Best Sub-$10K Grand Touring Car
 

I started a thread with a similar premise on another forum about two years ago, not knowing I'd find myself in a position today where I have to make frequent 1000 mile drives. So - sudden fresh relevance! I'm looking for suggestions on the best sub-$10,000 grand touring car that money can buy. The criteria:

• It has to be a car - not a truck, SUV, van, flying saucer, etc
• Coupe, sedan or wagon is fine (yes, I know that real GT cars have two doors)
• Must be comfortable for 15 hour trips (seat, noise level, suspension)
• This is a big one - passing power - I don't care so much about 0-60, but 60-100 should be ferocious
• Suggestions can include modifications, but they will be performed by a third party, since I don't have access to my garage right now. So if a modded car, the $10K needs to include parts and labor.
• Big gas tank is a plus
• Reasonably mechanically reliable
• Under 100K miles at time of purchase
• Manual transmission is a big plus, but not a necessity

Some ideas to start things out!

• 1998-2000 Lexus SC400
• Mercury Marauder
• Crown Vic with ADTR supercharger
• Buick Lacrosse Super
• Mazdaspeed 3
• Acura CLS 6-speed

I probably will end up buying the best suggestion, so thanks in advance for your help!

Volvo S60R/V70R meets all those criteria pretty well, except for cost / ease of maintenance :)

Since you're putting the SC400 in there, I feel obligated to suggest the LS400. I'm looking at buying one right now, and I've been driving it around for a couple weeks. It is extremely comfortable and it definitely has passing power, but ferocious is not what I would call it. You may have trouble finding one with under 100k miles but if you do it will probably be under 10k. Not sure about the LS430 though.

honorable mention: is300, gs300

I just realized that the SC400 is only 240lbs lighter than the LS400. I assumed it was way more than that.

Edit:

Because it's Saturday, and I'm bored, I started running down actual dyno numbers for some of these cars, because why not.

• 2003 Acura CL-S. Claimed power - 260hp@6100, 232ft/lbs@3500.
  • Dyno numbers - 218hp, 206ft/lbs
  • Curb weight - 3500lbs
• 2000 Lexus SC400. Claimed power - 290hp@6000, 300ft/lbs@4000
  • Dyno says - 235hp, 227ft/lbs
  • 3649lbs
• 2003 Mercury Marauder. Claimed 302hp, 318ft/lbs
  • Dyno'd 251hp, 232ft/lbs
  • 4195lbs
• 2003 Lexus SC430. Claimed 300hp, 325tq
  • Dyno'd 236hp, 278tq
  • 3840lbs
• Mazdaspeed 3. Claimed 263hp, 280tq
  • Dyno'd 216hp, 245tq
  • 3281lbs

I think G35/G37 is the answer that ticks all your boxes. I've never driven one and have no experience, but I always thought I could see myself in one.

A quick check through the Seattle and Spokane CL ads (only by owner) show a large supply of coupes and sedans... quite a few manual trans models and even a few with some serious mods... plenty for well under $10k with acceptable miles for the year and even a few that I would call straight up "deals".

Show up with $10k cash and see what he says: https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/c...285715719.html

DEAL: https://seattle.craigslist.org/skc/c...306539921.html

I never thought I'd post this...

They're getting a bit hard to find, but the Town Car / Grand Marquis / Crown Vic is pretty much unbeatable for long distance comfort. Not exactly the highest marks for reliability (avoid the air suspension, for instance) but they're easy work on. Never taken one up to 100, but the 4.6L modular v8 has got some balls.

The GRM folks, typically try to find a P71 (the police model with upgraded cooling, suspension, etc) and then pull the interior out of a Crown Vic/Town Car to have the niceties and the upgrades.

Cheap, but a lot of work.

Crown Victoria has cheap plastic switchgear. But parts are cheap.

Nissan has some component reliability problems and interior durability concerns, too.

Idk what I'd choose...

Not those, though.

G35/G37 coupe. Donezo

I've wanted a merc marauder for a long time. The 32v motor really wakes it up

Years ago I had a 1996 Mustang GT with a centrifugal supercharger, putting down about 350whp. Everybody loves the 5.0, but I think the 4.6 is very overlooked in terms of potential. Great engine. I like the idea of a Crown Vic/Grand Marquis a lot, but my only quibble is that the only bolt-on supercharger kit for Panther bodies is $6k. And I won't get the power I want for on-command passing without it.

This seems like such an obvious answer I don't know how I forgot about it. I don't know much about these in terms of reliability, but they certainly seem like they tick the box.

There's a 2005 Cadillac CTS-V near me with 70,000 miles, for $8500. I know it's going to be a money pit, but 400...horsepower...LS6...

Something worth looking into is the Hyundai Genesis sedan. Have a friend that picked one up pretty cheap and has been completely satisfied.
Budget luxury tourer, Just shy of 400hp V8. I have not done research on it, but it seems a well built car.

Have you looked at the e39 BMW? You can get a pretty nice, low mileage 540i (v8, ~300hp, 6sp) for 10k.

This!.. just make sure its had the timing chain guides done, or budget for them around 160k miles, otherwise bulletproof.

Taurus SHO

Stefanst has one and has written about it on here. I got a ride in it and it's quiet and hauls when you want it to. I was pleasantly surprised.
I think it's like 320/320 or something stock.

Mazdaspeed 6 instead of the 3. Your budget should leave enough wiggle room for your basic bolt ons and a COBB AP to make some jam.

Genesis Coupe as well.

legacy gt

As a frequent Hertz user, I've driven a lot of Taurii over the years. I despise that car. Not especially comfortable for long distances, and everything in the interior buzzes and rattles...

I had a Mazdaspeed 3 (bought it new). Fun car, but they aren't particularly reliable and finding an unmolested one now is probably impossible. It also developed rattles in a few years.

I drove that car from LA to Denver in like 16 hours- averaging 77mph with gas stops & construction. It does have very good passing power :)


How about an Accord or Camry V6? Cheap, reliable, pretty quick, not a cop magnet...

I was doing some flying with the LASD a couple of years ago, and they flew me over a field where LA had a huge stockpile of new Crown Vic police cars. They loved that car so much that they bought a bunch as soon as they were informed it was going out of production. That's quite an endorsement.

Along the lines of big bruiser sedans with V-8s, I still really like my G8. It has gone back for a couple of silly recalls (a new gas cap and something they needed to do to the flipkey), but otherwise the only maintenance has been oil changes and tires. The only issue is that they've really held value, you'd be hard-pressed to find a V-8 model for less than 10K unless it was really beat up.
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