Its that time!, Upgrade! accent, Sl1, ecrt, sble

[1 SX]

Hey!, Good evening!, Im looking for a newer auto again!. the ciera is "alright", just i miss that newer car feel, Out of these cars what one would be the "best" long term,(high miles at 40K a year) for 4 years..

So im looking at:

2003 Mercury sable LS 3.0L V6 200 HP Auto. 85k miles. mint.
2005 Accent GT 1.6L Auto 104HP 71K miles. also Mint.
97 Escort 2.0L auto 51K miles. clean.
2001 Saturn SL1 42K miles auto mint

Now i love the power on the 3.3L ciera, with the 160HP, and 185LB TQ in a 2390 LB car,(base model does not even have AC!) makes for a FUN ride. 0 to 70 is around 8 secs flat, with top speed electronically limited to 119... just HATE the 19.2 AVG MPG i got over the last 45K miles!!!

Now i do enjoy power, but am willing to trade off for gas mileage..

The Accent GT will be the most expensive one, but should get the best gas mileage , also its pretty new, but i feel has a very cheap and old feeling interior.. (like that bell!!!)

The Sable will be a much nicer car in terms of power, fit to finish, room, options but will get the same 20 MPG avg im getting now. Also the transmission seems to be a WEAK point, at 40K miles a year, i might have to replace the tranny in 2 years??

Escort is already 15 years old.. has factory rims, power locks windows, but no tach? Dont know anything about them.

Saturn SL1 will most likely have oil burning issues, and diff pin issue. I dont want have to worry about a little snow, and tire slipping.... on the flip side, it will get GREAT mileage.

Nothing else really seems worth it, maybe an 2003 Dodge STRATUS SXT 2.4L 84K miles.....

So, for long term, out of the cars i have picked out, im thinking the accent will be best for the next 3-4 years. I will have it paid off in under 2, but i dont want to always be in car payments. What you think? I dont want to buy a car with known issues(AX4N), but i really love that feeling of moving. haha.

Thanks!!!

 

[Rand]

the accent gets very unremarkable gas mileage for its size and power.. also the seats are horrid if you are tall.

the sable I'd pass on possible transmission issues if it was beat on at all.

Saturn looks like the best.. if it doesnt have issues.

Best MPG, better price, etc

 

[david_ES2]

May i ask why you have it narrowed down to those cars?

 

[Turk]

Dude!

The Saturn has such low mileage, you'll catch the oil burning before it gets a chance to happen!

Look at all the money you'll save in gas expense...

GET THE SATURN!

You (& I) will have the longest lasting Saturns without burning oil!!

 

[1 SX]

Well, im thinking & hope that the car will NEVER see a shop, so i want to be comfortable working on it haha... Like that whole chrysler cars, not comfortable after having a 2.7L concorde...

TBH, i really like GM, and i dont know why, when i've have nothing but issues! haha.

I might look harder at the saturn.. its like 2 grand LESS then the accent. i thought the accent would be better, (newer is better.... right????)

 

[eljefino]

Get the saturn, I'm thinking.

Are you a courier or something? 40k is a lot.

Here's another option, an older RWD volvo 4 cyl turbo. Good layout for fixing stuff, good ride, pretty cheap parts, they run forever. Yeah you need to do timing belts once in a while but they're apparantly pretty easy being right in front and everything.

Whatever you do, skip the escort, they have random stalling issues and where the rear trailing arms mount to the unibody turns to swiss cheese with rust.

If you like cieras, you might like w body regals, intrigues or grand prix with the 3.8. Watch for rusty rockers. They handle a world better but are heavier to boot. The quality is iffy but they say that about cieras too-- the ones that have lasted seem to be all right. Pay the premium for a geezer owned one.

 

[NHGUY]

I'm thowing a longshot here,but 1991s most dependable American car was....get this...the Plymouth Acclaim.Find a low mileage 3.0V6,keep the UltraDrive tranny happy and go 200K+.Or go basic and 2.5/3 speed,but with no overdrive highway RPMs will kill mileage.

 

[NHGUY]

And for those Chrysler "haters" who cant believe a Chrysler product topped GM and Ford,read this...check the 2nd paragraph...
http://www.allpar.com/model/acclaim.html

 

[sciphi]

Saturn. It's dead-easy to fix. Get some snow tires for the winter, and don't worry about the diff pin.

 

[bepperb]

You say you'll have any of these paid off in two years.

I'm guessing at the prices of them, but I would assume if you drove the Ciera one more year and put 250 away a month you could just buy one in cash. There would also be the added benefit that you could really shop and get a great deal.

But who knows, maybe these are all great deals?

My vote would probably be the Saturn.

 

[QuOk]

SL1 beats them all.

 

[1 SX]

Is the 91 Plymouth Acclaim that good of a car for 1000? ones on craigslist 5 miles from my house!, looks real clean, mileage is 92K, even has factory rims, and trunk rack with factory chrome package... What???? I just sent him a message... Ill pick that up for a ciera replacement...... I love the GM 3.3L... I HATE the Ciera. LOL. I will NEVER own another A body GM.

If this was the SL2, it would be sold already... To me.. I really loved my last 94 Sl2. got really great MPG, but yet fun to drive!. maybe ill ask them to look for a new low mileage SL2..

and i said diff pin issue is because thats how i lost my SL2.. the tranny blew the pin going 60 MPH, hit a little puddle, tire spun, and it blew. happened like super fast i did not even have time to lift my foot. I NEVER spun the tires on that SL2, because i knew if this issue..

Ill let you know tomorrow, i go and give them a drive, down payment, and sign away.. Thinking the SL1, because its what i know, having owned 2 past ones, a 94 SL1 and a 94 SL2. I remember the auto 94SL1 being painfully slow... but that was with the 85HP engine, maybe the extra 15hp really helps.. I know the difference was crazy between the first gen SL1 and 2. Something like 35 HP.

oh and the ciera is no more... its not moving anymore........ its sitting on the side of a road!!! with a criagslist ad waiting for someone to take it away.

Thanks!

 

[silverrat]

I think you are 500lbs short on your Ciera curb weight

 

[PF52]

No Crown Victoria on that list?

 

[Nick R]

Of those, go for the Saturn. And run Pennzoil Platinum/Ultra in it and change every 5k-7500 miles.

 

[eljefino]

Originally Posted By: SL2
Hey!, Good evening!, Im looking for a newer auto again!. the ciera is "alright", just i miss that newer car feel,

(hours later)
Originally Posted By: SL2

oh and the ciera is no more... its not moving anymore........ its sitting on the side of a road!!! with a criagslist ad waiting for someone to take it away.

Thanks!


That newer car feel of... motion?

I flipped a dodge spirit A-body, was my first project car, got it for $162.50 with a blown head gasket, read the articles online how to fix said gasket by lifting the head 1/2 an inch off the block with all the manifolds still connected. It worked, I couldn't believe it!

Car is about a 95% sized ciera. Andy Richter drove/drives one on "New adventures of Old Christene" and they make fun of him because the driver's window falls off the track. So did mine!

The cars are wierd, there are about three different makers of front brakes and you have to see what they felt like installing on the day yours was made. I'd go for the 2.5/3 spd gasket blower as it buys you some room under the hood. I looked at a 3.0 or 3.3 powered version and it was leaking oil everywhere and pretty packed in. You can also find, if karma's been good, a 2.5 or even 3.0 in front of a 5 speed stick.

The car has the classic old lady driving dynamics with over assisted steering and numb alignment specs. It's quiet inside.

But these cars are 20 years old. Rose tinted glasses and all that. If you don't mind the occasional blown head gasket get a y2k neon.

 

[addyguy]

I'm gonna go against the grain here, and say the Sable.

If you do a lot of highway driving, you probably want a smooth, quiet car with decent get up and go - you get that with a Duratec-powered Sable.

I'm sorry, but you just DON"T get that with any of the other cars on your list. Yeah, everyone here likes Saturns, but you are looking at an SL-1, with the 100hp SOHC engine, not the much better DOHC version.

Except for the Sable, most of the cars on your list are pretty gutless, and will have to work really hard to do comfortable highway driving.

BTW, I'm not just saying that b/c I love my Duratec-powered Tribute, i really think the only sensible car for your use out of that list is the Sable.

FWIW.

 

[SLCraig]

I'd look for a low miles Saturn DOHC..
I do like the old Mopars though. Had an 88 LeBaron. The car was rock solid. I miss that thing...

 

[eljefino]

If you look at a sable try to pry back the plastic rocker panel beauty covers to see if it's all rotten underneath.

Check the ATF, check to see if they added an aftermarket cooler.

I had a taurus and it handled great, was peppy, mostly as a result of short gearing. Was a dog pile of belayed repairs that I had to catch up on.

Contours/Mistakes handle great too and are owned by blue hairs.

 

[addyguy]

Your 1991 Ciera died at 126k miles....sounds familiar - my buddy managed to kill a 1987 Buick Century 2.8 at about 120k miles.

Among other things, it wouldn't hold OP anymore, due to a badly worn-out bottom end. Oil light came on a LOT near the end!