Should we buy a 2003 Spyder?

GT is cloth with the option of leather, single disk CD, manual seats, no side airbags, ABS is an option.

The GTS has the side airbags, leather, compass/temp, 6-disc CD changer in the dash, traction control, ABS, etc. All of that is standard. Every option that can be had is standard equipment with the only two real choices being if you want a 5-speed or the sport-tronic and what color did you want it in.

In the Spyder (Convertible) both use the GTS Engine which is a 210hp variable intake motor. The coupe (Eclipse) GT has a 200hp V6 without it and the GTS has the 210hp version.

GT Spyders start around $27k with a loaded out Sportronic Spyder GTS topping at about $31k. There are either some decent financing rates or a rebate to bring the price down a bit.

I hope you paid cash and got something other than a basic V6... The resale on Mustangs is abysmal and you could easily have lost up to 50% or more as soon as you took delivery of it if you got it new. The rental fleets are full of them and dumping them on the market daily. Even the GT's aren't holding value as a result, nevermind the '05 models coming out early with an entirely new bodystyle (which automatically kills the old vehicles value).

Your best bet is to get out and drive a few of the Spyders and see what you like and what you don't. The only changes for '04 on the Spyder is a new color and the option of a tan top returns after it was discontinued for a year. Even the wheels, tires, trim levels, etc. are identical to 2003 so it's a carry-over year while they put all the efforts and resources into the all new Galant, Endeavor, and Lancer series.

Enjoy the drives and good luck with your hunt.

The list on my 2003 GTS Spyder was 30K. I got it in June of 02. With the

04's out(?), you may be able to get a deal on a leftover 03. When I got mine, I got 0% financing for 6 months and was able to cut a great deal with a trade-in of a 95 Avalon XL.

I'd recommend the GTS just for the traction control. Add in the leather seats, power seat (driver only) and the CD player, it's definitely worth it (IMHO). Last winter, I drove my Spyder and it actually handled better than just about any car I've had. The traction control was amazing. I'll probably never buy another car that doesn't have it on it.

Bottom line is I love it still and it's still fun to put down the top, crank up the CD player and book on down the throughway.....

"GT Spyders start around $27k with a loaded out Sportronic Spyder GTS topping at about $31k. There are either some decent financing rates or a rebate to bring the price down a bit."

holy crap! you could get an evo or sti....

"Even the wheels, tires, trim levels, etc. are identical to 2003 "

are these the same butter-soft wheels that dent so easily? there's an active class-action reguarding those wheels: they're junk.

"I'd recommend the GTS just for the traction control. Add in the leather seats, power seat (driver only) and the CD player, it's definitely worth it (IMHO). Last winter, I drove my Spyder and it actually handled better than just about any car I've had. The traction control was amazing. I'll probably never buy another car that doesn't have it on it."

traction control is a band-aid that is applied to vehicals that don't work right on thier own. i can understand how someone would like it ,front drives handle so poorly any improvement would be appreciated. if you had any time in the old eclipse awd or in the new evo or subaru wrx you would know that traction control is a bad joke (that's being played on you.) for $30,000 i would't touch an eclipse...there are better cars and better deals.

I would just like to thank all for the comments that I recieved. I guess we will take a ride down to our local dealership and test drive a few...

You also have a different final drive ratio, for better acceleration, at least with the manual.

Test driving is key. As another spyder owner, I want to share these drawbacks of the car:

1. Resale value is awful. If you keep your car for a year, expect to get around 15-16k trade-in. That's tough on a 30k car. I picked up mine used, 1,5 years old, for under 16k at a mitsu dealer.
2. Back seat is almost unusable (for people).
3. The car is not really fast, and hard to make faster if you want to. The auto tranny steals a lot of power. With new family sedans now starting to go from 250hp range to around 300, you will not have a fast car.
4. You might want to consider new rims. The standard mitsu rims are a bit soft and dent easily, and they look small on the car. You can put

19" on the car without modifications, so the 17" stock look small.

1. You will need a subwoofer for the car. With the top down, there is not a lot to "carry" the bass. Even without any ghetto aspirations, definitely get one.

Would I recommend the car? Hell yeah! Just be aware of its drawbacks.. It's a class above the V6 Mustang I test-drove, in power, looks and feel. A nice compromise of looks, power, feel and handling. Would I recommend the car for 30k? hmm....

One thing I'd like to add is for the covertable: it is nothing but a blind spot. the spoiler wing is very much in the way, you can't see out the sides to save your life. now with the top down.. no worries. Also the only thing I'd really worry about for the automatic is the auto-shift tranny.. I never really trusted those, although they're probably pretty proven.

Your id fits your attitude....

yeah, but i didn't get suckered into a car that lost half it's value in the first year.

30 grand for that......yeah i guess.

I don't really find the blindspots to be much of a problem. Take some getting used to at first of course (i admit, the first time i got in it, i was like WTF?!?) I find the spoiler blocks annoying truck/suv lights at night, which is convenient. With the Eclipse, your head is right in their "line of fire". As for it blocking sight, I really don't think about at all anymore. You get used to it, and your eyes automatically "look around" the spoiler. Only sight problem is when backing out from a parking spot, you have no diagonal/backward facing view. It is only an issue when cars are parked tight. I have my seat all they way back, and at a very laid-back angle, so that might help me a bit. So, for me the poor vision isn't really a problem. Not even close to the inconvenience of everyday city-driving in a really low car among all the SUVs and Trucks, which as a Eclipse-owner, you get thrown in the deal for free! :-)

In that case you can't buy much of any new car this year, including the much vaunted Toyota and Honda's. With the 0% financing, whether your particular make of choice does it or not, the 1st year depreciation of virtually any vehicle this year is toast. GM steadfastly refuses to let up on it since it's the only way they can bail their own customers out so they are dragging down the rest of the retail markets and residual values right along with them. Then again, Ford's not helping much in that regard with it's mass dumping of nearly new cars onto the market from rental fleets..

Wanna serious tax write-off? Buy a damned Taurus or Monte Carlo, etc.

PLONK!

excellent!

PLONK!

You really are an asshole................... Get a life..................

"You really are an asshole................... " thanks! "Get a life.................." i'll take that under advisement.

you still own a 3G......bwahahahah! like i said kid, stick with computers. you're just lost here.