10 Cars You Should Spend $53,000 On Instead Of A 2019 Volkswagen Beetle

We start off with this lovely little 2016 BMW M3 with a manual as our first entrant into the best $50-55,000 car-that-isn’t-a-Beetle contest. This example ticks all the right boxes. Obviously, its a manual. It’s got red seats – which are important for making yourself feel alive. It’s also a one owner car with a squeaky clean Carfax report. This example is spec’d with BMW’s excellent honeycomb-esqu wheels. On top of all that, IT ISN’T A BEETLE.

“But Andy!” I hear you scream at your monitor (I have super good hearing.) “I want a car with retro stying and less than 400 miles on the clock.”

Well don’t worry, Jalopnik reader. I’ve got the car for you! This 2021 Ford Bronco is perfect for your exact niche, and it’s only a couple grand more than the Beetle. The big benefit of the new Bronco over a 2019 Beetle? I really shouldn’t have to lay it out for you. It’s even a vaguely similar color to the Beetle, which is a plus to some of you. On top of that it’s a Bronco near MSRP, which is about a big a win as it gets.

Okay, okay, but what if you want a four-seater convertible from Volkswagen Group? Again. There are plenty of better alternatives than a car which would make you the laughing stock of all your friends. But to be fair you probably don’t have any friends since spending $53,000 on a Beetle.

Anyway, this 2018 Audi A5 will perfectly fill all your drop-top cruiser needs. It’s got everything you need to scratch that itch, and can be had for the EXACT SAME PRICE AS A THREE YEAR OLD BEETLE.

This is Jalopnik, land of the wagon. And no slideshow about what car you should buy would be complete without at least one. So here is a *very* pretty entrant. This 2018 Jaguar XF Sportbrake has just 5000 miles on the clock, and will surely fit your wagon desires, maintenance be damned. Also just… look at it.

This could be one of the best looking cars for sale just about anywhere. It’s also going to be fast enough for you if your base is a 1.8-liter Beetle. A supercharged V6 will get you going down the road just fine.

Do you just have an insatiable Volkswagen itch that no other brand could scratch, but you still have to spend between $50-55,000? Well this could be the car (or van) for you. Check out this 1990 Vanagon Westfalia. It’s never too late to get in on the #VanLife culture, and there are few better places to start from than here. It may have over 173,000 miles on it, but this van is just getting broken in. Plus, it’s way more interesting than a Beetle and people won’t point and laugh as you drive by.

Okay, okay I hear you. You’re a weirdo who needs a VW Beetle convertible. I’m going to do something bad here and break my $50-55,000 rule. This one should hopefully do the trick for you. It may have higher mileage than the other Beetle convertible, but a big benefit is it doesn’t cost $53,000. In fact, you could buy four of these for less than the price of the Beetle for sale in Brooklyn, and four is better than one. That’s just math.

How about some electrification? It’s the way of the future, baby. And what better way to blast into the future than with a new Ford Mustang Mach-E which can be had for the same price as a three-year-old VW product. Because it’s a brand new car it has even fewer miles than the Beetle, if that’s something you were super worried about. And again, driving this car means you won’t become a social outcast. That’s always a plus.

The Beetle has four cylinders. This 2014 Corvette has eight cylinders. Bringing back that math, it means it is literally twice as good. Those are the rules. Plus – it’s actually cheaper than the Beetle, is a convertible and has a manual transmission! What more could you want when spending between 50,000 and 55,000 of your hard-earned American dollars. Oh and it has a red interior which means its extra fast.

“Hark! I am a fancy boy, and I need a car that will suit my fancy boy needs!” you again yell at your screen. Good news, you can own an Aston Martin for the same price as a Beetle. This 2007 V8 Vantage comes with a manual transmission and screams, “I am a fancy person who likes a certain series of action movies!” What more could you ask for when spending a very exact amount of money on a car?

Last but not least on our list of cars that are better than a $53,000 VW Beetle is this 2022 Ram 3500 shorty dually. This could honestly be the best vehicle on our list. I mean look at it. It’s both short and thicc. It’s the Danny DeVito of vehicles which is about the nicest thing you can say about something. It also comes with a 6.4-liter Hemi gas engine and roll down windows! Buy this truck, and please, not a Beetle.