Forums » Grassroots Motorsports » PM lists fun cars under $3k 1 2

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  Aug. 15, 2010 7:01 p.m. JoeyM Dork

  http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/news/vintage-speed/fun-cars-for-less-than-3k

  Their list is

  Mazda Miata

  BMW E30 3 Series

  Toyota MR2

  Volkswagen Rabbit GTI

  Jeep Wrangler

  Pontiac Fiero

  Porsche 914

  Mitsubishi Starion ESI

  Ford Probe GT

  No Omni GLH?

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  Aug. 15, 2010 7:05 p.m. z31maniac Dork

  Don't see a problem with that.

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  Aug. 15, 2010 7:31 p.m. Datsun1500 Dork

  Can you get a wrangler under $3k?

  I completely missed the fact that I am now a dork and no one told me.

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  Aug. 15, 2010 7:33 p.m. P71 SuperDork

  Can you a 914 for under $3K that runs?

  Michael Pinto - GoKart / 93 Miata STS / 01 P71 Interceptor

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  Aug. 15, 2010 7:35 p.m. Junkyard_Dog HalfDork

  P71 wrote: Can you a 914 for under $3K that runs?

  Runs? Yes. Doesn't break in half when you open both doors?

  Not so much.

  I love going to the Pull-a-Part because the dollar admission is cheaper than most car shows and you almost always see cooler cars.

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  Aug. 15, 2010 7:37 p.m. triumph5 Reader

  Datsun1500 wrote: Can you get a wrangler under $3k?

  Yup. I've seen a couple.

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  Aug. 15, 2010 7:49 p.m. Vigo HalfDork

  No Omni GLH?

  I think they skipped the whole turbo-mopar group because its WAY too many nameplates to list. If you named every rendition of a fun turbo-mopar that you could get for under $3k, it would look like you were just writing an article about turbo mopars with a few other nameplates thrown in.

  It is very difficult to get a 'fun' wrangler for under $3k.

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  Aug. 15, 2010 7:51 p.m. Mazdax605 HalfDork

  There is way too little RX-7 on that list.

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  Aug. 15, 2010 8:23 p.m. VanillaSky HalfDork

  If you find a good local Jeep club, you can nose out cheap Wranglers. They ALL need the rear freeze plug replaced, and they may not run, but they CAN be found.

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  Aug. 15, 2010 8:26 p.m. Woody SuperDork

  triumph5 wrote:

  Datsun1500 wrote: Can you get a wrangler under $3k?

  Yup. I've seen a couple.

  I bought two. Both were TJs. The first was a four cylinder for $1800 that needed a new transfer case and tires. The second was a six for $1500 that needed a new engine, radiator, brakes and top.

  These deals are few and far between. In both cases, I responded to the ad within two hours of its posting.

  I sold the four cylinder for five grand and the six cylinder for more than seven thousand.

  I'll buy just about any sub $2K TJ I can find.

  Unleash the relentless power of her 1400cc Quadrozontal engine...

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  Aug. 15, 2010 9:26 p.m. Datsun1500 Dork

  In reply to Woody:

  You pretty much confirmed what I was thinking. The list says fun cars for under $3K, not project cars for under $3K. You sold both of yours for more than the $3K...

  Any Jeep I see under $3K is a project, regardless of the year. It seems like drivers bottom out around $5,000

  I completely missed the fact that I am now a dork and no one told me.

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  Aug. 15, 2010 9:37 p.m. neon4891 SuperDork

  No neons?

  The only sub $3k running Wranglers I can find are rusty YJs, often I-4s

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  Aug. 15, 2010 9:42 p.m. DaveEstey Reader

  no CRX?

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  Aug. 15, 2010 10:04 p.m. m4ff3w SuperDork

  Nothing from Italy?

  Is it bad that a Maserati BiTurbo is my dream car?

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  Aug. 15, 2010 10:09 p.m. Feedyurhed HalfDork

  Datsun1500 wrote: In reply to Woody: You pretty much confirmed what I was thinking. The list says fun cars for under $3K, not project cars for under $3K. You sold both of yours for more than the $3K... Any Jeep I see under $3K is a project, regardless of the year. It seems like drivers bottom out around $5,000

  Agreed. I looked for 6 months for a reasonably priced Wrangler. I found the same thing. Anything below the 5K-6K range was a project. Finally gave up and bought a Cherokee which was 4K but in good shape.

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  Aug. 15, 2010 10:53 p.m. integraguy Dork

  At least half the cars on that list have "disappeared" from America's roads, so finding any one of those 6 (Starion, Probe GT, 1st or 2nd gen GTi for example) will take a heck of a lot of time...if you aren't plugged into magazines/websites like this one. Then, as others have pointed out, the price of admission MAY be under $3K, but for a decent driver you will spend closer to $5K.

  By the way, just this afternoon I found 2 different Fieros on my local CL, both under $2K, neither driveable at the current time.

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  Aug. 16, 2010 5:38 a.m. mad_machine SuperDork

  I can't remember the last time I even saw a 914 on the road.. in any condition

  During the Sound Check, nobody can year you scream

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  Aug. 16, 2010 9:34 a.m. amg_rx7 HalfDork

  Mazdax605 wrote: There is way too little RX-7 on that list.

  +1

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  Aug. 16, 2010 9:44 a.m. MrBenjamonkey Reader

  They forgot the most fun car of all time ....

  

  I'll take mine with the 4.1, vinyl roof and a year's supply of depends.

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  Aug. 16, 2010 10:18 a.m. bravenrace Dork

  IMO, this list has no merit, since it didn't include the Civic/CRX-si's.

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  Aug. 16, 2010 10:39 a.m. ArthurDent Reader

  Odd list. It looks like they wanted a token 4x4 and the Wrangler was it. Fun of course but in different way than say a MR2. Most Wrangler in that price range are projects. Probably get a decent Suzuki Sidekick or one of its clones for that price though.

  The Porsche 914 is a bit odd - I could see it being on this list say ten years ago but 3K would again buy you a pretty rough example.

  Miatas for 3K for impossible to find here but for most of the US its probably the best car on the list.

  I'd add a 1st generation Rx-7 - they are silly cheap even more decent examples and great fun.

  A DOHC/5spd Neon would be another good addition.

  Escort GTs might be another decent choice. Probably easier to find than a Starion. Although the Starion is darn cool its more of a niche car like a Izuzu Impulse turbo.

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  Aug. 16, 2010 10:52 a.m. friedgreencorrado SuperDork

  integraguy wrote: At least half the cars on that list have "disappeared" from America's roads, so finding any one of those 6 (Starion, Probe GT, 1st or 2nd gen GTi for example) will take a heck of a lot of time...if you aren't plugged into magazines/websites like this one. Then, as others have pointed out, the price of admission MAY be under $3K, but for a decent driver you will spend closer to $5K. By the way, just this afternoon I found 2 different Fieros on my local CL, both under $2K, neither driveable at the current time.

  x2. I actually get three or four people a month walk up to me at the gas station and ask if my A2 GTI is for sale. And it's just an 8v! It's been 2 years since I've seen a Starion on the street. I've seen a Probe, but I'm cheating..one of my old corner worker buddies still has his.

  How can it be a midlife crisis, when I've driven sportscars my entire life?

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  Aug. 16, 2010 10:53 a.m. twolittlebroncos New Reader

  I've seen plenty of YJs for $3k or less that weren't projects. Weren't appliances, but weren't projects either.

  More fun, in my opinion, would be a CJ2,3, 5 or 7 with a v8 and those are all plentiful for under $3k.

  Last week a running/driving CJ8 went for $500 on CL. Body was hammered, but I still should have bought it.

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  Aug. 16, 2010 12:26 p.m. BoxheadTim Dork

  In reply to twolittlebroncos:

  That very much depends on where you are in the country. Out here, hardly any of the CJs or Wranglers worth having are going to for $3k. Heck, a lot of projects go for more.

  Even Cherokees tend to scrape in over $3k if they're mid-90s onwards.

  Sanity is vastly overrated.

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  Aug. 16, 2010 12:33 p.m. neon4891 SuperDork

  Around here driveable Cherokees run from $800-$5k

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