If you had 12k to spend on a car?

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JasonK92

JasonK92

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JasonK92
I was on my clubs forum last night and got into a bit of an argument about this question

I said that if I had 12k to spend on a car, I wouldn't bother looking at anything FWD, because if I had that money I would go for something fun and enjoyable like a RWD car

Now I know it may seem that I've come across nasty about FWD but I just think you can have more fun from a RWD or 4WD for that money

The forum has quite a few "stance" lovers where they like 1million degree camber on all wheels, I find this pointless as it looks like you have issues setting up suspension.

So I put the question to you...if you had 12k just for a car, can be new or old and don't worry about things like import taxes and stuff, which would you get ?
 
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If I don't have to worry about anything like practicality, 12 grand should be enough to get a NA Miata and drop an LSx into it at Flying Miata...

That'd be my choice, I guess.
 
I would get an EF civic in black, put good black rims on it, smoked tail lights, darkest legal tint, a K engine(if possible) and a few other things.

This is an EF civic.
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If my only concern was having fun, one of these:

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Me being me though, if I had £12k solely to spend on cars and had no other commitments (and a place to put them), I'd actually buy three or four cheaper cars rather than one car of a certain value. I'm interested in too many different types of car to put all my eggs in one motoring basket.
 
I'd pick a Toyota AE86 Corolla modified to my tastes. But for me 4WD is always my last choice, I have more fun driving a good FWD, like Peugeot 205 GTi or Honda Integra type R DC2, or even a very cheap AE90 corolla 1.3 saloon.
 
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We are all thinking the same sort of thing,

This was my argument on the other forum, if it was around the 6k mark, we would all say something FWD.

But with 12k on the table there's a whole variety of cars you could have with loads of potential, so why choose something FWD
 
An E36 M3 with some small mods and preventive maintenance should get up to that 12K budget, if it doesn't, Ill just spend the rest on track tires and such.
My other option would be an NA miata along with a flying miata shopping spree consisting of turbo kit, exhaust, suspension, roll bar etc. until I get to the 12k. Shame the miata is a tad small for me, if not I would love to have one.
 
I'd get teh '86 Mustang GT 5.0 T-Top down the street for $4800 and then an '80s Ford Pickup.
 
If I had 12k to spend on a car, I would get a fairly nice NB Miata and use the rest of the money to take road trips.
 
An E39 BMW 540i for me. Normally I'd be plucking out the Sexy Rexies but as far as comfy cruisers on a budget go, the E39 is in a class of one.

If my recent turn of Honda fanboy-ism came through, I'd pick up an Accord Euro Lux with a 6-cog manual.
 
I'd probably buy two or three used cars. I can't give up an oppurtunity like that.
 
If I were living in the UK and had £12K to freely spend on a car, I think I'd find a TVR V8S. That car sincerely intrigues me, and seems pretty affordable to boot. They sound great from what I've seen on YouTube.

If I had $12K to spend on any car here at home, I think I'd get an LX Mustang notchback with a 4-banger, yank that and drop in a built 5.0L backed by a Tremec T5, and finish it off with an IRS rear axle swap from a T-bird.
 
ozyran
If I had $12K to spend on any car here at home, I think I'd get an LX Mustang notchback with a 4-banger, yank that and drop in a built 5.0L backed by a Tremec T5, and finish it off with an IRS rear axle swap from a T-bird 99+ Cobra.
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Fixed that for you. Bird rear end doesn't bolt in, Cobra does.
 
Rotary Junkie
Fixed that for you. Bird rear end doesn't bolt in, Cobra does.
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That's what welding is for 💡

Did not know that the 4th-gen Cobra's IRS swapped over to the '79-'93 Mustangs, but then again, I'm still new to Mustang ownership ;)
 
I would just go with what I have right now, but use the extra money to clean it up nicely and then tune it for a bit of NA fun. Keep it reliable and simple.
 
If i had 12k I would get a Chrysler 300C and throw in a Whipple supercharger and some lowering/performance springs and shocks.
 
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Eric.
Besides the BMW, those will all make nice highway cruisers.
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The 530i is a great highway cruiser as well. Friend just got one and its nice and smooth, has enough torque and power for passing. But it is just so smooth and composed for blasting long chunks of freeway.
 
Eric.
Besides the BMW, those will all make nice highway cruisers.
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Yep. :) Something that I can cross large swaths of territory in with comfort and ease is exactly what I like in a car. Just me, the car, and the road! Oh yeah, loud driving music, as well. 👍
 
 
Big, rear-wheel drive? No. A 530i just might fit the bill for daily use with some spirited driving, but for enthusiastic driving, I'd go for something light and peppy.

Which would probably be a Nissan SE-R (about $2.5k for a really good one), with a full race-build (spend another $5k for suspension and bushings) and good tires (another $1k). Or not. An SE-R on street tires brings new meanings to the words: "lift-off oversteer"

Going up, a Mazdaspeed Protege is a viable car, similar build (just less oversteer antics). I don't know what old EVOs cost there, but here they still cost houses... an old WRX is going to take lots of work to be anywhere near as nimble as an SE-R or a Protege... an old STI... maybe... just for the hell of it.

Otherwise, I'd go for a Miata with an LS-swap. Max-out the budget on that... though I might otherwise go looking for much better brakes than the soggy stuff that comes on the NA Miata...

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Homebuilt SHOgun Festiva, anyone? :lol: Or a mid-engined Integra? :D

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(you can get a bunch of SHOgun replicas with that budget)
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If this is going to be a toy... why be boring?
 

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