About to buy a cheap-ish daily to also do autocross. What would you do?

I sold my Wrangler last year and bought a 1990 Jeep Comanche, which I love. I live in Ohio, so I've been driving it this winter, but the salt is already taking its toll and I don't want to destroy a piece of history. It's an auto and I miss rowing gears, and I've wanted to get into autocross for a while now, so I'm probably going to be buying a 2nd car in the next couple months to retire the MJ from winter duty. I'd like to stay under $8k and have something decent for H or G class. What would you get if you were looking for a car like this? Right now I'm leaning towards a Civic, either an 06-08 Si, or Ex and Lx's up to about 2011 go for about the same price.

Miata.

Move along people, nothing left to see or do here.

Pete

In reply to NOHOME :

Probably not the best on the white stuff we get here though lol

Do you need to be able to haul people and or things? If other person or multiple persons, if things, groceries, golf bags or weekend trip gear? Any fuel economy or reliability requirements (asking as stock classes seem to be preferred). 

Sentra SE-R spec V. Super fun cars to autocross, can be had with an LSD, and are dirt cheap these days. 

RSX-S

2.3l ZX3/ZX5

Protege 5

BG chassis

Twin cam Saturns

Z28 Camaro 

C4 Corvette

RX8

E36

E46

R53 and 56 minis

There are a multitude of options

Like others have said, the Miata is a good answer. With an LSD and hardtop, they even make decent winter cars.

If you want something FWD, try to get something with an LSD. It really makes a huge difference in autocross. So if you are interested in the Civic, absolutely go for the Si. You could also consider:

- 2006 Sentra Spec-V : If you plan on staying in HS, it's the only year you should consider. The B16 are not competitive in street and earlier than that the engine is a ticking time bomb with the cat still in place.

- 2007+ Mazdaspeed3 : Hard to find in unmolested state, but it's the most fun of the three on the street. 

Neon rt

In reply to captdownshift :

I'm in college on the GI Bill, so i don't need a whole lot, and anything will probably get better mileage than a 4.0 Jeep, I average 15, which is better than the 8 that my old Wrangler got. The only thing I haul really is my bikes to the kart track, and that's what I bought the truck for. I'm just trying to see what people who better know solo does well for a smaller/cheaper car, like the Sentra above, I would've never thought of that.

Honda fit ? Hauls just about anything ..

scottdownsouth said:

Honda fit ? Hauls just about anything ..

From what I understand they make a trailer hitch for a fit. That in a $250 Harbor Freight trailer would be ideal for a cart.

keeponjeepinon said:

In reply to NOHOME :

Probably not the best on the white stuff we get here though lol

Miatas are awesome in the snow.  I drove my '99 for 14 Michigan winters, and never had a problem.  Even did a drive from Cincinnati to A2 when all of SW Ohio was closed due to snow.  Drove through snow deep enough to scrape the bottom of the car from just about an hour.  

Just get a second set of wheels and get the best snow tires you can get.

The only part of Ohio that would make me reconsider is the Lake Erie lake effect area east of Cleveland.  

Fit? Not sure where they class, but I would *guess* GS or HS?

I think the only thing 'decent' you'll get for H Street in that price range is a Civic Si.  I would focus your search on those.   I would look for an already prepped one.

I'm not sure if is possible to get a competitive car in any other stock class for <$10k except potentially a Miata.

First gen veloster turbos are about $8k. First gen forte SX is well below that now. Great chassis. 

Everyone says the miata is the answer.  However I don't fit in one without cutting the floor out.  So they're not the answer for everyone.  You also can't really carry people/stuff in one, so you need to decide the primary use of the car and buy for that, not the few times a year you'll auto-x it.

Mine.  Associated.  Etc.

Factory springs are back on, for $6,500 i’d sell both the wheels pictured and a set of factory GT wheels with older RE-71s mounted.  Ready to go in CS.

Miata.  Actually, get a 2k$ miata and save the rest or get a 2k$ winter beater and budget 1k$ for miata upgradoes.

Then put 3k in the bank.

keeponjeepinon said:

In reply to NOHOME :

Probably not the best on the white stuff we get here though lol

Actually, they are very good in the snow. The same chassis dynamics that make it such a good on-course car make it good in the snow.  Drove mine year round for about 4 years on a 80 mile each way commute down the 401 in Ontario. 1990 model with zero traction or brake nannies. Never missed a day of work. Several times conditions were bad enough that  I would have dived for the ditch except they were filled with 4wd pick-ups. Yes, Blizzaks were the answer for the answer in winter.

The FRS with full nannies is less confidence inspiring than the Miata when the snow hits the fan.

The Miata is still on the road with its current owner.

Pete

wvumtnbkr said:

Miata.  Actually, get a 2k$ miata and save the rest or get a 2k$ winter beater and budget 1k$ for miata upgradoes.

 

Then put 3k in the bank.

I like this choice best.

As for Miatas, Jeremy's NC would be a good choice, or my NB is for sale too.

2001 Sport, hard top, big brakes, torsen, roll bar...

I think that an NC would make a better daily, although I don't know what models come with a limited slip.

4-door Miata:

keeponjeepinon said:

In reply to NOHOME :

Probably not the best on the white stuff we get here though lol

It'll be just fine to drive. It will, however, rust to pieces almost as quickly as your jeep is which is why I would avoid it. As much as I hate to recommend a honda, the 8th gen Si you mentioned is probably the best choice if you want something reasonably competitive.

I'd buy the toyota MRS that is for sale in the classifieds here right now. 

wow.... 7500 for a 14 SX. 1.6T with manual trans in a nice hatchback.