Rallycross Beater: 90s Nissan Sentra?

So me and my buds want to go in on a junker and get some rallycross experience. We want to keep it cheap. For whatever reason, they dont even want to consider a Dodge Neon. I already looked at old Volvos and CRXs and most of them are too far gone for the money.

Its looking like our best bet is a Nissan Sentra. There are two examples we found that run for 500 bucks. One is a 93 and the other is either a 94 or a 92, I forget which.

Anyways, I've only test driven one, I will get to the other one after work today. Before we make the jump, I figured I would ask here. Would this be a decent car to take to a wintercross or rallycross? I know they aren't anything special AT ALL power wise, but I wondered about the body rigidity and general chassis strength and stuff.

Think it can take the abuse without ripping the strut mounts out (does it even have struts?)? Are parts easy enough to find? How are they to wrench on?

Basically any information or advice you can give me on why this would be a good or bad platform for what we want to do, or if you could point me to better platforms for the money...that would be great! Thanks!

Not sure about jumps with it, but my '93 did real well in the snow with cheap all-seasons on it.

Should do fine. I'd say it would be as good as any other compact FWD car. We have civics, escorts, and various other things that come out to events. I'm not aware of any particular weak spots of the Sentras, though they may not be the fastest cars in class in stock form and they don't have especially stiff chassis.

Where are you located?

Utah :) I didn't even think to look at Civics because generally they have this "ricer tax" or something, where what should be a $1000 car ends up being a $3000 car.

here's some stuff I found pretty cheap at a quick glance in your general area that would all do fine at rallycross (I especially like the first one). I saw the two sentras you're probably referring two....neither looks to be in very good shape, but who knows....

http://eastidaho.craigslist.org/cto/5227860995.html

http://saltlakecity.craigslist.org/cto/5234252668.html

http://saltlakecity.craigslist.org/cto/5199993207.html

http://eastidaho.craigslist.org/cto/5234037089.html

http://eastidaho.craigslist.org/cto/5230995868.html

FWIW I have a '97 200sx for sale with basically new Altimax Arctic tires for $1700 cash. It's an automatic though.

Ah I always forget about Craigslist and just use our local classifieds website. Thanks for the recommendations Irish!

Desmond wrote: if you could point me to better platforms for the money...

The aforementioned neon is basically a B13 Sentra, but with heavier duty brakes, suspension, wheel hubs, etc.

You may also want to consider older RWD cars from the 80s. They actually seem to hold up just as well or better than many FWD cars to rallycross - at least from what I've seen in 4 years of doing it - and are just as cheap in many cases and (IMO) more fun to drive in anger. Plus lots of them in junkyards for spare parts.

I did see a Volvo 240 wagon with a stick-shift on the Salt Lake City CL. For under $1k. That would be my personal choice, if you're not set on FWD.

I'd offer this guy $500 and he'll take it happily.... because RWD + 5MT + Wagon = Win. http://saltlakecity.craigslist.org/cto/5234390301.html

and obviously as someone with a BMW in your avatar, you should really be on the hunt for a cheap e30 (ETAs are usually dirt-cheap) or e36 (4cyl models are usually pretty cheap). They'll do well in stock form with some snow tires in RWD classes, and are built pretty strong.

Don't over think a sub $1k rallycross car. Does it run and drive? Can you still buy brake pads and shocks for relatively small money from Rock Auto? If both of those things are true, it would make a fine rallycross car.

^^what he said too, of course :) Even the brake pads I wouldn't sweat. I haven't changed pads in 4 seasons on mine, lol. I hardly even use my brakes in rallycross :)

Yeah I figure. Its just, even though its a beater, we want it to last a good little while. We dont mind throwing a bit of money at it to keep it running, but if there is some aspect of the car that would really suffer in the offroad stuff, I'd rather steer clear.

For example, I hear the Torsen differentials tend to break really easily in offroad stuff (at least the Miata ones). That would be an inherent design issue.

Also Irish, an E30 would be my dream rallycross car, but the absolute junkiest ones around here still go for 2 grand. Maybe I'll check Craigslist.

Mcarp22 see thats what I thought lol. I'm going to go check a few Neons out, just to spite my friends.

I checked your CL for e30s with no luck under $1k at least, lol. Boy, none even for under $3k. You can find running e30s all day around here for well under $2k...