Looking for new car - 5k.au budget

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sutton.a

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Hey,

I'm a new-born babey to these forums, so hi for the record :)

Okay basically just about to get my p's and looking for a car to buy. I have a 5k au budget and i got another 1-2k set aside for a sound system.

i've been using this site... www.carsales.com.au
as a starting point, but the trouble is my car knowledge is preety low :(
I'm looking for something around 5k.au which i can do up later when i get additional money.
 
Hey man, welcome to GTP.

In terms of cars, do you want something fast? Something to just cruise in? Something reliable to get you from to place to place? Old school, new school?

And does your state have the restrictions about what you're allowed to drive on your Ps?
 
@Revheadnz:As far as i know, there are no state restrictions of any sort on what i can have on my car. However turbo or any modification to the car does bring up insurance premiums... which ultimately doesn't worry me cause i plan to mod it anyway.

I should of specified in my first post, i'm looking for a car that i can eventually build into a half-decent racing car. Whether i'll get that for 5k i don't really care, 5k is just my starting point. I was thinking about a stripped down supra or 180sx but coudn't find anything under 10k. So just looking for idea's on what other cars are out there.

Age of the car doesn't really worry me either, cause i plan to rebuild most of it anyway. ALthough atm i dont' know much about cars, i've learnt more in the last 2 weeks then i have in my entire life and my knowledge just keeps increasing.

addition: I really like the look of the 94 180sx :) http://www.carsales.com.au/pls/cars...5&model_id=266&state_id=-1&search_distance=25
 
sutton.a
@Revheadnz:As far as i know, there are no state restrictions of any sort on what i can have on my car. However turbo or any modification to the car does bring up insurance premiums... which ultimately doesn't worry me cause i plan to mod it anyway.

I should of specified in my first post, i'm looking for a car that i can eventually build into a half-decent racing car. Whether i'll get that for 5k i don't really care, 5k is just my starting point. I was thinking about a stripped down supra or 180sx but coudn't find anything under 10k. So just looking for idea's on what other cars are out there.

Age of the car doesn't really worry me either, cause i plan to rebuild most of it anyway. ALthough atm i dont' know much about cars, i've learnt more in the last 2 weeks then i have in my entire life and my knowledge just keeps increasing.
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Maybe look for a S13 with a CA18DET in it, go for manual. Good base car, they handle nicely and the CA is a good enough anchor for the moment. When you start modifying it you could do a SR swap or stick with the CA and put some money into that, it's a underrated engine but you can get 220whp+ on stock internals. Or loads more if you crack it open and make it tougher.
You could also look for a Suzuki Swift GTI, the one with the G13B in it. Lightweight little cars which go like stink.

Or maybe a Mazda MX5 if you don't mind the remarks from ignorant people about it being a girls car. They handle wonderfully, a bit lacking in the performance department but there is quite a lot of aftermarket for it.

Theres just a few ideas, is that kind of what you're looking for?
 
Revheadnz
Maybe look for a S13 with a CA18DET in it
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I don't know what that is but it sounds good lol.
edit: DW i know its a Twin cam intercooled turbo now :)

RevHeadnz
When you start modifying it you could do a SR swap or stick with the CA and put some money into that, it's a underrated engine but you can get 220whp+ on stock internals.
Or loads more if you crack it open and make it tougher.
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What is a CA and wats a SRswap or stick?

Revheadnz
You could also look for a Suzuki Swift GTI, the one with the G13B in it. Lightweight little cars which go like stink.
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Donno what a G13B is... but light cars are awesome.

Revheadnz
Or maybe a Mazda MX5 if you don't mind the remarks from ignorant people about it being a girls car. They handle wonderfully, a bit lacking in the performance department but there is quite a lot of aftermarket for it.
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Yeh aftermarket stuff is what i'm after. And the remarks of it being a girl car... i honestly dont' give a ****. I drive a dihatsu charade 92 atm, an MX5 would be a huge improvement.

Revheadnz
Theres just a few ideas, is that kind of what you're looking for?
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Yup :) any more suggestions would be awesome.
 
Get a used Saab 900 They're fast, good looking and around 4k
 
I donno whether i'm totally correct, but i think stock sab parts are normally preety expensive in australia :( Oh well lucky i'm modding :)
 
sutton.a
I don't know what that is but it sounds good lol.
edit: DW i know its a Twin cam intercooled turbo now :)

What is a CA and wats a SRswap or stick?

Donno what a G13B is... but light cars are awesome.

Yeh aftermarket stuff is what i'm after. And the remarks of it being a girl car... i honestly dont' give a ****. I drive a dihatsu charade 92 atm, an MX5 would be a huge improvement.

Yup :) any more suggestions would be awesome.
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Ok, sorry for the engine codes. It can be confusing if you're only just getting into cars.

The CA18DET is a 1.8 litre twin cam turbo. That's what I mean by CA, shortened from CA18DET.

You could take the CA18DET out of the S13 Silvia and replace it with a SR20DET. Similar engine design, the SR20DET is a 2.0 litre twin cam turbo. More powerful than the CA18DET and there is more aftermarket for it. That's what I mean by a SR swap.

And stick? I just meant stick with (or stay with) the CA18DET.

The G13B is a 1.3 twin cam motor, they rev like nothing else. Many people turbocharge them to get ferocious power-to-weight ratios in the tiny little Swifts.

Sorry for any confusion I may have caused. :)

I wouldn't be looking for a Saab in Australia, the parts for them if they go wrong will be pretty damn expensive.

Maybe a Volkswagen Golf Gti Mk2 also? Or a Peugeot 205 Gti 1.9?

I dunno if you want a hot hatch or front wheel drive or rear wheel drive...
 
Revheadnz
The G13B is a 1.3 twin cam motor, they rev like nothing else. Many people turbocharge them to get ferocious power-to-weight ratios in the tiny little Swifts.
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Lol yeh my mum drives a swift. It don't have a G13B though.
Revheadnz
I wouldn't be looking for a Saab in Australia, the parts for them if they go wrong will be pretty damn expensive.
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Yeh i thought that was the case.

Revheadnz
I dunno if you want a hot hatch or front wheel drive or rear wheel drive...
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Don't really want a hatch.... ff or fr is what i'm after.

That mx5 is a preety good idear. Has anyone got piccies of a done up modded mx5?
 
Like this?
rfmiata10.jpg
 
GeorgeMorley
Get a used Saab 900 They're fast, good looking and around 4k
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That gets my WTF badge for the day.

Are we talking the original 900s? Good looking? I know these things are very opinion-based, but I have never ever heard anyone describe the 900 as good looking.
 
I don't think people realise how much 5k is. A saab 900 is around 10-15kau, i've only wanna spend 5k initially.
 
Man, 5k really doesn't get you much down there, does it...

I looked around craigslist, found nothing interesting, especially not in brisbane. (I did find a Saab 900 for 1900, though, but it was way over in Sydney...)
 
I personally don't mind driving to sydney. I already have a dihatsu charde 92 :) So i'll just call it a road trip lol. Drive down their with a mate, he can drive the charade back up while i drive the 900 :)

What site were u looking at that u found a Sab 900 for 1900
 
exigeracer
Are we talking the original 900s? Good looking? I know these things are very opinion-based, but I have never ever heard anyone describe the 900 as good looking.
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Thats only what you think :)
 
sutton.a
I personally don't mind driving to sydney. I already have a dihatsu charde 92 :) So i'll just call it a road trip lol. Drive down their with a mate, he can drive the charade back up while i drive the 900 :)

What site were u looking at that u found a Sab 900 for 1900
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Sydney.craigslist.org. Mighta been 2900, can't remember.

I personally wouldn't go for the Saab, I don't think it's a good choice for someone in AU, I just mentioned it because of the discussion.

How different are prices there from what they're like in Japan? I know over J-Side you can have an R32 GT-S or GT for as little as 180,000 (~$2500AU). Also look at an early MR2, or even a 2nd gen RX7, if you're up to doing a little wrenching for regular maintenance.
 
Yeh like i said in previous posts, Saab's arn't good in australia cause its expensive to replace faulty parts. Although 2nd gen rx7 sounds nice. Those things are still sexy cars.
 
Not much choice with 5k AUS and P's.

Just stick with a Corolla or something until you get more cash to spend on something nice.
 
An R-32 GT-s or GT for 2500. **** u know how to stretch ur money lol
 
ummm, a powerful rear-wheel drive car for your first car.....Not only will insurance kill you, you might literally kill yourself too.

On a serious note if you want a little runabout until you can afford something decent do what I did, get a Honda Prelude or maybe an Integra. Cheap to run maybe a little expensive for insurance but it has enough power to keep you happy. Then once you have more experience go for the turbo rear wheel drive and make it a street car/ weekend track car 👍
 
I would second something like the Integra. They should be relatively cheap, are light, and can be built into decent racing cars. When you look at stuff like World Challenge, cars like Integras literally rule the Touring class.
 
Might go start looking on some webbies at price of the integra's and preludes.
 
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