- Oh, hey, there! It's been a minute.
I've been doing a lot of stuff behind the scenes,
like off-camera, for Artisa Wheels,
which is our very own wheel brand, if you didn't know.
But I got asked to hop back in for some more videos
and you know what?
I couldn't say no, I missed you guys.
So I'm here and we're gonna talk
about some cool things today.
So there are a lot of reasons as to why people prefer
or tend to gravitate towards rear wheel drive cars.
I think it will forever be an ongoing argument
as to whatever drive terrain is best,
whether it's rear drive, front wheel drive, all wheel drive.
Either way, people have their own preferences,
and that's totally fine.
Each have their own benefits,
which we actually covered a while back
in a video a little while ago,
talking about the pros and cons of all three platforms.
But today we aren't here to argue which is better
or which is worse.
If you're watching this,
you're more than likely dead set
on a rear wheel drive platform already
and are looking to see what's out there right now
for an affordable price.
Which in today's world can be a pretty daunting task.
It should be no surprise
that the used car market is absolutely insane right now,
especially for us enthusiasts looking for enthusiast cars.
And if that is a surprise,
let me be the first to break it to you
that that SR20 Swap S13 that's on its 15th owner
and just needs the motor like installed
and the cracked dash replaced really isn't worth,
you know, typically $15,000,
but that's what they're going for.
No, we're here today because even though the world is crazy
and the market's out of control,
you can still find some absolute gems out there.
So we thought we'd compile a list of some
of the best rear wheel drive cars
that are under $5,000 or less
that you can go and snag right now.
(upbeat music) (engine revs)
But before we hop into all that, real quick,
12 Days of Deals, now live!
We got a deal going live every single day,
everyday unwraps a new deal.
And of course, our S2000 giveaway is coming
to an end really, really quick.
So if you want to win a rear wheel drive car
that you don't have to go spend like 30 grand on now,
I think S2000s are going for,
you have the chance to win one.
You can check it all out at fitmentindustries.com.
Anyway, all right, so,
let's get on with the first car of the list.
I know back in the day,
it was like five years ago or so,
older BMWs were getting like insanely popular.
You were seeing them everywhere.
I mean, hell, even we scooped up an E30
and did some fun things with it
because we were just bitten by the bug.
However, just like everything else,
those prices have started to really increase
over the last couple of years,
especially for a really clean one.
Even the prices of E36 have increased well over five grand.
But don't fret just yet,
because if you were still looking for a fun rear wheel drive
NA, straight-six BMW, you can still find some around.
We're talking specifically about
the E46 generation 330CI.
Rear wheel drive sports coupe available
in a three liter straight-six and manual transmission.
Pretty much the next step before you get to the M3
of that year.
The 330CI of the E46 generation,
they look absolutely incredible.
You get a three liter straight-six versus a 2.5,
M54 2.8 N52, which is going to produce roughly around
225 horsepower or so,
which is a nice little bump over the other models.
Even though the E46 generation weighs a little more
than the previous E36, it does come with some extra benefits
to that added weight.
Overall strength of that chassis is claiming
to be about 70% more rigid than the E36,
which helps make the car feel more planted and responsive.
Also makes you think, 70% is quite a bit of an increase,
and was the E36 really that bad?
Either way, the 330CI managed to maintain
a 50/50 weight distribution,
which also helped with the handling
and overall feel of the car.
The key to these cars is knowing what to look for
and to know what issues to watch out for as well.
Though the M54 is known to be a pretty strong
and reliable engine, like most things,
there are those common issues to look out for.
The most common things with the M54
that might give you some grief are the water pump
and thermostat,
basically just the cooling system in general.
The valve cover and the VANOS seals,
which is pretty important to know
if you're looking at getting one with some miles on it,
which brings me to the next point.
These cars can be scooped up for as low as $5,000
with anywhere between 100,000 and 150,000 miles on them,
which is right around that same time
when some of those issues start to come into play.
For some people, that's a walk in the park,
especially if you've been around older BMWs in the past
and don't mind working on them.
I truly think that it's still a great car
to start off the list because it can be picked up
for that low.
And then there are some absolute gems out there yet
that have been well taken care of
from their previous owners
and they just want to kind of get rid of it.
But just know if you want one
with a potential of no issues and lower miles,
you're probably gonna have to pay just a little bit over
that $5,000.
Sticking with the six cylinders,
but a little different configuration,
we get to car number two on the list,
it's gonna be the INFINITI G35.
Almost like the forgotten child of the VQ cars.
Not saying there isn't a ton of them out there
and a lot of enthusiasts that enjoy them,
it's just like one of those things when searching around
for cars, it just seems to kind of get left out
of the search history.
Typically everyone will gravitate more towards the 350Z.
One of the main reasons is due to all the speculation
of what horsepower these cars actually had.
The first years of the 350Z
had right around 287 horsepower near the end
of the production with the motor upgrades
and stuff like that, that came with it.
It was right around 306.
Where the G35 had around 280 or so
when it first came out
and now there's really nothing out there
to really say what happened and when it all happened.
But your best bet is to go for one of the later year G35s,
when the horsepower numbers match closer to the 350Z,
which again, was right around 300 or so.
A lot of people will say that the G35 actually had
300 horsepower right out the gate
and that Nissan and INFINITI
just kind of forgot to mention that,
but there's really no proof of that anywhere out there.
So believe what you will.
For the most part, these cars are pretty much bulletproof
and can handle a ton of the abuse that's thrown at them.
These cars litter the drift tracks along
with their 350Z counterparts, and they do really well.
The only thing to really kind of look out
for is the oil consumption and oil leaks
that come with these things down the road,
which don't really tend to show their ugly faces
until well over 100,000 miles or so.
They also look incredible slammed on their nuts
or, you know, paired with some air suspension,
which makes it a fantastic car,
'cause it really can cover all the bases.
Rear wheel drive, available in manual.
It's a coupe, it's V6. It looks good.
And a ton of aftermarket support.
(electronic alarm ringing)
- It's Christmas!
- [Voiceover] Do you wake up every Christmas morning
expecting some cool (beep)
just to be disappointed?
Well, not today.
The 12 Days of Deals are here and they're live right now.
Now this year, you don't have to get the same pair
of underwear and socks you always get.
This time, it's going to be gift cards, merch,
and maybe even wheels, tires, and suspension.
But anyway, don't miss out on the 12 Days of Deals,
live at fitmentindustries.com right now.
Happy holidays.
- Car number three steps away from the six cylinder engine
and well cylinders as a whole, in fact,
because we're of course talking about the Mazda RX-8.
Is it a little biased because I own one?
Maybe, but who cares? Hear me out.
The Mazda RX-8 gets a bad rep.
And I think that's pretty well known,
but I'm calling bull as they can be an incredibly fun car
that can be picked up for absolutely dirt cheap right now.
The RX-8 gets all the hate
from its RENESIS rotary engine.
Even though it's still in the 13B family
of rotary engines that we all know and love,
it's a bit of a problem child because of what Mazda tried
to do with it.
However, most of these issues can be easily averted
with a few modifications
and a little more maintenance on the side.
These cars need oil, they need cool temperatures,
and a strong ignition.
Give them all that and they'll treat you well.
Upgrade your cooling, get a nice AEM cold air intake,
install a Sohn adapter with a reservoir kit.
Pre-mix your gas and upgrade your coil packs
and you'll be pretty much good to go.
They may not be the fastest car in the world,
and yes, you'll have to do things to this car
that you'll never have to do to any other car
that you'd ever own, but they are incredibly fun.
They're a perfectly balanced car.
Technically they are like a mid-engine platform.
Especially from a car in the 2000s.
The suspension geometry is quite unique, and most of all,
you get the rotary sounds that sound absolutely amazing.
(engine revving)
The S1 generation may be the least desirable
because it was the first generation.
It doesn't get all the fancy facelifts,
but it's the most affordable right now.
The manual cars come with a little more horsepower
and a six speed manual transmission.
And I've absolutely loved mine since I've owned it.
And I think it's a platform I'm gonna stick around
for quite some time.
And I'd recommend anyone who's looking
to get into a rotary car that doesn't want
to go spend 30, 40 grand on an FD right now,
go check out an RX-8 first.
Suggestions would be bring a friend
who knows about rotary engine,
specifically the RENESIS motor,
and make sure you get some compression numbers beforehand
of any one that you might be looking at.
Even though the prices are on the clime for these,
you can still find a decent one for right around $5,000.
And it's not very uncommon that people
just ditch these things because they think
the motor blew up.
They hear the horror stories and they,
something happens with it and they're like, "Ah, it's done,"
but all it needs is to be like unflooded
or it needs a new starter.
Trust me, I've seen it happen quite often.
And in that case,
you can get a quite decent RX-8 for an absolute steal.
You know what had to be on the list.
I think if it wasn't,
the world might just end officially.
The Mazda Miata. really speaks for itself.
The happiest little car to ever exist on the face
of the Earth, and rightfully so,
because they're an absolute blast.
Now, I, myself, might not fit in one,
but you know, that shouldn't stop yourself
from scooping one of these up.
If you're looking for a fun rear wheel drive roadster
to bomb around on the weekends,
and NA or ND Miata can really be the perfect car for you.
And I think it really comes down to the expectations.
Everyone just kind of knows and expects what these cars are.
They're a really low horsepower,
but they handle like a dream.
They just take everything that their drivers throw at them.
The one downside, however,
is that these things seem to get passed around more
than the cheesy potatoes at Thanksgiving or Christmas,
and finding a clean one tends to get a little more difficult
as these years go on
and prices still seem to go up.
However, they are out there, you can find them.
And they're an absolute blast.
To close out the list I had to make Sean happy
since I truly think every video he has ever done
since he started here has included some sort of Mustang
in some sort of list.
So you know what?
We have to throw it in there as well,
because it works and we're gonna do it.
The '94 and '95 Ford Mustang with the old five liter V8,
to be specific.
Now, these things aren't going
to handle the absolute greatest
and they may take a little bit to look, like, really good,
but you know what?
They already have the V8, it's rear wheel drive.
They come in a manual,
and you can do some nasty burnouts,
and go kind of quick in a straight line.
And if that's what you're all about,
like our boy Sean is, then by golly gee,
you got yourself a great deal, don't you?
The '94 and '95 are the first year of that body style,
but the last years with the older engine,
which in the grand scheme of things,
doesn't make them the most desirable,
because a lot of people want the newer engine
with a little more horsepower,
as the older ones don't produce as much as the later years.
But it also means that the prices will stay lower
because not a lot of people are looking for them,
which there's nothing wrong with that.
You're still gonna get around 215 to 230 horsepower,
which when compared to everything else on the list,
kind of falls right in line for that price point.
So there you have it.
There's our five picks on some
of the best rear wheel drive cars out there
for under $5,000 right now.
And if there's something not on the list
that you think should have been,
let us know down in the comments below,
and maybe we might just have to make a part two to this.
But in the meantime, don't forget to check out wheels,
tires, and suspension over at fitmentindustries.com.
And of course,
don't forget to drop a like and subscribe.
You can check out the S2000 giveaway
that's getting wrapped up right now, and of course,
we've got the 12 Days of Deals going on.
It's a whole crazy time over here.
And we're all Christmas'd up.
You know, you can go check it out.
Fitmentindustries.com. I'm Gels.
We'll see you later. (upbeat music)