keepers
Keepers: Audi S4 B5-Series—Shopping
Most performance enthusiasts—and especially the fans of Q-ship performance—are well aware that the much-loved Biturbo S4 does have a dark side. Yes, Audi was pumping out some cool cars back in the day, but questionable quality, poor reliability, and astronomical repair costs have become a trademark characteristic for Audis of this era. Talk to just about any S4 driver and you’ll get a similar story of mechanical maladies that either total thousands of dollars, or take the car off the road for weeks or months at a time while the owner gathers parts for the repair. As such, the best S4 purchasing advice is to have extra money set aside for repair work. You’ll need it.
Keepers: Audi S4 B5-series
In light of Audi’s all-new unveilings at the Frankfurt Motor Show , the timing couldn’t be better for a flashback to one of the company’s defining performance offerings. We’re speaking of course about the Audi S4 sedan that first appeared on Yankee soil way back in 1992. The formula hasn’t changed much over the years, but when it comes down to a specific S4 genre, we look to the second-generation B5-series S4 as the version that roundhouse kicked the sport sedan segment of the day, becoming a performance legend in the process.
Keepers: Thunderbird Turbo Coupe—Community
As one might expect with a lesser-known performance car, the Turbo Coupe community is a lesser-known group of individuals who not only love the Turbo Coupe, but all iterations of the Fox-Body based, “aero birds” that graced the FoMoCo lineup from 1983-1988. They also love and embrace the same-era Mercury Cougar, which mirrored the Turbo Coupe’s development through 1986 by offering the 2.3 turbo with a five-speed on the rare XR-7 model.
Keepers: Thunderbird Turbo Coupe—Shopping
Folks who’ve been considering a Turbo Coupe purchase—especially those with some mechanical know-how—will find prices are surprisingly affordable, with fixer-uppers generally available for under $1000. Be warned though; while these cars have longevity and reliability on their side (more than a few TC owners attest to topping 200,000 miles with just basic maintenance), bringing one back from the dead can become a pricey endeavor.
Keepers: Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe
Now that Ford is getting all excited about turbocharged engines, we thought it might be nice to revisit its original turbo effort from the 1980s. Long before Dearborn coined the term EcoBoost there was just plain boost, force-feeding Ford’s venerable 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine. Enthusiasts will recognize this engine as the force behind other Blue Oval 80s creations like the Mustang SVO and Merkur XR4Ti, but the unmistakably-aero appearance of the 1987-1988 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe holds a place in our enthusiast heart as having the best combination of performance, styling, sportiness, comfort, and gadgetry.
Keepers: Subaru WRX—Community
Subaru enthusiasts share a broad enjoyment of just about everything Subaru, with various meets and events happening on almost a daily basis. Given the go-anywhere, all-wheel drive nature of the Subie lineup, back-woods barbeques and off-road events go hand-in-hand with traditional pavement-bound activities—year round.
Keepers: Subaru WRX—Shopping
Turbocharged power funneled through an all-wheel drive platform is often a recipe for a reliability nightmare, but in keeping with its rugged rally-bred existence, the 2002-03 WRX is quite the stout performance machine that takes spirited driving in stride. In fact, the issues most prevalent to would-be WRX owners are actually previous WRX owners, or more accurately, previous owner abuse. General used car shopping guidelines are definitely in effect here, but given the WRX’s youthful and often exuberant audience, extra attention to detail could save you from purchasing someone else’s thrashed-out ragdoll.
Keepers: Subaru Impreza WRX
Every once in a while a car comes along that transcends the motoring world to become an icon for a generation. Cars like the 1957 Chevy Bel Air and 1965 Ford Mustang may spring to mind as previous icons, and as we enter the final months of the 21st-century’s premier decade, we find there’s a new car to grace that exclusive list: the 2002 Subaru Impreza WRX.
Keepers: GMC Syclone/Typhoon—Community
Every hardcore performance ride has an enthusiast following, and while the same kind of race-inspired pedigree may not surround the Syclone/Typhoon, a small but faithful group of gearheads congregate to www.syty.org , online home to the International Syclone Typhoon Owners Association (ISTA and yes, they opt to go O-less for the acronym). International is no typo either; despite a limited production run, Syclones and Typhoons have found homes in such faraway lands as England, Sweden, Germany, and Austria. SyTy.org also lists club chapters for Brazil and Japan, though a visit to both websites suggests activity in those areas might be waning.
Keepers: GMC Syclone/Typhoon—Shopping
The Syclone/Typhoon (often referred to as SyTy by owners and enthusiasts) super trucks were always intended to be niche, limited-production vehicles. Save for a few outlier units in 1992, Syclones were exclusive to the 1991 model year and exclusively black, while Typhoons offered more color and less exclusivity thanks to a production run that spanned 1992 and 1993. As one would expect, the Typhoon is a bit easier to find; nearly 5000 came off the assembly line during its two-year run as opposed to 3000 Syclones, so while these trucks are rather rare, they’re not impossible to find.
Keepers: GMC Syclone/Typhoon
Nothing seems to polarize motoring enthusiasts more than the concept of a performance truck, and the NextAutos office is no exception. What kind of absurd mentality could ever conceive such an abomination as a utilitarian vehicle that aspires to be something other than utilitarian? After all, you could bolt plywood to a shopping cart, tie it to a boat, and go water skiing carting if you really wanted to, but that doesn’t mean you’re going to have a blast jumping the wake or cracking the whip into the beach.
Or does it?
Keepers: Mazda RX-7—Community
As one would expect with niche, Japanese tuner cars such as the RX-7, there exists a very dedicated enthusiast community that loves to tweak, tune, and show these cars off every bit as much as driving them.
Keepers: Mazda RX-7—Shopping
There’s a good deal of trepidation among first-time Mazda RX-7 shoppers, especially when it comes to the twin-turbo FD-series. The unique rotary engine comes with its own set of issues that generally stem from abuse or poor maintenance, so the key to getting the most from an FD-series RX-7 is knowing how to properly take care of it. Excessive heat is a quick killer for these cars, and the stock temperature gauge doesn’t do a great job of relaying vital information in time to prevent disaster. The under hood hoses are prone to drying out and cracking, so inspect them carefully and if there’s any sign of damage, be wary of potential engine problems as a result from overheating. Most RX-7 owners replace the stock hoses with high-temp silicone hoses that can better withstand the heat, so consider their replacement a good thing. Aftermarket temperature gauges are also common, and though these cars never came with a factory boost gauge, they’re a common addition as well.
Keepers: Mazda RX-7
A perennial favorite of sports car enthusiasts worldwide, the Mazda RX-7 exemplifies the epitome of balanced handling, graceful lines, and communicative controls; three very important ingredients in creating a quintessential driver’s car. As good as the early-generation RX-7s were however, they still lacked a key fourth ingredient—power.
Keepers: BMW M3 E46—Community
In essence, simply owning a BMW grants you an all-access pass to an all-encompassing, purebred group that’s arguably the largest, most dedicated, and most fanatical community of motoring enthusiasts in the world. Obviously the M cars are the poster children for this segment, but attend any type of BMW event and you’ll likely see a wide range of new and old Bimmers, everything from high-end M machines to highly modified variations of 3 and 5-Series cars, stock sedans, convertibles, and yes, SUVs. If it says BMW, then it’s welcome, and whether it’s a brand new M3 or a decades-old 2002, the owners all have one thing in common: They love live to drive these cars, and I’m not just talking about leisurely Sunday afternoon jaunts through the local neighborhood. To support this addiction (or perhaps because of it), BMW enthusiasts the world over have no shortage of online resources to draw from, but for the M3 owner, three web destinations stand out from the rest.
Keepers: BMW M3 E46—Shopping
The current state of the auto market makes for some tantalizing possibilities when it comes to performance cars, and with good-condition E46 prices dipping well into the $20,000 range, it’s currently one of the best performance purchases available. Unfortunately, perhaps the biggest stumbling block on the road to M3 ownership has nothing to do with the car itself, but rather the cost to insure it. Running a quick check for a squeaky-clean, 22-year old driver returns a frightening range of $300 to $700 per month for full coverage, thanks to a perfect storm of popularity (as in popular among thieves) and performance. Yes, the early-20s insurance bracket is one of the highest in the nation, and that figure doesn’t include anything like multi-car discounts or occasional-use driving. Regardless, this is one expensive car to cover, so before getting your hopes up, better call your insurance guy to see if it’s even feasible.
Keepers: BMW M3 E46
Let’s be honest, every generation of the M3 is a keeper. Balance, grip, performance, you’ve heard all this before. In 23 years of M3 production, approximately 2863 various adjectives, adverbs, present and past participles, sexually-charged metaphors, and other automotive clichés have been blasted across print and electronic media, describing the greatness of the car. Far be it for us to add to the hype, so we’ll simply say yeah, it’s that good, and the third-generation E46 model is among the finest of the breed, delivering a driving experience that is pure M-ness. M-ness…guess that makes 2864.
Keepers: Turbo Dodges—Shopping
Stepping into the world of turbo Dodges can be somewhat intimidating for the uninitiated. While our first Keepers report on these cars covered only four vehicles (arguably the pinnacle of Dodge’s turbo efforts of the time), in reality the 2.2 turbo and later variants were used in everything from sleeper sedans, hatchbacks, in-your-face sports cars, or even minivans. The good news here is that no matter what you’re into, there’s likely a turbo Dodge to suit your tastes. Even better, because so many of these power plants were produced, parts are cheap and relatively easy to come by, with some rare exceptions that we’ll discuss below. The downside however is trying to weed through the layers of lingo to determine which combination is right for you, and admittedly that can take a bit of effort. To help with that, here’s a little primer for the turbo-inclined enthusiast looking for the best boost-per-buck.
Keepers: The Turbo Dodges
In the pursuit of finding cars worth keeping, there’s not always a clear connection between pedigree, price and performance. Sometimes, cars that people expect to be good turn out to be rubbish, despite their ancestry. And sometimes, you come across performance heroes in the most unlikely of places.
Keepers: Honda S2000 – Community
Current or future S2000 owners are blessed with an active enthusiast community spread across the U.S. as well as several countries overseas. And we’re not just talking about occasional parking lot gatherings; these folks love the S2000 but more importantly, they love driving the S2000. Three websites—S2Ki.com , S2Kca.com , and S2000.com —should be in every S2000 owner’s bookmark list because they are the definitive sites to visit for complete model information. Within these digital library stacks are a wealth of information, including technical help and aftermarket performance tips, all crafted from the folks who know these cars best.
Keepers: Honda S2000
In the broad realm of performance motoring, there are essentially three classifications of enthusiasts: Those who seek pure power, those who seek pure finesse, and those who seek a balance of the two. For those seeking finesse, top-down sports motoring doesn’t get much better than the Honda S2000, and while the high-revving, 240 horsepower four banger under hood won’t satisfy the power hungry, it does propel the S2000 with enough punch to get an inexperienced driver into trouble, and boy does it sound good doing it.
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