I need to find a cheap car.

[ls1mike]

So a little background, because a lot of the time someone buys something on BITOG someone tells them they should invest the money or buy something different.
About 3 years ago my wife and I adopted a little girl out of foster care(She was 1 and 1/2 when she came to live with us she is 7 now). Mom is in hospice, dad is in prison, sister knew she could not raise her. Sister was 19 at the time.
Ok
So we try our best to keep the sister and our daughter in contact. We make sure they see each other at least monthly and include her in some of the things we do. She is a good kid!

She purchased a 04 Kia with 92000 miles on it. I advised here not to and asked if she could wait for me to look at it. She didn’t have me look at it and purchased it for 2500 bucks. 2 weeks later the transmission died. I looked at the car, there is no way I am putting a transmission in it. Not worth it.
So I feel comfortable buying her a car in the 1000 to 2000 dollar range. I have to be COMFORTABLE with it in case I have to fix it. That means no high mileage Toyotas or Hondas. No manual, she can't drive it and her commute is along the I-5 Corridor in the Tacoma/Fife area, very congested so I don’t blame her.
I have it narrowed down to these two.

89 Celebrity
89 Lesabre

Both run pretty good. The Chevy needs an axle, belts and hoses. Easy stuff
The Buick is nice needs a belt and tune up.
So BITOG of these two which would youo buy and why?

 

[Jake54]

sounds like you're on top of it, have you priced how much it would cost to fix both?

 

[Olas]

As above, which ever car turns out cheaper to buy and fix is the one to buy.

 

[Hokiefyd]

No advice on the car, Mike, but I have tons of respect for anyone who adopts a child out of a situation like that. You're making the world a better place!

 

[slacktide_bitog]

The Buick sounds like it's in better condition

 

[Jake54]

+1
Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
No advice on the car, Mike, but I have tons of respect for anyone who adopts a child out of a situation like that. You're making the world a better place!

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Both should be pretty good cars ...

Does the Chevy have a 3 speed or OD transmisison? I'd go for the 4 cylinder.

 

[901Memphis]

Buick if I had to choose

 

[901Memphis]

How about this?

http://seattle.craigslist.org/kit/cto/5166835006.html


I'm curious as to why you choose such older vehicles?

 

[Nick1994]

The Buick has the 3.8L, of those two cars I would choose it.

I don't see the problem with a higher mileage Toyota? I just bought my 2000 Camry for $2,100 and it needs no work at all. Ready to drive.

I could have waited around longer and gotten a cheaper car but I didn't have the time and I found a nice one.

 

[ls1mike]

Not comfortable with a no history High mileage import. I have owned a Jetta, Accord and Sentra. I will take a 3.8 or Iron duke anyday.

The Bonneville has some issue with it's paperwork. Don't want to mess with it.

The old OBD I stuff is cheap and easy to fix. Not much to break.

 

[JHZR2]

Congrats on the adoption and what you're doing for the sister.

My first question would be if the Buick has an engine that would have an intake manifold gasket issue. I assume the 2.5 in the Chevy does not.

Next question would be which has the better transmission, if there's any difference.

Ive seen a lot of those cars with really high mileage.

Good luck!

 

[Bgallagher]

I would go with the Buick. In addition to the tuneup and belt I would flush out the coolant and check out the ATF.

 

[Rhymingmechanic]

The ad lacks detail, but I would take the Buick if it passes your own inspection.

My mom had an '88 or '89 LeSabre with the 3.8 and it was an excellent car. Hers never had the problem, but do check on the intake gasket issue. 29 or 30 highway MPG as I remember.

 

[Andrew1972]

Originally Posted By: Miller88
Both should be pretty good cars ...

Does the Chevy have a 3 speed or OD transmisison? I'd go for the 4 cylinder.


The Iron Duke leads a stressed life while the 3.8L V6 is reliable and barely works. That is well reflected in real world MPG figures also which are likely similar.

Those Iron Dukes get flogged to move around a car like a Celebrity. My dad had the Century with iron duke as company car which he killed in 2 yrs/180k. The replacement 88 Lesabre 6 cylinder he latter purchased was sold with 390k.

 

[CourierDriver]

For every fanny there is a ride, don't get in to big a hurry to find a ride, there will always be another car....

 

[Bgallagher]

Originally Posted By: Rhymingmechanic
The ad lacks detail, but I would take the Buick if it passes your own inspection.

My mom had an '88 or '89 LeSabre with the 3.8 and it was an excellent car. Hers never had the problem, but do check on the intake gasket issue. 29 or 30 highway MPG as I remember.


I believe this was pre Dexcool. Unless the previous owner(s) had it flushed out with dexcool there should be good old green in it.

 

[Rhymingmechanic]

Originally Posted By: Bgallagher
Originally Posted By: Rhymingmechanic
The ad lacks detail, but I would take the Buick if it passes your own inspection.

My mom had an '88 or '89 LeSabre with the 3.8 and it was an excellent car. Hers never had the problem, but do check on the intake gasket issue. 29 or 30 highway MPG as I remember.


I believe this was pre Dexcool. Unless the previous owner(s) had it flushed out with dexcool there should be good old green in it.


It did have green coolant. The one repair I remember doing on it was the water pump.

 

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
How about this?

http://seattle.craigslist.org/kit/cto/5166835006.html


I'm curious as to why you choose such older vehicles?


Same here. Not really a fan of older vehicles, they don't have as much safety features and a car that old, probably most of them have already been to the crusher so you won't find too many junkyard parts. Do those cars have airbags? ABS? The latest cars of course will have traction control and stability control and even newer models will have backup cameras. Many stories of people accidentally running over their kids when backing up. For about the same money, you could probably get something about 10+ years newer. And I would prefer OBDII, lots of readers for it whereas OBDI was a bit more complex and didn't give out as much info. Also cars that old would have issues with rust and old wiring harnesses, the insulation still ages even if there aren't many miles. Same with rubber and other parts of the car. Plus how does the daughter feel about driving a car that old?

 

[addyguy]

Of those two, I'd take the Celebrity for a dirt-cheap to own and repair ride.

Yeah, they are underpowered, but the 2.5 will just keep going and going...and if it has the 3-speed auto, they are more reliable that a 4-speed of that era.