I think you have it confused. The way I read his statement was that you could take a $3k dollar amount into a tC and still not even be close to those other cars in stock form. To which I thoroughly disagreed with.
When I'm talking about these prices, I'm not using my tC as an example. My tC has 5yrs of blood sweat and tears into it. I'm stating what I can do with a completely stock 2005-2010 tC and given $3k to mod it as a challenge to see how fast I could make it. I would source used parts totally and find deals just like I did for mine. And for $3k bucks, it would run deep into the 12's in the 1/4 mile, and blaze around the track with a competent driver behind the wheel.
Only a few things on my car are used. Tein SS are used, LSD was bought from an individual along with a TRD clutch, but those were not used, he just sold them for cheaper ($800 for the set). My wing is an APR GT200 wing. Those cost roughly $1k and I bought mine from Chris Rado for $340.
Everything else is new. That was including my old turbo setup that I sold. My new turbo setup that I'm about to drop in also new. My Carbon exterior bought with insurance money from when my wife had an accident. Instead of giving that to a body shop to return it to stock, I bought carbon replacements and installed them myself (still need to replace my upper radiator support, but it's not biggie at the moment). So, my tC may "LOOK" expensive, but it's more just means of being "Resourceful".
Kuhmo V710's are 225/45/17 I'm currently running on the stock wheels. That will change to 285 or 295/35/17's once I get my new wheels (also used set of wheels with 295 slicks mounted to them). It's a $6k dollar whee/tire combo I'm getting for $1500. The slicks are Hoosiers, not sure how much life is left in them, but I'll find out. 295 is wide but just right for the "used" widebody I'm about to put on it. The widebody is track tested and built, it's not off the shelf. That's why it's used.
It's amazing what you can get from bonified Race shops when they aren't using those parts anymore...
. A race shop with custom fabricated parts are just as good as any brand new off the shelf item and perhaps better than any new off the shelf item. I will gladly take a used race proven and track test part over an off the shelf item I have to customize for greater track duty abuse.
Turbo kit can be had for as cheap as $1k for a Great branded kit from people selling in the classifieds.
As an example, here is a completely professionally done kit running a freaking GT3076R for $2k.
http://www.scionlife.com/forums/showthread.php?t=200980
Now imagine a kit not as stellar but still decent enough to sustain 300+whp/tq.
($1300 bucks, this is exactly what my old turbo setup was)
http://www.scionlife.com/forums/showthread.php?t=193754
And that would put you easily into the 12sec 1/4 mile times (I was trapping 110mph on that kit at 9-9.5lbs of boost)
V710s are $740 shipped to me for the size I am currently running. Again, I can run a street tire and still only lose a few seconds out of them, but still be faster than any of the stock versions of those cars listed. When I said a 400whp WRX to keep up with me, I was speaking in terms of straight line speed. Around the track, I couldn't tell you as I have only gone up against an STI at the track with me NOT on boost. He came up to me later and asked what I had under the hood. Of course my answer was "stock".