you could get one of these for 12k +
20k could get you a dope dope dope e30 m3.
i suggest considering e30s, just as well as e36s. maintenance isnt bad at all, even on the highly tuned s14 motor of the m3. just make sure you buy one that hasnt been neglected, and dont neglect it yourself.
some info
2.3liter 4cylinder, individual throttle bodies, 195hp, RWD, 2700lb, badass look, very original (5k in usa), the original ///M image (if you are the type of person to get sucked into hype, ie initial d and the piece of **** that is the ae86). the e30 m3 is a homologation special, produced and designed for racing.
my experience
driving my e30 m3, is SUCH a joy. great steering feel, very tossable, mine revs to 8k. a tad raw. feels like a gokart. i havent drifted it much, i always have very sticky tires on, im more into racing. but, the car is so easy to control, i think it would do great. (trailing arm rear suspension, loses or gains rear negative camber based on where load is. shifting weight forward makes rear lose grip, really rotates car. (please dont total an e30 m3)) 195hp isnt bad at all for such a light car. $200 for a conforti chip, and $80 for an evo 2 lower airbox, and im making 215-220hp easy. i race my car, it is VERY able. ive smoked lancer evos, STIs, ferrari 360s, 911s (all types), e36 m3s, 350zs, ferrari 308s, and just recently a detomaso pantera.
what you might not like
not as much straight line potential as an e36, or a turbo car. turboing an s14 is possible, but it would take some work, and its not what the car is about. even with rear trailing arm suspension, tail stays planted. the car was made to race, and when your racing you dont want insane oversteer. when you start looking for them, youll think they all have a lot of miles. i bought mine with 112k. its ran beautiful for the past 10k. theyll do 200k easy before need of a rebuild, and then its 2.5 time
![Mad :mad: :mad:](/wp-content/themes/gtp16/images/smilies/mad.svg?v=3)
. neglect them badly enough though, and theyll become a pain in the ass. parts and labor are expensive.
s14 potential
took a trip to the quarter mile recently. ran a 14.8 in 95 degree heat. thats with chip and airbox. i know the car is capable of running a few tenths quicker. the s14 is a highly tuned, NA 4cylinder. its best kept this way. once you get a little past 230hp, power is expensive. most parts are bmw motorsports parts, so they are expensive (but they were made and raced by bmw on the same exact cars to win races, so they are high quality). the upper end of the s14s potential is 270-300hp. my bud has an e30 that makes something like 270hp. 2.5 liter evo spec, schrick cams, bigger valves, 48mm throttle bodies, 8400 revlimit hehe..... he runs 13s. his car is FAST. because of the torque curve, it actually feels faster than another friends car (e30 325is with e36 m3 motor. 290hp/2400lb) 6k rpm on, your floored into the seat. but expect to pay 10k + for a motor like that.
perfect car for me, not sure how it would suit you.
if you like e36s, a friend just bought a 325 for 9k or abouts i think. the car has 90k or so on it, so expect others to be more expensive. it looks really slick. has the m3 sideskirts. 195hp. its a heavy car, but its not slow.