10 BEST CARS YOU CAN BUY UNDER $3K (in 2024!) 

I love how many times a year they rehash this same video with the same 50 cars, and I watch it every time. Great videos guys

I've had 3 EG civics and 1 EF. Awesome first cars. You can drive em like you stole em all day. "Red line every time" was my motto and I really stuck to it. The last one I had I sold for $600 @270k mi. The rear end really needs better grip over stock, which should include some buff sway bars to keep that rear trailing during tight turns. Not to mention needing some good coilovers. There's a ton of aftermarket support for these cars and a lot of the engine bay can be swapped between the EG and the EK generations, such as engine mounts, transmissions, engines, ECUs, etc. What's more, doing a B18 swap on one of these is pretty easy. Around a decade ago when I worked on these the most, you could pickup a used D15 engine for $500. A new imported JDM engine would run around $4k. I was swapping starters and alternators for $80 per. Parts were cheap and plentiful. Water pumps and timing belts were 2hr jobs. I did a trans swap with my brother, which included the clutch, in 4hrs flat. Most of the gaskets are formed, meaning the RTV guesswork isn't needed. Maintenance is also super easy. The intake, the exhaust, the fuel injectors, even the fuel filter are all really easy to get to. It might take 30min to replace a starter. It's right on top of the transmission, you don't even need to jack up the car. Not to mention the entire oil pan can be pulled just by removing the downpipe. For a fledgeling auto enthusiast, there is no better platform for getting your hands dirty and maintaining a vehicle that's very forgiving of loads of abuse. I'm personally a fan of the SOHC D16Z6 found in the EX and Si models. It's not a powerhouse out of the gate, but these can be boosted for under $3k (T3 turbo kit plus PnP ECU). The engine will take around 10psi without modding any of the internals. There are some drawbacks though. The block is aluminum, open deck, and sleved. Meaning, to get serious power out of these engines, serious money needs to be spent. If you're looking for over 200hp from an NA 2.0 engine, look no further than a JDM spec K20A, found in the 01-06 Civic and Integra Type Rs. If I didn't love RWD so much, I'd still be driving Civics. Honda knows what's up when it comes to maintenance-driven engineering. Great video, a lot of good cars on this list. Not so sure about the Celica. The older ones I can get behind, but I've never liked the one featured here. I get Echo vibes from that car. The Celica Scotty has/had is about the newest I'll go with that model. Like the Tiburon, that car has always just looked ugly to me. The older Celicas were win. Until next time, Cheers.

where are you finding a Eclipse 2g for even around 3k

i grew up with a TC and i can confidently say it was the most fun car i’ve ever owned

5k or under sounds more realistic.

Love your videos

thanks for this video im still to young to buy a car well drive one at least but im still looking for a nice ride for when i get my license and these are cars i like a lot

Just get a Crown Victoria and you'll be happy.

Great Video Brad! Hope you are well!

I dig the new logo

95-04 v6 mustang the 3.8 is reliable and paired with the manual it’s fun

Do the top 10 ideal trucks under $3000

this is why i watch ideal media

these r fire

Would like to see cobalt ss on the list but its just out of budget range i guess

I have had 7 e36s and don't regret not one lol

Best salesman ever 😎

The TC can get a factory blower from TRD 😅

I’m taking the Eg. It only came with the single cam engines in America but they’re indestructible. They handle great, they get good gas mileage even with mods, they look great, and your parents won’t yell at you for wanting an Audi.

Corolla e11 are nice as well.

If you find a 92-96 C4 for 3 grand or under its going to be a huge project car!!! You ain't buying a say a 94 corvette that runs and drives for 3 Gs!! If you find one that cheap it's going to need to be towed home!!! The low blue book on my 92 is $7,200 with needs TLC! Tender loving care!!!

you cant find a 2 door 2.5 rs for 3k not unless it is crumbling

I heard the Celica and the C4 corvette came with some oil pump issues

If i had 3k rn, the C4 would be an insta grab, though i like my civics.....

what website should I look to buy from?

What about Toyota celica vii if I get one for little under 4,5k.

hay can you possibly put the gen3 Mitsubishi eclipse on one of these videos my dad owns one and i think its a good car because me and my dad have had it for a while now and not to many problems have popped up dont have to ofc but i would like to see it happen (btw they are cheap)

Nice Honda fit pun Brad 🎉

Where's the best place to find these cars?

I had a 05 Impreza 2.5RS with the 5 speed manual I wracked it sadly totaled it 😢

How much would it cost for a Safari Impreza? Seeking real advice here. Great vid as always brad!❤

Hello. I think a Seat Leon should fit in perfectly :)

If I was given $3000, I'm getting the Scion TC.

I'm gonna have to snag a impreza

I am taking either the Civic or the CRV just can't beat that Honda reliability

Imprezave!

BROOOOO, they ain’t lying for that E36, found one for 2500, 318i with 240k miles!!!! WOW just broken in…….🙄

Living in Italy 1 maybe 2 cars in this list are cheap, the celica and maybe the crv. Can't find a c4 under 15-20k nor any scion or a good engine eg

Love the content but where I live all of these cars are 25k plus

Im from the Netherlands can you make a video for cheap cars in the Netherlands ?😢

Honda Accords gotta be on this list too

Crossfire art 6

Bro i want an eg so bad

i feel blessed to have an FA5 Civic Si as my first car, learned stick with it and it recently crossed 203K miles needs a bit of work, but for only $4K, i can't really complain TOO much

BRO AN EG FOR 3k???? 😂😂😂😂

Where is the vw golf R 😢

Dayum ! Third place 🥉

pretty much all of these cars will either be rusted, beat up, high mileage and abused for 3k and under. Nothing is cheap now. 5-8k is the new "cheap"

Laser was first gen dropped for 2nd

I'd get the Fit.

Here in nz thse are 20k+ 😭

Maybe More realistic for 3k - mk4 Gti, Toyota matrix Xrs/ vibe gt . Ford focus svt . Nissan ser spec v

There are no 2g lasers...only 1g for plymouth. Talons and Eclipses for 2nd gen only.

The eg fs

Let's goo

Find a B5 or B6 Audi A4. Factory turbo charged 4 cylinder and usually AWD.

A TL for $3k seems impossible...a TSX would be a bit more realistic.

Good luck finding any of these running for under 3k

None of these will really ever go for 3k add 5-9k on these and it will be more realistic

half of these are more than 3k, the other half are too popular to be on marketplace for longer than a day

2.5rs for under 3k? I'll have whatever your smoking. NEVER buy a subaru for under 3k unless you want rust or to completely rebuild it.

the impreza is probebly 60k+ in denmark

Maybe only the tc will be 5k but the drift tax and 90's tax is real

Let us start a race!

I WOULD GO FOR THE ACURA TL PERSONALLY. HEY, UH, BRAD.... MAY I BORROW $3K FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME? LOL

Why I can’t seems to find any of these for 3K and if there are any in my area (Chicago) there automatic with 250k miles 😢 I just keep disagreeing in disbelief as the video continued 😂😢

Where do I buy these cars? Facebook Market place?

Its sad for me in germany that some of these dont cost 3k but 30k

You'd be lucky to find any of these below 10k from what I'm seeing, unless they are salvage title or damn near inoperable.

And there goes the CRV bro taxes

Yoooo minute ago :O

Dude there’s like at least 30grand into all these cars you’re showing, where are you finding these for 3 grand nevermind 10 grand lol

Yeah, I just searched all these cars. Can’t find any under 5k for a busted one.

Nah, the 318i is not a good pick if you plan on modding it since you can get little to no power gains from those 4 cyl engines without spending a small fortune on them. If you really want a e36 (and you should, it's a great platform) your best bet are the 6 cylinder models. Not the 320i though, sorry!

Maybe old rusted out none running cars that are 25 years old costs 3k$ everything else that is in ok shape costs 7k$ and up. I saw 2006 Salvaged Titled 06 Acura Tl with cracked dash costs 6k$ not included taxes and other fees.

The E36 is not reliable, but it's the most fun 👌

Scion tc manual

Ideal suvs for my broke ass. 3k whips.

TL is the only proper way to go… no I’m not biased🤥

Dude C4 in my country costs 20k

What u smoking to think u can get that c4 for under 3k😭

a c4 for 3k!? where!?

mannnnn tell me where ur finding a 2.5 rs that isnt beat to hell and running for under 3k... naaaa man... yea mayb ul find one for under 3k, but that things gunna need hella work.

2.5rs no contest

2.5 rs for less than 3k is pretty much bs. I guess if you buy one with no motor and lots of rust. Most of these will have rust. Plus, the cost of Subaru parts is a lot for so little gain. Mitsubishi interior is super cheap and doesn't hold up.

changed logo?

Sadly none of these are under 3k.. well descent ones atleast.

i would by the civic..

i thought this was 3k not 30k

🤣 this line up is from need for speed underground 2 upon the start of the game when I was in high school 🤣. I don’t think any of these cars are 3 k today in an kind of decent condition to call it reliable let alone ready to modify via long miles needing a rebuild of motor trans and suspension. Many of those cars were already dogged out by you guessed it teenagers from my gen that grew up aka your parents 🤣. What I did is go buy a 3rd gen camaro with a small block Chevy and built that on the cheap sounded good and was light then sold it for more than I spent and bought a new edge mustang at the time to make way more power on the cheap with a nicer interior. Wasn’t a fan of going the rice route like 90% of people then raced them and beat them every-time. Although the ford focus st and neon srt4 were pretty quick for the time.

I swear car owner just holding there 2k car just for a video like this to jack up there shitbox -.-

I don't know where you live that you think you can get a running non-clapped-out c4 Vette for under $3k.

My ass bro 3K for the most clapped out cars the only possible way you getting these for 3K is with 150 thousand plus and with loadsssss of problems

This is not realistic at all there is no car lot that sells cars at 3k because they can’t make much that way so the only option is finding private sellers to get them from and people are delusional on value they look up blue book and go with the highest possible amount they find quote for and that’s way lower than a car lot would ask they buy 1500 car sell for no less than 3k so how much they can get for half of 3k and more likely one third of that is what your looking to get they make a lot on cars they buy at auction that only car lots can buy like thousands on one car so they sit on inventory to make more money but if they sold cheaper cars they would make more but only to a point once everyone had a car sales would slow down prices skyrocket and same issue the problem is the ones that have are never satisfied and the have nots end up paying more than anyone wich makes no sense to me like someone that has only 3k for good car should beable to prove they are low income and get good car for personal use at a good price to beable to level up make more do better afford more put more into the economy because they are the ones circulating money the rich save money and make tik toks w cash that could be out there recirculating helping us grow but we cut deals w other rich ppl opposite side of the world more often than give opportunities to our poor like the ones that are trying don’t get help leveling up someone spending money on a car will make more money to drive that car so by giving them a deal your helping them help themselves giving them a personal space transportation but instead they don’t level up stay on foodstamps just make a hard journey harder to navigate when we can afford to sell decent stuff to the low income or even no income it isn’t cheap to drive that would help them a lot we could also afford to give yes give every homeless person a tiny house w small parcel of land not of their choosing w vehicles like it’s possible it would weed out the ones who never had a good chance at life and the ones who won’t try but if we are going to ignore mental illness and treat addiction as a choice we are going to have to deal with the crime rate and poverty that comes with it instead of complaining about crime or homeless tent people we should either help them kill them or shut up about them and how it makes your city look it makes your city look like it isn’t addressing the real problem wich is mental health even addiction causes mental health issues in the end yes they may have chose to use however they can’t change without help and we can’t force mental health help on anyone but they can’t make good choices either so the system is not working it’s obvious we don’t have the answer but that doesn’t mean there isn’t one

DO NOT get the fit!!! Instead… rsx/ep3/fg2/fa5… same price if not cheaper 😂

Most of these aren’t under 3k…

No i don't have 3k

A video for the poors... like me

honda element > crv

GRASS ROOTS DRIVER DESIGNED MODULAR ANALOG CAR COMPANY/MOVEMENT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!