Dependable/Fun/Affordable Turbo Cars [Archive]

VroomPshhTsi

09-20-2009, 06:25 PM

What turbo cars are out there that are dependable, fun to drive, and not too expensive? Obviously I have already thought of ones like an Evo 8, STI, etc. but those are out of my price range. I don't want a dsm (pre-Evo ones). I'm looking for something in the year of 2002 or newer. Price range is under $14k and nothing with more than 60k miles. I'm not looking for something that is going to be heavily modded. Just intake/exhaust and maybe a couple more psi than stock.

The only ones I can think of are WRXs, VW Golf GTI, and SRT-4s.

I have been out of the turbo community for a while so I want to know what's available (and affordable) these days.

srt4eh

09-20-2009, 08:05 PM

srt-4

tbarsch

09-20-2009, 10:53 PM

Mazdaspeed 6 - Turbo, AWD, 6 speed... Probably a lil bit north of your price range...

davidrab

09-21-2009, 07:25 AM

Good thread. I'm interested in this too. I've been doing some research, but
it's nice to have opinions from people who have experience with them.

Mazdaspeed 6 - Turbo, AWD, 6 speed... Probably a lil bit north of your price range...

I've looked looked at couple of MS6's. They seem pretty cool. It, and the
Legacy GT, are things I'm also considering.

JBs92Lude

09-21-2009, 07:56 AM

Subaru ftw

pOrk

09-21-2009, 07:59 AM

Legacy GT = Slow and not fun

WhatsADSM

09-21-2009, 11:08 AM

Unfortunately the owner group of these cars is changing (I think for the worst) but for your wishes and price rangei dont think anything is a better fit than the nSRT-4. Practical, fast, inexpensive, and most of all tons of fun.

Waver

09-21-2009, 11:12 AM

STANMAN

09-21-2009, 11:28 AM

Ah but he also said dependable, which is a term that is not used too often with a neon

Bone stock up to about 300HP they are simply unbreakable.

I vote for the SRT-4 also, if you can find one that has been used but not abused, which can be a needle in a haystack type of proposition. Go for an 04 or 05, the 03's didn't have have LSD and other small things.

Prince Valiant

09-21-2009, 02:50 PM

Ah but he also said dependable, which is a term that is not used too often with a neonSRT-4's, especially stock ones, are utterly reliable. North of 300hp, and all you really worry about is breaking half-shafts on hard launches.

xxtremeteam

09-21-2009, 02:57 PM

Jetta gli

Waver

09-21-2009, 08:49 PM

Jetta gli

I agree with this one^^^^^^^

VroomPshhTsi

09-21-2009, 09:01 PM

I've been reading that Neon SRT-4s have some oil leaking problems. Not a huge fan of the look of them cuz they are still Neons, but I guess for the money it's good performance.

I've seen a couple Golf GTIs that have some nice zip to them with a little added boost (but I think they are slow as balls stock, if I'm not mistaken).

WhatsADSM

09-21-2009, 09:38 PM

Ah but he also said dependable, which is a term that is not used too often with a neon

You must be confused Nick SRT-4s are VERY reliable when you keep them reasonably modded. The only real issues are stuff you see once you push them to their limits (which is fairly high)

WhatsADSM

09-21-2009, 09:44 PM

SRT-4's, especially stock ones, are utterly reliable. North of 300hp, and all you really worry about is breaking half-shafts on hard launches.

Even broken axles aren't much of an issue if you run slicks. On a street tire on a hard launch I agree axles don't like the abuse, however on a slick with the same power they hold up much better.

Wheel hop kills axles in those cars... Rarely is it sheer power.

Worst part of the SRT-4 without a doubt is the fact that it is front wheel drive. Otherwise I think for that price range and turbo my next choice would probably be an earlier WRX. Not quite as bullet proof but if you keep them fairly stock they do well and they are AWD which is great.

jbiscuit

09-22-2009, 07:33 AM

04-05ish WRX hands down. As a daily driven, you can't beat it. I took mine out in 12" of snow last year during the worst snowfall of the season and even lowered it still made it through. Granted as a snowplow but the AWD is great. They are easy to work on, make great power with bolt ons and are a lot of fun to drive. I would recommend a wagon since they are super versatile cars. I have hauled 2X4s, landscape retainer wall bricks, wheels you name it in the one I had. Plus averaged 24mpg with city/highway mix on the Cobb

VroomPshhTsi

09-22-2009, 09:07 AM

WRXs are easy to work on? I always thought their engine bays looked like a cluster fuck, especially with that intercooler on top blocking half the stuff. Then again I've never owned one.

jbiscuit

09-22-2009, 09:30 AM

Easy. Turbo swaps are easy, removing the intercooler is easy. Exhaust is easy. Oil changes are a snap. Fuel filter is right on top in the engine bay held in with a spring clamp. No stupid fittings to deal with. Spark plug changes can be a pain if you don't have a variety of extensions and universals but do it once and the next time is a snap also. 02s had the weak 5-speed, 03s are still somewhat brittle but it depends on what you do to it. Mine had 90k+ miles and shifted like new

SSLEVO

09-22-2009, 01:34 PM

Dude, save up a little extra coin and go for the evo. You can find decent 03-04's for around 15k these days.

Check out evom, lots of good deals: http://forums.evolutionm.net/sale-cars-sale-134/

IMO it's a waste to have 300+ hp in a fwd platform. Not to mention they look like ass.

Moparjim

09-22-2009, 02:00 PM

SRT4 Neon or Caliber. I got my brand new 08 Caliber for $13500 or so with a cash for clunkers trade in....

agent orange acr

09-22-2009, 06:24 PM

I say go with a WRX and then swap trans for a STI 6sp. A wrx is a good DD in snow, rain and still fun in summer time. Here is a nice example of a WRX.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3570/3520316582_4e9da9a05d_o.jpg

SSLEVO

09-22-2009, 11:36 PM

Or for about 5k more you can have some balls :goof

2k in mods and she was running almost 12 flat at 113.

It also stops and corners like no tomorrow.

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee294/zx1216/evomay09026.jpg

VroomPshhTsi

09-23-2009, 07:28 PM

EVOs are damn nice, but I'm afraid they are going to stay north of my price range. Who knows, I'm not buying anytime soon. Just getting a feel for what's out there for when I do break down and get something half decent.

Moparjim

09-24-2009, 10:33 AM

As I said you can get a new SRT 4 Caliber for next to nothing. Throw an ECU in it and it runs mid 13's.

Plum Crazy

09-24-2009, 03:16 PM

we put a stage 1 kit in at work on Wensday on an srt4 caliber, you could tell the difference, gained about 3psi.

awsomeears

09-24-2009, 05:51 PM

95 - 99 Dodge Neon !!!

Cheapest car to turbo hands down, I promise :thumbsup

For what I have invested into my neon vs. what I have gotten out of it is very Impressive.

My car scoots faster then most people think :headbang

I'd be willing to help build it if its a winter project :thumbsup

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v137/bradjancarik/IMG_1641-1.jpg

http://i566.photobucket.com/albums/ss110/bigballsinmydraz/100_0835.jpg

VroomPshhTsi

09-24-2009, 07:38 PM

Beagle

09-24-2009, 08:06 PM

Sti ftw!!!! EVO's are for 16 year olds whos parents buy them for them. Plus every EVO is beat to shit.

awsomeears

09-24-2009, 10:13 PM

LOL no projects here. Just looking for a daily driver next Spring that I'm going to do intake/exhaust and maybe a couple more pounds of boost. Nothing serious, just to have a little fun but still be reliable and get decent gas mileage.

So your going to buy a fast car with thoughts on doing ricer mods, intake and exhaust :goof

Buy a srt-4 then :thumbsup

Most are beat to shit tho so watch it :durr

VroomPshhTsi

09-24-2009, 10:22 PM

Yeah, finding a non molested SRT-4 or EVO is like finding a needle in a haystack.

STIs are damn nice but almost all are north of $20,000.

Beagle

09-25-2009, 08:22 AM

Yeah, finding a non molested SRT-4 or EVO is like finding a needle in a haystack.

STIs are damn nice but almost all are north of $20,000.

yea its hard to find one for under 20k.

SSLEVO

09-26-2009, 05:27 PM

Sti ftw!!!! EVO's are for 16 year olds whos parents buy them for them. Plus every EVO is beat to shit.

Lol, too bad the evo is the superior machine:goof They are the same car, you can't really say all evos are beat and sti's are all great. When i was in the market for my car i test drove 3 STI's. One had damage to the ground effects, one had a slipping clutch with 30k miles on it and one guy wanted like 25k for his car with 80k on it. They are both great cars, the evo deffinately takes better to mods though.

Beagle

09-27-2009, 03:25 AM

Lol, too bad the evo is the superior machine:goof They are the same car, you can't really say all evos are beat and sti's are all great. When i was in the market for my car i test drove 3 STI's. One had damage to the ground effects, one had a slipping clutch with 30k miles on it and one guy wanted like 25k for his car with 80k on it. They are both great cars, the evo deffinately takes better to mods though.

You have a way better chance finding a sti not beat than an evo. I would have to say both respond to mods very well. Watch the youtube vid of top gear evo vs sti and see which car they chose. Either way Ken Block drives a subie enough said :rolf

VroomPshhTsi

09-27-2009, 02:30 PM

uhoh, i started an sti vs. evo argument :goof

Beagle

09-27-2009, 09:56 PM

uhoh, i started an sti vs. evo argument :goof

Buy whatever you want to buy you cant go wrong with the two anyways so its all good :thumbsup

srt4eh

09-28-2009, 11:14 AM

sti > evo lol

micro_machine

09-30-2009, 11:55 AM

03 evo :):banana1:

blurex

10-02-2009, 12:35 AM

I would definately go with the wrx they can take a lot of abuse and the only problems i have ever had are with the aftermarket parts i put on them. but like jbiscuit said they are easy to maintain, and do awesome in the snow!!!! if yur looking for a year round driver i would suggest the wrx.

SSLEVO

10-02-2009, 07:41 AM

You have a way better chance finding a sti not beat than an evo. I would have to say both respond to mods very well. Watch the youtube vid of top gear evo vs sti and see which car they chose. Either way Ken Block drives a subie enough said :rolf

Haha, can you go 11's on the stock turbo? How about 10's?

I'm not starting a pissing match but i do think the evo will go faster for less. My car made 347 whp 370ft-lbs on the stock turbo, cams and intercooler. lets see your subi do that:goof

davidrab

10-10-2009, 08:57 AM

Vrooom, hope you don't mind me asking a couple of questions in your thread
also.

As far as non-STi WRX's go, any thoughts on 2.0 vs 2.5's?

For a DD, am I wrong to think a WRX would be a ride than an EVO? I've read
EVO's beat you up pretty good. How about an Sti's ride?

VroomPshhTsi

10-11-2009, 09:20 PM

I actually just found out about the 05+ Subaru Legacy GT. 250 hp, AWD, heated leather. Sounds like a damn nice car. Didn't someone on here use to have one?

Beagle

10-11-2009, 11:15 PM

Haha, can you go 11's on the stock turbo? How about 10's?

I'm not starting a pissing match but i do think the evo will go faster for less. My car made 347 whp 370ft-lbs on the stock turbo, cams and intercooler. lets see your subi do that:goof

Well good for you. Stage two STI (intake turbo back exhaust and a tune) gains 60-75whp and 100-110 wtq over stock. huh thats a big increase considering the biggest mod would be exhaust and a few more pounds of boost. both cars are two close to compare. :thumbsup

Cleveland Dave

10-13-2009, 01:36 AM

how about an 01 Audi S4....ive been looking at a few for 10-14k?

SSLEVO

10-13-2009, 07:24 AM

how about an 01 Audi S4....ive been looking at a few for 10-14k?

I've always thought those were neat cars. I haven't heard good things about their reliability though, at least with the 2.7L Bi-turbo. I'm sure there are forums out there that can tell you what to look for though.

VroomPshhTsi

10-13-2009, 09:11 AM

My friend has an S4 that's in that generation. Decently fast, comfortable, kinda pricey though for repair bills and mods.

Moparjim

10-13-2009, 01:54 PM

WhatsADSM

10-13-2009, 03:12 PM

Or, as I posted, look at a Caliber SRT4. Same GEMA motor as the EVO X, Getrag 6 speed, no AWD but very decent suspension and brake package, rim and tire package, and most importantly probably ONE HALF TO ONE THIRD the price...

I got mine brand new for less than a used EVO or STI. For that kind of performance to cheapness ratio, I can live with the cheap assed plastic Dodge interior.

I'm still jealous of the price you paid for that thing. I would LOVE to rock a CSRT-4 right now as a daily. Good on gas, fun, decently quick and can take almost any cargo I need... and the dog would LOVE it back there!

Moparjim

10-13-2009, 03:24 PM

I so far have kept it dog-free lol. My dog (Siberian Husky with hyper-fur) has somehow caught wind of this plan though, and has "deployed fur" remotely somehow - the damn new car STILL has a bunch of Husky hair in it already, I assume tracked in via my clothes or something. It is frustrating, the stuff is pretty vaccuum resistant as well its a bitch to vaccuum up.

Beagle

10-13-2009, 05:06 PM

speed six's are bad ass to. they are fullyloaded and alot more comfortable than the evo or sti.

Moparjim

10-14-2009, 06:28 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlD3Va1OQbk

VroomPshhTsi

10-14-2009, 08:36 PM

SSLEVO

10-15-2009, 07:17 AM

damn, 285 hp?? you learn something new everyday! but I did a quick search around here and finding a caliber srt4 is pretty rare... prices for regular calibers are dirt cheap but where can I find a good selection of caliber srt4s?

.. if only they had a cailber srt4 with awd

Thats what i'm saying, i'm sure they are nice cars but FWD+HP=FTL. My little civic si with 200 hp has no problem smoking them in 2nd or 3rd while turning, and that even has an LSD.

WhatsADSM

10-15-2009, 10:05 AM

Thats what i'm saying, i'm sure they are nice cars but FWD+HP=FTL. My little civic si with 200 hp has no problem smoking them in 2nd or 3rd while turning, and that even has an LSD.

A) The second you get to a straight piece of road the CSRT-4 will catch whatever little distance you put on it, and come flying past.
B) Crusing around if you want it to accelerate you don't have to rev the CSRT to the moon. Torque is nice.
C) It is a MUCH more usable hatchback. More passenger space, more cargo space, 5-door hatch. The same shape that makes it not handle as well as the civic is also what makes it so nice as a daily driver.

But yea.. everyone was pretty bummed when DCX decided to make the new SRT-4 another FWD. :crying There were LOTS of talks about it being AWD before it was released.

SSLEVO

10-15-2009, 10:45 AM

A) The second you get to a straight piece of road the CSRT-4 will catch whatever little distance you put on it, and come flying past.
B) Crusing around if you want it to accelerate you don't have to rev the CSRT to the moon. Torque is nice.
C) It is a MUCH more usable hatchback. More passenger space, more cargo space, 5-door hatch. The same shape that makes it not handle as well as the civic is also what makes it so nice as a daily driver.

But yea.. everyone was pretty bummed when DCX decided to make the new SRT-4 another FWD. :crying There were LOTS of talks about it being AWD before it was released.

Haha, i wasn't compairing it to a civic, i was saying it could spin the tires pretty easily. Any FWD car with a little power sucks IMO. Now add 100 more hp and you are going nowhere fast. I suppose its just fine for cruising around town and doing some onramp blasts. If you want to drag or auto x it's not going to be so good though.

How much are those things going for?

VroomPshhTsi

10-15-2009, 06:58 PM

Found some (very few though) within 300 miles of here for around $17k with decent miles (less than 30k). I am not going to drag or auto x it. Just a fun dd that will beat most cars and give faster ones a good run for the money. This will not by any means be a heavily modded/race car.

I'd much rather run a quarter mile that is .5 slower than some car if it means my car will start every time and not give me any big problems.

Deggy

10-15-2009, 07:04 PM

Csrt-4 ftw.

Plum Crazy

10-15-2009, 09:23 PM

I know im going to catch some flack for this, but 05-07 Cobalt SS supercharged cars are selling for cheap.

And also, the reasoning for the Csrt-4 not going AWD is the current PTU used in the R/T caliber cant take more than 215 hp. Plus making the car AWD would add another 2k to the sticker, pushing the car out of its target markets price range.

Moparjim

10-16-2009, 10:11 AM

The FWD is about the only thing I dont like about it, but it is liveable. The boost is limited in 1st and 2nd so it doesn't spin a ton. It does break them loose but the car is at least going somewhere while they are spinning. It does have a ton of torque steer which I find hilariously amusing, it being 2008 and all... It has torque steer like its a 1985 Daytona lol.

Overall though the thing stops awesome, handles nice for what it is (about .9G on a skidpad) and is definitely fast enought to be fun to drive. I'm averaging like 28 MPG or so, it cracks 30 on the freeway about 25-26 in town. The SRT Kicker stereo system is super nice as well. As someone else said the hatch is really handy I haul my junk around for work it fits a good amount of stuff in the back with the seats down. I threw the stage 1 PCM in it for $350 it makes about 325 HP and it ups the boost from 5 or 7 psi in 1st and second and like 11 or so in 3rd and up to like 11 or so in 1st and second and 15-16 or so in 3rd and up. It also recalibrates the drive by wire for a HUGE improvement in throttle response. That add on alone has made it a real nice, probably mid 13 second car...

They can still be had for mid to high teens I would think if they can be located. I did even better with cash for clunkers and employee discount obviously but its a hell of a car for high teens as well. They sticker like low-mid twenties depending on options, and there should still be thousands of incentives, etc so I'm betting even a person off the street could still get one for high teens.

If anyone was seriously interested in one, it is possible I could line up an employee discount through someone at the engine plant still, just PM me.

HiProfile

10-16-2009, 02:49 PM

Everyone moans about fwd, but for the same price find a rwd chassis that doesn't peg-leg down the line, or spin out if you hammer it in a hairpin - and can still go fast. You either need rubber/suspension upgrades or an lsd. Given the fact that most awd cars out there will still push like hell (stock), or come with gumballs that can't touch rain, that shoots down another argument.

The SRT-4's are probably the best performance for the dollar in new cars, but it still comes from one of the worst companies you can imagine - at least regarding documented failures per mile, not just some fanboy's opinion.

IMO all automakers have flaws at the moment (design, power, reliability, etc), you just have to pick which you can deal with. In this case, I'd probably recommend a Mazda - I know a few people with them (one with a GT35), and they really like them in every way imaginable.

VroomPshhTsi

10-16-2009, 06:20 PM

Turbo-Triumph

10-16-2009, 07:33 PM

i vote caliber srt4... maybe its cuz i own one though....

i paid 22k for mine, though, begining of summer. shoulda been able to get it for 19ish at the time but;

no trade in,
$400 downpayment,
no credit

failure on the barganing on my part, but live and learn.

NOW you can get a csrt4, new, for 17ish "decently equipt" - 19ish fully loaded..

FoxStang

10-22-2009, 01:27 AM

It is hit or miss with any car company. It's just some have higher overall ratings than others. You can find a Cobalt that will go 150k+ without anything more than regular tune-ups and find a civic that breaks after 35k miles, it's just not the norm.

I went with my friend to test drive a Mazda Speed 6 (about 30k miles). The clutch went out half way through the test drive. Needless to say, he stopped looking at Speed 6s.

Nice cars indeed, but it seems like they had their fair share of problems. My buddy with a MS6 was always afraid of breaking the rear diff, from what I understand that was quite a problem in those cars when you pushed them.