30,000 US dollars can get you any small family sedan you like, but you won’t be enjoying the driving experience or impressing anyone with a Volkswagen Jetta. This is when the “sports car” comes in. “But sports cars are too expensive”, you say? You can get a used one, in great condition, for under 30,000 USD. Continue reading, please…
5. Ford Mustang
The ultimate Pony car is not so hard to purchase these days. A fifth-generation Ford Mustang can be bought for no more than 25,000 USD. The Mustang’s only snag is the horrible fuel economy, so you might want to go for the smaller V6 engine (210 hp), but you will definitely miss out on the V8’s sound and power (300 hp).
4. Nissan 350Z/Infiniti G35
Yes, I understand they’re almost everywhere, but there’s a reason for that, don’t you think? The Nissan 350Z/Infiniti G35 twins are solid sports cars with powerful engines. Both models (2003-2007) are equipped with Nissan’s VQ35DE V6 engine that puts out 280 to 300 horsepower. The Infiniti’s more comfortable, but the Nissan wins in the looks department. You can get either models for as low as 15,000 USD.
3. Porsche Boxster
Say what you will about the Boxster (hairdresser’s car, poor man’s Porsche), but it’s actually a damn good sports car with a superb flat-six engine (with 240 hp for the standard Boxster and 280 hp for the S version). Sure, it’s expensive to maintain, but you get your reward behind the wheel. 987 generation Boxsters are being sold for slightly less than 30,000 USD.
2. Subaru Impreza WRX STi/Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
It was hard to pick just one of those two, so I chose both. I’m not here to discuss which one is better, because they both are SERIOUSLY good, so it’s really down to personal preference. Evos are slightly more expensive (Evo VIII sells for around $25,000, while a comparable Impreza WRX STi is at around $20,000), but they’re also a bit better in terms of quality. Performance is unquestionable, and you get the practicality of any family sedan.
1. BMW M3
If you’ve always dreamt of owning an M3, now you can, sort of. A BMW E46 M3 can be acquired for approximately $25,000, believe it or not. What was once a car poster is now a car for your garage. 340 horsepower from a 3.2-liter inline-six engine combined with superb driving dynamics and top notch quality make this the best used sports car for under $30,000.