Best 'starter' quick vehicle
 

Hey folks,
So here is how I stand, I currently own a 91 Toyota Pickup and I am kind of tired of driving it around. I am hoping to get into a cheapish, quick car that's reliable. I have been looking at Toyota because that is what I know, however I am wondering what you guys think is the best performing stock motor. My budget would be somewhere around $3500 for a full vehicle, so keep that in mind if possible.

I have heard that the 5mge is a fairly strong motor, but i'd like to get your opinions on what you think the best options are. I like the look of older style vehicles, much like Cressida's.

So, if your interested in giving me your input fire away! Cheers and thanks for your time!

Perhaps the Mark III Supra turbo.

Mustang GT

Well look at what we have here, a low km Mark III Supra Turbo:
http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/va...242372799.html

^THAT!

90-93 integra. I love the body lines and the more boxy look of the older integras. Theres 270k miles on the clock right now on mine and still runs good.

MKIII supras if they headgasket have been replaced.

you should be able to get a later 94+ integra GSR for around that price.. maybe even swapped civics.

with 3500 you should be able to get a gem of a cressida.. or even a clean ae86.

Stock RPS13 1989-1992 Nissan 240SX... stock ones hare the KA24DE truck engine... those are known to go up to 350,000KM just make sure regular maintence are done properly..and the car should pull strong easily...

or what the ^ said.. AE86 !!!!! corolla GTS

http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/rc...242211302.html

Not a manual, but its low kms. Looks good for its price.

reliable? cheap? quick?

honda crx si.

+1 to this too

i've had 3 mark III supras..
make sure that headgasket has been done and they have receipts to back it up, targa tops love to leak, transmission's get sloppy over 200k, and chances are the turbo is worn out, the engines love to knock on startup, and they are HEAVY.

fun cars though, i'd buy another. :)

want to sell your yota pickup? is it a 4x4?

handling>power, especially with these new speeding rules here. You dont want anything that will encourage you to loose your license and get ridiculous fines (not saying you will).

I dont think people will agree with my suggestion, but how about an introduction to the bmw world. Reliability, yes its not toyota or honda, but some of the older well sorted models can be quite reliable and they are enjoyable to own.

Chasis' to look at:

E30 3-series
E36 3-series

both good chasis'. E30 is older and has more character. E36 is more aftermarket ready, and is much more rust proofed. With a proper PPI and a good one pops up. They are a great vehicle to own and drive if your looking for a sporty type of vehicle. They are decently quick too, but bmw's always been about handling.

Just my $0.02.

1991/92 VW GTI 2.0L. It's not the quickest car out there, but the engine is virtually bulletproof and the car is light enough that it's relatively quick. Plus they tend to handle quite well, especially with minimal suspension mods.

My 1987 Celica GT-S went 438xxx KM (all original) with a 3SGE (would've been a lot longer, but I was 16 and it had a lot of k's), and my current 1992 Celica GT-S with a 5SFE has 305xxx and is still going strong.

I'll actually be selling it soon, zero rust and it would fit under your budget...

+1 for the mark III supra.

And common don't tell a guy who doesn't have a lot of money to get a 10, 20 year old used euro car.

89 civic auto

An RPS13 technically refers only to a 180sx in that the R signifies the hatchback model, while the P is for turbo. An NA-spec 240sx IIRC is either an RHS13 or RMS13. No R for the coupe obviously.

On the OP's topic though, do up an X8 with the Supra's 7mgte!
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Ok, wow... never thought I would get that much feedback. Im gonna start by saying thanks to all of you for your help on that question, so here is where I stand. Give me any feed back you would like.

I am leaning towards a rear wheel drive car because I am thinking about getting into sliding eventually. If there's any big benefits to a front wheel drive car that I could be missing let me know, but as far as i know less moving parts = less power loss and more reliability.

Id prefer to stick with an import vehicle. Domestic parts are cheaper, but I am hard pressed to find a domestic car i actually like. Foxbody/Mustangs are nice, but I cannot justify a 5L motor.

Im trying to decide on if I want turbo or not. I know it would put a massive smile on my face, however I am worried that all the extra parts could cost me a lot in the long run compared to a non turbo motor. I am leaning towards a Supra, as they will probably be the 5mge motor. From my readings the 5mge's head gasket is less prone to going compared to the 7mge, but I could be incorrect.

Id like to stay away from BMW. Eventually I want to get a new M3 (big dreams) but I know they are expensive to run and want to stay away from that. I know it all plays into how much you beat it, but if BMW is known for costing more off the top im not game :P

So here is my revised list from cheap, reliable, and fast.
-relatively quick but good handling
-around the 3500-4500$ price range
-mechanically reliable engine (no known problems)

The mk3 supra is starting to look like a very good potion. Everyone is saying make sure the head gasket is done as you wont want to do it, that will be one thing I will look at for sure. I've also read about the ACIS system, and I dont know what to think about that. Any idea's?

Targa top will not be in my arsenal. I admit, it would be nice to be topless in the summer time, but id prefer to not have to deal with leaky roofs and stinky interiors.

So the big question is 5mge, or 7mgte? Do i foot the extra initial cost for a turbo 7m or just stick with the 5m motor?

On a completely separate note Renthal noted that the supra is heavy and the transmissions get sloppy. Compared to its own weight from stock does it still feel peppy? How much work is involved in changing or repairing the transmission?

And even more off topic, the Corolla Ae86 has been a dream car of mine for a while but I'm not sure the girlfriend would rock out in it with me. What are your guys thoughts on the 4A-GE motor? This looks like a great option > http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/bn...236604262.html

For those of you who asked I will be selling my Toyota, but not 100% sure when and for how much. I may invest some more minor money to fix a couple small problems or just dump it. I will keep you posted.
Cheers and thanks again for your time!!!

disregard females.
acquire currency.

who is paying for it? you.
get what you want... just a paint job and it'll look fine.

but my vote goes for the MKIII Supra also.

The amount of win in that post is immense. :fullofwin:

I would get this except their horrible in the snow.
1995 Nissan 240SX - $4300
http://images.craigslist.org/3ka3pa3...abd1e012dd.jpg
http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/rd...261013841.html

Since the Mustang didn't suit the bill, I'd suggest a 240SX. Not nearly as cheap & fast, but handles, is reliable, and has ridiculous aftermarket support.

So, options wise I could go with a 240 or a Supra.
The mk3 Supra would probably have more power with the 5m compared to a sr20 240, but the weight would be the toss up.
Any insight?

I've been in the 240 scene since 04, and I'd think it be pretty tough to find a reliable SR240 given your budget. THe one I currently own now was bought in 2005, no rust low km motor about 170,000 KM, stock everything paid about $4500 then. After about 6 years rust has started to form on the strut towers and rear rocker panels, common for 240s.

So if you do decide on 240s I'd suggest to be a bit more patient and pick out a nicer one. Also seeing the kind of work being done on 240's I'd be especially weary if you were getting one with an engine swap make sure it runs proper and wiring is done correctly, there are way too many back yard swaps with patch jobs.