Pelican Parts Forums - Your Feedback on a Fun Car Less Than $10K

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Your Feedback on a Fun Car Less Than $10K

Well friends I have the opporunity to buy a super sweet only has 40K original miles '91 MR2 Turbo. Genuine 2 owner car, tastefully modified (never abused) and has 300hp (if not more) I can purchase the car for $10K.
It is identical to this:
http://jdmcars.info/cars/toyota_mr2_turbo.jpg

After some checking I noticed that I am also in the same price range of:
240hp but will have at least 80K on the clock
http://k43.pbase.com/v3/89/542689/1/....95e36m3_2.jpg

350hp but will have at least 80+K on the clock
http://image.nettix.fi/extra/carimg/...0ab2188d41.jpg

944 Turbo
http://www.nine44turbo.com/images/leftside.jpg

288hp and luxo:
http://image.caraudiomag.com/f/93529...enz_560sec.jpg

even the following are considerations and can be bought for less about $7K:
http://image.automotive.com/f/featur...ront_right.jpg

although the RX7s do not have reliability on their side (sadly) - sweet cars though
http://a568.ac-images.myspacecdn.com...922997a2d7.jpg

Neat:
http://www.benlevy.com/auto/meet/s-p...6/img_0839.jpg

This will be a daily driver that has to be fun (i.e good hp and handling), good looking and ultra reliable..what would you guys buy if you were looking for something with the above mentioned criteria in the $10K range.

Yasin

No brainer - e36 m3.

Quote:

Originally Posted by serge944 (Post 4971987)

No brainer - e36 m3.

+1 i still miss my bmw's as daily drivers

None of the above. You live in Colorado, it's about to get ugly on the roads. Buy something that you can use, not take a hit on depreciation, and sell in the spring. Toyota Land Cruiser comes to mind.

BMW is just an acronym for Bring Mechanic Work. Unless it's an E30.

my 79 e21 was and still is the most reliable and best car i've ever owned and i've had Honda's and Subaru's and the e21 is still in the top 3 I'm actually looking for either a 2002 or an e21. but i've also owned an old land cruiser fj-40 and if the world ever ended and i had to drive through a nuclear wasteland id pick the fj40

Personally, based on the criteria of a reliable and fun daily driver I'd go with the XJR. It is not only incredibly fast, but it is so effortless. Supercharged power everywhere, it makes great noises, very good steering and brakes, good handling but with a comfortable ride. The interior is absolutely stunning, easily the highest quality car I have owned. Of everything I have had, the XJR would be my #1 choice for a road trip. It's also the only car I've had that was purchased with every feature still working, I had to do very few repairs to mine. This era of Jaguar (during Ford ownership) was actually very reliable. In my car shopping I always look for another good deal on one, I can't say that about some of the cars I have owned. For a car to keep, I'd love to buy one, modify it, then surprise the hell out of people.:D

By the way, I hope you like the mods done to that MR2 because it's about $4k too high. Great cars, but at $10k you'll never get your money back.

Consider:

Do you plan on selling it or driving until junked?
What is your maintenance budget?
Do you have rough winters?
Maintenance history is important. Bringing a Japanese car vs. a German car back to stage 0 has different price points.
Is manual or automatic important to you?

Good feedback guys....
This car will be in Houston with me, so winters is not a consideration, so RWD is absolutely fine.

Matt - some feedback on the cars you posted.

XJR - Great car, uber cool with lots of power but long term reliability and parts (due to the thing being so rare) very expensive. Typical for a high end Brit car.

S70R \ S60R \ M5 - Same as with the XJR...cost of maintenance scares me with it. I have a good friend who is a Tech at Volvo and he has some scary stories on the S60 and S70 cars, but he says when they run well..they truly RUN! I have to admit I love the E34 M5 and the "R" Volvos...beautiful cars...

Audi and 928 - Electrical storms and long term reliability scares me, never been a huge Audi guy.

Boxster and Bug Eye WRX - Like how they drive, hate how they look.

C36 AMG - All have head gasket issues as they get older due to the length of the head and how hot they run. I like the C43 suggestion or even the C32 AMG.

RX8 does not do it for me...95ft.lbs at the dyno does not excite me...LOL

Saab Viggen \ 9-5 - Never driven one....how do they fair long term?

I would keep this car for a few years at minimum guys and be a daily driver...150-200 miles per week.

Yasin

I see you live in Colorado. A WRX may be a fun consideration, especially because it can be used well into the wintertime...

A friend bought a WRX that is a generation or two old for $6000 and threw about $2K in mods into it. It is ridiculously fun to drive in the snow (with good snow tires).

They are quick in a straight line but stock suspension for dry surface handling is kinda piggish. Dirt roads are ridiculous in it though, and it felt like a car that I could drive every day.

Be warned that the enthusiast community for Subarus, at least around here, is made up of a high percentage of people-that-really-get-annoying kinds. Which is why I would be looking for a 944 Turbo- just to keep it in the family.

Quote:

Originally Posted by slow&rusty (Post 4972228)

Good feedback guys....
This car will be in Houston with me, so winters is not a consideration, so RWD is absolutely fine.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Schumi (Post 4972254)

I see you live in Colorado.

Yasin

Quote:

Originally Posted by Schumi (Post 4972254)

I will up your WRX with a Saab 92X Aero. A WRX with better looks and none of the ricer / racer owners. Quieter interior and they are priced a few thousand less than a comparable Subaru. My Saab is the basic Linear but its equally capable of going down logging roads with my kayak on top as it is pulling up to a customer meeting. The best of both worlds IMHO.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1256480206.jpg

Out of the original picks, I would go with the e36 M3 but I would want mine as the 4 door.

You could buy this car, its under 10K, 1986.5 Auto 4 speed, 928S well sorted all the big things are replaced and ready for daily driving, Extensive service records, with rear AC it blows cold. Plus you dont have to go far to pick it up.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1256480963.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1256480979.jpg

How about a 968?

Something like this would be awesome (No affiliation)

Porsche : 968:eBay Motors (item 120482378225 end time Oct-25-09 19:30:59 PDT)

Quote:

Originally Posted by slow&rusty (Post 4972228)

Feedback on your feedback:D.

XJR - is this based on older Jags? They really are reliable cars. They share a LOT with the XJ8. Pre-2000 there were Nikasil issues (like the E34 540i), but after that there aren't any fatal flaws. The parts I bought were about BMW/Mercedes prices, not outrageous. There's quite a few out there with 100k+.

C36 - based on forum reading, HG scare is overblown (my opinion). They have the same issue as all M104 based MB straight-six motors, and not every motor blows a HG. I also seem to recall the parts being about $400 and it being a very DIY friendly job. I was more scared of my engine wire harness going bad.

C43 - good call. Not even a HG or wire harness worry, but make sure the "lifetime" transmission fluid gets changed. Same comment for the E55 by the way.

C32 - run like hell. From my reading, they make most of the other cars listed look reliable. From the dark days of the MB/Chrysler merger.

Saabs - really good cars, I've owned two. Major parts like turbo, transmission, and engine will run forever. My '93 9000 Aero had 235k and ran like new, original turbo, transmission, and no internal engine work. Good quality, easy to DIY. Little accessory bits are the trouble spots, but more a nuisance than anything. Great MPG and rockets on the highway, but be prepared for torque steer, especially with the Viggen. The hatchback models are hugely practical, you can cram an amazing amount of stuff in there. Look for oil change records, the cars that followed "extended" oil change intervals can have sludge issues.

UrS4/S6 - actually very reliable, not the unreliable modern Audi. Incredible 5-cylinder can make scary power (350 HP+) using RS2 parts on stock internals. Great cars that run a LONG time.

I think I'd pick a vehicle that Matt has owned and not sold.:D

E36. Yes the interiors suck, but they are solid cars. I miss mine. :(
Being you are in Co. The WRX would top my list.