Newly single, what car thread.

Elise

/thread

I've owned a couple of UrQs and used one as a long distance daily commuter for a few years.

Stock (US trim) they are just not that great. Underpowered with sloppy handling.

Now once you tweak up the boost a bit and sort the suspension, they really start to come alive. But if buying a stock car, budget this in; not cheap.

The stock K26 turbo gives you tremendous turbo lag... "upgrading" to a smaller K24 really improves street performance, but at the expense of track performance... at high boost high rpm it heats the mixture badly and the tiny intercooler is almost useless... so by the third lap, I'd be down 30%+ in power. No room for a larger intercooler... unless you get fancy. $$$$

Early cars ('81-83) had severe electrical issues at the fusebox... downright dangerous. Many of these have been rewired; I'd skip a car that hadn't been.

All the cars are very difficult to work on... worst I've ever dealt with... just too much stuff crammed in. The K-jet injection is really horrible compared to a more modern EFI and none of the cars really like warm starts.

Heads are prone to cracking (and headgaskets blowing); especially once the boost is tweaked up. Few UrQ replacement heads around so you end up converting to a 5ktq hydraulic head, needing to get a custom cam done... and then the car is even less happy on the track (but okay on the street)

The 84's (something like 60 in the US?) and '85's (73 sold here) are well worth the premium IMO.... if I could buy my modified '85 back I would. But I wouldn't daily drive it.

In summary, my modified UrQ gave me some of the highest levels of both pleasure and pain that I've ever had in a car. In the end the pain won out (with the new hydraulic cam I couldn't get it through emissions) and I sold it.

In contrast, my E36M3 convertible was an absolute pleasure to own and drive... as much pleasure as the UrQ but virtually painless. For a driver, I'd pick one any day over a UrQ....

Bill

Jeff wrote: WRX is a good choice, wonder why I never think of those? That fancy Ford looks nice. What do you know about them? BMW, it's such the choice and yet it doesn't get my blood going. I"ve never driven one, maybe I need to. Woody, the 911 thing has been running through my head. Do kids fit in those seats (10 and 8 now, standard size )

I'm sure you're looking for something that looks fast, maybe faster than it actually is. However I suggest you drive an E36 M3, I think you'll find it will get your blood going. If you can find them the 4dr would be perfect with kids...a coupe can be a little tough to get back there, but once you're there it is actually comfortable.

WRX is a good choice, but maybe too practical for your situation...too bad the Sti isn't at $10k yet.

Maybe a Mustang? Nothing says "I'm a big kid" like a Mustang V8!

Wcelliot, thank you, thank you, thank you! I guess I won't drive down to Tampa to check out that white one just yet. Sounds like even more work than I thought it would be. I guess it's better as a dream. Maybe.

I cannot explain it, but the BMW thing has never really done it for me. I know it should, I suspect once driven it would (90% of the enthusiast driving public can't be wrong), and yet. I do have to try one before I make a decision. BTW, what about the 90's vintage M5? Seems to be easier to find those in 4 door.

Can the new body style 'stang be had for $13K?

Elise? If I was going to spend that kind of coin and screw the back seats, I'd buy the best Ferrari I could find for under $25K. Yes, I know what I said about Italians !

The Mazdaspeed6 may make the best sense. I can find many '06s with under 75,000 miles for around $13k. That gets me a newer car that's going to be pretty trouble free. And that way the fleet would all be badged the same.

OTOH, making sense might not make sense here. As long as it can hold the kiddies, I need to get what I want.

If you were to stretch the budget.... http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/reader-rides/4197/

Do DB7s have rear seats?

P71, with 5-speed swap?

Whatever you're wife didn't want you to have.

Everyone can kill me for saying this but...drop the RWD requirement, get a GTI and call it done I think.

Decent rear seat room, more reliable than some people would have you believe...just not a killer sports car.

Get one after 2008, for the better 2.0T.

then go buy a Miata, and your all set...

Seriously though, of the above ideas...I like the P71 or the WRX best. I've kind of been down on BMW lately...noting personal, but they just don't do it for me like they once did.

E36 M3.

Bet you're all wondering if I actually typed it out or whether I just typed the curse word

Or a WRX. Maybe more reliable, AWD four-wheel-snow-drifting fun. Oh and the exhaust note. Gotta have the burble.

Just buy a 911.

Why is anyone suggesting to a guy that's newly single (and possibly looking to date again in the nearish future...) that he should buy a cop car? I know you can make them look like something else, but that something else is a geriatric conveyance not really destined to set the unmentionables of that special someone on fire. Now I don't drive a flash car to get girls, I mean, I have a POS Oldsmobile with a broken windshield and a dented back door, the list goes on and on. But if I had a budget for something different, the car a grandparent or a drug enforcement agent uses daily would be near the bottom of my list.

Just buy a 911.

Guys, thanks. I've got it narrowed down to the 911 or an M3 (E46). The 911 is out in front by a couple of lengths. I've even rationalized that my son can ride in the front when he's big enough and my daughter can have the back to herself so it should work for DD and short trips for longer. Now watch, they'll both be 6ft tall at 12! Oh well, that's 2 years from now, I'll deal with it then.

pres589 wrote: Why is anyone suggesting to a guy that's newly single (and possibly looking to date again in the nearish future...) that he should buy a cop car? I know you can make them look like something else, but that something else is a geriatric conveyance not really destined to set the unmentionables of that special someone on fire. Now I don't drive a flash car to get girls, I mean, I have a POS Oldsmobile with a broken windshield and a dented back door, the list goes on and on. But if I had a budget for something different, the car a grandparent or a drug enforcement agent uses daily would be near the bottom of my list. Just buy a 911.

Consider it effective gold digger repellent.

pres589 wrote: Why is anyone suggesting to a guy that's newly single (and possibly looking to date again in the nearish future...) that he should buy a cop car? I know you can make them look like something else, but that something else is a geriatric conveyance not really destined to set the unmentionables of that special someone on fire. Now I don't drive a flash car to get girls, I mean, I have a POS Oldsmobile with a broken windshield and a dented back door, the list goes on and on. But if I had a budget for something different, the car a grandparent or a drug enforcement agent uses daily would be near the bottom of my list. Just buy a 911.

Hahahaha! Nicely said.

MadScientistMatt wrote:

pres589 wrote: Why is anyone suggesting to a guy that's newly single (and possibly looking to date again in the nearish future...) that he should buy a cop car? ...

Consider it effective gold digger repellent.

Gold-diggers can be a lot of fun if you fish in a catch-and-release pond.

Jeff wrote: .... OTOH, making sense might not make sense here. As long as it can hold the kiddies, I need to get what I want.

And there you have it in a nutshell.

About that F-150 CrewCab...try something from the late '90's-early 00's, to about 04-05. They are surprising as far as handling, and they are definitely stealthy.

Rear engined, check. RWD, check. Gold-digger attractor, um probably not.

You know you'll attract a car lover...

hobiercr wrote: Rear engined, check. RWD, check. Gold-digger attractor, um probably not. You know you'll attract a car lover...

Always gotta be a wiseguy in the room...

autoxrs wrote: Elise /thread

this was going to be my suggestion until i read his post and realized it fits none of his requirements.

Okay so after going through this myself here after my SAAB got totaled. I no longer needed a huge stroller carrying machine. So I picked an '04 GTO. Tons of power. More than enough rear seat space for my son. Trunk could be bigger, but oh well. I'm not a BMW guy so the E46 just never clicked with me. This does. you can find some good examples for cheap.

If one is in your area, go for a test drive and see for yourself. The 911 was on the short list, but just not good enough on the fuel economy.

Actually the under 30 crowd seems to like the Corvair a lot more than the over 40 crowd... they weren't deluged with the same propoganda...

You mentioned an M5... nice choice but a manual trans 540i sport is significantly cheaper and would likely fulfill your requirements pretty well.

I'd rather have an E36 M3 convertible, but if I'd take the manual 540 over an M3 sedan...

Caddy CTS-V with a manual might be something to consider as well...

The GTO is an awesome car (I got badly owned by one at the track a couple of months ago)...

Bill

NEWS FLASH, NEW INFO.

I've decided that I really want to have the social and driving events of a club, so Porsche and BMW make the most sense (yes, meeting once or twice a month for a beer and car talk sounds great, especially since I'll be in a new town).

I've narrowed it down to these, Porsche 968 or 1983-89 911 (not the 964) and the BMW e46 M3 or an e39 M5. Max I can spend is $15K which is a little tight for all but the 968. Just throwing in the M5 because that gives me the most practical use, but it's in last place for me. What do you think?

Jeff wrote: NEWS FLASH, NEW INFO. I've decided that I really want to have the social and driving events of a club, so Porsche and BMW make the most sense (yes, meeting once or twice a month for a beer and car talk sounds great, especially since I'll be in a new town). I've narrowed it down to these, Porsche 968 or 1983-89 911 (not the 964) and the BMW e46 M3 or an e39 M5. Max I can spend is $15K which is a little tight for all but the 968. Just throwing in the M5 because that gives me the most practical use, but it's in last place for me. What do you think?

Given your new requirements - an almost perfect example of an E36 M3 can be had with room to spare in the budget. A lot of room. If that does not tickle you - the 1983-89 911 or 968 are the only other choices on that list, in that order IMO. The E46 M3 will be beat up at that price, the M5 is a pig more fit for fat old guys who wear pinkie rings and their Williams BMW/Patronus team jackets to play golf.