Phoenix Gold Phorum

i dont think leina is gonna make it. she has 150k on her and to put her in pristine shape is too much to justify... i drove the absolute CRAP out of her for more the 70,000 miles

so i think she is gonna find her way to the for sale ads...

i have been hunting high and low...i can't find hardly NYTHING i want to drive other then a e36 bmw.

help me expand my ideas....

what i must have:

1: manual transmission. absolutely MUST have. and dont try and pull any of that "my sport mode is like a manual transmission" if it doesn't have a clutch peddle, it doesn't count

2: as quick or quicker then my current car. that's roughly a 5.5 second. 0-60, mid 14 quarter time. and qets decent gas milage doing it. (i get about 30mpg hwy using premium)

3: 4 REAL seats. dont mind coupe or sedan (wagon?)

4: leather....im a snob...i guess.



deal breakers (wont even consider)

1: American cars. (or American based cars, jaguar, non mazda speed 6's, v6 saab's, etc)

2: mercedes, huyudi, kia, suzuki, VW

3: fwd v6 jap cars. camery, altima, accord, eclipse, galant, etc...they are slower then the 240hp+ lets on, and VERY front heavy)

4: convertibles


so far i am hoping to find:

low mileage bmw e36
2001-2003 bmw m5's
mazdaspeed 6's
Subaru legacy GT's
volvo s60r's


what can you guys think of that i might have over looked?

oh, budget is about 15k. could squeeze out up to 20 for a absolute KICKASS AMAZING car

Read the first half of your post and was thinking 'Hmm.... he needs a Legacy GT'. Only to find out you have already shortlisted it.

DOOOOOOO ITTTTTTT...

Sooby GT would be my choice..........

Try AWD for awhile and see what you've been missing. Ya might also look into the WRX like Brandon's...... He's got very little into mods and it's a beast.....

i respect the wrx's power....but the interior is too "meh" for me. i have taken a few apart...the cabin is loud, carpet is thin....too much plastic.

Bfowler wrote:i respect the wrx's power....but the interior is too "meh" for me. i have taken a few apart...the cabin is loud, carpet is thin....too much plastic.

The interior can be changed............
The cabin just needs Dyna-LOVE...........
And there isn't THAT much plastic................

The GT has a few luxuries but the Rex is tunable......... I know there are a few parts for the GT's but can't says I've read too much about them. I've driven a few of each and love both.........

The BMW speaks for itself....

Bfowler wrote:i respect the wrx's power....but the interior is too "meh" for me. i have taken a few apart...the cabin is loud, carpet is thin....too much plastic.

Have you considered a Saab 9-2x? My friend just bought a low mileage 9-2x Aero (which is a WRX with a Saab bodykit and a bunch of STI parts) for CHEAPER than a regular WRX. The interior is still very Impreza, but with a bunch of refinements that might make it less "meh" for you.

And my biased recommendation would be an 04/05 Saab 9-5 Aero wagon, since the depreciation is so bad on them that you get excellent value. I would then install a Quaiffe LSD, Intercooler and Bilstein HDs in it. The LSD would make you forget how much FWD sucks, the intercooler would keep power up on warm days, and the Billies will have it handling better than an unmodded non-M BMW. After that you're just an exhaust swap and ECU away from 300hp, 300lb/ft.

Dang, you're not picky are you?

150k miles and it's getting ready to die?? Seems American made cars are better than you think. My '97 Monte Carlo (that's a Lumina for those of you who don't know) has 220k+ and I still drive it 100 miles every day

Sure you don't want a Chevy?

It sounds like you're pretty much restricting it to I-4 or I-6 cars. You also seem to shun FWD cars.

Francious70 wrote:Dang, you're not picky are you?

150k miles and it's getting ready to die?? Seems American made cars are better than you think. My '97 Monte Carlo (that's a Lumina for those of you who don't know) has 220k+ and I still drive it 100 miles every day

Sure you don't want a Chevy?

It sounds like you're pretty much restricting it to I-4 or I-6 cars. You also seem to shun FWD cars.

yeah...im a very picky car guy. its not that shes gonna quit running. its just i demand a LOT from my car...and the amount of suspension and running gear i will need to pleace to keep it "NEW feeling" i drive my car like i stole it EVERY day.


its not that i shun FWD cars...but it has to be done just so. a lsd and fairly light engine are needed to meet my handling expectations. v6's or even 8's are fine...just it better have rwd or awd to pair with it.

stipud wrote:

Bfowler wrote:i respect the wrx's power....but the interior is too "meh" for me. i have taken a few apart...the cabin is loud, carpet is thin....too much plastic.

Have you considered a Saab 9-2x? My friend just bought a low mileage 9-2x Aero (which is a WRX with a Saab bodykit and a bunch of STI parts) for CHEAPER than a regular WRX. The interior is still very Impreza, but with a bunch of refinements that might make it less "meh" for you.

And my biased recommendation would be an 04/05 Saab 9-5 Aero wagon, since the depreciation is so bad on them that you get excellent value. I would then install a Quaiffe LSD, Intercooler and Bilstein HDs in it. The LSD would make you forget how much FWD sucks, the intercooler would keep power up on warm days, and the Billies will have it handling better than an unmodded non-M BMW. After that you're just an exhaust swap and ECU away from 300hp, 300lb/ft.

figured you would say that! you almost have me convinced....why not a 9-3aero?

how many miles are on yours now? what have you had to do in the way of bushings, cv joints etc?

http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/cto/986903836.html ?

The idea here is to buy a fairly recent car, right? You're not interested in an older (80s/90s) classic that will require personal love (vs dealership "love")?

i dont mind doing some personal love. i just dont want to drop a ton of money into parts.

the more i look at older cars, the more i realize they will nickle and dime me to death.....but im all ears...

most of this will be financed, so getting $$$ for a older car will be aharder. plus any future parts will have to come out of my pockets, instead of a new car which would need (hopefully) less parts

I'll gar-on-fuken-tee that you could get it to "keepable" status with a little work on yer part for a reasonable amount of money. It sounds like yer just trying to find an excuse to buy a new ride......

If ya sold her.......what could ya realistically get??? And remember how the economy is right now... ...... If ya fixed her up.......What would it cost???

Ford owns vs mazda and volvo... Why would you want those cars?

lots of what they do does is still independent of ford.

the v6's in mazda's and volvo's is right out. its still a duratec v6

a mazdaspeed 3 and volvo t5 are completly different

I feel like I'm repeating myself but........ LEGACY GT + DYNAMAT =

Sorry to throw that in but what about an Audi S6?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Cars-Tru ... 240%3A1318

You said no american based cars, then you said no mazdas, then you said you would consider a mazda speed 6?

i never said no mazda's!

definietly considered the rx8, mazda speed 6, and the higher end flavors of the mazda 3

what i dont want is a mazda with a v6, as it will be based on the ford duratec or a fwd with a heavy v6.

i know....im picky as hell

joerg wrote:Sorry to throw that in but what about an Audi S6?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Cars-Tru ... 240%3A1318

that would be badass....but that ones an automatic

i will se if i find anyothers

Bfowler wrote:

joerg wrote:Sorry to throw that in but what about an Audi S6?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Cars-Tru ... 240%3A1318

that would be badass....but that ones an automatic
i will se if i find anyothers

You see those to push buttons on the steering wheel? Those are called tip shifters! If u can change gear´s faster with hand than with pushing 2 knobs you´re the man!

joerg wrote:You see those to push buttons on the steering wheel? Those are called tip shifters! If u can change gear´s faster with hand than with pushing 2 knobs you´re the man!

He's not concerned with the ability to select his gear, he's concerned with the feeling of driving a full manual vehicle. Sure, the electronic shift will beat the human every time, but that doesn't make fun

That's kool and all but.....................It's just not the same as a manual.

Check out the Leg GT and see what ya get..... Wentworth is pretty kool I hear as far as good used soobies are concerned.

Also-
Aren't you going back to school????? How do ya plan to make payments and be a fulltime student? I guess you could start stripping a couple nights a week for extra cash...........