Budget car choice of TRF??

[Dr. Robert]

Any Toyota or Honda.....they live forever...
Put your money in good watches, they appreciate Cars depreciate

[SpeedyTuomas]

Mini Cooper S ftw!

[KarlTheToyotaGuy]

Pre-owned Scion FR-S

[socialpro]

Surprised no one has said it (or i missed it) - but mazda 3's are a GREAT buy at or below 10K. Reliable, sporty, great handling / road manners, solid as a dd - AND you can choose to have one in 6 speed if thats your preference. It the econ sector - I think thats one of the best cars there is.

My wife had one for 3-4 years and did not have a single issue putting on 50K miles on her (we sold it with 100K miles).

If reliability and repair cost is a concern, stay away from german cars (especially out of warranty).

[HogwldFLTR]

Originally Posted by SpeedyTuomas

Mini Cooper S ftw!

I chose a new Mini a few years back; it's a great fun car to drive!!! The latest generation has a four cylinder BMW engine!!!

[kilyung]

Used Miata MX-5

[Rock]

Mazda Miata MX5 - any version.
Miatas have a reputation for a quality build, longevity and competence as a totally fun sports car. Don't take my word, do some research and you will see endless testimonials. Visit an MX5 Car Club and see what the owners say.
Every time I think about swapping mine for something more expensive I slap myself and tell myself to "Wake up!"

Alternative:
VW Golf GTi. (manual gearbox)

[-lenny-]

I realize you are not exactly in snow country, but a Subaru all wheel drive is a very fun car to drive. We have a 2006 Legacy 2.5L Turbo which is a blast. With proper winter tires we break trail in the hammer lane while all the big 4x4s and SUVs crawl along in the slow lane. A very reliable, long lasting automobile. Just be aware timing belt needs to be done every 60k miles/10 yrs.

[encarter13]

You live in Elijay. You need an older Jeep. 7-8 months out of the year you can have some combination of No Top, No Doors, No Problems!

[imperio]

Originally Posted by Valenciawatchrepair

I'm probably in the very bottom of the income bracket here at TRF. But, I still share some of the joys that many of you do. That said, what would you guys recommend on the used market for a fun, sporty, performance, etc car?

Lets say under $10,000 USD?

I always like the idea of finding those hidden gems that may be a little tired, but are worth the trouble. I've owned a '98 Z28 myself years ago, but a lot of those 4th Gen F-bodies have seen better days.

Not sure a lot of the responses have been within the $10K USD budget.

I would go with:
- Infiniti G35 (not sure if you can swing a G37 with $10K, you might)
- Golf GTI
- Civic SI
- RSX Type S

You probably want to steer clear of the turbo boxers (Subaru WRX, legacy etc.) and european cars if your budget is $10K and you want to keep maintenance costs to a minimum.

[gnuyork]

If it were me...a Miata, especially the 1st generation, the one that looks like an Elan. Probably get one way under your budget and have enough left over to modify the exhaust and maybe add a supercharger.

[Valenciawatchrepair]

Originally Posted by encarter13

You live in Elijay. You need an older Jeep. 7-8 months out of the year you can have some combination of No Top, No Doors, No Problems!

Jeeps are EVERYWHERE up here! lol. I do like them, but I also love a spirited sports car as well.

[gnuyork]

I drive up there a every now and then in my car. A sportscar is way more fun than a jeep, especially around Suches.

[Valenciawatchrepair]

Originally Posted by gnuyork

I drive up there a every now and then in my car. A sportscar is way more fun than a jeep, especially around Suches.

Yep. I see so many car clubs up here. Just a couple days ago 10+ BMW's went by my house. Then another day a big group of Mini's. And a year or so ago and awesome line of 15-20 Ferraris.

[gnuyork]

Originally Posted by Valenciawatchrepair

Yep. I see so many car clubs up here. Just a couple days ago 10+ BMW's went by my house. Then another day a big group of Mini's. And a year or so ago and awesome line of 15-20 Ferraris.

I would be with the Lotus group. Though we let everybody in, and it's a grab bag of different cars every trip, including Miatas .

[sparky]

2009+- civic SI coupe. 2000cc 197hp 6speed manual trans(they didn't make si's with auto) limited slip diff. 27 mpg real world. 8000 red line. I drive the ***t out of mine and it and it just keeps purring. It has been my daily driver for 7 years-no problems.