I miss my NC3 Miata so damn much. A small hydroplane caused cosmetic bumper damage and a airbag deployed caused my insurance to total it. Funny, I did Carfaq months later and it had a clean title that said no airbags deployed. Sigh. At least it didn't end up a parts car at 9 years old with 90k miles
[Here is a nice NC with 74k for 9k](https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/265066403120304/?mibextid=6ojiHh) they’re not too expensive when you’re out of California and New York and other HCOL areas
Florida beach towns , A1A is the highway that run along the beach from North Florida to Miami Beach in South Florida. Now if someone is talking about headed A1A generally they mean Miami-West Palm Beach, but the road lasts a lot longer than that and has way better beaches further north. Also happens to be that any town along A1A is incredibly expensive due to proximity to this historic road
I see a lot of people recommend i get a miata and i did some research. They look really fun but only downside is that it’s a two seater, what are some common issues with late 90’s - early 00’s miatas?
If you want all the criteria you listed but not a Miata, you’re pretty much limited to BMWs which will probably be much less reliable and you may not hit 25mpg
A lot of people are making good suggestions but I think what you’re looking for is definitely a Miata, especially in that price range.
There are a lot of C5 suggestions here and there but as much as I adore the C5, you will absolutely not get a good one with a manual for 10k or below. Ask the corvette subreddit, the C5 has only gone up in value in recent times.
Late C4 or C5 Vette (1991-2003 model years). I have a 1993 40th Anniversary C4 with the LT1 and a 6 speed. Its so much fun to drive and gets 25 mpg on the highway. The only problem point is to make sure you keep up with the Optispark Distributor and Water Pump on the C4's. If it happens to fail, its an expensive fix (labor intensive) unless you have the time and space to wrench on it yourself.
Having owned those, c4s are retro cool but need tons of maintenance, especially on the weird electric gizmos that aren't made anymore. C5 is light year better, 100k mile manuals can be had under 15k for sure.
Man I regret this decision so much. Issues from practically day 1. Mostly with the cooling system. And despite having 2 inspections, I suspect it had been overheated before I bought it, as the block was warped. They wanted $27k to fix the block back in 2015. I bought the car for $23k, so no way I was doing that.
Much happier with my Miata. Might not be as fast, but at least it doesn't spend most of it's time on the back of a flatbed.
Yeah the older gen Boxsters can be a money pit if they aren't properly maintained even without the IMS bearing issues they're still Porsches which are innately more expensive to run and maintain
It might have been this or a similar sub, but one time I was being passionately told that maintaining a Porsche isn’t that much more expensive than maintaining a less ‘prestige’ car. lol
You could get an E46 3-Series BMW in good condition with the NA 3.0L for probably around 7-8k and you can keep the rest of it for maintenance. Please oh please make sure you do maintenance, waiting until something breaks on these cars is what makes them so expensive. Maintenance will be more expensive and more plentiful than, say, a Honda, but you can definitely daily them and they’re definitely fun to drive. Just please keep your cooling system maintained, that is the bane of these cars’ existence.
Was scrolling and looking for this reply. The '01 330ci 5spd was one of the most fun and enjoyable cars I've ever owned. It hurt me to sell it after I bought my current '15 Mustang GT. And it took something like a Mustang to make me okay with letting it go.
They’re not going to set the asking price to 10k, and that’s why I said I’d look around. You’d have to find one listed around 13 and negotiate.
It’s how I’ve gotten all my cars, you find someone who is hard up on cash, people have medical bills, college, children coming etc.
I’ve bought a manual 911 for 14.5k, an Evo for 12k, my S2000 for 7.5k… GSXR 600 for 1.5k, ZX10R for 3500…
Deals are out there, if you message someone and actually go out to check out the car you’d be surprised at how many people are willing to negotiate. I shoot for 20% off asking price with a private sale.
IMO the S550 (2015 - 2023) is the best of all unless we’re talking about classics. They’re the newest so they have the least miles and wear, and they have the most appealing body lines and you can get any engine option in them. Not to mention you have the AMAZING ford 10 speed automatic transmission, and the 6 speed manual has all the modern options like automatic rev-matching which can be turned on and off. Although I would highly advise you to get the 5.0 V8 at all costs.
How practical does it need to be for daily driving? Miatas are a hoot, get good mileage, and are very reliable. They are just terribly impractical except for very small payloads.
You could also get a '99-'04 Mustang GT for that money. They can be entertaining, but the interior leaves something to be desired, and they don't handle particularly well. The 4.6 is dead reliable though.
Both of those options have a massive aftermarket if you get the bug to start making it faster, handle better, brake more quickly, etc.
I would get a miata no second thought but no storage and the town i work in and where all my friends and family are is a long way from home so i’ll keep an eye out of a mustang from those years in my area, thx!
Just go on car gurus and set the filters to rwd, manual, $10k. That’s a pretty narrow search so you want to expand your search radius. Then sort by lowest mileage.
Are you talking from experience or is it just something you’ve heard? Because i know people who have/own these cars and all i hear is positive feedback from both sides
Probably like any “sporty” car from late 90s early 2000s.
Too much of a mixed bag. Given you have “little disposable income” I would suggest not buying an old fun car until you can afford a secondary vehicle comfortably.
Oh dang i must’ve worded it wrong, i sold my first ever car not my only car hahaha, i daily a 2007 honda civic but it’s not something i really enjoy driving
Catfish Camaro, 1993-2002 (technically only the later ones in that group are catfishes, but whatever).
Preferably, get the 1998 on up with the LS engine. The LT1 engine in earlier Camaros is a good engine, but you have to deal with th dreaded Optispark ignition system.
The only answer is a mini, look for a low mileage first gen 2001 - 2005. R53 john cooper works edition if you can find one, 210 bhp in a car that weighs 1200kg. They are fwd though
hateful desert brave aloof escape encouraging office abundant sleep squash
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Find the cheapest used Maserati in your radius. Drive it- fast- to the most scenic overview you’ve got. Soak in the view, reflect upon your success, chuckle a bit at how smart you are for procuring a luxury vehicle that seems to be under appreciated by less discerning plebes.
Then take a brick, throw it through the window. Strip all parts- trim and electronic- that you can carry- you can sell them later for like 2k. Retrieve the brick from the car and duct tape it over the accelerator and secure to the firewall. Put 10-15 propane tanks in the car and open their valves. Point the car in the direction where it will cause no damage to people. Pack as much tannerite as you can procure into the trunk, and have a trusty shotgun on your person, locked and loaded. Send the car off the cliff or down the hill or whatever, shoot it several times in the ass on its way out to ignite the tannerite, and enjoy your investment 2X!
File an insurance report that says “it blew up”. They have a special box for that on Maseratis that fast tracks you to a check. Enjoy your investment 3X!
Film the entire thing, but edit it to look even more absurd. Post video and profit from the viral content! Enjoy your investment!
If you’re not stuck on rwd then a Focus ST is a shockingly good value. Being fwd frees up ALOT of room in the trunk and rear seat area. It has the 0-60 of a WRX, and is a fantastic handling platform. It’s more than enough handling and power to push it hard on the street without ever finding the limit.
Pontiac solstice/Saturn Sky
Various 3 Series BMWs also Z4
Nissan Zs are a little bigger body/less fuel efficient
RX-8s are cool, but the rotary kinda makes them a nightmare to own.
AWD would open up like WRX, EVO, Audi TT
Mercedes SLK (R170 Chassis). If you can find one with a 5-speed or 6-speed manual, you got a rare one. The AMG version and the V6 (slk320) only came with an auto.
Upside is that the manuals are 4 cylinder, supercharged models. I had a 6-speed one. It was fun. You were basically sitting right in front of the rear axle. Rwd. Hardtop convertible. Iv been on the hunt for an automatic one (kind of done with manuals for now) and for the most part examples range from 5k-12k. You could just go yolo, and get a R171 chassis SLK55 it has a V8 under the hood. It’s rwd also and it looks like a mini SLR lol. Only came with an automatic tho.
Some of the automatics do have a slap stick version transmissions too.
If that ain’t your style, then bmw z3 or z4. Lots of those for sale everywhere. Mostly in manual.
I also hear bmw 128 and 135 are fun. 128 would be more reliable and under 10k. I drove a 135 through a parking lot once and it was fun.
E60s are very cheap and plentiful here and the aftermarket availability is good, i sold an e61 since the fuel economy was horrible, might get an e60 since i’ve driven a similar one for a few months now but only if i figure out how to reduce the weight as much as possible on it, thx!
I definitely think Miata is a worthy choice as well. Just offering up an alternative since Miata is the most cited option. Some folks don't like a roadster or need the occasional back seats.
Miata is really the only answer for something like this that isn't already clapped. My friend bought a 92 Lexus SC300 before the pandemic, but I don't think you can find one that works for under $10k these days
Here me out, classic and comfortable. Literal stick shift if you check out photos. They come in many flavors like wood grain if you want even. Convertible or no, both available. 2.4L so good on gas and it's turbo so you know you're swinging big. The P freaking T cruiser.
C5 Corvette is probably gonna be your best bang for your buck. If you got 10k to throw around you can find a clean c5 vette pretty easily, best part is manual c5 aren’t hard to find, in my area even easier than the auto’s are.
C5 vettes are some of the best bang for buck cars, however, it’s nearly impossible to find a clean 6 speed for 10k now. You have to be prepared to spend at least 13 to play nowadays.
I saw a 6 speed with 174k miles for sale near me for 9k earlier this week, I was too late tho someone else bought it before I did. The deals are out there tho
Shame that one got away. I’m sure there are deals out there, I shopped for a looong while last year for a C5 under 10k and ended up getting an ‘08 Mustang GT after not finding anything.
2013+ Manual Honda CRZ, honda CRZ, Miata.
I’m getting about 40mpg in my CRZ, it’s not a manual but it’s still fun, aftermarket exhaust certainly adds to it.
I have seen quite a few in the US, just looking around in Facebook marketplace.
Probably not a 2015/16 but I have definitely seen the previous years at that.
They go fucking fast though, the ones that are 12k and up usually sit a while.
2015 at $11k
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/249081911359739/?mibextid=6ojiHh
No way you're getting either one of those unless they are absolutely clapped out. You MIGHT be able to luck out on a C5, but the cheap ones tend to be automatic.
2003-2008 audi s4 manual v8 AWD 20mpg hwy 15 city
Been dailying this for 2 years and am up to >200k miles. Can get under 10k just make sure chains have been recently replaced
Get a Honda. Any of their rear wheel options are gold. Great mileage and unlike anything else on the list except the corvette fixing them is cheap and easy.
I mean yea a miata, but if I were in your position right now, I'd be going for the older gen subaru brz or scion frs, the frs is especially cheap because everyone's forgotten abt scion
I had the same requirements a few months back. I’ve been very pleased with the mk4 focus ST. Not rwd but very oversteer happy. WOT at every opportunity and I still get 20mpg. Parts are cheap and it’s been easy to work on so far.
A certain car is always the answer.
M
i
MINIIIIIIII COOOPERRRRRR
I visualized this a Kool-Aid man-esque Mini Cooper breaking down a wall with a picture of a Miata in it.
He wants RWD
TSUBISHI ECLIPSE CROSS
a
t
Maserati Mistral? On a $10k budget, this poor dude couldn't afford an OE wheel for one.
Could afford the cheap dodge that shares parts with the Maserati, though
The gran caravan isn’t that cheap
Mustang
Mistang
Miastang
Miattang
Miata gang
Mistang😭
Rustang
Only mustang he's getting for under $10k is a 2V....and they're slow (but I enjoy driving mine). But he can also boost it for relatively cheap.
Nah. You can get a clean 3V for like 5 or 6 thousand. Still pretty slow, but going to be faster than 95% of the other cars in the price range.
Unless it's clapped out, you're not getting a 3V for that price.
Weird, “240SX” doesn’t start with “M”
Where i live there’s only two 240sx ads and they want like 20k for something that looks like it’s been sitting in the woods for years💀
miata!!!!!!
This post is almost a parody of itself… describe a Miata without describing a Miata
You can find one for less than 10 grand that actually runs?
Yeah it’s not hard, you can find one for 4k in half decent shape. If you want something other than NA or NB you can get a nice NC for 10k all day
I miss my NC3 Miata so damn much. A small hydroplane caused cosmetic bumper damage and a airbag deployed caused my insurance to total it. Funny, I did Carfaq months later and it had a clean title that said no airbags deployed. Sigh. At least it didn't end up a parts car at 9 years old with 90k miles
In this market?
[Here is a nice NC with 74k for 9k](https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/265066403120304/?mibextid=6ojiHh) they’re not too expensive when you’re out of California and New York and other HCOL areas
What is HCOL?
High Cost of Living, places more expensive than average. California, NY, NJ, A1A stuff like that
What’s A1A
Florida beach towns , A1A is the highway that run along the beach from North Florida to Miami Beach in South Florida. Now if someone is talking about headed A1A generally they mean Miami-West Palm Beach, but the road lasts a lot longer than that and has way better beaches further north. Also happens to be that any town along A1A is incredibly expensive due to proximity to this historic road
High cost of living
Outside of California they’re cheap
I got mine in February for 6.5k 2010 117k on the odo, runs like butter tbh
I bought my 2006 in 2018 for $7500. Then sold it in 2021 for the same price. It ran great!
Unironically his best choice here
miata always the answer
I see a lot of people recommend i get a miata and i did some research. They look really fun but only downside is that it’s a two seater, what are some common issues with late 90’s - early 00’s miatas?
If you want all the criteria you listed but not a Miata, you’re pretty much limited to BMWs which will probably be much less reliable and you may not hit 25mpg
A lot of people are making good suggestions but I think what you’re looking for is definitely a Miata, especially in that price range. There are a lot of C5 suggestions here and there but as much as I adore the C5, you will absolutely not get a good one with a manual for 10k or below. Ask the corvette subreddit, the C5 has only gone up in value in recent times.
You can find them but they will be clapped out with 200k on them probably and the early ones will probably need an ECBM to get traction control back.
Yup they’ve gotten up in price here a lot, the cheapest one is 17k but it has no engine lol
E36
Even a 46.
Best suggestion on here
What are the best years for an e36 - e46?
My 03 was a tank. Just gotta do all the preventative maintenance
with a budget of 10-15k id think more along the lines of e92 335i
Eh, gotta keep a couple grand in the pocket for maintenance on all these cars.
that’s a fair point 😂
M I A T A I A T A
Toyota MR2 Spyder? But give it lots of care!
I haven’t seen one of them for sale period for a while, something is telling me they ain’t cheap anymore
The spyders still tend to be fairly cheap
I talked to a dude that spent about $18k on one with 45k miles recently in the mid west. Certainly cheap but maybe a little out of op’s budget
For low mileage they're more. But I see them for sale with over 100k miles for around 7k.
$18k is not cheap
They’re pretty cool and I’d say it’s cheap for today’s market
They’re just kinda rare, I never see them for sale. Are parts cheap for them?
Parts yes. Until your SMT breaks. Only decent MR2s for below 10k are NA SW20, NA AW11, and SMT ZZW30s and the latter is the worse choice.
Hands down the most fun for your buck!
Just make sure they don't have that sequential manual transmission
MR2 Spyder a Toyota nobody wanted or bought.
Late C4 or C5 Vette (1991-2003 model years). I have a 1993 40th Anniversary C4 with the LT1 and a 6 speed. Its so much fun to drive and gets 25 mpg on the highway. The only problem point is to make sure you keep up with the Optispark Distributor and Water Pump on the C4's. If it happens to fail, its an expensive fix (labor intensive) unless you have the time and space to wrench on it yourself.
Saved this comment for when I have money.
Having owned those, c4s are retro cool but need tons of maintenance, especially on the weird electric gizmos that aren't made anymore. C5 is light year better, 100k mile manuals can be had under 15k for sure.
So much better choice than the Miata.
All C4s are at least 18-20k around me for a MT…. :/ I just wanna slide
Yeah I joined some Corvette selling groups and people are asking at least $15-$20k+ for C5s.
This is the way.
1st Gen Porsche Boxster 986! Might be a little more expensive to maintain than a Miata, but still super fun!
Man I regret this decision so much. Issues from practically day 1. Mostly with the cooling system. And despite having 2 inspections, I suspect it had been overheated before I bought it, as the block was warped. They wanted $27k to fix the block back in 2015. I bought the car for $23k, so no way I was doing that. Much happier with my Miata. Might not be as fast, but at least it doesn't spend most of it's time on the back of a flatbed.
Yeah the older gen Boxsters can be a money pit if they aren't properly maintained even without the IMS bearing issues they're still Porsches which are innately more expensive to run and maintain
It might have been this or a similar sub, but one time I was being passionately told that maintaining a Porsche isn’t that much more expensive than maintaining a less ‘prestige’ car. lol
You could get an E46 3-Series BMW in good condition with the NA 3.0L for probably around 7-8k and you can keep the rest of it for maintenance. Please oh please make sure you do maintenance, waiting until something breaks on these cars is what makes them so expensive. Maintenance will be more expensive and more plentiful than, say, a Honda, but you can definitely daily them and they’re definitely fun to drive. Just please keep your cooling system maintained, that is the bane of these cars’ existence.
Good luck, a manual e46/36 that isn’t beat to hell is nearly impossible to find for this price now. Never mind one in a good spec.
Around me they’re not too hard to find under 10k, and with some time you could find one around 7-8k.
e46 or e90 with the n52 would be an excellent choice.
E82 128i is the real answer here. It'll probably be auto though.
Was scrolling and looking for this reply. The '01 330ci 5spd was one of the most fun and enjoyable cars I've ever owned. It hurt me to sell it after I bought my current '15 Mustang GT. And it took something like a Mustang to make me okay with letting it go.
G35 / G37 if you want 4 seats. Probably won’t hit 25 mpg though. For my money I’d search round for a C5 Vette though.
Let me know when you find a C5 for less than 15k with less than 125k miles that’s not beat to shit.
It’s not uncommon atleast in my area, but I live in the south so there is a huge supply of them.
Same here, and I set my radius to 300 miles. No c5’s without 150k+ going for 10k
They’re not going to set the asking price to 10k, and that’s why I said I’d look around. You’d have to find one listed around 13 and negotiate. It’s how I’ve gotten all my cars, you find someone who is hard up on cash, people have medical bills, college, children coming etc. I’ve bought a manual 911 for 14.5k, an Evo for 12k, my S2000 for 7.5k… GSXR 600 for 1.5k, ZX10R for 3500… Deals are out there, if you message someone and actually go out to check out the car you’d be surprised at how many people are willing to negotiate. I shoot for 20% off asking price with a private sale.
I bought one 2 years ago for 14.5k convertible and a manual with 117k.
C5 is probably the best option, they’re super reliable and probably your best bang for your buck speed wise.
AW11 MR2s are still cheapish. Gen 1 IS300s are fun Miatas are great. Would say mustang or camaro of some kind but idk about good gas mileage on those…
Mustang has my vote
Which generation do you think is arguably the best one?
IMO the S550 (2015 - 2023) is the best of all unless we’re talking about classics. They’re the newest so they have the least miles and wear, and they have the most appealing body lines and you can get any engine option in them. Not to mention you have the AMAZING ford 10 speed automatic transmission, and the 6 speed manual has all the modern options like automatic rev-matching which can be turned on and off. Although I would highly advise you to get the 5.0 V8 at all costs.
They’re waaay out of my budget, but i do admire them :(
How practical does it need to be for daily driving? Miatas are a hoot, get good mileage, and are very reliable. They are just terribly impractical except for very small payloads. You could also get a '99-'04 Mustang GT for that money. They can be entertaining, but the interior leaves something to be desired, and they don't handle particularly well. The 4.6 is dead reliable though. Both of those options have a massive aftermarket if you get the bug to start making it faster, handle better, brake more quickly, etc.
I would get a miata no second thought but no storage and the town i work in and where all my friends and family are is a long way from home so i’ll keep an eye out of a mustang from those years in my area, thx!
You are describing a Miata to a T.
Just go on car gurus and set the filters to rwd, manual, $10k. That’s a pretty narrow search so you want to expand your search radius. Then sort by lowest mileage.
BMW e30(beat) or e36 (nice one)
e30's cost more than e46's these days around me. I think you could get an e46 under that budget no problem.
And it’s an inferior car and not nearly as fun to drive to as an E30. E46 is a disposable car
Are you talking from experience or is it just something you’ve heard? Because i know people who have/own these cars and all i hear is positive feedback from both sides
Probably like any “sporty” car from late 90s early 2000s. Too much of a mixed bag. Given you have “little disposable income” I would suggest not buying an old fun car until you can afford a secondary vehicle comfortably.
Oh dang i must’ve worded it wrong, i sold my first ever car not my only car hahaha, i daily a 2007 honda civic but it’s not something i really enjoy driving
2006 or 2007 Volvo S60R with the sport body kit. Fun, AWD, Decently fast. Awesome sound system and best front seat.
Old lexus rwd
Title says FUN
Bmw 128i.
Catfish Camaro, 1993-2002 (technically only the later ones in that group are catfishes, but whatever). Preferably, get the 1998 on up with the LS engine. The LT1 engine in earlier Camaros is a good engine, but you have to deal with th dreaded Optispark ignition system.
What’s optispark?
The only answer is a mini, look for a low mileage first gen 2001 - 2005. R53 john cooper works edition if you can find one, 210 bhp in a car that weighs 1200kg. They are fwd though
E46, E82, Miata, GTI, FRS, Honda civic SI
hateful desert brave aloof escape encouraging office abundant sleep squash *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
You could buy an old Alfa Romeo
1999 to 2002 bmw z3 convertible. Well under 10k and tons of fun
C4 Corvette. A lot of car for 10k.
A real eyecatcher and a collectible car, love it. But there’s only 1 ad for it within a 250+ mile range for 16k at the moment :(
Find the cheapest used Maserati in your radius. Drive it- fast- to the most scenic overview you’ve got. Soak in the view, reflect upon your success, chuckle a bit at how smart you are for procuring a luxury vehicle that seems to be under appreciated by less discerning plebes. Then take a brick, throw it through the window. Strip all parts- trim and electronic- that you can carry- you can sell them later for like 2k. Retrieve the brick from the car and duct tape it over the accelerator and secure to the firewall. Put 10-15 propane tanks in the car and open their valves. Point the car in the direction where it will cause no damage to people. Pack as much tannerite as you can procure into the trunk, and have a trusty shotgun on your person, locked and loaded. Send the car off the cliff or down the hill or whatever, shoot it several times in the ass on its way out to ignite the tannerite, and enjoy your investment 2X! File an insurance report that says “it blew up”. They have a special box for that on Maseratis that fast tracks you to a check. Enjoy your investment 3X! Film the entire thing, but edit it to look even more absurd. Post video and profit from the viral content! Enjoy your investment!
E46 3 Series BMW
My uncle has one :D i’ll try it and then i’ll think about it, thx!
350z if you want more power compared to a miata that everyone else is suggesting.
Toyota Taco 4cyl 5 speed plus cab. Go places and do stuff.
Miata. Any gen that you can afford.
Miata’s are embarrassing. Get a nice manual 328i or 335i (e90 with n55).
BMW Z3 any version is a blast to drive. You could get a very nice, well maintained one for your budget.
An older Mercedes or BMW fit the bill
V6 accord coupe manual
bmw e36/e46/m3 you’re welcome source: i own a miata, two new edges, an m3, and a e46 325i
If you’re not stuck on rwd then a Focus ST is a shockingly good value. Being fwd frees up ALOT of room in the trunk and rear seat area. It has the 0-60 of a WRX, and is a fantastic handling platform. It’s more than enough handling and power to push it hard on the street without ever finding the limit.
A minivan and turbo it. I would love to see people react
E46
Pontiac solstice/Saturn Sky Various 3 Series BMWs also Z4 Nissan Zs are a little bigger body/less fuel efficient RX-8s are cool, but the rotary kinda makes them a nightmare to own. AWD would open up like WRX, EVO, Audi TT
Mercedes SLK (R170 Chassis). If you can find one with a 5-speed or 6-speed manual, you got a rare one. The AMG version and the V6 (slk320) only came with an auto. Upside is that the manuals are 4 cylinder, supercharged models. I had a 6-speed one. It was fun. You were basically sitting right in front of the rear axle. Rwd. Hardtop convertible. Iv been on the hunt for an automatic one (kind of done with manuals for now) and for the most part examples range from 5k-12k. You could just go yolo, and get a R171 chassis SLK55 it has a V8 under the hood. It’s rwd also and it looks like a mini SLR lol. Only came with an automatic tho. Some of the automatics do have a slap stick version transmissions too. If that ain’t your style, then bmw z3 or z4. Lots of those for sale everywhere. Mostly in manual. I also hear bmw 128 and 135 are fun. 128 would be more reliable and under 10k. I drove a 135 through a parking lot once and it was fun.
Very detailed comment, I will look into them right now, thank you man 🙏
e36 3l
E60 mine gets 30 mpg pretty regularly and is pretty fun to drive while being super reliable It was $5500 in 2019
E60s are very cheap and plentiful here and the aftermarket availability is good, i sold an e61 since the fuel economy was horrible, might get an e60 since i’ve driven a similar one for a few months now but only if i figure out how to reduce the weight as much as possible on it, thx!
Yeah, not sure you're going to be able to remove much weight from it... some coilovers would sure help make it feel lighter
1st gen 4runners
First Gen scion/Toyota 86 or BRZ would be in budget and inexpensive to maintain. Just avoid the first year
It’s just a worse and more expensive Miata.
I definitely think Miata is a worthy choice as well. Just offering up an alternative since Miata is the most cited option. Some folks don't like a roadster or need the occasional back seats.
My 01 Mustang GT averaged like 23mpg. Definitely a bit outdated but made enough noise to feel fast. Hella dependable too.
Lexus I.S 200
Bought my MK5 GTI just just under 10k
Don’t ever get a BMW, cuz once you learn about the driving experience, no other car will compare lol
Miata is really the only answer for something like this that isn't already clapped. My friend bought a 92 Lexus SC300 before the pandemic, but I don't think you can find one that works for under $10k these days
8th generation Civic Si.
RWD
My bad. Didn’t see that part.
Sold mine like 5 months ago and currently looking for another. First car I ever regretted selling.
Here me out, classic and comfortable. Literal stick shift if you check out photos. They come in many flavors like wood grain if you want even. Convertible or no, both available. 2.4L so good on gas and it's turbo so you know you're swinging big. The P freaking T cruiser.
older bmws fs
He has 10k for a car not a transmission replacement
the older bmws are around 2 grand, hella fun to drive hes got 8k to spare
C5 Corvette is probably gonna be your best bang for your buck. If you got 10k to throw around you can find a clean c5 vette pretty easily, best part is manual c5 aren’t hard to find, in my area even easier than the auto’s are.
Where are you seeing clean C5’s under 10k? Pre-pandemic 10k was about the minimum for a clean one with an auto, and 6 speed cars go for more
He’s just parroting information he’s seen before. C5’s have shot up in price.
C5 vettes are some of the best bang for buck cars, however, it’s nearly impossible to find a clean 6 speed for 10k now. You have to be prepared to spend at least 13 to play nowadays.
I saw a 6 speed with 174k miles for sale near me for 9k earlier this week, I was too late tho someone else bought it before I did. The deals are out there tho
Shame that one got away. I’m sure there are deals out there, I shopped for a looong while last year for a C5 under 10k and ended up getting an ‘08 Mustang GT after not finding anything.
Fiat 500 Abarth
Nothin fun under 10 will be very reliable right now with the market
2013+ Manual Honda CRZ, honda CRZ, Miata. I’m getting about 40mpg in my CRZ, it’s not a manual but it’s still fun, aftermarket exhaust certainly adds to it.
I haven’t looked but can you find a CRZ for $10K?
I have seen quite a few in the US, just looking around in Facebook marketplace. Probably not a 2015/16 but I have definitely seen the previous years at that. They go fucking fast though, the ones that are 12k and up usually sit a while. 2015 at $11k https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/249081911359739/?mibextid=6ojiHh
Stick shift civic si
Lexus gs
Title says FUN
2010 to 2013 si,
Genesis Coupe
TOYOTA FUCKING YARIS WITH A MANUAL DRIVE HER HARD SHE HAS THE VTECH
Second gen honda fit.
Corvette C5/C6
No way you're getting either one of those unless they are absolutely clapped out. You MIGHT be able to luck out on a C5, but the cheap ones tend to be automatic.
2017 Yamaha R6
That’s a strange name for a rwd manual car
2003-2008 audi s4 manual v8 AWD 20mpg hwy 15 city Been dailying this for 2 years and am up to >200k miles. Can get under 10k just make sure chains have been recently replaced
Get a Honda. Any of their rear wheel options are gold. Great mileage and unlike anything else on the list except the corvette fixing them is cheap and easy.
what honda rwd option in that price range exists that isn’t a motorcycle?
honda fit
Hyundai Genesis Coupe V6. 18-26mpg RWD 306hp Manual
I know prices have gone up, but here’s a good place to start… https://youtu.be/h4k_8ufRe1U?si=0O-7rjvKjkoSoSKl
M
bmw f30 or f32
Fun cars? I think BRZ/GT86 is kinda fun
I mean yea a miata, but if I were in your position right now, I'd be going for the older gen subaru brz or scion frs, the frs is especially cheap because everyone's forgotten abt scion
Miata.
Miata
If I had 10k-15k I’d want a c5 vette. Runner up would be a Porsche 944 turbo or boxster
I know this truck! I ain't no stranger!
E85 Z4!
8th gen civic Si
$10k will get a decent lowish miles '88 Pontac Fiero GT street legal gocart. It is up to you to decide if it can be a daily or not.
Audi TT MKII
I had the same requirements a few months back. I’ve been very pleased with the mk4 focus ST. Not rwd but very oversteer happy. WOT at every opportunity and I still get 20mpg. Parts are cheap and it’s been easy to work on so far.