Fastest car for 5k?

[Pulsatingstar]

Getting a bit fed up with my cars, but cant think of any sort of alternative.

Really hate the 200SX (just about everything about it), and the RX7 is ok but single figure MPG makes it really expensive to use everyday. I can only really run one car, due to insurance being too expensive to have two (just keep swapping the policy at the moment depending on which one is working).

So whats the fastest rwd car you can get for about 5k? RX7 is about 330bhp and 1250kg, so the trouble is most things feel a bit slow. Dont mind slower as long as the handling or fun makes up for it. Doesnt need to be practicle really, but does need to be able to be used daily and live outside so no Caterham type things.

Is there really no decent alternatives as it seems?

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anonymous said:

[redacted]

Yeah its been one if been thinking of asking for too.

I could increase the budget to 10k if I sold them both, but it still doesnt really open any extra options apart from an E36 M3 which im not keen on.

I dont want to spend loads of money on something if I might chuck it into a wall at a drift comp which im doing at the moment and would like to carry on doing.

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shadowninja said:

Shoulda got an S13

Maybe true, but I didnt want a CA. And at the time I only got the S14 as a stop gap while the FD was broken, and just ended up keeping it.

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Yeah as I thought theres not much choice

I cant say I find the thought of an MR2 or a 944 very attractive.

Guess its back to thinking about what to do again.

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Iain - Im on Knightsports ECU, not piggyback butits not mappable. 1 bar boost. Id might 17mpg on the Motorway (maybe), but generally its averaging around 12-13mpg. Maybe a PFC and re-map would help, but then im looking at a grand to do that and it might not be any better and Id rather F-Con Pro than PFC which is even more money. Then to track it I need to upgrade the fuel system as I know its not right too so its going to pour in even more lol.

Pulsar GTiR - Ive already had one for a couple of years. Id have another, but the image is really bad now and its 4WD.

Ive been out in an E30 M3 and wasnt impressed, but might conceed that this would be very different if I actually got to drive one. Do like how they look. Not keen on the E36 at all.

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SteA said:

Just curious, what do you hate about your S14?

Its the slowest car Ive owned since being 17.

It doesnt handle very well. Loads of understeer normally. It has a silly amount of body roll, and an awful viscous LSD. That said, you can take the piss with it and get it back easily enough, its fairly friendly.

The engine is boring. I was hoping it would feel like my old GTiR but RWD, but where the GTiR was manic and revvy this is just lazy and pretty unresponsive.

The brakes are rubbish. The seats are really unsupportive and you slide everywhere.

About the only thing I think it does well is run up and down motorways in reasonable comfort doing pretty good mpg. Its certainly not what I would call a sports car. Just a RWD saloon.

In an attempt to get it doing something, I now have a Nismo GT-Pro 2 way mechanical LSD (700 quid) and Apexi coilovers (lots) worth more than the whole car together lol. Its not set up quite as it should be, but I still dont like how it feels (though its different before). Im really not sure if its worth throwing even more money at it, as Im not sure ill ever get it to handle how I want it to - thinking of just cutting my losses on it but dont know what else to get hence this thread.

[Pulsatingstar]

Even with the coilovers and diff the RX7 would easily outperform it though.

And I suspect the FD brakes would be better no matter what discs and pads were in the S14.

Maybe I expect too much. All im really interested in though is the performance.

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iaint said:

You know you want to keep the FD. That's why you still have it after all the trouble you've had with it - it's under your skin!!! Why not chuck the S14, sort the FD out and get a ST185 GT-Four. The 185 will be cheap enough if it's stock, not too slow and get mid 20's mpg... Plus it's usable in winter.

I cant afford to use it as a daily driver, but its too much to insure not use as one if that makes sense.

I used to have an ST185. Doubt id get another although it was actually pretty good if not that fast and a tad dull. Id never be able to insure the FD and the 185, really need to cut down to just the one car. As it is im considering a 3rd now since they are both broken and im desperate

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iaint said:

No way you can get a really dull, slow and cheap shed and insure it 3rd party for a few hundred quid?

I ended up with the 200 last time I done that

iaint said:

Then keep the FD for weekends? What you'd save on fuel and maintenance would easily off-set the extra insurance and tax?

Maybe. Insurance is still tough for me, only just got back to 1 yr NCB so insuring two things is costly. Pretty sure im selling the FD, but need to get it fixed first now. Its throwing coolant on the floor.

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Pierscoe1 said:

personally wish they'd stuck a nice lightweight and vocal 3.5 V6 tuned to the region of 320bhp (think NSX-ish)

So it would be kind of like an MX6, and no one wants one of those lol