JRock

My heart is set on a turbo car. And my budget is ideally in the low to mid 20s.

The WRX has a crap 5speed in it so I didn't even want to look at it further since I want a car that will be reliable and also enjoyable to drive on a daily basis. The WRX apparently is neither of those.

After spending a couple months looking at the RSX TypeS, 350Z, and Evolution VIII I find myself somewhat uninterested in all of them.

The RSX is too small, FWD, and too much of a high school image. The 350Z I just don't like much, even after a test drive. Natural aspiration and a V6 are what I have now. I want a turbo and an engine with a GOOD exhaust note.
And the Evo... for the money I might as well step up to a G35Coupe or S2000. Especially if they're gonna offer AWD by next year on the G35Coupe. Spend a couple thousand more to have a car with MUCH better reliability than the Evo and luxury on top of that. Not a hard thing to convince oneself to do at all. Except of course for budget reasons.

The TSX is a pretty great car inside (except for lack of power passenger seat... wtf is that in a luxury car) but weak performance.

So is there a car I'm overlooking? I'd like to stay away from German cars.. but they're mostly too expensive anyway, and I don't like domestics for their cheap interior quality and reliabilty issues.
So I'm looking at Japanese cars. And in the mid-20s there's not a whole lot of performance cars that are practical enough to be a daily driven only car, and that are made by top names (Honda Toyota) for reliability (unlike Mitsu or Subaru).

I guess I could just live with getting an Evo and enjoying the car (when it works) since it's got everything I want, and put up with crappy dealer service and the mechanical issues people have with their Evos. I just find it hard to do all that for $30k. Maybe for $24k.

Maybe a TSX and hope performance mods come out for it? lol.

BoostedM3

Greddy Turbo 350Z would be your best bet...has the luxury, RWD, and handling ability. Only fall is that it will probably cost you close to $40k.

Sarlacc

Wait whats wrong with the WRX, the 5 spd handles and drives quite well and with a little money put into it you can get pretty close to the numbers the STi puts out. I would discount that car at all.

Course you could always look for a used hyundai Scoupe turbo

BEETROOT

mustang cobra

GreenMonster

I say keep your CLS oops, that's not one of the choices.

"The cheapest car out there is always the one in your driveway"

BoostedM3

Take greenmonster's advice and get Dean's 3.5L upgrade and custom turbo...that would be SWEET!!....but still FWD.

ktown378

lol. all the cars you named are out of your budget range...if you wanna save money and get a turbo car, just get the srt-4. granted it's ugly as all hell, they're still quick :|

JRock

That's low to mid 20s?


How's that?

RSX-S I can get for invoice or under. 350Z is maybe $28k. I can get a new Evo for $28k and change.

They're all in my budget range I'd just prefer to spend more around mid 20s than high 20s or low 30s.


I'd keep my CLS... if it was a manual. I'm tired of automatics.

TypeSKid

Didn't I tell you that about the WRX, and didn't you argue with me about it having a fine transmission. LISTEN TO ME!

GET THE EVO! END OF DISCUSSION!!! LOCK THIS THREAD!

BEETROOT

ok cobra is a little expensive...so go get a bullitt gt used for 18k, and put a supercharger on it for 4k

screw the rice burner import nonsense.

JRock

Why would I buy a piece of shit Ford with all the issues it's known to have? Come on now. I even said no domestics.


TypeSKid - I'm pretty sure I never argued against the WRX having a crappy trans.

Zapata

RSX-S!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Supercharger + hondata ecu = low 13's, reliable car, etc.,

NSXNEXT

iTrader: (2)

Unless you miss a shift.

joedokes28

EVO - No wing of course
S2000
Mustang Cobra - Buy an S/C'd one with a few miles on it. Quality may be shit, but they come with a warranty. Just imagine how fun that fucking car would be to drive and it's faster stock than about anything else.

Zapata

that's with any car

JRock

NSXNEXT: that could happen in any car

joe: the Cobra is supposedly terrible as a daily driver. heavy-ass clutch. i'm a newb at stick still. last thing i want is something i'll hate driving

CLean

I know you said you werent a German fan because of the price, but........ My last car was a 2000 Audi A4 with the V6 and AWD. I wish I would have saved the 4 grand and bought a 1.8 Turbo and stepped the chip and suspension up. The new A4's are very nice, somewhat roomy and reasonably priced if you dont need the AWD. You can get the Turbo and quickly add a chip and boom... you are putting out more HP than the V6 model. Their turbo's run at low boost so its easy to step up the boost. 28 grands gets up a superb ride. Plus everythign is covered for 50,000 miles. EVERYTHING!

I took my Audi in for its free oil change and i get the bill. It says 485 dollars. I almost shit, but the service man said no no its all free. They tuned the tranny, changed to old, put in new wipers and plugs and rotated the tires and a few small other adjustments. Granted I probably paid for it in the original price, but it was sure nice to get "free" things. Oh, they even replaced the pads for be befopr it went out of warranty.

It dosent hurt to look dude!!!

BEETROOT

I had a 1994 ford mustang gt...sold it to buy the CL-s a few months ago. Stang had 135,000 miles and I never had a single problem with it. Not one single thing.

JRock

CLean - interesting experience. I just don't find German cars to be reliable in the long run. Plus I'd like either RWD or AWD, and the A4 with AWD is too much $$$.

Those $500 bills are covered for 50k miles but I put that much mileage on my CLS in just over two years.

civic4982

the only cars that're turbo that you'll be able to get for 20-26K range (if that's what you mean by low to mid 20Ks) are the Dodge SRT4 and maybe pick up any remainders of the last year's WRXs. Everything else you said is out of the price range. RSXs don't count. By the time you put a turbo on there and install and run all necessary hardware or engine building or even fuel whatnots you'll be looking at a 30K car.

Maybe find yourself a used Supra TT MKIV or an older Audi S4 for that range. That would be your best bet in my opinion. The Supra is bulletproof and though the S4 has some reliability issues it can be a beast with very little money.

civic4982

also, have you thought about a E36 M3 with the AA Turbo setup? Total cost would be around 20K considerign you can find E36 M3s now for anywhere from 13.5K - 15K if looking at a '95-'97 model.

SilverCL225hp

Honda Accord EX V6 coupe with 6 speed manual. I guess this one matches your requirements the most.

By the way, the AWD will only be available on the G35 sedan in 2004, not on the coupe.

jimcol711

RSX-S = little rice boy car. theres so many freakin ricers with that shit now, forget it. its not cool its to easily obtainable.

350Z, ok sure, its V6, NA you already got that in a CL-S. there are turbo kits either out now or in the works for that car, id be leaning toward that one to be honest

EVO.....how can you possibly compare the price of an evo to a G35C????? are you nuts??? an evo is 30K...there is no more dealer markups or bullshit like that, dealers have them collecting dust on the lots. a G35 with a decent amount of options is pushing 40k. they are NOT comperable in price.


bottom line. get the evo, how could you NOT be impressed by that car? its a fucking monster. thats the choice, period.

r10apple

I can't follow your logic at all...
You want a stick, you want a turbo, you'd like to me mid-20's, you despise fwd...The Subie is it except you are worried over reliability...Mustang GT (but you hate Fords). SR4T (we all know why we aren't driving a Neon). RSX-S (zits and fwd).
The next move sits at $30k. Unreliable in the long run Evo (with you learning to drive a stick), 350z (no turbo and you don't like), RX8 (you'll probably gripe about it, too). IS300 (too slow, no turbo). Audis (you must not like slow Germans, or want to drop some extra duckets for quicker ones).

You tell us!

Beltfed

If you're looking for performance over comfort get an SRT-4.......that thing has LSD standard for 04 (available power roor as well). If the Viper style seats are too much, you can order the side airbags which will come with the RT seats.

Not to mention, there is major factory support for the SRT-4 (Mopar performance upgrades).

Can't go wrong with that car for $21k.

I think they look badass, especially dropped with bigger wheels/tires.

cusdaddy

I am not sure I get your logic. I'd recommend the Evo or SRT-4 for balls to the wall performance. The 350z is a great all around sports car with the potential to be REALLY fast with a moderately priced FI kit. I especially don't understand how you feel the Z has a bad exhaust note. It's one of the most universal compliments about the car. Same thing with the WRX. Who cares about a 5 vs. 6 speed? And Subie's are pretty reliable. Much moreso than the EVO IMO

You just seem to have no idea what you want so I'd keep the CL if I were you.

thealliance15

save some money buy an STI, guaranteed worth it.

Chaptorial

I'm with Beltfed. The SRT-4 has everything you want and is in the price range. Everyone here will give you the whole "its a neon" thing but if you don't care about that, buy that sucker.

JRock

Yeah I think you're right. Went to another DC Evo Club meet tonight. It's such a cool car even with all its Mitsubishi quirks.

Yeah you pretty much summed it up. I basically want an AWD or RWD turbo 6spd Acura for $28k. =\

gdubb

Jrok seriously have you done your research on the WRX. Check out www.clubwrx.net. Cool bunch of guys and they have a shit load of knowledge. I found you can due up to a Stage 4 on a stock tranny but you cant dump the fucking thing a 6 grand. I want one of these as a toy, but decieded to save for a house. WRX in my book, can get one new for around 24k.

JRock

Honestly that's the one car I didn't actually test drive, because all the reports of how shitty the stock 5speed trans is have scared me off. Reports of it not wanting to go into 1st from a stop sometimes and 2nd gear issues, and the clutch is a bit heavier than the Evos or the RSX-S's so for a daily driver it's slightly more leg work.

But I should probably at least give it an honest test drive.

Also it's kinda ugly and the exhaust note is kinda odd for a 4cyl, but yeah I could get over those I think.

mattg

the guy i bought my cl-s from now has a wrx. we go to the strip together all the time. he really enjoys the wrx, but he also misses the luxury and looks of the cl-s.

he has upgraded turbo, flashed ecu, upgraded top mount, and exhaust. his best 1/4 is a 13.1 @ 104.

the car also has hot bits coilovers, stoptech front brakes, deleted rear wing and an sti hood scoop. cool car.

gdubb

I have not heard those problems as near as much as the cl-s has with thier trannys. I test drove 2 different WRX's and I feel they are great cars with hella mod potential. Have you heard one w/ cat-back? sounds awsome, boxer 4 bangers are cool! Do you think the new body style is ugly as well?

God

Srt-4