Good First Car, 7000 dollar or less budget

[Spikesoldier]

mazda protege

99+

 

[beatle]

Miata! Outstanding reliability, cheap to maintain, operate AND insure, even for a younger driver. They have a big aftermarket and one of the best forums on the net. Dang, I sound like an evangelist for the car.

 

[Freaknificent]

My car! Nissan Maxima
Its only got like 170k miles on it... Practically still a baby...

 

[BatmanNate]

Also, I know it's heretical around here to recommend something other than a Honda civic or the like, but honestly if I hadn't had an unreliable car when I was a kid, I probably wouldn't know how to work on them. Get an 80's Dodge. It may not be reliable, but damn if you won't be handy with a wrench after awhile.

 

[wetcat007]

Originally posted by: AgaBooga

Originally posted by: BatmanNate
Get a pickup. They're cheap, don't look as bad when they're all dented up, and you can haul stuff. Bench seats can be a blessing.

they have cheap insurance too

Yeah but gas cost goes up with them too, and they arnt my favorite type of car to drive.. My parents have always bought domestic cars, We've had very good luck with diamler-chrysler cars, but kind of hit or miss on GM's almost always ended up with the exact same tranmission problem for some reason? We never owned any fords before but I would expect them to be decent too. lol the only foreign car my parents have ever owned is one of the classic vw bugs now that was reliable! lol

 

[Shockwave]

Originally posted by: beatle
Miata! Outstanding reliability, cheap to maintain, operate AND insure, even for a younger driver. They have a big aftermarket and one of the best forums on the net. Dang, I sound like an evangelist for the car.

You know you can fit an LS1 in one of those too? That'd be even funner then my project car I want to do. Holy Christ a Miata with a worked LS1.... :Q

 

[PCMarine]

Although not very sporty looking, you could pick up a newer ford taurus with the 200 HP V6 for $7K, or you could pick up an earlier SHO if you want a faster car. Taurus's have tons of features for the price and they are really easy on insurance costs.

 

[Shockwave]

Originally posted by: PCMarine
Although not very sporty looking, you could pick up a newer ford taurus with the 200 HP V6 for $7K, or you could pick up an earlier SHO if you want a faster car. Taurus's have tons of features for the price and they are really easy on insurance costs.

I have a 97 Taurus. Its ran very well up to the 117,000 on it right now. Tranny is starting to act up a bit though. Otherwise, its been a flawless car in every sense of the word. I havent done ANYTHING but oil changes and brake changes to it. Insurance runs me around 70 bucks a month liability. Its the base V6, 3.0

 

[cliftonite]

Originally posted by: kermalou
look in hot deals about the buy one get one free kia

Wtf are you serious? Car compaines offer buy one get one frees now?

 

[CraigRT]

maybe like a 96 lude or something.

 

[NutBucket]

Originally posted by: Shockwave

Originally posted by: beatle
Miata! Outstanding reliability, cheap to maintain, operate AND insure, even for a younger driver. They have a big aftermarket and one of the best forums on the net. Dang, I sound like an evangelist for the car.

You know you can fit an LS1 in one of those too? That'd be even funner then my project car I want to do. Holy Christ a Miata with a worked LS1.... :Q

A 302 is a more common swap

 

[wetcat007]

Originally posted by: cliftonite

Originally posted by: kermalou
look in hot deals about the buy one get one free kia

Wtf are you serious? Car compaines offer buy one get one frees now?

That was a joke as to how worthless kia's are.

 

[NutBucket]

Originally posted by: wetcat007

Originally posted by: cliftonite

Originally posted by: kermalou
look in hot deals about the buy one get one free kia

Wtf are you serious? Car compaines offer buy one get one frees now?

That was a joke as to how worthless kia's are.

No, its not a joke.

 

[Shockwave]

Originally posted by: NutBucket

Originally posted by: Shockwave

Originally posted by: beatle
Miata! Outstanding reliability, cheap to maintain, operate AND insure, even for a younger driver. They have a big aftermarket and one of the best forums on the net. Dang, I sound like an evangelist for the car.

You know you can fit an LS1 in one of those too? That'd be even funner then my project car I want to do. Holy Christ a Miata with a worked LS1.... :Q

A 302 is a more common swap

But less power.

 

[tweakmm]

Originally posted by: Marlin1975
I have seen toyotas that were pretty much gone at 50K

What kind of Toyota was pretty much gone at 50k? What kind of driver did it have and did they ever change the oil?

 

[NutBucket]

Originally posted by: Shockwave

Originally posted by: NutBucket

Originally posted by: Shockwave

Originally posted by: beatle
Miata! Outstanding reliability, cheap to maintain, operate AND insure, even for a younger driver. They have a big aftermarket and one of the best forums on the net. Dang, I sound like an evangelist for the car.

You know you can fit an LS1 in one of those too? That'd be even funner then my project car I want to do. Holy Christ a Miata with a worked LS1.... :Q

A 302 is a more common swap

But less power.

I shouldn't have to tell you the aftermarket for the 302 the same, if not bigger then for the LS1. The power problem is easily remedied

 

[Shockwave]

Originally posted by: NutBucket

Originally posted by: Shockwave

Originally posted by: NutBucket

Originally posted by: Shockwave

Originally posted by: beatle
Miata! Outstanding reliability, cheap to maintain, operate AND insure, even for a younger driver. They have a big aftermarket and one of the best forums on the net. Dang, I sound like an evangelist for the car.

You know you can fit an LS1 in one of those too? That'd be even funner then my project car I want to do. Holy Christ a Miata with a worked LS1.... :Q

A 302 is a more common swap

But less power.

I shouldn't have to tell you the aftermarket for the 302 the same, if not bigger then for the LS1. The power problem is easily remedied

Your right, you dont have to tell me
Both engines have HUGE aftermarket support. But hey, if you just want out-of-crate and go, might as well do the LS1. Although, the 302 blocks are cheaper arent they?

 

[wetcat007]

Originally posted by: tweakmm

Originally posted by: Marlin1975
I have seen toyotas that were pretty much gone at 50K

What kind of Toyota was pretty much gone at 50k? What kind of driver did it have and did they ever change the oil?

I mean 100k i could maybe understand, but 50k is really low, still under an extended warrenty at that milage. lol sounds like a oil change issue possible, or an ignored problem.

 

[Vette73]

Originally posted by: wetcat007

Originally posted by: tweakmm

Originally posted by: Marlin1975
I have seen toyotas that were pretty much gone at 50K

What kind of Toyota was pretty much gone at 50k? What kind of driver did it have and did they ever change the oil?

I mean 100k i could maybe understand, but 50k is really low, still under an extended warrenty at that milage. lol sounds like a oil change issue possible, or an ignored problem.

THATS MY POINT By the time a car hits or passes 30-50K reliabiltiy will be more based on the owner of the car, NOT the car itself. And yes most of the time it is not changing the oil, or driving really hard, to much weight, bad tires, etc.....

So again, look at a car for what it is a USED car, not a NAME.

So the usually fanybody cry here like "Well its a Honda it must be good...." or "Its american you KNOW its crap...." means nothing compared to the owner and how it was taken care of.

 

[tweakmm]

Originally posted by: Marlin1975

Originally posted by: wetcat007

Originally posted by: tweakmm

Originally posted by: Marlin1975
I have seen toyotas that were pretty much gone at 50K

What kind of Toyota was pretty much gone at 50k? What kind of driver did it have and did they ever change the oil?

I mean 100k i could maybe understand, but 50k is really low, still under an extended warrenty at that milage. lol sounds like a oil change issue possible, or an ignored problem.

THATS MY POINT By the time a car hits or passes 30-50K reliabiltiy will be more based on the owner of the car, NOT the car itself. And yes most of the time it is not changing the oil, or driving really hard, to much weight, bad tires, etc.....

No, if a Toyota crapped out at 50k, it was a lemon the day it was driven off the lot or the owner never changed the oil.

 

[beatle]

Originally posted by: Shockwave

Originally posted by: beatle
Miata! Outstanding reliability, cheap to maintain, operate AND insure, even for a younger driver. They have a big aftermarket and one of the best forums on the net. Dang, I sound like an evangelist for the car.

You know you can fit an LS1 in one of those too? That'd be even funner then my project car I want to do. Holy Christ a Miata with a worked LS1.... :Q

I haven't seen an LS1 yet, but I've seen a 306 w/10 psi of boost! :Q

 

[dave127]

99-2000 Grand Am...decent sized, somewhat sporty (not really but enough), drives decently....its my first car and im definitely happy with it

 

[Vette73]

Originally posted by: dave127
99-2000 Grand Am...decent sized, somewhat sporty (not really but enough), drives decently....its my first car and im definitely happy with it

Be warned you will be flamed as you don't drive a Toyota or Honda, as this is a ricer board.

[idiot]Cause we all know GM sucks....[/idiot]

 

[Jumpem]

An 88 or 89 supercharged Toyota MR2. I've been trying to find one for a month with no luck.

 

[WinkOsmosis]

Originally posted by: NutBucket

Originally posted by: Shockwave

Originally posted by: beatle
Miata! Outstanding reliability, cheap to maintain, operate AND insure, even for a younger driver. They have a big aftermarket and one of the best forums on the net. Dang, I sound like an evangelist for the car.

You know you can fit an LS1 in one of those too? That'd be even funner then my project car I want to do. Holy Christ a Miata with a worked LS1.... :Q

A 302 is a more common swap

I don't see why someone would swap a GM engine into a Miata. It would make more sense to swap in a Ford, Jaguar, etc. Would you swap an LS1 into a Mustang?