Learn me: Best factory turbo cars for cheap

You're in a predicament. I know you said Japanese, but then you mentioned being able to put a babyseat in the back and I shook my head. I can't think of very many fun Japanese turbo coupes that will handle a modern rear facing babyseat very well. And I don't wanna even think about the challenge of just getting a baby belted into a permanently mounted rear facing baby seat. And if you've got one of those snap-in cradle deals, they're typically very very bulky and will probably stick out pretty far past the edge of the seat. All the ones we used did.

And just for reference, I have an '81 280ZX 2+2 in the garage and I can tell you the rear seat ain't terribly roomy. I could put our 4 and 7 year olds back there, but they'd complain about how tight it is and the lack of leg room, especially behind the driver's seat.

Now I mention all of this because if you'll consider going with an American or European car, you'll have some seriously viable options. Saab, Dodge/Plymouth, Ford, Volvo, etc. all build cars that could meet your wants and needs.

I was in a similar position, looking for a fun cheap coupe that could handle a babyseat or two, and that had potential to be something more serious. I bought an XR4TI. I daily drove it while building it while auto-x'ing it. I put both kids in the back seat with a rear facing babyseat behind the driver's seat (with the driver's seat 2 clicks from all the way back). Ingress and egress from the back seat is easy and comfortable. The hatch are easily swallowed 2 strollers and groceries. I could get the kids' bike and tricycle in the hatch.

Just a thought.

DSM end of story

They are the fastest turbo cars you can buy for under 5,000 with the biggest support.

All the ground work is done, mistu still carries factory parts for replacement. Rust isnt a big issue, but they are like any turbo car. They need to be up kept, kids buying one turning up the boost without replacing the timing belts or doing any work give them a bad name.

The transmissions are not made of glass but you need to drive it correctly.

WRXs have much more drive train problems than a dsm would ever have. They eat up the gearing just from power not abuse.

The DSM really is the go to tool when it comes to being able to buy a capable turbo car on a budget.

You can go 10s with a stock intake and exhaust manifold with a stock bottom end. Wrxs for the most part need much more work to do that. Also most of the cars listed aside from the turbo supra or a 300zx will need alot of work. They also have a very small aftertmarket compared to a dsm!

Crank walk is not a issue because most cars are over 70,000 miles now and it was a small percentage that had it. Also the early cars were never affected by it.........E46 M3s blow there motors and spit out more rod bearings than any dsm anyways......But no one likes to bad mouth a BMW.

You can go 12s for a couple hundred bucks with THE RIGHT TUNE!

11s for a grand but anything faster they are expensive like any other car.

DSMs are cheap to make quick but are expensive to go fast like a rx7,supra,300zx would be.

Its very nice being able to over night a part or pick up parts from your local dealer of off guys on craigs list.

joeya wrote: You can go 12s for a couple hundred bucks with THE RIGHT TUNE! 11s for a grand but anything faster they are expensive like any other car. DSMs are cheap to make quick but are expensive to go fast like a rx7,supra,300zx would be. Its very nice being able to over night a part or pick up parts from your local dealer of off guys on craigs list.

joeya, learn to edit your posts, and include reply to or quotes instead of adding more and more and more posts. I've noticed this on many of the threads you're posting to, it's just good manners and makes it easier for us to figure out who you're writing to and what about cheers!

When did 11's change from fast to quick?

There's a 300zx TT drivetrain swapped J30t in Ottawa for $1200. I'd buy that, sort it, and stuff the baby seat in the back.

Yeah, the baby seat is a tough one. Having been there, done that I know that it limits your possibilities. I can't think of a Japanese t-car that can really FIT a baby seat in the back unless it's a subie or the Galant VR4.
Darkbuddah put it best. IF you can broaden your horizons and drop the prejudice against anything not Asian, you have many possibilities.

MX6 GT has more rear seat room than GVR4.

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: MX6 GT has more rear seat room than GVR4.

Yeah, and the 626 GT has rear doors. I think a 88-92 626 sedan or 5-door is the answer here. Only downside is FWD.

Thanks for the advice guys, my dad did always tell me to broaden my horizons... Maybe I will start broadening by moving away from nissan, but staying Japanese (aka Mazda mx6 or 626). I would buy an old volvo or old bimmer, but buying American would be tough. The ones I have worked on have just been built so crappy I cant bring myself to own one. I guess the best scenario is that my 240sx is cheap to fix and I can keep that. Its my first 240, and I love it already, and the baby seat fits in the back (maxima is the main car). Ive been a nissan mechanic and now work on infinitis, and I love the way 90's nissans are built.

whats wrong with the 240?... those KA engine love a bit of boost...

sadly the only nissan i've ever owned has been a 2k altima... the most souless car I've ever been in or worked on... and I've owned mini vans lol... still would love a s13 but that stupid drifter tax sux

I'll just keep spanking Japanese cars, (and vettes, and Porches, and F-bodies, etc.) with the GLH then ....for under a grand!

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: MX6 GT has more rear seat room than GVR4.

True story. I have a spare base, an MX6, AND a rear facing drop in I can put in mine if you want to see. And while these don't match a DSM for level of support, they certainly do in the cheap/fast department.

DrBoost wrote: I'll just keep spanking Japanese cars, (and vettes, and Porches, and F-bodies, etc.) with the GLH then ....for under a grand!

touché...

I'm just making gentile, good-hearted jabs that's all.

DrBoost wrote: I'm just making gentile, good-hearted jabs that's all.

Bring it!

Ok, if I was going to get an American car, the GLH would definitely make the list!

Maybe the 300ZXTT-swapped J30 would work...my parents live in Ottawa so I could pick it up when I visit them! Haha, as cool as it sounds, I DO NOT want to work on it. Those things (Z32s and J30s) are a nightmare!

@ DrBoost--I could not disagree more about Japanese cars being soul-less, but I respect your opinion because it's based on ownership. Can't get much more soul in my opinion than a 70's Skyline, a Fairlady roadster, a Toyota 2000GT, a 240Z, an AE86, all Supras, RWD Celicas and Corollas, RX7, 240sx, original Sentra SE-R, etc, etc. The Europeans seem to know how to build some soul but I don't always trust the quality. And American cars, apart from a few interesting ones like your GLH, are kinda all the same to me, especially muscle car era. And this is all referring to mid 90's and older cars, b/c it doesn't seem like ANY new cars have soul...

We aren't that far apart Seth. My Omni is only cool because it's an underdog, ok there's the Shelby thing and the fact that it was fast.
But you are right, Japenese cars of the 70's had more soul. The last 30 years or so made me a bid jaded.

Yes, underdog cars rock...I never thought about them that way, but that's what I like. How come you don't have a page for your Omni? I'd love to see it.

Oh, and @ donalson--the problem with the 240 is that it was hit in the LF and repaired poorly. I checked the car over well when I bought it (for $1k), but missed how bad this was. Now it is getting worse, and there is some separation of the unibody underneath the fender. The body shop guy I talked to at work said that if they could just fix what's there it might only be a few hundred bucks, but more than that I will be spending more than I bought the car for, which just seems counter productive. Here's hoping it's fixable! I should be able to leave it with him next week so he can check it out.

In reply to Raze:

I didnt see this forum links everything together. Still new around here.

sethmeister4 wrote: Yes, underdog cars rock...I never thought about them that way, but that's what I like. How come you don't have a page for your Omni? I'd love to see it.

I just never got around to setting anything up. I've posted pics of the GLH and mini here before but can't find them.
Yeah, I'm a slacker haha. My buddies are always getting on me because I'll log on to facebook once every year or so. I ain't got time fer this new-fangled teknology stuff. Where'd I put my teeth? (I sound like my grandpa, though I'm not yet 40 )

a 2k altima... the most souless car I've ever been in or worked on... and I've owned mini vans lol.

Totally agreed there.. A close friend of mine has one and i, who am known for liking something about everything, cant find anything to like about it. I think the only thing that could fix it would be a vq35, but it would still be ugly and plain.

And.... i love my turbo,5spd, endlessly practical USDM BABY caravan.

Well, I talked to the body shop guys at work and it looks like the 240 will need a lot of work to get it solid. I was hoping they can just fix what was there and weld it back up but they said it would all have to be cut out and new stuff welded in. So.....I am selling it and will be looking for something else. There is a 1990 MX6 GT for sale near me, and I am hoping it is still there once the 240 sells. I posted it on Craigslist this morning and got a reply within 10 or 15 minutes...eerie. He cam and looked at it and is gonna drive it Monday, so hopefully it will sell quicker than my Z has.

On a side note, I may be selling the black ARE "Enkei 92 knock-offs" from it if anyone is interested. Not for sure yet, but if I get a car that they don't fit on I will probably just sell them. Refer to the 1st page for pics. They are 15x7, 0 offset, and I have an extra one that actually is an Enkei.

sethmeister4 wrote: Well, I talked to the body shop guys at work and it looks like the 240 will need a lot of work to get it solid. I was hoping they can just fix what was there and weld it back up but they said it would all have to be cut out and new stuff welded in. So.....I am selling it and will be looking for something else. There is a 1990 MX6 GT for sale near me, and I am hoping it is still there once the 240 sells. I posted it on Craigslist this morning and got a reply within 10 or 15 minutes...eerie. He cam and looked at it and is gonna drive it Monday, so hopefully it will sell quicker than my Z has. On a side note, I may be selling the black ARE "Enkei 92 knock-offs" from it if anyone is interested. Not for sure yet, but if I get a car that they don't fit on I will probably just sell them. Refer to the 1st page for pics. They are 15x7, 0 offset, and I have an extra one that actually is an Enkei.

That MX6 near you looks pretty good. Priced slightly high maybe, but might be flexible. But if it's as clean as described/looks in pictures, i'd pay asking price if i had to.

MKIII Supra

End thread/

The one we ran at the Challenge was a daily driver with only an exhaust, boost controller and Kumho stickies. We finished 19th in autocross and in the top half in concours.

They aren't light but they carry that weight very well and aren't slow.

Keith wrote: Small V6, twin turbos, inexpensive to buy, better looking than an E30 - what's not to love?

What's not to love? Well, for one you can measure the reliability with a stopwatch. Do we really need a two and a three?