Car Purchase: 10k budget

[Rockefella]

Come up with the best car someone can buy for 10k.

Take into account:

- Location: NY/NJ
- Price: 8,000 - 12,000 USD
- Insurance: Reasonable. Cars with high displacement V8's/V12's/400hp/etc need not apply
- Maintenance: Also reasonable
- Gas mileage: 20 or more mpg preferred, not a dealbreaker though
- Style: Car should look good. Feminine or teenracer cars are out: Miata, eclipse, Cobalt SS, Neon SRT4, etc.
- Preferred: Manual trans, Coupe, RWD. Again, this is preferred.. not a dealbreaker.

Basically if you haven't figured it out I want to buy a new (used) car. Entertain me

[RacingManiac]

Spend more, go nuts...
Lancia : Delta HF Integrale 16v | eBay

[f6fhellcat13]

4.6 Mustangs should be somewhere around that range, but I don't know about insurance and they're everywhere. RX-8s are also around that if you're willing to deal with all of the rotary's quirks. S2000s might just be getting that low, but I don't know if it's worth it if you have to encounter a lot of potholes and snow.

These are the pretty obvious choices, I guess, but they're pretty common, get passable mileage, and aren't too powerful.

Or...

[Cobrafan427]

you could go pretty unique and try to find a Dodge Stealth. btw hellcat, idk how long you've had it but that Raikkonen quote is hilarious

[Rockefella]

Spend more, go nuts...
Lancia : Delta HF Integrale 16v | eBay

Maintenance would be astronomical. Plus the value isn't there. I need a daily driver, not a garage toy. Awesome car though.

4.6 Mustangs should be somewhere around that range, but I don't know about insurance and they're everywhere. RX-8s are also around that if you're willing to deal with all of the rotary's quirks. S2000s might just be getting that low, but I don't know if it's worth it if you have to encounter a lot of potholes and snow.

Mustangs don't do it for me. Too dime a dozen. Rx-8 not a huge fan of. S2000 I like but it's a bit boy-racery. Getting somewhere though. I'm leaning more European.. German to be specific. Would be nice if it had some class and a good interior.

you could go pretty unique and try to find a Dodge Stealth.

Dude a Stealth? No way.. they sell for like 2k anyway. I can afford a bit more than that.

[Kitdy]

E46 330 Ci, E36 coupe of some kind, 4th Gen Camaro, Stealth (as mentioned)/3000 GT (probably not for you), 300ZX, 2005-2009 Mustang GT.

Yeah, some have V8s but I don't think they are absolutely brutal on gas (if you drive them well). I would lean towards a well maintained 4th generation Camaro without delving deeper into these cars.

Budget fun!

[f6fhellcat13]

Thanks cobrafan

Mustangs don't do it for me. Too dime a dozen. Rx-8 not a huge fan of. S2000 I like but it's a bit boy-racery. Getting somewhere though. I'm leaning more European.. German to be specific. Would be nice if it had some class and a good interior.

How old?

When you say that, I think 3-Series. Non-M E46s or M 36s and 30s can probably be had for that money. If you want to throw gas mileage out the window and pay the insurance for a 400hp V8, you can probably stretch that budget to an E39 M5.

EDIT: Do you like Jags?

[clutch-monkey]

plenty of nice modded E30's for that budget. one that's sorted with an engine swap already.

[Ferrer]

Alfa Romeo Milano.

Discuss.

[Cyco]

Holden Pontiac GTO/G35. or any BMW 5 series

[henk4]

do you envisage any practical or opportunistic use for rear seats?

[Rockefella]

do you envisage any practical or opportunistic use for rear seats?

I don't have kids or a need for seating so I wouldn't rule out a two seater. Besides, I don't plan on owning this car long-term. The insurance rate for male drivers drops at 25 so I've got 2 years to waste away before I get something nice for myself.

Car doesn't have to be rare or super high performance, I already experienced that with the Bonneville. Just a good car that I can be proud of calling my own. I was thinking something along the lines of a 5 series, A6/S4, WRX, etc.

[NSXType-R]

Maybe a 350Z? Although they might be beat to crap for $10,000.

Pontiac GTO would be nice, but not good on gas at all probably.

Maybe an Audi TT? Girly car, but definitely European.

[henk4]

I don't have kids or a need for seating so I wouldn't rule out a two seater. Besides, I don't plan on owning this car long-term. The insurance rate for male drivers drops at 25 so I've got 2 years to waste away before I get something nice for myself.

Car doesn't have to be rare or super high performance, I already experienced that with the Bonneville. Just a good car that I can be proud of calling my own. I was thinking something along the lines of a 5 series, A6/S4, WRX, etc.

how about a recent 6-cylinder Mustang. Does that fall in the price range? (I have no idea about second hand prices in the US, only that they are considerably lower than over here)
Of course you first have to tell which cars you would NOT be proud of to own...from your stated preferences I almost feel that all US cars would fall under that category.

[Ferrer]

Re-reading the thread...

When you say that, I think 3-Series. Non-M E46s or M 36s and 30s can probably be had for that money. If you want to throw gas mileage out the window and pay the insurance for a 400hp V8, you can probably stretch that budget to an E39 M5.

EDIT: Do you like Jags?

I doubt you'll have a good M3 E30 for ten grand.

Also personal experience tells me that cars that were expensive will be expensive to run, even if they can be had for cheap.

Having said that, a Jag is always appealing.