Another thing to consider is repair costs. BMWs are very expensive to fix. Parts alone may cost more than paying some one to fix a similar problem on a domestic car. I vote for the Fox. While not naturally a super strong handling car, with some money and a little knowledge, you can get those little cars to hug corners and be all around beast.
I was just about to mention this. BMW's are very expensive to repair. My cousin recently bought a 2002 325Ci. In the first two weeks he had it, he put about $1k into it. To fix a cracked radiater reservoir it cost him about $400, for the reservoir, not even the radiator itself. If you need to fix anything on that car, you're gonna be raped, especially on the M3.
Nissan 240's are hard to find stock nowadays and you'll want to avoid a riced out one. it was probably owned by a dumbass an thrashed. 300zx's are heavy, and can be expensive if you get the twin turbo version. Miata's are serious fun to drive, but lack power for drifting (its possible, but strains the engine alot). If youre looking to drift, i dont recommend american muscle of any era. They have great acceleration and torque, but dont handle well. (generally speaking. they also heavyweights) Euro cars, while great cars, are expensive to maintain.
Now that i have all the pessimism out of my system, heres what i recommend:
240sx- if you can find one thats stock and has relatively low miles, its a superb beginner drift car. Super handling courtesy of its near 50/50 weight balance, and Tourquey-for-a-four engine make it great.
later 90's miatas- find a nice one and do some power enhancing upgrades and it would be great. Even at stock it makes a great (read fun) autocross car
If you can save up another couple grand, you can get a nice s2000 used (around 12-13000) this has been my all time favorite car to drive. Great handling, super engine (9000rpm is better than alcohol intoxication wise). you do have to reve it high to get power, but thats its appeal. 00-03 (ap1) have a 2.0 that makes 240 horses and somewhere around 150 lb/ft. 04-present (ap2) have a 2.2 that still makes 240hp, but has a lower redline and more torque. I would assume that the ap2 is a better drifter, but i have the ap1 and have never driven a newer one. all in all- its great.
For that price range, I couldn't say enough good things about mustangs. I've had 2 now. 1999, and a 2003 I bought last week. They are really awesome cars. High power, torque peak at about 2700rpm, a snappy 5 speed and deliciously ill behaved handling. That's a recipe for ultimate fun. Plus, they look sick.
I don't drift, but I believe last year's world champ drift car was a mustang. They're easy to work on, and they take cheap parts. Plus there's a zillion of them out there so swap meets are frequent.
~Zak~
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I'd go with an '88 Pontiac Fiero GT. Downsides: rear engine means no drift, and the stock engine isn't crazy powerful.
Upsides: Slick looking for an 80's ride, rear engine means good traction and acceleration, it's a cult car, so it's got a ton of available aftermarket stuff(including engine swaps so you can get some ridiculous power), the stock engine isn't too bad on gas, there's a trunk in the front AND back(room for your quiver), Cheap($2-$6k), RWD, Stick, and you get people asking, "What kind of car is that?".
My dream car is one of those in dark electric blue with the choptop done, a Lingenfelter 427 in the back(with the other normal under-the-hood mods), fat rear tires, 18" or 19" shiny rims, Eibach shocks, Brembo brakes, and an awesome longboarder girlfriend in the passenger seat.
But I might have to settle for a 1968-70 El Camino SS
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I'd go with an '88 Pontiac Fiero GT. Downsides: rear engine means no drift, and the stock engine isn't crazy powerful.
Upsides: Slick looking for an 80's ride, rear engine means good traction and acceleration, it's a cult car, so it's got a ton of available aftermarket stuff(including engine swaps so you can get some ridiculous power), the stock engine isn't too bad on gas, there's a trunk in the front AND back(room for your quiver), Cheap($2-$6k), RWD, Stick, and you get people asking, "What kind of car is that?".
My dream car is one of those in dark electric blue with the choptop done, a Lingenfelter 427 in the back(with the other normal under-the-hood mods), fat rear tires, 18" or 19" shiny rims, Eibach shocks, Brembo brakes, and an awesome longboarder girlfriend in the passenger seat.
But I might have to settle for a 1968-70 El Camino SS
dude you can so drift a mid engine car! the old toyota MR2s kick so much ass. speaking of which, if you can find one of those, they are awesome.
I agree with everyone here that says get a Miata/MX5.
Anyone that has a go at you for driving a girls' car has no idea what they're talking about. They're amazingly well balanced and handle like a go-kart. Standard they don't have much power but they'll still go round a track faster than much bigger cars. They're also reliable, which is good if you're planning on hooning it.
mustangs have always been rwd...
read up on wiki...
Quote:
In response to slumping sales and escalating fuel prices during the early 1980s, a new Mustang was in developement. It was to be a variant of the Mazda MX-6 assembled at AutoAlliance International in Flat Rock, Michigan. Enthusiasts wrote to Ford objecting to the proposed change to a front-wheel drive, Japanese-designed Mustang without a V8 option. The result was a major facelift of the existing Mustang in 1987, while the MX-6 variant became the 1989 Ford Probe.
I also have a little '65 beetle with a 911 2 liter porsche engine with dual webber carbs. It'll beat a porsche on the strip any day, and will do wheelies for days. I've also beaten a new charger, dozens of silly little hondas, a '98 mustang, an '87 mustang, a Datsun Z, and yes a '78 911 porsche
If you want to drag, just get a beetle body, it will beat just about anything you throw at it if you've got the right engine. You can also do some cool pro street stuff with old beetles, they'll drift with the best of them. When you've got the engine in the back right over the rear wheels there's no loss of power through the tran. Just goes straight to the wheels. Oh yeah...and they weigh nothing...it's pretty much an engine with wheels.
EDIT: Forgot to mention, if you want to do track racing, beetle's have independent rear suspension which means they hug the turns with both front and back wheels. Add on a suburu boxer engine, beef up the front and back ends so the engine wont rip it apart, and you've got a race car my friend.
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For the Mustang that everyone seems to mentioning, which models are RWD/stick? Only the "fox body" or some others too.
Oh man, you have ALOT of learning to do. Mustangs are ONLY RWD. Fox bodies also include thunderbirds, and cougars. A V8 tbird are pretty cheap, and use all the same suspension/drivetrain parts as the mustangs. And they are more luxurious.
May I suggest looking into G body cars, Buick Regal, Chevy Monte Carlo, Oldsmobile Cutlass, and Pontiac Gran Prix. (and the el camino *shudder*) 79-87 models. They are all RWD, have MASSIVE aftermarket support, large engine bays (for fat motors) and most can be had for a song. I've owned 3 of the 4 I mentioned. Putting in a stick will take some work, and might be worth it.
My advice is find someone knowledgeable (not your friends) that you can learn from. then decide what platform to go from.
So lets change the subject to FWD cars. What is the differences and benefits for them. I know for racing, RWD gives you more power and better steering but why change to FWD/AWD. I know AWD is safer but where does that put FWD.
Re: Cars :D
Re: Cars :D
