Could you give me some examples of good ones?
Asking someone on the web for vehicle recommendations is a little silly. We don’t know where you are or what the used vehicle market is like. Just because one certain used vehicle is good for all of the same ones . You are just going to search the online listings and leave the house and go look at vehicles until you find something you like.
Hardly anyone who goes to auto forum sites ends up buying what was listed by the unknown strangers on the web who all have their favorites.
Maybe so, but it’s always interesting and does not hurt to hear about others favorites. I’ve also decided that something like a hot hatchback may be best for me. I may try to get in a Miata, and if it fits me I may see about getting it. I’ve also heard about some mods you can do to give the driver more room. For now, I want some recommendations for a practical cheap fun car. Someone suggested a hot hatchback, I think that could do the trick. What would you suggest for about $7,000? I’m really just looking for something that handles well and accelerates faster than the 2009 Toyota Highlander I’m used to.
Porsche’s 19 wins at the 24 Hours of LeMans race would tend to prove the reliable race car thing! 
Way back in the 80’s there used to be an endurance race series for production cars that showcased several 24 hour races each season. The Escort Endurance Series was one of its names. Winners included Corvettes and Hondas and Mitsubishis. Sort of an “improve the breed” series. Preparation matters, of course! 
Almost all the companies make them, VW, Subaru, Ford, etc. and they’re all pretty good. What’s right for you depends on your preference and your budget.
For example, I prefer a 2 door with stick but most people don’t so as a bonus they’re generally cheaper.
But when buying any used car, the condition is the most important.
Imagine an equilateral triangle, with the words “reliable,” “cheap,” and “fast” written at each corner.
Now pick two. Once you tell me which two you’ve picked, I can recommend a car.
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These kind of posts are just a little hard to understand. I could take a budget with an idea of what I might want and spend 30 minutes to an hour of the web and have a list of vehicles to look at . If none of those were acceptable then rinse and repeat the process for several days and I could probably have something in two weeks or less. Also the vehicle lots here are not open on Sunday so I can look without wasting a commission sales persons time.
OP is looking for input and ideas. What’s hard to understand about that?
Granted, their request is a little out there, but it has generated discussion. and on a discussion board.
Go figure…
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If you have the V6 Highlander, then it’s going to blow the doors off of an NA/NB Miata or MR2 in a straight line. You’d have to get into an NC MX-5 before you had at least parity with the V6 Highlander in terms of straightline speed. Handling would go the Miata by a wide margin though.
How about a 2zz mr2 spyder? From what I’ve heard, the spyder is slightly more accommodating than the Miata for taller people, though I will hopefully soon get in one and see for myself. Right now I’m considering between a “hot hatchback” like somebody suggested (the most practical option), a Nissan 350z, or a 2zz mr2 spyder. I understand my budget will have to increase, but I’m okay saving up for another year or two.
Safer bet would be a Mazda3 or maybe a Mazdaspeed3 if you could get one for your budget. Several co-workers have regular Mazda3’s and they’re not quite the same to drive as a Miata or MR2 you get to have some fun in an otherwise normal compact sedan. One co worker bought his with 30,000 miles on it and has added another 170,000 miles needing only normal stuff like a clutch and water pump.
My brother’s daily driver is a 2009 VW GTI Manual that after the dealer did the PDI 11yrs ago has been maintained by the trusted local VW shop and they’ve figured out how to keep the problems to a minimum. Not nearly as cheap to maintain but my brother sometimes forgets about that when the car basically says “hill,what hill?” every day on the way home up the hill that you’d swear there should be a chairlift on in the winter. But without a trusted shop or experience with VW’s you’d be taking more of a risk.
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In that price range, the fastest car you find may well be a V6 Accord. Consider the coupe. It is a mid-5s car to 60 and will fit you. A V6 Camry is a decent option, but so much more bland style-wise. It will still pull an old IROC Camaro in a stoplight race. The Miata will not fit you. I am a former and future Miata owner and I am 6’. I barely fit it. Boxster is not an affordable car. Period. Great car, just not affordable. For $5K you will get Boxster floor mats.
Just because I am nosy what major city are you in or near and how old are you ? If you are under 25 you really don’t want a high insurance vehicle ’
A 350Z for anything less than 10000.00 will most likely be a money pit.
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Nissan, Infiniti products like a G35 G 37 or like the other guy said z 350, Hyundai Genesis sedans v8 's or coupes. Subaru STI
My advice would be to find a well maintained, reliable car that’s comfortable and practical for your use or where you live (example, AWD if you live in snow country) insurance can be a killer for watch out for that.
As far as speed is concerned; try to find something that is turbo or can be turbocharged or something that had a aftermarket performance market.
Also look at a Taurus SHO with there V6 TT engines
There is not a single person on this planet who can point to a particular used car and state with any modicum at all that it is even going to be faintly reliable. It’s simply not possible to do unless they’re a genuine psychic; and there ain’t no such thing.
A track will take a toll on any car even if it’s a brand new vehicle.
Add another 20 grand and you may be lucky.
Fast, reliable, cheap.
Pick 2.
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There is the slightest chance you may be able to find a late '90s Mustang 5.0 LX in your price range that has been well maintained. All of the Mustang owners I’ve known seemed to have taken pretty good care of their cars.
Mine, too, but… they thrash their cars on track and at autocrosses… they do take care of them, they just don’t use them gently.
+1
The OP wants a fast car that is both cheap and reliable, but he isn’t taking into consideration the very high probability that fast cars are almost always flogged into poor condition by their first and/or second owners. By the time that these cars are old enough to be “cheap”, they are very far from being reliable.
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