Ideas for a Cheap Autox/Rallyx/DD

Hi everyone, first time poster here. I'm short on cash and trying to figure out how much fun I can still have with my next car. I've been interested in trying rallycross and autocross for a while, but so far I have not had a vehicle appropriate for either. I probably have a budget of about $2000 and I need a reliable daily driver suitable for Wisconsin weather. In order of importance, I would like the car (or cars) to provide me with something which

• could fit a car seat and be reasonably safe for hauling a child or two
• is cheap and easy to repair
• could survive rallycross
• would be fun (but not necessarily super competitive) and require minimal prep work to rallycross and autocross
• my wife, who doesn't drive stick could drive in a pinch. (I don't drive drive stick either, at this point, but I'm much more willing to learn.)

Additionally, it would be nice if I could haul a bunch of stuff for things like hardware store trips, but that's certainly not a requirement. Right now, I'm driving a '91 Regal, and my wife has a '01 Taurus. Our plan is to replace the Taurus with a newer minivan for my wife, in which case I'd end up with the Taurus. I think I can do better than the Taurus for a fun daily driver, lately I've been thinking of a combination of a NA Miata (3 season daily driver and autocross car) and a Ford Panther car (winter daily driver, rallycross car, and hauler). In addition to allowing more specialization, I figure a two car solution makes it more likely that at least one will work at any given point in time, or it means that I'll constantly be repairing at least one of the two, which is more likely.

I won't ask if I'm crazy, but does this at least make some kind of sense? Am I getting way too ahead of myself? Is my budget too low? What other cars should I consider? Should I just keep the Taurus?

240sx, specifically an s13 hatch.

1) You can autocross and rallycross anything really, and I do emphasize that. Any car will be more fun if you actually get to drive it

2) The good news about automatics for rallycross is if you go FWD especially (likely in your price range) you can practice left foot braking and rotate the car

3) Two cars for you as a family or two cars for you with a 2k budget total?

4) I'd say something like a Mazda protege or maybe a focus? Focus SVT's ive seen for 4k and they are great cars but thats above your budget and they only come in manual 6 speed

Focus's have proven successful at both autocross and rally so that might be an option. You could do both in the Taurus but I think something smaller will make you feel like it performs better regardless if it does or not :)

Focus

In reply to Jaynen: I was thinking $2000 for both of my cars, we'll get something newer and nicer for my wife to be the primary child hauler and vehicle for family trips.

I did a quick craigslist in Wisconsin and found tons of focus's

$2000? That's a pretty good budget to find an e30 that can do both.

Mine just finished a full season of rallycross with pretty much no issues whatsoever (other than a few minor/stupid things), and would do "ok" in autocross with my street tires (star specs). Plus it's street-legal and fun to drive around (more fun than my 300hp WRX, honestly).

Plus it has a usable back seat (and can be had in 2 or 4 doors), and if you want an automatic, you can find auto e30s DIRT cheap since nobody wants them, usually. They're tough, safe, and even in stock form are a blast to drive on the tarmac or on the dirt. Used parts are widely available. New parts and aftermarket is huge, and not very expensive. Car can be made way more fun with some cheap/easy mods (like a used e36 steering rack, sways from a e30 vert, some used bilsteins, etc)

oh, and the trunk is freaking HUGE (mine fits 5 rally tires/wheels, a floor jack, and other stuff for events). It makes my WRX's trunk look like a Miata trunk.

If not, then Jaynen's #1 suggestion is mine as well: anything. Don't be scared of rallycross.....we have all kinds and makes of cars in stock and non-stock form coming out to our events.

A trunk will never let you haul as much as a hatchback though. I remember bringing home a 55" TV in the box for my friend with my focus and this was pre everything being a 3inch thick LCD

Jaynen wrote: A trunk will never let you haul as much as a hatchback though. I remember bringing home a 55" TV in the box for my friend with my focus and this was pre everything being a 3inch thick LCD

true, but for the few times something really big needs to be hauled, a roof rack works fine. Or borrow a truck/minivan/trailer :)

in my maxima I hauled on the roof rack: a loveseat. a 49' Tv in the box. 30 2x4s. and many sheets of drywall and plywood :)

Haha! I am surprised that didn't end up on the interwebs with pics somewhere

Another vote for the Focus or Protege.
Or keep the Taurus and get a Miata or maybe a Mustang or a Toyota Supra. Hmm.... The mustang or supra may be too heavy...

GC Impreza, just watch for the head gasket issue. GDs will work too and have better safety but are also bigger and much heavier and therefore slower (for equivalent models) and less efficient.

Watched a stage rally prepped mustang at the last rallycross and it was awesome. Parts are cheap and it fits AT tires which provides for much cheaper tires on dirt. I'm pretty sure the v6 cars have plenty of power for rally cross and are stupid cheap. If you can find a sub 2k gt then you'd be in business. Well, except for the cargo part.

What year Mustang?

A couple ran in the Max Attack RWD stage rally series

Rallycross the Taurus. You know you want to!

This one unfortunately met its end like most rally cars - wadded up after multiple rolls.

Jaynen wrote: What year Mustang? A couple ran in the Max Attack RWD stage rally series

It was a 95 driven by Richard Miller. The course is really too tight for the mustang to even be able to stretch its legs. Steering had little to do with the wheel and much to do with throttle. At the speeds and traction levels typically experienced in rallycross I'm pretty sure a v6 would do just as well as a v8. It really looked like a fun car to drive.

I just finished my first season of rallycross with a 1987 Toyota MR2 I bought for $2k even. (I've seen them cheaper lately if you keep up on craigslist.)

It's probably not ideal for Wisconsin winter, but it's a hell of a lot of fun! I agree with above, ANYTHING can rallycross. I value fun>winning. I'll say our loaner/rental Ford Probe automatic has posted some decent times with the right driver.

My opinion? RWD fun > FWD fun.

Mine is a 4-door automatic and I have 3 kids. (Most of the time it's just two of them.) 2001 Subaru Impreza 2.5RS and I've been driving it almost every day for the last 6 months. I really don't mind the automatic because the car is light enough to get moving fairly quickly and I don't have to put my coffee down.

I know Subie's really well so I was able to buy and put this one together for less than Challenge $. It all depends on finding the right deal IMO.

S13 or Zx2 or Impreza or Cadavalier or Neon or....

I actually like the original idea of a Miata and a Panther.

But if you were looking for one car, or my opinion on one car, id actually have to go with the Impreza ( / comparable subaru) as well.

Here's my take.. They do a REALLY good job passing as 'normal' cars. As in, much easier to get stuff in and out of than most sporty cars, and ride pretty well, and dont have goofy/peaky powerbands or necessarily make loud noises.

They also dont totally suck with automatic. Ive driven a stockish 2.2/auto (on street and at autocross) and it's pretty darn ok. It doesnt make you hate it. Torquey for the displacement. AND the subaru automatic is a REALLY good one. Extremely reliable compared to most other automatics in cheap cars.

They also handle better than you'd expect for an old front heavy 'economy car'. Even stock they rotate better than most similarly un-sporting FWDs (a non-rs is definitely un-sporting by intention, but it's accidentally fairly good at it anyway).

They're also pretty dang easy to work on compared to a lot of other cars. Subaru engine bays tend to suck less than a lot of other cars you could get.

Even on the coupe the back seat is pretty good. Im 6'0 and fit in a coupe impreza backseat with room to spare. This is good if one of you wants to sit next to the baby. And of course AWD will help you in the dirt on rallyX.

As Vigo noted on the Subaru engine bays, the Zx2 is roomy, UNLIKE the focus.

Wait why do you need a roomie engine bay? This guy doesn't sound like one who is going to do any swaps if its a DD

fornetti14 wrote: Mine is a 4-door automatic and I have 3 kids. (Most of the time it's just two of them.) 2001 Subaru Impreza 2.5RS and I've been driving it almost every day for the last 6 months. I really don't mind the automatic because the car is light enough to get moving fairly quickly and I don't have to put my coffee down. I know Subie's really well so I was able to buy and put this one together for less than Challenge $. It all depends on finding the right deal IMO.

I had a 99 RS and every time I see one of that body style I always think what a great looking car it is/was. You did a really nice job on yours.

Jaynen wrote: Wait why do you need a roomie engine bay? This guy doesn't sound like one who is going to do any swaps if its a DD

Things break.