So What's A Bargain Car Now?

[Benzadmiral]

Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
Just about anything with a GM 3800 under the hood.

It isn't going to get 40mpg on the highway, but you'll still be able to put 5 people in it.

Took a trip in the folks 1999 Park Avenue (non-supercharged 3800). 4 people in the car, 62 miles per hour, 31 miles per gallon....and everyone was comfortable.

Cars of this vintage (including the slightly smaller LeSabre) are everywhere, and low mileage versions can still be found.

Yeah, but the cost of cleaning all those white shoes and belts, and finding a parking place at the church for bingo, man, it gets to you. . . .

Just kidding, of course. I love my PA. But the perception of them, puzzlingly, is that they're Old Folks' Wagons. Which means a good one can be had for a bargain for sure.

 

[levi]

Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
Just about anything with a GM 3800 under the hood.


Yep. IMO, one of the best engines ever put on the market.

 

[Patman]

Originally Posted By: eljefino


This proves the axiom, "It is more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow."


I don't know about that one. I have way more fun driving my Corvette even if I don't go much above 2000rpm too often on a daily basis, than I ever have driving my wife's Honda Civic at full throttle. I just love having all that torque under my right foot, being able to just lightly touch the pedal at any speed and get instantaneous movement. Another thing for me is that the fun of driving is not only in the obvious things like acceleration or corning, but for me I just love the feeling of the wind in my hair on a summer day and sitting low to the ground looking out through the windshield at that beautiful sleek hood.

With the high price of gas it's going to force a lot more people to sell their Corvettes. I won't be one of them, in fact it'll be a blessing for me as I might be able to afford to get a newer Corvette a few years sooner than I had originally planned. The new C6s are certainly dropping a lot in price lately, they are dropping in price at a much faster rate than the C5 Corvette did. (and early C5 prices are holding relatively steady nowadays believe it or not)

 

[Whimsey]

A bargain car is the one you've owned since new and it's paid for, runs good, it's reliable, FUN to drive, not rusted, looks good inside and out. Plus a bonus if the mileage is less than 100,000 well cared for miles and you get in the mid-high 20's mpg locally and mid 30's mpg highway. Sure you can BUY higher mpg cars but dumping a such a car for a higher mpg new car with payments and higher insurance costs doesn't seem to make sense. As far as buying an used higher mpg car of unknown history or high mileage can be risky to gain a few real world mpg.

My bargain car is my bought new in 12/95 1996 Ford Contour with the 4 cyl Zetec, 5 speed manual tranny. It has 79,000 mostly highway miles, been extremely well maintained and runs great and looks real good. Plus it's a blast to drive, it's my poor man's BMW

.

While it doesn't get the mileage of hybrids or super econoboxes but the mileage is respectable none the less at mid to high 20's mpg in local driving and mid 30's on the highway.

The highest mpg car is not always the least expense to own.

Whimsey

 

[ekpolk]

Excellent point, Whimsey.

 

[BrianWC]

Yeah, that's ultimately why, even though I lust after high-tech Prii and bargain 90's Saturns, I will probably just stick with the 9-5 for a while. Nice and paid for..... Even a $1500 beater would make no sense for me....

 

[PandaBear]

Bargain = low total cost of ownership and meet your need.

Definition of meet your need: is it reliable? is it fun to drive, is it large enough, is it safe, ..... depends on you. Mine is fun to drive, reliable, and easy to DIY.

Definition of low total cost of ownership: free car that takes some effort to restore, a car that is paid for, a new car that you need to buy and you get a good deal on, or high mpg. Don't forget insurance and how many miles you drive: a parked hybrid is not environmentally friendly at all, it is only environmentally friendly if it replaces an SUV.

For me: a 13 year old corolla that is 175k miles and is driven daily, on liability only insurance, and self maintained.

 

[ekpolk]

Panda:

Good definition of "bargain". The problem I see, however, is that a large number of people have been so brainwashed by advertising that they've lost a realistic sense of the difference between "need" and "want". I realize that this is a touchy question in a free society, since most of us feel that we should have the ability to express our preferences through choices on things such as car/truck purchases and the like. While there are few clear answers in this debate, the prototypical example of this blurring is the suburbanite commuter who has convinced himself that he "needs" a full-size pickup. Maybe he does, maybe he doesn't -- that's his decision to make. And I suppose that ultimately, it all leads to the conclusion, obvious perhaps, that one man's bargain is another's boondoggle.

 

[Benzadmiral]

Originally Posted By: ekpolk
. . . The problem I see, however, is that a large number of people have been so brainwashed by advertising that they've lost a realistic sense of the difference between "need" and "want". . . .

True enough. To get to work and run other essential errands, I *need* a small 4-seater in which I can load two cat carriers, which is great on regular gas, and is reliable and comfortable. What I *wanted* and got was the big Buick, which meets two of these criteria and is not bad on the gasoline one. A pickup truck would have been even more useless to me on two of the three counts, so the Buick is a good compromise . . . and its payment and insurance are reasonable, too.

(Oh, okay, I *want* a 1966 Thunderbird coupe, or a 1966 Mustang. But I know neither would be sensible. So I guess I'm ahead of a lot of people.)

 

[crw]

I just came back from silicon valley, and was shocked at the number of Prii that are already on the road down there. That, and seemingly one of every ten cars on the road is a BMW. Around here I can go for days without seeing one.

Anyone notice the "freecreditreport.com" commercial? The poor guys credit was whacked, so he's drivin' off the lot in a used sub-compact, posse's gettin' laughed at, etc. Well, he's apparently made a deal on a Geo Metro, the new darling of the used car market. Looks like he got a good deal! lol

 

[Norm Olt]

2009 Subaru Forester 2.5X automatic @ $20,678 or an 2008 Impreza Sedan @ $16,158 if you don't need a wagon, the extra ground clearance...

A WRX @ $22K or Cobalt SS at about $23,000 MSRP (if you can find one or the other)...

Good Luck!

 

[rationull]

Originally Posted By: crw

Anyone notice the "freecreditreport.com" commercial? The poor guys credit was whacked, so he's drivin' off the lot in a used sub-compact, posse's gettin' laughed at, etc.


I saw that commercial quite a few times before the gravity of the situation hit me: the guy went to buy a car, and made the decision of what he could afford based on knowledge of his credit report that he didn't have until he was actually ready to buy. While that may be bad but not horrible on its face, the explicit use of the term "used" when referring to his new subcompact implies that he was potentially interested in a new car when he was speculating about whether he would get a "convertible or an SUV".

So, he was planning to buy a new car in a more expensive class, with higher operating costs, but had to buy what's portrayed as the cheapest of the cheap because of his credit report. Something's wrong with that situation.

What? It's just a commercial? *grumble*

 

[MrCritical]

Typical Americana. Upsell, Upsell.

You think you need an SUV? Well you gotta have leather seats,don't you? Heated. Disk changer. DVD player for the kids? 20 inch wheels? XM radio? Climate control? Side air bags?

No wonder a vehicle cost sixty grand.

 

[Buick92]

I agree that Chevy Prizm's are probably the best used car buy, even though probably everyone here knows that it is a toyota corolla, some people don't so for example you can buy the same year of Prizm as a Corolla and pay less, same with the Pontiac Vibe (same as a Matrix), of you can find a low mileage Vibe it's a good buy.

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: crw
I just came back from silicon valley, and was shocked at the number of Prii that are already on the road down there. That, and seemingly one of every ten cars on the road is a BMW. Around here I can go for days without seeing one.

Anyone notice the "freecreditreport.com" commercial? The poor guys credit was whacked, so he's drivin' off the lot in a used sub-compact, posse's gettin' laughed at, etc. Well, he's apparently made a deal on a Geo Metro, the new darling of the used car market. Looks like he got a good deal! lol



One of the main reason for hybrid popularity is that you can use the HOV lane (carpool) with only the driver. So if time is precious and you have no need for a sport car, prius buy you a lot of time in traffic.

You sure it is not 1 out of 5 cars is BMW? The are so common that when I bought a new car last year, I did not consider them because it is like a Taxi (everywhere) and overpriced. It no longer gives you a wow factor anymore.

 

[MikeR]

Originally Posted By: Whimsey
A bargain car is the one you've owned since new and it's paid for, runs good, it's reliable, FUN to drive, not rusted, looks good inside and out. Plus a bonus if the mileage is less than 100,000 well cared for miles and you get in the mid-high 20's mpg locally and mid 30's mpg highway. Sure you can BUY higher mpg cars but dumping a such a car for a higher mpg new car with payments and higher insurance costs doesn't seem to make sense. As far as buying an used higher mpg car of unknown history or high mileage can be risky to gain a few real world mpg.

My bargain car is my bought new in 12/95 1996 Ford Contour with the 4 cyl Zetec, 5 speed manual tranny. It has 79,000 mostly highway miles, been extremely well maintained and runs great and looks real good. Plus it's a blast to drive, it's my poor man's BMW

.

While it doesn't get the mileage of hybrids or super econoboxes but the mileage is respectable none the less at mid to high 20's mpg in local driving and mid 30's on the highway.

The highest mpg car is not always the least expense to own.

Whimsey




Excellent point. Lots of people are rushing out and getting hosed on the trade for the sake of higher mpg. The numbers don't add up.

On the flipside, the paid-off car isn't always the least expensive either. It doesn't happen often, but depreciation and fuel and maintenance can make the trade make sense.

People use the numbers to justify an emotional decision. Witness the increased sales of motorcycles and push mowers.

 

[smokey1]

Originally Posted By: Buick92
I agree that Chevy Prizm's are probably the best used car buy, even though probably everyone here knows that it is a toyota corolla, some people don't so for example you can buy the same year of Prizm as a Corolla and pay less, same with the Pontiac Vibe (same as a Matrix), of you can find a low mileage Vibe it's a good buy.
+2 on the PRIZM , good luck finding one tho .

 

[wapacz]

only thing about the prizm is the roof is awful low. I road in my friends and I was hitting my head on the roof when ever we hit a bump and I am only 6'1"

 

[1sttruck]

You'll pay a premium for Hondas and Toyotas, you need to figure if it's worth it.

German 'bargains' are often only that if you don't mind doing the maintenance; Stuttgart demands a regular tithing.

I'd avoid a Civic as I see a lot getting abused, espcially the ones with the goofy wheels and mufflers.

You'll pay a premium for anything small, regardless if it gets good mileage or not.

You'll pay a premium for anything trendy, like 'crossovers' or anything else considered fashionable.

New SUVs and gas engined pickups that are heavily discounted look like a bargain and could be as a work vehicle, but won't end up being one if you drive a lot.

A good start on a bargain is asking people people what they would not buy and picking something decent from that list. We went thru this exercise with my son when he was looking for a vehicle, and when I asked what cars none of his frends would buy it was stuff like minivans, or domestic models like a Taurus.

I told him that's why we've on our third Taurus, as the last one was less than $13k used with 6k miles on it. Zero status, zero payments in as short of a period as possible.

 

[BrianWC]

So are you saying we should all be driving these around: