So I was supposed to be buying a new car for my wife this year and with her job being in question we're holding off. Trouble is that our plan was to give her 2003 Mazda 6 to the teenager to drive, and she really needs a car. So if you were looking for a reasonably reliable used commuter vehicle in the following price points, what you would recommend? $2,000 - ??? $4,000 - ??? I'd really prefer we get her something front wheel drive due to the winter conditions here.
Toyota Camry or Corolla. Almost can't kill them IMHO and that's what you asked for. Hondas are great but more expensive to repair.
98+ cavalier/sunfire Timing chains and not belts and pretty reliable cars if taken care of. I had a 96 cavalier for a oil field rig car and I drove it into the dirt with over 260k miles on the clock before I sold it. 2003+ toyota corolla/camry. They have timing chains and not timing belts. They also have non-interference engines. Unlike 90s honda's and toyota's that used plastic timing belts and if the belt broke the engine would grenade. ...Would be my choices for a first teenager car.
Camry, Corolla, Civic or Hyundai Accent Also look at Geo Prism, it's the same car as a Corolla (built in the same factory) for the mid-90s onward.
With a loan, I bought an 87 grand am that I got into my only accident that was ever my fault, and then it got stolen (I could still drive the broken vehicle). Then the money I got back from insurance allowed me to purchase a 88 Cavalier. The only vehicle I ever had given to me was a work vehicle (Sunfire GT, then a Minivan, and then an Aveo). Suzuki Swift though...that's where it's at!
This. My first car was a 1991 accord that I spent all summer saving for and while I drove it hard, it had significantly more value for me since I bought it.
Id shoot for an accord, i got mine for around 4k and i have had hardly any issues except for regular maintenance on it, runs like a charm, in the process of buying a more expensive car I got mine with ~85k miles on it and now it has ~140k, i've only had to change some belts since i got it and i'll be changing out the tires soon
I've never owned a car I didn't trade the sweat off my brow for. But If you can score a decent Subaru, I'd definately go that direction. With the winters you have.....sheesh, you'll sleep better at night.
Geo Prism, hadn't thought of that! But yeah, my old man gave me a beater car when I was a kid and I just want to pay it forward. She's working for college in the fall, so it's kinda a graduation present. I know I would look like a total dork, but I actually though about getting a scooter for me to drive over the summer, let my wife drive my Honda, and give her the 6 now.
2.8/3.1/3100/3400 W-body. if you break something on them, you're doing something wrong. biggest issues with them is rust in the rear strut towers and rust in the trailing arm area. otherwise, solid and lasting vehicles. my MC just rolled over 200,000 a few days ago, just now replacing a factory balljoint.
Cavalier is the worst suggestion on this thread so far. *Crapalier No offense to mullet because I know he loves GMs but everything he listed is also garbage, have fun doing lower intakes on that a month after you buy it, if it isn't making engine noise already. Civic, Integra, Accord, Camry, Corolla. Obvious choices
i'm at 200K miles on a 95 monte carlo 3100, still the original LIM gasket(along with basically every other engine/transmission part except for filters and the water pump) . i'm also currently averaging 28.6 MPG in mixed driving. and the 2.8/3.1 doesn't even have the LIM gasket issue, only the 3100 and 3400 do. mechanically inclined people can have the job done in 6 hours or less for less than $100 in new gaskets as well. oh, and the exhaust rotting off of a 2.8/3.1 just sounds so much more badass than the ~140HP they push out ever deserves. the wife's 90 grand prix was like that. i will agree with avoiding a cavalier (or any j-body, really), rattletraps and depending on how far gone the frame is, deathtraps as well.
My daily driver is a 98 lumina. 195k miles and still running strong and averaging 27mpg with a smooth ride and ice cold A/C. Funny how only mechanically inclined people rave about the engines in these cars lol
I don't think anyone is going to argue that GM doesn't or didn't make some kickass engines but a lot of buying a used vehicle has to do with how the rest of the vehicle holds up. While I'm sure noone is going to expect their used vehicle to be same as new if shit starts breaking in the interior or it needs to have other non-drivetrain components replaced pretty frequently that's going to be a deal killer. Especially to the teenage girl in question.
I'd recommend a 96-02 Chevy blazer/GMC Jimmy; I love my '00 Jimmy. Get's ok gas mileage (19-20 average), four wheel drive for snow, nice and roomy inside, and lot's of space when moving shit. I picked mine up for 3450 with 130k miles and since then parts have been relatively inexpensive and easy to replace myself.
Personally, I would recommend a 2004-2005 Chevrolet Impala. They have great power, and were pretty reliable cars. They did have some electronics issues (dash problems, as well as other wiring gremlins), but would run long miles with little upkeep. Also, my wife's car has been a good, comfortable car. It's a 2004 Dodge Intrepid with the Police Package. It has the 3.5 liter HO V6 (which pushes this car around very well), drives nice, and has all the room you would ever need. These motors were known for having some weird issues with their cam position sensors, but they are quick and cheap to fix. We have driven this car across the country on two different occasions, and have driven the piss out of it locally without any issues. Build quality is stellar, with no rattles/squeaks/gremlins. Both of these cars could be had for down around $4000, or less if you look hard enough. ~Will Courtier~
6 hours?! If that's how long it takes, that just goes to show that I've done way too many of those because it takes me about 3, my ex co-worker does them in an hour and a half, knows every bolt size by heart, it's ridiculous... and he's never owned one. It seemed like every other GM V6 that came into my work needed lowers. I've found from the ones I've done that it you take a punch and hit small holes on the edge of where the gasket seats and add just a thin layer of RTV that they seat a lot easier, kind of trivial but it helps regardless. And yes I was referring to the 3100s, not the 2.8s or earlier 3.1, obviously MSP isn't going to buy his daughter a '92 Beretta. As far as mileage/problems, every one of my Hondas minus 3 of them has had 200k+, when I sold my maroon Integra it was at 270 and I was spraying a 75 wet shot, still ran strong. '97 Odyssey had 474, burned a lot of oil when I sold it but it had original motor and trans. Any vehicle that is taken care of will last a while, but overall you can not argue that the reliability on GMs is just not there compared to their foreign counterparts since the 80's if not earlier. And whatever was said about 200k on a ball joint, that is relative. Wear & tear is greatly influenced on a lot of factors... how it was driven, how it was taken care of, where you live... you're going to go through ball joints a lot faster on the east coast compared to the smooth wide roads of the west. The Blazer/Jimmy is a decent suggestion for MSP's daughter, a "truck" but not too big of a truck to the point where she wouldn't be able to drive it safely. The 4.3 Vortecs are pretty good motors, I've seen issues with the spider injection system on those, and they seem to eat wheel bearings (did a lot of these at work as well), but not only are they easy to replace (4 13mm bolts + axle nut and it's off), it might be because people will buy parts store China wheel bearings instead of OEM ones. They seem to hold resale value as well unlike GM cars, so I think you'd be making a decent investment there. Make sure to get 4x4. I firmly hold my opinion that Dodge Intrepids are the worst fucking cars ever made. All kinds of transmission issues (like any Dodge really), unreliable motor... well the 3.3s, not sure about the new ones. Every one I've seen has leaked like a son of a bitch, I think the last thing that pissed me off on one of those was the fact that you had to take the entire wiper assembly out in order to change a fucking inner tie rod, because they have the rack sitting towards the top... stupidest design ever. Why is it that when you go to the junkyard, most of the foreign cars are 80s to mid 90s, and all of the Chryslers are '01, '00, '03... I could keep going but I think you see my point. Just make sure she gets something safe and that will hold value for resale. And LOL @ Hondas using plastic timing belts. I didn't catch that before. That's good to know that next time I need a timing belt, I can cut one off of a 2 liter bottle. Maybe I can even leave the Mountain Dew sticker on for more horsepower.
Please don't buy her a $2000 GM car. She's better off with a bicycle. What a hopeless, retched, dreary, floppy, miserable, ugly, horrendous driving experience. If I had one, I would want to walk. An Impala? A Cavalier? They are horrible. Horrible. The only people who drive cars like that are people who don't know any better. There is absolutely nothing about those cars that is good. Nothing. They aren't good looking, well built, well equipped, comfortable, nimble, fast, powerful, exciting, interesting, safe, reliable, cheap to run, efficient... It is the car equivalent of a day-old doughnut. If someone gave me a Cavalier or Impala to drive for free all expenses paid, I would say no. I'd rather shoot myself. Also, those V6 engines are probably the most pathetic motors ever made. Pathetic power, pathetic economy and absolutely no character at all.
Well, at this point we're just sharing our two existing cars and getting by. With her leaving to go away to college in 90 days it really doesn't make sense for us to buy her a beater she won't need. I'm hoping my wife can keep a fucking job and we can go back to plan A - buying the wife a new Camry or Accord, and giving Liz the Mazda 6.
