Best Car For Me???

[ProfessorBlinks]

Hmmm, my requirements:

4 Door Sedan
5 Speed Standard
Under 115,000 Miles or so
Not too important, but power locks + windows
Rather Safe Car, and NOT a Civic
Good Gas Mileage
Quality Car

Im 16, and im saving like 100 a week and Ive almost got 700, I want to have the car or at least be looking for it by June so it would have to be rather cheap IE under 3Kish. I was thinking a 96 Dodge Neon?

Any suggestions??

 

[1X83Z]

Save up until next January and get a 1990 Lexus ES250.

 

[ShobThaBob]

95 or below tausus SHO. 220 hp 3.2 v6. 5 sp manual. good engine (built by yamaha). Its a decent car. Gonna be my next one.

 

[1X83Z]

Hey wait a minute. If you're saving $100 a week, then by July 31, you'll have ~$3000. After registration of the car you're getting (unless you're in Oregon) you'll be left with $2800. Insurance will surely be at least $800, but probably closer to $1000. So $1800. This doesn't factor in maintenance and fuel.

So, uh, keep saving.

 

[boombexus]

You will certainly want to get the car checked out by a mechanic before you buy it. Don't get into a car and then find out that you will have to sink hundreds if not thousands more into getting the car to pass state inspection.

Knowing that your only 16 and all, have you considered talking to your parents about possibly co-signing a loan for you? Or perhaps taking your 3k and making it a down payment on something that is newer and a bit more reliable? Your parent's might help you out there.

I have had many a used car in my day's and there isn't one car that I have owned that cost me in the neighborhood of 3k that hasn't had a problem with it.
Doug, what about you? Besides the $28 car that you had, did you ever own a car that was about 10 years old that didn't have any issues?

Well Professor, you might be young but that doesn't mean that you have to settle for a piece of crap car.

 

[MazKid]

Find a '88-92 626. They last forever, and they have all of the options you want. You can also get a GT(if you can find one), and they are fast, but I wouldn't totally reccommend getting a GT unless you have money for Premium gas and higher insurence.

A LX or possibly LE(if you can find one) would fit your needs just fine I think.

 

[KosmikFool]

Get a '94 Mitsubishi GTO (3000GT here in the 'states)/ They are great cars if you are looking for a sporty car. But since you said 4 door then thats outta the question.

 

[Gil]

I have to agree with Boombexus. I paid less than 3G's for my 'Scort. But I also put $400 into the fuel system, $100 into new plugs and wires, another $100 to fix a T-fluid leak under the dash. That still kept me well under what it would have cost to rebuild my '87 Pontiac 6000. But, it was still $600 I hadn't planned on.
On the Good side, my 'baby' is running HUGE tires for an Escort (195-50R15's) which enhance the handling and I can replace them for less than $300 a set.
Get with your folks, and convince them to cosign on a loan, or ask if they will consider "matching funds" with you.
Before you buy, have the car looked over by a mechanic you trust. Or, if you live in a state that inspects cars like Missouri, have the car inspected to see if it'll pass. Yeah, it'll be 50-100 bucks out of your budget. But, It may save you from buying a "money pit" car.
For twice what you've budgeted you can buy a three year old Escort ZX-2, or 4-5 year old Taurus. The Taurus will likely be an automatic. But, It'll probably still be under warranty, and will have many good miles left in it.
The Neon is also probably a good choice, but I can't give it a glowing recommedation, cause I currently have a Mopar Minivan that has not been entirely fun to own. Plus, I'm a pretty big guy and I don't ride in a Neon as much as I "wear" a Neon.
I know that you nixed the idea of a Honda. If you find one for 3 grand, that's less than a decade old, check for mud in the ashtrays, cause a "flood survivor" is the only "newer" Honda you'll get for much under 10 grand.

 

[12sec. Civic]

If I had $3,000 USD ($5,000CDN) and all of your requirements, I would probably buy a 1988 BMW 325 or 318. I am not sure why you want 4 doors, but a 1988 BMW 325e has 175 ft-lbs Torque and more Hp than a Neon. It comes in 5 Spd, it is very good quality, and would probably come with power everything. It has good gas mileage believe it or not. You coulnt go wring with that car.

 

[MazKid]

'88-92 626 GT is rated at 145HP and over 180ft lbs. Most, however, make about 175hp and over 200ft lbs.

Just...saying...

 

[1X83Z]

Originally posted by 12sec. Civic
If I had $3,000 USD ($5,000CDN) and all of your requirements, I would probably buy a 1988 BMW 325 or 318. I am not sure why you want 4 doors, but a 1988 BMW 325e has 175 ft-lbs Torque and more Hp than a Neon. It comes in 5 Spd, it is very good quality, and would probably come with power everything. It has good gas mileage believe it or not. You coulnt go wring with that car.

Actually, this is a fair track. Though I would go for the 325Xi, for that added bonus of AWD.

Rob, the car I had the was virtually perfect over all those years was a 1986 Toyota. I would suggest it, but it's boring, rare, and nowadays it's getting less reliable.

 

[12sec. Civic]

Originally posted by MazKid
'88-92 626 GT is rated at 145HP and over 180ft lbs. Most, however, make about 175hp and over 200ft lbs.

Just...saying...

Do you receive cheques in the mail from Mazda USA? If not, I think you should apply, because I wouldn't be surprised if you've sold more Mazda's just through suggestion than some Mazda car salesman!!



Once again, I think it would be easier to pick up girls in a BMW than some fugly Mazda. Plus, I guarantee the quality is better. You will also get more respect from everyone in general with a BMW as opposed to some forgettable Mazda.

 

[Gil]

12 sec,
You have to remember that MazKid is MazKid for a very good reason. He knows Mazdas like B. B. King knows blues.
Also, 3 grand just doesn't go "BMW-far" in the US. You might, thru careful, painstaking, patient perusal of the internet and papers find a 320 from the late 70's/early 80's for 3 grand. But it likely won't be a terribly well cared for example.
My Mazda-powered Escort is 1992 Vintage, and I actually paid less than $2500 for it. But I also put $600 into repairs within the first year. My Probe is an '89 model and cost $1000. It also needed a significant amount of repair. Probably about $1,000 in the time that I've owned it.
But, the 'Scort is one of the best running cars I've owned.
You could "scrape together" 23 grand to buy a Jag. You may not understand that to most of us, $3,000 is a pretty fair peice of "loose change". Especially, at 16 years old.

 

[Duke]

Originally posted by Gil
Plus, I'm a pretty big guy and I don't ride in a Neon as much as I "wear" a Neon.

That's odd. I bought my first Neon because it was WAY bigger inside than the Contour I was looking at. Plus I know two (count'em) 7-footers that claim the Neon is the first comfortable small car they've ever owned.

Neons offer excellent handling in stock form, better power and torque than a Honda, and they are dirt cheap, especially 5-speeds. The quality issues that most people talk about are pretty much unfounded, but you should have any car looked over by a mechanic. I also recommend that you make passing state inspection a condition of sale.

If you're looking at a Neon, definitely look at '99 models. They are virtually guaranteed to be safe from the headgasket problems of the '95-'98 models. If you're looking at an older one, find out if the headgasket has been replaced by the steel one (which is a permanent fix).

I also recommend against buying a new car at this point, provided you can locate a solid used one. Your first car is going to get beaten a bit or even wrecked, and insurance will be expensive. Plus minor problems give you an opportunity to learn about fixing things yourself.

Good luck!

 

[Gil]

I never said it wasn't comfortable. It was just more like an old shoe, than any other car I've driven. I had plenty of Head room and I'm long thru the torso and short of leg. (they reach the floor when I stand up).
I'm also pretty thick across the shoulders. (52 inch chest)
So, I thought the car handled like a go-cart. w/o the harsh suspension.

As for making passing the state inspection a condition of sale, you will save yourself a great deal of trouble if you do this.

 

[MazKid]

Actually, 12 sec, they don't.

Sometimes I think that they would be happy with me, other times I think they would sue me for un-lawful useage or something.
I was just thinking that BMWs are more expensive, just to initially buy and for parts and labor. The 2L and 2.2L I.4 in the 626 and GT(respectfully) last for a long time if taken care of right. There was a '89 B-2200 in the shop not that long ago with almost 300K mi on the original engine. That's the same 2.2 as in the GTs, minus the turbo ofcourse.
Gil, your cars might not have been looked after well by thier first owners.
Any car can last if taken care of right really.

And 12 Sec, the only reason people get more respect in a Bimmer is because BMWs are more expensive then Mazdas. You go around in na Bimmer and people are gonna think you have some money. When my dad had his '84 RX-7 GSL-SE, we got respect too. Course that was probably cause my dad kept it mint and it looked like it had just rolled off the line.
I, however, don't really care if I get respect while driving. It's not my goal to make a point. As long as I'm happy with what I drive, what matters?
I guess that if you want to look good and show off, a BMW is better than most Mazdas.

 

[TVRKing]

I agree with Maz. I most definatly would buy a Mazda over a BMW. Japan is renown for reliability, and Mazda is probably the most reliable car here apart from Toyota. I've often heard problems with BMWs. So far here they've recalled the MINI 5 times since it came out for various problems (Of of which was almost deadly, involving sparks and the fuel line) and 2,500 X5 have be recalled to modify The accelerator pedal has it had a habit of falling of.

No, Mazda's the best route to take I think.

 

[1X83Z]

Originally posted by Gil

As for making passing the state inspection a condition of sale, you will save yourself a great deal of trouble if you do this.

Not sure where Blinks lives, but some states have no state inspection, and many states that do have a requirement that any title transfer accompanies a state inspection [NC, PA, LA]/emission test [CO, AZ]/smog test [CA].