Need some car advice...

LaurySch
LaurySch Posts: 277 Member
in Chit-Chat
So it happened again...my supposedly wonderful second hand car I purchased 2 years ago is almost completely useless due to electrical shorts (it's a 2004 Olds Alero) and I find myself in the position of purchasing another used car that will be reliable and fairly cheap. I have only ever bought cars off my brothers father-in-law as he is the only used car salesman I trust - but he has a really small lot (only about 10-12 vehicles at a time) and so it's never been a matter of choice, just whatever was close to my budget and close to my list of needs. And my list of needs are: less than $7K, reliable, roomy enough for myself and 2 teenagers (and friends?!), doesn't look like my Aunt Hilda passed on and left me the car she only drove to the corner store every other week for the past 25 years, and fairly good on gas as my commute to work is about 30 minutes each way(mostly highway).

And all that ramble comes to the point - anyone have an opinion on what kind of car I should be looking for?

Replies

  • angel79202
    angel79202 Posts: 1,012 Member
    I love my Honda CRV :)
  • BeautyFromPain
    BeautyFromPain Posts: 4,952 Member
    A Ford.
  • _the_feniks_
    _the_feniks_ Posts: 3,412 Member
    Two door or four? Automatic or manual? FWD, RWD, AWD, or 4WD?
  • VelociMama
    VelociMama Posts: 3,119 Member
    Few questions:

    1. Do you have kids? If so how many and what age?
    2. Do you want a larger vehicle or something smaller?
    3. Are there certain makes/models that you like?
  • EDesq
    EDesq Posts: 1,527 Member
    My Advice: Do NOT go to your brother's father-in-law for a car! If he sold you your last one, and it is no good after 2 yrs. you are better off with a stranger WITH WARRANTIES!
  • LaurySch
    LaurySch Posts: 277 Member
    Of course, silly me!

    4 door
    Automatic
    Does it make me look like an idiot if I say I don't know what difference it makes except that I know 4WD usually is harder on gas

    And yes I have a 12 year old daughter and a 15 year old son who has friends who think I'm a taxi driver, I hate minivans so he'll just have to inform them that if they want a ride they will all have to fold their legs into their armpits in the back seat.
    As far as make/model I'm open. My dad has been my car shopping advisor, but he tends to gravitate towards the older/larger Cadillacs(sp?) and Buicks so I have to keep telling him I don't want an "old person" car, I've only ever owned a Dodge K car (cute little car, but rather useless), a different Dodge (can't remember cause it didn't last long), a Chrysler Sebring and my most recent Alero. Dad's definitely got a North American bent, but that's where I think the problem is - we're not looking at enough different cars to really see what would be best.
  • ashlbubba
    ashlbubba Posts: 224 Member
    If you're last car cost you around $7,000 and it only lasted 2 years it really wasn't a great purchase (at $3,500 a year that is more than my maintenance free brand new corolla).. have you had an estimate to fix it? I know electrical issue costs add up QUICK! I'm sure you have a reason for spending $7,000.. but if you were financing something the payments on an older car (short loan) would be similar to a more expensive almost new car that you could have a warranty on so you weren't in this situation again in 2 more years.

    Again- I'm sure you have way more going on that you didn't include in the question but I wanted to put it out there just in case . Are you sure that this man is selling you good cars? This "wonderful car" of yours didn't get you too far.. are you certain his lot is the best for your pocketbook?

    ANYWAY on to your question::

    I'd say pick a car they made millions of for many years-- more of them produced usually means cheaper to fix..
    Pick something from a car maker that is generally cheaper to fix-- chevy, ford, dodge, toyota... no VW's or Subaru's

    Since you're shopping on a budget you might want to keep your options open it'll give you more to choose from... a lot of minivans take huge dive's in value in the first 5 years and can be bought for a very reasonable price.

    Good luck to you <3
  • _the_feniks_
    _the_feniks_ Posts: 3,412 Member
    Don't get a Dodge Neon. Good cars, just nobody should own a car named Neon (even if its a SRT4). In fact, stay away from American cars if possible unless you are lucky enough to find a small to mid-size one after 2008.

    I'd shoot for a Toyota first. Hyundai and Subaru are good cars too. Honda makes very reliable cars... just none of them have any personality. Again, just guessing on what your options might be.
  • VelociMama
    VelociMama Posts: 3,119 Member
    I've owned Hondas for years. My first was a 1989 Honda Civic which lasted to 275,000 miles before the air compressor died. Second was 1994 Honda Accord that lasted to 225,000 miles with A/C and power locks went out. Next was 2008 Honda Civic (2 door): Great car, but way too difficult to access the back seat. I just got my 2004 Pilot in February, and I love it. None of them were flashy, but they lasted and did the job.

    I've never had major problems with any of my cars beyond expected maintenance and wear and tear costs even though I drive them to death.

    My suggestion would be a Honda Accord. 4DR and roomy, but still pretty easy on gas. Honda CR-V's are expensive for the mileage and age, just because they are still really popular. If you want an SUV, you can usually find a Pilot (much bigger and seats up to 8) for cheaper than the same year and mileage CR-V. Weird, but true. I originally wanted a CR-V myself, but ended up with a much better deal on my Pilot.

    Toyota Camry is good too.

    Look on places like cars.com or vehix.com and look for one or two owner cars. Sometimes dealers will post the carfax report on the listing. Make sure you look at that. If the cars were serviced at a Honda dealership, the maintenance records will show on the Carfax along with any accidents and title information.

    Shop around and don't ever fall in love with a car. Always remember that the price is negotiable.
  • fitplease
    fitplease Posts: 647 Member
    Geo Prizm or Toyota Corolla -- practically the same car. I think Toyota does make a Caravan type of car that would be good for a bunch of kids. I'm iffy about Hondas or Hyundais, but friends like 'em.

    Research what people say about their used cars. Check out the Consumer Reports lists to see what used cars they recommend.
  • digitalbill
    digitalbill Posts: 1,410 Member
    If you can find a used Accord for cheap, they are always a safe bet. Plus they are big enough so the teen kids can be comfortable.
    Also, the Chevrolet Blazer is going for cheap these days. The 4.3 V6 is bulletproof and the L460Eis a good solid transmission.
    They have a bit of room in them and Chevrolet made a TON of them.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    Look at Toyotas and Hondas.
  • ukmonkey121
    ukmonkey121 Posts: 8
    A Ford.

    Yes! I've owned 2 Ford Escorts (1993 and 1995) and they were great little cars. Reliable, good gas mileage, easy to repair, and usually cheap. I'd go for one a little less ancient, though ;)
  • hbrittingham
    hbrittingham Posts: 2,518 Member
    A used Toyota Camry or Honda Accord. If you want a bit larger, go for the RAV-4 or CRV.
  • bbriscoe13
    bbriscoe13 Posts: 175 Member
    I would go for anything made by Toyota or Honda. I have never personally had a Honda, we perfer Toyota in our house, but I know they are pretty relaiable. My first car was a '91 camary and I never had any problems with it. I had an '06 RAV4 and it was great, no problems. We have had a '06 camary, '91 MR2, '03 corolla, and now an '06 Lexus RX400h. I have had no problems with any of my Toyota cars. I love them.
  • binglebandit
    binglebandit Posts: 531 Member
    My husband is a Master Automotive Tech. He always says it's best to get Hondas or Toyotas. They don't have a lot of problems on them to fix and the parts are easy enough to find. American cars may be cheaper initially, but they tend to kick your butt later on with all the costs of fixing parts. Seeing as how you are looking at used cars, chances are they've already made it to the point of needing big time fixes (as in needing thousands of dollars put into them). In that case I'd suggest avoiding American models at all costs. Usually if you go to used car lots you are going to see the same ten unreliable cars that you see in every lot. There is a reason they're there, no one wants them. It would probably be best for you to look into ads for people selling their cars like on craigslist. One thing you should also consider is that you generally can't find a good car for less than $10,000. Sure you might find one cheaper than that, but you'll usually end up paying for what you saved in fixing it up so it works like it was supposed to.
  • cobracars
    cobracars Posts: 949 Member
    We've had a great experience owning our Ford Escape, and have talked to several friends and family with similar good experiences.

    Considered a small SUV, it has room for 4 comfortable adults plus cargo area. The rear seats fold down to make a bigger cargo area when you only need the two front seats.

    We get about 22 miles per gallon. It has on-demand four wheel drive. My wife likes how it sits a bit higher than a car so she has better visibility of the road. We also have a full size pickup and another 4 door, but we take the Escape for quick errands and running around. We've driven it from Chicago to Florida a couple times.

    Ours is a 2003. Bought it used in 2005 with 20k miles on it. Currently has 160k miles and no problems, just routine maintenance like tires, brakes, oil changes. I fully expect it to last us several more years and at least another 50k miles.

    Current values on our car would be in the $4k - $5k range, so you could probably get one a few years newer with your $7k budget.

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