Can I play? Okay, I'm also starting to think about the next car. I have a few cars in mind, but I'm always open to new ideas. My wishlist:
It absolutely must have good a/c.
It needs to make a good, reliable daily driver yet be suitable for some autocross and track days.
It should be easy on tires, brakes, etc.
No crazy swaps, dreams, etc.
Bonus points if it can carry some stuff and is a car that you'd want to read about.
Figure budget is $3000 to $5000 or so.
Go!
I love my 03 Sentra SE-R Spec V. 4cyl, 175hp, 185 ft/lbs, 6spd, 4door, 4 wheel discs.
Ford Focus SVT
Hal wrote: Ford Focus SVT
Was going to say that....and offer up this as a possible "GRM Magazine Project car":
http://holland.craigslist.org/cto/1789835668.html
*EDIT...and since some of the GRM Staff are going to be up this way....maybe throw the owner a few tickets and some beer to bring it to Mid-Ohio and start the daisy chain to FL.
In the usual spirit of "recommend what you own", Corvette C4?
The answer of course is Honda Civic.
Mazda Protege5.
how about something that GRM HASN'T done before....something that isn't a sport-compact but can beat alot of them from a stoplight.
how about the first true performance mid-size sedan out of Japan, back when the Accord and Camry were boring slugs.
how about the car that was self-badged "4DSC" for "4-door sportscar"
something that is less cliche than a bmw or miata or subaru and would truly be "grassroots motorsports"
something with a virtually bulletproof drivetrain where your biggest issue is likely to be a blown MAF or a bad coilpack. Something that cruises comfortably on the highway and can get around 30mpg there (low 20s in the city). But with a few suspension tweaks can handle the track just fine.
MAXIMA. And btw, maximas have excellent A/C.
3rd gen: fairly light, strong and bulletproof V6 (~190hp in later 3rd gens), room to seat 5, big trunk, good M/T, IRS. Can be found in your price range
4th gen: stronger V6, stronger tranny, more room, a bit heavier. Downside is beam rear axle (like B15 Sentra). Surprisingly good aftermarket. Low resale value means they can be found cheap.
5th gen: even stronger v6 (222hp 00-01, 265hp and 6MT 02-03), great transmission, heavier but faster, still has a beam axle, brakes need upgrade.
of course, I'm kind of partial to the 5th gen.
and switch your street wheels back on, take the magnets off, and it looks sexy driving back from the track too
Any of these you can probably find in your price range these days, aside from maybe the 02+ would be a bit higher.
You'd be surprised at the aftermarket available to all three generations if you look in the right places.
and of course, I am here to consult on your mods (former maxima.org moderator) :D
mine had 180k miles on it and a few dozen autocrosses and a track day or two and the only things that ever went bad were my MAF, 2 coilpacks, and a rear brake caliper.
or if you want to go upstyle, and Infiniti I30/I35 uses all the same mechanical/suspension parts
I think Irish has made a pretty good argument. 4-door sedan FTW.
Doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but I've always wanted to see what GRM would do with an El Camino.
So much Nissan love, I'm getting misty. Seriously, I'd love to see more hamburger on the GRM menu.
+1 for the Maxima.
But my guess is you'll come home with an E36.
Saturn SC2 or SW2
P71 
I voted up the Maxima post. I'd love to see some love sent to the poor man's BMW.
Two Miatas. Haven't we covered this? 
In all seriousness, I would like to see a bit of a departure, even though I presently own naught but Honda, Toyota, Mazda and Subaru.
My father-in-law just let go what was possibly the nicest completely stock LS1 Camaro in OH for $6800. I bet you could get one with some miles on it for five grand. A six-speed gets 30 on the highway on regular gas, they're not useless on track after some stiffening and tuning, they sound fantastic, and if you ball it up you'll have a natural donor for your Miata. They've got enough cargo room to carry mounted race tires and a jack...
Gas isn't going to be cheap forever. Grow that mullet!
...that said, the Max is overdue for some love, too. Just make sure you've got a sponsor lined up for fuel injectors :)
P-71 or it's civilian counterparts?
David, my old maxima autocross compilation vid. Playing fast music makes the car go faster in videos, dontcha know?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9VWVsF26AY
Lexus IS wagon. Oh yes.
p71 would be cool.... vw 1.8t of some fashion, Volvo 740 turbo wagon...... or Infiniti j20. Those had sr20's.
Mowry wrote: ...that said, the Max is overdue for some love, too. Just make sure you've got a sponsor lined up for fuel injectors :)
.... mostly in the 3rd gen and early 4th gen cars with high mileage. On the 5th gens I rarely saw any issues with injectors talked about on the forums, nor do I know any of the locals that have had issues on 5th gens.
Ford Contour SVT - ticks all the boxes except carrying stuff.
chknhwk wrote: Lexus IS wagon. Oh yes.
find me one of those for five grand. hell, find me two...
irish44j wrote: .... mostly in the 3rd gen and early 4th gen cars with high mileage. On the 5th gens I rarely saw any issues with injectors talked about on the forums, nor do I know any of the locals that have had issues on 5th gens.
I put a set on my buddy's '00 at 90K, and my own at 108. Anecdotal, I know...just sayin'...
My Protege5 was a really good car. It was my 1st new car & I put ~190,000 miles on it w/ no problems. I regularly got 33-35 miles on the highway and 17 mpg at Summit Point
It was a pretty good car.
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