i need a friggen car

[Turin39789]

still debating stealing conjurs car, but if I can get a small loan from a bank or friend I found a few cars on ebay that I am thinking about now, worst part will just be trying to bum rides to work until the auctions end. One is a 1990 volvo 240 with 165k miles on it that has a buy it now for 1650 the other a restored 1972 volkswagen beetle that has no bids, starts at 2300 and but it now at 2900. the volkswagen might not be as practical, but i'm a fanboi and just lucked to come across this right now. If i am going to go into debt again it may as well be for a car i've been wanting for 5 years

 

[Dunbar]

Don't buy a Volvo, they are expensive to maintain. I'd go with the 90-93 Accord but be sure it is in good condition (have it inspected.) Any 10+ year old car that hasn't been maintained is gonna be expensive. My friend's mom has a 93 Accord that's been maintained and it drives real nice. IMO, you can't beat Honda for a 5+ year old used car.

 

[fyleow]

Get a used Hyundai or Kia. Their value drops so quickly you could probably get a year 2000

For example

 

[flot]

Wow Turin, you sure know how to pick some winners for cars. Buying a used car from ebay has got to be the #1 way to get screwed.. Way to ask for advice and then ignore all of it...

 

[CraigRT]

buy Japanese, except Mitsubishi.

 

[Black88GTA]

I was in the same boat as you a couple years ago. I looked around for a while, and finally found a "gem" among the crap.

I paid $200 off the lot (including taxes, title, reg. fees, plate, etc.) for this car. It had 42k miles (yes, only 42 thousand - not a typo ) when I got it in November 2001. I'm still driving it today, and it's got almost 60k on it now. It's only a 4 cylinder automatic, so it's good in the snow. It has never given me any problems whatsoever, other than stuff it needed when I got it. (I had to replace the radiator, plus some minor stuff). More pics:

Left side
Right side
Front

I found it on a trade in lot at a large Chevy dealership. They didn't want it there, so I paid next to nothing for it. Look at large dealerships, and ask to see their "trade-in" lot. Almost all dealers have them, and they're filled with cars that people trade in that they can't sell on the "A" lot. Maybe they're a little rusty or dented, or kind of old, or just not worth fixing up. Dealers are always trying to get rid of these cars - they take new trade ins all the time, so if you look around, you may find a really good price on a decent car. Good luck!

 

[Pocatello]

You could get a Subaru Legacy for cheap, around $2K or $3K.

 

[Turin39789]

Originally posted by: flot
Wow Turin, you sure know how to pick some winners for cars. Buying a used car from ebay has got to be the #1 way to get screwed.. Way to ask for advice and then ignore all of it...

I appreciate all the advice, but I am not goign to buy a car on ebay without going and looking at it first, and all these cars are local and close to me. It's also been my experience that the volvo 240 is good for at least 200k miles before major problems develop sometimes longer, so i dont think that one is that bad. As far as the bug goes, I will only get it if it runs good as a daily driver, and I also have a good idea of how to maintain that car so I'm not too worried. If those fall through then I probably will be taking the advice and getting a cheap pos or the cheapest japanese car that is still running decent.

 

[thomsbrain]

early 90's civic or corolla, all the way.

 

[Compton]

Originally posted by: CeruleanFall
I can personally vouche for a 1984 Chevy Impala. Not so good on the gas mileage, but I literally TRIED to kill the car after a while and it wouldn't die. Not that I'm wasteful, but it was amazing the abuse it could take. It had nearly 200K when I got rid of it (gave it away to the guy I bought it from because I got a new car), and I went the last 40K without an oil change. It was freakish how reliable it was, Ithink it thrived on neglect.

I concur. I have an 84 Caprice. You can't kill these cars. They're built like tanks and parts are dirt cheap. They're extremely easy to work on too.

 

[thomsbrain]

as for volvos, they will run forever and ever, but only with regular maintenence. skip your scheduled service appointment and it will run pretty rough. and those appointments will cost you, too, same as any european car. so if you can afford the upkeep, they are a sound investment (and very safe cars, of course), but if the thought of required regular tune-ups beyond oil changes sounds bad, they're probably not the best cars.

 

[Turin39789]

Originally posted by: thomsbrain
as for volvos, they will run forever and ever, but only with regular maintenence. skip your scheduled service appointment and it will run pretty rough. and those appointments will cost you, too, same as any european car. so if you can afford the upkeep, they are a sound investment (and very safe cars, of course), but if the thought of required regular tune-ups beyond oil changes sounds bad, they're probably not the best cars.

hadnt heard that. thats one of the reasons I was leaning domestic, because even though there are pitfalls I have a good idea of what they are. although the japanese maintenance record may tempt me

 

[Ryan]

Dude, don't got VW if you want a reliable car - you'll regret it. As stated above many times, Toyota, Honda, and Nissan are the way to go if you want somehting reliable. Also, you're argument about not knowing how to work on them really holds no water - but a repair manual and setup shop, it's not that hard.