Best Handling Cars

[kovalchuk71 212]

Which cars have the best handling and are affordable? BMW, but what else? Any "cheap" car (Comapred to a BMW) with good handling?

[Thockey17 1]

Honda S2000...one of the greatest cars of all time.

[TBLfan 25]

you can find some used BMWs for relatively cheap.

[Cavs019 708]

Every Audi I've driven has felt quite nimble, and you can find the B5 A4, (1998-2001) for dirt cheap these days.

[Rustpot 1]

you can get quite a few cars with a solid drive train that you find for $5-10k and put a few grand into the suspension and have it handle like a dream

what do you need it for? impressing chicks or actual GT-style racing?

the REALLY good cars that *were* cheap have all been inflated due to the increase of kids wanting "dope whips" to roll around suburbia (Toyota Supra, Mazda RX-7 are prime examples, with junked cars selling close to Celica Spider and RX-8 retail prices)

[Cobra2717 0]

Whats your price range?

Like THockey said, the S2000 is a handling monster, and can be made even faster than it is for pretty cheap. If you have a little higher of a price range, a Lotus Elise is also a great handler.

Im impartial because its what i drive, but Subaru's handle beautifully.

[djosbun 0]

It depends on your definition of affordable. My friend has an older BMW, but not REALLY old. Just cost him $1200 for brake work. To me, that is not affordable no matter how much the car cost to purchase.

[Vapor 0]

Bimmers are pretty low on the list of good handeling cars. They are heavyyyyy. It really matters what you want. If you want a 1500 lb roadster that you cant drive every day an Elise may be as good as it gets. If you want an all wheel drive car that is good in the winter and is very gripping, go get a 2G AWD Eclipse. Im very anti-rice, but they are solid cars for the price. They can also handel a good amount of boost and are very modable

[LegoDoom 0]

The Eclipse and 335i weigh practically the same.

[Vapor 0]

The Eclipse and 335i weigh practically the same.

2767 pounds vs. 3582 pounds is a BIG difference. Not even close. The eclipse is wider and lower and is not as long. Not to mention the 30k price difference.

[J-Shera 0]

When I was in highschool, an affordable good handling car was not a lotus of Bimmer. Maybe like a crx. Nothing but ballers in this joint.

[LegoDoom 0]

Oh, you're talking about a 2000 Eclipse, my bad.

[Vapor 0]

yeah, the second generation. The new (4g) eclipses are pretty heavy.

[LegoDoom 0]

To be fair, you should probably list the weight of the 6 cylinder, which is over 3k.

And compred to that years BMW, the weight isn't that far off.

[Vapor 0]

I would rather have the 4 banger turbo, they can make more power and are lighter. There are some really nice turbo kits for them (many of them). I had a friend who ran low 12s (with high boost) in his eclipse.

[kovalchuk71 212]

Im looking for more of a sedan. What do you think of Volvo's?

[LegoDoom 0]

Im looking for more of a sedan. What do you think of Volvo's?

They don't handle well. I'd really look at a used Audi.

[tokes 0]

Honda S2000...one of the greatest cars of all time.

A pretty hefty tag for a car that oversteers horribly for the amount of power it has, that is virtually maxed out from the factory without going to a power adder, isn't horribly rigid, wheelhops like a bitch on any tire and any surface, and has a weak rear end.

the REALLY good cars that *were* cheap have all been inflated due to the increase of kids wanting "dope whips" to roll around suburbia (Toyota Supra, Mazda RX-7 are prime examples, with junked cars selling close to Celica Spider and RX-8 retail prices)

Do you have any idea how much Supras or RX7's were new? A MKIV TT started at 44 thousand dollars, before adding on any options and they did not bring in many of the TT's. FD3S RX7's sold for 38 thousand in 1995, a year when you could pick up a Mustang with a V8 for 16 thousand. MKIV Supras were never cheap, and never will be cheap. Same goes for FD3S cars.

[TBLfan 25]

Eclipses don't handle that well. I have a friend that had a DSM eclipse that was fast but he couldn't handle nearly as well as my friend with a M3. Both have/had suspension upgrades. Oh and the DSM was like all other DSMs with modded motors, on the lift more than on the road. So my friend with the DSM bought a Z06 corvette and that also can't out handle the M3.

[tokes 0]

Eclipses don't handle that well. I have a friend that had a DSM eclipse that was fast but he couldn't handle nearly as well as my friend with a M3. Both have/had suspension upgrades. Oh and the DSM was like all other DSMs with modded motors, on the lift more than on the road. So my friend with the DSM bought a Z06 corvette and that also can't out handle the M3.

Then your friend with the DSM and now Z06 can't drive worth a shit. A Z06 will eat an M3 alive on the roadcourse. Better brakes, stiffer car, better handling, more horsepower, lighter. If he bought a C6 Z06 it isn't even a contest, because a C6 Z06 will shit all over an M3, M5, 911TT, etc, etc, on a road course. That sounds a lot more like driver differences, not cars to me.

[TBLfan 25]

it's a C5 Z06. And he isn't the best driver but other people that are good drivers have driven it and the only reason it beats the BMW on the roadcourse is because of the power on the straights. The M3 turns on a dime, I've driven both and I can attest that the BMW turns quite a bit tighter than the Z06, probably because of the size of the corvette.

[kovalchuk71 212]

How about Saab?

[G60 0]

Mazda Miata + springs/dampers + sway bars + Slicks = end thread.

saabs are ok, viggens are great, but GM ruined saab :(

[43%burnt 0]

there are tons of options out there. you really need to lay out your wants/needs/price range. a lot of good choices so far, but all very different in their own ways.

[Icedog03 0]

Nissan Sentra SE-R SpecV....cheap and handles amazing for the price