So here's a fun question: what should my $20k "law school era" car be? I want a 300+ horsepower project.

"Noah - Now with more boost." (antriebverliebt)
03/19/2018 at 15:07 • Filed to: None

I can’t come up with a better answer than the C5 targa. It has perfect proportions IMO. The front is sleek and low in a way we’ll never see again thanks to popups and lax nineties pedestrian safety standards. It’d make a great Appalachian road bomber project and have well under 50k on the clock.

Requirements:

300+ reliable horsepower

decent handling

great aftermarket

no straight 4s or V6s whatsoever

RWD or AWD

around $20k

Extra bonus points for being unlike my previous cars in one or more ways:

- 5 speed 1989 BMW 635csi

- 1999 Q45

- 2009 WRX

DISCUSSION (50)

OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars > Noah - Now with more boost.
03/19/2018 at 15:21

I second this. Also pretty cheap to fix. Your biggest expense will be tires.

Noah - Now with more boost. > OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars
03/19/2018 at 15:22

And gas! I’m a child.

gawdzillla > Noah - Now with more boost.
03/19/2018 at 15:22

thought those are 10k cars

along with the 05+ GTO

Noah - Now with more boost. > gawdzillla
03/19/2018 at 15:23

exactly, I want a minty one with like 30k on it so its still nice in 2022 when I can import an R33 from Flavien ;)

PartyPooper2012 > Noah - Now with more boost.
03/19/2018 at 15:24

I had a similar puzzle to solve last year. I was thinking 280Z from 70s, 270z from 2010s or a c5 vette.

I settled on C5 vette.

1) its not carbureted. No fuss.
2) It’s quick
3) Parts are fairly easy to find

Why I wish I didn’t settle on C5

1) Plastic explosion. In true GM fashion, lots of plastic parts in it - all sun dried and all brittle. Replacements cost exactly what you would think parts cost for a corvette.

2) Handling is not what I anticipated it to be.
3) Run flats make the ride super stiff. They are on their way out, but there will be no spare still.

Noah - Now with more boost. > PartyPooper2012
03/19/2018 at 15:28

This is a great assessment.

1. I’m prepared, the worst part of my WRX’s interior is that its simply boring. At least this would be something to laugh about, like my old Q45's MPG. I can handle ‘vette replacement parts since I won’t have a car payment :)

2. Mods mods mods mods. This is a project, it’ll have different suspension, tires, braces, etc. I can’t leave anything alone.

3. I’m a rare “sensible” stance guy in that I don’t even want to tuck tire and buy larger non rubber band tires. I call it “dad stance” Again, a non issue I hope in non stock form :)

PartyPooper2012 > Noah - Now with more boost.
03/19/2018 at 15:35

mmmkay. I’ll sell you mine if you want. I am looking for a different project.

1999. 90k on odometer. Replaced AC compressor. While it was apart, also replaced water pump, spark plugs. Put in short shifter. Rims need a little bit of sorting. Blend doors don’t work. Probably needs a new heater box assembly

Nothing > Noah - Now with more boost.
03/19/2018 at 15:41

Mustang GT? You can find 2011+ in that price range.

interstate366, now In The Industry > Noah - Now with more boost.
03/19/2018 at 15:42

Something with a 1JZ. A Soarer or a JZX90.

Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) > Noah - Now with more boost.
03/19/2018 at 15:44

C5Zs are there all day.

Poor_Sh > Noah - Now with more boost.
03/19/2018 at 15:45

A 2014 Mustang GT premium! In Black....

Noah - Now with more boost. > PartyPooper2012
03/19/2018 at 15:47

The WRX is going in on a trade for something some dad bought and drove like 1500 miles/year haha sooooo no way!

Noah - Now with more boost. > Nothing
03/19/2018 at 15:48

I bet I could swing a 2015+ with the IRS, live axle is a dealbreaker because I drive pretty hard on New England’s frost heaved mountain roads every weekend I can.

Noah - Now with more boost. > interstate366, now In The Industry
03/19/2018 at 15:49

I’m definitely gonna scratch that 2J itch at some point, but maybe with a chaser?

Noah - Now with more boost. > Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now)
03/19/2018 at 15:50

Yep, not even at much higher mileage too. Can’t stand the long rear deck on the coupes though. Plus I’ve never done open top! I bet that’s nuts with an exhaust.

Noah - Now with more boost. > Poor_Sh
03/19/2018 at 15:51

Oh man... mini rant time. I hate grayscale cars and think its a shame that they’re so common. Colors of my cars: Black, Silver, Silver. The next car is gonna be something that’s actually interesting! Different strokes, etc

BadMotorScooter > Noah - Now with more boost.
03/19/2018 at 15:54

Could find a 996 Carrera 2 in that range. Look for one with maintenance updated even if high miles. Hard to argue with a C5 though for bang for the buck and modability. Just get a Z06 - well worth it.

Noah - Now with more boost. > BadMotorScooter
03/19/2018 at 15:57

So I’m actually involved with the local Porsche club to an extent, and even moonlighted at a local high end (think: fabricating custom F40 exhausts) shop while unemployed. This would be more than possible! But the car of this ilk I actually want is a 997 S, which I’ll wait for.

Can’t stand the long rear deck on the Z06. I know I know!

Shift24 > Noah - Now with more boost.
03/19/2018 at 15:58

You know you shouldn’t but the heart wants what the heart wants. E39 M5. I mean come on, LOOK at it.

Kinja'd!!!

If you want the reliable version, Pontiac G8 GT

Kinja'd!!!

BeaterGT > Noah - Now with more boost.
03/19/2018 at 15:59

You could get a well setup C5 for that price or a clean Z06. There’s also the Audi S4 and first gen CTS-V.

Poor_Sh > Noah - Now with more boost.
03/19/2018 at 16:02

Honestly i feel the same and have no desire for my next car to be colorless... But the car I suggested is mine and I’m going to try to sell it soon lol

Noah - Now with more boost. > BeaterGT
03/19/2018 at 16:02

The C5 targa specifically has always been “on my list” for those proportions. The long rear deck on the coupe kills it for me! S4 would be great but slower than the WRX (3100LBS/~320 crank HP ). Timing chain/belt issues scare me too. I’d be a nutter and go for a V10 S8 or 6 if I was gonna roll the dice on something German. Love the CTS-V but its aged poorly IMO.

Noah - Now with more boost. > Poor_Sh
03/19/2018 at 16:03

hahah yeah man and black cars + new england salt = nightmare

interstate366, now In The Industry > Noah - Now with more boost.
03/19/2018 at 16:05

Chasers have 1Js, but yeah, you could get a JZX90 one now. Japanese Classics has a Mark II right now for $15k, but it’s an automatic.

Out, but with a W - has found the answer > Noah - Now with more boost.
03/19/2018 at 16:05

If you’d settle for less than 300 hp: Audi TT VR6 or Golf R32

Single turbo RX7

But yeah, just get the C5

Noah - Now with more boost. > Out, but with a W - has found the answer
03/19/2018 at 16:07

I think I’d be annoyed by a slower car, the WRX has a little over 300 and weighs 3100 LBS or something like that. If the right FD came up I’d have zero self control but that’s a long shot! It’d have to have like 90k with a rebuilt motor in it or something

Noah - Now with more boost. > interstate366, now In The Industry
03/19/2018 at 16:08

I love their site, they have the most hideous VH41DE powered yacht right now and its only $10k. I want it so bad haha

interstate366, now In The Industry > Noah - Now with more boost.
03/19/2018 at 16:13

I want the white Soarer.

Noah - Now with more boost. > interstate366, now In The Industry
03/19/2018 at 16:14

Yes its pretty fantastic. So is that VIP’d LS400. Talk about a hilarious impulse buy. I think one of these thoroughly combed over Japanese Classics imports would be a legit excuse for breaking the “don’t buy a project” rule.

gawdzillla > Noah - Now with more boost.
03/19/2018 at 16:16

there are clean / well built example LS1 FD being sold for 20k fyi ....

interstate366, now In The Industry > Noah - Now with more boost.
03/19/2018 at 16:17

Last time I went there for their open house I impulse bought a set of JDM wheels for my Prelude. Next time I go (they have another one in a month) I hopefully will not end up with a larger impulse buy.

Out, but with a W - has found the answer > Noah - Now with more boost.
03/19/2018 at 16:19

The wookie sound makes up for it! Honestly though, if you like a hard charging car, they’ll leave you wanting, as they’re only about as quick as a new GTI.

I guess they’re still out of budget, but a supercharged V6 S4 (yeah, I know, no V6s) or a TT RS would be great too.

rockingthe2 > Noah - Now with more boost.
03/19/2018 at 16:26

I actually have a friend selling a C5 right now, you could probably get it cheap enough to get a built motor in it and still fairly under budget.

LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com > PartyPooper2012
03/19/2018 at 16:43

What are you thinking of asking and where is the car located? I’m still feeling cheap and not yet ready to make my purchase, but if you are giving an Oppo discount, it could make me consider not going Z06 and instead going coupe and modifying to meet STU autocross classing requirements.

However, I don’t value these as highly as people tend to price them, so maybe forget it, no need for me to irritate you.

WRXforScience > Noah - Now with more boost.
03/19/2018 at 16:55

2014-15 BRZ/FRS + supercharger = epic win

You’re looking at $11k-$17k for the car and $4k-$6k on the supercharger depending on the kit, tune, and supporting modifications. You could also just go straight to the ft86club forums and find one (I’ve seen people swap WRX and twins there).

I went from a tuned 2010 WRX to a 2014 BRZ and have loved it (I do a ton of autox and track events, a strictly daily driver might be less enthusiastic). You’d be hard pressed to have more fun on a mountain road than you’d have in a BRZ/FRS/86. As a bonus, the brakes, wheels, and rear sway bars are all interchangeable between the WRX and BRZ.

Noah - Now with more boost. > gawdzillla
03/19/2018 at 18:48

that’s definitely one of those “never buy someone else’s project” scenarios, and I’d want a turbo FD with the boost cranked up not an LS swap

Noah - Now with more boost. > interstate366, now In The Industry
03/19/2018 at 18:48

whoahhh another in a month? ugh I need to get my car on the road.

Noah - Now with more boost. > Out, but with a W - has found the answer
03/19/2018 at 18:49

The wookie is great! V6 is no bueno haha

Noah - Now with more boost. > WRXforScience
03/19/2018 at 18:50

I’m glad you love the car, but I want another V8 and life is short, there’s no way I’d have 2 Subaru dailies in a row!

Noah - Now with more boost. > rockingthe2
03/19/2018 at 18:51

much appreciated but no thanks haha

interstate366, now In The Industry > Noah - Now with more boost.
03/19/2018 at 19:00

Yep, I’m planning an Oppo meet there too.

https://oppositelock.kinja.com/japanese-classics-oppo-meet-1823708592

It’s literally at Richmond airport, so if your car is broken (or if you’re like several Oppos and don’t like driving in VA) you can fly in and walk there.

WRXforScience > Noah - Now with more boost.
03/19/2018 at 19:51

If you’re set on a V8, then get the best V8 and go straight to the Vette. I’d vote on a C5 ZO6 racecar (strip the interior and put in a cage and seat), but you’re looking for a daily so maybe a Pontiac G8 (or earlier GTO) or a Chevy SS (they make an amazing daily driver, I’ve got a friend with one in Jungle Green and it’s amazing).

Budgets are meant to be stretched.

Discerning > Noah - Now with more boost.
03/19/2018 at 20:28

You won’t be disappointed with a C5.

That would be my choice for that price.

Noah - Now with more boost. > interstate366, now In The Industry
03/19/2018 at 22:53

Ah yeah flying in might make more sense, its less than 200 from Boston or something like that

Noah - Now with more boost. > WRXforScience
03/19/2018 at 22:54

Exactly! Getting into the LS mod scene would be fun. I don’t want another sedan so its gotta be a C5, I haven’t had a coupe since my first car!!

Noah - Now with more boost. > Discerning
03/19/2018 at 22:55

Nobody has even come close to dissuading me haha

interstate366, now In The Industry > Noah - Now with more boost.
03/19/2018 at 23:22

Yeah, I think it’s about $175 round trip.

PartyPooper2012 > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com
03/20/2018 at 07:14

:) I don’t really want to sell it. It hasn’t come to a point where I hate the thing because every plastic piece has broken off.

If it does come to that point, I will yank everything out and make it mad max vette. Surely my wife will appreciate sitting on a milk crate. It would be better than the current state of seats.

LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com > PartyPooper2012
03/20/2018 at 08:22

Dang, I’ve heard that the foam tends to deteriorate, but that sounds pretty bad. The 80k mile example that I tested recently seemed okay, but not as comfortable as the 17k mile Z06.

PartyPooper2012 > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com
03/20/2018 at 08:27

seats are ok.. just not much padding and leather is old and partly broken after 19 years of butt farts and code browns.