inaugural what car thread

Edited because I apparently beer and typing on the internet don't mesh.

Recently joined the forum,I feel this entitles me to have my very own what car thread . I also haven't seen one pop up lately so it seems like about time.

I currently own three cars, a '90 245 wagon, '87 e30 cabrio, and a '90 saab 900t cabrio all sticks. I share these cars with my girlfriend/fiance who loves them all and will drive anything, especially when it costs her nothing.

The volvo is our main car. It is well taken care of, useful, and really the only good all-season and long distance trip car. She drives it daily, because I trust it the most and she takes surprisingly good care of it.

The e30 cab is recent pick up and a project, I am considering taking it to the challenge and have already begun gathering turbo bits. I drive it when its in one piece but it is not for commuting.

The Saab has been around a long time and was actually the gf's car until I essentially bought it back from her due to financial issues. Its yellow, its getting rusty, and I since I picked up the e30 I really don't car for it other then some sentimental value. It's been parked 800 miles away for the past 4 months and I plan simply planning on cleaning it up, fixing whatever issues have cropped up, and selling it for about $1500. I plan on throwing $1000-1500 on top so $3000 will be the budget for the new car

My commute is going from 4 miles a day to 30. I am looking for a fun 3 door hatch or maybe small sedan/coupe. Musts are 30+mpg, cheap parts, a/c and good cloth seats. I am tired of leather. I would like it to have a strong aftermarket as buying a few bolt on parts here and there keeps me interested. The original post was much longer but I will spare you all.

CLIFF NOTES: Have $3000 want cheap fun commuter with some Motorsports potential, 30+mpg, cloth seats not really interested in a kia, hyundai, saturn, cheby, or pontiac.

Your MPG requirement kills all of my Italian suggestions.

245, E30, 900t...yeah, I think you'll fit in around here.

Yugo? The Yugo is essentially a short wheelbase Fiat 128, and Enzo Ferrari DD'd a 128.

Miata....ez button.

You can have your pick of Civics and Integras. /endthread

Older BP powered Protege will fit as well if you want 4 doors. You can also get into a celica in that range. The darkhorse if you can find a stick is the G20.

You're new: The holy GRM trinity are the miata, e30, and p71, but we love any cars that are old, cheap and obscure.

Yeah, the obvious answer is Miata.

Beyond that, I'd say CRX or Civic hatch.

Wildcard....Corolla FX16 GT-S

clutchsmoke wrote: You can have your pick of Civics and Integras. /endthread

+1 for this.

I keep seeing a 323 around and it seems like it would fit the bill well. In this case I'd stay away from the GTX and get a run of the mill front driver. Perhaps an Escort? SF1 is presently showing us that they can be quite awesome.

Inaugural? Did you break Champaign over the computer tower or are you saving that for the car?

I see there are no Fords on your list, but if you're open to suggestions, you can't go wrong with the Zx series. I never thought I could have so much fun with a practically stock escort until I got my Zx2. Cheap to modify and continue to get around 30 mpg with. I got 29 when pushing it. Change the front suspension and they love winding roads.

Damn.... Now I want to modify the Focus...

I think we all know that whatever answers we throw out there, he's just gonna buy a four-door Nova.

Wait. Crap. Wrong thread.

Anyway, Miatas are great, but long commutes on the highway in a Miata suck, especially in top-up weather. BTDT.

Ford ZX2. $3000 will buy the cleanest one around, and probably buy the factory hot-rod S/R version if you can find it. Lots of fun, some bolt-on potential, easy to find, reliable.

1st gen Neon DOHC/five-speed - mucho fun. Getting harder to find in non-ragged shape.

B13 Sentra SE-R - like this one! - For my money, this is the most fun you can have for cheap in a FWD car.

$3k will probably buy you a clean '92-'95 Civic Si, if you can find one. They're starting to get thin on the ground, though.

Great suggestions, I hadn't even thought about a g20. I loved my 93 maxima se and a more frugal/smaller version of that car would be great. A ZX3 focus is near the top of the list as well however the gas mileage doesn't seem to be all that impressive. I've had a zx2 and drove it 18 hours straight one time, while it fits the bill I didn't like it enough to keep around

As far as 323s go which one had the nice 1.8L??

I've owned two neons for a very short period of time and found them terrible in a number of ways. Both were abused later year automatics however.

Miata is out as I can't justify having two convertibles and I can't imagine one being all that practical for more than weekend trip.

Really it may just come down to the cleanest late 90's car with a 4-banger and a stick I can find. I love many cars from the 80's but I've got enough of them, (for now).

Klayfish wrote: Yeah, the obvious answer is Miata. Beyond that, I'd say CRX or Civic hatch. Wildcard....Corolla FX16 GT-S

there's another thread for a pretty good looking CRX (w/AC) that would fit very well under your $$$$ requirement)

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/not-mine-yadayadayada/61346/page1/

In reply to wbjo

Looks like an awesome car, I am driving through NC on sunday, would be about 4 hours out of the way on an already 14 hour trip though..... I will consider

it's the middle of the state ... where are you going through ?

In reply to wbjones:

Going from chatleston sc to NY. Looked to be about 2you hours from I95