What car/ VS/ long meandering post

This is really just a thought exorcise and to see if the hive thinks I'm on the right thought process.

I've been doing a lot of thinking about what my next car should be. I've really been trying to determine what I truly need versus what I want. What I really want doesn't fit my situation at all and I'm going to have to make some compromises. I've decided to break it down into four categories and try to find something I can live with. Needs, preferences, things I will not compromise on and things I will compromise on.

The cars main role will be to occasionally pick my son up from school and commute to work on the five or so days a year that the weather is too bad to ride my bike in. The bike will still be my main mode of transportation, if I need to pick the boy up I'll go home and get the car after work. Also I would like to attend the occasional rallycross and possible autocross, although the car will remain by and large in stock condition, I don't plan to build anything to fit any particular class. It will just be for fun, not competitive. I'm looking for a clean original car, not a project. I don't mind a little catching up on maintenance, or replacing wear items, but the body will be in good shape with good paint. The interior will be clean and not trashed. I'm looking at a max budget of about 4k.

Needs.

Minimum of two seats. And, uh, that's about it. Ideally, I would want a car that I have some kind of emotional attraction to. However, it will most likely have to be parked on the street, my neighbors new truck has been side swiped twice sitting out front so I don't want something that will break my heart if it gets hit.

Preferences

I would prefer to have something RWD. I would prefer to have no more than two doors.

Things I will not compromise on

No Fords. No convertibles.

Things I will compromise on

I've decided that I can live with having a FWD car if it's not four door, and correspondingly, I can live with a four door if it's not FWD.

So I've been finding a lot of things on CL that would work, but, I've been wanting a small hatchback. I've always looked at the original GTI as being something special. But, I think at this point anything I could find would be too much of a project than what I'm looking for, and I would feel terrible about having it sitting on the street.

I did find these two for very similar money.

07 Accent

07 Yaris

Both of these I think I could live with.

Anything else that I should be looking for?

RX-8?

In reply to clutchsmoke:

Can I trust a $4k one? I test drove one about six years ago but there was something about that particular car that warned me off.

I would recommend a focus svt if it wasn't for your no ford rule. Otherwise, um maybe a ep (?)civic si hatch whatever those years were. I'm not sure what decent ones go for though

In reply to nepa03focus:

There are a couple decent civic si's that are not molested from the early 90's for around $3500 or so. Also some CRX's too. But I'm afraid of those turning into too much temptation to become a project. I think sticking with stuff that don't have much or any of an aftermarket will help me leave it alone.

I think the 2007 Accent GT might be the only year for that model with four wheel discs. What about an AWD late 90's Subaru Outback Sport/Impreza wagon, mileage will likely be sky high by though.

In reply to GTwannaB:

Those are very rare on the ground here in central Texas. There are very few Subarus of any kind around. I certainly wouldn't mind one but I'm also a little leery of there reliability mainly due to the reports on here about them.

I think you're on the right track. Maybe add Colbalt/G5 coupe:

But, since I hear GRM has to ignore your criteria, here is your car:

The 2.2Ls and 1.8Ls in the 90's Imprezas are supposed to be pretty solid. The 2.5L of that era are the ones the head gasket issues, but those were not in that era Imprezas. Four door rule breakers would be small FWD wagons - Protege5 or Specra5.

Example:

G5 Coupe, stick, $4875 http://pensacola.craigslist.org/ctd/5229415199.html

Assuming your son is old enough to ride in the front seat?

The accents of that era and back to say 2001-ish are good cars. They handle acceptable well and have a bit of character to them. No experience with the later cars.

In reply to skierd:

He'll be eight next week. He is tall enough to not need a booster seat but is under the weight limit so he is still in one. I don't have any problems with him in the front seat, I don't know what the law would say. But the route from his school to home is all neighborhood roads.

In reply to GTwannaB:

Wagons get a pass because I like wagons

Wagons are cool right?

400+ hp AWD wagon

In reply to Nick (Not-Stig) Comstock:

My '07 Accent has survived my abuse quite well, and a $40 eBay intake really wakes it up.

I think an E36 or New Edge Mustang would fit the bill. Just because there's an aftermarket doesn't mean you need to tap into it.

It looks like you're trying to stay new, though you don't explicitly say so.

How about an Acura RSX or an F-body? 1st gen Insight? Dodge Magnum? MINI?

In reply to dj06482:

It is beyond my power to resist such temptations. Seriously, I have zero self control with a vehicle. The problem with an E36 and to some extent the RX-8 suggestion is that I really like them. I would eventually end up with a full on prepared race car, and I would be super paranoid about leaving it out on the street. I know it sounds weird to normal people but it would be much better for me to try and stick with something I can tolerate vs. something I really like. I'd be much less likely to go ape E36 M3 crazy with it and end up divorced and homeless.

As for the Mustang suggestion, give me a GM F-body any day. But again, that is something I really want and would be compelled to make the car perfect. Who would spend $40k on a $2500 firebird? This guy, that's who

Mike wrote: It looks like you're trying to stay new, though you don't explicitly say so. How about an Acura RSX or an F-body? 1st gen Insight? Dodge Magnum? MINI?

RSX may work. The main reason for trying to stay newish is that I really have no desire, or time, or space for a project. I'm thinking something that I can just throw oil, gas, brakes, and tires at and go have fun without worrying about rebuilding the entire thing. And will be reliable enough to do standard street duty when called upon.

What about a small truck like an S-10, Tacoma, Ranger or Hardbody?

They're RWD, manual transmission versions are plentiful, they're easy to work on, cheap to insure, can get decent fuel economy, and are capable of doing light duty truck things when the need comes up. They're all over the place, so getting replacement parts should be cheap and easy too if you run into a problem, and they're nothing special or rare, so you wouldn't feel bad leaving it on the street. Should be able to find a pretty nice one with your budget too.

Protege5 is a good one. So is the Acura RSX. Both are fun to drive, reliable, and getting pretty cheap these days.

But since this is GRM, how 'bout a p71?

Might I suggest a 2003+ Celica GT? 36mpg hwy, no maintenance timing chain, drinks regular 87 gas, light, fun to drive. The 2003+ had the redesigned pistons so you don't have to worry about it drinking oil almost as fast as gas.

If you really want RWD, then I would suggest an E46 Coupe.

If RX8 is too tempting then I vote RSX.

In reply to clutchsmoke:

Is an RX-8 too low for rally cross?

GTwannaB wrote: I think the 2007 Accent GT might be the only year for that model with four wheel discs.

This isn't a bad idea. They're not terrible, I see at least a couple of them around Houston so they must have sold some, and you will be able to park it on the street and RX it without feeling even a little bit bad.