Time to start thinking about a 4 door

Filed under:

So last year I bought a Rousch Ford Focus. Primarily my older daughter loved it and I wanted to give this to her this coming year when she turns 16. Well after much thought and dialogue with my wife, I agree its not such a good idea. She needs a cheap car to bang around and learn the ropes not a $20K car to demolish and have me upset at her for lack of cautiousness and care. I’ve started looking around for a four door I can live with that will keep me happy for a while. I have rarely owned a car over two years but as I’ve been getting older I really care less and less about having the latest and greatest car. My dad was a mechanic, and I absolutely am a gear head. I work on all my cars myself and love tinkering with them. I felt several years ago that I had nitrous in my veins, it just seemed natural to want to go the race track on weekends and spend the night racing. Lately with the fam that has vanished, but the want to have a high performing car has not escaped me. I grew up watching my dad work on cars, building race cars, owning hot rod camaro’s and I tell you I just cant do it. This last Focus has probably been one of the most fun cars I’ve owned. I love its handling (after the suspension kit I installed) and I love the looks (except for it being egg yolk yellow). It’s time to move on though, the two doors are just a modern form of a torture device. People cant get in and out easily, I have to scoot my seat up for people to get in and then fiddle around for minutes trying to find that ‘perfect’ seat position. It really sucks, and I am too old to fart around with that every single day. I’d like to at least have room to take most of my extended family out, its just not possible in this beast. Since I have been yearning for that performance edge and the 4 door, I’ve been contemplating the following car models. Before I say which ones they are, here is my criteria:
1. They need to be available in a passive color, such as black or grey.
2. They need to have four doors.
3. They need to have a bench seat in the back and not 2 bucket seats.
4. They need to be able to at least run 13’s in the 1/4 mile, why, dont ask, just cause, I told you I’m a gear head.
5. They need to impress me and put a smile on my face when I step on the gas.
6. I need to get a used one for under $26K, I’m not going head first into a car anymore, like I did with my old BMW M3.
Now that I’ve narrowed it down, I have a couple of choices. Used Audi S4 (V6 TT version), Subaru WRX Sti (2003-2004), Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII (2003-2004), MazdaSpeed 6 (not yet released here). I’ve looked around for used E36 BMW M3 four doors but they all have high miles, I cant handle the shop costs on that, my primary choice is the evo (Mitsubishi Evolution), I’ve found some really good ones on ebay, I just have to make up my mind in the next couple of months (by Christmas) and buy it, I cant wait to switch to something I can actually use effectively.

Tags: