Y’all missed a huge opportunity with SAAB Any Saab 9-3 or 9-5 turbo is a super cheap and well built European model for BIG POWER Just a turbo swap and maybe changing the top to a T7 instead of T5 and boom you can go up to 500-700hp
@@carter.coleman gte 10/10 times, lower compression always better for adding boost. Either way still needs a duckload of money thrown into it to make any serious power
I still own all my cars from when i graduated in 2012-2016 era, a factory turbo s12(3500$), s12 coupe (600$), 300zx non turbo (2500$), 1 of 5000 L tuned GS430 in mint condition (5500$), and a s13 full caged dual cam I got for 800$, I had a lot of fun in my teen days, sucks you guys don't have such as cool cars for the cheap like we did. My older homies from the 2008, early 2000's era were getting mk4 supras for 10,000$ back then, AE86's a thousand or two, lol if not a couple hundred bucks. 240's were cheap and good for the price to learn how to have fun in for 1200$ with some suspension back then, you could get a sr20 swapped 240 for around 4,000$-5,000$ back then, miatas were like 1k$ and under. NSX's you could find sub 10,000$ range
First car I worked on myself was a 1989 Civic SI. Swapped out the d15 for a b16 and added the usual bolt ons. For a car that weighed 2200 lbs to have 185ish horsepower, it was a damn rocket ship.
Glad the front wheel drive thing was mentioned. I now have a 4 wheel drive and a rear wheel drive car but I sooo miss the fun of a small front wheel drive. There's a reason that back in the 60s the old Mini Cooper was winning all the rally competitions. Front wheel drive is a different driving style and it takes some getting used to but you can just floor it round bends. If you can find an old dirt road, you can just drive with your foot welded to the floor and throw it around corners and the back will just follow the front. Loads of fun.
I've got a ford focus hatchback (not st or rs... it's an se 😭) but still fun af to drive. Corners are nothin'!! Most of the parts are interchangeable though which is nice to know for the future.
So you're telling me on a rough road/path if I floor my car on a tight Bend it won't just understeer? No chance! Although on the dry road, I can go flat out and it grips, so far anyway, god bless
@@unnecessaryworkouts3649 On tight corners on a dirt road in a front wheel drive, you just need to learn how to use the hand break. You can tighten the handbrake cable which will mean less movement will get the rear to lock and swing round but experiment and find your preference 😃👍
Good luck, bubbles tend to last for years, and the issue isn't so much supply, it's demand for these seemingly cheap cars. People aren't buying as many new cars so the market is re-evaluating the value of these old cars.
@Andrew Hansen this bubble has lasted for years now, since 2017 I would say jdm shitboxes have been spiking in price, rn I gotta get through college, by then, hopefully, prices should become more realistic.
My first enthusiast car was a Toyota AE101 Corolla with a 5A-FE engine. Though it topped out at a mere 90mph, it accelerated quickly. Impressively, it worked really well for a 4 speed automatic fwd sedan. It also came in a teal metal flake gloss colour with black 5 spoke rims. My favourite thing about it was the engine sound. It sounds almost identical to the 4AGE. Anyway, it's up for sale now due to the lack of aftermarket support in my country (Trinidad 🇹🇹) Once it's sold, I'm buying my brother's totally stock Nissan FB15 Sunny and I will easily modify it since Trinidad is a "Nissan Man" country. Nissan parts are incredibly cheap and always available here so I look forward to my future with the FB15.
As a proud owner of an IS300 Sportcross, I can say there is something unique about the N/A 2JZ....everyone has been telling me to boost it or stick the 2JZGTE variant, but not sure that I will.
Thank you for the Honda love!! The CRX and Del Sol are amazing choices. Just be good to them. They're old, and finding ones that aren't beat to hell is getting harder. My friend bought a '90 CRX running and driving for $1k a couple years ago and has been working on modding it and restoring it ever since. I have helped along the way, and also have a '95 Integra GSR that will slowly be built for racing that he helps me with too. Good luck to anyone just getting into cars, it's challenging, but it's rewarding and a total blast!
Only problem is I feel like you can’t even find a CRX anymore without having it shipped over here from Japan. I’ve been looking. Just now I looked again and only two available and one was $35K and the other was $8,500.
@@patwoodruff8842 crazy cause my girl’s dad has a crx sitting in his driveway and besides the aging and some dents the body pretty much nearly impeccable and the inside just needs remodeling
This is actually a good list, and I look at a lot of these cars on listings. A lot of other lists put on more popular cars and deflate the prices, but this is a legit list. I actually saw that same Saab 9-2X listing a while back. Just don't share this info too often or else I fear of even more inflated prices haha. Another good candidate is the C5 Corvette, but those are getting more expensive too these days.
The best saab out there in my opinion is the 97 x aero. Not a car but Is just a rebadged trailblazer SS with the 6.0 lsx motor. Nicer interior and you have an SUV that does 0-60 in 5 seconds stock.
I had a b18 crx and it was tons of fun and super easy to work on, if you are getting into one of your first tuner cars you can not go wrong with the ease and options of honda. Front wheel drive might sound less fun if you are into the drift scene but they are great cars to learn to tune on and hondas can be pretty tough and cheap parts.
I’ve been searching for one of those Saabs forever. Amazing list. One car I haven’t seen you focus on is the sc300. You can still snag them up cheap and build them very easily. Great vid
if you get one get the aero, the linear version is just an impreza while the aero is a wrx with an sti steering rack , upgraded suspension, and a nicer interior. Fun ass car
I have an '02 firebird trans am ws6, never had any problems with it. Its practically bulletproof. Love the thing to death. More than enough power for me, and its so fun to drive.
I picked up an is300 for $2000 bucks about 2 months ago for a project car and it is very easy to work on. I’m pulling the engine on it right now and it is very straight forward
A few months ago I would’ve said “N54 335i”. But honestly, prices are starting to skyrocket for decent, low mileage examples, which is what you want since the N54 is a VERY capable and solid platform but also very susceptible to breaking when not maintained properly. You’ll find them in the $15k -$18k range depending on the mileage and condition of the engine.
I just bought one for $4k runs like a beast 😎💪🏽 but yes the N54 is capable of a lot for cheap. I would definitely have the e90 335i on top of the list.
@@joeyygreco8311 I got mine for like $12.5k last august. 2009 so it’s LCI and 56k miles. The thing with them is that maintenance is very demanding and taxing on the engine. I’ve seen some N54 blow up because of lack of maintenance.
@@TheGamingDistrict1 15-18k + ridiculous maintenance is not cheap and the tuning potential relative to the price is terrible nothing on the car can take power not even the fkin axles...
@@MV-ri7zu Well, as someone who owns one, I can tell you that that’s not true. The engine, transmission, and drivetrain can take quite the beating before giving out. It’s just that a bunch of 17-18 year olds buy these cars when they clearly can’t maintain them, slap cheap-ass eBay mods and then complain that their 500-horsepower, 160k-mile N54 with cheap mods and bad maintenance, break.
You missed: "Basically any VAG with the famous 1.8 20VT", like my '98 A4. A lot of parts available, it has done 300k km's and still running fine, ready for some K04 action
@@Stormface16 nothing for now, it is still my daily but a mate of mine had it tuned to 210hp just by adding a K04 turbo and an exhaust combined with a new ecu map. So if only those mods already cause a hp increase of 60hp, adding some more mods like 4.2 V8 coils, bigger intercooler and new intake piping for a cold air intake, I bet you'll be making 300hp reliably. But be careful, connecting rods can't handle more than 350hp. But my engine has only done 300 thousand km which is still good for tuning
@@MrLorenczo Nope. For as far as I know, only the 1.8t's in the B5 and B6 platforms (Audi A4's and VW Passats) and the Audi A6 have those. AEB engine for sure, and I believe there were 2 others aswell but I don't know for sure. But the regular 20vt's that are mounted transversely like the Golf and A/S3's don't have the big intake ports
Stock for stock an SC300 makes a better project car. The IS is OBDII with a VVTI 2JZ with the weakest internals available for 2Js. Non-VVTI OBDI SCs are better boost candidates and are easier to work on.
I owned a WS6 and a 350z and seriously enjoyed them both. Currently own a S2000 and a IS350 and even when both are fun I seriously miss both of my previous platforms, especially the reliability and brute force of the WS6.
I think the funniest thing abt these vids is that here in Europe, it’s exactly opposite. So for example, you say Mitsubishi 3000Gt, the cheapest one is over 18k. Meanwhile 240sx and stuff like that is decently priced (still costly though)
You need to do a list similar to this but with a cost breakdown of the modifications required and how many horsepower you add and end up with. See what is the cheapest way to get a car to 400hp or 500 hp or to add 200 hp to a cheap car. Another ideas is the cheapest high hp:weight ratio after mods. Is it an MR2 with $2000 of mods or something else. Get specific with the actual mods and those prices. Maybe to a bracket series where you start with 16 cars and do 2 cars each episode and pick a winner for those parameters
Would be cool, but would take a TON of research that relies entirely on other people's completed builds, and dynos, where the owner may not be the original modifier. Also, many people end up going over their budget, even when they think they planned well.
not possible to make a video like that. too many variables. it all depends on how good of a mechanic you are. if you cant do anything it will be expensive unless you just get a big v8.
@@MV-ri7zu not true. There are common methods that are used over and over on the same car to add easy HP, exhaust, tune, cam or injectors. Some cars don't need much to add 100-150 hp and some need more. Don't need set up to reach max HP, but some cars you can add 100 hp for $1500.
@@shaneducholke364 and those common methods usually vary in price A LOT depending on how good you are at finding parts, buying parts and installing them.
@@luck6959 Nothing really changes but just keep an eye out if the VVTI can gear oil seal cause it would break down and you loose a lot of oil cause of it.
I had a 1990 Accord EX in high school. Parts weren't super popular, but I was able to get a header-back exhaust system, coilovers, intake, new cam, new valves, upgraded ignition, and a few more suspension parts (strut bars, sway bars, end links, etc.). In auto shop my teacher and I did some grinding to the valves, honed the cylinders, got the head and block machined down, new head gasket, water pump, fuel pump, and a bit of other things. Took the default F22A2 from 130-ish HP up to a little over 220. For a 4-Door grandma car it was a total sleeper. I miss that car :(
I got a is300 and I highly recommend. The manuals reaching crazy prices but the autos are still a great driving experience. I’ve had mine for over a year, and I’ve enjoyed getting in that car every time.
Drove an 02 Acura TL type S, and a 93 FD RX7, and now an Infiniti FX35 as my daily driver to work everyday. Looking back, It makes me wish I still had them!
bro i thought ive seen ur car b4 but theres this other is300 thats by King High School and its the most hot boi thing ever ive only seen it on a trailer once
I got one for the list. 1998-2003 Acura cl/tl. Both cars are still reasonable priced,have plenty of aftermarket parts and power upgrades,and don't take much to rip down the highway. I had a 2001 Acura Cl type s that ripped down the road when u opened her up
He asked who had a CRX, my first new car was an '86 Honda CRX si, Black on black with a sunroof-LOVED IT. Traded it in for a '95 mustang GT convertible in '95.
Always liked the CRX. I wonder if you can tune that motor without dropping in VETCH? Also the IS300 just because of the 2JZ. OOOO so tempting. 700hp would make my kids think their 65 year old father has gone nuts. Sounds good to me 😃
Is300 much better if you swap in the 3gste. The 2jz makes power but it is a straight line engine. The powerband sucks yif your going to do anything but drag it sucks.
Tbh, even being a Saab enthusiast. I didn't know that they went for THAT cheap. I knew that the 9-2xs was cheap in the US, but not THAT cheap (They are incredibly rare in Sweden). As I can see looking at a site that search up registries. Only 11 of them are registered in Sweden.
Why do I absolutely obsess over every car on this list? Legit way before watching this video all of these were my dream cars, especially the mustang, MR2, and altezza
The Is300 and the Pontiac WS6 are definitely a great cars!! I still wouldn't mind having one. But there are three other cheap sleeper cars that i like and they are the cobalt SS, Saturn Ion Red Line and The Grand Prix GXP
i own a manual infiniti g35S from 2006/revup. It's an amazing car actually and i've got headers/exhaust/injen intake/plennumspacer/wahlbro 255L gaspump/tein coilovers/cusco springaxels/wilwood steady axels and bigger brakes. i can tell that ALOT of turbo cars dont stand a chance. it's pretty quick. also this costed me maybe 750 dollars for the engine. and turbo convert with forged engine is like 5000 dollars. because the compmotive turbo is expensive but you dont need the oil/water pipes :) just mount it on the exhaust. and forge the engine , your'e pushing 900+ horsepowers.
please let me know about this car and post video's or anywhere you have it? thinking about getting an infinity for a fun project car lol have a honda accord 2011 lxs and want something fun on the side lol that or ls 300 what you think? you have an instagram?
I have owned an LT1 Camaro, currently own a New Edge Bullitt Mustang with a procharger. One thing I think you missed is a Crown Vic, other than Cleetus buying them all up. Or a truck. Plenty of regular cab short beds that can be quick. Oh, and want a cheap LS, truck or van is still a cheap way to go.
I've had 2 E36s. 1st was a 328i auto.. 2nd was a 1992 325i non Vanos with a 5 speed. Much more fun. Also had a 92 Celica gt 5 speed. Slow but fun. Now I have a 91 honda accord and a e46 m3. Love them both. Would like to get another e36 and make a cheap drift car to learn in tho.
my first go fast car was a dodge omni GLH. That thing almost killed me multiple times. then I got a 76 Oldsmobile tornado. both were great in a straight line, but they didn't corner too well. if I get another go fast I'm gonna need it to handle well too.
Funny part about the MR2 spyder being in here for me is that in the UK this model of MR2 is literally everywhere and I could buy one if I wanted for anywhere from £1500-3000. Though no boot space means if I want a car like that I'd rather have an MG TF or a Honda S2000 which are also relatively common
First car was a v8 jeep. Still got it. When I turned 18 I bought my 2nd car, a pretty clean 99 civic. Wheels, coilovers, intake, and a sound system and it was a pretty fun cheap to drive, good mpg daily. 4 days after the coilovers and a cop didn't yield to me and totaled it. I'll always miss that car. Had the 5 speed too.
An 8th gen civic SI can be snatched up for cheap now. Just got one for $5,600. 8k redline, 200hp and a full supercharger kit including fuel pump, injectors and Hondata tune sells for about 5k, and will make 400hp in a car that weighs less than 3,000lbs. Build the engine, transmission, and make it AWD and you can stomp R35s and Lambos for like $30-45k. Plus it's pretty comfy, cause it's a fairly modern Honda
CRXs only came with a B Series in JDM Markets, good luck trying to get one. Even if you manage to swap a B goof luck finding genuine Type R Parts. They won’t bolt on right up unless it’s a VTEC. And they’re not cheap Here in the states the best CRX we got was an Si and that came with a D Series pushing 108HP. K Series would be the best option as they’re easy to find and fairly cheap to swap into 88-91 Civic/CRXs
I actually drive fwd Camry. 2015 se. it isn’t half bad. I would prefer something faster and louder but this thing can get the job done for now. Handling is great on it and I can outpace dodge darts in a straight line roll race on the highway.
I've had an early 90's civic as my first car... currently I have a fbo g35 coupe and I prefer rear wheel over front wheel drive any day! I've also owned a Subaru... I prefer awd over rear wheel.
YES‼️ the CRX got some love! My favorite Honda car…not because it’s the fastest or anything, but it might be the coolest looking coupe Honda put out, (the 90 thousand NSX notwithstanding lol.)
I jumped from Hondas to my first BMW over 15 years ago started with a 1999 BMW 328is and boy was that car something else! I haven't driven another brand since I now drive a 2002 BMW 330xi with the sports package I don't know how many BMWs I have owned in between but once you get over the learning curve of how Germans do things LOL I guarantee you will fall in love if you truly love driving
My first car was an 85 Honda CRX Si. I got it in 89. That was the funnest car ever. I'm 6-6 and it had great leg room. The Del Sol has the worst leg room. I couldn't drive it if I tried.
I love my is300!!! How much you might ask I bought a 2016 is350 FSport and i still have my is300 as my toy!! I’ve had to fight my sister because she wanted it but when she told me what she wanted to do with it it broke my heart! So I kept my blueberry and she’s getting work done with the internals being upgraded to the 2j Supra internals a turbo and she’ll be my daily. It’s one of the best 4dr sports cars I’ve ever had!
don’t get me wrong, i like this list, but i miss the days you could pick up some of these cars for less than 6k USD, and now they’re selling for over 8k
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Okay
Makin my mustang project budget go a little further….
Hey is a gs300 a good choice? What are some good starting mods?
Y’all missed a huge opportunity with SAAB
Any Saab 9-3 or 9-5 turbo is a super cheap and well built European model for BIG POWER
Just a turbo swap and maybe changing the top to a T7 instead of T5 and boom you can go up to 500-700hp
Y
When you make a video for cheap cars , prices go up 🤣
Sky high
And he probably already bought dozen of them xd
Dude wyd!!!
Thanks for 100 likes guys , after one year I see that thanks 🙏
nah fr
I’d get the IS300 everyday for performance.
If I didn’t need performance, I’d get a 4runner.
I own both stick with the lexus
The is300 is painfully slow. It takes crazy money to make any real power from it, much like the Supra. Not the same 2jz motor, nor is it turbo
@@andreibelittchenko5956 what's better? Ge or gte
@@carter.coleman gte 10/10 times, lower compression always better for adding boost. Either way still needs a duckload of money thrown into it to make any serious power
Me with my 90s pathfinder 🗿
this list was actually one of the BEST I've seen so far. FINALLY a civic makes it too 😭😭 i jus might cop either a IS300, or a Firebird, maybe..
Dude, get an IS300. I just got mine, and I frickin love the thing. Just be sure to get it before the prices go up even more!
I still own all my cars from when i graduated in 2012-2016 era, a factory turbo s12(3500$), s12 coupe (600$), 300zx non turbo (2500$), 1 of 5000 L tuned GS430 in mint condition (5500$), and a s13 full caged dual cam I got for 800$, I had a lot of fun in my teen days, sucks you guys don't have such as cool cars for the cheap like we did. My older homies from the 2008, early 2000's era were getting mk4 supras for 10,000$ back then, AE86's a thousand or two, lol if not a couple hundred bucks. 240's were cheap and good for the price to learn how to have fun in for 1200$ with some suspension back then, you could get a sr20 swapped 240 for around 4,000$-5,000$ back then, miatas were like 1k$ and under. NSX's you could find sub 10,000$ range
@@premotvv Most definitely, Im thinkin bout a GTE swap, depends if I got the funds doe ❗
@@ZalkDrives Bet bro 💯💪🏿 after I get a FC
@@pancratius8886 Dang yall was livin in that good era 😢 shame a lot of them skyrocketing now in price
First car I worked on myself was a 1989 Civic SI. Swapped out the d15 for a b16 and added the usual bolt ons. For a car that weighed 2200 lbs to have 185ish horsepower, it was a damn rocket ship.
Glad the front wheel drive thing was mentioned. I now have a 4 wheel drive and a rear wheel drive car but I sooo miss the fun of a small front wheel drive. There's a reason that back in the 60s the old Mini Cooper was winning all the rally competitions. Front wheel drive is a different driving style and it takes some getting used to but you can just floor it round bends. If you can find an old dirt road, you can just drive with your foot welded to the floor and throw it around corners and the back will just follow the front. Loads of fun.
I've got a ford focus hatchback (not st or rs... it's an se 😭) but still fun af to drive. Corners are nothin'!! Most of the parts are interchangeable though which is nice to know for the future.
the mini cooper s is still the most fun car i’ve ever got to drive
So you're telling me on a rough road/path if I floor my car on a tight Bend it won't just understeer? No chance! Although on the dry road, I can go flat out and it grips, so far anyway, god bless
@@unnecessaryworkouts3649 On tight corners on a dirt road in a front wheel drive, you just need to learn how to use the hand break. You can tighten the handbrake cable which will mean less movement will get the rear to lock and swing round but experiment and find your preference 😃👍
vw gti owner here.... could afford a type r but went gti bc of the front wheel drive and boosted it myself and now its faster than a type r ;)
I love my is300 it’s so well balanced and handles great and plenty of aftermarket
Hello fellow is300 owner
@@h.a.z6604 Just didnt wanna be left out as a fellow IS300 owner
I wish I could get one, unfortunately they're starting to get quite expensive
How do you feel about the Altezza being available in a few years now?
@@h.a.z6604 hey
I miss the good old cheap prices back in the day, can't wait for the bubble to pop and whilst I still have a bit of time I'll save cash lmao
Good luck, bubbles tend to last for years, and the issue isn't so much supply, it's demand for these seemingly cheap cars. People aren't buying as many new cars so the market is re-evaluating the value of these old cars.
@@andrewhansen4300 Yeaha, sucks in the uk
@Andrew Hansen this bubble has lasted for years now, since 2017 I would say jdm shitboxes have been spiking in price, rn I gotta get through college, by then, hopefully, prices should become more realistic.
the prices stay the same, the value of money just goes down
Shout out to the Altezza/IS300, I've got two, both RS200 with the 3S GE motor but I'm swapping one for the 3S GTE gen 5 motor for a fun build
My first enthusiast car was a Toyota AE101 Corolla with a 5A-FE engine. Though it topped out at a mere 90mph, it accelerated quickly. Impressively, it worked really well for a 4 speed automatic fwd sedan. It also came in a teal metal flake gloss colour with black 5 spoke rims. My favourite thing about it was the engine sound. It sounds almost identical to the 4AGE. Anyway, it's up for sale now due to the lack of aftermarket support in my country (Trinidad 🇹🇹)
Once it's sold, I'm buying my brother's totally stock Nissan FB15 Sunny and I will easily modify it since Trinidad is a "Nissan Man" country. Nissan parts are incredibly cheap and always available here so I look forward to my future with the FB15.
ayy trinidad
As a proud owner of an IS300 Sportcross, I can say there is something unique about the N/A 2JZ....everyone has been telling me to boost it or stick the 2JZGTE variant, but not sure that I will.
I’m working on getting the prices together for a full na build, ITBs, cams, valves etc
nothing unique about it thats how it is stock. its slow
@@MV-ri7zu But how do you really feel?
@@DapperDilla Can you not read?
@@MV-ri7zu Wow buddy...that one clearly went well over your head. I bet you're a hoot at parties.
Thank you for the Honda love!! The CRX and Del Sol are amazing choices. Just be good to them. They're old, and finding ones that aren't beat to hell is getting harder. My friend bought a '90 CRX running and driving for $1k a couple years ago and has been working on modding it and restoring it ever since. I have helped along the way, and also have a '95 Integra GSR that will slowly be built for racing that he helps me with too. Good luck to anyone just getting into cars, it's challenging, but it's rewarding and a total blast!
Only problem is I feel like you can’t even find a CRX anymore without having it shipped over here from Japan. I’ve been looking. Just now I looked again and only two available and one was $35K and the other was $8,500.
@@patwoodruff8842 crazy cause my girl’s dad has a crx sitting in his driveway and besides the aging and some dents the body pretty much nearly impeccable and the inside just needs remodeling
My first car was a 89 Honda Accord manual with the pop up headlights.
20 years later I have a 4th Gen prelude. Can't go wrong with Honda
This is actually a good list, and I look at a lot of these cars on listings. A lot of other lists put on more popular cars and deflate the prices, but this is a legit list. I actually saw that same Saab 9-2X listing a while back. Just don't share this info too often or else I fear of even more inflated prices haha.
Another good candidate is the C5 Corvette, but those are getting more expensive too these days.
The best saab out there in my opinion is the 97 x aero. Not a car but Is just a rebadged trailblazer SS with the 6.0 lsx motor. Nicer interior and you have an SUV that does 0-60 in 5 seconds stock.
I had a b18 crx and it was tons of fun and super easy to work on, if you are getting into one of your first tuner cars you can not go wrong with the ease and options of honda. Front wheel drive might sound less fun if you are into the drift scene but they are great cars to learn to tune on and hondas can be pretty tough and cheap parts.
I’ve been searching for one of those Saabs forever. Amazing list. One car I haven’t seen you focus on is the sc300. You can still snag them up cheap and build them very easily. Great vid
if you get one get the aero, the linear version is just an impreza while the aero is a wrx with an sti steering rack , upgraded suspension, and a nicer interior. Fun ass car
Nah man less people know the cheaper the price remains
Shhhh! Keep the IS platform under the radar.
I'm saving up for a IS200
@woi woi woi damn, they must be expensive right?
@woi woi woi woah lucky you, here they run for 5k and above
Yeah 🤐🤐
Is200 is slower than the stock 1.8 mr2 spyder lol
@@RoadsterAlex yeah but it won't snap oversteer lol
I have an '02 firebird trans am ws6, never had any problems with it. Its practically bulletproof. Love the thing to death. More than enough power for me, and its so fun to drive.
I picked up an is300 for $2000 bucks about 2 months ago for a project car and it is very easy to work on. I’m pulling the engine on it right now and it is very straight forward
A few months ago I would’ve said “N54 335i”. But honestly, prices are starting to skyrocket for decent, low mileage examples, which is what you want since the N54 is a VERY capable and solid platform but also very susceptible to breaking when not maintained properly. You’ll find them in the $15k -$18k range depending on the mileage and condition of the engine.
I just bought one for $4k runs like a beast 😎💪🏽 but yes the N54 is capable of a lot for cheap. I would definitely have the e90 335i on top of the list.
@@joeyygreco8311 I got mine for like $12.5k last august. 2009 so it’s LCI and 56k miles. The thing with them is that maintenance is very demanding and taxing on the engine. I’ve seen some N54 blow up because of lack of maintenance.
@@TheGamingDistrict1 15-18k + ridiculous maintenance is not cheap and the tuning potential relative to the price is terrible nothing on the car can take power not even the fkin axles...
@@MV-ri7zu Well, as someone who owns one, I can tell you that that’s not true. The engine, transmission, and drivetrain can take quite the beating before giving out. It’s just that a bunch of 17-18 year olds buy these cars when they clearly can’t maintain them, slap cheap-ass eBay mods and then complain that their 500-horsepower, 160k-mile N54 with cheap mods and bad maintenance, break.
@@TheGamingDistrict1 I bought N54 335i and 550HP now. :D MHD chiptunning is easy way to high power. "European supra"
You missed: "Basically any VAG with the famous 1.8 20VT", like my '98 A4. A lot of parts available, it has done 300k km's and still running fine, ready for some K04 action
What have you done to it? Just bought one, but i'm not sure on how much i want to modify it
@@Stormface16 nothing for now, it is still my daily but a mate of mine had it tuned to 210hp just by adding a K04 turbo and an exhaust combined with a new ecu map. So if only those mods already cause a hp increase of 60hp, adding some more mods like 4.2 V8 coils, bigger intercooler and new intake piping for a cold air intake, I bet you'll be making 300hp reliably. But be careful, connecting rods can't handle more than 350hp. But my engine has only done 300 thousand km which is still good for tuning
@@Stormface16 we both have the AEB engine by the way, those have bigger intake ports
@@Manoah. do all 1.8T 20VT all have bigger intake ports? Like in TT, S3, Leon Cupra R, Ibiza 1.8T etc.
@@MrLorenczo Nope. For as far as I know, only the 1.8t's in the B5 and B6 platforms (Audi A4's and VW Passats) and the Audi A6 have those. AEB engine for sure, and I believe there were 2 others aswell but I don't know for sure. But the regular 20vt's that are mounted transversely like the Golf and A/S3's don't have the big intake ports
for newer guys I would recommend a inline 4 or 6 cylinder, much easier to work on than v or flat engines
Reminder that God is always there with you and will never leave you in your hard times
Is300 gang in the building 🤘🏼🤘🏼
fs
Yuhh
Yoshh
Good job adding the tinysaurus Rex at the end!
Yes, we love the Tinysaurus Rexes!!
Oh yea
I still own my Nissan Sentra SER Spec V with 6 Speed and it's a hidden gem for a sweeper. Still runs like a champ 😃
Stock for stock an SC300 makes a better project car. The IS is OBDII with a VVTI 2JZ with the weakest internals available for 2Js. Non-VVTI OBDI SCs are better boost candidates and are easier to work on.
Facts the internal for the is 300 are weak
Thanks for this comment , I’ve been wanting to get one for awhile such an underrated gem
I've had 98 camaro, 94,99, 06 mustang, 90 prelude, looking to go faster next.
This is an seriously a great list and great explanations too! Nailed some of the best tuner cars and I now want an mr2
I owned a WS6 and a 350z and seriously enjoyed them both. Currently own a S2000 and a IS350 and even when both are fun I seriously miss both of my previous platforms, especially the reliability and brute force of the WS6.
whats a WS6
just getting into cars tryna lear as much as possible
I have had del sols, and one of my favorite cars I owned 3 was the e36 bmw. I now drive a 2013 hyundai genesis coupe all manuals
Sitting in my 03 IS300 right now as I watch this video!
i'm so glad the crx is getting some appreciation it's literally one of my favorite cars
I had a Honda CRX Si when they first came out. Glad to see they made the list.
I think the funniest thing abt these vids is that here in Europe, it’s exactly opposite. So for example, you say Mitsubishi 3000Gt, the cheapest one is over 18k. Meanwhile 240sx and stuff like that is decently priced (still costly though)
You need to do a list similar to this but with a cost breakdown of the modifications required and how many horsepower you add and end up with. See what is the cheapest way to get a car to 400hp or 500 hp or to add 200 hp to a cheap car.
Another ideas is the cheapest high hp:weight ratio after mods. Is it an MR2 with $2000 of mods or something else.
Get specific with the actual mods and those prices. Maybe to a bracket series where you start with 16 cars and do 2 cars each episode and pick a winner for those parameters
Would be cool, but would take a TON of research that relies entirely on other people's completed builds, and dynos, where the owner may not be the original modifier. Also, many people end up going over their budget, even when they think they planned well.
not possible to make a video like that. too many variables. it all depends on how good of a mechanic you are. if you cant do anything it will be expensive unless you just get a big v8.
@@MV-ri7zu not true. There are common methods that are used over and over on the same car to add easy HP, exhaust, tune, cam or injectors. Some cars don't need much to add 100-150 hp and some need more.
Don't need set up to reach max HP, but some cars you can add 100 hp for $1500.
@@shaneducholke364 and those common methods usually vary in price A LOT depending on how good you are at finding parts, buying parts and installing them.
@@MV-ri7zu hence the video request
Now we just need to wait until a car with the b58 gets cheap
I actually own an IS300 but the VVTI cam gear is something people need to look at once the car has 200k+ miles
I'm thinking about getting a is300, I currently have a 08 gtv6 Tiburon. What does the VVTI do for it after reaching 200k miles?
@@luck6959 Nothing really changes but just keep an eye out if the VVTI can gear oil seal cause it would break down and you loose a lot of oil cause of it.
So what exactly do i need to change after i reach 200k
I had a 1990 Accord EX in high school. Parts weren't super popular, but I was able to get a header-back exhaust system, coilovers, intake, new cam, new valves, upgraded ignition, and a few more suspension parts (strut bars, sway bars, end links, etc.). In auto shop my teacher and I did some grinding to the valves, honed the cylinders, got the head and block machined down, new head gasket, water pump, fuel pump, and a bit of other things. Took the default F22A2 from 130-ish HP up to a little over 220. For a 4-Door grandma car it was a total sleeper. I miss that car :(
I got a is300 and I highly recommend. The manuals reaching crazy prices but the autos are still a great driving experience. I’ve had mine for over a year, and I’ve enjoyed getting in that car every time.
Find any problems with the IS300?
Drove an 02 Acura TL type S, and a 93 FD RX7, and now an Infiniti FX35 as my daily driver to work everyday. Looking back, It makes me wish I still had them!
Owned my is300 since 02 love it like one of my kids. Cleanest one in the OC by the way just facts 😂 long live the Queen 👑
How reliable is it?
Yeah what's it like to actually own. Reliable, relatively easy to work on?
U sir have won I see a vertex bumper 😋
@@SovereignShooter they’re easy to work on.
bro i thought ive seen ur car b4 but theres this other is300 thats by King High School and its the most hot boi thing ever ive only seen it on a trailer once
I love my 03 IS300. I will never get rid of her. She purrs so right and she's been super reliable too. I hear the prices are going up on them.
I got one for the list. 1998-2003 Acura cl/tl. Both cars are still reasonable priced,have plenty of aftermarket parts and power upgrades,and don't take much to rip down the highway. I had a 2001 Acura Cl type s that ripped down the road when u opened her up
Power to weight is horrible, why it isn't there.
CRX V-TEC best Car ever, i had one! Drive like a gocart and fast as you would
Ideal cars: BMWS are cheap to upgrade
Me: thinking how expensive they are to own
He asked who had a CRX, my first new car was an '86 Honda CRX si, Black on black with a sunroof-LOVED IT. Traded it in for a '95 mustang GT convertible in '95.
I miss the 1.8 20vt on this list, especially in Europe these are cheap and popular and very easy to tune
I love my 2004 IS300! And she is mint! with only 64,000 km! I can not wait to turbo to 350-375 whp. Cheers from Canada!
Always liked the CRX. I wonder if you can tune that motor without dropping in VETCH? Also the IS300 just because of the 2JZ. OOOO so tempting. 700hp would make my kids think their 65 year old father has gone nuts. Sounds good to me 😃
Is300 much better if you swap in the 3gste. The 2jz makes power but it is a straight line engine. The powerband sucks yif your going to do anything but drag it sucks.
1995 honda civic hatchback going swap k20 AWD hopping reach the 1k HP range, My first car was 1987 honda crx, always HONDA FAN
my preference is the IS300. loved that car since nfs mw 2005😎
SAME!! Beat the whole game with that car and finally bought one like 8 years later
@@Darksaige happy for you man💪🏾
I think it’s legal to import now but it was called the Toyota altezza in other parts of the world and buying and importing was under 5k last I checked
@@nicholasfoo5652 and there is also a RHD first gen IS300, idk if that can be imported as well
My first car was a 93 Civic. I regret selling it sometimes, and could have saved thousands of dollars by just restoring it.
Tbh, even being a Saab enthusiast. I didn't know that they went for THAT cheap. I knew that the 9-2xs was cheap in the US, but not THAT cheap (They are incredibly rare in Sweden). As I can see looking at a site that search up registries. Only 11 of them are registered in Sweden.
Why do I absolutely obsess over every car on this list? Legit way before watching this video all of these were my dream cars, especially the mustang, MR2, and altezza
Hey Brad, you should do a video on fast cars that are good in snow for under 6k
Had a saab 9-2x and easily one of the best cars that I have owned. Great for road trips and mountain runs.
The Is300 and the Pontiac WS6 are definitely a great cars!! I still wouldn't mind having one. But there are three other cheap sleeper cars that i like and they are the cobalt SS, Saturn Ion Red Line and The Grand Prix GXP
is300 isnt even cheap unless you get an automatic which will be expensive af to mod since youll be swapping pretty much everything.
Boosted Honda are so fun and different
i own a manual infiniti g35S from 2006/revup. It's an amazing car actually and i've got headers/exhaust/injen intake/plennumspacer/wahlbro 255L gaspump/tein coilovers/cusco springaxels/wilwood steady axels and bigger brakes. i can tell that ALOT of turbo cars dont stand a chance. it's pretty quick. also this costed me maybe 750 dollars for the engine. and turbo convert with forged engine is like 5000 dollars. because the compmotive turbo is expensive but you dont need the oil/water pipes :) just mount it on the exhaust. and forge the engine , your'e pushing 900+ horsepowers.
Do you have a TH-cam video where I can put this together myself? I'm new to the car community
please let me know about this car and post video's or anywhere you have it? thinking about getting an infinity for a fun project car lol have a honda accord 2011 lxs and want something fun on the side lol that or ls 300 what you think? you have an instagram?
I have owned an LT1 Camaro, currently own a New Edge Bullitt Mustang with a procharger. One thing I think you missed is a Crown Vic, other than Cleetus buying them all up. Or a truck. Plenty of regular cab short beds that can be quick. Oh, and want a cheap LS, truck or van is still a cheap way to go.
Id like to go IS300, or E36 Bmw next. But I am currently working on a '74 Dodge D100
Had two Del Sols. Great drivers car even stock.
I dialy a track built MR2. Light weight reduction, bolt ons and a tune. It's insanely fun to drive!
I wish the IS350 was as spirited and sports focused as the 300. At least you can find those for a reasonable price.
Few more years and the Altezza will be available to ship to the USA 👍✌️
I already convinced myself I’m gonna get an IS300 for my first car and this vid just made it more convincing
I've had 2 E36s. 1st was a 328i auto.. 2nd was a 1992 325i non Vanos with a 5 speed. Much more fun. Also had a 92 Celica gt 5 speed. Slow but fun. Now I have a 91 honda accord and a e46 m3. Love them both. Would like to get another e36 and make a cheap drift car to learn in tho.
What sites do you use to look for vehicles?
@@litaf4889 I don't really. I did buy the 325i off of a guy on Craigslist but that's it
Bought the 328i at and auction and the Celica from my brother.
Forgot about the n54 335i
6:35 heheh he said dodo
I just said the same to myself
my first go fast car was a dodge omni GLH. That thing almost killed me multiple times. then I got a 76 Oldsmobile tornado. both were great in a straight line, but they didn't corner too well. if I get another go fast I'm gonna need it to handle well too.
Saa-baru vs Subaru, I'd stick with Subaru, perfect for the Canadian winters
So you’d spend double the money for the same exact car? Interesting
Funny part about the MR2 spyder being in here for me is that in the UK this model of MR2 is literally everywhere and I could buy one if I wanted for anywhere from £1500-3000. Though no boot space means if I want a car like that I'd rather have an MG TF or a Honda S2000 which are also relatively common
This video is gonna be awesome
First car was a v8 jeep. Still got it. When I turned 18 I bought my 2nd car, a pretty clean 99 civic. Wheels, coilovers, intake, and a sound system and it was a pretty fun cheap to drive, good mpg daily. 4 days after the coilovers and a cop didn't yield to me and totaled it. I'll always miss that car. Had the 5 speed too.
V8- cuz with my mechanical ⚙️ amplitude I require eight magical cylinders….
What website do you use to find these cars?
Great list Brad, some thought went into that one. Totally enjoyed it.
An 8th gen civic SI can be snatched up for cheap now. Just got one for $5,600. 8k redline, 200hp and a full supercharger kit including fuel pump, injectors and Hondata tune sells for about 5k, and will make 400hp in a car that weighs less than 3,000lbs. Build the engine, transmission, and make it AWD and you can stomp R35s and Lambos for like $30-45k. Plus it's pretty comfy, cause it's a fairly modern Honda
“Low maintenance girlfriend”? No such thing😂
CRXs only came with a B Series in JDM Markets, good luck trying to get one. Even if you manage to swap a B goof luck finding genuine Type R Parts. They won’t bolt on right up unless it’s a VTEC. And they’re not cheap
Here in the states the best CRX we got was an Si and that came with a D Series pushing 108HP.
K Series would be the best option as they’re easy to find and fairly cheap to swap into 88-91 Civic/CRXs
Him: "But what if you want 8 magical cilindres?"
Europeans boyz: Lets skip that part!
My dad has a super clean G35 with only 35k miles manual gray coupe. He can get 15-20 from the right persn
You can can get decent is300 for 4-6k outside of Cali all day long!
No you can't lmao
I actually drive fwd Camry. 2015 se. it isn’t half bad. I would prefer something faster and louder but this thing can get the job done for now. Handling is great on it and I can outpace dodge darts in a straight line roll race on the highway.
I've had an early 90's civic as my first car... currently I have a fbo g35 coupe and I prefer rear wheel over front wheel drive any day! I've also owned a Subaru... I prefer awd over rear wheel.
YES‼️ the CRX got some love! My favorite Honda car…not because it’s the fastest or anything, but it might be the coolest looking coupe Honda put out, (the 90 thousand NSX notwithstanding lol.)
I've got a 99 altezza and was literally just talking about 2j swapping it 😂
why though? id keep the beams in it
@@hjmouj it's already been swapped with a rs200z low ks engine but its just personal preference I guess
@@jacobdouglas6290 fair enough. a gte or ge 2jz?
I jumped from Hondas to my first BMW over 15 years ago started with a 1999 BMW 328is and boy was that car something else! I haven't driven another brand since I now drive a 2002 BMW 330xi with the sports package I don't know how many BMWs I have owned in between but once you get over the learning curve of how Germans do things LOL I guarantee you will fall in love if you truly love driving
@4:38
That thing sounds mean.
My first car was an 85 Honda CRX Si. I got it in 89. That was the funnest car ever. I'm 6-6 and it had great leg room. The Del Sol has the worst leg room. I couldn't drive it if I tried.
This channel is being the best friend of mine. love your videos 😻😻
I love my is300!!! How much you might ask I bought a 2016 is350 FSport and i still have my is300 as my toy!! I’ve had to fight my sister because she wanted it but when she told me what she wanted to do with it it broke my heart! So I kept my blueberry and she’s getting work done with the internals being upgraded to the 2j Supra internals a turbo and she’ll be my daily. It’s one of the best 4dr sports cars I’ve ever had!
Whats right wheel drive 4:03
don’t get me wrong, i like this list, but i miss the days you could pick up some of these cars for less than 6k USD, and now they’re selling for over 8k
Anyone want a manual 335i ? Lol
Yes
My first cool car was a new 1986 Black on Black CRX Si, no stereo, no air, 9200 bucks out the door
First again
Owned all besides the Pontiac and the Saab.
Forgot bout n54
I used to have a 1988 Manual Honda CRX. It was a lot of fun. However, so is my current ride= 2018 6 Speed Mustang GT.
That's too bad
I got a charcoal new edge mustang! Gonna get a coyote and stuff in it with a taller rear end and build the trans up some and replace the converter!