It doesn't matter how perfect a car is from the factory; many enthusiasts have that little voice inside them that cries things like "it needs a turbo." Maybe the carmaker offers a turbo already; well, who cares? We'll swap the air filter, put on an aftermarket exhaust, flash the ECU, and even change the existing turbo to a bigger one and do everything we can to boost the performance just to feed our craving.
Once you decide to start your tuning journey, you'll need to buy that fancy car that'll endure your tuning tantrums! A dream car that will take all of your hard-earned pennies and enjoy itself while you put on a lovely long period fixing and tuning her. But believe us, all of this effort usually pays off once you see your project come to life.
On the other hand, tuning cars can also be troublesome if you pick the wrong one, especially when the budget is your concern. Blowing up parts while tuning your car is a ubiquitous phenomenon. Tuning can require significant upgrades like suspensions, bigger intercooler, etc., which some cars can avoid. So we have listed out the five best tuner cars you can get which won't empty your pockets and five you should stay away from.
10 1993 Honda Civic
The Honda Civic is every high school student's first car. It makes a perfect choice for a beginner trying to test their skills. The Civic came with an inline 4 PH16 stock engine producing 123 horsepower, which sounds lame, but it sure has stories to tell.
Everyone knows the turbocharger sound from the Civic in their neighborhood. Some experts can squeeze out over 500 hp from this car! So it makes the most sense to have it as your budget tuner car.
9 Honda S2000
There's a reason there's not just one Honda on this list. The S2000 is a one-of-a-kind machine as it has a very high horsepower per liter thanks to 237 hp and 153 lb-ft of torque. Though it is more expensive at around $20,000 to $25,000, it sure is a fun drive.
It handles like a dream because of its unique crank rotation and weight balance. The S2000 can attain 400 horsepower easily with custom turbochargers. And the best part is, everything is affordable!
8 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS
The Mitsubishi Lancer GTS seems to be an average car with 168 horsepower. It is available for under $10,000, which leaves you with some cash to spend on upgrades. Though the GTS isn't much like its elder sibling—the Evo—it still is worth a try.
That being said, through decent upgrades, 300 horsepower is easily attainable on the GTS. A custom turbocharger, some intake manifold tweaks, intercooler, and mapping are good enough for the job. You can also find decent body kits to make it look better.
7 1992 Mitsubishi Eclipse
Debuted in 1989, the first Eclipse became famous among enthusiasts because of its rally DNA. It is very lightweight, contributing to better handling and acceleration. One can easily find one of these around 10K, leaving much room for tunings.
The Eclipse came with a 2.0L inline-4 engine generating 135 horsepower and 125 lb-ft of torque. The figures might not be amusing, but the engine is tuner-friendly. Some gearheads pushed out over 400 horses from the block.
6 2013 Scion FR-S
This is one of the great boxer engines you can get today. The first generation of FR-S is reliable and sure can keep up with the tuning expectations. But the engine is not the reason these cars are such popular tuners; it's the fact that they offer a virtually perfect sports car platform and weight distribution at such a low entry price. All you need is $10,000 and some experience.
The stock FRS offers a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder boxer producing 200 hp and 151 lb-ft of torque. Putting up a turbo increases almost 80-90 horses and 70-80 lb-ft of torque, which is more than enough to make this car come alive.
5 Stay Away From: Cadillac CTS
Cadillac may have replaced the CTS with the CT5, but it might be an excellent option to tune. Proper tunes can give the CTS almost 700 horsepower, or almost double the original figure. It is also not very expensive to find in the used market.
So how is it not a good fit for your budget tuner car? The answer is performance. A 2015 CTS for example weighs almost 3800 lbs. This becomes a problem even if your car has 1000 horses. Sure you can swap the suspensions and brakes and everything, but then it won't be easy on your pockets.
4 Stay Away From: 1990 Jaguar XJ-S
The Jaguar XJ-S comes with a 5.3-liter V12 producing 262 horsepower. Amazing right? Considering the engine specs, we can figure out it is rare, plus it is a Jaguar. It brings the question of the availability and accessibility of the parts.
The answer to that is pretty simple: it will be really hard. Working on the XJ-S will not even remotely be simple and cheap. You will need an expert's advice every time you find yourself with screws and bolts. A single calculation mistake can cost you a lot of money and time. Also, make sure to have your credit card handy because parts for these will cost you a fortune.
3 Stay Away From: 2007-2015 BMW 335i
The German motor company BMW's 335i is indeed a magnificent car straight from the factory. Costing under 10 grand on the used market, it seems cheap; however, the parts are comparatively more expensive, so you won’t really save much cash.
They equipped the 335i with a 3.0-liter inline-6 engine churning out 300 horsepower. Apart from the exciting figures, the engine is criticized very much for its reliability. Owners reported that the common problems were engine overheating, turbo failure, and rough running.
2 Stay Away From: 2003-2006 Mercedes E55 AMG
The Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG became a nightmare for its Mercedes-Benz's competition on its launch since it offered a supercar performance back in the 2000s. The powerhouse in the E55 AMG is a 5.4L supercharged V8, making about 469 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque.
Despite the fantastic performance, it also comes with a luxury price tag. Finding an E55 AMG under 20 grand is challenging. If luck is on your side, and you get your hands on one, the service and parts price will still empty your pockets. Tuning this also seems difficult as it already has a supercharger.
1 Stay Away From: 1998 Porsche Boxster
Who doesn't know about the Boxster? As the name suggests, the Boxster came with a 2.5L 6-cylinder boxer engine, only producing 201 hp. We do not consider the Boxster reliable since it has many problems, including oil leakage and bearing failures.
Since the Boxster is available at around $15,000 on the used market, it might confuse you if it's a good buy for tuning. But, unfortunately, it's bound to disappoint as a project car. You will need to do a lot of mods requiring a lot of cash, making it a lousy tuner car in budget.