I need a recommendation.

"Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura)
07/24/2015 at 14:15 • Filed to: None

4-door sedan / saloon car

Reliable, Comfortable

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$5,000 budget.

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DISCUSSION (19)

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/24/2015 at 14:17

Berlinetta Boxer

Patrick Nichols > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/24/2015 at 14:18

Where are you?

AWD/FWD/RWD?

Goggles Pizzano > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/24/2015 at 14:19

Volvo 240/740/940

Under_Score > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/24/2015 at 14:24

Late 1990’s Lexus ES300. I found one for a friend of my mom’s. I believe it was a 1997 with 180K miles, and it was only going for four grand. At that time, I checked the interwebs and didn’t see any surprising issues (surprising issues include sixth-gen Honda Accord transmission problems and sixth-gen Camry oil leaks). There are still plenty of them on the road, today.

deekster_caddy > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/24/2015 at 14:27

Buick LeSabre. The 3800 was a fantastically reliable motor, especially once the plastic intake manifold gaskets have been replaced by the revised aluminum one. Go Pontiac Grand Prix if you want something equally reliable but handles better. People love to bash GM around here, but they are roomy, insanely cheap and extremely reliable.

If you want a little more roomy, look at the Park Avenue.

No doubt you’ll hear a few replies about how shitty this and that. But I have 3 of them in my extended family’s fleet that I get to maintain, and I can tell you there is very little to do. They just go and go and go. MPG is decent too - you can manage an easy 26+ hwy.

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > deekster_caddy
07/24/2015 at 14:43

Second. Anything with a 3800 is worth a look, great engine and they're better cars than they get credit for.

Brian, The Life of > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/24/2015 at 14:50

Spend a tiny bit more and get a used Ford Fusion. Mine has been a great car!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-Fusio…

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Brian, The Life of
07/24/2015 at 14:52

Good advice. The Fusion is definitely an excellent auto.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > deekster_caddy
07/24/2015 at 14:54

I agree totally. In fact, I have kind of a perverse view of the GM midsize autos. Reports say they don’t hold their value. Makes a perfect target to purchase used!

Revised aluminum intake manifold gaskets: Are these in place after a certain year of manufacture, or are they repaired/replaced with better gaskets?

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Patrick Nichols
07/24/2015 at 14:55

Northern California, mild weather. FWD is fine.

deekster_caddy > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/24/2015 at 14:57

‘04 ‘05 they started to appear from the factory with aluminum gaskets. But the 3800 was at the end of it’s life then. Pretty much if it’s drive by wire, it’s got the aluminum gaskets OEM. BUT - they still used a plastic coolant elbow off the lower intake manifold which needs to be replaced with an aluminum one as well.

Basically the first thing I do for any 3800 I come across is rip the intake off and replace the intake gaskets and coolant elbows, then they last forever.

Patrick Nichols > Brian, The Life of
07/24/2015 at 14:59

Rebuilt title...

Brian, The Life of > Patrick Nichols
07/24/2015 at 15:01

Oof, didn’t see that. Here’s another:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-Fusio…

Patrick Nichols > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/24/2015 at 15:04

Accord, Legacy, or E-Class so you can pick which wheels you want driven

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Brian, The Life of
07/24/2015 at 15:05

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/ctd/511906…

This one has a manual transmission...

Brian, The Life of > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/24/2015 at 15:10

That’s not bad at all! I wonder what the mileage is? Anything around 150K or less is a hella NP