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College car???

Pliablemoose

Pliablemoose

Lifer
Daughter's car totaled...

Need replacement:

30 mpg
manual tranny
carry 3-4 people (the reason she doesn't want another Miata)
~$7K
Not a Civic
Not Corolla

Update

Got her this one: Text

Got it down to $7150 + TTL

No bodywork or major damage,a couple of small dents and some scratches, and the doggone thing's missing a headrest, but I think it will be perfect.

40 mpg on the highway 😀

I paid $4500 for her Miata, ins company gave me $6K for it, and I threw in the difference.

 
Why no Corolla or Civic?

They've got a great reliability record and reputation, you'll have no problems selling one, resale value is excellent (which means you'll pay more now, but get more back when YOU sell), they're safe, and the styling isn't overly controversial...

By all means don't buy either, but to discount them altogther seems pretty dumb.

Since you're a mazda/ford fanboi, why not a 323 or focus?

The focus certainly won't have the same resale values the civics and corollas have, so yo should be able to pickup quite a new one for that, and it's not toyota or honda, so it's gotta be good, right? 😉

Not sure about 323 resale values, but they're also excellent little cars.

You could also look at Astras in that size/class.

Or go down a little is size (still four doors, I hate 2 door cars that have rear seats) and look at the Jazz, Yaris (evil, I know), Fiesta, Mazda2, Barina and Suzuki Swift crowd.
 
Originally posted by: theslickvik
Mazda 3?
Click to expand...

i think u missed the $7k budget 😛

OP, a protege actually might not be bad. We have a 1997 and it's a nice little car. i have a friend who's 6'3" and he says he's perfectly comfortable in the driver, passenger, and back seat even though the car's a compact.

i just did a search on craigslist and found a 2004 mazda 3 with 77k miles. it's in a really nice blue color and has 17" rims. it's $6k. the only think is it's auto. you might get lucky and find one around you. i'm the san francisco bay area (california) btw.

maybe a honda prelude, also?
 
I just wanted to eliminate the easy picks by taking the Civic & Corolla off the table.

She doesn't like the headlights on the Prelude (would have been my pick) 😕

 
Originally posted by: Pliablemoose
I just wanted to eliminate the easy picks by taking the Civic & Corolla off the table.

She doesn't like the headlights on the Prelude (would have been my pick) 😕
Click to expand...

Maybe get a list of acceptable choices from her, then narrow down from there?
 
Originally posted by: SearchMaster
Originally posted by: Pliablemoose
I just wanted to eliminate the easy picks by taking the Civic & Corolla off the table.

She doesn't like the headlights on the Prelude (would have been my pick) 😕
Click to expand...

Maybe get a list of acceptable choices from her, then narrow down from there?
Click to expand...

I gave her my password for autotrader.com and she's saving the cars she likes.
 
why a stick?
olds 88, buick park avenue. both get 30mpg, 5 people fit fine, very reliable. 3.8L is one of the best engines ever made.
 
I'm loving my $5.5k 98 maxima. It's what I currently use at college and it's a fairly decent corolla/camry alternative.
 
Originally posted by: xeemzor
Originally posted by: nakedfrog
Volvo V70 Wagon 😛
Click to expand...

I loved my 850 when I drove it around during my HS years.
Click to expand...

I bought my 740 from a couple that had graduated from college fairly recently, and the woman said she was sad to see it go (they needed marriage funds and it needed a repair).
 
Originally posted by: nakedfrog
Originally posted by: xeemzor
Originally posted by: nakedfrog
Volvo V70 Wagon 😛
Click to expand...

I loved my 850 when I drove it around during my HS years.
Click to expand...

I bought my 740 from a couple that had graduated from college fairly recently, and the woman said she was sad to see it go (they needed marriage funds and it needed a repair).
Click to expand...

I have to admit, I've always liked the way bricks looked.

Located a dealer that has a few of what I'm looking for in stock, including a Supra & a Civic HX.

Daughter wants a MT, takes after her old man 😀

 
A supra and a Civic HX?

That's a rather odd cross shop. It's like wanting lobster, but settling or fish sticks. 😛

 
Civic or Corolla. Sorry, they really are the best options.

Put it to your daughter this way: In college, your car is going to get beat up. You will live in conditions where you have to park close to other drivers and you're doing to get dinged. You will never have an opportunity to cheaply wash your car. You'll fill it with friends with dirty shoes. You'll use it to move and boxes and furniture will chew up the interior. You'll take it to the beach and/or skiing. It may get broken into in the school parking lot. Do you really want to bring a car to school to which you're emotionally attached? It's better to leave the status of your car at the bottom of your worry list. Save the cute or fun car for when you're out in the real world and have the attention and money to devote to keeping it cute and fun.
 
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