A 1994 - 1996 Chevy Impala SS. The best example of real American muscle! A four door Caprice based sedan weighing 4200 pounds with an LT1 engine (corvette engine). 0-60 in 7 seconds and runs the quarter in 15.2 seconds. I put in headers, exhaust, intake, and nitro and I’m running 12.2@115. I can outrun most other cars on the road. For a forum devoted to it check out http://www.impalassforum.com
Mikahw wrote:
Nonsense. The coolest car is whichever one has the most powerful air conditioner.
Toyota Echo
Cute, the Ford Focus kinda looks like it (won’t believe that the US car came first)
Toyota reliability
Great headroom, even in back
and for cool … the instrument panel (speedo, gauges, idiot lights, etc) is in the center of the dash, not behind the steering wheel
I think the electric/gas hybrid Prius is basically an Echo with the new-fangled engine + $5K
Come on, guys… We’re looking for COOL cars. Not just sports cars or good value.
And in that vein, I’d like to offer up a 1969 Camaro Z28. Preferably with a throaty big block making 425HP, but that might push the 15K envelope.
And after five years, the Focus you paid 15K for will be worth about 6K. The 15K Camaro will be worth 20K.
Alternatively, you might find a beat-up '67 Corvette, and spend some time and money restoring it. Find a rough car for 15K, restore it, and it’ll be worth 35K. And then you’re driving a cherry '67 Vette, prefably down a twisty road with the top down. It doesn’t get any cooler than that.
It’s gets a wee bit cooler than that if it happens to be a 1957 Vette. 
The Echo?
The Echo?!?
The Echo?!?!?
The ECHO?!?!?!?
That car has got to be the ugliest piece of crap I’ve ever seem! It’s like they took a Camry and pounded the hood and trunk in!!
Sure, it’ll get 50 MPG, but I think the extra gas is a fair price to pay for some actual aesthetic appeal, not to mention some real horsepower and interior space…
Aw you don’t want no echo.
I have 1996 SLS Seville Caddy for $14,999 around 60k miles on it. Drive with style dude( Northstar motor, integrated voice activated phone you name it it has got it). If you want my email address, let me know.
Uh, way to not even try to support your opinion there. :rolleyes:
So I would like to know, VWs are overpriced compared to what?
FWIW: check out carreview.com, owners of the car post the likes and dislikes about the car and it gives you a pretty good idea of the quality of the product. Not only did the Golf get a “Choice award” for its high customer ratings, there is only one current production car with a value under 15,000 that got a higher rating, the Mazda Protege. The Nissan 200sx and Honda CRX got slightly higher ratings, but they are no longer in production.
Personally for under 15,000 brand new I would have go with the Ford Focus. I think the Golf is overall right on par with the Focus, except for the fact that it hasn’t been updated for a while and it doesn’t have independant rear suspension(which the Focus does have). Personally for a new car I would just cough up 3 grand more and get the VW GTI, nuthin’ says fun like turbo! For a used car the best “cool” car is the BMW M3.
Well, cool is just what I had in mind ;). The Chrysler PT Cruiser, Motor Trend Car of the Year and damn sharp-looking if you ask me, has a base sticker price of about $15,000! I think it’s the only $15,000 that’s guaranteed to turn heads!
If I had 15 grand US to drop on a cool car, there is only one I would consider. A 1966 Jaguar E-Type (XKE to you Yanks) 2+2 coupe. I did a little checking, and found several 2+2 4spd. series 1 cars in this price bracket; a true 2 seater would break the budget, unfortunately. Another advantage is that if you prefer an auto. transmission, many were made with one, and you’ll save a couple grand in the process. Lets face it, absolutely NOTHING says cool like an E-Type. I’ve driven a couple early 4.2 litre models in my day, and they’ll outhandle the Corvette and Camaro, and come close to out accelerating them, too. Sam Stone also raises a valid point, in that classic cars generally appreciate in value. Think of it as a rolling bank account, and go have fun!
'course it all depends on what you mean by cool. For me I like the TR3B. You can get a great one for under $15K. In an age where all the cars look the same this guy has style to spare!! 
