i'm looking for a nice car to buy for under $14,000. i realize that there are a lot of cars that you can buy used for this price range, so i'd like it to be something newer, with miles not too bad. i'd like it to be fast, but i dont need it to be wrx or evo fast.  i was looking at some cars like the cobalt ss or something like that. does anyone have any ideas for a car that would fit into this catagory?  

Cobalt SS would be a good choice if you're not looking for a high powered beast.  The SS responds very well to modifications as well.  I've heard people are getting huge gains from smaller pulleys on the super charger without tuning.  

I would go for a Nissan 240SX(probably a mid 90's model).A Cobalt SS is okay but can be costly when getting fixed.  

^ the 240SX is no cheap car to maintain either.  Especially if your running the stock, high mileage KA24 motor.  Chances are he can find an SS thats still under factory warranty.  

Audi TT 225, Acura RSX Type S, Subaru WRX (non-STi), Mazda RX-8 are all good, reliable vehicles. The Cobalt SS is a good car, but it's domestic so it's not so reliable. Also, if you bought a mid-90's 240sx you would spend all of your time doing repairs. I say, stick with a newer car with a slightly smaller engine. You can always mod it later.  

^ "imports" are no more reliable than domestic cars as 99% of "imports" are made right here in America.  Mitsubishi, Honda, etc. are all made in the same factories as domestic cars.  The Cobalt SS was engineered by the same people who created the Corvette.  Would you call a Corvette an unreliable domestic car?  

Actually, the Corvette has its own team of engineers. Trust me, I work at GM. And yes, many "imports" are made right here in the US, but they're designed and engineered elsewhere, hence making them "imports." Why do you think the value of a Cobalt drops so much quicker than a Honda or Audi? Because the cost of ownership of a Cobalt rises so much quicker (from all of the repairs).  

My Honda has proved to be a very fickle, unreliable car that I worry about constantly.  It is not even a year old, and it creaks, rattles, my transmission synchros are *** etc.  People I know who drive Fords and abuse them heavily never have a single problem.  American cars in the last 10 years have proved to be much sturdier than people would like to believe they are.  Either way the cost of ownership with a cheap car is going to be more than it would be for a luxury vehicle for the simple reason that you get what you pay for in the automotive world.  

then why can i buy a 1999 or 2000 audi for 6k?  

^ because thats all its worth with the mechanical issues 8 year old audi's have