List: Top Ten $5K Rallycross Cars
Caption:
(Photo Credit: dancomden)
1984-1991 BMW 325ix
The Ultimate Driving Machine can thrive in the dirt if you let it. Often overlooked as a potential rally crosser, the 325ix offers 168 horsepower and all-wheel drive at about half of our $5000 price cap. Look hard enough and it’s even possible to find limited slip differential equipped vehicles, making a near-perfect amateur gravel racer.
Getting involved in rallycross racing doesn’t have to mean being part of a factory-backed team with piles of cash. The Sports Car Club of America offers rallycross racing at very little cost to participants. To get started here are ten cars that fit the bill for $5000 or less.
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Comments
Trinks
Good list, Jeremy! I'd like to add that the Sentra's bigger brother, the 93-97 Altima is a pretty good car in its own right. Independent rear suspension, 4-wheel discs on SE models, a torquey and essentially bulletproof 2.4L 16 valve 4 banger putting out 150 horsepower/ 155 ft-lbs torque, and prices dipping into the three digit range make it a pretty intriguing option, though its higher curb weight will neccesitate a drastic diet.
One comment about the DSM: The first-generation 4G63 was not quite as bulletproof as everyone thinks, suffering from crank walk and turbo longevity issues.
dhmellema@gmail.com
I have a 92 DSM 6 bolt car AWD with AEM EMS that runs on E85 and pump gas.
2 things about a 1g dsm
1. The 6 bolt motors don't crank walk that was a 7bolt motor problem up until the last year for the 2g.
2. Is the 14B turbo does not have longevity issues. I got 190,000 miles out of mine and at that point i swapped it for a bigger turbo. We put my old turbo on a different car and it is still running.
rallyspeed
Great article, but there are a few budget rally car that were left out and are definitely worth the mentions. The early 90's Audi Couple Quattro can be had for less than 5K and offers quattro allwheel drive mated to a versatile 5 cylinder motor. The venerable Volkswagen Golf is another sturdy challenger. And let's not forget the rear wheel drive challenger from Sweden, Volvo's tank-like 240 Turbo
godzilla_juice
How come the car that actually won the Driver's World Championship in the WRC in 1990 and 1992 isn't on this list? The Celica Alltrac has a 2.0 liter intercooled turbo motor, 4wd, and 4 wheel disk brakes. Not sure what they are going for these days but I'm sure you can pick up an ST165 for less then $5k.
godzilla_juice
How come the car that actually won the Driver's World Championship in the WRC in 1990 and 1992 isn't on this list? The Celica Alltrac has a 2.0 liter intercooled turbo motor, 4wd, and 4 wheel disk brakes. Not sure what they are going for these days but I'm sure you can pick up an ST165 for less then $5k.
godzilla_juice
How come the car that actually won the Driver's World Championship in the WRC in 1990 and 1992 isn't on this list? The Celica Alltrac has a 2.0 liter intercooled turbo motor, 4wd, and 4 wheel disk brakes. Not sure what they are going for these days but I'm sure you can pick up an ST165 for less then $5k.
stoke
The GM/GC Impreza 2.5RS was only available from 1998 to 2001, offered as a coupe only for the first two years and either a coupe or sedan after that. 1993-2001 are the production years for the first-gen Impreza.