As a 4th Gen 2016 Miata ND owner, I'd recommend a miata to all new and experienced sports car owners. It's a fun car to throw around the track, a daily and easy to work on. I do all maintenance on the car on my own, oil change, brakes, fluids etc and a lot of 3rd party market parts are readily available
@@devinblackman7488 I found mine being advertised on AutoTrader. So I end up contacting the private seller which was on Illinois, ask if they do shipping, deal with the money wiring thing and have it being send to me in Michigan. I wouldn’t finance a used car like this, is best to pay cash as always. But yes, since it’s an old car, expect to see something wrong or needs fixing. Most of these cars seems to have been modified at some point. I’m glad mine was primarily intact including the leather seats. And at 100,998 miles. Asking price was $13,500 they sell quick. Just keep looking, but remember that these cars are meant to last a lifetime so maybe whoever has them just keeps them instead of selling them. Is understandable. :)
I very much agree. Acura RSX and Acura Integra's are awesome cars for young car enthusiast to modify and have fun with. I 44 years old now and have modified and raced more cars than I can count but when I was younger and short of cash I rocked a 1985 Honda CRX si. I loved it and it taught me the basics about driving a car aggressively also it was great on gas. That being said I had many friends that drove Integras and they are also great cars to modify. I have very fond memories about Integras and RSX's.
@@briantincher9284 That’s awesome. Love that too. I’m 32. Still remember when the RSX was coming around. Ever since I liked the car. Unique. Sleek. Cute.
all too expensive for a first car. Come on, an average kid isn't going to have $14k +. You can still get into a reasonably quick and cool car for under $5k if you are smart. It's really not that hard. Find something older or not quite as popular. There's more out there than you think there is. Don't forget there are odd ball cars out there like the older super charged Buicks that can really be turned up for cheap. Not as desirable true, but way more realistic than a newer BMW or WRX
The RSX is the best budget car since the K20’s in those are known to push for high HP numbers and especially if you get an RSX TYPE S. They have amazing trunk capacity and over all will probably appreciate as time goes by seeing by the pushback of the new integra
I have a 2005 (got new) RSX Type S with a A-SPEC suspension kit, but no body kit and to this day I feel it would be a great first car. ;-) I'm not keen about turbos or superchargers because their precision equipment and expensive to fix or replace.
The NC mazda mx5 miata, is the most underrated series. I've personally done, coilovers, thicker swaybars, intake and a full exhaust system with headers. It is a great platform. I'm 44yo and daily mine, here in Australia. Great video, for the young ones.
I love my frs. I had the car from new to 90k miles and had no mechanical issues. I can drift it with ease without any mods and i took it on track day and had a blast in it. Great car, great chassis, and great steering feedback.
Miatas are good for anything. drifting, drag racing, autocross, etc... and there's an infinite amount of aftermarket parts and engine swaps available for them! I know most people already know these things, but this comment could be informative for anybody who hasn't heard about the usability of a Miata
I have a 2005 Acura RSX Type-S with a JDM K20A engine along with a 6-Speed manual transmission and a T67 Turbo that’s pushing about 785whp@30psi. I’ve owned the RSX since 2005 and this is my second engine and it’s running pretty smooth.
Honorable mention. 2018+ Camaro 4cyl turbo with 1LE package. Better handler than the eco boost can also be modded and has a better chasis off the bat. Randy Pobst has one and he’s race car driver
Love and respect you and your work! Just left a show with my new to me raptor. But foxbodies are mad expensive. Ppl tax the hell out of those cars if you can even find a clean one. I’d say go with a 99-04 gt heck even the early s197 cars are hitting rock bottom and those 3v 4.6s can put some power down
Craig please do a part 2 of this video for cars at 10,000 or less most young kids want a learner car ,i know because im in a low budge seen, but have massive after market support, PLEASE HIT THIS FOR THE OTHER VEIWERS CAR MARKET, we need to keep cars alive
Just about all of these cars are under 10k, and if you lack the _responsibility_ to figure that out for yourself, you should just buy a scooter and call it a day, my son.
he said it at the end of the video, just get a beater. If i can recommend anything fun for under 10k though, The fiat 500 turbo or fiat 500 abarth. Super lightweight (rival the miata), and easy to tune, easy to get parts, easy to work on at home. If you don't like the fiat, go for a mk4 golf 1.8t or a mk4 1.8t jetta. Can easily get a good one for 4grand that hasn't been beat to hell, and they're super buildable
I would suggest the C5 Corvette if you can get a hole of a grandpa owned car. They're typically well taken care of and cheap to maintain and modify. I would avoid the C6 generation because most owners beat those cars to death. 4th gen camaros and firebirds if you can get the LS1. If you're a mechanic then you can get a LT1 car. C4 Corvettes again if you plan on being a part time mechanic. They can be great cars but you have to be willing to master taking on the Opti spark when it takes a dump on you.
How did the C5 and C6 corvettes not make this list? The LS is one of the cheapest motors to mod and make power out of, and they’ll out-handle any muscle car on the list.
The 4th gen fbody (Camaro/firebird) is another great car to modify on the cheap. For 14k you can get a damn nice Z28 and have plenty of money for mods. The LS responds great to pretty much any mod and the only real weak point is the 10 bolt rear or 4L60E if you start making some big changes
@@jonathanpeterson1 I wouldn’t hesitate to buy another LT1 car. No they’re not going to gain as much horsepower with bolt on mods like the LS but they’re still good cars. Check out Tick Performance’s world record LT1. There’s still potential in them
@@stevenmc62089 I’d probably be looking at simple bolt ons and suspension/chassis stuff, for a fun weekend cruiser. I have a couple of turbo four cylinders, not super quick in a straight line, but the handling makes them fun. I value that over just straight line monster, but anything with decent forward thrust would be fun. I’m sure it still beats both my cars in acceleration.
@@jonathanpeterson1 I had a 94 Z28. Not as good as the LS, but the LT1 is solid. Weak points are the rear end, the trans (if it's the auto) and the optispark system is a fucking nightmare
I think one of the most overlooked front wheel drive cars is a Ford Fiesta ST. I fell in love with the ones I test drove years ago and vowed to own one someday. I now have one. There are a lot of performance parts available since the car is VERY popular in the UK but the European companies still have warehouses here so no parts problems. When I start talking car mods it sounds like I went to Wish and bought parts because nobody knows the brands. When I take people for rides in my car they are pretty stunned that a Fiesta can do what it does. And it begs to be driven.
I got a RAV4, and am planning on switching to a modifiable car in the hope to work on it over time and hand it down to my kid. This guys intro made me laugh, I loved it lol
Charger RT. Quick as is out the box pretty much, no it won't win many races but neither will a stock WRX or stock BRZ. It still makes V8 noises! Best part is you can just buy SRT 392 parts and bolt them on the 5.7 and when you tune it for those parts it will make a serious difference. Put cams in and a more aggressive gearing and you can have SRT performance.
as my first car i went for the reliable route tbh, i dont make any money so i need something that its just not going to break down (or very little) on me, got myself a 3rd gen 4runner with 3rz, auto and 2wd, its not the coolest thing in the block but sure as hell i can count on it running always and not giving me too much shit to pay for (dont even ask for a manual here in panama they are non existant)
Saturn Sky Redline all the way. Stock turbo, manual trans,limited slip, drop top. Stock has 260hp/260tq. With a factory tune offering 290hp/340tq. Add intake/exhaust and a custom tune and you'll be up around 340hp/400tq
I like your comments on the Mazda Miata, that's kinda why I ended up acquiring a 1996 BMW Z3 Roadster. Have had it for about 8 years and it's been amazing ever since.
As a 2012 speed3 owner, the engine is a 2.3L not a 2.0. But I’ve had it since 2012. Has 218,932 miles. Granted I had to replace the motor at 177,000 due to oil control ring failure.
keep in mind with the mustang though, 270hp stock... out of a turbo (meaning it comes and it goes and then its gone. engines aren't magic). The other downfall to it is that it weighs 3500lbs. That much weight can make 350whp feel turdish. so that 270 doesn't look so great anymore.
I am now 62 years old. Been a hot rodder all my life and owned many cars that today are sought after classics. I currently have a 2014 CTS-V coupe with some mild mods (540HP at the wheels on the dyno). I did not want to use up my V on a daily commute in traffic so I went looking for a cheap beater to drive. I found a 99 Mazda Protege sitting in a dealership. The car had 40K miles on it and except for being covered in hail dents, looked and drove like new. I picked it up real cheap, paid cash and drove it home. After driving this thing the first thing I did was go coilovers as it slushed around like a dying whale in the surf. That and Miata rims with Hankooks and it really transformed the handling. I am seriously thinking about modding the engine because at 105HP it isn't exactly a missile (tops out at about 110 and takes too long to get there). I have to say, I never was a fan of rice cars but this thing is fun to drive! Only problem is finding aftermarket engine parts, especially exhausts (not cheap Chinese knockoff crap). Anyway, i am considering selling the V at some point to get a Miata... Horsepower isn't everything.
A tune on my v6 challenger changed everything. It makes 320 hop on its own. Doing that I’ve reached 350. Now a cold air intake and some exhaust and I’m chilling.
I own a 2018 Subaru WRX that I bought new and have kept mostly stock except for the wheels. I put snow tires on it in the winter and it’s a blast in the snow. I also have a new 2023 BRZ coming in the spring and that’s gonna be the car I mod. I would recommend doing a lot of research and find the good Subaru builders on youtube and not just the kids putting whatever on their cars and blowing engines. Unfortunately there’s a lot more thought that needs to go into a Subaru due to their flaws but they can be great cars. I’ve had very minor issues with my WRX and even in stock form it can be fun. Definitely do the support mods before even thinking about adding a bunch of power.
Just about everything you can do to the GTI, you can also do to the Audi TT, A3 and A4 platforms. I have a MKV GTI and B7 A4. They are fun enough for what they are.
A year later and I bought a mitsubishi lancer ralliart 240 hp stock, I added cold air intake, better recirc valve, catback exhaust, high flow cat, aftermarket wheels, tein coilovers and a tune , I'm happy with my purchase
I can attest to picking a platform with a shallow aftermarket. I started modding Cavaliers and Sunfires in the early 2000s before there was anything outside of RKSport. We had to get creative with OEM upgrades, like cam swaps from other Quad 4 engines, intake manifolds, etc. It got a little better in the later 2000s with a few fab guys dedicated to the platform, as well as the Delta cars (Cobalts, G5s, HHRs, etc.) providing options for hybrid engine builds, like the Honda kids were doing with the B series motors in the 90s. As hard as it was, the look on people's faces when they got their dick kicked in by a riced out Cavalier was well worth it in the end. Especially when it was a boomer in a V8.
The aftermarket for 2nd gen(2019+) turbo and N velosters is pretty substantial. The 2.0T in the N's can be modded/tuned to over 300whp on the stock turbo. At the track its an absolute blast
@@TechX1320 I owned a gen 1 NA veloster and as much as I liked it, that car was a gutless wonder and the 1.6L engines were notoriously bad. Mine was burning a quart of oil every 1000miles when I traded it off.
Best platform for little money is the Gti. All you need is a downpipe and maybe a tune, and you’ll be taking stock Mustang Gt’s to Gapplebee’s. My personal favorite model is the Mk IV and the R32 is one of my dream cars.
I 100% agree with the miata being the best entry level tuner/race car. I've had three of them. I do want to mention there is the Mazdaspeed miata which came factory turbo charged. So the miata can also meet your criteria of coming factory turbo charged. In my opinion the 2nd gen (or NB) miata was the best and the 3rd gen (NC) was the worst becuase they were just so big. They were lotterally rx8 pans that were repurpoused. Funny thing is when I had my R32 GTR I found myself driving my Mazdaspeed Miata more and enjoying it more
As a Miata owner I’m glad to see it at the top of the list. I love my 2007 Grand Touring 6 speed with the premium package. I got it a year ago with only 49k miles for $9400. Only modification it has is the tires and wheels were upgraded from the stock 205 wide tires to 245 wide tires mounted on brand new Enkei RPF1 wheels. It’s a super fun car to drive with tons of grip in tight corners. Straight line performance is pretty good but won’t blow your socks off. I was a few months removed from owning a Scat Pack when I bought this car. Hands down more fun than the Scat Pack even though it’s a lot less power. I routinely average about 26mpg with spirited driving. Main reason I sold the Scat Pack is I was tired of averaging 11mpg with premium gas after doing 1 or 2 pulls. I would drive 160 miles on a tank and it would be $60 to fill up. This was a year and a half ago so quite a bit more at todays gas prices.
I sold my Scat Pack Challenger, and went into a MK7.5 GTI and haven't regretted it for a second. I have way more fun driving to work and back everyday, and save gas money to boot.
@@staylor0902 heck yeah! My buddy had a 2017 GTI and we installed the JB4 tune on it. It was crazy fun. Thing would pull harder at highway speeds than my 2013 Mustang GT I use to have. That GTI was super reliable too and he could get 38mpg down the highway driving it normal. I’m actually considering a GTI or a Golf R as my next daily.
Love my 14 si.. race x gears ,prl turbo kit , etc etc I've done everything you possibly can to my car and I still drive it over my other cars and my wife's challenger SRT8 .. currently looking for a 15 coupe si and really would like to do a k20z3 head swap too it .
Your like the coolest Uncle! Awesome for you to give some advice to the young bucks. With your back ground they should listen. I’m your age and do the same thing trying to hand experiences down so the next dubbahs don’t repeat our dumbass mistakes. But as my Dad used to say “A young man has to experience his mistakes to realize the ones before him were right…”
I have the Focus ST and it's provided much more fun than my 350z, it is also much easier to get power out of on a budget, also have a mazda 3 hatch as a commuter its not the speed but the handling is superb
I've had mine since 2015 and with quality mods and good tune(JST) this car has been the most reliable, fun car I've had ever. I'm over 100k now and she's a pip still, enjoy👍🏻
Bought my Focus ST brand new in 2015, put all the supporting mods plus custom tuning on(minus Big Turbo) within first year. It might not be the fastest car but its been a remarkable car best purchase ive ever made. Im at 104k now and the only problem i had was the dumb purge valve recall which Ford let me down on but i fixed it myself and my shift tower started leaking down transmission (Ford didnt use any gaskets?!?!). Hell im still on the factory brake pads at 104k with countless mountain runs and spirited late night rides (very balanced brakes). Hands down most reliable car ive ever had only changing out tires an oil and tranny fluid. Granted im coming up on suspension work and maybe some motor mounts but thats unreal. Too bad Ford gave up right after but its a real GEM
I own a 2015 Mk7 GTI. Fantastic car to live with. so playful on the road and hella upgradea available for not a ton of money. Highly recommended. Wish I could attach a pic.
I own a 2014 WRX STI Hatchback and it is AMAZING! I drive it everyday and I have not had any issues but than again it only has about 120,000KM on it so fingers crossed
In Asia (both east and south east), Honda Civic is always a go-to choice until you can own a Miata. Super low budget means absolutely no worry on maintenance until you crash them. *cough I don’t have a car since the public transport there is so well developed.
I agree with the leak down check, but I don’t think any dealership is going to show me. They will probably say it’s already been done. And unless you know how to do a leak down check on an engine, it would be hard to get one done. Maybe if there are mobile mechanics that help people buy solid cars. So set aside money to pay the mobile mechanic that does leak down checks too.
@@anthonymorales3137 a dealership is not going to let you take their car for a leak down check. Anytime I’ve ever pulled up at a mechanic shop they have cars and customers all over the place and I have to schedule an appointment for any type of service. My point is the old “find a mechanic to make sure the car is ok” is a bunch of bologna.
I had 2016 GTI performance with ecu and dsg tune and gti clubsport muffler. In dyno it made 236kw/440nm (320hp/323ft lbf). It was so much fun to drive, lots of pops&bangs.
as a young person great at making poor financial decisions, i have an 06 sti, a 2016 wrx, and a 94 miata, and the miata is the most fun to drive. easiest to work on, cheapest to maintain, cheapest to insure, dogshit slow, but incredibly fun. it was my only car for a couple years, daily drove it through upstate ny winters, and couldnt recommend it more as a first car. oh, did i mention it gets great as milage too? The subarus are a ton of fun, lots of aftermarket options for them, but if i had to go down to one car, im keeping the miata
rethink the g35 he didnt give it love but out of his list of cars the G35 have more aftermarket parts and very cheap to get and all local in the usa, just do a engine test FIRST
@@anthonymorales3137 And, the best part is that 99% of them have only ever been driven ten under the speed limit in the left lane by wealthy Asian exchange students! It's a great car if you're cool with everyone thinking that you're wealthy but worthless.
So a Ford focus, an older Ford focus, 2 Ford focus competitors, a nice BMW, another old Ford, Subaru time bombs allergic to power, nimble FR with a subaru engine, bottom feeder muscle cars that a Ford Focus can beat, and the miata. Well, looks like I found the answer.
I mean, I have found some great deals for less than $3500: 2003 Ford Mustang convertible, $3200, 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP, $2300, 2001 Ford Mustang coupe, $1500 and a 1999 Honda Civic LX , $1300. All automatic, and all lasted for a while. Only 1 had a salvage title and a major failure. My current, the 03 Mustang runs great at 133k with no major issues.
There's a thing missing in that tittle: * in North America I've been looking for cars as I've been driving my mom's LPG Corsa for half a year now, and in Spain at least, can be more reasonable to get a full on RX8 than the very rare Mazdaspeed 3, idk what's happening but the prices for any second hand car are all upside down here.
Love my 2010 Genesis coupe. I do agree with Craig about the aftermarket support for this car and it's quite frustrating. Other than that, the car has been pretty solid. Put on an ark exhaust system and a cold air intake. Might upgrade to an STI in the future
I've set my eyes either on a 2013+ VW Golf 7 or a 7th Gen 2006-2007 Honda Accord for my first car, hopefully in the coming years I'll get one now that I'm working and still living with my parents :)
Wrong gen Golf if you want to have fun, but great for driving slow and impressing a slut with your baby Audi, lol, but she's bouncing as soon as she meets a man with a real Audi.
man i been watching you for a very long time, but your thoughts on the g35's is a bit wrong my friend , yes many have been treated very bad but there is so many that are out there that has not been, i know because i shop for them, plus every car on your list is awesome but the g35's have the biggest aftermarket support and very easy to get, all said and done from bad engine to total race rocket is a cost of at lease 12,000 and yes it would be a project car depending if you got an over used g35, but common tools with good engine and tested 10,000
@@ACommenterOnRUclips to be honest fast movies shown car most people didnt know had good value for aftermarket support , you need to look at each car in all the movies, i mean look at the side cars not the main movie cars, just ask Craig
Instead of the V6 dodge, go with a 2014 charger, RT or SRT eight. Overall plenty of V8 power in stock form and affordable. A Flowmaster Super 44 dual exhaust kit will give them plenty of muscle car growl without the drone
I don't know why miatas get so much flak. Theyre small, cheap, and extremely fun cars. I'm picking one up as soon as I finish paying off my Scat Pack Challenger (or have more space for one)
@@ve2430 Although that's true, by "exploded" I'm referring to the 50k "no low-ballers, I know what I have" prices that lots of otherJDM cars like the Supra and Silvia have. I agree that they are definitely on the rise so grab one if you can find one at a deal, I say.
The PRIMARY reason a Miata has a reputation of being a Chicks car is because you have to be 5 foot tall to comfortably fit in one, my boss used to own one, I had to drop the top just to get into it, he eventually sold it to one of his grand daughters.
Discounting the convertible foxes when they're actually fantastic. Like yeah subframe connectors are something you should invest into but other than that they're fantastic
Fox bodies are almost impossible to find these days... And I noticed you didn't mention the Honda Civic??? These are great platforms for young people to start out on...
I currently have a Mk7 GTI I think it's great but some of the part costs to keep the car running are higher than Japanese and American cars. I'm probably going to replace it with a C5 Z06 soon
Might I add that instead of Veloster get yourself for a bit more money a Hyundai Elantra N... 280 HP and 392 Nm of torque... Not bad for 2.0 Turbo powered engine...
I think the Mustang is one of the best cars to start with they're not that expensive and they're really easy to modify If you're going to get a Mustang I recommend you to get the 1999 2 2004 Mustang
you want to look awesome ? the G35 is a great car like CL said you need to do your search and dont be afraid to travel 100 miles out side your area to find one , i have bought 8 in the last 4 years with 1to3 owners and been well taken car of , but and i mean BUT the engines have 100,000 miles but have it checked out like CL said, if you cant afford $300 for get it tested then your out of your price range
Hey Craig, Do you think Nissan would make another Silvia as an affordable car option in the future? There are many affordable older options out there in the market now, but there isn't anything that can compete with the gr86 at the moment
My advise is to buy a Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla thats in decent shape and is reliable enough to be a solid daily driver and you do not have to worry about driving your project car. pay it off, focus on your career so you can invest your way to a much bigger budget on the cars you want. Plus that also gives you the opportunty to get your living situation established like getting a garage. Because trying to modify a car while living in an Apartment complex is asking for trouble. Been there done that. Your manager will constantly try and tow you for stupid stuff. Again Save and invest before buying any car to modify. I had a V6 Camaro back in the day and while it was fun I often think had I done these steps I probably would have had my dream cars before the age of 30.
There are a lot of performance mods for the Genesis coupe. The 2.0T on a stock block and ecu can make 300hp with bolt ons and a tune or 350-400hp with a turbo kit and custom tune. So not sure why you said there are no performance parts for them.
How did the 16+ Camaro not make this list? Same upsides as the Mustang that was mentioned, but will out-handle most of the cars on this list. Check out Randy Pobst's videos about his own RS 1LE that he bought for under $30k new.
As a 4th Gen 2016 Miata ND owner, I'd recommend a miata to all new and experienced sports car owners. It's a fun car to throw around the track, a daily and easy to work on. I do all maintenance on the car on my own, oil change, brakes, fluids etc and a lot of 3rd party market parts are readily available
don't hear much from/about the Monster Miata/MX-5's. Good ol' V8 under the hood.
I hear you bro! I love the ND. Looks awesome. I've got NB 03 its best car I could recommend to a newbie.
@@cericj99 the V8's are quite unbalanced. Better bet is a v6 from a jaguar (assuming it's an NA/NB)
I’m very happy with my _Acura RSX Type-S_ and it’s a practical yet an amazing platform. Pretty unique car in design too.
Im looking everywhere and cant find one for a decent price with low mileage. Any suggestions on where to look?
@@devinblackman7488 I found mine being advertised on AutoTrader. So I end up contacting the private seller which was on Illinois, ask if they do shipping, deal with the money wiring thing and have it being send to me in Michigan. I wouldn’t finance a used car like this, is best to pay cash as always. But yes, since it’s an old car, expect to see something wrong or needs fixing. Most of these cars seems to have been modified at some point. I’m glad mine was primarily intact including the leather seats. And at 100,998 miles. Asking price was $13,500 they sell quick. Just keep looking, but remember that these cars are meant to last a lifetime so maybe whoever has them just keeps them instead of selling them. Is understandable. :)
I very much agree. Acura RSX and Acura Integra's are awesome cars for young car enthusiast to modify and have fun with. I 44 years old now and have modified and raced more cars than I can count but when I was younger and short of cash I rocked a 1985 Honda CRX si. I loved it and it taught me the basics about driving a car aggressively also it was great on gas. That being said I had many friends that drove Integras and they are also great cars to modify. I have very fond memories about Integras and RSX's.
@@briantincher9284 That’s awesome. Love that too. I’m 32. Still remember when the RSX was coming around. Ever since I liked the car. Unique. Sleek. Cute.
all too expensive for a first car. Come on, an average kid isn't going to have $14k +. You can still get into a reasonably quick and cool car for under $5k if you are smart. It's really not that hard. Find something older or not quite as popular. There's more out there than you think there is. Don't forget there are odd ball cars out there like the older super charged Buicks that can really be turned up for cheap. Not as desirable true, but way more realistic than a newer BMW or WRX
The RSX is the best budget car since the K20’s in those are known to push for high HP numbers and especially if you get an RSX TYPE S. They have amazing trunk capacity and over all will probably appreciate as time goes by seeing by the pushback of the new integra
😊 Thanks for the mention. Gotta love my RSX ♥️🙌🏻
tsx a-spec and tl type s is another choice too.
I have a 2005 (got new) RSX Type S with a A-SPEC suspension kit, but no body kit and to this day I feel it would be a great first car. ;-)
I'm not keen about turbos or superchargers because their precision equipment and expensive to fix or replace.
@@TairnKA Mine is still pretty much stock too.
The NC mazda mx5 miata, is the most underrated series. I've personally done, coilovers, thicker swaybars, intake and a full exhaust system with headers. It is a great platform. I'm 44yo and daily mine, here in Australia. Great video, for the young ones.
I love my frs. I had the car from new to 90k miles and had no mechanical issues. I can drift it with ease without any mods and i took it on track day and had a blast in it. Great car, great chassis, and great steering feedback.
Miatas are good for anything. drifting, drag racing, autocross, etc... and there's an infinite amount of aftermarket parts and engine swaps available for them! I know most people already know these things, but this comment could be informative for anybody who hasn't heard about the usability of a Miata
I have a 2005 Acura RSX Type-S with a JDM K20A engine along with a 6-Speed manual transmission and a T67 Turbo that’s pushing about 785whp@30psi. I’ve owned the RSX since 2005 and this is my second engine and it’s running pretty smooth.
I love the RSX 🤛🏻
Hell yeah that's sick. I'm currently pushing a 500 hp 9th gen si
Been very happy with how stout my fiST has been. Lots of fun and quite competitive at the autoX events. Still getting over 30mpg with my heavy foot.
Honorable mention. 2018+ Camaro 4cyl turbo with 1LE package. Better handler than the eco boost can also be modded and has a better chasis off the bat. Randy Pobst has one and he’s race car driver
Love and respect you and your work! Just left a show with my new to me raptor. But foxbodies are mad expensive. Ppl tax the hell out of those cars if you can even find a clean one. I’d say go with a 99-04 gt heck even the early s197 cars are hitting rock bottom and those 3v 4.6s can put some power down
Craig please do a part 2 of this video for cars at 10,000 or less most young kids want a learner car ,i know because im in a low budge seen, but have massive after market support, PLEASE HIT THIS FOR THE OTHER VEIWERS CAR MARKET, we need to keep cars alive
Just about all of these cars are under 10k, and if you lack the _responsibility_ to figure that out for yourself, you should just buy a scooter and call it a day, my son.
he said it at the end of the video, just get a beater. If i can recommend anything fun for under 10k though, The fiat 500 turbo or fiat 500 abarth. Super lightweight (rival the miata), and easy to tune, easy to get parts, easy to work on at home. If you don't like the fiat, go for a mk4 golf 1.8t or a mk4 1.8t jetta. Can easily get a good one for 4grand that hasn't been beat to hell, and they're super buildable
I would suggest the C5 Corvette if you can get a hole of a grandpa owned car. They're typically well taken care of and cheap to maintain and modify. I would avoid the C6 generation because most owners beat those cars to death. 4th gen camaros and firebirds if you can get the LS1. If you're a mechanic then you can get a LT1 car. C4 Corvettes again if you plan on being a part time mechanic. They can be great cars but you have to be willing to master taking on the Opti spark when it takes a dump on you.
Miata with a hellcat is a fun car indeed. My friend has a swapped one.
How did the C5 and C6 corvettes not make this list? The LS is one of the cheapest motors to mod and make power out of, and they’ll out-handle any muscle car on the list.
Buy EK Civic Hatchback Beater, drive it till timing belt snaps, K-Swap, 200+ Wheel HP in a light AF chassis with massive aftermarket support.
As an NC boat mobile driver; super underrated car. I’m going to get a new Z and keep the Miata too. I thought I’d hate the thing and I fell in love.
The 4th gen fbody (Camaro/firebird) is another great car to modify on the cheap. For 14k you can get a damn nice Z28 and have plenty of money for mods. The LS responds great to pretty much any mod and the only real weak point is the 10 bolt rear or 4L60E if you start making some big changes
I got priced out of the LS1 cars. Any thoughts on the LT1 Z28? Not as good, but they at least are actually cheap.
@@jonathanpeterson1 I wouldn’t hesitate to buy another LT1 car. No they’re not going to gain as much horsepower with bolt on mods like the LS but they’re still good cars. Check out Tick Performance’s world record LT1. There’s still potential in them
@@stevenmc62089 I’d probably be looking at simple bolt ons and suspension/chassis stuff, for a fun weekend cruiser. I have a couple of turbo four cylinders, not super quick in a straight line, but the handling makes them fun. I value that over just straight line monster, but anything with decent forward thrust would be fun. I’m sure it still beats both my cars in acceleration.
I loved my Z28 and my WS6. Z28 was an auto, and I blew it the first time I took it racing 😂. WS6 was a t56. Loved those cars
@@jonathanpeterson1 I had a 94 Z28. Not as good as the LS, but the LT1 is solid. Weak points are the rear end, the trans (if it's the auto) and the optispark system is a fucking nightmare
Glad to see the speed3 on the list, mine was an absolute blast. I do regret selling it, but I was more than happy when it was mine.
I think one of the most overlooked front wheel drive cars is a Ford Fiesta ST. I fell in love with the ones I test drove years ago and vowed to own one someday. I now have one. There are a lot of performance parts available since the car is VERY popular in the UK but the European companies still have warehouses here so no parts problems. When I start talking car mods it sounds like I went to Wish and bought parts because nobody knows the brands. When I take people for rides in my car they are pretty stunned that a Fiesta can do what it does. And it begs to be driven.
I got a RAV4, and am planning on switching to a modifiable car in the hope to work on it over time and hand it down to my kid. This guys intro made me laugh, I loved it lol
Charger RT. Quick as is out the box pretty much, no it won't win many races but neither will a stock WRX or stock BRZ. It still makes V8 noises! Best part is you can just buy SRT 392 parts and bolt them on the 5.7 and when you tune it for those parts it will make a serious difference. Put cams in and a more aggressive gearing and you can have SRT performance.
as my first car i went for the reliable route tbh, i dont make any money so i need something that its just not going to break down (or very little) on me, got myself a 3rd gen 4runner with 3rz, auto and 2wd, its not the coolest thing in the block but sure as hell i can count on it running always and not giving me too much shit to pay for (dont even ask for a manual here in panama they are non existant)
I got a 2003 NB. Every person I ever took in it loved it. I replaced the spark plugs myself with basic tools lol. Car runs great
Saturn Sky Redline all the way. Stock turbo, manual trans,limited slip, drop top. Stock has 260hp/260tq. With a factory tune offering 290hp/340tq.
Add intake/exhaust and a custom tune and you'll be up around 340hp/400tq
I like your comments on the Mazda Miata, that's kinda why I ended up acquiring a 1996 BMW Z3 Roadster. Have had it for about 8 years and it's been amazing ever since.
As a 2012 speed3 owner, the engine is a 2.3L not a 2.0. But I’ve had it since 2012. Has 218,932 miles. Granted I had to replace the motor at 177,000 due to oil control ring failure.
keep in mind with the mustang though, 270hp stock... out of a turbo (meaning it comes and it goes and then its gone. engines aren't magic). The other downfall to it is that it weighs 3500lbs. That much weight can make 350whp feel turdish. so that 270 doesn't look so great anymore.
I am now 62 years old. Been a hot rodder all my life and owned many cars that today are sought after classics. I currently have a 2014 CTS-V coupe with some mild mods (540HP at the wheels on the dyno). I did not want to use up my V on a daily commute in traffic so I went looking for a cheap beater to drive. I found a 99 Mazda Protege sitting in a dealership. The car had 40K miles on it and except for being covered in hail dents, looked and drove like new. I picked it up real cheap, paid cash and drove it home. After driving this thing the first thing I did was go coilovers as it slushed around like a dying whale in the surf. That and Miata rims with Hankooks and it really transformed the handling. I am seriously thinking about modding the engine because at 105HP it isn't exactly a missile (tops out at about 110 and takes too long to get there). I have to say, I never was a fan of rice cars but this thing is fun to drive! Only problem is finding aftermarket engine parts, especially exhausts (not cheap Chinese knockoff crap). Anyway, i am considering selling the V at some point to get a Miata... Horsepower isn't everything.
A tune on my v6 challenger changed everything. It makes 320 hop on its own. Doing that I’ve reached 350. Now a cold air intake and some exhaust and I’m chilling.
I own a 2018 Subaru WRX that I bought new and have kept mostly stock except for the wheels. I put snow tires on it in the winter and it’s a blast in the snow. I also have a new 2023 BRZ coming in the spring and that’s gonna be the car I mod. I would recommend doing a lot of research and find the good Subaru builders on youtube and not just the kids putting whatever on their cars and blowing engines. Unfortunately there’s a lot more thought that needs to go into a Subaru due to their flaws but they can be great cars. I’ve had very minor issues with my WRX and even in stock form it can be fun. Definitely do the support mods before even thinking about adding a bunch of power.
Just about everything you can do to the GTI, you can also do to the Audi TT, A3 and A4 platforms. I have a MKV GTI and B7 A4. They are fun enough for what they are.
A year later and I bought a mitsubishi lancer ralliart 240 hp stock, I added cold air intake, better recirc valve, catback exhaust, high flow cat, aftermarket wheels, tein coilovers and a tune , I'm happy with my purchase
I can attest to picking a platform with a shallow aftermarket. I started modding Cavaliers and Sunfires in the early 2000s before there was anything outside of RKSport. We had to get creative with OEM upgrades, like cam swaps from other Quad 4 engines, intake manifolds, etc. It got a little better in the later 2000s with a few fab guys dedicated to the platform, as well as the Delta cars (Cobalts, G5s, HHRs, etc.) providing options for hybrid engine builds, like the Honda kids were doing with the B series motors in the 90s. As hard as it was, the look on people's faces when they got their dick kicked in by a riced out Cavalier was well worth it in the end. Especially when it was a boomer in a V8.
The aftermarket for 2nd gen(2019+) turbo and N velosters is pretty substantial. The 2.0T in the N's can be modded/tuned to over 300whp on the stock turbo. At the track its an absolute blast
hamstermobile
@@icejawa1829 you're thinking kia soul. Velosters got almost zero marketing
LOL
too bad they're so ugly. They look like a family hatch back. Gimme a gen 1 veloster non-tubo over a 2nd gen veloster N any day
@@TechX1320 I owned a gen 1 NA veloster and as much as I liked it, that car was a gutless wonder and the 1.6L engines were notoriously bad. Mine was burning a quart of oil every 1000miles when I traded it off.
Best platform for little money is the Gti. All you need is a downpipe and maybe a tune, and you’ll be taking stock Mustang Gt’s to Gapplebee’s. My personal favorite model is the Mk IV and the R32 is one of my dream cars.
I 100% agree with the miata being the best entry level tuner/race car. I've had three of them. I do want to mention there is the Mazdaspeed miata which came factory turbo charged. So the miata can also meet your criteria of coming factory turbo charged. In my opinion the 2nd gen (or NB) miata was the best and the 3rd gen (NC) was the worst becuase they were just so big. They were lotterally rx8 pans that were repurpoused. Funny thing is when I had my R32 GTR I found myself driving my Mazdaspeed Miata more and enjoying it more
As a Miata owner I’m glad to see it at the top of the list. I love my 2007 Grand Touring 6 speed with the premium package. I got it a year ago with only 49k miles for $9400. Only modification it has is the tires and wheels were upgraded from the stock 205 wide tires to 245 wide tires mounted on brand new Enkei RPF1 wheels. It’s a super fun car to drive with tons of grip in tight corners. Straight line performance is pretty good but won’t blow your socks off. I was a few months removed from owning a Scat Pack when I bought this car. Hands down more fun than the Scat Pack even though it’s a lot less power. I routinely average about 26mpg with spirited driving. Main reason I sold the Scat Pack is I was tired of averaging 11mpg with premium gas after doing 1 or 2 pulls. I would drive 160 miles on a tank and it would be $60 to fill up. This was a year and a half ago so quite a bit more at todays gas prices.
I sold my Scat Pack Challenger, and went into a MK7.5 GTI and haven't regretted it for a second. I have way more fun driving to work and back everyday, and save gas money to boot.
@@staylor0902 heck yeah! My buddy had a 2017 GTI and we installed the JB4 tune on it. It was crazy fun. Thing would pull harder at highway speeds than my 2013 Mustang GT I use to have. That GTI was super reliable too and he could get 38mpg down the highway driving it normal. I’m actually considering a GTI or a Golf R as my next daily.
Love my 14 si.. race x gears ,prl turbo kit , etc etc I've done everything you possibly can to my car and I still drive it over my other cars and my wife's challenger SRT8 .. currently looking for a 15 coupe si and really would like to do a k20z3 head swap too it .
every new car guy needs to see this !!!!
Your like the coolest Uncle! Awesome for you to give some advice to the young bucks. With your back ground they should listen. I’m your age and do the same thing trying to hand experiences down so the next dubbahs don’t repeat our dumbass mistakes. But as my Dad used to say “A young man has to experience his mistakes to realize the ones before him were right…”
I have the Focus ST and it's provided much more fun than my 350z, it is also much easier to get power out of on a budget, also have a mazda 3 hatch as a commuter its not the speed but the handling is superb
I've had mine since 2015 and with quality mods and good tune(JST) this car has been the most reliable, fun car I've had ever. I'm over 100k now and she's a pip still, enjoy👍🏻
What you think of a 2010 police interceptor crown Victoria
Bought my Focus ST brand new in 2015, put all the supporting mods plus custom tuning on(minus Big Turbo) within first year. It might not be the fastest car but its been a remarkable car best purchase ive ever made. Im at 104k now and the only problem i had was the dumb purge valve recall which Ford let me down on but i fixed it myself and my shift tower started leaking down transmission (Ford didnt use any gaskets?!?!). Hell im still on the factory brake pads at 104k with countless mountain runs and spirited late night rides (very balanced brakes). Hands down most reliable car ive ever had only changing out tires an oil and tranny fluid. Granted im coming up on suspension work and maybe some motor mounts but thats unreal. Too bad Ford gave up right after but its a real GEM
I own a 2015 Mk7 GTI. Fantastic car to live with. so playful on the road and hella upgradea available for not a ton of money. Highly recommended. Wish I could attach a pic.
I own a 2014 WRX STI Hatchback and it is AMAZING! I drive it everyday and I have not had any issues but than again it only has about 120,000KM on it so fingers crossed
Had a guy in my town RB20 swap his Genesis 😅 pretty sure it's the only one in the world.
I love my hairdressers car. I have a 2003 miata. Best car ive ever had. More fun than you could imagine
Well glad to see I own 2 on this list
In Asia (both east and south east), Honda Civic is always a go-to choice until you can own a Miata. Super low budget means absolutely no worry on maintenance until you crash them.
*cough I don’t have a car since the public transport there is so well developed.
Foxbody prices are nuts now. I had a few of them,i remember buying them for 2-3k 20 years ago,lol.
You're lucky, these clowns on facebook marketplace want the price of a modern 5.0 for them.
I have a 14 focus st, still love it
Corvette zo6. C5. How are you gonna leave that out Craig?
Acura tsx 2003 to 2007 is very good choice. K20 or K24, good quality and reliability and they are very practical.
Ever since I saw Moog on Mighty Car Mods track the Golf R I was sold they are amazing cars
I still have my 1st car (95M3), got it for $13k back in 04,I added a 99M3 in 2010 ($11k) that I still drive. In 2019 I added a 17M2 ($38k)
I LOVE my Fiesta ST, cheap, super fun and lots of mods
Looking to get one as a daily. Does yours have rust issues like some people say?
@@OEM1 Mine has not rust that I'm aware of.
I agree with the leak down check, but I don’t think any dealership is going to show me. They will probably say it’s already been done. And unless you know how to do a leak down check on an engine, it would be hard to get one done. Maybe if there are mobile mechanics that help people buy solid cars. So set aside money to pay the mobile mechanic that does leak down checks too.
HAHAHAH you need to find a local shop in your area to get that done, most good tuner shops can do and are very honest
@@anthonymorales3137 a dealership is not going to let you take their car for a leak down check. Anytime I’ve ever pulled up at a mechanic shop they have cars and customers all over the place and I have to schedule an appointment for any type of service. My point is the old “find a mechanic to make sure the car is ok” is a bunch of bologna.
I had 2016 GTI performance with ecu and dsg tune and gti clubsport muffler. In dyno it made 236kw/440nm (320hp/323ft lbf). It was so much fun to drive, lots of pops&bangs.
as a young person great at making poor financial decisions, i have an 06 sti, a 2016 wrx, and a 94 miata, and the miata is the most fun to drive. easiest to work on, cheapest to maintain, cheapest to insure, dogshit slow, but incredibly fun. it was my only car for a couple years, daily drove it through upstate ny winters, and couldnt recommend it more as a first car. oh, did i mention it gets great as milage too? The subarus are a ton of fun, lots of aftermarket options for them, but if i had to go down to one car, im keeping the miata
Hello Craig, being a young car enthusiast this video shall be helpful thanks👍🏼
rethink the g35 he didnt give it love but out of his list of cars the G35 have more aftermarket parts and very cheap to get and all local in the usa, just do a engine test FIRST
@@anthonymorales3137 And, the best part is that 99% of them have only ever been driven ten under the speed limit in the left lane by wealthy Asian exchange students! It's a great car if you're cool with everyone thinking that you're wealthy but worthless.
So a Ford focus, an older Ford focus, 2 Ford focus competitors, a nice BMW, another old Ford, Subaru time bombs allergic to power, nimble FR with a subaru engine, bottom feeder muscle cars that a Ford Focus can beat, and the miata. Well, looks like I found the answer.
Lol underrated, had me in the beginning fs
I’ve always wanted a miata, lovely cars and look great.
I mean, I have found some great deals for less than $3500: 2003 Ford Mustang convertible, $3200, 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP, $2300, 2001 Ford Mustang coupe, $1500 and a 1999 Honda Civic LX , $1300. All automatic, and all lasted for a while. Only 1 had a salvage title and a major failure. My current, the 03 Mustang runs great at 133k with no major issues.
Those cars are not worth a lot with AT.
@@YuShawStang Value on the street doesn't mean shit to me. You can find good cars for under $5k
@@falyssamayhew7285 If you want to drive AT, might get a Corolla as well.
I paid my 05 Mustang GT with MT in 2018 under $6k , and still own it.
There's a thing missing in that tittle:
* in North America
I've been looking for cars as I've been driving my mom's LPG Corsa for half a year now, and in Spain at least, can be more reasonable to get a full on RX8 than the very rare Mazdaspeed 3, idk what's happening but the prices for any second hand car are all upside down here.
Love my 2010 Genesis coupe. I do agree with Craig about the aftermarket support for this car and it's quite frustrating. Other than that, the car has been pretty solid. Put on an ark exhaust system and a cold air intake. Might upgrade to an STI in the future
I've set my eyes either on a 2013+ VW Golf 7 or a 7th Gen 2006-2007 Honda Accord for my first car, hopefully in the coming years I'll get one now that I'm working and still living with my parents :)
Wrong gen Golf if you want to have fun, but great for driving slow and impressing a slut with your baby Audi, lol, but she's bouncing as soon as she meets a man with a real Audi.
man i been watching you for a very long time, but your thoughts on the g35's is a bit wrong my friend , yes many have been treated very bad but there is so many that are out there that has not been, i know because i shop for them, plus every car on your list is awesome but the g35's have the biggest aftermarket support and very easy to get, all said and done from bad engine to total race rocket is a cost of at lease 12,000 and yes it would be a project car depending if you got an over used g35, but common tools with good engine and tested 10,000
2016 Genesis coupe! 348 HP “out of the box”
RUclips vloggers and the Fast n the furious franchise ruined the car market tremendously.
Especially JDM vehicles
No car collectors ruined the market just to make a quick buck like they do with everything
@@ACommenterOnRUclips to be honest fast movies shown car most people didnt know had good value for aftermarket support , you need to look at each car in all the movies, i mean look at the side cars not the main movie cars, just ask Craig
Oh boy the playboy playmate reference had me dieing 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Not arguing the point made in this video, but the 04-06 gto should have been included at the price range he spec'd
Veloster is done. This is its last production year.
I see most of these cars at the local meet with burble tunes
Highly surprised you didnt touch on the folks LS swapping the Miatas 😂
Instead of the V6 dodge, go with a 2014 charger, RT or SRT eight. Overall plenty of V8 power in stock form and affordable. A Flowmaster Super 44 dual exhaust kit will give them plenty of muscle car growl without the drone
I don't know why miatas get so much flak. Theyre small, cheap, and extremely fun cars. I'm picking one up as soon as I finish paying off my Scat Pack Challenger (or have more space for one)
Any thoughts on Honda S2000s? They haven't exploded in value yet and there's a ton of aftermarket support!
They have. Over 20k in good shape if you're lucky. Not worth that. You can get a Mazda rx8 with similar performance for under 10k with a fresh engine
@@ve2430 Although that's true, by "exploded" I'm referring to the 50k "no low-ballers, I know what I have" prices that lots of otherJDM cars like the Supra and Silvia have. I agree that they are definitely on the rise so grab one if you can find one at a deal, I say.
Fbo 335i owner, they're fast! And affordable if you're willing to wrench.
Currently working on finishing my k20 swap dc2
The PRIMARY reason a Miata has a reputation of being a Chicks car is because you have to be 5 foot tall to comfortably fit in one, my boss used to own one, I had to drop the top just to get into it, he eventually sold it to one of his grand daughters.
Discounting the convertible foxes when they're actually fantastic. Like yeah subframe connectors are something you should invest into but other than that they're fantastic
Fox bodies are almost impossible to find these days... And I noticed you didn't mention the Honda Civic??? These are great platforms for young people to start out on...
new favorite yt channel
I currently have a Mk7 GTI I think it's great but some of the part costs to keep the car running are higher than Japanese and American cars. I'm probably going to replace it with a C5 Z06 soon
Actually a really good list & useful information
Might I add that instead of Veloster get yourself for a bit more money a Hyundai Elantra N... 280 HP and 392 Nm of torque... Not bad for 2.0 Turbo powered engine...
Craig, what's your take on c5/c6 corvettes? You can get it under 25k easy!
too much power for a target crowd of this vid
@@purplespaceship7226 true
Still helluva car for the price tag
I bought an lexus sc400 with 224xxxkm for 3,000$cad whats that about 1000$ american? V8 rwd can do many fun things
All great choices I say.
Skips over fiesta st, goes straight to a hyundai veloster. Damn Craig, it won't make 300hp with a tune but its a daily go kart. I'm biased though
I think the Mustang is one of the best cars to start with they're not that expensive and they're really easy to modify If you're going to get a Mustang I recommend you to get the 1999 2 2004 Mustang
The days of those being cheap are dead sadly
me watching this while in my 96 civic sedan with no vtec
you want to look awesome ? the G35 is a great car like CL said you need to do your search and dont be afraid to travel 100 miles out side your area to find one , i have bought 8 in the last 4 years with 1to3 owners and been well taken car of , but and i mean BUT the engines have 100,000 miles but have it checked out like CL said, if you cant afford $300 for get it tested then your out of your price range
Young folks don’t over look the 9th gen Corolla. It can be had with a 5mt and the 1zzef Is a great platform.
99-04 mustangs are a cheap and easy way to get a rwd manual V8 car. Bought my GT for 1k and my Cobra for 2500. And they're only going up from there
Hey Craig,
Do you think Nissan would make another Silvia as an affordable car option in the future?
There are many affordable older options out there in the market now, but there isn't anything that can compete with the gr86 at the moment
My advise is to buy a Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla thats in decent shape and is reliable enough to be a solid daily driver and you do not have to worry about driving your project car. pay it off, focus on your career so you can invest your way to a much bigger budget on the cars you want. Plus that also gives you the opportunty to get your living situation established like getting a garage. Because trying to modify a car while living in an Apartment complex is asking for trouble. Been there done that. Your manager will constantly try and tow you for stupid stuff. Again Save and invest before buying any car to modify. I had a V6 Camaro back in the day and while it was fun I often think had I done these steps I probably would have had my dream cars before the age of 30.
I love this video but I have a good car I am 22 years old and I work a good job and I drive a Subaru Legacy 3.0r and it’s hella fun 🤩
There are a lot of performance mods for the Genesis coupe. The 2.0T on a stock block and ecu can make 300hp with bolt ons and a tune or 350-400hp with a turbo kit and custom tune. So not sure why you said there are no performance parts for them.
How did the 16+ Camaro not make this list? Same upsides as the Mustang that was mentioned, but will out-handle most of the cars on this list. Check out Randy Pobst's videos about his own RS 1LE that he bought for under $30k new.