Is My Mentality Correct? What Vehicle?

[lancerplayer]

I am looking to get some insight on my mentality regarding my vehicle situation. I recently sold my Ranger (drove it for a year and sold it for what close to what I paid for it) and now am in need of a vehicle. I am in college and looking for something to get me by for 2 years. I average about 10K miles per year, so this vehicle isn't going to be driven a lot. I am pretty easy on vehicles and do not drive like I'm in a street race every time I start the car. I am hoping the only parts I would have to put in the vehicle are fluids and maybe brakes.

I need something that is reliable, cheap (to drive/maintain), and have parts cheap and readily available. Fun to drive wouldn't hurt either

. I need something that is automatic, good on gas, cheap to insure, and FWD/4WD as my school has harsh winters. It needs to have a bulletproof engine/transmission. Something that I can drive for two years and turn around and sell for close to what I paid for it. It needs to be at least a 2000 year too.

I have a budget of $5,000 but am trying not to spend all of it.

I have done a little research and found the following seem to be what I should be looking into...

Compact Cars (4 cylinder)
- Chevy Cavalier
- Pontiac Sunfire
- Ford Focus
- Ford Escort
- Toyota Corolla
- Honda Civic

Family Cars (6 cylinder)
- Ford Taurus
- Ford Contour
- Chevy Impala
- Pontiac Grand AM/Grand Prix
- Honda Accord
- Toyota Camry
- Nissan Maxima
- Buick Century

SUVs (6 cylinder)
- Jeep Cherokee
- Jeep Grand Cherokee
- Ford Explorer

What is your opinion on my mentality? I am open to opinions!

 

[AuthorEditor]

Corolla, Civic, or Focus in order of reliability, but around here only the Focus can be found for your price in decent shape. Not a bad car to drive, big interior for its size, easy to find parts for, reasonably good in snow with the right tires.

 

[IndyIan]

Safest buy would be the 4 bangers that are good on gas, if gas goes up the SUV's may be worth far less than now, also new SUV's get way better mileage now, little cars haven't really got that much better and probably won't.
Probably you have to go japanese too, as general perception for little cars is that they are better.
Just avoid going over the psychological barriers in the two years, like 100,000 miles or 10 years old or whatever they are in your area.

 

[Kaboomba]

If you only need to go 20K miles over 2 years, just about anything will work. Do you have an image to maintain right now?

 

[jazeo]

Due to what you mentioned about the harsh winters, I would look for a privately owned and super clean Cherokee or Grand Cherokee 4WD with the bulletproof 6 cylinder engine..

 

[The Critic]

Saturn SL2, not SL1.

 

[kkreit01]

You could add Neon to your compact list. They are very easy/cheap to work on/maintain.

I'd pick Taurus from your "family car" list. You can get way newer/less mileage for your $ vs. Accord/Camry.

Jeeps for the SUVs.

A guy I work with has a philosophy of spending $1K for every year he intends to get out of the vehicle. He doesn't do anything, but add gas.

 

[LS2JSTS]

Over the last ten years or so I've had great luck buying and using Ford Windstars as cheap and reliable transport. One in decent shape can be found for under your budget, and with proper winter tires they do pretty well in the snow. Mileage wouldn't be as good as the 4 bangers you list, but everyone wants a fortune for used economy cars around here.

If you can stand to be seen in a mini van, they can be had for cheap.

 

[addyguy]

If you look carefully, you might be able to squeeze a Chevrolet Cobalt onto your compact car list under $5k. They are a pretty good, reliable car.

As Critc said, another one to DEFINETLY add is a Saturn...pretty well any Saturn.

I'd stick to a 4-cylinder to save on gas and insurance, unless you plan on carting a lot of people and stuff around.

 

[5sfe91]

Saturn ION

Suzuki Verona

Suzuki XL7 4x4

 

[mechtech2]

Small cars are valued like gold by their present owners, in light of the present and pending fuel situation.

You are asking for the moon with your 'bulletproof' request.
It's impossible.

The bottom line is what comes your way. Theory can not over ride what is available, and in your time frame.

 

[AuthorEditor]

With your criteria I'd go for the best car, regardless of make or style, you can get at the price. For example, you can get some pretty nice low-mileage Crown Vics or Grand Marquis under $5 grand. Put 100 pounds of something in the trunk for the winter and they are fine on icy roads if you know how to drive them. Not so good at deep snow going slow, but fine at high speed on slippery highways. After all, all the police use them. I drive one all winter in upstate NY. Cheap to buy, insure, and repair. Very rugged. Many drive over 200,000 with little problem. Of course you have to put up with being called "grandpa."

 

[rjundi]

At $5000 a total c rap shoot. It is irrelevant what car you buy as at that stage over 2 years all those factors are pure luck you end up with something with few/no issues and sells for a decent price.

 

[L_Sludger]

Originally Posted By: LS2JSTS
Over the last ten years or so I've had great luck buying and using Ford Windstars as cheap and reliable transport. One in decent shape can be found for under your budget, and with proper winter tires they do pretty well in the snow. Mileage wouldn't be as good as the 4 bangers you list, but everyone wants a fortune for used economy cars around here.

If you can stand to be seen in a mini van, they can be had for cheap.
Windstars have problematic transmissions. The interior and chassis quality is not all that great on them either. The suspension and handling is fine, however, and engine power, economy and reliability is also good.

 

[eljefino]

Saturn L series with the ecotec motor. Really anything with the ecotec but NO CVT (continuously variable tranny in some VUEs and IONs). S series is good but you need to check the dipstick. Late cavaliers have the nice ecotec motor but even the old OHV 2.2 is pretty good. I have a coworker with 98 sunfire who completely neglects it and it keeps on trucking.

As for cars with "lemon reps" like the neon, taurus, and windstar it's often for stuff they eventually work out, yet the market treats the cars like lepers. So for the same money you get newer, lower miles, and IMO better service.

I also like the cherokee idea. My work had a couple as fleet cars, merciless beat upon, and I got one at auction with 160k that still drove great. If you get a grand cherokee get the simplest one made, the HVAC gizmos etc go nuts.

 

[01rangerxl]

With the SUVs you may have to look at some that are a little older than 2000...like 1996/1997 and up. As far as Explorers, the pushrod 4.0 V6 is the most reliable of the V6 engines. The SOHC isn't bad, but timing chain rattle is an issue with many of them. I'd probably look at Cherokees over Grand Cherokees...Grands are not bad, but don't seem quite as bulletproof. V8 Grands seem to be somewhat more prone to overheating than the average vehicle due to the tight engine compartment, at least this was the case with my friend's 5.9.

Some examples of what you might want to look at when shopping around...
Explorers:
http://cleveland.craigslist.org/ctd/1729399950.html
http://cleveland.craigslist.org/cto/1729244086.html
http://cleveland.craigslist.org/cto/1728067127.html (older than 2000, but low miles)
http://cleveland.craigslist.org/cto/1727653775.html (slightly above budget, but very clean)
http://cleveland.craigslist.org/ctd/1727271903.html

Jeeps:
http://cleveland.craigslist.org/cto/1728277545.html
http://cleveland.craigslist.org/cto/1727074018.html (69K miles)
http://cleveland.craigslist.org/ctd/1726753628.html
http://cleveland.craigslist.org/ctd/1726750412.html

 

[NYSteve]

What we really need to know is how much of a DIYer are you?

At the 10yr/$5k limit, you can assume you will be doing:
-A few hundred dollars(DIY) just giving yourself piece of mind the car is in good working order: all fluids, plugs & wires, filters, etc
-Timing belt(most japanese cars)
-Brakes
-Tires
-Whatever under-engineered components came with the car (I have Volvo so the list is long)

My recommendations would be:
-Subaru Impreza or Legacy
- W-Body GM (Impala, etc)
-Crown Vic
-Chevy Caprice(breaks you 10yr rule but they can be CHEAP)

Personally I would get a $3k-$4k car and use the rest to keep it running a few years after you graduate so you can get yourself on your feet.

 

[Art_Vandelay]

Since you are asking if your mentality is correct AND you have fixed parameters, I'd say no. You should always be willing to flex and bend because you may pass up the best bet by never considering it.

- You want to retain most of its value
- You want a bulletproof engine/trans
- No more than $5000

Get a mint condition, low mileage 95-99, Toyota Corolla or Camry. You can find one with 80,000 miles on it for less than you want to spend. You'll get most of your money back out and it will still be low mileage when you sell it.

A Honda is just as good but ONLY if you get a manual trans. You need an automatic so don't even consider one. Sure you can get lucky and nothing goes wrong. You want a sure thing though so stay away from them.

The Jeep is probably the only thing on the list that can compete with the Toyota. Though I doubt the transmission is as durable.

A Mustang is worth consideration. Just use mass transit in the snow. The thrills will make up for the inconvenience.

 

[milehigh]

Go Korean. A Hyundai Elantra (2001+) or Kia Spectra (2005+) will serve you well. Great build quality, very good MPG and super reliable hit the mark. Best of all, low mileage ones can be had for cheap.

Good luck in your search.

 

[bradepb]

We got my college son a Taurus 2001 w/vulcan 3.0 engine 82000 miles literally owned by a little old lady last summer for $4200
It seems to be a bulletproof car so far and decent enough on gas