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Selecting and Buying My First Car

772 messages,  Last post on Sep 05, 2011 at 4:40 AM

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Messages Page 75 of 78

#733 of 772 Re: Reliable Used Car in the 4000's [gtpoompt] by gsemike

Jul 30, 2007 (7:53 am)

Replying to: gtpoompt (Jul 30, 2007 7:45 am)
Getting 10 years out of a $4000 car is alot to ask. Some brand new cars won't make it 10 years although they all should.
 
For the previous poster looking to spend $8000, a Maxima could prove to be a spacious imported car that is reliable and a little economical. The insurance could be high however.

#734 of 772 Re: Reliable Used Car in the 4000's [gtpoompt] by suydam

Jul 30, 2007 (7:55 am)

Replying to: gtpoompt (Jul 30, 2007 7:45 am)
and newb also --
 
Buicks! Better on gas mileage than the large cruisers, cheaper than imports. I am a Honda and Toyota fan generally, but for used you will be able to get a newer Buick often with less miles. They are extremely reliable. Either a Regal or LeSabre will get nearly 30 mpg highway. Other than the Pontiac Vibe, which would be too pricey for either of you, they are one of the few GM cars I would consider.

#735 of 772 Re: Reliable Used Car in the 4000's [suydam] by gtpoompt

Jul 30, 2007 (9:19 am)

Replying to: suydam (Jul 30, 2007 7:55 am)
Ah, my mistake. I forgot to mention I drive less then 15 miles a day, and have quite a bit of school left, so around 7000 miles a year.
 
One other question. How is the Chevy/(Geo?) Prizm? Is this the same car as the toyota corolla? They seem to sell for WAY cheaper then the corolla's.

#736 of 772 Re: Reliable Used Car in the 4000's [gtpoompt] by jlawrence01

Jul 30, 2007 (9:57 am)

Replying to: gtpoompt (Jul 30, 2007 7:45 am)
I'd rather have automatic then manual, less distraction when driving in the city. Got $4000 to spend (can push to 5K if it's really that much better). Also I'm looking for good safety ratings so it is cheaper to insure.

 
You may be able to find a car for $4k that will last you 3-4 years without a lot of problems. Ten years is very doubtful. Components fail as much due to age as mileage. A $4k car will be about 7-8 years old.
 
You have to decide what is really important - gas mileage, reliability, longevity and focus on that. The Crown Vic will last a long time but the mileage is not great but they are cheap to fix. Smaller cars will probably not last as long but will get better mileage.
 
As for learning auto mechanics, my brother was a mechanic 15 years ago and has all the tools. He takes his cars into shops as he lacks all of the diagnosis equipment. Modern cars require a lot more than the beasts of the past.

#737 of 772 longevity of a $4000 car by suydam

Jul 30, 2007 (10:38 am)

>You may be able to find a car for $4k that will last you 3-4 years without a lot of problems. Ten years is very doubtful. < Not necessarily, especially if you drive less than 7000 miles per year. If you get a used car in pretty good shape it could indeed last, maybe not 10 years, but surely 7 or 8. My son drove the wheels off a '90 Mazda -- like over 15,000 miles a year as a full time college student--for 5 years and it was still running when we sold it. My other son has a '98 Le Sabre with only 68,000 miles (bought used in 2001 with only 30,000 miles on it!) that should last him several more years. Like the above poster, he doesn't take as many long road trips. Yes, Chevy Prism is a good choice, as is also the Mazda Protege.

#738 of 772 Re: longevity of a $4000 car [suydam] by ateixeira

Jul 30, 2007 (11:13 am)

Replying to: suydam (Jul 30, 2007 10:38 am)
I'll echo some suggestions above...Prizm and Vibe depreciate more than their twins do, yet they're every bit as good.

#739 of 772 Re: Reliable Used Car in the 4000's [gtpoompt] by asafonov

Jul 30, 2007 (1:35 pm)

Replying to: gtpoompt (Jul 30, 2007 9:19 am)
One other question. How is the Chevy/(Geo?) Prizm? Is this the same car as the toyota corolla? They seem to sell for WAY cheaper then the corolla's.
 
They have different body panels, and perhaps batteries and stereos, but are identical otherwise. Bulletproof cars, mostly, and extremely economical gas-wise. Stay away from the 3-speed automatic if at all possible, unless you never go over 60 mph.

#740 of 772 Should've mentioned by newb1

Jul 30, 2007 (8:10 pm)

I should've mentioned this in my earlier post. I am currently trying to decide between a 2002 Infiniti G20 with approx 67k miles on it or a 2001 Honda Civic with approx 86k miles on it. I will need to drive about 30 miles each day, round trip, so fuel economy means a lot to me, but so does reliability. I'm a bit reluctant on the Infiniti because I heard its auto trans is a bit weak, but I thought I'd ask for your input first. Both are around the same cost. Which would car do you think would be better for me?

#741 of 772 Re: Should've mentioned [newb1] by cccompson

Jul 31, 2007 (4:03 am)

Replying to: newb1 (Jul 30, 2007 8:10 pm)
The Infiniti has better safety equipment and, unless you plan to keep the car only a short while, is better bang for the buck IMHO.

#742 of 772 Re: Should've mentioned [newb1] by user777

Jul 31, 2007 (4:11 am)

Replying to: newb1 (Jul 30, 2007 8:10 pm)
if it were me, the civic. i presume lower costs to repair but not sure. how does the fuel economy compare?
 
call your insurance company. which would be the cheaper to insure?
 
have you seen, driven both vehicles? what is their relative condition based on visual inspection? any idea of the state of the brakes / tires? was regular maintenance performed?
 
are all the civic's VIN stickers on all the doors, trunk, hood, front and rear-end present and match?
 
question to consider, what is the recommended maint on the timing belt for the civic? is it 90K or 100K? has it been done? that's a good chunk of change.
 
if buying something used private party, or from a dealer, no matter the vehicle, i'd personally demand you have the ability to bring it to an independant shop to have it looked over as a pre-condition of the sale. and i'd pay the $50, $75, $100 (not sure) it might cost to have it checked out.
 
i'd also pay the $25 to run a carfax on each. it's not foolproof, but you don't need to purchase a vehicle that has been reported to be in an accident or been flood damaged.

Messages Page 75 of 78

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