budget performance cars

[Root Moose]

Yeah, but they are slow.

 

[Root Moose]

True, but MOST M3s aren't under 10k. You guys got a bargain, there!

Agreed - very atypical. Before I bought my S2000 I was looking at E36 M3s.

 

[upcruiser]

They must be out of their minds...

1990-1996 Nissan 300ZX 3.0L turbo V6 - Yeah, good luck finding one that hasn't been completely thrashed for under 10k.
1985-1991 Porsche 944 Turbo 2.5L turbo I4 - Ok, but you'll spend another 10k refurbishing it before the year is out.
1999-2000 Honda Civic Si 1.6L I4 - Um...what about a 1998-2001 Acura Integra GSR? Can be had for the same money, better handling, better performance. I bought mine for $7k.
1995-2001 BMW 740i and 740iL 4.4L V8 - Um...I wouldn't classify that as a "performance" car.
2002-2006 Acura RSX 2.0L I4 - Yeah, neither that. Maybe the Type-S, but again, good luck finding a desirable example under 10k.
2002-2003 Subaru Impreza WRX 2.0L turbo flat 4 - Even those are borderline on that price tag. Good examples are still fetching 12-13k.
2001-2005 Volkswagen GTI 2.8L V6 - I'd rather have a 2002-04 1.8T. For a $400 chip and a tune, you're making WAY more power than the VR6 ever would without a supercharger.
1998-2002 Chevy Camaro Z28 5.7L V8 - They put in a Camaro but not a Mustang?
2001-2005 Audi A4 3.0L V6 - A4, and an S4? Biased a bit much?
2000-2002 Audi S4 2.7L twin turbo V6 - I wouldn't trust a sub-10k S4...

The way I would have that list would be....

1997-2001 Mazda MX-5 Miata
2002-2004 VW GTI 1.8T
1998-2001 Acura Integra GSR
1996-1999 BMW 328IS
2002-2004 Ford Mustang GT
2000-2001 Subaru Impreza 2.5RS
1984-1996 Chevrolet Corvette
1998-2001 Chevy Camaro SS/Pontiac Trans Am WS6
1992-1998 Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4
1997-1999 Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX/Eagle Talon TSI AWD

I don't know, the 944t is probably the best drivers car out of the group with possibly the exception of the M3's and the Miata. The VR4 300GT's are heavy, poor handling grand touring cars IMO. Guess it all depends on what kind of performance you want though.

 

[off-roader]

...Audi ur-quattro.

The S4 and many A4's are Quattros since IIRC it's Audi's way of denoting their AWD equipped vehicles or maybe you're talking about a different Audi altogether? Wasn't the original 'Audi Quattro' that hatchback affair from the early 80's? The one that won ton's of rally races and was eventually forced to stop competting against 'lesser cars' of that era?

...Why didn't they title it "random list of cars we found that are somewhat performance-oriented" or something?

So true... so true.

 

[upcruiser]

The S4 and many A4's are Quattros since IIRC it's Audi's way of denoting their AWD equipped vehicles or maybe you're talking about a different Audi altogether? Wasn't the original 'Audi Quattro' that hatchback affair from the early 80's? The one that won ton's of rally races and was eventually forced to stop competting against 'lesser cars' of that era?


So true... so true.

UR quattros refer to the 5 cylinder cars like the coupes and early S4/S6's. They are pretty bad to the bone motors, one of my favorite sounding cars. A buddy of mine had a fire breathing 500hp coupe that he raced. One of the faster cars I have rode in.

 

[BKCowGod]

Spefically, the 1983ish model is the ur-quattro... The vehicle that spawned this famous-ish quote:

"I hope that I will soon forget the Audi Quattro. Until I do, I shall continue to worship that ***** goddess Success at the expense of friends, family, honesty and decency - anything to be in a position to have one. The Quattro is evil, an insidious witch in the guise of state-of-the-art engineering, a circe who commands your obedience every waking moment and a succubus who haunts every dream. She's the seductress who recreates That First Time all over again, who snips all your tethers to innocence and changes your life forever." - Four Wheeler Magazine, August 1982

 

[R_Lefebvre]

Yeah, I dunno... this list is highly dependent on what you consider a performance car. Is it about straight line speed, ultimate stick, or the hard to define "handling"? To me, it's not a performance car unless it can hold up to use on a trackday, and many/most of those cars cannot.

 

[Peck]

I can't take a list of "performance" cars seriously if it includes a Civic, Si or not.

They really should have included the Mustang GT in there. You can buy a decent shaped one for a fair price and with the amount of aftermarket goodies out there, one could have pretty sick car for the the price of the car.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

Again, depends on your definition of peformance. I had a Mustang for a few years. It sucked and I sold it. Never looked back. I'd take an Si any day.

 

[TOTJ]

I had a friend pick up a Lotus for only $3000.00 with a blown motor.
He installed a Toyota motor in it and its just a kick to drive. He says
hes got about $7000.00 in it.

Heres a picture of my Dad and his car that he races. 1965 Volvo P1800
That he aoriginaly puchased for $2000.00

This is what I want, even if its a replica car.

 

[SGNellett]

The way I would have that list would be....

1997-2001 Mazda MX-5 Miata
2002-2004 VW GTI 1.8T
1998-2001 Acura Integra GSR
1996-1999 BMW 328IS
2002-2004 Ford Mustang GT
2000-2001 Subaru Impreza 2.5RS
1984-1996 Chevrolet Corvette
1998-2001 Chevy Camaro SS/Pontiac Trans Am WS6
1992-1998 Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4
1997-1999 Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX/Eagle Talon TSI AWD

Amen to that, any of those Diamond Star AWD cars, if you can find a clean one, are screamers for the $$!

 

[off-roader]

Amen to that, any of those Diamond Star AWD cars, if you can find a clean one, are screamers for the $$!

Should have also including the Galant VR4 awd/aws quick little sedan! At least my buddies is... but then again his is pretty heavily modified.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

The 3000/Stealth cars are absolute boats! Those aren't performance cars.

 

[BLKNBLU]

2001-2005 Volkswagen GTI 2.8L V6 - I'd rather have a 2002-04 1.8T. For a $400 chip and a tune, you're making WAY more power than the VR6 ever would without a supercharger.

Agreed. Plus the 6 screws up the balance of the car. Too cumbersome.

 

[hrjaw]

Heres a picture of my Dad and his car that he races. 1965 Volvo P1800
That he aoriginaly puchased for $2000.00

I am in the process of restoring a 69 P1800S as we speak. my brothers and I have been working on it on and off for a while now. great car that has a beautiful design to it!