What fun car should I get?
 

So in December I wrecked my explorer (see http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/tilted-...-no-blood.html)

Now I'm getting a minivan from my folks (Thanks Folks!:thumbsup:).

The plan is to drive the minivan as my only vehicle for a few months while I save money towards another vehicle. Then I'll garage the minivan to use when I need the cargo/people hauling capacity.

I'm thinking for the other vehicle some sportscar or maybe a motorcycle.

I've been looking at and researching the 90-96 Nissan 300ZX anybody have any comments on those cars, or suggestions at other ones I should look into?

I'm looking to spend under 10k- preferrably closer to 5k

Motorcycle. You're only young and fully-assembled once!

May I recommend a used Honda Shadow Sabre? Can be had for ~$5000. Insurance is $200 a year (for me). NGDawg will testify to the fun factor.

Plus... where you live? You get plenty of riding weather just about all year long. It's a dream.

I'm a big believer of the fun-per-dollar ratio of Subarus. 5 and a half second 0-60 times, ridiculous handling, all weather performance, and good comfort and reliability, not to mention the immense amount of aftermarket mods available. For a couple extra grand, you can tune one to 300+ hp. Everyone has their preferences, Subies are mine. Here's an example of one in your price range, but they are everywhere. eBay Motors: Subaru : WRX (item 170297125498 end time Jan-31-09 16:27:39 PST)

They're maintenance intensive. Awesome cars from a performance aspect if you get the turbo, and visually they're fantastic, but expect issues with. . you guessed it. . .the turbo.

The MR2 turbo tends to be more bulletproof from a repair standpoint, and it's quite fun to drive. Excellent handling, and as long as you get the turbo, they're pretty quick too. Get the T-tops. Even if you have to replace the seals due to leaks, they're worth it. Try to get a 93 or up. That's the year that the brakes got bigger, and they tweaked the suspension to make it less likely to snap overstear in corners, which invariably causes a spinout. Keep in mind that this is a summer-only car. The RWD, mid engine, very wide tire configuration makes for treacherous driving in the slick. That said, there are LOTS of mods out there for the 2nd gen cars, from giant turbos to engine swaps. . and one guy even swapped twin jet engines into his ;)


Another good one to look at is the S2000. The 1st gens are in the 10-15k pricerange now, and they are damned fun cars. It's quite surprising to look down at the gauges, see that you're doing 8,000 RPM, and realize you don't have to shift for another 1,000 ;). Very well balanced, handles like a gokart on crack, and if you get the urge to go faster, turbocharged S2K's are becoming more common, and are . very entertaining.


Either the MR2 or the S2k will be cheaper to own than the 300ZX.

I've got a friend who swears by Subaru's, but I will never, ever, ever ride with him again after that one time. I thought I was going to die.

I have a nice cheap little Mazda Protege, which was a nice compromise for me between fun and practical (manual transmission, engine has a decent amount of oomph, and has a back seat for the kids). Another friend got a mazda speed 3 - another 'fun' car for a guy who has a few kids to haul around on occasion.

The Mazda Miata is kindof the epitome of inexpensive but fun cars, if you live in a convertible-friendly climate.

Yet another (single) friend has a Honda S2000, which she loves.

300ZX is a great car---until you have to work on it.

My suggestions:

Mazda Miata (if it's too girly, a coil-over suspension, and roll hoop will change that)
Acura Integra GS-R (but only if you have a garage) If you look around a bit, you might come across a RSX Type-S that comes in right at the $10k threshold
Subaru Impreza WRX (wagons are less likely to be abused)
Ford Mustang GT (lot of untapped potential in that 4.6)
Toyota Celica GT-S (the final version was girly, but it had one helluva engine)

May I recommend a used Honda Shadow Sabre? Can be had for ~$5000. Insurance is $200 a year (for me).
I agree with Crompsin! You can't go wrong with that bike. If you already have a vehicle for transporting people and rainy days, go for the bike. The Shadow is a very dependable bike and a lot of fun.

I've seen some very reasonably priced, nicely done 240SX's in the Houston area (I've been looking myself). I will second the S2000 notion (which, if practical, I would have already traded in for.)

Of course, you could always go V8 and look at 4th gen F Bodies, which are dirt cheap now.

Don't get an Eclipse. Just trust me.

If you really want something fun, try a 1971 Porsche 914. It's barely 2000 lbs. and it's (rear) mid engine. And it's pretty easy to do an engine swap from the stock 1.7L to, say, a 2.0L turbocharged Subaru engine putting out 227hp.

2000 lb. car + 227hp = very, very fast. That's a better power to weight ratio than a Lotus Exige S, and it'll likely run you like $8,000.

wow...under 5k for an '02. I just might keep my eye out for one around here. It'd make an excellent 2nd car, especially in the winter.

I second the WRX. They are a ton of fun to drive.

If you're looking for a cheap, fun car to have and maintain, a Miata is the way to go. Subaru's, S2K's and Lancer's are faster, but more expensive to maintain and insure. I've always liked the idea of a WRX wagon, but the top model Lancers tend to be very well handling cars in my opinion. Personally, I prefer rear-drive, light-weight cars and you just can't beat the Miata for the price. I also wouldn't buy an MR2 over it. I'm also averse to 300zx's due to the substantial weight. The last generation of MR2 is not a particularly great one. The 914 is a great idea, if you like an older car. I would also recommend the Fiat Spider out of personal experience, it's a great car from the time period. Better handling than a 240z but not as fast :). 2nd gen Miata is the way to go.

Right after posting that I ran across a recommended maintenance schedule. The expensive maintenance is a pretty big turn off for the 300ZX... but man T-Tops are sexy...

I'm gonna have to do some research on these other cars...

I'd also suggest an S2000...it's a very well balanced reliable sports car. My second choice would be a Miata.

1st time i´ve heard a 914 recommended - porche looks with vw beetle performance. guess an engine transplant would help and pretty sure those cars can be gotten for very cheap.

I don't know...I'm not the biggest fan of the 300zx...I think a Lotus would be nice :thumbsup:
Even an old Porche.
Although I'm the biggest fan of a motorcycle!:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

I dunno if one could say "Porsche looks". A lot of people think they're horribly ugly, and some think they're gorgeous.

The 914 looks like this:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1194576322.jpg
They are 2-seaters with a targa top, very flat and low to the ground, and have the nickname "apple cart" in Europe. Personally, I like the way they look and I'm madly in love with the way they handle.

The great part is that, due to the very low weight, an engine swap will still mean that you can get 30+ mpg going 80+ mph on the highway. And still be a lot quicker and more nimble than pretty much anything else on the road. With the right tweaks, you can keep up with a Vette (so long as it's got a top speed governor).

I'm thinkin' that a motorcycle would serve you well. Having a girlfriend that is going to eventually have one herself will make for some great rides.

There's also the Mazda RX-7 FC chassis(86.5 - 92), especially the Turbo II. Don't get too hung up on the reliability of their rotary engines, that's more of an issue with the FD models.

Yeah, but don't get it. The Integra was the better car. They changed the suspension around in the RSX and it became rather tail happy. Had great looks, especially in the back, but the handling just wasn't on par with the Teg.

I'll second that. Many Eclipse owners have learned about something called "Crankshaft Walk," which is Mitsubishispeak for "You're buying a new engine." Which is a shame, because the Eclipse was a gorgeous car.


re: insurance on the S2k, etc. I figured if he was looking at a 300ZX, he could afford the insurance on an S2k. That said, the miata is a damned fun car and can be made even more fun with mods. Until you drive a 2nd gen MR2 Turbo, however, withhold judgement on which one is /more/ fun ;)


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3078/...ba90b2f81d.jpg

And they're good looking too.


Another one I forgot to mention is the Supra. If you can afford one, they're excellent cars and have amazing potential for modification.

Owning one now, and also being in love with it, I'll advise that the Supra (the one I know best is the last gen "MKIV") is not for the faint of pocketbook unless you have the self-control of ...I can't even think of a mythical character with adequate self-control... to keep it stock or only slightly moded for more boost. But they're Toyotas and therefore seem to live virtually forever with normal maintenance.


Another car I've always liked and you can still find clean ones around is the Datsun 2000 or even the 1600. Recently there was one for sale around here, a clean stock car, for your target budget.

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g2...s/PA190288.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g2...s/PA190280.jpg

Hooray! What I think is going to happen will be getting a list of cars he is interested in and going to test them out. That way before he gets hot and heavy for a car...he'll have to be hot and heavy for the handling. I just don't care for the Nissan bodyshape...I do love that Porche looking thing though!

I've wanted one of those for a long time. I wish my garage were bigger. -sigh-

The guy at the gas station down the road has one of these:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...tgart-2005.jpg

There are a couple of these in town:

http://mki.wisc.edu/hgia/graphics/11...obile_2004.jpg

Car? Motorcyle? Both? Neither?

http://phuket4u.net/img/tuktuk.jpg

My brother's wife used to drive one of these:

http://www.honda-oz.org.au/pics/sc12.jpg

Oh, the mythology!

http://cache.jalopnik.com/assets/res...Citroen_DS.jpg

This is a shameless plug since I own one, but if I were you I would try to find an SRT-4. They are an absolute blast to drive, and you should definitely be able to find a 2004 for under $10k.

0-60 in 5.3 seconds and 4 doors for convenience!

What about a Hyundai Tiburon? I don't know what kind of rep they have mechanically but the look sure is sporty.

Datsun 2000's were even more fun when you swapped in an SR20 engine.

The only thing the Tiburon has that's sporty are looks. Not a performance machine by any stretch.

My roommate has a Tiburon and he loves it immensely. He bought it stock and put new headers, intake and some other shit and it's got some balls. I drove it the other day and it's got a fast response and feels good in the corners.

Real sports cars are rear wheel drive though :)

Personally, I can't live without RWD (except for maybe a mini), it makes a big difference in weight and handling. But many people disagree with this, I suppose.

I couldn't agree more. That's why I drive THIS:

http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/4593/car8zu3.jpg
http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/2686/car3pq5.jpg
http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/1159/car4fv0.jpg

50/50 weight distribution, RWD ftw.

Might be a bit beyond your budget, but give the RX8 a look-see, J. :)

The only downer about the RX8 is it has absolutely horrific long-term reliability ratings.

another vote for, and owner of, a RWD performance vehicle, the only way to go in a sports car in my book ...as long as they don't have a magic triangle motor, Jinn. ;)

RWD or not, the SRT-4 would blow away a Tiburon and even significantly outpace an RX-8. I won't lie - traction is an issue, but once you have it down pat, it's back to non-issue and you are hanging with the V8s. You are driving a suped up Neon though.

look into a cherry nissan 200 sx se...xoxoxoo

Gotta love the "No true Scotsman". Real sports cars are sports cars. That includes RWD, AWD, and yes sometimes even FWD (drive the Ford Focus RS if you don't believe me).

Honda Civic si for fun and reasonable repair bills. Mini Cooper for fun and not so reasonable repair bils.

The mini cooper is off the list...theyre outragous for repairs like mentioned. I just don't like the car, we've already got a small/fun car in the Beetle. *I have a grudge against minis...

The Focus is a sport-compact, not a sports car. There is a difference ;)

I can't really think of any FWD sports cars. Not that one couldn't exist. .. I just can't think of one. The Subaru SVX might be loosely classified by some as a sports car, but really it's more of a sport-sedan or grand-tourer. The WRX is sport-compact.

A sportscar is usually thought to be a small low-slung car with good handling and 2 seats. Some also say it has to have a removable roof, but I don't.

The only 2 seat front wheel drive car I can think of in my admittedly tired state right now is the Honda CRX, which is not by any definition a sports car - - it too is a sport-compact.

Depends on who you ask. Not everyone agrees that a sports car has to be a 2 seater or a 2 + 2. Generally, imho, it's about application. Why was this car built? To be stupidly, almost dangerously fast? Yes? Probably a sports car. And let's be honest, the Focus RS is a lot faster than some of the more traditional sports cars out there.

I agree a "sports car" must have two seats only...at least that's my definition and I'm hardly ever wrong. Speed, handling, other factors don't determine "sports car" even if some sedans or GT cars exceed the performance of a less noble sports car.

Even though I don't like them, I'm sure there were quite a few FF sports cars....e.g., the late model Mercury Capri was one:

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g2...cury-Capri.jpg

hehe

by that logic, these are sports cars:

http://www.carlustblog.com/images/20...9/syclone1.jpg
http://www.ajeepthing.com/images/gmc-typhoon.jpg

The GMC Syclone and Typhoon could do 0-60 in 4.6 and 5 seconds respectively. Nonetheless, I know of no one who considers them to be sports cars.


A sports car isn't necessarily a fast vehicle. It's a vehicle that handles well and, well, looks like a sports car. The Focus looks like a subcompact. Because it is ;) That it's built to go fast makes it a sport compact.

Few would argue that a Porsche 356a Speedster:

http://www.ridelust.com/wp-content/u...dster_1_8w.jpg

is not a sports car despite having a 0-60 of 13.9 seconds (a time that is nearly halved by an average minivan).