If you could pic and purchase........

[bigb996]

which would you buy and why? BTW i know these are reoccuring threads but i am just wanting some opinions because this forum has a driver of each so its not as biased. These are my choices that im tradin the spec in for:

2002 Ford F150 SVT lightning - 5.4 liter S/C engine - RWD
380hp
450 ft/tq
http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com//pictures/VEHICLE/2003/Ford/100187510/003840-E.jpg

2004 Dodge Neon SRT-4 - 2.4 liter Turbo engine - FWD
230hp
250 ft/tq
http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com//pictures/VEHICLE/2004/Dodge/100327527/023942-E.jpg

2002 Honda S2000 - 2.2 Liter Vtec N/A engine - RWD
240hp
153 ft/tq
http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com//pictures/VEHICLE/2002/Honda/100070032/004971-E.jpg

2003 Nissan 350Z - 3.5liter N/A engine - RWD - X_INSURANCE SAID NO!
287hp
274ft/tq
http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com//pictures/VEHICLE/2003/Nissan/100074348/008389-E.jpg

2003 MItsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII - 2.0liter Turbo engine - AWD - X_TOO MUCH
271hp
273ft/tq
http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com//pictures/VEHICLE/2003/Mitsubishi/100083178/022135-E.jpg

2003 Suburu WRX impreza - 2.0 liter Turbo engine - AWD - X_DONT WANT
227hp
217 ft/tq
http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com//pictures/VEHICLE/2003/Subaru/100161061/009868-E.jpg

2004 Chrysler Crossfire - 3.2 liter N/A engine - RWD - X_TOO SLOW
215hp
229 ft/tq
http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com//pictures/VEHICLE/2004/Chrysler/100303167/025054-E.jpg

these are my pics so far but im sure i will be adding to it. Any input? BTW i do not want a civic or integra. I like the RSX but i dont want one.

[AtifSajid]

I would go with the s2000 or the lightening.

[HyPer50]

Lightning

[Ruiner]

350z

[Spyder]

what do you plan to do with it?

[HEATON]

Well the first 4 are nuthin alike so there really isnt much comparison, and why would you waste money on a WRX go ahead and get STI if u want Suby.

[HyPer50]

Ok, i know I said lightning, but if your willing to spend that much money on some of those cars, might as well get you an 03-04 Cobra.

[bigb996]

well whatever i get will be lightly modded in the begining but chances are i will mod it more than i plan to. The STI is rather expensive used ones are around 28k im only gonna spend as much as 24-25 on a car.

[bigb996]

well i wanted the cobra but insurance is killer.

[AtifSajid]

Thats why you should go with the s2000 or lightening. Both can be modded lightly adn will be fast..

[Spyder]

Thats why you should go with the s2000 or lightening. Both can be modded lightly adn will be fast..

Lightning can and is quick, but its still a truck in terms of handeling.

[Spyder]

oh and its an auto..

[HyPer50]

Lightning can and is quick, but its still a truck in terms of handeling.

Ya, but it's pretty much the best handleing truck available. lol

[The Yousef]

Evo! now question about it! 4 doors (insurance) AWD (so u don't die) 4G63 (stupidly fast with mods)....the lighting would be a good 2nd vehicle....

[HEATON]

well whatever i get will be lightly modded in the begining but chances are i will mod it more than i plan to. The STI is rather expensive used ones are around 28k im only gonna spend as much as 24-25 on a car.
Well if you Planning on modding it STI is only 3k more then u wann spend, which is bout as much as you would spend on a regular WRX.

[bigb996]

well lightning made my list because DAMN......it does 0-60 in a claimed 5.6 by edmunds.com, and it will do 14.2 1/4 mile stock. Thats impressive itself especially for a truck. The auto thing is waht im wonderng about myself, i love driving a stick but in traffic it will be more practical. The 6 speed thing is not a big deal to me i would rather have a 5spd to be honest if i got another stick.

[RandomGuy]

Evo! now question about it! 4 doors (insurance) AWD (so u don't die) 4G63 (stupidly fast with mods)....the lighting would be a good 2nd vehicle....
this statement i agree with FULLYYY... the 4g63 is SUPERRRRRRRRR CHEAP TO MOD ... you can get it up like tracys cheaply and etc.

and its so versatile too. If you had a 350z or crossfire you got no back seats... those come in handy.

EVO = my pick... I wonder why the STi is not in the mix? Id choose the STI.

[bigb996]

well i like stis but the impreza itself has slowly faded on me. I dont like it like i used to. Its a great car but the look isnt something i wnat anymore. No backseat i think i might like bc then i wont have to give rides so much hahaha......another thing that im factoring in is that the lightnings gas mileage sucks! 16mpg on average. The evo i do like but are they quality?

[disco]

You have to state your goals for this car. All those cars do some things well but not others. Your plans for the car will help us in picking something to recommend.

[bigb996]

well most likly i will do an exhaust and intake on any of them. Unless its the 350z or srt4 because they are good from the factory. If its a forced induction car im gonna do something to regulate the boost levels....turbo timer, safcII, etc....really the only racing i plan on doing is drag at the track. I am not a really crazy driver i just enjoy having some speed and cruizing. I dont have a lot of money to do modding and since this will be my daily driver i will moderatly mod it with like bolt ons and maybee wheels. Ive done the show and ive doen the go so its not like im aiming for anything. The main purpose will be fun factor and reliability.

[PinkTaco]

s2000 hands down

[disco]

If you want to look cool be decently fast and be reliable then s2000 is the way to go, 350z would be my next choice although i prefer the G35 over the 350z. The lightening and the EVO are interesting choices, as the truck has lots of other uses, and the EVO would be a monster at drag or road courses. I drive an EVO myself and the downsides of it are the ride is harsh and it's noisy. But those are the prices you pay for insane handling.

[civic95]

If it were me it would be the S2000

Better gas mileage, will hold it's value better, and SHOULD be more reliable than the others.

[Eli]

Heres what you gotta ask yourself:

1) Do you need passengers are room to carry stuff (if yes- S2000, Crossfire is not really a choice.)
2) INSURANCE- when I was going to buy my WRX WAGON they wanted $540 a month, no joke, listed under my moms name with me driving it...
3) Gas mileage- how much you wanna spend on gas each week...
4) Reliability- personally, I would never buy a used SRT-4, EVO, WRX, STi, etc. It will (probably) have been beaten to shit. Now a used S2000 would have probably been driven by an older man or woman and not driven real hard.

All I can think of, I love the s2000 as well, but only as a second car. I drove a 2 seater convertible (Z3 3.0) for a few months and I can honestly tell you it was incredibly annoying having no trunk or room for anything.

The lightning is straight up badass, even though i normally like my trucks lifted, I love ligthnings :D, theres 2 real nice ones for sale by my house if your interested, 03's i think, like 22k or so asking price for the black one.

And BTW- the Crossfire is a total mid life crisis old woman car, come on man! haha

[4dmin]

crossfire that shit is HOT and noone has that shit

[bigb996]

well im back and forth with the insurance company right now.... heres an idea for you guys:
i pay 742 a year right now to drive the spec.
s2000 is 1484 a year - double what it is now
lightning is 200 more a year at 942 a year.
Im having to give VIN #'s to get the evo or 350z.
The way its rated is im under my brothers truck that he cant drive yet bc hes 15 and its an 81 jeep 4x4 pickup. My spec is listed as a spair vehicle. So thats why its so cheap.
As for gas im used to buying premium which all these cars takes but the f150 is a 24.5 gallon tank as opposed to my little 9.5 gallo it hink it is right now. Like you said though the truck serves multiple purposes.

These are my issues im gonna have tow ork out right now:
do i want to drive an auto? or stick to a stick?
is space something i need? i have more than 1 passenger in the last year 2 times total. I am single and 20 years old so size isnt a big deal. I also have had 2 soft top wranglers and i love riding with my windows down so a convertable isnt a big deal. However s2000 is expensive to mod. I like some of these cars because they come with things i would be doing stock FI: supercharger, Turbocharger, exhaust, boost gauges, sproosed up interior, etc....
I am a car enthusiast like eveyrone else on here and extra features are a plus in my book.

[LaurenK]

s2000

[bigb996]

ok well the 350z is off the list due to its a restricted vehicle on my policy for some reason. The WRX is off hte last as well because i dont think i want one at all. The EVO is gonna be 1064.00 a year to drive and shes calling me back on quotes for the SRT4 and the Crossfire.

Out of curiousness why the s2000?

[disco]

it's reliable and much more comfortable than an EVO.
Don't get me wrong I love my EVO, but it's a race car that's street legal, there's no refinement to it, very raw, bumpy, noisy.

I wouldn't even think about the crossfire, total middle aged balding men who couldn't afford a vette car.

[quickdodge®]

Lightning, SRT, or the Crossfire. Crossfire is a badass car. Later, QD.

[Ruiner]

The S2000 doesn't have enough torque for me to drive. I didn't enjoy it at all. That's a shame about the 350Z, though. They are nice cars.

[The Yousef]

The S2000 doesn't have enough torque for me to drive. I didn't enjoy it at all. That's a shame about the 350Z, though. They are nice cars.


^yeah i like Z better too...IMO...crossfire is just a Merc SLK with a chrysler body on it...if you want modify it (i'm assuming you will...or you wouldn't be on this site)...it is going to cost you an arm and leg....have looked in to e36 m3s?

yousef

[Greddypacked]

I would go w/ the EVO. That's my style fast, looks, and handling=excitement and adrenaline boyeeee!

[Eli]

Yeah, I drove a friends EVO and holy fucking shit... I would buy one in a heartbeat if I could afford it and the insurance. PLus its a 4 door and has a trunk...so its practical (kinda.. haha)

[Repost Squintz]

get the lightning

[bigb996]

well Yousef it is a merc slk body haha......I like the s2000 but when i sat in one at the ajc show it was soooo small! i dunno im sure i would get used to it. The 350z i was dissapointed about because i really like them. I have heard good and bad things about hte EVO. Im just not sure about it since its a mitsu. ANy recals happen on them?

Im going this evening to drive the lightning, crossfire, and srt4 at a local dealer that we have purchased a lot of cars from in the past.

[Ruiner]

I would go w/ the EVO. That's my style fast, looks, and handling=excitement and adrenaline boyeeee!

Yeah, but you have to think long-term when dealing with the EVO.

A. Will the car last? Mitsu quality - one of the worst
B. Will the company last? They are hurting very bad right now.

Not worth the risk if you ask me.

[bigb996]

thats what i am worried man i agree.

[QuickBrick]

The L…

Just to straiten out a few misconceptions…

The truck is 380 – 450 to the fly, with 11% drive train loss (which is very low) you’re looking at roughly 338 stock to the tire…

The quarter time varies for stock, most are 13.2 to 13.6, the 14.2 time published was in Cali at 4000 ft on 91 octane…

Handling is tight and well engineered for a 4800 lb ride, I know of many using them on the track (and strip)…

Automatic is a good thing for the 1320…

With a grand your looking at a truck that is 400/500 to the tires, in the 12’s and running 16lbs of boost (chip, 6lb pulley, intake, valve body), be careful the mod bug can bite ya…

I’d buy a 2003, different heads. The plug thread count is higher and you have less chance of ejecting a plug under increased boost (which hasn’t happened in either of my L’s)…

They are retaining their value…

I could be a little bias, LOL…

T

[Spyder]

The L…

Just to straiten out a few misconceptions…

The truck is 380 – 450 to the fly, with 11% drive train loss (which is very low) you’re looking at roughly 338 stock to the tire…

The quarter time varies for stock, most are 13.2 to 13.6, the 14.2 time published was in Cali at 4000 ft on 91 octane…

Handling is tight and well engineered for a 4800 lb ride, I know of many using them on the track (and strip)…

Automatic is a good thing for the 1320…

With a grand your looking at a truck that is 400/500 to the tires, in the 12’s and running 16lbs of boost (chip, 6lb pulley, intake, valve body), be careful the mod bug can bite ya…

I’d buy a 2003, different heads. The plug thread count is higher and you have less chance of ejecting a plug under increased boost (which hasn’t happened in either of my L’s)…

They are retaining their value…

I could be a little bias, LOL…

T

i dont know where to begin on this so ill start at the begining.

good handeling for 4800lbs? i suppose everything is relative.. its still a 4800lb truck. thats like having the best handeling school bus.

of course auto is great for 1320, if thats all that you plan to do i wouldnt suggest any other transmission, especially for bracket racing . they seem pretty consistant.

how does a 6lb pully make 16 lbs of boost?

i wont at all disagree with the rest :)

above and beyond all , they are seemingly fast fun to drive trucks. i just couldnt personally handle driving a bit automatic truck all day.

[bigb996]

13s stock? really? damn............is the 01-02 models alright??? or do they have any kind of problems?

[The Yousef]

i'd say get a Lude...but no one listens to me.... :(

[bigb996]

i dont want another honda other than an s2000 no offense man........i like the lude just not enough for what im wanting...ive driven all gens of ludes and the 92-96 is the best model imo but 9 out of 10 of them have been beat to hell n back hehe...

[Eli]

i'd say get a Lude...but no one listens to me.... :(

Haha, most of us have owned Honda's in the past and besides the S2000, most of us wouldnt own another except for a daily driver.

QUESTION ON THE S2k- Does it bother anyone else that it has a digital speedomter? Personally, I dont think I could buy the car just because of that... like right now, Im lookin at bikes and I love the R6, but I am steered away from it just because of the digital speedo... Cant stand digi speedo's!!!

[bigb996]

i think its kinda cool.........lol but its not a selling point for me, but analog is cool too though

[Spyder]

Haha, most of us have owned Honda's in the past and besides the S2000, most of us wouldnt own another except for a daily driver.

QUESTION ON THE S2k- Does it bother anyone else that it has a digital speedomter? Personally, I dont think I could buy the car just because of that... like right now, Im lookin at bikes and I love the R6, but I am steered away from it just because of the digital speedo... Cant stand digi speedo's!!!


you use your speedo? and i dont mean that in a smart ass way , but it is proven when people look at a gauge they are firmiliar with where it sits and if it isnt in that area it draws attention.

when i am out driving you could take out my speedo and i could easily tell you within 5 mph how fast i am going up until about 100 then it gets a little harder to judge because i dont drive that fast every single day. once i am going over 100 i really dont care how fast im going nore do i direct my attention from the road to the speedo to see just how big my ticket would be, i consentrate on my surroundings instead.

haveing a preference on gauge type i can understand but not to a degree that i wouldnt concider a car just because it had a digital speedo.

[Eli]

i think its kinda cool.........lol but its not a selling point for me, but analog is cool too though

I dunno, it straight up bothers me. Guess its just a pet-peeve with cars I got... Just like cars without center arm rests... WTF! lol

[Eli]

you use your speedo? and i dont mean that in a smart ass way , but it is proven when people look at a gauge they are firmiliar with where it sits and if it isnt in that area it draws attention.

when i am out driving you could take out my speedo and i could easily tell you within 5 mph how fast i am going up until about 100 then it gets a little harder to judge because i dont drive that fast every single day. once i am going over 100 i really dont care how fast im going nore do i direct my attention from the road to the speedo to see just how big my ticket would be, i consentrate on my surroundings instead.

haveing a preference on gauge type i can understand but not to a degree that i wouldnt concider a car just because it had a digital speedo.

Its not that I really use my speedo per say, yeah i look at it sometimes to check my speed, but its just a cosmetic thing I guess. I dunno, I told this to my dad and how it pisses me off and he 100% agreed, LOL.

[99SI]

I say get an old porsche 911 convertible. Or a Boxster for that matter.

[Spyder]

I dunno, it straight up bothers me. Guess its just a pet-peeve with cars I got... Just like cars without center arm rests... WTF! lol

i understand this to.

[Spyder]

I say get an old porsche 911 convertible. Or a Boxster for that matter.

2 reasons not to, insurance and maintnance.

[Spyder]

Its not that I really use my speedo per say, yeah i look at it sometimes to check my speed, but its just a cosmetic thing I guess. I dunno, I told this to my dad and how it pisses me off and he 100% agreed, LOL.

again i understand preferance, but i just dont worry about how fast i am going.... unless i see blue lights then i glance down and either hit the gas or the brake lol.

[99SI]

I've never checked insurance on either. I haven't heard of any serious maintenance issues with the boxster. Nothing a good certified mechanic can't take car of anyway.

[99SI]

Get a 91 RX-7 convertible, drop a street ported 3 rotor 20B in it making about 275 whp and have fun. The rotaries are reliable in NA form, the rotor seals just don't like a lot of boost.

[bigb996]

yea i looked into them boxsters have gotten cheap. However insurance would be impossible and to replace something on it would be insane! Good suggestion though.

[bigb996]

i want a newer car though 01-newer nothing old and im gonna want it with less than 40k miles

[99SI]

I'm just trying to thinnk outside of the box. I didn't exactly choose a very unique car for myself, but I do like to do things a little differently than everyone else. That's why I decided to go all motor w/ my car and not Turbo or SC.

[Kermit]

BMW

And all things considered, I wouldn't let the type of gauge determine what car you get, seems to me that there are many other factors that would make for a much better reason to get, or not to get, a certain vehicle.

[bigb996]

like i said good suggestions.......and im sure no1 expects you have what you have huh?

[99SI]

Lexus SC300/400 or IS300? I know the SC300/400 is not in your 2001 up but they can still be gotten with low miles and they are vehicles with impeccable reps with dependability.

[Spyder]

i know what you should get and what i would have had i had enough income at the time (or 10 k to drop down on it)

in a word:
R32

[99SI]

like i said good suggestions.......and im sure no1 expects you have what you have huh?
I've surprised a few but I haven't had my build through for too long. Haven't had too many chances to surprise people. I still have to get some final tuning done, as of now I've still got my cam timing at 0 deg. and running a fairly rich fuel map as well as a conservative ignition map. I wanted to get some miles on my build before I turned up the wick. And I haven't had the 150 or so to spare to go back for my tune. lol.

[Spyder]

http://www.rsportscars.com/eng/cars/golf_r32.asp

240 hp
6 speed
AWD

nuff said.

[Kermit]

The R32s are bad ass. They're pretty difficult to find now though.

[Spyder]

The R32s are bad ass. They're pretty difficult to find now though.

yes they are but the few that are for sale are very low miles, that is good because there is only so much damage someone can do in less then 20k miles. plus it still carries a 100k warranty.

[Kristi]

the z - because nissans rock!

[Kermit]

True, but 25k of those miles will be driven getting the car back here, lol

[JITB]

Something different....

[Spyder]

well that is partly true... the closest one for sale as i just quickly looked was 334 miles away :(

oh and they seem to be up a few g's in price since i last looked.. odd with there being 74 of them for sale.

[chrisdavis]

Lightning. But Im partial to trucks.

I will never own anything by Mitsubishi again. We had a Mirage that lost value so badly that we were going to be upside down in the loan till it was almost paid off.

[Kermit]

well that is partly true... the closest one for sale as i just quickly looked was 334 miles away :(

oh and they seem to be up a few g's in price since i last looked.. odd with there being 74 of them for sale.

Wow, I'm suprised that there even that many for sale already. Makes me wonder...

[Spyder]

they are selling at almost retail with 8-12k miles on them... now THAT makes me wonder.

[Kermit]

Looks like there's two possibilities:

1) It's a POS and people are trying to get out of them before everyone finds out about it

2) They're absolutely not POSesesssess and people are realizing how much they are worth.

So, If someone were to buy one now, it would either be a really good purchase or a really really bad one. Does anyone on here have one who could shed some light on this for me?

[Spyder]

its just like the galant VR4's that came out in 91-92 they were cool but noone really knew what they were all about because there were so few of them. there were only 2k per year, 4k total produced in the US ever. 5 years ago i bought 1 for 3k now they are 6-7k... not worth it any more.

the R32 is similar in the fact they are a limited production car. there is no way there is that big of a problem with them because they are using the exact same drive train they have been for years, its basically a A4 VR6 quattro drive train shoved under a GTI chassis. with a slightly tuned motor. if you look at the bottom of a GTI or a Jetta for that matter they are channeled and set up to be AWD. hell even bugs are. they took a bug and put it in a S4 chassis a year or 2 ago.

[Kermit]

True. And speaking of the Galant VR4s, I had the privilege of working at the Cherokee Trails Rally in Tennessee a couple of years ago and was assigned the duty of driving the sinlge "0" pace car from the garage where it was kept to the staging area the day before the race. This was a fully-built but retired rally car, and let me tell you, that thing hauled ass! The guy who I was following back to the hotel, who was also the guy heading up the whole event and owner of the Galant, stuck his arm out the window on the highway and waived me by. Basically, he gave me permission to drive it like I just stole it. That's one drive that I won't soon forget.

[QuickBrick]

i dont know where to begin on this so ill start at the begining.
Its cool Spyder, go for it :D


good handeling for 4800lbs? i suppose everything is relative.. its still a 4800lb truck. thats like having the best handeling school bus.
True, its relative to the vehicle and driver. I don’t know, you might want to go to f150 online and search the track threads. There are many other racers who didn’t think a truck could brake and handle as well as it does and were very surprised and impressed to see a full size truck in their rear view ready to pass… If you want a vid or two let me know… ;)


of course auto is great for 1320, if thats all that you plan to do i wouldnt suggest any other transmission, especially for bracket racing . they seem pretty consistant.
Sounds good here… The fun thing to me is that’s it’s a daily driver you can have fun with at the track, be consistent, haul things with, keep insurance down compared to other hp vehicles and retain value, not a bad deal for a truck…


how does a 6lb pully make 16 lbs of boost?
Stock the truck comes at 8 to 10 pounds, my current L was dynode at 10.5 before the added 6 making 16.5 (about the max spin on an Eaton, but a KB is a different story)… Guess I should have said over-sized crank pulley adding 6 more pounds of boost, my bad…


above and beyond all , they are seemingly fast fun to drive trucks. i just couldnt personally handle driving a bit automatic truck all day.
Funny thing is that I use to sit in LA traffic all day, a clutch gets old quick. If I was racing it in the canyons or on the track and not parked on a freeway that would be a different story, but stop and go traffic is hard on the driver and parts…


13s stock? really? damn............is the 01-02 models alright??? or do they have any kind of problems?
That’s the 01 - 04 models, the 99 – 00 model was at 360. With any hp vehicle your going to see issues, luckily I haven’t had but two, my egr line hit the return pipe and melted causing detonation (an easy fix) and I had loose rear plugs until I started using WD 40 when changing them, problem fixed… Oh yeah, the pvc system (an open system) pushes oil vapor into the blower causing your intercooler to junk up, installing a breather and blocking two lines cured that… I have an 01… I know of others that have pushed their tunes to the limit (I don’t its conservative) and popped, also transmission failures if you up the horse power to much or play to hard with added boost, like I said with any hp vehicle…

[Spyder]

i appreciate the non asshole educated responce more then you know. and after reading your post i can honestly say i have more respect for you and the trucks.

[QuickBrick]

Cool! :cheers:

[bigb996]

well guys i went tonight to a local dealer, Akins ford if you are not familiar with them they sell ford/dodge/chrysler vehicles. They are a HUGE dealership that we have been dealing with for years. I went and talked to the sales manager we know and asked to drive a srt4, crossfire, and lightning. I was dissapointed to find that the srt4 was out of stock, but no worries because i have driven one before and loved it. So i asked to drive a lightning and a used one if he had it and they had 3. The one i drove was an 03 with 22k miles they wanted 27k for it. Thats a lot more htan i wanted to spend but it was just a test drive to get a feel.

Well i hop in and go i rolled down the window too to get the full effect. I pull out and stomp it and all i can do is get a smile to my face when i am already at 60 not even past the dealership yet and just winding the S/C like a screaming baby. The supercharger sounds AMAZING and boy does it pick up. The interior was comfy and the gauges were sweet(white face/green indigos). After a good 2 mile drive i returned and talked ot them and he told me they had just gotten in today a 00 red lightning with 35k miles and it was 19,500.00. Thats a hell of a deal for one of these so i went and looked at it, it was in good condition.

Next me and my dad decided we wanted to test out the crossfire. We asked for the keys and out of 7 crossfires only 1 was a stick and it was a convertable which is OK :goodjob: in my book haha....i hoped in pulled the top down and took her for a cruize. I thought the ride quality was very good, and it handled well. However, it was WAAAYYY to slow for my taste and i didnt like how soft the clutch was. Its a car that would be fun to have but only if i lived on the california coastline to cruize down.

Well when i got back i said ah what the heck ill see what i can do trade in. I knew it wouldnt be much, but they offered me less than i owe on my car lol...so im gonna take all performance parts off and list her in the autotrader for under blue book to just get it out the door.

Tomorrow i am going to go give the s2000 a try and an evo 8. I will inform you guys once i drive it. I think i have narrowed it down to the srt4, lightning, and s2000 though.
Sorry for such a long post..... :doh:

[bigb996]

BTW the r32 is a sweet car however they only made like what 2500 of them? and they are still almost as much as they were brand new. Good suggestion though.

[snatch]

imprezza.

[bigb996]

naw imprezza is off the list.....its been narrowed down

[Julio]

lightning...shit is bad ass... period.

[Boosted S60R]

Srt-4 it is the most bang for the buck.

[bigb996]

yea im thinking hte srt4 and s2000 are gonna be my most likly choices. What the s2000 doesnt have that the srt has it makes up for with other things like HIDS, convertible, rwd, push buttom start, leather, etc...

[Thrust]

1. Get the L.
2. Take it to Modular Powerhouse.
3. Spend $1000 (pulley, CAI, dynotune, ect).
4. Have 400+ reliable daily driven rwhp!!, and 500+ rwtq.
5. Run mid 12's (or better).

The best thing about the modability of the L is that unless you go overboard, it will still drive like stock. Also mods are reletively cheaper for the L than they are for the other cars that you have listed.
I myself really would love to have a L, but the wifey said that I already have too many toys.
Also, I don't know what your opinion of stangs are, but you could get a mint 03/04 Mach 1 in your price range. 5 speeds usually run low 13's stock, and for about $1500 (shifter, mid- pipe, catback, CAI, 4.10 gears) You would be in the low to mid 12's. :goodjob:

[eViLMunkey]

SRT-4 ACR package w/ stage 3...

[bigb996]

well i wanted a cobra convertible but insurance on any stang is too much for me. The V6 stang is still more than the s2000 on insurance not that i would own a v6 but to give you an example.

The ACR package is hard to find but i must agree they are sweet.

[bigb996]

well i went and drove the s2000. It was a 2001 honda s2000 white with red/black interior and it had 68k miles. Had a very nice stereo though complete Eclipse system minus subs. I took the car for a spin and to me it just wasnt what i am looking for i mean i think i would enjoy it but im just not ready to daily drive a 2seater covertible. Plus to me it feels like the s2000 doesnt have a lot of power. I dunno.

So then i went to the a dodge dealer and they happened to have some srt4's 7 to be exact. 2 Black, 2 Orange, 1 silver, 2 red. Well i took the silver for a spin because i liked the silver. I also found out it was an 04 which is a plus for sales because they want these cars gone. Well im gonna go see about tradin in the spec tomorrow i still love the srt despite its fwd attributes. Overall its an amazing car for the price. If i cant get trade in a want i am gonna have to sell it and then go back over there. Thanks for everyones input i finally came to decision. SRT4 all the way! haha.. :goodjob:

[Repost Squintz]

Mopar BITCH

[Buford®]

Mopar to ya'! Get an orange one. That's what I'd get. How much are they selling them for there?

[jrobbins30041]

nice chocie. Srt 4 is a very sweet car. But no power back wondows, not good, lol

[bigb996]

yea the no power back windows i dont like otherwise it puts a big smile on my face to drive. The orange is unique but its not my cup of tea. They had 2 of those, the other colors available were 3 red, 2 black, 1 silver. I really really want the white but they are sooo rare its not even funny. The one im looking at is 22,880.00 list price. I think i can get it for 19500.00 out the door because its an 04 model. This is the last year htey are making the car so depreciation should hold fairly well with it being a limited production car. Ill keep you guys posted on what i purchase, i listed the spec v in the autotrader tonight so we will see. When i get the srt i put up some pics.

[Chuckster]

out of that list either the S2K, SRT4, or EVO. If you got money, EVO. If you dont like driving people around and dont need lots of space, S2K. If you aint got enouhg money for them 2 the SRT4

[Buford®]

A little late there, Chuckalicious. LOL

[bigb996]

haha.....i dont htink he read my other posts. I think the s2000 is a car i would like to have as a spare car not a dd. They are too slow IMO but the redline was sweet at 9k rpms. EVO is to expensive and the mitsu dealer was homo and wouldnt even let me test drive a base one. They wouldnt even let me go for a ride in one with the sales person driving. I walked out on them for it to. Also a side note i had my mother with me and they still didnt do it.

[Buford®]

That sucks dude. I hate to hear it.

[The Yousef]

haha.....i dont htink he read my other posts. I think the s2000 is a car i would like to have as a spare car not a dd. They are too slow IMO but the redline was sweet at 9k rpms. EVO is to expensive and the mitsu dealer was homo and wouldnt even let me test drive a base one. They wouldnt even let me go for a ride in one with the sales person driving. I walked out on them for it to. Also a side note i had my mother with me and they still didnt do it.

oh yeah....i forgot to mention this...this best why to decide on a car...is to imagine that you're stuck in bumper to bumper traffic with that particular car with no end in sight....then if you visualize this then the little parts of that wouldn't even think of pop up...

yousef

[HyPer50]

So what took the Lightning out of the equation? It sounded like you enjoyed it, it had power, nice interior, and was only 19k. Did you just like the Dodge more?

[bigb996]

well i love the lightning i really do its a sweet ride, but the ones that i would want price wise are too much. I was told to get 02 or newer on those. Also i think i might get tired of the auto, and i cant park lol...........Maybee in a while i will get one but i dont really need a truck right now. When i get a bike later on i will prolly get one to towe it.

o yea and all the lightnings ive ridden in were smoked in..... :mad:

I have taken all things in to consideration on all cars and i can get the neon a lot cheaper maybee 2k less which is a nice savings especially when it comes to interest.

[bigb996]

100!

[uproot]

i know its not in your list but how about a golf R32

[bigb996]

was mentioned already cost to much because of limited production, plus i factor in cost of repairs thats why jetta gli and gti arnt on th elist.

[Pher]

A few weeks ago I remember you saying that you "Wanted to get a better job and buy a better car." Are you telling us that in this time you have gotten a better job with a significant pay increase, and are ready to purchase a $25,000+ car already? I think you have made about 5 threads about your, "New Car." Is it really happening or are you just blowing smoke?

[uproot]

was mentioned already cost to much because of limited production, plus i factor in cost of repairs thats why jetta gli and gti arnt on th elist.

oh ok... damn still golfs are badass

[JITB]

You can buy this srt4....
http://forums.importatlanta.com/showthread.php?t=7770

[bigb996]

Pher i understand why you would say this. I am a man of my word i do not just say things i actually do them. I have worked it out at work to were i can afford this i got a raise nad more hours and i am doing side jobs here and there as well. The reason i made this post is because i am doing research. I have always just jumped the gun and gone out and made a purchase. This time im driving, then writing on it and taking opinions. I am going to do something as soon as i sell my spec v which is now in the autotrader so that should show you the significance of this new car purchase. I just get tired of cars and im trying to find smoething that will not get old quickly and fits my personallity. Seriously a good question though.

[ahmonrah]

the question to ask bigb996 on this site is actually......how many of you own these cars ???

(that way someone can danny your ass !!) sorry bad joke. danny good luck on the car.

[bigb996]

JITB i love htat srt but im gonna get a stocker.....thanks though im sure he will have no problem selling that beast for that good of a price.

I added another car to the list to go drive and some of you might laugh at me but i thought i would go give it a test drive.

02 Mini Cooper S
http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com//pictures/VEHICLE/2002/MINI/100074117/026001-E.jpg

Supercharged 163hp
162ft/tq
hids
leather
and from what i hear they are mean on teh mountain roads. Any input?

[DerrickT]

I would go with the s2000 or the lightening.

agreed.

[JITB]

Black cooperS would be nice...

[SilverJester]

I personally would go with an evo (but I'm kinda partial to mitsu). They are easy to make go fast (and cheap to mod). S2k...expensive to mod, same with the 350Z (not to mention they really don't respond well to mods). I know someone mentioned about mitsu as a company having some stability issues, look back, mitsu always has finacial problems, I wouldn't worry about this. WRX/STi are also nice cars, but a pain in the ass to work on (main reason will never own one). Crossfire = shit. SRT-4, nice cars if you decide on this make sure you get one with LSD (I think those come on 04+), however it is FWD and traction becomes an issue. Then there is the lightning which would be a good choice, as well, if you want a truck....that depends on you. Evo are also not that expensive, the guy a I bought my eclipse from is selling his evo for 25k, and it's lightly moded pretty much bpu. I would imagine a STi to cost about the same.

My pick in order:
1. EVO
2. STi
3. Lightning
4. SRT-4
5. R32
I won't consider the rest but that's just my :2cents:




Oh just saw you decided already on the SRT-4. Even though it's not my first choice they are definitly nice. They sound awsome with exhuast (and no cats) I just ran into a guy tonight who's got an 11sec one....very nice :goodjob: well hope you enjoy the car

[HyPer50]

Eh, nothin' wrong with the Mini, i love there stance... if only they had some balls to back it up.

[efman]

sti all the way mine as well apend a litle more money and go all the way

[ruah_23]

A few weeks ago I remember you saying that you "Wanted to get a better job and buy a better car." Are you telling us that in this time you have gotten a better job with a significant pay increase, and are ready to purchase a $25,000+ car already? I think you have made about 5 threads about your, "New Car." Is it really happening or are you just blowing smoke?

Not being mean, But I agree with this guy.
How old are you btw?
You seems to have all of your money spend on the new car, mods plan ect ect but don't forget you have other things to spend from your earnings.Unless you are living with your parents, and they support you all the way till you graduate.

all being said gd luck.

[bigb996]

^^ i am 20 years old i am in college and i go to school and i go to work. MY parents only cover me living at the house still in my room. I buy my own meals unless they are home and have something left over. I never buy clothes because i dont grow out of them. I love cars and i dont mind spending all my cash on one. With that said i ran numbers and i can work this out. I can afford the gas, insurance, and car payment and will still have like 200 bucks a month to eat and what not. I am in college but its just community and i am not going full time anymore. Hope pays for that so basically i am set.

I am not doing anything until my spec sells which i am assuming will be about 2 weeks at the earliest. I have been saving cash for a while and i am going to have enough to get a small chunk off the new car. I am just ognna spend under 20k.

Basically like i said im taking my time iwth this purchase not just jumping into it and my parents have nothing to do with it. They just know im doing it.

[ruah_23]

^^ i am 20 years old i am in college and i go to school and i go to work. MY parents only cover me living at the house still in my room. I buy my own meals unless they are home and have something left over. I never buy clothes because i dont grow out of them. I love cars and i dont mind spending all my cash on one. With that said i ran numbers and i can work this out. I can afford the gas, insurance, and car payment and will still have like 200 bucks a month to eat and what not. I am in college but its just community and i am not going full time anymore. Hope pays for that so basically i am set.

I am not doing anything until my spec sells which i am assuming will be about 2 weeks at the earliest. I have been saving cash for a while and i am going to have enough to get a small chunk off the new car. I am just ognna spend under 20k.

Basically like i said im taking my time iwth this purchase not just jumping into it and my parents have nothing to do with it. They just know im doing it.

I'm not saying that ur parents have to do with anything. My point is that don't let yourself be focusing on material thing like wanting a 25k car ect ect.At your age, I will be prioritizing my sch and complete it. Once you have a degree, and a good job, I'm sure you can buy whatever car you want.

Again I'm just giving advice, and it's your personal life.

[bigb996]

i appreciate it and no offense is being taken here.....i am in no hurry to grow up personally i just want to enjoy myself. Cars are something i trullly enjoy and i spend a lot of time in them seeing as i live 15 miles from anything convenient. I just wanted a new car that i can enjoy thats all. I am taking my time and mapping it all out though.