Best handling cars under 5k

Yeah I think that there isn't much on the coast that goes for cheap. A lot of older cars on the coast have some degree of rust due to salty ocean humidity.

gd strayan shitcunts, i swear

Is it worth it to put money into an Accord or Civic to make it handle better, or should I just get a car that handles better?

Civics are always worth it

youtube.com/watch?v=BnQP95aVv04

Probably not. Generally the sky's the limit with Hondas thanks to the massive aftermarket, but it's hard to get good handling out of a FWD car that's nothing something more racing oriented like an Integra or Celica.

Yes, I'm aware that Civics have a very long history in the professional racing scene, but I assume this user is referring to something closer to a base model, not an Si, Type R, etc.

nissan nx 2000. probably a 240sx if you can find one that hasn't been mangled by drifter wannabes. first gen mr-2.
you might look into the subaru legacy b spec as well. I think it's over 5k but the handling should be great if you can find one. not many out there.

OP here so mr2 and 200sx are the only red good handling?

Why can't Toyota be that Chad anymore fuck...

E30's are ok, but not as great

I recently got a mr2 turbo and it is hands down one of the best handling cars I've ever driven. Don't believe the snap oversteer meme just don't drive like a jackass

>RX8
>350Z
>Miata
>MR2 (AW11 or ZZW30 Spyder)
>1990s Civics/Integras

is it worth it to you?

ZZW30 is the lightest and best handling of all three.

Also consider E30s

E36 328is since all sub 5k E36 M3s are junk now
Loling at these others like 200sx, fuck outta here that things a POS

rx7 FC and FD's start at like 20k in Australia. I would kill for an fd.

whats a cheap sti of any age worth in the states?

Blobeyes & Hawkeyes go for like 12-20 depending on how shit-good lol

ooga booga autralian detected

>bmw
>recommending a car to poorfags that they won’t be able to afford to maintain

>i-i-it's artificial handling
dear god

5th gen prelude was rated better handling than the Miata NB by car and driver (or maybe it was road and track - just google it)
back in the day.

Also the Ford contour SVT is a unicorn, but if you can find one it handles really well for a family sedan.

>can't afford or maintain a BMW
Fucking americans I swear. If you can afford to buy it, you can afford to maintain it. Depending on the part it's not that much more expensive than other brands. Drivetrain/steering-related? Roughly 10%-30% more expensive than a Golf. Is it some plastic vanity shit? That's what's expensive.

Honda Prelude with 4WS

it was car and driver and na miata
pretty infamous because people who did the test were probably retarded

For the love of god don't get the twin turbo, you'll hate your entire life forever.

5th gen prelude actually handles ok, but it's got a raft of problems i'd rather not deal with

NB miata kicks the NAs ass in terms of handling and stability.

C4 Corvette

Paid $3k for mine with 50k miles. No regrets.

>NB miata kicks the NAs ass in terms of handling and stability.

it's less twitchy
i guess that counts for better handling but that doesn't make it more fun and in the end you're still driving a slow shitbox, just more civilized
same thing with s2000 ap1 and ap2

MN12 THUNDERBIRD

Alright. Hear me out. My car handles like a fucking rally car. What is it? A fucking Mazda Protegé5. Any of the newer Protegés have that kind of handling, but the 5 is spacious and still light as hell. Just try one.

It's a lot better than the piece of shit FC in OPs pic lmao

Do you actually have one? Have you EVER driven one? Cause they were heavier than an Accord LOL

The ep3 civic si odyssey of course.

Mazda MX-3

Just buy some subframe connectors and you should be good.

If you drive a corolla around normally, a miata feels like it handles well in comparison.

If you drive a S2000 around normally, a miata feels like somebodies idea of a joke.

it's easy to tell you never had a chance to drive either of these cars
honda s2000 has the same "problems" miata does, you can't fool the physics
the shorter the wheelbase the more twitchy the car is going to be, you can negate it with wider wheels, different suspension and geometry setup but there is so much you can do with it
not to mention it's not even a problem for somebody skilled enough to control it, maybe someday you will learn how push these cars fast in the corners

t. somebody who actually driven every gen miata except nc, and both ap1 and ap2 s2k

Near 50/50 weight distribution, good chassis. Not a lot of power though.

As an AW11 (gen 1) owner, it is far and away the best handling car I've ever driven. Steering is heavy because it's a manual bar, but works very well with the car itself.

These aren't bad stock. Normally go for 2k. Get some good tires and springs and they will dance on a tight road.

They get even better with some half decent ksport or megan racing coilovers.

just picked up a 91s2. Not as good as my boxster imo, but still great.

>more space
>great handling
>under 5k

literally civic for 3k with a few repairs and suspension mods

whats the trans like on these?

I feel like that’s a bad representation because these cars are nowhere near stock.

The 5 speeds are ok, but the clutch is vague.

Ideally you'd swap in the close ratio 6 speed. But the 5 speed gets the job done if you're racing on tight road.

he wasn't asking for the best handling nip cars
He was asking for the best handling cars under 5k

undisputed champion of the 90s is a French car, funnily enough.

>e36 328 "IS"
spoken like somebody who doesn't actually own one lmao, the fuck is a 328is

yeah but every French car is irrelevant in America

what a horrifying thought
alright yeah keep your civics and shit

Cobalt SS

>but it's hard to get good handling out of a FWD car that's nothing something more racing oriented like an Integra or Celica.
Are you saying more racing oriented FWD cars like FWD Integras and FWD Celicas?

>hard to get good handling out of FWD
But how would you do it?

>but I assume this user is referring to something closer to a base model, not an Si, Type R, etc.
If I were just to get my hands on a base model Civic, Accord, or some other FWD economy road car (from the 1990s - early 2000s), how would I modify the car to make it handle better?

why do you think americans wont shut the fuck up about civics/integras

its the closest they have to a proper french hot hatch

if i could i'd be pushing a 205 gti 1.9 or a saxo vts but im american so closest i can do is a eg civic

if you think that french hatches are some holy grail of hot hatches then i recommend you should never meet your heroes

don't get me wrong, there are some cars like clio rs that are absurdly fun to drive but frenches don't have some super special secret, if you ever driven something like type r with k20 then trying a french hothatch won't be a jaw dropping experience, you'll find out these are "just" very good cars

haha jesus thats a fair bit