Budget Commuter Hot Rod suggestions needed.
 

I'm Hankerin for a hot rod! Shooting for 0-60 in 6.5 or less..... preferrably under 6.0

I have two main problems:
1. $10,000 is about all that I can swing
2. said Hot Rod must be reliable & efficient enough to commute 100 miles round trip 3 days per week.



Candidates:
93 Mazda RX-7 Twin Turbo - 0-60 in around 5.7 seconds
92 Nissan 300 ZX turbo
Early Model WRX
2000 VW GTI VR6
91 Audi s4
1986 944 turbo
1985 Porsche 928 s 0-60 5.9s
1980 Renault LeCar with Big Block Swap :thumb:

I am not sure how reliable those turbos are with 100-150K on them probably not too good.
Any other suggestions?

How 'bout a v8 Mustang? The early 90s models or the '99 and later ones are your best bet (avoid the 96-98 years, unless its modified, Since in stock form they're rather slow IMO). The '99 and later models do 60mph in under 6 seconds. Whereas the late 80s/early 90s get there in a little over 6 sec. Obviously the newer ones used will be right at or just over your $10k limit though.

The best part about these cars is the plethora of hop up parts available.

Just my 2 cents.

'95 RX-7.
'98 240SX
90's 300ZX
MR2's

Come to mind.

As a fan of the Hot Rod art form, I have to interject. By my recollection, Hot Rod describes a type of automobile, typically antique (i.e. at least 25 years old).

I think there is a term to describe the class of auto you mention, but Hot Rod ain't it.

May Billy Gibbons have mercy on your soul.

:Poke:

:thumb:

Camaro's having been recently discontinued and always packing a lot of power for the $$$ might be a good deal.

You could probably get a 2000 model for under $10K

Oops - guess I missed requirement #2

I don't think any of those are going to be very reliable.

how about a transam?

Any GM 3800-V6 with the Supercharger. That would be GrandPrix, Impala, Buick Regal/Century. The motor is bulletproof, change to a 4.00 GM ring gear and with the 4speed slushbox (overdrive) fuel mileage should be in the low 20's highway.

Honda Accord.

when all else fails geo tracker will get you there

Does it have to be a GT?
What kind of highway milage will I get?

check this one out for $8000:
99 GT ebay

Maxima, and you get some nice features too.

Ther are cheap upgrade parts on eBay to squeeze out a few more ponies. It will be much more reliable than the turbos you mention.

The Mazdas are nice, but you pretty much have to replace the rotary at 80k miles on the turbo cars.

The only one on your list that I would suggest is the VW. The rest of them are all going to be garage queens, eating you up with maintenance.

Personally I would go with a 1999/2000 Mustang GT, with a 5 speed. They will put you right in the performace range, and still get 20-25mpg on the highway IF you can keep your foot out of it.

I just bought a clean 2000 GT with 78k miles on it for $8900. I've just about got it ready for the Kenne Bell supercharger, new clutch and rear suspension is going in next week. When I get finished I will have about $16k in the car, and it should be a sub 5 sec 0-60 car. The route I'm going will put me at about 430rwhp and 476ftlb torque. The great thing about the Kenne Bell is it makes that torque right off idle, See:
http://kennebell.net/superchargers/f...2v/gt96-04.htm

My car is really a sleeper too, white with stock wheels and no spoiler. This is the best pic I have right now:
http://tko.cc/cam/pl_2/PL2_00681.jpg

With the Mustangs, you want to avoid the 96-98 cars, they had lousy heads and were only rated at 215hp. 99-up had the good PI heads / Intake which were 260hp, and respond very well to forced induction. Of coarse you can't miss with the 90-95 V8 cars, but it's pretty hard to find a clean one now days. If you keep the stock 2.73/3.08/3.27 gear, the V8 mustangs will get 16-18mpg around town and 22-28mpg on the highway. The only bad thing is that it's really hard to keep your foot out of them, especially once you put a nice sounding exhaust on em' :P

DT

That should turn in the 13's. Not good gas mileage.

How much will the convertible bother me on the freeway?

It seems like you can get a convertible for about the same price.

Check out this sweet 2001 GT convertible for $11G

01 GT Convertible ebay