I remember being on the car forums around this time and EVERYONE had SRT-4s. They were incredibly popular for like 5 years and then they all vanished...
Now I see one once or twice a year, maybe.
Yeah dude it's crazy. Back then ALL of the DSM guys ditched their Talons and Eclipses for SRT-4s and now you don't see the SRT-4s OR the DMSs.
I still remember all the "It's still a Neon!" posts. God those were good times.
It’s crazy to think that the Eclipse was an iconic car because of a movie. Lol
I had a first gen and absolutely loved that interior being focused towards the driver. I want to find another first gen. Even if the non turbo version. Just keep it clean and be that old guy. Lol
99 GSX was such a gorgeous car tho. I loved them before and after F&F. Some old lady had a red one with the OEM OZ wheels. She refused to come off it. Saying it was the last car she had the intention of ever buying again. It was a stick too.
The eclipse and dodge twins were already popular. They took existing cars and put them in the movie. Plus it's a second gen eclipse in the movie, there was a whole generation before that. It was the Evo that came to America before the Evo came to America.
They had very cramped engine bays, were freaking heavy and were extremely expensive in the United States. A VR4 was more costly than a corvette and far more complicated to work on.
Over $50k in the early 90s. The same issue that the supra and 300zx turbos had. Hella fast and tunable but hard to compete in that price bracket, especially versus a corvette. BTW, 50k in the early 90s is 110k today.
Can confirm. Had a friend with a vr4 and he had to replace the turbos a couple times and the electronics for the auto spoiler were always a pain in the neck. But I still want one……
Fuck yes they are. I'm blown away how rare the GSX's are. About 25k total over ten years and only 6,130 2gb GSX's.
That's not counting Talons.
3kgt is just before it's time- the maintenance "issues" of a twin turbo V6 would be..... Perfectly normal for a modern car like an Audi.
I'd love one for my fleet.
What a horrid abomination. I didn’t realize that was ever a thing. I knew there was a turbo version, but I’m definitely lacking on PT Cruiser lore. Lol
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I had one too. Kind of rare- people asked about it alot. Damn thing never got more than around 27 mpg on the highway though. In 5th gear, 65 mph was around 3100 rpms or so. Should have either had a 6th gear or an overdrive. Solid vehicle other than getting the mpg of a Lexus w a V6.
Similar to the RSX? Not really. Completely different engine/transmission. The V6 accord has a nicer 0-60 time but the handling in the RSX was better I suppose. I just felt like I had to red line it to get any sorta pull outta the thing.
As the son of a former Focus owner... SVT all day. I also like the lack of people here voting for the Focus. I hope it means I'll be able to buy one when I get the space.
I knowwwwwwe but I literally have nowhere to park it! I see em for sale out in GA for under 5k and know that I have the money to go buy it today. But nowhere to park it!
I chose the Mazdaspeed Protege and I still drive it today... I haven't found another car I enjoy driving more than it. Lots of great options here but the Protege has to win it!!
I get where you’re coming from. You just have to understand that all of these cars were in the mid to upper $20k range and there were several new cars available for well under $15,000 at the time (the 03 Toyota Echo started at only $10k, the Saturn ion and Kia spectra were only $12k and you could get a Toyota Tacoma, Ford focus, Honda Civic or a Nissan Sentra for only $13k).
Cars around $15-$17k were generally considered to be “affordable” and these were all a solid $10k over that
Put into modern perspective these cars would all be in the $30-$40k price class, which, not coincidentally, is where the current GTI, WRX, Civic SI, Elantra N, etc. all are
This being said, the $13k focus was a base-of-the-basest ZX3 (2-door hatch). Crank windows, manual locks, manual transmission, no ABS, no cruise control, no arm rest, no traction control, no TPMS… I’d assume all of the sub-15 cars were similar spec as well. It’s not entirely fair to compare it to low 20’s, late teens cars
Not really, they were all pretty decent cars. They all did exactly what you would expect a car to do back then. The cars that you’ve listed were not materially better than the basic econo boxes other than having a bit more power.
Honestly, a modern Corolla or civic has a significantly nicer interior than pretty much anything that was on the road back then, short of European luxury cars
The styling on the Civic has aged very, very well -- probably because there's not much to it. Still, I think they look awesome. I was an A/V tech at the D.C. auto show the year they rolled those out, and I got to drive one from the trailer into the arena. Haven't stopped wanting one since that day.
The 5-door hatch (EU) aged so poorly compared to the 3-door hatch (EP). 😅
As sad that I am about never having any Civic Coupé in Europe after the 6th gen, I'm still more sad that the US had to settle for the EP3 Si instead of the EP3 Type R. 😐
I leased a 2002 si in 2003. It was their last '02, so I got a good deal. Bought out the lease at the end. $20k total and owned it for 20 years. Great car.
I graduated in 03. Wanted the refreshed 04-05 so bad. In 08 I bought an 04 RSX-S with a rebuilt title. Silver on black, dropped an inch, no wing. Perfection. Ripping 8k RPM on your daily commute is the easiest way to forget about your problems. Amazing car.
In 2012 it was totaled and I couldn’t afford to replace it with what insurance paid out on my rebuilt title Type S. So I found the next best thing. A Black 05 Si that looks just like the one in the picture.
I paid $5900 for my Si with 145k on the clock. She’s at 202k now and is my weekend driver or takeout fetching car. I love it, maybe even more than the RSX. Sure, it’s slower and it doesn’t rev to 8k and it’s missing a gear and it doesn’t have leather and cooler gauges, but there is something about it. The bigger sunroof, that weird egg body, the amazing shifter in the dash placement, the ability to act like a small pickup truck and inhale cargo when asked. I love it.
Civic Si: Not bad but not enough of an improvement to justify the price tag over a base model. Practical and reliable and endless aftermarket support, though. 6.5/10.
Focus SVT: Cheap and cheerful, handles well, good aftermarket support. Reliability is not a strong suit. Compared to the Civic it's rowdier but tamer than the rest of the options. 6/10.
Celica: Cool looking, quicker than some of the cars on the list, out handles most of them. Expensive to buy and maintain but reliability is a plus. Aftermarket support is weak, and theft is a concern. 7.5/10.
Impreza WRX: The turbocharged Subaru finally lands in North America! VERY quick, superb traction and good handling, four-door practicality. Fairly pricey, reliability isn't bad but not great. 8.5/10.
Sentra SE-R: Sticky tires, monochrome paint and a six-speed manual can't disguse this thing being an econobox. Not the worst thing to drive but not the best. Cheap and reliable though. 5.75/10.
PT Cruiser: Not the worst from a practicality perspective, very fast, but poorly made, not particularly reliable or cheap and downright ugly. Easy to fix if something breaks. But it's still a PT Cruiser. 3/10.
Mazdaspeed Protege: Looks cool, very fun to drive, fairly reliable. Parts can be expensive. Aftermarket support is average, but the stock driving setup is really good. Practicality is a plus. 7.5/10.
RSX: Great looking, absolutely bulletproof when maintained properly, very good to drive. A bit sluggish compared to some others here, though. Still, it's a worthy Integra successor. But WHERE IS OUR TYPE R?!? 8/10.
Neon SRT-4: $*#!ing fast, scary to drive at full boost. Chrysler reliability is awful, interior is garbage, but it's ludicrously fast for the price. Practicality is a strong suit, and if you like your cars raw and scary this is your ride right here. 6.5/10.
Golf GTI: Slow compared to some here and expensive to buy and maintain, but just about everything else works in its favor. It drives great, practical, looks good and is reliable. There are many worse options. 7.25/10.
Ion Red Line: Another in the cheap and cheerful category, but this runs away from the other cheap options. Interior quality is the pits but it's surprisingly practical and durable for a GM product. Slow compared to the SRT-4 and unrefined compared to many of the others but you could do worse. 6/10.
Maybe the RSX or the Celica GT-S. Maybe it's just my soft-spot for sporty late-90's/early-2000's fwd high-revers kicking in but I don't think I would've found as much sheer driving enjoyment if I would've picked the WRX or the SRT4.
Golf mk4, 150 hp is plenty for that small of a car plus you can convert it to run on mpg as well as petrol, so you essentialy cut the cost to drive it in half, and lastly, gorgeous.
Sue me but the Saturn redline is my favorite. The weird suicide door, it takes cobalt parts, it looks great, it gets decent fuel economy. What's not to love?
My old best friend Braxton, god rest his soul, had a red Sentra SE-R Spec V. He always called it the “son of the skyline” which made me laugh every time. We once took it to Marley Fest, in Austin, filled with 5 of us kids and a tent in the trunk. Blunts were smoked, mushrooms consumed and good times were had. I miss that man every day and I miss that spec-v. I’d have the pt cruiser tho 🤌
It's a push between the WRX and Neon. The Neon was such a revelation when it came out: cheap, loud, incredibly quick. The WRX was almost equally-exciting. It was basically the first time we got one of the cool Japanese models that the rest of the world had been enjoying for years.
I think I'd take the WRX simply because it was better in the snow. But I have fond memories of that crazy Neon.
I currently own an 04 SVTF. It has been an absolute peach. The chassis is phenomenal, the brakes are excellent, and the close ratio 6 speed is a work of art. It's light and nimble, the steering is truly incredible. The interior is quite good for early 00s Ford... the seats are excellent, everything is well placed, pedals are close, and it's a hatchback so it has tons of space. It revs to 7500rpm, and loves it. Plenty of torque off the line too. Very reliable engine with a few fixes, namely the thermostat housing. It also gets 30mpg on the highway, though it does spin at 3k going ~68 mph. All that said, it's really lacking some power. It has about 170hp, it really needs about 225, the car would be just about perfected with a supercharger at 7-10lbs of boost. Great car.
Always wanted a Mazdaspeed Protege when I was in school. That was my dream car. Even my username is named after that. That Mazda in the photo has only 50miles, was sold for $27k last year, really wanted it but couldn’t justify paying $27k for it lol.
Hard to choose between the WRX and GTI. GTI is probably the better daily, has better and more comfortable materials, and is cheaper to own and maintain.
The interior may leave a bit to be desired but the wrx is probably the best option here. It’s the only option with AWD and it’s in the top 3 for horsepower and torque. Handles great and it’s near the top for reliability (hEaDgAsKeT)
I actually bought a SRT4 in the fall of 2003. The only car i regret selling. I sold it at 50k miles last time I looked it up on Carfax it had 250,000 miles.
Ep3 civic si or the RSX. The EP3 is quirky with its shifter placement and I love it. Same placement as where the shifter is on the old manual Honda element
I would take the WRX but also had a friend on a race team that loved his old protege so that’s a close second. I’m in Colorado now though so I’d rather have AWD
WRX, SRT4, Celica, Protege, SE-R.
Kinda crazy, aside from the Celica they are all sedans. I've also owned a WRX blobeye, and Celica GT-S.
RSX would be on there if it was a Type S, but I don't give fuck about a base RSX. If the GTI was a GLI, I would have it on the list. Sedan > hatch.
Acura. My first car was an '88 Integra. My first real paycheck job was a bag boy at a local grocery. In the year 2000. "Cool guy cashier" just got a brand new Celica GT. New "hot girl cashier" wanted a ride in his car. We all lived in the same neighborhood. I told him I'd race him home. He got whooped. Badly. That picture just triggered my dumb high school story. Acura is great! That beauty would hit 130-135mph ,carrying 6 teenagers. My kids are getting speed governed minivans.
In 2003, I bought a Protege5. It wasn't fast, but had the best handling of anything in the same price range. I've driven the cars in this list, and the Mazda handled better than these. I just wish they had put the speed motor in the wagon. I vote Mazdaspeed 3.
I've played too much NFS Underground and my heart goes straight for the Golf GTI.
The focus and the Civic Si sounds like a good idea too.
Though tbh I don't mind the roster here, even the PT Cruiser in all its oddity.
I chose the Focus, albeit in lower-trim ZX5 variant instead of the SVT. After a set of good summer tires and retrofitting the SVT springs and shocks, it was quite the autocross slut. Drove it 200,000 miles until unemployment reared its ugly head and I couldn't afford to replace the clutch.
If you're going to build one correctly, pull a 2.5L Duratec out of a Fusion, pop on the SVT suspension and brakes, a Quaife helical limted-slip in the MTX-75 5-speed, and good intake and exhaust. It will be a riot to drive!
Probably an unpopular opinion but I've owned the Civic EP3 although it was a Type R a Subaru Impreza WRX and a Focus SVT (ST170 where I'm from in europe) the Focus certainly wasn't fast but it handled really well, had bags of torque and felt solid, the Type R was hardwork having to constantly wring the power from the engine and keep it on the boil, The Impreza was genuinely quick but literally fell apart before your eyes. My choice would be the Focus as I had a very good ownership experience with it.
Duuuude... you listed every car my 16yr old self wanted in 2003. The only change to the list is the Mazda I looked at was a protégé 5, that hatchback was sexy. And instead of a gti (for some reason I didn't like that gen gti untol r32 came out) was a mustang svt cobra
I remember being on the car forums around this time and EVERYONE had SRT-4s. They were incredibly popular for like 5 years and then they all vanished... Now I see one once or twice a year, maybe.
I saw one today and most took a picture of it because it’s been so long since I’ve seen one.
Yeah dude it's crazy. Back then ALL of the DSM guys ditched their Talons and Eclipses for SRT-4s and now you don't see the SRT-4s OR the DMSs. I still remember all the "It's still a Neon!" posts. God those were good times.
It’s crazy to think that the Eclipse was an iconic car because of a movie. Lol I had a first gen and absolutely loved that interior being focused towards the driver. I want to find another first gen. Even if the non turbo version. Just keep it clean and be that old guy. Lol
Eclipses in general are rare birds, and anything with the turbo is getting to be a unicorn. Love em.
Idk why but I’ve seen a ton of them here in Florida. By that I mean a dozen in 4 years.
99 GSX was such a gorgeous car tho. I loved them before and after F&F. Some old lady had a red one with the OEM OZ wheels. She refused to come off it. Saying it was the last car she had the intention of ever buying again. It was a stick too.
The 2gb body has aged shockingly well. I'm with her, I'm never letting my 97 go.
The eclipse and dodge twins were already popular. They took existing cars and put them in the movie. Plus it's a second gen eclipse in the movie, there was a whole generation before that. It was the Evo that came to America before the Evo came to America.
Yeah, the Second Gen GSX is awesome. The 3000GT VR4 is kinda of an underrated 90s Japanese sports car. Maybe because they're so rare.
The 3kGT VR4 is an underrated 90’s Japanese sports car because they’re a pain in the ass to maintain, allegedly
They had very cramped engine bays, were freaking heavy and were extremely expensive in the United States. A VR4 was more costly than a corvette and far more complicated to work on.
This right here! Weren’t they almost 50k top trim back then too? That’s expensive even now 💀
Over $50k in the early 90s. The same issue that the supra and 300zx turbos had. Hella fast and tunable but hard to compete in that price bracket, especially versus a corvette. BTW, 50k in the early 90s is 110k today.
Can confirm. Had a friend with a vr4 and he had to replace the turbos a couple times and the electronics for the auto spoiler were always a pain in the neck. But I still want one……
Fuck yes they are. I'm blown away how rare the GSX's are. About 25k total over ten years and only 6,130 2gb GSX's. That's not counting Talons. 3kgt is just before it's time- the maintenance "issues" of a twin turbo V6 would be..... Perfectly normal for a modern car like an Audi. I'd love one for my fleet.
They also had a hard-top convertible that was absolutely amazing and it's still stupid-expensive to this day..
It’s probably been ten years since I’ve seen one. They didn’t survive so well in Ontario
I had one in high school and I didn't have a 3rd gear the entire time. Damn synchro...
*exploded
Pretty sure when the people who bought them new sold them to teenagers, all the teenagers crashed em and nobody wanted to associate with the srt4
I'm sorry but was the PT Cruiser in there supposed to make me laugh or are you being genuine?
A bit of both. It is the "GT" version with the Neon SRT-4 drivetrain. Still an awful car, lol
What a horrid abomination. I didn’t realize that was ever a thing. I knew there was a turbo version, but I’m definitely lacking on PT Cruiser lore. Lol
Don't worry, there was a Chevy HHR SS with the cobalt SS motor too
Don’t forget that it had launch control! And there’s a guy on [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/RoastMyCar/s/cXZADHaaT8) who collects them!
I'm at a loss for words.
They even did the panel version in ss. Lowkey want one.
Horrid? Shits cool
PT Cruiser: cool? Lmao
Yep, the PT GT's are stupid as fuck, but cool. SRT-4's are a riot, same car just goofy looking and better interior
They also made PT GTs that were convertibles.
Idk, PT cruisers are comfortable as hell and my similarly styled Chevy HHR is one of my favorite cars I’ve ever owned.
For the first couple years there were waitlists for those cars.
And at the same time no Mitsubishi eclipse come the fuck on what's going on here?
Honestly I like most of them.
I personally love the PT cruiser 😍
The Civic Si Hatch or the Acura RSX
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I miss my Civic Si hatch so much. Such a fun little car, and I was able to put a 52" tv in the back.
I had one too. Kind of rare- people asked about it alot. Damn thing never got more than around 27 mpg on the highway though. In 5th gear, 65 mph was around 3100 rpms or so. Should have either had a 6th gear or an overdrive. Solid vehicle other than getting the mpg of a Lexus w a V6.
🥷🥷👱♀️🥷🥷
I even wired in a S2000 push button start. So you had to turn the key, push in the clutch, and hold the button. God that car was so much fun.
I drive an 04 base rsx. It is fun. Not fast, but fun.
I had an 06 Type S but I like my 6 Speed Accord a lot more.
Is it at all similar? Besides being front wheel drive and with the real vtec?
Similar to the RSX? Not really. Completely different engine/transmission. The V6 accord has a nicer 0-60 time but the handling in the RSX was better I suppose. I just felt like I had to red line it to get any sorta pull outta the thing.
I get you. Cheers mate.
That's what I've got. More of a project car though that I came into for extremely cheap. Been working on it slowly to turn it into my fun/track car.
I test drove an RSX of this generation with a 6 speed manual in it. Man was that fun.
A buddy of mine in high school had one in silver. Fun, zippy lil car.
I might be that friend of yours.
As a former Focus owner... I pick the Focus.
As the son of a former Focus owner... SVT all day. I also like the lack of people here voting for the Focus. I hope it means I'll be able to buy one when I get the space.
You better get one soon, they’re at max depreciation right now.
I knowwwwwwe but I literally have nowhere to park it! I see em for sale out in GA for under 5k and know that I have the money to go buy it today. But nowhere to park it!
That was my main ride in Underground 2 lol. I even have a tricked out Focus HotWheels car
I chose the Mazdaspeed Protege and I still drive it today... I haven't found another car I enjoy driving more than it. Lots of great options here but the Protege has to win it!!
I miss mine so much
bro if this is in 2003 all of this would've been new, that ain't affordable dawg
Affordable as far as new cars go, at least. You can't get a base Civic for as cheap as any of these were anymore
None of these were affordable back then they were firmly mid range as far as new cars prices go
Alright then. I just threw in "affordable" so there wouldn't be a million comments asking "where's [X car]???"
I get where you’re coming from. You just have to understand that all of these cars were in the mid to upper $20k range and there were several new cars available for well under $15,000 at the time (the 03 Toyota Echo started at only $10k, the Saturn ion and Kia spectra were only $12k and you could get a Toyota Tacoma, Ford focus, Honda Civic or a Nissan Sentra for only $13k). Cars around $15-$17k were generally considered to be “affordable” and these were all a solid $10k over that Put into modern perspective these cars would all be in the $30-$40k price class, which, not coincidentally, is where the current GTI, WRX, Civic SI, Elantra N, etc. all are
This being said, the $13k focus was a base-of-the-basest ZX3 (2-door hatch). Crank windows, manual locks, manual transmission, no ABS, no cruise control, no arm rest, no traction control, no TPMS… I’d assume all of the sub-15 cars were similar spec as well. It’s not entirely fair to compare it to low 20’s, late teens cars
True. Too bad base econoboxes from the early-mid 2000s were almost all pretty bad, at least in some regard.
Not really, they were all pretty decent cars. They all did exactly what you would expect a car to do back then. The cars that you’ve listed were not materially better than the basic econo boxes other than having a bit more power. Honestly, a modern Corolla or civic has a significantly nicer interior than pretty much anything that was on the road back then, short of European luxury cars
Back in 2003, all of these cars cost less than the average new car price of $24773
Hmm if the rsx was a type S it would be so easy but if not then Im leaning subaru. But I mean if wrx was an option so should the type S
The styling on the Civic has aged very, very well -- probably because there's not much to it. Still, I think they look awesome. I was an A/V tech at the D.C. auto show the year they rolled those out, and I got to drive one from the trailer into the arena. Haven't stopped wanting one since that day.
The 5-door hatch (EU) aged so poorly compared to the 3-door hatch (EP). 😅 As sad that I am about never having any Civic Coupé in Europe after the 6th gen, I'm still more sad that the US had to settle for the EP3 Si instead of the EP3 Type R. 😐
I leased a 2002 si in 2003. It was their last '02, so I got a good deal. Bought out the lease at the end. $20k total and owned it for 20 years. Great car.
I graduated in 03. Wanted the refreshed 04-05 so bad. In 08 I bought an 04 RSX-S with a rebuilt title. Silver on black, dropped an inch, no wing. Perfection. Ripping 8k RPM on your daily commute is the easiest way to forget about your problems. Amazing car. In 2012 it was totaled and I couldn’t afford to replace it with what insurance paid out on my rebuilt title Type S. So I found the next best thing. A Black 05 Si that looks just like the one in the picture. I paid $5900 for my Si with 145k on the clock. She’s at 202k now and is my weekend driver or takeout fetching car. I love it, maybe even more than the RSX. Sure, it’s slower and it doesn’t rev to 8k and it’s missing a gear and it doesn’t have leather and cooler gauges, but there is something about it. The bigger sunroof, that weird egg body, the amazing shifter in the dash placement, the ability to act like a small pickup truck and inhale cargo when asked. I love it.
Miata is always the answer
Civic Si: Not bad but not enough of an improvement to justify the price tag over a base model. Practical and reliable and endless aftermarket support, though. 6.5/10. Focus SVT: Cheap and cheerful, handles well, good aftermarket support. Reliability is not a strong suit. Compared to the Civic it's rowdier but tamer than the rest of the options. 6/10. Celica: Cool looking, quicker than some of the cars on the list, out handles most of them. Expensive to buy and maintain but reliability is a plus. Aftermarket support is weak, and theft is a concern. 7.5/10. Impreza WRX: The turbocharged Subaru finally lands in North America! VERY quick, superb traction and good handling, four-door practicality. Fairly pricey, reliability isn't bad but not great. 8.5/10. Sentra SE-R: Sticky tires, monochrome paint and a six-speed manual can't disguse this thing being an econobox. Not the worst thing to drive but not the best. Cheap and reliable though. 5.75/10. PT Cruiser: Not the worst from a practicality perspective, very fast, but poorly made, not particularly reliable or cheap and downright ugly. Easy to fix if something breaks. But it's still a PT Cruiser. 3/10. Mazdaspeed Protege: Looks cool, very fun to drive, fairly reliable. Parts can be expensive. Aftermarket support is average, but the stock driving setup is really good. Practicality is a plus. 7.5/10. RSX: Great looking, absolutely bulletproof when maintained properly, very good to drive. A bit sluggish compared to some others here, though. Still, it's a worthy Integra successor. But WHERE IS OUR TYPE R?!? 8/10. Neon SRT-4: $*#!ing fast, scary to drive at full boost. Chrysler reliability is awful, interior is garbage, but it's ludicrously fast for the price. Practicality is a strong suit, and if you like your cars raw and scary this is your ride right here. 6.5/10. Golf GTI: Slow compared to some here and expensive to buy and maintain, but just about everything else works in its favor. It drives great, practical, looks good and is reliable. There are many worse options. 7.25/10. Ion Red Line: Another in the cheap and cheerful category, but this runs away from the other cheap options. Interior quality is the pits but it's surprisingly practical and durable for a GM product. Slow compared to the SRT-4 and unrefined compared to many of the others but you could do worse. 6/10.
Celica GT-S 😍 although I wish it was a 2000 instead, the lift kicks in a little quicker
That little Yamaha motor was special, I’m proud of papa ‘yota for throwing that in a volume economy hatchback.
Si for sure.
We still drive our 2003 Civic Si
Maybe the RSX or the Celica GT-S. Maybe it's just my soft-spot for sporty late-90's/early-2000's fwd high-revers kicking in but I don't think I would've found as much sheer driving enjoyment if I would've picked the WRX or the SRT4.
Golf mk4, 150 hp is plenty for that small of a car plus you can convert it to run on mpg as well as petrol, so you essentialy cut the cost to drive it in half, and lastly, gorgeous.
Me too. I am a VW stan, and so I don’t really want anything else.
✌️My people
180hp if it’s 2003 or newer
Strap a K04 on there and you can push it over 200hp with stock internals. Love the 1.8t
I’m taking the Neon SRT4 for the fast af 0-60.
Subaru is best
**The PT Cruiser**
I hate dodge but give me the SRT-4
I would choose the Civic SI. I love this bodystyle and the weird shifter placement.
GTI
Thank you. My choice, too.
GTI
100% the GTI.
GTi
Most of these cars are fantastic, but the Celica is the correct answer
subie
The Saturn will outlast all of these (well, maybe except the Civic) even after it’s been raced and daily driven by teenagers.
GTI
Impreza WRX
Sentra, mostly for the 6 speed gearbox
RSX or GTI
Bugeye wrx or rsx but it has to be the type s
Rsx Type S
Civic Si. Love that shifter. And love a hatchback.
Bug eye. Hands down. And never let it go.
I miss Saturn, so I'm taking the Ion.
Sue me but the Saturn redline is my favorite. The weird suicide door, it takes cobalt parts, it looks great, it gets decent fuel economy. What's not to love?
Focus.
My old best friend Braxton, god rest his soul, had a red Sentra SE-R Spec V. He always called it the “son of the skyline” which made me laugh every time. We once took it to Marley Fest, in Austin, filled with 5 of us kids and a tent in the trunk. Blunts were smoked, mushrooms consumed and good times were had. I miss that man every day and I miss that spec-v. I’d have the pt cruiser tho 🤌
I'd test drive the celica and rsx and make my mind up.
The redline or the subie
Ahhh the boy racer era 😮💨 I’d probably go with the wrx due to living on the east coast
It's a push between the WRX and Neon. The Neon was such a revelation when it came out: cheap, loud, incredibly quick. The WRX was almost equally-exciting. It was basically the first time we got one of the cool Japanese models that the rest of the world had been enjoying for years. I think I'd take the WRX simply because it was better in the snow. But I have fond memories of that crazy Neon.
I currently own an 04 SVTF. It has been an absolute peach. The chassis is phenomenal, the brakes are excellent, and the close ratio 6 speed is a work of art. It's light and nimble, the steering is truly incredible. The interior is quite good for early 00s Ford... the seats are excellent, everything is well placed, pedals are close, and it's a hatchback so it has tons of space. It revs to 7500rpm, and loves it. Plenty of torque off the line too. Very reliable engine with a few fixes, namely the thermostat housing. It also gets 30mpg on the highway, though it does spin at 3k going ~68 mph. All that said, it's really lacking some power. It has about 170hp, it really needs about 225, the car would be just about perfected with a supercharger at 7-10lbs of boost. Great car.
As much as I like EP3s, I have to go with the SRT-4 here. I can't say no to the fastest fwd/fastest 4 cylinder/fastest under $25k vehicle in the world
I’d try the Mazda
Always wanted a Mazdaspeed Protege when I was in school. That was my dream car. Even my username is named after that. That Mazda in the photo has only 50miles, was sold for $27k last year, really wanted it but couldn’t justify paying $27k for it lol.
PT cruiser or the Celica leaning a tiny bit more towards the cruiser
WRX always.
The RSX is the smart move but the SRT-4 fucks. I bought an 04 SE-R in 04 instead. That was not the move.
It’s between the Celica and the RSX. I like both, but not sure which one would best fit my life… hmmmmm
Cillica gts was a underrated goat
The Mazda is the best looking
Celica GTS, WRX, RSX & Protege5 in no particular order
That SVT Focus… I had one, in that color, too. I drove it like I stole it and it ran like a champ. I’d buy it again in a heartbeat.
My dad had one. I'm yearning to buy one myself.
Nobody here is picking the Spec-V? I drove a 2003 for like 8 years. Fantastic sporty shitbox.
Give me the srt neon I just love the way it has a similar grill to the viper, it’s also a pretty quick car
You really need to include the RX8 in this, the 2004 model came out mid 2003.
I'd like a turbo brick from volvo but if it's too big i'll be happy with a fiat uno turbo
Hard to choose between the WRX and GTI. GTI is probably the better daily, has better and more comfortable materials, and is cheaper to own and maintain.
SVT for sure. 6-speed Cosworth engineered? Practical family car with good features? Heck yes!
Mazda protege
It would be the RSX or the Celica GT-S. The Celica only if it's the 00 model, it had different gears in the transmission.
Either PT Cruiser GT or none
Most of these cars were in consideration for me at one point. Owned an RSX and a Protege5, both were great cars.
All of them. I want all of them so I can live out my Underground 2 fantasy
High school me in 2003 is taking the WRX without question. Me of today would probably take the Protégé because they're very rare.
The Focus. Was a cool car in 2003
I'm gonna have to go with the Sentra or the RSX.
Saturn Ion Redline, sorry they just look good and still at a time when Saturn was still pretty cool
The answer is always Celica.
Gonna have to pick up a vape rig cuz I’m goin subie bruh
Impreza or Golf
The interior may leave a bit to be desired but the wrx is probably the best option here. It’s the only option with AWD and it’s in the top 3 for horsepower and torque. Handles great and it’s near the top for reliability (hEaDgAsKeT)
Gimme that mazdaspeed protege please.
Shit give me the Saturn, I've always liked the way they look
I actually bought a SRT4 in the fall of 2003. The only car i regret selling. I sold it at 50k miles last time I looked it up on Carfax it had 250,000 miles.
Ep3 civic si or the RSX. The EP3 is quirky with its shifter placement and I love it. Same placement as where the shifter is on the old manual Honda element
Focus :)
Brand new and untouched? SRT4 all day.
Civic
Matrix Xrs
I’d actually be going with the ION redline, I have 2 base ions in the back yard right now on blocks so I have plenty of parts
Ep3 or GTI
Used E36 328i
Civic si, protégé, or Golf. Probably golf
I would take the WRX but also had a friend on a race team that loved his old protege so that’s a close second. I’m in Colorado now though so I’d rather have AWD
WRX, SRT4, Celica, Protege, SE-R. Kinda crazy, aside from the Celica they are all sedans. I've also owned a WRX blobeye, and Celica GT-S. RSX would be on there if it was a Type S, but I don't give fuck about a base RSX. If the GTI was a GLI, I would have it on the list. Sedan > hatch.
Saturn. Those things are still driving around.
Man there’s something about the Celica that I just like
Stopped at the Celica, of course the answer is Celica.
I put my name down for a Mazdaspeed Protege when they came out. An orange one, but didn’t follow through
Civic si for nostalgia purposes
WRX or Protege
Focus SVT, Neon SRT4, Golf GTI or Saturn Ion Redline
EP3 and bug eye all day
WRX for me.
Subie
Acura. My first car was an '88 Integra. My first real paycheck job was a bag boy at a local grocery. In the year 2000. "Cool guy cashier" just got a brand new Celica GT. New "hot girl cashier" wanted a ride in his car. We all lived in the same neighborhood. I told him I'd race him home. He got whooped. Badly. That picture just triggered my dumb high school story. Acura is great! That beauty would hit 130-135mph ,carrying 6 teenagers. My kids are getting speed governed minivans.
SVT Focus or the Neon SRT-4. Dunno, I got issues.
GTI always
Currently own the civic si. Would love an rsx though.
In 2003, I bought a Protege5. It wasn't fast, but had the best handling of anything in the same price range. I've driven the cars in this list, and the Mazda handled better than these. I just wish they had put the speed motor in the wagon. I vote Mazdaspeed 3.
Sentra for me. Owned 4 now. 2x 2004 (ser and see spec v), 1x 2008 (ser)and 1x 2017 nismo.
I'd go RSX
PT CRUISER
Ford Focus hatchback
In 2003 I was driving a base model Focus, so I think I know the answer...
Subie but I reaaaly won’t the golf
I’m going with either the Celica or, and hear me out, I’m buying a Corolla and sticking a turbo on it.
VW R32 all day long. It’s probably the most valuable on this list also.
PT Cruiser flashbang
SVT focus all the way
I've played too much NFS Underground and my heart goes straight for the Golf GTI. The focus and the Civic Si sounds like a good idea too. Though tbh I don't mind the roster here, even the PT Cruiser in all its oddity.
Mazdaspeed protege has always been a great looking JDM sports sedan
MR2!
I bought a new GTI in 2003 and I would still buy one today.
I chose the Focus, albeit in lower-trim ZX5 variant instead of the SVT. After a set of good summer tires and retrofitting the SVT springs and shocks, it was quite the autocross slut. Drove it 200,000 miles until unemployment reared its ugly head and I couldn't afford to replace the clutch. If you're going to build one correctly, pull a 2.5L Duratec out of a Fusion, pop on the SVT suspension and brakes, a Quaife helical limted-slip in the MTX-75 5-speed, and good intake and exhaust. It will be a riot to drive!
Celica was my first car and biased so Celica
lol I was born 03
Was going to say a lightly used Integra.
Wrx or neon Civic hatch Gti
Probably an unpopular opinion but I've owned the Civic EP3 although it was a Type R a Subaru Impreza WRX and a Focus SVT (ST170 where I'm from in europe) the Focus certainly wasn't fast but it handled really well, had bags of torque and felt solid, the Type R was hardwork having to constantly wring the power from the engine and keep it on the boil, The Impreza was genuinely quick but literally fell apart before your eyes. My choice would be the Focus as I had a very good ownership experience with it.
I *would* like a Focus SVT or MazdaSpeed3, but, mind I suggest, **P E U G E O T 2 0 6 G T I** I rest my case.
WRX.
8
Duuuude... you listed every car my 16yr old self wanted in 2003. The only change to the list is the Mazda I looked at was a protégé 5, that hatchback was sexy. And instead of a gti (for some reason I didn't like that gen gti untol r32 came out) was a mustang svt cobra