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So I'm shopping for used cars. Right now it's just looking at the ads, and online, though I was wondering what sort of tips/advice anyone could offer on the subject. Right now, my requirements are pretty low; just something around 5 grand or lower, something in working condition (always a plus), and no vans/SUV/trucks. Well, maybe a van, but I'm not a fan of larger cars.
As far as manufacturer goes, I'm not picky, but if you guys know any reason why I should be, feel free to speak up.
The best used cars tend to be Honda Accords. Those things last forever. If anyone has better advice, get to it.
The newer Hundai Elantra's are supposed to be very reliable vehicles and you can probably find a 2001 or maybe even a 2002 that's in your price range.
Although I would have to agree with Mzo on the Honda Accords but you'd have to go a little bit older to get into your price range as they're more expensive.
Here's another question: How much mileage is considered good on a used car? I mean, less is better, sure, but when does it start to be too much? Would 100,000 miles already be too much, just right, or what?
70-80,000 is in a decent range I'd say. 100,000 miles can be a bit much because this is usually when cars start to go downhill.
Going used?
Go Toyota or Honda.
Can't go wrong with either. I had a Toyota pickup with 120,000 miles on it (bought it with 12 on it), never put oil in it, driving 90 on the freeway, the engine locked and seized up.
Coasted off the freeway, put oil in, and the damn thing went another 80,000 miles before I sold it.
Go for Toyota or Honda/Acura. They are seen as the most reliable cars by far. I'd say 80,000 miles is a good number. The aformentioned brands will go double that without much of a problem aside from normal maintance. Check out used Acuras, they're nice cars (my mom and dad both drive an Acura now).
How long do you want to use the car for? What are you going to be using the car for?
The problem with buying Hondas, Acuras, etc as used cars is that everyone knows that they are reliable - and because of this, they're priced accordingly.
I think the Infiniti G20 is the best value in cheap used cars. As far as I can tell, they're every bit as reliable as a Honda Civic/Accord, but the car is less well known, and as a result of that, not overvalued. They drive well, also, and you can get them in a 5-speed. You could take a G20 up to 150,000, easily, same thing goes for a lot of Japanese cars. They handle quite well, also.
If you know how to drive stick, or can find someone to teach you how, then you'd be much better off driving stick. They're more entertaining, and they're easy to replace. Automatics just have problems more often as they age.
I don't think there's anything wrong with 100,000 miles, and, in fact, looking for a car slightly over 100k would probably be a good idea, since it'd save you money (there's a psychological barrier towards buying a 100k car that drives those cars' prices down).
Use carfax.com to check out the history of any car before you buy it. I would take any used car you're seriously considering to a mechanic before buying it.
But, yeah, I say try to buy a 1991-1996 Infiniti G20 from a private party with a good, documented Carfax history.
Ah, you can buy really nice old Volvo 240s for $5k that will last a long time.
good advice.
Oh, and my use of the car would be commuting back and forth to Long Beach, which means local driving mainly. Although trips to and from LA on a frequent basis is also a concern.
Stay away from Civics and Integras, unless you know who the previous owner was. They often end up in the "rice-boy" crowd out there and they don't exactly take care with thier cars, and if its EVER had NOS on it, run away as fast as you can.
Any "reliable" import (read Honda, Toyota) for $5000 is going to have a ton of millage on it, and remember Import replacement parts can often run 3 times the costs of a domestic.
Stay away from VW, Hyundai (they still suck no matter what the comercials say), Kia, Nissan(renault in japanese clothing these days)....
The second gen Dodge Neon's aren't bad cheap cars at all, they were originaly prone to a head gasket failure, but that has been fixed for the most part. Plus they are pretty peppy little cars, and are actually pretty fun to drive hard.
Chevy Cavaliers are good cheap cars as well, my family has owned tons of them, and they are pretty reliable, not the most eligant car on earth, cheap to own, run and if stuff does break, pretty cheap to fix.
I would argue on your comments about Hyundai but for the most part you have pretty good points.
You have to factor in how old the car is along with how many miles is already put into it. I have a '95 Taurus and theres only 74,000 miles on it. Way under the mileage.Quote:
Originally Posted by Hero
I bought a used Honda Civic (from a Honda employee who took perfect care of the thing) about 3 years ago and it's been great for me. I've put about 20,000 miles on the thing so far and it's still running perfect (it's got just under 40,000 total on it). Hell, the "check engine" light has been on for about a year & a half now and it still runs perfectly. Plus on average I go 3 to 4 thousand miles over the recommended oil change mileage before I get around to changing it.
Get a Corolla... Carolla... whatever. Those things are fucking indestructable.
We just got a Chevy Lumina with 100,000 miles on it for $4,000, all I can say is BADASS! This is the best car we have ever had, sadly we need to replace the drivers side front door because Rachel is a shitty driver, and the streets of Philly, PA are fucking retarded but it's still an awesome car.
I second that... fuck that city.Quote:
Originally Posted by ShineAqua
It's the only city where people park their cars wherever they please and disregard every traffic law there is. No wonder we have such high homicide rates.
I had an '89 Cavalier and now I've had my 2002 Cavalier since it was new. No complaints.Quote:
Originally Posted by Wildkat
Im actually looking to buy a car in five or six months but I dont want to spend any more than $3-$4k at most ($2 or $2.5k would be even better). From what Im hearing from you guys its definitely possible. I really dont care about what I drive, and I just need it to last me my last year or so in school, everything else is gravy. If I decide to stay in LA after I graduate Ill use it to get around here and if I go back to NJ Ill use it to get around there.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Icepick
Fucking word.Quote:
Originally Posted by Icepick
You should see how much my mate thrashes the shit out of his '86 corolla. The only thing wrong with it is that one of the boots hinges is broken from miss-use, and sometimes his indicator lights don't work due to loose wiring, which you can fix yourself with ease.
Bandit will probably back me up when I say Stay The Fuck Away From Ford. I had an '84 Cavalier that I gave to my brother when I bought my '94 Taurus from within the family, and I'm beginning to think I gave him the wrong car.Quote:
Originally Posted by bandit
You really can't go wrong with a Toyota, and if you can't afford one, I'd go with a Cavalier.
Well, my '90 Corolla's transmission died on me right on New Year's Eve =\... So, I'm tempted to stay away from automatic when/if I decide to buy another car... Dumped a good $1,200 on it and replaced the calipurs as well. The way it died, really, I could've been killed... It was just braking on its own suddenly, but thankfully, it happened while I was waiting for the light to change (not very fun getting stuck and blocking traffic though)... Both me and the mechanic originally thought it was the brakes... Sadly, not the case, and the bill went from $300 to $1,200 :(. I went with a used replacement (47,000 miles on it), so hope it lasts, as I really didn't feel like buying another car or paying more for a rebuilt part.
what do you guys know about late 80's Toyota MR2's? i've made up my mind and am set on getting one within the next 2 months.
Damn skippy. Even tho the Fix Or Repair Daily (FORD) isnt really true, I havent fixed much on my car. But my car looks like a piece of shit ever since my mom was driving it during the winter and got hit on the side of the car and sent her sliding into a pile of snow. Fucked up the axle, the steering, the bumper, the hood and the lights. Stupid insurance company still paid them even tho it was that persons fault. But we got money too, but we didnt use it to fix the car, we just put it towards the '02 Honda Odyssey.Quote:
Originally Posted by burgundy
I'm thinking of getting an Accord or Corolla Type S. But since the hoopty has 74,000 miles on it and is almost 8 years old, I think I can ride it out until it dies on me. That way, I can save more money and maybe get a Lexus IS or Benz.
Try driving in England where there are 0 Jaywalking laws.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gohron
I think I almost killed 4 people due to them just running in front of my car.
MVS: you should have tried harder.
Always kick the tires when looking at a used car. That'll tell the seller that you're no sucker and you know exactly what you're doing! :p
My first car was a '80 Chevy Malibu. Pretty good car, until the tranny went one night and 'drive' went away. The car would only go in reverse, so I had to drive home backwards, which was actually pretty cool. Junked.
My next car was an '84 Thunderbird. This car was a fucking nightmare. Please don't ever buy a Ford, they suck. Broke down constantly. Finally junked after the burning oil fumes were making me sick.
Then I was faced with a problem- I had enough money to get a decent used car, but I decided I wanted a new one, so I got a cheap ride to tide me over while I saved up a little more. A '78 Buick Regal was what I got. I bought it off an old lady for $500. I remember her very fat grandson came with me and my friend while we were taking a test-ride. He sat in the back seat on the right side of the car, and I noticed that the car was actually leaning to the right. When I pointed it out (I thought the shocks were shot or something), he said "Oh, that's me. Sorry!" and shifted to the middle of the back seat. The car sagged back to normal. Heh.
Anyway, that car RULED. I beat the shit out of that thing and it came back for more. Never broke down on me, survived a side-collision with a crazy mexican cab driver and kept going, was falling apart but kept on running. Finally I junked it right as it was about to fall to pieces. What a ride.
Now I have my new car, a 2000 Dodge Avenger. Great fucking car.
Here's a piece of advice I have when buying used cars:
Get the VIN number and run it through Carfax. The 85 accord that I used to drive seemed to be in pretty good condition, and only had 80k miles on it. Later, I ran a carfax report, it had been totalled TWICE, and by my best estimate had 200,000+ miles on it.
That being said, that car kicked ass and I'm thinking of buying another to use as a beater vehicle in the winter.
Secondly, get your car checked out by a mechanic (other than whoever may be at the dealer you take it to) Especially if they claim it to be a rebuilt or new engine, but you see 120,000 on the speedometer. Rebuilt doesn't always mean fixed. Most places will do a quick inspection for very little cash, and if the seller doesn't let you take the car to get it checked out you shouldn't buy from them anyway.
Oh yeah, one more thing from personal experience. If it's got a new paint job, find out who did it. My car (91 RX-7) had a brand new paintjob when I got it about a year ago, but it must have been a Maaco special because it's already starting to chip in places. Not a big deal to me, I would have bought the car anyway, but GOOD paintjobs are expensive as hell.
Buy the next thing that you see with a spoiler. That way you will be fast enough to go back in time and change your purchase.
I dont know much about the average condition of an MR2, but those things are shweet!Quote:
Originally Posted by Lucas Barton
Buy me one too.
Any Buick car that was made before the 90's were built like a tank. I had a '84 Buick Le Sabre and boy did that shit haul ass. Only probably was that the radiator kept leaking and it wouldnt start sometimes even when the spark plug and whatever else was changed. It was in excellent condition minus some rust here and there and some cracks in the paint.
The pedestrians in New Haven, CT (Yale campus), couldn't give two shits about cars. They just walk across the road whenever they want and the cars stop. When I do that out here I get beeped at and the timid Californian drivers shake their fists at me. Wimps.Quote:
Originally Posted by MVS
Hero, get a Volvo and just drive the crap out of it.
i want a new Mazda 3(or even better an rx8), but i'm still broke and jobless, so i'll probably be getting another pos used car soon too. Most assuredly a Honda or Toyota. No more american cars for me EVER.
Hyundai's might be alright if you're going to baby it - but I'd steer CLEAR away if you drive even the slightest bit rough. Even if it has the 100,000 mile warranty ( on new ones, not transferable to used of course ) it doesn't really matter much when you know the dealer's employees by name because you're there once a month. My wife works for a medical supply company, they have a ton of delivery vehicles. Last year they bought three Hyundai's. One went through three trannies, one was totalled in a GAS STATION PARKING LOT when it hit a small ditch ( at low speed ) and the airbags triggered, blowing out almost every window and instantly "totaling" ( i.e. the cost to replace the airbags and windows exceeded the vehicles value ) the car and I believe the third is dead or was quickly traded in. After years of well-maintained-no-major-probelm Caravan's, Neon's, etc. that easily hit the 200,000 mile mark, they'll be no more Hyundai's for them. The other thing is they were told they had to take the car back to the dealer it was purchased from for warranty repairs ( this may have since changed ) unlike most makes I've seen which have a warranty database accessable by any dealer in the country. They have since bought a couple of Saturns, which if you talk to anyone who owns one they will tell you they are very nice cars - you will pay for the rep when buying them used though. The newer style Chevy Malibu's ( the one they brought back around 97 I think ) are made at one of the most trouble-free plants in North America, have a nice optional V6 with some nut and can be had for a good price if you find the right one.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gohron
The ultimate I-need-a-decent-used-car-for-not-alot-of-cash vehicle is definately a Dodge ( or Plymouth ) Neon. I certainly wouldn't want to buy one new ( unless it was an SRT-4 or was for the warranty ) but the things devalue so quickly ( lucky for you they don't say Mitsubishi on the front ) you can find sick deals on used ones. I'm grabbing my local paper right now.....
there's a '96 with 56K miles 5-speed stick ( no tranny worries ) "exc. condition" for $2650. There's a '97 with "high miles" for $1500 ( it's no wonder people buy them as "project cars" ) and for $5000 or less you could get a late '90's or even 2000+ with low miles in awesome shape. Granted, the first few years ( '95, '96, '97 ) can have head gasket issues, but if you ask in alot of cases when your grabbing a '95 for $1500 it's already had the gasket replaced - and if the right gasket was used it won't happen again. Uh, here's a '99 Malibu V6 with "high miles" ( not a problem on that engine if it was properly cared for ) for $2800 "must sell", which basicly means you start by waving $2000 in cash in front of him and you'll definately have it for $2500 or even less.
Here's more from bargainnews.com ( my local trader paper ) all private owners: '00 Neon Auto 77K $3995, '00 Neon Auto 32K $3200, '99 Neon Auto 60K $2950, '97 V6 Malibu Auto 60K $3900, '97 Malibu Auto loaded 98K $3800, '99 Malibu Auto loaded 59K, $5500 - you get the idea.
For the best deals buy from a private owner, bring cash in $50 or $100 increments and start the bidding LOW - you'd be surprised at how a stack of green waved at them makes them say "deal". If you get yourself set on a particular make/model, research the car inside and out on enthusiast sites ( such as www.allpar.com ) and find the common problems ( all cars have certain "issues" associated with them, some big some small ) check / ask about them and ask about how it was maintained. It's much easier for a dealer's rep. ( who probably has NO clue about the vehicles history ) to B.S. you then it is for the current owner to.
Dude, I was in Cali in October and I was amazed at how all the pedestrians obeyed the traffic signals and all just stood there until the 'WALK' sign came on, even if there wasn't a car in sight. Me and my friend thought the crosswalks were electrified or there were horrific jaywalking laws or something where your legs were chopped off if you were caught crossing against the signal. And cars would stop in the middle of the street and let people cross! Insane. In NY you cross whenever the urge hits you and take your chances.Quote:
Originally Posted by Calliander
Exactly. Like real people, not wimpy Californians. What wusses they are out here.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dolemite
If I'm in no hurry, I'll wait for the signal, but if I'm in a rush, fuck 'em. I also cut in front of pedestrians who have the signal to go if I'm in my car. Let 'em learn to fend for themselves instead of living this sheltered, docile life.
If you want to save a few bucks, opt for the Chevy/Geo Prizm instead. They're pretty much the EXACT same cars except for the emblems.Quote:
Originally Posted by Icepick
Not to mention, Chevy's are American while Toyota is Japanese. I vouch never to touch buy a american car again.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tones
Corolla's / Prizm's are assembled in California at a plant that is a joint venture between GM and Toyota. Same car, same assembly line - different resale values. This essentially proves that perception of brand quality, not neccesarily the actual quality itself ( in this case identical ) is a driving factor in the auto resale market.Quote:
Originally Posted by bandit
Fantastic. That must give you a great sense of pride knowing you won't be supporting American companies or economy as much as you could be. But that's OK, because you can put an American flag sticker on your car made by a German corporation in Mexico to show everyone how much you love America.Quote:
Originally Posted by bandit
If you say its identical. Corolla and Civic is more like identical in my opinionQuote:
Originally Posted by sphere79
Just because I dont buy a american car means I dont support american companies? Good thinking. I just said, I wouldnt buy a american car..as I dont like them.Quote:
Fantastic. That must give you a great sense of pride knowing you won't be supporting American companies or economy as much as you could be. But that's OK, because you can put an American flag sticker on your car made by a German corporation in Mexico to show everyone how much you love America.
Reason being that a large percentage of American-brand cars just fucking suck. Ford and Chrysler come to mind. GM makes quality cars, though.Quote:
Originally Posted by sphere79
Actually, a surprisingly large number of Japanese and German cars are being built over here (actually, mostly SUVs, but some cars).Quote:
Originally Posted by sphere79
As far as I know, BMW X5s, X3s, and Z4s are built in South Carolina. Nissan's trucks and SUVs are built here, Toyota is building Lexuses in Canada. Ford Focuses are built in Mexico. The old Camaro used to be built in Canada. Pontiac's new GTO is built in Australia by Holden, GM's Australian imprint.
Lexus, which is a Toyota brand that was designed and has been made exclusively for Americans, is now being reintroduced to Japan. (The Japanese used to buy our Lexuses badged as Toyotas. A lot of them would then replace the Toyota badges with Lexus badges, I guess because they liked the Japanese-Americanness of Lexus.)
Ford owns Volvo, Jaguar, Aston Martin, Land Rover. GM owns Saab, and has a good-sized stake in Subaru. Chrysler is owned by DaimlerChrysler which owns Mitsubishi.
Mazda may be a Japanese marque, but it's owned by Ford. Chrysler is an American marque, but it's owned by the Germans and they build the Crossfire in Germany (I believe), and a lot of new Chryslers are going to use something like 35%-50% Benz parts.
If you support unions, then you've got a reason to buy American. The Japanese car/truck manufacturers all use non-union plants in the south. The American car makers have enormous, stifling deals with the UAW.
Nationalism when it comes to cars is pretty stupid - most car manufacturers are really international.
The only car company I dislike is Volkswagen, because of the Hitler thing. Fuck the people's wagon.
No, Bandit, the 90s Toyota Corolla and the 90s Chevy/Geo Prizm were absolutely identical. They're the exact same car, made at the exact Toyota-GM joint venture plant, NUMMI.Quote:
If you say its identical. Corolla and Civic is more like identical in my opinion
I dont think anyone has brought this up yet but always do a price check at www.kbb.com and try not to pay anymore that whats listed. Blue book value is very legit and is what a lot of buyers use as their source for talking someone down from their asking price.
Bishop's got a point here...when I bought my car the asking price was $5000. KBB value on it was something like $3300. I didn't get it for 3300, but it did help bring it down.
On the flip side, the bank would only give me $3500 for the loan because of that, but the car really was worth more than 5k because of the work that was done to it. That sucked.
Good post, but a couple points. Mitsu isnt owned by DCX, they have a stake in the company, and are planning to share some platforms, but Mistsubishi is still on thier own.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stone
Most Car companies are international these days, but where do those profits ultimately end up?
Being a Mopar guy since I was about 9, the Dahmler takeover of Chrysler really irks me. And things currently arent looking very good, as there are reports of Germany killing possible new Chrysler designed cars becuase they out-perform the Mercedes equilivent cars, and do it for a lot less $$$. If Chrysler was still an american company we wouldn't have to miss out on some potentionaly great cars becuase of some nationalistic pride.
I also have issues with people who Instantly Write off an "American" nameplate becuase of mistakes in the past. I always see complaints like, "I had a '86 chevy nova and it was a piece of crap, now I have a '97 Toyota and its great" when in reality the Chevy they were driving WAS a Toyota and they are comparing Cars 10 years apart from each other.
The gas guzzling super-boats of the 70's and Dodge Colts(A mitsubishi)/Ford Escort(A mazda)/and the chevy metros(a suzuki) of the 80s are long over folks.
You forgot Lincoln.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stone
I see.Quote:
No, Bandit, the 90s Toyota Corolla and the 90s Chevy/Geo Prizm were absolutely identical. They're the exact same car, made at the exact Toyota-GM joint venture plant, NUMMI.
Anything in that price range will be high mileage regardless, but nevertheless, I suggest you look on Autotrader for used 1995-98 Maximas. I found a '97 Nissan Maxima with 117,XXX miles for only $5900 near where I live. Don't worry, the engine itself (it's known as the VQ) has proven to be very reliable. In fact, the Maxima has proven itself to be just as reliable as the Accord, but unlike the Honda, used Maxima's are far from overpriced. But more than that, it's a very nice car, with a sporting personality not to mention that it is one of the fastest V6 midsize sedans on the market at the time. The general fit and finish of this car match the best selling competitors from Toyota and Honda, but at a much cheaper price used. Most of all, the car's quality will make it feel that the car is worth more than you paid for it, and that's a huge bonus for any used car.
--Benjamin
My dad had a Maxima...mid 90's. It broke down all the time.
American cars have come a long way since the 80s, but they are still not up to the quality standards of Japanese models (even those made in the US). American car makers are still using antiquated technology. The mustang has been built on the same platform for the last 25 years! It finally is getting an all new platform next year and guess what, same old crappy live axle suspension in back. It's more than that stuff though, all one needs to do is look at the gaps between the body panels and the quality of materials used on interiors. Compare any $20k american family sedan to an Accord and it's not even close. It almost always comes up in any Car & Driver comaprison test, the american car's interior feels "cheap" and the import's interior will get praised. Interiors are just an example, but it applies to the whole car. Amrican companies cut too many corners and are not assembled as well.Quote:
Originally Posted by Wildkat
The V6 Stang and the GT will both get the solid live-axle rear suspension. The designers kept these intact because these are still "muscle cars", aka, 2 seats, 4 doors, big V8, and a live-axle. The live axle has shown to be better for the straight line, and guess what, not many people take their fast cars to the tracks. The Cobra, however, will keep the trend from the 03, and will continue to have IRS (independent rear suspension). However, it will be a much more refined job than the 03.
I think that the American "fun" car line-up has been drastically improving lately. Dodge brought out the SRT-4 last year, and the SRT-10 should be in dealerships this year. The Corvette has been unveiled a few months ago, and definitely shows a more "supercar" design, and it will have a much nicer interior. The Solstace is bound to come out in a year or two, and with its ~170 hp 4-cyl, it should give the Miata some competition. The GTO was just released, and its competitive performance is available for much less than its German competitors. All in all, I'm glad to see that performance is finally back on American automakers' agendas.
To be honest, I've never had any heart-felt dedication to any continent's car output. It's just that American cars appear to be the nicest ones coming out. The Supra, RX7, as well as the older Z cars (before the uber-expensive '90's models) were performance gold-mines, but nowadays, Japanese manufacturers are really lacking in terms of competitive sport tourers (to me, the RX8 and 350Z are both pretty "blah"). Nowadays, the most respectable numbers have been coming out of the rally-inspired sedans. The STi and Lancer Evo both perform with excellence, although the Evo's tendency to be rusting on the dealer lot kind of goes against typical Japanese quality.
Really? I think they're both incredible cars. I really like the Crossfire too.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tones
rx8 is awesome. i want one. It's not the fastest but its road manners outclass any similiarly priced american sports car.
The RX8 is a nice car, and the back seat is really comfortable, but I think it's a little underpowered for a car of its price. Taken from their website: "238 hp at 8,500 rpm and 159 lb-ft of torque at 5,500 rpm (6-speed manual transmission)..." While I realize that stats aren't all that matter, I think that these are pretty weak for a car that's in the upper 20's/lower 30's. That's about the same price as a very slightly used 03 Cobra, which has 390 hp @ 6,000 rpm and 390 lb.-ft. @ 3,500 rpm.
However, the RX8 will definitely be more interesting when Mazda decides to bring a twin turbo version out. :)
The 350Z is a nice car, but it just doesn't excite me that much.
[sarcasm]Except Saturn. Those are totally fantastic cars. No other company produces a better line of vehicles.[/sarcasm]Quote:
Originally Posted by stormy
The RX8 isn't really designed to be a high performance sports car, it's more of a "normal" car on crack.
Personally, I hope Mazda goes through with releasing a new RX-7. They said if the RX8 did well they probably would make it, using the Renesis design on a smaller two seater. And I'm seeing RX-8's everywhere.
so i'm driving in the passenger seat with a friend yesterday and the cell phone rings. It's my friend Chris, whom i only see once in a while now. This is how the conversation goes.
Chris: Hey. what are you doing tonight?
me: I'm in vermont, but i'll be home tomorrow. what are you doing?
chris: Oh i just got a new car.
me: huh? what? what kind?
He had been talking about an STi forever, and in my head i hear him S.T.i. but he doesn't say that.
chris: an rx8
me: WHAT!? i hate you. i really fucking hate you. god damn you! OIV:NR*Y*($HFODSNCBLRGF*HBSXHJA:IFH"KCN;Hofha;hdf;!!!!!!!!! that's awesome, i'm checking it out tomorrow.
He picked me up and we went driving around the backroads for 45 min. It's so sweet. He got a bright red base 6sp, 25K even. He wasn't even planning on buying, just wanted a test drive but bought it that day, traded in his 02 civic si. He's put 320 miles on it so far so it's still breaking in. We took it easy but did redline it once. The cornering is amazing, the car sticks like it's glued down. It was awful getting back in my car after he left. I want one even more now :cry:
Heh heh heh.
Be careful about redlining it before it's broken in...once it's broken in though, that engine is built for redlining :D
*prays to the Rotary gods*
i just wanna know who the hotty in bandits av is........
I don't really get all the ford hate. Yeah if you own, or have owned a 80s model ford car, you’re going to get trouble. American car companies put out a lot of shit in the 80s. That is the only reason you are able to buy so many import cars now. The 80s allowed foreign car manufactures to get a foothold on the US market.
I have been driving the shit out of 97 ford probe for forever now, and haven’t had any trouble with it that I didn’t cause myself. I floor it, I drive unsafe speeds in it, I jump rail road tracks in it, I take sharp 100 degree turns in it with out slowing down, and I drive through rivers in it. Yes, rivers. I’ve drove it through flooding water areas. The only time I ever had trouble with it was the one time I drove it through 1.7 feet fo water at walmart. -_- got water in it and burned out the stupid oxygen sensor. I still have problems with that damn sensor, but I’m not paying for another one.
Before this semester, it got driven for at least a hour everyday, sense 97. I drove the stock tires on it until you could see the metal in them. It’s a damn good car for how badly I treat the thing.
Also, Ford’s full size Vans rock. Fuck minivans. Word to the wise, never buy a 80s model minivan, they are death traps. A Ford clubwagon is where it is at. My family has owned 3 or 4 of them. We still have the original 80s one. They haul ass, and can carry a good size load. Me and my father have hauled huge loads with ours, several tons, across several states. Our newest CW is a 2002 I think. It has a big V10 in it. It has a lot of power, and a lot of speed.
I don't hate Ford, but I do hate 90% of the Mustang owners around here. Heh.
I do too, it's little more than a shitty economy car these days. If it didn't have the name mustang on it no one would think anything about it.Quote:
Originally Posted by GohanX
i know it will never happen, but they ought to scrap all v6 Mustangs and only make V8s.
My little sister has one. Its 19 years old, and she has been in 6 (count them) SIX car accidents in about 9 months, and it still runs.Quote:
Originally Posted by Josh
Its like a fucking jesus-car.
I'm kinda partial to the Subaru WRX. :)
My previous car was a '96 Pontiac Sunfire, automatic. It ran great for about 3.5 years, then started to go down hill. It's got 110k miles on it and kinda runs like crap. But it looks super clean.
My '04 WRX is awesome. I still am learning to master driving a manual tranny, but even with my poor shifting skills, this car is fun. All wheel drive and a tight suspension make this thing stick to the road like a car should.
Cars have come a long way in the last 20 years. American, Japanese, or wherever. My father can remember when Subarus were first being sold in America. They would come in to the lot on the truck with rusted bodies! Brand new. Tis true.
In defense of Hyundai--about this time last year, I bought a new Tiburon, and I love it. The car's fast, is built solid, and runs like a top.
I don't know how it will hold up in the long run, but so far, so good.
In a perfect world, this would be true, but there would also be no automatics in my world. ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by stormy
In reality, though, the V6 Mustang definitely brings in the profit margins, and it allows people to say "I have a Mustang" without laying out too much dough for a V8.
I want a car with a V10 in it.
They've been showing an increasing number of those at auto shows in recent years.. and Chrylser recently showed a V12 concept car. I wouldn't know what to do with that kind of power. :sweat:Quote:
Originally Posted by IronPlant
ruin your tires and give yourself whiplash.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ex Ranza
You want a V10 buy a Jaguar
I love my 95 GT! :cry:Quote:
Originally Posted by IronPlant
There's nothing wrong with having a 302 V8! :mad:
Wouldnt you and everyone else like to know ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Dragonmaster Dyne
Dodge. Viper.Quote:
Originally Posted by IronPlant
Yes please do because none of them have a V10. :lol:Quote:
Originally Posted by Error
Where did you hear Hyundai of all brands makes a reliable car!? JD Power and Associates really, really disagrees with youQuote:
Originally Posted by Gohron
http://www.jdpa.com/presspass/pr/ima...03050bfull.gif
You couldn't pay me to take a POS Hyundai...or any Korean car for that matter. Volkswagens are crap on reliability too, but at least they make up for it with wads of style :)
I like my Hyundai.. a POS it ain't, or I wouldn't have bought it.
anecdotal evidence is so common on the internet, but despite that remains useless. The statistics are really against you. Hyundais are amongst the most unreliable cars on the road.
If you read my initial post, you would see that I can admit they have a less-than-stellar reputation, and I am still wary of problems down the road--but as I said, so far so good. Regardless, "a Korean POS" is hardly a tactful description of the car.
And it has lots of style. :)
Oh ok. Why the hell did I think Jaguars had V10s?
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/?news/a...y.php?id=36305
Fine it's not an official Jag, but at least I'm not totally nuts. One does exist. :P
Interesting concept car there, I hadn't seen that one before. Still, doesn't really count...I mean people put V8's in Mazda Miatas. You could probably shove a V10 into a few cars if you really wanted to spend the money doing it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Error