Good news (if you're buying)/bad news (if you ever need to sell) - the IS300 community is full of glue-sniffing, meth-headed self-defeating luddites stuck in 2010 that hate on each other when it comes to values. Had one for a couple years thinking I'd preserve it as an original survivor, something that should seem obvious for the last-ever 4 door manual straight 6 (2JZ at that) RWD-only performance car sold in the US, but they will NEVER gain value due to the morons who own them. A 200,000 Supra motor is worth more than a 60,000 IS300 for the entire car, because these guys bought theirs 5-10 years ago for $1,000, and if you ever think yours is worth more, you must be insane. Check every owner's group. Also, should be noted - no folddown rear seat because it's a solid metal bulkhead, and if you live somewhere that has speedbumps, the front ends are notoriously weak, and the fiddly little shock/spring assembly costs more to replace ($1,000 pre-COVID) than a Porsche 911. That said, they are a quick, solid little ride that shreds backroads and 2nd/3rd gear corners, and looks far less obvious when going fast than a Corvette/Mustang/exotic. Fun while I had it, but they'll never be worth money.
IS300's for $5k would almost certainly come with the automatic transmission. When they were new the autos were much more popular than the manuals, and initially the auto was the only way you could get one from the factory.
Yep this is definitely true. I managed to get myself a manual IS300 for $2500 back in 2019 but the owner turned it into a daily beater car. It wasn't a shit box but definitely needed some tender loving care under the hood. Years later I'm glad I saved, invested, and fixed the car from probably being totaled to oblivion by that guy.
The sad thing about the Boxster being "under 10K" Is the fact that they were under 5K right before covid happened, I still regret not grabbing one of the better examples that were floating around in early 2020.
And don't regret it, they are awful cars. It's like buying a Maserati thinking it's a Ferrari. It's a hunk of jshit if anything. Don't blow your wallet to look cool just to blow the motor too. Buy a Miata and call it a day.
I had a 944, i loved that thing, but the repairs killed me. Timing chain broke and i bent a few valves and fixed that with junkyard parts. Fixed a few things here and there, but the final straw was when it needed new rotors. My friends chevy truck rotors were 15$ a piece, the 944 were 115$ a piece, for the cheapest ones. This was 20 years ago. That car was so fun to drive tho, i would gladly drive any porsche in good condition. But id have to have money to burn
@@angelgjr1999 na, i bought an 986 about a year ago, they are not unreliable, the only thing to watch out is the ims, otherwise bulletproof, and not expensive to mantain
I bought an mr2 spyder for my first car and I can confirm it’s very fun, handles the corners like a champ. I bought it as a project that was sitting for a few years. Snagged it for $800 :)
You got that for a steal! Just recently bought a 2003 MR2 Spyder that is a ton of fun to drive. Finding a nice unmodified one under 10K is a stretch right now, it has a 1ZZ engine (lotus elise got the more exciting 2ZZ), if you are buying a pre-2003 facelift one make sure to check the pre-cats! 6 speed SMT can be converted to a manual for relatively cheap.
Recently bought a 2002 mr2 for $2k at 114,000 miles. Was sitting and had SMT problems…bought the $3k kit tranny conversion kit from MWR. Runs and drives like it’s on rails now! Best daily I’ve had😊
That's awesome! Mine is stock and has the 1zz with 5 speed manual. It has 145,000 miles and it still had precats when I bought it. They looked in tact so I bought it and gutted them immediately lol. I had to get a new soft top, front struts, and tires, but I'm less than 4 grand into it so that's still a solid deal. Next thing to do for it is the rear brake calipers and parking brake cables. Edit: mine is a 2000 pre facelift
I gotta say, Jeremiah's sponsor reads are my favorite. Not just on this channel, but on the whole website. It really takes talent to make an ad interesting
Had a 93 Del Sol S with a B16A swap, man that car was a ton of fun. I’ve always wanted to by another one, but I don’t currently have enough space at home to have one.
As someone that owns a 88 C4 it’s a great car!!! Picked mine up for 5K. One owner and 80k miles in great shape! Super healthy and strong motor and trans with plenty of torque. I’d recommend getting one easily. Be picky though because there’s plenty out there to choose from so find one that meets your highest standards. Lots of TH-camrs that have tutorial videos showing you diy repairs and maintenance along with performance upgrades. I definitely recommend getting one for a fun car!
@@CJ_Sipe not sure. I mean they’re pretty simple if you ask me. The Chevy 350 has been around forever. I’ve never had any serious problems with mine so far. Biggest issue I’ve had is either a misfire (which was just from the original distributor that went bad so I did a full tune up and it’s been good since) or havin to replace the brake booster but remember I’m talking about a car that was 100% stock from 88. Aside from that when you pop the hood everything is fairly accessible.
@@wr8thbeatz322 To be honest I fill it up and drive it randomly. Next time I get in I’ll check my mpg and let you know but it’s nothing that would make me turn away. I also I have a couple other cars as well that get 30+ mpg so that’s why I don’t pay too much attention but I can say for as often as I do take it out I don’t find myself refueling often.
i have an is300 sportcross (the rare wagon version of the first gen) and it has treated me so well in the first year of ownership. handles, drives and picks up well plus looks sick imo
Fun Fact about the C4 Corvette: According to the lead designer, the radiator was angled back 45° to reduce the radar cross-section. This, along with the plastic/fiberglass body panels meant it could be detected by a police radar gun at only 1/3 of the distance.
I've had a 128i for two years now. Its incredibly nimble, it looks great, and for a bmw its very reliable (the n52 motor is really reliable). I would say the main thing is preventative maintenance should not be ignored, and shop around for something with not too many miles. Edit: M Sport package is highly recommended for better suspension and better sports seats. If you can find one, don't sleep on it.
I have a n54 that didn’t have any problems until I hit 90k miles (hpfp, injectors) since I got those and ran my tune shes been pushing hard, these platforms are extremely under rated, I’d never say a c4 or c5 is better, I’m starting to doubt @donutmedia on their car knowledge
@@erikmagana28 nah a C4 is a lot of car tbh. from the suspension to the small block reliability, handling, wedge shape, its a solid solid car. not a 10k car though. back a couple years ago you could find them for 3-7s in good condition, they reached the end of their depreciation curve and have gone up, just how E46s are right now
I had a VQ pathfinder in the top trim. Put an air intake on it, it sounded amazing. Also, nice leather, good enough sound system, sunroof, it was so nice.
Late 2019 I bought a 2002 Acura MDX with 155k miles for only $1700. lol.. Fully loaded, 3 rows of heated leather seats that fold down, moon roof, heated mirrors, AWD, 3.5L Vtec honda engine (j35A3), one of the more exotic CD players (clarion, alpine or Aiwa- I forget exactly), virtually brand new tires already on it. Zero dents, zero rust and there is NO oil leaking anywhere on this thing, which was a shock to me. Incredible car and it's still going strong today. I still can't believe how cheap I got this thing for.
I'm just gonna go out on a limb here and say that the Valvoline ad was hilarious with Jer's response of "struggling to fill the old diffy" I doubt that many people want to comment on the ad but damnit, I'm here to say that you guys do it well. Keep bringing in that sweet cashflow so I can dream of cheaper cars again.
If they didn't put the 8th gen Si on here I bet the rsx would be. They're getting really expensive though. It would be hard to find a clean type s with under 200k for less than 8.
For sure! I have an 02 RSX auto with 250k miles on it that my dad bought for my first car, at 224k miles. Other than having to replace the engine at 240k due to previous owners neglecting to change the coolant and it ruining the cooling system it has been a great car with few issues, main things being the brake master cylinder, motor mounts, rear caliper, a few other small things. Although it is an auto it can be fun, like it handles good, but its not fast at all. Would definitely recommend a garage kept manual (base or type-s) because the paint is terrible for clearcoat fade. If someone bought one around 100k miles and took care of it I'm sure it'd last well over 250 without major work. Type S is also definitely worth the extra cost for the higher revving k20a2 or k20z1 and the 6 speed manual!
Its awesome seeing the chrysler 300 finally get some rep. I have a 2005 Chrysler 300c 5.7 and is still running strong, even at 115k miles. One of the best cars I've ever owned. I'll submit pics too, as i put a few cosmetic upgrades to it
@@cowmath77 I have a 335i with the same engine as the 135i and if you can work on your own car it really hasn't been bad. Labor costs is what kills it.
@@cowmath77 yeah, depreciation is decided by reliability and thus running costs (gas mileage, maintenance costs etc.) so the 135i is pretty unreliable. However, if you keep it well-maintained, it will be a super fun car to drive.
That's a good trade! I bought a 96 Chevy C2500 with a 350 for $800, then traded it for a 2001 BMW 740iL straight trade. The guy even paid the tow truck to bring me the BMW and pick up the 3/4 ton to bring it back, and he lived 2 hours away in a different city lol. Too bad old BMWs aren't reliable and they're expensive to fix or else I would have kept it lol. Honesty I should have just kept the truck, prices on those 90s Chevys are through the roof nowadays
Deal of the century, my friend. I've driven pretty much all the Kia Rios, and all of them are boring as hell, you might as well rideg a bike, heheh. I haven't driven an IS300 yet, but if they're even just half as fun as my ex-manager's 2006 GS400, they must be awesome.
Awesome to see the is300 featured on donut. For anyone worried about sticky dash, I have had one in my family since 2001 and never had the sticky dash issue. I believe the problem started with the 2004 models. Great car. Never had any issues with it. Planning to add mods soon. Would love to see donut media work on one someday.
A lot of Lexus models also have a replacement program for the sticky dash at Lexus dealerships too, I think it’s nearing the end though, not sure if it’s still going
Most slept on car that gets no attention: 4th gen Subaru Legacy GT, basically a "luxury" WRX for 5 grand, AWD Turbo 250HP/250TQ, comes in a manual, 0-60 in 5.5 seconds. In addition to being a sleeper, no one knows wtf these cars are, it's always a joy to troll people in brand new cars and have them wondering why this 16 year old mystery Subaru just gapped them.
I was shocked by the affordability of corvettes. I was looking at the C4 corvettes, but ended up with an absolute gem of a C3 for 14k. Engine parts are actually really affordable and easy to get, the 350 small block is still made and was used in everything.
As someone who has owned a 135i, I can assure you that it is probably the best one on this list. Amazing car. Bought mine for 12k. 44k miles. 6 speed manual. Dropped about 3k in performance parts, and I'm telling you, it is the best and most fun you'd ever have in a car. I'd suggest going for the n55 vs the n54. The n55 has a twin scroll turbo and the n54 has twin turbos. The n55 however, is way more reliable.
I’m still stoked I picked up an E39 5 speed manual 530i in 2018 for $2500. Unfortunately the M5 will never be attainable for me at the rate they’ve gained popularity
@@junitoortega8656 2011+ should have an N55, but you can always check the Vin against RealOEM if you want to validate that whenever you find a good specimen
N54 is better lol N55 has “less issues”, but has rod bearing problems that can blow your engine prematurely and they can’t take as much power. N54 has more maintenance but makes a lot more power.
The "ugly" MR2 is an awesome car! I never thought theyre ugly and you can make them look even better with a hardtop and they are so good to drive. Then its a reliable Toyota and you get really good to the engine for a mid engine car so working on it is easy too. Really overlooked cars!
I just bought a 2013 128i with 45000 miles for $14000. It's awesome... The 128i has less power, but (in my opinion) less heat issues. I love that there isn't a lot of overly complicated technology stuff...
I think the advantage of LA is that your car variety is high. Some are priced more but you can definitely find what your looking for. In the Midwest you may have to go to the next state over to find a obscure car
Californias consistency in weather (not much snow or deadly heat) is also what increases their value and makes the car market here super saturated! cars here stay nicer for longer
Nonsense, if anything, I’ve seen less enthusiast cars in L.A. than in the PNW. Never knew how lucky I was until I went back to California as an enthusiast and didn’t spot much besides the occasional supercar
i work with and drive a lot of cars for work and i love my 1st gen is300s. great cars to grow into. handles well to learn in and fun to throw boost at with time. and a lot of after-market support!
First gen MX6 is definitely the biggest unknown by the masses!!! The car might be FWD but the F2 engine “F2T” for the GT version has incredible potential. Not to mention the car looks great for a 90s coupe . I secretly wish it had more following so there was more support by aftermarket companies.
Thanks Donut Media! Was looking for a video like this that takes our ridiculously high prices into account... Though now the price of these cars have probably gone up 😔
I'll just throw in the Suzuki Swift Sport here for my Euro bros! Got my ZC32S/NZ fir ~8000€ and it's been super fun and reliable for over two years now. I got some Pilot Sport 4's with Enkei Shogun FF rims recently and now it's even more fun and you can smoke some 'nicer' cars with it in twisty territory. And you basically can't wreck it because it's glued to the road, no matter how hard you thrash it!
Suzuki make a lot of underrated cars. Ignis Sport also is great. My HT81S keeps up with my buddies ZC32S and it cost a 3rd of the price. Such cool cars. Don’t sleep on Suzukis!!!!
Honestly the rx8 is always left out of these sorts of lists, but you can find them for cheap very easily, and the handle beautifully and have some speed to them. If you are willing to wrench on it often, this is a solid project car choice
On the same platform, I think the NC Miata should've been on this list. The NC1 (pre facelift, first gen NC), is about 7-9 grand right now, and it would've fit perfectly on the list. Having driven one for the past several months, it's a fantastic car.
The del sol is great! cheap car, cheap parts, great reliability, great aftermarket support. My 93 si just has suspension stuff and wheels done on it and its the funnest car ive owned.
James and Nolan should swap roles for the next Hi-Lo . I think it would be a cool switch up for each of them to get a taste of what it's like from the opposite side.
Glad to see the G35 made it. I love mine even though it is auto and the sedan version. I just hit the 150k's and it is still purring like a champ. I do need a new exhaust though thanks to the o2 Sensors being bugged by the cats. Keep on keeping on and great videos.
I bought an is 300 after years of wanting one. The one I ended up with was a 2002 auto with 150k miles at the time and I paid $4000 for it. It was optioned with the LSD which was pretty uncommon I believe. Even though it’s not a manual, it’s still amazing to drive. It’s a perfect car to daily if you want something that isn’t boring. In the future I have dreams of manual swapping it and getting a turbo kit, but for now I will enjoy it the way it is.
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Same man, i bought mine in Europe (common was IS200 with 155hp) with auto and terrible paint for 3700€. 2k into it and i have beautiful 2000s sedan which is more interesting that any e46 3series (extremly popular with diesel engines) exept M3. Perfect car for my weekend drives.
@ Mine is the color “absolutely red” and the paint is terrible also lol. I have owned the car for about 5 months now and so far I’ve replaced the front lower ball joints which are known for going out, tie rods and control arms. Having a “2jz” is pretty cool, but it is terrible on gas and needs premium fuel which is about $5.20 a gallon where I live. The 2000s were a special time for car culture lol, whoever owned my car previously installed tvs in the headrest which I removed.
Yes do a manuel swap and get the turbo with blow off valve also!! Shit will sound like a space ship!!🔥🔥
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@@LeanProblems mine is Graphite grey, but it was wrapped for 15 years and precious owner did terrible job when removing it so on half car I don’t have varnish (or what is it called in English). Technically mine is in good condition, only rear diff is making noises. We are paying around 1,80€ for liter of 100 octane (that’s 7,26) and it was even more during summer. But I don’t care, from may to this day I drove just 2000 miles, not primary vehicle so it’s about sound and experience, not fuel economy. Next year I wanna fix suspension (arms + coilovers), new wheels and I would have spare money, LSD
I think the 8th gen si is one of the absolute best cars for a fun daily. The engine is great even stock, the 6 speed honda put in them is excellent, they come with helical limited slip which is huge for a fwd car, and theyre extremely reliable and fairly efficient. You can leave them stock and have a peppy little daily to hoon around in or you can go nuts and boost them to the moon. I had two, the first one was stock and the second one was supercharged. Both were great for different reasons
The 2004-2006 Pontiac GTO is also a good deal a lot of the time, or at least it was when I bought one a couple years ago. I did end up selling it for a profit after like 2 years of ownership though so maybe the used car nuttiness has gotten them.
Same here. Bought a '93 del Sol Si (aka - VTEC) 5-speed in Samba Green, brand new. If there was ever a car I wish I hadn't sold or traded-in... that's the one!
Had one also a few years back, had a LSD 5 speed gsr transmission, b18b1 boosted with 23-25psi at 530WHP. Bought it off a guy for $2800. Wish I kept it.
I never looked at the 8th Gen civics too closely but I once saw a nicely taken care of one with a body kit and everything and It honestly got me interested in one
@@sef7992 As long as you don’t mod them like crazy, they are absolutely fantastic. I’ve had a mostly stock speed for 3+ years at 160k miles now (I put on 60k miles) and it’s been a fantastic reliable car for me. Fun as hell to throw around even stock. I’ve had little to no problems with it since I’ve bought it years ago. I’d recommend that car every time to someone who takes care of their vehicles.
got my is300 a year ago and just finished building it this week, y38 lsd, headers with straight pipe, coilovers, and some wheels, not disappointed and reliable
Just a recommendation for offroad cars (from experience), seems strange but a 1st or 2nd gen honda CR-V with lifted suspension anf big wheels is absolutely unstoppable, also put an lsd, the realtime awd is a blessing
I love that you put the Del Sol on the list. they are sick, just tend to be rusted and poorly maintained up northwest. I can't wait to get one for myself.
Given the way you picked up a V8 from a junker and made a kick ass drift/track car in an earlier video it would be awesome to see a list of cheap junkyard engines that has lot's of options with regards to after market parts and upgrades. Also you should check out the prices on some of these cars in Norway. Anything with that kind of gas consumption over here is expensive as hell.
The QX4 is a great idea. We have one in my auto tech class with 375k miles on the factory drivetrain. Other than rust they are super reliable. But the rust thing goes for any Japanese car really.
You guys forgot about the 3G Acura TL is also a strong pick this car is amazing with a good exhaust and some coils you won’t be disappointed I absolutely love mine
I daily one of these. I found it for cheap, with the 6-speed manual transmission, brembo brakes, completely rust-free. One of the best, most reliable cars I've ever had.
This list makes me think of my first car, which would have been on a list like this15-20 years ago (I'm old), but if you can find one now are way over $10k. 85' Honda CR-X Si, in the correct Blue upper body, and Gray lower with Red stripe. Loved that car, nearly killed myself in it many times!
@@RnDBMX snap oversteer is not an exclusive mr2 problem, just like filip000 said. I highly suggest watching RCR's take on the sw20, don't think anyone ever did such a good job of explaining why the MR2 is so dangerous. If you're not a hormone driven teen or have the basic idea of how weight transfer works, you shouldn't have any problems pushing the Two to it's limits. IMO, first mod anyone should do with their Two's, no matter the gen, is a good set of tyres. Had problems controling mine, bought a propper set of tyres and the car felt planted after that lol
@@RnDBMX and i didn't even answer properly, fuck me lol Anyways, driven only the first 2 gen's and my GUESS is that the mk3 is the most stable and easiest to control. At least that's what more experienced people tell me😅 Don't get the hate against it, it's basicaly a cheap lotus with Toyota reliability and ofc, the best engine layout there is
the eighth gen civics had issues with the castings cooling too quickly during manufacturing which leads to coolant leaking through the cracks in the block and also into the oil. Now, Honda replaced all of them for normal civics however they did not replace them for Si owners so you really gotta look out for those cars.
The cool thing about the C4 Corvettes is that they are a really interesting crossover point. They have Gen 4 SBC engines, which are almost exactly the same as the iconic SBC, just with reversed cooling. They go from the heads down. This was kept for the LS and LT engines. Unfortunately, you can't use older style heads or intakes, but all the other parts are interchangeable and aftermarket heads are available. The cheap price of the parts and the car itself make it a steal.
My first car was an 88 C4 corvette (this was in 2012). Despite the horrible HP they are still so much fun to drive. Also I feel like they aren't so much slept on as much as there's so many of them out there you can pick up on the cheap.
I would put 00-06 Suburban/tahoe/blazer/yukon it comes with a vortec 5300(cast iron block LS with more torque) 4l60e that can be upgraded to a 4l80e. All GM vehicles from 1988+ have the same bell housing so you can drop and swap in every GM transmission.
My 07 FG2 was the dopest car I ever had. Long live the 8th gen civic Si! Coupe or 4 Doors they're hands down the best modern SI. Rev limit is 8500 RPM and it came with a 6 Speed LSD from the factory.
Recognizing that Donut is a 100% Merican channel and such, I've often wondered what it would be like to have more of an European point of view in your vids. You guys are passionate and definitely noticed on our continent as well. Maybe you guys can shed some light on affordable dope cars available here ?
@@treypenton8490 Don't get me wrong I totally agree with you there, I just really like Donuts approach. I'm still hoping for a Donut Media (old) Top Gear project. Imagine James bullshitting with Jeremy. Stuff of LEGENDS
The g35/37 hate has always been strange to me. I've never heard a bad thing about them from anyone who's owned one. I put over 250k miles on an 06 g35 with zero problems besides a valve cover gasket I had to change, and I still own it. My daily is a tuned fbo 400+bhp '13 g37 that I've owned for several years. My first car was a 94 del sol si, I also owned a k series civic si when the k series was a new platform. The G cars are leagues above the Hondas. I wouldn't choose a G as a weekend car, but as a daily that you want to modify or you must have a back seat, it is very hard to beat for the money. 300-400 bhp, rear or awd with a manual and lsd, same drivetrain and suspension geometry as the Z's. They are reliable, easy to work on, and you get massive benefits from suspension/bracing mods. And as long as you don't just muffler delete them, they can sound great. Maybe it's just an internet or California car culture thing, but I've never actually came across a person in real life who had this perception of the g cars.
It’s strange to me as well. Gs are absolutely fantastic cars, auto or manual imo! Putting a G35 at the bottom of this list is a crime lol. They really got some hate for G cars at Donut, for whatever reason.
@@mujungasaurus2947 the autos are great too. I had a '12 g37 with the 7sp auto. With a tune, the shifts were very fast when you gave it plenty of throttle, and It had no problem chirping the tires 1st through 3rd. That car, sadly, was taken out by a commercial vehicle. But, it lead to me finding a much better spec with lower miles and a year newer.
As someone who has had both a 128i and 135i the 128i is more “reliable” and can be driven a lot if taken Care of with maintenance etc but still not too cheap to fix. As for the 135i there was not too many problems when it was stock still more than normal but the minute you modify one you better have some money in the bank, that being said if you have the money they are very fast fun cars that you can get with a manual
The e90 3 series should be on the list, I recently bought a 2008 328i manual for 7k, it has 123k miles, great service history and is awesome to drive. It's fast for a 17 year old and the hydraulic steering makes it feel so connected to the road.
135i are so underrated. huge power out the gate super tunable and handle awesome with light weight. bit of maintenance needed but they defs are one of the tops on the list
Guys please please please do the next season of high low with a c4. It's my first (and only) car that I got for 7k and daily drive. I'd love to do an homage to the sledgehammer and twin my Vette, but those engine bays are packed lol.
I didn't expect to see a C4 Corvette on this list. I recently picked one up and I'm loving it. Not a lot of space, but the amount of stuff you can do to them is awesome. Even base power sits right in that sweet spot of not having too much and not having too little. Once you get acquainted with the car, they're not too difficult to work on either. Plus, the Corvette community is pretty friendly too. I daily mine. While it has some issues, it's all stuff I can work on myself with basic tools. Definitely recommend it for a project car, cruising, or abusing!
@@harrysingh199I get about 25 on the highway, 18 at lower speeds. Not very fuel efficient, but not terrible either. Costs about $50 to fill from almost empty
Those corvettes are fun. I almost wrecked one in high school. My hobby back then was taking sports cars out on test drives. I’d say I wanted to pay cash and for some odd reason they’d let me take it on my own. I’d go out and do some dumb stuff in them and then bring it back to the dealer and tell them it’s too slow for me. I did this with a C4 Vette. Was about to go back to the dealer and decided to take one more lap around the block, hit it coming out of a corner, the back end slid out when I wasn’t expecting it to, I let off the gas and it grabbed and sling shot back the other way spinning me out. I just held tight and slammed on the brakes. When we stopped I was about 2” from a tree in someone front yard. Took the car back nice and easy after that. Was actually way more fun then I expected though.
Currently own an 03 IS300 with the Sport Design package in 5 speed manual w/ LSD and an 03 MRS Spyder. Love'em both. Great video Donut Media. #1 IS300 FTW!!!
I'd like to submit the Toyota Celica GT-S. Nice examples can easily be found under $10k. UNLIKE the MR-2 Sypder, this one actually has the 2ZZ-GE Lotus Elise engine. The MR-2 Sypder has a 1ZZ.
My first car was a 2001 MR2 Spyder. A very, very fun car. I beat it to death, but it gained value the couple years I had it. Sold it to a mechanic who planned an engine swap. Made me happy to see it go to someone who was going to appreciate it and make it go vroooooom
lexus sc 300/400 definitely deserve to be on this list. criminally undervalued and fun as hell. kind of expensive to mod it past 500 hp but definitely worth it
This list really should include the 2005-2007 Subaru Impreza 2.5i. They are fuel efficient, dirt cheap to insure, have the same chassis as the WRX and the parts and support are cheap and endless. They are really fun to drive too with no turbo lag.
Naw they should've put the Saab 9-2x Aero. Which is just like an 05 - 07 WRX wagon with a bit nicer interior. Or actually don't, because I want one lmao. I'm in the market for a new car under $10k and was wondering why the IS are so much more than they used to be. Now I know, this video is definitely playing a role lmao.
I’m surprised they didn’t mention the cobalt SS. Both the supercharged (05-07) and the turbocharged (08-10) have tons of potential. They’re light, fairly reliable, and have lots of potential similar to the civic. You can get the supercharged ones up to 300hp with a few bolt ons and the turbocharged ones past 400hp sometimes with a few bolt ons.
I love donut but I kinda miss everything being a specific show, it made it easier to know what I was about to get myself into and it also made it feel more special when a new “episode” released
Want another cheap off-road machine? 2005 Kia Sorento. That baby has a V6 and available 5-speed manual, it's a body-on-full frame vehicle like a truck (unlike the unibody Nissan Pathfinder you guys chose, which had a buy back safety recall from Nissan due to rust around the rear suspension components which was still active like 5 years ago), has a solid rear axle, chain driven transfer case with 2/4hi and 4low, 4:11 gears front and back from factory with a rear limited slip setup. Rear suspension is a coil setup instead of leaf springs, so you can just get taller coils all around for a lift. Also, it's available with your choice of 4x4, or AWD (the two tone painted ones are AWD, whereas the solid color ones are 4x4). I got my Sorento for $500 back in 2016, it had 375k kms on it and worked perfectly. I only sold it due to our wonderful East Canadian rust issues, which ate a hole in the frame or else I probably would still be driving it. For real though, nobody suspects a Sorento on the trails, they're normally not a popular car on the lot, so you can get them super cheap. I remember one snowstorm, I came outside and had snow up to the hood, but had to get to work and couldn't wait for the plow so I put it in 4hi, 1st gear and just crawled right through it with zero issues first try. Absolutely blew me away that it went through that with such ease. Since it was $500, I was hard on it and was never able to really get it stuck. Total trail pig lol
Damn. I was worried about this one. Thought you guys would pick a bunch of snooty-mobiles, but with each pick, I kept saying to myself..."Dude, I can't argue!" Great video as always, keep'em coming!...(even if the Ion Redline got no love...seldom does LOL)
I have so many friends with IS300's and it's an absolutely fun car if you know what your doing and driving, it's not screaming down the highway or causing havoc at car shows, but it's a really fun car to drive and own, it's reliable, and won't break the bank to fix if you thrash it 😎👌. I'm waiting for a Up to Speed video from donut on the IS300, anyone else agree?!?!?!
That comment about "driving slow cars fast" applies directly to me driving my 7.3 IDI crew cab. It moves about as fast as a rock, but is fun as hell with the 5 speed
As someone who owns an 8th gen LX and trying to supercharge it, I was surprised to find out just how good the aftermarket is for the R engines and would totally recommend.
Best fun cars that used to cost less than $10k before Donut made this video.
They keep inflating these numbers with these videos they need to stop
Yes!!! 🤣🤣🤣 Keep you're mouth's shut boys
Pretty much🤣😭☠️
Literally smh 🤣
Facts lmao
I've been wanting an IS300! Now you guys are gonna make the prices go up! Thanks a lot!
Got one for sale
Good news (if you're buying)/bad news (if you ever need to sell) - the IS300 community is full of glue-sniffing, meth-headed self-defeating luddites stuck in 2010 that hate on each other when it comes to values. Had one for a couple years thinking I'd preserve it as an original survivor, something that should seem obvious for the last-ever 4 door manual straight 6 (2JZ at that) RWD-only performance car sold in the US, but they will NEVER gain value due to the morons who own them. A 200,000 Supra motor is worth more than a 60,000 IS300 for the entire car, because these guys bought theirs 5-10 years ago for $1,000, and if you ever think yours is worth more, you must be insane. Check every owner's group.
Also, should be noted - no folddown rear seat because it's a solid metal bulkhead, and if you live somewhere that has speedbumps, the front ends are notoriously weak, and the fiddly little shock/spring assembly costs more to replace ($1,000 pre-COVID) than a Porsche 911. That said, they are a quick, solid little ride that shreds backroads and 2nd/3rd gear corners, and looks far less obvious when going fast than a Corvette/Mustang/exotic.
Fun while I had it, but they'll never be worth money.
So 39psi is the limit. Noted.
I bought mine for 3k and been building it up for 1,000hp and yeah this video is going to make the current selling prices to sky rocket
they've been going up in price for the last 4 years
IS300's for $5k would almost certainly come with the automatic transmission. When they were new the autos were much more popular than the manuals, and initially the auto was the only way you could get one from the factory.
James said that... 🤦♂
I think the manual came out a year after its intial release...
@@lucky889s9 yes, it was auto only for 2001.
@@lucky889s9 and no dealer ever ordered it so if you wanted one you either got lucky or waited 6 months to a year for one to get built.
Yep this is definitely true.
I managed to get myself a manual IS300 for $2500 back in 2019 but the owner turned it into a daily beater car. It wasn't a shit box but definitely needed some tender loving care under the hood. Years later I'm glad I saved, invested, and fixed the car from probably being totaled to oblivion by that guy.
The sad thing about the Boxster being "under 10K" Is the fact that they were under 5K right before covid happened, I still regret not grabbing one of the better examples that were floating around in early 2020.
That's pretty much any car besides a Dodge Dakota. Car prices are dropping so don't worry
And don't regret it, they are awful cars. It's like buying a Maserati thinking it's a Ferrari. It's a hunk of jshit if anything. Don't blow your wallet to look cool just to blow the motor too. Buy a Miata and call it a day.
I thought about buying a Boxster but they’re unreliable. Instead I bought a Mustang GT. No regrets
I had a 944, i loved that thing, but the repairs killed me. Timing chain broke and i bent a few valves and fixed that with junkyard parts. Fixed a few things here and there, but the final straw was when it needed new rotors. My friends chevy truck rotors were 15$ a piece, the 944 were 115$ a piece, for the cheapest ones. This was 20 years ago. That car was so fun to drive tho, i would gladly drive any porsche in good condition. But id have to have money to burn
@@angelgjr1999 na, i bought an 986 about a year ago, they are not unreliable, the only thing to watch out is the ims, otherwise bulletproof, and not expensive to mantain
I bought an mr2 spyder for my first car and I can confirm it’s very fun, handles the corners like a champ. I bought it as a project that was sitting for a few years. Snagged it for $800 :)
Thats a steal bro!! Nice!
You got that for a steal! Just recently bought a 2003 MR2 Spyder that is a ton of fun to drive. Finding a nice unmodified one under 10K is a stretch right now, it has a 1ZZ engine (lotus elise got the more exciting 2ZZ), if you are buying a pre-2003 facelift one make sure to check the pre-cats! 6 speed SMT can be converted to a manual for relatively cheap.
My bf has a 2006 spyder and its fun to drive
Recently bought a 2002 mr2 for $2k at 114,000 miles. Was sitting and had SMT problems…bought the $3k kit tranny conversion kit from MWR. Runs and drives like it’s on rails now! Best daily I’ve had😊
That's awesome! Mine is stock and has the 1zz with 5 speed manual. It has 145,000 miles and it still had precats when I bought it. They looked in tact so I bought it and gutted them immediately lol. I had to get a new soft top, front struts, and tires, but I'm less than 4 grand into it so that's still a solid deal. Next thing to do for it is the rear brake calipers and parking brake cables.
Edit: mine is a 2000 pre facelift
I gotta say, Jeremiah's sponsor reads are my favorite. Not just on this channel, but on the whole website. It really takes talent to make an ad interesting
His ads are complete gutter trash and we all know it.
🎯
You should watch MrBallen’s ads
Anomaly has also done some banger ad reads
What’s that yellow stuff on his lips thou 😂
My first car was a 93 del sol and it was an incredibly fun car. It was like driving a go-kart around the streets
I have a 94 del sol with an H22a from a prelude, the extra hp makes it so much fun to daily. Just like you said, rides like a go kart
Had a 93 Del Sol S with a B16A swap, man that car was a ton of fun. I’ve always wanted to by another one, but I don’t currently have enough space at home to have one.
@@Andrewperkola1121 holy shit man that's a dream
@@PoeticInsanity I’m glad you think so thanks bro
I have a 95 with an original b16vtec would love an ek but the engine is still strong I might just turbo it instead
As someone that owns a 88 C4 it’s a great car!!! Picked mine up for 5K. One owner and 80k miles in great shape! Super healthy and strong motor and trans with plenty of torque. I’d recommend getting one easily. Be picky though because there’s plenty out there to choose from so find one that meets your highest standards. Lots of TH-camrs that have tutorial videos showing you diy repairs and maintenance along with performance upgrades. I definitely recommend getting one for a fun car!
Nice! I just bought an 89 with the manual for 7k. I have yet to find the limit of it's handling abilities
Is the gas bearable?
I wonder why he said they were hard to work on
@@CJ_Sipe not sure. I mean they’re pretty simple if you ask me. The Chevy 350 has been around forever. I’ve never had any serious problems with mine so far. Biggest issue I’ve had is either a misfire (which was just from the original distributor that went bad so I did a full tune up and it’s been good since) or havin to replace the brake booster but remember I’m talking about a car that was 100% stock from 88. Aside from that when you pop the hood everything is fairly accessible.
@@wr8thbeatz322 To be honest I fill it up and drive it randomly. Next time I get in I’ll check my mpg and let you know but it’s nothing that would make me turn away. I also I have a couple other cars as well that get 30+ mpg so that’s why I don’t pay too much attention but I can say for as often as I do take it out I don’t find myself refueling often.
i have an is300 sportcross (the rare wagon version of the first gen) and it has treated me so well in the first year of ownership. handles, drives and picks up well plus looks sick imo
Wagons always win. Good buy.
i have an 01 sedan, absolutely love this car
i used to have altezza as300 🤔Basically same thing but with toyota badge lollolo
C'mon, looks terrible... Total C-Klass rip off.
I have a sportcross too, I’ve owned mine for a little over 3 years. I had a sedan prior but was sadly totaled 😢
Fun Fact about the C4 Corvette: According to the lead designer, the radiator was angled back 45° to reduce the radar cross-section. This, along with the plastic/fiberglass body panels meant it could be detected by a police radar gun at only 1/3 of the distance.
think it still works on modern ones?
Sounds like one of those urban myths..
If only technology hadnt advanced passed 1984...
Hagerty?
This is spot on but nowadays the cops use lasers
I've had a 128i for two years now. Its incredibly nimble, it looks great, and for a bmw its very reliable (the n52 motor is really reliable). I would say the main thing is preventative maintenance should not be ignored, and shop around for something with not too many miles.
Edit: M Sport package is highly recommended for better suspension and better sports seats. If you can find one, don't sleep on it.
Recently sold my 2012 e82 m sport package,automatic,66,000 miles salvage title for 10 grand right now I am on the venture for something new lol
Yeah i would think sleeping in it might be more comfortable
@@CodyDaCoyote maybe get a blow up bed
I have a n54 that didn’t have any problems until I hit 90k miles (hpfp, injectors) since I got those and ran my tune shes been pushing hard, these platforms are extremely under rated, I’d never say a c4 or c5 is better, I’m starting to doubt @donutmedia on their car knowledge
@@erikmagana28 nah a C4 is a lot of car tbh. from the suspension to the small block reliability, handling, wedge shape, its a solid solid car. not a 10k car though. back a couple years ago you could find them for 3-7s in good condition, they reached the end of their depreciation curve and have gone up, just how E46s are right now
As a is300 owner I'm glad this car finally got some love from this great channel. Currently rebuilding mine. I melted a piston hitting 40psi
Jokes on you, it's still worth 1k
Mine is a money pit but I love it
Unless it's manual please just let it die.
It wasn't the boost it was the lack of fuel to accompany all that air lol
yayyyyyy
Glad to see the normal donut shows starting to come back
Let them eat
I had a VQ pathfinder in the top trim. Put an air intake on it, it sounded amazing. Also, nice leather, good enough sound system, sunroof, it was so nice.
i took my air filter out and left the air box cracked open :)
@@altuvesbuzzer5822 better hope mice don't make a nest in there 🤣😂
Late 2019 I bought a 2002 Acura MDX with 155k miles for only $1700. lol.. Fully loaded, 3 rows of heated leather seats that fold down, moon roof, heated mirrors, AWD, 3.5L Vtec honda engine (j35A3), one of the more exotic CD players (clarion, alpine or Aiwa- I forget exactly), virtually brand new tires already on it. Zero dents, zero rust and there is NO oil leaking anywhere on this thing, which was a shock to me. Incredible car and it's still going strong today. I still can't believe how cheap I got this thing for.
@@mr.mopedmadness3441 it sounds better than a cone filter :) but yeah that car eventually threw a rod
I'm just gonna go out on a limb here and say that the Valvoline ad was hilarious with Jer's response of "struggling to fill the old diffy"
I doubt that many people want to comment on the ad but damnit, I'm here to say that you guys do it well. Keep bringing in that sweet cashflow so I can dream of cheaper cars again.
Amen sir
I'm quite fond of the "Ahoy! Donut boy!" line with the slow, smokey rise out of the oil drum. :chefskiss:
One channel I won’t skip ads on
I feel the 02’-06’ Acura RSX/dc5 belongs here, k20, great aftermarket support, good looking, good handling, you can find them for 3-8 grand clean
If they didn't put the 8th gen Si on here I bet the rsx would be. They're getting really expensive though. It would be hard to find a clean type s with under 200k for less than 8.
yea but they’re all high mileage at that price
For base model, yes but clean? Maybe more like 5-10k for type s? More like 9-16k clean
For sure! I have an 02 RSX auto with 250k miles on it that my dad bought for my first car, at 224k miles. Other than having to replace the engine at 240k due to previous owners neglecting to change the coolant and it ruining the cooling system it has been a great car with few issues, main things being the brake master cylinder, motor mounts, rear caliper, a few other small things. Although it is an auto it can be fun, like it handles good, but its not fast at all. Would definitely recommend a garage kept manual (base or type-s) because the paint is terrible for clearcoat fade. If someone bought one around 100k miles and took care of it I'm sure it'd last well over 250 without major work. Type S is also definitely worth the extra cost for the higher revving k20a2 or k20z1 and the 6 speed manual!
My buddy bought one two years ago for $7,000 with 110k miles on it, car looks killer and is really fun to drive even with the 5 speed auto
I absolutely love the speedometer design of the is 300
Looks like a fancy watch
Yeah, but it doesn't match the overall boring design at all
They actually make an is300 dash watch
I think steering wheel and gauge cluster are super important components of interior styling, it’s what you look at the most!
Justin is really starting to finally come into his own. It's good to see.
He's always been the same.. It's just you finally accepting it
No, that's not true. People get better at new jobs. He's getting better at this job . It's not a slight on him to say that.
Its awesome seeing the chrysler 300 finally get some rep. I have a 2005 Chrysler 300c 5.7 and is still running strong, even at 115k miles. One of the best cars I've ever owned. I'll submit pics too, as i put a few cosmetic upgrades to it
The 135i is such a sleeper. Their stance is simply beautiful 👌
Shoulda been higher on the list
@@cowmath77 I have a 335i with the same engine as the 135i and if you can work on your own car it really hasn't been bad. Labor costs is what kills it.
@@cowmath77 yeah, depreciation is decided by reliability and thus running costs (gas mileage, maintenance costs etc.) so the 135i is pretty unreliable. However, if you keep it well-maintained, it will be a super fun car to drive.
@@cowmath77 my neighbor owns a widebody 135i or 1m (i cant tell) he says its maintenance is not too bad
@@frogwithadog if it’s stock it’s not terrible but once you modify them they shit the bed
As an owner of a 2002 IS300 that I got by trading a 2006 Kia Rio for, I strongly approve of this video.
I got mine trading a set of km2 mud tires
That's a good trade! I bought a 96 Chevy C2500 with a 350 for $800, then traded it for a 2001 BMW 740iL straight trade. The guy even paid the tow truck to bring me the BMW and pick up the 3/4 ton to bring it back, and he lived 2 hours away in a different city lol.
Too bad old BMWs aren't reliable and they're expensive to fix or else I would have kept it lol. Honesty I should have just kept the truck, prices on those 90s Chevys are through the roof nowadays
I have a 06 Kia Rio... That's step one!
How did you manage😭😂
Deal of the century, my friend. I've driven pretty much all the Kia Rios, and all of them are boring as hell, you might as well rideg a bike, heheh. I haven't driven an IS300 yet, but if they're even just half as fun as my ex-manager's 2006 GS400, they must be awesome.
Awesome to see the is300 featured on donut. For anyone worried about sticky dash, I have had one in my family since 2001 and never had the sticky dash issue. I believe the problem started with the 2004 models. Great car. Never had any issues with it. Planning to add mods soon. Would love to see donut media work on one someday.
Sticky dash started in 02’s and after I also have an 01 and love it
@@beanerr9115 i have an 02 and it doesn't have a sticky dash some how
My 02 had sticky dash and my 03 never did.
My dad has a 2011 is350 and the dash is sticky and covered in dog hair lol. Really fun car otherwise, was around 10k and had 100k miles
A lot of Lexus models also have a replacement program for the sticky dash at Lexus dealerships too, I think it’s nearing the end though, not sure if it’s still going
Bro I’m pumped about Justin getting more and more screen time. Would love to see him paired with Jer more though. Those two are awesome together lol
First they take our Little Mermaid and turn into Lil' MurMaid.
Now they take Nolan and turn him into Justin.
@@5Ci0N nah L take man
@@5Ci0N what
@@5Ci0N come on bro wtf
@@5Ci0N bro getting worked up over a skin color😐😂
Most slept on car that gets no attention: 4th gen Subaru Legacy GT, basically a "luxury" WRX for 5 grand, AWD Turbo 250HP/250TQ, comes in a manual, 0-60 in 5.5 seconds. In addition to being a sleeper, no one knows wtf these cars are, it's always a joy to troll people in brand new cars and have them wondering why this 16 year old mystery Subaru just gapped them.
I was shocked by the affordability of corvettes. I was looking at the C4 corvettes, but ended up with an absolute gem of a C3 for 14k. Engine parts are actually really affordable and easy to get, the 350 small block is still made and was used in everything.
As someone who has owned a 135i, I can assure you that it is probably the best one on this list. Amazing car. Bought mine for 12k. 44k miles. 6 speed manual. Dropped about 3k in performance parts, and I'm telling you, it is the best and most fun you'd ever have in a car. I'd suggest going for the n55 vs the n54. The n55 has a twin scroll turbo and the n54 has twin turbos. The n55 however, is way more reliable.
I’m still stoked I picked up an E39 5 speed manual 530i in 2018 for $2500. Unfortunately the M5 will never be attainable for me at the rate they’ve gained popularity
n55 comes with 2012+ models? This is on my list of options for a fun car but I wanna make sure I get something good
@@junitoortega8656 2011+ should have an N55, but you can always check the Vin against RealOEM if you want to validate that whenever you find a good specimen
Absolutely agree. The fact they put it that low on this list makes almost 0 sense lol
N54 is better lol N55 has “less issues”, but has rod bearing problems that can blow your engine prematurely and they can’t take as much power. N54 has more maintenance but makes a lot more power.
The "ugly" MR2 is an awesome car! I never thought theyre ugly and you can make them look even better with a hardtop and they are so good to drive. Then its a reliable Toyota and you get really good to the engine for a mid engine car so working on it is easy too. Really overlooked cars!
Yes, but it is NOT the same engine as the Elise. It's the 1Z not the 2Z unfortunately.
@@beezball Could get an Elise with a 1zz in Europe, so saying “It’s the same motor” isn’t entirely wrong but it is very misleading.
Strap a turbo on it and switch to e85 and you will have enough power
Apparently they chew through their cats 🤷♂️
Gen1 or 2 for me. Gen 3 IS UGLY
I just bought a 2013 128i with 45000 miles for $14000. It's awesome... The 128i has less power, but (in my opinion) less heat issues. I love that there isn't a lot of overly complicated technology stuff...
45kmiles is almost engine swap time no?
Justin: “driving slow cars fast is fun”. Me in my Prelude: 🙋🏻♂️
The prelude doesnt count because it doesnt go fast
Best you can do is drive it dangerously. Like off a cliff or something
😎 what a chad
@@kibawhitefang7176 I got you this, 💼 🍆 …eat up, cool guy. 👍
RSX owner checking in, lol
I think the advantage of LA is that your car variety is high. Some are priced more but you can definitely find what your looking for. In the Midwest you may have to go to the next state over to find a obscure car
I live in NY and regularly travel cross country to find anything decent haha
Californias consistency in weather (not much snow or deadly heat) is also what increases their value and makes the car market here super saturated! cars here stay nicer for longer
Nonsense, if anything, I’ve seen less enthusiast cars in L.A. than in the PNW.
Never knew how lucky I was until I went back to California as an enthusiast and didn’t spot much besides the occasional supercar
@@AutoSearPin The PNW isn't the midwest so I don't see your point.
i work with and drive a lot of cars for work and i love my 1st gen is300s. great cars to grow into. handles well to learn in and fun to throw boost at with time. and a lot of after-market support!
First gen MX6 is definitely the biggest unknown by the masses!!! The car might be FWD but the F2 engine “F2T” for the GT version has incredible potential. Not to mention the car looks great for a 90s coupe . I secretly wish it had more following so there was more support by aftermarket companies.
Thanks Donut Media! Was looking for a video like this that takes our ridiculously high prices into account... Though now the price of these cars have probably gone up 😔
Have you not seen the last 3pnths of videos?? Or the last 4 years of the market sky rocketing and is 1000% illegal
Pretty much.
People are so dumb and impressionable that they see a video like this and go out and buy one. It's impulse buying for morons.
@@brucebonner3491 Yeah, it's really annoying...
I'll just throw in the Suzuki Swift Sport here for my Euro bros!
Got my ZC32S/NZ fir ~8000€ and it's been super fun and reliable for over two years now. I got some Pilot Sport 4's with Enkei Shogun FF rims recently and now it's even more fun and you can smoke some 'nicer' cars with it in twisty territory.
And you basically can't wreck it because it's glued to the road, no matter how hard you thrash it!
Suzuki make a lot of underrated cars. Ignis Sport also is great. My HT81S keeps up with my buddies ZC32S and it cost a 3rd of the price. Such cool cars. Don’t sleep on Suzukis!!!!
Honestly the rx8 is always left out of these sorts of lists, but you can find them for cheap very easily, and the handle beautifully and have some speed to them. If you are willing to wrench on it often, this is a solid project car choice
I looked for one for a while recently and the problem is, all the cheap ones are earlier years. Which are the years all the problems came from
Because its a rotary and they are a whole different kettle of fish to work on
On the same platform, I think the NC Miata should've been on this list. The NC1 (pre facelift, first gen NC), is about 7-9 grand right now, and it would've fit perfectly on the list. Having driven one for the past several months, it's a fantastic car.
Apex seals...
I used to have one and dealt the wrenching issue by throwing the rotary in the garbage and putting a junkyard LS in it.
The del sol is great! cheap car, cheap parts, great reliability, great aftermarket support. My 93 si just has suspension stuff and wheels done on it and its the funnest car ive owned.
I’m kind of surprised that the SRT4 neon didn’t make it on the list, but I get it. They’re hard to find and mostly broken at this point.
Those went extinct to the boost gods 10 years ago.
One of the best bang for buck cars out there. Also the cobalt SS and Saturn Redline are also cheap quick fun cars.
Yeah most of them are just money pits now at least in this price range
Says 3 replies. I don't see any.
I assumed he was going to name the Neon SRT4 instead of the Chrysler 300
I do kind of love that the Monolist went from magnets that maybe stuck to just using paper and painters tape.
they need a monoloist v2
James and Nolan should swap roles for the next Hi-Lo .
I think it would be a cool switch up for each of them to get a taste of what it's like from the opposite side.
Glad to see the G35 made it. I love mine even though it is auto and the sedan version. I just hit the 150k's and it is still purring like a champ. I do need a new exhaust though thanks to the o2 Sensors being bugged by the cats. Keep on keeping on and great videos.
I bought an is 300 after years of wanting one. The one I ended up with was a 2002 auto with 150k miles at the time and I paid $4000 for it. It was optioned with the LSD which was pretty uncommon I believe. Even though it’s not a manual, it’s still amazing to drive. It’s a perfect car to daily if you want something that isn’t boring. In the future I have dreams of manual swapping it and getting a turbo kit, but for now I will enjoy it the way it is.
Same man, i bought mine in Europe (common was IS200 with 155hp) with auto and terrible paint for 3700€. 2k into it and i have beautiful 2000s sedan which is more interesting that any e46 3series (extremly popular with diesel engines) exept M3. Perfect car for my weekend drives.
@ Mine is the color “absolutely red” and the paint is terrible also lol. I have owned the car for about 5 months now and so far I’ve replaced the front lower ball joints which are known for going out, tie rods and control arms. Having a “2jz” is pretty cool, but it is terrible on gas and needs premium fuel which is about $5.20 a gallon where I live. The 2000s were a special time for car culture lol, whoever owned my car previously installed tvs in the headrest which I removed.
@@LeanProblems
Why remove the tvs!!😭😭
Yes do a manuel swap and get the turbo with blow off valve also!! Shit will sound like a space ship!!🔥🔥
@@LeanProblems mine is Graphite grey, but it was wrapped for 15 years and precious owner did terrible job when removing it so on half car I don’t have varnish (or what is it called in English). Technically mine is in good condition, only rear diff is making noises. We are paying around 1,80€ for liter of 100 octane (that’s 7,26) and it was even more during summer. But I don’t care, from may to this day I drove just 2000 miles, not primary vehicle so it’s about sound and experience, not fuel economy. Next year I wanna fix suspension (arms + coilovers), new wheels and I would have spare money, LSD
I think the 8th gen si is one of the absolute best cars for a fun daily. The engine is great even stock, the 6 speed honda put in them is excellent, they come with helical limited slip which is huge for a fwd car, and theyre extremely reliable and fairly efficient. You can leave them stock and have a peppy little daily to hoon around in or you can go nuts and boost them to the moon. I had two, the first one was stock and the second one was supercharged. Both were great for different reasons
I don’t think you can hoon front wheel drive lmao
@@StraightClippin I have an 06 fg2. You definately can and the crv awd system can be used on them
Hey donut boys, E39 Touring 540i owner here! (and a Miata) glad to see the 1-series on the list, have a good one!
The 2004-2006 Pontiac GTO is also a good deal a lot of the time, or at least it was when I bought one a couple years ago. I did end up selling it for a profit after like 2 years of ownership though so maybe the used car nuttiness has gotten them.
I used to have a Del Sol. One of my favorite cars ever. Handled like a go cart.
It was a good car, but now all of them are rust buckets sadly. :(
Same here. Bought a '93 del Sol Si (aka - VTEC) 5-speed in Samba Green, brand new. If there was ever a car I wish I hadn't sold or traded-in... that's the one!
Had one also a few years back, had a LSD 5 speed gsr transmission, b18b1 boosted with 23-25psi at 530WHP. Bought it off a guy for $2800. Wish I kept it.
Saw one of those IS300s today. It was a yellow one, slammed with flared fenders and an exhaust. Looked sick, I thought about how fun it must be to own
I never looked at the 8th Gen civics too closely but I once saw a nicely taken care of one with a body kit and everything and It honestly got me interested in one
Just bought a 2006 BMW Z4 3.0 6mt with 65,000 miles for $8500 and couldn’t be happier. Really an underrated car that you don’t see every day.
You should have put the mazdaspeed3 on the list. Many exemples are less than 10 grands, even for a 2nd gen and it's a pretty fun and practical car!
all the ones for under 10k are tuned to hell and ready to blow up around me lol
IDK about practical... Just about every speed 3 I know of is sitting on jacksands.
@@sef7992 As long as you don’t mod them like crazy, they are absolutely fantastic. I’ve had a mostly stock speed for 3+ years at 160k miles now (I put on 60k miles) and it’s been a fantastic reliable car for me. Fun as hell to throw around even stock. I’ve had little to no problems with it since I’ve bought it years ago. I’d recommend that car every time to someone who takes care of their vehicles.
I was looking for this comment lol
I drove one and it was very fun. Everyone complains about torque steer but that + turbo noises can add a bunch of excitement.
That G35 doing a front board down El Toro was epic! Also a proud 9th gen Si owner!
Agree
So stoked this video came out a week and a day after buying an is300! Thanks donut for validating my purchase!
same. Got one from my coworker and a week later this video came out while I was at work. It’s a sign lol
got my is300 a year ago and just finished building it this week, y38 lsd, headers with straight pipe, coilovers, and some wheels, not disappointed and reliable
I’ve been looking for a “relatively” inexpensive is300 for a while, but after this video there’s no way I’m finding one now!
It's my dream car for some reason. Good luck! There is a surprising amount of them on the road in NC.
Eh been a good year now, prices are way better
Just a recommendation for offroad cars (from experience), seems strange but a 1st or 2nd gen honda CR-V with lifted suspension anf big wheels is absolutely unstoppable, also put an lsd, the realtime awd is a blessing
I love that you put the Del Sol on the list. they are sick, just tend to be rusted and poorly maintained up northwest. I can't wait to get one for myself.
Friend of mine had one as his first car. He was like 6'2 so it was pretty hilarious. But those things are like go karts.
Given the way you picked up a V8 from a junker and made a kick ass drift/track car in an earlier video it would be awesome to see a list of cheap junkyard engines that has lot's of options with regards to after market parts and upgrades. Also you should check out the prices on some of these cars in Norway. Anything with that kind of gas consumption over here is expensive as hell.
The QX4 is a great idea. We have one in my auto tech class with 375k miles on the factory drivetrain. Other than rust they are super reliable. But the rust thing goes for any Japanese car really.
You guys forgot about the 3G Acura TL is also a strong pick this car is amazing with a good exhaust and some coils you won’t be disappointed I absolutely love mine
great cars
I daily one of these. I found it for cheap, with the 6-speed manual transmission, brembo brakes, completely rust-free. One of the best, most reliable cars I've ever had.
@@foxwithtubesox1075 bought a 6-speed for $2k
This list makes me think of my first car, which would have been on a list like this15-20 years ago (I'm old), but if you can find one now are way over $10k. 85' Honda CR-X Si, in the correct Blue upper body, and Gray lower with Red stripe. Loved that car, nearly killed myself in it many times!
“nearly killed myself in it many times” that’s how u know homie loved the car lmfao
the best AD for any product ever featured, the Valvoline AD was awesome!
Just saying, adding Justin has been great! He's a wonderful fit for the channel.
I’ve had my 8th gen civic si for just a year now and definitely recommend it. It’s so fun to drive and easy to learn manual on.
I have the fg2 and I love it! What's your ig? We can talk about the civic Spanish yes
As an sw20 owner, I'll always vote for MR2's. Absolutely amazing cars, that mid engine layout is a game changer
Do you know if the 3rd gens have bad snap over steer?
@@RnDBMX Probably not as much, but all mid-engine cars have it
@@RnDBMX snap oversteer is not an exclusive mr2 problem, just like filip000 said.
I highly suggest watching RCR's take on the sw20, don't think anyone ever did such a good job of explaining why the MR2 is so dangerous.
If you're not a hormone driven teen or have the basic idea of how weight transfer works, you shouldn't have any problems pushing the Two to it's limits.
IMO, first mod anyone should do with their Two's, no matter the gen, is a good set of tyres.
Had problems controling mine, bought a propper set of tyres and the car felt planted after that lol
@@RnDBMX and i didn't even answer properly, fuck me lol
Anyways, driven only the first 2 gen's and my GUESS is that the mk3 is the most stable and easiest to control. At least that's what more experienced people tell me😅
Don't get the hate against it, it's basicaly a cheap lotus with Toyota reliability and ofc, the best engine layout there is
@@RnDBMX It's the worst in the first two years of the Mk 2 run IIRC. Gen 3 is pretty conservative so shouldn't be a major issue.
Totally agreed on the Boxster 986, because I've got one in Yellow, but with a 3.4 engine from a 996, what a pleasure x)
the SC400 still under rated as hell, SC300 can still be found for less than 10k
I mean same can be said for the LS400 even some LS430 can be found cheap. It’s just none of the 400 series Lexus came with manual. :(
Yup that the one you want anywat
I miss my 400 ):
the eighth gen civics had issues with the castings cooling too quickly during manufacturing which leads to coolant leaking through the cracks in the block and also into the oil. Now, Honda replaced all of them for normal civics however they did not replace them for Si owners so you really gotta look out for those cars.
The cool thing about the C4 Corvettes is that they are a really interesting crossover point. They have Gen 4 SBC engines, which are almost exactly the same as the iconic SBC, just with reversed cooling. They go from the heads down. This was kept for the LS and LT engines. Unfortunately, you can't use older style heads or intakes, but all the other parts are interchangeable and aftermarket heads are available. The cheap price of the parts and the car itself make it a steal.
My first car was an 88 C4 corvette (this was in 2012). Despite the horrible HP they are still so much fun to drive. Also I feel like they aren't so much slept on as much as there's so many of them out there you can pick up on the cheap.
I would put 00-06 Suburban/tahoe/blazer/yukon it comes with a vortec 5300(cast iron block LS with more torque) 4l60e that can be upgraded to a 4l80e. All GM vehicles from 1988+ have the same bell housing so you can drop and swap in every GM transmission.
My 07 FG2 was the dopest car I ever had. Long live the 8th gen civic Si! Coupe or 4 Doors they're hands down the best modern SI. Rev limit is 8500 RPM and it came with a 6 Speed LSD from the factory.
Recognizing that Donut is a 100% Merican channel and such, I've often wondered what it would be like to have more of an European point of view in your vids. You guys are passionate and definitely noticed on our continent as well.
Maybe you guys can shed some light on affordable dope cars available here ?
Car throttle was what i watched before them in the UK and they're alright
No.
@@treypenton8490 Don't get me wrong I totally agree with you there, I just really like Donuts approach. I'm still hoping for a Donut Media (old) Top Gear project. Imagine James bullshitting with Jeremy. Stuff of LEGENDS
@@garyesajas okay i can totally agree on that!
BigMo you misread but gave me a good chuckle
I gotta say, you guys make the BEST ads for your sponsors. I don't even skip those ads, so I guess that says something. Keep em comin boys!
Totally agree about the C4 vette. I’m loving them more every day. Especially with the sawblade wheels 👍🏼
Been a while since I've seen a list like this! Thanks as always for the great content, keep it up guys!
The g35/37 hate has always been strange to me. I've never heard a bad thing about them from anyone who's owned one. I put over 250k miles on an 06 g35 with zero problems besides a valve cover gasket I had to change, and I still own it. My daily is a tuned fbo 400+bhp '13 g37 that I've owned for several years. My first car was a 94 del sol si, I also owned a k series civic si when the k series was a new platform. The G cars are leagues above the Hondas.
I wouldn't choose a G as a weekend car, but as a daily that you want to modify or you must have a back seat, it is very hard to beat for the money. 300-400 bhp, rear or awd with a manual and lsd, same drivetrain and suspension geometry as the Z's. They are reliable, easy to work on, and you get massive benefits from suspension/bracing mods. And as long as you don't just muffler delete them, they can sound great. Maybe it's just an internet or California car culture thing, but I've never actually came across a person in real life who had this perception of the g cars.
It’s strange to me as well. Gs are absolutely fantastic cars, auto or manual imo! Putting a G35 at the bottom of this list is a crime lol. They really got some hate for G cars at Donut, for whatever reason.
@@mujungasaurus2947 the autos are great too. I had a '12 g37 with the 7sp auto. With a tune, the shifts were very fast when you gave it plenty of throttle, and It had no problem chirping the tires 1st through 3rd. That car, sadly, was taken out by a commercial vehicle. But, it lead to me finding a much better spec with lower miles and a year newer.
I'd have to say, 05-09 Mustang 3v can be found under 10k with a HUGE aftermarket world. Not to mention, Reliable too.
You know it’s always a good day when donut uploads
As someone who has had both a 128i and 135i the 128i is more “reliable” and can be driven a lot if taken Care of with maintenance etc but still not too cheap to fix. As for the 135i there was not too many problems when it was stock still more than normal but the minute you modify one you better have some money in the bank, that being said if you have the money they are very fast fun cars that you can get with a manual
The e90 3 series should be on the list, I recently bought a 2008 328i manual for 7k, it has 123k miles, great service history and is awesome to drive. It's fast for a 17 year old and the hydraulic steering makes it feel so connected to the road.
Immediately clicked on it when I saw the IS300/Altezza. Because for me it’s one of the most balanced cars out there
Why is everyone forgetting about the is200 🫤
@@StreetRunners_NL i think it wasn't availeble in the US
@@sleep8318 it was available in the US. Sold as a Lexus IS300.
It's a borning Toyota who cares
@@ocrapo9327 2JZ and rear wheel drive
135i are so underrated. huge power out the gate super tunable and handle awesome with light weight. bit of maintenance needed but they defs are one of the tops on the list
The D-List Is BACK!!!!
You mean d-d-d-d-D-List
Guys please please please do the next season of high low with a c4. It's my first (and only) car that I got for 7k and daily drive. I'd love to do an homage to the sledgehammer and twin my Vette, but those engine bays are packed lol.
I didn't expect to see a C4 Corvette on this list. I recently picked one up and I'm loving it. Not a lot of space, but the amount of stuff you can do to them is awesome. Even base power sits right in that sweet spot of not having too much and not having too little. Once you get acquainted with the car, they're not too difficult to work on either. Plus, the Corvette community is pretty friendly too. I daily mine. While it has some issues, it's all stuff I can work on myself with basic tools. Definitely recommend it for a project car, cruising, or abusing!
mpg?
@@harrysingh199 according to the internet it's 18 combined
@@harrysingh199 I can get about 26 with the manual highway cruising but when get stop signs and lights it kinda bad
@@harrysingh199I get about 25 on the highway, 18 at lower speeds. Not very fuel efficient, but not terrible either. Costs about $50 to fill from almost empty
Those corvettes are fun. I almost wrecked one in high school. My hobby back then was taking sports cars out on test drives. I’d say I wanted to pay cash and for some odd reason they’d let me take it on my own. I’d go out and do some dumb stuff in them and then bring it back to the dealer and tell them it’s too slow for me. I did this with a C4 Vette. Was about to go back to the dealer and decided to take one more lap around the block, hit it coming out of a corner, the back end slid out when I wasn’t expecting it to, I let off the gas and it grabbed and sling shot back the other way spinning me out. I just held tight and slammed on the brakes. When we stopped I was about 2” from a tree in someone front yard. Took the car back nice and easy after that. Was actually way more fun then I expected though.
I’ve just recently started watching donut and I instantly fell in love with y’alls content keep pumping them out
Currently own an 03 IS300 with the Sport Design package in 5 speed manual w/ LSD and an 03 MRS Spyder. Love'em both. Great video Donut Media. #1 IS300 FTW!!!
Picked up an is300 2 weeks ago. Best decision ever. 🤙🏽
2004 IS300 non-sport design w/ 5spd and LSD
also
2002 MR-S w/ a hard top and 5 speed.
Can figure out if I should sell one or buy another. 👀👀
I'd like to submit the Toyota Celica GT-S. Nice examples can easily be found under $10k. UNLIKE the MR-2 Sypder, this one actually has the 2ZZ-GE Lotus Elise engine. The MR-2 Sypder has a 1ZZ.
My first car was a 2001 MR2 Spyder. A very, very fun car. I beat it to death, but it gained value the couple years I had it. Sold it to a mechanic who planned an engine swap. Made me happy to see it go to someone who was going to appreciate it and make it go vroooooom
Thanks for boosting the prices for these cars Donut
G35 prices and the price of all these cars are about to go up. My death trap can finally be worth something.
lexus sc 300/400 definitely deserve to be on this list. criminally undervalued and fun as hell. kind of expensive to mod it past 500 hp but definitely worth it
This list really should include the 2005-2007 Subaru Impreza 2.5i. They are fuel efficient, dirt cheap to insure, have the same chassis as the WRX and the parts and support are cheap and endless. They are really fun to drive too with no turbo lag.
Agreed
Naw they should've put the Saab 9-2x Aero. Which is just like an 05 - 07 WRX wagon with a bit nicer interior.
Or actually don't, because I want one lmao. I'm in the market for a new car under $10k and was wondering why the IS are so much more than they used to be. Now I know, this video is definitely playing a role lmao.
I’m surprised they didn’t mention the cobalt SS. Both the supercharged (05-07) and the turbocharged (08-10) have tons of potential. They’re light, fairly reliable, and have lots of potential similar to the civic.
You can get the supercharged ones up to 300hp with a few bolt ons and the turbocharged ones past 400hp sometimes with a few bolt ons.
Also the Saturn Ion Redline, I just bought one for $3500, and it's mostly stock. Chances are the Ion will be less beat on than the cobalt
Fairly reliable is pushing it lol
I love donut but I kinda miss everything being a specific show, it made it easier to know what I was about to get myself into and it also made it feel more special when a new “episode” released
Want another cheap off-road machine? 2005 Kia Sorento. That baby has a V6 and available 5-speed manual, it's a body-on-full frame vehicle like a truck (unlike the unibody Nissan Pathfinder you guys chose, which had a buy back safety recall from Nissan due to rust around the rear suspension components which was still active like 5 years ago), has a solid rear axle, chain driven transfer case with 2/4hi and 4low, 4:11 gears front and back from factory with a rear limited slip setup. Rear suspension is a coil setup instead of leaf springs, so you can just get taller coils all around for a lift. Also, it's available with your choice of 4x4, or AWD (the two tone painted ones are AWD, whereas the solid color ones are 4x4).
I got my Sorento for $500 back in 2016, it had 375k kms on it and worked perfectly. I only sold it due to our wonderful East Canadian rust issues, which ate a hole in the frame or else I probably would still be driving it.
For real though, nobody suspects a Sorento on the trails, they're normally not a popular car on the lot, so you can get them super cheap. I remember one snowstorm, I came outside and had snow up to the hood, but had to get to work and couldn't wait for the plow so I put it in 4hi, 1st gear and just crawled right through it with zero issues first try. Absolutely blew me away that it went through that with such ease. Since it was $500, I was hard on it and was never able to really get it stuck. Total trail pig lol
Damn. I was worried about this one. Thought you guys would pick a bunch of snooty-mobiles, but with each pick, I kept saying to myself..."Dude, I can't argue!" Great video as always, keep'em coming!...(even if the Ion Redline got no love...seldom does LOL)
I have so many friends with IS300's and it's an absolutely fun car if you know what your doing and driving, it's not screaming down the highway or causing havoc at car shows, but it's a really fun car to drive and own, it's reliable, and won't break the bank to fix if you thrash it 😎👌. I'm waiting for a Up to Speed video from donut on the IS300, anyone else agree?!?!?!
I’ll let them borrow mine to do it!
Agreed on a up too speed on the is300!
That comment about "driving slow cars fast" applies directly to me driving my 7.3 IDI crew cab. It moves about as fast as a rock, but is fun as hell with the 5 speed
Is300 used to be a lot cheaper before all the car TH-camrs started saying they're 4 door supras💀 now they're like 10k in meh condition
As someone who owns an 8th gen LX and trying to supercharge it, I was surprised to find out just how good the aftermarket is for the R engines and would totally recommend.