Car & Driver: Quickest Cars Under $30,000

[strat61caster]

I'd give the Veloster N a fair shot, I wouldn't bother with the regular Veloster/Turbo as I think I'd rather be in a Civic Si at that price/power point. I have no interest in sedans so the WRX and Regal are out but I'd give the Regal wagon a shot as a 'family car'. Rest of the sports/sporty cars are a maybe, none hit the minimum weight/practicality balance I want like the 86.

Edit: I could do a two seater with decent storage space, I'd still happily buy the 86 if it was a 2-seat with say 2" shorter wheelbase and ~100# lighter.

fuckin' Toyota not selling that Yaris GR4 here

[Jordanwolf]

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

Actually there are several cars in there I'd take if you were handing them out. Only a couple I'd put my on money down on tough, or would cross shop. In reverse order by 0 - 60 times.

Veloster N: Don't like, wouldn't cross shop, wouldn't buy, would sell if given to
WRX: It's OK, would cross shop, might buy, would keep
Camaro: Fanboi can't help it Carolina genes, would cross shop, wouldn't buy because mine would be way more expensive, would keep
Mustang: MomHawk likes it, she'd make me cross shop, same excuse as the Camaro, would give to MomHawk.
Regal: Ugly and I'm not THAT old, Nope, Nope, would give to my Grandmother
Miata: No thanks, nope, nope, would sell
GTI: Sure, would cross shop, maybe for someone else, would give to my son.
Veloster: See above
Kona: Kinda like, would cross-shop, if I needed a 4-door on the cheap, would keep
Mini Cooper: Nope, Nope, Nope, Sell
86: Yes, Yes, and the one I'd most likely rebuy out of this price group, keep
Challenger: Never have liked the new one. Now if we're talking a classic one..., would sell
Civic Si: Used to be a fanboi, would drive, might buy, would give to son.
Fiat Spider: Like it better than the Miata, would still rather have a Sky. would test drive, would not buy without a hardtop, might keep in the family

Almost identical opinion to you besides the Kona and WRX. Both of these are a hell to the naw for me.

WRX: More pedestrian than ever before, thinks it's fast, boring to look at, would rather have a Si/Focus ST/GTI, would rally it though.

Kona: Get it away. KonaVirus - Kovid 175

[MuseChaser]

Had to rent a base Kona to get home when wife's ML500 went belly up in Cleveland. Would never, and I mean NEVER, buy one as anything other than an appliance.. as in, colostomy bag. Yes, it does what it needs to do. Yes, it wasn't any fun or enjoyable in the least.

The only cars on that list that have any appeal to me at all, other than the 86, are the Miata and Fiat.... and, if my wife isn't looking and I have to be totally honest, the Camaro, but it's a distant fourth.

Manual and RWD are mandatory for me.

[DarkSunrise]

It's tough for me to warm up to the 4 cyl pony cars. It's like 60% of the engine, but with 100% of the size and 90% of the weight. Without the V8, what's the point of having a chassis that large?

For all its flaws, I still like the WRX as a street car. Something about having a compact, practical 4 door sedan with AWD and a turbo is still inherently appealing to me. I'd happily drive one.

Same for the GTI. Compared with the WRX you give up AWD, but gain so much back in polish and refinement.

The ND Miata is appealing to me for all the reasons that the BRZ/FR-S is. Agile, visceral and fun. It lacks practicality of the Twins, but as a 3rd car it works.

The rest I'd pass on. I'm sure the Veloster N drives great, but I just can't get past the interior or exterior. Call me shallow.

[Spuds]

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

Regal: Ugly and I'm not THAT old, Nope, Nope, would give to my Grandmother
...
GTI: Sure, would cross shop, maybe for someone else, would give to my son.
...
Kona: Kinda like, would cross-shop, if I needed a 4-door on the cheap, would keep

I own the Regal wagon. Looks good to me. Great car other than the transmission. Got mine for well below 30k new.

Oddly enough, cross shopped that with Kona and gti as well. Kona is a neat little package, lots of good things for a relatively low price.

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by Spuds

I own the Regal wagon. Looks good to me. Great car other than the transmission. Got mine for well below 30k new.

I like the wagon, but that's not the one in the list. GM needs to stick a LS4 in the wagon and revive the CTS-V wagon under Cadillac. Although I might be able to afford it if it were a Buick instead.

[Spuds]

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

I like the wagon, but that's not the one in the list. GM needs to stick a LS4 in the wagon and revive the CTS-V wagon under Cadillac. Although I might be able to afford it if it were a Buick instead.

I don't think the LS4 would fit... It's a FF layout. But the v6 they have in the Regal GS... That would be pretty nice.

I should really get mine tuned...

[mrg666]

Originally Posted by daiheadjai

I always feel like the quoted 6.2 second 0-60 is wildly-optimistic.
And I wonder what unspeakable abuse the clutch had to endure for anything close to that...

That 0-60 number is not that meaningful for twins. On the track, 0-60 acceleration is almost never necessary; 60-100 could be much more relevant. 0-60 mostly matters for drag racing. We are abusing our cars to find their drag performance for which they are not designed for.

Plus, does not matter but, that 5ish second 0-60 claim in one of earlier posts with just header and tune is very hard to believe.

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by Spuds

I don't think the LS4 would fit... It's a FF layout. But the v6 they have in the Regal GS... That would be pretty nice.

I should really get mine tuned...

I guess I was focused on the fact its AWD, didn't consider whether or not they could squeeze a bigger engine in it.

Still a new full blown sport wagon from the US would be great.

[Spuds]

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

I guess I was focused on the fact its AWD, didn't consider whether or not they could squeeze a bigger engine in it.

Still a new full blown sport wagon from the US would be great.

Would be cool, but not going to happen. My only hope is that I one day have enough money to buy an AMG wagon...

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by Spuds

Would be cool, but not going to happen. My only hope is that I one day have enough money to buy an AMG wagon...

I keep seeing the CTS-V Wagons on Bring-a-trailer but those are stupid expensive, and the older front hasn't aged well in my opinion.

AMG look like the only good option right now.

[why?]

Originally Posted by DarkSunrise

It's tough for me to warm up to the 4 cyl pony cars. It's like 60% of the engine, but with 100% of the size and 90% of the weight. Without the V8, what's the point of having a chassis that large?

For all its flaws, I still like the WRX as a street car. Something about having a compact, practical 4 door sedan with AWD and a turbo is still inherently appealing to me. I'd happily drive one.

Same for the GTI. Compared with the WRX you give up AWD, but gain so much back in polish and refinement.

The ND Miata is appealing to me for all the reasons that the BRZ/FR-S is. Agile, visceral and fun. It lacks practicality of the Twins, but as a 3rd car it works.
Bu
The rest I'd pass on. I'm sure the Veloster N drives great, but I just can't get past the interior or exterior. Call me shallow.

for the mustang the difference is 309 pounds. But still at 4000 pounds that car is a total pig. Adding 100 hp to the ecoboost engine is apparently relatively easy, to the point some Ford dealerships do it through one of their programs.

[Lantanafrs2]

Originally Posted by Tanstin

Anyone know the 0-60 time of a GT86 with just a header and tune? I feel like those alone could maybe put it on the list

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

It is on the list

[WolfpackS2k]

I'm pretty happy with my GTI (which of course I bought as a DD, not BRZ replacement). makes around 300hp 350 lb-ft of torque with just a stage one reflash. Boost is limited in 1st and 2nd gears though, so you can't experience all the extra power unless you're in 3rd or higher.

But I'm pretty sure it's faster in a straight line (once rolling) than my Cayman S