Norms Ten Car Garage under $10,000
So, you looked at the three almost-supercars I just gave you, and said... meh.
Or, you decided that more variety is what you really need in your life.
Or, you decided that paying $100,000 for a car that you will only get to use rarely and will depreciate rapidly just does not make that much sense. In that case, I give you this: a ten car garage for $100,000 which would give you the perfect car for every day of the year, every mood that you are in, and every member of the opposite (or same) sex that you wish to impress at any given time.
10 cars. Each car costs just about $10,000, dealer pricing.
There is no particular order here, as these are not necessarily my favorite 10 cars under $10,000 but rather the creation of a near-perfect garage for far far less than the Sultan of Brunei or Jay Leno money: the dream garage for only $100,000.
1) 1999 BMW M3 2dr.
It has a sublime inline 6 cylinder engine, fantastic handling with direct simple communication to the driver. It has none of the electronic gimmicks which make later BMWs so annoying, it is reliable, and looks great. Sure, by today's standards 240hp is not that much, but the seat of the pants feel in this car really sets it apart.
What it is for: Good weather. Other than that, it does everything, and will always be fun.
2) 2001 Audi S4 Stage II.
This is why you got the 2dr M3 - need something more practical, use the s4. Put high-performance all-seasons on it and tear it up all year round in this AWD beast. Torquey v6 twin turbo motor means tons of pull - Stage II means it has been upgraded to about 320hp - a common conversion on these cars. This is one of the ultimate Q-cars: incredibly fast, but looks like an older A4 to the untrained eye.
What it is for: Bahn burning, in any weather, at any time, anywhere. Also fun in the twisties, but due to its heavy weight not as fun as others on this list
3) 1997 Chevy Corvette
Dealer retail is a hair above $10,000 but its so close I dont care, and a lot of the other cars are $1,000 or more under 10k, so you should have cash left over. 1997 was the first year of the C5 Corvette, replacing the long running (83-96) C4 model. The C5 is an American classic, with 340hp and 350lb torque out of a 5.7L V8 which is about as refined as a hot dog at a ball game. And just as good. Handling is superb, the looks are classic, and for a warm sunny day it will be sure to make you smile.
What it is for: good weather, big cruising, a few twisties and a lot of straightaways
4) 2003 Subaru WRX
Sadly, because rexes hold their value like Faberge Eggs, I have to tell you to buy the bug-eyed 2003 WRX rather than the much better looking 2005 WRX. Alas. However, it is the same car under the sheet-metal, and that car is a legend. Light weight (3000lbs), AWD, turbo engine and great handling combine to make this an all-around high performance tool. Put summer tires on and you can hit the track, put studded tires on and Maine takes warning.
What its for: dirt, snow, ice, gravel, sand, good weather, bad weather, whenever you feel like tearing it up in a pocket rocket gremlin
5) 2002 Mini Cooper (with Union Jack)
This car has by far the least horsepower on this list, only 163. But if I were tear-assing around the heart of London, or Boston, or New York, this is what I would pick. It is damn fun the rest of the time too. I have heard people say it is also practical. Shenanigans. Practically the size of a shoe box? Practically invisible to an 18-wheeler? Practically able to park in a motorcycle spot? It ain't practical, but I dont care. I want one. You can leave the Union Jack of if... no, you cant.
What its for: turning any city into Super Mario Cart. Other cars are Bowser, yellow traffic lights are power-ups, and orange cones signify banana peels.
6) 2000 Honda S2000
This is one of the most unique cars ever made. A 120hp/liter engine (more than a Ferrari, per liter), a 9000rpm red line, and what is quite possibly the best gearshifter on any car ever made. Seriously, more praise has been heaped on that stick than any other in history... dont think about that one too much... Because of all that however, you better love to shift. The car's power mostly comes at over 6000rpm. That is insane. I have driven turbos (WRX, Porsche 944 Turbo S, Audi S4) where the power really kicks in over 3000rpm. Fine. But 6000? It means that if you really want to drive, you are hunkered down behind a wailing demon.
What its for: short drives of pure high-rpm shift-at-the-last-second back-roads-loving summer fun. If this doesn't get your heart going, you are already dead.
7) 2001 Jeep Wrangler Sahara
At this point in your garage you are probably thinking "sure, I have a lot of sports cars, but what about an offroad toy?" And here it is. The defining offroad toy of the last.. well, of forever. The Sahara comes with all the bells and whistles designed to make sure that Rubicon to Nantucket dunes you are not getting stuck, stopped, or in any way flustered. Sure, the doors come off, the roof comes off, the bumpers fall off and the whole thing shakes like a can full of dry beans at over 55mph, but damn if they are not fun going down a rocky trail on a warm summer day with the top off.
What its for: playing in the dirt
8) 1997 Jaguar XK8
This is one of the defining cars of my youth. Scratch that. It is the defining car of my youth, at least as far as cars that I never got to be around. I sat in one once at the Philadelphia auto show, when I was about 13. I had about 10 books on Jaguar. The XK8 is gorgeous, gorgeous in a way that few people, places, or things on this earth are gorgeous. You want to just look at it, for hours. To me, it defined the new Jaguar. Hell, every Jag and especially Aston Martin since the XK8 is really just a derivative of this design. And who can blame them? You can practically see the muscular leaping cat in the flanks of the car. Sure, it is not all that powerful (290hp), not that sporty (3900lbs, soft suspension), and not that reliable. But I just dont care. This + sunny day + girlfriend/wife (or possibly no girlfriend/wife) = perfect drive.
What its for: cruising, top down, sun in your hair. You are Thomas Crown.
9) 2002 Chevy Silverado 1500HD Crew Cab/Chevy Suburban
You need a truck. You may not know you need a truck, but you do. It makes your life simpler , and easier. If you have a lot of kids, get the Suburban, otherwise get the pickup. They are basically the same underneath: surprisingly decent to drive, lots of acceleration from the big 285hp GM V8, reliable and a workhorse.
What its for: Hauling shit. Whether that shit be kids or boats or skis, these trucks haul your shit.
10) 1998 Merecedes S600
I normally dislike Mercedes. I actually normally dislike them quite a lot. They are generally big boring German sedans that handle as well as a wheelbarrow with three bags of quickcrete in it. And the S600 is... not that different. But it does have a 400hp V12 engine. Which makes up for a lot. When everything else is just too small and underpowered, this is your sled. Forget the twisty back-roads, this is for cruising the highway at 150mph. While cornering commodities markets over your cell phone.
What it is for: turning a 4 hour trip into a 2 hour trip. Also, displacing dictators in small African countries.
So there you have it, a dream garage that satisfies your every desire for under $100,000. Honestly, this is a hell of a list of cars to be able to put together so cheaply. If you really, really loved cars, this would be the way to go rather than one $100,000 beast you put 3,000 miles a year on. And damn would this garage be fun to have. Since they are dealer prices and everything but the 'vette is under 10k, you are probably looking at more like 8k a car with a little work. Put your extra 20k towards the garage you are going to need...
As a side note, every car on the list other than the three trucks and Mercedes jet-powered brick would be bought with manual transmissions. If you really want to drive, manuals are just better. However, the Chevys and the Merc-tank don't offer them, and the one place an automatic is actually better is offroading, so get your Wrangler with the slushbox.
Have Fun,
Norm
P.S. If anyone actually puts this garage together, please send me an invite. To move in.
Or, you decided that more variety is what you really need in your life.
Or, you decided that paying $100,000 for a car that you will only get to use rarely and will depreciate rapidly just does not make that much sense. In that case, I give you this: a ten car garage for $100,000 which would give you the perfect car for every day of the year, every mood that you are in, and every member of the opposite (or same) sex that you wish to impress at any given time.
10 cars. Each car costs just about $10,000, dealer pricing.
There is no particular order here, as these are not necessarily my favorite 10 cars under $10,000 but rather the creation of a near-perfect garage for far far less than the Sultan of Brunei or Jay Leno money: the dream garage for only $100,000.
1) 1999 BMW M3 2dr.
It has a sublime inline 6 cylinder engine, fantastic handling with direct simple communication to the driver. It has none of the electronic gimmicks which make later BMWs so annoying, it is reliable, and looks great. Sure, by today's standards 240hp is not that much, but the seat of the pants feel in this car really sets it apart.
What it is for: Good weather. Other than that, it does everything, and will always be fun.
2) 2001 Audi S4 Stage II.
This is why you got the 2dr M3 - need something more practical, use the s4. Put high-performance all-seasons on it and tear it up all year round in this AWD beast. Torquey v6 twin turbo motor means tons of pull - Stage II means it has been upgraded to about 320hp - a common conversion on these cars. This is one of the ultimate Q-cars: incredibly fast, but looks like an older A4 to the untrained eye.
What it is for: Bahn burning, in any weather, at any time, anywhere. Also fun in the twisties, but due to its heavy weight not as fun as others on this list
3) 1997 Chevy Corvette
Dealer retail is a hair above $10,000 but its so close I dont care, and a lot of the other cars are $1,000 or more under 10k, so you should have cash left over. 1997 was the first year of the C5 Corvette, replacing the long running (83-96) C4 model. The C5 is an American classic, with 340hp and 350lb torque out of a 5.7L V8 which is about as refined as a hot dog at a ball game. And just as good. Handling is superb, the looks are classic, and for a warm sunny day it will be sure to make you smile.
What it is for: good weather, big cruising, a few twisties and a lot of straightaways
4) 2003 Subaru WRX
What its for: dirt, snow, ice, gravel, sand, good weather, bad weather, whenever you feel like tearing it up in a pocket rocket gremlin
5) 2002 Mini Cooper (with Union Jack)
This car has by far the least horsepower on this list, only 163. But if I were tear-assing around the heart of London, or Boston, or New York, this is what I would pick. It is damn fun the rest of the time too. I have heard people say it is also practical. Shenanigans. Practically the size of a shoe box? Practically invisible to an 18-wheeler? Practically able to park in a motorcycle spot? It ain't practical, but I dont care. I want one. You can leave the Union Jack of if... no, you cant.
What its for: turning any city into Super Mario Cart. Other cars are Bowser, yellow traffic lights are power-ups, and orange cones signify banana peels.
6) 2000 Honda S2000
This is one of the most unique cars ever made. A 120hp/liter engine (more than a Ferrari, per liter), a 9000rpm red line, and what is quite possibly the best gearshifter on any car ever made. Seriously, more praise has been heaped on that stick than any other in history... dont think about that one too much... Because of all that however, you better love to shift. The car's power mostly comes at over 6000rpm. That is insane. I have driven turbos (WRX, Porsche 944 Turbo S, Audi S4) where the power really kicks in over 3000rpm. Fine. But 6000? It means that if you really want to drive, you are hunkered down behind a wailing demon.
What its for: short drives of pure high-rpm shift-at-the-last-second back-roads-loving summer fun. If this doesn't get your heart going, you are already dead.
7) 2001 Jeep Wrangler Sahara
At this point in your garage you are probably thinking "sure, I have a lot of sports cars, but what about an offroad toy?" And here it is. The defining offroad toy of the last.. well, of forever. The Sahara comes with all the bells and whistles designed to make sure that Rubicon to Nantucket dunes you are not getting stuck, stopped, or in any way flustered. Sure, the doors come off, the roof comes off, the bumpers fall off and the whole thing shakes like a can full of dry beans at over 55mph, but damn if they are not fun going down a rocky trail on a warm summer day with the top off.
What its for: playing in the dirt
8) 1997 Jaguar XK8
This is one of the defining cars of my youth. Scratch that. It is the defining car of my youth, at least as far as cars that I never got to be around. I sat in one once at the Philadelphia auto show, when I was about 13. I had about 10 books on Jaguar. The XK8 is gorgeous, gorgeous in a way that few people, places, or things on this earth are gorgeous. You want to just look at it, for hours. To me, it defined the new Jaguar. Hell, every Jag and especially Aston Martin since the XK8 is really just a derivative of this design. And who can blame them? You can practically see the muscular leaping cat in the flanks of the car. Sure, it is not all that powerful (290hp), not that sporty (3900lbs, soft suspension), and not that reliable. But I just dont care. This + sunny day + girlfriend/wife (or possibly no girlfriend/wife) = perfect drive.
What its for: cruising, top down, sun in your hair. You are Thomas Crown.
9) 2002 Chevy Silverado 1500HD Crew Cab/Chevy Suburban
You need a truck. You may not know you need a truck, but you do. It makes your life simpler , and easier. If you have a lot of kids, get the Suburban, otherwise get the pickup. They are basically the same underneath: surprisingly decent to drive, lots of acceleration from the big 285hp GM V8, reliable and a workhorse.
What its for: Hauling shit. Whether that shit be kids or boats or skis, these trucks haul your shit.
10) 1998 Merecedes S600
I normally dislike Mercedes. I actually normally dislike them quite a lot. They are generally big boring German sedans that handle as well as a wheelbarrow with three bags of quickcrete in it. And the S600 is... not that different. But it does have a 400hp V12 engine. Which makes up for a lot. When everything else is just too small and underpowered, this is your sled. Forget the twisty back-roads, this is for cruising the highway at 150mph. While cornering commodities markets over your cell phone.
What it is for: turning a 4 hour trip into a 2 hour trip. Also, displacing dictators in small African countries.
So there you have it, a dream garage that satisfies your every desire for under $100,000. Honestly, this is a hell of a list of cars to be able to put together so cheaply. If you really, really loved cars, this would be the way to go rather than one $100,000 beast you put 3,000 miles a year on. And damn would this garage be fun to have. Since they are dealer prices and everything but the 'vette is under 10k, you are probably looking at more like 8k a car with a little work. Put your extra 20k towards the garage you are going to need...
As a side note, every car on the list other than the three trucks and Mercedes jet-powered brick would be bought with manual transmissions. If you really want to drive, manuals are just better. However, the Chevys and the Merc-tank don't offer them, and the one place an automatic is actually better is offroading, so get your Wrangler with the slushbox.
Have Fun,
Norm
P.S. If anyone actually puts this garage together, please send me an invite. To move in.
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