Good used economy vehicle

[Rat407]

Hey everyone, got a question. What would be a good choice to buy for an economy car? I'm looking for a daily driver, something that gets good economy, has a 5 sp, and AC, don't need much else. Oh was looking at spending no more than 2k.

Any suggestions? I have looked at a few VW diesels in the area but both where in way to bad a shape, one was killer fully loaded Jetta, but the coolant overflow had oil in it. Tempted to go back with minimal cash in hand and see if he will take it, then find a good used diesel to put back in it. I already did that once with our old 79 rabbit back in 88 but got rid of it after I found out the block was cracked when I changed out the head gasket.

Honda, Toyota and Nissan are on my list for now any suggestions?

Thanks

[ April 10, 2004, 10:07 PM: Message edited by: Rat407 ]

 

[ALS]

Have you looked at a Honda Civic?
Can be had for reasonable money and get 35 plus mpg highway and high 20's city.

 

[javacontour]

Geo Prizm

Great Used Car Buy!!!

It's a Toyota Corolla with a Chevy/Geo badge, so the resale is a bit lower than for the Corolla.

I purchased one a year ago, have driven it 26,500 miles in that time and my cost/mile is $0.174 including purchase price, tax, tags, title, insurance, fuel, maintenance and repair. FWIW, I paid $2500 for the car, another close to $200 for tax, tag and title, another about $480 for insurance. The rest is the fuel/maint/repair costs.

(For those who suck at math, my costs to date are about $4600)

I suspect in the next year, that cost will go to about a dime a mile 8^)

HTH,

TB

 

[keith]

Jetta Diesel?

Keith.

 

[ex_MGB]

Another suggestion, 1989 Honda Accord LSi. This is the fuel injected model and comes with alloy wheels. Look for a private sale from an adult and has kept up on maintenance.

The A/C is probably going to be dead. The automatic transmission on these is quite robust and changing out the ATF a snap, so, if you find a nice auto, you might consider it. The shifter gives you a lot of control over the engine.

 

[goodoleboy]

It will be hard to find something your asking for for $2000 maybe a dodge neon

 

[mikep]

Ford Escort.

 

[tec97]

I'll recommend a late model Mazda Protege. They are excellent cars (check the past few years of Consumer Reports) and tend to have rather mediocre resale values, so they can be had for a decent price. I have an 02 ES 5-spd and I average 31-34 mpg per tank in combined driving. You could probably dip back into the late 90s and find one for near your price range.

 

[Whimsey]

quote:

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Originally posted by mikep:
Ford Escort.

---

I second the Escort. It's a car that's been around forever and has a proven record, especially later model years. Plus they are cheap to buy and cheap to repair, unlike a lot of import cars. And overall they are very reliable cars.

Whimsey

 

[eljefino]

If I had a lame VW diesel sitting in the back yard, I'd be advertising it like crazy now with the high gas prices. Supply, demand. If I had a good running one, I'd maintain it and keep it to myself or demand top dollar. Sorry.

95+ Saturns with the SOHC (SL, SL1, SC1, SW1) can be easily had for $2k; they give 40mpg with the 5 speed. All you really need to watch is the dipstick; they typically burn a little oil. I keep three of these tupperware cars running in my family and like 'em all.

 

[Brett Miller]

Chevy Prizm would be a good choice.

 

[Al]

quote:

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Originally posted by goodoleboy:
It will be hard to find something your asking for for $2000 maybe a dodge neon

---

Yea with a Neon you what get what you are paying for

Personally I'd stay away from this one.

 

[keith]

quote:

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Originally posted by eljefino:
If I had a lame VW diesel sitting in the back yard, I'd be advertising it like crazy now with the high gas prices. Supply, demand.

---

I would agree with you, gas/diesel efficient cars look really good now. Most buyers do not think the same way though. SUV's are still the hottest sellers:

Truck, SUV sales lift automakers

Those pesky facts getting in the way! That VW diesel isn't going to be a gold mine any time soon.

Keith.

 

[darkdan]

Ford Festiva/aspire.

You can either buy one for $500 and spend $200 to put AC into it.

Or you can buy one for $500 and spend the other $1500 on an engine swap. For $2000 you can have a 1700 lbs car with 160 hp that runs 14s in the 1/4. =) Plus it still gets near 40 mpg.

 

[Neonmike22]

quote:

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Originally posted by Al:

quote:

---

Originally posted by goodoleboy:
It will be hard to find something your asking for for $2000 maybe a dodge neon

---

Yea with a Neon you what get what you are paying for

Personally I'd stay away from this one.

---

What makes you say that when people are suggesting older imports that rust out and cars that are half as fun to drive? It wouldn't be too hard to find one of the better built 97-98 cars in basic SOHC 5 speed trim for around $2000 nowadays.

 

[Al]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Neonmike22:

Originally posted by Al:
[qb]

What makes you say that when people are suggesting older imports that rust out and cars that are half as fun to drive? It wouldn't be too hard to find one of the better built 97-98 cars in basic SOHC 5 speed trim for around $2000 nowadays.

---

Really don't want to get into a flame war since your handle is "Neonmike"

its just a personal preference-as I mentioned

.

 

[Rat407]

Thanks everyone. They are all what I have been looking at. The vehicles around here in NC are really good condition body wise. My trip to Ohio reminded me of my life back in Pa. Couldn't get over the rust I saw up there.

Thanks for all the suggestions and keep them coming. I'm off to Bowling Green Ky to visit some friends. Will hit the Corvette museum and try to hit the Cadillac plant. It will be another 600+ mile drive in the 02 venture but this time with the whole family and a loaded vehicle. I doubt I will be getting the 30 mpg I got going to Ohio last week.

A friend had a 98 Neon, he drove it 110 miles one way to work for two years. Other than no power and an oil leak he didn't have much for problems out of it. I think he had over 200k when he traded it in on his Dodge truck. Now he wished he still had it.

Thanks again.

 

[Neonmike22]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Al:

Really don't want to get into a flame war since your handle is "Neonmike"

its just a personal preference-as I mentioned

. [/QB]

---

No need to flame on this board, there aren't a whole lot of cars made after '95 or so that i'd discourage people from looking at.

 

[Forkman]

Older Cutlass Ciera (88 to 90) with the 2.5L. Run forever. Get about 24mpg in town and 30+ on the highway. Low maintainence.

Won't have a 5 speed. Will have AC and if you get one with the Brougham package will also have electric windows, locks, power drivers seat and rear defrost and should easily be available for under $2,000. Plus very roomy car. Plenty of front seat leg room and adequate rear seat room for adults.

 

[cryptokid]

i really do not like neons. i have had the oppertunity to do body/chassis and suspension work on a couple wrecked neons. they seem very tinny and fragile when you bolt them down to a concrete floor and use hydraulics to straighten them out, well fragile compared to other cars anyways.

i like mazda protege,ford ecsort, kia sephia and mercury tracer. considering they share an enormous ammount of parts like the engine trans and suspension of certain years, are all interchangable. heck the basic miata block is in all those cars as well, or the right years and submodels anyways. this makes parts plentifull and cheap. you have atleast 4 cars to select from when ordering parts. and somthing like a kia sephia which has a rediculously low resale value, makes a great used car. you can pick up a 97 sephia for around a grand and put ford escort gt emblems on it if you like.
the body panels cosmetics and interriors are all different for these cars, but throw any of them on a car hoist side by side and you wouldnt be able to tell the diffrernce by looking underneath.

didnt we have a topic like this before?