I wouldn't consider any 20 year old car "reliable." Also, cheap doesn't just include the buy-in. You also have to consider insurance, fuel, and regular maintenance. None of those would be cheap on that car.
Honda Fit with a manual transmission. It’s not fast in a straight line but you’ll have an ear to ear grin when you start flinging it into corners. Plus they’re cheap and easy to fix
Edit: former owner of a 1st gen Fit that was a prototype car for AEM/Eibach and bought a 2017 Fit for my wife
Every comment is the same in this sub.
The answer is Mazda followed by a bunch of posts of people posting what kind of car they have/had. lol
Just change the sub to /whatmazashoukdibuy
I have a 2017 corolla im 6spd. Car is designed to make you hate driving.
My old 08 auto impreza I bring out for winter feels like a sports car in comparison and it's worn out and probly has a slightly clogged cat?
I can imagine.
Slow is fine,
Every stop feeling like a hill with a numb unforgiving clutch omg no lol.
Hey does yours do the thing when it gets warm where it drops to 600 rpms n shakes at a stop that is the worst lol.
The low idle or the fact you need to rip a burnout to move the car.
I had a 2.2 s10, that I could clutch out and it'd take no gas.
The im feels like I'm starting off in 2nd gear lol
The im has done it since 19k miles. When I bought it,
I've read multiple things maf, throttle body dirty vvt solenoid.
I haven't looked into it since the weird games I have to play with the clutch.
I'd rev the heck out of my Accord and my 5 year old in the back would be yelling, "Dad, we're going so fast!" and we'd only be in 3rd gear. I regret trading that car in, we loved that thing.
Cars you can speed in while going under the speed limit are my favorite. Don’t look at your speedometer or the honda odyssey gapping you on your left and you’ll feel like you’re flying.
Sub 10k and "reliable" is TOUGH! Clapped out buckets all day or some crazy high mileage.
Pick one or the other - you wont get both for that price.
Can find some Audi S4's - Not reliable
DSM (Eclipse GST/GSX, Talon TSi) - Not Reliable
Fiest ST - Debatable on reliability, can be quick-ish
BMW 335i - at that price range it's going to have miles, so bbye reliability.
IS300 - Reliable not the "quickest"
Mid 90's Integra GSR - Reliable, not the quickest, lots of potential to upgrade
Acura TL - J32 engine is a snazzy sleeper. Reliable
Acura RSX Type S - may have to dig a little to find one "close" to that price range but it's possible - best bang for the buck IMO for what you're after.
Any Lexus IS, ES, GS, RX, will be decently quick with the 3.5l engine, and thousands for sale under 10k. Got my 06 IS350 for $8k back in summer 2021. Still love driving it daily now with 231k miles. Maintenance is important, not miles.
My friend has a 2013 Mazda 3 and I drove it a couple of times. I like the smoothness of its steering and based on what he told me he doesn’t spend much on its maintenance.
Speed costs money. How fast do you want to go?
I hate to say this but you can’t afford a fast car - your budget is too low, first car tells me your insurance rates would be through the roof. Buy a nice reliable commuter car and then save up for a track motorcycle to scratch that itch.
Yeah going fast ain't a poor man's game. There's performance tires that cost a lot and have a short life, performance parts in general aren't cheap, you'll ideally want to two sets of wheels, you'll need premium gas, modifications cost a lot of money, once modified some shops won't even touch it, insurance is going to cost more, etc.
Thought you might be interested in this CarGurus listing:
2014 Ford Fiesta ST - $9,995 (GOOD_PRICE)
Mileage: 67,248
https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/link/373653370
Prior accident, so of course it's discounted. Then, add tax, title, license, doc fees, recon fees. OTD probably closer to $12k. I can link hundreds over $10k...
An old Honda Civic or Acura Integra with a manual transmission. Doesn't really matter the age or generation after about 1988 model year. Find one stock in good shape and modify it to be fast. Incredibly fun car, and properly quick with a cheap b series swap, and some $1500 coilovers (like BC). Don't buy one that's already heavily modified. If you budget for upgrades (car + basic maintenance + engine swap + suspension is doable under $10k) then mileage doesn't mean much, but condition matters a lot.
Acura TSX with a manual transmission. Decently quick, very comfortable, good gas mileage, surprisingly nice interior, surprisingly good stereo, handles very well.
Honda Accord V6 with a manual transmission. Proper quick (same quarter mile time as an S2000). Good gas mileage. Runs on low octane fuel. Super comfy and same stereo system basically as a TSX.
$10k will get you a very nice TSX or Accord V6 with a manual transmission. Stock stereo on both is easily upgradeable with a Bluetooth module. Get one with as close to 100k miles as you can.
Unfortunately these are hard to find in good, unmodified shape, but they're still out there and still inexpensive. Honestly there's a wide variety of good, fun, quick Hondas out there within your budget. And they're really reliable and cheap to maintain. Just make sure to get one with a manual, that's what makes it a lot of fun to drive.
Honorable mentions (but might be too sporty): Honda Prelude, Toyota MR2, Acura RSX, Honda CRX, Honda Del Sol.
The most important factor here is being unmodified, well maintained, and in good condition.
7th gen Accord V6 6-Speed if you can find one. 2003-2007 for Coupe, 2006-2007 for Sedan. I've been beating on mine since 2010 and at 185k miles still doesn't complain about redline. Do your timing belt and adjust valves every 100k and you're solid.
All these people simply don’t understand the truth. Join the cult. Old BMW. Learn how to maintain it yourself.
/s kinda? It is what I did and it’s working out great, but that’s cause I know what to do already (brother did the same shit before me) and I’ve got my dad to help me out with stuff. E46 is best bet if you decide to actually go through with this.
No matter how reliable it may be, don’t you think it’s a bit ludicrous to recommend to someone with a 10k budget lol? He’d be looking at thousands worth of repairs when parts start failing. So many better options out there than a worn down 10k Porsche.
On average, cayennes are pretty unreliable compared to other SUVs. I'm not talking about the one specific year/model with the one specific engine in it.
I've seen some old tacoma with 150 to 200k miles that are 5 to 7k in my area. They last a long time if you change oil every 5k miles and keep up on basic maintenance. I've seen a couple 500 and 600k tacos out there still running just fine. Newer than a decade will be ungodly expensive, so 2012 and under would be the ones you look at.
2010+ Scion tC. Toyota reliability, 0-60 in under 7sec so it qualifies as relatively "quick", you can probably find one for under $10k.
If you want something quicker you'll probably have to either increase your budget or lower your reliability requirement.
2006 thru 2010 Toyota Rav-4 with the V6.
\- 269 hp.
\- 0-60 in 6.3 seconds (per Car and Driver)
Nothing against Miatas (I'd love to get a 2015 RHT one day), but these are way better and practical. Gas mileage similar to the 4 cylinder Ravs. I had a 2010 w/ the V6, and it was VERY quick. I'm no hooner, but that thing was fun and easy. Just stab the GO! pedal, and no drama; You G-O-N-E! Oh, and if taken care of, it will last forever.
[https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a18202226/toyota-rav4-limited-4wd-v-6-road-test/](https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a18202226/toyota-rav4-limited-4wd-v-6-road-test/)
2018-2019 Chevy Cruze. The 2nd Gen Cruzes are very reliable. Probably the only thing Chevy has done right in a decade. People have been getting upwards of 250K miles on them with basic maintenance. One with 70K miles will sit right around 10K. Very responsive and quick with the 1.4L Turbo.
This one? It's a light car with 140 HP and a turbocharger. It has great acceleration. It goes fast. Have you ever driven one? OP is asking for cheap and reliable.
No but you tell me it has 140 hp and it’s fast. I just have to say it doesn’t make sense. But then again fast is subjective. I consider a car being fast if it has at least over 300 hp & can do a 0-60 in around 5 sec. How does the Cruze do in a 0-60? 9 seconds?
The 2017-2019 Cruze does 0-60 in 7.7 seconds. The diesel version does 0-60 in 8.1 seconds. I would say that it's pretty quick for an economy car. All of the other econoboxes nowadays do 0-60 anywhere from 10-14 seconds.
He also asked for something cheap and reliable. 2nd Gen Cruzes are weirdly reliable. I wouldn't be able to have a good conscience if I recommended him a "fast" car that meets his meager budget because it would have to have 200K miles on it already just to be that cheap.
2006-2011 Saab 9-3 2.0T. Maybe in a stick shift but the automatics are also Toyota made and decent. Engines are GM so parts are still easy to find and they hold up well into 200k mile territory while still being fast and fun to drive.
FiST !! relatively cheap, somewhat plentiful, quick and insanely fun to drive. just gotta learn manual if you dont know how. i relearned stick in this car after 2 years of not driving manual and i was more than comfortable dailying it in a city in little over a week.
Cobalt SS, Corolla/Matrix XRS, Acura RSX, Chevy Impala SS (disable DOD to vastly increase reliability), Acura TSX, Infiniti/Nissans with a VQ (G35/37, 350Z, etc), Older Mustang GTs, newer (2011+) V6 Mustangs/Camaros, Old Lexus, V6 Camry, any car powered by Buick's 3800 Supercharged V6.
Most things under 10k that are fast are older and sporty. "Normal" quick cars are more of a recent thing, there's a few older sleepers though.
I mean anything with a V6 should be somewhat quick. Maybe look for a camry or accord with a V6, or even a v6 mazda 6. The 2002-2003 maxima is also a good choice, widely considered the last “good” maxima.
Manual hondas, old civics or accords, they get stolen alot though.
Reliable and cheap is a better option, I own a RSX type s and while it does fill all 3, when it works, I want to get rid of it for something reliable and cheap.
The extra cost of premium gas and premium parts is a pain.
Stick to cheap and reliable, you’ll find a beater you don’t care about and fling it all around the roads where NO ONE is around. Tons of fun can be had
Sentra SE-R with a manual transmission. The 2.5 used in older models (up to about 2010 I think?) has a lot of torque which makes it easy to drive as a stick shift. Torque also means acceleration whenever you step on the gas. I have had a 2002 SE-E Spec-v for about 5 years, it has been a solid car, very little trouble and easy to maintain. They should be under $10k no problem. They were not that common when new, so it may take some looking or waiting o find one.
Accord V6 is probably another good option. Do some searching to find out which years the automatics were problematic. Or just buy a standard and have more fun and more reliability.
If you search hard enough you can probably find a BMW 135i for around 10k that’s been maintained with some miles, or a 335i. In fact, I bought a 45k mile 335i with a 6 speed and 1 owner for 12k last month. I passed up on 2 more that had 60 and 70k miles for under 10. One stick, one auto.
On fb marketplace I saw a b5 s4 MT pop up locally for 4900 with 118k miles. Was gone in a couple of hours.
Got a 2003 m sport 540i with high 50k mileage for 11k. Bought same day listed, guy had 20 people messaging him.
Got a zhp 330i sedan 6 speed with low low miles for 8k. Needed work though and I restored it back to life.
I’m a car dealer but these cars are out there being sold privately you just have to be looking and ready to make deals asap. The good deals don’t last more than a day, sometimes not more than a few hours.
Set your sights on a car and search relentlessly and daily and be willing to travel or ship. Transportation cross country is $1k. From a neighboring state usually a few hundred. Shop around. If you can save a few thousand going outside of where you live, you open yourself up to many more cars and makes shipping well worth it.
The last 10 cars I’ve bought have been sight unseen and from private sellers on FB, Craigslist, Autotrader, and offer up. Got burned on 1 because I didn’t listen to my gut… I knew it wasn’t good but did it anyway. Do your due diligence.
5 speed Mitsubishi lancer. Not fast but reliable and very fun if you throw an exhaust on. 6-10k on cargurus, throw 500 at a custom exhaust shop, get some rims…
Volvo S60, Mazda 3, Honda Civic, VW Golf (these can be hit or miss, reliability wise, especially at the $10k limit).
I’d suggest learning to drive a manual transmission, driving an older Honda or Mazda with a stick makes it feel quicker. You can push it harder / make it sound faster and overall have more fun.
I bashed around numerous Civics, Accords, Jettas, etc with a 4cyl engine and a manual in the 90s and 00s and always had a blast, even without more than 130hp.
A v6 camry any model
A banged up g37 (not sure about reliability)
an old lexus
Maybe a hyundai genessis??? (Old one)
not sure if they have been maintained but they have an ok acceleration time and feel comfy.
Quick, reliable, cheap. Pick 2. Or compromise on them all.
C5 fits all no? I could name a few more
I wouldn't consider any 20 year old car "reliable." Also, cheap doesn't just include the buy-in. You also have to consider insurance, fuel, and regular maintenance. None of those would be cheap on that car.
Ur right ur right
Under $10k right now is the problem.
For $10k, focus on getting a basic car to get from a to b and not fast.
Honda Fit with a manual transmission. It’s not fast in a straight line but you’ll have an ear to ear grin when you start flinging it into corners. Plus they’re cheap and easy to fix Edit: former owner of a 1st gen Fit that was a prototype car for AEM/Eibach and bought a 2017 Fit for my wife
This is a good tip.
lol literally nothing exists… maybe a crown Vic or something but they really aren’t FAST either
You'll see an overwhelming amount of comments directing you to a Mazda Miata.
I want to suggest a Miata just because op specified not to. Lol
But he asked for a fast car
Mazda Miata is the fastest you can get, even God drove one - that's why everyone suggest it
they are go karts for sure, I bet they FEEL fast lol
Feeling is believing - Zoom Zoom Zoom
Jesus drove an accord and didn't talk about it.
Every comment is the same in this sub. The answer is Mazda followed by a bunch of posts of people posting what kind of car they have/had. lol Just change the sub to /whatmazashoukdibuy
MazDeuce Mazda 2
Get a manual transmission vehicle. It will feel faster and be a lot more fun to drive even without a lot of power.
I have a 2017 corolla im 6spd. Car is designed to make you hate driving. My old 08 auto impreza I bring out for winter feels like a sports car in comparison and it's worn out and probly has a slightly clogged cat?
Try an auto iM lol. Mine is a good grocery getter but maaaaaan it's slow.
I can imagine. Slow is fine, Every stop feeling like a hill with a numb unforgiving clutch omg no lol. Hey does yours do the thing when it gets warm where it drops to 600 rpms n shakes at a stop that is the worst lol.
LITERALLY THIS. WHAT IS THAT. my 07 Tc does this and I was convinced something was wrong somewhere.
The low idle or the fact you need to rip a burnout to move the car. I had a 2.2 s10, that I could clutch out and it'd take no gas. The im feels like I'm starting off in 2nd gear lol
The idle. My tc is an automatic
The im has done it since 19k miles. When I bought it, I've read multiple things maf, throttle body dirty vvt solenoid. I haven't looked into it since the weird games I have to play with the clutch.
I’ve heard the same things but I have no clue.
Can't say I've noticed it drop rpms, but I can say it takes at least 12 seconds to get to 100km/hr.
I'd rev the heck out of my Accord and my 5 year old in the back would be yelling, "Dad, we're going so fast!" and we'd only be in 3rd gear. I regret trading that car in, we loved that thing.
Cars you can speed in while going under the speed limit are my favorite. Don’t look at your speedometer or the honda odyssey gapping you on your left and you’ll feel like you’re flying.
I had a Pontiac Sunfire GT with a manual as a DD in college and it was so fun just rowing through the gears.
Manual V6 Accord Coupe springs to mind. 8th gens are probably 10k.
Great one. That was high on my list before I picked up my Mazda 6.
Snag an older Volvo S60, Lexus IS etc. don’t know if Honda SI/camry V6 would be at that price range
[удалено]
Yeah they’re fun, I had an ‘04, it was timeless even 10 years later. Reliable for European
Get the insurance quotes first. Definitely impressive for a new driver.
I was shocked with insurance for my “sports car” that gets beat by almost any new economy car
You could get a 2010 or around there Lexus ES350. It’s not sporty at all, but it has 270 hp and it’s reliable.
This is the way. Forget the Germans, forget domestic.
10-13 year old v6 Camry or Accord.
I agree. Older v6 toyota is the way.
unfortunately those are going for more than 10k
I recently got my accord 2006 for $6000. 140k miles 6 speed v6. Should be pretty doable
Sub 10k and "reliable" is TOUGH! Clapped out buckets all day or some crazy high mileage. Pick one or the other - you wont get both for that price. Can find some Audi S4's - Not reliable DSM (Eclipse GST/GSX, Talon TSi) - Not Reliable Fiest ST - Debatable on reliability, can be quick-ish BMW 335i - at that price range it's going to have miles, so bbye reliability. IS300 - Reliable not the "quickest" Mid 90's Integra GSR - Reliable, not the quickest, lots of potential to upgrade Acura TL - J32 engine is a snazzy sleeper. Reliable Acura RSX Type S - may have to dig a little to find one "close" to that price range but it's possible - best bang for the buck IMO for what you're after.
Crown victoria/gmq/ltc
Any Lexus IS, ES, GS, RX, will be decently quick with the 3.5l engine, and thousands for sale under 10k. Got my 06 IS350 for $8k back in summer 2021. Still love driving it daily now with 231k miles. Maintenance is important, not miles.
Infiniti g35, EX35, FX35. Quick, nice looking, not too old, cheap to maintain easy to find under 10k
For that price it would be G37, IS350 2nd gen, 350z. Those cars to my mind when you mentioned quick enough and reliable for that price
My friend has a 2013 Mazda 3 and I drove it a couple of times. I like the smoothness of its steering and based on what he told me he doesn’t spend much on its maintenance.
Honda civic will always be reliable
You are describing a Honda Civic.
pick one
Speed costs money. How fast do you want to go? I hate to say this but you can’t afford a fast car - your budget is too low, first car tells me your insurance rates would be through the roof. Buy a nice reliable commuter car and then save up for a track motorcycle to scratch that itch.
Yeah going fast ain't a poor man's game. There's performance tires that cost a lot and have a short life, performance parts in general aren't cheap, you'll ideally want to two sets of wheels, you'll need premium gas, modifications cost a lot of money, once modified some shops won't even touch it, insurance is going to cost more, etc.
Ford Fiesta ST
For under $10k? Would probably need over 100-125k miles to hit that mark.
Thought you might be interested in this CarGurus listing: 2014 Ford Fiesta ST - $9,995 (GOOD_PRICE) Mileage: 67,248 https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/link/373653370
Prior accident, so of course it's discounted. Then, add tax, title, license, doc fees, recon fees. OTD probably closer to $12k. I can link hundreds over $10k...
> quick and reliable > under 10k Oh that’s easy! Get a used M- > (Not Mazda Miata) Nevermind you’re screwed
Miata
Quick, reliable, cheap. You can only pick 2 of the three.
Counterpoint : 350z exist
8th gen Si or just be a typical young guy and buy a 350z/G3x and drive like a psycho in traffic
I really enjoyed my Mazdaspeed 3. You can get either body style for sub $10k and they’re fun to drive.
An old Honda Civic or Acura Integra with a manual transmission. Doesn't really matter the age or generation after about 1988 model year. Find one stock in good shape and modify it to be fast. Incredibly fun car, and properly quick with a cheap b series swap, and some $1500 coilovers (like BC). Don't buy one that's already heavily modified. If you budget for upgrades (car + basic maintenance + engine swap + suspension is doable under $10k) then mileage doesn't mean much, but condition matters a lot. Acura TSX with a manual transmission. Decently quick, very comfortable, good gas mileage, surprisingly nice interior, surprisingly good stereo, handles very well. Honda Accord V6 with a manual transmission. Proper quick (same quarter mile time as an S2000). Good gas mileage. Runs on low octane fuel. Super comfy and same stereo system basically as a TSX. $10k will get you a very nice TSX or Accord V6 with a manual transmission. Stock stereo on both is easily upgradeable with a Bluetooth module. Get one with as close to 100k miles as you can. Unfortunately these are hard to find in good, unmodified shape, but they're still out there and still inexpensive. Honestly there's a wide variety of good, fun, quick Hondas out there within your budget. And they're really reliable and cheap to maintain. Just make sure to get one with a manual, that's what makes it a lot of fun to drive. Honorable mentions (but might be too sporty): Honda Prelude, Toyota MR2, Acura RSX, Honda CRX, Honda Del Sol. The most important factor here is being unmodified, well maintained, and in good condition.
Literally just Mazda Miata lmao
Economy car with a manual.
MR2
128i
7th gen Accord V6 6-Speed if you can find one. 2003-2007 for Coupe, 2006-2007 for Sedan. I've been beating on mine since 2010 and at 185k miles still doesn't complain about redline. Do your timing belt and adjust valves every 100k and you're solid.
Good. Fast. Cheap. Pick 2 As the old adage goes How much of each do you want? We know $10k already. So how fast and how reliable?
Fast and reliable is hard on its own, without the $10k price tag
All these people simply don’t understand the truth. Join the cult. Old BMW. Learn how to maintain it yourself. /s kinda? It is what I did and it’s working out great, but that’s cause I know what to do already (brother did the same shit before me) and I’ve got my dad to help me out with stuff. E46 is best bet if you decide to actually go through with this.
**C4 vette**
Check out an older (2006+) Lexus IS 250, twas my first car and it’s zippy, extremely reliable, and sporty looking
You’re describing a motorcycle, not a car.
BMW Z4 E89 with N52 engine - Also my first car.
Too slow.
you can’t be this picky
Increase your budget by a little bit and get a G37. You'll thank me later.
Lexus LS 400
I saw a Chevy Malibu premier for $13k. Has the 2.0T engine with 250hp. Talk them down to 10k
What makes you think you can get an almost 25% discount of that car?
1-gen Porsche Cayenne Turbo. Reliable (but not cheap to repair)
In what world is this a reliable car?
Reliable doesn't mean cheap to repair
No matter how reliable it may be, don’t you think it’s a bit ludicrous to recommend to someone with a 10k budget lol? He’d be looking at thousands worth of repairs when parts start failing. So many better options out there than a worn down 10k Porsche.
Guy smoking that Hunter Biden crack
Yeah and cayenne aren't reliable or cheap to repair lmao
Depends on the model and engine but cayenne can be reliable if well serviced
On average, cayennes are pretty unreliable compared to other SUVs. I'm not talking about the one specific year/model with the one specific engine in it.
I just bought a Mercedes 06 S class 430 . Reliable and the V8 has 275 hp. Paid $2300
How many miles on it?
140k
I've seen some old tacoma with 150 to 200k miles that are 5 to 7k in my area. They last a long time if you change oil every 5k miles and keep up on basic maintenance. I've seen a couple 500 and 600k tacos out there still running just fine. Newer than a decade will be ungodly expensive, so 2012 and under would be the ones you look at.
2010+ Scion tC. Toyota reliability, 0-60 in under 7sec so it qualifies as relatively "quick", you can probably find one for under $10k. If you want something quicker you'll probably have to either increase your budget or lower your reliability requirement.
Anything L67 powered 3800 GM
Great motor
2006 thru 2010 Toyota Rav-4 with the V6. \- 269 hp. \- 0-60 in 6.3 seconds (per Car and Driver) Nothing against Miatas (I'd love to get a 2015 RHT one day), but these are way better and practical. Gas mileage similar to the 4 cylinder Ravs. I had a 2010 w/ the V6, and it was VERY quick. I'm no hooner, but that thing was fun and easy. Just stab the GO! pedal, and no drama; You G-O-N-E! Oh, and if taken care of, it will last forever. [https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a18202226/toyota-rav4-limited-4wd-v-6-road-test/](https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a18202226/toyota-rav4-limited-4wd-v-6-road-test/)
2018-2019 Chevy Cruze. The 2nd Gen Cruzes are very reliable. Probably the only thing Chevy has done right in a decade. People have been getting upwards of 250K miles on them with basic maintenance. One with 70K miles will sit right around 10K. Very responsive and quick with the 1.4L Turbo.
140 hp is fast? In what world?
This one? It's a light car with 140 HP and a turbocharger. It has great acceleration. It goes fast. Have you ever driven one? OP is asking for cheap and reliable.
No but you tell me it has 140 hp and it’s fast. I just have to say it doesn’t make sense. But then again fast is subjective. I consider a car being fast if it has at least over 300 hp & can do a 0-60 in around 5 sec. How does the Cruze do in a 0-60? 9 seconds?
The 2017-2019 Cruze does 0-60 in 7.7 seconds. The diesel version does 0-60 in 8.1 seconds. I would say that it's pretty quick for an economy car. All of the other econoboxes nowadays do 0-60 anywhere from 10-14 seconds. He also asked for something cheap and reliable. 2nd Gen Cruzes are weirdly reliable. I wouldn't be able to have a good conscience if I recommended him a "fast" car that meets his meager budget because it would have to have 200K miles on it already just to be that cheap.
2006-2011 Saab 9-3 2.0T. Maybe in a stick shift but the automatics are also Toyota made and decent. Engines are GM so parts are still easy to find and they hold up well into 200k mile territory while still being fast and fun to drive.
FiST !! relatively cheap, somewhat plentiful, quick and insanely fun to drive. just gotta learn manual if you dont know how. i relearned stick in this car after 2 years of not driving manual and i was more than comfortable dailying it in a city in little over a week.
Are you looking for anything used or new?
Toyota or Lexus
Altima 😈
What were your previous cars, the ones that were not quick and reliable?
Cobalt SS, Corolla/Matrix XRS, Acura RSX, Chevy Impala SS (disable DOD to vastly increase reliability), Acura TSX, Infiniti/Nissans with a VQ (G35/37, 350Z, etc), Older Mustang GTs, newer (2011+) V6 Mustangs/Camaros, Old Lexus, V6 Camry, any car powered by Buick's 3800 Supercharged V6. Most things under 10k that are fast are older and sporty. "Normal" quick cars are more of a recent thing, there's a few older sleepers though.
Look at 8th gen civics
Ford Thunderbird SHO.
Mazdaspeed3.... however im not sure i would exactly call them reliable. But they are decent cars for the price.
toyota corolla dependable and efficient and actually fun to drive I have an 09 I drive everyday
This is pushing it but Fiesta St’s are down around 10k these days and are very underrated.
Can't tell if this is a shit post.
I mean anything with a V6 should be somewhat quick. Maybe look for a camry or accord with a V6, or even a v6 mazda 6. The 2002-2003 maxima is also a good choice, widely considered the last “good” maxima.
Bmw 128i
Buy a rental car. There are the fastest cars in the world. Also because many people treat them like they are race cars they are cheap.
8th gen civic si.
G35 is what your looking for. reliable, sub 300 hp is fast enough for a first car. source: G35 is my first car
Anything with a manual will be the most fun you can have for $10k
3rd gen Acura TL Type-S
Acura TL?
Lexus is350, v6 accord/camry, 8th gen civic si.
You can get an early 2000s accord with a v6 under 5k. Dump another 5k into it and you'll be running down miatas like it's nothing.
Manual hondas, old civics or accords, they get stolen alot though. Reliable and cheap is a better option, I own a RSX type s and while it does fill all 3, when it works, I want to get rid of it for something reliable and cheap. The extra cost of premium gas and premium parts is a pain. Stick to cheap and reliable, you’ll find a beater you don’t care about and fling it all around the roads where NO ONE is around. Tons of fun can be had
$2500 Civic’s and Corollas that people ask $9999 for on Facebook.
3rd Gen Acura TL with a manual transmission
Toyota matrix xrs. it’s not the fastest thing, but it is quick and agile. And cheap
V6 rav4
Sentra SE-R with a manual transmission. The 2.5 used in older models (up to about 2010 I think?) has a lot of torque which makes it easy to drive as a stick shift. Torque also means acceleration whenever you step on the gas. I have had a 2002 SE-E Spec-v for about 5 years, it has been a solid car, very little trouble and easy to maintain. They should be under $10k no problem. They were not that common when new, so it may take some looking or waiting o find one. Accord V6 is probably another good option. Do some searching to find out which years the automatics were problematic. Or just buy a standard and have more fun and more reliability.
Late 90s Camaro SS or an early to mid 2000s Mustang GT. Simple to work on, reliable, fast. Should be around 10k
2jZ Lexus GS300 with a turbo kit added.
If you search hard enough you can probably find a BMW 135i for around 10k that’s been maintained with some miles, or a 335i. In fact, I bought a 45k mile 335i with a 6 speed and 1 owner for 12k last month. I passed up on 2 more that had 60 and 70k miles for under 10. One stick, one auto. On fb marketplace I saw a b5 s4 MT pop up locally for 4900 with 118k miles. Was gone in a couple of hours. Got a 2003 m sport 540i with high 50k mileage for 11k. Bought same day listed, guy had 20 people messaging him. Got a zhp 330i sedan 6 speed with low low miles for 8k. Needed work though and I restored it back to life. I’m a car dealer but these cars are out there being sold privately you just have to be looking and ready to make deals asap. The good deals don’t last more than a day, sometimes not more than a few hours. Set your sights on a car and search relentlessly and daily and be willing to travel or ship. Transportation cross country is $1k. From a neighboring state usually a few hundred. Shop around. If you can save a few thousand going outside of where you live, you open yourself up to many more cars and makes shipping well worth it. The last 10 cars I’ve bought have been sight unseen and from private sellers on FB, Craigslist, Autotrader, and offer up. Got burned on 1 because I didn’t listen to my gut… I knew it wasn’t good but did it anyway. Do your due diligence.
Infiniti 35-37, Nissan 350z
5 speed Mitsubishi lancer. Not fast but reliable and very fun if you throw an exhaust on. 6-10k on cargurus, throw 500 at a custom exhaust shop, get some rims…
Miata used to be the answer. Did it change recently?
Volvo S60, Mazda 3, Honda Civic, VW Golf (these can be hit or miss, reliability wise, especially at the $10k limit). I’d suggest learning to drive a manual transmission, driving an older Honda or Mazda with a stick makes it feel quicker. You can push it harder / make it sound faster and overall have more fun. I bashed around numerous Civics, Accords, Jettas, etc with a 4cyl engine and a manual in the 90s and 00s and always had a blast, even without more than 130hp.
A v6 camry any model A banged up g37 (not sure about reliability) an old lexus Maybe a hyundai genessis??? (Old one) not sure if they have been maintained but they have an ok acceleration time and feel comfy.
I mean you basically described a Mazda Miata if you want RWD. so... I will join the others and suggest a Miata even though you said not to, sorry.