Fill Your Dream Garage: Three Slots, $25,000 Budget

Let's say that you are given $25,000 to fill your dream garage, with the only rule being you must buy three cars—no other strings attached.

So, what would you buy? Three cars that go together or completely different machines? Everything from the same marque, or keep your portfolio divers…

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The best stock R53 MINI I can find, a low mileage NA/NB Miata, and some grandfather's pristine Lexus LS400...........can you tell I'm about to turn 69?

$25000 for 3 cars is a bad dream

cleanest Low mileage NA Miata for modding

cleanest low mileage first generation double cab 4x4 Tundra I can find 

dual sport motorcycle for offroad shenanigans 

BMW e36 m3. VW Thing. 2002 - 2004 Escalade for tow duty.  

Three brand new, bone stock, stick shift, Mitsubishi Mirage hatchbacks.

Start spec racing series based on above purchase.

My current Civic built the way I want it. My Honda Element with some fixes/mods. Early 90s imported classic Mini.

Only on GRM are you given a budget that averages under $8500 each for three dream cars ;)

I'm going to pick three from my stable: 1985 CRX Si, Jeep XJ all-arounder, 1966 Cadillac sedan de Ville. That should give me enough to buy really nice examples of each. Gives some nice variety: 4, 6 and 8 cylinders, FWD, 4WD, RWD. Automatic, manual. 1900-4500 lbs. 10-33 mpg :)

Or, for bonus points, I get the twin-engined Car and Driver CRX. WIth some negotiation, I think that's attainable in the budget.

I like VCH's idea but not enough to copy it. 
 

my categories are: comfy family cruiser, utility work pig, toy. 
 

1: my current MGM was bought for $3700 all told 

2: barn-door big-block 'Burban. Betting $7000 buys the nicest one there is, so the work pig I'd buy should be roughly $4k.

3: currently obsessed with Twins, and the remaining $17300 should buy a decent early car with budget for suspension and exhaust/tune. 
 

final answer, Regis. 

Dream Garage filled (3 cars) for $25,000....unlikely. 3 Project cars maybe.....But if you handed me 25K and an empty garage its going to be 3 Hotwheels and Tools, Tools, Tools!!!!1

1) $12K Seuqoia mild overland build.

2) $5k Rav4 daily/beater

3) $8k NA/NB or NC Miata autox toy.  Either 2.5 NC or NB with boost.  10" wheels, 245s.  Competitive in local unlimited-ish street tire class.

3 w108's. 

I think I'm there.  I'm 10K deep in a turbo NA build right now, and $7500 each for the VR6 Passat DD sportwagon and 2004 QS Suburban tow pig/family hauler.

Look at me with a dream garage!

Hard to do this when my 5 current cars are worth less that 25k already. Can I just buy more garages?

If I had to chose, 

D21 Nissan with the K24DE and 4WD. Drop some gears in it and 33s

Keep the Integra in the driveway for ripping around town

The best 944S2 I can find with the remaining budget. 

Wouldn't change much from what I have except to have nicer ones of each. 

NA/NB Miata, maybe boosted, maybe V6 swapped. Tight within budget unless I'm doing it myself as planned.

e28, 5 speed. Current is automatic and paint is terrible. Nice looking (non M5) ones pop up for 5-8k maybe.  

Truck. Currently have a 96 F350, into it maybe $3500, and I'm pretty happy with it.  

3 E36 M3boxes.

Are these the only 3 vehicles I can have?

1.6 liter Miata.

1964-1966 Thunderbird with the 429

Later Grand Wagoneer with an LS swap and the real early round headlight and center chrome grille.

That should be less than $25k, since I like scruffy cars.

1. Minitruck of some sort to handle truck stuff. Manual trans. Could be made to handle or lifted for offroad functionality to pull double duty. $5-7k

2. Late 70s mid 80s American wagon. Fairmont, Malibu, etc for a fun, unique family cruiser with enough aftermarket to tweak it over time. $8-10k

3. Lexus GS/LS400. Something that I wouldn't have to touch. Modern-ish safety and comfort for the whole family. $8-10k

Acro-Sport II biplane, pre-69 GM 4 door hardtop, and a $500 motorcycle project. 

So they have to be stock, or can they be modified with that being in the budget? 

I already own it- almost. 
 

- Ford F-150 crew can with a 3.5L Ecoboost

- R53 JCW

- 1931 Ford Model A Tudor SURVIVOR. No mods at all. 
 

I've $27,200 in them. With a little better shopping...

I might trade the Tudor for a Cabriolet with a rumble seat, but that might break the budget.  I'd probably want an R53 in a different color than I've got. 
 

I'd consider a turbo Miata instead of the R53, but it would break the budget. 

First gen Toyota 4-Runner

Mazda RX8

Lada 1200, and i'd swap in a Fiat twin cam and work the hell out of the chassis.

I'm 2/3s of the way there now.

72 Datsun 1200 vintage race car - $9,071.00

87 Novakar F500 vintage race car - $6,700.00

That leaves me $9,229.00 for a clean NA Miata.