Member of the Month

PartyBullshiit
March, 2024

Online

Welcome to the Newschoolers forums! You may read the forums as a guest, however you must be a registered member to post. Register to become a member today!

Best cars for perormance tuning?

profile picture
C.R.420
Posts: 2441 - Karma: 28
NS,
In a few months I will be selling my '99 Nissan Altima SE Limited, in order to buy a tuner car with manual transmission. (my altima is automatic.)

In your opinion, what is the best car to buy at a good price (under $6,000usd), and tune-up the engine?

I want something with a V6 engine and front-wheel drive.

So far I am thinking about..
-Toyota Eclipse
-Honda Accord V6
-Acura Integra

Please post with any suggestions.
It does not have to be one of the 3 i listed.
Mar 24 2007 12:02AM
0 0
profile picture
Worst.NS.Member
Posts: 703 - Karma: 11
RWD in the snow is funnnnn~
Jun 7 2007 2:24PM
0 0
profile picture
Shpadoinkle
Posts: 10437 - Karma: 84
i could see that.
my truck would be super fun then.
seeing how she handles in the rain...can't wait to see her in the snow.
Jun 7 2007 2:39PM
0 0
profile picture
dorikin
Posts: 1914 - Karma: 16
all this talk about any fwd but VW's being shit is a crock of shit. A Honda civic/Integra is by far, hands down, the best FWD tuner car available. Only the really old GTIs have any sort of weight advantage over a Honda, and I am not even sure about that. Civics and Tegs are pretty damn light. VWs have shitty electrical problems and for the most part are unreliable as hell compared to Honda 4-cylinder. I'm not even gonna talk about cost of repairs or parts. And if you want to talk about handling, sure stock a VW may outhandle a Honda, but there are more aftermarket parts(including suspension) available for Civics and Integras than probably any other car by far.

If you really want a FWD car that will spank the ass of practically anything on the road for cheap buy a 92-95 Civc hatchback in the most stripped down trim you can find. Throw a B18b or B18C from an Intergra in that mofo, and slap a turbo or nitrous on it. I guarantee with good tires if you are a decent driver you can get into the twelves, and with a little suspension work that thing will be on rails.
Jun 7 2007 7:34PM
0 0
profile picture
Justo8484
Posts: 3905 - Karma: 204
what kind of performance are you looking for? you might want to look into a late 90's subaru, either a legacy or impreza. while there's not a ton you can do horsepower wise to the stock ej25 engine, you could probably find a wrecked wrx to pull an engine from and put it into an impreza. as long as its not the 2.5rs, you can find used imprezas relatively cheap, and wrx motors are getting easier to find. the strong point of the car is the handling though. for being AWD, the imrpeza is comparatively light and well balanced, and with, say, $500 or so into suspension work, and then some new tires, the things handle really really well.
Jun 7 2007 8:22PM
0 0
profile picture
JayDope
Posts: 6842 - Karma: 408
RICER!!!! grosssss
Jun 7 2007 10:09PM
0 0
profile picture
spere
Posts: 6105 - Karma: 248
are you fucking kidding me?!?!?! i hate people that think all hondas and japanese cars are ricers. fuck you and your domestic piece of shit
Jun 7 2007 10:13PM
0 0
profile picture
spere
Posts: 6105 - Karma: 248
wait nevermind i see that you like VW/AUDI, which are great cars but hating on hondas makes no sense, they are quality inexpensive and easy to tune. tastefully of course
Jun 7 2007 10:16PM
0 0
profile picture
ijibgoremtn
Posts: 4221 - Karma: 13
haha anything with a type r engine like the b18c5 will be fast but the b18c1 (gsr engine with v-tech) is pretty fast and the b18b1 which is what i have isnt bad by any means but could be better, your best bet is a civic si, or like a gsr, or just about anything that comes with a turbo stock that will save you tons of money in the long run, the old 300zx's had a twin turbo i believe so if ya get some new turbo's for that shit its gonna be ballin fast if tuned right
Jun 7 2007 10:35PM
0 0
profile picture
MALONE
Posts: 3819 - Karma: 73
those cars are crazy heavy son.
Jun 7 2007 10:36PM
0 0
profile picture
dorikin
Posts: 1914 - Karma: 16
yea those cars are mad heavy.
Jun 7 2007 10:40PM
0 0
profile picture
Scolson
Posts: 2904 - Karma: 92
i love all this talk of tuning and tuning-up
it makes me giggle
why not buy a mustang or something actually worth it? I mean if you really care about performance. I could drop a v8 in an s10 for 3-4000$ and run 12's
Jun 7 2007 10:51PM
0 0
profile picture
MALONE
Posts: 3819 - Karma: 73
yeah..... how about you come make some turns in your V8 s10, "lets shoe horn a big block into the smallest car we can, and drive REALLY fast in straight line" HARDCORE.
Jun 7 2007 10:55PM
0 0
profile picture
Scolson
Posts: 2904 - Karma: 92
i never said big block.


now your just putting words into my mouth.
Jun 7 2007 10:59PM
0 0
profile picture
Scolson
Posts: 2904 - Karma: 92
he never said he was going road racing or anything anyway.

He wants a MAD TITE TUNER CAR YO!!
Jun 7 2007 11:01PM
0 0
profile picture
babujib
Posts: 5039 - Karma: 104
if you have the dough go with the skyline or lancer evos
Jun 7 2007 11:04PM
0 0
profile picture
Scolson
Posts: 2904 - Karma: 92
yeah because you can totally trade in an altima on one of those and do some MAD TITE ENGINE TUNING!!!1!
Jun 7 2007 11:06PM
0 0
profile picture
Scolson
Posts: 2904 - Karma: 92
sorry im a republican i cant help it
Jun 7 2007 11:13PM
0 0
profile picture
MALONE
Posts: 3819 - Karma: 73
oh... sorry i made that assumption listen, I hate stupid kids who build stupid cars as much as the next guy, and Im really set in my beliefs on cars, but no young kid who skis needs a 350-400hp rwd compact pickup.
Jun 7 2007 11:16PM
0 0
profile picture
Gnarzecki
Posts: 182 - Karma: 10
dont even waste your time. buy sumthin with 8 cyl. under the hood. she'll save you lots of trouble down the road.

if you wanna make it fast buy like a camaro or a chevelle
if you wanna make it messy buy a big ass silverado.



Jun 7 2007 11:30PM
0 0
profile picture
comeatmebro
Posts: 10720 - Karma: 66
pick between:

evo or sti???
Jun 7 2007 11:31PM
0 0
profile picture
CTD
Posts: 6300 - Karma: 348
FYI, incase your wondering, or still looking, my buddy with the 924 has it up for sale. cheap, prolly could nag it for 2 gs. and its in cleveland, so definatly doable if your in cinnci
Jun 7 2007 11:34PM
0 0
profile picture
Shpadoinkle
Posts: 10437 - Karma: 84
i like ur style.
my best friend just bought a 92 hatchback for 500 bucks, and i gotta say i love it. he's gonna SOHC it and this bitch is gonna have it's own can of whoop ass built in. i'll put some pics up of it when he puts it in.
Jun 8 2007 12:12AM
0 0
profile picture
Shpadoinkle
Posts: 10437 - Karma: 84
there are a couple of people on here that know what the hell they are talkin about. even i know a bit. yes...the girl with the gmc truck. lmao.
Jun 8 2007 12:14AM
0 0
profile picture
Shpadoinkle
Posts: 10437 - Karma: 84
he said a tuner CAR. keyword: car.

sorry for the whorish act that i have just commited.
Jun 8 2007 12:15AM
0 0
profile picture
Steezysmurf
Posts: 1663 - Karma: 3
ok.. first off, anyone who thinks they can handle a 'performance' car (ricer is not performance, but you can call it performance tuning) in rwd is either a very good driver, or a slow driver, or dont know what its like at all.

fwd sticks to the road way better than rwd, yet it is slower. but then again, if youre talkin civics and accords i dont think you should be worried about that shit because the fact is, those are not fast cars, and the amount of money required to make it fast is the amount of money you need to spend for a fast car.

save up and buy a used sti
Jun 8 2007 12:27AM
0 0
profile picture
brokebutitsworthit
Posts: 2279 - Karma: 27
been there done that, along with ZC in crx, B16A2 in teg, B16B in civic, Ls in civic, Sr20 in 240....a great variety
Jun 8 2007 1:26AM
0 0
profile picture
dorikin
Posts: 1914 - Karma: 16
I like your moves.

Hell yea to Hondas. I loved my Civic. RIP.
Jun 8 2007 1:34AM
0 0
profile picture
Sean...M
Posts: 2450 - Karma: 14
oh god i was waiting for someone to get that..
Jun 8 2007 2:00AM
0 0
profile picture
Sean...M
Posts: 2450 - Karma: 14
he said 6grand.. not 30
Jun 8 2007 2:07AM
0 0
profile picture
Worst.NS.Member
Posts: 703 - Karma: 11
There's more to a car's handling than its overall weight. For example, the weight distribution, suspension bound/rebound, spring rate, turning circle, turn-in, under/oversteer charicteristics, suspension TYPE, wheelbase/track, toe/camber, wheel width, wheel materials, brakes, steering type, steering ratio, etc etc.
I've built vtec and non vtec hondas for kids, and a CRX Si with a port and five angle valve job with some ECM remapping will smoke a 1st gen WRX, but don't try to corner in it.

I'm not denying civics are reliable honest cars and can even be decent for drag tuning, but saying old VWs are unreliable is straight retarded. There are no electronics problems in a pre 90s golf because there are practically no electronics. They're both great reliable cars, but I'll take an iron block over cast aluminum any day if you plan to do tuning. If you can find the old iron block non vtec civic mills, fine and dandy, but it still wont be as balanced in handling as a nice GTi or even a jetta. Parts are about the same for both cost-wise and theres a lot less gadgets and wires on a golf to break.
Jun 8 2007 2:54AM
0 0
profile picture
Steezysmurf
Posts: 1663 - Karma: 3
08's id go with the evo x (when it comes here), my friend has an 07 sti, and its rude as hell but then the 08 looks like a step down in styling imo. all the projected specs are supposedly almost identical, so you cant go wrong

Click for larger image
Click for larger image
Jun 8 2007 11:05AM
0 0
profile picture
jeffery7
Posts: 208 - Karma: 10
spend a lil more cash and buy a subaru wrx
Jun 8 2007 12:16PM
0 0
profile picture
spere
Posts: 6105 - Karma: 248
you can spend 6 or 7 grand on an eg civic and it will destroy an sti in just about anything, except snow driving of course
Jun 8 2007 1:13PM
0 0
profile picture
hugedoinker
Posts: 208 - Karma: 10
seriously go out and buy like an 87 bmw 3 series they have great handling and breaking and they are really light which would make it easy to make a good power to weight ratio
Jun 8 2007 1:15PM
0 0
profile picture
spere
Posts: 6105 - Karma: 248
and horrible reliablity with expensive maintenance. dont get me wrong i am a fan of bmw but for a cheap performance car they are not what you should be looking at
Jun 8 2007 1:22PM
0 0
profile picture
hugedoinker
Posts: 208 - Karma: 10
dude my parents have had over 10 bmw 3 series that have over 200 thousand miles on them and have had amazing reliablity old bmw's are known for there reliatbility.
Jun 8 2007 1:22PM
0 0
profile picture
hugedoinker
Posts: 208 - Karma: 10
noob
Jun 8 2007 1:23PM
0 0
profile picture
Nuck_Nuck_Nuck
Posts: 290 - Karma: 10
handsdown sexy car
Jun 8 2007 1:24PM
0 0
profile picture
Worst.NS.Member
Posts: 703 - Karma: 11
Hell yeah on the old 3 series...
1990 325iX here... 129k miles and going strong. Outhandles my new-ish benz by a longshot, and almost runs it down in a straight line.
Jun 8 2007 1:28PM
0 0
profile picture
spere
Posts: 6105 - Karma: 248
maybe when you baby them and drive them slow, i used to have a '88 325 and some of my friends used to have e30 3 series also. from my experiences they were not reliable, especialy when modding and driving hard (more than most others, i know that this decreases reliability). and maintenence is not cheap. think what you want but i am not a newb when it comes to cars, sorry to disappoint
Jun 8 2007 1:30PM
0 0
profile picture
hugedoinker
Posts: 208 - Karma: 10
dude i work on a farm they take so much abuse i drive them all over the farm flooring it the whole time while in a low gear they are reliable they only thing that breaks on mine is the front bumper.noob. enough said
Jun 8 2007 1:32PM
0 0
profile picture
zerospinskier
Posts: 4867 - Karma: 350
If you want a beans car, get a civic. Sure its possible, but have fun with all the troubles of trying to get any traction in 1st or 2nd gear when putting down any real power. Im happy with my turbo, awd, 2g Eclipse that im building 400awhp reliably on the stock block. O ya, and I spent $6k in awesome condition with 90k miles for it.
Jun 8 2007 1:35PM
0 0
profile picture
spere
Posts: 6105 - Karma: 248
cool, thats you. i had a different experience and so did many others i know. is that ok?
Jun 8 2007 1:35PM
0 0
profile picture
comeatmebro
Posts: 10720 - Karma: 66
hah i really do not think that is true at all
Jun 8 2007 1:37PM
0 0
profile picture
hugedoinker
Posts: 208 - Karma: 10
yo sti's can rape the shit out of civic's civics cant run a 60 in under 5 like a sti can...and if you take the elctronic limiter off the sti it really rapes shit
Jun 8 2007 1:38PM
0 0
profile picture
Worst.NS.Member
Posts: 703 - Karma: 11
Ive personally built a spoon tuned CRX Si that raped many a surprised WRX driver. Plus all these idiot kids with these tuner cars can't drive them 9 times out of ten.

Youre not going to have a reliable car if you actually build it right and launch it right. Its cheaper to have a seperate reliable car and a seperate beater rice burner tuner car. The justified high price of a new M3 or 911 pays for the hardware that lets you have a reliable road and track compromise car. So the best thing to do for a balance of both is find an old german hatch or sedan and put the money into that. Theres 23523134123 ricer civics, but very few well built 325i's out there. But a 325i will piss all over anything with a honda or toyo badge.

BMW 325/328, VW Golf GTi/Jetta GLi, MBz 190e, or BMW e30 M3 would be my cheap(ish) suggestions. Old audis are fine, as long as you look into the UrQ's etc.
Jun 8 2007 1:47PM
0 0
profile picture
Shpadoinkle
Posts: 10437 - Karma: 84
yes! it's been like 5 years that i've been sayin that and you're the first one to respond with the right thing!

civics are the shit! the older ones though. personally i like the 5th gen.
Jun 8 2007 3:08PM
0 0
profile picture
japanada
Posts: 13784 - Karma: 1,957
most ppl say they are gonna mod a car. that will consit of intake, ehaust, headers, ecu, maybe a tune, and maybe some suspension work. if someone has to ask what kind of car to get, i doubt they are gonna be throwing a t80 onto a b18x. nor will they be doin any engine swaps or port/polish jobs either.

my recommendation to you is either find a older impreza, or an awd dsm. they handle decent in all weather. the dsms can be found stock with a turbo. both are easily modded for what you are prolly gonna do to it. and both can be had for under 7gs.

I would stay away from the civics/tegs cause i personally hate fwd, but they are cheap and dimea  dozen, but to make them fast, it will either take a gutted hatch, or some decent engine/turbo work.

my .02cents.
Jun 8 2007 3:23PM
0 0
profile picture
JayDope
Posts: 6842 - Karma: 408
sorry if i offended u, but ive been around the vw audi scene for a while, and when i see a huge ugly fart can on the bakc of a civic making the worst nose possioble, it makes me sick. Or when i see a HUgE unecessary wing for no apprent reaosn its just a waste. If i see a honda that is modded to a respectable amount, as in engine tunes, and nto soo much stuff to make it "stick out" from all the other cars, then im not gunna call u a ricer.
Jun 8 2007 3:33PM
0 0
profile picture
Shpadoinkle
Posts: 10437 - Karma: 84
japanda and ten8y...makes so much such sense you can not believe!
ricers are lame.
Jun 8 2007 3:38PM
0 0
All times are Eastern (-4)