Fun, cheap cars - ideas?

HMP

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Ok, if you had to look into a RUNNING fun car under 10k, what ideas would you have?
-Im thinking RWD, maybe AWD
-manual trans a must
-sub $10k
-at least some aftermarket support
-running when bought (ie: dont link me to some awesome roller for 10k but still needs and engine and tranny)

Im starting to look around/think about a fun 'project' car. Keeping the econobox for daily transport, but I miss a fun car.
 
subaru wrx or audi for small cars

i have a 2006 chrysler 300c AWD w a hemi that was so much fun, i got a grand cherokee w a hemi! Both of them are WELL below your limit!!!
 
-cheap? yes
-aftermarket? LOADS
-rwd and stick? yep.
But, the thing for those is SPACE. They are tiny and have almost no space, which keeps me from the MR2 Spyder too
 
subaru wrx or audi for small cars

i have a 2006 chrysler 300c AWD w a hemi that was so much fun, i got a grand cherokee w a hemi! Both of them are WELL below your limit!!!

Audi S4 wagon would be awesome, and I saw one on BaT up in Chicago today...but it ended today too.
 
Honda S2000. I don't know if you can get one for sub $10k though, maybe?
 
Ok, if you had to look into a RUNNING fun car under 10k, what ideas would you have?
-Im thinking RWD, maybe AWD
-manual trans a must
-sub $10k
-at least some aftermarket support
-running when bought (ie: dont link me to some awesome roller for 10k but still needs and engine and tranny)

Im starting to look around/think about a fun 'project' car. Keeping the econobox for daily transport, but I miss a fun car.

Well you have-

Mustangs
Cameros,
s2000
240sx
Talons*
Eclipse*
Laser*
MR2
miata
RX7
S10
Sonoma
Blazer
Jimmy
C10
1500
any diesel

* early model stuff 90-93 years
 
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I would pick stick for sure for fun factor

I would pick rwd as its always fun to sling one sideways and also more than likely cheaper to repair if your going to beat on it. Awd can be fun if your looking for a rocket off the line but you have to pay to play.as they tend to eat more hard parts instead of blowing the tires off.

Car choices are pretty open but a larger solid one that has big aftermarket support would be something in the gm sports car line up with lt1 or ls engine.
 
Big aftermarket not required, just SOME aftermarket.

Had a 2nd gen (1991-95) MR2 Turbo, loved it. Would consider another.
Not really interested in a 240sx
DSMs are out (talon/eclipse)

Wouldnt mind an older mustang
Obviously a 3 series wagon is an interest of mine, or an Audi S4 wagon with the 6 speed and AWD...

I just feel like when Im thinking about possibilities I just draw a blank sometimes.
 
Lots of things are depreciating assets, but they're still fun and bring joy to us.
Well, most of us.
 
Subaru WRX all day long! AWD, quick, less maintenance issues then most American cars. Biggest negative I see is you will need to get a pretty old or with pretty high miles since all subaru's hold their value. Or just get any Chevy,ford or dodge car made last year. ;)
 
Wish turbo stangs were cheaper
 
93-97 Camaro Z28/SS(the SS option was from 96-97) or Trans Am-WS6, these were LT1 cars. 98-02 Camaro Z28/SS or Trans Am-WS6(include the rare Firehawk), these were LS1 cars with more power and reliability. I'd go for the LS1 and you should be able to find a nice one for up to $10k. All the 6 speed cars came with 3.42 rear ends, changing to 4.10s made mine a blast to drive.

I left out the 04-06 GTO, the 05-06 had the 6.0L LS2. These didn't look like a fast car but were.

If you want to go old school, 1980s Buick Grand National/Regal with the turbo 3.8L. 92-93 GMC Typhoon or Syclone with the turbo 4.3L. These were all sleepers but are classics, those left in good shape are expensive.

I'm not much on the Fords but would love to have a 93 or 03-04 Cobra. The 03-04 had a screw blower and made lots of power, those are usually in the $13-$20k range.
 
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I have a 1986 Audi 5000 Cuatro turbo five-speed.

it runs starts stops Steers, it is a total project. You’re welcome to have it for basically nothing or nothing at all. I’m at the point where I’m either going to sell it for scrap or give it away.

it’s actually a super fun car, and I would love to see somebody turned it into a rallye car
 
I have a 1986 Audi 5000 Cuatro turbo five-speed.

it runs starts stops Steers, it is a total project. You’re welcome to have it for basically nothing or nothing at all. I’m at the point where I’m either going to sell it for scrap or give it away.

it’s actually a super fun car, and I would love to see somebody turned it into a rallye car
pics of it, more info?
 
If you like turbo imports the following are really fun sleepers.
Mazdaspeed protege
Mazdaspeed 3
Mazdaspeed 6

The MSP started the zoom zoom commercials, little harder to find in nicer shape but fun cars. The aftermarket they came with from the get go was pretty cool. Up graded half shafts. Limited lip diff. Calloway cars, racingheart, Garrett, racingbeat, sparco, kenwood.

(Btw I have insider knowledge that there will be one in blazing yellow in the for sale section in A week or two haha)


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If you like turbo imports the following are really fun sleepers.
Mazdaspeed protege
Mazdaspeed 3
Mazdaspeed 6

The MSP started the zoom zoom commercials, little harder to find in nicer shape but fun cars. The aftermarket they came with from the get go was pretty cool. Calloway cars, racingheart, Garrett, racingbeat, sparco, kenwood.


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Only issue is FWD
It's what is keeping me from looking at Golf GTI
I want to be able to kick that rear end out a little if I am so inclined
 
Looking around a bit at old Datsuns or Corollas (like 70s era).
Mustangs always interested me
Even a gen 1 RX7 seems like a neat project...as long as you dump that wankel.

I miss my 2nd gen MR2, so that comes up in my mind a lot too.

3rd gen MR2 are light, but no storage (much like the Miata).

I shy away from a 240 because they are just EVERYWHERE and most have been beat to hell or modded like crazy and I dont want to deal with someone elses 'fixes' (too many are shoddily done)
 
BMW Z3 or Z4's are super fun cars and have pretty much hit the bottom of depreciation. Some rarer ones and M cars are appreciating now. You can find pretty decent ones in the $4-8k range. Projects in the $2-4k range. Maintenance ain't cheap. Would want to do most of the work yourself or find a good independent mechanic.

Drove my dad's Carrera 4 Cab this morning to Cars and Coffee in Charlotte with my son. Top down in 40 degF will wake you up in the morning! We had smiles on our faces all the way there and all the way home.
 
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I was talking to a deputy about getting a "ticket magnet" and he told me about getting into a chase with a Mini Cooper. He said that if it weren't for the car having slick tires they probably would have lost it.
 
pics of it, more info?

Here are some older pics. It would look pretty much the same with a wash. I'm not home but has about 150K I think...

Has full locking rear diff (needs actuator) and locking center diff so it is pretty legit traction.

of course it has electrical issues. no a/c. blower is weak for circulating air.

Driver side window stopped working and I got pissed at it and let it sit.

00D0D_hiqtbP15880_600x450.jpg 00r0r_gUlT2mQYHTa_600x450.jpg IMG_20130709_184837_323.jpg
IMG_20130709_185340_684.jpg IMG_20130709_184959_423.jpg
 
When I was in HS in 79-83 a 5000 Quattro was one of my favorites. No time or room for that project now but it sure is tempting!
 
Blasphemy



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Owned a Turbo II FC for about a month.
Got it from a friend who didnt run it very hard, or if he did it was very rare, it had 80k on it and the motor was toast.
I dont trust them.
Ended up selling a few parts off of it (Blow off valve, for example) and then sold the car to a guy out in Raleigh. I'll never do a rotary again
 
Seals were dried out.

Great motors. Great design.
They need to be driven..when they sit the sills dry out.

the downside is not reliability. The downside is finding a mechanic that knows the platform but the main killer is the cost of the seals for a rebuild if one has been sitting..Costly.

But a fist gen without the Wankel is going to be a turd for driving. Fun on the dragstrip but goodbye handling...which is what makes that car what it is.




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Seals were dried out.

Great motors. Great design.
They need to be driven..when they sit the sills dry out.

the downside is not reliability. The downside is finding a mechanic that knows the platform but the main killer is the cost of the seals for a rebuild if one has been sitting..Costly.

But a fist gen without the Wankel is going to be a turd for driving. Fun on the dragstrip but goodbye handling...which is what makes that car what it is.

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I like the exterior styling of the gen 1 and gen 3 (fb/fd)
But, if I ever get either, an engine swap would be in order.
With the FB/1st gen, they are so cheap that an engine swap wouldnt hurt my wallet as bad
 
BMW Z3 or Z4's are super fun cars and have pretty much hit the bottom of depreciation. Some rarer ones and M cars are appreciating now. You can find pretty decent ones in the $4-8k range. Projects in the $2-4k range. Maintenance ain't cheap. Would want to do most of the work yourself or find a good independent mechanic.

Drove my dad's Carrera 4 Cab this morning to Cars and Coffee in Charlotte with my son. Top down in 40 degF will wake you up in the morning! We had smiles on our faces all the way there and all the way home.

Well, dream car is 911, but those arent in my price range. That said, Im watching some auctions etc and some aircooled models arent going for too much more, but not in great condition and would take some TLC over time.

But to your first part - what would be AMAZING would be to find a Z3 Coupe (and M Coupe would be even better), but they are rare!
Z3 coupe is like a Z3 but it's a hatchback, look them up, they are awesome.
Close friend had a M version and it was SICK
 
I like the exterior styling of the gen 1 and gen 3 (fb/fd)
But, if I ever get either, an engine swap would be in order.
With the FB/1st gen, they are so cheap that an engine swap wouldnt hurt my wallet as bad

If you want to jump down the 1st gen rabbit hole drop me a pm. I’m sitting here looking at 8 of them out my window.

One is a 84 GSL-SE already stripped for a engine swap. Place a order with granny’s speed shop for the conversion and hammer down. Haha

What are the early 94-95 sn95 cars bringing nowadays? A really clean one would be a car that should be coming into it’s on before to long.


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If you want to jump down the 1st gen rabbit hole drop me a pm. I’m sitting here looking at 8 of them out my window.

One is a 84 GSL-SE already stripped for a engine swap. Place a order with granny’s speed shop for the conversion and hammer down. Haha

What are the early 94-95 sn95 cars bringing nowadays? A really clean one would be a car that should be coming into it’s on before to long.


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FDs are getting up there...like approaching their new cost!
I doubt you could find a clean one for under 20k.
Hell, you'd be hard to find a BAD one under 20

PM me info on the 1st gens you have. WOuld like to see some pics
 
FDs are getting up there...like approaching their new cost!
I doubt you could find a clean one for under 20k.
Hell, you'd be hard to find a BAD one under 20

PM me info on the 1st gens you have. WOuld like to see some pics

Sn95 is a 4th gen Mustang.
I know 3rd gen RX’s are $$ for anything Condition id want to touch
 
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