Toyota Celica

[TheyCallMeBruce]

Or if you don't mind waiting, and want a bit of performance mixed in with luxury, go for the Mazdaspeed 6. AWD with over 270hp.

I might be buying a new car as well, but I'm gonna wait till the Mazdaspeed 6 shows up to see if it's worth it.

[Neeper]

Originally posted by Hack&Lube@Mar 9 2005, 03:15 AM
Don't tell me you're part of the whole JNS Imports thing?

No, I am not part of JNS. I am doing this with my own company.

[Bill Bumface]

If you aren't anti-american cars (which do alot better quality wise than the afformentioned VW's anyways) think about checking out the cobalt SS/SC.

They've gotten great reviews, handle really well, and have a 205hp (under rated) 200 ft-lbs supercharged engine, 18" wheels, standard leather.. blah blah blah for about $26K.

If all you care about is performance and don't mind a neon with an interior that sucks ass, you gotta go SRT-4... best bang for the buck available.

One other worth checking out would be a used Mini Cooper-S. I test drove one of these last week and it was an awesome little car, so much fun to drive! The interior is really quirky though, so it might be a case of hate it or love it.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally posted by nik-@Mar 9 2005, 04:09 PM
If you don't mind a used car I'm selling mine :P

2001 Audi A4 1.8T

Ding! Ding! Ding!

Now there's the way to go. Of course I'm biased, with me driving the same car, same year. But since the Audi's seem to depreciate more than the BMW's, it's definitely the way to go if you want a nice European luxury sedan that handles like a dream. Assuming it's a quattro of course but there's not a lot of the non-Quattro's out there.

[@theCBE]

I agree with the comments on the new Jetta... pretty much a down grade on the looks from the previous model haven't read the specs on the engine though so I can't really comment

As far as the celica you might want to consider that for 2006 there is a good possibility they will come out with a totally redesigned model

Toyota typically comes out with big changes to its models every 6-7 years and this model of celica debuted in 99 I believe.... i dont know if that matters to you but I know that I can't bring myself to buy something when I know a newer model is coming soon

[Regulator75]

Originally posted by hulkrogan@Mar 9 2005, 11:21 AM
If you aren't anti-american cars (which do alot better quality wise than the afformentioned VW's anyways) think about checking out the cobalt SS/SC.

They've gotten great reviews, handle really well, and have a 205hp (under rated) 200 ft-lbs supercharged engine, 18" wheels, standard leather.. blah blah blah for about $26K.

If all you care about is performance and don't mind a neon with an interior that sucks ass, you gotta go SRT-4... best bang for the buck available.

Then you go and try to sell your new Cobolt or Neon a year later and end up getting about half back of what you originally paid. DUMestics suck.

[Hack&Lube]

If you are going Volkswagon, I'd wait for the new Golf GTi

[nik-]

Originally posted by Flames Draft Watcher+Mar 9 2005, 05:36 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Flames Draft Watcher @ Mar 9 2005, 05:36 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-nik-@Mar 9 2005, 04:09 PM
If you don't mind a used car I'm selling mine :P

2001 Audi A4 1.8T

Ding! Ding! Ding!

Now there's the way to go. Of course I'm biased, with me driving the same car, same year. But since the Audi's seem to depreciate more than the BMW's, it's definitely the way to go if you want a nice European luxury sedan that handles like a dream. Assuming it's a quattro of course but there's not a lot of the non-Quattro's out there. [/b][/quote]
oh yeah it's quattro! It's made me totally forget why people hate driving in the winter.

Have to sell it cuz it's house time

[BigOilFan]

Originally posted by I-Hate-Hulse+Mar 9 2005, 04:08 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (I-Hate-Hulse @ Mar 9 2005, 04:08 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-BigOilFan@Mar 9 2005, 10:04 AM
How about the new 2006 Jetta...its sweet. It will be priced around $27,000. It will be out in about 3-4 weeks.

vwvortex.com

Meh, styling that looks like a Corolla, a 2.5L 5 cylinder that only puts out 150hp....premium pricing. I think VW really missed the boat on styling for this and stands to lose most of the "cool" factor it built up with the last generation of Jetta/Beetle/Golf. [/b][/quote]
I drove the car yesterday and it has enough power and its a nice car. Just remember that the 2.5 150 hp engine is just the first engine, there will be another, a 2.0T 200hp engine. Keep in mind fellas when you are comparing horse power from german cars to most other cars is where the hp is rated rpm wise.
eah you can get a Acura at 270hp, but its at 7900 rpm...not very acessiable hp. German cars are usually rated around 5900 rpm.
As far as the price is concerned the Jetta has WAY more standard equipment than almost any car.
And it looks SMOKING on the road...nothing like a Corolla.

[I-Hate-Hulse]

Yeesh, some serious raspberries from Automobile magazine on the new Jetta. Decent to drive but kind of homely is the gist of it.

Link

Too bad, I seriously considered a Jetta 1.8T when I bought a new car, but the @#$@head salesman at Northland convinced me otherwise.

Heads will roll at VWoA over this new model of Jetta I think....

[Looger]

Originally posted by hulkrogan@Mar 9 2005, 05:21 PM
If you aren't anti-american cars (which do alot better quality wise than the afformentioned VW's anyways) think about checking out the cobalt SS/SC.

They've gotten great reviews, handle really well, and have a 205hp (under rated) 200 ft-lbs supercharged engine, 18" wheels, standard leather.. blah blah blah for about $26K.

If all you care about is performance and don't mind a neon with an interior that sucks ass, you gotta go SRT-4... best bang for the buck available.

One other worth checking out would be a used Mini Cooper-S. I test drove one of these last week and it was an awesome little car, so much fun to drive! The interior is really quirky though, so it might be a case of hate it or love it.

all these 'performance cars' these days with front-wheel-drive, it just amazes me that people think of them this way.

for serious driving i will never leave RWD, there is no comparison. nothing at all like it. i'm sure that 200+ hp in an econobox makes it move but to what end?

stoplight racing to 60 mph?

between my 240SX's i test drove some relatively fast FWD's like preludes, integra gsr's, etc. and nothing came close to the comparatively slow nissan, especially whipping around deerfoot exits.

for actual serious sporty driving FWD is not the answer - though for most drivers i'm sure it's very nice.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally posted by Looger+Mar 9 2005, 02:53 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Looger @ Mar 9 2005, 02:53 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-hulkrogan@Mar 9 2005, 05:21 PM
If you aren't anti-american cars (which do alot better quality wise than the afformentioned VW's anyways) think about checking out the cobalt SS/SC.

They've gotten great reviews, handle really well, and have a 205hp (under rated) 200 ft-lbs supercharged engine, 18" wheels, standard leather.. blah blah blah for about $26K.

If all you care about is performance and don't mind a neon with an interior that sucks ass, you gotta go SRT-4... best bang for the buck available.

One other worth checking out would be a used Mini Cooper-S. I test drove one of these last week and it was an awesome little car, so much fun to drive! The interior is really quirky though, so it might be a case of hate it or love it.

all these 'performance cars' these days with front-wheel-drive, it just amazes me that people think of them this way.

for serious driving i will never leave RWD, there is no comparison. nothing at all like it. i'm sure that 200+ hp in an econobox makes it move but to what end?

stoplight racing to 60 mph?

between my 240SX's i test drove some relatively fast FWD's like preludes, integra gsr's, etc. and nothing came close to the comparatively slow nissan, especially whipping around deerfoot exits.

for actual serious sporty driving FWD is not the answer - though for most drivers i'm sure it's very nice. [/b][/quote]
Sadly, there's a distinct lack of RWD cars in the main market segment (not luxury), what with the Miata, the RX-8. the Mustang, the S2000, and the 350Z being the only RWD cars still in production.

[Looger]

Originally posted by Hack&Lube@Mar 9 2005, 11:25 PM
Sadly, there's a distinct lack of RWD cars in the main market segment (not luxury), what with the Miata, the RX-8. the Mustang, the S2000, and the 350Z being the only RWD cars still in production.

sport utilities...

though i am a fan of used cars because i could not afford the $50,000 - $70,000 for the supras, 300zx's, rx7's, etc. when they were new.

and that market shift has left california with an insane surplus of sports cars, check the classifieds once in a while, 1994 or 1995 porsche 968's for $15,000 US or less!

perfect.

[TimSJ]

more and more RWD starting to appear again.. NEw Chrysler 300 and magnum are both RWD Ford and Chev are alos working on some RWD cars...

No question RWD is the way to go in my mind.. As an engineer from Mercedes said to a group of us at a meeting one time when asked when are we going to start building FWD cars... " gentleman cars are meant to be pushed not pulled" i laughed my ass off.

[TheyCallMeBruce]

RWD is great...but in my mind, not in Canada...especially Calgary. If you plan on driving it in the wintertime, it's a REAL pain. However, I'm a huge fan of RWD and AWD cars. I used to have a thing for the 3rd gen RX7s and Supras...and watching drift kings from Japan were always highly entertaining.