Need some ideas on buying a particular car
 

Alright I've got a friend who recently decided he loves RWD and wants to get into the game. He's got a good bit of money to play around with too for boost/motor swaps. Let me post some of the criteria he is looking for.

First of all, my buddy is ridiculously picky, but here's the criteria of what is being examined:

The car has to look good, no RX-8's lol
RWD obviously
Newer than a 240SX
Isn't as new as our cars
Less than 20k used
Isn't super rare that parts are expensive
Not a big fat muscle car that weighs a lot (Weight preference 3200lbs or less)
Handles well, doesn't have to be quite as good as the twins, just better than a muscle car
Not a 2-seater, has rear seats but isn't a sedan, similar to our cars and 240's (says sedan might be OK if last resort, but absolutely no 2-seaters)
Motor swaps have been done before

Great suggestions so far:
Mazda RX-7 FD (nevermind it's a 2 seater not 2+2)
Lexus IS300 (winner so far)
BMW M3 E46

RX-7?

Or wait awhile and FRZ?

That's a pretty narrow list. The newish model but less than $20k and has to be a coupe with rear seats makes it hard. If he either accepts no rear seats or accepts a 4-door then the options are much more diverse

Fantastic suggestion. RX7 is a good call. Any others?

A miata? MR-2's are pretty nice as well.

G8GT? (Fat)

IS300

350Z

Another good suggestion, thanks. It's a 4 door but it's not a massive ill-handling beast.

1990's 3 series add a E46 m3 motor (330hp) for a few grand and coils and wheels insta race car.

RX-8

He said 4 door might be fine. Just no 2 seaters. He wants a bit of practicality, which cars like the 350Z just simply do not offer.

Not sure how an M3 skipped my mind. I used to want one so bad.

His best bet would be, IMO the IS300. Small enough and light enough that it handles well, 4 doors for more whores, great looking, can easily have an engine swap. Someone back in Nebraska had an turbo-nitrous LS IS300. He called it the IS570. It was a BADASS car.