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Good, Cheap Beater Cars & Inexpensive Commuter Cars - how to find one?

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Comments

  • ghuletghulet Member Posts: 2,564
    I really like the Hondas/Acuras with the pop-up headlights, though they were a pain in the Winter, and the cars are becoming scarce (rusted away, at least here in the midwest). The interiors always felt roomy, I think mostly because of the low dashboards and large greenhouses.

    Shifting gears here, anyone have any advice about which beaters to STAY AWAY from? I have a friend looking for a four-cylinder used car under $3500. Not too difficult, and I don't think he's too picky. Thus far, I have only advised strongly against the pervasive disease known as the NEON, but have steered him toward the following:

    Cavalier/Sunfire (mostly cuz they're plentiful, cheap, and as far as I know, pretty reliable; otherwise, I'd pass)

    Geo Prism/Toyota Corolla, though you're hard pressed to find one under ten years old for under $3500, especially the Corollas (no surprise there)

    Ford Escort (97 up): again, cheap to buy and fix, and plentiful, reliable, not much else to recommend

    Nissan Altimas: about as much style as you can get in this segment at this price without trying to find a Camry, Civic or Accord, which are mostly old and rusty for $3500

    Nissan Sentra: surprisingly expensive here in Chicago (saw a '94 in a lot for $3k asking-it looked nice, but c'mon, it's a thirteen year-old econobox!), and not all that fun to drive, IMO.

    Mazda Protege-my personal favorite, reliable, FUN to drive, but probably a bit more $$ to fix than most others here, when they do break down.
  • jlawrence01jlawrence01 Member Posts: 1,757
    Personally, I would look at some of the smaller 6-cyl vehicles out there in that price ranmge - Buick Century, etc. The gas mileage is similar and the engines may hold up better than say a Cavalier/Sunfire, etc.

    Other than that, you assessments are frightfully accurate.
  • british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    Yeah agreed a lot of the early to mid 90s 6 cyl domestics are extremly reliable and fairly good gas mileage.
  • jaserbjaserb Member Posts: 820
    My brother bought a very decent '02 with under 35k miles a few months ago, and paid in the low $5s. That's with an automatic, PW, PL, Cruise, and A/C, so it's not exactly a penalty box. It's probably good for 100k miles with very little expense, and it absolutely sips gas. Can't beat that with a stick.

    -Jason
  • michaellnomichaellno Member Posts: 4,120
    My brother bought a very decent '02 with under 35k miles...

    Is this the same brother you bought the 'clean as a whistle' Maxima for a year or so back?

    My daughters friend just got a car .. '97 Chevrolet Cavalier with 84K on it. Automatic (4-speed), AC, but no power accessories or cruise. Not sure how much her parents paid for it, but it runs good (she says it just needs a new fuel filter) and should last her a few years.
  • jaserbjaserb Member Posts: 820
    I have 4 brothers, and helped all but one buy a car last year :)

    The "clean as a whistle" Maxima is getting a bit chewed up after spending too much time in college parking garages, but it still runs great.

    -Jason
  • ghuletghulet Member Posts: 2,564
    The timing on this is not so great (trying to buy a house, need to really watch cash for the next month or two), but a co-worker is about to buy a new car, and wants to get rid of the following, which to no surprise, the Toyota dealer has zero interest in, on the trade of a new Sienna (at ~$500 below invoice):

    95 (old body but dual airbags, so no mousebelts) Saturn SL2, blue-black with leather, 159k miles, automatic, loaded but sunroof inop (and needs to be fixed or sealed up: it got stuck in the open position, she forced it closed, now it's leaking), she says interior is what you'd expect for a grocery getter of a woman with two toddlers, no radio, I didn't ask (and don't care) about the a/c, she says it's been reliable (never stranded her, etc.), but 'is what it is'. I'm moving to a neighborhood that's a bit more remote than where I live now, so a car would be a nice thing, but I can't/won't swing a payment, plus, my S.O. and brother both have cars (street parking is OK, and the new house has a two-car garage). I'm almost sure she'd let it go for $400-500. I would like to pick up a beater eventually, not sure if this is the one I want, but at the price, I feel it'd almost be foolish to pass it up. This would be strictly a grocery getter/city car. Most Saturns in this year/condition (if they're being honest) seem to be $1000-1500ish or higher retail. I don't know what to do--I can kinda take it or leave it, but I'm thinking if it lasts me six months or a year with nothing major (I won't put big $ in it), it might not be bad. Any thoughts? I know, I don't 'need' a car, and I'm cheap, but this might work out....there's not much risk, really. Anyone know if SL2s are 'interference' or not? I'd hate to buy something for even $500 and have to junk it or put $600 into a new timing belt. Aye yi yi.
  • corvettecorvette Member Posts: 10,236
    I think they have timing chains. You could always buy it, park it in the garage, and not drive it so you don't have to pay insurance on it.
  • steine13steine13 Member Posts: 2,818
    95 (old body but dual airbags, so no mousebelts) Saturn SL2

    Don't you wish.
    Just like the Escort, they retained the idiot belts along with the dual air bags. Mathias no like. Bad medicine.

    -Mathias
  • ghuletghulet Member Posts: 2,564
    Just found that out, definitely a relief, though obviously any car with almost 160k is a gamble. Still, I'm probably going to end up buying the Saturn, just so I'm not semi-stranded (having to rely on public transport and/or cabs that aren't all that common in my new 'hood) just so I have a way to get around the city. Seller has already told me she'd definitely let it go for '$400-500', that the heat and defrost work, windows and locks work and that it's a 'decent' car. She has the income and two toddlers, so I can't blame her for wanting something newer/safer/larger, and for not wanting to put any more money in that old thing. I'm pretty sure insurance will cost $40-50 a month, so not really an issue. I just can't justify doing a payment for what is essentially a third family car that I don't use for work. So, Mathias, this thing retained the idiot belts? Drat. Oh well, I lived with them on my Protege (those were motorized, I don't think they are on Saturns), so I can live with them again, especially on a five hundred dollar beater. I'm going to look at it over the weekend (if she gets her new family truckster, er Sienna), stay tuned.
  • zodiac2004zodiac2004 Member Posts: 458
    Just like the Escort, they retained the idiot belts along with the dual air bags. Mathias no like.

    Mathias, it's not often you are wrong about automotive trivia, but you are wrong about this one.

    The 95 SL2 did not have motorized seatbelts.
    Were you thinking of 94 and older?
  • oregonboyoregonboy Member Posts: 1,650
    motorized seatbelts... I HATE those things. Many manufactures retained the passive belts until the next major redesign. There are early '90s Maximas that have both airbags and motorized seatbelts. :(

    Honda, on the other hand, eliminated the motorized belts in mid-product cycle when they added airbags to the 1992 Accord. :)

    I don't know about Saturns, since I never shopped for one.

    james
  • oregonboyoregonboy Member Posts: 1,650
    An earlier poster asked about beaters to avoid. Consumer Reports compiles just such a list in their annual auto issue.

    One otherwise decent car to stay away from is the early to mid 1990s Mazda 626 with AUTOMATIC transmission. They used a Ford transmission that was plagued with repeated (expensive) failures.

    james
  • corvettecorvette Member Posts: 10,236
    I've always heard it was only the 4-cylinder models that used the Ford auto transmission, and that the problems extended to any four-banger 626 built all the way up to their last year (2001? 2002?).
  • steine13steine13 Member Posts: 2,818
    I stand corrected then on the Saturn seatbelts.

    The Mazda 626 with the 6cyl used a different Ford transmission, and a much better one. According to what I've read on MX-6/626/Millenia/Probe sites, the 6cyl combo is much better than the 4banger.

    The Millenia has that combination. At 152k, my Milly is just fine in the tranny department :-)

    -Mathias
  • ghuletghulet Member Posts: 2,564
    Just had a real PIA drive--why must Chicago/Cook County/State of Illinois always simultaneously repair EVERY interstate in the area? Seriously, in 40 miles between the north side of Chicago and Dyer, IN, there were probably two miles NOT under construction. Trip there took about an hour and a half.

    Anywho, went to look at my co-worker's Saturn ('95 SL2 automatic, 160k)...it wasn't bad at all, not nearly the mess she made it out to be. I mean, I didn't have it checked out by a mechanic, but I drove it around; engine, brakes, trans and suspension felt fine (even a bit peppy), tires were a bit thin but OK and matching, body is great (and even a nice color, quite a feat in old Saturn SLs), no weird smoke or funny smells, no slimy, leaky engine bay, couple of drips on the garage floor but oil looked OK. The interior is a bit dirty but not destroyed or ripped (tan leather--luckily--and carpet, she has two toddler boys), headliner is sagging a bit (scissors), sunroof doesn't close right (silicone or maybe a 'real' repair), A/C warm, radio doesn't work (appears to need a code, so perhaps fixable). Power windows and locks all work, as do heat and defrosters. I think it has ABS (has TCS and everything else they offered, so likely), not sure, but NO dash warning lights lit. Again, this wasn't the most thorough going-through ever, but she offered it to me for $400 cuz she thinks the brakes sometimes squeal a bit. SOLD! I know it's nothing exciting, but I figure I can either keep it for however long and if it blows up, big deal, if it doesn't, I'll get at least the same money back out of it or more. Yay, one car, no payments and it can't possibly be as nasty as my last car (a $500, dented, rusty, gray, stripped '87 Accord DX sedan).

    Oh yeah, and it has normal seatbelts.
  • jlawrence01jlawrence01 Member Posts: 1,757
    Sounds like you have about $500 in repairs - tires, brake pads, and a cheap aftemarket radio.

    Good deal if you can coax 20k miles out of the car.

    It is always a good sign when the seller gives you a litany of sorrows. Generally, the car ends up not being as bad as you would think.
  • ghuletghulet Member Posts: 2,564
    I don't know about the brakes, when I drove it they felt and sounded fine. It's probably intermittent, but I'd rather just have it checked out, buy some pads rather than have to do the whole thing (rotors, etc.) later. The tires have about 10k left on them, I think. The radio might drive me nuts...I'm going to try to get a code from a Saturn dealer and see if that works. Hoping this works out.
  • jlawrence01jlawrence01 Member Posts: 1,757
    Shop around. I have had good luck with the 40k Futura tires at PepBoys (in Skokie).

    Good luck on the radio.

    That's a lot of miles on a Saturn BUT for what you paid, you'll get your money's worth IMO.
  • geo9geo9 Member Posts: 735
    G.............If the radio is locked out or has
    a "err" message on the display. I have a link
    to a thread to possibly unlock it. Otherwise
    a GM dealer will charge you about $100 to unlock
    the theft-loc feature...........

    Will send it e-mail if needed............
  • ghuletghulet Member Posts: 2,564
    That would be awesome....the light on the display is lit, but it says 'code' or something like that...it's the cassette with the equalizer. The current owner (I haven't picked it up yet, she's waiting on her new car) says it worked perfectly until three years ago, when the car died and after it was towed, it didn't work. After that, she took it to the Saturn dealer, they told her it was 'fried'. Sounds odd...my experience has been that you just have to enter the code after the battery dies or is disconnected and it works, though I did have one experience with a SAAB radio (the first year they had theft codes--1986!) where it wouldn't come on for sometimes days at a time, then would suddenly start playing. Either way, I'd love to try to have it fixed, rather than put $100-150 into the radio on a car that only cost $400 to begin with. Thanks for the offer....my e-mail is ghulet@hotmail.com.
  • ghuletghulet Member Posts: 2,564
    ...but I did pick up the Saturn today, it 'seems' fine, for what it is...I would never have chosen it, but for a hoopty, it looks fine, runs fine (no smells, no dash lights lit, no bad sounds, though tires are a bit thin and needs an interior cleaning), brakes fine...I knew the sunroof was fishy (electric--works horizontally opening, not closing, won't close back down, and apparently leaks) and the radio and a/c don't work, but still...it is what it is...we just bought a house, I didn't 'need' a car, but this is the perfect city car/grocery-getter, I think. It's the best-looking and running $400 car I never wanted. ;)
  • british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    What year and how many miles on the saturn??

    I took a 1996 Saturn sedan manual in trade not long ago that was really worth 25 dollars. If I didn't have a demo car to drive already I would use it as a commuter.
  • ghuletghulet Member Posts: 2,564
    It's a '95 SL2, automatic (which isn't so bad, I'm usually a manual guy), blue/black with tan leather, all options except CD player (unfortunately, the sunroof is glitchy), just passed 160k. It's not worth much, but I still see these (and any other non-beat up running car) all the time with silly asking prices (over $1000, which to me is silly for an 11-12 year-old domestic econocar with 160k).
  • british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    Yeah the one I took in was the same just a manual.
  • stuartfstuartf Member Posts: 8
    OK, I need a car for a year, mostly around town and in-state. For the fun of it, I thought I would try to spend what I spent on my first vehicle (adjusted for inflation), a 1960 Renault Dauphine purchased in 1966 for $300; kept it two years and had to put a salvage engine in it ($75) but it ran and ran for all its 36 HP.

    I think I will stay away from the Koreans on this go round, see that the Escorts and Mazdas from the mid to late 90's might fit the bill. As always, I guess condition of the vehicle is most important.

    IMHO, buying from the private owner is the best strategy. I am going to see a 1988 CRX-si with 64K miles asking 2350 this afternoon.

    Any other suggestions??
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,146
    I'm a big fan of the Protege. My '96 ate little gas, was fun to drive (manual shift), and I think magic elves performed maintenance while I slept, because it cost almost nothing in repairs. You should be able to get a later model Protege for the same $ as the '88 Civic you're looking at, though the 64K miles is an attraction.

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  • gussguss Member Posts: 1,167
    I would be willing to bet that 64k miles is followed by a parenthases. As in (on rebuilt engine). The ain't no one driving a commuter car 3000 mile per year.

    If I had to get a car for under $2k, I would be looking at Buick Century's ,Chevy Lumina's and on the smaller side Mazda Protege's The 2 American cars are plentiful,parts are cheap, and every mechanic in North America knows how to work on them.
  • stuartfstuartf Member Posts: 8
    I am rounding it up to $2k, I have an allergy to US designed iron... so far, the Prizm and the Escort seem to be the best for the $$, near replicas of the Corolla and the Protege for 20% less. Finding a 5 speed has proven to be the problem, lots of autos out there.

    BTW, I was the mistaken one about the CRX, it had 102K, it was genuine, but it had been modified to the taste of an adolescent, not the thing for me.

    I have also taken to heart the suggestion about putting word out in my networks; just missed by a week or two an older Protege that was sold for $100 (my, that beats the 1966 price of the Dauphine).

    Keep the suggestions coming.
  • asafonovasafonov Member Posts: 401
    Over your limit, but I would be all over this car had I needed a commuter vehicle:

    Toyota Corolla 2000 for Sale - $3299
    Reply to: see below
    Date: 2006-08-23, 11:29AM CDT

    U. international grad student, returning home in mid Sept, want to sell car before leaving.
    White toyota corolla, 2000 model, manual transmission, ~64,000 miles, good condition, everything in good working order (AC/heating, cassette player/radio, power windows, power steering, cruise control etc.)
    price somewhat negotiable ...
  • stuartfstuartf Member Posts: 8
    I agree, this would be worth a look. Today I drove a 98 Protege, it was quite beat. The unfortunate young man who owned it was desperate to sell it, bargained himself from $1500 to $750 without any intervention on my part, but I couldn't rescue him from the disaster if his vehicle. My neighbors just bought a 1997 Prizm, 137 k miles, paid $1900, a smooth riding vehicle but it has an automatic.

    I continue the search
  • foonafoona Member Posts: 18
    Keep an eye on Craigs List automotive sales, probably best location. Try to find one < 10 yrs old with around 100-150K miles from ideally an original owner, not a dealer.
  • chrissy221chrissy221 Member Posts: 4
    guys, help, last time i checked,,2000 integra SE came with 1.8L engines., im trying to buy one and found a really nice one for 9000 at 160000 clicks with everything power except no sunroof,,but the engine is 1.6L? what does that tell you about what could be wrong with it if anithing at all, and isnt that price anyways a little too generous for a 2000 model?

    This is the description i found:

    2 Dr, 1.6L, 5 Spd, Pwr Steer, Pwr Door Lock, Pwr Window, AM/FM Radio, CD Player, ice cool A/C, ABS Brakes, Cruise Control, Pwr Mirror, Mag Wheels, Ext. Warranty Available. Certified, E. tested, 30 days Warranty.

    its a nice looking car too..helpp???

    THXXXXX alot : )
  • steine13steine13 Member Posts: 2,818
    If you can spend $9 on a 7-year-old car with 160k, I strongly suggest you check out Hondas LX Civics and the new Fit -- especially the Fit, since it seems to be a great little go-cart in the handling department. Good deals on Corollas abound, also. How about an "S" with a stick and a sunroof for (I'm guessing) $15-16? It'll last a couple decades.

    what could be wrong with it if anithing at all

    Well, that's about it: Anything at all could be wrong with it, and how would you know? At the very minimum, when buying used, take the car to a GOOD, KNOWLEDGEABLE mechanic and have it checked out stem-to-stern. The laundry list he'll likely come back with is going to make you think twice.

    Trust me on this, I recently flubbed one and flipped it to a local dealership for a few hundred $$ loss, just to get rid of the darned thing. And I've been buying used cars for a looong time, and kinda know what I'm doing.

    Small, good-quality, low-mpg cars are really pricey right now in the used market. That's what happens when gas goes up. New cars didn't rise nearly as much, because there is still more supply than demand. Also, people just won't buy an econobox for $20k.

    Only buy this Integra if you absolutely have to have it, and if you can afford to throw $4000 at it in the first year without going broke. There is nothing worse -- except maybe microwave popcorn -- than making payments on a car that needs repairs, and then not being able to afford those repairs. I've seen it happen to people, and the results are an absolute disaster that messes up your life.

    Given your taste, if you want to spend $9 wisely, look for an '02 Protege or better yet, Protege5. They come without the insane Honda/Acura markup used.

    Long-windedly yours,
    -Mathias
  • civic4civic4 Member Posts: 33
    Always check with www.bbb.com, The Better Business Bureau will have information on its members and non members that may be helpful if considering a used car from a used car dealer. Some are ethical sales people, and some will sell you junk even if you were a family member. Also, be sure to file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau if you have unresolved issues or feel you are being treated unfairly as a consumer. By doing so, you may prevent another unscrupulous dealer from selling to an unassuming buyer. We have power as consumers but sometimes forget how strong a force we can be.
  • lemmerlemmer Member Posts: 2,689
    Did you sell the lowrider?
  • zodiac2004zodiac2004 Member Posts: 458
    The 1.6L is probably a typo. The '00 Integras had the 1.8 - as you pointed out.

    But 9000 for one with 160K - that's beyond crazy. That's a decent price for a 2000 with about half the mileage.
  • oregonboyoregonboy Member Posts: 1,650
    You might check with your insurance agent before the Integra purchase. Premiums will be high, and deservedly so. A Seattle area paper ran an article on the top 10 cars for theft in the region. Six of the 10 were Integras (of various years).

    Of course the market value of the Integra, and its desirability to thieves depends on the engine (which is an easy swap into a Civic).

    james
  • steine13steine13 Member Posts: 2,818
    Wholesaled it to the largest Chevy dealer in the area for a $600 loss... long story, but that's the gist of it.

    I just didn't see myself spending $$ to get a decent exhaust, and then turning around and selling it on the street.

    Live & learn.
    -Mathias
  • occupant1occupant1 Member Posts: 412
    of Cheap...Cars

    Of the 53 cars I've owned, 38 were purchased for $500 or less. That's for the whole car, not a down payment. Only 4 of them were inoperable at the time of purchase. All but six of them lasted more than a month. The best ones (the two Buick Centurys, one Datsun 210, and two Celebritys) lasted over a year each.

    I would much rather buy a $300 car every month for the rest of my life than spend thousands or tens of thousands on a new or later model used car which I would be sick of in six months or so.

    I buy my cars from eBay, Craigslist, private sellers, abandoned car auctions, and the occasional small used car lot. I like to go to smaller wrecker services for the abandoned cars because they are more likely to allow me to drive the car home. They also have locksmiths and guys selling used batteries and tires on premises to help out. If I buy a car from a city-run abandoned car auction I'd have to spend $75 to $200 to have it towed home depending on which city.

    Typically, the $300-$500 cars I buy seem to run for three to six months before something major happens to it. By that point, I'll strip out whatever will sell on eBay (radios, headlights and taillights, computer, interior plastics, trim, etc) and send the rest to a junkyard. I'll get $50 to $300 for the junk car and still have stuff to resell. And if it still runs by the end of six months and I'm sick of it, I'll resell it and probably make money. 50/50 chance of making a profit and then I go buy another.

    My wife doesn't get it, she drives a $4000 Lumina which we still owe half that and it's worth half of what we owe. But everything works but the cruise and it's a good looking car. So she's happy. And if she's happy, I'm happy. I just hope I can keep finding her decent cars in the sub-$5000 range so we aren't buried in some huge payment which will keep me from buying the beaters here and there when I need them. Right now I'm without a car because we made some repairs to hers and started buying Christmas gifts and paying off some old debts. But if all goes well, I'll be buying a pair of $300 cars off eBay and bringing them homein a couple weeks.
  • occupant1occupant1 Member Posts: 412
    Just picked up a 1989 Celebrity for $300. Drives fine, looks much nicer than my other $300 cars, too. I think I got a winner here. Only caveat is the AC does not work, compressor is locked up tight. But I don't care, because it's almost December and it won't get hot here in TX for 3-4 more months.
  • jipsterjipster Member Posts: 6,244
    I use to be the King of cheap cars... now I'm just the King of Cheap. :cry: I think the best beaters would come in at around $900-$1,500. We sold our 1994 Buick Century wagon two and a half years ago, got around $1,100 for it. Still in very good condition... air, tires, interior and exterior very nice, good miles. Did have a slow oil leak though. But, older Buick Centurys are a good bet for a beater.
    2020 Honda Accord EX-L, 2011 Hyundai Veracruz, 2010 Mercury Milan Premiere, 2007 Kia Optima
  • gussguss Member Posts: 1,167
    I bet your front yard looks nice. :)

    If you have the time and energy I am sure your system is one of the cheapest ways to get from point A to point B.

    The only problem with your system for me would be that when I used to drive beaters I would allways get that quesey feeling in the pit of my stomach when I would go out to start the car on a cold morning. I would think the cars in your wife's price range would be a ton more reliable, and still be worth something in a few years.

    Get a 98 Buick Century with 70-80k mile for $3-5,000 and drive the wheels off of it. But it sounds like you like the thrill of the hunt more than the actual cost saving compared to the time spent finding,fixing and re selling parts. We all need hobbies.
  • phinneas519phinneas519 Member Posts: 113
    I just bought my mom a $1,000 1978 Ford Fairmont that was in *impeccable* condition. Since it was a North Dakota car, it had no rust of any sort and it took only minimal fixing to get it ready for the trip back to WI (it belonged to an old lady whose son was a mechanic). He replaced all the leaky gaskets and other niggling things and all we had to do is give it a good 10 point inspection. Only 63,000 original miles. No fading in the interior - just a wonderful beater car for mom and definitely her type of vehicle - fits her like a glove. It runs much more smoothly and silently than the '88 Volvo 760 that was previously being considered for a good bit more money. Thank goodness for older cars that are well-preserved.
  • occupant1occupant1 Member Posts: 412
    definitely...

    I do the same thing for my friends as I do for myself. Friend "K" asks me to find him a $400 car, and I search around and make some calls and then let him know what I found. If he doesn't like any of them, I take him to an impound auction and let him pick the car.

    My yard looks terrific. The Celebrity I bought looks as good as it runs. It'll look better when I have time to detail it. Some people may call it polishing a turd, but I have beautiful turds.
  • kbtkbt Member Posts: 27
    I feel strongly about teaching my kids to drive stick, but don't have one. Toying with the idea of finding a cheap one to put 'em in to learn on. They'd be doing "around town" stuff but no real mileage, but the tranny, of course, will take a beating. ;-)

    Not even sure what the best models to look at are. Not many mom-vans with stick shift, it's been awhile since I've paid much attention to that.
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 32,889
    well, there are a ton of choices. Was there a certain style of vehicle you are thinking of? Does it NEED to be a mom-van? What is a mom-van, anyway? minivan? suv? cuv? wagon?

    anyhoo... how bout a pricerange?

    i'd suggest a Civic. But, if that's too pricey, then a Protege. If you want to go REALY cheap, there are a million 4-cyl manual tranny compact pickup trucks out there. $2k will get you a usable one.

    '11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S

  • kbtkbt Member Posts: 27
    No, NOT a momvan. I just need something I can teach a teen on and not worry tremendously about her going to the grocery store with once she learns. And then her brother... then her sister. Just saying I've been in vans/SUV's for so long that I haven't paid one bit of attention to what models are reliable with stick, etc.

    And while I always buy used cars, my price range is a bit higher than what I'm hoping to pay for this little learning experience, so I was attracted to this thread.

    4-cyl manual tranny compact pickup trucks

    My dad had one of those sitting in his driveway for years and just last year gave it away to the yard guy. LOL! Thanks, dad.
  • stubborn1stubborn1 Member Posts: 85
    If you just want training on driving a stick, check with a local driving school. Some offer training on manual transmission vehicles and would probably be a lot cheaper. If you need the additional vehicle, that's another story.

    You could also try some of the smaller car rental companies and see if they have anything with a manual.
  • michiganmikeymichiganmikey Member Posts: 1
    My personal fave was a 1972 Skylark that I got for $400. Made it through two Kansas winters with that beast and it never missed a beat. I have a $1000 Infiniti right now that I love--Craigslist is a great resource for these things.

    Incidentally, and I'm only providing this as an information resource (not endorsement/advertisement), there's a site that does nothing but review beaters, but their criteria is up to $5000. It's called Beater Review at http://www.beaterreview.com
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