Car and Driver's Best Cars for $20K

Editor-in-Chief

I’m generally a fan of Car and Driver, but I thought their recent list of the best used cars for $20k was lame. No offense to people who own any of these cars, but with the exception of the EVO, none of their picks would be on my list of rides to look at for $20k or less. Here’s my list, which I cooked up in less than three minutes. I kept it to fairly late model stuff, otherwise you’d see a ‘69 Road Runner on here. I also didn’t bother with any new cars (the Car and Driver list had two) or trucks or SUVs.

S197 Ford Mustang GT, Dodge Magnum SRT8, Chevy Corvette C5, Porsche 993, BMW e46 M3, Nissan 350Z, Infiniti G35, Subaru WRX STi, Mitsubishi EVO IX, Mazdaspeed3.

So what’s your list?

Car and Driver's Best Cars for $20K

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Posted at 9:15 am in Car and Driver

Comments

retroman
Sep 17, 2009 at 7:09 pm

Yep, you pretty much nailed it, Rob. Well, it would be nice if the 2007 Shelby GT500 was already on there, but give it 3-4 more years and it will be. When it is… Woohoo, 500 factory ponies to play with!!! (although it saddens me and excites me a little that the average GT model will prolly be making that much by then)

shaved6
Sep 17, 2009 at 8:05 am

I live in Michigan and not even a gift from God could deliver half of those cars to my driveway for under 20k!

MYIROCDAYTONA
Sep 17, 2009 at 7:53 am

You find me an Evo thats not salvage title or insane mileage for under 20k and I’ll buy it on the spot! Not going to happen though, where did they do research?

Esoteric18
Sep 16, 2009 at 7:32 am

You could of added a WS6 or an ss but thats a good list none the less

Chris Borrelli
Sep 16, 2009 at 4:37 am

I would have to agree with your list.

JoeCool97Formula
Sep 15, 2009 at 5:16 pm

What is wrong with any of those used cars. And what the hell is so damned great about the FUGLY EVO you ricers are so insane over?

whtfocus77
Sep 15, 2009 at 2:06 pm

i dont agree with the infiniti, the newer models yes. but the old models after a while you feel like your just driving a altima

Guyon
Sep 15, 2009 at 12:37 pm

My problem is that most of my favorite cars under 20k are for under 8k.

troutster52
Sep 15, 2009 at 11:34 am

Assuming we are talking late-model cars, I think that the list would have more merit if it were under 15K or 10K because that would be a lot more limiting. For me, that would land some picks like a 928 or 944, a 98-2000 WRX, a Mercury Marauder, and maybe some Datsun representation. That would make for a lot more character in a pile of cars.
Sticking with the 20K price tag in a late model, I’d do an 03 Mach 1, a Mini Cooper S, an e46 M3 (good thinkin there Rob), an RX-7, an IS300, a CTS-V, an AWD R32, a GTO, an RS2000 (if I could find one),and a VW Phaeton
All this of course is assuming I am just getting a toy car, and not an everyday driver. Otherwise, a Bronco or F150 is more my style, just not as exciting.

TOPlamborghini
Sep 15, 2009 at 10:52 am

Wait, since when were Corvettes and Porsches under 20k?