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Posted: 1/27/2006 11:48:10 PM EDT
[#1]
Toyota Camry. With your budget, it may be a few years old, but that's no biggie with a Toyota.
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Posted: 1/28/2006 12:11:22 AM EDT
[#2]
A Volkswagen Jetta GLS. This is the version with the diesel engine. Couple of points:
1. Have an aunt has one, 240,000 miles and not one hickup. Diesel engines on the whole last longer than their petrol counterparts. 2. Great gas mileage, a must in this day and age. 3. The car itself is great, plenty of space for stuff, holds 4 people comfortably, 5 with less elbow room in the back. |
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Posted: 1/28/2006 12:22:39 AM EDT
[#3]
Honda Accord.
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Posted: 1/28/2006 12:36:09 AM EDT
[#4]
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Posted: 1/28/2006 2:02:04 AM EDT
[#5]
The easiest way I know to judge a car's condition is if it leaks oil/trans fluid or not; those leaks are very tough to hide and never cheap to fix.
....You take it for a test drive (20 mins or so), and then return and park it on some clean pavement and ask for a few more minutes to think it over. ---Open the hood and look at the engine, make sure it hasn't been powerwashed off recently (if it has, forget that car. If they bothered to clean the engine of a regular car, it's likely because there was evidence of leaks they didn't want you to see). ---Check the oil and trans fluid levels to make sure they're properly filled. ---After about five minutes, get on the ground and crawl under, and look for drops of oil, transmission fluid, coolant, ect. under the familiar places. No drops is a good car. a couple drops is an okay car. Drops of coolant from the radiator area might be reasonably cheap to fix, but more than that, forget it--no sale. Keep looking. ~ |
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Posted: 1/28/2006 5:00:48 AM EDT
[#6]
Nissan Maxima.
Reliable, decent fuel economy and roomy enough to be a "family" car, but with a standard-equipment V6 that'll blow the doors off most other sedans (zero to sixty in just a tad over 6 seconds). Why drive a boring car? 
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Posted: 1/28/2006 5:26:54 AM EDT
[#7]
for gods sake don't buy anything german or american. you will regret it. I've owned several american cars/trucks/van 2 toyota 1 audi.
german cars NEVER AGAIN. worst car i have ever owned. Only car to leave me stranded somwhere. parts are ridculiously expensive. you'll buy one if you are stupid. american cars. junk but atleast parts are easier to find and cheaper. for the record i'm drive a 99 mercury grand marquis. do not buy any ford product. they use individual coils for each spark plug. each coil costs $115 and they are go out all the time. my car has 64k on it and i have had to have 2 of them replaced so far. hit the msn autos user reviews and alldata.com for recall and TSB information. as for family sedan i'd get a basic matrix if i were you. good gas milage, resonable room they are basially mini station wagons. you might even want to look at getting a mid sized used suv. its buyers market on those things. I had a co worker with a CRV. its not an offroader but it was pretty reasonable and had decent amount of room. got 25 mpg or better on the highway. |
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Posted: 1/28/2006 6:04:57 AM EDT
[#8]
HONDA ACCORD you will be happy!!!
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Posted: 1/28/2006 6:13:42 AM EDT
[#9]
In the last twenty years my family has owned six Hondas (Civics & Accords). We NEVER had a problem with any of them.
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Posted: 1/28/2006 6:33:03 AM EDT
[#10]
Get a 1994-1996 Cadillac Fleetwood, Buick Roadmaster, Buick Roadmaster Wagon or Chevy Caprice (with 5.7 V8). I LOVE mine, I get around 20-23MPG (peaked once at 26) in my Fleetwood, it's a tank. Longest car since the 70's, I picked it up for $2300 with 123k on it. The only thing equally luxurious (short of a Rolls Royce) is a Lincoln Town Car.
The wagons demand a premium in price, as do the Fleetwoods, as they're SUV-big with a luxury car ride. If you tow, keep in mind, with a towing package, the Fleetwood was rated for 7000lbs, they all came with the same drive-train (as did the Corvette from 1992-1996). They all come with climate control (except the Caprice), they call come with power everything, most (all Fleetwoods) have leather & heated seats. Or... get a used Town Car or Grand Marquis. SUVs are for soccer moms, FWD econoboxes are for kids. ETA: www.carsurvey.org You won't find a bad review of a 1994-1996 Roadmaster/Fleetwood/Caprice |
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Posted: 1/28/2006 6:47:23 AM EDT
[#11]
Okay,
Here is what I am looking at: Honda Accord (bit out of my price range) unless I want high miles Toyota Camry (same as above) Chevy Malibu Saturn ION Nissan Maxima (bit out of my price range unless I want high miles) Ford Tarus? This car is for my wife, she prefers smallish cars so I can't get something to big, I already have a 4Runner. |
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Posted: 1/28/2006 6:50:44 AM EDT
[#12]
If it was me, I'd keep looking pal.
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Posted: 1/28/2006 6:55:28 AM EDT
[#13]
Go with the Camry or Honda (of Maxima). Even if you have to get a higher milage one, they will probably outlast the others on your list and give you much less headaches down the road. The resale on those cars will also be much better if down the road you decide to resell.
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Posted: 1/28/2006 7:10:51 AM EDT
[#14]
I would trudge down to the local library and consult Consumers Reports and look at their "frequency of repairs" for the vehicles that you're interested in. They do very extensive tracking of which vehicles are the most reliable over a period of time. This is not absolute 100% unfallable because it is questionaire driven, but it will give a good idea of long-term trends of good, the bad, and the ugly. And also you don't have to follow their recommendations, but at least you are aware.
Also be aware that there many vehicles that were flooded-out in the Hurricane Katrina that are now coming to market, I would check out the vehicle's pedigree very carfully, because the damge was salt water that could play havoc with the electrical system. |
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Posted: 1/28/2006 8:29:28 AM EDT
[#15]
I recommend a Dodge Stratus. Everybody knocks American made, but I have owned a 96 and 99 Stratus, both with the 2.4L engine. Good interior room, I have a family of four, just as much room as a Taurus. They were good cars and the best part is if there is a US Government GSA auto auction anywhere near you, they can be had at a great price, but you have to have cash. I put a lot of miles on both, the only reason I sold the 99 was to buy my wife a 2003 Mustang convertible.
P.S. Do not buy one with the 2.0L engine though, they are underpowered. |
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Posted: 1/28/2006 8:35:38 AM EDT
[#16]
+1 They don't make 500,000 a year because they suck. Love mine, best car I've ever owned. |
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Posted: 1/28/2006 8:41:30 AM EDT
[#17]
Accura...... Have a 91 Integra 225,000 miles, runs great one clutch and normal maintenance been a great car
Accura is the up scale Honda division. NEVER buy a FORD horrible car, van, truck and SUV (my family has had them all)......you will spend all you extra money on repairs. |
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Posted: 1/28/2006 8:53:51 AM EDT
[#18]
I'm on my second Honda (Prelude then a Pilot) and will never buy American ever again. Before, I was a Chevy girl all the way. Honda makes a great vehicle.
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Posted: 1/28/2006 10:01:14 AM EDT
[#19]
the taurus and malibu are complete peices of shit. hit alldata.com and look at the recalls and tsbs for those 2. you'll spend a little more for a toyota upfront but you won't be keeping the dealer 's service center in business with it. |
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Posted: 1/28/2006 10:04:38 AM EDT
[#20]
Don't waste your money on some Japenese vehicle.
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Posted: 1/28/2006 12:33:17 PM EDT
[#21]
I drove a Ford Contour for 70000 miles and 6 years and spent less less than 1000 on all repairs of any type, including brakes, over that time. Never failed to start, and the power equipment simply would not go bad.
Now I own a new 2004 Accord, and it's great of course. Reason I had to buy this is that the US makers simply DID NOT make a competitive practical coupe with this drivetrain (ie, V6, manual transmission). I wouldn't hesitate for a second to buy another American car. They're easy to find mechanics for, are cheap as hell to maintain and fix if necessary, for the most part. I just find them boring. www.cnn.com/2006/AUTOS/01/23/american_cars/index.html Don't rely on our anecdotal, emotional BS, though, when it comes to picking a used car. Take a look at some of these JD power scores from 2005, and remember that some American cars can be had for around 10000 dollars when only 2 years old!! |
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Posted: 1/28/2006 12:44:09 PM EDT
[#22]
Honda accord, toyota Camry
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Posted: 1/28/2006 12:51:19 PM EDT
[#23]
+1 For your requirements, that really is the best answer |
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Posted: 1/28/2006 12:53:38 PM EDT
[#24]
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