Good car in 4-9k price range

[Rex]

Slow down and give this some real thought.

If you're 16, you need to seriously take insurance rates into account.

If you're one a tight/fixed budget you need to take maintenance, repair and general upkeep costs into account.

If you live in the north, you need to take "driving a lightweight RWD car in the snow" factor into account.

Those things said, if you can find a used (not abused) Subaru that will fit in your budget, that will probably be your best bet. Any true RWD sports car will require a deft driving skill and/or dedicated snow tires, assuming it has true summer performance tires on it.

Look at some older Subaru Legacy GT wagons and save your extra cash for mods and maintenance.

[troskinatior]

Slow down and give this some real thought.

If you're 16, you need to seriously take insurance rates into account.

If you're one a tight/fixed budget you need to take maintenance, repair and general upkeep costs into account.

If you live in the north, you need to take "driving a lightweight RWD car in the snow" factor into account.

Those things said, if you can find a used (not abused) Subaru that will fit in your budget, that will probably be your best bet. Any true RWD sports car will require a deft driving skill and/or dedicated snow tires, assuming it has true summer performance tires on it.

insurance is a b****, its so much, but i already know general cost of insurance if i was to get a car. and thats another reason i dont want a 2 seater, insurance prices.and about the snow and rwd issue, my parents have a oldsmobile bravda 4x4 that im useing now but if i get a car I will just use it in the winter and take the insurance off the rest of the year.but if the insurance is to much for a car that i get i can just daily the olds and tow my car to the track

[simmode1]

Still makes no sense. Why do all that for a car that you'll just drive to work? You dont need stiffer suspension and upgraded brake pads to sit in traffic or go to Burger King.

Wait wait... so... By your reasoning... The only place/use for a performance modified car is the track? And otherwise, just leave it stock and commute around in it?

Then why do enthusiasts exist? Not everybody can enjoy all the track time they want to, but we all know to personalize and upgrade to performance of our cars.

[flohtingPoint]

Wait wait... so... By your reasoning... The only place/use for a performance modified car is the track? And otherwise, just leave it stock and commute around in it?

Pretty much. There is no point in making your car faster or handle better if it's just used to run down to Safeway and pickup a gallon of milk. People that go out and throw down cash on coilovers and motor swaps that just drive around their community make little sense to me. Basically all that stuff is done so you can brag to your friends, it serves no real world purpose.

[simmode1]

Uh huh. I think thats an asinine opinion, but ppl are welcome to think whatever they want.

[duffman1278]

This is what all the hip HS kids drive I believe.

[Red coupe]

This is what all the hip HS kids drive I believe.

LOOK AT THE SICK FENDER FLAIRS!

Seriously... one of those with bags so it can sit on frame rails, flat screen TV, sound system, tint + shag carpeting and disco ball = f***ING WIN

[HashiriyaS14]

This is the van all the cool kindergartners ride in.

Fixed.

[Jesda]

The Astro is for old bald boat owners who work at RV dealerships.

STEP UP TO THE FORD ECONOLINE, SON

[car nut]

Just get a Miata. Seriously. The only reason I got a Z over a Miata is because I couldn't fit comfortably (i'm 6'4"). Get the NA ('90-'97). They're lighter and cost much less than the newer (NB) cars. The insurance is dirt cheap on them. Get some nice, lightweight wheels and tires first. Save up your money, buy every suspension piece Flyin' Miata makes and eventually buy a turbo kit. Make sure you get a hardtop for the winter.

[seang]

ONLY spring for the 944 TURBO. It's the only one with the good-for-something-other-than-a-boat-anchor Porsche built engine.

I'd take the N/A 3.0 slant-4 944S2. 208hp with a big a** N/A 4cyl (that's right, a 3 liter 4cyl)

Still, it's kind of an oddball compared to the Miata, and an S2 is likely more than 9 grand.

/thread

The Miata is the an awesome car for any motorsports enthusiast. Regardless of level of skill, this car has it all for everyone.

I test drove a brand new 06 Miata GT 6sp, and it was a fantastic car.
Modified by seang at 7:46 AM 11/19/2009

[car nut]

^Trust me dude the old ones are wayyyyyy better.

[simmode1]

Just get a Miata. Seriously.... Get the NA ('94-'97).

Fixed. The '91-'93 are all the 1.6L's. The '94 year starts the 1.8L, which are fantastic for turbocharging.

Oh and Mazda started offering 6spd transmissions on the '99 Anniversary model and ongoing. These 6spd trannies will bolt up to the NA motors...
Modified by simmode1 at 11:13 AM 11/19/2009

[HashiriyaS14]

Hell, buy MY Miata. I'm thinking of selling it so I can get a SBC-swapped Jaguar.



$2750: Car and stock wheels$3500: Car + hardtop and stock wheels$4250: Car + hardtop + Black Racing wheels + stock wheels (i.e. everything)

[troskinatior]

Hell, buy MY Miata. I'm thinking of selling it so I can get a SBC-swapped Jaguar.



$2750: Car and stock wheels$3500: Car + hardtop and stock wheels$4250: Car + hardtop + Black Racing wheels + stock wheels (i.e. everything)

whats done to it?

[HashiriyaS14]

whats done to it?

Pretty much what you see, and a set of Tokico Illumina shocks.

Just a well maintained '90 NA6 with 103k on it.

[Urabus GodofTraction]

Man, I heard the Miata market in the north was pricey, but damn!

[simmode1]

Whenever I'm in the mood to consider buying a Miata, here's where I look:http://www.funcarsforsale.com/

This guy has high quality cars. Not the beat to hell stuff you'd find on ebay or Craigslist...

[HashiriyaS14]

Man, I heard the Miata market in the north was pricey, but damn!

Does the price look high? I feel like it's pretty cheap by DC standards.

~$3000-3500 tends to be the normal price for a lower mileage NA6 here. Then you add $1,000 or so for a hardtop and my wheels are worth at least a grand.

Sure, you can GET an $1800-2k NA here, but it'll be 200k+ faded dented-up garbage.

[Bubba1]

Whenever I'm in the mood to consider buying a Miata, here's where I look:http://www.funcarsforsale.com/

This guy has high quality cars. Not the beat to hell stuff you'd find on ebay or Craigslist...

One glitch, That guys dealership is located in Texas and Trosk lives in central NJ. The transportation costs from Texas would be a deal killer. Hash's car, on the other hand, is located only a few hours drive from his house.

[sbird1]

Hey Hash, I'll trade you for a '94 Suburban. 2x4 with only 218xxx on it!

[Mr1der]

I'd drive the s*** out of a Miata if I could get in one and do it comfortably.

instead, my knees barely let me turn the wheel and my head puts a bulge in a closed top.

stupid small cars

of the Mustangs...the only ones I REALLY like have been the Mach 1, Bullitt and Cobras...

this kid needs none of those as the 1/4 mile times are 13 seconds and lower.

[car nut]

^Unless you're over 6'2", buy a Miata.

[simmode1]

Enuff talk. Time for teh sechs... Ghey... but also... kinda dope?

Meh... I could post better stuff if I wasn't at work right now...

[Urabus GodofTraction]

Does the price look high? I feel like it's pretty cheap by DC standards.

~$3000-3500 tends to be the normal price for a lower mileage NA6 here. Then you add $1,000 or so for a hardtop and my wheels are worth at least a grand.

Sure, you can GET an $1800-2k NA here, but it'll be 200k+ faded dented-up garbage.

That looks suspiciously like a Miata, with hardtop, I got for $1500. Granted, it had 150k, but it was a 91.

Seriously, the market for Miati is saturated in Florida!

[Bubba1]

That looks suspiciously like a Miata, with hardtop, I got for $1500. Granted, it had 150k, but it was a 91.

Seriously, the market for Miati is saturated in Florida!

I think Hash's price is on target for the north east. I'm a tad too big to fit in them unless they have race seats. But since I live near Trosk. If he makes a deal with Hashie, I could maybe help him bring it home with my car carrier.

[HashiriyaS14]

That looks suspiciously like a Miata, with hardtop, I got for $1500. Granted, it had 150k, but it was a 91.

Seriously, the market for Miati is saturated in Florida!

I forgot you are in Florida. I don't think it's so much that northeastern Miata prices are high as it is that Florida prices are super cheap. I don't doubt your $1500 deal for a minute, I've spent time on Florida craigslist and Miatas seem to grow on trees down there and are STUPID cheap.

DC prices seem to be in line with just about every other major metro area on either coast. Places way up north that aren't Miata country seem to be a bit higher still, and I assume because the cars are *really* scarce there.

I've thought a couple times about loading 6-8 of them on a car carrier and sending them up here for resale, actually.

How much is a hardtop down there? I smell profit.

[car nut]

Yeah, just the hardtop itself is worth $1200-$1500 up here. Even a rough miata with questionable mods is worth over $3000 with a hardtop. $3500 sounds like a fair price.

[Dittoz7]

3.8k Meh,

[HashiriyaS14]

^^You're selling that for $3.8k, or you bought it for $3.8k?

If you're selling for that, I want more pics.

If you bought it for that, I got a silver moss '98 for $1800 once, with 79k....from a dealer, so neener neener neener.

Carry on.