/o/ please help me. I need a car, these are my conditions. The

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>>14232259

>>14232315
I doubt I could find one under 5k. No manual option I don't think, and with the R/T fuel mileage would probably be around 15 :/

>>14232259
0-60 in 6 seconds is doable but hard with the mpg requirements... go for a 4th gen trans am, check it out and make sure it's not fucked. Lt1 is just as good as ls1.

>>14232387
R/t is rated 25 highway 20 city. You can also beat that number. Good luck finding what you want for 5k though, it'll have tons of small problems, a couple major ones, and have a shitload of miles.

>>14232395
Insurance.

>>14232418
I'm 20 and I have a 96 trans am, got the minimum legal insurance at geico for $550 a year.

2011-2013 E82 135i?

>>14232259
>cheap
>fast
>reliable
pick two

>>14233424
no fucking way

op, your request is near impossible for the price. youre going to have to either buy a very old car, or remove some of your conditions

>>14232259
Reliable, Fast, cheap

Pick 2. OP you cant have all three

Bmw
Is300...if you search long enough
G35 sedan, if you seach long enough
Not much more in ur price range

>>14233640
no bmw in that price range is fast enough

op if you can "deal" with a superior awd system a wrx can squeeze into your checklist

>>14233662
At 5k, probably going to be a beat down high miles turd. Plus it doesn't fit alot on the list. Awd, force induction, gas milage kinda sucks. Probably get more than 20 but you ever drive it fun and it sucks fuel

>>14233662
And you could probably find a bmw that gets close enough for 5k

>>14233640
>>14233693
I'm currently looking at 2001 330i's but I've heard stories about maintenance being insane even if you diy (which I would be doing).

>>14233780
And I've also heard that they aren't worse than any other car. Anyone know the truth?

>>14232259
You're going to have to reduce the criteria if you want anything that's not a complete shitheap.

>LT1 F-Body (Probably Auto or completely trashed at that price though)

>Panther (Slower than 6 seconds 0-60, Only Auto)

>e36/46 (twice the value of the car to maintain, insurance)

>Swapped Fiero (Insurance, 2 doors)

>Mk3 Supra (Slower than 6)

>3g DSM - (AWD)

>>14233780
Op I reslly think the car that fits your criteria the best is going to be the g35.
Basically I 4 door 350z. Nissan parts, although luxury brand, still cheaper than bmw. Easier to work on than bmw and I would think insurance is better than a bmw. Plus that vq35 growl and bulletproof 6spd.

>>14232259
Why not get a Hyundai?

>>14233880
But he said <$5,000, and that car will require, at minimum, $3,000 in repair work

>>14233835
Word. Get a Hyundai.

>>14233820
im a bmw tech and youre not going to do anything diy that involves electronics. e46's are pretty good cars though. e39's are probably the most reliable and well built bmw made

>>14233961
>regular humans cant crimp and solder wires
>only bmw techs like me
k dude

>>14233892
Enlighten me anon, please do

>>14233967
Not him but what the hell do you think you'll be crimping and soldering on any newer car at all? Anything realistically you need to replace will have connections but what anon is referring to is computer work and diagnosing electrical issues. Not rewiring a window switch on a Ford Taurus

>>14234035
op is shopping for the sub $5,000 range. He'll be repairing anything that can perform like he's wanting, in that price range.

>>14233780
Maintenence would be insane becuase a 5k 330i would be beat to shit, not because its just a BMW.

Diy ing a BMW is actually fairly reasonable if you start with something that isn't falling apart.

>>14233625
this
there are some bmws that can do all that for 5k but they wouldn't be particularly good examples.

then again, maybe like an 01 330ci with some miles on it but well taken care of? E46 will require $1500 in maintenance and parts costs per year on average though

>>14234035
>only bmw techs know how to use multimeters
dude the e46 is a joke electronically.
>computer work
literally fucking what? not even bmw techs do "computer work". unless you count OBD scans and resetting/flashing the ecm as "computer work".

go away grease monkey

>>14234098
actually wait, yeah, it may work. This one has some somewhat leery mods like Mparallels but it's not that bad compared to some i have seen, the fact he lists parts he's serviced in addition to dumb mods is a decent indicator that while he riced it a bit, he still took care of it

https://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/cto/5379519093.html

the idea here is to search for under 6k on craigslist and aim to haggle

Chevy Colorado with a ls swap

>>14232259
Get a 1990-2000 Miata.

>>14234109
Just because diagnosing electrical issues is easy for you, doesn't mean op can do it also, especially on more complicated German cars. Don't over think my comment anon...obviously bmw techs aren't fucking programming their cars. But yet again it doesn't seem like op would be able to diagnose an electrical issue in an old pos beamer. Either way...what fucking master tech is soldering anything...Grease monkey

>>14234193
whatever he can't diagnose himself, the forums are there

>>14234199
True enough. I'm not saying not everyone has the means, or ability or desire to track down issue like that.

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what ever piece of shit of manual rwd v8 sedan u can find
Throw 100 shot of nos on it. Pray it don't blow the welds on the intake and shit.

>>14234098

Why do people always stress over this?

I put 800 miles a week on an 01 M3 coupe. Biggest expense is fuel and it's not even that bad for 93 now.

There is small bullshit I've dealt with but nothing insane ever unless you really need to tear deeper than the valves, mess with a torn frame, etc..

My 08 TSX is more expensive to maintain when things go wrong.

Plus design wise, E46 is much easier and bullshit free compared to the Acura.

>>14234325
have you been putting off preventive maintenance? don't do that

E36
E46
E39 540i
Do the maintenance yourself

>>14234332

I never neglect her.

I am chasing a stalling issue (4 to 5 times in maybe a month) that I think is either the fuel filter or fuel pressure regulator. I'm changing both tomorrow. Already cleaned the MAF but SES light still there as is the stalling.

Other than that I'm getting a new bumper cover on the 25th ($1,300) and I'm gonna do the entire cooling system by Spring(no more than $1,500 DIY).

VANOS seal will be replaced. Valve cover gasket I think has a very slight leak that I will do in the coming weeks (under $100.). My oil filter housing cover is leaking from the top that I need to address too some way.

I've had a screw that backed out from the top of the head that held the collar inside the engine that the timing chain slapped up against. This only leaked oil slightly. Fix was $40 which included new O rings around the thermostat housing and OEM coolant.

Again, my Acura is more expensive when things go wrong (which has never happened and I've thrown tens of thousands of miles on her too.).

My point is, my S54 does not cost $1k or $2k a year EVERY YEAR to maintain. That's just fucking insane and a number people pull from their asses to make like they know something.

IMO, you spend no more than $3k to $5k over a 100k mile period.

>>14234404
sounds like you've mostly been lucky then, the 1500 is usually an accurate number but does include big things going wrong suddenly like transmission failure and such.

check for vacuum leaks whenever you have stalling or rough idle issues, it's worth at least knowing if you have any because they'll dog you forever

>>14234433
Where's a good place to shop for used cars now? CL is looking pretty dive lately.

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NO EXCUSE to not get an e46. I made out well and I bought a total shitshow

this is 2.5 years/30k miles. I don't think you'll have to budget $1500/year like I did

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>>14234457
basically I rebuilt this thing with upgraded brakes for $3000

these cars are really decent to work on too

like I said... no excuse

>>14234452
well, it's the best place to buy directly from previous owners, and previous owners can tell you what was done and give you service records. dealers generally destroy or ignore service records and just bang on about "oh it works fine right now!!!!111"

>>14234476
nice yob, cheaper than i thought

>>14234476
Just get a fucking Hyundai.

>>14234481
How would you find them, though? CL doesn't have much more than used car lot crap and the guy on the phone is a Dreamer.

>>14234504
generally you can ask questions like when was the last time you serviced the cooling system, things specific to the model you're looking for

if they give vague answers or don't go into detail about service history, you can generally just move on

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>>14234476
my e46's subframe cracked
fun stuff

>>14234541
Gotcha, thanks.

>>14234605
a good owner will be happy to go into detail about what they've fixed on it, in fact they'll probably try to talk your ear off talking shop

Op don't get a BMW, they cost literally $5,000 per month in maintenance.

>>14234622
I'm think I'm gonna buy a bicycle.

>>14234564
how does that even happen.. never sern an e46 with subrame issues irl
got a mate with a 330ci drift missle, he has crashed when drifting and hit kerbs at very high speeds several times but the subframe is still holding up well. he has bern beating on the car for 4 years already.

>>14234681
pretty sure they had a "recall" for it
as in they acknowledged it was a problem but you had to bring it in yourself and pay to fix it

only affected the early models
mine was a 2000 323ci

>>14234681
it was really only a problem for the 99 and 00 model years, after that it was a non issue

>>14233640
>>14233880
Does anyone second the G35? It looks like a safer bet than an E46. Also I really appreciate y'all helping out, usually /o/ never comes together like this. <3

>>14234903
it doesnt meet your bolt on requirements, and the stick shift on the g35 is fucking horrible to use, and the gas mileage of that v6 is pretty bad from what i remember

>>14234681

The S54 is plagued with subframe issues.

340 hp and a very nimble/lightweight frame.. owners putting their foot to the floor every time they accelerate just to hear that orgasmic, V8 like induction roar causes a lot of stress on the rear area of the frame.

>>14233882
>>14233908
If you're talking about a Genesis, I would love to have one if I could afford it. Maybe I'll win the lottery tonight.

>>14234915
my mother has a auto 4 door g35
it gets about 21 mpg

The only cars that ain't shit are Asian cars: Toyota, Kia, Honda, Hyundai, mostly.

If you're a grease monkey, by all means pick up whatever you like to brag about fixing.

For example, you can rattle off really cool specifications if you have fixed your German car. Or, if you fix your American car, you can typically brag about "wild" repairs needed.

Now, if you just drive a new car, you can typically get about 3 months on it before the piece of shit has some goddamn thing break on it, though admittedly the power train of most non-exotic / non-British / non-Italian cars will wait until the warranty is out to immediately play out.

Non-Asian cars are, shortly, for idiots of one kind or another. Braggy ones, that brag that prove with bragging what silly subhhumans they are, having selected such a bucket of rattles, and those who believe advertising and other gossip crap. To the latter, you may as well marry Caitlyn Jenners.

>>14233640
I love my g35, got her at 150k for $4500. 6spd 4 door was a pain to find but the cars awesome

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>>14234933

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>>14234933

>>14234915
What are you smoking? The 6 speed is a blast to drive, but you're not wrong on the gas mileage. I average about 17-18 mpg beatin on it a little bit.

>>14232259
5k is cutting it close for anything, but a mr2 meets your other requirements

>>14234974
it's fun to drive because manual, but in a contest between manual transmissions, the shift action feels awful and the clutch is eugh. it's like the lexus is300 in that regard

not sure if modifications to the transmission can improve it?

This is what I've had my eye on this month (Yes, I know, it's at a dealership, but it's really all that's near me.).

http://baytownauto.v12soft.com/inventory/view/8868572/2001-BMW-3-Series-330i-4dr-Sdn-Houston-TX

https://www.diigo.com/item/pdf/5gt7b/txjs?k=1b43a3918f9b43ea84219adfcf2a1570

E46 is getting thrown around a lot in here for good reason, just thought I'd add the E39 into the mix. You should be able to get a well maintained facelift 530i in excellent condition with all service records for right about $5k, or maybe a slightly dodgy 540i.

>>14234994
>used car dealership
>maybe this time it won't suck
>it will suck

>>14234994
they speicifcally mention scheduled maintenance in the description, that's.....very unusual.
call them up and ask them if they actually have service records in hand going back like 50k miles or more, probably more like 75k if its at 156k

>>14235003
this the 5 series is a great choice as well

>>14234994
>red and brown interior
How did this even happen? Are you colorblind?

Screw that bullshit. Get a Hyundai.

>>14235015
>>14235003
i'd recommend against a 540i at that price range, it's great but you should really spend more like 7 or 8 grand for a real nice one, and they need more care than a 530i

the 530i is real good though, especially in manual, and the engine is much less troublesome

>>14235006
Yeah, I don't have high expectations, but I think I'm going to check it out this weekend since I have nothing better to do and it's worth a shot. I've been hooked on E46s for a while and I have a pretty good knowlege of what to ask and look for. Cooling system, subframe, valve cover gasket, etc.

>>14234697
I had a 1999 328ci, 240k miles, minor crash damage report from 2001, one side airbag had been deployed. aside from rust, worn drivers seat and worn bushings the car was great, no subframe issues, engine was like new. It was the cheapest e46 328 in the UK, found it on ebay lmao.

>>14235014
Will do this tomorrow.
>>14235021
Yeah I know, the interior looks like ass, but it wouldn't be hard to make the wood trim black.

>>14235021
that trim pops right out
can easily replace it with anything else

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>>14232259
G35
1. RWD
2. NA
3. 4 door
4. Pretty sure its under or right at 6 sec but it'll carry its own against just about any other v6 or 4banger
5. A manual sedan can kinda be a pain to find but theyre out there
6. Insurance isnt terrible full coverage at 18 was $130 a month when I first got mine
7. Plenum spacer, aftermarket clutch, and a few other things are great small mods to do.
8. Gas mileage isn't the greatest, I average about 17-18, but highway driving you'll get 21-22 mpg.
9. For under 5k you're looking at buying one with about 160k on it, but as long as it was maintained I wouldn't bat an eye at the mileage, I bought mine at 150k for $4500. Turning over at 185k now and she runs great.
10. Looks are subjective but I love the short trunk long hood of the G cars
11. Maintenance isn't that hard and parts aren't too expensive

And there's my G35 fanboy post for the day

>>14235065
the brushed aluminum trim pairs very well with the red and black, i'd recommend going with that

>>14235083
Yeah, I'm stuck between waiting for a G35 or buying an E46 330 now.

>>14234991
I don't remember the stock feel of mine, but an aftermarket shifter assembly, clutch and flywheel make mine pretty enjoyable.

>>14235096
Whats your general location? I'll try to find you a g35

>>14234982
i guess a mr2 turbo wouldn't meet the NA requirements
why is that important OP?

>>14235121
Northwest Houston. Thanks.

funny how /o/ functions properly whenever there is a recommend me a car thread

i think we all just enjoy hunting for the right car

>>14235205
Because honestly, to me, FI is just another component of a car that is going to break eventually, and I'm just going to have to deal with it. Plus, as cool as a turbo flutter or a supercharger whine sound, I'm more into an engine making its own power at good ol' atmospheric pressure.

>>14235229
That's because we all want to relive those first car feels
>the search for the perfect car for you
>the excitement of you and your car friend going to see it
>tfw firing it up for the first time
>tfw putting it into gear
What was it for you, /o/? Mine was a 530i.

>>14235235
i understand the attraction to n/a power, so more power to you, but I think it makes sense when it's a small engine to go FI I think.

Also, the sw20 has a bypass valve, so there's no flutter.

>>14235235

A well setup turbo system is going to last as long if not longer than your engine.

Turbos are actually pretty damn reliable.

>>14235215
Found a couple g35 sedans close to $5000, did a 200 mile search radius around 77041

https://houston.craigslist.org/cto/5374175668.html

https://houston.craigslist.org/cto/5375358828.html

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Guys, my broke ass is after a car like pic related for about $20. I don't have much to spend because I blew a heap of shabs last week and now I have to wait until my next Centrelink payment comes in but I guess I'll ask anyway and see what's out there.

>>14235249
Volvo S90 for me. Actually meets most of OP's requirements but automatic only. It's a good, solid automatic mated to a smooth and reasonably brisk straight 6 but the car ends up being more of a granny cruiser than a hoon mobile. That said it didn't stop mine from getting some skids and airtime. I paid 2k for mine and put another 1k on maintenance (tires and preventative timing belt job).

Honestly if I could do it again I know I could get one for less in better shape than mine was, but I'd spend the extra dollar on a wagon. That way I could hoon with 2 extra passengers in the third row looking out the tailgate and probably puking.

>>14234109
compared to an f30 yes its a joke, but an e46 has a more advanced electrical system than a current model ford or chevy

and you obviously have no idea what youre talking about if you think all "computer work" involves is obd2 scans and flashing ecm's.

>>14234404
observe torque specs, aluminum bolts like to snap easily on aluminum heads. also, make sure you know what youre doing when you fuck with an m cars vanos, its an extremely high pressure system

>>14234122
>>14232259
Any BMW is not going to be able to handle bolt-ons without a lot of fucking around.

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E36 328i? 7sec 0-60, 20-25mpg, pretty reliable compared to newer models and easy to work on/squeeze a bit more power

>>14235683
The second one seems a lot more stock, which I like. Do you think the other one is so high because of the mods he did?

Would a 2006 CTS be good?
https://houston.craigslist.org/cto/5382249511.html

>>14236229

Not strictly true, the M52 engine in the 323i and 328i can take the inlet manifold from the older M50 325i which gives a noticable increase in power.

I think you can do it on the later one in the E46 323i and 323i with the 330i manifold, but that involves throttle bodies etc.

To be honest they drive very well out the box, and are more about handling than outright speed. You can supercharge them if you really want, but as you say that involves a lot of fucking about.

>>14236431
My friend has one, and it seems like he has a mechanical failure every month.

>>14236574
Lie I said, the 330i fits everything in my list except for the part where I don't want to spend all of my money on maintenance, and some people say that they aren't bad, but I'm not sure if it's just because they're BMW fans or not.

>>14233820

Owned an E46 for 4 years, they are totally fine. No worse than my old Mondeo.

Watch for rust, but then I do live in Scotland and our roads are covered in salt for most of the year.

Cooling systems can go, but easy to sort. I have had to do a few suspension bits but parts are cheap and they are easy to work on. Not much in the way of electronics that can give trouble, mine is a 1998 car on 220k.

>>14236586
It's the people who irrationally hate BMWs that are bad, anybody who knows shit knows that the M54 is cheap as fuck to maintain. Like you said, you basically just have to look for one with a cooling system overhaul and then you're good.

>>14236516
I couldn't find mileage for the first one but the second one is a good option as long as the maintainence is good

>>14236586
the 330i doesnt meet your speed requirement, but the m54 is one of the most reliable modern bmw engines

>>14237879
0-60 is basically right at 6 seconds, it's close enough.

>>14236576
Maybe your friend is stupid

>>14238665
Entirely possible.

Volvo 240, slap on a tarbo, weight reduction.

>>14237879

Agreed.

A 330i is a quick car, and the handling is excellent. A second here or there in some magazine test 15 years ago doesn't really matter, lets be honest.