Cheap used car for daughter / Info

[Camu Mahubah]

Let's see a gals first car should have a CD player, door handles that work all year, windows that roll up and down,good mpg, and should be a not ugly...

I would look around for a Chevrolet Prizm(corolla in disguise), Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, Nissan Sentra, Ford Focus, Chevrolet Malibu, or a Pontiac Grand Am.

really try and find a Prizm as they are made by toyota but are thousands less than a Corolla, same car less money.
I bought my wife a 2002 Prizm for $5500 while the 02 Corolla she wanted was $8300. And the Prizm had less miles.

Teach her how to check the fluids so some boy will not try to be a hero and put brake fluid in the powersteering.

Get the NEW Brakes and NEW tires, and you test drive it once in a while to make sure it is running order... I hope I am not being to too much advice... Good Luck also really try to find Prizm. Good car for the money...

 

[defeated]

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My sister was stuck driving a 1980 monte carlo when she was 16 two years ago. She hated it but had no problems. Other kids that it was cool because it only had 5,000 miles on it.

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I guess it all depends on where you're from. In my neck of the woods, that wouldn't fly, but hey...

I still can't imagine a 16 year old wanting to drive an "old people's" car.

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I beg to differ...I was a 16 year old girl once and I would have KILLED for that Monte Carlo

With only 5k on the odometer, I would probably even kill for it now. Heck, at 19 I was thrilled when I got my first car for $400, a P.O.S. '84 Buick Century. I had to wait almost 10 years before I could get my mitts on a Monte of my own.

As far as the OPs daughter, as much as I like the Crown Vic or Tbird suggestions, a little FWD 4cyl sedan might be the best idea - I find that configuration a lot more forgiving of driver error.

 

[addyguy]

Cavalier or Sunfire with the Ecotec engine - peppy, reliable, good mileage, parts and insurance aren't bad, and depreciation has taken the wind right out of prices....

 

[ThirdeYe]

Yep, the '98+ Altima is amazing. Keep in mind that they did not come standard with ABS (and yes, it's a pain not having them in the winter!) I almost slid through a red light once, and i've slid past a friend's house while only going 5-10 mph. They are optional, however.

 

[Anduril]

www.carsurvey.org is a good site for checking up on particular years/makes/models of cars. It's based on owner reviews, so if there are typical problem spots, you'll know.

As for a vehicle itself, I'd go for a base model used Cavalier/Sunfire. My gf picked one up with 101k on it for $2700, and it's made it to 114,500 now with nothing more than oil and gas. Between the two of us we've put the thing through ____, it sits in bumper-to-bumper LA traffic every day, it's had a couple of 400+ mile road trips, and we've moved with it twice. Doesn't leak or burn any between changes, no funny noises, and no funky power options to fail. The 2.2 is a reliable engine, and these things are practically a dime a dozen on craigslist.

 

[The Critic]

Try a Saturn SL2, 96+. They are big oil burners though, and seem to have their own share of odd problems. But with some basic mechanical skill and careful maintenance, those things can last 200k+ quite easily.

 

[moribundman]

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Daughter turns 16 in a few months. Looking to buy a cheap used car for less than $5000.[snip]
1- Any Recommendations?

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Buy her the safest car you can get for the money.

 

[mcrn]

Like Moribundman said. I think safety first then reliability. So another suggestion is a older Volvo 240. They are tanks as far as both safety and durability are concerned.

 

[surfstar]

Yep. My first car and my sister's were older Volvos, and my brother's was a Saab 900. Slow Sweedish bricks.

 

[Anduril]

Cleaning out the rings seems to help the oil burning problems in those Saturns.

 

[ShiningArcanine]

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Daughter turns 16 in a few months. Looking to buy a cheap used car for less than $5000. Needs it will get her through college then I will get her a nice car. (Every kid I've ever known, even me, will beat up a car in HS and college.) I realize I will have to spend money on repairs like brakes, timing belt, etc. and regular maintenence.

2 questions:
1- Any Recommendations?
2-Where on the web can I go to get info on older models regarding reliability and trouble spots? (Info like it is known to leak oil, have transmission trouble, etc.) Thanks!!!!

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Find a 1995 Toyota Avalon. They are now being sold in that price range and they are extremely safe and well built.

 

[Black Bart]

From what I have obsevered most teenagers drive WAaaaay too fast and are an accident looking for a place to happen.
Your daughter may be different but I would buy something that was slow not a Mustang or something that a teenager would want.
My first car was a 1924 Chevrolet coupe. 4-cylinder with a leather cone clutch. Had wood spoke wheels boy wish I still had it. I could get a lot of money for it today.

 

[oilyriser]

Tie a $20 bill to the dipstick handle.