Fun with cheap cars

If you needed to get a new (to you) daily driver that could be improved for better performance what would you buy and what would you do to enhance performance. The maximum purchase price would be $2500. It has to run, stop, and turn. In other words it has to be road legal at time of purchase. Deferred maintenance is OK. Oh and it has to have a functioning a/c. For some of us a/c is a need not a nice to have. Performance enhancements has to be restricted to bolt ons, no engine or transmissions swaps, no turbos, no superchargers, and definitely no nitrous. I would also like to eliminate luxury cars from the potential candidates as cost of parts can be prohibitive for a budget build. As to the fun part, this is car that you can autox, drag, and maybe take to a DE day at the track. AS well as take you to work. I am looking forward to what the fertile minds on this forum dream up. Thank you for indulging me in this mental exercise although I hope some of you have already done this and would share your experience.

C4 Corvette?

BrokenYugo wrote: C4 Corvette?

Hahahaha! It's infectious!

I did a quick craigslist search to see what's out there this morning that fits your bill....C4, various gen mustangs and miatas got my attention. I would go with The Answer. Maybe doesn't tick the drag box, but......

miata, BG chassis cars, duratec zx3, 22re powered 2wd toyota pickup (if it can be found without terminal rust), civic hatch, integra, early preludes, celicas.

Probably the nicest regular Legacy Wagon I could find.

Having done exactly this repeatedly, my go to answers are miata, first gen neon, s10, 2000-2003 protege, and mazda3.

I think a great bang for the performance buck (outside of Miata) is a Volvo 740 turbo. The sedans are particularly inexpensive.

You can probably get a decent starting point for $1000. Throw some sway bars, bilsteins, and springs at it and all of a sudden it handles pretty well. Crank up the boost and it's pretty quick. All while being still reliable enough to daily.

Mine is a non-turbo. From my research adding a turbo is pretty simple and inexpensive- maybe $400-500. I'll be doing that when time and money permits.

In reply to jh36:

I'm going to add a 944 to my list, cause I do have three at the moment. Dirt cheap and great handling. Not as tough to live with as many think, IMHO.

E36 328is- m50 manifold, shocks, and deferred maintenance- you got yourself a great all around.

If you're considering fwd options: Celica gts, svt focus and the 06-07 focus st

84 C4. Full service, heads, TPI top end, cam, valve springs, full exhaust, converter, large trans cooler, shocks, tires, steeper rear gears, necessary body repairs and DIY paint job in an emerald green with tons of metal flake (like the 2014-only Lime Rock Green), black roof and targa bar wrap, decent speakers and modern head unit. A comprehensive fast, fun, and reasonably affordable do-a-bit-of-everything car.

Guys you are cherry picking here! Lets eliminate Porsches, Corvettes, Miatas, BMW, and such from the list. No sports cars. That is too easy and not in keeping with the spirit of the challenge. Honda Civics, Accord, and Prelude have been done to death same for Integras. No Nissan 300Z(X), 240s... Think out of the box. Maybe four door Camry, Corolla, Kia, Huinday. Also GM,Ford,Mopar compacts. Think of the most boring econoboxes from the last 20 years.

In reply to bastomatic:

Agreed on the Volvo. I had a 1987 740GLE n/a and most recently a 1986 760 Turbo, much better than the 740 n/a. I paid very little for it and it was in great shape. But after 7 years of ownership could not get the a/c to work properly or at all. Finally gave up and sold it at the begining of the year.

fortee9er wrote: Guys you are cherry picking here! Lets eliminate Porsches, Corvettes, Miatas, BMW, and such from the list. No sports cars. That is too easy and not in keeping with the spirit of the challenge. Honda Civics, Accord, and Prelude have been done to death same for Integras. No Nissan 300Z(X), 240s... Think out of the box. Maybe four door Camry, Corolla, Kia, Huinday. Also GM,Ford,Mopar compacts. Think of the most boring econoboxes from the last 20 years.

I have to agree with this statement. Somehow going the Corvette route for this seems like cheating on your SAT's?

1st gen DOHC neon.

drainoil wrote:

fortee9er wrote: Guys you are cherry picking here! Lets eliminate Porsches, Corvettes, Miatas, BMW, and such from the list. No sports cars. That is too easy and not in keeping with the spirit of the challenge. Honda Civics, Accord, and Prelude have been done to death same for Integras. No Nissan 300Z(X), 240s... Think out of the box. Maybe four door Camry, Corolla, Kia, Huinday. Also GM,Ford,Mopar compacts. Think of the most boring econoboxes from the last 20 years.

I have to agree with this statement. Somehow going the Corvette route for this seems like cheating on your SAT's?

No, just best for the buck, easiest route.

Drag racing and track days, don't you want a sports car?

Volvo 740/940, Volvo 850, 4th gen maxima, l67 W-body, 1st gen neon.

SHO. Either variant.

What about a SVT Contour?

OK, so you don't want to cherry pick and recommend truly fun cars. Let's see...

Hyundai Excel...bonus points if you can actually find it as a Mitsubishi Precis
Hyundai Scoupe
Toyota Paseo
Toyota Tercel...look for the powerhouse EZ trim level
Chevrolet Spectrum...bonus points if you can actually find it as a Isuzu I-Mark
Ford Aspire
Plymouth Acclaim
Buick Somerset Olds Calais
Nissan Stanza
Daewoo Lanos

Early 90s escort gt, id recomend a fasteva but you said engine swaps are out. NA 2.3 powered foxbody. Toyota tercel, 2wd isuzu rodeo.

What are the seating requirements? Are you toting kids or pets or anything?

https://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/cto/6039967000.html

Saw this a couple of days ago. Haven't seen a stick shift Stanza but then I don't look out for them. I'd love to see something on 1st gen Altimas.

Uh, go to craigslist, enter your dollar, transmission, door filters, begin review, rinse repeat. Learn to be more specific or open minded when people spend time giving you good advice.

The cheapest appliance you can find. Then pretend you are having fun.