GSX.

 

i'm definally would go with a dsm, preferably a 1st gen awd, with a 6 bolt (7 bolts suck lol) u can pick up a nice one for about 4k and then have 6k to mod and have a sick *** car... but of course u wanna do all the maintence and **** before u mod to make sure you dont blow the motor and all... but thats want i would buy... hell i had only 7k invest in my 95 and had 403 hp to the wheels (fwd non awd lol) but ended up blowing the head gasket so i'm getting a 6 bolt and all

 

93+ mr2-t if he can find one.
240 w/ sr20.
I use to own a honda so just about any honda and built motor + turbo.
gc8
the guy that said the fc with a ls1 or something, heard they are very fast and still handle very well. Do not know how much it would run though.

 

Definitely an AWD DSM!

There's always a couple for sale on SW_DSM.

 

What's his budget on insurance? Some of these older hatches/turbos you listed aren't that cheap to insure, especially depending on age/history of driver. Get old enough, and full coverage gets harder to come by. Wreck it and you could be looking at a totalled car, with a very small check.

What's his budget to pay for things that break? Old cars break things. Old turbo cars break expensive things. Old modded turbo cars break expensive things more often. Can he work on his own car? It would make fixing/modding easier. Older dsm turbo, tt rx-7, tt 300z, are all potential nightmares for a cheap daily driver.

What's his budget on gas? Example, Rx-7s get lousy mileage (10-11mpg), and that's not to mention the first two questions for these cars. How much driving does he do?

I'm not saying don't get a fun car, but if his budget is $10k total for a daily driver, the priority shouldn't be a modded older turbo car. He's just asking for headaches.

There are a lot of great choices out there, cars that are quick, handle well, reliable, and affordable to insure.

Honestly, a 2.5rs isn't a bad idea, from all criteria I questioned. They are great cars, especially the 4-doors for insurance. I hate to say bulletproof, but find a stock one with decent miles, and it's close.

I'm not a honda fan, but there are nice civics out there, plenty of options to tune and insurance isn't horrible either.

Comfortable in his manhood? There's always a miata. Cheap to buy, mod, insure, and fun, they are great first time sports cars.

I don't think srt-4s are this cheap yet, but it can't be long given their bargain basement pricing. They are teh fastar.

Good luck!

 

RX-7 are not good to get. You gotta replace the Apexi seals after ~60k miles and it requires you to pull the motor. 300ZX TT seems good.

 

I've put a list together now. Most of the cars can be had for well under $10k. Have extra money left over is good because the first thing I'd do is march down to the mechanic/tuner and have everything tested and fix all the little things that come up after 8-12 years. Then I'd do some light mods here and there to beef up some of the weaker parts of the car.

So far I really like the AWD DSM's & the 300ZX. I also like the Stealth/3000 GT, but they tend to be more expensive. I really liked the RX-7, but perhaps not so much now after I've read a few things from you guys. Sounds like there are some reliability issues. I also like the 240SX and some Civics.

What are you thoughts on the Prelude and the MR2? The Miata is an option too, but they're so small! Not sure if it's at all practical.

 

3000GT are good cars if you get them STOCK. I had a VR-4 and i had nothing but problems (was modified a lot). I spent so much money repairing it and i ended up selling it, and losing 1/2 of what i paid for!

I'd look over for the reliability of the 300ZX, especially the TT.

1st Gen DSMs are good with a 6-bolt engine. I believe that 1st gen 90-92 are 6-bolt and 93-94 are 7-bolt. 2nd gen 95-99 are 7-bolt.

Not sure about the MR-2 (old school ones), but they look like a PITA to work on because of where the engine is located. However, you can't beat MR (mid-rear) cars!

 

Ugh, a friend of mine has a 3KGT VR4. It's broken more often than it's working... and it's always something different that broke.

 

E30 M3

 

Get a 95-97' Miata. Cheap as nails, easy to get real fast with a turbo kit, and you'd STILL have money left over. Lightweight, RWD, convertible, and a stout engine. However I am a bit bias.

 

94-95 (none OBD-II) LT1