What car thread...

I have the jdm wrx wagon back on the road, but mpg is pretty terrible and premium is $1.40/L ($5.30/gal), so I'm thinking I'll be selling it shortly.

I'm kind of at a loss for what car to get... I know I am completely SICK of working on daily driver's. I also know that I won't be buying a new car until next year (or a very lightly used new to me car).

So, with a budget of around $3k (being able to stretch it to $4500), what would GRM recommend?

Some ground rules: needs to be able to be reliably winter driven (real winters with a couple feet of snow). Needs to run on regular. NEEDS CRUISE CONTROL and power windows.

I would PREFER for it to be versatile and able to haul stuff (hatchbacks and wagons are fine by me), but its not super necessary as I have a truck. I have owned all cars (rwd, fwd, awd) and don't prefer one over the other. The more fun/sporty it can be, the better. Oh, and Miata's are girly girl cars, so don't even bother suggesting it

My short list is 2.5RS so far... and one with 120k miles just came up in the province, rust free, not modified, and has all the maintenance records since new. I am really leaning towards that (I've loved the previous two I've owned). Just wondering if there is something... better?

Well, there's not much out there that's going to really compare with the 2.5RS in terms of price, AWD, looks, etc. Though if gas costs are a big concern I'm not sure that AWD is really the direction you'd want to go.

But just for the sake of choices, I just browsed the local CL in the 3k-4.5k price range and here's my top choices of what I saw there in good condition that seem to match your requirements (putting my own Subaru fanboi-ishness aside):

• e36 318ti or 325i (or early e46 may be in the range)
• early 2000s Sentra Spec V or other 2.5 Sentra
• early 2000s Mazda Protege5 or maybe an early Mazda3
• 2000-2001 Maxima/infiniti i30/35
• early 2000s Acura TL?
• 90s Civic Si hatch

ok, that's all I got. It's too late to look any more. GL!

SVT Focus.

First thought was an E30 325ix Touring...

Second thought:

http://fortcollins.craigslist.org/cto/4391572548.html

How much are base Acura RSX's or EP3 Civic Si's going for up there? Or maybe the last gen Toyota Celica GT?

2.3 duratec focus (zx3 or zx5)

I vote EP3 Civic Si. I could never drive one due to my hatred of white face instruments, but if that doesn't bother you then rock on!

Cutlass Ciera wagon

Edit: lots of ideas above that seem way beyond $3k

clutchsmoke wrote: I vote EP3 Civic Si. I could never drive one due to my hatred of white face instruments, but if that doesn't bother you then rock on!

where are theose for under $4500?

captdownshift wrote: 2.3 duratec focus (zx3 or zx5)

I am somewhat biased, but I second this recommendation. And you will probably be able to find one for less money than an SVT. Only problem is that they had limited availability in the US and I don't know if that engine was ever sold in Canada.

The newest Cavalier or Neon you can find. Maybe 01-02. They're dirt cheap and reliable.

Focus - ZX5 is my favourite.

Can you get an economy tune for the WRX? I know that economy and WRX don't really go together, but I know some of the local Suby guys were getting economy tunes and we're knocking down mileage in the high twenties. Considering the parasitic losses from AWD, that's not a bad trade off...

looking for a beater for a year? Volvo 850s can be had pretty cheap. As long as the Timing Belts were done, they are very reliable. I had a 5 speed 850 that I got for a little over a grand that didn't even so much as think of giving me trouble in the year I owned it

It sounds like you sort of want to make a jump, but not REALLY since you went straight back to 2.5 RS as your first suggestion.

Get an early mazda3. Timing chain, reliable, comfortable, just barely in your budget. Cant afford one? Then get an old Cobalt or a 2g neon. Preferably with a manual for reliability and mpg reasons. Less stuff to go wrong. A subaru has twice as many head gaskets (which are twice as likely to blow..) and at least twice as many CV joints and a bunch more grease seals and 3 times as many differentials and on and on. I like them but it sounds like there is a part of you that is sick of them.

Vigo wrote: It sounds like you sort of want to make a jump, but not REALLY since you went straight back to 2.5 RS as your first suggestion.

You basically have it figured out. The car makes me feel like I am 18 again. It does high 12's in the quarter, makes the right burbling noises, has all the amenities I need (power windows, power locks, good heat, ok AC). Did I mention it is fast?

It's also setup like a race car... too much camber, a little bit too much toe out for the street (1/32", she's a bit darty at times). But man, does she sing to 7500rpm and just keep going.

I've done almost 500km's on 50L of premium which was $60. This was 300kms of highway driving and 200kms of driving like an ass in town. I am starting to think I can live with the car... besides for the fact that 2nd tops out at 60mph and you get there in about 5 seconds.

I've driven lively cars my whole life, I think "hey, maybe I should buy a new car?" and realize that it will always be too soft. I don't know what else there is for the price point to buy that feels lively but can be daily driven. I'd be happy with a mint Swift GTi again... but those are non-existant. Some people have mentioned RSX's and Civics; I wonder if those could be made to feel lively enough while being able to live with them through a winter?