News

Jan 10, 2024

10 Budget

These excellent performance cars can be found for affordable prices on the used car market. Hey Mister! Wanna go fast on a budget? Luckily these 10 Used Cars prove you can have both. Trawling the used

These excellent performance cars can be found for affordable prices on the used car market.

Hey Mister! Wanna go fast on a budget? Luckily these 10 Used Cars prove you can have both. Trawling the used car market can be a minefield. Any cheap ride promising high-speed thrills usually have a hidden secret or two. After all, why would the owner put them up for sale? In reality, there are dozens of reasons why. Good or bad cheap performance is still a tempting prospect. More so with mass-produced cars. For example, Ford's V8 offerings are near bomb-proof when it comes to durability. Great news for Ford fans.

But, American Muscle is not the only way to go. Ever since Nissan launched the Z-car, gearheads have had dozens of choices on offer. Affordable performance cars originating from Japan are one of the fastest-growing niches. Most find their way to US shores at launch, leaving other JDM cars left playing the waiting game. Skylines tend to fall into the latter category, leaving Toyota's Supra to steal all the glory. Being budget-friendly doesn't have to mean being cheap and slow, speed is cheaper than you might think.

Supra is a household name thanks to Toyota's stunning performance credentials. Those credentials are most famously associated with the latter two generations. First the A80 and more recently the brand's tie-up with BMW. But on-screen fame has made the former hot property, with tuners in turn ramping up values on the used market.

But the Supra is still an affordable speed machine in the right generation. Toyota's first attempt at turbocharging the Supra came in 1986 with the A70. A sports coupe that is often overlooked. Anonymity, though, is a good thing. Plumping for the more conservative A70 brings bucket loads of performance for as low as $10,000. Under the hood, Toyota 7M-GTE inline sixes pumped out 231 hp, driving the rear wheels via a 5-speed manual box. Resulting in a top speed beyond 150 mph, the Supra legend was born. Subtle it might be, but the A70 is a worthy consideration for any speed enthusiast.

RELATED: 8 Things We Love About the Mk3 Toyota Supra (2 Reasons Why We'd Never Buy One)

Fancy a thoroughbred without the asking price? Then look no further than Porsches 986 Boxster. Yes, early cars had a few issues with a new engine casting process. Fortunately, Porsche fixed those gremlins under warranty. That means picking up one now on a budget is a pretty safe bet, provided the service book is up-to-date.

Which model to pick? On a tight budget, even the Boxster S is doable for under $20,000. The notion of junior supercar performance for cheap is an enticing prospect. In S-trim, gearheads can experience Porsches M96 smooth power delivery as sixty passes in 5.2 seconds. But, it's not just a speed demon off the line, the Boxster S goes on to set a top speed of 149 mph.

Speed on a budget isn't the sole domain of used sports cars. Gearheads with a performance fetish demanding a more civilized ride could do a lot worse than Chrysler's 300C. Debuting in 2005 the 300 was nothing to get excited about boasting a 190 hp 2.7-liter V6. Hardly the stuff of tire-smoking, tail-out fantasies. Things get better further up the model range, the 300C packing a 5.7-liter HEMI V8 boasting 340 hp.

But, why stop there when for a few dollars more you can have the SRT8? Again, Chrysler bestowed the 300 with a HEMI V8. This time around, adding a few more cubic inches to bring its displacement up to 6.1 liters. The engine's growth did wonders for performance, with 425 hp on tap powering the sedan to sixty in 4.9 seconds. Admittedly, the 300 SRT lacks the visual drama of a sports car, but that just makes it all the more tempting.

Sticking with four doors and budget-friendly performance, BMW M5 is all the performance car you will ever need. On appearances, an ordinary four-door sedan with all the luxury trimmings. Visually, then, not much to get excited about. Only once you slide into the cockpit does the M5 take on a different demeanor. The addition of M badges and buttons indicates the M50 is anything but ordinary.

Turning the ignition key adds further clues to the M5's secret weapon. While gearheads have grown used to M-cars featuring powerful six and eight-cylinder engines, the E60 is different. Up front, BMW managed to find space for a 5-liter V10, making the M5 one of a few cars to use ten cylinders. Yet, the M5 has another secret hiding in plain view. Thumbing the console-mounted M-button unlocks the V10's full 500 hp. The complexity of maintenance aside, the M5 can be yours for under $20,000.

Slightly less subtle is the Jaguar XKR Coupe. Adorned with all manner of vents and grilles, there is no mistaking that the big cat means business. Aside from the cosmetic makeover, Jaguar gave their performance coupe some serious growl. Up front under the aggressive hood line lays one of the greatest V8 engines ever.

While the XKR is no lightweight track star, it does boast some big performance numbers. In pre-2006 cars, Jaguar used a 4.2-liter supercharged V8 cranking out 370 hp, enough to power the coupe to sixty in 5.2 seconds. Yet with a little patience and a few extra dollars later, cars shipped with an enlarged 5-liter V8 rated at 400 hp. Either way, you're looking at 150+ mph performance for under $20,000.

RELATED: Here's Why The Jaguar XKR Is Now A Performance Bargain

Japan's curious car culture doesn't come any more unique than the Mitsubishi Evo IX Wagon. What you're looking at here is not some aftermarket homemade wagon, but a production car. Sadly, Mitsubishi kept this super wagon for the domestic market and capped production at 2,500 cars. Usually, rare rides like this one fetch big sticker prices.

The addition of a bigger load area has done nothing to affect the Evo IXs performance. Powered by the same 2-liter turbocharged 4G63 engine cranking out 280 hp found in the sedan, the wagon manages an impressive 0-60 mph time of 4.9 seconds. Despite its rarity value and WRC pedigree, Evo Wagons rarely fetch above $20,000 at auction.

During the '80s and early '90s, Japanese cars ruled the roost in terms of performance to cost. Fast-forward 30 years and the same is true on the used market. Once a common sight in the US, Nissan's 300ZX Twin Turbo is again gaining popularity.

Prices too are on the increase. Despite a renewed interest in the Z, well-cared-for cars are still a possibility for under $20,000.

What makes the 300ZX such a tempting prospect is its combination of power, speed, and comfort. Think of the Z as a GT bordering on the realms of entry-level supercars of the day, and you will be smiling after every trip. Sure, it was a bit on the heavy side, but that doesn't matter. Nissan bestowed the 300ZX with a 3-liter V6 and two turbochargers, resulting in 300 hp. These are respectable numbers today, let alone at the car's 1989 launch.

Premium brands mean premium price tags, right? Not always! Scouring the classifieds turns up some surprising bargains. With surprisingly little effort, we turned up a 2007 low-mileage Mercedes SLK55 AMG for $23,750. That low figure represents a lot of performance with a desirable AMG badge. But why? The AMG falls foul of its prestige, with gearheads assuming running costs are going to be high. Most owners prefer to pass on the SLK55 before things start to go wrong.

This makes good reading for budget-conscious speed demons. Mercedes built quality is one of the best in the industry, so finding a low-milage AMG model makes for a safer used car buy. So, what does a used AMG bargain do for your lust for speed? The answer lies under the hood with a 5.5-liter V8 chucking out 335 hp, powering the roadster to sixty in 4.3 seconds.

Despite some great bargain performance cars listed so far, nothing beats the Ford Mustang. From the outset, Ford aimed the famous pony car at blue-collar workers. Naturally, cheap when new translates especially well to the used car market. Where 2017 Mustang GTs are plentiful around the $20,000 mark.

Offering rock-bottom prices is a specialty of Ford, making the best use of economies of scale. In turn, greater sales drive development and production costs down. It's a self-sustaining circle that works brilliantly. At under twenty grand, you might expect some sacrifices, but you'd be wrong. In the sixth gen GT spec, Ford gives its loyal customer base a 5-liter V8 rated at 435 hp, capable of hitting sixty in 4.3 seconds.

Related: 10 Reasons Why The Ford Mustang GT Is The Best Value-For-Money Muscle Car On The Market

Pontiac's last-ditch efforts at staying in business, the GTO is an understated muscle car. Despite a big V8 engine and enough torque to light up the rear tires on demand, the GTO flopped. A flawed design? Not likely. Rather a tepid reception among gearheads hoping for a modern-day take on the 60s muscle car. All of which is good news for fans of speed and not spending too much.

Prices kick off around $10,000 for a well-used GTO is a safe bet, with the LS series V8 able to cover 300,000 miles. There are a couple of choices on offer. Earlier GTOs shipped with a 5.7-liter LS1 V8, boasting 350 hp and a top speed of 160 mph. Following on in an attempt to boost sales, Pontiac upped the ante with a 6-liter LS2 and 400 hp. In either, you're looking at a proper muscle car and adrenalin-pumping performance.

Sources: Ford, GM, Jaguar Heritage, BMW Blog,

Raised in a car-obsessed environment from an early age ensured a keen interest in anything car-related. first and foremost an F1 fan, but also an avid follower of other motorsports. Professional background working closely with a well established UK based Supercar manufacturer in recent years.