what car?

ok heres the situation... basically i've been looking at cars for a while, trying to pick one to buy when i can drive. I want a car i can lightly mod, and is fairly fast stock. So far ive looked at the 240sx and mr2 turbo, bolth the 2nd gens i belive. can anyone reccomend a car that isnt to expensive and is fairly fast stock?

My other option is my dads 95 taurus SHO

thanks for any help

i hate to say it...

mustang 5.0

i looked at them for about 30 seconds and never wanted to see one again. A 5.0 looks like a cardboard box that hicks ride around in.. and it piss's me off that you can make them fast for cheap.

usually hardasses ride around in them :tongue:

i thought about one....


you are faster than other cars.... but if you're looking for racing you're gonna have to be competing against faster cars

you can get a 240 modded to the 12's in 1/4 for around 10 g's on ebay.

ya generally hardasses... u see those totally stereotypical people (from accross the sea) driving them with big ass 20" rims and their idea of a body kit which is just like a 1" taller front bumper...

u can hella make em fast for cheap... friend spent $9k and got his 86 5.0 to run 9 sec 1/4 mile, he can do a 60 foot wheelie on hoosiers and can burn out for 270 feet shifting into 2nd (yes he measured)

Originally posted by High Octane
ok heres the situation... basically i've been looking at cars for a while, trying to pick one to buy when i can drive. I want a car i can lightly mod, and is fairly fast stock. So far ive looked at the 240sx and mr2 turbo, bolth the 2nd gens i belive. can anyone reccomend a car that isnt to expensive and is fairly fast stock?

My other option is my dads 95 taurus SHO

thanks for any help

The mustang, or an early 90's firebird or camaro would be the best bet for a nice, quality, easily moddified, fairly fast stock and cheap car.

The 240 your either going to need to turbocharge or swap the engine for good times.

The MR2 is just a waste for anyone other than a serious autocrosser. They're great cars, but they're rare so they are exspensive compared to other vehicles. Plus MR can be tricky to someone who's not used to it.

Two other good choices would be either a MarkIII Supra turbo or an 80's 300ZX turbo.

How about a 95-99 Eclipse GS or GS-T?

Originally posted by AirAllen01
How about a 95-99 Eclipse GS or GS-T?

GS is the craptacular N/A FWD version. The GS-T is nice since it's turbocharged, but if your going to get an eclipse go the extra mile and get the GSX for the AWD.

Also, it'd be slightly cheaper to buy a first gen DSM, preferably the Plymouth Laser if you can get one since it won't have quite the markup since it's not the exact car from FATF.

GMC Syclone :boink:

When you post an open question like that you will definitly get lots of personal opinions, and every one is a potential candidate. Really you have to decide what you are looking for, at a recent car show I was at there was over 2000 show cars, the one that stuck out was a 1969 Chev station wagon, yes a huge boat, but it was lowered, had a nicely hopped up 350, great sound system, 17" wheels. It was really surprising how good and yet unique it looked, always a huge crowd around it :smile:

Let your imagination look beyond what the factory created, a Mustang can be made very fast and yet also unique, as can any car. As you can see by my wheels I practice what I preach, have fun because the only real person you are pleasing is yourself

Let your imagination look beyond what the factory created, a Mustang can be made very fast and yet also unique, as can any car. As you can see by my wheels I practice what I preach, have fun because the only real person you are pleasing is yourself

Excellent point :bigthumb: . Thats why im modding my 626

I wouls seriously think about getting a early 90's camaro or firebird, but the problem is abot 600 people i know have one. I want to be sort of original. I looked at the eclipse GSX and it looks pretty good. It pretty quick, easy to mod and its AWD so it should be good in the curves. I was also thinking about a 3000GT but if i wanted that i would have to get the VR4, and if i got the VR4 i would have to money to modd it. I dont just want a fast car i want to learn about it while im fixing it up. And in the procces hopefully ill make it a little faster.

the gsx's are def cool.... just make sure to remove all the emblems.... SLEEPER TIME!!

yea i like the idea of a sleeper. I guess i could take my dad SHO and make a super sleeper out of it. That would def. suprise some of the rice burners out here. But SHO's are a little big for my taste and they cost so much to mod. But i would probobly have more money to mod it because it is already my dads so i wouldent have to buy a whole new car. I'm think i like the GSX though. The styling isnt all that but it would be a good car to tinker with and learn about. Also i dont know anyone with that gen eclipse. ill have to research them some more but there lookin good.

Originally posted by High Octane
I wouls seriously think about getting a early 90's camaro or firebird, but the problem is abot 600 people i know have one. I want to be sort of original. I looked at the eclipse GSX and it looks pretty good. It pretty quick, easy to mod and its AWD so it should be good in the curves. I was also thinking about a 3000GT but if i wanted that i would have to get the VR4, and if i got the VR4 i would have to money to modd it. I dont just want a fast car i want to learn about it while im fixing it up. And in the procces hopefully ill make it a little faster.

In that case, your seem to be one of the good ones:smile:

I'm gonna let you in on a little secret that everyone should take to heart, unless our a professionally trained engineer or have a WHOLE lot of money to spend, it's pretty much impossible to be totally origional. So, instead of trying to be different by doing something no one has ever done, be different by doing something reasonably different but do it REALLY well. Quality is what truly counts.

Now I'm not saying to give up entirely on origionality, just don't obsess about it. For some slightly different options for a camaro or firebird(if you have to make a choice get the firebird, they're much cooler than camaros:iceslolan ) Instead of the usualy 350 everyone has, build yourself a 383 stroker, if you like this redneck should be able to offer a little guidance. Or how about a turbocharged 350? although that might ge a little more exspensive or complex than you like.

As for the 3000GT/Stealth, they're great cars, but incredibly heavy(which is just something I hate personally).

As for learning, the best thing to do is read and practice. Buy an old engine from a scrapyard or a private seller(preferablly one reasonably similar to the one in the car you want to buy, then just tear it open and see how it works. There are lots of great books you can get on engine maintenance, tuning, suspension tuning, turbocharging, etc...

For example instead of learning what you need to turbocharge your specific car, learn how turbo's work and all the variables involved. Then you'll be able to apply it to any vehicle:bigthumb:

Oh boy, this post is a lot longer than I intended and it's taken a whole lot longer than I expected. Damn painkillers, but at least it's better than having to feel my gums after having 8 teeth removed, codine is my friend:worshippy

Anyway, to try and clue this mess up I'll use one more analogy. Tuning and appreciating cars is kind of like making and appreciating music. Never should you ever take into account what type of car it is your looking at, just like you should never be concerned with what type of music your listening to. A true conesiuer will not dislike a song because it's country, rap, classical or whatever TYPE. They will dislike it because it has poor harmony, is performed pathetically or in my case most often, has no soul. You shouldn't like a song because it's rock, or it's rap or whatever. You should like it because it's written and performed well. The same thing applies to cars. Someone who actually knows about cars and has any real sense won't give a damn if a car is american, japanese, german, 4 cyclinder, 6, 8, rotary, etc, etc, etc...What they'll be concerned and impressed or disappointed with is how well it's executed.

To sum that even bigger mess up into a single sentence:

It's not what you do that matters, it's how well you do it.

As for what car to get, the F-bodies(camaro/firebird) are great cars, as are the first generation DSM's(eclipse, talon, laser). Also, something that I suggest you take a look at inplace of a MarkII MR2 is a Mark1 MR2 1600 Supercharger.

It's small, lightweight, decently quick, easily modded, reliable, good or gas, relatively cheap, looks nice, not many people have them. Plus if the suercharger goes they already have strong internals and you can just slap on a t3 turbo from an 80's saab turbo or something else and have a really nice little car.

Now that this tome is finally comlete I'm gonna go get washed because I haven't slept or bathed in 2 days and up until this morning was bleeding from the gums.

Is the Eagle talon TSi the same car as a eclipse GSX. Because if it is why not just buy the talon and strip the tags? I dont really care what brand the car is. And about making a firebird original, I think ill look into that. It would be fun in a town with all japanise rice to show some good american cars. Thats also the reason why i like the concept of a sleeper. Plus it would make my dad happy if i drove a firebird, he loves em.

Just one thing to keep in mind. I don't know how old you are but you may want to check into the cost of insurance for the various makes and models of cars that interst you. No fun having a great car that you cannot afford the insurance.

..and by the way you don't need an engineering degree or piles of money to make your car original, all it takes is some creativity, some planning, and some desire.

How good are the firebirds in turns?

I guess i could also go with an older firebird and put a hemi in it. Im shure my dad would help with the payment for this. But i dont know anything about that. and if we did that my dad would probobly take it.

Ahhh im so confused theres so manys cars haha
well these are the routs in concidering
1. Keep the SHO and make it a sleeper
2. get a mkII MR2 turbo and lightly mod it
3. get a Eclipse GSX or Talon TSi and mod it
4. a firebird (im not shure what year ect.) and more mods than the rest

hmm so many options

"..and by the way you don't need an engineering degree or piles of money to make your car original, all it takes is some creativity, some planning, and some desire."

well my dad has an engenering degree and has worked with cars for a long time, and im very creative so it should be an original car. The only thing restricting me is cash.

Originally posted by High Octane
Is the Eagle talon TSi the same car as a eclipse GSX. Because if it is why not just buy the talon and strip the tags? I dont really care what brand the car is. And about making a firebird original, I think ill look into that. It would be fun in a town with all japanise rice to show some good american cars. Thats also the reason why i like the concept of a sleeper. Plus it would make my dad happy if i drove a firebird, he loves em.

Hey! now we're talking, parental approval can often lead to parental help, hopefully of the financial kind:biggrin:

As for the talon/eclipse thing, yeah they're identical. They're called DSM's because they were designed by a group called Diamond Star Motors. The best model was a turbocharged AWD 5-speed manual and was marketed as the Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX, the Eagle Talon TSi and the Plymouth Laser RS AWD. They're all the same, just different badging.

oh yeah, and sleepers = the shite.

Originally posted by Volvord 784VC
Just one thing to keep in mind. I don't know how old you are but you may want to check into the cost of insurance for the various makes and models of cars that interst you. No fun having a great car that you cannot afford the insurance.

..and by the way you don't need an engineering degree or piles of money to make your car original, all it takes is some creativity, some planning, and some desire.

Good point on the insurance, something I completely forgot to factor into my suggestions.

And I know you don't have to have lots of cash or be an engineer to be different, but when I think origional I usually look a little farther than others, as in personal R&D and custom fabing everything to specs you create yourself.

BMW 3 series
VW Jetta 1.8T/VR6
VW GTI 1.8T/VR6
Audi A4 1.8T

well id Eclipses and talons are exactly the same then i would go with the talon TSi i guess not as many people like em so there cheaper. If i do decide on that car ill just get the talon and take the tags off and fill the holes. I think my friend is selling his talon to maybe i can get it for cheap :biggrin:.

Originally posted by RACER D12
BMW 3 series
VW Jetta 1.8T/VR6
VW GTI 1.8T/VR6
Audi A4 1.8T
i think we have a euro guy here.... hehe. if that's the case... VOLVO TURBO WAGON. cant get anymore euro-sleep like that car. especially if you get your hands on a t-5r.

i'd say the eclipse is prolly the best on insurance, but im not sure. yea i do think they are all the same too...

rx-7 tt 3rd gen

i was also concedering an rx-7 but there rotary engines and i know nothing about them and ive heard there reliability is very bad.

Theres nothing bad about a rotary engine, you just need to learn how to take care of it. They're also very simple and fast rebuilds.

However, due to both cost and the fact that you have no experience I would suggest staying away for now. if you do go the rotary route get an FC TurboII, not a 3rd gen.

the more and more i look at the eagle talon TSi the more i like it. its cheap, easy to mod and AWD. Also no one around me has it because everyone looks down on Eagles. That good i'll make it a sleeper and burn all the ricers that live by me. The only person that i know that has a eagle talon is my good friend so it would be fun to modify ours together. Does anyone know of any good Talon sights or forums that i can ask some questions on cuz i dont think the one in automotivefourms is used much.

well i still have alot of recearch to do, i wanna do this right.

Wait wait weren't we just a month ago saying that talons are bad because of their weak transmissions and how they do not handle extra power well? Something about their weak Awd systems also.

i dont know how to quote like all u guys do so ill just put it in quotes


"Wait wait weren't we just a month ago saying that talons are bad because of their weak transmissions and how they do not handle extra power well? Something about their weak Awd systems also."


Hmm is this true... if it is it definitally sets me back a step

can anyone post a link to this thred? tell me about the drawbacks of an Eagle talon TSi

Originally posted by High Octane
i dont know how to quote like all u guys do so ill just put it in quotes


"Wait wait weren't we just a month ago saying that talons are bad because of their weak transmissions and how they do not handle extra power well? Something about their weak Awd systems also."


Hmm is this true... if it is it definitally sets me back a step

can anyone post a link to this thred? tell me about the drawbacks of an Eagle talon TSi

If you look at the bottom of everyones post you will see Quote its right next to edit/delete. Just click it and it will quote their post. I'm trying to remember the thread name I think I was the one who even asked if about the TSi because I was looking at them too.

get a 70's Porsche 911, fast and smog exhempt and most likely cheaper to restore a shitty one and still be cheaper than a new Nissan:bigthumb:

Originally posted by 90gs
ya generally hardasses... u see those totally stereotypical people (from accross the sea) driving them with big ass 20" rims and their idea of a body kit which is just like a 1" taller front bumper...

u can hella make em fast for cheap... friend spent $9k and got his 86 5.0 to run 9 sec 1/4 mile, he can do a 60 foot wheelie on hoosiers and can burn out for 270 feet shifting into 2nd (yes he measured)

hmm good for dragstrip but normal city roads have more than 2 slow left hand turns(1 to get on the strip,1 to get off)

thanks for all the help guys. I think i have a good idea of what i want now. I think i like the eclipse GSX or Talon TSi but that idea might change.... im gonna start postin my question about it on GSX forums... thanks for the help