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Sweetest new car for around $20K?

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Originally posted by: TuffGuy
See sig. 😀

The Mazda3 was my second choice, but it wasn't as much fun to drive. The tC is a great buy, but it's too "sterile".

EDIT: Oh yeah, I got mine for $15.9k otd.
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hmmm Lancer RS. how is the performance on that car? i like the way the car looks...but the interior is just....well lets just say that I dont like it.

but if the performance is good, i can live with it
 
Originally posted by: mwmorph
i also forgot to say, i got a 2000mr2 spyder(so im sorta biased for it) for about 15k and put in 8k of ugrades. my car makes 265hp(1zzfe[cheap engine swap due to is's commonness and idnetical demisions], turbo and intercooler, stage 1 weight reduction and sme improved shocks and 16" rear wheels, 15" front wheels, rears are 265/35, fronts are 225/45. I do the 0-60 in around 4.7 with perfect shifts and low 12 second 1/4 miles. also, since it only weighs at about 2250lbs dry(no fuel, no driver, no safety equipment but rollcage) and less than 2450lbs track ready(all fueled up and me sitting in it[i weigh 135lbs]).
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very impressive. but i just cant stand the headlights on that car. but i imagine a mid engine, RWD car drives sweet as hell!
 
Originally posted by: mwmorph
i also forgot to say, i got a 2000mr2 spyder(so im sorta biased for it) for about 15k and put in 8k of ugrades. my car makes 265hp(1zzfe[cheap engine swap due to is's commonness and idnetical demisions], turbo and intercooler, stage 1 weight reduction and sme improved shocks and 16" rear wheels, 15" front wheels, rears are 265/35, fronts are 225/45. I do the 0-60 in around 4.7 with perfect shifts and low 12 second 1/4 miles. also, since it only weighs at about 2250lbs dry(no fuel, no driver, no safety equipment but rollcage) and less than 2450lbs track ready(all fueled up and me sitting in it[i weigh 135lbs]).
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Got pictures of it? I am a bit biased towards light-weight RWD roadsters myself 😉.
 
what about a chevy cobalt SS? (granted those are 22 base, but you can probably get it at dealer for less by haggling)

or, search for a nice used car
 
Originally posted by: GTaudiophile
When I bought my Mazda 3, the same dealer had 2004 MazdaSpeed Miatas loaded for as low as $17,900. No joke.

I would have bought one if I only needed two seats. Otherwise, I too would vote for the Mazda 3.
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Holy crap, that's a superb deal on those. Not the manliest car on the road, but that would be a better buy than the solstice. My local mazda dealer has I think 37 miatas on the lot, according to their ad.mwmorphI bet that's a blast! Poor man's lotus elise 😉

 
I would have voted for the Scion tC originally, however, I forgot about the Solstice and I don't know if the Miata deal is for real. All would sound like good options.
 
I think calling the Mazda3 "woefully underpowered" is a bit of a stretch. For $18.5k I walked away with a completely loaded hell of a nice car. Yeh it's not as fast as a Neon SRT-4 or a Cobalt SS, but you get a car that is put together a lot better than either of the two with a lot more creature comforts. It also has better fuel economy and doesn't require premium, which is a plus given the current gas prices.

But it still isn't a "slow" car. It's quick enough to get you into trouble easily and a blast to drive. Even though there are quicker cars out there, you couldn't get me to trade it in on something else.

I turned down a WRX wagon and chose the MZ3 5 door instead. The Mazda beat out the WRX on -

- Economy
- Price
- Features (Leather, HID's, Sunroof, saftey from more airbags)
- Looks (subjective)
- Shifting feel (clutch engagement and smoothness of shifting)

The 3 would have similar results when compared to the Cobalt or Neon. It was just a better choice *for me*.
 
Originally posted by: isekii
Originally posted by: mwmorph
looks almost exactly like this.(dont have pics of my own though, sorry)
turbo from top
turbo from behind
turbo from side
Top down
Top up
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How much did the whole setup cost you ?
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23.5K
14.5k for car with low miles
4K for 2zzge eingine swap/6spd tranny from 1zzfe
3.5K for turbo, intercooler,BOV and some exhaust piping,headers(to create custom turbo system)
1.5k for wheels and tires
removing extra pieces of metal didnt cost anything.
all work but engine swap done by myself.
 
tC vs Mazda3 vs Mini vs Focus vs Ralliart


For those of you raving about the tC, have you driven it? It has no feel. Sure, it's feature packed and well put together, but it gives no driving sensation. Drive the Mazda3. Drive the Mini. Drive the Ralliart. Then see what the tC is missing.
Originally posted by: vi_edit
I think calling the Mazda3 "woefully underpowered" is a bit of a stretch. For $18.5k I walked away with a completely loaded hell of a nice car. Yeh it's not as fast as a Neon SRT-4 or a Cobalt SS, but you get a car that is put together a lot better than either of the two with a lot more creature comforts. It also has better fuel economy and doesn't require premium, which is a plus given the current gas prices.

But it still isn't a "slow" car. It's quick enough to get you into trouble easily and a blast to drive. Even though there are quicker cars out there, you couldn't get me to trade it in on something else.
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Great choice, and very well said! I almost bought a black hatchback myself.
 
Originally posted by: TuffGuy
tC vs Mazda3 vs Mini vs Focus vs Ralliart


For those of you raving about the tC, have you driven it? It has no feel. Sure, it's feature packed and well put together, but it gives no driving sensation. Drive the Mazda3. Drive the Mini. Drive the Ralliart. Then see what the tC is missing.
Originally posted by: vi_edit
I think calling the Mazda3 "woefully underpowered" is a bit of a stretch. For $18.5k I walked away with a completely loaded hell of a nice car. Yeh it's not as fast as a Neon SRT-4 or a Cobalt SS, but you get a car that is put together a lot better than either of the two with a lot more creature comforts. It also has better fuel economy and doesn't require premium, which is a plus given the current gas prices.

But it still isn't a "slow" car. It's quick enough to get you into trouble easily and a blast to drive. Even though there are quicker cars out there, you couldn't get me to trade it in on something else.
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Great choice, and very well said! I almost bought a black hatchback myself.
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i also say the cooper S (although it'd be over $20k) and the mazda3 would be a good choice. the tC just looks like a lofty coupe with a camry engine in it.
 
Originally posted by: mwmorph
Originally posted by: isekii
Originally posted by: mwmorph
looks almost exactly like this.(dont have pics of my own though, sorry)
turbo from top
turbo from behind
turbo from side
Top down
Top up
Click to expand...

How much did the whole setup cost you ?
Click to expand...

23.5K
14.5k for car with low miles
4K for 2zzge eingine swap/6spd tranny from 1zzfe
3.5K for turbo, intercooler,BOV and some exhaust piping,headers(to create custom turbo system)
1.5k for wheels and tires
removing extra pieces of metal didnt cost anything.
all work but engine swap done by myself.
Click to expand...


On your profile it says you're in VA but you have NJ plates ?
How'd you manage that.
But your setup looks sweet.
You did the turbo by yourself ? was it tough ?
 
the pic is of the turbos in not from my car. it is from a hess test car.
anyway, the turbo isnt rough. a lot of mendrel bends, drilling into the engine block, welding,etc, but not too bad overall. there is a lot of help available on the internet.. Of course, i am ASE certified.
 
The fastest car for 20k, dodge srt4.
The "look at me biatch" car for 20k, definetly the solstice.

And damn that 240 is suweet.
 
Originally posted by: CaesaR
Originally posted by: mwmorph
Originally posted by: QuitBanningMe
Something similar to this..
It may as well be new.
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oh man, if i had the mnoey...
😀rool;

anyway, for around 20k, you can get a toyota mr2 spyder.

mr2 spyder comes ain at 2150lbs, 2100 if you remove the spare tire and toss in a can of fix a flat. it runs 138hp to 7.1 and 15.6 respectively, about as fast as any of those other cars on the list except for the solistice(which looks like an egg.) it handles so well, and seems so much faster than it really is, also, it's convertible and women love the car.

second would have to be the saturn sky(i know, it's a saturn...) but it is just as fast as the solistice, sharing almost 100% of the components, looks a LOT better.

scion tc isnt fun to drive at all. with a weight/hp ratio close to 20:1 and weighing in at over 3000lbs with very soft shocks and a toyota camry engine, it hardly inspires performance and fun. supercharged, with the TRD option, it is a little better but it dosnt really provide a noticible amount of boost until you hit near redline.

mazda 3 has a great suspension and handling but is woefully underpowered and the s version is still only able to scrape by with a 7.1 0-60. good car though.

Tiburon is okay but with a weak 2.65L 172hp 183 tq engine, 0-60 in over 8 seconds and VERY poor visibility due to hifg window lineand low seating, I just cant recomend it.
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Great writeup and I have to say I agree with all of it.
If I were in place of OP (wanting to buy a car for 20k which girls will like) then I will definitely look at MR2. It looks great especially with the yellow color.
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How great of a writeup can it be? I can point out a few things wrong right off the bat. First the tC doesn't have a SC avail yet, how does he know how it performs. There is no specs out for it, and noone has gotten to try it. As for soft shocks.... have you driven it? Handling is fantastic, very little body roll, and yet still leaves a comfortable ride. Says it hardly inspires performance... but stock it is only .1 seconds slower in the 1/4 mile then the MR2.

I havent driven the rest myself, so have little to say about them. But by whats posted here, Id say he hasnt driven a tC either. Not that Ill say the tC is the most performance based car, it holds it's own. And as a daily driver I am extremelly happy with one. And if I want performance, once the SC comes out, can toss one on and have plenty of performance.
 
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