I have a 98SE now and I'm looking for a sports car. I would like something that would be reliable enough to be an everyday car, doesn't have to be pratical, and is fast stock without many mods. The 2 that top my list are 944 turbo and M3. What sport car would you recomend for under $25K?

 

You can get E36 M3s for under $25K? I would question the reliability if that were the case. 944 turbo? Good luck working on that thing. Both these cars will kill you if you have to get work done on it.

You want a reliable sports car for under $25k? Go buy 1 year old Subaru WRX and call it a day.

Either that or a Datsun 510 w/ a FJ20-T and 33psi

 

Get a New Rx-8...$25,000...

OR:

91-92 Acura NSX...less then $25,000


Erik

 

i think the e36 M3's are VERY reliable and it is quite easy to find a 95/96 M3 for $25K or less.

 

I have read on some bmw boards that higher mileage E36 M3s were having variocam valvetrain failures.

I haven't really searched too hard but finding a good condition E36 M3 in the NW area is pretty hard.

 

TT 300ZX.

I'll be getting one some day. They may not be the best performing sports cars (Supra level and up), but they have more than enough power, would be easier (than most) to work on, and in my mind are the best looking sports cars on the road today.

 

I agree w/ everything but the "easy to work on part". You see the 60k maintainance procedure? WOW! Friggin' pain! If your turbos go(and probably will w/ the age of these cars), WOW again on the replacement procedure. If the Z was as easy to work on as the Supra, that would be the kicker.

 

yep I heard the same thing about E36 M3s
how about go for a low mileage 328 and Supercharge it?

 

Well, I wouldn't mind, and would actcually look forward to that kind of work.

Keeping in mind that I wouldn't buy one until I own a place with a garage large enough for me to work on it in...I would do all that stuff in the winter (seeing as the car would be garaged anyways). I wouldn't mind investing time and money into a car like that becuase I know I'd learn a lot, have fun doing it, and have fun with the end results.

None of the 60k maintenance sounds impossible. Just takes time. Now, the turbos are another story. They look like a ton of work to replace. Again, if you have the time, money and tools, it doesn't look like it would be the end of the world. Besides, it would be the prefect excuse to upgrade the turbos!

 

Besides the BMWs and 944s

A 1994 Porsche 911
A few 1997-2001 C5 Corvettes

Don't forget the Supra and its contemporaries: RX-7, 300ZX TT, 3000GT/Stealth VR-4

Not to mention the ubiquitous Mustang Cobras and/or Camaro-bird ram-airs

 

reliable enough...doesn't have to be pratical...fast stock without many mods...
There ain’t no replacement for displacement. If it isin't your everyday driver why not go with something all engine, a 2000 Firebird Firehawk 6-speed 350ci 0-60 under 5 seconds, quarter mile 13.5 or better and sounds like a car should with no mods needed... just my .02

 

cant argue with that, if you want straight line power thats the way to go no doubt... plus you'll save a good 10K or so off of 25K

 

the wrx should be a good choice, but if you want something a little cheaper, get teh sentra se r, then with the money left, you mod the car crazy....

 

Next years wrx will be a great choice. If you like the body style.

I always wanted to get a older, 2-3yrs, 2.5rs and strap a turbo on it.

 

RX7s are nice, and not all that popular (at least around here). Besides, you can say that you're 1.3l engine can toast whatever they've got.

But other than that... Supra's are yummy!

 

A reliable exotic: 91-92 Acura NSX
An unreliable exotic, but nevertheless, exotic: 88-93 Lotus Esprit Turbo

 

Get a Miata and slap on a Jackson Racing SC.

Fun with the top down.

 

Sure you can get an M3 for as cheap as 18k or so. Some dude in my office was trying to sell one. He started at 22 and went all the way down to 16. Nobody wanted it, you could see some weird a** finish in the paint. Like you said the repairs will be out of this world. Try about $475 to replace a thermostat in a 944 Turbo. And there is known fraud with the odometers in those. When a fuse was removed, the odomoeter stopped working, as did the power sunroof etc. But there are unscrupulous people that would do that. I considered that car used back in 1994 and found out alot about Porsche.

 

so you're telling me that u can find a 00' f-body 6spd (z-28 or t/a) for 15k???

 

Wait a little bit, save some $$$......and get the new Z

 

He's off by a little on the price, a 00' Firehawk 6-speed with all the performance options and around 35000 miles can be had for 20k

 

Now that you mention it, on my other newsgroups (protogeclub.com) there is a guy on there with a '90 miata with a turbo kit that has 250+ HP at the wheels. Yes, at the wheels. I asked him about it, and he said the car cost him about $4000, and the engine work cost about the same. So for around $10000, you can have a 2200lb rocket!

 

A rocket that says Miata.. Don't worry, I'm sure some of your friends will still hang out with you.

 

get a 2002 subaru wrx. fast as hell with on mods.

 

It's quick, but not "fast as hell". Plus, it's not a sports car.

 

Well, I personally like the super sleeper concept, rather than getting a sports car that everyone KNOWS how fast it is.

I don't know about you, but any real car person wouldn't be ashamed to be driving an exceptionally fast car, no matter the make/model.

 

I agree with Jeff92SE. Go buy an used WRX. It's already turbocharged and tuned. 227 HP and a 0-60 time (5.8) that rivals the GS400s. Out of the box for around 25k, you can't beat this performance for the cost.

 

Did other model Porsches have the same problem? I'm also looking at the 968. Are older M3's that unreliable that they would need alot of repairs?

Thanks for the other options, just don't like Subaru's or american muscle cars, and no way I would consider a Miata.

 

All pretty decent choices, Very true the german cars will have real expensive repair bills, try $1100 for a clutch on the 944 Turbo without labor Anything with the "M" badge from BMW adds another 50% markup on the parts and the owners "never beat on the cars... . I also think that Maxima/I-30 owners get spoiled on the relative reliability of our cars, once german cars get up in mileage, the failure rate goes up pretty quickly. Not neccesarily the motors, but all the little parts which can nickle and dime you to death.

One think no one has mentioned is insurance. Gonna be an arm and a leg especially if the driver is young.

My vote goes for the Miata. Stock, not very fast, but handles like stink and can be made to go fast for not too much green. Good network of owners out there (like Maxima.org). Almost a cult.

 

I believe a "real car person" is just a conscious of the car as they are the engine, what you are referring to is a "real power person"

 

Acura NSX all the way, here in Atlanta I have not seen a NSX in about 3 weeks, I see M3s, Supras all the time.

 

MAXIMA!

 

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion I guess...

I consider myself a real car person because I like ALL types of cars/trucks. So long as it's a nice car in my opinion, I will like it. And I think it's good to be different.

In a few months I'm going to be graduating from school, and once I find a job I'm going to buy a Maxima as my daily driver so I can start working on my current car (1990 Mazda 323). How's that for different?

So yes, I'm a lurker/newbie because I don't even HAVE a Max. But I love them, isn't that all that really matters anyways?

 

Hey the 323 AWD 1.6 liter turbo? Man those are cult classics man! Nice car and NO ONE knows about them!

 

Sorry this is so off topic, but....

US had the 323 GTX 1.6 turbo (B6T engine with ~~130 HP) AWD (I think) up until 89. 1990 is the 'new' 323 that looks like the protege. As far as I know, there was no turbo 323 in the US past '89. However, overseas in japan and other countries there was a 1.8l engine that was turbocharger that went into AWD 323s. The 'base' 323 was a GTX, with the 1.8l (BPT engine ~~180hp). There was also a 323 GTR with the 1.8l (BPT engine ~~210hp) and AWD. The GTR engine has a bigger turbo, and a better bottom end than the GTX. Basically the internals are much beefier. However, the GTR engine is very rare.

Now, the way that I am looking to go is the NA V6 approach. Why? Well, it will be more reliable overall than a turbocharged engine, and have a more 'usable' power range. The engine is a KL series engine (KL-03 for US, and KL-ZE for JDM). The US version has around 170 HP, and the JDM has about 200. I found a place that will do the swap, including everything from the engine to ecu to tranny to front suspension for $2700 US including labor. I'm highly interested. That's for the JDM engine, the US engine would be a bit cheaper. The place has already done a '90 323 (2wd, don't make AWD 323s past '89 in US) and with nothing but a cone filter, the US engine (30 less HP) and a 2.5inch exhaust, the car ran a 14.3 (high 13s with nitros). So, I'm thinking with 30 extra HP, I could be possibly running in the high 13/low 14 range. Oh, by the way, the engine comes from a MX-6.

Once again, sorry about the off topic post, but I love my car, and I love fantasizing about what will be someday...