Mid Week Match-Up: A Sport Sedan For George
This next Mid Week Match-Up request comes from George who writes:
I’d like to know what cars people would recommend
– budget: $5,000 to $6,000
– size: sport sedan or coupe that can seat 4 people
–
needs: looking for something that is fun to drive, can corner well, 4
or 6 cyl, manual transmission, can be modified for a bit more fun (could
be suspension mods, some simpler engine or exhaust performance mods
while maintaining drivability)
– live in Alberta Canada; winter and mountain driving. would have two sets of tires: summers & winters
– be good if I could do simple repairs
– have been looking at 1988 to 1997 vehicles because of price and these typically don’t rust as much as pre-1988.
Let me know what the Daily Turismo experts and readers suggest!
thanks, 
George.
DT E-i-C Vince: This is an easy one…well, not easy, but one of my favorite suggestions to give — just get an E36 M3. The E36 M3 offers 240 horsepower from a tuneable inline-6 mounted to a 5-speed manual gearbox (avoid the slushbox and awful purple colored version) and one of the best chassis you can find around…especially for the price. Here is one on eBay bidding on eBay for $7,100 reserve-not-met with a few days to go, but you can find examples that aren’t quite as clean for the requested budget.
What do you suggest for George?
I'm going to suggest my current project car. Not as fast or new as Vince's suggestion, but more durable and easier to work on—e28 535is.
[img] i2.photobucket.com/albums/y15/BMWMK2/257.jpg[/img]
They are nice, durable, usable.
Or an E34 535i.
Or a Toyota, uh, Lexus IS300.
Might find some E39 540is for that money, minor coolant leak is valley pan seal, needs cam chain guides at 150-170K.
Volvo 850R? Maybe not a yellow one:
[IMG] vlvworld.com/photo_pieces/Volvo_854_T5R.jpg[/IMG]
~ … and a wagon. You will be so happy. Shop carefully, some serious good deals.
B5 Audi S4?
[img] media.windingroad.com/autos_db/thumbnails/s4_jpg_677x1000_q100.jpg[/img]
Noooooo!!!!!
He said easy to work on. To do damn near anything on these you pull the engine. I had one for a short period of time. Fun to drive, quick enough, nice and comfy. Clutch started to let go, no problem ive done plenty of those, but it is my daily so lets see how much to just have the local independent shop do it.
Ha, no.
Thats not me laughing at the price, they flat out told me they wouldnt do it. With a lift i did it in about 40hrs. Then sold it
amen, Tim.
Noooooo!!!!!
He said easy to work on. To do damn near anything on these you pull the engine. I had one for a short period of time. Fun to drive, quick enough, nice and comfy. Clutch started to let go, no problem ive done plenty of those, but it is my daily so lets see how much to just have the local independent shop do it.
Ha, no.
Thats not me laughing at the price, they flat out told me they wouldnt do it. With a lift i did it in about 40hrs. Then sold it
amen again, Tim.
2002 Saab 9-3. Loves mountains and snow, comfy, fast, good on gas. Bought one w/ similar mileage – added 85k miles in three years. Miss it a lot, esp. in Winter. Although that E28 up there is drool inducing. Had one of those too, studded snows and a little weight in the rear, unstoppable.
oops, was just looking at a Saab on C-list with 123k… left that out of my comment just now.
Hi George, the above are all good suggestions unless you live in Canada, because buying from the US will add a 35% premium plus all the import duty and taxes. I suggest you look on kijiji in Van and get a low mileage car from Japan for the price that you are seeking. Just make sure that you get it oil-sprayed underneath. George in the GTA
Something I've learned as someone who lives where there are excellent twisty roads, where there are some good snows, and a decent used car market.. Don't try to get an everything car. Delegate as much as you can afford. Get a cheap 4wd for when it snows and put some expensive tires on it and it will outperform the car in deep snow in almost every case. Then the rest of the year you're not fighting Subaru head gaskets or Audi whatevers. A beater SUV free's you from ending up in a ditch or and having your field narrowed to a teeny tiny fraction of the car market (AWD/FWD manual). If you have to have an everything car .. B6 Audi V6 manual, with extensive maintenance records from the previous owner.
I've been going round and round on this same issue and followed these comments with interest. You've echoed my decision: I'm going to go with good winter tires on the Toyota Appliance and give myself a lot more options for a dubious and impractical impulse buy with inadequate PPI when spring eventually staggers in.
I don't even live in a place where it snows but I'm too am a strong proponent of the two car (or more) approach. I love driving a beater DD. No worries about some jack ass cutting you off and door dings. If it breaks just swap to the other car for a bit. Also an excellent way to deal out karmic justice for those who can't actually park between the lines.
And then for the other car(s), impracticality at it's finest! Two seater rag top that's not a Miata? Go ahead! Buy that VW kit car you've also wanted? Go ahead! Buy that 25+ year old Bentley for less than a new appliance car? Go ahead!
Thanks Everyone – these are all great ideas and I especially like the E36 M3 and E28 suggestions. I will start looking for one of these in the local market. With the weak Canadian dollar versus USD, it doesn;t make cents to buy in the US.
thanks again and look forward to more Daily Turismo
George
I love the e36 328i or m3 if you can sneak into one.
I love the e36 328i or m3 if you can sneak into one.
You could always jump in a Mercedes wagon.
Got a 300TE for sale in Vancouver
You need an Audi S4/S6 1992-1997!