Just got her, already looking to bail...:P

[Makenzie71]

In my garage I have...

1989 Toyota Supra Targa/NA (Fast and heavy)
1987 Porsche 944 (quick and nimble)
1979 Toyota Celica Supra (soon to be fixed to break again)
1986 Yamaha FZ600 (heavily modded)
1992 Suziki Bandit 400 (slightly modded)
1983 Yamaha XJ400 (I think)
1981 Honda CB900S Custom (sold)

I've decided I want to get rid of everything and get one car...so it's all for sale, except the Porsche right now. I'm going to trade her in later as a down payment or something. So if you see something there you like, please don't hesitate to PM, ask, speak up, throw a rock, or do a rain dance to get my attention.

See, I've been sepnding the last couple years of my life buying and playing with toys. It's not that it's getting old...but I do feel I need to grow up and maybe do something a bit more responsible with my money. I feel that a single, newer (read: "reliable") car and the excess money that I'd otherwise be spending on these toys could be put to better use.

So heres a question for you guys: What do you feel would be an adequate replacement for them all? I'm thinking a WRX and a gun. Opinions?

[ae1969]

Sell one **** box at a time............ and save your coin.

What budget are we talking here ?

[Makenzie71]

I'm wanting to be in the $10~12k range by early next year.

None are **** boxes...FYI.... I don't try to sell junk...

[CJFusco]

WRX? WRX?!?

Ever consider a 951, S2, or 968? How about a Boxster? 928S4? Carrera 3.2? Come on, man... WRX?!?

In all seriousness, WRXs are good bang for the buck, but be warned that 1) the Impreza series of Scoobies is #1 on the Lemon List, and 2) according to another board member, who works on the things regularly, the trannies on WRXs are as fragile as a glass golf club.

[Makenzie71]

I just read that about the WRX...fubar trannies. The STi has a much stronger tranny, though......it'd be about $200 more a month in insurance and payments, though...

Actually my car of choice to pick up was the SVT Focus. I'm a handling guy...I love autoX and tight back roads. Having spent a while in both the SVT and the 944 they're comparable enough to make me "ok" with it. But the girl hates the Focus and 4 doors would be much more practical.

Pretty much the whole Porsche line is shot because I NEED a real backseat...lol. I spent about 10 hours in the back of my 944 and can vouche first-hand that the back seat in it is a joke. Not sure about the 928, though...

...but if I were to throw that kind of money into a porsche it'd be no less than a late 70's/early 80's 930...

On my list of things I "need" are:

real back seat
4 wheel disc brakes (must)
5spd or 6spd (must)
95 or newer
Somewhat "sporty"


What are boxsters going fo...no no no! "backseat" duncan...must have "backseat"...

[scheistermeiste]

your name is duncan?

[Makenzie71]

...don't start with me...

[Zlatko]

Sell all those pieces of wood..and buy a descent car..

E36 M3 sounds good..

[scottmandue]

Your all going to hate me but...

What about a Dodge Neon turbo?

Seriously!

[SlowToady]

Volvo S40 T5.

[Trevor]

How about a 93 BMW 325is?

[CJFusco]

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[bluebullet]

I will tell you right now if you buy a WRX for something that is 'more reliable'....I'll tell you right now your Porsche is more reliable than that HEAP OF CRAP. I hate subarus...most of the dealers have ****ty parts departments that **** you out of parts after you've put the same tranny together 3 TIMES because they keep 'forgetting' to tell you that you needed a new syncro or a new needle bearing with that new 3rd gear you just put in the car.

The STI tranny isnt stronger at all. Still same design, with an extra gear...thats just another gear to break. now if you were going to get an automatic.....then Id have no problem with it . An automatic will take the abuse all day long and never break....well almost.

Id take an EVO over a WRX...and both seem to break a lot. And too many idiots out there that think they are 'tunerz' cuse they are internet forum junkies. I have a stage 2 in my WRX....wtf does that mean?

This is gettin kinda OT and soundin like a rant..but subaru just isnt the way to go. Get a Focus or an SRT-4..

[Makenzie71]

Yeah, Blue, I keep hearing that. First I was told the WRX tranny is weak but the STi was stronger, then the same folks told me that the STi tranny is just as ****ty.

It's gonna be a year before I jump into it, so I've got plenty of time to look around...lol. The Evo is on the list too. The SVT Focus IS my car of choice but my girl doesn't like it...and I'd get tired very fast of hearing crap about owning the fastest production car on the planet under $20K. SRT-4 owners...the poor bastards don't catch anything but ricers thinking their car is God and people with built cars thinking it's just a ****ty neon. The outcasts of the enthusiast world.

[shocker1322]

Makenzie, you said you wanted a light and nimble car. A Neon SRT-4 is right out. Sure they are super fast, but only in a straight line. As far as Neon's go, it handles like a brick. A Neon ACR might be more what you are looking for in that category.

As far as the WRX goes, definitely get an STi. There are always a few of them whenever I go to PCA events. I have even seen instructors with them, so they cannot be that bad. A friend of mine who has a C5 said when he got his WRX (non STi) that it was as much fun as his Corvette. Not as powerful, not as grippy, blah, blah but it was fun.

Personally I would agree with Zlatko. Look for a nice E36 M3. They are always great cars and can be found around your 10-12k price range.

[Blackfoot]

Hope you have good credit, because those cars (don't know about the bikes except they're also oldish) won't give you more than a meager downpayment for a WRX.

___________________
Cars

[Taz's Master]

Keep the 944, and find a Pathfinder. That way you get ample cargo/passenger space, handling, manual tranny and 4-wheel disc brakes, and the insurance multi-car discount. You'll feel better about the 944 with Porsche Support Vehicle beside it in the garage, and neither of the vehicles will be a Focus. Unless you're pretty sure you are going to die soon, don't rush into this mature stage of life, it can last a pretty long time.

[serge944]

Evo was suggested earlier. Lots of ppl's evos have broken and the factory voided the entire warranty because they did some autox. Look into that...there was a whole article about it in C/D.

[scottmandue]

I'm with Taz... keep the 944 and get some cheap econobox with four doors and a back seat, that's what I did.

One day when your older you'll wake up and realize how much time/money/energy you wasted worrying about what other people think about the car you drive and/or the way you look. If owning a 1962 Rambler makes you happy go for it.


Just my$.02

[bluebullet]

the SRT-4 actually handles VERY well in anything but a straight line. When it comes from the factory with a Quaife LSD and BF Goodrich G-Force KDW tires (really sticky), the car handles extremely well. For instance, my friend that owns one is a tad overweight, and with him, me and this other fat kid sittin the back seat, we took an on ramp at like 40+ and just yanked the wheel to the right. The car squealed a little, but followed the turn like it was on rails. A few days later I attempted to imitate this in my own car and almost put it in the the trees.

shocker, it might not look bad if they have instructors out in STis, but believe me...they aint beatin on it hard enough to break it. I work on them for a living. Its the ****tiest gearbox I've ever seen. A 944 gearbox will put up with drag racing abuse and clutch dumps better than an STi tranny will. Ive heard numerous accounts of people buyin cars right off the lot and already hearing rear end noises and the like.