I want a newer car, lend your opinions!

[WagDatto]

So I love my wagon, don't get me wrong. I drive it every day, and it's never given me an issue (knock on wood!). However, I just want something clean, newer, reliable but fun to drive to and from work... There are things I want to do to the Boso Goon that require taking it off the road for a while... Clutch needs doing, swap in the KA-R with new tranny, get that all tuned and running, rear flares, IRS swap, etc, etc... It's time for something else to drive!

 

My plan was always to snag a early Z car and drive that while the wagon is under the knife. However, if I get another Datsun, ESPECIALLY a Z car, I'm going to take IT off the road, too!! I don't want another potential project to the extreme I've already started dreaming of, I want something that can get me to-and-from work, be a great, fun car and still have SOME aftermarket possibilities out there to zazz it up a touch.

 

I've been thinking of these:

 

Subaru WRX - Can snag them at around $8000, good cars, tons of aftermarket, but they're newer and look awesome stock.

Mitsubishi Evolution - Again, same perks as the WRX, BUT it's much more expensive.

90's BMW/Mercedes - Cheap, great styling, handle and drive well, plenty of support, easy to maintain alone.

S14 240sx - Lower on my list... Pricey for what it is, gets a bad wrap with police. But it's familiar and has plenty of cheap aftermarket stuff.

350z - Expensive, even on the cheap end of them. Keeps it Nissan, though, sounds great, turns heads, very new car.

 

Any car I get, I'll be taking out a loan for. I want to build my credit up, and an affordable car fits my budget well. I'm not looking to buy tomorrow, or even next month. I am, however, looking in the next few months to have a choice nailed down and find my new car.

 

What do you guys suggest? I'm staying away from Honda/Acura all together, regardless of "how reliable and cheap" they are. I'd love to keep it Nissan, but I really don't think there's enough out there that fits the RWD/AWD aspect and is in my price range from them. Honestly, I've been leaning heavily to the WRX, as it fits about everything I want, is on the cheaper end if I'm looking at 03-05 and stay away from STI's and are readily available to snag.... Plus I can get one in Wagon form!

 

Any other cars I should look into? Any feedback on the cars I've listed?

[Skib]

what about some of the newer Nissan/Infinity 4 doors?

[WagDatto]

I'd love a G35, but price tags kill me... I don't want to spend MUCH, if any above 10k. By "newer" I'm emphasizing the "ER" at the end. early 2000's, and 90's cars. Not 70's...

[jdmbuddah]

U cant go wrong with a honda they are affordable and look nice! and parts are everywhere and cheap

Edited December 30, 2009 by jdmbuddah
didnt read the other posts

[Skib]

I'd love a G35, but price tags kill me... I don't want to spend MUCH, if any above 10k. By "newer" I'm emphasizing the "ER" at the end. early 2000's, and 90's cars. Not 70's...

 

90's Maxima, Altima and Sentra should be able to be found under 10k

[HRH]

Screw the Germans! No Barvarian Money Wasters! Then you will become a snob. A snob with a nice car, but also very expensive to fix. Stay away from Mitsu too. Brake job on the Evos is around $1000. Yuck. Napa doesn't have rotors for it. Uber-expensive, though I like the older Evos a lot.

 

I'd say the WRX or Legacy GT is your best bet. The GT versions are 60 rear, 40 front, they're darn fun, only 250 hp, but still plenty. I think the WRX is 50/50? I drove a wagon GT back in 2004ish and it throttle steered just like a Datsun, but with a little more grip.

 

Or you could go with a '97 hardbody extended cab 4x4. Last year of the hardbodies, hence newest. Sweeeet! Although (and I'm not fully ready to admit this) I'd go with the V6, because even though the KA is bulletproof and much easier to work on, the V6 will have more power and still get better mileage. :(

Edited December 30, 2009 by HRH

[Str8_69]

If you've got the coin and want the best of both worlds, I'd go with the WRX, for all the reasons you mentioned. My cousin has one and friggin loves it.

[WagDatto]

No on the FWD. No on the Hondas. They're cheap little cars, sure. They run for a long time, yeah. They're put together like only the finest glue and plastic pieces can be... I owned a Civic and didn't like it. Not peppy, not sporty, not cool, not going to buy one.

 

I'd consider a truck, and honestly it might be something I look into more... Newer Tacomas are pretty neat looking, and I couldn't argue with something like a Fronteir, either. I'd consider it, but I'm still looking more toward a car.

[NorCalDime]

wrx... ive always wanted one.

 

Im sure steve will chime in about a wrx and an evo since he has experience with both.

[INDY510]

I am 6'5" and have sat in most of the cars you are looking at.

 

The 350z has no leg room and the seat doesn't really go back.......

WRX is VERY small......and has NO leg room........heater controls hit my knees when the seat is all the way back,

 

My problem with the WRX is: why spend that much $ when you can get a 350z for another $2k?

 

The G35 has great leg room....and the seat fully reclines.............but I can't afford it

 

You really need to go sit in every car you are looking into

Because you look like a big guy (no offense)

 

I sat in 20 different cars and could not find ONE with enough leg room to keep my knees off the dashboard

510's have great leg room...........

[I'm BLUE]

wrx are great cars just expect to do headgaskets on the boxer 2.5 liter engines in general (2.2's don't have the headgasket failure as near as frequently). Had a brother that worked on them at the dealership for 4 years , another brother that is a tech for volvo/lexus. I owned a 2.2 liter legacy that has 180K now (brother owns it) , still going strong ! I think subaru's are easy to work on in general. Gooooooood cars just research emmm. AWD auto trannys are heavy as FUDGE !!! But the picture changes quickly if you can do headgaskets !

[WagDatto]

I am 6'5" and have sat in most of the cars you are looking at.

 

The 350z has no leg room and the seat doesn't really go back.......

WRX is VERY small......and has NO leg room........heater controls hit my knees when the seat is all the way back,

 

My problem with the WRX is: why spend that much $ when you can get a 350z for another $2k?

 

The G35 has great leg room....and the seat fully reclines.............but I can't afford it

 

You really need to go sit in every car you are looking into

Because you look like a big guy (no offense)

 

I sat in 20 different cars and could not find ONE with enough leg room to keep my knees off the dashboard

510's have great leg room...........

 

Thanks for the input! I am a bigger guy, 6'3 and bulky. My legs aren't crazy long, though. A Miata is too small for me, but I've sat in a WRX and Evo before and not had any issues. G35's are the same story, too, but as you said are much roomier. I haven't sat in a 350z, but honestly... Not something I'm really in love with anyway. Not a huge fan of the style or the price tag... but I do like the motor and the sound.

[greybeard]

Brakes on the Sub won't be cheap.

 

if you look at the cost of ownership over X years. then the german cars start to look real good. BMW 3 series are some of the best cars out there.

 

fun to drive, bullet proof, easy to fix and great resale value, + lots of aftermarket support. Like a 510, but better.*:eek:

[WagDatto]

That's kind of what I was thinking from BMW, is a decent looking 325i or something. Relatively cheap to obtain and maintain. I love the look of the E30 style Biimers, but even some of the newer models are damn sexy...

[DRIVEN]

IS300. If you've never driven one, at least take a test drive.

Avoid the German stuff. You'll spend more on the maint. even if you turn your own wrenches. Parts are stupid spendy.

[greybeard]

Yep,

 

E30 325is is one of the best BMW's made, and can be made about as fast as a E30 M3 with a little work.

 

I also love the way they look, and can be bought for a song.

 

I'm looking at selling my MBZ C230 now and picking up an E30 5 speed 4 door.

[INDY510]

IS300 has good leg room.........lots of power......handles okay

But has a timing belt instead of timing chain............and the belt needs to be replaced around 85k miles

 

the G35 4 door was 100 times more fun to drive..........and was WAY better in the corners.....

also had more power..............and the steering is really tight on the G35........which felt really solid and safe

[INDY510]

I hate automatic cars....

 

The IS300 has FAKE, cheesy paddle shifters.........you push the up-shift button then wait 2.5 seconds for the car to shift

 

The G35 auto-shift is 100 times faster and more fun.............it shifts instantly........no need to wait 2.5 seconds

[I'm BLUE]

Brakes on the Sub won't be cheap.

 

if you look at the cost of ownership over X years. then the german cars start to look real good. BMW 3 series are some of the best cars out there.

 

fun to drive, bullet proof, easy to fix and great resale value, + lots of aftermarket support. Like a 510, but better.*:eek:

 

Are you reffering to aftermarket upgrade brakes ? ( then I honestly do not know ? ) As far as doing your own stock brake pad replacement , no more than $60 front and rear pads if you do them yourself. $80-$90 for a little nicer ones ( that don'y eat out the rotors ) Disc brake pads are fairly simple to do yourself ( no more than 45 minutes all 4 wheels experienced and on the road again ) Just a thought ( I have never taken my brakes to get done , since I am a cheap bastard )

[WagDatto]

Why is a brake job someone people freak out about?! I'll be commuting about 30 minutes to-and-from work, as well as the regular "around town" stuff, and I'll be swapping driving with my 510. I'll be doing brakes... less than once a year? If I have to spend $100 in brake pads per year, it's not THAT much money to drop on general maintenance... Only thing that could be expensive is rotors and calipers, but again... how often am I really going to be replacing those unless I do something wrong?!

 

The expensive repairs are the ones where my car brakes down mysteriously and won't start... require towing... require 3 days labor to figure out, then replace a starter or something retarded but costs a lot. I'm just looking for something reliable, isn't made by Honda, has RWD or AWD, is cool and fun.

 

I'd consider a Lexus, I totally forgot to even think about them. My buddy in HS had a IS300, love the look of them! Rad little cars, and sound pretty good with a decent intake/exhaust.

[Guest kamakazi620]

WRX!!! If i had the money I'd get one too

[greybeard]

Yep, but that IS300 or G35 is going to be much harder to diagnose that an E30 BMW.

 

I also do my own brakes, just saying a WRX will use brakes much faster than a 510, it's just an example of the costs of running

this type of car.

 

Price an IS300 trans, a WRX trans and an E30 trans.

 

Thats all I'm saying

[MicroMachinery]

Some guy was on here not too long ago w/ an SE-R sentra. Looked pretty nice and he wanted $1k for it. SR20... Oh yeah.. they are FWD.. :blink:

[WagDatto]

Sentra is out. Some of the FWD cars are cool, but no dice!

[MAG58]

I vote BMW/MBZ.

 

I have little experience with the former (only the people that are entirely too passionate about them), so I'll stick to the latter?

 

What size car are you looking for?

If you want something small perhaps a 190e? The 2.6 is every bit as fast as the E30 325i and imo it handles a smidge better (better rear suspension design) and they can be had for quite a bunch less last I checked. The Cosworth cars are decent E30M3 fighters at half the cost, and while not quite as fast in 100% stock form, have more practicality. You can get the 190e's in 5 speed offerings as well.

 

If you're looking for something a little larger, Perhaps a W124 e class? They hustle and handle really well, and for that price you might be even able to find a 500e which was built and designed (to an extent) by porsche. Otherwise even the M104 cars hustle pretty well and are perfectly comfortable hauling down the highway with a family at 100+mph for years at a time. The W124 can also be had in 2 door or 4 door flavors depending on where your allegiances lie.

Penny for your thoughts? 300CE

 

Either one shouldn't let you down for years to come and literally tons can be had in your price range. If you're worried about reliability, there are multiple 190e's on the rev pushing 300k still being dd's on a factory original drivetrain, and the W124's are even more renown for their reliability. They're also a bit easier to work on than the tupperware party that is the modern engine bay.