Battle of the "Budget" USED SEDANS - you vote

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S/C you're being way too picky for a beater car! I still remember the thread where you were worried your kids waxed the bugs into the front of your Corolla. No one that picky will be happy buying a $4k beater.

Also, you can't wait around. The good cars priced right sell fast when you get into that price range.
 
There's usually lots of VIN decoders out there. Usually there's some digit like the 8th that indicates what type of engine it has.

As for the Taurus, I believe the earlier 2000-2003 had the stronger AX4N transmission, which was on the Duratec, the AX4S was on the Vulcan, but in later years, the Vulcan could have either one. I think in 2004+ the spline in the transmission on the AX4N was weaker so they could go between 100-200k. They all liked fluid changes at every 30k. They stopped making the Durtec for the Taurus after 2005, so all 2006/2007 4th gens just had the Vulcan engine. You could also try looking for the Sable, the LS model might have the Duratec engine. Either look for the badge on the fender or check the VIN, eight digit was an S for Duratec, U for Vulcan and 2 for Flex Fuel which was still a Vuclan. Parts were cheap on it and everyone knew how to fix them as they made so many of them.
 
Originally Posted By: dishdude
S/C you're being way too picky for a beater car! I still remember the thread where you were worried your kids waxed the bugs into the front of your Corolla. No one that picky will be happy buying a $4k beater.

Also, you can't wait around. The good cars priced right sell fast when you get into that price range.


LOL that used to be true. I laugh now. All that childlike wonder is gone. But after a concussion and 14 work days being carted to work by wifey... that's all changed. I'm reformed. I'm just trying to find one like I see everybody else driving on the street outside my place of work. Hundreds of cars a day passing from 2001-2004 with non-clogged heater cores. Just so tough to pry one from people's hand I suppose.
 
Originally Posted By: SumpChump


LOL that used to be true. I laugh now. All that childlike wonder is gone. But after a concussion and 14 work days being carted to work by wifey... that's all changed. I'm reformed. I'm just trying to find one like I see everybody else driving on the street outside my place of work. Hundreds of cars a day passing from 2001-2004 with non-clogged heater cores. Just so tough to pry one from people's hand I suppose.


And all those people just took their car to Jiffy Lube and topped off their fluids as needed!
 
Originally Posted By: dishdude
SumpChump said:
And all those people just took their car to Jiffy Lube and topped off their fluids as needed!


Perfect point! Really I could probably buy almost any junk Honda with 275k and as long as the moment I am buying it, it doesn't have a rod knock... I could probably limp it three years. They really are hard to kill when it comes down to it.

Makes me wonder years ago with the slam banging brass shaving burping tranny in my Impala... how long it would have actually "driven" until it actually flat out wouldn't "go".
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Originally Posted By: SumpChump
Well folks, sadly the Lesabre... which has been ranked highly by members I do trust...

2003 buick le sabre custom - $3500 145k.
http://lacrosse.craigslist.org/cto/5376640548.html

.... Is becoming a bit of a "too good to be true" situation. The guy I called is "selling it for another old (70y/o) guy who is the title holder but not the original owner, and he likes to scoop up really good used cars to sell on the side but he isnt internet saavy" and thus this guy (50's) "used to be a car dealer" and he still keeps his dealer status active on the side. And he doesn't know all the history because the car was traded in to a local dealer he used to work with but it had too high of miles just barely for their "criteria", so thus he and this older benefactor buy them to resell perhaps once every year.
He has no service history or paperwork. But he DOES know that it is super clean super clean no squeaks and it has the better generation III of the famous 3800 motor. And despite not having any service history, the car would still come with an official "state inspection" list just like from ON a used car lot assuring all is in working order.

I called GM and they swear that the gen III 3800 only came out in the 2004 year and not in 2003.

I got the heebee jeebies but maybe this is just the way used car buying goes. "A guy who knows a guy who doesn't know but does know a guy who used to work for IBM"

So I am deciding whether to still check it out or run or sprint away LOL.

Run, 2004 was the first year for the Series III.
Seems real odd.
 
Originally Posted By: SumpChump
Originally Posted By: DuckRyder
Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
Take $7k, drive to your nearest Toyota dealer and plunk it down on a 2016 Corolla.

Right now in my area Toyota is offering 0% financing for 60 months.




Almost everyone is trying to clear out 2015's too... with 7K down, you should be in decent shape. Unless you're able to do most repairs yourself, 150K cars are going to get expensive at some point in the not very distant future unless you are quite lucky.


Unfortunately, with the way people are striking deer like pinballs around here and the fact that I drive like 8 miles at 25mph to work everyday of the week... I don't need a new car. Sad but true.

Also, I can't afford to buy a new and then be underwater or have to fool with "gaps" when the next clown hits my new car by running a stop sign. I'm basically done with the "Pay new prices for the nice smell" and then drive off the lot with a $3k loss the instant it gets struck.

I've come to realize that cars are throw away and that all people are doing when they buy a new one is "prespending" their repair money.

Gosh I used to love new cars.



I agree that your best course of action is to find a new '15 Corolla at a motivated dealer, take the 0% financing and keep it 200K. Use used pricing for the same car in a '15 as your guide in regards to price. It may cost more initially, but you aren't spending the surplus on repairs.

If you really want a beater, I would look at the Lesabre or the Taurus.
 
Originally Posted By: SumpChump
LOL that used to be true. I laugh now. All that childlike wonder is gone. But after a concussion and 14 work days being carted to work by wifey... that's all changed. I'm reformed.


Yup, I used to be like that, worrying about the best waxes, oils and keeping the car "like brand new" all the time. Fortunately for me, I did not have to go through a traumatic experience, but instead starting a family made me realize that all those things I used to worry about are silly and trivial in the grand scheme of things.
 
When I got rear ended/totaled, I had little/no time to window shop...bought the 1st decent used manual tranny I found and got lucky...it had a new clutch!....
Instead of putting all my savings into a $7k car, I put some down and borrowed $5k @ $12 a month interest....
In the past 40 months/40k miles, I laid out an additional $55/mo for repairs....not maintenance (tires, brake pads, fluids)...and not electives ($800 in paint that even some new Camry owners often have to shell out after 5 years, and tint)....

So I'm into the Camry for $70-90 a month...$.10/mile....so far...a lot less than any comparable new car....

I think my experience is worth replicating...a $7-8k car @ 100k miles is the budget $weet$pot
 
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Originally Posted By: KitaCam


So I'm into the Camry ...... the budget $weet$pot


So whaddya think of these? Miles a little high or should I subtract about 50k to get a GM mechanical wear equivalency of the odometer?

2005 Toyota Camry LE (Price Reduced) - $4500 178k
https://lacrosse.craigslist.org/cto/5367552156.html

2002 Toyota Camry Le - $3400 220k
https://lacrosse.craigslist.org/cto/5349279580.html

99 Toyota Camry XLE V6 - $2500 165k
https://lacrosse.craigslist.org/cto/5388188809.html

1999 Honda Civic - $1600 (Sparta) 230k
https://lacrosse.craigslist.org/cto/5388789019.html
 
I like the first two Camrys. We have a 2002 with 266K miles on it now. We've done THREE repairs in that time.

A new axle, a new starter and replaced one coil. The only other work we've done is wear items like brakes, struts, rubber goods, filters, plugs and fluids.

It uses some oil now. But at 266k, it's pretty cheap to check the oil every 500 miles and make sure it's not down 0.5 quarts.

While the 99 is nice, I believe that V6 may be one of the ones susceptible to sludge. But if it has service records and looks good and you are willing to have a timing belt car, it might be a nice ride.
 
Originally Posted By: SumpChump
Originally Posted By: dishdude
SumpChump said:
And all those people just took their car to Jiffy Lube and topped off their fluids as needed!


Perfect point! Really I could probably buy almost any junk Honda with 275k and as long as the moment I am buying it, it doesn't have a rod knock... I could probably limp it three years. They really are hard to kill when it comes down to it.

Makes me wonder years ago with the slam banging brass shaving burping tranny in my Impala... how long it would have actually "driven" until it actually flat out wouldn't "go".



I drove over 2 years of hard banging in my Buick before it would start to slip occasionally. I'm guessing I could hard driven another year tops. They have the same transmission they put it in all the FWD GM stuff for a long time.

If you get anything with a 4T65e, get a transgo shift kit installed right away and it will preserve the clutches which eliminates the hard shifts most of the time if it's not too late.
Click to expand...
 
Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
Originally Posted By: SumpChump
Originally Posted By: dishdude
SumpChump said:
And all those people just took their car to Jiffy Lube and topped off their fluids as needed!


Perfect point! Really I could probably buy almost any junk Honda with 275k and as long as the moment I am buying it, it doesn't have a rod knock... I could probably limp it three years. They really are hard to kill when it comes down to it.

Makes me wonder years ago with the slam banging brass shaving burping tranny in my Impala... how long it would have actually "driven" until it actually flat out wouldn't "go".



I drove over 2 years of hard banging in my Buick before it would start to slip occasionally. I'm guessing I could hard driven another year tops. They have the same transmission they put it in all the FWD GM stuff for a long time.

If you get anything with a 4T65e, get a transgo shift kit installed right away and it will preserve the clutches which eliminates the hard shifts most of the time if it's not too late.


I wish there was a way to get a peek into those stupidly non-drain bolted 4T65E trannys to tell if its a timebomb. That darn Impala experience tainted my experience. I guess i just test drive and smell the fluid and cross fingers. Seems nearly nobody changes the atf ever around here.
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Everything depends upon how any car was treated by its previous owners.
A lowly Hyundai or Pontiac that's been used with care and well maintained will always be a better bet than some highly regarded Honda or Toyota that's always been driven hard with little maintenance. Any turd can be cleaned and polished to look pretty good, so bear that in mind.
A ton of service records is always nice because anyone who has their car serviced regularly and then actually keeps the invoices is probably a careful owner who didn't abuse the car.
Any used car is a roll of the dice, particularly at the lower end of the market.
I'd look at the cars you find in your price range and buy whatever looks best.
I'd be agnostic about make.
An obvious question to ask of anyone extolling the virtues of the beater they're selling would be "Why are you selling this car?"
A sensible answer might be for the seller to point at the new ride in their driveway.
Anything else might give you pause.
 
I like the Civic cause I own one and its dead reliable, 40+ MPG and parts are dirt cheap. D17 engine is like a Timex watch, sooo smooth and easy to work on. 500K miles easy on engine if not abused or overheated and blown head gasket.
 
Originally Posted By: SumpChump
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Crown Victoria. I paid $4500 for a 2011 P7B just out of service. Only knock against it is 119K miles & 2 bad tires.


Was it in an "idled for the equivalent of 500k miles" situation or did you get lucky and get a Chief's or department head's car?


Sheriff deputy's take-home car...119,000 miles, ~1900 idle hours. Tilt column, cruise, CD player, came with 2 sets of tires...never had a lightbar, a pushbar, or a cage in it.

Honestly...I wouldn't worry about idle time. These cars are THAT tough. (There is one for sale at a dealer in Chicago with 14,000+ idle hours!) I doubt the livery Town Car I drove had less than 15,000 idle hours when it was retired. (It still ran perfectly, over 640,000 miles.)

http://www.chicagomotors.info/search/ima...p;mp=0&mw=0
 
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