Daily drivable Challenge car

I really missed coming to the Challenge this year (not enough time off this year with a change of job). Every time I have come to the Challenge it has been on someone else's team or last year with a exhibition class car.

Next year I want to come with my own car but the only way I am going to be able to do that is if it is my daily driver. I am not selling my '93 Civic and I am working on reducing my number of cars for now so adding another car is not an option (currently working on selling my F150 and sold my Yugos). Also a Challenged priced daily would free up some money which would be nice with my wife going thru grad school (three classes a semester is expensive).

So if you were in that situation, what cars would you be searching for? My only requirements for the car are working A/C, over 20MPG highway and manual.

My thoughts so far were a Saab, Mazda MX3 or MX6, Toyota Celica.

MX6, BG chassis, Volvo 240, DSM.

Really?

Miata.

captdownshift wrote: DSM.

I loved the way those looked when I was younger. How bad an idea would one be...

In reply to 93EXCivic:

make sure that you get a 6 bolt and it's really not bad, just maintain it, belt, cooling system and differentials don't like being neglected.

My 325i e30 daily driver challenge car and my SAAB 9000 daily driver challenge car were both really great overall. BMW has better aftermarket, lighter weight, smaller package and rwd is fun. the SAAB had more luxury, better gas mileage, better AC and more power. Neither were built to be competitive but rather to be reliable and still comfortable for normal use.

My DSM was a great daily driver and track car but never kept to challenge budget. They require a bit more than average maintenance than most cars their age but are fairly easy to work on. High heat and high specific output are not always easy to keep reliable but it was worth it.

Average SAABs are only average, most BMW are above average regardless of specific model,a good DSM can be phenomenal but can still break your heart and test your patience without much warning. I vote that you find out which one makes sense for your family and go that way; I keep my wife happy and work within that boundary to stay happy myself...

tb wrote: My DSM was a great daily driver and track car but never kept to challenge budget. They require a bit more than average maintenance than most cars their age but are fairly easy to work on. High heat and high specific output are not always easy to keep reliable but it was worth it.

What about a non-turbo Eclipse? I know they don't have nearly the power but how reliable are they?

P71 with a 5 spd swap. Easily Challenge priced.

First gen neon

You sold the Yugos! Anyone local?

93EXCivic wrote: What about a non-turbo Eclipse? I know they don't have nearly the power but how reliable are they?

There is only one brand black-listed from my garage: DSM. I've owned one, (NA), every one of my car friends has owned one, and we all agree they're crap. It doesn't matter if you have the weakest motor (1.8L 4g37), you'll still have clutch or oiling problems that will leave you stranded at the most inopportune times.

We got one for free that we tried to do chumpcar with, and I argued against it saying it wasn't worth it at that price :) I lost... But this year we're running a Nissan and everyone agrees with me :)

DSMs are awesome. I loved the way mine handled and rode when I had it, and a 3000GT was my dream car for the longest time, but they're the epitome of "Fast, Cheap or Reliable, pick any two." The problem is that with a DSM, you're not allowed to pick Reliable, whatever you do.

edit: I should give credit where credit is due, though, and it was my Eclipse that got me into rotaries. My $200, 217,000 mile Rx-7 was WAAAAYYYY more reliable than my "daily driver" Eclipse was. And a lot more fun.

racerdave600 wrote: You sold the Yugos! Anyone local?

Two bigass Rednecks via Craigslist lol.

I dailied an 86 bmw E28. Comfy commuter, good support and as fast as Wartburg and a little slower than TB's Saab 9000 (he had way better tires). Would have been faster if I'd pulled the interior and had stickier rubber.

In reply to 93EXCivic:

A non-turbo DSM is really not even worth considering in my opinion. All of the negatives without any of the positives. A turbo awd DSM is not difficult to keep happy but it will take more time and money than most other cars; the rewards are great but the costs are equally high.

Personally, I think that in a few years when I get around to another challenge car it might be a turbo dodge. They fit all of your requirements if you can find a rust free example without too much messed up on it. I hear parts are not exactly growing on trees these days but they are a pretty proven platform.

If you're considering a non-turbo DSM, you might as well get a first gen Neon.

It'd be a swap project but an 80's El Camino with some flavor of Chevy small-block backed by an MY6 (the A833-OD that GM used in trucks). My reasoning is that it should be easy to build such a thing for cheap and there are parts to make them turn pretty well. I think B-body front spindles get grabbed for the turn-better part which then opens up 9C1 Caprice / Impala SS front brake bits for better stopping. And since it has that truck bed in the back it'd be a very useful vehicle.

93EXCivic wrote: I really missed coming to the Challenge this year (not enough time off this year with a change of job). Every time I have come to the Challenge it has been on someone else's team or last year with a exhibition class car. Next year I want to come with my own car but the only way I am going to be able to do that is if it is my daily driver. I am not selling my '93 Civic and I am working on reducing my number of cars for now so adding another car is not an option (currently working on selling my F150 and sold my Yugos). Also a Challenged priced daily would free up some money which would be nice with my wife going thru grad school (three classes a semester is expensive). So if you were in that situation, what cars would you be searching for? My only requirements for the car are working A/C, over 20MPG highway and manual. My thoughts so far were a Saab, Mazda MX3 or MX6, Toyota Celica.

Sounds like you need another Honda. Perhaps a CRX or a Civic Hatch of similar vintage?

How about one of the RWD Volvo Turbos (they were available in manual form and could get decent mileage)?

A PT Cruiser 2.4L Turbo swapped 1st-Gen Neon?

and no. No you do not want a DSM. I'd even hesitate to say a Turbo-Dodge from that era would be a good DD without a complete rebuild and replacement of all of the rubber under car and the hood at this point. Sad but true.

You know what I'm going to say...MR2! Also, what about a FX16, A2 Golf or other A2 VWs, E36/E30 BMW...

93EXCivic wrote:

racerdave600 wrote: You sold the Yugos! Anyone local?

Two bigass Rednecks via Craigslist lol.

Makes you wonder what they are going to do to them!!!!

In reply to racerdave600:

Catapult fodder?

turboswede wrote: Sounds like you need another Honda. Perhaps a CRX or a Civic Hatch of similar vintage?

No. I love Hondas but I have been daily driving them since I bought my first running car. First a '96 DX, then my '93 EX and now a '99 Si. I want something a bit different now.

Sil80redtop wrote: If you're considering a non-turbo DSM, you might as well get a first gen Neon.

Yeah I realized that. I was about to ask about the Chrysler power Eclipses then realized I might as well just buy a Neon.

Anything could be hit or miss in challenge price range so you might as well get something that interests you. Somethings just miss more than others. I second the A2 VW suggestion, as well as a first gen Neon. E30 prices have climbed too much to make them interesting at that price point unless you find a really good deal, E36s are cheaper in my area and are better at everything except looks and interior quality.

This was veryuch my thinking when I built the Mach 1.5 for $2010. After building a few purpose built cars that don't fit any class for anything and were miserable to drive on the street I built a car will the full interior, power windows, working heat, etc. While a turbo 3sgte powered aw11 mr2 might not be the ideal comiter car it did get driven to many auto crosses and even a drag strip and some other fun road miles before I sold it. The guy the bought it flew in from new torn and drove it home from ky trouble free. That car did manage a 2nd place finish in $2012 and certainly had room for improvement. So yes it's poss to build a practical challenge car that you can live with on the street.

Of course after this year I think the Q45 is now the car to have!