Fastest Cheap Car? Looking For A Cheap Thrill

[Anees]

Hi Guys,

My cousin is having an early-life crisis (he is 26) and I think I have been a bad influence on him. He has decided to sell his Ford Focus and he wants to spend around £1500 to £2000 on a MONSTER of a car that is flippin quick.

Looking for a ROCKET for the limited budget.

My list for him is:

Nissan 300Z,

Mitsubishi GTO,

Lexus Soarer (4.0 or TT),

Subaru Impreza WRX (old 1995 ish shape)

Nissan 200SX

Thats all I could think of. Handling is probably not the most important thing for him - as long as its FAST and FUN. He just wants to keep it for a few months, have some fun and then sell it before he gets married next year.

Any other suggestions for a cheap thrill considering the budget?

Thanks,

Anees :D

[Rob's Lexx]

mr2 turbo?? dunno how much they fetch but are pretty nippy and great to drive

or datsun s14/s15

[shake]

nissan 200 all the way, make sure its the 2.0 sr20det and not 1.8 ca20det. the 2.0 is chain driven, 1.8 belt. its one less thing to worry about, plus more power!

[Realitycheck77]

If it’s a 'pocket rocket' you are looking for and really not bothered about handling and want to have fun, I believe within your budget you could go for a 94 Fiat Uno Turbo i.e. and the cash you have left over you could spend on doing some performance mods to it.

I know someone who modified his and used to race Ferrari’s around the streets and dual carriageways they are a seriously fast (and depending on how you drive) dangerous car.

[TigerFish]

A few that spring to mind and should be in budget:

Renault 5 GT Turbo

Renault 21 Turbo Quadra

Mitsubishi Starion Turbo

Nissan Sylvia Turbo

Toyota Supra

[Rikos]

Possibly get an old R32 skyline for around that budget, they are quick!

S14/15 are also a good option, would say an RX7 but dont think you'll get one for that budget

[loggyboy]

Redtopped Nova? wont get much faster for £1400! also wont depreciate much, cheap as chips to repair, no turbo or expensive parts to buy, no import level insurance premiums!

http://www.pngclub.com/forum/showthread.php?t=100402

just remove the gay orange bits 1st.

Cross off the GTO, they weigh nearly 2 tonnes and arent that fast at all.

[dudi]

Saxo VTS/106 GTi.

120bhp out of the box, 0-60 in the low 7's. handle VERY well and are great fun. The TU engines are very tuneable aswell.

I own a VTS (it's off the road though at the mo due to an accident.)

[Rikos]

Cross off the GTO, they weigh nearly 2 tonnes and arent that fast at all.

282 bhp 5.7 seconds and 155 top end, thats not fast?

[Dave-Ellen]

with that budget he'll more than likely end up with a knackered shed...........

[Guest inicol63]

I think you should go for a mr2 rev turbo t roof.

Only thing to watch is cambelt and wheels and throw abucket of water over the t top to check for leak done job.

[LexusIS200Sam]

defently a red top nova, my mates got one and it keeps up with E46 M3's!! drives like a go-kart!

[LennyLexus]

with that budget he'll more than likely end up with a knackered shed...........

agreed, will probably need to spend another K or to get a half enjoyable position, and easily 2, 3 times his original budget to get it back to OEM (this is especially true for the GTO, 300ZX, Soarer etc), always comparable maintenance cost to original list price. He would better going for a hot hatch, try a stretching to a Starlet.

Most of the cars in this price range are going to be seriously used and abused.

Have no experience of the Novas, they sound the best bet, if you can like with the stigma

[Anees]

Thanks for all the suggestions - they are great! :D

Been thinking about this and maybe he doesn't need a mega fast car because his previous list of cars are basically old Rover 214/414s and then Hondas that look like Rovers and then escorts, Mondeos, more Rovers, a few Fiats, more Rovers, a Seat, more Rovers, another Mondeo, an MG (that is basically a Rover 25) and finally a decent Ford Focus.

(We worked out one that at the age of 26 his has had 24 Rovers/Rover shape Hondas! :o)

The fastest car he has driven would be his Dad's 1.8 Focus Si and a Celica but I think its only a 1.8 that. So I think anything pretty quick will feel fast to him.

@Prolex-uk - you are probably right about the car being a shed, but he might spot the odd exception.

[MAT_8N]

get an old porsche 944, not super quick but god value for money. for the price you'll get a nice enough none. they are fairly economical they are strong, fastish and still have the image(if you get the right one) and the insurance is reasonable.

plus they win hands down in pub talk!!

" so what motor you got mate?"

"toyota"

"oh, ok"

"subaru"

"oh,ok"

"nissan"

"oh'ok"

"mitsubishi"

"oh,ok"

"nissan"

"oh,ok"

"porsche"

"really!! what type? is it fast? you must be loaded! cool car, i've always wanted a porsche"

[LennyLexus]

get an old porsche 944, not super quick but god value for money. for the price you'll get a nice enough none. they are fairly economical they are strong, fastish and still have the image(if you get the right one) and the insurance is reasonable.

plus they win hands down in pub talk!!

" so what motor you got mate?"

"toyota"

"what SUPRA??"

"subaru"

"what, STI??"

"nissan"

"what, SKYLINE??"

"mitsubishi"

"what, EVO??"

"nissan"

"what, GTR?"

"porsche"

"oh, must be a boxter?"

[sparkystav]

get an old porsche 944, not super quick but god value for money. for the price you'll get a nice enough none. they are fairly economical they are strong, fastish and still have the image(if you get the right one) and the insurance is reasonable.

plus they win hands down in pub talk!!

" so what motor you got mate?"

"toyota"

"what SUPRA??"

"subaru"

"what, STI??"

"nissan"

"what, SKYLINE??"

"mitsubishi"

"what, EVO??"

"nissan"

"what, GTR?"

"porsche"

"oh, must be a boxster?"

Why've you not got a Lexus?

[MAT_8N]

ok, so try.....

"helloooo, big boy, what car do you drive dahrling?"

"sti"

"what?"

"evo"

"what?"

"supra"

"eh?"

"gtir"

"errr"

"skline"

"hmmm"

"boxter"

"purrrrrrrr, i like you"

or just leave the keys/fob on the table :P

nothing puts a smile on your face like owning a porsche. i've had an old 944 and it was cool and fun, i've now got a ls400 and an rx300 totaling a lot of money!! and i've also got a cheap £500 944 in the garage for track days and weekends and people think its worth more than the others!!(the none car people) and i actually makes me feel great knowing its mine!!

and the prices 944's are at now you're not going to lose any money on them when you come to sell it.

[maneesh]

Thanks for all the suggestions - they are great! :D

Been thinking about this and maybe he doesn't need a mega fast car because his previous list of cars are basically old Rover 214/414s and then Hondas that look like Rovers and then escorts, Mondeos, more Rovers, a few Fiats, more Rovers, a Seat, more Rovers, another Mondeo, an MG (that is basically a Rover 25) and finally a decent Ford Focus.

(We worked out one that at the age of 26 his has had 24 Rovers/Rover shape Hondas! :o)

The fastest car he has driven would be his Dad's 1.8 Focus Si and a Celica but I think its only a 1.8 that. So I think anything pretty quick will feel fast to him.

Hmmm, you are suggesting a high powered turbo charged rear wheel drive car to him when he's been only been driving underpowered "relatively safe handling" front wheel drive cars. Interesting!

[Anees]

Thanks for all the suggestions - they are great! :D

Been thinking about this and maybe he doesn't need a mega fast car because his previous list of cars are basically old Rover 214/414s and then Hondas that look like Rovers and then escorts, Mondeos, more Rovers, a few Fiats, more Rovers, a Seat, more Rovers, another Mondeo, an MG (that is basically a Rover 25) and finally a decent Ford Focus.

(We worked out one that at the age of 26 his has had 24 Rovers/Rover shape Hondas! :o)

The fastest car he has driven would be his Dad's 1.8 Focus Si and a Celica but I think its only a 1.8 that. So I think anything pretty quick will feel fast to him.

Hmmm, you are suggesting a high powered turbo charged rear wheel drive car to him when he's been only been driving underpowered "relatively safe handling" front wheel drive cars. Interesting!

When you put it like that Maneesh you have a point! I like the Porsche idea - will look into that. :D

Maybe something 4-wheel drive like the Impreza or FWD like an Integra would be better.

[shake]

a friend had a nova 1.3 sr, tuned carbs and it flew. power to weight ratio! it would be pointless if your cousin is ... erm ... a salad dodger?

[maneesh]

Anees, even a 944 would be easy for him to get in trouble with no experience of rear wheel drive, especially on a wet road.

[MAT_8N]

the thing is when you finally get a porsche(if you're mr average financialy) you will treat it with respect, you treat it different to say a nissan 200sx for the same price. all the old things go through your head...its a porsche, i cant crash it ,it'll cost me a fortune. i can't thrash it for the same reason. you feel cool going 30mph because even in an old 1985 944 people still look to see who's driving the porsche. where as in the 200sx you dont care about it, its only a nissan after all.

n.b. boxters dont count.

[loggyboy]

Cross off the GTO, they weigh nearly 2 tonnes and arent that fast at all.

282 bhp 5.7 seconds and 155 top end, thats not fast?

Thats the top spec one.. which for £2k would be an absolute smokin' rotter.

Those figures are largely missleading. Yes of course its a fast car, its a 3.0 twin turbo! but its quick to 60 cuz its 4wd, and its sheer power gives it good top end as its weight is less of a penalty. But read between those figures, and ook at the power to weight, 280 brake, 1900 kg thats about 150bhp/tonne, even my Wifes fiesta St isnt far behind that! Where it really counts (accelerating, ovetaking power etc) it fulls flat on its lardy arse. A standard redtop nova gives close on 200/tonne, 0-60 in about 6-6.5 (highly driver pependent) and top end of 140 (will bounce of the the rev limiter in 5th). Sit at 60mph on the m/way it will also give you 40mpg!

[Anees]

Thanks for all the suggestions

The current favourite seems to be a Fiat Coupe Turbo. He is not keen on Novas but thanks for the idea.

Seen a few decent looking ones for around the £1500 - £2000 mark. They are alot newer then many of the Jap cars we considered for the budget, he likes the look of them, they are a UK car so easier to get insured on and they are even reasonable on the fuel - around 28 - 30mpg combined cycle! The Twin Turbo has around 220bhp which when your are used to Rovers and Escorts like he is will seem mega quick. Also FWD too which will be easier for him to manage as his first car with some decent power.

I know its a Fiat so bits will probably fall off, but will see how it goes.................

Looks pretty good:

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/536532.htm