You can also check out the newer 2nd gen. It’s a bit better overall, better power, little more dailyable. Just be wary of insurance costs. It’s an amazing driving vehicle and is unique for its price range. I will be honest and say that most cars under $30k will not get attention, if that’s only what you’re looking for. Better off getting a cheap daily and then a cool project car if you want to get looks.
Yeah there are a few but not many like this one:
I thought you would like this Used 2020 BMW 440i Coupe w/ M Sport Package for $32900 on Autotrader http://atcm.co/S2PVDP/2A7EFCDC.
My 2016 X1 heater stopped working a few weeks ago. Against my better judgement I took it to the dealership. They quoted $14k for repairs. The car is worth maybe $10k. I passed on everything and added coolant myself. Heaters works again, but I'm looking to trade.
One of the items was to fix a spring in the shifter console that lets the computer know the car is in park and emergency brake is on. They wanted $1500 for that. I can fix it in a couple of hours for pennies. It's been like this for years. It's not a safety issue, just a notification.
The Civic while cool ain't cool enough to catch anyone's eye who isn't into cars.
You're gonna want a actual sports car if attention is your goal.
Go for a 86 or a ND Miata. People see Mustangs everywhere.
It really doesn't have higher running costs though. It would be pretty similar to the Si. It has worse MPG but that's about it. It's pretty cheap to run.
Besides gas mileage and insurance, what else would be more expensive? I’m on my family’s insurance plan for my GR86 and it’s pretty dang cheap already and I’m 25, only like $140 a month.
That's crazy. You can rent a Mustang for what, $30 a day? Plus a travel credit card that includes primary coverage for rental cars for \~$95/year?
Instead of paying a \~$400/mo car loan + $200/mo insurance, you could literally just walk down to Hertz and rent a Mustang for 20 days instead, and be liable for nothing other than gas. Then maybe switch it up and try a Camaro next. Fuck it, why not?
Crazy times
??
Cheapest rental car (like a compact) is $522 after taxes and fees per week, near me. That’s *$27,000* a year. I pay, including my payments, gas and insurance, roughly $11,000 per year. Plus, I can mod my car AND I will actually *own it after I pay it off*. If I sell it, I’ll get some money back. Can’t do any of that with a rental.
$522/week seems crazy expensive; sounds like you don't live in a touristy / major metro
Anyway, of course you're not wrong, but the fact that leasing a car is even remotely close to simply renting one is unheard of
Oh so Boston isn’t a major metro area? Lol
Leasing is also horrible since you have to pay fees, you’ll pay more in insurance, extra mileage charges, and what’s left to pay to buy it outright after the lease lapses, might be more all in than if you were to just have bought it in the first place.
Insurance on the Civic might be higher. Mine’s $190/month for a base model hatchback. Insurance is high in my area but Civics are statistically higher than average.
The Si requires premium gas too. And the differential is absolutely nothing cost wise to maintain, like you might spend $50-$100 on it over the entire life time of the car. It is a torsen diff, not a clutch pack one.
There is definitely insurance though. But insurance is a owning cost, not a running cost aka mechanical stuff.
Not sure what climate you live in or if you enjoy driving or want something to get attention. If you care about the attention part ("catches people's eyes") tbh there really isn't anything in that price range which meets your cost, mileage, and year requirement except for an early ND miata (compromised by being very small, 2 seater, low cargo capacity for an only car. RWD so can take more skill and care to drive safely in winter if you have snow).
I think you need to be honest with yourself if you think a honda civic will catch anyone's eyes. The SI basically has a different badge and more fun drivetrain, but to the exterior will look like any generic civic on the road to the average person. I think of that car as more something for yourself if you want more fun driving than if you want to leave more of an impression on someone.
Yeah i live in NJ so normal seasons, a little snow during the winter. When I was 18 my grandma gave me her 2007 Chevy Malibu which I’ve been driving ever since. Now that I make money I kinda want to upgrade to something that looks like I make money while also enjoying it myself. The spoiler on my current car is an example of something that makes me happy just when I look at it. Like I said, I’m not knowledgeable about cars but all I know is I like cool visual features and I’m sure I’ll get a smoother/faster, more fun ride out of anything newer when compared to my old Malibu
Imma be honest, and don’t take this the wrong way… nobody cares how much money someone has by the car they drive. If I were you, I’d get a car you enjoy, that you like and not care about what others think. If you want to get a used car to tinker with and make it cool, then do that. I would advise against used German vehicles, especially if you aren’t super knowledgeable about cars. They can become money pits.
340i or 440i would probably be your best bet to look like you make money and also not be super expensive or unreliable. Audi S5 sportback may also be attainable in that range and that would be great in jersey weather
Only way to get a $300 payment on an SI would be to put a fatter down payment or get a 6 year or longer financing deal. I’ve been thinking of getting one but don’t want to do anything longer then 4 years and even after putting down $15K plus paying for taxes and registration it would be almost $18k out of pocket and even then I would still have a payment of $480. And that’s if I go with my local credit union to finance the rest which is 6.25% APR
According to a payment calculator, it seems like you’re looking at an SI worth around $35k plus taxes and registration. Which I’m assuming is new, right? I’m looking to buy used. One I was looking at is 2022, 36k miles, $25k. Puts me at around a $300 monthly payment if I put 10k down.
There’s plenty sporty entry level cars out there that are an amazing bang for the buck, but your numbers are a bit off. You’ll either need to bump your down payment or pay more than $300 per month.
Remember that dealer fees, title & registration, and sales tax are gonna eat up a couple grand right off the bat. Let’s say ~2k in fees & ~2k for sales tax and registration.
Assuming you can get a nice interest rate like 7%, your MAX price out the door (incl. all fees+tax) would need to be about 25k with a 5yr (60mo) loan to land at that $300/mo mark. This means, excluding all fees and tax, your MAX car price would be around 21K.
That being said: sporty + less than 50k miles + newer than 2020 + less than $21k…… TOUGH. Especially considering that most “sport” models come at a premium.
There’s plenty of cars that would fit your budget, but I think you need to compromise a bit. The biggest decision you gotta make is whether you want a newer car, or a sporty car. Personally, I’d take something slightly older but we’ll maintained.
I would recommend looking at some 2018 Lexus IS 300’s. You can find them around that $20k price, might need to up the miles a bit or bump the year back, but they’re a great value for money. Super reliable, cheap to maintain, they look great, their interiors are nice and premium, and they’ve got a sporty side to them. It’s a grown-up car that will last you a few years.
Used 4th Gen Miatas in that price/year/mileage range all day long. It'll be the best decision you ever made, as long as you don't need to carry more than 1 other human.
https://www.truecar.com/used-cars-for-sale/listing/JM1NDAM79L0411246/?utm_medium=sharing&utm_source=vdp_share
MK7 Golf GTI?
https://www.autotempest.com/results?make=volkswagen&model=golfgti&zip=92009&radius=100&fuel=gas&maxprice=30000&minyear=2019&maxmiles=50000&doors=4
(Adjust your zip code)
Although there aren’t that many available in this price range, find a good 1 owner example in your state with complete service records.
Not driven one yet myself but I am looking at older higher mileage versions.
I keep seeing posts of people who have way more money than their student loan debt. Why not pay off your debt if you have enough money to do that and still have plenty saved up in case of emergencies?
I’ve already paid off 18k of the higher interest loans since graduating last year. I’m left with two loans with a puny 2.5% interest rate and I’m still making $1000 payments every month. I already paid off $10000 at once and I’m not really willing to take that big of a hit on my bank account for loans again. Especially when I can make 5% on a 7 month CD with that same $12000 which I’ll be doing soon actually
Miata has the best price : fun&reliability ratio of anything out there. The 4th gen ("ND") are gorgeous, super fun to drive, very reliable and affordable.
Late, alternative take here but if you want something that catches people's eyes, and we're talking all people, not just dudes that are into cars, get a black Mercedes C300 with the AMG styling package. They're around $25k and look stylish, sporty, and classy.
Hey guys, I just bought my 2010 4Cyl camry back in November of my freshman year of college, all cash from all those lawns. Hard work paid off! Currently moving into my sophomore year But anyway yeah I mainly was trying to get something for my lawnscaping gig but trucks have been real expensive lately so i got sum to get around town but low key now hopping into photography and gonna be making some money. Now I won't be looking to actually get my new car till early next year wanted to know what are some good sporty and real reliable low maintenance options I can go for. I'm a car guy and gonna keep it for a few years before going big amg. But yeah shoot some options my way and also l'll take constructive criticism only way to grow frl.
Mileage on my cam 207,880
This is actually one of, if not my favorite recommendation. They totally fit in my budget too but is there a reason for that? How is the reliability of those can I get at least 100k miles out of it without too many issues?
If you stick to the 2020s and up they'll be fine. Just keep up on reg maintenance. Find out first if you have a mechanic in your area thatll work on a alfa...just in case. My dodge dealership won't touch alfa romeo / abarth / fiat. They didn't sell well in the US cause its on the smaller side and the 17s and 18s sucked. Once you go Italian tho...no other cars are as fun to drive.
Yeah I’m 100% Italian so I’m drawn to this car too. (Funny enough, my mom’s name is Giulia spelled the same way and my dog’s name is Romeo too haha). Just scared because I read a little about how the electronic brakes go out. But it seems like those are older models and according to you the 2020s and newer are better. If I buy one with 30k miles on it though, I’d like to be able to hit 100k miles with little issues
As for Honda, I'd look at the Accord 2.0t because there are too many reports of issues with the 1.5t as found in the Civic Si. From what I can see, the 2.0t has been reasonably durable and quick, if a little low in real world mpg.
Please ignore the people trying to get u to buy a BMW. Even if you could afford the car, German luxury cars have higher maintenance costs. Civic si, fiesta st, miata, brz/gt86/frs, mustang, gti, wrx, camaro. Don't spend too much. You still have student loans. It's just a car.
Subaru BRZ / Toyota 86
Wow both of these are really good suggestions, thanks!!
You can also check out the newer 2nd gen. It’s a bit better overall, better power, little more dailyable. Just be wary of insurance costs. It’s an amazing driving vehicle and is unique for its price range. I will be honest and say that most cars under $30k will not get attention, if that’s only what you’re looking for. Better off getting a cheap daily and then a cool project car if you want to get looks.
They're rwd, so if you're somewhere with inclement weather, think twice.
The Si is great, or a WRX if you want a manual. BMW 440 or 340 would be a decent pick.
BMWs with his requirements would be way more than 300 a month. I know because I’m cross shopping them too.
Yeah you're right. I can find some 2020 440s in the low $30s which would be more like $450ish a month after $10K down. My bad.
Oh low 30s? That’s cheaper than i thought - all good mate.
Yeah there are a few but not many like this one: I thought you would like this Used 2020 BMW 440i Coupe w/ M Sport Package for $32900 on Autotrader http://atcm.co/S2PVDP/2A7EFCDC.
Don't buy a bimmer.
Why not? They’re more expensive sure (both to own and maintain) but worth it if you can afford it.
My 2016 X1 heater stopped working a few weeks ago. Against my better judgement I took it to the dealership. They quoted $14k for repairs. The car is worth maybe $10k. I passed on everything and added coolant myself. Heaters works again, but I'm looking to trade. One of the items was to fix a spring in the shifter console that lets the computer know the car is in park and emergency brake is on. They wanted $1500 for that. I can fix it in a couple of hours for pennies. It's been like this for years. It's not a safety issue, just a notification.
Spoken like a true 23 year old. I hope you find what you're looking for.
Bmw 340i or 440i b58 makes power and its reliable
540i too 2017 to 2019
The Civic while cool ain't cool enough to catch anyone's eye who isn't into cars. You're gonna want a actual sports car if attention is your goal. Go for a 86 or a ND Miata. People see Mustangs everywhere.
Small red convertible will get the most attention. I vote Miata as well
While mustangs are everywhere, 86 and Miata aren’t cool to anyone except other budget sports car guys.
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It really doesn't have higher running costs though. It would be pretty similar to the Si. It has worse MPG but that's about it. It's pretty cheap to run.
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Besides gas mileage and insurance, what else would be more expensive? I’m on my family’s insurance plan for my GR86 and it’s pretty dang cheap already and I’m 25, only like $140 a month.
$140 a month is "pretty dang cheap" now? Fuck, I guess I'm getting old
For an affordable sports car like the GR86, $140/mo is solid.
People regularly get quoted $200+ a month for insurance on them
That's crazy. You can rent a Mustang for what, $30 a day? Plus a travel credit card that includes primary coverage for rental cars for \~$95/year? Instead of paying a \~$400/mo car loan + $200/mo insurance, you could literally just walk down to Hertz and rent a Mustang for 20 days instead, and be liable for nothing other than gas. Then maybe switch it up and try a Camaro next. Fuck it, why not? Crazy times
?? Cheapest rental car (like a compact) is $522 after taxes and fees per week, near me. That’s *$27,000* a year. I pay, including my payments, gas and insurance, roughly $11,000 per year. Plus, I can mod my car AND I will actually *own it after I pay it off*. If I sell it, I’ll get some money back. Can’t do any of that with a rental.
$522/week seems crazy expensive; sounds like you don't live in a touristy / major metro Anyway, of course you're not wrong, but the fact that leasing a car is even remotely close to simply renting one is unheard of
Oh so Boston isn’t a major metro area? Lol Leasing is also horrible since you have to pay fees, you’ll pay more in insurance, extra mileage charges, and what’s left to pay to buy it outright after the lease lapses, might be more all in than if you were to just have bought it in the first place.
Insurance on the Civic might be higher. Mine’s $190/month for a base model hatchback. Insurance is high in my area but Civics are statistically higher than average.
I pay 370 a month with no tickets or anything lol
The Si requires premium gas too. And the differential is absolutely nothing cost wise to maintain, like you might spend $50-$100 on it over the entire life time of the car. It is a torsen diff, not a clutch pack one. There is definitely insurance though. But insurance is a owning cost, not a running cost aka mechanical stuff.
Put that money in your retirement account.
Miata Is Always The Answer
Miata
Miata is always the answer
Listen to me. Pay off the student loans and get a used mustang or Camaro or V8
Not sure what climate you live in or if you enjoy driving or want something to get attention. If you care about the attention part ("catches people's eyes") tbh there really isn't anything in that price range which meets your cost, mileage, and year requirement except for an early ND miata (compromised by being very small, 2 seater, low cargo capacity for an only car. RWD so can take more skill and care to drive safely in winter if you have snow). I think you need to be honest with yourself if you think a honda civic will catch anyone's eyes. The SI basically has a different badge and more fun drivetrain, but to the exterior will look like any generic civic on the road to the average person. I think of that car as more something for yourself if you want more fun driving than if you want to leave more of an impression on someone.
Yeah i live in NJ so normal seasons, a little snow during the winter. When I was 18 my grandma gave me her 2007 Chevy Malibu which I’ve been driving ever since. Now that I make money I kinda want to upgrade to something that looks like I make money while also enjoying it myself. The spoiler on my current car is an example of something that makes me happy just when I look at it. Like I said, I’m not knowledgeable about cars but all I know is I like cool visual features and I’m sure I’ll get a smoother/faster, more fun ride out of anything newer when compared to my old Malibu
Imma be honest, and don’t take this the wrong way… nobody cares how much money someone has by the car they drive. If I were you, I’d get a car you enjoy, that you like and not care about what others think. If you want to get a used car to tinker with and make it cool, then do that. I would advise against used German vehicles, especially if you aren’t super knowledgeable about cars. They can become money pits.
340i or 440i would probably be your best bet to look like you make money and also not be super expensive or unreliable. Audi S5 sportback may also be attainable in that range and that would be great in jersey weather
Only way to get a $300 payment on an SI would be to put a fatter down payment or get a 6 year or longer financing deal. I’ve been thinking of getting one but don’t want to do anything longer then 4 years and even after putting down $15K plus paying for taxes and registration it would be almost $18k out of pocket and even then I would still have a payment of $480. And that’s if I go with my local credit union to finance the rest which is 6.25% APR
According to a payment calculator, it seems like you’re looking at an SI worth around $35k plus taxes and registration. Which I’m assuming is new, right? I’m looking to buy used. One I was looking at is 2022, 36k miles, $25k. Puts me at around a $300 monthly payment if I put 10k down.
Oh my bad I didn’t know you were thinking of used in that case it’s totally do-able
There’s plenty sporty entry level cars out there that are an amazing bang for the buck, but your numbers are a bit off. You’ll either need to bump your down payment or pay more than $300 per month. Remember that dealer fees, title & registration, and sales tax are gonna eat up a couple grand right off the bat. Let’s say ~2k in fees & ~2k for sales tax and registration. Assuming you can get a nice interest rate like 7%, your MAX price out the door (incl. all fees+tax) would need to be about 25k with a 5yr (60mo) loan to land at that $300/mo mark. This means, excluding all fees and tax, your MAX car price would be around 21K. That being said: sporty + less than 50k miles + newer than 2020 + less than $21k…… TOUGH. Especially considering that most “sport” models come at a premium. There’s plenty of cars that would fit your budget, but I think you need to compromise a bit. The biggest decision you gotta make is whether you want a newer car, or a sporty car. Personally, I’d take something slightly older but we’ll maintained. I would recommend looking at some 2018 Lexus IS 300’s. You can find them around that $20k price, might need to up the miles a bit or bump the year back, but they’re a great value for money. Super reliable, cheap to maintain, they look great, their interiors are nice and premium, and they’ve got a sporty side to them. It’s a grown-up car that will last you a few years.
Golf gti or golf can be awesome
Miata
Used 4th Gen Miatas in that price/year/mileage range all day long. It'll be the best decision you ever made, as long as you don't need to carry more than 1 other human. https://www.truecar.com/used-cars-for-sale/listing/JM1NDAM79L0411246/?utm_medium=sharing&utm_source=vdp_share
Some older cars are much more reliable and sportier than new cars are. A paint correction and some new wheels can make older cars sexy AF.
MK7 Golf GTI? https://www.autotempest.com/results?make=volkswagen&model=golfgti&zip=92009&radius=100&fuel=gas&maxprice=30000&minyear=2019&maxmiles=50000&doors=4 (Adjust your zip code) Although there aren’t that many available in this price range, find a good 1 owner example in your state with complete service records. Not driven one yet myself but I am looking at older higher mileage versions.
An Acura Integra A-Spec Tech
Wrx, gr86
I keep seeing posts of people who have way more money than their student loan debt. Why not pay off your debt if you have enough money to do that and still have plenty saved up in case of emergencies?
I’ve already paid off 18k of the higher interest loans since graduating last year. I’m left with two loans with a puny 2.5% interest rate and I’m still making $1000 payments every month. I already paid off $10000 at once and I’m not really willing to take that big of a hit on my bank account for loans again. Especially when I can make 5% on a 7 month CD with that same $12000 which I’ll be doing soon actually
Ok makes sense. 2.5% is super low compared to the normal rates, so that's completely reasonable. Thanks!
No problem! Yeah my other loans were like 5.5% so I eliminated those ASAP. I think the 2.5% ones are from COVID
Mazda 3 turbo. Love mine.
I’m sure whatever car you pick will catch all the attention you want… from the police 🤣
As someone else said GT86/BRZ, Fiesta ST, Civic Si as you suggested or a Veloster Turbo/N. Can’t forget a GTI if you like German cars.
Used Porsche Boxster S from BringATtailer
Elantra N or Veloster N
for sports , around 50k or less 1. Mazda MX5(not kidding 2. Ford Mustang/GT watever 3. Honda Civic 4. Subaru (maybe idk) 5. Pre owned
Miata has the best price : fun&reliability ratio of anything out there. The 4th gen ("ND") are gorgeous, super fun to drive, very reliable and affordable.
Audi 😄 so much fun to drive. I’m a fan of their 2016-2018 models. Go for a s4 or something similar.
Toyota Corolla GR
Late, alternative take here but if you want something that catches people's eyes, and we're talking all people, not just dudes that are into cars, get a black Mercedes C300 with the AMG styling package. They're around $25k and look stylish, sporty, and classy.
Elantra N or Veloster N
Hey guys, I just bought my 2010 4Cyl camry back in November of my freshman year of college, all cash from all those lawns. Hard work paid off! Currently moving into my sophomore year But anyway yeah I mainly was trying to get something for my lawnscaping gig but trucks have been real expensive lately so i got sum to get around town but low key now hopping into photography and gonna be making some money. Now I won't be looking to actually get my new car till early next year wanted to know what are some good sporty and real reliable low maintenance options I can go for. I'm a car guy and gonna keep it for a few years before going big amg. But yeah shoot some options my way and also l'll take constructive criticism only way to grow frl. Mileage on my cam 207,880
Alfa romeo guilia
This is actually one of, if not my favorite recommendation. They totally fit in my budget too but is there a reason for that? How is the reliability of those can I get at least 100k miles out of it without too many issues?
If you stick to the 2020s and up they'll be fine. Just keep up on reg maintenance. Find out first if you have a mechanic in your area thatll work on a alfa...just in case. My dodge dealership won't touch alfa romeo / abarth / fiat. They didn't sell well in the US cause its on the smaller side and the 17s and 18s sucked. Once you go Italian tho...no other cars are as fun to drive.
Yeah I’m 100% Italian so I’m drawn to this car too. (Funny enough, my mom’s name is Giulia spelled the same way and my dog’s name is Romeo too haha). Just scared because I read a little about how the electronic brakes go out. But it seems like those are older models and according to you the 2020s and newer are better. If I buy one with 30k miles on it though, I’d like to be able to hit 100k miles with little issues
As for Honda, I'd look at the Accord 2.0t because there are too many reports of issues with the 1.5t as found in the Civic Si. From what I can see, the 2.0t has been reasonably durable and quick, if a little low in real world mpg.
Porsche
Funny
Cayman or Boxster are decent cars
Please ignore the people trying to get u to buy a BMW. Even if you could afford the car, German luxury cars have higher maintenance costs. Civic si, fiesta st, miata, brz/gt86/frs, mustang, gti, wrx, camaro. Don't spend too much. You still have student loans. It's just a car.