You are here: Forums Smart Shopper Good, Cheap Beater Cars & Inexpensive Commuter Cars - how to find one?

Good, Cheap Beater Cars & Inexpensive Commuter Cars - how to find one?

345 messages,  Last post on Nov 25, 2009 at 9:00 AM

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#268 of 345 motorized seatbelts by oregonboy Jul 25, 2006 (1:22 pm)
motorized seatbelts... I HATE those things. Many manufactures retained the passive belts until the next major redesign. There are early '90s Maximas that have both airbags and motorized seatbelts.   Honda, on the other hand, eliminated the motorized belts in mid-product cycle when they added airbags to the 1992 Accord.   I don't know about Saturns, since I never shopped for one.   james
#269 of 345 also by oregonboy Jul 25, 2006 (1:27 pm)
An earlier poster asked about beaters to avoid. Consumer Reports compiles just such a list in their annual auto issue.   One otherwise decent car to stay away from is the early to mid 1990s Mazda 626 with AUTOMATIC transmission. They used a Ford transmission that was plagued with repeated (expensive) failures.   james Replies to this message: corvette (Jul 25, 2006 1:59 pm) steine13 (Jul 25, 2006 5:21 pm)
#270 of 345 Re: also [oregonboy] by corvette Jul 25, 2006 (1:59 pm)
Replying to: oregonboy (Jul 25, 2006 1:27 pm) I've always heard it was only the 4-cylinder models that used the Ford auto transmission, and that the problems extended to any four-banger 626 built all the way up to their last year (2001? 2002?). Replies to this message: steine13 (Jul 25, 2006 5:21 pm)
#271 of 345 Re: also [corvette] by steine13 Jul 25, 2006 (5:21 pm)
Replying to: corvette (Jul 25, 2006 1:59 pm) I stand corrected then on the Saturn seatbelts.   The Mazda 626 with the 6cyl used a different Ford transmission, and a much better one. According to what I've read on MX-6/626/Millenia/Probe sites, the 6cyl combo is much better than the 4banger.   The Millenia has that combination. At 152k, my Milly is just fine in the tranny department   -Mathias
#272 of 345 confirmed re '95 Saturn seatbelts by ghulet Aug 07, 2006 (8:57 pm)
Just had a real PIA drive--why must Chicago/Cook County/State of Illinois always simultaneously repair EVERY interstate in the area? Seriously, in 40 miles between the north side of Chicago and Dyer, IN, there were probably two miles NOT under construction. Trip there took about an hour and a half.   Anywho, went to look at my co-worker's Saturn ('95 SL2 automatic, 160k)...it wasn't bad at all, not nearly the mess she made it out to be. I mean, I didn't have it checked out by a mechanic, but I drove it around; engine, brakes, trans and suspension felt fine (even a bit peppy), tires were a bit thin but OK and matching, body is great (and even a nice color, quite a feat in old Saturn SLs), no weird smoke or funny smells, no slimy, leaky engine bay, couple of drips on the garage floor but oil looked OK. The interior is a bit dirty but not destroyed or ripped (tan leather--luckily--and carpet, she has two toddler boys), headliner is sagging a bit (scissors), sunroof doesn't close right (silicone or maybe a 'real' repair), A/C warm, radio doesn't work (appears to need a code, so perhaps fixable). Power windows and locks all work, as do heat and defrosters. I think it has ABS (has TCS and everything else they offered, so likely), not sure, but NO dash warning lights lit. Again, this wasn't the most thorough going-through ever, but she offered it to me for $400 cuz she thinks the brakes sometimes squeal a bit. SOLD! I know it's nothing exciting, but I figure I can either keep it for however long and if it blows up, big deal, if it doesn't, I'll get at least the same money back out of it or more. Yay, one car, no payments and it can't possibly be as nasty as my last car (a $500, dented, rusty, gray, stripped '87 Accord DX sedan).   Oh yeah, and it has normal seatbelts. Replies to this message: jlawrence01 (Aug 08, 2006 5:30 am) geo9 (Aug 09, 2006 9:17 am)
#273 of 345 Re: confirmed re '95 Saturn seatbelts [ghulet] by jlawrence01 Aug 08, 2006 (5:30 am)
Replying to: ghulet (Aug 07, 2006 8:57 pm) Sounds like you have about $500 in repairs - tires, brake pads, and a cheap aftemarket radio.   Good deal if you can coax 20k miles out of the car.   It is always a good sign when the seller gives you a litany of sorrows. Generally, the car ends up not being as bad as you would think.
#274 of 345 right by ghulet Aug 08, 2006 (10:08 am)
I don't know about the brakes, when I drove it they felt and sounded fine. It's probably intermittent, but I'd rather just have it checked out, buy some pads rather than have to do the whole thing (rotors, etc.) later. The tires have about 10k left on them, I think. The radio might drive me nuts...I'm going to try to get a code from a Saturn dealer and see if that works. Hoping this works out. Replies to this message: jlawrence01 (Aug 08, 2006 11:33 am)
#275 of 345 Re: right [ghulet] by jlawrence01 Aug 08, 2006 (11:33 am)
Replying to: ghulet (Aug 08, 2006 10:08 am) Shop around. I have had good luck with the 40k Futura tires at PepBoys (in Skokie).   Good luck on the radio.   That's a lot of miles on a Saturn BUT for what you paid, you'll get your money's worth IMO.
#276 of 345 Re: confirmed re '95 Saturn seatbelts [ghulet] by geo9 Aug 09, 2006 (9:17 am)
Replying to: ghulet (Aug 07, 2006 8:57 pm) G.............If the radio is locked out or has a "err" message on the display. I have a link to a thread to possibly unlock it. Otherwise a GM dealer will charge you about $100 to unlock the theft-loc feature...........   Will send it e-mail if needed............
#277 of 345 geo9 by ghulet Aug 09, 2006 (12:16 pm)
That would be awesome....the light on the display is lit, but it says 'code' or something like that...it's the cassette with the equalizer. The current owner (I haven't picked it up yet, she's waiting on her new car) says it worked perfectly until three years ago, when the car died and after it was towed, it didn't work. After that, she took it to the Saturn dealer, they told her it was 'fried'. Sounds odd...my experience has been that you just have to enter the code after the battery dies or is disconnected and it works, though I did have one experience with a SAAB radio (the first year they had theft codes--1986!) where it wouldn't come on for sometimes days at a time, then would suddenly start playing. Either way, I'd love to try to have it fixed, rather than put $100-150 into the radio on a car that only cost $400 to begin with. Thanks for the offer....my e-mail is ghulethotmail.com.

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