markwemple wrote:
Klayfish wrote:
If you want low end punch, a Mustang GT from the early '00s would fit your budget. Plus there is umpteen amounts of aftermarket support for them, so you can make it as fast as your wallet allows, and you can make them handle too.
Handle being a relative term here. Eh?
Unquestionably. 
But I would say that if the intended use is 99% street, then while it's no corner carver, it won't be unpleasant to drive on a windy country road. The aftermarket support is so big that you can get it at least respectable without a ton of cash.
hli
New Reader
4/19/16 2:05 p.m.
In reply to kanaric:
Thanks for the extensive response; however I am located in the US so availability for most of the cars listed is pretty non-existant.
hli
New Reader
4/19/16 2:08 p.m.
KyAllroad wrote:
B5 Audi S4 gets you into fun at your price point.
Link
This one just popped up locally, you certainly couldn't build this kind of performance for anything like $7,500.
I've also thought about these in the past but I'm not sure if I can deal with working on these. I hear they break down often and are rather a pita to work on.
I was looking into the earlier Audi 4000CS/80s however and the potential for the 20vT swap. They seem significantly more reliable and just as quick.
hli
New Reader
4/19/16 2:22 p.m.
BlueInGreen44 wrote:
In reply to hli:
Since you mentioned BMWs and old RX7s, what about the German counterpart to the RX7? $7,000 should get you a decent Porsche 944/924S.
Would this be to replace to Mazda 2 or are you looking for a fun car to keep alongside the Mazda?
I've also thought about the 944s, but I've heard they're not as reliable as E30s and require more proprietary tools to do any major work on, maybe worth a revisit. I'll be keeping the Mazda 2 as a backup.
Miata and a phone call to Keith.
Id vote against the MR2 Turbo because it can be a real pain to get performance parts for more often than not. But if you are going to go with that, I would recommend something like this with the Gen 4 swap http://www.primemr2.com/black-92t.html
hli wrote:
BlueInGreen44 wrote:
In reply to hli:
Since you mentioned BMWs and old RX7s, what about the German counterpart to the RX7? $7,000 should get you a decent Porsche 944/924S.
Would this be to replace to Mazda 2 or are you looking for a fun car to keep alongside the Mazda?
I've also thought about the 944s, but I've heard they're not as reliable as E30s and require more proprietary tools to do any major work on, maybe worth a revisit. I'll be keeping the Mazda 2 as a backup.
hli wrote:
BlueInGreen44 wrote:
In reply to hli:
Since you mentioned BMWs and old RX7s, what about the German counterpart to the RX7? $7,000 should get you a decent Porsche 944/924S.
Would this be to replace to Mazda 2 or are you looking for a fun car to keep alongside the Mazda?
I've also thought about the 944s, but I've heard they're not as reliable as E30s and require more proprietary tools to do any major work on, maybe worth a revisit. I'll be keeping the Mazda 2 as a backup.
The Porsches certainly have their quirks. Not sure how they compare to an E30 since I haven't spent much time around those.
Have you looked through the Open Classifieds forum on here to see if anything interesting catches your eye?
