What is the best car under $8,000?

"JR1" (type35bugatti)
08/04/2015 at 13:11 • Filed to: Porsche Boxster

Rules:

1. Must be safe.

2. Must be fairly reliable and semi cheap to maintain

3. Must get decent gas mileage (mid 25 or higher on highway)

4. Should be something I can enjoy on a back country road.

I feel like the 1997 Porsche Boxster fits all these bills except maintenance. Can you think of something better?

DISCUSSION (72)

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > JR1
08/04/2015 at 13:13

Apart from “safe”, so many amazing classics fit the bill it’s impossible to pick just one.

EL_ULY > JR1
08/04/2015 at 13:14

e46 33oi and IS300 prices vary, but those would be my best guesses. I’d go with the 2JZ for quality/maintanance reasons but they are basically the same car

Kinja'd!!!

Sn210 > JR1
08/04/2015 at 13:15

Aw11!

It's safe! It's got seat belts

TheD0k_2many toys 2little time > JR1
08/04/2015 at 13:15

all the miatas

Dwhite - Powered by Caffeine, Daft Punk, and Corgis > JR1
08/04/2015 at 13:23

Not clue about the gas mileage but the SC300 would be one to consider

Kinja'd!!!

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > JR1
08/04/2015 at 13:24

$8k would buy a good condition E36 M3 which for the most part covers all your criteria.

Safe: Front driver and passenger airbags, later models had side airbags.

Reliable/Cheap to maintain: It’s not gonna be Camry reliable but it isn’t bad, also probably the cheapest M car to buy parts for.

Gas mileage: EPA 27 highway, I’ve gotten more like 28-29 on 100+ mile highway trip.

Backroad fun: This should explain pretty well.

Kinja'd!!!

CalzoneGolem > JR1
08/04/2015 at 13:24

Ford Taurus wagon.

wiffleballtony > JR1
08/04/2015 at 13:27

2004 Nissan 350Z.

Laurence > JR1
08/04/2015 at 13:27

There’s almost too much choice; the best I can think of though are a Miata, WRX, non turbo 300ZX or E36 M3, and maybe a high milage s2000 if you’re a Craigslist ninja who can haggle well (but that last ones seriously pushing it)

Milky > Dwhite - Powered by Caffeine, Daft Punk, and Corgis
08/04/2015 at 13:30

I got 26mpg once out of a 400, so by some logic the 300 should be regularly there.

JR1 > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
08/04/2015 at 13:31

I know it’s an irrational fear but I wouldn’t daily a classic because of the safety issues. Although under 8k classic is the way to go.

JR1 > TheD0k_2many toys 2little time
08/04/2015 at 13:31

It’s an obvious answer

JR1 > CalzoneGolem
08/04/2015 at 13:32

How is it back road fun? Although I have always enjoyed their look

JR1 > wiffleballtony
08/04/2015 at 13:32

Sounds though to find under 8k

Van Man, rocks the Man Van > JR1
08/04/2015 at 13:32

GOOD NEWS!

It’s the Dacia Sandero!

Kinja'd!!!

Just kidding. In all seriousness, I think a good choice would be an early 2000’s Subaru WRX; it seems to check all of the boxes above.

Kinja'd!!!

Arrivederci > EL_ULY
08/04/2015 at 13:33

I’d love to get an old IS300 for a daily. So hard to find with a manual though.

JR1 > Laurence
08/04/2015 at 13:33

If someone found an S2000 under that price I'd probably have to buy it by selling my kidney

JR1 > Sn210
08/04/2015 at 13:33

Yeah that would be a fun car for sure.

JR1 > Dwhite - Powered by Caffeine, Daft Punk, and Corgis
08/04/2015 at 13:34

Great choice but I can't get past the looks

JR1 > EL_ULY
08/04/2015 at 13:34

Oh E46 good choice

JR1 > Logansteno: Bought a VW?
08/04/2015 at 13:35

I'd never say no to an M car

jmalek > JR1
08/04/2015 at 13:35

I know I am going to get some flak for this, but the Cobalt SS/TC is a remarkably capable car. Parts are super cheap due to the platform and how many vehicles have the 2.0T, insurance wasn’t terrible, and I always got around 32mpg highway even with it tuned. I had it for two years, drove it over 30k miles, it made 289hp/345ft-lbs at the wheels, and the only thing I had to do to it was oil changes and tires. Also, for being a coupe, it had a ridiculous amount of room in the rear seats.

Kinja'd!!!

JR1 > Van Man, rocks the Man Van
08/04/2015 at 13:36

That is a solid choice. Shame about the bug eye but maybe I could live with it

wiffleballtony > JR1
08/04/2015 at 13:37

Here’s some local to me ones:

https://phoenix.craigslist.org/cph/cto/513116…

https://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/cto/515491…

https://phoenix.craigslist.org/cph/cto/513719…

https://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/cto/513106…

https://phoenix.craigslist.org/cph/cto/511576…

Milky > JR1
08/04/2015 at 13:37

Kinja'd!!!

If you can stomach $100 oil changes and make sure the ignition is good before buying.

crowmolly > JR1
08/04/2015 at 13:38

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Chevrolet-…

Probably will end up around 8-9k.

CalzoneGolem > JR1
08/04/2015 at 13:42

Fun is what you make it. You could fill it up with camping gear. You could pull over and make love in the cargo area. They handle pretty well but they’re no Sprite darting around. But you get a nice long sweeper and just listen to the 3.0 @ WoT.

misfitmascots > Dwhite - Powered by Caffeine, Daft Punk, and Corgis
08/04/2015 at 13:49

Good choice

JR1 > CalzoneGolem
08/04/2015 at 14:03

Solid idea. And I feel like the SHO would always be a fun option

JR1 > wiffleballtony
08/04/2015 at 14:03

Dang that's lower than my area

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > JR1
08/04/2015 at 14:04

Proven - The Montego was 2500!

JR1 > jmalek
08/04/2015 at 14:05

The Colbalt is woefully under appreciated. It’s essentially a fun “hot hatch” with better styling.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > JR1
08/04/2015 at 14:06

Lincoln LS V8? 03-08 version is listed as 25 mpg hwy

JR1 > Milky
08/04/2015 at 14:06

Great option. I had no idea the oil changes were so much though

Laurence > JR1
08/04/2015 at 14:07

Yeah it's really pushing it for an s2000; but I've seen a handful in the US listed in the neighbourhood of $9k, and here in the UK, there's a few on autotrader for £4500 (Which Google says is $7000) but cars round here tend be cheaper in general. I'll have too look into it more, unless you want to keep your kidney

JR1 > crowmolly
08/04/2015 at 14:08

That LS1 gets decent highway miles right? I have always liked the Firebird version better but they are essentially the same price.

crowmolly > JR1
08/04/2015 at 14:11

27+ with an M6

An auto with 2.73 gears can get 30+

Both numbers are from firsthand experience

JR1 > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
08/04/2015 at 14:11

The Montego is a beast!

JR1 > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
08/04/2015 at 14:11

Interesting option. I hate that Lincoln did not continue the LS line.

CalzoneGolem > jmalek
08/04/2015 at 14:12

I had a regular Cobalt and that thing was a blast. Dat 5 speed tho!

JR1 > Laurence
08/04/2015 at 14:12

I wonder why they are so much cheaper in the UK for used cars

JR1 > crowmolly
08/04/2015 at 14:13

That's pretty impressive. On 93 or 87?

Amoore100 > JR1
08/04/2015 at 14:13

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/scz/cto/511358…

2004 V70 R @ $6000

1. By definition its safe. It’s a Volvo.

2. My dad has an ‘01 V70 T5 and over about five years few things have broken.

3. 16 City/23 Hwy, so a bit low by your standards.

4. 300 hp, AWD, wagon = family hooning.

Not sure where you are in the country but in my area this is a great deal.

Laurence > JR1
08/04/2015 at 14:19

I’ve wondered that as well; we pay a lot more for them new, as well; the only thought I have would be something to do with the fairly strict MOT inspections

crowmolly > JR1
08/04/2015 at 14:27

91+, sadly. But that’s the same as the Boxster.

Dwhite - Powered by Caffeine, Daft Punk, and Corgis > JR1
08/04/2015 at 14:27

But it looks great...

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > JR1
08/04/2015 at 14:36

Me too.

And if you’re considering a porsche, it’ll probably break less than THAT at least...

I mean it’s basically a Jag.

BUT you get to say RWD, American Badge, V8

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > JR1
08/04/2015 at 14:36

Update post on the Montego coming this week.

Upgrades (again)

JR1 > Amoore100
08/04/2015 at 14:40

Wrong end of the country but that's an interesting choice

JR1 > Laurence
08/04/2015 at 14:41

I always thought it might have something to do with the odd steering position. Makes it hard to sell outside the UK

JR1 > crowmolly
08/04/2015 at 14:42

True. I just wasn't sure if it was tuned for 87 or if it was higher

JR1 > Dwhite - Powered by Caffeine, Daft Punk, and Corgis
08/04/2015 at 14:43

Aftermarket yes. Stock not really

Laurence > JR1
08/04/2015 at 14:44

That’s something I hadn't actually considered; there isn't really much money in exporting cars from the UK from what I know

BeaterGT > JR1
08/04/2015 at 14:45

Fourth Gen Camaro!

Milky > JR1
08/04/2015 at 14:57

8.5 quartz of Mobil 1 gets expensive. You can obviously do it yourself for cheaper, but Im lazy.

JR1 > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
08/04/2015 at 15:11

That's the trifecta of awesomeness

JR1 > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
08/04/2015 at 15:14

Great I've been waiting to see how that has come along

JR1 > BeaterGT
08/04/2015 at 15:16

4th gen Firebird!

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > JR1
08/04/2015 at 15:29

Well, i hit a snag during this past weekend’s update...

In brief and without any picture fun-

Bought a new 4 core radiator (copper, but going up 2 cores should be more than enough to solve my overheating issue). Holy crap it looks great mocked up in there, and it’s cozy and cuddly up against that fan. the 4 core is considerably thicker (obviously) And I snapped a trans cooler line disconnecting from the old radiator. Now the fun of finding reproduction Montego trans lines. I have a lead on some, but the pic doesn’t quite look right. Says they fit Torino, Fairlane and Cyclone. I can’t imagine they’d be different. I’m tempted to buy and match it to the old ones before mounting so I can return if need be.

I also put new heater hoses on, if you look up an old pic of my engine you’ll see these terrible orange-ish heater hoses, they are now period correct black with red line and “autolite” on them. I don’t care about period correct, they just look badass lol. It’s nice having NPD literally down the road from my house...they had those because they are the same as “mustang” hoses.

I haven’t been able to drive it because of overheating...like all summer.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > JR1
08/04/2015 at 15:30

WS6 or bust bro

JR1 > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
08/04/2015 at 16:06

Well it sounds the modifications should hopefully fix that problem. If not it's time to buy a hood that will let a little air on that engine.

JR1 > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
08/04/2015 at 16:07

Seriously though WS6 is the best

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > JR1
08/04/2015 at 16:10

I can’t imagine I need that lol, though I have seen some scoops that look sincerely BADASS on the Montego, maybe I have to do one that’s actually functional.

More than likely I’d jump to some electric fans to mount on the front side of the radiator. It’s just insane this thing overheating so much. Took it to Woodward once the first year I had it, game over ever since.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > JR1
08/04/2015 at 16:10

There was one for sale around the corner from me. He still has it, I imagine it’s still for sale.

JR1 > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
08/04/2015 at 16:11

I mean if it looks badass it’s a good excuse to “need it” if you catch my drift.

JR1 > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
08/04/2015 at 16:13

Probably my favorite muscle car from the 90s and defiantly my favorite Firebird

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > JR1
08/04/2015 at 16:22

Examples:

Kinja'd!!!

I know they are available from about $160 which isn’t that terrible to add this much attitude.

Long Live the Longdoor > JR1
08/04/2015 at 16:32

First gen Acura TSX:

Kinja'd!!!

JR1 > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
08/04/2015 at 16:37

To me it sounds like a no brainier at that price

JR1 > Long Live the Longdoor
08/04/2015 at 16:38

Those have always looked pretty good

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > JR1
08/04/2015 at 16:56

Unfortunately I have to pay double that to get the floors repaired before the fun scoopness can happen. It’ll fit my theme perfect to have black up there on the hood. (Red with black on the outside, black with red on the inside - including engine bay)

JR1 > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
08/04/2015 at 17:13

That'll be one mean looking machine