The Coolest Cars You Can Buy From $10,000 to $15,000

Welcome back to our mini-series on the Automotive Icons Podcast! Last week, we tackled the $15k–$20k range. Today, James Reeves is stepping down into the $10,000 to $15,000 bracket.

As the price goes down, the stakes go up. To keep things realistic, we’re hunting for cars with under 75,000 miles (preferably under 60k) to avoid the "money pit" trap of high-mileage luxury. From "constant state of domination" in a Lexus to the "anonymous" speed of a Pontiac GTO, we’re breaking down the six best (or at least coolest) picks across our signature categories.

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Hey everyone—James Reeves here. Welcome back to the Automotive Icons podcast.

We’re in the middle of a mini-series where we’re talking about the coolest cars you can buy. Not the “best” cars… although cool is kind of the best, so in a way, yeah: the best cars.

We’re doing this in $5,000 increments. Last week was $15,000 to $20,000. This week we’re stepping down to $10,000 to $15,000.

Things get trickier, but surprisingly, there are still some good choices.

The Rules

We’re trying to stick to some rules—because rules are good. Otherwise, we could just make stuff up and say, “Oh yeah, Porsche 996 for $20,000,” and then you find one with 115,000 miles that needs an IMS bearing and $10,000 worth of work.

So we’re trying to keep mileage under 75,000, and preferably under 60,000. With that constraint, we still have some solid picks in the $10K–$15K range.

The Six Categories

Same as last time, we’re picking one car for each category:

Smart: the most sensible cool car—reliable, usable, and a strong buy

Stupid: cool, but a terrible idea (unless you’re brave or handy)

Strange: an unusual, offbeat pick

Speedy: best performance for the money

Solid: a classic you can buy, enjoy, and likely do well with long-term

Sleeper: undervalued right now, but I think it’s on the way up

And yes, I forgot “sleeper” again for a second. I’m always sleeping on the sleeper.

Alright—let’s get into it.

Smart Pick: Lexus ES (Late 2nd Gen / Early 3rd Gen)

The smart pick is the Lexus ES, specifically late second-generation into early third-generation cars—roughly the late 1990s into the early 2000s.

The Lexus ES has a funny origin story. Lexus launches in the late ’80s, and Toyota is suddenly competing with Honda/Acura—think the Acura Legend era. Toyota can’t launch a brand with one car, so they add the ES.

And originally? It was basically badge engineering—a rebadged Camry with nicer materials. Wood trim, leather, and you’re in business.

But the ES really became the ES we think of in the ’90s. It started to feel like its own car. In Japan, it was sold as the Toyota Windom, which is a hilarious name—like “win” plus “domination,” as if driving it means you’re always in a constant state of dominance.

And honestly? The ES was good enough that I’m not sure they were wrong.

This era ES typically came with a smooth, reliable V6 and a simple automatic transmission. It’s a proven, durable setup—the kind of thing that just works.

By the mid-’90s, the ES was one of Lexus’ best sellers. These cars were selling in the tens of thousands per year, so they’re not rare, and they’re not hard to find.

I even saw one recently with 44,000 miles listed around $10,000 OBO, and I’m not going to lie—I was tempted to go offer $7,500 just to see what happens.

It’s comfortable, understated, dependable, and quietly cool. That’s why it’s the smart pick.

Stupid Pick: Jaguar XJ (X350, 2003–2009)

The stupid pick—stupid, but not completely stupid—is the Jaguar XJ X350, roughly 2003 to 2009.

Jaguar history is complicated, but here’s the gist: for decades, the XJ was the quintessential quad-headlight British saloon, and it had a reputation for being… let’s call it “temperamental.”

Then Ford buys Jaguar, and things improve. I actually owned a Jaguar X-Type in law school—certified pre-owned—and it was great. Basically a Ford Mondeo in a tuxedo. It was reliable, it looked good, and I had zero problems with it.

Now, back to the X350. This generation is fascinating because it was all aluminum—body and structure—which was a huge deal. It was a big luxury sedan, yet lighter than rivals, even lighter than a contemporary BMW 5 Series. It was advanced for the time, too: factory navigation, radar-based adaptive cruise, traction control, air suspension (standard), premium audio, heated and cooled seats—this was legitimately modern back in 2003.

You also had drivetrain options that make it even more interesting:

A 3.0L V6 (Ford Duratec-based)

A 4.2L V8

And a supercharged 4.2L V8 pushing around 400 horsepower

Plus, a ZF 6-speed automatic, which is a legitimately strong transmission.

So why is it stupid?

Because you’re still buying a Jaguar—and the problems tend to be what you’d expect: electronics and air suspension. And air suspension, long-term, almost always becomes “a thing.”

But here’s the hook: these were $90,000-plus cars new, and you can now find them with under 50,000 miles in the $10K–$15K range.

It’s a risky buy, but it’s an incredibly tempting one—which is exactly what the stupid category is for.

Strange Pick: Subaru XT (“The Flying Wedge”)

Alright—strange.

This car is basically ’80s synthwave in car form. When it launched in 1985, it had an impressively low drag coefficient (around 0.29), and at the time it was among the most aerodynamic production cars on the road.

Only one generation was made, and production was just under 100,000 units.

It was designed to feel like a fighter jet—cockpit-style controls, a very flat hood thanks to Subaru’s boxer engine layout, and a futuristic vibe that looks like it drove straight out of a VHS tape.

We’re talking about the Subaru XT, also known as the Flying Wedge.

Fuji Heavy Industries—Subaru’s parent company at the time—had aerospace roots, and the XT was basically them saying, “Let’s apply jet thinking to a car.”

The problem is… it wasn’t fast. The base models were around 130 horsepower, and even the top versions were still under 150 horsepower. It was all style and concept, not performance. I found claims it even entered a race once and didn’t finish.

But that’s part of its charm. It’s weird, rare, and cool.

Fun Subaru nerd note: the Subaru logo references the Pleiades star cluster. In some markets the XT was sold as the Alcyone, named after the brightest star in that cluster—so the big star in the logo ties into that branding.

It’s a fascinating oddball, and if I found a clean one, I’d absolutely be tempted.

That’s the strange pick.

Speedy Pick: Pontiac GTO (2004–2006)

Now: speedy.

Not that GTO. Not the legendary ‘60s and early ‘70s car you’re picturing.

I’m talking about the 2004–2006 Pontiac GTO, which was essentially a rebadged Holden Monaro from GM Australia, related to the Holden Commodore platform.

I’m going to be honest: aesthetically, this car is… forgettable. The most brutal review line I ever read about it was that it looked anonymous. That is a devastating burn. And it’s not wrong—visually, it doesn’t scream “GTO.”

But here’s why it’s the speedy pick: it’s an LS-powered, rear-drive coupe with real performance.

Early cars had LS1, later cars got LS2

LS2 cars are around 400 horsepower and 400 lb-ft

0–60 in the low 5-second range

Quarter miles in the 13s in stock form

Available with a 6-speed manual

They didn’t sell well—partly because of the bland styling, partly because the currency situation made them more expensive than planned (more like $35K than $25K new). That poor sales story is exactly why you can find them now in the $10K–$15K range.

If you buy one, try to find an unmodified example—because LS owners can’t leave anything alone.

Ugly? Maybe. Fast? Absolutely.

Solid Pick: Porsche 924

For solid—meaning a classic you can buy and enjoy without using the Mustang as a crutch again—I’m going with the Porsche 924.

Yes, you can absolutely find a 944 under $15K, but you’re typically looking at around 100,000 miles or more. Not necessarily a dealbreaker—944s can be durable if maintained—but we’re trying to follow the mileage rule.

The 924, on the other hand, can sometimes be found clean within budget, and it’s historically important.

It was a Porsche/Volkswagen joint venture concept in the ’70s. VW backed out, Porsche bought the rights, and finished it themselves. The 924 launched in 1976.

Porsche snobs love to dunk on it: “It’s not a real Porsche,” “it’s a VW,” “junk,” all that.

But here’s the truth: the 924 sold in big numbers and helped stabilize Porsche when the company needed it. And it’s a genuinely good driver’s car because of the layout:

Front-mounted engine

Rear transaxle

Near 50/50 weight balance

Power was modest—especially early on—but it was never about raw speed. It’s about balance and feel.

Find a clean one, and it’s a cool, usable classic with real Porsche DNA. That’s solid.

Sleeper Pick: Mercedes-Benz SL320 (R129)

Sleeper was the hardest category this week, but I landed on one I feel really good about: the Mercedes-Benz SL320, specifically the R129 chassis.

This is the era of SLs you saw in every mid-’90s and early-2000s music video. It was a massive technological leap and it was built during the over-engineered Mercedes years—before the cost-cutting really took over.

The R129 brought:

Fully independent suspension

Advanced multi-link rear suspension

A removable hardtop plus an electrically operated soft top

Modern safety and comfort features for the era

That “vault-door” Mercedes build quality

In our budget, you’re typically looking at the SL320—the six-cylinder version—because the V8 SL500s and especially the V12 SL600s are usually priced higher, and the V12s can be expensive to maintain.

The sweet spot, in my opinion, is the 1993–1995 SL320 with the M104 3.2L inline-six, around 230 horsepower, paired with a 5-speed automatic.

It’s not fast by modern standards—0–60 in the 7-second range—but it’s smooth, solid, and feels special. And best of all, you can still find one in this range with under 60,000 miles, which makes ownership far less terrifying.

For $10K–$15K, it’s an incredible amount of car—and I think it’s sitting in a value trough right now. That’s what makes it a sleeper.

That’s it for this episode of Automotive Icons. I really enjoy doing these—researching, finding the weird details, and putting the lists together.

Next week gets harder: $5,000 to $10,000. And then we take a swing at $5,000 or less, which might make me quit altogether.

In the meantime, stay tuned for more Automotive Icons. You guys are the coolest—maybe best—audience.

Thanks for watching. Take care.

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