Possible to Have Everything In a Car

I have been brain storming a lot lately about this topic and i was hoping to get some input from you guys/gals.

Currently I drive a 1999 Saturn SL2. Almost a quarter million miles on it. Its cheap to insure (even at my young age) cheap to maintain, still gets darn near 40MPG (35 usual) and in general has been reliable as gravity. I love it.

But its showing its age and when its life is up ill be getting a different car. This is where my dilemma come about.

I figure the budget is under $4000 and thats if like my dream car was found. Think of this as Challenge price DD kinda thing.

-I think it would be cool to do something like Mr. Haas's 49er but the MPG is a bit low.

-An engine swapped car would be a hoot

• love older imports (jap mostly)

-swapped anything would be fun. i enjoy wrenching

• intrigued with older car on new chassis/ running gear or new engines/ modern components

-a small truck would be fun but again MPG sucks.

• i like my hatchbacks, my wagons, and compacts/subcompacts/ verts.

• i could buy as new a fun-ish car as budget allows (max $4000) and just keep a relative mild DD.

• Want minimum 30MPG or higher (exceptions on truly epic cars)

• really only need room for 2 (more wont hurt)

• must be cheap to insure and operate and capable of daily driver status

• parts must be readily available.

• prefer manual trans

• either rally stance or lowered. both would be fun. never done rally look though

• stock cars are fine as long as they are fun or performancy. (like se-r or civic si or sport varients)

EDIT:- last option would be seek out a super clean saturn, make it mine with some touches and just do another saturn for a DD. then save left over money and put it towards a nicer car once school is done and job is steady and secure

Not sure exactly if i am coming across like i want or even making any logical sense but is it possible to get all of that in one?

is it possible to have the best of both worlds (or all worlds)?

If this makes any sense and you got some input or advice lemme know. ill try to update this to clarify or make my goals more known.

I picked up a cheap e36 318ti that ticks off most of the boxes. add boost or a v8 - but the mpgs will go out the window.

Swap a diesel VW engine into a 1st gen RX7 or a Brat.

mmosbey wrote: Swap a diesel VW engine into a 1st gen RX7 or a Brat.

joking? sounds extravagent

i like the simple or documented swaps more

CarKid1989 wrote: I have been brain storming a lot lately

well, there's yur problem

MKII Supras and turbo bricks (volvo's) might be something you might wanna look at.

I don't understand, you're asking this question and yet your profile says you already own a Miata? :)

Keep driving your saturn until you can double your budget then build a TDI swapped MK2 gti. The one in that video that i posted a couple weeks ago gets almost 60 mpg, and handles better than a daily driver really should.

Travis_K wrote: Keep driving your saturn until you can double your budget then build a TDI swapped MK2 gti. The one in that video that i posted a couple weeks ago gets almost 60 mpg, and handles better than a daily driver really should.

yes...

Back when they were new, I had a '95 Civic EX coupe and it checked all the criteria that you have presented. Of course, that was before the whole "rice" scene and before Fast & Furious. Now-a-days, you may be challenged to find one near stock, including the one I owned.
I sold it completely stock to and ex-girlfriends brother who the engine swapped it, lowered it and put on 17" rims.

Long ago I gave up on the "everything in one car" approach. Just not possible. But my "everything" list is different from yours.

Your list says Miata...

When I was in Lincoln for nats, we stopped by a really cool body shop where the owner had taken a 72 f100 and put it on a 97 towncar frame. He shortened the bed a little and grafted it to the cab. Everything was towncar but the body. It looked awesome with a little surface rust and some dents. Overall it was pretty badass. He had an old rambler wagon there that I wanted to give the same treatment.

Travis_K wrote: Keep driving your saturn until you can double your budget then build a TDI swapped MK2 gti. The one in that video that i posted a couple weeks ago gets almost 60 mpg, and handles better than a daily driver really should.

The MK2 GTI are getting harder to find clean examples of. Maybe a new TDI though.

JThw8 wrote: Long ago I gave up on the "everything in one car" approach. Just not possible. But my "everything" list is different from yours. Your list says Miata...

I keep comin back to this.....

A ute?

Something old school like a first gen Celica or 510, with a modern drivetrain. Tough on $4K though.

90's Escort wagon with some interior improvements and other stuffs.

2000-2005 Celica GTS.

Might be rough to find one for $4k, but it's possible.

I also like the Escort wagon idea.... but swap to GT stuffs, and make a "real" Escort Wagon GT.

I keep thinking mkIII Supra. Targa for bonus points.

CarKid1989 wrote: EDIT:- last option would be seek out a super clean saturn, make it mine with some touches and just do another saturn for a DD.

Maybe with a turbo? H&R Race springs, 22 mm rear sway bar, and some Konis. All that in a 1995 SW2 5-speed would be neat. Definitely better than a GT-ized Escort Wagon. The MX-3 GS has a really large hatch area.

Or be a lemming with a Miata/BMW/Honda. Have I mentioned that E36 parts are often cheaper than Saturn parts? They won't get 35 mpg though. The 325i does get ~30 mpg when cruising at ~60 mph.

Late '70s Corolla Wagon or Liftback.+ Convert to AE86 suspension where applicable. + 20v 4A-GE swap (or BEAMS 3S-GE, if you really want a kick in the teeth).

Or, same formula, but substitute a 510 Wagon for the Corolla, and use a KA24DE that some drifter is throwing away while doing an SR swap.

In reply to 92CelicaHalfTrac:

I was thinking about a light pressure turbo on whatever engine is already under the hood and then the usual BG chassis swapping. My fear is motorized seat belts, because I hate them, and would not want to deal with them again. Because they are hated.

ReverendDexter wrote: Late '70s Corolla Wagon or Liftback.+ Convert to AE86 suspension where applicable. + 20v 4A-GE swap (or BEAMS 3S-GE, if you really want a kick in the teeth). Or, same formula, but substitute a 510 Wagon for the Corolla, and use a KA24DE that some drifter is throwing away while doing an SR swap.

My thoughts exactly. That's as close as you're going to get to your criteria, with the exception of parts being easy to find (and, probably, price).

318ti with one of the lighter BMW I-6s swapped in. An M20 or M50TU being cheap. I've also seen a lot of BMW V8s at the junkyards...

If you don't mind a little wrenching and you want a fun, fairly unique car you could buy a really nice mk1 mr2 for under $4K. Even an SC model. Of course, that's not a biased point of view at all (I was always told to write about what I know, lol)

They all get around 30-35mpg (a little less for SC of course). Parts are fairly available, but almost anything not universal you have to order. For any car from the 80's the parts supply isn't too bad since they shared the 4AGE with millions of other Toyotas. If you're swap-happy, there's a bunch of more powerful Toyota motors that will fit and you could wait until you graduate to fiddle with that stuff. Personally, I wouldn't want a swapped car for a daily driver while I was still in school, but that's me.