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Passat/Altima/camry/accord debate, I have a 01 passat and love it, such great comfort, style and handling, plus the warranty is improved, not the bland car the others are, and the interior much better, IMO than the new altima, which looks a little too pontiac inside.
Anyway, what's the best old volvo to buy for reliability and the least expensive to maintain? I'd like to spend as little as possible (who wouldn't?) but of course don't want to end up paying for it later.
Thanks!
Don't get the 4-cyl with carb and 3-speed auto as it is terribly underpowered. Even with manual tranny, the carb engines are to be avoided if possible. Also, don't get the 6-cyl (bad old Renault engine) or the turbo on these cars as it was just too early and is a repair nightmare -- most people with these engines replace them with regular 4-cyls if they keep them at all. The fuel-injected 4-cyls with 4-spd + overdrive manual or auto have usually done him well.
I live in Chicago, we tend to find our beaters on the street, in gas station lots, etc. I've been at my mom's in Indiana, lots of old American cars for sale in people's yards for next to nothing. Check your local free papers, too.
Um, some OK really cheap cars IMO (less than $1000):
old GMs (77-80s Caprices/LeSabres especially, but they use some gas)
80s Honda Accord & Civic 5 speed, watch for rust; I'd avoid Prelude
80s Nissan Sentras, super cheap and common (get a 5 spd)
Toyotas, of course (mid-80s Corollas, 84-86 Camry)
Maybe an old Hyundai Excel, if not ever in a hurry (SSLLLOOOWWW)
You don't want big repair$, stay away from any beater Saabs, Volvos, BMWs, Acuras (parts are '$pensive) or VWs (parts again). You don't want an $800 European car.
Have fun, let us know what you find._
arkham "chrysler sebring vs dodge stratus vs mitsubishi galant vs subaru legacy" Oct 28, 2001 7:11pm
my favorites right now are the subaru legacy, chrysler sebring / dodge stratus and the mitsubishi galant.
1)Chevy prism LSi w/automatic transmission, and sunroof options.
2) Olds Alero GX
3) hyndai Eltra GLS w/sunroof option
Both GM cars cost ~$16500 - 2500 = $14k. the elantra also costs 14k.
Plus/minus:
Prizm - Toyota reliability, sunroof. Antilock brakes costs $500 more. no lumbar support. lower warrenty than other 2 cars (3yr/36k miles)
Alero - Antilock brakes and traction control standard. no sunroof, or lumbar support. 5yr/60k warrenty
Elantra - Can pick sunroof OR antilock brakes, not both. Seats have lumbar support. 5yr/60k warrenty. "Laugh" factor. ie: Friends laugh at you for buying a Hyundai.
ok, i have a 93 sentra w/180k miles that beginning fall apart. It doesnt have antilock brakes and it drives fine so ABS is low priority. But i like longer warrenties. And sunroof is good. I plan to drive the car till it dies so resell value isnt a consideration. But i do drive long trips.
Questions:
1) How much more does lumbar support add to the ride?
2) Whats the difference between cloth upholstery and premium cloth upholstery?
3) Which of those 3 cars would you choose?
THX
Also, does anyone know if either one of these cars be fitted with an aftermarket navigation sysyem?
Thnaks
I vote for the Prizm as the best of these 3. Why ? Because -
1) Reputation for reliability - this car is the mechanical clone of the Toyota Corolla, built at the NUMMI plant in Fremont California, alongside the Corolla.
2) 3/36 warranty is fine, vs. 5/60 for Alero, or combo of 5/60 & 10/100 for Elantra - because most warranty repairs will occur in the first year or so of ownership... by the time 3/36 rolls around, you should have had all the minor bugs surface & be repaired under warranty. In the time between 3/36 and 5/60, nothing major should be expected to fail. (Think about your '93 Sentra - if you've had it since new, what (if anything) broke during 1995, 1996, 1997 ?)
If this is a major concern, any car dealer will happily sell you an extended warranty to bring the 3/36 up to 5/60, or 7/75, etc.
3) Resale - if you plan to sell / trade in this car in 2-4 years, the Prizm should hold its value better, due to its Toyota roots. Alero = Oldsmobile = extinct after this year. Hyundai = amazingly poor resale value.
4) GM Card free money on the Prizm - this should help rule out the Hyundai. Also, check whether GM is still offering 0% financing, and if it applies to this model. This of course depends on your credit situation.
-Karl
1. Accord EXV6: Proven design and reliability. Tops in value. But staid.
2. Camry SEV6 (non-leather): Toyota reputation, new model, but so-so styling and power and relatively high cost.
3. Maxima GXE: Sweet VQ35, has more standard equipment but you also pay a little more than the other 2, plus possibility of obsolescence in near future as Nissan moves Maxima in whole different direction.
What do you guys think?
I agree the SE is sweet, but it exceeded our budget. And this will primarily be my wife's car, and she wouldn't care about the handling advantage of the SE.
I'd pick the Acura TL type S for best value - Edmunds' editors choice as well. The Lexus is worth a look since you want a QUIETER car.
Very Kindly,
TheWorldIzMyn
My wife and I have a four year old and a eight month old.
I drive a 2000 Impala and my wife drives a 2000 Camry.
Both are nice cars, but for me I feel safer in the Impala and it's more fun to drive. It has the 3.8 liter V6 that has a good reliability record and the Impala did very good in all crash tests.
I keep car's for along time and I'm sure these will be around awhile. If you have questions let me know and good luck!
And congrats on the new baby. He (she) will change your life forever!
Steve
As to changing tires in a rainy night, a $60/70 annual AAA policy would have you covered. However with the Hyundai, you will be calling the RA many more times and most likely with much more severe problems than a flat tire.
Hyundais have poor resale value for a reason:market does not trust them. The market is brutally honest and has very short memory. For example, VW/Audi designed a better product and their resale values shot up in spite of the unjustified stigma from the past. No such thing happening with Hyundai. Buyer beware.
Anyway, this is off topic here. Join us in the other topic in smart shoppers if you want to discuss further.
Please respond to jfallon@edmunds.com by Friday, November 16 with your story.
If you are looking for a new car the Honda Accord 2002 SE (special edition) is a great buy since it gives you the moonroof and security system as well as some other goodies! I am not sure the price range yo are looking into but if not new most used Accords are great buys and you really can't go wrong.
Yes, but that's only half the story: the driver error was "caused" by the human engineering of the floor pedal layout. In a nutshell, the pedals were too far to the left, so the gas pedal was effectively "center", instead of being tucked up to the right as we find on most cars. A quick stomp straight down with the right foot looking for the brake...missed.
Reportedly, Detroit had the same exact problem back in the 1950's.
-hh
That fat pedal was there for emergency two footed braking, right? Grab onto the steering wheel with both hands and stomp the brake pedal with both feet to use the 'mighty' stopping power of 4-wheel drum brakes. Thankfully, cars have improved A LOT since then...
The lease on my 1999 Accord EX V6 coupe is ending in February and I'm looking at getting a new sedan in the $20-22K price range. I'm considering a Civic EX sedan or a Jetta GLS 1.8 Turbo, w/AT. Aside from being a new sedan in the price range, other things that are important are reliability, quality, and a car that holds its value well - like a Honda. I owned a civic coupe ('98-recently traded for a Jeep Liberty for my husband) and really liked driving the Civic, but I am worried that the sedan will be too small. Are there any other cars I should consider? Any opinions on the two cars I'm currently thinking about? Thanks!
Cyndi
30,000 miles vs. a new honda lx 4 cyl. Both
are about $17,000. New vs. higher end used.
Any opinions?