best winter cars

1.Looking for a four door
2.16 flat second car
3.that will be easy on the insurance
4.and though NOT needed just prefered MPG above 27 on the hiway.
5.cheep to buy
6.easy (preferably cheep)to add performance parts
7. and last but most important would make a good harsh winter salty roads car

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All opions and ideas welcome jst give your reasons. And please keep it low on the heated debating level.

I'd go for a 1997-2001 Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS sedan with a five-speed manual transmission. 166 horsepower + manual transmission + full-time all-wheel-drive = lots of fun.

What is your definition on cheap to buy? 0-6k? 20-30k?
On the cheap I would go Galant VR4. next up would be used subaru of some sort like maybe a 2.5RS or up again for a bug eyed WRX... then up the scale more for a "new" neon SRT-4, new wrx, evo, sti.(last two are debatable on which are better then the other. I just happen to prefure the STi for one reason or another)
I would also prefure last years wrx over an srt4 but you cant complain about a newcars warenty. :iceslolan

Early 90's Eagle Talon Tsi Awd... good car, excellent in the winter, can be modded......but I honestly don't know about the insurance...im sure the non turbo would be decent on insurance

i'm with Kman. get a subaru impreza. or maybe an older audi.

ok - i thought the galant v-r4 was a JP car only...

Also how cheep can I pick up with the galant or the subaru

any info I should get on the cars?

last how quick is each one?

Thanks alot guys, I really appreciate the help here.-winter sucks arse...

The Galant VR4 was available in the USA. They have the 4G63 engine which is the same engine as the Turbo DSM's. The VR4 is a 4-door, AWD, and Turbo. Check out ww.dsmtuners.com for a little info on them.

there were no Non-turbo AWD Talons

I'd definitely go with some sort of Subaru

also, the SRT4 is not AWD, its FWD
the evo and sti aren't good snow cars unless you get smaller rims and m+s rated tires.

Nope, the SRT-4 is FWD. The Evo and STi are fine snow cars. I wouldn't say they're designed for it, but they can still handle it easily with a good set of snow tires. However, I wouldn't suggest an Evo or STi, since they're probably too expensive for what you have in mind. I'd go with a 1997-2001 Impreza 2.5 RS, because they're decently quick (I dunno about quarter mile in 16 seconds flat) and they're designed to be all-weather vehicles. If you want a little more performance than that, definitely go for a DSM. www.dsmtuners.com has some good info.

how much could I pick up a galant vr-4?

by the way when I said a CHEAP car i mean under 2300 or so bucks.

probably any of the early to mid 90's DSMs

the only car you're going to find that runs that fast for that amount of money thats decent in the snow will be an early AWD DSM or an early Taurus SHO, both will be a moderate maintenance nightmare though, they both take alot of upkeep.

there were no Non-turbo AWD Talons

I'd definitely go with some sort of Subaru

also, the SRT4 is not AWD, its FWD
the evo and sti aren't good snow cars unless you get smaller rims and m+s rated tires.

I ran my STi last winter, though I did get Michelin Pilot Arctic Alpin snow tires that are 215-17's instead of 225-17's, it is the best car I have ever driven in the snow, including having had a 2.5RS prior, and several other cars on snow tires. It'll do 0-60 in under 7 sec in 4" of fresh snow. As long as you remember that you can't stop, it's a phonomenal car in the snow, and is the primary reason I bought it.

That having been said, it is out of the price range given. I would not reccommend the Taurus SHO in any situation. Other cars to consider would be an Audi 80/90/5000 Quattro and the E30 BMW 325iX, though both are somewhat expensive to maintain, they are all AWD and deccent in the snow.

If your budget is that low, I wouldn't bother with AWD, just get FWD. You're gonna be hard pressed to find a car in decent shape that will do the quarter mile in 16 seconds for that kind of money. I guess your best option is to pick up an old, lightweight Civic sedan for about $1500 and put the rest of the money into performance mods...you -might- hit 16 flat that way.

Does it have to be a car? How about a Jeep Cherokee (NOT grand cherokee). 4WD and with the 4.0 Liter, you'll probably get 16-18 sec stock. And about 22-23mpg. 5 speed or auto available.

I would run a civic - but then again i can't stand the civics unless they are a two door. Even then - I would have to but a twin turbo v6 with 100 shot of nos in the thing to even make the car worth having (93' or so civic 3 doors are "ok" though, they look nice when lowered and body kitted out and all)

I can fix any problems on the car. I do both mechanical and body work including welding. Just hate doing it for my own work and just now decided not to drive the 240z in the winter.

Just need something simple and cheap, and is a four door. How about the early sentras- how are they? I would prefer front wheel drive myself because two wheel drive handles better then four (i said four NOT awd that is great - there is a difference).

Or how about a early 90's ford t-bird with v-6 and snow tires? What do you all think of that?

Any other suggestions?

My parents had an 89 Ford T-Bird Supercoupe when it was new. The car was junk in the snow, even with good snow tires. Early Sentras have major rust problems and are not particularly reliable. You may also want to take a look at VW Golfs/Jettas, parts are cheap and they're decent in the snow. A late 80's/early 90's GTI may be on the range you're looking at.

yeah go for like a 90 to 94 golf GTI.

well what about the 95 pus sentra any broblems I should know about?
(b14)

The Early 90's T-Bird is a Rear wheel dirve car man.... SUCKS in the snow, I carried around a trunk full of roofing tiles for weight and just incase i got stuck... worked pretty well tho.... but if your in the snow i wouldn't suggest it. :iagree: a golf gti, they are pretty cool well thats my :2cents:

....errrr.......
something with good air-con and good heater......

i mean, if the roads are that bad, go get some chains.

my first car was a mercury cougar and it is the same basic layout as the ford thunderbird with RWD. with snow tires and a couple bags of sand in the back, it is not bad at all. i mean as long as you accelerate slow offf of stops you will not have any problems.

plus they got really good heat. :lol:

Hell ya they do, damn dragon in there! hahaha

my first car was a mercury cougar and it is the same basic layout as the ford thunderbird with RWD. with snow tires and a couple bags of sand in the back, it is not bad at all. i mean as long as you accelerate slow offf of stops you will not have any problems.

plus they got really good heat. :lol:

what year?

I was also talking about the early 90s thunderbird. I thought by then that the cougar was fwd not rwd. I very well could be mistaken I don't keep up with ford that much. never been a big fan until recently.

Mine is a 93' I love it, it's got a V6 has some get up, when i woudl race a friend home comming home from a trip in high school, were we lived was 13 miles away, open hiway, i would beat his 99 (i think)cougar all of the time. haha!

what year?

I was also talking about the early 90s thunderbird. I thought by then that the cougar was fwd not rwd. I very well could be mistaken I don't keep up with ford that much. never been a big fan until recently.

90's thunderbirds and cougars were identical except for the body style. but yeah i had a 93 v6 mercury cougar and it was still RWD. i think maybe the mid 90's they changed the cougar to FWD. like 95-97 but i don't know.

Right now I'm looking at civic stuff, its looking really good so far. I was looking at a 68' olds toranado, but I don't think i could take the terrible MPG.

As for the merc and ford I still have yet to look at it.

Now if anyone is curious about the civic post it is in the 92-95 civic section of honda under "16 second..." It has gone up like wild and i have found an absolute TON of info on this if anyone cares that is.