Car hunting

F

FluerVanderloo

New Member
My mom finally decided that my car is not safe. Never mind I've had it for two years with no airbags, leaking coolant, and a slowly slipping transmission. In any case, it's going to be a used car with a price limit of $3000.

I'm looking for a four door, four cylinder with working air conditioning.

Can anyone suggest a car that will last me a while as far as gas mileage and overall stability? I've been referred to the Honda Accord, but I'm sure there are plenty more options out there.
 
Hondas are generally good dependable cars with reasonable maintenence costs.

Any brand on the road can be a good or bad car. The most important factor in choosing is making sure THAT vehicle is mechanically sound. A close second is repair cost/parts cost per model. In my experience, Nissans have very high replacement part cost for the money.

I recommend a Mazda. I drive one now and have zero complaints. In the five years I've driven it, I have replaced a thermostat (routine), the serpentine belt (it broke, I should have replaced it sooner), a drive pulley (when the belt broke), and routine stuff like tires, brakes, etc. Mazda makes some economical models like you described. They ain't flashy, but name a $3000 car that is.
 
Funny you should start this thread. I was fixing to start a similar one, so I'll use yours.

I test drove a truck today. Well, two to be exact, but the one was just to throw the salesman off.

I've had my '96 Mazda B4000 4X4 for about five years now. It's been a great truck and still is. The main problem is that it's a five speed, and while I adore driving stick shifts I have times with my physical ailments that it really hurts me to drive it.

As previously posted, I do NOT buy new vehicles.

I am looking real hard at a 2000 Ford F150, automatic, air, CD, chrome step bars, has a locking bed cover, silver (almost platinum), tinted windows with a sliding rear window which is a must. It's a 6 cylinder like my Mazda, so I won't lose any power or pickup. I would lose the four wheel drive, but we still have the Explorer when we need 4WD. One owner, looks pristine, runs great, handles like a dream.

The dilemma: I really hate to restart another cycle of car payments this close to having this one paid for.

We were in the Explorer, so they didn't get a look at my truck yet. He of course asked, and was highly interested in getting a small 4X4 as they have none on the lot.

What to do, what to do...:shrug:
 
I've got a small list of cars I found online. I'll be calling about them tomorrow:

1999 Mazda 626 LX
1996 Honda Accord
1994 Honda Accord
1995 Nissan 200SX

And of course, my dream car, an Audi A4, just HAD to be listed with the others, but with an asking price of $5000. Oh well. Beautiful car though.

The boy has a Mazda Protege and he's had a good run of it, knock on wood. I haven't been able to find any of those around though.
 
take a look at Subarus. not the best looking cars by any means but the drive train is practically bullet-proof, they get decent mileage and have AWD for lousy weather.
the power is a bit on the anemic side with the basic boxer 4 if you are a stop light drag racer though.
 
SouthernN'Proud said:
I am looking real hard at a 2000 Ford F150, automatic, air, CD, chrome step bars, has a locking bed cover, silver (almost platinum), tinted windows with a sliding rear window which is a must. It's a 6 cylinder like my Mazda, so I won't lose any power or pickup. I would lose the four wheel drive, but we still have the Explorer when we need 4WD. One owner, looks pristine, runs great, handles like a dream.
Click to expand...

Won't lose power or pickup? You sure it's an F150 you drove with the V6? My dad has an '01 F150 with the 4.6 V8 and the thing has the triple whammy of being an absolute slug at low revs, being real hard to keep from gathering too much speed on the freeway, and getting 14 miles to the gallon. He traded in a '94 2WD Ranger with the 4.0 V6 and a 5-speed, and the Ranger had a lot more giddy-up. Also, instead of regular buttons for the light switch, the F150 has some sort of proprietary switch hidden somewhere that tends to malfunction (apparently it's a fairly common problem) and so it always seems to think the door's still open when it's not... luckily, there's a 45-minute timer to shut off the dome light so it doesn't totally drain the battery.
 
FluerVanderloo said:
1999 Mazda 626 LX
1996 Honda Accord
1994 Honda Accord
1995 Nissan 200SX
Click to expand...

$3K seems to be a little low for a '99 Mazda 626... I'd wonder if there's something wrong with it or if it has really high mileage. For the two Hondas, the only difference between 1994 and 1996 is the nose and tail lights, so if the '96 doesn't have the V6, they'd be mechanically identical... so then it's just an issue of mileage, condition, etc.
 
Nissan all the way. I'm a fan.

Toyota Corolla my friend had from that era, she loved it, and never had a problem. She'd buy another for sure.
 
You should also keep in mind that not all cars are what they seem. For instance, my Ford Contour is really a Mazda 626. A Ranger is a Mazda pick-up. The Chevy Spectrum is a Toyota Corolla. A lot of Chrysler products are really Mitsubishis. You can save a lot of money by paying attention.

Note that Honda's used car prices are generally high. A reputation for reliability doesn't necessarily imply that the one you get will be. My rule of thumb is to go for the newest, lowest mileage car you can get for what you're willing to spend.
 
chcr said:
You should also keep in mind that not all cars are what they seem. For instance, my Ford Contour is really a Mazda 626. A Ranger is a Mazda pick-up. The Chevy Spectrum is a Toyota Corolla. A lot of Chrysler products are really Mitsubishis. You can save a lot of money by paying attention.
Click to expand...

yeah it's a real disappointment to pick up a honda passport and then figure out that it's an isuzu, UAW-built "with pride" (*cough*) using mostly GM parts in indiana... and given my automotive background, i can't believe i made that mistake. duh. double duh.

i like nissans. i had a 93 sentra se-r that had around 165k on it, and other than body rust from road salt, it was still in good shape, still peppy and fun to drive. sold it to a guy that was going to, ahem, "rice it up." but "real" hondas and toyotas are a little better in quality. madza ain't quite there...

i'd agree with chcr on the newest/lowest mileage thing, but in general i'd prolly try to avoid UAW (or CAW) made cars with 70k+ miles on them - and your price range may put you there. Something made in a nissan/toyota/honda plant in N america would generally be okey dokey though.
 
SouthernN'Proud said:
In my experience, Nissans have very high replacement part cost for the money.
Click to expand...

Funny, Nissans have the cheapest replacement parts over here.
 
chcr said:
You should also keep in mind that not all cars are what they seem. For instance, my Ford Contour is really a Mazda 626. A Ranger is a Mazda pick-up. The Chevy Spectrum is a Toyota Corolla. A lot of Chrysler products are really Mitsubishis. You can save a lot of money by paying attention.
Click to expand...

The Contour is actually the US version of the Ford Mondeo. The 626 has some actual room in the back seat, something the Contour can't claim. They're different platforms. Also, the 1993-up Mazda pickups are actually Rangers, not the other way around. Oh, and the Spectrum was really an Isuzu (the 1980s Nova was the rebadged Corolla... then the Geo Prizm was the Corolla).
 
Inkara1 said:
The Contour is actually the US version of the Ford Mondeo. The 626 has some actual room in the back seat, something the Contour can't claim. They're different platforms. Also, the 1993-up Mazda pickups are actually Rangers, not the other way around. Oh, and the Spectrum was really an Isuzu (the 1980s Nova was the rebadged Corolla... then the Geo Prizm was the Corolla).
Click to expand...
I knew the Spectrum sounded wrong. The Prizm, that's right. I know the engine and transmission in the Mondeo/Contour are the same as the 626, I just assumed the platform was the same.
 
If I remember right, the 2.0 four-banger is actually a Mazda engine, but the 2.5 V6 is a Ford engine.
 
Inkara1 said:
Won't lose power or pickup? You sure it's an F150 you drove with the V6? My dad has an '01 F150 with the 4.6 V8 and the thing has the triple whammy of being an absolute slug at low revs, being real hard to keep from gathering too much speed on the freeway, and getting 14 miles to the gallon. He traded in a '94 2WD Ranger with the 4.0 V6 and a 5-speed, and the Ranger had a lot more giddy-up. Also, instead of regular buttons for the light switch, the F150 has some sort of proprietary switch hidden somewhere that tends to malfunction (apparently it's a fairly common problem) and so it always seems to think the door's still open when it's not... luckily, there's a 45-minute timer to shut off the dome light so it doesn't totally drain the battery.
Click to expand...

Yes, I am sure. I can count plugs with the best of them. The reason your dad's truck drives that way is gearing.
 
Oh, another heads-up, besides the dome light thing... he just sunk $250 into replacing all four oxygen sensors, plus whatever the Ford-specific tool cost him. He did the work himself, so no labor costs. After that, the check engine light still comes on.

I'd look into getting a Ram with a Hemi, myself... it looks better, and if I'm only going to get 14 miles to the gallon, I at least want 340 horsepower. :D
 
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