What car for fun/light track use? Making a list of options to show the wife.

RX8driver said:

...If you go only occasionally and are ok with driving a bit conservatively to not wreck the car...

That sounds like me.

spacecadet (Forum Supporter) said:

I'd Suggest replacing Mazda 2 and Fiesta with Honda Fit on your list.

if headroom is an issue, you need to be looking at a Fit.

The 2 is a great little car, the Fiestas just like to roll, full stop. The rollover in the runoffs this year, was a Fiesta.

Seth on this forum rolled a Mazda2 (in rallyx), Tony on this Forum totalled a mazda2 this summer on track. Multiple B spec drivers have had rollovers in Mazda2's

The Fit is reliable, and can be had within your budget, are extremely practical, and the suspension geometry and the CG are all good out of the box.

Bobzilla will probably be along eventually as well to say you should look at Kia Rios...

Thanks, that's good info.

I'd been looking at the Mazda and Fiesta just because it seems like, from what I've seen so far, those two can be found slightly cheaper with less miles on them while Fits with the same mileage are slightly more expensive.  But if the Honda really is that much better...

So, 2.5 5cyl. powered VWs.

Somebody suggested them on the first page and nice looking ones keep popping up in my "under $6000, manual trans" searches.

I didn't know they ever sold small cars with that engine here, so that shows how much I know about VWs.

I'm intrigued and want to learn more.

5 cyl VW motors sound nice with the right exhaust on them. 

The 5 cylinder is half of the Audi/Lambo V10 though without as nice of heads on it (and don't get too excited as that V10 is rather lazy and isn't too rev happy) 

In reply to Captdownshift (Forum Supporter) :

Sounds like a stout little torquey engine. One of the things I did like about the 2.4 in the Neon.

I think we both know the real answer is Mustang II.

In reply to logdog (Forum Supporter) :

You know anyone selling one? :P

In a turn of events: Neon and Focus are both gone.

My father in law ordered a new Maverick hybrid and the next day a deer totaled his Fusion, so in the interim he needed something cheap to drive back and forth across the state. So we sold him the Focus for cheap. Win win, helps him out and now I don't have to decide what to do with that car.

Now I get to shop for a dad-mobile and have the green light to buy a fun sporty car in the spring. Not sure what I really want to look for yet. Maybe going to look at an 07 Mazda 6 hatch in the next couple days, but the odds of that one being too rusty are high, because Michigan+Mazda usually=rust bucket.

I mention these a lot but.....how about a manual zx2.

Im not sure about the headroom but they are fairly sorted and even 4x100. The zetec is a great engine and they are suprisingly fast plus they handle very very well.

Downside is manual zx2s have recently become incredibly hard to find for me, I haven't seen one for sale anywhere close in a year

In reply to Antihero (Forum Supporter) :

They are indeed great little cars.

Can't remember the last time I saw one around here that still had rocker panels.

BlueInGreen - Jon said:

In reply to Antihero (Forum Supporter) :

They are indeed great little cars.

Can't remember the last time I saw one around here that still had rocker panels.

Isn't that most cars from Michigan though?

Antihero (Forum Supporter) said:

BlueInGreen - Jon said:

In reply to Antihero (Forum Supporter) :

They are indeed great little cars.

Can't remember the last time I saw one around here that still had rocker panels.

Isn't that most cars from Michigan though?