Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: Urchin on May 29, 2003, 10:37:52 PM
-
Yes, on top of everything else, my ****ing transmission decided now would be a good time to die.
So, here's the deal. Very very tight budget, need to get a RELIABLE car (in other words, Ford is right out) that I can run into the ground (because, well... I don't take very good care of my cars :)) without it blowing up and leaving me on the side of the road.
Probably looking at a used car (duh), and probably a fairly old one. So, what do all you gearheads recommend?
-
72 chevy nova.. you can't kill them. and if you are lucky, you can find one with an 8-track:p
-
any late 80s early 90s toyota
-
I picked my 1993 Honda Civic DX up in 1998/1999 with ~74K miles on it. Still original clutch & trans, had to buy a new exhaust system about 2 years into owning it- old one rusted out. Removed the stock air intake/filter system and installed an after market cold air intake system, getting about 60 more miles out of it now than I was before. Also had to replace the right CV joint and boot after the boot ripped. Came with a lifetime guarantee, and it fell apart again this past winter (ran into ~8" of snow in that last big storm we had in MD), got it replaced with only the cost of labor.
Aside from the usual upkeep (spark plugs, oil, coolant flushes, etc), I've not had any problems with it except the exhaust and the right CV joint.
It has 158K on it now and still running fine.
If you are looking at older cars, 93 and later in the Civic model are pretty damn reliable. Just get one with low mileage.
Paid ~$6K for it.
-SW
-
Used, cheap, reliable: Saab.
-
My next car will be probably be an American car. I would like to get a big truck. So I can haul all of my stuff around.
-
4 cyl Toyota or Nissan p/u
-
I'd probably buy another....I had great luck with my Saturn. 8 years and still running, no major issues. I'm sure the motorheads will disagree....but just thought it would be worth mentioning
-
I just bought this today (well, the same exact one - I grabbed this pic from google).
Assuming yer in the States, you can get one for very inexpensive - 2 to 3 grand.
(http://koti.mbnet.fi/tuur/3d258920.jpg)
-
Late 80s/Early 90s Honda Accord.
-
I don't take very good care of my cars....without it blowing up and leaving me on the side of the road.
2 mutually exclusive requirements. even the best brand new car will leave you stranded if you don't do the maintenance. my dad used to tell me that ever dime spent on maintenance will save you a buck on repair. and that doesn't even include the money saved on not being dumped on the side of the road, missing work, and paying for a tow.
if you don't want to do the maintenance you might as well by some $200 POS, put temporary tags on it, and drive it until it quits, scrap it and buy another one.
-
I'll back LePaul on this one. My 91 Saturn (first year they were made) has run without any major problems (power steering pump leaked on the alternator once, killing both. one 300 buck fix in 12 years = good deal). If you're into American and reliable, Saturn is the way to go in my book.
ed: 91K miles, and great gas efficiency too.
-
Some good advice here - Moose and funked beat me to it - Honda/Toyota pretty much indestructible. Worth checking the condition of the camshaft drive belt, although Toyota is very persuasive in recommending replacement when it's due. (Warranty cancellation)
Do not buy a Citroen! My girlie had one, and the hydraulic suspension packed up (leaked all fluid). Problem is that the suspension system fluid is shared with the power steering, so if one goes wrong, you lose both.
I gave her some advice - buy a VW. She did - a new Polo. (This bit's in here to piss Funked off :D)
and if you are lucky, you can find one with an 8-track
ROFL hawk220!
-
I'd say Nash made pretty good choice; Volvo 240 was using pretty old but bullet proof technic and it's also very safe.
Cars with 2.0L were pretty slow but 2,3L was pretty nice, specially with Injection and overdrive.
-
If you want an older car... you will have to buy some stuff for it... starters, alternators, water pumps fuel pumps belts hoses shocks etc. will all be close to the end of their lifecycle..
I know you hate fords but a mustang is dead reliable and the aformentioned parts are cheap and easy to instal or, they are cheap to have installed.
lazs
-
Originally posted by hawk220
72 chevy nova.. you can't kill them. and if you are lucky, you can find one with an 8-track:p
I had one in HS. You can soup them up for real cheap, too. They fly.
Anyway, Ford is out for reliability? Maybe things have changed. When I was in college, I bought a Ford escort that had 100k miles on it for $300 bucks. I put another hundred miles on it, never changed the oil, just added some once or twice. Never did ANYTHING to it the whole time I had it, except put a new trunk lid on it that didn't match the car. (A chunk of ice fell off the Frat House roof and went right through the hatch window) The right rear wheel bearing or what ever started grinding at 160k miles, but I still drove it for another 40k like that. Sold it to a garage for $500 after school was out.
-
Originally posted by lazs2
I know you hate fords but a mustang is dead reliable and the aformentioned parts are cheap and easy to instal or, they are cheap to have installed.
lazs
Speak for yourself, I bought a 2000 model used, and it died in a year... I replaced the motor under warranty, PS, tranny. after that I said ****it and bought my GMC 1500 Extendcab and never looked at a ford car again.
-
Chevy is giving $3500 in rebates on the S-10. Just bought one 2 days ago.
-
Originally posted by lazs2
If you want an older car... you will have to buy some stuff for it... starters, alternators, water pumps fuel pumps belts hoses shocks etc. will all be close to the end of their lifecycle..
I know you hate fords but a mustang is dead reliable and the aformentioned parts are cheap and easy to instal or, they are cheap to have installed.
lazs
And this from a "chevy guy". If you are looking for a cheap beater look for a chevy truck in the early to mid 80s. Ugly as all hell but bullet proof.
Plus they are simple and you can fix the whole damned thing with a 1/2" or 9/16" wrench. (you might need to bend the wrench to take the distributer out)
-
I know you hate fords but a mustang is dead reliable and the aformentioned parts are cheap and easy to instal or, they are cheap to have installed.
lazs
I've not found anything easy to fix on a ford since my old 72 f-350.
I had a 86 escort. everything I ever fixed on it required at least one special tool (only available through ford of couse) and you could almost predict the price of the tool before you asked- $10 over the cost of shop labor to hire a ford machanic to do the job instead.
and it was always a squeak to work on. I mean really stupid and intentional designs to make the car harder to work on (one example that comes screaming through my memory is that the water pump had a little spur coming off of it maybe 1" long that ran into a slot under the timing belt tensioner, requiring you to remove the timeing belt and tensioner just to do a simple water pump change)
and every other ford I've worked on that was made in the 80's or newer was as bad or worse. all my machanic freinds agreed about the special tool thing to. of course they loved it though. while it's not worth it for the home machanic to buy a special tool for a repair he may never have to do again, it's well worth it for a pro to buy these tools. they will quickly be paid for with all the extra bussines from people who could fix their own but don't have the equipment.
-
Mazda has 0% finacing.. On three of their models.. Tribue,Protege, and Miata. And all are fair in price.
-
It amazes me to say this, but my 96 Neon has been an awesome car.
In '96 my '85 Civic hatchback had 160K miles of maniacal driving on it and it was starting to show a lot of wear. I wanted to replace it with a similar car, but something made in the US for a change. I ended up holding my nose and buying the Neon.
Now, 7 years and 127K miles later, the thing is frikkin great. All early model Neons had bad head gaskets, but Chrysler paid for half of that repair. Other than that, the only other problem was a short circuit in the instrument cluster, which I replaced from a junkyard for $100. I'd say all told I've spent $350 in non-routine repairs in 7 years. And even the routine repairs have been minimal: 1 set of spark plug wires; 1 new thermostat; one set of new rotors. Even the muffler is original, and will probably last the life of the car.
It's been outdoors its whole life and the paint is still good. The upholstery is flawless. Never had to re-charge the AC. Everything works like new even now when I'm driving 1,000 miles a week. Overall, it is even better than my 85 Civic, which was damn good.
You can get a used Neon dirt cheap, but don't get one built before the model year where Chrysler finally corrected the head gasket problem.
ra
-
I know it's a birthcontrol mobile but I just bought a new Honda CRV and I love it. It has the same space on the inside as an explorer. Not any balls at all though but look at how many are on the road these days though. it's cheap for a new car and honda reliable. Consumer reports luvs it too.
-
Wow RA - thats odd. A buddy of mine had a first year Neon - the thing went through 2 engines in 35,000 miles before he sold it. Total POS.
Admittedly, he wasnt much on maint - so theoretically just about any car should run well past the 100,000 mile mark if its taken care of.
I still have my 91 Cherokee - 147,000 miles and still running like a top without any major work.
By contrast, my old roommates 90 Cherokee ran like crap after about 50,000 miles.
Take care of your car and your car will take care of you.
-
You're in luck. This is advertised on eBay for less than $120 bucks. It should get you around just fine.
(http://ebay1.ipixmedia.com/abc/M28/_EBAY_9ddfb900e69dc967eb36050a8cdd094e/i-1.JPG)
-
Off topic a bit but someone mentioned them....and Im new car hunting....
How do Cherokees rate? I'm told anything Jeep is expensive, yet the folks who live in the apartment above me rave about theirs.
The Special Edition looks *sweet*
-
overall I like my cherokee. but I pay somebody else to work on it. it's a real squeak to work on. they seem to be cobled together out of parts that where never intended to be used together. no parts are easy to get to.
they also go through exaust manifolds fairly regularly, until you give up on the cast one and get the header type made from pipe.
and gas milage sucks, I get about 15mpg.
-
Originally posted by loser
(you might need to bend the wrench to take the distributer out)
They still make cars with distributors?
-
Originally posted by capt. apathy
overall I like my cherokee. but I pay somebody else to work on it. it's a real squeak to work on. they seem to be cobled together out of parts that where never intended to be used together. no parts are easy to get to.
they also go through exaust manifolds fairly regularly, until you give up on the cast one and get the header type made from pipe.
and gas milage sucks, I get about 15mpg.
Yea....I loved my Dodge Dakota Sport but didn't miss seeing the gas station attendant all the time, thus the change to the Saturn where i average 30 on a bad week!
Hmm...so the Honda Accord Coupe is looking that much better to me :)
-
Jeep has a sale going now too. You put $1000 down, they'll match it and add on a $3000 rebate to equal $5000 down. Worth a look.
-
Honda is good, but you will have to have the valves adjusted every 15K miles. They use solid lifters in the 1.8 and 2.0's.
Toyota would be good. Just drive em till the wheels fall off. The early and late 90's Toyota's are pretty tough and reliable.
Maxima's in the mid to late 90's are pretty good as well. My wife has the I30 (the Infinity version) model of it and the thing has 122K miles on it and still drives like new. Short of tires, the occasional battery, oil, and coolant changes,..it has had zero issues. The drivetrain is pretty solid. Still gets 28+ miles to the gallon on the highway.
-
Watch for oil consumption and CV joint problems on old Hondas. And THOU SHALT CHANGE THE TIMING BELT UNTO THE RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE. Otherwise those cars are great.
JEEP = Just Empty Every Pocket
-
I recently got rid of my jeep and paid $5,000 for a 1991 Mitsubishi Montero.
A much better car, IMO. Big, powerful, reliable, and you'll feel sorry for the poor tard who decides to collide with you.
The former owner is a very good mechanic so I got it in excellent condition.
-
Find an older Honda Accord, like 1990-96, get a repair manual for it, and change the timing belt yourself- 3.5 hours, if over 100,000 miles. Also, you can adjust the valves in about 20 minutes, it's very easy. Great used car for the money, will run if not abused up to 225-250,000 miles.
Thorns
-
I really really really want another Mustang, even though I know they are pieces of crap. But man they are fun to drive. I'm thinking I'll probably drop 2-3 thousand on an old Honda though. When I said tight budget, I meant it.... 2-3 thousand is about all I can spend.
-
I'm a Buick/Oldsmobile man. They pretty reliable, and older models don't have all that computer chip stuff under the hood.
If you hold onto it for awhile, when you get the money, it would make a nice lowrider...with hydraulic bouncers in the front.:D
Always wanted one of those.:)
Les
-
I've been looking for a restored 1970-72 Blazer myself.
-
Back in those days was when cars were cars, and trucks were trucks. "They don't make them kind anymore."
But you're right NUKE, the late 60's, early 70's models were all cool. They looked neat, and had character. I drive a dinosaur '69 Olds Delta 88, and that car still runs darn good even after all these years...no noticable tappet sounds, etc... Original engine has 190,000 miles on it, and still has plenty of pep.
That car has seen better days. It's paint job is dead, it's full of dents and has 2 hubcaps missing. It looks like a "scumbag" car now, though it used to be beautiful. The car is still completely sound on the inside, and if not for the problamatic rusting areas, would probably be worth fixing up. I had the seats re-upholstered, and some other interior resorations done on it. It looks good on the inside.
Les
-
I just bought an VW passat variant 1.8 arriva 93' (needed more space for my litle daughter)
for only 1850 euro's
246000 kilometers it seems to be nothing for the car it still drives fine.
it's got electrical windows mirrors and rooftop.
everything still works and feels solid what would i expect else with volkswagen
:)
I resently changed the timing belt . Because u never know where u stand with a secondhand car. I feel the car can take another 100000 kilometers.
But until that time i might have the newer type passat variant .
They look great epecially the variant models.
-
Get an old Willys jeep, they are pretty reliable and cheap if you fix it up your self. :D
Old Beetle?
-
I'd recommend any Japanese car, especially Honda. I worked as a mechanic for 6 1/2 years and the marque I worked for had Honda engines in half the models. In 6 1/2 years I'd only seen 3 engines fail, 2 to driver error (holed radiator etc.). Also they have adjustable valve clearances so even when they wear you can still have a quiet engine!
Honda's are damn reliable! Accord, Civic, Prelude, they're all good! :) (BTW, Honda Civic Coupe '97 MY owner - simply bought for reliability!)
-
A friends BMW '92 525i with 190,000 miles on it (I drove it, thought it had roughly 30k on it, boy was I surprised) convinced me which car would give me the next 10 years of service. I';ve owned Muscle cars, Fords, Chevys, Mercury's, Audi's, Volkswagons...nothing beats the BMW in 27 years of driving.
Of course I'll NEVER give up my truck, since the Gun rack won't fit in the Bimmer rear window :D
(http://mywebpages.comcast.net/Ripsnort60/Detail3.jpg)