Best Car Under 15k
I am in the market for a car under 15k. I've done some research and come up with a few ideas, I just wanted to see what the IA elite (lol) have to say. It needs to be a four door and a manual. I have been looking at: BMW 3 & 5 series, Neon SRT-4, Mazdaspeed Protege, and Maximas. I know this is a random list but thats why I want some imput. Reps for good logical advice. None of that "buy my DB teg" nonsence...lol. Unless it has a JDM front and a B18c.
89 EE Wagon
neon or see if you can find a speed3
buy my ITR
Srt-4? OMG are you serious.Originally Posted by alpine_xj
If I were you I'd get a nice E36 M3, and pocket the rest.
You niggas know my pyroclastic flow, its R A W!
- Current: E36
SRT-4 maintenance>M3 maintenance
And stock for stock I'm pretty sure the SRT-4 is faster, and is also cheaper. M3's are great and all but they're overrated.
I am looking at like a 2000-03 3/5 series. but I'm not sure if I want to pony up the dough for repairs. Any major problems with the srt-4 other than the fact that its a dodge...lol.
89 EE Wagon
The speed3's are too hot right now. I won't find one under like 18.5
89 EE Wagon
The biggest problem with an SRT-4 is if you drive one everyone might think you're a douchebag.
What about a wrx?
Only if I go to the G'net BP lolz. I live in truck country (paulding co) lol so I will probably fit in haha. Are there any common problems with these cars? I've heard bad things about oil leakes and rough transmissions. I am very mechanically inclined but I have always owned japanese cars so I am a little weary of domestic cars.
As far as a WRX goes I like the car but I have test driven three of them and two had bad trannys and the other one stalled everytime it hit boost. It kinda made me wonder about the craftsmanship.
89 EE Wagon
dude with 15k you could "make" a car you realy like. a 4dr jdm front vteccd out c5 tegg is very possible. mhmmm but if thats not your goal id definetly get a bimmer or that speed 3 or maybe a regular 6. oh oh oh you could get a gli vdubb. those are real nice cars.
I asked a girl if i could buy her a drink, she said I have a boyfriend, so I said, well i have a goldfish, she said what? I replied, oh I'm sorry I thought we were talking about shit that doesnt matter.
I'm done building cars I want something thats fast and reliable out of the box. VW are good just not my style. As much as I hate to say it I'm kinda leaning towards the SRT-4. Don't know about their reliability though. Any info on that would be very much appreciated.
89 EE Wagon
why not a regular 3? great car for the money..
My friend has an 03... The only mechanical problem he has had was a tps, and It was replaced by the dealer.
I read about that. It seems like an easy fix.
I am shying away from the mazda3 because for the same amount of money I can get a faster car.
89 EE Wagon
Speed3 all the way, SRT-4 alot of repairs, m series nice but expensive to work on. Best bang for the buck Speed3.
Last edited by 67MercCougar; 10-08-2008 at 10:25 PM.
1967 Mercury Cougar, bored out 289.
1998 Ford Mustang Cobra convertible. Fully forged DOHC 4.6.
BUILT NOT BOUGHT!!!!!!
You are in the same boat that I am. My cap was $15k and I can't decide on squat!
As long as you find a GOOD CPO BMW, you will be fine with regular maintenance.
SRT-4 is not my personal taste. Nice cars for power, but look like a damn neon, lol.
What year Maxima?
Will this be a family mobile also?
I was looking at the gen 5 maxima 00-03 I believe. I like the car but it seems too soft.
89 EE Wagon
I have seen a couple Mazdaspeed6's go for around $15k. It's not a bad car, basically a better looking speed3 with all wheel drive.
Chris / 97' Volvo 850R Wagon / 86' Porsche 944 Turbo
From your list I'd go srt4, best bang for the buck out of the list imo. I been reading up a bit on them and don't hear many people complaining about reliability of them either... biggest complaint is fwd lol
Hmm I will def have to check out the speed6. Too bad its not all-time 4wd.
89 EE Wagon
i'll sell you my FD for tad above 16k as it sits. Just spent 2k on engine servicing, and making it as healthy as one can. Needs bumpers and a fender painted, driver seat recovered. And it's a done deal. Did i mentions only 24k on the car
Last edited by UpSideDownDesi; 10-09-2008 at 11:06 AM.
get an se-r spec v
For 14k I would just search for a good deal on S2K
My current vehicles
04 A4 GTO
02 A Camry
I would as well, but he said it has to be four door not a two seater lol
why does it have to have 4 doors? you could come up with a lot better car if youd lose the back seat...
**Original photo by CF Photography**
Yeah for a quick fun nice car I would choose the s2k. Backseats are why I got a GTO and not a Vette though sad times.
My current vehicles
04 A4 GTO
02 A Camry
Would you be interested in an IS300? I may be selling mine soon...
I got free clear tails with my ride.....
if i had to get a 4door........i deff get a BMW 540,or maybe a M3
srt4, best bang for the buck speed. super reliable, and fun.
courtesy of whoever posted this before I stole it.
Da Nastyist Whipz Member #9
"Muh fuggas don kno, got dat gangsta green biniss maikin tha dirtlegs say HAY. Da Naystiezt whipz, rillis crew in da A"
Lol, SRT-4s are garbage. M3 will last atleast 150k miles longer than the SRT-4.
You niggas know my pyroclastic flow, its R A W!
- Current: E36
They're not reliable at all.
I agree, anything but that damn SRT-4.
GLIs are nice as fvck.
You niggas know my pyroclastic flow, its R A W!
- Current: E36
AP1 S2K, problem solved.
Life begins at 6000 RPMS.. You will notice an audible change in engine noise, large increase in acceleration and any female passengers will immidiately start to remove their clothing.
thats my vote
No sig ATM
Even though an SRT-4 might seem like a good idea, it isn't. Practically all SRT-4s are ragged to hell, not to mention FWD and that super sexy Neon styling.
For 15k you could build a very respectable B5 or B6 Audi A4, WRX, or 325.
Also, don't buy someone else's project without doing a decent amount of research beforehand. You might think you are getting a fast car out of the box, but it could be a maintenance nightmare.
UGA: Everybody is laughing at us this year.
love my is300 and it was under 15k
I spend money on HP not Brand Names.
08 Infiniti G37s 6MT [The Daily Beast]
05 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII MR [Sold]
01 Lexus Is300 [Under Construction]
93 mazda Mx-3 SE 2.5 Klze [Sold]
92 mazda mx-3 GS 2.0 Kfze [I Killed it]
540i/6 or e34 M5
You could kill nearly everything else in the price range stock for stock.
Plus 316hp out of a NA Inline 6.
The last handbuilt M car made.
98 Subaru Legacy GT
89 325i. 400hp hoon-mobile.
As far as newer cars are concerned, I agree that a Mazdaspeed 3 would be your best choice.
My friend JUST bought one this past week, and he and his wife love it.
Mazda and Nissan are the only companies these days that seem to actually be moving forward with their designs of cars.
Are any Nissans in the ~15k range? A Altima/Maxima would be a great choice.
An older used M3 DOES sound cool, but the only car I see spending 15k+ on that's OLD....is an RX-7 like mine, Supra, etc etc...lol
If I had $15k and wanted a 4-door car, I'd be looking at those 3's.....
I agree with the ones saying WRX, you just need to find one that was taken care of. If I'm not mistaken didn't the SRT-4 have problems passing the side impact collision test or get a low score or something like that? Guessing the back seats are for kids?
2007 Civic FA1 and 2005 Yukon XL Denali
WRX's are nice n' all, but they're not very....practical.
If you just want a quick n' fun 4-door, turbo, etc....then yeah, they're not bad.
I'd personally rather have the newer, more stylish and COMFORTABLE interior that you'd find in the new Mazdaspeed 3 than a WRX....
Pics taken from my friend's Myspace.
The only thing I don't like about the 3 and some of the other cars on the market, similar to it...is the shape of the rear hatch... I think it makes it look too much like a freaking mini mini-van, ya know? The NEW WRX/STI....the earlier 2000-ish Honda Civic SI hatchbacks.....cars like that. I hate the curved mini-van style design of the rear-hatch...
Aside from that, if it doesn't bother you, I think a BLACK Mazda 3 would be baddass. I think I saw one around base a couple weeks ago with a like, H4/HID style headlights, full body kit, some rims, and I didn't even recognize it. It looked baddass!
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