by "Jay, the practical enthusiast" (jay-m)
Published 06/26/2017 at 12:29
by "Jay, the practical enthusiast" (jay-m)
Published 06/26/2017 at 12:29
Tags: Car buying advice
; Car Buying
STARS: 0
I need a little help finding the perfect car. Right now my wife and I share a 2014 Mazda5 but I want a second car for work. I work so close that we don’t need a second car but I think it would make our lives a little easier. We have a budget of $4,000 in mind, but I would go as high as $5,000 for the right car.
Like most Oppos I have very narrow and specific requirements for what I’m looking for. Primarily I want something reliable. After my last car this is my biggest concern. I want something that I can be confident will always start and get me to and from work. Something with no known mechanical issues. I don’t want to spend any money on car repairs. So I’ll probably shy away from anything German and, after my last car, absolutely no Hondas.
This is what I put into my craigslist/cargurus/autotrader searches:
Mileage: under 100,000
Radius: 100 miles from Orlando
Price: $1,000 - 5,000
There are thousands of cars in the central Florida area that fit this description. Thousands of German cars. Thousands of old, beat to hell cars with questionable modifications. Thousands of automatic transmission sports cars. Thousands of work trucks. And thousands upon thousands of boring, bland, uninspired, base model compact / economy cars.
Rationality says I should get one of the boring, bland, uninspired compact / economy cars. Preferably a Japanese one. But I can’t help thinking about my brother who says life is too short to drive a boring car.
So among these cars I can sometimes find something interesting and out of the ordinary. I’m wondering if any of you know of any problems with these cars I’m looking at. Also I want to know if you know of any other cars in this price range that I should be searching for.
2006 Saab 9-3 SportCombi Stationwagon (just like the lead-in picture) By far my first choice.
2001 Mazda Millenia S
Cadillac STS
Lincoln LS
Mazda6 (Do you really need a picture of one of these?)
Volvo S40 / V70
Infiniti G35
"promoted by the color red" (whenindoubtflatout)
06/26/2017 at 13:25, STARS: 2
None of these.
I vote Buick Regal GS with the supercharged 3800 engine. This is Florida so there’s gotta be some of these S/C 3800s with ultra-low miles because Grandma only used it to go to the church and store.
"Jay, the practical enthusiast" (jay-m)
06/26/2017 at 13:28, STARS: 0
There are tons of these in my price range. I wasn’t looking at them because I wasn’t so keen on their looks. But like I said, reliability is my biggest concern.
"awmaster10" (awmaster10)
06/26/2017 at 13:28, STARS: 3
Saab: Maybe. Some 9-3s are reliable some are nightmare. Fun though.
Millenia: Cool cars and really nice for that price
STS: reliable enough, kinda a boat
Lincoln LS: The v8 is fun to drive and they are good cars, but they are HORRIBLY unreliable. Stay away.
s40: Shitty, barely a real volvo
v70: Watch out for transmission issues by year
g35: Best choice in every way out of the ones listed. Fastest, most reliable, nice interior, RWD, good handling, good parts availability for the vq35, etc.
Other options you NEED to consider:
2nd generation lexus gs300/400/430: Open up mileage to 200k. One of these with 180k is more reliable than a saab or volvo with 100k.
1st generation lexus is300: Same as GS but smaller and with a stick if you want
Volvo s70: Last of the simpler volvos before they made the s60. Great car, reasonably reliable, and way better than an s40
Saab 9-5: Usually more reliable than a 9-3, and better looking IMO
Acura TSX: Good cars
Acura RSX: Also good cars
Chrysler 300M: If you want something different but still a great car
Honestly there are a lot more that are escaping my mind at this moment, but ive shopped for cars in this price range 6 times in the past couple years and ive seen them all. All 6 of mine were dead reliable despite getting rid of them so quick.
- 1998 lexus gs300
- 2001 volvo s70
- 2002 chrysler 300m
- 2002 4runner
- another 2002 4runner
- 2003 pathfinder
Id recommend them all.
"Jay, the practical enthusiast" (jay-m)
06/26/2017 at 13:30, STARS: 1
I wish I could give you 100 stars. This is great advice.
"awmaster10" (awmaster10)
06/26/2017 at 13:38, STARS: 1
No problem, I consider myself somewhat of a $6000 used car expert. I will try to think of more cars to consider but those are a good place to start.
"2Fast2Furious: Rotary Powered" (2fast2furiousfc3s)
06/26/2017 at 14:31, STARS: 2
You know what this means... You need a GM w-body with the 3800. I’d say LeSabre, it Gran prix, but I’d also recommend an aroura or park ave
"Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein)
06/26/2017 at 14:37, STARS: 1
Literally nothing you posted meets your reliability criteria.
"Jay, the practical enthusiast" (jay-m)
06/26/2017 at 14:48, STARS: 0
Not even the Japanese ones?
"Jay, the practical enthusiast" (jay-m)
06/26/2017 at 14:49, STARS: 0
I’m going to start looking at these.
"Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein)
06/26/2017 at 15:01, STARS: 1
The Millenia S motor is complicated and I’d worry about parts at this age.
The Infiniti is half decent but the older VQ V6s can have issues.
"Shift24" (the-nope)
06/27/2017 at 01:07, STARS: 1
Agreed with atlasM almost all are not reliable in my book. General maintenance and maybe a required maintenance (ie timing belt nothing major or unusual). Ignoring the Honda whatever, look at 04 or newer Acura TLs, manual Accord v6 coupes (auto isn’t bad but this is oppo), almost anything Lexus or Toyota, and as many have said a Buick with 3800 BUTTTT be careful as someone with the 3800 there are down sides.
Transmissions are almost bullet proof but CAN NOT sit (as most grandma cars do), it needs to be driven, gaskets and components have to move and be lubed. Another issue is Dexcool (coolant), the red stuff (normally). Great stuff if maintained, horrible if not. Starts to eat gaskets after time if it sits. Even so it will run with the bad gaskets, mine were bad for years but never left me stranded.