New "Used" Vehicle for 18 Year Old?

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Well, my 18 year old son's 96 Olds Aurora got to a point where I got tired of putting money into it.
I plan on going to look at seven different used vehicles. Here they are:

1996 Dodge Intrepid (3.3l) 152k miles $2900
1999 Mercury Sable 121k miles $3900
2000 Hyundai Elantra 88k miles $3900
1997 Ford Escort 145k miles $2800
1999 Toyota Corolla CE 144k miles $3400
1999 Toyota Corolla VE 156k miles $2800
1995 Buick Regal (3.8l) 109k miles $3900

He'll be using the vehicle basically to go to work (5 miles) each day and commuting to college (20 miles) beginning this fall. I want him to get something that's good on gas and handles decently in the snow.
Any advice on these vehicles, or don't even waste my time looking at them, would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.
 
Those prices seem awfully high, given the mileages.

That said, Escorts are pretty reliable, cheap to insure, and good on gas. I'd start there.

From there, I'd go to the Elantra - it's the newest with the lowest mileage.

As many have said here, at this price range/year, condition of the individual vehicle is what counts.
 
Can not speak for all the vehicles but I have an '01 Fd Escort that runs like a deam and gets 36 avg. mpg. Another plus with the scort is their inexpensive to fix if something does go wrong. Economical & reliable. Altho I do think you should do better than $2800, my '01 cost me $1500 last summer.
 
The Hyundai Elantra 2.0L is a very bulletproof engine for your son. It doesn't burn off much gas and is considered extrememly reliable for your son particular application. The only thing to worry about is changing the timing belt, water pump, and accessory belts at 60K, 120K, 180K, and so on.

The toyota corolla from the 1990s are considered really great cars and are much more durable and reliable than the nonsense they produce today. The engine are extremely reliable and bulletproof but they do drink a little gas.

The Ford Escort, Mercury Sable, and Dodge Intrepid are considered average cars with a average engine that will be ok but not as durable as Hyundai or Toyota. I hear mixed reviews on these models but Im not too familar with these so you may want to shout out to the other bros. on here.

Finally, the Buick Regal is a good car and the legendary 3.8L V6 is GM most well respected and best selling engine of all time. Proper maintenance intervals will insure that the vehicle will be reliable for your son. Gas mileage will be in the average range but not too bad.
 
I would look at the Escort, Sable and the Regal. The price does seem steep on the Escort. The Sable probably has a Vulcan 3.0L in it and they seem to run forever. Same for the 3.8L Regal.

I would be skeptical of the Dodge or the Hyundai. Toyota............. I am sure I will get flack on this but I believe in buying American.

Have them checked over by a reputable garage and watch out for rust
 
First off I agree that ALL the prices are high for the miles on the cars, but that's the nature of buying retail I guess.

Being Mr. Mopar as I am (hey- its full disclosure!), I'd gravitate to the Intrepid because its familiar to me and I know that pushrod cast-iron 3.3 is the most bulletproof on your whole list. But being totally objective, reasons to look at it include: No timing belt maintenance, VERY VERY easy to service (plugs, belts, waterpump, oil&filter- pretty much everything) because of the north-south layout vs. transverse in all the others. The only semi-weak link is the auto trans, but if its been fed a good diet of ATF+3 and now ATF+4, it should be fine. Headlights are pretty weak too. It handles well, is a decent size, and is in general a very safe car. The 3.3 is about the right power for a young driver- enough to be safe, not enough to be dangerous.

The Regal would be a second choice and *most* years of the 3.8 are great, but given all the problems with EGR passages through intake gaskets and DexCool issues from that era, I'd be a little leary. Plus its about $1500 overpriced. Sideways GM v6... moderately annoying to service, but at least no timing belt.

If the Hyundai was a few years newer I'd be all over it, but I don't think they were anywhere near as good back in 2000 as they are now. But that's about the time they started to turn the corner into being a first-world carmaker, so it might be worth a closer look.

The Toyotas are probably OK, but I confess to just not knowing enough about which years are sludgemasters and which years aren't. Also overpriced for the miles, and I just don't like Toyotas very much. YMMV.

If you can talk the price down on the Sable, I'd consider it for most of the same reasons I like the Intrepid and Regal. But it's way overpriced, and has another sideways v6.

The Escort may be the best deal, but frankly I'd put a young driver in something a little bigger and safer.
 
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One more thing to think of, check out insurance costs for the different vehicles. You are up there in No Fault land.
 
I'd think the corolla's and escort would use 2/3 the gas that the V6 cars would, if that matters?. Is the escort a wagon? It would be good for hauling stuff when the time comes.

V6 cars for cheap transportation scare me abit, just that much more gaskets, seals, manifolds, sensors, etc to potentially fix.
That said still shop by condition of the actual car, not its reputation.
 
The Hyundai stands out but a $1000 more dollars it better have the timing belt sevice complete.

The Escort is known to keep on going & do it cheaply & has Mazda roots.
 
I'd look at some different cars. At those prices you're getting ripped off even if the cars are in very good shape. Where do you live that the prices are so high?
 
I think I'd do some shopping on Auto trader.com and craigs list, looking for specific makes and models.

Just checked craigs list here in north central Indiana the highest priced Escort is $1800.
 
Thanks, that's what I thought about the pricing. He'll be paying cash so I'm going to offer at least $700 - $1K less what they have listed. I found all these on Craig's List and a few of them have been on there now for at least a couple months.
 
Mercury Sable:

Don't know if they replace the transmission's aluminum piston design with steel yet. I'd stay away because of potential transmission design problem.




Buick Regal:

Dexcool related issue? If so, stay away. If not, it's probably ok.




Dodge Intrepid:

Sludge? If not, probably fine, if so, stay away.




Hyundai Elantra:

That's before Hyundai turn around and become quality cars of today, probably stay away.




Ford Escort:

Mechanically sound and reliable, interior falls apart and doesn't age well, exterior paint is low quality. Check if it is in good condition (inlaw has one that all of the above).




Toyota Corolla:

Very reliable yet very boring. Age well both exterior and interior. If you can get a good price, I'd take it.
 
For an 18 year old, the best suited car in the list is the Corolla. It's a basic and boring car so that he will not be tempted to do crazy stuff. It's also safe enough to prevent injury or death due to inexperience with driving.
 
All those prices are WAY too high...

Two years ago, I put my 18 year old niece in a 2000 Grand Am with 86,000 miles for $3500. (Again, this was two years ago.)

It is a 4 door with a 2.4 cylinder engine, with a sunroof and a spoiler. It had a new set of tires, and everything was in good shape when I bought it. It didn't leak any fluids, and the a/c was ice cold.

It now has 110,000 miles. It has had a new battery, and a front brake job. I've changed the oil in it five times.

She's driven it through a ditch at highway speeds, and has bumped all four corners with it. The passenger side mirror has been knocked off, and re-installed with drywall screws.

Would I buy her another one? You bet.

Consider something similar with the 4 cylinder. An Olds Alero would be virtually the same car.
 
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