Platform Finalists

I've read over all of your suggestions so far, and I think I've narrowed it down to these 5. Like I said, I'm working on a budget or around $30,000 ($35,000 absolute maximum). Here are the finalists. If you guys could vote on which you think is best for performance, upgradability, quality, and style and give me any words of wisdom, I'd appreciate it.

- 1999-2004 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra ($20k)
- 2000-2002 Pontiac Firehawk ($25k)
- 2000-2002 Chevrolet Camaro SLP ($25k)
- 1990-1996 Nissan 300ZX TT ($15k)
- 1993-1998 Toyota Supra TT ($20k)

Supra cause its already fast with a great aftermarket...The zx may not be worth the reliability problems ppl keep bringing up...the cobra is a close second on my book but its the same price so you mightaswell get the supra....and no Evo? come on!

i would have to go with the supraTT or the 300zxTT. but i picked the 300zx for the styling because there are very few cars that i like the styling of more than the 300zx. all of these cars im sure you can make damn fast even though i do not know much about the firehawk or camaro. mustang SVT i know can put on a show for the 1/4 mile. but the american cars just dont have the styling i like.

reliability problems are out the window with the 300zx once you do a rebuild and some mods. you will have a brand new engine capable of anything you want with $20,000 left over to spend on a z32. it would definitely be my choice. you can have anything or everything you want with $20,000. plus, it doesnt fall to far behind the supra in 1/4 mile performance stock and i havent seen a supraTT for that cheap, but then again i havent been looking.

my choice is the 300zxTT just nudging out the supraTT because of the many options that you have with the money left over.

the '03 cobra is a hell of a lot different than the '99 and '01 cobras

I'd say the Supra TT is your best bet, but I voted 300ZX TT because Supras are so horribly overpriced and difficult to find.

300ZX Gets my vote!

American cars Three thumbs down!
Supra is so ugly that I dont dare looking at it on a track. Its like the elephant man of the cars.

300ZX hands down.
Simply becase of the styling, ease to mod and the friendly Z finatics who are always willing ot lend a hand. hehe

What makes the Z unreliable? I'd rather have a Z TT than a SUPRA TT anyday!!!

Here we go again -_-

yeah, don't bring up the reliability thing, already discussed that. i personall would rather have a japanese car than american muscle, so that rules out the mustang, firehawk, and camaro. the supra is nice, but way over-priced and over-rated. so that leaves the Z, great all-around car.

he said maximum $35,000 so im pretty sure he can find a Supra in good condition for that much. that would be my first choice, if you cant find one then go with the 300zx very nice car and also pretty fast.

No EVO? I know. I'm not saying that it isn't a great car with great potential, but the styling just doesn't quite do it for me, and (no offense) I can't justify that kind of money ($25k-$30k New) on an inline four. That's why I ruled it out.

I've never liked the ZX that much. Even with the TT engine in there, it's not all that. If I had a car with 300 ponies, I would expect it to haul some serious ass but it doesn't. If you can find a Supra for that price, go for it. Who ever says it has no style has no taste. Parts cost a pretty penny but it doesn't take much to get a lot out of the supra. Runner up, I would say the Cobra. That's my two cents.

I've never liked the ZX that much. Even with the TT engine in there, it's not all that. If I had a car with 300 ponies, I would expect it to haul some serious ass but it doesn't. If you can find a Supra for that price, go for it. Who ever says it has no style has no taste. Parts cost a pretty penny but it doesn't take much to get a lot out of the supra. Runner up, I would say the Cobra. That's my two cents.

i think that is one of the most un-informed post i have seen in a while. so what hauls serious ass in your eyes? let me guess a supra...well the Z only falls sort of the supra by around .3-.4 seconds. i dont think that justifies the Z not hauling serious ass and the supra does. :lol:. oh well...and what makes you think that it doesnt take much to get out serious power out of a z32? supra isnt the only car that has huge potential on a little bit of money. im not trying to start a argument or anything. just pointing out a few misleading points.

How many 800+ HP Supras are there? Quite a few. How many 800+ HP 300ZXs are there? ...

Just face it, the Supra has more potential than the 300ZX; it's easier to get power out of, and it can take more of it.

Uh... buddy... there are plenty of 800HP Z's and SUPRA's! And well beyond that range! The question is: How many of those cars are exactly streetable? The only reason why you kids know about the SUPRA (and the reason why it's so infamous and well known right now) is because you seen it on F&F... and I'm sure if the Z show's up in the mainstream alot of peeps tone will change! I have experience with both the Supra and the Z-car and I can tell you I love them both... but plain and simple: I prefer the Z! It was alot more technologically advanced when it came out and is one of the greatest cars ever built! How are you people to say it's unreliable and has no potential? I can gaurantee you that you have never even driven a 300ZX Z32, nor modded one, and you are just passing along mis-information that you heard through the internet and a bunch of F&F posers...

How many 800+ HP Supras are there? Quite a few. How many 800+ HP 300ZXs are there? ...


there is a certain point that engine gets to where it can do whatever you want whether it came from a supra, a 300zx, or a civic. people just happen to choose the supra engine. i will admit that a supra probably does seem to have more potential once you get past about 600hp. but we arent talking about no damn 800hp nor are we talking about 9 second 1/4 miles times. we are talking about a versatile, powerful street car.

we are talking about modability within the limits of a street car. no one is saying that the Z is so much more cheaper or easier to mod than the supra. and my eyes they are about equal when it comes to street use. i was just stating that the supra isnt the only car to get big numbers from with a small budget. alot of people think that the supra is the only jap car to get very low 1/4 miles times with a little bit of money. that is not true. i dont think the supra is easier to get power out of. just easier to make over 800hp. who needs 800hp for a street car???


Just face it, the Supra has more potential than the 300ZX; it's easier to get power out of, and it can take more of it.

what makes you say that a supra is easier to get power out of??? why should i "face" it then?

im not saying that supra's dont have potential or they arent a great car. im just saying that they are worthy of competition when it comes to modability.

I'm not saying the Supra has no competition, I'm saying that it beats the competition. He's asking for performance, upgradability, quality, and style. The style is subjective (I personally like the Supra a bit more), but in the rest of the categories, the Supra edges out the Z. People don't just choose the Supra at random; they choose it because it's goddamn bulletproof. I'm not saying the Z is unreliable, but it's just not on the same level as the Supra. I would recommend getting over your bias towards the Z and accepting that fact ASAP.

i am not being bias...i am answering this guys post in the most pracitical and smarter choice in my opinion. i never said that the supra wasnt better so therefore i was not being bias. i was just informing people that the supra isnt the only car that is easy to mod.

its a smarter choice in my eyes because i dont like the supras styling as much as the Z (like you said that is subjective). also, i would rather have the extra 10g's or so to work with when it comes to upgrading the Z, who starts off only a few tenths of a second slower and is also a very easy and cheap car to mod. just my 2 cents.

i dont see where I was being BIAS because i never once said the z was better, faster, or easier to upgrade. so before you state someone is being something, you need look up the definition of the word or re-read that person's post to make sure what your saying is true, "ASAP".

i simply replied to a guys post that seemed mis-informed to me. i just said that the Z does have potential also, not just the supra. i came to the Z's defense when someone said something that i think was not true and uninformed. i didnt put down the supra in anyway, therefore i dont feel i was being bias in anyway.

but let's drop this name calling stuff because this has nothing to do with this post. if you want to argue the point that the supra is so much easier to mod than the Z, then i can see that having some relevance.

i dont see where I was being BIAS because i never once said the z was better, faster, or easier to upgrade. so before you state someone is being something, you need look up the definition of the word or re-read that person's post to make sure what your saying is true, "ASAP".

Just seems fishy that as soon as someone *gasp* suggests that the Z is inferior to the Supra, two of you come right away and call the poster "mis-informed".

Oh-no.... it's a conspiaracy!

Just seems fishy that as soon as someone *gasp* suggests that the Z is inferior to the Supra, two of you come right away and call the poster "mis-informed".

its not just the supra :lol:. no im just joking.

i just feel that i need to come over here and defend the Z because it gets no credit what-so-ever from most people for some reason. i feel that people who imply that the 300zx is not easy to upgrade is simply mis-informed. i just think that each car needs to be represented for the facts and not gossip and what other people have said.

Amen, brother...

Alright, well trust me, I appreciate the Z quite a bit, a lot more than most people do. While I don't think it's quite as good as a Supra, I still give it plenty of respect, and to be honest, I'd be more likely to buy one than a Supra because Supras are ridiculously overpriced and overhyped right now.

Apologies for flying off the handle :)

this all sounds to familiar. :lol:

yeah...i would take a supra too for highway racing or drag if i could ever afford to have one. damn fast and the furious....:D

im really surprised the FD and 3000gt didnt get in this poll. seems appropriate to add those 2. maybe he doesnt like the styling or something. oh well...it would have just turned into another JDM war.

Too familiar. At least it's not like the old days, where I'd start acting stupid and then just leave for two weeks :)

Well, I would at least test drive them all before you go and buy one. Don't just go buy one that you haven't even sat in . Try and find out which one you would be comfortable in driving everyday. Make sure you can feel satisfied with the car inside and out for at least a while. You don't want to buy one of these cars and then get sick of it 3 months down the road. We all know each of these cars have power, so that shouldn't be as much of a concern since all of them have great potential in becoming more. I would make sure the car is in good running order in which you won't be facing any possible unexpected problems later down the road (especially with the older cars). If you could, find one with low and unabused milage. Trust whoever your going to buy it from. Also, don't jump the gun. Somtimes a little patience will pay off with a better car. Mainly, just make a smart decision considering everything you want in a car. Don't get to caught up with the numbers cause somtimes they can screw you!! Good luck on your decision. Sorry I don't have a choice, but if you were to ask me (which I guess you are in a sense), I would probably be leaning torwards the newer cars of the bunch.

yes why isnt the VR4 in this??????

I guess he wants RWD, which I can understand.

I would even pick the VR4 over the Supra to tell you the truth... that's another car that has been overlooked and has tons of potential!

c5 corvette can be had. Hell I have even seen z06's in the low 30's.

Truth be told, I ruled out the 3000GT and the RX7 for a seemingly silly reason. I don't want a closed-top car. The Supra has a targa top option, the 300ZX/Firehawk/SLP have t-tops, and the Cobra has a convertible option. I know the second generation RX7s came in convertibles, but I don't even like the styling of those compared to the third generation. I want something that I can put the top down/take the top(s) off of and cruise in comfort, but still stomp most anything else on the road. That is also part of the reason I ruled out the EVO. The problem with a vette, is that by the time I'm done paying for the car, I have (almost) no money left to modify with.

Well, a Supra TT is already extremely difficult to find to begin with...finding one with a targa is gonna be even tougher. I have to recommend the 300ZX now, since I believe T-Tops come standard. It's pretty easy to find Camaro convertibles as well.

yeah all the 300zxTT comes with t-tops standard. but they did make a slicktop n/a that would be a perfect car for the TT swap because it is about 200-300lbs lighter. lighter because of the lack of support for the t-tops. that would be a great start for someone that wants to build in all out performance Z. plus the slicktops are really rare.

Come to think of it, If I look one generation earlier, I've found quite a few Supra Turbos with targa tops for sale. What do you guys think of the Supra Turbos prior to 1993? (I'm mainly interested in how they stack up to the 300ZX)

I believe the older Supra Turbos were extremely problematic, and the maintenance costs on them were stupidly high.

Alright. Scratch the Supra then...

Out of curiousity, though, what is the approximate weight difference between a Supra with and without the targa top? I assume that there is weight added, since you would have to reinforce the stability lost by a removable top, right?

Yeah, although the Supra is probably the fastest car out of all of these, they just require too much money. After doing a lot of thinking, my real world pick would be a Chevrolet Camaro Z28 or Pontiac Firebird Trans Am. Very powerful motor, rock solid six-speed transmission, tenacious grip, fairly reliable, huge aftermarket, and easy to find, even as a convertible.

Well....you could get a '98 Camaro SS or Firebird WS-6 that has pretty muchthe exact same engine as a 2000-02' (MAYBE a tiny bit less hp)...except they will be more in the $15-20 range. Get one for 15k.....add 10k in mods (twin turbo, full intake exhaust, ignition etc.....and you have the best bang for your buck right there.

Alright. Scratch the Supra then...

Out of curiousity, though, what is the approximate weight difference between a Supra with and without the targa top? I assume that there is weight added, since you would have to reinforce the stability lost by a removable top, right?

i would say probably 200-300lbs total to reinforce the roof.

Well....you could get a '98 Camaro SS or Firebird WS-6 that has pretty muchthe exact same engine as a 2000-02' (MAYBE a tiny bit less hp)...except they will be more in the $15-20 range. Get one for 15k.....add 10k in mods (twin turbo, full intake exhaust, ignition etc.....and you have the best bang for your buck right there.

this guy has a good point...you can make it really fast as you can the 300zx. whatever you want man....its your choice.

Well, which car to pick has a lot to do with what you want out of the car.

The 300ZX offers, IMO great looks and an engine that offers a good amount of potential if not the most in this group. The car also offers a very nice chassis, second best in the group IMO. A Nice, well-rounded choice.

The Supra also offers a good engine in what is almost certainly the best chassis of the bunch. The looks are love it or hate it (I hate it) and that chassis falls down quite a bit without the top in place.

To be fair the others lose composure without their top as well. And, the Supra's hard targa can be put into place adding rigidity the verts cannot offer ever. But, if open air motoring is what you want the targa feels more like t-tops than a vert to me which might be a downside for you.

The Camaro and Firebird offer great engines as well, although almost certainly on the worst chassis of the bunch. These are also the bottom of the heap for "cheap" bolt ons as it is n/a. No simple tricks to get 100hp here.

Also, the basic design is old, and feels it. The chassis is the worst of the bunch here. Although, by far this is the cheapest of the bunch in the real world too. I saw a 2000 Trans Am WS6 coupe for 8 large the other day. Buy a Cobra for that!!!

The Cobra is the "Lord of the mills" in this debate. (I am assuming you are talking about the 03/04 in this money range) Yes, there are 800hp Supra's and Z cars running around. But, everyone I have seen is running fuel suitable for an SR71 blackbird and is built to the hilt.

Cobra's can run 800 hp and sound and drive like a stocker...no joke. 600hp Cobra's are all over the place and require nothing more than a few simple bolt-ons. Some of the 800hp jobs are more driveable than the stock car because they use the more efficient twin-screw blower in place of the stock rootes design

Cobra's can run over 1500hp on the stock short block as well as a demo of durability. (I do not advise this..lol)

The down side is that if you take the vert you get the "old style" IRS not the updated for 03 stuff. Room constraints due to the top cause this. And the snake, like the GM cars, has a very cheap looking dash if decent seats.

IMO I would take the Cobra first, and the 300ZX second. But that is because they suit my tastes. What suits yours?

Well, judging by the current polls (and helpful last post), It's down to top 3. Here's my dilemma with the final 3 though:

300ZX: Cheapest car to buy of the three. I love the idea of 4 wheel steering and front/rear independent multi-link suspension. They look great and have good potential. And the TT comes stardard with t-tops (I think). The problems are that the Z hasn't been in production since 1996. So, it'll be hard to find one with low mileage, and in good shape.

Supra: I'm having trouble passing up the potential of the 2JZ under my hood. I love the look of the Supra. But, again, it's been out of production since 1998. So, it'll be hard to find one with lower mileage. Even harder is finding one with a targa top, and for less than 30k. The last TT targa i saw for sale went for $35k. It's not that I wouldn't love a Supra, it's that I'm not sure I would love it $15k more than the Z. And spending that much on the car itself, leaves less money for modification.

SVT Cobra: While seeming like the "easy way" to a performance car, I'm liking the idea of a cobra. It has the most stock HP (not that I'm keeping it stock of course...), has a back seat so the wife won't make me sell it when we have kids, and isn't hard to get the times I want out of it. Like syr74 said, 600hp Cobra's are all over the place and require nothing more than a few simple bolt-ons. If a "few simple bolt-ons" can get me 600 hp, imagine where I can go from there. It's the only convertible of the 3, and while it'll killl the structural stability, I like open-air motoring. And I'm not trying to make a 9-second-lift-the-front-end-off-the-ground drag car, I just want a road car with some seriuos get-up-and-go. If possible, I'd be more than happy in the low 12's. It's about comparable price-wise to the Supra (assuming I'm hell-bent on the targa), and it's newer engineering and will be infinitely easier to find in great shape with low mileage.