What car - MeOtter replacement

So after venting my frustration about the MeOtter that was really me getting frustrated with myself (as I don't seem to enjoy fiddling with crapcans as much as I used to, having gotten used to nicer cars), I took a good hard look at the piggy bank and figured I might be able to come up with around $10k for a potential replacement, maybe a little more if I get a good price for the rust-free NA Miata and sell the additional parts I have for it.

The question is, where to go from here. The NA is my project/HPDE car that does a lot of DD duty as well. I can probably dump a lot of the DD duty on the 325ix, but the car needs to be DD-able and to a certain extent also DIYable. Plus, it needs to be RWD, unless I find the world's nicest first generation CRX. I prefer handling over outright power, mainly because I am still at the bottom of the learning curve when it comes to HPDE. At the moment I would prefer slightly newer to my usual 80s and 90s stuff, but I would argue that condition trumps age. Ideally I'd also like to get a bit more interior space compared to a Miata, as I appear to be getting old, bald and fat.

Here's the list I've come up with so far - further comments and suggestions are appreciated:

• Buy a nicer Miata. I know my way around them, but I also get bored with them after a while. Spend the balance bolting go-faster bits on, or save a little more and try to find a Mazdaspeed one. The issue with this approach is that I like NAs better than NBs and the majority of nice NAs are not much better than what I have already.
• 944 S2 or 944 turbo. I like Porsches, but I think the original 944 is a little underpowered. I've seen the turbos for less than the top end of my budget, the question is how badly will they rape my wallet after the purchase. Boxsters are out, I tried one last year, tried really hard to like it but didn't.
• S2000, at this price point it'll probably have to be a somewhat leggy AP1, or I need to save a little more. Bonus points, I liked driving the ones I've tried so far, the wife likes the looks of them (she hasn't been in one of them yet) and there are several people with the local SCCA region who track them already
• E30 or E36, but as has been discussed here before, finding a non-hooptie is going to be a problem with these by now. Especially with the obvious choice (M3), there's a lot of dross in my price range.
• RX7 or RX8 - I've seen a couple of FDs close to my price point, including one locally, and there are RX8 floating around here with sensible mileage at the top end of my price range. I've owned an FD in the past, loved the handling but I think it might be a little much for both the local track and my skills. Plus, running an FD with the temperatures we get at the track out here (100F+ in very dry heat) and maybe even an RX8 might not be such a good idea. Although with an RX8, the first thing I'd do is hand the ECU over to RB for their reflash and probably put an uprated radiator in.
• MR2. I like the first generation ones, wouldn't mind a supercharged one but good ones are becoming hard to find. The 2nd gen is probably a little more practical and the budget would stretch to a turbo, but again most are sheds that should have been put out of their misery a long time ago.

Of course the other option is to cowboy up and do the proper American thing, borrow up to my eyeballs and buy a 996 TT with a tiptronic, but I think The Wife would very much object to me tracking that. Plus, I'd probably end up making a hole somewhere in the desert with it that I shouldn't have made...

S2000 all day every day.

S2k, or if coolness and fun are more important than speed to you, AW11.

SW20 MR2? Out of that list I would lean S2k or 944 (for me probably 924S since I like the narrow body better).

FR-S? At least when you go into hock you'll have a warranty

RX8's can be had in good shape for $8-10k. Now that I have an E36 M3, I have to say that the RX8 is a better car for similar money. It's newer, has a better chassis and is more fun to drive (IMO). The interior is better and fewer trim pieces will break or already be broken. MPG kinda sucks for both, 24 vs 19 mixed for me. My M3 is a vert, so that does affect things. I do love putting the top down, though.

Look at C5's.

RX-8 or S2000

But I'd rather get a proper setup on the Miata and use the savings for beating the snot out of it at the track.

Why not E46?

Former employer had a C5 Corvette, got into HPDE, blew the engine a few times, spent lots of dollars on replacement and hopped up engined, then inevitably after the second go-fast engine blew, he put a stocker back in, bought a Spec Miata, and sold the C5.

He now has the C6 Grand Sport as his driver and the Spec Miata as the racer.

What are early S197 GT's going for, can you manage one of those?

E36 M3 all day long. Smaller things break on it vs the RX8. If you want a good, sorted 944 turbo you're going to spend at the top of your range. That's not to say you won't get lucky with a $4-5k 951, but you'll quickly find that these are $10k cars, either you pay it up front, or on the back end.

S2k are pretty awesome..

RX8. When the engine goes, elex it.

RX8 all the way. Buy the nicest one you can afford.

S2000 - if you're getting tired of wrenching all the time it will probably have the least niggles out of your list.

3rd gen MR2. Corolla reliability, excelent handling, comfortable car, DD able if you don't need to haul a lot.

You will get a much nicer RX8 for your money than any of the other cars mentioned. The engines don't go on all of them, and the ones that do lose compression usually just lose power over time. It's usually not a catastrophic failure that leaves you stranded. You should be able to get one that's still within the engine warranty period.

I have seen very few S2000's for $10k. Pretty much every one I called on had a salvage title, or should have had one.

E36 M3 all the way. They are the sweet-spot with ample horsepower AND torque (unlike the Honda or Mazda). I regularly get 28 mpg in my daily driver in stop and go.

If you are tired of wrenching, you need to run away from a 944 like it's the Hindenburg coming down at you.

Let me throw some wrenches at you:

• C4 Corvette, especially a later LT1/T56 model. They are pretty easy to work on, parts are dirt cheap (mostly), and you can find a really nice one in your price range. Plus, targa top!

• 4th Gen F-Body. Either the LT1 (93-97) or LS1 (98-02) cars will work. The LT1's are cheaper to buy into, but harder to work on and have more issues (Opti-Spark). I'd prefer a WS6 Formula or Trans Am, but you may get lucky on an SLP car (Camaro SS or a Firehawk) or find a 1LE Z28. Easy to upgrade, cheap, great for tracking. Plus, SLA front suspension and torque-arm rear means they actually handle really, really well.

• SVT Cobra Mustang. Okay, this honestly pains me to recommend (because I hate these cars), but they might make sense. Obviously I'd prefer the 94-95 5.0L ones, but the 96-98 4.6 DOHC's were actually pretty good. The 99, 01-02's are total dogs, but have the (compromised) IRS. MacStrut front and the world's worst 4-link back make them suck at handling stock but you can literally buy the world for them, so forcing them handle can be done. Cheapest and easiest to work on by a long shot, but I fear you'd be working on it a lot (unless you nab somebody else's finished project).

• 02-03 Subaru WRX. These have really fallen in value lately, and are really fun to drive cars. The AWD will be a DD benefit to you. For maximum non-PO damage, find a wagon.

MKiv non-turbo Supra?

Javelin wrote: If you are tired of wrenching, you need to run away from a 944 like it's the Hindenburg coming down at you.

LOL true!

z31maniac wrote: But I'd rather get a proper setup on the Miata and use the savings for beating the snot out of it at the track.

This is what it's looking like at the moment as purchasing a further car has been vetoed. Still looks like an S2k or an RX8 might be on the cards in the not too distant future.

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: MKiv non-turbo Supra?

MKIII Supra Turbo.

BoxheadTim wrote:

z31maniac wrote: But I'd rather get a proper setup on the Miata and use the savings for beating the snot out of it at the track.

This is what it's looking like at the moment as purchasing a further car has been vetoed. Still looks like an S2k or an RX8 might be on the cards in the not too distant future.

I can say my current setup impressed my instructors and ride-alongs this weekend at Hallett.

FM VMaxx (non-adjustable), FM sways, poly bushings throughout, NB Sport brakes with Carbotech XP10/8 F/R, 15x8 ET 20 wheels with 205/50 R888s.

Well, if I ever get out of restoration mode on the Miata, my plan was to add better shocks & springs (still undecided exactly on which ones), FM butterfly brace and better/bigger wheels. Oh, and some sort of uprated swaybars.

The rear of the car is already polybushed, the front one still needs doing but I was waiting until I had the suspension apart for the shock/spring change.