13 Great Cars for UNDER $3k

three thousand bucks I thought there was more in here no no well I guess that's not a lot in today's day and age but what happens if you need a car but only have three grand well you might be thinking for that kind of money you're gonna have to get a clunker for your future [Music] but I bet you'll be surprised that we came up with 13 ideal choices for only 3 000 bucks or less and one of the cars is so ideal that the ideal team is collectively owned 10 of them buckle up let's go [Music] let's start off this list with one of the best forgotten sports cars ever the Toyota Celica GTS and of course if any of these Ideal Cars Intrigue you well we'll link to our favorites on Auto Tempest down in the description that's right Toyota made a great sports car that can be had for nearly nothing since it's a Toyota you know that they were built to last hundreds of thousands of miles but to build a sports car Toyota needed to do a whole hell of a lot more than just make another reliable car and put a racy looking body on it the perky 1.8 liter 2zz GE engine revs all the way up to a 7 800 RPM Redline which makes it super fun to plant your foot down and row the gears foreign in fact Lotus loved it so much that they even threw it in their Elise and Exige models there is love like this nowadays I don't know I'm a Zoomer and it seems like Lotus might have had a little influence on the Celica because the Celica GTS handles like a Lotus too but at the end of the day the Celica GTS is more than just a sports car it's a Toyota it's reliable cheap and easy to modify it might just be the ideal cheap car and if you close your eyes and you hold on to that shifter it kind of feels like a Ferrari but for three grand you might be hard-pressed to find one so take some advice from me go ahead and click up here and sign up for a free Workshop teaching you how to buy Ideal Cars For Less and sell them for more then go ahead and take a look at this nice example of this 2000 Toyota Celica GTS and yes they are asking more than 3 000 bucks but using what you just learned in the ideal car strategies free Workshop you're going to be able to find a deal and get it for under 3K so great first car on our list but we got a bunch more coming and while we're on the topic of Toyota why don't we stick with them with another Sports card disguised as an economy car yes look no further than the Scion tC like the Celica GTS the Scion tC is a front-wheel drive two-door hatchback the TC is light and torquey which gives it an exciting feel behind the wheel and you don't need to make sacrifices at the pump as the City gets decent gas mileage and the Oh So Sweet Toyota reliability Scion was Toyota's youthful brand aimed at younger buyers more hip and trendy than the typical Toyota customer and the TC was all of that as it was more youthful than a Camry more reliable than a golf and more practical than a mini but the best part about the TC was its price it was cheap and our friend depreciation has made them even cheaper as of today you can pick them up all over the place for less than 3K and plus they come in manual too which you can have a manual shirt up here so what's not to like maybe it's just not fancy enough for you well what about a dimmer how about E46 3 Series does that sound good regardless of your budget the BMW E46 is one of the best options out there as you can find clapped out junkers next to nothing all the way up to the pristine E46 M3 comp package which yes your boy owned a couple of them the E46 3 Series is one of the most versatile ranges of cars ever you want a sedan sure a coop you bet a convertible Let's Go Topless they even come in wagon form to suit all your needs and they come in a variety of Trims and engines from stripped down and counter boxes clear up to the Audubon status speed demons unfortunately you can't buy all of them in our budget but you can still get a range of e46s for under three grand sure the repairs they're going to be a little bit more costly and tedious but it is the perfect car for a new car Enthusiast from drifting to Canyon carving the E46 is a solid Choice thanks to a well-balanced chassis paired with a huge aftermarket Community here at ideal the E46 has been well a staple no matter the budget as we've owned over 2 10 of them over the years and you can find examples with automatic transmissions for under 3K pretty much all day or if you're willing to negotiate a little like a pro you might be able to scoop up a manual for your budget as well regardless of which E46 you choose you will not be disappointed but what if you just want more space in the cramp 3 Series just won't do it well we think that BMW was perfect in the late 90s and early 2000s and so if you want a little more room then the three series why don't you check out an E39 5 Series yes we love the E46 3 Series it is no secret but the E39 5 series might be just as good built in the same era as the E46 3 Series the E39 follows a similar formula they took what worked and perfected it so what's the difference from the E46 well for starters it's bigger than the E46 but it's only offered in sedan and wagon form so that means no E39 Coupes or convertibles well maybe not from the factory but in our mind the sedan and the wagon still suffice everyone knows just how good the E39 M5 is we've owned two of those but other cars in the 5 series range just don't get the love that they deserve they share the same awesome chassis and most of them offer a similar Driving Experience to their more powerful M trim because most are powered by reliable engines that packed a solid punch just as tempting as it might be avoid the m62 V8 engine at all costs it may be tempting but well just look at this 530i one of the higher trim models and that's coming in right around our budget and if you were to ask me I would never expect that to be a three thousand dollar car but say the E39 it isn't cutting it and you need even more space What You Gonna Do Well I'd look at Lexus RX300 the RX300 is the result of top-notch engineering that pushes these SUVs way past 100 200 300 000 miles with routine maintenance the RX 300 comes with a V6 set for a sports car and an interior fit for Mercedes hop in a high mileage example and you'll still think it's brand spanking new aside from the super dated infotainment there's something about the way the RX300 just comes together and that's why there are still so many of them on the road today the all-wheel drive provides confidence in the rain and snow which makes it perfect for so many situations so with all of that luxury I bet you're thinking it'll be way out of your budget but guess what you'd be wrong because you can pick them up for right around three grand and because they are so reliable they're a Toyota high mileage examples can be had for even less so while the RX300 might get you many miles down the road the second you turn off of it it might be a little bit screwed unless you get yourself a Nissan X Dera now unlike the RX 300 the Nissan Xterra is rugged and ready to tackle tough terrain off the beaten path to extera's four-wheel drive system keeps all the wheels crawling for grip even in the toughest conditions and yes while it might be cheap and great at off-roading it does make some compromises mainly when it comes to the interior it's not all that luxurious but hey it's very durable the V6 might not be the most powerful either but it was built to last and if anything breaks it's easy as Legos to fix so if you gotta find that perfect spot off the beaten path the Xterra might be the perfect choice and you can pick them up for under three thousand dollar budget and the nice thing is that you can find them fairly low miles as well you might enjoy the practicality of a big SUV but don't want the downside that comes with a big SUV well Subaru thinks that they have the answer to your dilemma with the Forester thank you the Forester is the jack of all trades it's got the practicality of a wagon drivability of a car and most of the capabilities of an SUV and while the Forester might not be a luxury car the leather-lined interior will provide a decently comfortable space during long road trips or quick jaunts around town and while it might not be the most powerful the EJ motor is well truthfully not our favorite but at least they're plentiful and parts aren't expensive if something does go wrong from the WRX to the Outbacks the EJ is the Beating Heart in millions of cars all across the world the Jack of all trades Forester is cheap too and many of them can be had at right or under our budget plus the all-wheel drive of the Forester makes it a great winter car but it might not be the best on back roads if you still want a practical car that's fun in the twisties then the Infiniti G35 sedan might just be your golden ticket the G35 is a solid choice for any sedan buyer it's sporty reliable and relatively good on gas oh and I forgot to mention luxurious let me ask a question what makes a Subaru WRX so good what it's both sporty and practical well so is the G35 but unlike the Subaru the interior of the G35 is lined in Supple leather and is overall way way more premium and once you romp on the throttle you're gonna throw your passengers and yourself into the seats because the vq35 that powers the G35 is a beast I know that we've all heard the VQ before and maybe it was in another car the 350Z the truth is that both the 350 and the G35 share the same underpinnings so everything that makes the 350 So Good Makes the G35 that good too but one thing that the G35 doesn't share with the 350Z is the used Market price tag today 350s are going for absurd money luckily the same isn't true about the G35 and you can find examples like this for Just 2 900 bucks that is a lot of car for the money if you ask me but not everyone is into sporty cars so what if you want an extremely reliable car and you like the luxury of the G35 but you want the ride quality well up a notch and look no further than the Lexus ES 300. sure it's not as exciting as some of the cars that were mentioned earlier but not everyone wants that some people just want a well-made car that will get them from point A to point Z or B and Lexus capitalized on that with the ES300 many can be found with under 200 000 miles but once you hit that 200k you've just passed the es300s break-in period And while they're just starting to age it's a luxury car that stands the test of time there's just something about its simplistic design its function over form mentality that makes the ES 300 just so good owners have almost no complaints after more than 20 years of ownership and hundreds of thousands of miles of abuse most owners hold on to them but a few let them go for just under three grand with less than 120 000 miles this ES300 might be the best value for your Dollar on this list but what if you don't want the poshness that comes with Lexus well Toyota has got the answer within the Toyota Camry okay come here I'll let you in on a little secret the Camry is kind of the same car as the Lexus it just carries around less sophistication the Lexus was only offered with a big boy six cylinder but with the Camry that engine was optional and a smaller inline four-cylinder was standard the four-cylinder gave the Camry better fuel economy than the Thirsty six pot But whichever one you choose you will not be disappointed as both are reliability royalty and for about the same price as the Lexus you can whip the Camry right past plenty of gas stations before your next fill up but if MPGs aren't your top priority and fun is then the Ford Focus SVT might be for you I'm sure that you've heard of the Chevy Cobalt SS and the Dodge Neon SRT4 but did you know that Ford made a competitor back in the early 200s too way before even the Focus ST Ford had an American entrant in the hot hatch game and they called it the Ford Focus SVT which Hocus Pocus it was essentially a beefed up focus more power stiffer suspension and a racier looking kit made the Ford Focus SVT something special SVT or the special vehicles team are the people responsible for the Savage Ford GT yes you know the early 2000s version in the rebellious for lightning also the one that Brian O'Connor drove so Ford took stock focuses and upgraded them and I bet you're expecting a high price tag but it's actually the cheapest car on our list you can pick them up from around 2 000 bucks and I know some of you just don't like the thought of driving an American car and you'd rather have a German one that's practical reliable and economical well that sounds like you're playing golf today baby but the Volkswagen Golf the golf is the perfect choice if you want a set of wheels one without too many Frills or problems and I can understand some of the people just want Precision German engineering that's you then a Volkswagen Golf will get the job done on and off the course it's gonna get you from t-box to Green every single time and lasts hundreds of thousands of swings or miles without skipping a beat if you take care of it of course sure that orange light will stay on but there's a quick and easy fix for that with that stressed out of the way and some simple routine maintenance golfs will putt way past every other car on the road you know and score a birdie with your budget because they can be scooped up for under par sorry Dad jokes are bad today and if you drive it far enough you might even be able to score a hole in one oh no now while the golf might not be all that exciting in stock form the Acura TL might just be the opposite you see the Acura TL is acura's attempt to make a sedan that isn't dull boring or Bland are you talking about me and the result is a perfect blend of sportiness and reliability it's exactly what you want with nothing more accurate pair to Punchy V6 to a robust chassis that pairs Sport and comfort together sure you could bag on it for being front-wheel drive but it's beefy V6 will Gap most cars of its age on the road today and the best part is how it can be civilized in town yet sporty on the back roads the TL might just be the perfect car for someone with three grand in their pocket they are trading hands for a bit more than three but if you learn how to negotiate like a pro I think you can get it for your budget okay that is the idealist for the best cars under 3K which ones are you shelling out cash for for us the idealist on this idealist is going to be the E46 let us know if we missed anything in the comments below check out some other idealist videos up here or what YouTube recommends you watch down here I'm Brad this is ideal and promise me one thing keep living the IU lifestyle [Music] thank you

Channel: Ideal

Views: 503,423

Keywords: cheap cars for students, cheap cars, best first car, cheap car, top 10, car buying tips, best cars, car buying, buying a car, cheap cars for high schoolers, cheap cars to buy, buying a cheap car, buying a used car, car advice, acura tl, e46, e39, reliable cheap cars, reliable cars, reliable performance cars, Toyota celica, scion tc, Lexus rx300, nissan xterra, subaru forester, infiniti g35 coupe, lexus es, focus svt, srt4

Id: cwjt5_s6EMw

Length: 16min 21sec (981 seconds)

Published: Thu Nov 10 2022