Best cheap cars to modify

Buying your first car can be an exhilarating experience, but it can also be a bit frustrating. Young driving enthusiasts often have a great deal of difficulty finding cars that are both affordable and fun to drive. On top of your budget and the car's cool-factor, its practicality and reliability have to be considered. For example, you can buy a Porsche 944 for less than 10 grand, but insuring and keeping the car running will more often than not push the cost of ownership out of range for the average student.

I've prepared the following list based on these factors, with priority given to performance and affordability. Based on what someone might earn from a summer job during school, I'm working with a budget of roughly $5, 000. I originally compiled this list when I was shopping for my first car with a similar budget.

Toyota started building the first Celica in 1970, but the cars that will appeal to the young prospective buyer are models of the sixth (1993-1999) and seventh (1999-2006) generations. These are the newest Celicas, so they are the most common on the used car market and will have fewer miles on them.

Between these two, the 7th generation is much better looking and obviously newer. The one you'll want is the GT-S, which has a wing! More importantly, it has Toyota's 2ZZ-GE engine. Yamaha contributed to the engine design, which means that this 1.8 L inline 4 behaves much like a sports bike engine—it revs to 8, 000 rpm and pushes out 180 hp in this application. This is the same engine that Lotus used in the Series 2 Elise, albeit with different software that manages to drag an extra 10 horses out of the engine.

You can expect to spend anywhere from $4, 000 to $13, 000 on a Toyota Celica, depending on year, miles, and condition. Clearly the 7th generation GT-S is the best, but unfortunately "best" also means "more expensive." Even if you can't find a GT-S in your price range, a regular Celica will provide lots of fun in an economical and practical package.

The Verdict: In addition to the fantastic engine, the Celica has all the practicality of a hatchback. It is also front-wheel drive. Although this is less fun than a RWD sports car, your parents (if you're still in high school) and insurance agent will probably appreciate it! Another thing to keep in mind is the legendary reliability of Toyota cars. You can count on this lasting well past 100k miles without anything more than oil, brake pads, and tires. If something does go wrong, the parts for this car are cheap.

The first Mitsubishi Eclipse was sold in 1990, but, like the Celica, the most appealing Eclipse models will be the second through fourth generations (1995-2012). Obvious benefits of these later generations are that they will be newer and carry fewer miles, but another factor to consider is the major styling upgrades that separated the later generations from the first.

The second generation Eclipse (1995-1999) came with a number of different engines, both naturally aspirated and turbocharged. The RS and GS models came with a 140 hp Chrysler engine, and the GS Spyder came with a slightly larger (2.4 L instead of 2.0 L) Mitsubishi engine. These trim levels, in addition to the GS-T (with a 210 hp 2.0 L Mitsubishi powerplant) came with FWD. The higher-end GSX is powered by the same engine as the GS-T but features an AWD drivetrain that provides better grip under acceleration. All second generation Eclipses came with either a four-speed automatic or a five-speed manual for drivers who prefer to use both feet. Mitsubishi used smaller turbos in the second generation compared to the first in order to reduce turbo lag, so the boost from the turbo will come more quickly. Convertible versions of the GS and GS-T were also built. Expect to spend anywhere from $3, 500-$10, 00 depending on the trim (it'll be more for the turbo), mileage, and condition.