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Most Expensive Ugliest and Best Looking Cheapest Cars?

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deleted5
Posts: 14507 - Karma: 13,506
I had this conversation today with a friend, and we came to the conclusion if you wanted a hundred thousand dollar looking curb appeal car. For dirt cheap buy a used Lotus for around 30ish grandClick for larger imageI know very little about cars so what your pick NS?
Nov 10 2013 11:10PM
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Charlie_Kelly
Posts: 11954 - Karma: 12,296
Im seriously starting to belive this threads score is higher than OP's IQ.
Nov 13 2013 11:40AM
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yuck
Posts: 8384 - Karma: 2,090
honestly, i dont really know. a used first-gen miata in decent shape, stock, would be a few thousand, the hardtop and body pieces plus freight and installation would easily be another few grand (i know the fastback top costs ~2200 on its own), and then theres the wheels...

finding one for sale that already has the fastback top would be hard because they are pretty uncommon i think.

the thing about that miata is that its a project car that someone has invested in over time, piece by piece. you wouldnt really just buy a car and do all that shit to it at once

but to ballpark it I would say you could have a miata like that for under ten grand. I have no idea though haha

miatabros feel free to chime in
Nov 13 2013 1:02PM
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Bachto
Posts: 400 - Karma: 954
My dad has a Miata that he has built for autocross and he priced it out. He said that with parts and if he did everything except for paint himself it would be around 3.5k-4k i'm sure that would almost double if you had someone else do it.
Nov 13 2013 1:12PM
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scandy101
Posts: 460 - Karma: 19
a good condition miata costs around 4-7k. if you want a 1.8 NA, non M edition, you can find a pretty damn good one for 4k. for another 5-10k you could completely go over everything, reinforcements, coilovers, brakes, engine rebuild, seats, roll bar, wheels etc.. and do all those things well, not cheaping out. and at that point you've got a pretty amazing car for 10-15k. throw in that fastback top and whatever other body stuff you want for another 3k or so and you've got a really expensive miata.... BUT it will outperform pretty much anything else you can get for 15k in terms of all around performance, WHILE being insanely reliable and easy as fuck to work on.
i was instructing a guy in his almost stock engine NA with spec miata suspension, auto-x/track oriented summer tires, on a track day, and i was able to catch some pretty damn fast cars until the long straight, almost passed an STI, and even gained a little on a GTR through a pretty technical section. that was purely because of how much more speed i could carry through corners, its a pretty cool feeling being able to do that in something that costs 5 grand.
personally, id have no problem blowing 20k on a miata.
Nov 13 2013 2:38PM
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scandy101
Posts: 460 - Karma: 19
im talking lower miles, well maintained, no body flaws, etc.. i guess that would qualify as great condition. but yeah you can get a good condition, higher mileage one for like 2-3 that will still last forever.
Nov 13 2013 3:57PM
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special-J
Posts: 1572 - Karma: 4,477
1. Do you have eyes?
2. Have you ever driven one?
3. Considering EVERYONE I have ever talked to about them stands by their reputation of being extremely reliable, do you have any kind of explanation for that last part?


Name another car (excluding the Evo) that is as versatile as the wrx/sti in that price range.
Nov 13 2013 5:17PM
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J.D.
Posts: 21362 - Karma: 5,142

To each their own, but I have eyes and I really dislike the way that car looks. And I don't think he was talking about reliability so much as cheap parts and materials. The cabin experience in that thing, you might as well be driving a Hyundai Accent.

I'm sure it's a fun drive but I'd need more than that if I was going to go this route (I'm not). Basically the idea I was getting at is you have one practical car, and then one that's basically just a toy. If you don't want to spend much on the toy, what would you buy? Then my further question, what if you live in Calgary like me, and want to be able to use your toy more than three and a half months per year?

Nov 13 2013 6:13PM
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XtRemE11
Posts: 5680 - Karma: 246
the older ones look alright, but the newer ones are pretty damn ugly.
I've driven multiple, wrx's and sti's, they're understeering pigs. sure they feel "stiff and sporty" driving around town or well under the limit, but once you approach the limits the things push like a mofo. I drove a friends track prepped sti for 40 min session at a track day, the car had a shit ton of rake, went to the point of running no front sway bar, and had to run retarded shock settings in an attempt to get the front to keep its grip and the thing still had a big understeer problem.
they dont have good steering feel, are decent in snow, but audi's awd system is quite a bit better.

ive seen countless wrx's and sti's in the shop i work for, they arent terrible in terms of reliability, but i wouldnt consider them good by any means, and they certainly arent aging well. and yes the build quality sucks, the interior is pretty much power wheels quality.
there arent many cars as versatile as the wrx, so ill give you that, though the EVO beats it in that catagory. there are plenty of audi's and bmw x-drives id rather have, mini countryman all-4 possibly, r32, golf r, shit, even though its underpowered as hell, id probably take a suzuki sx4 over a wrx.
Nov 13 2013 9:30PM
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cool_name
Posts: 4295 - Karma: 3,131
all awd cars understeer...
Nov 13 2013 10:24PM
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ged.bend
Posts: 156 - Karma: 1,483
also that is not a good looking car if you have ever seen one theyre ugly as shit
Nov 13 2013 11:38PM
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CaptainSlow
Posts: 717 - Karma: 930
wat.
Nov 13 2013 11:53PM
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SassySloth
Posts: 3753 - Karma: 2,095
Click for larger image

Bitches be like "Is that a Ferrari?"
Nov 14 2013 12:01AM
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Twinjibber77
Posts: 6239 - Karma: 2,360
Someone has to have made an AWD one by now. I'm only basing on the fact that i know someone who made and eclipse AWD with all EVO parts.
Nov 14 2013 12:06AM
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Theskiingguy
Posts: 476 - Karma: 2,514
Seriously, for being able to get this car used for 10k it's one crazy good looking and performing car. Nissan 350z, little under 300 hp, 0-60 in a bit over 5 seconds, it's an all around good car. I would say this is one of the best cars for the money (looks and performance wise), next being the subaru wrx, and then nissan gtr. They look and perform so well for what you're paying.

Click for larger image
Nov 14 2013 12:55AM
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Flacko
Posts: 1495 - Karma: 788
Stupid point to make as it does not apply to every car, some more than others, and there are some that don't under steer at all. Also he was comparing it to other awd cars, and in general they under steer more than some of the ones he listed.
Nov 14 2013 1:23AM
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cool_name
Posts: 4295 - Karma: 3,131
It does apply to every car though, and unless he has similar experience tracking other awd cars he can't say they understeer any worse than a similar awd car. If he had driven other awd cars under comparable conditions he would of said so in the orginal post, which he didn't .

Therefore it isn't stupid to point out that all awd cars understeer because it is pointing out that what he experienced is hardly exclusive to wrx's/sti's, rather just a generic trait of all awd cars

Nov 14 2013 3:03AM
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XtRemE11
Posts: 5680 - Karma: 246
ive driven plenty of awd cars, audi's, volvo's, r32 old and new, 964 c4, evo 8 and 10, e30 325ix and none of those had an understeer problem, only tracked the c4, but drove a couple audi's the evo's and ix pretty damn hard, to the point where you get a feel for the balance of the car and i thought all of them were pretty neutral for the most part, rotated well off throttle and slight understeer on throttle, which is how a typical RWD car would handle.
wrx's/sti's inherent balance is to understeer, you can get some response from the front end when your off throttle or trailing off the brakes, but the car is still understeering, it takes some very forceful driving to get the thing to actually rotate, and once you begin to pick up throttle its just a big push from that point on.

even audi's which are well known to have an understeer problem you can at least get a little rotation on entry to compensate for the understeer you will get once you pick up power, and the on power understeer is not nearly as bad in my experience.
Nov 14 2013 4:05AM
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XtRemE11
Posts: 5680 - Karma: 246
ive driven plenty of awd cars, audi's, volvo's, r32 old and new, 964 c4, evo 8 and 10, e30 325ix and none of those had an understeer problem, only tracked the c4, but drove a couple audi's the evo's and ix pretty damn hard, to the point where you get a feel for the balance of the car and i thought all of them were pretty neutral for the most part, rotated well off throttle and slight understeer on throttle, which is how a typical RWD car would handle.
wrx's/sti's inherent balance is to understeer, you can get some response from the front end when your off throttle or trailing off the brakes, but the car is still understeering, it takes some very forceful driving to get the thing to actually rotate, and once you begin to pick up throttle its just a big push from that point on.

even audi's which are well known to have an understeer problem you can at least get a little rotation on entry to compensate for the understeer you will get once you pick up power, and the on power understeer is not nearly as bad in my experience.
Nov 14 2013 4:08AM
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Wompuscat
Posts: 818 - Karma: 380
You are completely incorrect.  There is a silver one that parks at my apartment complex.  Sexy as hell.  There's also a 2013 Maserati Gran Turismo Sport, an E92 M3 coupe, an F10 M5 coupe, an Audi RS5 and a 2013 Porsche Cayman parked there all the time.  Even next to all those, I still think the GTR is a good looking mother fucker. 
Nov 14 2013 4:34AM
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whipple
Posts: 1415 - Karma: 5,167
pretty ugly for $1 mill + (maybach landaulet)

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and imo the evo x is tits

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Nov 14 2013 5:08AM
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theblackrod
Posts: 2162 - Karma: 575
that's exactly what I was going to post. That's probably as close as you can get
Nov 14 2013 8:42AM
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Malcolm
Posts: 15951 - Karma: 9,449
Prettiest cheap vehicle is a jeep
Nov 14 2013 9:07AM
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Ski_the_east01
Posts: 5203 - Karma: 2,304
You ever see the resale price on jeeps?? It's always towards the top of the list for highest resale value, its brutal

Obviously cheap is a relative term when people are posting 300K supercars but I bought my 06 LJ rubicon with 100,000 miles on it for 17 grand!
Nov 14 2013 9:18AM
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yangumane
Posts: 1816 - Karma: 3,346
Rocket Bunny FR-S. about $35k if you get a new car, probably wouldn't be more than $30k if you got the car used. /thread

Feb 3 2014 8:20PM
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Abc567def
Posts: 8756 - Karma: 801
Just bought an 08 wrx hatchback and love it so far. I had always been iffy on the looks of the newer ones but they keep growing on me.

Its been a blast to drive and amazing in the snow.
Feb 3 2014 8:30PM
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yuck
Posts: 8384 - Karma: 2,090
i am happy this thread came back because I thoroughly enjoyed re-reading the entire thing
Feb 3 2014 8:37PM
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last_tango
Posts: 2635 - Karma: 2,665
Feb 3 2014 8:43PM
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DIPED_IN_SAUCE
Posts: 858 - Karma: 2,256
For best looking cheap curb appeal, gotta go with an early 70's benz. You can pick a mint one up off Craigslist for 8k.
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Ugly expensive car is deffinitly the Aston Lagonda
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Feb 3 2014 8:54PM
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steezburgereddie
Posts: 1059 - Karma: 1,945
No his dad only has like 5 million
Feb 3 2014 9:27PM
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whoa-dere
Posts: 10596 - Karma: 7,101
the charger looks mean as hell
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Feb 3 2014 10:12PM
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last_tango
Posts: 2635 - Karma: 2,665
especially when the blues go off.
Feb 3 2014 10:36PM
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SFB
Posts: 8895 - Karma: 26,352
i think VW gti mk2 are really sick, and they are super easy to modify. but i cant find any for sale in the US, they are dirt cheap in europe though.
Feb 3 2014 10:41PM
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DayMan
Posts: 4703 - Karma: 8,730
That video of the fastest Lotus was sick as fuck. Do want.
Feb 3 2014 10:47PM
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yuck
Posts: 8384 - Karma: 2,090
to me it will just always be a cop car

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my hometown has used the late model chargers since they came out
Feb 3 2014 10:50PM
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whoa-dere
Posts: 10596 - Karma: 7,101
so? you wouldn't drive a crown vic?
Feb 4 2014 1:06AM
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deleted5
Posts: 14507 - Karma: 13,506
I OWN BOTH A CROWN VIC AND A CHARGER.
Feb 4 2014 11:21AM
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yuck
Posts: 8384 - Karma: 2,090
never said I wouldnt drive one (i would love to own the SRT charger) but the same thing applies, crown vics especially look like cop cars, to everyone. in my own personal opinion I just wouldnt say the charger is one of the "best looking cheapest cars" as stated in the thread title, because cop car. still a sweet piece of machinery though.
Feb 4 2014 12:08PM
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mattymagoo757
Posts: 92 - Karma: 76
Dude thats my dream affordable car!
Feb 5 2014 9:21PM
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charles1ncharge
Posts: 2 - Karma: 25
Click for larger image
2000 Skyline GTR, fixed that for ya
Mar 24 2014 1:34PM
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b-kul
Posts: 4350 - Karma: 1,111
i lost
Mar 24 2014 2:15PM
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GayWolf420
Posts: 37166 - Karma: 116,481
is it me or does anyone else think that those 4-door porches are fucking horrible?
Mar 24 2014 2:17PM
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whoa-dere
Posts: 10596 - Karma: 7,101
What kinda porch has 4 doors
Mar 27 2014 1:57PM
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shocker611
Posts: 2599 - Karma: 423
and if you're going to put that out there you have to include g35 coupes. Backseat, better looking imo, classy all around car. I am biased though as it is what I drive.
Mar 27 2014 2:55PM
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.AR6rider.
Posts: 15976 - Karma: 8,799
do u even quadruplex, bro?


Mar 27 2014 2:58PM
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DockEllis
Posts: 1131 - Karma: 1,745
2015 Audi A3 is a sharp little sedan starting at 29,900. Apparently they are coming out with a TDI option that will get almost 1000 miles per tank, which holds 14 gallons. That would kick ass.

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Mar 28 2014 8:53AM
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Barefootin_Fiend
Posts: 7618 - Karma: 4,727
try 3.4 million...
Mar 28 2014 9:37AM
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deleted5
Posts: 14507 - Karma: 13,506
I liked all of them so I bought one of each Click for larger image
Mar 30 2014 4:02PM
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