Cheapest Cars with Awesome Engines

"GhostZ" (GhostZ) 12/28/2014 at 19:25 • Filed to: None

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What car has the best Engine Awesomeness (measured in imperial units of cool) for the least money?

This is a bit different than the standard power/dollar comparison, because power isn't what makes a great engine, though it is a factor. A great engine (and arguably, transmission combo too, as a bad transmission can ruin a good engine!) should exhibit the following, though definitely not limited to:

- Awesome Sound

- Good Revving characteristics (redline, spin-up speed)

- Excellent Reliability

- Lightweight construction

- Acceptable Power

- Great Availability and cost of replacement parts

- Great Availability and cost of performance parts

- High Potential for upgrades

- Beautiful Appearance in the engine bay

And obviously many more.

My choice has to be the 1998 Camaro Z/28 or SS, which came with the first-year of the LS1 motor. Though underrated at 305HP, you can buy a 16-year-old LS1 and still drive it, work on it, and upgrade it far above and beyond what it was designed for stock. Plus, a good example can be found for less than $7000.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > GhostZ 12/28/2014 at 19:28

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What''s cooler than the biggest of big blocks.

500CI, thats 8.2L

http://madison.craigslist.org/cto/4787868847…

44444444444 > GhostZ 12/28/2014 at 19:32

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Volvo s60/V70R!

They go forever like every other Volvo.

5 cylinders!

6 speed manual/AWD.

300hp/298ft-lbs of torque stock.

With a few thousand dollars you can make that 450hp...

Sounds amazing with the right exhaust:

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > GhostZ 12/28/2014 at 19:33

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5.9L Straight 6, LS-sized aftermarket, can actually be used for work, and nearly as efficient.

http://pensacola.craigslist.org/cto/4793751312…

Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen > GhostZ 12/28/2014 at 19:38

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Any 70s or 80s Alfa. Whether the engine is the flat 4, the Twin Cam, or the V6 (HNNNNGH), they're all glorious sounding, revvy, and pretty. And they're all sitting in cheap unreliable rusty tin boxes, at least those that remain.

GhostZ > Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen 12/28/2014 at 19:39

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This was going to be my second choice!

JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7 > GhostZ 12/28/2014 at 19:41

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-1996 Corvette 6M, included because not LS but 330hp underrated LT-4

-2006 BMW 330i: lightest production 6 cylinder ever, 30+ MPG, smooth 255hp, great sound and powerband.

-LS400/SC400, 1UZ (no explanation necessary) Also, SC300 5MT (2JZ, yes. No, it's not basically a Supra. A Passat is not basically an S4/RS4.)

Daytona IROC. 224hp K-car with heaps of torque. Runner up goes to the cooler TC by Maserati Cosworth (200hp from the same engine, glove leather!)

And special for GhostZ, 280ZX Turbo. Akio's Devil Z has a twin turbo L28!

Cherry_man1 > GhostZ 12/28/2014 at 19:45

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2003-04 Mach 1 Mustang's and termis

4.6L DOHC Motor

Good god do they sound amazing!

GhostZ > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 12/28/2014 at 19:45

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If I ever owned a Caddy 500, I would be really hard not to shortly afterward own a Caddy 600+ ci engine.

...with a blower.

MultiplaOrgasms > GhostZ 12/28/2014 at 19:48

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Has to be the W210 E420. Can be had for as little as 3k for a decent, well kept, rust free(!) runner with reasonable mileage. Cheapest way to own a car powered by a Le Mans winning engine for sure. Even cheaper for slightly not so well kept ones.

Trunk Impaired 318 > GhostZ 12/28/2014 at 20:01

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BMW 850 or 750 with the M73 V12. Basically two straight sixes bolted together (they have separate ECUs for each bank)

Tohru > GhostZ 12/28/2014 at 20:08

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There's a 72 Grandville convertible with a 455 Rocket in it on the local Craigslist for $2100. You won't get a lot of revs out of it, but you get all the Goddamn torque down low where you need it.

Tohru > GhostZ 12/28/2014 at 20:09

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It's only $2500. Make it happen. I'll even let you store it at my place in Wisconsin for free until you can get it.

camaroboy68ss > GhostZ 12/28/2014 at 20:11

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as an owner of a 98 SS Camaro, if modding is your goal for the car, avoid a 97-98 LS1, they are the oddballs and more of a pain to mod compared to a 99-00 Camaro. the 01-02's are the best since they came already with LS6 intakes from the factory and some of the later 02's had ls6 blocks in them

Milky > JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7 12/28/2014 at 20:16

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On the Sc300 is not basically a Supra. Its not, not one. You could swap suspension components between them iirc.

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > Cherry_man1 12/28/2014 at 20:19

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You beat me to this! But I do agree, they sound awesome.

But for some reason I don't have any pictures of my engine...

96-98 Cobra's also have the same engine and can be had for cheaper. Well, sometimes. Then there's the 99 and 01 Cobra's which had an upgraded version of that.

JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7 > Milky 12/28/2014 at 20:27

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You can, but look at it this way. The Supra Turbo has an LSD, 6 speed manual, coilover suspension, different motor internals, and the list goes on and on. The SC300 is a great GT car and a complete steal for $3,000. But it's more commonly becoming a misconception that you stick a turbo kit on the 2JZ-GE and you have a plush JZA80.

The Transporter > GhostZ 12/28/2014 at 20:31

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Hear me out.

The Cadillac Eldorado (or any car with a Northstar) is a cumbersome load of American pig iron, but how many cars do you know that have a cheap, low mileage, transverse mounted DOHC V8? The way I look at it, they're all just self-propelled crate engines waiting for someone to come along and put it in a Fiero or, dare I say it, an MR2.

dogisbadob > GhostZ 12/28/2014 at 20:40

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Any 90s Toyota

Milky > JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7 12/28/2014 at 20:42

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Obviously a Supra Turbo is better. But you can stick a turbo kit on a SC300 and have a close enough car for 1/5th the price!

Jonathan Harper > JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7 12/28/2014 at 20:47

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I quite agree about the 330 motors. My buddy had a 330xi with a Dinan exhaust, it sounded so damn good:

Cherry_man1 > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST 12/28/2014 at 21:11

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Don't forget about the '00 Cobra R with its 5.8L

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > GhostZ 12/28/2014 at 21:12

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How about the Honda S2000?

120bhp/L naturally aspirated is no joke from a car that can be got for under $15k these days... as low at 6k with a salvage title

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > GhostZ 12/28/2014 at 21:12

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If you're not interested in car applications, one of the best engines around is the Jeep 4.0. They had a respectable 190hp/235tq stock, but they also have one of the largest engine aftermarkets out there. There's a plethora of heads, intakes, exhausts, and stroker kits out there that can push power output wayyyyyy up. They are known to be extremely reliable and well built (SEVEN main bearings!), and yes they can sound good:

They don't really meet your beautiful or lightweight criteria though, but here's a thought: The 4.0 is based off of the AMC I-6, meaning it uses the same engine mounts. You could theoretically build one up and drop it into a Rambler or Javelin with little to no trouble and make a cool restomod.

A good engine won't be too hard or expensive to find either, seeing as how Chrysler made over 5 million of them!

NJAnon > GhostZ 12/28/2014 at 21:27

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My nominations aren't from a mechanic POV I'm no mechanic. Also, I'm removing cars older than the movie The Animal.

from the factory:

-Naturally Aspirated

Nissan 350Z

Ford Mustang

Chevrolet Corvette (C5)

Cadillac CTS

-Turbocharged

None come to mind. None that fit all the requirements listed by GhostZ :P

-Supercharged

Ford Mustang Mach 1

There weren't a lot supercharged cars recently from factory. But theres a reason for that...

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > Cherry_man1 12/28/2014 at 21:34

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The '95 Cobra R had the 5.8, the '00 had the 5.4. Both awesome engines though.

95's are cheap for what they are, I see some go for 20K. I'd love to own one. 00's on the other hand can go for 60K.

Cherry_man1 > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST 12/28/2014 at 21:47

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I'm fairly certain the '00 has the 5.8

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > Cherry_man1 12/28/2014 at 21:54

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Must…

It's a 5.4. My engine uses the same intake valves from it. At least I think it's the intake valves...

Cherry_man1 > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST 12/28/2014 at 22:01

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Ya mach 1 and termis do that's how they got the DOHC I think

Vicente Esteve > GhostZ 12/28/2014 at 22:23

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VR6 Engine in Golf GTIs and Jetta GLIs.

One of the best sounding engines almost in existance, more reliable than most VAG engines, smooth power and just beautiful to look at. I need one of these in my life, and I truly can attain it due to affordability.

GhostZ > NJAnon 12/28/2014 at 22:31

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The Mach 1 wasn't supercharged, but the Cobra was. I assume you're talking about the 90s ones?

Either way, great choices.

GhostZ > dogisbadob 12/28/2014 at 22:52

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Goddamit of course you would say this

How many times are we going to play this game, Hm?

dogisbadob > GhostZ 12/28/2014 at 22:58

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But really, they're so well-built, and their engines last forever! You really can't go wrong with any of them. As a bonus, the V6's in the Camry/ES300 actually sound pretty good too!

In regards to the OP's Camaro example, even the 3800 V6 models are reasonably fast stock, are fairly reliable, and have almost as much aftermarket support as the V8's do.

NJAnon > GhostZ 12/28/2014 at 23:00

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I'll double check my reading *I thought the 2003 Mach 1's were supercharged*. I didn't nominate the Cobra's in the 2000's because no ones finding a decent example. I've run into more Cobras on dragstrips than on normal roads.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > dogisbadob 12/29/2014 at 00:38

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Interesting fact: I've diagnosed more seized Toyota V6's (either 3.0 or 3.3, can't remember which exactly, usually in a Lexus of some sort) than any other single engine aside from the Rover V8. And I very rarely work on Toyota products. I think it's a sludge and misfire problem with the shitty gasoline and rain we get in Oregon, combined with short trips.

dogisbadob > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 12/29/2014 at 19:20

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sounds like the 97-01 1MZ and possibly some early 3MZ's.

Toyota started cutting costs around 97 or so, and they shrunk the oil passages in that V6.

GhostZ > JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7 12/30/2014 at 15:47

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Oh man those chrome swastika wheels. Getting real hot in here all of a sudden...

JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7 > Jonathan Harper 12/30/2014 at 16:05

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What a sound! The 330i is becoming less common in the U.S. as time goes on, being here for just one year. The last time BMW put a precise and satisfying NA six in a 3er without limiting it to mark up a turbo car that traded involvement for torque.