Inexpensive family fun car?

[SilverBullet]

Let's say you have a $10,000 budget, and you were looking for a family "fun" car you could mod and play with...

The only requirements are:
1. Less than $10k
2. Needs to handle a rear-facing child seat (in the back seat)
3. Decent gas mileage
4. AWD preferred, not necessary

What would you look at?

[NickS VR4]

S2000

[NickS VR4]

Hmmm, Maybe a used civic si? subaru legacy?

[92RT-TT]

Audi A6 2.7 Bi-turbo. Same engine as an S4, cheap route: chip it, downpipes and you've got 330+hp with heated leather seats and Bose 13 speaker sound . Or throw in K04 turbo's or RS6 Turbo's and you've got 500+hp in your little family hauler. Personally I own a A6 4.2 V8, more hp then a stock 2.7 bi turbo (4.2 is 305 stock) and its got a 3 inch wider body then the 2.7 but if you want to be able to tune it and mod it there isn't much you can do other then exhaust, intake, and a chip (get it up to around 350-360 is as good as it gets without a SC).
Best part about either of these choices are they look good and are super comfy buy still sporty.

Oh and I'm thinking C5 A6 not C6 A6 era... 2000-2004 model year (in case you dont know what c5 and c6 are for audi)

[FstAsVR4]

S2000

????????????
Evos are getting around 10k, wrx, or audi very good choices.

[DocWalt]

I'd probably go with an older Legacy and WRX swap it. Evo's and STi's are still out of that price range for a decent one.

[NickS VR4]

????????????
Evos are getting around 10k, wrx, or audi very good choices.

It was a joke.

[DrkZide]

I'm not sure if he can get a C6 A6 for under $10k. I would go with a B5 A4/S4. We picked one up a B5 A4 (2001) for $6300 in excellent condition. Plus another $600 in taxes and registration.

[92RT-TT]

Oh and I'm thinking C5 A6 not C6 A6 era... 2000-2004 model year (in case you dont know what c5 and c6 are for audi)

I'm not sure if he can get a C6 A6 for under $10k. I would go with a B5 A4/S4. We picked one up a B5 A4 (2001) for $6300 in excellent condition. Plus another $600 in taxes and registration.

I agree, I was thinking C5 like my first post lol. I've got a 2001 C5 A6 4.2 and I love it!

[Alex3000gt]

I would totally separate the "fun" (read: fast) car from the "family" (read: daily driver) car.

Trying to make the daily driver fast is going to cause headaches as it will become unreliable.

Trying to make a fast car a daily driver is going to cause headaches because it will have subpar fuel economy. Split the difference and get a rock solid turbodiesel that returns 48 mpg highway, then garage the 'fast' car and make it faster. I am biased in the matter though.