Reasonably fun, reliable car for $20,000 or less

Splinter · Post by **Splinter** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 10:59 pm

Ok so heres the deal. I need a car I dont need to fix every 1000miles. Something that gets decent mileage.

I dont want anything older than an 04.
I dont want something thats too much fun, because I want to be yearning for my Legacy to be back on the road at all times.
I dont want a Honda.
Id like a 2-door, something relatively sporty looking.
FWD is a no-no. Either RWD or AWD.
No miatas or precidias.
No Korean cars. (Kia, Hyundai)
I am NOT going to be modding it, the only money Im going to spend is on maintenance and a small stereo.

Thoughts?

wiscon_mark · Post by **wiscon_mark** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 11:45 pm

Honda Fit
Toyota Yaris

Take your pic, but the Fit is supposed to be faster and more sporty. Both get 38+ MPG (not enough, IMO, for a compact car, but it's better than a Subaru).

evolutionmovement · Post by **evolutionmovement** » Sat Oct 07, 2006 1:51 am

Mazda 3. It's fwd, but outhandles my old Datsun Zs like they're conversion vans, is more fun than most cars out there, but not quite as stimulating to drive in terms of road feel. I get 27 mpg @ 100+/traffic, 30 doing between 80-90. If this car was rwd it would be the greatest performance bargain of the last 25 years. I have no idea what you'd get that's rwd and gets good gas mileage for under 20k. Maybe a 2.5 Impreza, but the Mazda handles better (though not off road) and gets better mileage.

The only new car 2-door, rwd, under 20k wouid be a V6 Mustang and the Miata, but neither get anything better than ok mileage.

I'm with you, though - where are all the new BMW 2002s, Alfa Giulias, and Datsun 510s?

wiscon_mark · Post by **wiscon_mark** » Sat Oct 07, 2006 2:03 am

Well, you certainly added a few things to the list since I posted.

"I don't want a Honda"

Why not? Because of the ricer image? Nobody said you have to comply. when you posted, you asked for sporty, reliable, under 20k, good mileage, and new.

Not FWD?

You're asking a really hard question. A V6 mustang isn't going to be sporty. No miata? Forget it.

-wait I take that back. An impreza 2.5RS would be the only thing I can think of in your price range.

Splinter · Post by **Splinter** » Sat Oct 07, 2006 2:05 am

Yea, I think an 04 RS would be a good option...

Oh, and the only things I added to the list were the no Korean cars.

The rest was already there.

wiscon_mark · Post by **wiscon_mark** » Sat Oct 07, 2006 2:13 am

I must be completely blind then, because I only saw your first two lines...

Browser error? I dunno...

azn2nr · Post by **azn2nr** » Sat Oct 07, 2006 3:10 am

umm, used soltice. realtively fun, rwd, 2.4 gets decent mileage, can be found under 20k, rare but seen, european design, and it fits 325's in the back with stock fenders.

Imprezive · Post by **Imprezive** » Sat Oct 07, 2006 5:00 am

I second the '04 2.5rs idea.

Richard · Post by **Richard** » Sat Oct 07, 2006 6:32 am

third

Black86 · Post by **Black86** » Sat Oct 07, 2006 12:45 pm

azn2nr wrote:umm, used soltice. realtively fun, rwd, 2.4 gets decent mileage, can be found under 20k, rare but seen, european design, and it fits 325's in the back with stock fenders.

YES!!!

I FULLY support this idea

Sean...you start bugging him about it at home, I'll bug him about it everywhere else.

evolutionmovement · Post by **evolutionmovement** » Sat Oct 07, 2006 2:03 pm

Don't buy a Solstace. That Eco-tech engine is the worst sounding engine I've heard that isn't used for gardening. Maybe it sounds different in the Pontiac than that Cobalt, but doubtful from the reviews I've read. Unless you don't care how the engine sounds, but then you have typical GM interior to deal with. Plus, I've not even seen one for sticker.

wiscon_mark · Post by **wiscon_mark** » Sat Oct 07, 2006 4:06 pm

I've heard an N/A Ecotech with Borla exhaust and it's alright. Not a subie, but not a buzzcan Honda sound either.

Murphy · Post by **Murphy** » Sat Oct 07, 2006 5:31 pm

i wouldnt bash the V6 so much, its right at 20k though so its probably out of your range, 210hp and 240ftlbs, the motors have been proven to also produce a bit more power than Ford states, it will throw you back from a launch

wiscon_mark · Post by **wiscon_mark** » Sat Oct 07, 2006 5:33 pm

That would be the newer V6 in the '05+ models though. The previous V6s were much weaker.

entirelyturbo · Post by **entirelyturbo** » Sat Oct 07, 2006 5:33 pm

They're both Fords.

azn2nr · Post by **azn2nr** » Sat Oct 07, 2006 6:45 pm

evolutionmovement wrote:Don't buy a Solstace. That Eco-tech engine is the worst sounding engine I've heard that isn't used for gardening. Maybe it sounds different in the Pontiac than that Cobalt, but doubtful from the reviews I've read. Unless you don't care how the engine sounds, but then you have typical GM interior to deal with. Plus, I've not even seen one for sticker.

im the biggest hater on gm interiors and i loved the soltice interior when i saw it at sema last year. very european, . the only issue i had was the steering wheel adn thats fixable

wiscon_mark · Post by **wiscon_mark** » Sat Oct 07, 2006 7:43 pm

Yeah, I liked the interior of the Solstice as well.

Splinter · Post by **Splinter** » Sat Oct 07, 2006 9:19 pm

Id be willing to go as high as 25K on the right car... but that isnt a V6 mustang

Murphy · Post by **Murphy** » Sat Oct 07, 2006 9:45 pm

350Z starts at $27k
Mustang GT is $26k
MX-5 Miata is $25k for the Grand Sport model (starts at $21k)
Mustang V6 is $19k

i thought a S2000 would be cheap, but its feakin $34k!!! for a tourqueless V-TEC 2.2L

theres other i want to list but ive got to get off of here...

Splinter · Post by **Splinter** » Sat Oct 07, 2006 9:50 pm

My parents have a 350Z, so thats not happening

Murphy · Post by **Murphy** » Sat Oct 07, 2006 10:23 pm

Cobalt SS (1SS- 175hp, N/A) is $18k
(2SS- 205hp, S/C) is $21k

Caliber R/T (2.4L 172hp and AWD) is $21k

Toyota Matrix (1.8L 122hp) is $15k

wiscon_mark · Post by **wiscon_mark** » Sat Oct 07, 2006 10:27 pm

He doesn't want FWD, so the cobalt is out.

Manarius · Post by **Manarius** » Sat Oct 07, 2006 11:33 pm

Murphy wrote:Caliber R/T (2.4L 172hp and AWD) is $21k

Daimler Chrysler - end of discussion.

03-04 Legacy GT anyone? MPG ain't so great...but sporty as all hell.

wiscon_mark · Post by **wiscon_mark** » Sun Oct 08, 2006 12:45 am

MPG are fine if you drive it reasonably. I would disagree that they're sporty-they're heavy as crap. Although Multilink helps a lot.

jamal · Post by **jamal** » Sun Oct 08, 2006 12:52 am

Murphy wrote:350Z starts at $27k
Mustang GT is $26k
MX-5 Miata is $25k for the Grand Sport model (starts at $21k)
Mustang V6 is $19k

i thought a S2000 would be cheap, but its feakin $34k!!! for a tourqueless V-TEC 2.2L

theres other i want to list but ive got to get off of here...

Yeah, but the S2000 revs to the moon and I think is faster than any of those cars around a track.

Does it have to be so new? You could get an older M3. And for that price you could get a used WRX.

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Reasonably fun, reliable car for $20,000 or less

Reasonably fun, reliable car for $20,000 or less