What car should i get?

[FUNKED1]

Originally posted by 1K3
I just got my drivers' licence today, and i have $7,000 somewhere in my room

My question is what car should i get? used Hondas, Toyotas, or Ford?

Acura Integra GS-R, 1995 or so.  0-60 under 7 sec, great handling, great fuel economy, great reliability, great resale value, and a huge aftermarket.

[FUNKED1]

Originally posted by phookat
70's American cars suck.

80's aren't much better.

[Lazerus]

Originally posted by Irocz
The car in the second vid is a 87 GN(Regal T-type WE-4,same thing almost) with I believe a twin-turbo 406,I don't really remember,its been awhile since I've seen that video also.

I thought that's what it was, but didn't look close enough to be able to tell. I just turned the volume up and closed my eyes:D
{QUOTE]And the first video is a mildly-modded[/i] GTP beating a Viper RT/10. Its pretty sweet when your blower is soo loud that it drones out the Viper's V10. [/QUOTE]

Mildly modded?

Sold a guy that's stationed at the AF base here an '00 Monte SS. He stops by every few months and shows me what he's done to the car. Claims he's got a plan to get 500hp out of his supercharged 3.8L GTP motor that he put in it. He's about 290 now on the dyno. Again, this is what the guy is tellin me. I've ridden in it, and I can tell you it's got more balls than any GTP or SC'd monte I've been in. Stock is 240hp, not at the wheels though. 280 torque, which is what gets those cars off the line. He never told me what his torque ratings are.

I'd imagine that his 'mildly modded' GTP motor would have a hard time keeping up with that Viper. But hell, ya never can tell till ya put it on the track I guess:D

[FUNKED1]

500 hp on wrong-wheel-drive, crazy.  

[Lazerus]

Originally posted by FUNKED1
500 hp on wrong-wheel-drive, crazy.  

That's about what I said to him when he told me. That torque steer has got be bad. But hell, it's his money.

[MOIL]

Cheap to insure, great milage, theft isn't a problem either!

[blkmgc]

Zero to top speed in less than 2 seconds too.

[phookat]

Originally posted by 1K3
This question is too hard!

that's why there's a car company called...Bayerische Motor Werken:D

Indeed. But for $7K, you'll probably have to pick one or the other.

I can tell you this--better to start with fun-to-drive, and later build up the engine to make it fast.  It is easier IMO to make a car faster, than to make it handle better.  Handling is a function of the chassis and weight, and you can't really change those much.  But you can do a lot of stuff to an engine to make it more powerful.

I'd suggest test driving an old Toyota MR2 or Porsche 911.  The MR2 is a Lotus design, they basically designed it and handed the blueprints to Toyota.  You'll be amazed how fun these cars are to drive...at a subliminal level.  It ain't just about the numbers.  Since you live in the desert, I'm sure you can find something in good condition either in Vegas or SoCal.

Of the two I'd recommend the MR2 just because it's more reliable and parts will be cheaper.  Plus it is cheaper to start with.  You can find a good condition 85-89 Mk1 MR2 for about 1500-2000.  Then take it to a shop to rebuild the engine (about $1500), just so you have a clean start.  It won't be unbelievably fast, but it will be extremely fun to drive.  And you have $3500 left over...after saving up a little more, you can build up the engine to 250-350 HP...in a light car like that, you'll beat just about anyone off the line.

[phookat]

Originally posted by FUNKED1
80's aren't much better.

True.  They were sorta kinda getting their act together by the late 80's, but never really caught up IMO.  Even today...close but not quite.

[lazs2]

what do you want out of a car?

I have a Lincoln town car and a 69 El Camino and a 55 Healey... I drive the El Camino the most... the Lincoln is for chaufering my grandaughter and girlfriend around in and mostly sits around.

lazs

[RTSigma]

Get a Chevy S-10.

Mine has 105,000 miles on it and still runs like brand new.

VERY Cheap to insure as well, I have myself on it (I'm 20) and I pay roughly 70 bucks a month for it.

Get the extended cab too, the room is worth it.

It can haul a great deal too, I've made some money doing that

[J_A_B]

That's funny, I find it easier to impove a car's handling than it's performance.  Better tires, stiffer shocks, lower suspension, larger stabilizer bars--that's all pretty basic stuff.

But...I don't like the modern trend of making cars handle better anyway.  In normal diving you never need a car's maximum handling potential.  In other words, the only thing nice handling gives you on a daily basis is a bumpy uncomfortable ride.  No thanks.   I know that's the trend nowdays and all, but maybe that's why I don't drive a new car.  Acceleration on the other hand, you can use that all the time.

The BMW's I've driven rode like a Ford Escort.  I hated them.  I hate feeling every bump.  I'd rather be comfortable than know I can pull .84G's at a skidpad I'll never go to.  

If you're talking about an actual performance car that you take to the track...then it's important to have excellent handling.  But in a road car?  It doesn't matter.  


Lazs--

What motivated you to buy the Lincoln?  If you needed a highway cruiser, I'd think you would've been happier with a '94 to '96 Impala SS or even a Cadillac.  



J_A_B

[phookat]

Originally posted by J_A_B
That's funny, I find it easier to impove a car's handling than it's performance.  Better tires, stiffer shocks, lower suspension, larger stabilizer bars--that's all pretty basic stuff.

Improve, yes.  Improve to match a 911, no.  Not even close.  You're still lugging around all that weight with a mushy chassis and have a live axle in back.  But you can certainly get a 911 or an MR2 hopped up to beat muscle cars on the straights.

Originally posted by J_A_B
But...I don't like the modern trend of making cars handle better anyway.  In normal diving you never need a car's maximum handling potential.

Have you ever driven a car that handles well?  911, MR2, Z3, S2k?  Fun-to-drive is something that you experience every time you drive...in those cars.

Originally posted by J_A_B
The BMW's I've driven rode like a Ford Escort.  I hated them.  I hate feeling every bump.  I'd rather be comfortable than know I can pull .84G's at a skidpad I'll never go to.

Well, OK, I guess you are not into good handling.  But 1K3 is, judging from his posts.

Originally posted by J_A_B
If you're talking about an actual performance car that you take to the track...then it's important to have excellent handling.  But in a road car?  It doesn't matter.

It does for someone who enjoys good handling.

[Irocz]

BY mildly-modded,I mean 3.0"supercharger pulley,IC, possibly rockers, CAI, and full exhaust. Doesn't take much to get these cars into the 13s. A pulley swap from stock->3.4" alone is suppose to yield 25-30 HP at the wheels if your KR is under control.

80's aren't much better.

True to an extent,but in the mid 80s is when the Ford and GM got their *#&$ straight and started making some power with EFI. I little biased on this one, but a 87-90 Camaro IROC-Z L98 could pull .92 on the skidpad and run the 1/4 in the mid-low 14s(if you can launch it right,hard car to launch on street tread).85-93 5.0s ran almost the same and it wasn't uncommon for a notchback LX 5.0 to see high 13s with minor mods. The thing is both these cars are rattletraps unless your throw sub-frame connectors and even then they handle awesome but they ride like tanks. If you wanna go fast for cheap though, these are the first cars that come to mind. If you care about a car that is practical and fast,then a L67-powered w-body is where its at.

[FUNKED1]

Well said IrocZ.  Those are good performance cars for the money, despite the rattles and live-axle handling.