I don't like FWD much. Recommend me a car to change my mind?

I enjoyed my Ion Redline......sold it for under your budget too. It handled well, had nice road manners, most durable car I've owned, and the brakes were worthy of a 911.

Peugeot 405Mi16

ZX2SR. Bigger rear bar, front end alignment, wheels and tires. Pretty neutral and can be steered with the throttle.

BoxheadTim wrote: I don't like Audis, sorry.

Haha! Don't be sorry about that. I hate them too, but I'm bias because I'm an Audi tech

BoxheadTim wrote: Problem is that if I want something a little more powerful, spacious and RWD than a Miata for only $6k[1], I have a very small selection of cars, especially if I want something that's less than 20 years old and has had owners with a mechanical clue that have to shave more than once a month.

I think you just described this:

I'm getting that impression myself, apart from the problem of finding a decent one on the left coast for $6k.

Oi loikes spinning Doritos.

I've had mine for sale for $6800 for a month or so with no bites

A SAAB 9000 Aero makes the 20 year cut off. They are great road cars, but IDK how they would be on a track.

The 900s and 99s that you said were understeering probably had stock alignment. Camber and 0* toe & ditching the front bar help a lot.

C900s are a labor of love though, they ate not for everyone.

I quite liked my Neon ACR Coupe, and wish I could have afforded to properly replace it with a SVT Focus, as it was the only car I have driven that did everything the ACR did but better.

They AIN'T younger than 20... but if you like solid axle... E7 or AE86... and if you like independent rear... 510...

invest $5000 into either and you can have a rwd smile completely around your face.....

Can you even get a non-Flintstoned 510 for $6k? Most of the ones I've seen up to about 4k-5k require towing.

bgkast wrote: I've had mine for sale for $6800 for a month or so with no bites

You should've received a potential nibble via PM.

Alfa 164? Just thinking since you used to own 156s. The last 164s sold in the US were in 1995 so they are just at the 20 year mark. I like the steering on my 164 LS, I think it's spot-on in terms of weight and communication. A couple of AlfaBB members have tracked theirs and said they are surprisingly fast. That being said, the 164 is nose-heavy (and heavy in general) and prone to understeer. There are springs and swaybars available for them.

If there weren't a 6k cap I would hands down choose a 90 M100 Lotus Elan.

For some reason I'm not partial to Integras and have never driven one. My fave would be an 89-91 Civic Si. Hatch only.

S2000?

sergio wrote: S2000?

I have no idea where you live, but around here (Vancouver), decent S2000's start around $14,000. In the last couple years, I may have seen 2 or 3 that were as low as $9000, and usually have a rebuilt title. Nowhere close to $6000 in this area.

For example, these both have rebuilt status:

http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/van/cto/4344519835.html

http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/pml/cto/4301991965.html

bgkast wrote:

BoxheadTim wrote: Problem is that if I want something a little more powerful, spacious and RWD than a Miata for only $6k[1], I have a very small selection of cars, especially if I want something that's less than 20 years old and has had owners with a mechanical clue that have to shave more than once a month.

I think you just described this:

Hey now, I have one of those and I don't shave more than once a month! Of course, a beard is almost required in my profession...

HappyAndy wrote: A SAAB 9000 Aero makes the 20 year cut off. They are great road cars, but IDK how they would be on a track. The 900s and 99s that you said were understeering probably had stock alignment. Camber and 0* toe & ditching the front bar help a lot. C900s are a labor of love though, they ate not for everyone.

The 9000 is a pretty heavy car, I autocrossed one for a season in G-Stock, never won, highest I got was 2nd behind a Focus SVT. It was fun to drive though, you could really get it to turn with some trail braking and it could get almost completely crossed up and you could still collect it in time to keep form spinning.

i'm in the same boat. i hate fwd on track. in fact, i'm really biased towards mid engine cars. by far the most fun and communitavie as a whole. but back to fwd. i have mini cooper s, but i find that it goes into understeer at the limit that's difficult to banish. it leaves me frustrated rather than enjoying the experience. the only fwd car i ever raced that i enjoyed was a ssc celica gt. you could do anything with it, including driving it with the throttle. i considered buying one i liked so much. it's a shame they aren't more popular as to me it's probably the best fwd track car around. i would say the type r is probably faster, but the celica is more fun.

sorry about the no caps, my android decided i didn't need them anymore...

BoxheadTim wrote: Can you even get a non-Flintstoned 510 for $6k? Most of the ones I've seen up to about 4k-5k require towing.

http://portland.craigslist.org/clc/cto/4314929041.html http://eugene.craigslist.org/cto/4303435594.html

in Oregon

BoxheadTim wrote:

bgkast wrote: I've had mine for sale for $6800 for a month or so with no bites

You should've received a potential nibble via PM.

That's weird, I didn't. Try my username at gmail dot com

mainlandboy wrote:

sergio wrote: S2000?

I have no idea where you live, but around here (Vancouver), decent S2000's start around $14,000. In the last couple years, I may have seen 2 or 3 that were as low as $9000, and usually have a rebuilt title. Nowhere close to $6000 in this area.

Not down here either. I missed out on a $9k one from a fellow SCCA member, but normally the $10k ones either have high mileage, a salvage title or both.

Hasbro wrote: If there weren't a 6k cap I would hands down choose a 90 M100 Lotus Elan.

A good friend of mine in the UK has an M100 turbo. In fact, I helped him shop for it.

I do like them, but not for the prices they go for over here, plus I have no idea what they're like on the track.

pinchvalve wrote: "I've owned both an Integra Type-R and a 2nd gen CRX with a B16" If neither of those convinced you that FWD is worthwhile, then you are out of luck. (I am guessing there will be E30 recommendations.)

Yup, i agree. I was going to suggest ITR it's the ultimate FWD car so if you didn't like that you wont like fwd cars ever.

The best handling FWD cars I've ever experienced were made by Peugeot from the mid-'80s through the early-'90s. I agree that the ITR and Civic SI are very close, but the 205 GTI and 405 Mi16 are pure magic.