Need backup vehicle -- suggestions?
 

I'm looking for a cheap but fun little backup car that I can use during the winter or times when the P5 is out of order. Plus if I follow through with the turbo install I'd really like to have something on the side just in case.

Any suggestions guys? I'm lookin to spend up to $2K and it can really be just about anything. An old school RX-7 would be cool but RWD isn't my thing, and certainly would become a bit dangerous during the winter so I think that's outta the question. I looked at a couple 5th gen Celicas (flip-up lights) but they're still crazy expensive for some reason. Checked into a few 1st gen DSMs and they're kinda the same way, plus I know they have some serious reliability issues so I think I've thrown out that idea too.

I dunno what else to look for. Throw me some ideas guys.

One of these would be sick. AWD with LSDs on both axles, intercooled turbo, etc.

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/car/433273954.html

If it wasn't clear in CA I'd be all over that sucka!! That looks mean as hell, I'm sure it hauls ass too.

But it gives me an idea on what else to look for locally. Thanks Nate.

No offence to the GTX (I friggin love them!) but I wouldn't exactly desire a 1980s turbo car as a backup vehicle. You can almost guarantee it won't be as reliable as your P5.

Get a Mazda MPV 4x4 .. they're on the same chassis as the B-series pickup truck (which is the same chassis as the Ford Ranger / Explorer). The only thing you have to do to them is replace the electronic locking front hubs with manual ones (or replace the electronic hubs every year or two) :)

4x4 truck-based minivan is ftw! They're a blast to go off-roading with, srsly

But really, if you can find any ranger-clone Mazda pickup they're great trucks. They're simple and honest, and I'm sure you can get one crazy cheap.

I'm waiting for my dad to buy a new car so I can take my Mazda B4000 back permanently.. it's a monster for winter driving :)

Maybe an old Subie?

Old subies have their gremlins as well.. most notably oil seal concerns

dang, i know you can get 2nd gen pros for dirt cheap...i've looked. they're reliable as heck (well, mine at least, even with my spirited driving). i haven't seen an awd 1st gen in the ads in a looooong time.

you don't want a stealmobile civic/accord/integra, even though i could recommend those without second thought....i don't know.

No Hondas unfortunately. You won't catch me dead driving one.

i agree with kansei....i had a 1993 mazda b2200 and that thing was awsome..i couldnt kill it and was awsome in the winter months...and i only paid 500 dollars for it...lol look at one of those......

Never thought of getting a truck of any sort, but if they're as great as you guys say then I guess I might give one a chance.

imho they are really great...mine was fun as hell to drive...i had it setting around 1" off of the ground and it still was a beast in the winter time...didnt get stuck once and i live in the the mountains in NC. and it was 2wd .....

Well the 1993 is actually a Mazda, not just a Ford Ranger in disguise

I've driven a 1992 B2200 before but have no clue about the reliability of them.

The B4000 is a nice solid truck :)

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member...1_129_full.jpg

As much as I love my 94 (a limited edition in Medium Seafoam Green / Silver 2-tone), don't get a 94. Get a 95+, they have airbags

yeah that's right.. the truck looks pretty decent on the outside but then you step inside and wow
http://memimage.cardomain.net/member...51_65_full.jpg

Here is what the interior looks like 1995+ (this pic is from a 2007.. seriously they used the same dash/chassis/drivetrain foreve)
http://images.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/i...K_interior.jpg

On the 95 the steering wheel, gauge cluster, and seats are different though :)

Everyone makes fun of them because the Tacoma has gone through a couple iterations since the ranger platform has been updated, but they're good honest trucks.

Oh and when I drove it as my daily I got 14-16mpg average (barely any highway driving, lots of full throttle .. 160hp, 220 ft. lbs of torque at 3k rpms :) ). Highway I've gotten 21mpg :)

as far as trucks go, my family had a 96 dodge dakota sport (last of the fairly boxy years). ext. cab, 3.9l 90 deg. v-6, 5 spd 2wd and no a/c (too bad). that sucker was great. 20 mpg on the highway, no reliability issues, great torque with 5spd. flowmaster 40 series makes it sound veeerrry cool. turning radius was horrid with the extra length. rode very trucky (as expected), i would think 4x4 would be pretty good as well--but get the stick.

never caught dead in a honda, eh? not even a honda NSX?

An old 626 would be my first choice. Decent little things they are.

Or a 1st gen pro/escort. You can get a Ford Escort or Probe rather cheap, and they are very Mazda-ish.

i would agree. '88-era 626s were nice, i like the 5 door ones. even the mx6s then aren't bad. ya, 1 gen pro is cheeeeeeeap and they handle smartly.

NSX's are badass cars, but if it came down to it I'd probably settle for a G35 or 350Z for that money. So .. the answer's still no :)

Hmm .. I'll have to look into a few 626s and 1st gen Pros too. MX-6 prolly not, cuz I don't think they're near as reliable as I'd want them to be.

i got a 1st gen pro sitting in my back yard, peppy little car, fun to drive, i just need to actually fix it!

You might want to look and see if you can find a mid 90's cherokee. Inline 6 + 4WD = FTW. Plus they are really reliable. I loved mine before I gave it to my mother.

You realize the NSX is more than double the price of those, right? aluminum chassis FTwwwwwwww

yeah a first gen pro would be a blast! Slap some snow tires on it and I'm sure it would be great in the snow (though they're really lightweight)

I'd love a nicely modded S2000. :)

When they were new yes. I think you can prolly find one anywhere from $30K-$50K depending on the year and condition, unless the Acura NSX is different from the Honda version. I dunno .. whatever .. shows how much I care about Hondas.

I disagree about the MX-6 being less reliable than a 626...there's is really not very much different about them.

Something else you might consider. My backup car is a 1992 Corolla. No, not a very cool car at all and every time I'm driving and I see a cute girl I just wanna sink into the seat. Anyway, the point is, I keep thinking that I want something else as a beater/backup.
And I think about a lot of the suggestions already made, like a 1st gen (esp an AWD) or an MX-6 or even a Rex. Then I start thinking about how I'd want to mod it and suddenly my beater is coalescing into a black hole.
With the Corolla, it's just a beater and will never be anything else. And every time I think, damn, maybe I should spend a few $$ on it, seeing the cute girl in
the Sunfire brings me right back down to earth...what am I thinking?

I just don't think a fwd economy car is a good second car when your first car is also a fwd economy car.

Either a small truck or a miata would be excellent :) gotta mix things up a bit.

Oh a Miata :drool: would be so freakin sweet, but they're still crazy expensive .. even for an early 90's one.

A truck wouldn't be too bad but it's really not my thing at all. FWD economy cars are :) Besides, I need a winter time beater POS .. so a Miata would certainly fail to meet those criteria. It'd be a horrible thing to do to such a nice car anyway. Nothing wrong with FWD econoboxes in my eyes .. especially for my winter time purposes.

I only said that cuz a couple friends of mine had MX-6's in the past and I know they had lots of problems. But then again they were the Turbo models so maybe that was it .. I dunno. I have no proof of MX-6's being unreliable other than that, so I could very well be wrong.

I'm still kinda stuck on the 5th gen Celicas .. I think one of those would make a great backup. It would get good gas mileage, be just as if not more reliable as the P5, looks pretty alright, and would be pretty fun to drive I hope. Too bad Toyotas hold their value so good :(

Winter beater should be AWD/4WD imo. Since you're buying it for the sole purpose of driving in the snow you dont want to:

A) Get stuck easily like FWD are prone to.
B) Understeer yourself off the road, like RWD (even more on trucks) are prone to.

Just my 2/100 of a dolla!

Found a '92 Celica for sale locally. 145K mi, 5-speed, 1.6L ST model, and supposedly doesn't have anything wrong with it. I'm gonna take a look at it later this week and maybe even buy it :D

http://www.veridiancu.org/swapsheet/...ads/307974.jpg

The ST is sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooo slow. If you thought your P5 was slow.. it'll feel like a rocketship haha

but as a car it's A-OK

Dudeeeee .. it's gonna be a backup. Plus I'm already used to the slowness. The guy only wants $1000 for it, I bet I can get it for $850-$900

Sweet! I may be picking up a '94 Protege, Red, haha.

Has under 120k miles! Owner says it runs good, wants only $500 bucks for it, so I'ma check it out!

celica would work.. drive that car around awhile, then switch back to your p5, pocket rocket! haha

^^ Haha!! YES!!!

mazda3
 

The Mazda3 has been generally well received by the automotive press for its performance, handling, styling and interior, with some describing it as feeling like a more expensive sport sedan despite its value-oriented price.
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