which car should I choose?

[BP2K2Max]

if i were looking for a car to mod i'd get a nissan 240sx and swap a sr20det engine in it, or an rb25 turbo inline 6(skyline engine) or work with the ka24 4 cylinder that comes in it. I've seen mid 90's 240's for around $3-4K in good condition and the engine would be around 1K-3K depending on which engine you went with. you'd get a hell of a car plus the exclusivity factor is way higher than either of the other cars.

[genjy]

The 240sx isn't very exclusive... I see a lot more 240SXs around than something like awd DSMs. I remember the 240sx cost about $16k to $23k when it was in production, so it wasn't like it was an expensive car that no one could afford in the first place.

[lietuvis91]

I'd definately go w/ the 95 5.0 if you can find one in a good shape for a good price. Afterall, it's the last of the 5.0s and it's an awesome car!

[Kurtdg19]

Its a tough choice to make, especially given the options.

A prelude/talon tsi will suit better than the 5.0 seasonally. If thats one consideration your looking for.

5.0 has an unlimited library of modifications.

I've heard the safety ratings on a talon aren't very appealing.

Prelude would be the most reliable car out of the bunch, and it would also require the most attention in modifying.

A talon can be easily modified out of the box, buy a boost controller, get your air fuel ratios adjusted, and you'll see that for a few hundred nothing else would be the best hp/$. But then your throwing out reliability. Its a tough call.

Make balanced modifications to ensure the best drivability every day. (which i'm sure thats what its main use is for right?)

Have you also checked out some other cars for around that price range?

You may find a SRT-4, WRX, MR2 Turbo, as another good possible choice.

I would even look at a 350Z, S2000. That would be my choice, but the price is a little steeper.

[klohiq]

First off, Redlined_V8 "no replacement for displacement" is not exactly the end-all-be-all of tuning for power. There have been many cars with 4 bangers that produce 400-500+ hp...to me that's a lot for street use and while they may be the exception to the rule, they are nonetheless out there and able to beat many larger displacement engines with ease.

There are also imports with 6 and 8 cylinders...lexus makes a few with 8s and if you want 6 cylinders than an early model supra, late model supra, datsun, etc. If you want displacement then imports can porvide it...just they also seem to value technology and weight savings a bit more than american sports cars.

My personal choice, if your dad has the money, is a 300ZX...not my favorite...but they can be made fast cheaply (400+hp for under 2500). They are also decent handling and are relatively reliable if you make the necessary mods to the engine.