Used sedans suggestions?

"Z (ND + Cancer Fighter)" (roadsterzach) 02/27/2014 at 00:22 • Filed to: None

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Hey Oppo, it's been awhile! Anyways, I'm taking a co-worker/friend out on Friday to go car shopping for a new-to-her used car. She's looking for a reliable, economical (to an extent) family sedan type car. I have a few cars on my list that we'll be hunting for (watch out Carmax!) but was wondering if you guys had any suggestions I might have missed.

She's a single mother with an 8-year old daughter. Car must be cool looking, fun, and children capable. It must be able to occasionally carry more than one child. Also, it should be able to make it to L.A. from San Diego in under a tank of gas. Preferably and back as well.

- Price range: $12k - $16k ($12k cash down, no more than $4k additional financing)

- Sedan (Convertibles okay. No wagons, hatchbacks, vans, coupes (Gran Coupes okay technically))

- Automatic

- Reliable (Mostly, to an extent)

- 4 Cylinder (Inline or flat), or possibly 6 cylinder (again, inline or flat only)

- RWD > FWD > AWD

- Comfortable

- Economical (Something better than the 12 mpg she currently gets)

- Somewhat sporty but more practical than sporty

- Most look good - as in the general populace finds it a decent looking car, not Oppo-fetish 240-wagon good looking or whatever

Any suggestions? I'm personally hoping she ends up with an IS300 or 318i(s).

Übel > Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) 02/27/2014 at 00:45

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"- 4 Cylinder (Inline or flat), or possibly 6 cylinder (again, inline or flat only)"

Being okay with I6 and flat 6 while saying no V6 strikes me as really odd.

Trunk Impaired 318 > Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) 02/27/2014 at 00:48

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An E39 should tick all the boxes

Zibodiz > Übel 02/27/2014 at 00:49

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Exactly what I thought. Also, AWD is worse than FWD, but wants an automatic? A little strange all-round.

Übel > Zibodiz 02/27/2014 at 00:53

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I'd guess he's in a warmer area where AWD is unnecessary added cost/weight, but yeah. It seems like a slightly odd set of requirements all around.

Zibodiz > Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) 02/27/2014 at 00:57

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I'm thinkin' an Accord or Camry if MPG & reliability matter more than RWD. If you've gotta have a RWD sedan (but not AWD), you're pretty limited; BMWs, Crown Vic, Chrysler 300 (not 300M, those were FWD and unreliable) are all that come to mind. None are going to be fantastic fuel mileage, but they'll be in the 20's on the highway.

Icemanmaybeirunoutofthetalents > Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) 02/27/2014 at 01:04

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Can't you get an infinity g35/7 for that kinda money with around 100k miles?

JasonStern911 > Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) 02/27/2014 at 01:06

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- Price range: $12k - $16k ($12k cash down, no more than $4k additional financing)

Integra Sedan = Panther < E39

- Automatic

Integra Sedan = E39 = Panther

- Reliable (Mostly, to an extent)

Integra Sedan > Panther > E39

- 4 Cylinder (Inline or flat), or possibly 6 cylinder (again, inline or flat only)

Integra Sedan > E39 > Panther

- RWD > FWD > AWD

Integra Sedan < E39 = Panther

- Economical (Something better than the 12 mpg she currently gets)

Integra Sedan > E39 > Panther

Feel free to replace the Integra Sedan with any JDM sedan. For the sake of argument, they are all interchangeable.

JasonStern911 > Zibodiz 02/27/2014 at 01:07

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without even looking at the other posts, my responses were E39, Panther, and Integra sedan.

JasonStern911 > Trunk Impaired 318 02/27/2014 at 01:07

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without even looking at the other posts, my responses were E39, Panther, and Integra sedan.

Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) > Übel 02/27/2014 at 01:18

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Her stipulations, not mine. She takes my advice and word on most things since I know more about cars, but her personal experience triumphs all apparently.

Her ex-husband had a really shitty V6 that he spent thousands on a year just to keep running, so in her mind all V6s are inherently horrible and unreliable.

She's coming around to RWD, has only ever had FWD, and hates AWD because of her cousin. Same thing as the V6, her cousin had a horribly unreliable AWD car therefore AWD is complex and unreliable / unneeded.

Plus we live in San Diego. The weather never dips low and it's always sunny. No need for AWD.

Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) > JasonStern911 02/27/2014 at 01:20

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Some of my suggestions to her included an Integra sedan and Accord.

I'm trying to avoid the Camry because probably 60% of the people I know own Camrys. It's a personal bias of mine but I'd hate to have yet another Camry owner in my friend circle. There would be too many of them.

Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) > JasonStern911 02/27/2014 at 01:23

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You know, an E39 never popped into my mind. This is the exact reason why I posted this. An E36 or E45 318 did, but never the E39. 530i I guess would suit everything and be a really nice upgrade for her.

Übel > Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) 02/27/2014 at 01:24

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That's what I assumed for the AWD, and ah well on the V6.

Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) > Icemanmaybeirunoutofthetalents 02/27/2014 at 01:24

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I was just checking the nearby Carmax inventory and they have a G35 sedan with 74k miles for $11,998! Great minds think alike!

Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) > JasonStern911 02/27/2014 at 01:27

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The Panther is out of the question because I know she'd hate them. The Integra I suggested a few days ago and that went reasonably well. Adding the E39 to the list!

Trunk Impaired 318 > Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) 02/27/2014 at 09:37

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A nice one can be had for well under $10k, it'll get mid 20s MPG combined, its very comfortable and it doesnt really show its age in design. They're getting to the age where they'll need some preventative maintenance but what she saves in initial cost will be more than sufficient to cover anything that comes up. Im the second owner of a '00 528i, Ive had it for about 6/7 years and have taken it from 35k to 125k miles and its been a dream

JasonStern911 > Trunk Impaired 318 02/27/2014 at 21:01

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That's the key, though. A well maintained E39, especially with the much more common M52 and M54 motors, will last a long time. Unfortunately, from what I have seen on Craigslist, they tend to be either abused or high mileage and in need of immediate maintenance. Definitely don't skimp on a pre-purchase inspection if you go the E39 route, as that will most likely pay for itself.