Im looking to pick up a car that might not be exactly as mainstream as say a Honda, Nissan or Toyota. Something that isnt normally seen while driving but can still be worked on and dressed up to be unique and respectable in its own way.

Any ideas fellow Aziners?

Ive come up with these ideas so far:
1. Hyundai Tiburon V6
2. Mazda3 Hatchback
3. Mercury Cougar
4. Pontiac G6
5. Scion xA?

 

So you want to buy a turd because no one else wants it?

I see tons of Mazda2 hatches though. Get one of those!

 

2009 Acura TL!

 

What's your budget? Is the car to be a daily driver?
Other than the Mazda, the cars you listed basically suck and can't be improved on much. There are probably much better choices within the budget.

 

how about a genesis coupe? they look sick modded. come to think of it, the one i saw in person in korea in january looked pretty sick stock lol.

 

Is this for real? Did you really mention a cougar??? There are reasons a lot of these cars are uncommon and undesirable.

 

If you really want one of the cars on your list, I think the Mazda 3 is definitely your best choice. It is a very good car, while the rest of your list is populated by a bunch of clunkers.

 

You are a very odd person.

 

Saab 9-2x.

youll be dissapointed by all the other cars. i agree with the gensis coupe. id also have to put in the Mx-6.

 

just about to say get a saab

 

it was a joint car built between Subaru and Saab, it uses the Subaru platform with a turbo EJ (wrx).. but with all the luxuries of a saab.

reliability AND leather seats with a whole lot of go.

 

Um, try a 2008/2009 Legacy GT spec B.

Not common, 4 door utility, very nice suspension setup, AWD, cheap to maintain and insure, and you can make it a pretty fast car with some aftermarket options (Cobb tuning stage two kit).

 

+1 for the Legacy

 

To all those calling me crazy/wierd/odd I feel like doing something unique as my thread title states. I mean to an extent sure its cool buying a car everyone is is modding and crap but then its just following the herd. I like marching to my own beat lol

actually I did think of some of thoughts cars like:

Subaru Legacy 2.5GT
Hyundai Genesis 2.0L turbo

but then considering im a semi-broke college student I really need to be looking at something up to the $7000 range

 

Audi A3?

Subaru BRAT?

 

Maybe the Saab 9-3 Aero, Jaguar XF, Lincoln MKS but these are new.

 

+2 my next car.

 

Definitely go with a Saab 9-3. Even the 175hp linear model will shock you (It is almost as fast as a 2G TL-P). The 210hp Aero/Arc is even better. If you are looking for something unique; almost bordering on quirky, a 9-3 is a spectacular choice.

 

It's also a pile of junk. Having just did some extensive detailing work on that car, I can attest to its horrendous fit and finish.

 

I'm all for individuality, however I don't consider individuality buying an unpopular car and slapping a bunch of off the shelf aftermarket parts on it creative. There is a reason most of the cars on your original list are not popular in the tuning scene, it's because they are steaming piles of shit.

As for uncommon cars that don't suck entirely, I like the Saab angle people have suggested and I think there are some gems in the Volvo world. Creating a sense of individuality in a homogenized car scene is very difficult, factor in a fairly low budget and it's almost impossible to get something that is unique and worth while. If anything can be learned from this experience I think a bit more time behind the wheel of various cars is in order. Some vehicles on your list are absolute turds to drive, no offense, and even a short test drive would make this very apparent.

 

Saab 9-5 or 9-3 Aero are awesome choices! I've had Saabs in the past and they have been very reliable and relatively cheap. If you can spend a little more then the 9-2X Aero is the best choice. It's hella quick and hauls all your luggage

 

Aztek

 

Respectfully, that would put you in the minority.

If anyone would like to know how much it costs to align and re-fettle a late-90's Saab 9-3 convertible top, I can make you cry.....

Indeed. Best of all, the 9-2x is actually a Subaru with Saab badges on it.....meaning you will be buying a reliable car from a company whose entire future isn't in the hands of a tiny supercar manufacturer with 50 employees (see Konigsegg).

 

+1000

 

To everyone else posting here: Are you nuts or just illiterate??!
I know these cars depreciate quickly, but since when is a Saab 9-2, 9-3 Aero, Jag XF, etc. available for the $7K OP has to spend???

OP: go with something common and reliable while you're in college, unless you have lots of time to do work on a more special car, which would likely be pretty beat up or unreliable if it's less than $7K.

 

I think I see where he's going with this. Here are my suggestion for cars you could mod the crap out of and have something very unique and fast for well under $7000.

Mitsubishi Starion/Dodge Conquest
Dodge Omni GLH/Dodge Charger Shelby GLHS
Toyota Celica All Trac Turbo
Mazda 323 Turbo

 

i would buy a fucking 92 honda accord for 1000 and put the rest into school.

 

Those cars are so unique they may be impossible to find now, and mods are probably pretty limited for the turbo cars.

I'm not sure how many mods are available for late-90's-pre-2003 G20s, Maximas, J30s, SC coupes, GS and cars of that ilk, which are fairly reliable and fall inside $7K.
The aftermarket is good for Preludes, Celicas and Miatas, which are all pretty reliable, but also fairly common (like American pony cars).
Older A4s, C-classes and 3-series can be modded, but reliability and mod costs are issues.

 

Well now, no note of that $7K cap in the original post there cowboy, where the OP lists a pile of cars over the $10K line.

 

Ford Pinto



[/thread]

 

 

just get an 02 maxima 6mt and call it a day. they are cheap, reliable, and quick to begin with. not to mention they are a lot nicer looking (IMHO) than any of the cars you listed in your original post. i know originality was the point, but come on, with the exception of the mazda3 (assuming its the mazdaspeed wagon) you will put a hell of a lot of money into making these cars almost as fast the "mainstream" cars come out of the factory.

as far as individuality goes.. i had an 02 ABP TL type s with navi for 3 years oem kitted, tinted, nice sound system, hid fogs, really stood out at least in my area i didnt see anything that looked like mine. hell my friends could spot me at night just from my headlight/foglight combo. i know lots of people my age have nicer cars and the tl is a hugely popular car, but damn if i didnt take pride in that car and i loved that i stood out.

im a college student, and knew that it was time to let go of the car based on its mileage and the responsibility of maintaining a car that old. i sold it and leased myself an 09 2.5 sl altima, and im once again a dime a dozen on the road lol.

but im happy as hell knowing a. theres no extra attention from cops.

b. i have a car that wont let me down for the next 3 years.

c. i can afford to go to school and work a light schedule and dont have to break my back to repair or make large payments on a car.

trust me, i was willing to pay for a 6 speed accord v6 coupe too, until i got talked out of fantasy world by my family and realized theres plenty of time for more expensive cars after i graduate, not to mention i have a brand new car to get into everyday anyway.

guess im just trying to share my story. its 3:30 am so i am just rambling, but good luck with whatever you get, sorry for the long post lol.

 

2000 Legacy GT? Should be able to find those cheap. This one is near NY.

Subaru Legacy GT

You'll have to troll the classifieds, but you may find something like the above for a decent price. This one fits the $7000 cap.

 

Hyundai Genesis Coupe V-6, Period.

For $26,000, its the Fastest, Best Looking, Best Quality, Best Reliability.

 

Haha yeah I bet it's a fortune! Luckily, the ones I owned were not convertible. But I know that if something went wrong in the engine, it would be pretty expensive

 

You want something unique? I have just the car for you.

http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/cto/1313737586.html

 

Might be better off using the money for college instead.


Get a miata.

 

Well if you want something unique that you don't see on the road very much, it usually means it's something that's a little harder to find. They are out there though, I've come arcross quite a few Omni GLHs and Conquests that I've considered as a cool side project. I just don't have room for one now so that's why I never followed through. Believe me though, there's definitely mods available for the turbo cars. There's a cult following for all those listed with many running incredibly fast 1/4 mile times. You'd be surprised. Google is your friend.

 

I'd go with the Genesis Coupe, I test drove the 3.8 fully loaded 6sp with the touring package, and man was it full of torque and rode very sporty. There are plenty of mods out for it already. People are already reflashing the 2.0T to 260rwhp...but I would get the 3.8, cause there working on a supercharger kit as well as a twin turbo setup.

 

With the $7k budget, I don't think the OP is going to be able to even sniff most of the cars mentioned in the thread. As others have said, either save the money for school, or look at a less unique, but reliable used car (Accord, Civic etc.). With such a limited budget, you're probably better off focusing on something that will serve as a reliable form of transportation.