I have seen a couple of Cadillac ATSs in the $4k range, and Solstices are almost there as well.
I have seen a couple of Cadillac ATSs in the $4k range, and Solstices are almost there as well.
My vote goes for the G35.
sleepyhead the buffalo said:ddavidv said:I have a S197 4.0 as my daily driver. It is a fine car, handles really well and I don't feel it's a slug at all with 210hp and a manual transmission. They are a used car bargain but have a few quirks:
[…] 112 mph speed limiter thanks to the weak driveshaft. No limited slip diff. […]
Just curious, what are the best semi-budget ways to fix these two? I read some about AL driveshafts for the V6.
for the rear, is ‘swap to an 8.8’ or nothing?
Ford Racing offered Trac-Loc diffs for the 7.5 for a long time. They went away in the after market retailers when all Mustangs got the 8.8, but you might be able to find one somewhere
I vote G35. I haven't had to do many repairs to mine (radio, wheel bearing, replaced a seized caliper, replaced a ball joint and I gotta weld up a crack in the midpipe but that's about it for repairs) and it's been a great daily driver with tons of aftermarket. Many 05 6MTs had soft rings, 03s were more prone to synchro failure than any other year. 06 sedans and 06-07 coupes are the most sorted years overall. 04 6MTs were also pretty good (torquier non-revup engine that's less prone to excessive oil consumption, factory limited slip on both coupes and sedans, shiny Brembos with great pad availability on coupes). Bushings are the main things that go bad, but enough poly/solid/spherical bushings fixes those issues. Just buy one that isn't completely shagged, follow the maintenance schedule, check the oil every time you fill up and always use 91 at the minimum and it'll be good to you.
Dang, this blew up since I posted lol:
buzzboy said:I agree having driven both e36 and e46, however with only owning an e36. I've owned mine from 98k to 147k and I've replaced a window regulator(known problem) and cooling system(known problem). I quite like that little car.
I also love my XJ. Odd year range you chose. 97 is new body but with a dizzy. 98 is a weird transition year of parts. Mine's a 96 which makes it last year of the old body, first year of OBDII yet still dizzy. It's got it's issues but I've been across the country 4 times in two years with it. It's an amazingly comfy road trip car and nets me ~21mpg highway.
From your list and for your reasons though, 99-04 Mustang with the TR3650.
Went with '97-'01 since that was the last major revision for the XJ chassis
TheRX7Project said:The nice thing about 3G Camaros is that they are really cheap and plentiful. Especially if you're considering a V6. And when you are ready, a SBC will fit without much effort. They also "feel" quick.
Honestly that list is kind of funny. C4 Corvette... or an XJ... or a V6 pony car... so what do you really want?
I thought about 3G Camaros, but I'd only go for '92s (apparently GM improved the stiffness of the chassis via factory adhesive). What I want is a car that can have its issues resolved via the aftermarket if need be. Between the 3 you mentioned, I like the C4 since it's pretty much the clossest to a true sports car out of all of them. The XJ due to parts availability from its long production cycle and utility from being an SUV (shoutout, would also be intersted in the '01-'04 Pathfinder/QX4). The V6 pony car? Mainly due to having a lighter front end and a better chassis than the Fox-platform. Could always swap to V8s later on
buzzboy said:captdownshift said:Needs more RWD Volvo options and 318ti
Why yes, 318ti is the best option. Especially when it becomes M/S5x powered
Would probably start off with a 318ti if it wasn't for the fact that it still has the rear beam suspension from the E30. At that point, I might as well go for the E30 itself or a Z3.
ztnedman1 said:RX8, you can get one for 1k or less. Get a rebuilt engine for a 2-3k and you have the best platform of those listed, 4 doors, and a new engine
I love everything about the RX-8 besides the rotary. I like revvy engines with a redline as high as the moon. What I do mind is the crappy gas mileage and oil-burning nature. Too much care needed for too little in performance imo
BlueInGreen - Jon said:Really, no one has suggested Miata? Can $4k get a decent NB?
Anything on that list is going to take some work to be “dependable.” If I were in the market for a rwd sporty something I’d be looking for another 318ti. The “cheaper” interior holds up way better than the E36.
Don't fit right in the NA/NB cars. Wouldn't mind an NC, but haven't found them at all in my range.
Also, wouldn't the 318ti have the same interior as the 328i given that they're both E36 cars?
mtn said:I would add the Lexus IS to your list.
I had that on my mind originally, but the oddly poor MPG + every single one in my range in SoCal having a salvage title for whatever reason was a turn-off (in addition to not much work being able to be done to the 2JZ in n/a form unless you're going turbocharged)
I totaled a guy's G35 yesterday. I'm sorry, but those things are ugly. Looks like a big egg.
To comment further on the S197 limited slip issue, it is possible to swap the GT rear axle into the V6 car with a different part for the rear U-joint connection. A bit of searching on most any Mustang forum will divulge the part number. I've read that the newer 3.7 cars have a LSD rear that is a direct fit but haven't confirmed it.
To you V6 Mustang guys, I will be pulling a 7.5 LSD out of my Lemons car soon. It has 3:73 gears and a spare maybe ok set. Most just pull them out of FX4 rangers, some even had torsens.
In reply to Dootz :
I see you glossed over the Crossfire suggestion. It was a real and genuine suggestion if you are open to MB. They can be a fantastic value given they are overlooked by most. But...if you wont fit in a NA Miata then you wont fit in a Crossfire either.
Low dough Crossfire examples are everywhere. Even at $4750 this one is probably over priced but given it has only 82k miles a pretty fresh car.
All this talk of G35...would a 350Z fit the bill?
ddavidv said:I totaled a guy's G35 yesterday. I'm sorry, but those things are ugly. Looks like a big egg.
To comment further on the S197 limited slip issue, it is possible to swap the GT rear axle into the V6 car with a different part for the rear U-joint connection. A bit of searching on most any Mustang forum will divulge the part number. I've read that the newer 3.7 cars have a LSD rear that is a direct fit but haven't confirmed it.
All 2011 and newer mustang's are 8.8's. It doesn't matter if it is an EcoBoost, v6 or v8 car. So the 3.7 cars are 8.8's.
So it is a direct bolt in like a gt 8.8 is.
What about a late 240SX? Can't you find those for around $4k (assuming they haven't been SR or RB swapped)?
If not an IS, maybe an SC300 with a manual? Not sure how many of those are still left, or if they went into the mid-90's.
I'm tempted to say GTO or Boxster, but I think both might be just out of your price range. The Solstice/Sky suggestion is a good one though.
I own two of the list. The XJ and the G35.
I can recommend both of them.
XJ pricing is all over the place and seems to be trending up if they are in good condition. $4k should get you a nice one.
G35s are the cheapest RWD fun car you can buy for the money. Tame in traffic, floggable on the track. The 6 speed cars bring more money than the autos. Some shopping should get you something in your price range though. A lot of them have been beat to death so plan to walk away from several of them.
G35's sure put up with a lot of abuse though. The entire powertrain/drivetrain is stout.
Lexus SC300 are getting hard to find, in any condition whatsoever.
I cannot imagine daily driving a C4 Vette that cost under $4k.
In reply to Dootz :
The 318ti (hatch) isn’t 100% E36 chassis. I don’t know if all model years and trims are this way but mine had a simpler dash and some other differences inside. They’re also easier to find without a sunroof which is nice for headroom. I liked the one I had until the driver side got bonked by a deer.
maschinenbau said:G35's sure put up with a lot of abuse though. The entire powertrain/drivetrain is stout.
Lexus SC300 are getting hard to find, in any condition whatsoever.
I cannot imagine daily driving a C4 Vette that cost under $4k.
I have - unfortunately, the odometer was close to 200,000 miles, and things were starting to wear out. If I had a shorter commute, it probably wouldn't have been so bad. I've also owned a 328. The Corvette was more fun to drive, especially with the Z51 suspension, and comfort was pretty close (although the Corvette is a lot harder to get into). The Corvette interior was from one of GM's worst phases of interior design, while the BMW's interior was more prone to breaking trim parts.
Also, I'd avoid E36 convertibles. The top is a Rube Goldberg contraption that is likely to get stuck in the halfway position, and a royal pain to fix.
2 years ago I sold an E46 for $3500. It had 125,000 on the clock. $1000 in well-known E46 maintenance items would have made it good for another 75,000 miles at least.
Who can really say about reliability.
I'd throw out a Z4 can sometimes find a great deal (mine was $3200), and second the RX8 if you don't mind the looks (mine was $500).
And a C4 vette is always my answer.
If you are good with a Mustang, I'd stick with that.
RWD is over rated for a daily or even a track car.
Where are you? I have a mechanically sound 2006 NC1 for sale that i’d Take $5500 for. It isn’t perfect but it’s a solid driver.
nimblemotorsports said:RWD is over rated for a daily or even a track car.
I said that a lot when I had FWD cars.
Now I have RWD cars and wonder WTF I was thinking back then.
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