Okay, I have to step in here. Being the disgruntled owner of an '88 RX-7 GXL. @the original post, you have absolutely NO IDEA WHAT YOU ARE GETTING YOURSELF INTO BY BUYING AN RX-7!!!!!!!!!!!!! The comments about fuel efficiency are quite clear about that. I have a non-turbo charged 13B rotary that is virutally stock (no major performance mods) and my car averages about 13MPG around town and about 20MPG on the highway and you want to get a twin-turbo charged 3rd gen? I think there are V-12 Lambos that get better gas mileage than those things. In addition, maintenence is a NIGHTMARE!!!!!!!! I swear that I have replaced just about every hose on my RX-7 and yet about every month or two I have issues with my car spraying coolant all over my engine compartment. The thing to understand is that my car is NOT a poorly maintained vehicle either, the guy who had the car before me babied the thing and I have taken the car into the shop every time something goes wrong with it. So mechanically it has been well cared for. Yet it still causes problems. In the summer they are more prone than other engines to running hot and once you overheat a rotary, you might as well stick a fork in it as IT IS DONE!!!!!!!! As mentioned by the other folks there is no way in hell you are going to get a 3rd gen RX-7 without some major defect in your price range (keep in mind that some of the cheaper ones could be salvage titles from Hurricane Katrina). In addition each time I take my car into my mechanic I do see some 3rd Gen RX-7s that have been in that shop more than my car has and they are constantly trying to figure out why the turbos aren't boosting or the car is blowing smoke, ect. It isn't uncommon for folks with 3rd gen RX-7s to have to rebuild their engines/turbos after only 60K miles. That in and of itself will cost you more than your budget to replace.
As for the older Supras, while they are pretty solid cars and quite fun, they are expensive to get parts for and as far as for performance mods, your options are limited. One of my co-workers had an '89 turbo and he was always complaining about the price of parts and that he was limited to some very spendy HKS performance mods for certain things.
As much as it pains me to say it what you are looking for is a ricer. An older CRX or Integra has a little bit of pep and will do excellent in the insurance and gas mileage department for you. Parts will be kinda spendy on them but they are pretty durable so it shouldn't be that big of a deal. You can still save face if you don't get yourself a bodykit and a wing.
If you don't mind sacrificing some gas mileage then I recommend tracking down an old straight 6 Nissan Z. Those SOBs haul ass and the engines are ultra-durable. It would make you a little more unique than the average kid who drives around a Honda/Acura and insurance shouldn't be too bad.
Damn, either of these suckers would make you king of the road. Has the V-8 Chevy conversion. I personally think the car looks cool too. Certainly not something that every kid on the block would have.
http://www.cars.com/...05&aff=idstateshttp://www.cars.com/...05&aff=idstates
