wazzuFreddo
WuTang is 4 the children
the cooling system is a wear item in a BMW. replace at 80k. 
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Fun, beater car for under $5k
- Thread starter jh2586
- Start date
channelcat
New member
I like maintenance records from the original owner, and a motivated seller.
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maxandgrinch
Acquired Taste
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2006
- Location
- Mt Crumpit
- Moto(s)
- Dog Powered Sleigh
- Name
- Banzooga
- BARF perks
- AMA #: 1048538
This one might be affordable now.
SM610
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 22, 2004
- Location
- former TL, Foothills now
- Moto(s)
- TTR 125 L, 08 WR250F, CRF230, CRF150F, Surron Ultra Bee, the little bikes are starting to pile up...
Wifey has a MR2 Spyder. One of the best handling little go karts I've ever driven. One time I met some buddies at a bar on S. Van Ness, and as I pulled away with the top down, I yelled to them "IM NOT GAY!!" About 10 people seated outside with them yelled back "YES YOU ARE!!!"
No one mentioned DSM?! 5k buys a lot of DSM (eclipse, talon and laser)
my list in addition to mentioned:
DSM
RSX-S
Civic SI (EM1/EP3)
swapped civic (H-series/K-series only others i wouldn't bother with)
Prelude (SH preferred)
540i manual if you can find a good one
240sx
swapped pre-1975 240/260z
swapped pre-1975 datsun 510 variants
swapped AE86 corollas
SC300 manual if you can find one
my list in addition to mentioned:
DSM
RSX-S
Civic SI (EM1/EP3)
swapped civic (H-series/K-series only others i wouldn't bother with)
Prelude (SH preferred)
540i manual if you can find a good one
240sx
swapped pre-1975 240/260z
swapped pre-1975 datsun 510 variants
swapped AE86 corollas
SC300 manual if you can find one
JN396
PODRACER
This is hilarious as I was in the same predicament and spent a month searching on CL before finding my beater / fun / auto-x car. I also vote miata as you cannot beat getting a rear wheel drive, low slung, awesome / fun handling (due to the car having a curb weight of only 2100 lbs) for less than 5k. I drive an e46 m3 and I find the miata more fun to drive as I'm always on it all the time. (sorry bmw fanbois lol) Eventually I'd like to shoehorn a LS7 with a os giken diff for track duty! (flyin' miata) If you get a 1st gen miata, go with a 94-97 as they have the 1.8L vs 1.6 engine in the earlier models & torsen differential vs vicious / open (like in mine). I got a 1992 b/c I got a super good deal on it and eventually, i'll be doing an engine / drivetrain swap down the road.
how bout the BattleJag?
NO= cooling systems are bad news. the factory doesn't even have upgraded parts for the ones that will fail. it's ridiculous because they're a hoot do drive.
dreaming= datos have been fucked by the Leno Effect and some other recent publicity, especially the Z and 510 variants. 5k gets you a rusty shell with no interior and an engine that burns as much oil as gasoline. at least around here... deals can be found in oregon and washington but they'll still need work to be daily driveable. i wanted a 521 truck for ages, finally ended up with a 74 ford courier which was actually very similar and WAY cheaper because of no Brand Name Tax. it was a mazda b1800 under the skin
Reli
Well-known member
Bolded are the best / funnest
RSX-S for under $5K? Doubt it
Civics? Only if you're under 25
DSM's? most have so many mods it'd take 2 days to figure out what was done to them, and then you'd have to trust the work.
240SX yes, but not sure I'd call that fun without substantial engine mods.
BMW, no.........stay away
SC300, interesting, but only if you like cars that look like a worn bar of soap
Really this question depends on how much time and $ the OP is willing to spend on upkeep.
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Cycle61
What the shit is this...
The BattleJag was actually a freebie, and every bit as reliable as you'd expect a 20 year old british touring car to be.
But damn, did I have some fun with that boat.
Would not trust them any further than I could throw them unless I knew the owner and its history very well.
MrIncredible
Is fintastic
stan23
Well-known member
That's really what I was trying to make a point of.
I give up.
Reli
Well-known member
The Celica has absolutely no torque until 4K or so, and it's loud and buzzy
RX8 is way better in every aspect except fuel economy (most owners report only 15-20 mpg).
stan23
Well-known member
Jeff - I would think seriously at a Miata. I haven't driven one in years, much less a well setup one, but it seems like it would be perfect for what you are after.
Another thing to consider. I've owned several GSRs that I used to autocross. They are pretty bulletproof and very fun with some cheap suspension mods. Only problem is -- finding one that isn't riced out.
Another thing to consider. I've owned several GSRs that I used to autocross. They are pretty bulletproof and very fun with some cheap suspension mods. Only problem is -- finding one that isn't riced out.
Reli
Well-known member
What year Prelude was it, what were its flaws when you bought it, and how did you find it?
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Cycle61
What the shit is this...
1992. Non-VTEC. When I bought it the AC didn't work (bad compressor and it had been changed over to a non-AC serpentine belt) and the tires were near end of service life. Car had 188k on the clock. It was from Oregon, so rust was a possibility, but I never found any. I paid $2200 to a guy here on barf.
http://www.bayarearidersforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=385309
Only issues I had with it in the next 100,000 miles:
Replaced all four brake calipers after one seized. ($250)
Replaced clutch master and slave cylinders. ($130)
Replaced brake rotors and pads. ($150)
Replaced rear wheel bearings. ($75)
Speed sensor failed, caused cruise control to stop working. ($100)
So other than tires and oil changes, $700 in upkeep over 100k miles.
And then a girl made a blind left turn in front of me on Pescadero road, I hit the side of her Accord at 45mph, and walked away unhurt but irritated at the loss of one of the best cars I've ever had.
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stan23
Well-known member
1992. Non-VTEC. When I bought it the AC didn't work (bad compressor and it had been changed over to a non-AC serpentine belt) and the tires were near end of service life. Car had 188k on the clock. It was from Oregon, so rust was a possibility, but I never found any. I paid $2200 to a guy here on barf.
http://www.bayarearidersforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=385309
A '93 S was my first brand new car. I got it at 16 and damn if that thing didn't handle good with coil-overs. Not many people know, but that was the widest track of any Honda at the time.
Only issue was the S had the much less sophisticated and tamer SOHC motor. The Si version netted you DOHC, which as we all know was much_much better at producing power with mods. Even better than the VTEC version.
Random Prelude fact. Every prelude had a sunroof, no matter the model/year/trim. They all had a sunroof.
Also, Honda designed their cars based on animals at that time. The '92-'96 Prelude was inspired by the Bald Eagle.
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Cycle61
What the shit is this...
Reli
Well-known member
1992. Non-VTEC. When I bought it the AC didn't work (bad compressor and it had been changed over to a non-AC serpentine belt) and the tires were near end of service life. Car had 188k on the clock. It was from Oregon, so rust was a possibility, but I never found any. I paid $2200 to a guy here on barf.
http://www.bayarearidersforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=385309
Good deal. Forums are definitely where the best deals are. I try to join the biggest board for whatever model I'm interested in, watch the classifieds, or post a wanted ad. Wish there was a scanner/spider app that worked across ALL boards.