Opinions - Best looking car for under $10k

Intentionally open ended just to see what people think, but for purposes of the exercise, let's look at this from the perspective of impressing non-car people (e.g., I know we all think the Volvo 240 is a beautiful car, but it's not going to impress the kids if I roll up to soccer practice in one). 

Reliability/practicality be damned, but bonus points if it's available with a manual.

I may be biased, but:

/thread

My two cars obviously

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Seriously.  YOu can easily get these two for less than $10K and IMHO they are two of the best looking cars available.  As far as the non car public goes, my beater $5K Boxster gets massive amounts of attention, most people think it's relatively new, not 20 years old.  The Volvo is unusual enough people still ask what it is and how I imported it.

Couple more nominees:

Tom_Spangler said:

Couple more nominees:

 

 

I'm likely in the minority, but I always thought this was one of the uglier Jags there have ever been. Especially when you consider its predecessor and successor. 

Gotta go with a clean old school beetle in terms of drawing the eyes of non car people

Really not sure how the answer to this is anything other than a boxster. 

Since you can't get an FD for under $10K (at least, not a decent one), I'd probably have to go with an SW20. :)

I think I can say my XJR is def a contender.

In reply to Tom_Spangler :

Not getting that m6 under 10k

For impressing kids/non car people a Corvette or Boxster.

C3,C4,C5 are all available.  C3 would probably get the most reaction.

mtn said:

/thread

There are worse ways to spend $7,999

yupididit said:

In reply to Tom_Spangler :

Not getting that m6 under 10k

Best pic I could find of an E24, of which many examples can be had under $10k.

MazdaFace said:

Really not sure how the answer to this is anything other than a boxster. 

Eh... And I say this as someone who really appreciates Boxsters and would like to own one someday, they just aren't that pretty. I mean, they look fine, they aren't ugly, but they're nothing special, styling-wise.

Now, if you could get a Cayman for less than $10k, you'd be talking.

E24 6 series and XK8 are my two favorites in this price category for coupes. The later XJR and E38 Sport for this price category for sedans.

Overall, I'll give the nod to the XK8, especially in convertible form. just beautiful:

Tom_Spangler said:

MazdaFace said:

Really not sure how the answer to this is anything other than a boxster. 

Eh... And I say this as someone who really appreciates Boxsters and would like to own one someday, they just aren't that pretty. I mean, they look fine, they aren't ugly, but they're nothing special, styling-wise.

Now, if you could get a Cayman for less than $10k, you'd be talking.

100% agreed. I've loved the Boxster as long as I have been into cars, but find them wholly uninteresting to look at.

In reply to nderwater :

Er mah gawd, are those really getting under 10k? 

yupididit said:

In reply to Tom_Spangler :

Not getting that m6 under 10k

It will get a pretty decent 635. And it might turn up one of these if you look hard enough.

But for pure style, the Jags are hard to top.

In reply to MadScientistMatt :

8 series would def get all the looks and they come in manual. 

yupididit said:

In reply to MadScientistMatt :

8 series would def get all the looks and they come in manual. 

the V12 cars were available with a manual, but good luck getting one for under $10k. The V8 cars were all 740 bits with automatics.

You can get second gen corvairs that are in good shape and great drivers for that price 

I’d think about classics... maybe a long search ending with a Volvo P1800 or 240Z.  They’ve nearly all moved up over $10k if they’re in decent shape but a few deals are still out there. 944s are also on the rise now...

I bet there are some old Alfas and other pre-Miata era roadsters that would also fit the bill well.

I have a first gen Boxster as a race car project. I find it nice looking but not stellar. Great to drive though and reasonably reliable despite the age, so the total experience is quite good.

Jags are obviously a good answer but reliability is such that you’d have to be ok with looking at it parked sometimes. And so along those lines how about a seriously distressed non-running Aston V8V? If it was in an accident, tow it into the garage with only the pretty (undamaged) side showing lol

In reply to Chris_V :

540 parts car and you can have a manual v8 8 series lol