Hello, my name is Ted and I am going through a semi-midlife crisis. I have a 2012 Hyundai Elantra with a 6speed automatic and 4 cylinder. The car "looks" sporty inside and out but it is boring to drive despite being peppy. I used to drag rag Mustangs. Had 13 Mustangs back in the day. Now, I just want an AFFORDABLE car that is fun to drive and I'm not expecting the world out of it. I like the 2000-2005 body style and I want it to be a convertible so I want a sypder. I also see that there is a 3.0 V6 24Valve engine which is what I am most interested in.

1. Is it a good dependable engine?
2. Is it cheap to maintain?
3. How is the performance compared to the 4 cylinder?
4. Do they make a stock turbo 4 or supercharged 6?
5. Any problems with the stick shift trannys?
6. Are the convertible tops any good or do they leak?

My son likes the body style right before 2000 but I like the 2000-2005 body style. I'd like to spend $4000-$5000 on one. What are common problems of this car? I know that Mitsubishi has made some good 3.0 V6 engines in the past so is this a good engine or are the 4 cylinder more bullet proof?

I plan to upgrade the exhaust system to something with a growl and has a roar with it. Depending on the rims I might change those out as well. That's really. K&N filter kit. That's about all I intend to do to it. Am I falling into a trap by getting a V6 model or are these good cars? I know the hard tops offer more performance and weigh less, but I just want to cruise around town with the top down. I don't plan to race or abuse the car.

I have noticed while online shopping that the last most recent bodystyle can be had for the same price as the older 2000-2005 models but I don't like the looks of them. Is there a reason why the new Eclipses are so cheap? Also are the 2006+ Eclipse models hardtop only or do they have a spyder version? I'll take the best buy that I can get. While I've shopped around and seen that I can get a good one with 120K in great condition for $3900, I can spend more for the right car. I'd like to keep it at $4000 but could go to $5000 even possibly $6000. I just no NOTHING about Eclipses. I want a manual tranny and a peppy car. I want something with a roaring exhaust. And I want a top down. Now I need to learn everything about the car. Most importantly, is the V6 24V a good engine? Or is there a more dependable option? Thank you in advance.

Ted