CruisinLinda
Champion Author
Tallahassee
Posts:5,408
Points:1,089,970
Joined:Sep 2005
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Message Posted: Jul 2, 2006 3:53:27 PM
I have a 1998 Toyota Corolla with about 65K miles that belonged to my husband I'll sell for $4490. It runs very nicely with cold AC, good tread on tires. Needs a toe in/out alignment and it will be a real cream puff.
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Canerican
Rookie Author
Buffalo
Posts:28
Points:24,540
Joined:Apr 2006
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Message Posted: Jul 2, 2006 3:45:13 PM
I would definatly suggest a Toyota... I don't like Ford as a general rule... Hondas are good from about 98 and up, Subaru sucked untilled they got into turboing everything... stay away from Hydunai... unless you enjoy rust... I don't like the looks of Saturns, imo they are they ugliest on the road today, but for their price they are pretty good...
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burley
Champion Author
Kansas
Posts:1,564
Points:344,190
Joined:Sep 2005
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Message Posted: Jul 2, 2006 3:08:43 PM
my used saturn was 1800.00 gets 33-38 mpg
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backwash
Champion Author
Toronto
Posts:6,110
Points:1,351,390
Joined:Mar 2003
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Message Posted: Jul 1, 2006 8:11:12 PM
go find a Civic ... pretty much your only choice
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buttonsgirl
Champion Author
Oklahoma City
Posts:4,337
Points:757,820
Joined:Sep 2005
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Message Posted: Jul 1, 2006 4:10:41 PM
Taurus or Sable, safe, reliable vehicles in my opinion and reasonable in price
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Seabeacon
Champion Author
Orlando
Posts:4,777
Points:28,150
Joined:May 2004
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Message Posted: Jul 1, 2006 3:17:22 PM
Toyota Corolla
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luxuryrules
Champion Author
Pennsylvania
Posts:5,729
Points:123,160
Joined:Mar 2004
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Message Posted: Jul 1, 2006 2:49:37 PM
Get a GenI (89-95) Taurus/Sable wagon with the 3.0 V6 - Do NOT touch the 3.8 V6 unless you like replacing head gaskets :)
Keep the tranny fluid changed in it and you will get a great life out of it. Even in the unusual event of it breaking, they're hyper-easy to work on and parts are dirt cheap.
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nascar7
Champion Author
Massachusetts
Posts:4,805
Points:179,280
Joined:Mar 2005
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Message Posted: Jul 1, 2006 3:03:56 AM
look into older buicks. i live in 55+ park lot of buicks here with not many miles on them
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Gas94022
Champion Author
San Jose
Posts:2,951
Points:516,275
Joined:Sep 2005
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Message Posted: Jun 30, 2006 6:12:05 PM
Any more suggestions? $4,500 tops.
[Edited by: Gas94022 at 6/30/2006 9:12:52 PM EST]
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Gas94022
Champion Author
San Jose
Posts:2,951
Points:516,275
Joined:Sep 2005
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Message Posted: Apr 24, 2006 2:15:09 PM
Thanks for all the suggestions, so far:
* Ford Escort station wagon
* mid 1990s Accord or Camry wagon
* late 1990s Taurus wagon
* Escort, Impreza, Corolla, Esteem, or Elantra; the small wagons will get better mileage,
* Accord or Camry wagon, given their reliability and efficiency, or possibly a Taurus
* Accord or Camry wagon from the mid 90s--Corolla if you go smaller--although if you go with a Taurus you'll be able to get something from the late 90s.
* Ford Escort or Mercury Tracer 97-99
* Chevy/Geo Prizm. Identical to a Toyota Corolla (built at the same plant in California) but the Geo/Chevy badge keeps the resale value down. Very reliable, well-built cars.
* Taurus with the Vulcan 3.0 V6. It's a bulletproof motor that is impossible to destroy (I know, I've tried), they can be had dirt cheap beceause there are seemingly millions of Tauruses (Taurusi?) & Sables out there, they're low maintainance (basic FWD V6, nothing fancy), will seat 5 or 6 depending on the front seats, and has a massive trunk. For four grand you could probably get up to about 2000 or so.
Comments?
[Edited by: Gas94022 at 4/24/2006 5:17:48 PM EST]
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Xwing
Veteran Author
Portland
Posts:328
Points:82,145
Joined:Mar 2006
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Message Posted: Apr 24, 2006 6:19:14 AM
Volvo 240's
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sven1
Veteran Author
Cleveland
Posts:493
Points:120,220
Joined:Nov 2005
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Message Posted: Apr 24, 2006 6:18:42 AM
If you look, you can absolutely get a good used car for 3-4K. I spent around 3200 on a 97 Saturn SL2 and it is a great car. I spent maybe $200 to change plugs, brakes, filters, etc. If you know what you are looking at, there are many quality used cars in that price range.
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luxuryrules
Champion Author
Pennsylvania
Posts:5,729
Points:123,160
Joined:Mar 2004
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Message Posted: Apr 23, 2006 9:19:00 PM
leatherwood, $4000 down sounds good, but paying $4000 up front for a used car leaves us with a key difference: no monthly payments. Even if it goes into the shop four times a year for a $500 repair (not likely unless it's a pre-Ford Jaguar), that's still cheaper than a $200 monthly payment.
Gas dude, check out a Taurus with the Vulcan 3.0 V6. It's a bulletproof motor that is impossible to destroy (I know, I've tried), they can be had dirt cheap beceause there are seemingly millions of Tauruses (Taurusi?) & Sables out there, they're low maintainance (basic FWD V6, nothing fancy), will seat 5 or 6 depending on the front seats, and has a massive trunk. For four grand you could probably get up to about 2000 or so.
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TheDukeofOC
Rookie Author
Orange County
Posts:67
Points:72,100
Joined:Apr 2005
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Message Posted: Apr 23, 2006 4:34:12 PM
iBran has the right idea, the prizm is an excellent car without the toyota price gouging.
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leatherwood
Champion Author
Arkansas
Posts:3,753
Points:759,805
Joined:Sep 2005
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Message Posted: Apr 23, 2006 6:55:43 AM
do you know he history of the car? pretty hard to do! I would instead put that $4000 down on a new car. I would chose only diesel or flex-fuel as fuel availability is not know for sure. (diesel will be available, but gas only cars can only use up to 10% ethonol - if fuel goes to E15 or the E85 they are talking about only a flex fuel vechicle will work) Look at flex fuel Chevy Malibu - tops in safety, good size and MPG, available as flex-fuel also - avoid the Malibu Classic -that is a different vechicle
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ledoy
Champion Author
Dayton
Posts:7,100
Points:1,423,775
Joined:Aug 2005
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Message Posted: Apr 23, 2006 5:17:23 AM
10 year old Chevy Impala
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radstoy
Champion Author
Pennsylvania
Posts:12,035
Points:2,346,545
Joined:Feb 2003
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Message Posted: Apr 23, 2006 5:17:20 AM
Wow, that is a pretty tall order.
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calypso93
Champion Author
Scranton
Posts:7,986
Points:998,685
Joined:Mar 2004
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Message Posted: Apr 23, 2006 5:05:28 AM
I think a decent used car will cost 5,000. If you spend 3k on the car, look to spend 2k more to get right. Seems that no matter how you slice it, it's gonna be 5k total to get a decent car on the road.
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owt
Champion Author
Tennessee
Posts:9,759
Points:1,564,945
Joined:Aug 2005
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Message Posted: Apr 22, 2006 11:34:49 PM
Find someone that is driving the car that is for sale, at least they are depending on it for their transportation.
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iBran
Sophomore Author
Twin Cities
Posts:129
Points:10,365
Joined:Sep 2005
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Message Posted: Apr 22, 2006 7:28:24 PM
Chevy/Geo Prizm. Identical to a Toyota Corolla (built at the same plant in California) but the Geo/Chevy badge keeps the resale value down. Very reliable, well-built cars.
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spider59
Veteran Author
Tennessee
Posts:287
Points:359,385
Joined:Aug 2005
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Message Posted: Apr 22, 2006 2:52:48 PM
97-99 Ford Escort or Mercury Tracer are relibable used cars.
[Edited by: spider59 at 4/22/2006 5:53:41 PM EST]
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bssplayr
Champion Author
Barrie
Posts:1,468
Points:42,010
Joined:Sep 2005
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Message Posted: Apr 22, 2006 10:41:25 AM
I'd check chevy impalas from around 99 or 2000 - loads of room, great mileage for their size, very reliable, and big trunks! checked in Ontario, and there were several under the $5k mark, so if you factor in the exchange, it'd be close.
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RdHogg
Champion Author
Houston
Posts:13,358
Points:1,730,250
Joined:Jun 2004
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Message Posted: Apr 22, 2006 10:23:49 AM
Let me know what you find out
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