Please Advise... I need a car

[TinyBubbles]

Technically, I have a car, and it's a nice little car. I just bought a Mazda3 and it's adorable. But like the Rusty Chevrolet it replaced, it's not terribly exciting. Front wheel drive, automatic... it's your basic people mover. It does its job well, but there's just a little problem: I like sports cars.
I want one. But the mechanics of driving any kind of performance vehicle are going to be really different from the cars I've driven, so I am looking at picking up something I can learn on. Something that A- I won't be pissed if I beat into the ground and B- isn't going to get me killed in a week's time.
So far the suggestions are the Mazda Miata, Toyota MR2, and the Camaro. What else is out there? What did y'all drive before you found your way into Supras?

 

[92nsx]

What did y'all drive before you found your way into Supras?

1992 Acura NSX

 

[TinyBubbles]

I should clarify- I have certainly looked at the specs for and availability of rear wheel drive manual transmission vehicles with lo-mid range hp and torque. But since you guys are the most familiar with the cars I want to someday drive, your opinions of various vehicles mean slightly more to me than numbers on paper.

 

[92nsx]

I should clarify- I have certainly looked at the specs for and availability of rear wheel drive manual transmission vehicles with lo-mid range hp and torque.

I think the NSX fits everything but the price tag. Lets see here, 5-speed manual tranmission, rear wheel drive, 2 door, 270 hp, 210 tq, mid-engine :evil2:

 

[RockPaperSwoRD]

240sx with sr20 should do the trick. Mr2, miata, stay away from the heavier rwd v8 cars(camaro/firebird/trans am).
unless your gettin a v6 version which would defeat the purpose of being a "sports" car

 

[ERA]

S2000.

er,nvm. why not an fc?

 

[GrimJack]

This is just off the top of my head, I'm sure I've forgotten someone's favorite vehicle. Send all complaints to IJ, if he thinks they are valid he will send them to me.

Japanese cars:

Honda
- S2000
- NSX
Mazda
- Miata
- Rx7
Mitsubishi
- Lancer Evo
- 3000GT
Nissan
- 240 / 260 / 280 / 300 / 350 Z series
- 240 sx
- Infinity G35
Subaru
- Impreza
- SVX
Toyota
- Early model Corolla
- Supra, any model
- MR2, any model
- Early model Celica
- Lexus - pretty much anything with the 3L inline 6 or 4L v8 that doesn't weigh over 4000 lbs

There's a bunch of European cars that fit the bill as well, but I tend to avoid them due to ridiculous pricing on parts and service. Still, some VWs & recent Audi's are nice cars. Porsche makes some really nice vehicles, just avoid anything that has a '4' in the name. Avoid anything with TWO '4's in the name like it's plague ridden.

American cars... well, there are still a bunch that fit the bill, if you can put up with the usual USA manufacturing issues.
- Mustang
- Camaro
- Dodge Stealth
- DSMs - Mitsubishi Eclipse, Eagle Talon, and Plymouth Laser

A bunch of these are AWD instead of RWD, but that's not neccesarily a bad thing.

Personally, I'd go for one of the Toyotas, depending on how much money I could throw at it, but that probably has a lot to do with what I'm familiar with. I've seen various people get good results with all of the above vehicles.

 

[x10secondzx2]

I love my stupid Camaro.
Get a mid 90's LT1 Camaro with the 6-speed manual($4000, maybe less). Keep it stock. Its kind of slow then. High 13's low 14's. Get used to driving a car with a decent amount of power. Then strip the interior out. Buy headers($292). Get $100 worth of 3 inch piping on Jegs and make a custom exhaust. Then bam you got yourself a mid 12 second car on street tires. Spend $260 on Nitto drag radial's then you got a high 11 low 12 second car. Spend another $400 on a Harris Speed Works Nitrous kit, slap in the 150 shot jets and you have a high 10 low 11 second car. If the ten bolt doesn't explode.

 

[TinyBubbles]

I love my stupid Camaro.
Get a mid 90's LT1 Camaro with the 6-speed manual($4000, maybe less). Keep it stock. Its kind of slow then. High 13's low 14's. Get used to driving a car with a decent amount of power. Then strip the interior out. Buy headers($292). Get $100 worth of 3 inch piping on Jegs and make a custom exhaust. Then bam you got yourself a mid 12 second car on street tires. Spend $260 on Nitto drag radial's then you got a high 11 low 12 second car. Spend another $400 on a Harris Speed Works Nitrous kit, slap in the 150 shot jets and you have a high 10 low 11 second car. If the ten bolt doesn't explode.

The Camaro is a serious contender right now. It has the benefits of tons of availableparts and mods and the fact that the car itself is available in this area. I'd love a Supra, but it can't be my first sports car because they're really rare around here so parts and mods would be problematic. If I break it due to driver error/inexperience I'd have to live with that. But I'm glad I'm asking, you guys are giving me lots more to think about.

 

[ERA]

Eclipse GSX

VW Golf

Veyron

 

[DsBetterHalf]

Veyron

This one will get you killed.

Doesn't change the fact I'd hump it like a bunny

I have a Saturn Ion Redline - it's supercharged. It's a 4-cylinder engine that will put out around 250hp (if I remember correctly) once Doward gets around to putting my new pulley and injectors on. It's a hell of a lot of fun. Might be a thought for you to consider

 

[Poodles]

Can't comment until you have a true budget...

 

[LilMissMkIII]

All depends on budget.

But if you just want to learn, why not buy a MkIII shell and a 7M (dirt cheap), and restore and mod it gradually (parts a cheap via forum members and sponsors) - that way you learn heaps, and at the end of it will have a sweet MkIII

 

[a_sesshoumaru]

i say go with the subaru impreza, with the all track you will only need 300hp to beat 500hp guys. I myself have been victim of the all track people.

 

[TinyBubbles]

Budget right now is to be determined. Within the next few weeks I'll have a better idea. Basically I've finally got my degree and am suddenly interviewing for jobs that have a lot more money attetched to them than I'm used to. If I can get my own apt (no more roomates or staying at my folks' place) that's priority one. But if the money doesn't allow for it, it will still allow a solid 400-500 a month for me to spend on other things. that saved for a couple months might get me started. By next summer I should have a proper toy to learn with.
Again, the car I buy now doesn't have to have stupid ammounts of power, but I'm certainly not opposed to something I can mod to help it grow with me. The biggest problem I'm having is that I live in upstate New York and the market sucks.
Most of the sports cars here are corvettes driven by fat old dudes who've already willed them to the kids. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but since my dad isn't one of them, it doesn't help me at all.
Right now the camaro is the top contender based on availability. I'm also still thinking hard about the MR2, the Nissan 240sx, and, yes, a MKIII would be amazing. If there's something availble when I am past the research/brainstorm stage and have the cash in hand.
Wish me luck with that

 

[x10secondzx2]

Budget right now is to be determined. Within the next few weeks I'll have a better idea. Basically I've finally got my degree and am suddenly interviewing for jobs that have a lot more money attetched to them than I'm used to. If I can get my own apt (no more roomates or staying at my folks' place) that's priority one. But if the money doesn't allow for it, it will still allow a solid 400-500 a month for me to spend on other things. that saved for a couple months might get me started. By next summer I should have a proper toy to learn with.
Again, the car I buy now doesn't have to have stupid ammounts of power, but I'm certainly not opposed to something I can mod to help it grow with me. The biggest problem I'm having is that I live in upstate New York and the market sucks.
Most of the sports cars here are corvettes driven by fat old dudes who've already willed them to the kids. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but since my dad isn't one of them, it doesn't help me at all.
Right now the camaro is the top contender based on availability. I'm also still thinking hard about the MR2, the Nissan 240sx, and, yes, a MKIII would be amazing. If there's something availble when I am past the research/brainstorm stage and have the cash in hand.
Wish me luck with that

Just some word of wisdom from a Camaro owner. Don't expect to take corners like a mad man. You have to buy a lot of suspension shit to make the car handle really well. I guess you have to do that for every car though... And a basic rule, build a drag car, or a track car. Not both. If you do, you will fail a both. Squishy front suspension is great for a drag car but bad for a track car. And I don't know about other RWD cars, because this is was my first RWD car that I have owned and my first car with more than 150hp that I owned, but the ass end likes to come out pretty much everywhere. 1-5 gears in the rain are pretty useless, 6th gear is ok though. lol

Also if you can afford it get an LS1 car. I love my LT1 and honestly I wouldn't trade it for a LS1, but the LS1 is a better motor. You don't have to worry about the waterpump(as much), the distributor(LS1 has coil packs), and their are more parts available for it.

 

[Doward]

Get yourself a 6 speed Camaro.

My buddy Beej (BlackSS on here - PM him if you'd like) scored a 98z28 LS1 / 6speed for $5400.

I just watched a '99 z28 LS1/6speed combo sell locally in G'ville for $3k about 2 months ago.

 

[Poodles]

Might be a bit too much car for her (considering cam, lid, headers, exhaust, tune gets ~400HP), and F-bodies can handle VERY well if you do the suspension mods (they're cheap too)

Honestly, there are a lot of options out there, just have to have a budget and a idea of what you're looking for. 2 seater, 4 seater, 2 door, 4 door, ect ect ect...

 

[Tanya]

You wanna car that can handle your abuse? 1984-85 Toyota Celica, 1982-1986 Toyota Supra, any of the Z cars 1972-1990?, etc.

 

[IJ.]

Camaro.