Fastest car for 5k?
Discussion
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.
4th gen Camaro Z28's/Firebird Trans Ams can be had for £5k and they come with an LT1 V8 engine and 275bhp. Very underrated. Autocar put one against a late 200SX and it blew it away. Very underrated, oft maligned cars damned by the mythology attaching to Yank motors.In practice, they blow most so called fast cars away. Can be overly soft on stock shocks but easily improved at modest cost and cheap insurance. LHD is the only drawback for most people but LHD is great.
RX7 for 5k?
Only if it was an auto (or if it was a rubbish one).
MR2T fits the bill perfectly but as anyone who lives in or around Guildford (where I live) will tell you, the place is crawlling with MR2s (and S2000s, and Boxsters, and 911s) and I want something a bit different! I do love my MR2, but I want to stand out!
944 S2? Yes please. I love 944s, but a grand for a new clutch? I do love old(er) cars though (not vintage, but from the 70s onwards). What about an FC3S?
I've considered S14s myself but I prefer S13s if I'm honest. But try finding a nice looking one that isn't a total dog though... The hunt continues (for me too)...
>> Edited by DanBoy on Thursday 2nd June 22:13
Only if it was an auto (or if it was a rubbish one).
MR2T fits the bill perfectly but as anyone who lives in or around Guildford (where I live) will tell you, the place is crawlling with MR2s (and S2000s, and Boxsters, and 911s) and I want something a bit different! I do love my MR2, but I want to stand out!
944 S2? Yes please. I love 944s, but a grand for a new clutch? I do love old(er) cars though (not vintage, but from the 70s onwards). What about an FC3S?
I've considered S14s myself but I prefer S13s if I'm honest. But try finding a nice looking one that isn't a total dog though... The hunt continues (for me too)...
>> Edited by DanBoy on Thursday 2nd June 22:13
Pulsatingstar 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.
I certainly understand some of your issues with the car totally standard, but with some modifications I'm gobsmacked that you think that...... the handling is easily sorted and it can be made to corner amazingly, its very fast and with the right pads and discs (brembo grooved and DS2500's) the braking is excellent, last session at silverstone and I didnt get any fade at all...
Its odd how different people view the same car in totally different ways, unless I was going to splash out 30K+ I couldnt think of a car I would even consider swapping mine for... but then thats why I've had it 2 years, so I'm more than a little biased.
Pulsatingstar said:
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.
Thats all I'm interested in too. I've never driven or come across an RX7 on track and its one of the few performance cars any of my friends have never owned, so I cant comment re that...
But I cant fault its (S14's) peformance on track compared to a whole host of exotic machinary
they certainly surprise a lot of people. I have the ring and spa francorchamps, amongst others, left this year and I'm sure I wont be disaapointed 
I hope you find something you do like, sounds like you should sell the 200 though....
Pulsatingstar said:
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.
2nd hand Apexi, go back to .9 bar boost, mapping should be ~ 6-700 quid all in. With the mapping you'll be seeing the same power as you currently have plus you'll know it's running safely.
No real point going to the F-Con for your application either, just an expensive option!
Running mine on .9 maxxes the injectors at 85% duty so no danger of leaning out.
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.
Fiat Coupé 20VT. Decent example for 4.5k, then spend 2k modding it to bring it up to 300bhp and 300lb/ft. Factor in 1300kg and surprisingly good aerodynamics and what you have is a really rapid car.
FWD though, so probably not your thing. Autocar did rate it as the single best car you could buy for £5k though in a recent used-car roundup...
FWD though, so probably not your thing. Autocar did rate it as the single best car you could buy for £5k though in a recent used-car roundup...
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
Pulsatingstar said:
I cant afford to use it as a daily driver, but its too much to insure to not use as one if that makes sense.
EXACTLY...
I will be using that quote from now on, when people say things like "If you want economy buy a mondeo"
same boat. I couldn't afford or justify spending all that cash on having an FD, AND only use it at weekends or whatever.... damn I wish they'd just put a proper engine in it!!
that ought to start the onslaught of napalm...
Good God!! I seem to have made a mistake!! I did spend "all that money" insuring the Griff and I only use it at the weekends.
Anyhow to throw a fave of mine in you could go for a TVR S2. I used my S3 for 20000 mile with no leaks/problems. The Griff on the other hand....... 3000 miles, idleing issues, stalling issues + leaks like a thing with holes in.
Either that or I'd second a 944
Anyhow to throw a fave of mine in you could go for a TVR S2. I used my S3 for 20000 mile with no leaks/problems. The Griff on the other hand....... 3000 miles, idleing issues, stalling issues + leaks like a thing with holes in.
Either that or I'd second a 944
Pierscoe1 said:
same boat. I couldn't afford or justify spending all that cash on having an FD, AND only use it at weekends or whatever.... damn I wish they'd just put a proper engine in it!!
You're right! What they should've done is stick a big V8 in there and bolt a blower on the side.
none of that poncing round with w*nkerel engines and silly fizzy turbos.
see, I can talk rot too when I put my mind to it
Pulsatingstar said:
I cant afford to use it as a daily driver, but its too much to insure not use as one if that makes sense.
No way you can get a really dull, slow and cheap shed and insure it 3rd party for a few hundred quid? Then keep the FD for weekends? What you'd save on fuel and maintenance would easily off-set the extra insurance and tax?
You could pick up a crappy fwd grot-box for well under a grand that'd last a year or so...
...and I still don't believe that, deep down, you can bear to part with the FD. I know I couldn't with mine.
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.
iaint said:
No way you can get a really dull, slow and cheap shed and insure it 3rd party... blah blah blah
No No No No No No No No No No ... and NO.
enought of that talk. there's absolutely no way I could make myself drive a shi
er every day of the week when there's an FD lurking in the garage... my car will have to be my car.. not my toy/second car/track car/sensible car/shopping trolley.
know these are suggestions for pulsatingstar.. but just had to argue against all this sense and logic rubbish!
edited to ad:
iaint said:
You're right! What they should've done is stick a big V8 in there
personally wish they'd stuck a nice lightweight and vocal 3.5 V6 tuned to the region of 320bhp (think NSX-ish)
>> Edited by Pierscoe1 on Friday 3rd June 21:01
Pulsatingstar 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
Oi! I've got an MX6 as a daily driver. If only it had 320bhp!
The fact it hasn't perhaps explains why I have put 10,000 on my Tuscan and 6,000 on the MX6 so far this year!!! Ooops.
iaint said:
there's absolutely no way I could make myself drive a shi
my car will have to be my car.. not my toy/second car/track car/sensible car/shopping trolley.
My sentiments exactly! Who said FD's can't be used every day? The rotary engine isn't as unreliable as people think when stock...
I'd probably stay away from FD's at the 5k mark though, you're unlikely to get years of trouble-free rotary fun at that end of the market.
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