Mike is searching out a less expensive sporty car to complement his everyday driver, but it wishes to have a few degrees of practicality because it’ll baby now and then. He desires to be able to work on it effortlessly and feature something that is the first rate for long drives. What vehicle must he buy?
(Welcome back to What Car Should You Buy? Where we supply actual people actual advice about shopping for automobiles.)
Here is the situation:
I need to shop for an easy to paintings in sports activities car for under $8,000. I became useless set on a Miata, however now my spouse and I are awaiting, so it has to be a four-seater. I currently have each day motive force (2016 VW Jetta). I don’t need any Subarus on account that I had an awful revel in with the pinnacle gaskets in a WRX.
I need something short, dependable for lengthy-distance drives (Rochester, NY to Toronto), and reasonably-priced to wrench. I’m not picky approximately the pressure wheels or maybe the transmission. However, it has to have a returned seat massive sufficient to fit a vehicle seat and enough room for a hockey bag.
Quick Facts:
Budget: as much as $8,000
Daily Driver: No
Location: Rochester, NY
Wants: Fun, Easy to fix, Somewhat dependable, four-seats
Doesn’t need: A money pit assignment car
Expert 1: Tom McParland – The Nostalgia Is Strong Today
Mike, this isn’t a terrific smooth challenge because you want something a laugh, with four doorways, and a fair amount of reliability for a modest price range. So I dialled back the mental time gadget and remembered what I drove when I wanted the equal issue. In university, I offered a 1995 Honda Prelude Si.
I loved that car. It wasn’t the quickest coupe however it had a brilliant gearbox, notable dealing with (before I ruined it with decreasing springs), and it dealt with me properly for many years, regardless of my inability to wrench. While the Redwood generation is upon us and those ‘90s Japanese game compacts are worth shopping for, locating a fourth-era Prelude with a lot of life left in it will likely be difficult.
However, there are most of the fifth-technology Preludes still round with reasonable miles inside your budget. These were bigger, quicker, and extra secure than the automobile I drove. Here is a 2001 SH version not far from you for $eight,000. This automobile has the two.2-litre VTEC four-cylinder that made 200 HP and is paired with a five-velocity manual. It additionally has SUPER HANDLING, which is a crucial differentiator from the relaxation of the p.C. To have simply exacted dealing with.
The returned seat is suitable sufficient for the car seat, and the trunk should be able to squeeze your bag.
Expert 2: Jason Torchinsky – Get the Best Spaceship You Can Afford
Illustration for the article titled I Need an Affordable Four-Seater Sports Car That's Easy to Work On! What Car Should I Buy?
Okay, appearance: I realize you stated no Subarus, however, the element is, there’s a Subaru that suits your state of affairs so rattling nicely, I ought to ask you to at the least recollect it: the Subaru SVX.
Forget approximately those WRX head gasket problems—the SVX doesn’t even use the identical engine—this one is a flat six, similar to a Porsche 911 or a Corvair. It’ll be first-rate.
Besides, just have a look at the thing! It’s like a spaceship, with those extremely good home windows-inset-into-windows and that gleefully positive Nineteen Nineties aero appearance.
These cars have been relaxed, quick enough, and feature lots of room for kids seats and hockey system (a saddle for the ice horses? I overlook), and it just feels just like the destiny, at least as we understood that concept in the Nineteen Nineties.
Put aside your Subaru-phobia and recall the SVX. This one isn’t too far from you, in top notch shape, and it’s handiest $5,000! Just hold that thought open, due to the fact this SVX might be perfect.
Expert three: Patrick George – Another Honda Option
Illustration for the article titled I Need an Affordable Four-Seater Sports Car That's Easy to Work On! What Car Should I Buy?
If you need to move reliable and used, I almost usually suggest Japanese cars. (Stay far from vintage BMW luxobarges, inquire from me how I know this.) And the Honda Prelude is an extraordinary desire, albeit an unprecedented one. Here’s an extra not unusual choose: the Acura RSX.
The RSX turned into the sequel to the Integra and was truely called that during a few markets. While it’s objectively no longer as cool because the Integra, it became a sharp-looking and sharp-coping with VTEC coupe in its day, and one which has to keep up long-time period so long as you discover an example that hasn’t been modified 1/2 to loss of life, as for being able to paintings on it—ask the military of Honda tuners out there in the event that they’ve had any trouble. The solution is no.
If you’re willing to schlep right down to Long Island, right here’s a Type S for just $five,800 and 114,000 miles on the clock. Not even halfway via its Honda-existence, that.
Expert 4: David Tracy – Ignore Ralph Nader and Follow Your Heart