said that German car enthusiasts would be interested in the exotic-looking Mercedes AMG GT, which is the only automatic car on his list. He also noted that the AMG GT was relatively affordable to own and surprisingly reliable. The AMG GT’s horsepower was sourced from Edmunds. Car price, fuel economy and engine details are according to Cars.com.

Porsche 981 Boxster Cayman S

  • Price: $47,993 (2013)
  • Horsepower: 315 @ 6700 RPM
  • Fuel economy: city 20 mpg/hwy 28 mpg
  • Engine: 6 cylinder, 3.4 liter

DeMuro said that the 981 Boxster offers an exceptionally fun driving experience and is well designed and engineered. The 981 Boxster’s horsepower was sourced from KBB. Car price, fuel economy and engine details are according to Edmunds.

Toyota Supra

  • Price: $57,998 (2022)
  • Horsepower: 382 @ 5800 RPM
  • Fuel economy: city 22 mpg/hwy 30 mpg
  • Engine: 6 cylinder, 3.0 liter, Turbo 8A

DeMuro explained that Toyota’s decision to use a BMW powertrain in the Supra has resulted in a fairly reliable and tunable car with great mid-range power. All car details were from Edmunds.

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