2004 G35 Coupe- Rim Color?

[NissanSkylineN1]

So,
My bro got into Med School and needs a car. The issue is that he needs a used car under 5K in order to get OSAP. Home to Uni is about 10km away, and might go to downtown for some other classes (surgeries etc).

Criteria:

Relatively easy to drive
Fits a 6'3 driver
Can drive in winter
Comfy
NO HUBCAPS
Needs to have enough space for a bike/ bike rack.


He is currently interested in old BMWs, as we found an old 740iL from 2000 for $5k. Cheap luxury is pretty awesome, but the concern is regarding spare parts.

So, any ideas of cars?

 

[astrosdude91]

So,


He is currently interested in old BMWs, as we found an old 740iL from 2000 for $5k. Cheap luxury is pretty awesome, but the concern is regarding spare parts.

So, any ideas of cars?

If it's a BMW, parts will be expensive. I'd suggest going Japanese. If you want luxury that's cheap to maintain, I'd recommend a Lexus LS400. BMW esque luxury, Toyota reliability, and a bulletproof 1UZ V8 up front.

 

[motortrend]

If you want luxury and reliability Lex is the way to go but I would suggest ES300 since they are cheaper and probably consume less gas, but have all the luxury (and more) a 10k car should have and for 3-5k. DO NOT buy a big bimmer from that time, I have heard of people buying the previous model 7 series (E65) for cheap and regretting it after something breaks and after realizing that the car will keep on devaluating

 

[ildd]

Unsure if you have Buicks in Guam, but the 2000 Buick LeSabre is pretty good for your critera...big...reliable, can drive in snow, moderatly high MPG. Only downside is almost all of them have replaced power windows.

 

[NissanSkylineN1]

Unsure if you have Buicks in Guam, but the 2000 Buick LeSabre is pretty good for your critera...big...reliable, can drive in snow, moderatly high MPG. Only downside is almost all of them have replaced power windows.

I'm in Canada, ahaha.

 

[ShobThaBob]

Tell him to pony up a couple more thousand and he can have a nice 2004 Land Rover.

 

[xNEVER-ONEx]

LOL, some of you guys need to read the OP again. He needs to buy a car under 5 grand so he can qualify for student loans.

 

[YSSMAN]

Well, I'd say there are three basic options:

1994-1999 Toyota Avalon:

So, the Avalon. It's a grown-up Camry, mostly driven by old folks. They're rock-solid in the reliability department, very comfortable in the front and rear seats. Thing is, it really feels like a grown-up Camry. So, you could either save a few dollars and get a luxed-up Camry, or spend a few more and get a Lexus ES.

1991-1996 Toyota Camry

1997-2001 Toyota Camry

These are arguably the two best versions of the Camry that have existed previous to the current model. Incredibly reliable, quiet, comfortable. Appropriately sized front and rear, he should fit nicely. I'm sure you can find one for $5K or less, I just recently came across a local '95 wagon for less than $4K. Thing is, mileage might be high... But, our '95 went 220k miles before being killed by a deer, and it probably could have done another 40k without having to do too much work.

1991-1996 Lexus ES300

Edmunds recently picked up one for their long-term fleet for less than $5000, in surprisingly good shape as well. It'll be rock-solid in reliability, the comfort is top-notch, and the size is appropriate as well. Although I'd rather save money and get a higher-trimmed Camry, the ES is still a great car.

 

[NissanSkylineN1]

Will they fit a bike/bike rack? The Lexus is a good idea. Our family used to have an old green Camry with a sunroof in Japan, and we loved it.

Remember, all its gotta do is drive around 15K a day, with a once in a while trip to downtown T.O. It can be ANY car (well, just make it low on maintenance.)

 

[Jet Badger]

Volvo? Good in winter, quite reliable, lot of space inside.

 

[deba94]

Volvo? Good in winter, quite reliable, lot of space inside.

I second this.
Volvo makes great cars, you can easily score an early 2000's S40/60 for around $5,000 here in Ontario. Don't forget: one of his conditions is winter drivability. The Volvos come in either FWD/AWD which are great for winter, while a big, heavy RWD luxury sedan isn't exactly winter drivable .

By the way, congrats to him on getting into med-school

 

[E28]

If you wanted a BMW, you'd be better of with an E30 or E36 3 Series. Much cheaper to repair than a 7 series and a lot cheaper overall.

 

[RocZX]

1999-2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee. It's fits all your needs, easy to drive, comfortable, fit a tall person, great for winter driving and can fit a bike in the back. Also parts for them are fairly cheap to fix.

 

[ildd]

I'm in Canada, ahaha.

My bad... I hovered over your flag and it said Guam yesterday, now it says North Korea.

But your obviously in Canada.

 

[Parker]

I'd go for a Subaru Outback. My wife has an '02 Impreza Outback Sport and we fit our stroller, groceries, car seat and other junk in the hatch while still having plenty more room. A regular outback has much more room than ours, gets decent mileage (we get right at 30mpg highway, I'm assuming an Outback would get about 2mpg less) easy to maintain, reliable as can be (we're at 188K on ours) great in winter and can fit a tall driver. Basically it does everything on your list very well.

Here is a picture of my wife's car...

I'd buy another in a heartbeat, but I'm a diesel truck guy and until Subaru offers a diesel in America I'll keep driving my Cummins.

 

[Cale]

Supercharged W Body.

Regal GS/ Grand Prix GTP etc

 

[Beeblebrox237]

To build off the Outback suggestion, He could possibly look for a nice Subaru Legacy. they're probably big enough, get decent mileage, have AWD, and are pretty fun to drive.

 

[NissanSkylineN1]

There's an issue with AWD/4WD. Insurance is pretty expensive.

 

[AMCNUT]

2000+ Pontiac Bonnevilles can be had in good shape for under 5K. Mine has given me no major hassle, and it sounds like it could meet your criteria. It's a front driver, easy to wheel around for a car its size, the 3800 is reliable, and it's quite comfy inside. Only thing might be height. I'm just under 6' and I fit comfortably, but it would never hurt to double-check since those types of things.

Or maybe a late-model Ford Taurus?

 

[NissanSkylineN1]

My neighbour has a Bonnenville. LOVE the HUD. The issue with American cars are that they aren't too luxurious.

Possible Cars so far:

Lexus ES
BMW 3 Series
FWD Volvo

Any other ideas?

 

[Slash]

The issue with American cars are that they aren't too luxurious.

You're right. We'd rather have power to the wheels.

 

[edawg456]

Get a old Volvo. I have a1986 Volvo 240 dl sedan. Little maintenance. Runs like a champ.

 

[Parker]

There's an issue with AWD/4WD. Insurance is pretty expensive.

Really? You'd think they'd be cheaper to insure because they're a lot safer (for the average person) than a RWD. You might want to have him check into that though, my older brother pays more for his '87 Mercedes 300D than I do for my Wife's Scooby.

 

[Doog]

1997-2001 Toyota Camry

Might want to stay away from this generation of the Camry; I hear they've got a bad record for engine oil issues. My sister's 2000 Camry kicked the bucket do to this same issue. Other than that, other Camries should be alright.

Another car you may want to check out is the 1995-1999 Nissan Maxima. Very nice largish sedan that some regard as a nice sport sedan too. It has front wheel drive, so it won't kill you in the snow, and with leather, a sunroof, heated seats, and a Bose stereo, it's every bit as luxurious as the Avalon and ES300. It should get decent gas mileage being a smaller V6, and these things are very reliable. My aunt had one with 200k miles on it that ran perfectly; it even got rear-ended pretty badly (whole rear was smashed up) and it ran without fault. My cousin also has one with around 200k miles on it that's running just fine too, so it can take some abuse. If you can find one in your price point, there's also the Infiniti I30, the Maxima's luxury cousin; basically what the ES300 is to the Camry.

1995-1999 Nissan Maxima

1996-1999 Infiniti I30

If you guys are open-minded to Korean cars, there's also the Hyundai XG350. It's another largish front wheel drive sedan like the Maxima and Avalon, and it's somewhat luxurious. Due to the Hyundai badge on the front, depreciation is rampant, and a low-mileage example can be found within your budget. A quick search of consumer reviews on the internet reveals that the buyers of this car are pretty satisfied with it, and reliability appears to be pretty good. A solid choice, and you should definitely consider it.
1998-2005 Hyundai XG350

Like the Maxima, the XG350 has a corporate cousin, the Kia Amanti, produced from 2002-2010. The Amanti features a more interesting interior design, with love it or hate it Jaguar-esque exterior styling. Mechanically, the Amanti is the same as the XG350, though it is rarer than the Hyundai, so finding a good one in your price point could be more challenging. But if you find a good one, check it out.
2002-2010 Kia Amanti

If you guys are looking for something more impressive, there's the Infiniti Q45. Luckily, both the first (1990-1996) and second (1997-2000) generation Q45 can be found in this price range. Not as impressive as the Lexus LS400, the Q45 is still a worthy choice. It's a large V8 rear wheel drive luxury sedan with plenty of room inside and very good Nissan-Infiniti reliability. The Q45 also comes with very good performance for a car of its class; the 4.5 liter V8 produces 278 horsepower, and the Q45 goes from 0-60 in 6.7 seconds. The second generation was a step back in performance, with a 4.1 liter V8 producing 266 horsepower, and going from 0-60 in 7.5 seconds. But, it had more normal styling, and was obviously more modern. Once again, a solid choice.

1990-1996 Q45

1997-2000 Q45

Those are all my suggestions, hope I helped! 👍

 

[NissanSkylineN1]

Really? You'd think they'd be cheaper to insure because they're a lot safer (for the average person) than a RWD.

Repair costs are expensive.


The Nissan Maxima and the Q45 are a good idea, maybe even if we find one in a newer generation?

 

[Doog]

The Nissan Maxima and the Q45 are a good idea, maybe even if we find one in a newer generation?

A newer Maxima is certainly possible; a quick search of Craigslist shows many 5th generation (1999-2003) Maximas. Problem is they're mostly higher mileage, rougher examples, though I did find a good one for $3700. The 2002 and 2003 models are more desirable, with a 255 horsepower VQ Series V6, but again, finding a good one for the price point can be a challenge. Still, it's a good car, and you can't go wrong with a Maxima.

1999-2003 Nissan Maxima

As for the Q45, the third generation (2001-2005) model will be pretty much impossible to find for under $5000. If one actually shows up for less than that, I wouldn't recommend stretching your luck.

 

[NissanSkylineN1]

How about an ex-cop car?

 

[Space Dynamics]

Supercharged W Body.

Regal GS/ Grand Prix GTP etc

+1

Great gas mileage, cheap to fix, reliable. . . Faster then anything for the price.

 

[zedextreme8177]

Here's something under 5K

 

[Jet Badger]

Were those 'three K' cars that are looking for their fourth 'K' ? If not, then good. Because that would be racist.