Best Car for 6-8k

[totalburnout]

Alright, my sol is basically run into the ground right now. It has 125k on it, been hit by atleast 3 different people and is worth nothing. I'm just riding it out until I have a job and some money for a new car. By the end of the summer I'm hoping to have between 6-8k and want to get the best car that I can.

Requirements for the car;
Must handle well
Must get good gas mileage (Above 20mpg city, and like 25mpg on the highway atleast)
I don't care about the mileage on the car as long as its in good mechanical condition
I want something thats relatively quick and no 4 bangers that I have to rev to 6k to get some power. <after driving the sol and then a mustang gt, i cant stand the 4 banger with no power)
Must ride fairly quiet
Must be easy to maintain
Insurance can't be too high

Can't really think of anything else right now.

As far as cars that I was looking at, I was thinking possibly a 325iS or maybe a Subara Impreza 2.5 RS, I just don't know if I could stand only having 160hp...thats what my friend's 1.8t Jetta has and I dont know if thats powerful enough for my taste...plus I hear the AWD hogs a lot of the HP (so anyone have 1/4mile times and specs on these two cars or any others?). I wish I could get a 2001 WRX but that is going to be out of my league even if it has 100k on it.

I would love a Mustang GT or a trans am as well but the insurance would be far too high for a 19 year old kid, and I would have to get like a 1990.

 

[totalburnout]

http://www.cars.com/search/used/cc/standar...lyrec&src=&cid=

Would LOVE a m3 as well but insurance would probably be high, I dont know what kind of mileage they get, probably difficult to maintain, plus the price is still high even after that car being in a flood and probably hydrolocked.

 

[Seany-izzle]

good luck finding a rs or a 325 for 8 grand.

 

[jeffie7]

99 M3 for 8K "that link" hahaha thats total bull shit

try to find a high milage 95 M3 for under 12K chances are it wont happen


You can find some older 96-98 Audi A4s for around your price but the upkeep is not cheap at all!

You might find a nice older 3 series "none M3" for 5-8K just check the papers and watch ebaymotors

 

[asmallsol]

Miata. Before you start laughing, actually go out and test drive one. I test drove one yesterday alone while it was just starting to sprinkle at a used car sales dealership. That car is fun as hell to drive. The car is SO tail happy.

 

[posol]

that link = flood car.

don't buy that shit and expect it to work.


miatas have no nut at all... totally nto what hes after...

 

[erebunicrx]

crx with a b18 swap and with a jrsc. then suspension. for under 8g's

 

[driverunknown]

Originally posted by New2TheCarScene@Jun 22 2004, 02:30 PM
I want something thats relatively quick and no 4 bangers that I have to rev to 6k to get some power. <after driving the sol and then a mustang gt, i cant stand the 4 banger with no power)

I just don't know if I could stand only having 160hp...

Sounds like a

Go do some research and look in to power:weight ratios.

 

[corvetteguy]

1996 Corvette LT4How about a

1991 300 zx?

300 zx

or a
3000gt

3000 gt

Or if you want a real car.... j/k
1996 lt4

 

[allbottledup]

the 300zx and the 3000gt are way to heavy for what power they have. Granted both use a twin turbo 6...but its not enough power for those cars.

 

[phunky.buddha]

They're still faster than Civics. They've got tons of torque compared to other cars their size.

corvetteguy- I seriously doubt you could get a decent condition late model C4 for under $8k. Maybe a newer C3, but getting it up to daily driver reliability again would take some cash.



New2TheCarScene- This is a little far fetched, but maybe you could find a 92-95 Civic coupe or sedan, then drop in an H23/H22 running Type-S pistons with a B series transmission on it. You keep the direct linkage shifter, don't have to modify the engine bay much to get that combo in, and have gobs of torque for a car that size. You'll get damn good gas mileage too. Jeff @ ImportBuilders made 230whp with his H23/H2 hybrid with tons of torque too, and that was with all OEM parts.

 

[corvetteguy]

1996 Lt4 Corvette

Ops THat Lt4 C4 Corvetet Link was wrong Its not Under 8k but its dam close and the 1996 Lt4 its god dam awesome even with 142k there are many members on Corvetteforums.com who had 150k-200k corvettes in awesome runing condition.....this car is defenitly worth the extra cash..stock 300rwhp for 9k(buy it now price, can get for less) plus its Silver!!!!!

 

[phunky.buddha]

Hmm. That one's in Austin too. Hmmmmmmmm... sell the Civic?

 

[totalburnout]

Originally posted by jeffie7@Jun 22 2004, 10:02 PM
99 M3 for 8K "that link" hahaha thats total bull shit

try to find a high milage 95 M3 for under 12K chances are it wont happen


You can find some older 96-98 Audi A4s for around your price but the upkeep is not cheap at all!

You might find a nice older 3 series "none M3" for 5-8K just check the papers and watch ebaymotors

Check the link out, thats for cars that are totaled by insurance, scan through the site its a good site.

 

[totalburnout]

Originally posted by erebunicrx@Jun 22 2004, 10:54 PM
crx with a b18 swap and with a jrsc. then suspension. for under 8g's

Not looking for a swapped car, thanks though.

 

[totalburnout]

Originally posted by driverunknown+Jun 23 2004, 12:03 AM-->

New2TheCarScene

@Jun 22 2004, 02:30 PM
I want something thats relatively quick and no 4 bangers that I have to rev to 6k to get some power. <after driving the sol and then a mustang gt, i cant stand the 4 banger with no power)

I just don't know if I could stand only having 160hp...

Sounds like a

Go do some research and look in to power:weight ratios.

Sounds like I drive a Del Sol and every car in my driveway is 1.5-2.5L 4cyl 5spd...and I know what the hell a four cylinder car is like.

From driving a GT for 500+ miles at a time, I also know what the hell a 8 cyclinder car is like and 6cyl seems to be a good middle ground.

I understand power to weight ratio, I also understand that torque means a hell of a lot more than horsepower and most four bangers dont have very much torque at all. I like being able to put someone back in their seat, and to get up to and take off at highway speeds easily. A modest sedan can burn the Sol especially because its a 1.5L S, perhaps if it were the DOHC VTEC model then it wouldn't be so hard to wind the engine out to 90mph-100mph and not feel like the car is about to go into self destruct mode but I dont know.

 

[totalburnout]

Originally posted by corvetteguy@Jun 23 2004, 10:44 AM
1996 Corvette LT4How about a

1991 300 zx?

300 zx

or a
3000gt

3000 gt

Or if you want a real car.... j/k
1996 lt4

I didnt mention a 3000gT VR4 or dodge stealth RT because i know how many miles would have to be on one to get at that price. It would basically have to be a '92 with 1000 miles, insurance would be high, mitsus from that era were known to have a lot of problems (including the two rebuilt turbos my friends both had to put onto their vr4s).

As for the 300zx, i've though about them....but now with all the sr20 swaps people want to do they're in pretty high demand and wouldnt have all the modern luxuries that the beamer or subaru would have. The insurance is sure to be pretty high in NJ for a kid who is just going to be turning 19, even if i have a spotless driving record. Still, i'd look into this possibility.

Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[totalburnout]

Originally posted by allbottledup@Jun 23 2004, 10:54 AM
the 300zx and the 3000gt are way to heavy for what power they have. Granted both use a twin turbo 6...but its not enough power for those cars.

The zx only had one year of tt and that would be out of my price range.

 

[totalburnout]

Originally posted by Calesta@Jun 23 2004, 11:06 AM
They're still faster than Civics. They've got tons of torque compared to other cars their size.

corvetteguy- I seriously doubt you could get a decent condition late model C4 for under $8k. Maybe a newer C3, but getting it up to daily driver reliability again would take some cash.



New2TheCarScene- This is a little far fetched, but maybe you could find a 92-95 Civic coupe or sedan, then drop in an H23/H22 running Type-S pistons with a B series transmission on it. You keep the direct linkage shifter, don't have to modify the engine bay much to get that combo in, and have gobs of torque for a car that size. You'll get damn good gas mileage too. Jeff @ ImportBuilders made 230whp with his H23/H2 hybrid with tons of torque too, and that was with all OEM parts.

I don't think I would buy another civic/del sol again. I love the sol to death but its just not me anymore. All the coupes and sedans that I've driven have had the same problem with rough rides, loud on the highway, and dont hold up very well after 80-90mph. I do a lot of highway driving and thats why I was thinking about the ride and comfort of the 325is. i can get like a '92 325is with 90-100k on it for around 6-7Gs, i can get a bit newer like '95 with 100-125k on it for about the same price.

I thought about a prelude but the retail is still pretty high on them, i've never actually driven/riden in one and i dont know if the power/torque i want is there especially in the years that i would have to get to fulfill my price requirements.

In the end, I don't even know if I'm going to be able to cough up anymore than 6Gs by the end of summer and even then I might need to take out a loan for the car with college coming up and all. First step is to find a steady decent paying job but i just wanted to get researching some cars early so when the time comes i know exactly what i want.


I'm not even sure with 160hp and around the same amount of torque, that the 2.5RS will fulfill my wants and needs but it was apealing because i wont have enough for the wrx but it still has awd. anyone have experience with the impreza 2.5rs? or anyone have specs on the 325iS, 2.5Rs, and the 300zx? Its hard searching google for specs anymore because damn msn reviews come up and take up all the results.

 

[totalburnout]

Here's a '92 325iS with mods, that has 51k on it for 7,800

here