Need advice on some cheap cars

[BigD1]

Originally Posted by aquariuscsm
I agree with Nick about #4. My sister had one of those (Taurus) she'd bought brand new and it was a roadside repair queen. And the whole car also just completely fell to pieces. I can't count the number of times it left her stranded on the side of the road.


Had one too, but can't remember what year. The ride was good but dang it just fell apart. Rear main seal started leaking really bad, and that was last straw, so I thought. Then the dang wiring harness caught on fire. It went to the junk yard.

Anyway, here is a 2002 Lincoln(132,000 miles) near me for $1600. Says the window needs to be welded to work. Guessing the regulator broke. Recent inspection, so there had to be no check engine light here in NC during the inspection.

https://hickory.craigslist.org/cto/d/2002-lincoln-continental/6728078336.html

 

[maxdustington]

I am biased, but MK4 VW 2.0 5 spd. Reliable, good interior for a economy car (all of them have heated seats, an option that was not that common on other cars at the time) fuel efficient and cheap because it's a VW and people are scared of them. It's a simple OHC 8v Macpherson strut car if you ignore the emblems, no crazy dual mass flywheel or any other nonsense that VW is known for. Capable of 30 mpg highway quite easily.

They are cheap as dirt around here and fairly corrosion resistant. Don't buy a pre-bailout American gas guzzler, or pay the Honda/Toyota premium.

 

[SatinSilver]

^ I see a fair amount of those at my mechanic's shop. Not sure the issues but I think the owners must like them since they're having them fixed.

 

[SatinSilver]

few more...

 

[Cressida]

What is it about that most of these VW's have to use the red engine braces for service work ? Looks like it's not a good DIY choice.

 

[JTK]

I would look for a 2004-2011 Ford Focus or a 2011 or older Fusion. These seem durable in the rust belt. No real engine or transmission problems in base form.

 

[HorseThief]

Originally Posted by Jarlaxle
My mother had a 2003 Sable...reliable, but just...meh. Strictly rental-car grade.

For a Panther, get the newest you can find...do not fear high (even 200,000+) miles. DO fear rust, in Michigan.

While I loathe them, what about this Impala? https://detroit.craigslist.org/mcb/cto/d/2006-chevrolet-impala-lt/6725595524.html

If he can swing the money, what about this one? https://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/cto/d/2011-chrysler-200-runs-great/6728653373.html


I really like that impala - my only concern with them is the transmission, but thats the same with any car, and at least its usually just a dirty/gummed up solenoid or two.


How were GM's 3.5L in these? are they still prone to intake gasket issues like the 3.1 and 3.4L? For that matter are the ex-police 3.9L powered models worth looking at or should I run far and fast from them?

 

[fdcg27]

Contrary to what some seem to think, the old model Taurus is a reliable and pretty trouble free car out to about 200K, after which point you can expect to be looking for a yard transaxle.
Either V-6 is a good engine with the pushrod Vulcan lacking power but as long-lived as any engine out there.
These cars can often be found as low-mileage grandma driven vehicles and they go pretty cheap.
While they might lack the handling, performance, quietness, fuel economy and overall refinement of a Honda Accord, these are solid cars and can be a good buy.
We've had a number of these in our fleet at work and they held up well to the use and abuse that fleet vehicles often see. We have one remaining which will soon be retired.
Fusions are a more modern interpretation of a similar design theme and can also often be found at a deal price.
I do think that $4K is a bit rich for an old Accord with 180K.

 

[Rmay635703]

If your area doesn't have inspection
Get a 2006 or older Honda Insight in running condition they are $500 and up, bodies are made out of aluminum , and they go 400,000 miles
MPGs are easily 50mpg +
if the battery goes removing 3 cables converts the car into a non hybrid.

Minimal easy maintenance, cheap tires, no rust issues

 

[FloridaTime]

I can personally vouch for the durability of the Ford Escapes. We had two, one four cylinder and one six. Both were great cars and both lasted over 200k miles with questionable maintenance histories. Both are still on the road in my area. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another for a cheap SUV.

 

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted by aquariuscsm
I agree with Nick about #4. My sister had one of those (Taurus) she'd bought brand new and it was a roadside repair queen. And the whole car also just completely fell to pieces. I can't count the number of times it left her stranded on the side of the road.


What year though? That matters as there was 5 generations of them. The 4th gen I think was what was being referred to which was the 2000-2007 models. Earlier models in the 3rd gen could have been pretty bad, the transmissions weren't that great.

I thought mine was fine, you do have to keep up with maintenance though. Struts, sway bar links, ball joints, tie rods, mufflers, etc. But I got over 200k out of mine before the transmission went. At this stage though, they're almost too old to be worth it. I think the best year would probably be the 2003-2005 year when they still had the Duratec engine. But those cost about the same as a 2007 with the Vulcan engine. And there are other models out there that are newer with less mileage and about the same money.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted by Cressida
What is it about that most of these VW's have to use the red engine braces for service work ? Looks like it's not a good DIY choice.

Looks like an air filter job on my old Audi 200.

 

[HorseThief]

Originally Posted by FloridaTime
I can personally vouch for the durability of the Ford Escapes. We had two, one four cylinder and one six. Both were great cars and both lasted over 200k miles with questionable maintenance histories. Both are still on the road in my area. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another for a cheap SUV.


that's what I keep trying to tell my brother - he had an original 2001 that he bought from my father (original owner) and it ran great well over 200k miles, until the trans went out shortly after a front end collision took out the cooler. All he can remember is the bad - alternator going out (big whoop), tone rings breaking (i'll give him that one - it was a crappy design), and "expensive" tires (he's SO cheap!) Nonetheless, I think I can talk him into one again if it comes along - he still misses the utility of a small SUV. I liked how well it did in the snow (2WD) and it's surprisingly small turning radius.

 

[brages]

"you get what you pay for" in the sense that Accords and Camrys will cost more for an equivalent car (or be older / higher miles for the same price) because they have a mostly-deserved reputation for reliability.

Best values are the American brands, I think.

You can IMO do pretty well for $2500. If you only have a thousand bucks, you'll be looking at real junkers, but for $2500 you should be able to get a car that is clean, comfortable, safe and rust free and will run for 5 years or so with basic maintenance.

I'm driving a car I paid $2700 for (Volvo S40 T5) and it's pretty nice...

 

[jeepman3071]

At that price point, I'd say find the best maintained rust-free vehicle you can.

While a Civic/Camry/Corolla would be the most reliable option, keep in mind that a $2500 example will likely have received zero maintenance. Most people who drive those cars buy them because they are known as low maintenance vehicles, which usually means they have been trashed.

Just looking at 2011-2013 used cars for my sister was eye opening. She settled on a low mile 2013 VW Jetta, all the Civics and Corollas she looked at were a mess and going for more money. Find a corolla/camry/civic owned by an older person if you can. It might have a few scrapes on the bumper but was likely maintained by the book.

 

[DejaVue]

So what did he get?

A Grand Marquis etc is the wisest choice since you are familiar with them, and if it breaks he can talk you into fixing it.

Any of the GM FWD 3.8/3.5 should be very good for the price as long as they aren't rusted bad underneath. They get their share of praise, and I still think they are an underrated value overall if the person wants a full-size car. Small stuff does tend to break like door lock actuators, and I'm pretty sure every one of those cars has a Check Engine light on right now that doesn't affect it in any noticeable way so the owners just ignore it.

I'm mainly posting because Ford Escape is on the list. The early '00s get mediocre mpg for the size and power, the paint can peel off, and, in Michigan, it might take a while to find one for sale that doesn't have a rusted out right rear fender and other areas. And the shock tower rusts out. Very dangerous. I like Escapes as a concept, but you have to be careful if buying one in the rust belt.

 

[Andrew1972]

If it is only a couple months of paychecks don't limit yourself. Just find the best condition, lowest mileage with owner history out there. The $2500 mark make, model start to make little difference.

 

[HorseThief]

Sorry, didn't really mean to abandon the thread! Actually still looking for something - so far a few vehicles have fallen through by being mechanically unsound/needing costly repairs, or not being able to line up a good time to meet up with the seller, and a few scams to get your email or phone #.
So far he's looked at or test-driven at least a dozen vehicles, some just to get the feel for the car. Unfortunately, it's just not a great area for cars. In the price range, there's gems to be had, but they get snatched up quick. He's going to check out a pretty nice looking Buick (park avenue?) tomorrow.

There was an 02 Grand Marquis that we looked at with 130k miles, but needed most all of the climate control system replaced or rebuilt, requiring the dash to be removed - doable with a nice afternoon and a couple hundred dollars in parts, otherwise $700+ to pay someone else to do it. The seller wouldn't budge on the price and by the time my brother decided that the repair was doable, the car was gone (probably to someone who never realized there was an issue).

 

[Rmay635703]

https://ecomodder.com/forum/showthread.php/efficient-cheap-beaters-used-car-ads-35-mpg-30489-54.html