Battle of the "Budget" USED SEDANS - you vote

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SumpChump

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Any standouts to you from these and their descriptions/what you know about their drivetrain durabilities? I haven't heard of any deal breakers on any of these but I have heard a few rumblings of general model issues on a few of the Fords.... Which could be [censored]. I listed the "what I've heard" next to the miles. None of these particular specimens I will look at have those issues specifically at this moment.

Price all seem to be in my "$4k or best offer" sweet spot, so the mechanical tendencies are what I am wondering about. Thanks guys!
I drive 8 miles city most days and then about 60 miles highway every other Saturday and a longer trip of 300 miles highway once every month or two, not that that really matters.


2002 Pontiac Grand Am GT. $2450 132k
http://lacrosse.craigslist.org/cto/5358330394.html

2004 Ford Taurus. $3,000 143k. I've heard Springs on these break and heater core?
http://lacrosse.craigslist.org/cto/5359779683.html

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

2002 Honda Civic. EX - $4,000 154k
http://lacrosse.craigslist.org/cto/5384616012.html

2007 ford focus SE - $4,000 130k. Upper motor mounts problematic on focus'es? Or old wives tale?
http://lacrosse.craigslist.org/cto/5342294545.html

2008 Scion XB (Toyota ) $4,950 132k.
http://lacrosse.craigslist.org/cto/5388097187.html
 
Make sure the XB isn't the 1qt/700miles oil burner model. I know the 2009 is

4K for a 14-15 year old honda; crazy.

+1 on the lesabre.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Brybo86
I would go with whichever one has the most complete maintenance history.
If none have that I like the lesabre


The Honda mentioned on the phone having quality upkeep but as the above post by" simple gifts" mentions... It is one of the oldest... But... It's a Honda (I've never owned one but always hear good things and not much about head gasket issues or defective designs)
 
None of the above.

I'd look for a one or two owner 2001-2004 Crown Vic/Grand Marquis/Caddy/Lincoln Town Car or Continental with 40K-65K miles in the same $4K range. I can't bring myself to spend $4K on a common passenger car with 135K miles.
 
Id vote scion xb..but why not consider other options? Accords or even a corolla with the 1zzfe..they are super easy to work on as long as all the major stuff is in good shape.
 
All thing being equal, which they never are with a 10 year old used car - LeSabre or XB.

What have you been driving all this time?
 
Originally Posted By: Rolla07
Accords or even a corolla with the 1zzfe..they are super easy to work on as long as all the major stuff is in good shape.


Sadly, they simply dont exist around here. All bought up and never resold. Well , there are a few deer strike corollas from 2003 for $4k. And a Camry 2005 with 180k for around $5k. One toyota dealer for an hour and half radius, so what they sell stays owned forever.
frown.gif
 
LeSabre. My parents just gave my youngest daughter a 2001 Limited with 255,000 miles, this car is rock solid with no rust. I have no doubt it has another 100,000 miles in it.
 
Originally Posted By: dishdude
All thing being equal, which they never are with a 10 year old used car - LeSabre or XB.

What have you been driving all this time?


Been driving nothing
frown.gif
wife carting me around and that getting way old. No public transport. Rural county. 12 inches of snow and ice combined with 7degree F mornings and a 4:30pm sunset makes inspecting used cars nesrly impossible. Covered with white salt spray, ice chunks and frozen solid. I want to absolutely strangle the clown who totalled my car and put me car shopping in dead of winter. Crawling under cars looking for leaks and torn cv boots while i am recovering from a concussion.

So i almost bought a $1k taurus wagon with barely warm heat (heater core clog?) tonight and a warped rotor just to have something-anything to drive.

Depressing overall, but this last batch shows promise above. $3500 i figure isnt too bad for a car I suppose. Not to huge a gamble as long as i look it over. My neighbors either lead a charmed life or cars from 2000 onward are nearly impossible to kill. The drive 2002 Caravans and 01 olds aleros with like 200k and chirping pulleys, they idle the caravan for 60 minutes at a time and never change oil. Yet i never smell antifreeze or see them jumpstarting the cars. Mindblowing.
 
Originally Posted By: Inspecktor
LeSabre. My parents just gave my youngest daughter a 2001 Limited with 255,000 miles, this car is rock solid with no rust. I have no doubt it has another 100,000 miles in it.


Nothing uniquely particular to listen for or feel for on the Buick drivetrain? The 3800 doesnt have any notoriously weak gaskets or vacuum line leak "maze of death"?
EDIT: i see now via web search that the early 3800 series II to about 1999 had plastic intake warping and coolant burning. That was likely fixed later by 2003?
 
I'd go for the Civic, since the timing belt was already done. Those cars are solid. The 08 xBs are known to burn a lot of oil, as it has the same engine as my tC. I got one of the better ones that "only" burns a quart every 2k. If the Civic doesn't check out, I'd go for the Pontiac or the Buick provided they have no issues with the intake manifold gaskets. Those engines both had issues with the gaskets.
 
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