"Amoore100" (amoore100)
10/05/2015 at 20:11 • Filed to: Oppo Asks, Car Shopping, Toyota, Honda
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"Amoore100" (amoore100)
10/05/2015 at 20:11 • Filed to: Oppo Asks, Car Shopping, Toyota, Honda | 0
| 12 |
A few months ago I posted to Oppo requesting advice over what car to recommend to a first driver. Well, just recently another one of my friends has announced that her family may be in the market for a new vehicle, although under different circumstances. As long as I have know her their family’s fleet has consisted of a third generation CR-V and an ancient fifth generation E80 Corolla. This seemed to suit them pretty well since her mother daily drove the CR-V for work and her father worked from home with the Corolla as an errand runner. However, in the past few months it seems that the little Corolla has needed a fair share of maintenance and being a thirty year old deathtrap their family has considered replacing it. My friend mentioned this casually last week and I have spent the past few days doing some experimental Craigslisting. She has not noted any restrictions other than a price cap of around $3-4K but I do think that if they were to get another vehicle, I would want something a bit safer than the corrugated metal and lap belts of the airbag-less Corolla. In addition the car should probably be dead reliable as well as cheap to run (so no premium gas, oil, etc.)
To recap:
Budget: $3-4K, cheaper is better
Safe (preferably with a few airbags, full seatbelts)
Reliable (with inexpensive running costs)
From a name Japanese brand (just for peace of mind for non-Jalops)
Average fuel economy is probably fine
Automatic transmission
So from my research, I have decided on something like an !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! or !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . Nice enough that they aren’t usually riced by stupid people but with the same reliability known from the smaller cars. I considered Honda (some nice TL/Legend/Accord and Vigors in our area) but transmission issues I think would be iffy, and a used Lexus LS would just be way too much car (and need premium fuel).
What does Oppo think?
BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest.
> Amoore100
10/05/2015 at 20:14 |
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I thought this was a Crown Vic in the Thumbnail.
JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
> Amoore100
10/05/2015 at 20:15 |
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I’d go the Avalon. It just is a nicer car in my opinion.
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Amoore100
> JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
10/05/2015 at 20:42 |
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That’s for sure, but they do come with higher mileage...still, it is a mid-90’s Toyota product...million miles, here we come!
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Amoore100
> BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest.
10/05/2015 at 20:42 |
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Toyota’s take on the Crown Vic for the Americans...
dogisbadob
> Amoore100
10/05/2015 at 20:44 |
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The 96-98 TL is a great car! The 99+ had the shitty transmissions.
It might be possible to get an Echo or Matrix within the stated budget, The Aerio is also a good choice, too.
Avoid transverse V6’s because they are impossible (if you do your own work) and/or expensive (if you don’t) to work on.
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Amoore100
> dogisbadob
10/05/2015 at 20:48 |
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Good to know for the TLs since they are prevalent around here (gotta take a closer look at the years though)
Matrixes are a bit more costly around here and the Aerio unfortunately doesn’t carry enough weight with its Suzuki badge, unfortunately...the Echo is actually a pretty smart choice as they are known for reliability and simplicity.
I didn’t think transverse V6s were that bad if you get a reliable one (no, I don’t do my own work and neither will her family) since our ‘05 Odyssey barely ever has engine issues (other than that time we swapped it...)
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JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
> Amoore100
10/05/2015 at 20:50 |
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No joke there was a girl at my school last year who had one (graduated this year) with .....
479k miles. Body was beat to hell but she was still on the original engine and never had any issues other than it overheating once on a 106 degree day.
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dogisbadob
> Amoore100
10/05/2015 at 20:55 |
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Yeah, but older cars WILL leak from the valve cover gasket, and replacing them on a V6 like that suxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sometimes other shit that should be easy is impossible, like spark plugs. it’s a crapshoot. For example, the 95-99 Maxima (and possibly other VQ’s) have cutouts in the intake so you can reach the rear spark plugs and coils, while Toyota’s V6’s like the 1MZ do not. PCV valves are often difficult as well.
But transverse inlines are easy.
The first-gen TL has a longitudinal engine, whether you get the I5 or the V6, both are longitudinal, so MUCH easier to deal with!
Dunnik
> Amoore100
10/05/2015 at 21:29 |
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Avalon: experience the tranquility.
LongbowMkII
> Amoore100
10/05/2015 at 22:06 |
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I’d go with avalon/ Lexus ES
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Amoore100
> Dunnik
10/05/2015 at 22:55 |
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That was surprisingly not that bad of an ad considering 90’s Toyota...
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Amoore100
> dogisbadob
10/06/2015 at 01:32 |
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One of the only longitudinal FWD cars released to the mass market IIRC, quite an odd layout and design...