Does the answer have to be mx-5?

In reply to njansenv:

I just read in Motor Trend last night, "...even though the RX-8 has as much low-end torque as a roller skate..." I LoL'd when i read that.

The RX-8 is one of those cars that just shouldn't have ever happened.

I WHOLEHEARTEDLY disagree.

I think the RX8 is pretty awesome.

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: Suspension-wise it has stiffer/lower stuff that works really well on the street but everyone pretty much replaces with aftermarket spring/damper/swaybars anyway. All it usually needs is to have the bushings and dampers freshened to be more competent than most cars ever hope to be.

That's the tough thing with trying to mod an M3. Aside from freshening it up with bushings and struts, it's tough to make it an all-around better car. You can go with heavier springs/shocks and camber plates to make it more track/auto-x capable, but it is hard to improve on for a street/performance car.

As for the RX-8, my girlfriend has one and it's awesome. Pushed our buttons better than a Mustang and GTO (she was looking for $15k, 4 seat, RWD) in every way except for low RPM-noise. That is made up for by stupid grins and fizzy sensation when it climbs above 7,000RPM. I don't think you're getting one for your budget though, at least not that I'd buy.

I'm not an RX-8 fan either, but I know their supporters love them.

If you insist on RWD, and handling is a priority, the answer really is MX-5. If you want an older car, MKII MR2 is a good option. Mustang is always a bang for the buck bargain, and will handle well with some mods.

If you need/want a back seat that is not adult abuse, the RX-8 is awesome. If you don't, the MX-5 is more bang/buck.

It's my understanding that the Mk II MR2 is really more "tourer" than "sports car". And, really, who would want one with a 5SFE? Ugh. If they were gonna drop a Camry motor in it for the base model, it should've been the V6.

I was really underwhelmed by the RX-8. A turbo would have fixed that but it didn't have the sports car feel that even my 85 RX-7 had.

I like my RX-8. And as for low rpm noise I have had it pointed out that at certain throttle positions it sounds like the cars that the Jetsons used. I notice it now as well.

My vote goes for 240SX or M3. The problem with the 240SX is that one in good shape is near impossible to find. It's fairly easy to find a reasonably well kept M3 for $7k.

link

This has my attention. It has everything I want except the 12" sub and gas cap.

Insane link length.

Is that turbo or fake intercooler?

Pretty sure it a fake.

ThePhranc wrote: link This has my attention. It has everything I want except the 12" sub and gas cap. Insane link length.

That is an excellent example of how to throw money at an M3 to make it worse.

That intake, for example. The stock location takes cool air from an intake low on the front bumper. They somehow thought it would be better to draw air from right behind the radiator.

They put on larger wheels with stretched tires on them. Hella flush, y0.

"SpeedProportional Power Steering." Wait... what? Why? Was the factory steering somehow insufficient? Or did they mess something up and have to replace it with the cheapest alternative they can find? I can tell you that the power steering on my M Coupe was the best I ever found. Just enough steering boost. Great feedback.

Salanis wrote:

ThePhranc wrote: link This has my attention. It has everything I want except the 12" sub and gas cap. Insane link length.

That is an excellent example of how to throw money at an M3 to make it worse. That intake, for example. The stock location takes cool air from an intake low on the front bumper. They somehow thought it would be better to draw air from right behind the radiator. They put on larger wheels with stretched tires on them. Hella flush, y0. "SpeedProportional Power Steering." Wait... what? Why? Was the factory steering somehow insufficient? Or did they mess something up and have to replace it with the cheapest alternative they can find? I can tell you that the power steering on my M Coupe was the best I ever found. Not too much steering boost. Great feedback. That isn't a fake intercooler so much as an aftermarket radiator that they somehow weren't able to fit into the stock location.

Thats the kinda feed back I need. For the tires I don't think they would last a week if I bought it. Short rams do suck.

Is the power steering an upgrade, downgrade, factory option?

The intercooler doesn't look like it sit on the same plane as the radiator.

How does the rest of the mod list sound? I don't mind changing so things out.

I have no idea what that power steering is. It's not a factory option. I can't imagine too many ways to improve the steering on an M3 unless you wanted to spend gratuitous amounts of money for a custom rack with the perfect steering rate for track use. Somehow, I doubt this guy did that.

Pretty much everything is iffy.

Like, why does it only have adjustable coilovers up front? Why not all the way around?

Actually. I wouldn't be surprised if he'd hit something with the front of the car and then used the opportunity to rice out the car. New front end, new steering rack, new front sway bar, new radiator, new air box, new body kit...

You want an E36 M3 with new bushings, springs, shocks, and maybe sway bar. This has shocks done, springs I bet add look and detract performance, and a questionable sway bar. Not enough on your list to add up to what it would cost you to do it yourself and know it was done right. And you get a car not owned by a flat-brimmer.

Thanks for that slap in the face, I needed it? This is why it took so long for me to pick my MX-6. I'd find a car and friends would tell me why it sucked.

Whats a "flat-brimmer"?

Not trying to be a dick. But there's a lot of stuff that's weird at best, questionable at worst, and very little that is actually an improvement.

I think you're better off buying an unmolested car for $5k-$7k and spending the money to be sure it has the mods that you want done the way you want them.

Flat brimmer:

Guy (usually younger) who wears an overpriced hat with a flat (unbent) brim. He probably wears it sideways with at least one sticker still on it from when it was purchased. Basically a d-bag without money. They have begun to realize that E36 M3s don't cost much more than ricer cars.

Your not being a dick I really appreciate it. The "?" was meant to be a "." after "I needed it"

Flat brimmer....... It's the antithesis of what I am.

ThePhranc wrote: I was really underwhelmed by the RX-8. A turbo would have fixed that but it didn't have the sports car feel that even my 85 RX-7 had.

The RX-8 feels more like a sports car than any first gen (or second gen) RX-7 ever made. The FB is more fun in that "old car" sort of way. The RX-8 feels very much like a base model Cayman, as far as handling and such goes. It's really doesn't even feel that much slower, if you're not afraid to rev it out. And who buys an RX-8 to not rev it out?

Chrysler Crossfire?

LoL, im such a loser. When i looked at the M3 my first two thoughts were: 1.) "Oh, carbon fiber front splitters. Never seen that on an M3." 2.) "Hm. It'd look better if that tow hook was anodized."

ThePhranc wrote: Chrysler Crossfire?

One of my co-workers (who has done a great amount of racing) did a Dodge track day with the Viper club as an instructor and Dodge brought a Viper, Crossfire SRT6 and 300C SRT8. The SRT6 ended up being the fastest of those stock cars around that track and he says it is a lot of fun but it is auto only.

I was looking at manual base models. They are at the very edge of my 10k spending limit. That leaves me no room to mod it anytime soon. I love how they look just not sure about buying a Mercedes Benz. Does it have MB repair costs?