streckfu's

Back on topic:

I'd like to vote for the Mazda RX-7 turbo II but reliability keeps it from my list. When they work, I really like the -7.

The VW Corrado is a good car. I don't thin VW made a 'bad' car but the Corrados are fun.

I can think of good fun cars all day long but I'm just not finding one that provides the same level of performance and build quality for the price. Those that come close are above the $10k threshold.

jaje

i'd eliminate most of those fwd cars as they are too heavy and have too big of an engine & drivetrain up front (understeer like mad)...if you want a good 5k or less sports car and fwd you are really talking a swapped or turbo'd lightweight honda or a older vw...i've seen crx's with a b20 cr-v motor bottom and an integra type r head hold its own on the straights with 911, vettes, nsxs, s/c mustang cobras...in the corners and braking the crx was in its own element and really displayed how weight plays such a key advantage in racing (then after taking a ride in several ita/its spec ones i became a believer and bought and drove one myself)...the 3000gt vr-4 is a quick car off corners and on straights but i've seen enought with overheated brakes, warped rotors, etc. by experienced owners to know that 3600+ and big top speeds are in incomplete package

for mustang cobras...the n/a ones from the mid 90s are pretty slow for their supposed pedigree...slow enough that i passed one on a straight at summit point in my protege5 wagon running only 5 psi (ah the look on the drivers face as he was looking for me in the pits!

mr2...they can be fast but such a nightmare to work on...a real good friend of mine had a newer turbo version but was exasperated at how poorly designed it was that even simplest maintenance was a 4-5 hour job

IMHO you want a real 5K or less sports car designed as a sports car and meant to be drive as one you have very few options outside of a 944

X 944 X

you have never been in one.... IIRC 270HP? and seriously, if you wanted to travel over 140mph, you couldnt find a way to remove the governer? there is a reason its on there... people shouldnt be doing 150+mph on regular roads! (or is that just a little too much common sense?) I have a 600 CBR rr which has of course surpased the 150mph mark with the proper place, however do i NEED to go over 140mph? the answer is no, and Id hate to expirement with the police and loosing my license with that speed on regular roads... when on the track would you EVER get to 140mph in your car?

its funny how inventive and creative the 944 crowd gets, but when it comes to another car the answer is always "well it doesnt do that from the factory"......right......

let me re-emphisize the fact i have driven a WIDE variety of "driver" cars... there is a reason i bought my porsche 944....
its not measured in miles per hour buddy.. its miles per smiles.... I could of bought anything I wanted in a sub 25k range... and what does that entail- the exact car we are talking about.. a RSX-S... for the money it sucks....
I have owned a 82 928, and my 83 944, i have driven 4 turbo's (that does include a turbo S which ... from the factory has got to be the most serious sports car I have ever been aside from a bentley GT -didnt drive, got to sit shotgun) which is a v12... I would prefer a 944 Turbo S over a mid 90's 911....

again, for what the car is its great, it is however a 15-22 year old car... i guess that just doesnt get through.. a mass produced STi (which lacks style IMHO) again for 30k now, VS your 50k at initial purchase... which is a better decision (not car, DECISION) i know id rather have the STI due to all wheel (i live in maryland, in the county we get some heavy snow) serious HP #'s, and its a blast to drive.... the reason I dont have one I cant bring myself to pay 5k a year just for insurance, when the porsche i pay 220 a year.....(liability only of course)


again, this brings me back to my final statement... I OWN a porsche because thats what I wanted, dont tell me I must not have experience with a 951 or any of these other crap lines... I love motorsports in general (streetbikes, ATV's, dirtbikes ect) and I bought a 944 because I didnt "settle" for something... I may have a physical condition now that prevents me from working on my own vehicles, but it doesnt mean i cant drive the **** out of them the way they were supposed to.... isnt that what its all about? a DRIVERS car?
no MASS PRODUCTION car is the definitive king of anything, because cant someone else come along and make something more efficient or better? its never ever apples to apples....

tifosiman

TRWright

Getting back on topic, I have a friend with a 1998 integra, and he has had it for about 5 years, and has around $40,000 into it, including the cost of the car. It is VERY clean looking, he is a big fan of the OEM look. The car has dynoed 650hp, and he runs a very conservative 500-550 on the track. This is a serious car. We were talking about cars 2 days ago, and while he said he loves the intregra, he will be picking up a new 3 series or c class this winter. He will probably have the integra forever, but NEVER own another asian car. I thought about him when I read this, because I test drove the RSX-S with him when it first came out. He was into how great HONDA was, and he just couldn't wait. Well, he hated the car almost as much as I did. Slow, annoying to drive, and after you see 2 or 3 of them with hacked up body kits and 20" wheels, it makes you think twice about wanting one. Honda is trying to appeal to the ricers with this car, and that is the bottom line. Anyone here see the civic nation commercial a while back?

JDeitz951

2005 Maxima 5-sp:
Horsepower : 265hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque : 255 lb-ft @ 4800 rpm
Redline : 6600 rpm

Top speed : 140 mph(electronically limited)
0-60 mph : 6.3 sec(manual)
0-¼ mile : 14.9 sec @ 95.8 mph

Stock '86 951
0-60 6.0
1/4-mi 14.5

----> Close but no cigar! Try again, sonny! Step right up, whose next?

streckfu's

Well, in yours.....never.
However, your car is a very capable track car that would actually better served to see some track time. Out of all the crap you're writing, you haven't mentioned once whether you have considered joining the PCA or SCCA for some track time. Have you done a track day with your CBR to learn to use the other 60% of it's capability?



Please include your 400 hp Acuras in this statement.

What else did you drive? Did you try a used WRX, etc. Oh yeah, the original post focused on sub $10k cars. That maeans you could have bought a turbo, a PCA membership, a helmet, and a DE with some gas money left over.


But settled for a NA while claiming to be able to afford anything under $25k.

So you're 18 then. Could you afford the $5k in insurance? Which leads to the purchase of the NA being a fincial choice even though you would prefer other cars. I may have respected you if you stated this upfront.

See above track comments. You expound safety above and then brag about driving the **** out of cars.

jaje

yummy - 3500lb overpowered fwd family sedans!

UDPride

This 944/Acura comparison is so stupid.

Heres how the Acura could win hands down as the better car to a 47yr old teacher making $42,000 a year.

1. Which car has the better stereo -- Acura
2. Which car is more reliable -- Acura
3. Which car will cost less to fix -- Acura
4. Which car has more room -- Acura
5. Which car will go better in the snow -- Acura
6. Which car is more comfortable and plush -- Acura
7. Which car has more standard features and options -- Acura
8. Which car is under warranty -- Acura
9. Which car is more fun to drive -- 944

To this guy, its a no brainer and a little less fun is no big deal, especially when hes stuck in traffic and cool as a cucumber while the 944 guy next to him has an engine melting because the thermostat broke in 90 degree heat and hes forced to run the heater at full blast to limp the car home. Or when hes changing a tire and the 944 guy behind him is changing a tire and having to pump up his friggin spare tire with some lameass concoction that probably wont work anyway.

Its all about perspective. Everything is better. And worse. Depending on whom you ask.

Z-man

Hey! I can't help it that I'm big boned!


-Z.

Legoland951

Oh that is so funny. I remember being the guy with the heater on driving to Vegas in 105 degree heat trying to keep the engine from melting. I rolled the window down and it came off the track so I had it down the whole way there until I got to an auto store to buy tools in order to perform onroad repairs in that heat. Unfortunately, my mother was in the car and she was 63 years old at that time so it was no fun. Talk about changing tires. Be honest, who actually has the air compressor in their car with an aluminum jack handle that's not bent?

Last time I checked, the 2005 Maxima is more than $10k. If its less, I go get one right now knowing in a head to head race at Willow Springs, I can beat the cr$p out of it with my 951. You can definitely tell by what they post who has been on a track or even around a track event. Don't buy into the marketing too much or believe in the published, heck, even dyno numbers. I have beaten many a cars with twice the horsepower in my 84 n/a (94 z28 camaro - 285 hp, 86 928S - 280hp, 92 mustang gt - 225+ hp, intercooled turbo 93 integra, etc). However, in the same event, I was passed by a 1976 Celica GT with rust on the body, a cage, and putting out blue smoke from the tail pipe like I was standing still. He went on to pass the stock 968 driving by Dwaine of Vision Motorsports.

My point is, stop reading those magazines and go drive the cars. 944/951s have their problems but for the money, it ranks up there overall.

streckfu's

I have non-OEM compressor and two cans of fix-a-flat. No spare and no jack so I probably just jinxed myself.....

SamGrant951

Ha, spare tire? who carries one of those? knocks on wood..

X 944 X

my point was that the 944 series is a great car, for under 10k there are other GREAT cars, there is no need to personaly try to shred someone strekfu... my finances have a lot to do with what I purchased... im 24, first time home OWNER, own 3 cars (2 older cars, 1 is the 944), 1 streetbike at the present time, 1 atv, 1 dirtbike, and small 26 bay cruiser to do some fishing with... sounds like I can do what I want, i just didnt NEED to spend my current reserve money on another car (or replace one until something goes wrong). Id like to have one but its not a wise decision for me currently..I could sell some of my other toys.. but than its a trade off... personaly you can have your little turbo boost, but untill you feel the power of a high reving, race replica sportbike with a power/weight ratio that decimates cars.. you still dont know "fast"
I had the acquired the 928 from a trade, and it was an expensive nightmare... the 944 is NOT compared to that particular car, and thats why I purchased one... at the age of 18... so 6 years later, i have went through SEVERAL cars, and the 944 is the one that has stood the test of time (with me not getting bored with the car because it does always amaze me how fun it is to drive). I have had track time with my bikes before (not the CBR RR yet this year) but have had 6+ bikes in my 8 years of street riding... from a ninja 500, interceptor 750, triumph daytona,FZR 6(precurser to the r6)
and as far as the insurance quote for 5k.. that again was for an STI.. not a wrx.. there is a big difference insuring the cars.. i am an insurance agent for Allst..e ---whatever you want to work up i can quote you in maryland... for a regular wrx it is 2k cheaper... same thing when i looked at a 03 cobra, they wanted 4700 for it per year... i am not having my 5 years of insurance payments total up to be the value of the car....to me that is not a smart move, and if youd like to be my guess... still could pass your 951 on a straight in a heartbeat on the RR bro..

also as far as my finances go.. i am self employeed, and work on 100% commission.. the first 2-3 years of this were tough as nails when I aquired my 944... but now I get all the annual renewals+first year buisness ect ect... i certainly could replace my 944 with a turbo, than i could drop the 10k+ in it like i did the 944 and mod it out to beat yours... if thats what i cared about.. i dont, i care about enjoying the vehicles I have.. and if yours is better, guess what? GOOD.. i was just offering opinions on OTHER cars I see a good value in as far as a sports car.. dont take things out of context.. oh and on one last note.. if $$$ isnt as important to you as it is to me, ask yourself why you dont have a new 911 and just have a mid eighties sports car? because VALUE is important... thats why you bought a 951... its a great bang for the $$$... however im not replacing my NA 944

Legoland951

There is never a need to excuse yourself for being financially responsible. I think you did well X 944 X. Anyone who has ever been self employed and work 100% commission knows that 95 percent go bankrupt let alone being able to pay for a house. Every morning you wake up, you are broke all over again until you make another sale. I am glad those days are over Heck, I didn't get my first house until I was 29.