College and Cars

"Matthew Keyser" (teisco15) 01/25/2016 at 21:01 • Filed to: None

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So today I was accepted to my first choice of college which is something that I am very proud of. The question is, what will I do for a car?

At the school I’m attending, freshmen are allowed to have cars which is good. I don’t see any way I would attend this school without the freedom of a car. The only problem is I am not going to take the Merkur, and the Blazer is not exactly the best car for highway driving. By that I mean it’s utterly terrifying on account of the shot suspension and wayward steering.

So I’m going to need to buy a car, but what to get is a whole other question. See I need a car that’s reliable enough that I can get in it and drive a few hours back home every now and then that is comfortable to drive long distances. It also needs to be large enough to help transport things back and forth between home and my dorm meaning a Miata is sadly out of the question. I also don’t want anything catastrophically boring.

My budget? Somewhere in the neighborhood of $5,000, preferably under. I thank you for your wisdom and suggestions.

Here’s some cars far out of my price range for your time.

m-b-w loves his SUBAROO > Matthew Keyser 01/25/2016 at 21:04

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I’d say Subaru Forester/Outback or a Honda Element.

Spoon II > Matthew Keyser 01/25/2016 at 21:05

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If you can find an El Camino for cheap you may be set!

MLGCarGuy > Matthew Keyser 01/25/2016 at 21:07

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An IS300 is pretty fun to drive and is reliable if maintained properly. Plus, you can have it with a stick.

C62030 > Matthew Keyser 01/25/2016 at 21:07

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Just hop in your time machine back to 1960 and this’ll be well under budget.

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > Matthew Keyser 01/25/2016 at 21:07

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Well, what do you like?

In a Mini; let them mock me as My Mini Countryman is higher than you > Matthew Keyser 01/25/2016 at 21:08

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What college

Chariotoflove > Matthew Keyser 01/25/2016 at 21:08

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Congrats! This is a big moment in your life.

How about a Mazda5? Boring, but maybe not catastrophically so.

Leadbull > Matthew Keyser 01/25/2016 at 21:11

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All the cool kids ride mopeds to class.

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > Spoon II 01/25/2016 at 21:13

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Bandit - destroyed his car > Matthew Keyser 01/25/2016 at 21:14

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http://kokomo.craigslist.org/cto/5417163198…

Amoore100 > Matthew Keyser 01/25/2016 at 21:19

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Mostly reliable, very very big, and the RWD I6 can be tuned up to 700+ horsepower (although that might infringe on reliability somewhat...) Also very cheap nowadays and a great highway cruiser, although methinks fuel economy won’t exceed 25 if you’re lucky. (But the car will probably go 300k+ miles.) An added plus is that you can probably park in the teachers’ lot and no one will give it a second glance.

Matthew Keyser > C62030 01/25/2016 at 21:27

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Don’t quite think a Nash Metropolitan fits really any of my criteria but it’s awesome. Is it bad that I’m actually tempted by this? I might get a few front page articles out of “Daily Driving a Nash Metropolitan”

TheRealBicycleBuck > Matthew Keyser 01/25/2016 at 21:28

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It’s hard to beat a small truck. It’s perfect for transporting your stuff to school, picking up supplies for having a bonfire at the lake, limiting the number of passengers (both for trips home and around town), and will be rugged enough to handle the occasional curb hop. You can’t go wrong with an older Tacoma or Ranger.

yamahog > Matthew Keyser 01/25/2016 at 21:29

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None.

Unless you have zero other methods of getting to class/work and feeding yourself, you’ll be fine and save money. Also greatly reduce the chances of a DUI, a drunk friend puking in your car, or some dumbass hitting it. I didn’t bring a car to campus until sophomore year, and only then because I was off campus in the sorority house.

Take the bus and make some friends.

Tapas > Matthew Keyser 01/25/2016 at 21:29

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Congratulations on getting in!

How about...

1. IS300 (2002-2005ish?)

2. WRX (bug eyed)

3. Legacy

4. Accord (2003+, V6 if you want a bit of oomph)

5. Acura TL (~2005)

Matthew Keyser > Chariotoflove 01/25/2016 at 21:30

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Thanks! I’ve actually spent lost of time in a Mazda 5 both driving and as a passenger. Surprisingly fun to drive and extremely spacious. The only downsides really are the seats which are really unbearably hard for long journeys, and the fact that I’d be the kid with a minivan. Id also be EXTREMELY tempted to turbocharge it to make the MazdaSpeed5 we all know should have existed.

Matthew Keyser > Bandit - destroyed his car 01/25/2016 at 21:31

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That's.... That's a suggestion right there... Not all that far away from me either.

Matthew Keyser > In a Mini; let them mock me as My Mini Countryman is higher than you 01/25/2016 at 21:32

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Ball State in Muncie, Indiana for Journalism.

Matthew Keyser > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 01/25/2016 at 21:39

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What I like and what would suit my needs under budget are two completely different things haha. I like small sports cars, but again something like a Miata wouldn’t have enough room in it. I like late model muscle cars but those aren’t exactly great in the snow and not quite what I’m looking for. Against my better judgement I’ve actually been tempted by the Jaguar X-Type. They’re cheap, fairly interesting to non-car people, good in snow, but from previous experiences are very unreliable and not highly regarded amongst my car fellow enthusiasts. I was just asking for some suggestions to see what you guys would think up to give me some more things to consider. I have a while before I actually have to do purchase anything but I don't want to put off finding something too long and want to have some ideas going into it.

Matthew Keyser > Leadbull 01/25/2016 at 21:41

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That's also 140 miles that I'd have to ride on a moped to go back home. Quite the trek.

Matthew Keyser > MLGCarGuy 01/25/2016 at 21:41

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I haven’t looked at Lexus yet. I'll have to check those out. Thank you!

Matthew Keyser > m-b-w loves his SUBAROO 01/25/2016 at 21:42

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Not too hot on the Honda, just never really liked it. Subarus are always intriguing though!

Matthew Keyser > Amoore100 01/25/2016 at 21:43

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Haha I'll definitely have to check out some Volvo wagons. Teacher parking sounds like quite the plus.

Matthew Keyser > TheRealBicycleBuck 01/25/2016 at 21:45

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We had a Toyota Pickup (pre-Tacoma) and the thing was damned near indestructible. Not the greatest highway cruiser though. Thanks for the suggestion!

Matthew Keyser > yamahog 01/25/2016 at 21:49

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My main reason for having a car is for traveling between home and school for when I go back home. It’s about 140 miles and there’s no real method of public transport that runs there and I don’t want to constantly mooch rides off of other people. I’m planning on living on campus and walking and using public transport as much as I can, but the added freedom of having a car available is worth it to me.

Matthew Keyser > Tapas 01/25/2016 at 21:50

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Thank you very much. Always liked the TL, any experience with the RSX? Always kind of liked the looks of those.

Also, bugeyed WRX is on my list if anything comes up locally.

Matthew Keyser > Spoon II 01/25/2016 at 21:52

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Who doesn't love a good El Camino! Though I don't think I'd want my things exposed to the elements when driving horn and back.

Brian Silvestro > Matthew Keyser 01/25/2016 at 21:56

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I am not going to take the Merkur

Why not?

Most of the cars people have recommended are lame. Consider these:

240sx

IS300

AE86 GTS

SC300

E30

E36 M3

240Z/280Z

RX-7

m-b-w loves his SUBAROO > Matthew Keyser 01/25/2016 at 21:58

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Also check out 1994-98 Volvo 850/V70's

yamahog > Matthew Keyser 01/25/2016 at 21:59

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Meh, I guess that’s too short for flying/megabus/Amtrak? I went to school 10 hours from my parents and frankly if the dorms didn’t close for winter break I’d probably never go back, since I lived on my own interning in the summers.

Vicente Esteve > Matthew Keyser 01/25/2016 at 22:04

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I had no clue this existed!!

Matthew Keyser > Vicente Esteve 01/25/2016 at 22:08

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It was bored out by someone. Can't remember off the top of my head. I'm certain it's batshit.

Matthew Keyser > yamahog 01/25/2016 at 22:10

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Certainly not long enough to justify flying and there's no real rail lines that run between the two towns. I guess bussing could work if I timed it correctly but I know I would regret not having a car.

Vicente Esteve > Matthew Keyser 01/25/2016 at 22:10

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Just went to Youtube. It is indeed B a t s h i t.

Matthew Keyser > Brian Silvestro 01/25/2016 at 22:12

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I don’t want to really park anything I care a lot about in the parking lot where it’s free to get abused and defiled in all hours of the night. I also want something I can regularly depend on to take me 140 miles back home which, as good as the Merkur is now, I don’t have that much trust in it, nor in myself to be able to quickly diagnose problems on the fly.

Matthew Keyser > Vicente Esteve 01/25/2016 at 22:13

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And now I too am headed to YouTube

Brian Silvestro > Matthew Keyser 01/25/2016 at 22:19

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But what about the 8 other cars I recommended

yamahog > Matthew Keyser 01/25/2016 at 22:20

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Make your parents come get you if they wanna see you so badly ;)

Gone > Matthew Keyser 01/25/2016 at 22:25

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86 (1st yr FI),87-93 Foxbody w/T5. Or even the 94-95 cars. And 96-98 if you are cool with a mod motor. Carry a spare TFI module for the 5.0 models and hope the heater core is good on the Fox.

93-97 LT1 Cambird w/T-56. Make sure the Opti is good. Pray someone else has done the plugs. If you get lucky an LS1 car, prob an A4 car though.

Any of those will do mid 20s highway and can live into the 200k mile mark with average maintenance and mild abuse. Old but simple cars that most places can easily work on if need be. Can be resold at the same price in a couple years.

Matthew Keyser > Brian Silvestro 01/25/2016 at 22:27

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Really like the 240sx, I’ll have to look into those. IS300 has been mentioned a few times before so that’s now on my list. AE86 is awesome but pretty hard to find a good one. Never quite could get into the SC’s but the Bimmers are great suggestions. Very high up on my list of posibilities. Thanks for the suggestions!

Matthew Keyser > Gone 01/25/2016 at 22:29

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I've always had an inexplicable soft spot for that generation Firebird. Thanks for the suggestions!

Chariotoflove > Matthew Keyser 01/25/2016 at 22:45

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Have to agree with you about the seats. That’s their Achilles heal. I didn’t realize you’ll go to Ball State. There’s a DeVille in Shelbyville within your budget. Great ride for those highway trips and lots of trunk space, if you can handle being that freshman with an old Caddy. ;)

Spoon II > Matthew Keyser 01/25/2016 at 22:50

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Maybe they make a cover for it? I personally wouldn’t be able to resist the call of a cheap one, but that’s definitely a valid point.

OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars > Matthew Keyser 01/25/2016 at 23:11

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Go for a Lexus Gs/Ls of some sort. You won’t have to fix it, they look nice, you drive a Lexus, and the most comfortable thing for long or short driving trips. My girlfriend lives 4 hours away and my home is 3 but my LS w/292k eats up miles absolutely no problem.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > Matthew Keyser 01/25/2016 at 23:56

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I guess the quick-and-dirty is to go to CL and put in some limits: year 2000-2015, miles 500-100000, price 1500-5000, then see what turns up. You could probably bump the high price to 6000 and reasonably expect to talk some down. The sad thing is that a budget like this simply will not get you an interesting car that ticks your boxes.

If I had to do it, I’d go for a stereotypical retiree car. Something that’ll run under the radar, something that’ll be cheap to insure, something large that will be comfortable on long drives, and something reliable. My first thoughts are Panthers, Cadillacs, Buicks, and mid-sized cars that depreciate hard (ex: Taurus/Sable). A decade ago, it would have been a mid-late-90s Buick LeSabre because they were so popular with retirees and the 3800 was practically bulletproof. If you were in Los Angeles, you’d have your pick of literally thousands of decent cars. Retirees have gone downmarket a lot since then, so there are fewer gems, but you can look around. I’d also look at something like a Mazda3 Hatch, which is very practical and comfortable enough for a drive of that length. 140 miles is not really that long of a drive unless you’re in something that is either too sporty or too sloppy.

JDMatt > MLGCarGuy 01/26/2016 at 00:02

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I agree with the Lexus IS300. Given that you said your other cars were a mekur and a blazer, an IS300 would be a good addition to your collection. I would have bought one, but I had my heart set on a IS250, which sadly was out of my price range.

Tapas > Matthew Keyser 01/26/2016 at 00:16

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No, I sadly have no experience with the RSX. But I do like it a lot. It looks sharp :) Question is, would you pick the RSX over an AWD or RWD car?

The TL is a cushy cruiser that can go fast. I was thinking of buying that so I test drove a few. A lot of them have cracked dashboards.

I had an manual Accord, but it was 4cyl. It was still fun to rev it out.

I also has the IS300. Amazing car and tons of fun! The steering rack is really really light though....that got me into trouble lol

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > Matthew Keyser 01/26/2016 at 02:07

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Lots of suggestions to lean Euro.

Don’t lean Euro.

Not in college, not on your own dime.

PotbellyJoe and 42 others > Matthew Keyser 01/26/2016 at 08:18

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http://www.ebay.com/itm/Toyota-Sol…

I’m not joking. The 3.0L Solara is a spectacular highway cruiser. Can drive in all weather easily (personal experience) and it is bulletproof reliable. They’re Lexus quiet going down the road too.

This one has 44k miles on it, for $4400, I’d offer less, but that leaves money for other things. There are higher mileage examples for cheaper, or that are newer, but it’s a great option.

Matthew Keyser > Tapas 01/26/2016 at 08:56

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I would consider an RSX if I could get a decent one for cheap enough. AWD/4WD isn't a necessity but it's certainly a nice thing to have.

Tapas > Matthew Keyser 01/26/2016 at 10:46

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A RSX would be sweet :) But drive the IS300 and compare that with the RSX:P