Need Some Advice

[JinLucifer]

What would be a good old car to get if I'm interested in drifting? And one which would be at least more or less easy to find in good condition and for a fairly cheap price. Suggestions would be greatly appreciated ^^;.

 

[eliseracer]

What's your price range? You can get an 89 (I think) Nissan 240SX for about 1000-2000$CDN. Basically the cheapest way to do it, these things are really abundant.

 

[1X83Z]

Originally posted by JinLucifer
What would be a good old car to get if I'm interested in drifting? And one which would be at least more or less easy to find in good condition and for a fairly cheap price. Suggestions would be greatly appreciated ^^;.

1992 Mercury Sable wagon.

- Standard driver airbag
- Optional anti-lock brakes
- Electrionically-controlled automatic transmission
- Standard 140-horsepower 3.0L V6 (w/165 lb-ft of torque)
- Optional 140-horsepower 3.8L V6 (w/210lb-ft of torque)
- Standard sexyness

Basically, these thing were freaking rockets. Drifting is easy, even though they're front-drive, because they defied the laws of physics. And all the women will love it (if you're a woman, all the men will love it - it has multisexual appeal, like Regis Philbin), no matter what color you get (except perhaps the color in that photo - it looks like either a two-tone of dark on darker or a bad repaint. Worse is the interior shot, which appears to be superimposed at the edge some sort of poorly-crafted rug. These pictures suck). I've never seen anyone who hasn't salivated over the 1992 Sable wagon. Not a 1993, mind you, but a '92 - and everyone can tell the difference. They say, 'whoa, you have a standard passenger airbag and a center console? This is a '93 - and to think we thought you were cool.' Don't let that happen.

Yep.

Mercury probably got that photo by parking the car in someone's driveway and taking a few shots on a 35mm camera hoping the homeowners wouldn't yell at them. Plus, we all know someone with a house like that in 1992 could do a lot better than a purple on dark purple Sable wagon. The car also appears to have minor bumper damage - did Mercury put any thought into these pictures? It's as if they cared about the car as much as prospective buyers did: not even a little.

Ladies and gentlemen, when the cars are this bad, the posts write themselves.

 

[240Z]

Hahahah. Etc.

👍

 

[boombexus]

Doug makes and excellent suggestion. I had a 1980 Chevy Malibu station wagon as my first car. I hated it with a passion at first, but then came to realize it's beauty. I could haul cargo. Kegs usually. I could also sleep in the back of it if I was to drunk to drive.
Think about a wagon, and with the long wheel base and RWD, you can get the tail end out in a drift with little or no effort at all. You'd certainly be unique as I'm sure that nobody has the balls to drift a wagon.

But if a wagon is not to your taste, try something that is unique in it's own right.

I present to you the 1970 Saab Sonett. A scant 742 of these were made. A rare car indeed.

It's 1.7L V-4 engine designed by Ford Motor Company produced an astounding 75 HP @ 5000 and 94 lbft @ 2500! We all know that drifting requires some torque.

Weighing in at a mere 1700 lbs, this is a light weight force to be reconed with.

The Sonett clocked 0-60 in 14.4 seconds and runs the 1/4 mile in 19 seconds flat!
But having a engine made by Ford, spare and aftermarket parts are surely abundant. A sleeper just waiting to be awoke.

But with the Sonetts looks and rarity, it's bound to turn heads and an asking price of $4,655 OBO, a deal not to be passed by.

Contact @ 303-378-2149 or 970-524-1440

 

[1X83Z]

Hmm - it's a fair suggestion, but I won't concede the Sable wagon - look at its headlights! It wraps around the entire front! The Saab Sonett can't do that, not even if it really wanted (perhaps the hippies in the press photo can, though, if you know what I mean).

 

[JinLucifer]

Ok then ~~;...

 

[boombexus]

Originally posted by M5Power
Hmm - it's a fair suggestion, but I won't concede the Sable wagon - look at its headlights! It wraps around the entire front! The Saab Sonett can't do that, not even if it really wanted (perhaps the hippies in the press photo can, though, if you know what I mean).

But the Sonett has "flip up" style headlights. A feature that was light years ahead of it's time back in the 70's. We all know at one point we bought a car soley because of the fact that it had flip up headlights. Women love things that flip up.
And look at the hood scoop. The Sable could never pull off a hood scoop. But maybe it could as they seemed to pull off a purple on purple two tone color sceme.

 

[boombexus]

Originally posted by JinLucifer
Ok then ~~;...

Ok, then try this one on for size.


1987 Porsche 944S

2.5L I-4 that makes 188 HP @ 6000 and 170 lbft @ 4300

0-60 in: 7.5
1/4 mile in: 15.8

RWD and curbs at 2974 lbs.


Dream machine! Contact @ 970-845-8401

 

[1X83Z]

Originally posted by boombexus
But maybe it could as they seemed to pull off a purple on purple two tone color sceme.

Not particularly well. Fair point on the flip-up lights, though - but we can't all be the 1986 Honda Accord. Unfortunately.

 

[boombexus]

Originally posted by M5Power
Not particularly well.

True. Then by that, Mercury should have added a hood scoop as they obviously didn't care all that much about how the car looked. Obviously.

What surprised me the most was Mercury squeezing out a 140 HP 3.8L V6. That right there my friend is pushing the envelope of Mercurys engine design team.
Maybe in retrospect, Mercury should have added the scoop. It might have made the engine perform even worse. And by looking at those stats, I'm sure that's what Mercury was going for.

Good job Mercury. Mission well done. 👍

 

[1X83Z]

Originally posted by boombexus

What surprised me the most was Mercury squeezing out a 140 HP 3.8L V6. That right there my friend is pushing the envelope of Mercurys engine design team.
Maybe in retrospect, Mercury should have added the scoop. It might have made the engine perform even worse. And by looking at those stats, I'm sure that's what Mercury was going for.

Good job Mercury. Mission well done. 👍

Brilliant. Don't knock that engine though - it propelled the car to sixty in well under fifteen seconds. I believe it had its origins in the 1970s, but they still use it today - and it gets 193-horsepower in the Mustang. It keeps Hertz happy!

 

[240Z]

Scared off another member.

 

[eliseracer]

My dad drives a 93' Ford Taurus, with the optional 3.8L.

Man that thing is a wreck of a car.

Okay, now for the honnest suggestions. I'll provide a priceless shot, and I'm sure you can all fill in the rest of the info (stats, selling points).

http://www.militaryworld.dk/vw_passat2_hrn.jpg

 

[924Superwagen]

Originally posted by boombexus
Ok, then try this one on for size.


1987 Porsche 944S

2.5L I-4 that makes 188 HP @ 6000 and 170 lbft @ 4300

0-60 in: 7.5
1/4 mile in: 15.8

RWD and curbs at 2974 lbs.

Drifting a Porsche is sacrilege... it's an unwritten rule that shall never be broken.

Now the Taurus on the other hand... I think we can pull it off eliseracer. I don't think you dad would mind

 

[eliseracer]

The handbrake is so badly positioned for drifting though. If we could find a large dirt-field it could be done. Next winter I'll have my permit and the fresh snowy lots will be calling my name (and the Taurus).

*fingers crossed that POS makes it*

 

[924Superwagen]

I could hook up a hydraulic handbrake... simple setup too. I can make it like in the WRC cars...

 

[emad]

Originally posted by 924Superwagen
Drifting a Porsche is sacrilege... it's an unwritten rule that shall never be broken.

So dude...what's wrong with drifting a Porsche? Keep in mind that Porsche had a major presence in the Group B Rallys back in the 80's. Rallying meant that the cars had to have been drifted at least a few times per race.

 

[MazKid]

3 words, Emmm, Pee, Vee.

1st gen, 155hp, 165 ft lbs. Find a Canadian one, you can get a 5 speed stick. Take out all the seats and everything and you can drift like mad. We can drift our '92 without even trying, and we don't have the locked diff. They're also fairly cheap to be had if you just find a beater one. The V6 is also pretty bullet proof and can probably produce some good power. If you want to step it up you can install the 3L V6 from the 1st gen 929S, 197hp and like 201 ft lbs.

Or just get that 929S.

But drifting in a Mini-van owns all.

 

[eliseracer]

Originally posted by MazKid
3 words, Emmm, Pee, Vee.

1st gen, 155hp, 165 ft lbs. Find a Canadian one, you can get a 5 speed stick. Take out all the seats and everything and you can drift like mad. We can drift our '92 without even trying, and we don't have the locked diff. They're also fairly cheap to be had if you just find a beater one. The V6 is also pretty bullet proof and can probably produce some good power. If you want to step it up you can install the 3L V6 from the 1st gen 929S, 197hp and like 201 ft lbs.

Or just get that 929S.

But drifting in a Mini-van owns all.

I learned to drive stick in a Multi Problem Vehicle. All wheel drive, 5-speed. And drifting was out of the question at the time...

 

[MazKid]

Problem? Bah, when maintained properly they are great. And the 4WD model is too truck like, the RWD ones are smooth and very nice. Ofcourse you couldn't drift in the 4WD one...duh...

 

[bengee]

Originally posted by 924Superwagen
Drifting a Porsche is sacrilege... it's an unwritten rule that shall never be broken.

Now the Taurus on the other hand... I think we can pull it off eliseracer. I don't think you dad would mind

Ummmm... 911 and lift throttle oversteer...

I saw a vid of a 944 being drifted very poorly... Looks sweet, but an autocrossing 944 turbo is better... Hey there is an idea for me

If you are on a budget get a 924... They are easier to come by... crappier but hey drifting your car is going to be expensive and be rough on the car as well... you are going to need to save money somehow.

 

[Fenrir51]

Originally posted by boombexus

But if a wagon is not to your taste, try something that is unique in it's own right.

I present to you the 1970 Saab Sonett. A scant 742 of these were made. A rare car indeed.

It's 1.7L V-4 engine designed by Ford Motor Company produced an astounding 75 HP @ 5000 and 94 lbft @ 2500! We all know that drifting requires some torque.

Weighing in at a mere 1700 lbs, this is a light weight force to be reconed with.

The Sonett clocked 0-60 in 14.4 seconds and runs the 1/4 mile in 19 seconds flat!
But having a engine made by Ford, spare and aftermarket parts are surely abundant. A sleeper just waiting to be awoke.

But with the Sonetts looks and rarity, it's bound to turn heads and an asking price of $4,655 OBO, a deal not to be passed by.

Contact @ 303-378-2149 or 970-524-1440

Some people down the street have had one of these sittings since i moved here when i was 6. Its bright orange and hasnt run since and is now kept in a garage in average condition minus the billions of spiders on the inside.

 

[Fenrir51]

Originally posted by boombexus
True. Then by that, Mercury should have added a hood scoop as they obviously didn't care all that much about how the car looked. Obviously.

What surprised me the most was Mercury squeezing out a 140 HP 3.8L V6. That right there my friend is pushing the envelope of Mercurys engine design team.
Maybe in retrospect, Mercury should have added the scoop. It might have made the engine perform even worse. And by looking at those stats, I'm sure that's what Mercury was going for.

Good job Mercury. Mission well done. 👍

215 ft-lbs of torque @ 2200 rpm isnt bad

 

[1X83Z]

Originally posted by Fenrir51
215 ft-lbs of torque @ 2200 rpm isnt bad

For a car that weighs 3292lbs and does 0-60 in 11secs (and the quarter in 18), I couldn't care less at what RPM the torque came in - it's damn weak. Ford's pretty proud of not using a four-cylinder on the Taurus since the early years, but their six-cylinders have been so bad, they've practically done the job of a four-cylinder but with worse fuel economy - the current OHV V6, for example, gets less power than nearly every competitor's four and gets worse economy than Ford's own DOHC V6, which produces 45 more horsepower.

 

[Takumi Fujiwara]

To the original poster, how long have you been driving? And is this your first car?

If so, and if you're a new driver, don't think about drifting. Get something relatively cheap and boring, and worry about something more interesting at a later date. This is also a good route to go because, in drifting, car damage is guaranteed, and having a car that you can drive while your drifter is in the bodyshop is a great thing.

 

[GilesGuthrie]

Hey, Mazkid's onto something. I had some awesome sideways moments in a Toyota Previa.

And a Peugeot 505GTI estate rocks for the tail-out action also.

 

[Fenrir51]

Originally posted by M5Power
For a car that weighs 3292lbs and does 0-60 in 11secs (and the quarter in 18), I couldn't care less at what RPM the torque came in - it's damn weak. Ford's pretty proud of not using a four-cylinder on the Taurus since the early years, but their six-cylinders have been so bad, they've practically done the job of a four-cylinder but with worse fuel economy - the current OHV V6, for example, gets less power than nearly every competitor's four and gets worse economy than Ford's own DOHC V6, which produces 45 more horsepower.

What 4 bangers in 1992 have more power then it NA? Its an old engine of course current 4 bangers might get near the power of it i doubt any would get that much torque.

 

[1X83Z]

Hell if I know, in 1992. I could actually figure it out - I was going to - but I'm not. My point is that currently, their OHV V6 is pathetic as hell and though it has six cylinders, it drinks like a college student and has less power than a four-cylinder Accord.

 

[924Superwagen]

Originally posted by emad
So dude...what's wrong with drifting a Porsche? Keep in mind that Porsche had a major presence in the Group B Rallys back in the 80's. Rallying meant that the cars had to have been drifted at least a few times per race.

Ah yes, but you're missing the point young Jedi... in rallying you either do a quick pendulum turn (p-turn, Scandinavian flick, whatever you want to call it) or a four-wheel drift where the front wheels loose traction as well. In these cases the point is to make it around the corner faster. Drifting in the modern sense is a flamboyant waste of our precious petroleum resources (in the form of tires) that produces smoke and slower lap times and definitely NOT a technique used by rally drivers.

...but I digress