posted
Hi, I have several questions for all you vehicularly-inclined people. I'm looking for a dependable, sporty, cheap brand/model of car. I won't be drag racing or anything, but I would like something with a lil'zip.
What are your favorites? If you had money what car would be your dream car and why? If you didn't have money, what car have you heard or know is good?
I'm looking at 6th gen Toyota Celica's right now, I like how they look, but of course...do they RUN? And I don't have much money, maybe 5k if I save realllly hard. (scary) The only used Celica's that come close, seem to have a lot of mileage.
What is mileage exactly? I see figures like 97,000 and ONLY 136,000 miles blah blah. but at what point are there "too many miles?" What's up with this?? Posts: 1236 | Registered: Mar 2002
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posted
I'm not sure what you mean by "zip." Do you want small and nimble (as would seem to be implied by the Celica choice) or something that has great pick up, or what?
Things to think about: - whatever you buy, it's just an expense. Assume there is no resale market for whatever you choose. You'll be much happier that way in the long run.
- Budget for repairs. Buying a used car is always a balancing act between the purchase price and taking care of all the maintenance items that are coming due. Tires are expensive. A major tune up is expensive. A timing belt install is expensive. Replacing the AC compressor.
All kinds of wonderful things that can go wrong.
Of course, the less you spend on the car, the more likely it is that it's older, higher miles, and less well maintained (thus needing more work, sooner).
In that price range, you can probably get something decent, but obviously not very new. If the car has 100,000 miles plus, that's not as big a worry as it used to be. Many cars go for 180,000; 200,000 miles or more these days. They last pretty well if maintained properly.
I generally recommend Hondas and Toyotas, but there are also a fair number of other makes/models that will do the job for you.
At your price range, I would recommend avoiding the Korean makes (Hyundai and Kia) because their huge gains in quality came in newer years than what you'll be in the market for. A slightly older Honda or Toyota would be a better bet, on average.
Of the domestic vehicles, I would stick to the economy and stripped down models of Ford and Chevy for your price range. You'll end up with a slightly newer car and with nothing really fancy to break (like electronic dash boards, multiple integrated computers, etc.) Also, since there were many many more of those sold, you can start using junk yards as a source of parts.
Get the thing checked out. You want to know if it needs a brake job or if the transmission is starting to go bad. Get the mechanic to give you a sense of what's really likely for that particular car, and for that make/model.
posted
I'm driving a 12 year old Honda Civic with one prior owner - my dad. 187,000 miles on it now, Dad was almost anal retentive about maintenance. The tech at the dealership where Dad has always taken it for "the big stuff" says that he fully expects it to go for at least another 50K short of some kind of freak catastrophic failure or a wreck. For my current usage, that's a good 5 years.
Toyotas are another brand that typically last darn near forever with appropriate maintenance. My ex-MIL's Camry had 132K the last time I drove it almost 3 years ago and they're still using it.
The key, however, is how its prior owner(s) took care of it. And seeing the cr*p my sister is going through with her used 3 year old CRV, I'm glad I didn't go to the dealership to get my car. They didn't bother to do what I would have considered basic inspection and disclosure before selling it to her - she's replaced electrical for lights/turn signals, all 4 tires, all 4 brake pads (fortunately not the rotors), a windshield fluid pump and most recently the entire rear window for broken defroster wires in the 9 months she's had it. Oh, and her AC is anemic at best. I like my dad's '05 (purchased new) CRV, but I can't stand having to use my sister's cause I'm blocked into my spot.
Bob, how do you feel about Subaru? Just curious.
Posts: 4515 | Registered: Jul 2004
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Subaru actually was the original Japanese high mileage champ. Back in the 80's they somehow hit upon a way to make cars that would last 250,000 miles as a matter of routine. This was when other makes were still crowing about hitting 100,000, and when Honda and Toyota were considered great for going 150,000. I really don't know how they did it, but it was pretty amazing.
I suspect you could get a decent used Subaru in that $5,000 range and it'd be really good.
By the way, I forgot to mention the fact that if you're choosing a "zippy" car remember that the prior owner may have bought it for its get up and go as well. They tend to be abused more.
However, lots of small cars have plenty of zip, unless you load them down. And they are usually more fun to drive in tight spaces.
You might seriously consider a Ford Focus, for example, or a Corolla and be pleasantly surprised by the pick up.
As long as you're willing to look around, you might even do well with an even older car that you spend say $2,500 on, and decide from the start not to dump much money into. It all depends on what you can find and (as was said earlier) by how it was treated.
Stay away from buy-here/pay-here lots unless you know the owner personally and he'll let you swap cars when the first one you choose turns out to be a dog.
It's not a bad idea to buy from elderly folks who were still active. They tend to use their cars gently, but not let them sit rotting for months at a time.
Posts: 22497 | Registered: Sep 2000
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Oh...unless you definitely want airbags and anti-lock brakes. Then you can't really go much before 1993 or so (ABS became common in the luxury/high-end models in the very early 90's, and then spread rapidly to all vehicles).
I personally would care less about ABS than about air bags, but then I've had ABS go bad on me and my current vehicle (a 2003) doesn't even have it. I was amazed and pleased. It's probably the last new car I'll be able to purchase without ABS, darn it. The new automated stability control that they're going to stick on all cars is really kind of next generation ABS and NHTSA is saying stuff like every car should have it.
posted
Maintenance may be a little more, but have you checked out the Acura Integras, particularly the GSR? Acura is Honda's luxury line of cars. $5000 will get you into about a '94-96 GSR or a newer GS or LS. Difference is that the GSR has about 30 more horses (170) and VTEC. They get extremely good gas mileage for a performance car, around mid-30's mpg I think. Standard ABS, airbags, disk brakes, etc. However, like someone said, these cars tend to be abused. If anyone has done any aftermarket stuff to it (exhaust, CAI, etc), don't buy it-figure the kid has beat the crap out of it street racing it. If you do end up buying it, remember that no matter what the fool put into it, it didn't really raise the value of the car.
If you want something with zip, I'd avoid the corolla, civic, and focus unless you plan on doing a bunch of aftermarket modding. The focus and civic that really have the zip (the Civic SI and Focus SVT I think) are going to be out of your price range.
If you just want something super-reliable, but honestly not exactly exciting to drive, I recommend the Geo (later on the Chevrolet) Prism. This little known gem is the same as the Toyota Corolla (built in the same factory even I believe). However, replacement parts usually come cheaper, and in buying used you'll be able to take advantage of a much higher depreciation rate on the Geo/Chevy than Toyota.
Stay away from anything Volkswagon, as these have been very unreliable the last 10+ years and are expensive to repair as well.
quote:Originally posted by Bob_Scopatz: Of the domestic vehicles, I would stick to the economy and stripped down models of Ford and Chevy for your price range.
Actually, I'd recommend the opposite—if you buy a domestic under $5,000, go for a slightly upscale model like an Oldsmobile, Buick, or Mercury. People who buy upscale models generally maintain them better. It's a little easier to find a decently reliable Oldsmobile than a decently reliable Chevy, even though there's often not much difference between them.
Posts: 9945 | Registered: Sep 2002
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Jon Boy makes a good point. My one concern with the more modern higher-end vehicles is that this is where manufacturers test out the latest features, loading these cars with lots of things that can last long enough for the original owner to be satisfied, but don't really do well for the next couple of owners down the line.
At the price range you are looking in, you might be right on the hairy edge of getting some of the first generation doo-dads and my experience is that's not a good thing maintenance-wise.
I guess the thing to do would be to research the make/model to see if that was a year where significant new stuff (especially novel electronic stuff) was added. And you can find out about failures of specific components by now too. That's generally a lot more time and effor than I like to put into used car choices. But a failure of some of these systems is enough to make the car's value drop to essentially scrap because the cost to repair is more than the car is worth.
I just tend to stay away from major new advances after a particularly punishing experience with a high-end vehicle I bought used.
Posts: 22497 | Registered: Sep 2000
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quote: We bought a 1995 Geo Prism (knock off Toyota domestically made more or less).
We also have a 1995 Geo Prism (not our main car at present though) That thing has run FOREVER. We've had it since '96. Lots of miles on it, very very few problems. (It does say "Toyota" right on the engine)
(but this is not a car with much zip -- so probably not what you are looking for) It's just a good, very basic, car.
Posts: 9538 | Registered: Aug 2003
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I'm in almost the same situation as you, looking for the same kind of car. For a regular car I'm looking at a Ford Focus, Chevy Cavalier, or maybe a Dodge Neon (though I've heard bad things about the Neon). For a car that's a little faster I want to get maybe a Pontiac Grand Am, a Mitsubishi Eclipse, or a Mercury Cougar (which my friend is offering to sell me for 6 grand with 55,000 miles on it). I don't know which ones to recommend, but I thoguht I'd throw some options out there for you. Edit: my dad is pushing me towards buying an American car because he says foreign cars are too expensive and to change parts and repair costs are much higher.
posted
That USED to be true about foreign car parts, but now things are different. Some of the "foreign" cars are made here in the US, some of the parts are made here (not that many). US car parts come from all over too. And US manufacturers' parts aren't cheap any longer either.
Cars that age, you more have to worry about not having parts available at all. If you buy a model that's easy to find in junk yards, you'll probably save some money if you needed something non-critical.
About this Cougar, is your friend kind to this car? If so, buying a car that's a known commodity is not such a bad idea.
Of the others you mentioned, I don't know how well the Grand Ams hold up as used cars. For me it falls into the category of too much electronic stuff -- gets me worried about what I'll be driving if one of the myriad things fritz's out on me. But...some of that stuff can be had at junk yards and so you wouldn't necessarily be tied to having to purchase a new computer or dashboard module from a dealer if something wend south.
I would probably tend to avoid the Eclipse unless I knew how it'd been treated.
Of the three "regular" cars, it really depends. They're all basic econo boxes without a lot of bells & whistles. I've seen Neons last a long time and I've seen them fall apart. Chrysler products are weird that way. The Ford Focus and Chevy Cavalier are both cars that you could probably get fixed just about anywhere and unless abused or already a problem car, are likely to keep on going for awhile.
I personally lean towards Fords due to past positive experiences. But dkw has a Chevy Corsica that just won't die no matter what. I've been very impressed with it.
As you said, no real power, but honestly, there's not a lot of point in purchasing a powerful car. If you can view it as transportation that reliably gets you from point A to point B, a car can be a useful thing to own. If there are other issues wrapped up in it, I personally find that every car is a disappointment in some respects.
Posts: 22497 | Registered: Sep 2000
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I have NOT read good things about the recent models of Cavaliers. I looked at them (and Malibus) before buying the Impala we have now -- and most of the online automotive forums I found did not seem to say many good things about Cavaliers. You might just want to do some online searching of mechanics' forums, etc. and see what you hear.
posted
We've had a 94 Honda Accord in our family for over 10 years. The engine on that thing was running fine and even with all the miles on it, it never broke down. My dad had to drive it from Manassas all the way to Arlington everyday, which is like 40 miles one-way. It was really reliable and my parents were gonna give it to me when I got my driver's license. But then everything got all screwed up and the car got jacked by somebody. So now we got like a 05 Honda Accord, and I won't be driving anything when I'm 16. Apparently Hondas are one of the easiest cars to steal, so you might want to keep that in mind while ur car shopping.
Posts: 1158 | Registered: Feb 2006
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It's not that they are easier to steal, it's that they are popular cars, easy to find a place to fence the parts. I.e., there's a market for stolen Honda parts.
Appropos to nothing, really, a 19 y.o. stole my neighbor's car, ran it into a parked car or something, and was caught. The car was probably worth about $1000 at the time of the theft. Probably $500 now (with body damage).
This stupid kid is going to face felony charges for what amounted to less than a half-hour's worth of riding around. He has screwed up his life for some piece of cr@p car...
Can't really figure it out.
I mean, there were plenty of Hondas on the street... Posts: 22497 | Registered: Sep 2000
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"About this Cougar, is your friend kind to this car? If so, buying a car that's a known commodity is not such a bad idea."
He's very good to his car. It used to be his grandma's and then she gave it to him as a gift. Now he's getting his sister's Scion tC and he's going to be selling the Cougar. (He gets two free cars while I'm working my a$$ off in two jobs just to buy one ). The Problem is it's a V6 and I'm my dad is very against me getting one of those.
Bob, how do you figure out if a car has been treated good? Would you recommend buying a car from a dealership or private owner?
Posts: 2054 | Registered: Nov 2005
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Oh, and one more issue to bring up: insurance. Sporty cars like the Cougar and Eclipse have extremely high insurance costs, from what I've heard. The faster the car, the higher the insurance cost will be, I think. Would the insurance be as high on a Grand Am as it would be on a Cougar?
Posts: 2054 | Registered: Nov 2005
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I've been without my own car for about 2 days now, and I'm going batty. I'm considering getting an old junker for about $500 so I can have my own wheels while we save up to get me a "real" car.
There are lots of cheap cars in the newspaper. I wonder if it would definitely be a waste of money.
Posts: 2880 | Registered: Jun 2004
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Generally, private owner if you know the person, or have a good sense of how they treated their vehicle.
check insurance rates on the Cougar. I'm not sure that it would necessarily be all that high. I'd expect the Grand Am and Eclipse to be treated similarly by insurance companies, but the Cougar doesn't strike me as in the same category. I could be wrong.
Kat, I have done that in the past. The mistake NOT to make is to invest anything in the vehicle. If it needs tires or brakes, sure...but otherwise, don't waste a dime on anything but routine maintenance. Do NOT fall in love with a $500 car.
posted
I bought my first BMW (1981 528i) with 120k miles on it, and it lasted to 200k with minor wear-and-tear repairs. Some things I broke, and those were expensive.
My current BMW (1987 325e) has lasted 3 years (probably 35k miles) and it now needs a master brake cyl. I could dump it now and be happy - it only cost me $2000. It runs great though, and I'm going to keep it even though I can afford a much newer one.
I love my bimmers. Posts: 1069 | Registered: Feb 2005
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I'm googling but I can't find a website that compares insurance prices. The only websites I find are ones that I have ti type in all of my information to get a quote. I don't want to do that, I just want to know which cars have higher insurance than each other. Know any websites that has that?
Posts: 2054 | Registered: Nov 2005
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posted
Point of reference: the eclipse, integra, celica, etc. do NOT have unusually high insurance costs. Most insurance companies classify them as economy, not sports cars; I'd guess it's because they have weak four cylinder engines that don't have more than 160 hp stock (barring the top of the line trim, of course).
Granted, you will always have higher insurance in a coupe than a sedan, but in the case of the cars mentioned, it's a very, very small difference.
Posts: 4313 | Registered: Sep 2004
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When I was in Driver's ed, they told us something about Lemon Laws. I don't know how it works, but you have a couple weeks to figure out how much it takes to get the car to pass inspection. If it's more than a certain percentage of the purchase price you can return the car. I don't know what kind of sellers or conditions this applies to, but it's worth checking.
When we bought the Geo, the radio "didn't work". Nor did the door lights. My parents told me that my dad would find on at the junyard, and I would pay for that (about $75) since they paid for the car. Turned out a fuse blew (and there was the right fuse in the coin tray when we were sold the car). I'm curious if the lady sold it to us realized the whole radio problem was a ten cent fuse issue, and we made out for it.
My car was also a great find because it was uncharacteristically souped up for a GEO. It has a 1.8 cc engine and pretty much everything but ABS.
My dad also test drives cars, so I've ridden in more new cars than you really want to hear about. I can attest that luxury cars have been the most annoying things on the planet for years when it comes to key type, start up, the radio, just everything. Cheap cars are convient.
Posts: 1757 | Registered: Oct 2004
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I have an '02 Grand Am GT that I bought brand new. It now has 67000 miles on it and runs like the day that it was bought. I love the way it drives and sounds. It has pretty decent get up and go. I got the leather, sunroof, rims option so the interior quality is really quite good. The only thing I don't like is there is this cheap looking black plastic around the radio, climate control, etc.
I'm somewhat anal retentive about maintenance. I've run Amsoil synthetic since the first oil change. Changed air filters, did coolant flushes, transmission flushes, fuel injector treaments, etc always on time. I've never had a single problem with it. It's seen a bit of hard driving, a little racing, but all I did was add a cold air intake and exhaust. Now I removed the CAI cause it makes me nervous when it rains.
However, that being said, I wouldn't buy one used. Not many people are very good with maintenance. I think the Hondas and Toyotas generally hold up better to abuse, which is one reason why they may get such high reliability ratings (and one reason why people who've taken very good care of domestic vehicles that have been great for them are a bit offended when people say all domestic cars are crap).
If you do go for the Grand Am, things to watch out for: *LIM (Lower intake manifold) gasket: If this goes and stays gone to long, coolant mixes with oil = very bad. *rotors: pre '02 models had problems with OEM ones warping. *electrical: Always been a bane of this model, make sure your power windows all work strong.
------------------------- On a different note, I've noticed different things than Bob as far as part prices. They are mostly made here, but several foreign cars parts cost 50-100% more than a similar domestic part. E.G. transmission and ac compressor on Toyota tacomas vs. Ford rangers.
I'd still go with the Acura Integra though, if you want something really fun to drive. Geo/Chevy Prism if you want something ultra-reliable and good fuel economy, but about as fun to drive as a Red Rider Wagon.
Posts: 1412 | Registered: Oct 2005
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"Changed air filters, did coolant flushes, transmission flushes, fuel injector treaments, etc always on time."
Do you take it to a mechanic to do this or can you do it yourself? Another thing: what's the deal with tuning a car? Should I do this as soon as I buy a car? How often do you have to tune it?
"LIM (Lower intake manifold) gasket: If this goes and stays gone to long, coolant mixes with oil = very bad."
How do I check if this is good before I buy the car?
Thanks alot BQT, that was really helpful.
Posts: 2054 | Registered: Nov 2005
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posted
Boy this thread is sure helpful, I hope it's helped other folks too.
Based on the information I've read in this thread, my target seller is a 69 year old lady, with a Toyota Celica that's been well maintained.
I like the other suggestions, but for me reliability will be a factor, so Corolla or Cavalier would be fine too, but my experience with Chevy hasn't been that great so I'm interested in Honda/Toyota brands.
Posts: 1236 | Registered: Mar 2002
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I really wanted a celica when I was in highschool. But at the time, they were brand new after the re-design, and my parents wanted me to have a ford ranger. I like it, but in this day and age, 5 years later, its a bit of a mistake- low mpg, slow and too big for the new morality around american cars. When I got it, it was considered very cool among my highschool buddies- but today I am embarassed to drive such a gas guzzler when my friends all drive little cars. Not as if you were considering a truck, but think well about the long term pros and cons of your car choices folks.
Posts: 9912 | Registered: Nov 2005
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A Ford Ranger is a gas guzzler? Really? I'd've considered it about average, or a little above average. And certainly better than a lot of other pickup trucks.
I'm actually kind of pleased to hear people thinking that way. Maybe we'll get some public momentum around upping the CAFE standards afterall!
Posts: 22497 | Registered: Sep 2000
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posted
Pfft. Your friends will all be jealous of the fact that you have a truck next time they move. That or they'll borrow it.
Posts: 4753 | Registered: May 2002
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The Mazda Miata also caught my eye, but they're so small I fear for mein self.
I'm trying to figure out what slice of society would buy a Celica 95-99 generation, keep it well maintained, and not run it into the ground.
Where's a good place to find used cars? The lots around here always seem... Well, I think in general, I have a distrust of car lots and used car salesmen. There's a magazine around here called Wheel Deals and I'm sure it included private owners and lots in betwixt its pages. I'm just wondering if I'm missing some obvious places to look, some not so obvious places.
Posts: 1236 | Registered: Mar 2002
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quote: I'm trying to figure out what slice of society would buy a Celica 95-99 generation, keep it well maintained, and not run it into the ground.
Good luck. That era of celica is far and away the most popular, and street racers (and their wannabe incarnations) had a field day with them. Carfax is your friend - always verify claims regarding where the vehicle has and has not been. Never buy a car that has a salvage title, no matter WHAT they tell you about it; it means it's been in a pretty bad wreck, and there's no way for you to tell exactly what happened. (This is advice aimed at the car-unfriendly, as people with mechanic experience/knowledge should be able to verify any claims as to parts replaced, newness, maintenance and subsequent abuse.)
quote:Where's a good place to find used cars? The lots around here always seem... Well, I think in general, I have a distrust of car lots and used car salesmen. There's a magazine around here called Wheel Deals and I'm sure it included private owners and lots in betwixt its pages. I'm just wondering if I'm missing some obvious places to look, some not so obvious places.
I have a friend who's boyfriend is a mechanic; offered to come along and check it out. Hmm, doesn't matter, I'm not going to buy anything w/o cash on hand. Which isn't now, just wanted to see what was out there.
Posts: 1236 | Registered: Mar 2002
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You may also want to look in other areas within 100-150 miles of you, if you're willing to bus down there. Given that you can simply drive back, it's often worth it - even if you have to fly as far as the midwest.
Posts: 4313 | Registered: Sep 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Primal Curve: Pfft. Your friends will all be jealous of the fact that you have a truck next time they move. That or they'll borrow it.
That has always been true, and it gets borrowed fairly often.
Yes Bob, my Ford Ranger gets about 15mpg. Considering though, that it is the biggest of the rangers, a 4x4 with supercab (thats 2 doors and 2 half doors), and is slightly taller, longer and heavier than the average two door ranger, but with essentially the same 6 cylinder engine.
For me, 15mpg is gas guzzling, as I think any reasonable car should get 30 at least (although that is optimistic on my part). Either way, with an 18 gallon tank, it is costing me over 50 bucks to fill up at the pumps these days, so I barely drive at all. Lucky for me, Davis Ca is the bike capital of the Earth, (true story), so its actually easier to bike than drive anywhere.
Posts: 9912 | Registered: Nov 2005
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Ah well, yeah. If you've got the 6. Do you always run the truck in 4x4 or can you switch to 2x4? That'd save you a few mpg.
Posts: 4753 | Registered: May 2002
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quote:For me, 15mpg is gas guzzling, as I think any reasonable car should get 30 at least
There's your problem. A Ranger is a truck, not a car. And even if you had a 4 cylinder Ranger, single cab, I bet you'd get low 20s at least in mileage.
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Primal, from his description I'm guessing his Ranger is less than 4 years old, in which case it has pushbutton 4-wheel drive.
Posts: 5462 | Registered: Apr 2005
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quote:Originally posted by GaalDornick: "Changed air filters, did coolant flushes, transmission flushes, fuel injector treaments, etc always on time."
Do you take it to a mechanic to do this or can you do it yourself? Another thing: what's the deal with tuning a car? Should I do this as soon as I buy a car? How often do you have to tune it?
"LIM (Lower intake manifold) gasket: If this goes and stays gone to long, coolant mixes with oil = very bad."
How do I check if this is good before I buy the car?
Thanks alot BQT, that was really helpful.
Sorry for the slow reply. I do all of it myself. I spent about $160 on a Craftsman Mechanics socket set, two Craftsmen wrench sets, a jack & stand set, two ramps, and the Haynes manual for my car. And I'll have those tools for life. I never worked on cars before, but it's really quite simple with a manual. It's like following a recipe.
The deal with tuning a car, is that it's a marketing gimick used by auto repair shops. Modern cars do not need to be tuned. In the pre-computer, pre-fuel injection days, I guess cars needed their carburators adjusted yearly or so- they called it a tune-up. Now your car's ECU will self adjust the air/fuel mixture with the help of the O2 sensors, etc. Fuel injection doesn't need to be adjusted. It usually involves changing your spark plugs and that's about it. This is a half hour job that it the mechanical equivalent of changing a lightbulb- very simple. My Grand Am's platinum plugs doesn't even need the spark plugs changed for 100,000 miles. They come stock that way. I'd personally change them earlier, but there ya go.
Now that I've given mechanics a hard time, I recommend taking a used car to one before buying it. Often times you can get the seller to split the cost with you- if you are dead serious about buying it and the only question in your decision hinges on the car's mechanical condition. It also helps talk the person down
If you really want to check for it yourself, you should see LIM problems when checking the oil and/or coolant (which you should be checking both anyway- are they clean and filled to the proper levels? If not, it gives you a clue in about how the car was treated & maintained). If the LIM gasket is gone, the oil will look like chocolate milk. When you rub it between your fingers, it won't feel nice & slippery. As for the rotors, check for major visual scratching or warping. When you drive it, if the brakes pulsate when you apply them, it's likely the rotors.
Anyway, upon buying a used car that you've dropped some considerable dollars on and plan on keeping for a while, I'd do the following as soon as you buy it: 1) Oil & Filter Change- I'd go synthetic. Amsoil doesn't need to be changed for 1 year, or 25000 miles, and it's really high quality stuff, so I use it. Google the "motor oil bible" it has more than you ever wanted to know about lubrication. I'll never use dino oil again honestly. 2) Coolant Change (preferably flush) 3) Transmission Fluid & gasket change (preferably flush, but you'd probably have to have a mechanic do any flushing with the tranny) 4) Air filter 5) Spark plugs & possibly the wires if they look cracked or corroded
This last thing isn't necessary, but I take it to a detailer and have the whole vehicle carpet shampooed (and seats if you don't have leather).
Posts: 1412 | Registered: Oct 2005
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quote:Originally posted by theamazeeaz: We bought a 1995 Geo Prism (knock off Toyota domestically made more or less). Much Recommended!
It wasn't a knock-off at all; it was actually made by Toyota for GM in the same assembly plant as the Toyota Corolla (I think the plant for both is in the US somewhere).
quote:Originally posted by Bob_Scopatz: My one concern with the more modern higher-end vehicles is that this is where manufacturers test out the latest features, loading these cars with lots of things that can last long enough for the original owner to be satisfied, but don't really do well for the next couple of owners down the line.
At the price range you are looking in, you might be right on the hairy edge of getting some of the first generation doo-dads and my experience is that's not a good thing maintenance-wise.
I think the best way to avoid this is to stick with the more mainstream models. It's the fancy sport coupes and other high-end models that are more likely to have cool new gizmos that break. My Buick Regal has some nice options—power mirrors, power seat, steering wheel radio controls—but not any spiffy new doo-dads that are going to break and cost a lot to fix.
quote:Originally posted by Earendil18: I like the other suggestions, but for me reliability will be a factor, so Corolla or Cavalier would be fine too, but my experience with Chevy hasn't been that great so I'm interested in Honda/Toyota brands.
As Farmgirl said, stay away from Cavaliers. They have pretty bad crash ratings, and I believe they also have reliability issues. I've always heard good things about Corollas (and its twin, the Geo/Chevy Prizm).
Posts: 9945 | Registered: Sep 2002
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quote:Originally posted by BaoQingTian: Anyway, upon buying a used car that you've dropped some considerable dollars on and plan on keeping for a while, I'd do the following as soon as you buy it: 1) Oil & Filter Change- I'd go synthetic. Amsoil doesn't need to be changed for 1 year, or 25000 miles, and it's really high quality stuff, so I use it. Google the "motor oil bible" it has more than you ever wanted to know about lubrication. I'll never use dino oil again honestly. 2) Coolant Change (preferably flush) 3) Transmission Fluid & gasket change (preferably flush, but you'd probably have to have a mechanic do any flushing with the tranny) 4) Air filter 5) Spark plugs & possibly the wires if they look cracked or corroded
I'd add the following: 6) Inspect the serpentine belt and replace if necessary. 7) Replace the fuel filter.
Posts: 9945 | Registered: Sep 2002
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Yes thanks, forgot about the belt inspection and fuel filter. DEFINATELY replace that. Don't know how I could forget the fuel filter. I changed mine at 30,000 miles and the gasoline that spilled out (and eventually up my arm to my armpit) was just black.
Posts: 1412 | Registered: Oct 2005
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Ok, I talked to a car dealer that my driving instructor recommended me to and he told me that he has a 1998 Grand Am GT V6 with 53,000 miles on it, loaded with electric windows, locks, cruise control, spoiler, ABS, and other stuff for around $4500. He told me it's in great condition (obviously doesn't mean much, but my driving instructor, whom I trust, told me he knows alot about cars and is very trustworthy). Should I bother checking it out? Or is a '98 too old?
Posts: 2054 | Registered: Nov 2005
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Corolla's and Prisms USED to be almost exactly the same. No one knew while it was on the line being assembled which model it was until it was 80% done, then the computer would split them up for detail and interior work.
Now I am not sure, but 10 years ago that was how ti went.
I have had nothing but problems with Pontiac's, and blew a dealer-maintained engine at 42,000 miles on Jenni's Sunfire. There is a reason Pontiac's only have a 36,000 mile warranty, and it isn't because they are good, dependable cars.
Posts: 15082 | Registered: Jul 2001
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Also, I have a 1991 Ford Ranger, with the 6, and I get about 26 mpg. No 4 wheel drive though. Posts: 15082 | Registered: Jul 2001
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Hey Jon Boy...I just did a road trip (about 900 miles R/T) in a rented Impala -- latest model. That's a VERY nice car.
I was impressed. Some of the interior features seemed a little cheap, but overall the car was solid, had good pickup, was comfortable, and it has a lot of room.
It also got 26.1 mpg on the trip (all highway driving 70 - 75 mph depending on where I was).
Not bad for a full size car.
I'm not really in the market for something along those lines, but I have to say that this was a positive experience and I was pleasantly surprised. As you know, I haven't been a fan of GM products since I had my bad experience with a Buick Reatta (and with GM's management when I contacted them about the Reatta).
Posts: 22497 | Registered: Sep 2000
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It's the older body style. I had a '95 once. I bought it with 100,000 miles on it. It had a small hiccup in the transmission at about 4K that made me nervous though, so I sold it.
For an 8 year old car, that's really low mileage. Be sure to run a carfax report to make sure the title is clean. If you're in the market for a car now, then just get the 30 day subscription for like $20 and you can run as many VINs as you want. Ask if you can take it for 24 hours to drive it and see how you like it. Get a really knowledgable friend or another mechanic to give it a second opinion. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, or something like that.
Ask for mainanence records. Ask about previous owner. Kelley Blue Book prices one in excellent condition at about $6500. So if is in great condition, it sounds like you are getting quite a bargain.
Posts: 1412 | Registered: Oct 2005
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I'm not sure what your criteria are for a car, so I'm not sure if the Grand Am is the best choice for you. What are the most important things in a vehicle for you? Rank them in importance. #1-#10 or so.
Posts: 1412 | Registered: Oct 2005
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). The Problem is it's a V6 and I'm my dad is very against me getting one of those. 
