phirenze

This is something that I've been thinking about for awhile now and I'm ready to swing into action. Of course, step 1 is to post here and hope for some good advice.

I've decided to keep my TSX for as long as it will run. Hopefull I've got at least 10 years to look forward to.

I want something a little more fun that I can beat up on when I'm not driving the TSX. I don't want to spend more than 6 or 7 grand and so I've been lurking around on eBay to see what my options are. So far this is what I've come up with.

Mid 90's civic hatch with B-series swap: This is really my first choice as I've wanted one for as long as I can remember. I'm just concerned about the condition of the powertrain in one of these. They are almost always built up by some teen who I worry is most likely abusing the hell out of it. Also, I am pretty intimidated by the list of mods on most of the cars and have no idea how to tell if they were installed properly or if they are even on the car at all.

CRX w/ or w/o swap: Just looks like an insanely fun car. There's one parked on my street and even though it's covered in rust and dents, I love the way it looks. Same concerns as the civic with the addition that the CRXs are approaching 20 years old. Also, I'd be losing the functionality of a backseat.

Porsche 944: I like the way these look and have read that they are a blast to drive, especially the Turbo. I am assuming that they have porsche's excellent reliability and that most were driven carefully by middle aged men. Personally though, I'd rather be driving around in a Honda than in a douchey Porsche.

I was wondering if anybody had any experience with either of these cars (or buying a modded car off ebay) and could share their

Also, if you have any other suggestions feel free to make a case for a different car altogether.

65 Fury Convert

'85-88 Vette?

LalchandYamlajat

1995 Toyota MR2 turbo

98CLChick

Mid-90's Miata - light and rwd

Although some people might percieve it as a "chick" car

phirenze

Looks like a good alternative to the CRX. Are these quick?

phirenze

I drove one of these once and loved it but I need something with more day to day practicality. The 2-seat CRX with its hatch is as far as I can stretch.

LalchandYamlajat

Yes, they are very quick

GreenMonster

You really will have to do your research on the 944's if your going to buy one. Like alot of porsches, they'll have issues that you need to watch out for. Fixing stuff isn't cheap on a porsche, so you want to make sure you're getting a good one. Have a local independant Porsche shop to a PPI (pre-purchase inspection) to insure you won't have a huge repair bill after having spent 7K on purchasing...

EDIT: I think Ricecake's husband has a 944...

MattT516

It Sounds like you need a sports bike to me.

I actually was right next to a 944 in Manhattan today. It doesn't really drive me too crazy. If you want something to fly around in during the weekend, I'd buy an Integra with a swap or turbocharger setup.

Sly Raskal

iTrader: (1)

Even an all motor integra is a sweet car to have.

NightHawk CL9

i'm roughly in the same boat..... i wanna save up like 7-8 g's and get a "project car" aka a car i can have fun with and when i got an extra few hundred buy something for it....... thyis is my personal list, but it might help you out too.....

1. 94-95 mustang 5.0 or svt cobra for 7-8K...... i planned on buying one and throwing in the gt40 package for about 2000 and that maks 320 hp..... plus parts for the 5.0 are so common and they are very cheap, so parts are not gonna be JDM shipped from japan and cost like 1300 for a set of coilovers...... or 1200 for a front bumper.....

2. 92-95 toyota mr2 turbo..... they are nice, light, and with a turbo back, boost cotroller, nice summer tires your running mid 13s' all day long..... and then it looks awsome with the right kit on it....

3. and my personal favorite which i'm thinking of doing...... buying a 92-97ish lexus sc300 for about 3000-5000 and either dropping in the 1jz-gte (2.5 L I-6 Sourcer) or the 2jz-gte (3.0 L I-6 supra TT) motor.... i'm leaning toward the 2jz-gte..... thats abotu 3000 for a motor and tranny and ecu as the ecu and engine have to be matched kinda like our hondata...... then a tubro back exhaust, VAFC-II, your running quick, very quick.... and parts for that motor are alot, and fairly cheap, as all companies make turbo upgrads for about 750-1000$ that'll get you around 400hp, if not 400whp..... and with the right body kit they look awsome, like the WELD kit, or JIC's kit ..... http://www.l-tunedparts.com/product/?id=665 ..... and a nice set of rims and you have yourself an awsome car, and all thoes mods don't need to be done together,

Minch00

Triumph Spitfire

Moog-Type-S

240sx

phirenze

OK thank you all for your input.
Sports bike is out of the question since I used to work in an emergency room and have seen way too many bike accidents.

I don't think the MR2 is going to work either because there is no trunk or back seat and I was reading the other thread about their horrible reliability.

I like the idea of an sc300/430 though. Gonna have to look into that- thanks for the detailed info Nighthawk!

SakiGT

Your best bet is to browse ebay but buy elsewhere. Cars Ive been interested in go for way more than Ive seen browsing local forums, autotrader, etc.

Example:

1992 Celica Alltrac - 150,000 miles, aftermarket color ~7,000 on ebay
1992 Celica Alltrac - 121, 000 miles, black color, needed clutch ~5,000 private selleter through autotrader.

Guess which one I bought....

Bdog

How about a 95-99 Acura Integra? I am seeing them on Autotrader from $3000-$8500 in good condition. Get an LS and slap a turbo on it or swap for a GSR motor and put in some JDM cams.

F23A4

Those are EXTREMELY difficult to find. Too bad Toyota didnt make many of those and too bad they used to cost so much back then (~$26k). But I definitely recommend the All Trac. Performance of a DSM with Toyota refinement.

joseph_99tl

i always liked the tr-6.

65 Fury Convert

I own a '74 Spitfire

NightHawk CL9

hey your getting a lexus supra out of this too.....lol.... look at www.clublexus.com they have some nice cars for sale..... i saw one for $7K ish already with a swapped 1jz... which all swapped motors have about 40K miles but chasis are about 150-200K miles, but in a lexus thats just mid-life

and if you search cars.com there is one in NJ and its a 5SP too which is rare(er)..... asking $3500 for it.... so yea the posibility is there..... and if you want the swap go sc300..... if you want to keep it kinda stock look at the sc400 as they have the V8 with 255hp until 97 which goes to 265hp until it finally goes to 290 right before they switch to the sc430..... btw the 2jz-gte is the JDM Supra motor so you have 270HP....stock.....

and yes, eventually i wanna get one and to this....... remember you end up driving a lexus compared to a civic, personally thats a big factor, and it can be the ULTIMATE SLEEPER.........

dallison

legend coupe type II

LalchandYamlajat

They were talking about the new ones, not the older ones

HQuakers

I second this. Once the TL is gone this is what i'm getting..i'm already planning. They do weigh a little more than the cars suggested (around 3200lbs I believe), but 400whp is soo easy and you got rwd, so you can pretty much go nuts. Toyota = reliable and no engine is tougher than the 2jz. I wish I had like $3k to spend on one and just go nuts with it.

cdrink80

Damn im in the market for a project car, So I could get the motor, tranny and Ecu to come all together, Then its find to look for a nice automatic sc300 shell? You have any links for sites where I can buy the motors or any other information on sc300 swaps? Thanks

mclarenf3387

Of the 2 new ones you listed, both are not light and in fact SC300/400s are very heavy.

NightHawk CL9

the sc300 weights about 3300LBS.... ir about 100LBS more then a tsx somwhere around a tl..... but 400hp.....

GreenMonster

Some of my favorite all time lightweight cars (under 2700 lbs is what I consider lightweight) have to be the early porsche 911 (1965-1973) and the early 70's BMW 2002s... Probably a little old for you liking, but they are rwd and light...

The 911's are definitely out of your price range (they're had a recent, i.e. within the last 5 years, surge in value), but the BMW 2002 are still affordable...

Some of the early 911's are around 2200 lbs, so while they might not have a lot of hp by todays standards, the fact that they weight 1000lbs less then most modern cars more then make up for the lack of hp...

Instead of a 944, you might want to look into the 1978-1983 911SC... RWD and weighs in @ about 2500lbs or so... Probably in the 10-12K price range....

mclarenf3387

Put down the crack pipe. A SC300 comes with 225 horsepower at the crank stock. And 3300 lbs is not light by any means. Thats one porky bastard of a sports car.

The monster makes good points.
While if you can find a 944 in good shape, they will run like a top. But if it wasn't maintained it could end up costing you upwards of 10k in repairs for those things.

65 Fury Convert

From my 1995 Motor Trend magazine - SC300 weighs 3560 pounds - far from light, right? And the SC400 weighs 3575 pounds.

SPECIFICATIONS:
1995 LEXUS SC300 2-DOOR COUPE

Engine Type I-6, dohc-24 valve, mpfi
Engine Size 3.0 liter/183 cid
Horsepower 225 @ 6000
Torque (ft/lbs) 210 @ 4800
Curb Weight 3560

PERFORMANCE
0 to 60 mph 7.5 sec
1/4 mi (E.T.) 15.7 sec

F23A4

Indeed, the Lexus SC is not only phat, it's also fat. But nothing a 2JZ-GTE swap and BPU couldnt easily rectify.

NightHawk CL9

i know the car is "slow" stock, and yes i was wrong on the weight, somewhere i read 3300lbs, but guess thats wrong........ but at 3600 pounds, with a 2jz, and an upgrade 400hp in a 3600lbs car is fast..... and rwd.... and i don't think the sc300 was marketed by lexus as a sports car.... that was the supra's job.....

HQuakers

I thought it was marketed as a luxury sport coupe? Also, it all depends on the mods and what kind of engine you drop in the SC. A 1jz will obviously not be as fast as a 2jzge-t or a GTE. I think the average quarter mile for a swapped SC is around the 12-13 range.

moomaster_99

Depends what you need it for....it has a trunk..kinda...and with the top up you have rear deck space....

Sly Raskal

iTrader: (1)

My buddy knows someone that's selling a 67 mustang that is in good running condition for $6K.

I haven't seen it myself, but from what I've heard from my buddy is that the owners bought the car and fixed it up for their daugther or granddaughter and she didn't like it or want it (** cough ** spoiled bitch ** cough **). Someone gives you a car, you don't complain!

Anyways, I'd buy it myself but I can't get it right now

hybridnrg

iTrader: (4)

mitsubishi eclipse GSX or GS-T

honda civic hatch or CRX fun with engine swaps

240sx

VW gti/jetta VR6