Cars Similar to WRX

[triplerox]

I'm selling my 2005 accord soon, probably for around 18k if im lucky. The new car that i'm looking for has to have great handling along with performance. So far, the only thing i know of is WRX with its AWD (roughly 15k for a used one). I was wondering if there are any other cars that i can look into which has great handling (great with hills is a plus) and performace within my budget.

[mason_RsX]

Used Evo VI or VII if you can get one

SRT-4 but your prob gonna have problems finding one in that price range...and its only FWD

Used GTI R32

PS Good luck squaring this with your insurance company

[NISSANSPDR]

Originally Posted by mason_RsX

Used Evo VI or VII if you can get one

Used Evo VI's and VII's are not legal in the United States unless you buy them through a legal importer like www.evolutionimports.com They imported Evo VII's and VI's, and maybe V's...dunno site is down now but they sure werent around 15-18k. More like 30k.

You could also find a Evo V-VII through www.rallyclassified.com But none of those will probably be street legal since they are usually meant for off road/track only.

[G35XAndTrailBlazer]

I'd stick the the WRX, or a nissan Sentra SE-R. They are pretty reasonable. Plus they are fast. FWD though

[G-man422]

Vw Gti R32!!!

[DinanM3_S2]

Originally Posted by G-man422

Vw Gti R32!!!

Good luck with an R32, they don't seem that cool to most people, but for the massive VW community out there its a huge collectors car. Because of this, the resale value stays pretty close to its origional value.

[NISSANSPDR]

Yea good luck finding an R32 for 15-19k. They were quite limited in # and high in price so they should hold their value for a bit longer

[triplerox]

wrx is what i really want but i wanted to scope out other choices before making my decision. as for srt-4, how well is the handling?

[nikita7]

You want only 4 door car or coupes are fine too ? Talons and 2 gen eclipse GSXs are great all around performers, although they have their bugs. You can get a GSX with 300+ HP for under 15k.

[DinanM3_S2]

Originally Posted by nikita7

You want only 4 door car or coupes are fine too ? Talons and 2 gen eclipse GSXs are great all around performers, although they have their bugs. You can get a GSX with 300+ HP for under 15k.

Sorry, had to post it

[G-man422]

It never gets old, lol.

[clawhammer]

I really think that the WRX is the best car for your needs and budget.

[G35XAndTrailBlazer]

SRT-4 is probably not as goodin the turns. I'd stick with a WRX

[blakscorpion21]

celica alltrac, looks sweet, awd, 200hp, very rare, relativley cheap, lots of potential.

[kman10587]

Contrary to what probably about 75% of the people here think, an SRT-4 will FLAT OUT SMOKE a WRX in the turns, HANDS DOWN.

1. The SRT-4 has 17-inch rims, as opposed to the WRX's 16's.
2. The SRT-4 has high-performance tires (BFGoodrich KDW-2s, at that, an excellent street tire), as opposed to the WRX's dogshit Potenza RE92s.
3. The SRT-4 has a much tighter suspension than the WRX. SRT-4s are loud, uncomfortable, and ride like shit, but their handling is superb because of it.

You may believe that all-wheel-drive gives you an inherent handling advantage over FWD or RWD in any situation. Not the case at all. Unless you're launching a very high-powered car, all-wheel-drive does jack shit for you on dry pavement; all it's doing is creating drivetrain loss, putting additional stress on your drivetrain, and adding weight to the vehicle. Now, if you live in an area with frequent rain or snow, that's another story.

Seriously, I love the WRX and the Impreza line in general (I own a 2.5 RS, after all), but there are so many misconceptions about it and all-wheel-drive in general, that I just thought I'd clear up a few of the more common ones for you.