College car

[AntaresVI]

I'm going to buy a car this summer to take back to school with me, and I'm starting to look around to get a general idea of what exactly I want and need and what's in my price range. I want something decently sporty, manual transmission, FWD or AWD (school is in Rochester) and under $4 or 5k. I realize that this leaves me with relatively few options, but right now I'm looking at the 95-97 Maxima and the 94-97 Celica. Good choices? I prefer the Celica, but I have heard it has no guts till you get a GT, which is probably getting close to the upper limit of my price range.

Any other suggestions? I'd prefer under 100k miles and 10 years old, but if it's reliable I could do more.

Thanks, guys

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Beat up Civic.

Oh, sporty? H22 swap.

- M4H

 

[jagec]

If I were you, I'd get something older, simply because it will probably get dinged a few times in college. I had an '89 Celica which worked really well, it was fun enough to drive and got good mileage. Took it on a bunch of roadtrips. The only problem was that the backseat was extremely uncomfortable for long trips.

If the Maxima gets good enough mileage for you, that would be a good bet.

 

[ironcrotch]

Why do u need a car?

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
Beat up Civic.

Oh, sporty? H22 swap.

- M4H

Gone in 20 seconds. Don't get a Civic unless you can park it in a locked garage.

 

[sniperruff]

for $5000, your best bet is a used altima/galant, or for compacts you can get a focus, or a protege.

IMO celica and maxima is out of your price range. just shoot for something practical.

 

[TheLonelyPhoenix]

Buy the Celica and spray-paint "GT" next to the model. That's always good for a few HP. Don't forget the NOS decal!

Onto serious answer... for 5k, it's gunna be hard to do much better than an older Celica, Civic, or something of that nature, particularly if you need reliability. I'd probably take the Maxima if I were you though.

Edit: Oh yeah, look into a Protege too, as long as you don't go too far back you'll be in good shape. Before around 94-95 they had a few reliability issues.

 

[DaWhim]

get a subaru. get a wagon with 4 doors. good groceries getter!

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Originally posted by: jagec

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
Beat up Civic.

Oh, sporty? H22 swap.

- M4H

Gone in 20 seconds. Don't get a Civic unless you can park it in a locked garage.

Only if you cover it in decal-bukakke and/or rice the hell out of it. A slighty beat-up, ten-year-old, possibly rusty four-door with no exterior mods could be left unlocked downtown and wouldn't be touched.

It's the one with the "Honda Powered" windshield banner, fartcan, and neon-lit stereo that gets ripped off.

- M4H

 

[cressida]

Initial D Corolla

 

[sniperruff]

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire

Originally posted by: jagec

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
Beat up Civic.

Oh, sporty? H22 swap.

- M4H

Gone in 20 seconds. Don't get a Civic unless you can park it in a locked garage.

Only if you cover it in decal-bukakke and/or rice the hell out of it. A slighty beat-up, ten-year-old, possibly rusty four-door with no exterior mods could be left unlocked downtown and wouldn't be touched.

It's the one with the "Honda Powered" windshield banner, fartcan, and neon-lit stereo that gets ripped off.

- M4H

wasn't there a guy on ATOT with a beat up civic DX hatch with no mods got broken into by a hobo to take a nap in it?

 

[jlee]

Civic/Accord/Corolla/Camry..

 

[AntaresVI]

Originally posted by: sniperruff

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire

Originally posted by: jagec

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
Beat up Civic.

Oh, sporty? H22 swap.

- M4H

Gone in 20 seconds. Don't get a Civic unless you can park it in a locked garage.

Only if you cover it in decal-bukakke and/or rice the hell out of it. A slighty beat-up, ten-year-old, possibly rusty four-door with no exterior mods could be left unlocked downtown and wouldn't be touched.

It's the one with the "Honda Powered" windshield banner, fartcan, and neon-lit stereo that gets ripped off.

- M4H

wasn't there a guy on ATOT with a beat up civic DX hatch with no mods got broken into by a hobo to take a nap in it?

hahaha

 

[AntaresVI]

Originally posted by: CadetLee
Civic/Accord/Corolla/Camry..

CAMRY? so booooring.....

(sorry nfs4)

 

[shopbruin]

my bf has a 95 maxima and its still putting along fine. just try to find one well maintained. he only has scratches and dents from driving in LA.

 

[sniperruff]

just want to add that since you're in college, try looking for something reliable rather than trying to find a remotely fast car. go for anything under 70k miles, not 100k

 

[jlee]

Originally posted by: AntaresVI

Originally posted by: CadetLee
Civic/Accord/Corolla/Camry..

CAMRY? so booooring.....

(sorry nfs4)

You're looking for reliability or looks?

Why not RWD?

 

[CrackRabbit]

Buy an old Chrysler 2.2 or 2.5 liter econobox and spend the extra 4 grand on beer.

 

[globalcitizen]

WW2 jeep at the local military surplus?

 

[VWhed]

Volvo 240, do I need to say anything else?

 

[SynthDude2001]

Anything that's big (because you're always moving your crap around) and reliable (...because you don't want it to die on the side of the road in rural Texas like my first car did last year).

 

[Anubis]

Originally posted by: VWhed
Volvo 240, do I need to say anything else?

they are anything but sporty

but great cars, i recomend one as well

 

[damonpip]

Subaru Legacy AWD

 

[jlee]

Originally posted by: Anubis

Originally posted by: VWhed
Volvo 240, do I need to say anything else?

they are anything buy sporty

but great cars, i recomend one as well

My sister has one -- not the most reliable thing ever, but maybe it was just due for maintainance or something..

 

[Viperoni]

should be able to get a 240sx for that much.

Otherwise, a tempo/topaz v6 5speed will definetely count as fairly quick