Scariest ways to spend $10,000

Used sports car articles will usually advise about the best way to spend <insert amount here> but not this one.

Call the below sub-$10,000 fast-five worrying in reliability or resale terms, or oddball in character and image – but either way, just take a deep breath first while approaching these models that span across a five- 10- and 15-year vintage…

2003 Alfa Romeo 147 GTA

Even if the rest of this three-door hatchback were nothing more than a pile of garage rust, Alfa Romeo’s legendary 3.2-litre Busso V6 engine would stand tall as one of the finest engines available for a smidge under five figures.

Wayward torque steer from the glorious 184kW/300Nm, front-wheel drive hot hatchback was only partially aided by a ‘Q2’ mechanical limited-slip differential found in later models. It’ll still wriggle its way from standstill to 100km/h in 6.3 seconds and dart into corners with electric-quick steering. But this is a 15-year-old Alfa – be brave, but buyer beware…

2003 BMW 330Ci Coupe/Convertible

The E46-generation 3 Series was the last of true BMW dominance in the medium car class. It didn’t matter which creamy six-cylinder, rear-wheel drive version was chosen, a ‘3er’ would lead its class for driver appeal.

These days it’s worth stretching to a 330Ci with – back when the badges actually meant something in relation to engine size – a 170kW/300Nm 3.0-litre atmo unit, which in pretty coupe guise claimed a 6.7-second 0-100km/h. But a coupe will also be an early-2000s, 200,000km-plus example at this price.

A convertible? Call it 2003 with 150,000km.

2008 HSV Astra VXR

Confused about the ZB Commodore range wearing a VXR tag? Well, HSV’s Astra hot hatch mixed its UK Vauxhall-derived badge alongside the helmet-wearing Lion on its nose and German Opel badging on its steering wheel.

It was about as messy as this thing’s torque steer from a Mazda3 MPS-challenging 177kW/320Nm 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder and six-speed manual. Complete with firm suspension and Brembos, though, the Astra VXR was fine rough-diamond fun that was outclassed by the Megane RS especially.

Nowadays, though, a decade-old example with 90,000km can be bought for sub-$10K – less than Renault’s desirable LSD-equipped F1 Team R26.

2008 Mazda RX-8 FE Series II

Arguably the most polished steer to be found for this price, this rear-wheel drive two-plus-two-door coupe is also a Mazda – so what could go wrong? Erm, lots.

The 1.3-litre rotary engine is known to stuffer oil starvation and go bust at variable intervals, some lasting just 50,000km before going pop while others can go twice the distance without fail. So best enjoy the driving position, tight seats, lovely steering, creamy high-revving sweetness, and great chassis balance – think multi-door MX-5 only with a 6.2sec 0-100km/h claim – before your wallet is thrown into a washing machine spinning at 8000rpm.

It says it all that a 2003 MX-5 is the same coin…

2013 Honda CR-Z Sport

Being the odd pick out here is a perfect position to be in for this oddball hybrid. Unlike others here, fear not about reliability – only the loss of resale value and, potentially, car enthusiast friends.

But be proud, because the misunderstood CR-Z looks to the future with efficiency while looking back to when hot hatches were light and nimble. And slower, with this 84kW/174Nm 1.5-litre four-cylinder claiming a 9.7sec 0-100km/h.

With an electric motor, though, torque comes instantly, while the six-speed manual is as perfect as the way the little Honda points into corners and wags its tail out of them; like a modern Peugeot 205 GTI or Renault Clio II RS172.