Car recommendations?

Daniel Moore

Daniel Moore

Joined
Jul 28, 2003
Messages
2,790
I'm looking for an early/mid 90's used car for my first car for less or equal to $4k. I need/want:

-Something practical (I don't want to hang myself with insurance, and I need something reliable and decently fuel efficient)
-Something that won't be rusted out, eliminating most early 90's Japanese vehicles.
-Something that somewhere between or on the size range of a sedan to a wagon, as I'm getting a manual.
-A car that's a good drive, I don't want a clunker like an old Taurus or Ecsort or Corsica, I'd like something with more fit and finish (primarily I'm looking into Volvos, Saabs, possibly Volkswagon etc)


Preferably:
-<2.3 liter/4 cylinder engine
-leather interior
-hatchback, or an 80's-angle design. I'm not a big fan of really bubbly/curvey cars.
-Rear wheel drive. I'm looking into Saabs, and they're FWD, but for a standard RWD's are best for shifting feel.

Anyone have the peeeeeeerfect vehicle?
 
Volvo's, Saabs, and Volkswagons... from the point of view of someone's who's owned all three, tend to be very problematic... I'd go with Japanese. Rust is easier to deal with than a catastrophic engine, transmission or electronic failure...
 
First of all, not sure where you're getting the 'rust issue' of mid 90s Japanese cars. This simply isn't true. Sure, some cheaper models may have issues, but no more than any domestic brand.

Secondly, what does having a manual car have to do with choosing a sedan or wagon?

Thirdly, shift feel has nothing to do with the wheel drive it is. I know you're referring to the shift linkage, but you can't make any generalizations here. There are plenty of great shifting FWD cars with rod linkages.

Clarify yourself some more and we can give more answers. However, I can tell you right now that the number of hatchback 4 cylinder rwd cars from the early to mid 90s can probably be counted on one hand...

Most newer cars that are RWD tend to be sports cars. And kids really shouldn't start out with sports cars.

Mark
 
Another vote for Japanese here. By the 90's the Japanese cars rust problems were long fixed.
 
I'd look for a mid-90s Camry. Nothing flashy but they're reliable and in your budget.
 
An E30 BMW 3 series would fit the bill. As long as you get one with service records that indicated a good history, it will be reliable. The manual transmissions are awesome, the fit and finish is great, and they are very fun to drive. Otherwise I'd check out Jettas, Golfs, and Accords.
 
Volvo's, Saabs, and Volkswagons... from the point of view of someone's who's owned all three, tend to be very problematic... I'd go with Japanese. Rust is easier to deal with than a catastrophic engine, transmission or electronic failure...
Click to expand...

My family has had a Volvo and our 1995 Saab 900 will be celebrating her 10th in June with 123,000 miles, and although we only had the Volvo for about 4 years on lease (problem free), the Saab has never had any serious problems. The only problems I can think of that the Saab has had was an AC problem (which was caused by roadway damage) until my father invested in a good wand to find the leak and it's been fine since) and a water pump design flaw that caused it to shatter, but Saab revised it now and since 1997 it's been fine. Any other repairs/replacements would either be preventive maintenance (such as a clutch cable replacement that was not imperative five years ago) or miscellaneous stuff like the parking brake freezing/the window getting smashed for a radar detector a year after we got it.

First of all, not sure where you're getting the 'rust issue' of mid 90s Japanese cars. This simply isn't true. Sure, some cheaper models may have issues, but no more than any domestic brand.
Click to expand...

I would tend to disagree with that; the late 80's/early-90's Japanese cars that I see on the road (like Accords, Civics) and have had in the family (one was an Acura Integra, the other was my sister's Mitsubishi Eclipse) rust considerably faster than comperable price range cars such as Tauruses or VW's.. Obviously, there are many variables- car care etc, but the fact is that when browsing a used car lot or using E-bay, the Japanese car brands list more rust damage than German, Swedish, or even American brands generally speaking. I know it's dangerous to speak generally, but please remember that my selection is limiting.

Secondly, what does having a manual car have to do with choosing a sedan or wagon?
Click to expand...

What I was saying is that manuals are generally only available with smaller cars, and given what I have to choose from at semi-local used car shops I'm not going to go hunting down exceptions. And, generally speaking again, a large vehicle does not pair well with a manual transmission because it wouldn't be much of a driving pleasure. Again, there are exceptions, but I have to be realistic.

Thirdly, shift feel has nothing to do with the wheel drive it is. I know you're referring to the shift linkage, but you can't make any generalizations here. There are plenty of great shifting FWD cars with rod linkages.
Click to expand...

I'd appreciate a listing, but I would tend to think that, and I apologize, generally there will not be a high availability of FWD's with good linkage. There are sure to be some number with good linkage, but then remember that I don't have endless access to used car lots and my other specifications will further narrow your list.

As far as the hatchback aspect goes, it's not necessary at all. I do have a very strong liking for hatchbacks, but I realize that I probably won't find many, so it's under the "preference" list. The engine can vary too, I was just stating what I was looking for exactly so we can go from there :)

Thanks for the help so far guys.
 
I have owned two Volkswagens. Both were reasonably good cars with ergonomics on long drives getting high marks from me. They were diesels so, they were cheap to run. Infrequent maintanence was problematic because Volkswagen USA at times did not have a stong dealer network. Nearest parts were often 100 miles away. When I needed parts, they were expensive as were the labor hours if a mechanic had to work on it.

The old style small Toyota Camry was a stellar car. Huge miles and no maintainance except timing belts. The Toyota Tercel SR-5 was a cheap super car. Easy on the gas, high on the fun factor and, cheap. My Nissan Pickup was trouble free ~10years and ~140K miles when I finally sold it.

A used Lexus will have fewer faults then a brand new MB or BMW. Look at the statistics.

I have also found Consumer Reports to very accurate on their ratings of cars. Find the April issue at your local libarary.
 
Come to Arizona for a long weekend and drive back with a rust-free older Camry or Corolla. Any car here less than 30 or 40 years old generally have no rust problems. I have often thought about running a transport service to haul AZ cars back east.
 
Japanese is the way to go.

Saab was ruined when it was bought-up by GM. GM can't makle a car, anymore.

-dan
 
A few years back Motor Trend magazine rated the Toyota Corolla the most reliable small car in the world.

I don't think the Japanese cars have gained that rep by chance. Since the early 1990's the rust problem has been pretty well put to rest. In 1990 I bought a new Toyota pickup and drove it for 146,000 miles with unreal reliability. It was the best car I ever had. When I had shoulder surgery in2001 and a stick shift was a pain to drive I sold it to a neighbor who still has it, and got a 2002 tacoma. I never gave a thought to anything else.

Looking for a used car like you describe in the 4000 price range I'd try to find a one owner Toyota or Honda. Well cared for they go 300,000 miles.
 
I know that you have already said what you are looking for, but I agree with an Accord or a Camry. Given your parameters of age and money I think that would be your best bet.

Jack
 
I would say get a 1994 to present, if you are looking for something with working AC. Anything older has the R12, 1994 and newer is R134. Just a thought.



Blades
 
I've had the ac conversion done on a couple of cars and it really isn't all that expensive.

Jack
 
Specifically I recommend Subarus of any stripe. If you're worried about rust, chances are you live someplace that warrants AWD.

All old cars can benefit from a few hundred dollars of renewal. The obvious fluids like oil and coolant, but also the non-obvious ones like brake fluid, transmission, and differential fluid (VERY important on AWD cars like the Subies). Also, an easy way to make an old car feel new(er) is to have the bushings replaced. Bushings are like rubber washers on steroids, and they wear out and get brittle and tough after a while. Get some good Urethane bushings and replace the stock ones on your transmission and the rest of your suspension and be astonished at how much better the car handles. This is sometimes a good way to get a better value out of selling a used car, especially one of a sporty make.

Also, one point that should get pounded into every driving student is this: Your Tires ARE Your Handling, Your Tires ARE Your Acceleration, Your Tires ARE Your Braking.

Knowing what your tires and hence your car can do just might save your life, and not knowing will eventually get you into trouble. If you're even contemplating any spirited driving, invest in a decent set of four-season tires. I can't find the article, but Grassroots Motorsports ran a great roundup of performance-oriented tires sometime in '04 and I'm sure they'd be able to point you towards the right back issue. Great magazine if you like doing your own wrenching by the way.
 
Look into a Volvo. They don't die, but their turbos do. (woohoo turbo)

Or just get a late 90s civic.
 
Why not settle for a late 90s (perhaps even early 2000s) Honda Civic or one of the korean brands (Hyundai or KIA) ? They're less likely to be rusty and they're more likely to last for a couple more years without significant repairs than early 90s cars IMHO. A friend of mine owns a 1997 Hyundai and with all my fondness for german machinery and reliability i have to admit that his tin can seems to work almost just as well, at a fraction of the cost of even older Volkswagen (which is what we' got - germans cars in the family for decades).Gramted, it won't last 15 years (as you expect early 90s car to) but if you get one that is ~5 years old with ~40000-50000 miles it'll last you 4-5 more years without any significant problems and should be cheaper than your target budget. It won't have RWD though (most modern cars don't have RWD anyway, or use sophisticated & expensive driver aids to compensate for downsides of RWD), it will probably be one the lighter side but as an upside it should have more safety features than '90 vintage.
 
Don't buy off of eBay unless you are within driving distance to go and look at the car. Also, even though I am driving a Chevrolet right now, and my next vehicle purchase will probably be a Chevrolet, for what you are looking for, I would look at Civics, Accords, Corollas, Camrys and maybe something like the Ford Taurus, or maybe a Cavalier. I've heard both good and bad about Saturns and Hyundais. Check out Consumer Reports, and it doesn't cost anything to go for a test drive!
 
Honda or Toyota. (then when YOU decide to trade it in, it will have _some_ resale value. You won't have to worry about 'resale value' with a KIA - it doesn't have any!) :p

Hyundai has been a good buy over the past few years. You won't have to worry about the older ones because they all died ages ago! ;)

I worked on the advertising for Hyundai when they were first introduced to North America (came to Canada first). Those first models were basically 8-year old Fiats! :( :barf:
 
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