another choose a car...

Hey guys newbie here, well I know how much you guys love these choose-a-car-for-me topics, however I do need some genuine feedback. My current daily driver is a 2000 jaguar xj8, it's really been a great car but it's time to move on, I'm thinking something a little sportier. Well over the last couple weeks I've come up with a list of viable cars these are the: c4 corvette (1992-96) Mitsubishi 3000gt vr4, Porsche 944 (1985.5-on), and a Nissan 300zx. I have no intentions of modding/racing these cars, these would be just for my daily 20 mile commute and for taking a trip to the mountains to enjoy the roads. Also having grown up on a farm I like working on things so extra maintanence doesn't bother me. So what do you guys think? Some extra questions: Honestly I really love the Mitsubishi but the maintenance does worry me a good bit. Anyone with personal experience on them? I also know that it is the heaviest out of the four by a pretty good margin but how do they handle? are they good on corners? OK the corvette, I hear al lot of people swear by the c4 as an underestimated in a straight line car but again what about in the corners? How would the corvette handle the twisties? Thanks

The 3000GT VR4 is VERY maintenance intensive COMPARED to normal cars. The consensus is that they need a new oil pump, rod and main bearings every 60-100k as preventative maintenance, which also involves the obligatory timing belt, which is itself not an easy one with 8 pulleys involved.

If you get a VR4 with no pre-existing engine damage and then take it half way apart to replace t belt, oil pump, and bottom end bearings, it will basically be a 'normal' car for the next 60-100k after that, other than the fact of being twin turbo and awd and having a bunch of parts that normal cars just dont have.

I would say the c4 is OVERestimated in a straight line in most versions. The fastest c4 is only as fast as the slowest vr4 with a $15 boost controller, and the slowest ones are SLOW! For me, the C4 makes sense as a track car, but it makes very little sense as a street car. The ergonomics are unabashedly retarded. IF i had to pick a c4 or a 3000gt vr4 as my only car i would 100% definitely take the mitsu!!

I have too little experience with the other two to comment.

I like you list of cars since these are not commonly discussed. I haven't been able to drive most of them yet, but I do suggest that you test drive all of them to see which car you like the best.

Nearly every single 3000gt VR4 I see on CL says "it ran great until..." They are fun, but seem like a serious nightmare. You could look into a galant VR4 instead. AWD, four door turbo 4 cylinder. Hard to find one that is in good shape though. They only made 3000 in the US.

Can you swing an early C5? Much better cars. Or drop back to a C3. They still suck but at least they look cool.

Of those I'd go with the z32 turbo. Yeah the engine bay is tight but they are pretty tough cars. The engine and trans are rock soild.

You could also look into ls swapped FC rx7s. Not sure what your budget is but last I checked completed cars were selling $6k-$12k

Z32 all the way. I had an N/A version and it was an awesome car, drove it 100 miles round trip to work for about 10 months. Yeah the engine bay is cramped, but no more so than a 4th gen F-Body. The interior has decent materials and the seats are very comfy. Oh and it's definitely one of THE best handling cars I have ever driven.

944S or S2 if you can find one. OR z32.

I wouldn't personally be interested in a C4 vette at all, and though I love 3000GTs, I don't want the torture of keeping it running...

why not an e36 M3? Should be able to find one for a reasonable price, at it pretty much outperforms the rest of the cars on that list in most respects...

Thanks for all the responses. I've never considered a converted rx7 or an older m3, time to research! It seems like the z32 is the car allot of people like, and it's pretty darn good looking too. I like the Mitsubishi but it might be a little too much, plus it's heavy. As for the Porsche it seems to be the standard as to which others are measured as far as handling goes. The thing about the z32 is that it's the hardest to find in good condition and unmodded. Anyway thanks again for the responses thus far. Looks like the z32 is the one to beat!

N/a z32 have a lot less failure points and are underestimated due to everyones preference for turbo everything. Its the same almost everything with less power, but also less to go wrong, and still not slow. I knew a guy with one that ran 14.9 in the 1/4 with nothing but an intake. Of course the same can be said for 3000gts. An SL 5spd is way more reliable and easier to work on, and still runs low 15s in the 1/4. But i admit that if you're considering the non turbo versions id vastly prefer the RWD nissan for handling reasons.

irish44j wrote: why not an e36 M3? Should be able to find one for a reasonable price, at it pretty much outperforms the rest of the cars on that list in most respects...

You know the BMW sounds like a great car but I don't think I could ever get past the looks... They're just not for me (sorry beamer fans)

As much as I like the Z32 and the VR4, Id take a c4 vette anyday of the week, assuming it was an LT1 6 speed car. All these cars are going to be more maintenance intensive than a normal car, but I think its hard to beat an LT1 C4.

Even the slowest of the C4s run in the 14s, maybe high 14s, and the LT1s are a mid 13 second car.

Some of the electronics and interior pieces may be expensive, but its still a vette so you have really good part support for a long time.

Plus they handle very well, are light, most parts are cheap, TORQUES, and since they made the c4 for so long, they're are a lot of OE optios for suspension upgrades.

I may be in the minority but I think they are SOOOO pretty.

Im surprised they dont get more love on here, they are about as 80s as they come, most people think they are ugly, early ones could have an electric speedo, they handle well and are cheap. Thats about as GRM as it gets/

3000gtvr4s put my kids through UConn.

+1 for going for an early C5. 3000GTs are legendary maintenance nightmares. 944s and 300zx's are a little on the more-maintenance-intensive side but not too bad. But a C5 will outperform them all and at least match any of them as a DD, and they don't require a whole lot of maintenance - consumable costs are high though.

In reply to Opti: I really like C4 Corvettes. I think the revised rounded nose and tail made them look 90s sports car. But I don't think that they got cheap until early this year or late last year when the C7 came out.

In reply to Bearcat: I would still highly suggest test driving all of them. You won't know which car you like driving the best if you don't.

It's possible to get crummy C4s for $4k on the regular nowadays. Crummy C5s are dipping below 10 and they are worth 2.5x a crummy C4 so that all makes sense.

I just did a rear main, oil pressure sender, brakes, lower oil pan and all fluids on a C5 and i decided from that that i would not mind owning one from a mechanical standpoint. You may have to take the car halfway apart to do the rear main but it honestly isnt bad and thats probably the most work-intensive repair most people would ever have to do unless the engine or trans E36 M3s the bed.

As much as I love some LT1s, GM did a really good job at making the LS1 very maintenance friendly. Good gaskets throughout (unless its an early C5 which got paper WP gaskets, UGH dont get me started), most bolts have pilots on them, dry intake manifold, COP, most have no egr, no IAC.

Seems like they legitimately had service in mind when they designed even the cramped corvette. I was able to do a full a/c system with the car on the ground, except having to pull the pass side wheel to get to two bolts. It was a much bigger job to do the compressor on the Lt1 Z28.

I love my C5 but now I want a C4...also.

Avoid a 3000GT at all costs. If you want a AWD Twin Turbo 6 cylinder asian car import a GTR. The $12k to $15k on a GTR would be worth it over a $8k-$10k 3000GT. It doesn't handle very good either and isn't that fun to drive.

If you want a car like that which is local get a 300ZX. It will be many times more reliable but unfortunately just as annoying to work on. However it is a far better car all around. If you are into tuning cars the sky is the limit with it as well. Even on stock parts and turbos you can make huge power.

Also a C5 will outperform a 300ZX maybe, until you get a boost controller and nistune. Then the C5 stands no chance.

What is you budget?

If you would be fine with E36 M3 power get a NA Z32, with boltons it will be as quick if not more. They are underrated as has been said here. With cams they make great power like a later 350z.

The Z32 300ZX has a great suspension, great driving position, good chassis, and a real authentic driving experience. They also look a lot more unique and interesting than a Corvette.

Also people like to claim a 300ZX is a "fat" car. Keep this in mind. It weighs like 3300lbs.... what a WRX weighs now. Less than what a 370Z weighs.

I've had a couple of 87 944 turbos. I love the cars but they were a pain to work on and weren't the most reliable cars. I sold the last one and bought an 88 c4 vette, which is stout with the mods it has and much easier to work on that the 944. I don't mind the ergonomics at all, but the vette shares garage space with a mid 80s 911 which also has...umm interesting... Ergonomics, so whatever. For me it's about the driving experience....Not how easy it is to reach the wiper switch. I wouldn't mess with the mitsu at all.

kanaric wrote: Also a C5 will outperform a 300ZX maybe, until you get a boost controller and nistune. Then the C5 stands no chance.

C5s are very mod friendly and the aftermarket is huge. Modified car to modified car I don't see a 300zx tt beating it in performance or reliability although I do like both cars.

You know to be honest, I'm not a big fan of the c5 corvettes, I see them as being not that special, and I see more of them than C4's around where I am. But after a test drive, I might feel completely different. Only one way to find out... OK so although I love the 3000gt, it has to go. The 944 looks like it's on its way out as well (this is subjective to a test drive). At the start of this thread I forgot to mention one car I've always liked so I'll throw it in now it's the Toyota mr2. Thanks everyone

ZHP

Nothing useful to add, instead I have a question.

What's the long term ownership of the XK8 been like from a cost and maintenance point of view?

Thanks

Adrian_Thompson wrote: Nothing useful to add, instead I have a question. What's the long term ownership of the XK8 been like from a cost and maintenance point of view? Thanks

I don't know if ours is an unusual case but it's been great. Although it did have the fuel pump go out twice and left us stranded supposedly the shop that we took it to didn't like that job, they said it was pretty tricky. I don't remember the prices of the fuel pumps at all sorry. Ours is an xj not an xk but as far as I know it's the same engine and transmission and therefore probably the same electrical systems. There is one system that is kind of fickle, it's when you put the key in the ignition and the seat and steering wheel adjust to their pre-set positions. It works most of the time but occasionally when you put the key in the ignition, it won't do it. A word of caution on the engine, they are supposedly prone to timing chain tensioner failures which obviously can become catastrophic. Right now ours has an engine tick and I'm trying to figure out what it is, I don't think that it's the tensioners. The engine starts and idles at about 1,100 rpm for about a minute and then idles down to about 600rpm it is at that point that the tick kicks in and kind of fades in and out, then after about a minute or two it goes away it's a very light tick not a knock or anything. But other than the fuel pumps nothing significantly stands out to me. My final word would be this, I've heard that some people have had considerable trouble with theirs, this has not been the case for ours, it's truly been great car.