Sub $10k stick shift car?

[vshah]

2006 civic si might be doable in that budget. 2007+ if you want a sedan. Fun car, decent mileage. Great shifter.

80k on mine with no issues.

 

[QueBert]

I've seen Saturn Sky Redline's for right around $10k. I have the automatic and it's a fun car to drive and is pretty quick. Of course my last car was a 4 cylinder Camry, but still this little sucker moves for a 4 banger. If you don't need a ton of trunk space and 2 seats are okay check into a Redline or a Solstice GXP. The manual's a hair slower overall than the automatic, but it should still be a blast to drive. And one think I really liked about it is people don't know the car. I see like 2 a week, maybe. I love Stangs and was close to getting a Challenger, but I see those every other minute.

 

[yhelothar]

Miata I'll be honest, I'm afraid of dying in that car from getting hit by...well anything.

Miatas certainly aren't safe due to their small size, but it's not too far off from most of the other options mentioned in this thread.
http://www.iihs.org/externaldata/srdata/docs/sr4605.pdf

 

[Arkaign]

Second the Mustang GT as a great vehicle to own at least once in your life. It's too bad the 3.7 V6 6MTs haven't hit the $10k mark yet, but that will happen in another year or two (awesome mileage for something with that power).

 

[snoturtle]

Can also look at Volvos
Either an S60R or if you like wagons a V70R
Both around 300HP and depending on the year a 5MT or a 6MT was available

 

[KingstonU]

My car which I'm getting rid of is: standard, <100K miles and only $2,000

But it is barely at 100hp I think and overall just a cheap econobox

 

[46andtool]

I'm looking to get a 'new to me' used car. I have never had a manual, and really want one. But I'm picky, and prefer: manual, less than 100,000 miles, and something with a little bit of kick. I currently have an 03 Accord V6, and while it's no mean machine, it does okay for what it is (240 hp). I just don't want to feel like a mega downgrade power wise.

Any ideas? It's very tough finding something with these parameters that isn't a car that will die on me in four months.

Thanks

I'm looking for something with a stick and around 10k myself, these are the cars I'm considering:

06-08 VW GTI
05-08 Acura TL
05-08 Volvo S40 T5

All of them make decent power and should be great cars :thumbsup:

 

[ballmode]

The rare G35 Sedan 6sp manual

the 06/07 6sp Manual Accord V6 Sedan

E46 2001-2005 6sp manual sedan

 

[ballmode]

Is it possible to get a Cobalt SS sedan manual?

 

[brainhulk]

S2000

 

[pauldun170]

Is it possible to get a Cobalt SS sedan manual?

Yes, but since it came out in 2009 (with the more desirable turbo that was introduced to the Cobalt in 2008) you might not be able to find one at the price point you are looking for. Lowest I could find was 13K at 42K miles.

If you were to include the Cobalt, keep in mind that earlier SS models had the supercharger. 2008+ had the highly regarded turbo and suspension tuning.

Other features -
Auto eject ignition keys (currently in the news)
Interior plastic custom made by slave labor in a sweatshop using 15 year old easy bake ovens.
Rear brakes (check forums - may have been addressed) and bushings are said to be short lived

A Cobalt SS turbo is a ball to drive because all the money went into the power train. If you can find a 2009 with low miles @ 10K I'd say go for it.

 

[pauldun170]

S2000

Good luck finding one with under 100K for 10 grand or less (see thread title and OP first post)
Good luck finding another one after your first one is stolen

 

[ballmode]

I thought with S2k's it was mainly the seats that were stolen and people ripping up soft tops to get in them. Hence the high insurance rates for the cars

 

[HAL9000]

RX-8! Yes they can be a pain, yes it's not fuel efficient, but when you're driving it you'll forget all that. Trust me.

I miss mine :'(

 

[tweakmonkey]

S2000s are out there in that price range.

http://sacramento.craigslist.org/pts/4374223772.html
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/cto/4376140223.html

These cars are often beat on in that ~$10k range or will have higher miles. Quite a few compromises but I'd take it over anything else in that range. Then again I have a second car for DD.

 

[railer]

The rare G35 Sedan 6sp manual

Nice.

The G35 was a pretty fast and nice car. Didn't think of that one.

 

[fire400]

civic si

 

[Q]

A small update, not that anyone cares...hehe...but

First off, thanks for all the replies; I haven't been very active on AT the past few years but I see why I always come back

I have narrowed my search down to pretty much exclusively the 99-04 Mustang GTs. I've been able to find a decent amount for around 80k miles. I want one with as little mods as possible because I plan to DD this for a few years. (I don't drive very far or often, so I won't be putting many miles on).

How much do mods affect the reliability of a car? Are some mods 'worse' than others to engines? A lot of these GTs are about 100 miles away from my house...I want to have whichever car I'm interested in taken to a Ford dealer for a general inspection, and will offer to pay both for the inspection and a small amount for the seller's time. Is this the best approach?

TIA

 

[MiataNC]

How much do mods affect the reliability of a car?

Turbos and superchargers, if not setup properly, can result in expensive engine, clutch, transmission, and differential issues. Even if the seller took it easy on the boost, there is no way of knowing how much wear and tear was put on the stock running components that were never intended to support the added power a turbo or sc puts out.

"Chipped" or re-flashed engine control modules can cause issues passing emissions tests, and give poor performance under some conditions. If you look at a car that has been chipped or flashed, make sure the seller gives you the parts/tools needed to put it back to stock. The same goes for intake and exhaust mods. Make sure you get the stock parts, or you may be screwed if you fail an inspection.

Suspension mods usually improve the handling, but make sure they were done right. If the car was lowered by cutting the springs, avoid it like the plague. Good suspension mods require installing parts, not cutting stock components.

Beware of amateur radio and other electrical mods. Make sure they didn't cut up the factory wiring when doing the mods.

A good seller that did the mods right will provide receipts, complete info, and stock parts along with the sale of the car. If for any reason the seller seems shady or you think they are lying walk away.

 

[Q]

Turbos and superchargers, if not setup properly, can result in expensive engine, clutch, transmission, and differential issues. Even if the seller took it easy on the boost, there is no way of knowing how much wear and tear was put on the stock running components that were never intended to support the added power a turbo or sc puts out.

"Chipped" or re-flashed engine control modules can cause issues passing emissions tests, and give poor performance under some conditions. If you look at a car that has been chipped or flashed, make sure the seller gives you the parts/tools needed to put it back to stock. The same goes for intake and exhaust mods. Make sure you get the stock parts, or you may be screwed if you fail an inspection.

Suspension mods usually improve the handling, but make sure they were done right. If the car was lowered by cutting the springs, avoid it like the plague. Good suspension mods require installing parts, not cutting stock components.

Beware of amateur radio and other electrical mods. Make sure they didn't cut up the factory wiring when doing the mods.

A good seller that did the mods right will provide receipts, complete info, and stock parts along with the sale of the car. If for any reason the seller seems shady or you think they are lying walk away.

I appreciate the quick and helpful reply. Exhaust / intake mods seem to be the most common. In my state, we have no inspections, so air cleanliness (I'm derping right now on the proper term) isn't an issue. Besides that issue, is it worrisome if they have exhaust/intake mods? Those are pretty much the only two I would 'accept'. I've seen some gear ratio changes (355?) but only one.

 

[MiataNC]

I appreciate the quick and helpful reply. Exhaust / intake mods seem to be the most common. In my state, we have no inspections, so air cleanliness (I'm derping right now on the proper term) isn't an issue. Besides that issue, is it worrisome if they have exhaust/intake mods? Those are pretty much the only two I would 'accept'. I've seen some gear ratio changes (355?) but only one.

Intake and exhaust mods are common, and very rarely damage a car. If the car is clean and well taken care of, you don't need to be worried about a cold air intake or cat-back exhaust system.

Gear ratio changes can really improve the acceleration at the expense of fuel economy. You will need to do some research on Mustang forums to see if the added performance of a 3.55 is worth the trade-offs.

 

[thedarkwolf]

I wouldn't worry the about exhaust, intake, or rear gear mods. Well unless the exhaust is just insanely loud or it is running 4.11 or lower gears. 4.11s might get annoying on the interstate but 3.73/3.55 are pretty common and fine. Pretty hard to find an older mustang that doesn't have at least one of those. Mustang GTs are pretty reliable cars.

Not exactly comparable but my 89 5.0l 5 speed with 3.73s still did around 25/26mpg on the interstate but it did suck down the gas in the city 15ish. My dad's 02 GT 5 speed stock 3.23? gears would pull 28mpg interstate and I don't know about his city mileage.

 

[Q]

Headers?

 

[ballmode]

decide on a car yet?

 

[Fritzo]

Your requirements gets you into Mustang GT and they are very fun cars. They also hold up well with age. When you get bored with them, upgrades are fairly easy.
RX-8 GREAT car...for some owners. Most I know were glad they owned them and glad they sold them. You take a big risk with that car.
Nissan Altima 3.5, preferably SE-R model.
Mazda6 -2006+. Duratec 3.0 + 5spd is a nice combo. Avoid earlier models.
I'd avoid VW's in the 10K, sub 100k market.
Don't forget about Honda Accord, there should be a nice selection of 5spd + 3.0 V6's on the market. Might be tough finding one with low mileage.

That being said, Miata.

I'd avoid the RX-8. That rotary engine doesn't have the best reputation, and since only one manufacturer made them parts and maintenance might get frustrating.

I WOULD recommend a car that has a large enthusiast community so it's easy to find help if you need it. The Subarus, Mazdas, and VW's fall into this category.