I'm looking for a non-miata DD. I want something fast or capable of becoming fast, reliable or easy to work on, decent or upgradable to decent suspension, and pretty quiet inside. I don't really want to spend more than 10K after I'm done making it fun. Any recommendations? I'm considering WRXes or maybe RSXes or maybe a mazda3 (might be too much $). Right now I DD my Miata and it's great but not ideal at all times...

 

I'm happy w/ what I just picked up for a driver.

https://www.miataturbo.net/forum/showthread.php?t=25865

 

If you don't mind fwd, then I would recommend a 1997 Acura Cl 2.2 Premium. They can easily be found with low miles for around 5k or so. The engine is a F22 and even though it's a SOHC engine, it responds very well to boost. They are very durable and hold up to abuse. If you can boost a miata, then you definitely can make one of these very quick. Every part you could possibly ever want for one exists and someone has already done all the research to let you know if it will work. I have one as my daily driver and it's one of the most comfortable cars I have ridden in. When I finish my current build, my next project will be a 400 hp daily driver and this is the car I will use.

 

I'd rock a mazdaspeed 3 as a daily in a heartbeat..

 

Nissan 240sx. Can be had in either a hatchback or coupe. Quiet compared to a miata, mods are plentiful and cheap. Everything from boosting the stock KA24 to swapping in a SR20DET can be done easily under $10k incl purchase.

You can also find sr20 swapped project cars for $4k - $6k. Now would be the time to get looking. Clean examples are getting harder to find and the popularity of buttsex has been driving prices up for these cars. Then again, a friend of mine found a near perfect example for $2500 this winter. And I mean perfect.

Only thing you gotta watch for is rust on the framerails and under the stock spoilers. If I could afford it, I'd rock one as a daily. I DD my miata (only car) and put on 400 miles a week (and it's not even turbo!), so I feel your pain!

 

SC300 in 5spd manual.

http://motors.shop.ebay.com/items/Ca...id=p4506.c0.m1


K20 in the RSX Type S is great.

http://motors.shop.ebay.com/Cars-Tru...-1&_fpos=33401

I would personally buy either a VW tdi/grease car or get a Honda Insight though. The insight is a cool one, though you'd have to make everything for it because no one sells performance parts for it. I almost bought one before the miata for a K20 swap.

 

I love my granfather's Cadi. You can't feel anything. If you feel a bump you ran over someone.
And the V8 screams. Cadi's have no resale. You would have the best in comfort and power, and a miata for racing.
I never thought I wanted one. Until I drove his. I love it. And it is classy and ganster all at the same time.
My grandfather would call me up to tell me all the sports cars he out ran. None of my little brothers friends would race him anymore. LOL. They would get him on take off, but after 60 he would shut my brothers friends down.

That is a small V8 with over 300hp . I wounder how hard it would be to put in a miata. And on the highway it shuts down to 4cyl.

 

I love my roommates mk4 1.8T Jetta...getting cheap too...for 10k you could have a nice one with bolt ons, suspension, brakes, a tune, and cash left over.

 

I actually once had a cadillac. 1989 Broughm Van Den Plas. I bought it with like 30K miles in 1998 for $3000. It was in perfect shape. I hated every time I drove it for the month that I had it. Gas consumption was terrible. V8 but it was really very very pokey. And it handled like a sponge riding on bars of soap. On day 15 the transmission starting to grind constantly. I sold it for $1500 :(.

 

This car looks interesting:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Cars-...=p4506.c0.m245

 

I would so rock a 5 speed sc300 as my DD

 

i had a wrx with pretty much everything upgraded but i made the mistake of taking it apart and now have a turbo miata. I like the miata but the wrx is much more practical. You can find a high mileage one for under 10k.

 

Well it's right up the street from you so you can check it out. I'd have him get it inspected so that doesn't become a PITA unless you know some one. And if you do, let me know.

Frank

 

What do you guys think about this one:

http://baltimore.craigslist.org/cto/843636001.html

5 speed 2jzgte swap.

 

Sounds like he has the parts for the swap but the swap hasn't been done yet. Are you willing to do the swap? That's in my neighborhood. Don't know the guy though.

Frank

 

First gen (MY 2002) USDM Impreza WRX.

I own one of the first runs... before Subaru flooded the market, I love it because I still get about 25 mpg. I'm the only owner and it only has 53k miles on it.... I only have to drive to work once a week.

 

Why gen 1? I like the headlights; it's a cute car. Do the wagons handle decently or would you need a sedan for that? I've read lots of recommendations to go with the 2.5L model year though to reduce boost onset but I'm not sure that would really be an issue if I go full 3", EBC etc..

 

There are plenty of suspension mods to make the WRX handle well. The stock turbo is actually a bit small for the 2.0 so lag isn't much of an issue. You can get the ECU flashed and use a $30 GM BCS for boost control and pick up a lot of torque on the stock turbo with a good DP and catback. Only real weakness is the 5 spd but that's very dependent on driving style, launching, etc.

Frank

 

The 89 sucked. Those were slow mamoths.
The newer front wheel drive Northstars are wicked. But not for everyone.
Good luck.

 

1. Because I own one.

2. Because Richard Burns won the 2001 WRC driver's title in one. He passed away just before Colin McRae from brain cancer.

3. It has the 2.0 liter engine. WRC homologation rules state an engine of 2000cc. I like it.


Also, I've got Prodrive springs, Whiteline swaybars, Group A endlinks, and STi aluminum control arms. It handles quite nicely with all that. I've also changed out the squishy Bridgestone RE-92's out for Falken Ziex 329's in a lower profile than stock. The stock WRX wallows in understeer like a Civic. I have a sedan, the Wagon puts another 200lbs. over the rear axle so it's in the right place.