Help me find a commute beater for around $5,000

"Bytemite" (bytemite)
07/30/2015 at 17:46 • Filed to: None

I will be having a traffic congested commute in SF Bay Area (30 mins or so) and I would rather not be driving the Miata during those times. Getting a Corolla and being done with it would be the easy route but I really want my daily to match my specific tastes.

The car must be

+Reliable. No known mechanical issues that required recalls.

+30 MPG hwy

+RWD (No FWD, AWD)

+Back seats (Don’t need another 2 seater)

+Autotragic transmission

Bonus points for I6 or turbo 4, Tiptronic (Can’t ask for DCT at this price point), and 2 doors.

So far all I could find were E36 and E46 BMWs and they’re not as reliable and cheap to run as I would like.

DISCUSSION (49)

WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe > Bytemite
07/30/2015 at 17:51

G35/G37? RWD, available in auto, V6, not I6, but lots of power. MPG may not hit what you’re looking for, and the back seat might be cramped, but you could possibly get one under 5 grand.

MonkeePuzzle > Bytemite
07/30/2015 at 17:51

where are you located?

For Sweden > Bytemite
07/30/2015 at 17:52

In what geographical area do you hope to find this car?

Bytemite > For Sweden
07/30/2015 at 17:55

SF Bay Area.

Bytemite > MonkeePuzzle
07/30/2015 at 17:56

Sorry I edited and added SF bay area.

daender > Bytemite
07/30/2015 at 17:57

Lexus IS300?

RWD

Autotragic with paddleshift

Bulletproof

High-mile cars can be found for 5k$ or less.

Bytemite > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe
07/30/2015 at 17:57

Yeah I have seen G35s for around 6 grand. But I don’t really want a V6 and it’s just too much power. Which explains why the MPG is so low.

Garrett Davis > Bytemite
07/30/2015 at 17:58

RWD, cheap, economical. Pick two. But seriously. For a commuter, why rule out FWD?

But hey, who am I to talk. I’m dailying a 20 year old 2 seater RWD sports car.

MrDakka > Bytemite
07/30/2015 at 17:58

Get an e39 with a preVANOS engine or one with VANOS if you’re feeling lucky.

Bytemite > Garrett Davis
07/30/2015 at 18:02

I really want to be driving the correct wheels even if they are just gonna be commuting. A commuter can still be fun.

Bytemite > daender
07/30/2015 at 18:03

Very nice suggestion. I had them in mind along with the E46. But wouldn’t the E46 be the better car?

For Sweden > Bytemite
07/30/2015 at 18:04

E30 life? http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/cto/512165…

Kinja'd!!!

bob and john > Bytemite
07/30/2015 at 18:04

not really...not for commuting. if something breaks on the BMW, your screwd.
|
the lexus less so. and its WAY more realible to boot

Bytemite > MrDakka
07/30/2015 at 18:04

Is VANOS that unreliable? I mean it’s just VVT. I thought it was Valvetronic, the lift system that was unreliable.

finn's arm > MrDakka
07/30/2015 at 18:06

E34? I’m not aware of an E39 I6 w/o VANOS? I think the ‘92-’93 E34’s w/ M50s are NV.

How old? Creature comforts?

I’d vote a FWD Camry :P

daender > Bytemite
07/30/2015 at 18:07

Used BMWs are hit or miss, if you’re wanting a reliable DD then I wouldn’t put faith in a complex and expensive German car. The only downside of the IS300 for your requirements is that it gets 23 mpg highway but you still have a silky smooth 2JZ if you ever wanted to go down the boost road.

Bytemite > For Sweden
07/30/2015 at 18:08

Haha the E30 was a car that I was cross shopping with the Miata. I’m looking for something much more reliable and newer than that.

For Sweden > Bytemite
07/30/2015 at 18:09

Yeah I found nothing

Bytemite > daender
07/30/2015 at 18:10

Hmm this is true. The IS300 would be like getting an E46 that isn’t quite as good but will run forever. And the repair bill won’t be as bad. It would probably be the better car at this point in the car’s lifetime. What about an IS200?

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > Bytemite
07/30/2015 at 18:12

E36s aren’t unreliable and expensive to run at all if you buy one in good condition. My girlfriend’s dad bought his E36 328i off the original owner and hasn’t had to do anything except put a thermostat in in the 2-3 years he’s owned it. My M3 has needed a bit of work but that’s just because I bought one in bad condition and mine’s only “broken down” on me one time when the auxiliary cooling fan died and I was sitting stationary for half an hour and it overheated. Both have over 150,000 miles on the clock.

Tapas > Bytemite
07/30/2015 at 18:12

Lexus IS300.

I have one. It is awesome. Won’t get 30 MPG though :D

Bytemite > Logansteno: Bought a VW?
07/30/2015 at 18:14

Your M3 story is a nightmare I would not want...ever. I think that just countered your dad’s E36 example.

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > Bytemite
07/30/2015 at 18:16

Well I also paid $3,300 for a car that generally goes for over $6k so work was to be expected. It genuinely was mostly wear items though that go bad on any car.

daender > Bytemite
07/30/2015 at 18:17

IS200s weren’t available stateside to my knowledge, I think we only got the 3-liter variant.

Bytemite > daender
07/30/2015 at 18:20

=( We never get the fun little rev-happy motors.

GhostZ > Bytemite
07/30/2015 at 18:22

240SX?

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > Bytemite
07/30/2015 at 18:25

A beater is 5k? Damn..

Future next gen S2000 owner > Bytemite
07/30/2015 at 18:26

....it’s just too much power.

Does not compute. Seriously though, what about a NB Miata or a v6 Mustang both around ~2000 model year vintage.

http://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/…

Or forgo the mileage requirement and have some fun in this. I know its not in SF but I’m sure one is around SF somewhere. Repairs are cheap, you can get 22 city if you baby it in traffic, v-8s are relatively low strung and go for hundreds of thousands of miles in crown vics and cop cars.

http://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/…

Just keep in mind you aren’t getting a lot of car for 5K.

Garrett Davis > Bytemite
07/30/2015 at 18:27

True, but I wouldn’t discount the fun of a decent hatchback. ~10 year old GTIs can be had pretty easily in your budget, get great mileage, and are ton of fun to drive, FWD or not. They’ll probably be about as reliable as a typical E46, but probably cheaper to repair.

Just saying, I see a lot of people leaning towards RWD on cars that are far less fun than many FWD cars just because they like the idea of RWD better.

Bytemite > Future next gen S2000 owner
07/30/2015 at 18:31

Lol, if that power is coming at the expense of MPGs then I don’t want it.

I already have my Miata, and I don’t like muscle cars.

Just looking for a reliable commuter car that is also driving the right wheels and can have some fun.

daender > Bytemite
07/30/2015 at 18:38

I think the hardest part about this search is the RWD criteria, most RWD non-Miata cars are 6 cylinders or more. There’s the BMW 318i/318ti but YMMV on that. If you really want a comfortable car that can get 30 mpg on the highway, then I say look at comfy FWD sedans.

Although, if you don’t mind manual, here’s a Matrix XRS (that’s the Celica’s GT-S motor shoehorned in there) within your budget.

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/cto/514021…

Bytemite > daender
07/30/2015 at 18:43

Oh yes I know that is what is making it hard. But I will never go back to FWD. The understeering, nose diving, high inertia, front-heavy dynamics just makes me want to cry. I guess I will have to settle on the IS300 or E46. Those are basically my only choices.

89PartyMobile > Bytemite
07/30/2015 at 18:45

I think you’re going to have to give something up. A car with all of that doesn’t exist.

Bytemite > 89PartyMobile
07/30/2015 at 18:46

What if I lowered MPG to 25 hwy..

CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist) > Bytemite
07/30/2015 at 18:55

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/cto/510570…

Very luxurious. Not very fuel economical....but aero. Big up, fellow Bay Area Opponaut!

daender > Bytemite
07/30/2015 at 19:23

I didn’t think about it, but you could spring for an SC300. A luxurious Supra minus the turbo and manual.

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/cto/514685…

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/cto/513238…

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/cto/512693…

Bytemite > daender
07/30/2015 at 19:26

Well the IS300 is kind of like the successor of that car. Either one would work. Maybe I should get a IS300 Sportcross. :o

daender > Bytemite
07/30/2015 at 19:28

Sportcross carry a premium, very rare cars and I’ve seen only one in person. A red automatic in my parent’s neighborhood. IS300 is sort of a successor, but the SC300 is more comfy (look at those seats, those are lazyboy seats) and you get the fun of having a grand coupe.

89PartyMobile > Bytemite
07/30/2015 at 21:50

At 25 hwy you’re in panther territory (Crown Vic, Grand Marquis, Town Car). They run forever, they’re comfortable, and they’re ridiculously cheap to buy and operate. Downsides are your city mileage is going to be a little lower than idling a 4 cylinder around town and it has certain image implications.

I drive a lot for work and needed something comfortable that I could run into the ground. I picked up a 2004 Town Car for cheap and it has been flawless. I’m thinking of changing things up, but only because I can’t stand automatics. If I swapped a manual into it, I’d probably keep it forever.

89PartyMobile > Bytemite
07/30/2015 at 21:55

Or pick up an early Lexus LS. Bulletproof, classy, and cheap. As with the panther, look for a grandma’s car.

AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC > Bytemite
07/30/2015 at 22:11

It’s always nice to see a fellow Bay Area Opponaut. I’ve actually been browsing Craigslist this week for fun. This may not be the most Jalop car ever but how about a Lexus GS300? Reliable, comfy, auto-tragic, rear seats, RWD and I assume decent gas milage.

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/cto/514521…

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/cto/513922…

Or and ES300

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/cto/514870…

Bytemite > 89PartyMobile
07/30/2015 at 22:16

Lol coincidentally, my family has a town car and a LS400. They are way too big for use as a commuter, and the city mpg is just terrible.

89PartyMobile > Bytemite
07/30/2015 at 22:21

HAHA. Yeah, you need your captain’s license for either one. I used to live in the bay and wouldn’t mind using one if you don’t live in the city. If you’re in SF, the smaller the better.

Bytemite > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC
07/30/2015 at 22:22

Hey fellow. GS300 would be too big and bulky, and an es300 is fwd.

Im almost decided on is300 sportcross.

Bytemite > 89PartyMobile
07/30/2015 at 22:41

Yeah...they are the definition of land yachts. The Town car has air suspension and feels like a truck on water, the LS400 feels like a sailboat and it leans and dives and squats like one too.

I’d say the smallest car with rear seats would be the best. I don’t care if there’s no rear leg room, as long as I can legally fit my friends back there.

AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC > Bytemite
07/30/2015 at 22:41

Woah, really? I did not know that ES300s were FWD. That’s a shame :(

That’s a good choice. I did not know they were available for 5000 though.

Bytemite > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC
07/30/2015 at 22:44

Ehh..it may be a stretch. The sedans are under $5000 easily. So the Sportcross shouldn’t be too much more. Who knows, maybe I will end up just settling for the sedan. It will be lighter at least.

GUYMANDUDE > Bytemite
07/30/2015 at 23:57

Pelican and harbor freight

S2Konstantin > Bytemite
07/31/2015 at 00:53

300SD 300D 300TD

Those are your options.

Good MPGS, epic reliability, and its a W123/W126!

You can even do the waste veggie oil conversion and please all your local SF hippies.