Some new or used 2-3 door advice

[Firehorse]

I'm looking to get 2-3 door car and need a bit of advice on some of them. I have researched half a dozen cars, and it's a close race. But things like Celicas being discontinued puts me off. So does things like below average dollar value. Some models (from 1998 only) I refined to :
Celica 1998+
Honda Integra 1998+
Nissan 200sx 1998+
mazda mx5 1998+

That's about the hot list..For now. Are there other good choices ?
I dont wanna read bitchin' and stuff, I am NOT biased to any one or other model.

I want Toyota reliability, no rust guarantee like MX5, power of Nissan 200sx for example.
Thanx..

[Toby Ponsenby]

On Thu, 12 May 2005 23:29:00 +1000, Firehorse wrote:

> I'm looking to get 2-3 door car and need a bit of advice on some of
> them. I have researched half a dozen cars, and it's a close race. But
> things like Celicas being discontinued puts me off. So does things like
> below average dollar value. Some models (from 1998 only) I refined to
>:
> Celica 1998+
> Honda Integra 1998+
> Nissan 200sx 1998+
> mazda mx5 1998+
>
> That's about the hot list..For now. Are there other good choices ?
> I dont wanna read bitchin' and stuff, I am NOT biased to any one or
> other model.
>
> I want Toyota reliability, no rust guarantee like MX5, power of Nissan
> 200sx for example.
> Thanx..

umm, IMHO the 200SX is the only serious car you put on your list.
The rest are pretenders.

--
Toby.
quidquid latine dictum
sit, altum viditur

[Roy Wilke]

Firehorse wrote:

> I'm looking to get 2-3 door car and need a bit of advice on some of
> them. I have researched half a dozen cars, and it's a close race. But
> things like Celicas being discontinued puts me off. So does things like
> below average dollar value. Some models (from 1998 only) I refined to
> :
> Celica 1998+
> Honda Integra 1998+
> Nissan 200sx 1998+
> mazda mx5 1998+
>
> That's about the hot list..For now. Are there other good choices ?
> I dont wanna read bitchin' and stuff, I am NOT biased to any one or
> other model.
>
> I want Toyota reliability, no rust guarantee like MX5, power of Nissan
> 200sx for example.
> Thanx..

And what's wrong with the ORIGINAL Nissan 200sx (that's the four-door
that was basically a 200B with "go-faster" paint)? :)

[Charlie]

Firehorse wrote:

> I want Toyota reliability, no rust guarantee like MX5, power of Nissan
> 200sx for example.
> Thanx..

the 200sx is the best thing to drive day to day, out of the lot, imho.
It's also reliable and won't rust. The celica needs an absolute
flogging to do anything useful, and doesn't appear particularly reliable
when this is given... the mx5 is a fantastic handling thing with no
guts. The integra is ok, maybe ahead on things like 'refinement' and
'quality', but lacking everywhere else.

Charlie

[C Bell]

> the 200sx is the best thing to drive day to day, out of the lot, imho.
> It's also reliable and won't rust. The celica needs an absolute
> flogging to do anything useful, and doesn't appear particularly reliable
> when this is given... the mx5 is a fantastic handling thing with no
> guts. The integra is ok, maybe ahead on things like 'refinement' and
> 'quality', but lacking everywhere else.
>
> Charlie

Care to explain where the Integra "lacks everywhere else" ??

Have you driven one? Or better yet, owned one? If you're looking at a 200SX,
then a DC2 Type R would be the comparison to make in the Integra lineup. It
certainly handles with more precision and finesse than a stock 200SX. Stock
for Stock there isn't much difference in the way of straighline performance
either, admittedly you need to actually drive the Integra to acheive this.
Gearshift quality is miles in front of the 200SX, as is throttle response. I
would also have to say I'd prefer Honda reliability to Nissan reliability.

The Type R is a drivers car, so it loses out in the way of ride comfort and
NVH levels. It has no sound deadening in the usual places... under the
bonnet or on the firewall, or on the boot floor.

Insurance on a Type R would most likely be cheaper than on a 200SX or WRX
too. I know it is for me.

Do yourself a favour and get behind the wheel of a Type R. Really *drive*
it. I think you'll be impressed. If you just putt around the city in one
you'll never actually get the point.....

CB

[Firehorse]

Incitatus On Thu, 12 May 2005 23:29:00 +1000, Firehorse wrote:

> I'm looking to get 2-3 door car and need a bit of advice on some of
> them. I have researched half a dozen cars, and it's a close race. But
> things like Celicas being discontinued puts me off. So does things like
> below average dollar value. Some models (from 1998 only) I refined to
>:
> Celica 1998+
> Honda Integra 1998+
> Nissan 200sx 1998+
> mazda mx5 1998+
>
> That's about the hot list..For now. Are there other good choices ?
> I dont wanna read bitchin' and stuff, I am NOT biased to any one or
> other model.
>
> I want Toyota reliability, no rust guarantee like MX5, power of Nissan
> 200sx for example.
> Thanx..

umm, IMHO the 200SX is the only serious car you put on your list.
The rest are pretenders.

--
Toby.
quidquid latine dictum
sit, altum viditur

[Firehorse]

> the 200sx is the best thing to drive day to day, out of the lot, imho.
> It's also reliable and won't rust. The celica needs an absolute
> flogging to do anything useful, and doesn't appear particularly reliable
> when this is given... the mx5 is a fantastic handling thing with no
> guts. The integra is ok, maybe ahead on things like 'refinement' and
> 'quality', but lacking everywhere else.
>
> Charlie

Care to explain where the Integra "lacks everywhere else" ??

Have you driven one? Or better yet, owned one? If you're looking at a 200SX,
then a DC2 Type R would be the comparison to make in the Integra lineup. It
certainly handles with more precision and finesse than a stock 200SX. Stock
for Stock there isn't much difference in the way of straighline performance
either, admittedly you need to actually drive the Integra to acheive this.
Gearshift quality is miles in front of the 200SX, as is throttle response. I
would also have to say I'd prefer Honda reliability to Nissan reliability.

The Type R is a drivers car, so it loses out in the way of ride comfort and
NVH levels. It has no sound deadening in the usual places... under the
bonnet or on the firewall, or on the boot floor.

Insurance on a Type R would most likely be cheaper than on a 200SX or WRX
too. I know it is for me.

Do yourself a favour and get behind the wheel of a Type R. Really *drive*
it. I think you'll be impressed. If you just putt around the city in one
you'll never actually get the point.....

CB test drive ? OK

[Toby Ponsenby]

On Fri, 13 May 2005 14:33:29 +1000, Firehorse wrote:

> Incitatus

Quick as a flash, Firehose get right in there about that remark on his
mother and army boots:-)

--
Toby.
quidquid latine dictum
sit, altum viditur

[Charlie]

C Bell wrote:

> Care to explain where the Integra "lacks everywhere else" ??

sorry, mild brain implosion on my part ;) Maybe I'm just too used to
type r's only being referred to as 'type r's' and 'integra' being a more
generic term for things like vti-r's...

> Have you driven one? Or better yet, owned one? If you're looking at a 200SX,
> then a DC2 Type R would be the comparison to make in the Integra lineup. It
> certainly handles with more precision and finesse than a stock 200SX. Stock
> for Stock there isn't much difference in the way of straighline performance
> either, admittedly you need to actually drive the Integra to acheive this.

where 'drive' equals 'rev' :) :) but yes.

> Gearshift quality is miles in front of the 200SX, as is throttle response. I
> would also have to say I'd prefer Honda reliability to Nissan reliability.
>
> The Type R is a drivers car, so it loses out in the way of ride comfort and
> NVH levels. It has no sound deadening in the usual places... under the
> bonnet or on the firewall, or on the boot floor.
>
> Insurance on a Type R would most likely be cheaper than on a 200SX or WRX
> too. I know it is for me.
>
> Do yourself a favour and get behind the wheel of a Type R. Really *drive*
> it. I think you'll be impressed. If you just putt around the city in one
> you'll never actually get the point.....

I've driven both, I'd rather a 200sx for it's turbo grunt and rwd, but
aside from those preferences you're right, they're fairly comparable.
Not sure what I was thinking earlier ;)

Charlie

[C Bell]

> I've driven both, I'd rather a 200sx for it's turbo grunt and rwd, but
> aside from those preferences you're right, they're fairly comparable.
> Not sure what I was thinking earlier ;)

I have no problem with people preferring turbo RWD grunt, I can see why they
do too. ;-)

I guess it's just a matter of horses for courses.

I prefer a Type R because it's the underdog... it surprises most people I
take for a drive in it. "What, this is only an 4cyl NA 1.8!??!"

[Marco]

"C Bell" <spamurself@iinet.net.au> wrote in message
news:428418f6$0$7231$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
> The Type R is a drivers car, so it loses out in the way of ride comfort
> and NVH levels. It has no sound deadening in the usual places... under the
> bonnet or on the firewall, or on the boot floor.
>
> Insurance on a Type R would most likely be cheaper than on a 200SX or WRX
> too. I know it is for me.
>
> Do yourself a favour and get behind the wheel of a Type R. Really *drive*
> it. I think you'll be impressed. If you just putt around the city in one
> you'll never actually get the point.....

Valid points, but looking at it in the overall scheme of things, how often
do you really drive your car as opposed to just pottering around? I can
imagine getting tired of a noisy, hard riding car very quickly in the 95% of
the time I wasn't out giving it a flogging.

Marco

[Firehorse]

> I've driven both, I'd rather a 200sx for it's turbo grunt and rwd, but
> aside from those preferences you're right, they're fairly comparable.
> Not sure what I was thinking earlier ;)

I have no problem with people preferring turbo RWD grunt, I can see why they
do too. ;-)

I guess it's just a matter of horses for courses.

I prefer a Type R because it's the underdog... it surprises most people I
take for a drive in it. "What, this is only an 4cyl NA 1.8!??!"


Someone suggested a peogeout 206gti
it goes somethin like :
peugot 206 = celica hahahahaha
peugeot 206 = mx5 hahaha
peugeot 206 = integra haha
peugeot 206 = 200sx .. i better not say..

Could be good ? Need a drive though..

[Firehorse]

On Fri, 13 May 2005 14:33:29 +1000, Firehorse wrote:

> Incitatus

Quick as a flash, Firehose get right in there about that remark on his
mother and army boots:-)

--
Toby.
quidquid latine dictum
sit, altum viditur



Geeesh.

[C Bell]

> Valid points, but looking at it in the overall scheme of things, how often
> do you really drive your car as opposed to just pottering around? I can
> imagine getting tired of a noisy, hard riding car very quickly in the 95%
> of the time I wasn't out giving it a flogging.
>
> Marco

But it isn't *that* noisy, and it isn't even really as jarring in its ride
as a BMW 1 series with poxy runflat tyres and 17" wheels...