What's the best sleeper car under $30k

Kinja'd!!! "maristgrad" (maristgrad)
04/10/2015 at 23:31 • Filed to: None

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The post earlier on Jalopnik with the 550 HP Ford Taurus got me thinking, What cars, first of all, are considered sleepers, and secondly which would be the best ones under 30k? My girlfriend had a tuned VR6 Jetta which I always considered a sleeper, but when I recently got my twin turbo V8 750, took off my badges and called it a sleeper because so many people mixed it up with a 745 I wasnt taken seriously by the people who matter, serious car people, since it is a foreign luxury car. So you tell me, if you had 30k to spend, what would be the best car to stay inauspicious, yet posses the ability to disappear is a blur of distant hazy red tail lights? Could you imagine if someone put a hellcat engine in a Dodge Dart or Magnum? omg that would be ridiculous


DISCUSSION (22)


Kinja'd!!! TopSirloin > maristgrad
04/10/2015 at 23:43

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That's too much money to play with. You'll end up choosing some used German luxo-sedan every time.


Kinja'd!!! sm70- why not Duesenberg? > maristgrad
04/10/2015 at 23:43

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E220 S65 AMG springs to mind. XC70 polestar, FX50, GTO, and any ecoboost car are good choices.


Kinja'd!!! CB > maristgrad
04/10/2015 at 23:44

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I propose this Hyundai Genesis R-Spec, with the V8. $29,995 CDN for a zero to sixty time of 4.7 seconds and a car that absolutely no one would look for.


Kinja'd!!! Jcarr > maristgrad
04/10/2015 at 23:44

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I'm confused. Is the Mercedes supposed to represent a sleeper?

I think it would be fun to slap a couple turbos on the Atlas I-6 in my Envoy and mess with people.


Kinja'd!!! Vicente Esteve > maristgrad
04/10/2015 at 23:49

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I think the VR6 Jetta is quite the sleeper. I have a great urge to have one, I mean, the only way to know it has a 6 cylinder engine is a chromed badge in the trunk!

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Kinja'd!!! BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > maristgrad
04/10/2015 at 23:54

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I always thought a built B5 would be the ultimate Sleeper. 30K would build a he'll of a nice one. Plaid GTI seats included!


Kinja'd!!! itranthelasttimeiparkedit > Jcarr
04/10/2015 at 23:55

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dooooooooo it. i always loved the motor in mine even factory


Kinja'd!!! maristgrad > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
04/10/2015 at 23:58

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Ooo the FX50 is a good one!


Kinja'd!!! Mustafaluigi > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
04/11/2015 at 00:11

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I would love to have one of the few B5.5 Wagon 1.8t Manual 4motion's out there and do a good big turbo build. Nobody would expect it. Leave it on stock rims, stock height, just gobs of power and a quiet exhaust.


Kinja'd!!! 404usernotfound > maristgrad
04/11/2015 at 00:15

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A legacy GT is quite a sleeper. A 4 door sedan with what is pretty much the engine from a WRX.


Kinja'd!!! jariten1781 > maristgrad
04/11/2015 at 00:17

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Ram SRT10 in black to mask the hood, swap bumpers for the metal ones off a work truck, remove bed cover, innocuous wheels, silencer mufflers, and you should be good


Kinja'd!!! BeaterGT > 404usernotfound
04/11/2015 at 00:24

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Can confirm. No one suspects a thing.


Kinja'd!!! SlickMcRick > maristgrad
04/11/2015 at 00:36

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Ford Flex Ecoboost with a tune.


Kinja'd!!! Blunion05 drives a pink S2000 (USER WAS BANNED FOR THIS POST) > maristgrad
04/11/2015 at 00:56

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Cobalt SS/TC. Take off the huge wing, get some different wheels other than the stock ones, get the Stage 1 kit + tune for it will give an increase from 260hp/260 torque to 290hp/340 torque.

For added sleeper effect purchase the sedan version.

Pretty entertaining for almost 3000 pounds AND no-lift shift!


Kinja'd!!! Dunnik > maristgrad
04/11/2015 at 01:01

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I'd buy a 1987-90 Volvo 765 in the best condition I could find.

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This would give me, um, about $28,000 to spend on a general resto-mod, a five liter Ford V8, upgraded shocks, tires, wheels, brakes.


Kinja'd!!! Supercharged-V8-Jag > maristgrad
04/11/2015 at 01:39

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Can I cheat a bit?

2010 Jaguar XFR; just looks like a comfy old mans car.. which also happens to pack a 500hp 5 liter, supercharged, V8... all yours for $31K

http://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/…


Kinja'd!!! desertdog5051 > CB
04/11/2015 at 02:26

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Ain't that the truth. I had to look that one up. 429 HP, 13.7 quarter mile. That's a sleeper.


Kinja'd!!! Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen > Supercharged-V8-Jag
04/11/2015 at 06:12

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I'd go for an older XJR (X308 or X350), or S Type R. By the time of the XF, Jag was starting to develop a little funkiness, whereas the retro styled cars very definitely make people think grandpa's driving.

100hp less than the XFR, yes, but the $10k you save will buy you a twin-screw kit, and in any case 5 sec 0-60 in a 10 year old car is plenty good enough to qualify as a sleeper....


Kinja'd!!! Oontzoontzoontz > 404usernotfound
04/11/2015 at 07:27

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Those in the know will spot the hood scoop from a mile away, but yes, this is a fantastic sleeper.


Kinja'd!!! Schaefft > maristgrad
04/11/2015 at 07:44

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Lexus GS450h Hybrid, and not just because I am thinking about getting one. 0-60 in 5.5 seconds is quite impressive. If thats not enough, the Infiniti M35h has a 0-60 time of 5.2 seconds.


Kinja'd!!! crowmolly > maristgrad
04/11/2015 at 10:44

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9.90s at 140. Assuming the car is $2000 it might be doable for 30k.


Kinja'd!!! CaptDale - is secretly British > maristgrad
04/11/2015 at 13:56

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This (under $30 according to KBB)

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