Hey look, another what car thread!

If you had $2500 to buy a car to literally drive around the country in, what would you buy?

Requirements:
1) Working A/C
2) Manual transmission
3) CAR, not truck, unless someone has a $2500 Xrunner laying around
4) Fun
5) Comfy enough for said trip, two people going.
6) Must actually make the whole trip.

So far i've come up with:

2nd gen MX6 LS/Probe GT
MX3 GS
Celica
E30
Saab 9000/900 Aero
Contour SVT
1st gen Protege w/ MX3 seats
Integra (if i could find better seats)

E30?

DukeOfUndersteer wrote: E30?

Good! More ideas. (Is the a/c in E30s worth writing home about? Will the a/c in a clean $2500 E30 work?)

Thought exercise at the moment.

I have a perfect car that satisfies all requirements except for A/C currently, but i'm not putting a/c back on it because well... i can't.

Volvo 240. Pay $1500 for a decent one, then budget $1000 to fix the a/c and whatever else it needs.

Let's change this a little. $2500 purchase price, plus $500 in modifications.

Nothing fugly, please. Bobzilla made me vomit with the suggestion of a 2000 Tiburon. Fits all the requirements, but i have no ambition to drive around the country nauseous the entire way.

Older Protege?

Prizm?

Klayfish wrote: Older Protege? Prizm?

Prizm/Corolla would be a good choice... would have to do something about the seats though. Older Protege, ditto.

what about a Volvo 850 Sedan? Ive seen they came in manuals...

Fox body stang with the 5.0? Or find a newer one with the mod 4.6... if they're that cheap yet. They're basically 4-door p71's, and I can't think of a better car than a p71 for this. Or perhaps genIV Camaro.

DukeOfUndersteer wrote: what about a Volvo 850 Sedan? Ive seen they came in manuals...

I was just looking at 850Rs.... you've read my mind. Can i get the R for $2500?!?

mndsm wrote: Fox body stang with the 5.0? Or find a newer one with the mod 4.6... if they're that cheap yet. They're basically 4-door p71's, and I can't think of a better car than a p71 for this. Or perhaps genIV Camaro.

The Fox Bawdy, yeah.... don't like the newer ones. Fox body a/c work worth a damn?

P71s are a definite no go. Hate them.

Gen IV Camaro is intriguing. Hadn't thought of the V8 route.

Noone has said Miata why?

Miata - pack light

JThw8 wrote: Noone has said Miata why? Miata - pack light

I'm not sure they're really comfy enough for a long haul like that, though...

I may be wrong. I've never driven one for more than 2 hours, but i was starting to feel ass fatigue at that point.

Bobzilla also mentioned S10 ZQ8/Xtreme. I am intrigued. Are these pretty tossable? 4.3 Vortec w/ 5spd?

Can be had in my budget?

I know its an auto, but how bad would it be to go site seeing in this?

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/cto/2147900116.html

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote:

mndsm wrote: Fox body stang with the 5.0? Or find a newer one with the mod 4.6... if they're that cheap yet. They're basically 4-door p71's, and I can't think of a better car than a p71 for this. Or perhaps genIV Camaro.

The Fox Bawdy, yeah.... don't like the newer ones. Fox body a/c work worth a damn? P71s are a definite no go. Hate them. Gen IV Camaro is intriguing. Hadn't thought of the V8 route.

I got pretty chilly in the last one I was in, and it was black with burgundy velour....

DukeOfUndersteer wrote: I know its an auto, but how bad would it be to go site seeing in this? http://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/cto/2147900116.html

I could definitely live with that...

This is like... at least a year down the road, though, so at the moment, i can afford to poo-poo an auto.

... Early Turbo Legacy? Maybe score the deal of a lifetime on a manual converted SVX?

is this just hypothetical?

because I was just going to say screw the stick, P71 or other panther platform car is your answer for coast-to-coast cruising. My brother in law borrowed mine last summer and drove from VA to CA and back with zero issues and it just ate up the highway. Also never gets uncomfortable on long trips and plenty of space to strech out.

failboat wrote: is this just hypothetical? because I was just going to say screw the stick, P71 or other panther platform car is your answer for coast-to-coast cruising. My brother in law borrowed mine last summer and drove from VA to CA and back with zero issues and it just ate up the highway. Also never gets uncomfortable on long trips and plenty of space to strech out.

It's hypothetical at the moment, but won't be when i start looking later.

No P71. Great for the cruising part, not great at the fun parts of the drive. Trying to stay away from gigantic cars.

Maxima?

My '96 was comfortable, powerful, reliable and efficient. AC was icy, huge trunk, the factory Bose system rocked and never a second look from johnny law...

That being said, I cannot say enough about how easily a 9k eats up highway miles. I wouldn't spend a dime more for an Aero, any turbo can easily be modded for big torques

1g DSM? Body might be hacked, but given what you've done with the mx6, a DSM should be easy, and the air works.

The mid 80's G bodies can still be found for what you're looking at $$$-wise, although not in this vicinity. Here in the Dirty Dirty the marginal ones get drag raced by Mississippi tweakers and the nice ones become donk fodder.

I think the G bodies are the best compromise between fun and cruising comfort. They are light enough to move and big enough to be substantial on the highway, 5 speeds are an option, and some hoon legends (cough, GNX) were born from the family.

BMW 5 series, either an e28 or e34. Lots of room inside and in the trunk, comfortable and reliable, manual transmissions.

If I were doing a $2.500 road trip, I would do it a little differently. I would arrange a car loan for $20k. I would search the LA Craigs List for the newest Rolls Royce I could get for my $20k. Because the good lord loves me so much, the car wouldn't have any problems when I got there, and I would just tag it and start driving. My first stop would be at a Ralph's to get two things: Half and Half (Where's the MONEYS Lebowski) and a jar of Grey Poupon.

I would then drive around having a hella time in my Roller, flashing my mustard at everyone I met. When I was good and done with my trip, I'd put that Rolls back in Craigs List and sell it for $17,500. I'd pay off my loan, and have a great story.

And, best of all, I would have a FREE jar of mustard AND some Half and Half!