Suggest me a grocery getter

[konakona]

I tried my best to get by without having to put up with insurance/gas money as long as possible, but time has come for me to seriously consider getting my first car ever.

Despite being close friends with roomates who were car buff, I never had any experience in driving a motorized vehicle other than a go-kart. Getting a driver license may take a while, but I will manage somehow I guess.

Now, I am not entirely sure when I would pull the trigger if ever, though it would be good to educate myself a bit before I actually make any purchasing decisions. Honestly, I am not so into cars, all I want is an el cheapo that wouldnt give me maintenance headaches (or the least of it) and gets good milage. Nothing else really matters, not planning on using this for any special occasion or anything. Resale value might matter as my future plans for next 5 years or so are somewhat uncertain.

My x-roomate told me to go with a used civic. I am open to your suggestions AT 🙂

 

[IanE]

If you wanna buy something new, Toyota Yaris.

If you wanna spend like, the least amount of money possible, then yea, get a used Civic.

Good luck.

 

[raildogg]

Used: Honda Civic
New: Honda Fit (very nice car)

 

[konakona]

thx for suggestions. for the time being, i dont think i want something new.. civic it is then i guess 😀

 

[mwmorph]

Look into the Geo Prisim, manufactured and designed by toyota, It's a Corolla with different badging, different taillights, a GM/Delco Radio head unit and lacking a front Sway Bar.

It is mechanically 99% similar to a Corolla, using all the same parts except those mentioned above and thus has the same reliability/mileage but will cost much less to buy than a Civic or Corolla of the same year because of the badging.

 

[Tarrant64]

Originally posted by: mwmorph
Look into the Geo Prisim, manufactured and designed by toyota, It's a Corolla with different badging, different taillights, a GM/Delco Radio head unit and lacking a front Sway Bar.

It is mechanically 99% similar to a Corolla, using all the same parts except those mentioned above and thus has the same reliability/mileage but will cost much less to buy than a Civic or Corolla of the same year because of the badging.

toyota corolla has my vote.

although i had the worst experience ever with the 98-00 models
(it's more common than people think, with the engine burning oil sometime after 50k miles...every 400 miles or so you lose 3qtrs of oil. it just burns up, doesn't leak. stupid problem, huh? i dealt with it for 3 long years).

Otherwise, cheap, for the most part reliable, good gas mileage.


Still can't beat an old honda civic though. Hands down.

 

[Vette73]

Whats your budget?


If used look at the Chevy Cobalt. They fit your specs of "cheap, reliable and gas efficient". The civic is not bad either but it will fail on the cheap part as people pay for them as thats what everybody says to get. heck sometimes its cheaper to buy a new one then a year old one when the year end "deals" come out.

But the Cobalt (Pontiac G5) you should look at. The resale is low so they should fit your budget and the ecotec motor is pretty much bullet proof.

If you budget is much lower and you need a much older car then as mwmorph said look at the Chevy Prizm

 

[konakona]

The guy who suggested me civic has two cars atm: an evo8 and civic, and the latter set him back around 3.8 grands. I plan on spending around the same if not lower 🙂

 

[desy]

Around 4 G will get you a nice late 90's Escort
Mazda Protege with domestic depreciation

 

[thomsbrain]

Another vote for the Geo/Chevy Prizm, which as mentioned is a rebadged Toyota Corolla. This is a very reliable, efficient car with predictable handling that would be good for a beginner. A used Civic is another good option (more fun to drive).

 

[konakona]

oh yeah, another key question: where would be a good place to look for used cars? also, what do I look for when I test drive one? (or have someone else do it for me, cant drive yet 🙂)

thanks for all your input. so far I have
geo/chevy prism
chevy cobalt
ford escort
mazda protege

 

[Arkaign]

Check out the Craigslist for your area (which is?)

If I had $3k for a used car, I'd probably get something like this :

http://dallas.craigslist.org/car/397818026.html

Good MPG, it's a very reliable model, 200ish HP motor, plenty of room but not a 'boat', easy to find parts for, dirt cheap to insure, and that particular example is only $2,500 (might talk him to $2200) with less than 130k miles. With regular maintenance (timing, oil, plugs, wires), the thing should hit 200k-225k miles without any significant issues.

Nothing wrong with used Civics either, though I think for $2,500 you'd end up with less 'car' than with something like the Maxima. The leather and Bose Audio, power seat, etc, make for a more luxurious experience as well, and jumping up freeway entrance ramps is a lot more comfortable with 200hp instead of 115/130/140/etc.

 

[Dudewithoutapet]

Yep, a used Maxima, Camry, or Accord would do you good too. They are slightly larger, but still meet your three requirements. Especially as the years go up, all of their prices are very near each other. The difference between a used Corolla and a used Camry will not be that significant.

 

[konakona]

Originally posted by: Arkaign
Check out the Craigslist for your area (which is?)

If I had $3k for a used car, I'd probably get something like this :

http://dallas.craigslist.org/car/397818026.html

Good MPG, it's a very reliable model, 200ish HP motor, plenty of room but not a 'boat', easy to find parts for, dirt cheap to insure, and that particular example is only $2,500 (might talk him to $2200) with less than 130k miles. With regular maintenance (timing, oil, plugs, wires), the thing should hit 200k-225k miles without any significant issues.

Nothing wrong with used Civics either, though I think for $2,500 you'd end up with less 'car' than with something like the Maxima. The leather and Bose Audio, power seat, etc, make for a more luxurious experience as well, and jumping up freeway entrance ramps is a lot more comfortable with 200hp instead of 115/130/140/etc.

lol I happen to live in dallas/ftw area (richardson)
dunno when I would actually buy a car though, need to work on my license first 🙂

point taken on maxima, camry and accord.

 

[Arkaign]

Originally posted by: VanillaH

Originally posted by: Arkaign
Check out the Craigslist for your area (which is?)

If I had $3k for a used car, I'd probably get something like this :

http://dallas.craigslist.org/car/397818026.html

Good MPG, it's a very reliable model, 200ish HP motor, plenty of room but not a 'boat', easy to find parts for, dirt cheap to insure, and that particular example is only $2,500 (might talk him to $2200) with less than 130k miles. With regular maintenance (timing, oil, plugs, wires), the thing should hit 200k-225k miles without any significant issues.

Nothing wrong with used Civics either, though I think for $2,500 you'd end up with less 'car' than with something like the Maxima. The leather and Bose Audio, power seat, etc, make for a more luxurious experience as well, and jumping up freeway entrance ramps is a lot more comfortable with 200hp instead of 115/130/140/etc.

lol I happen to live in dallas/ftw area (richardson)
dunno when I would actually buy a car though, need to work on my license first 🙂

point taken on maxima, camry and accord.

Good deal 🙂 Just check back with Craigslist when you're ready to buy.

Note on Camry/Accord/Maxima :

The Maximas only come with the V6, but it's optional on both the Camry/Accord. It's a bit harder to find a respectably priced V6 Camry or Accord compared to the Maxima, a '95 Accord V6 w/130k would probably be more in the range of $4k-$6k, ditto on the Camry. I like them all about equally, but the Maxima is probably a better value, due to the much reduced cost. Comfort/Ride/Power are all more or less equivalent, but the price is a lot different.

Beware the 4cyl Accords/Camrys, they are big cars, and are pretty sluggish with the automatic + 4 cylinder. Fuel economy isn't much different either, because the little motors have to work so hard to push a car of that size. Example :

1995 Accord 2.2L 130HP Inline 4 Cylinder Auto gets 23 City/29 Hwy
1995 Camry 2.2L 125HP Inline 4 Cylinder Auto gets 21 City/28 Hwy
1995 Maxima 3.0L 190HP/205TQ V6 6 Cylinder Auto gets 21 City/28 Hwy

So, huge difference in power, almost identical fuel economy. Speaking from experience, that V6 will eat some gas if you have a lead foot, but it's a great motor overall.

 

[mwmorph]

Originally posted by: Arkaign

Originally posted by: VanillaH

Originally posted by: Arkaign
Check out the Craigslist for your area (which is?)

If I had $3k for a used car, I'd probably get something like this :

http://dallas.craigslist.org/car/397818026.html

Good MPG, it's a very reliable model, 200ish HP motor, plenty of room but not a 'boat', easy to find parts for, dirt cheap to insure, and that particular example is only $2,500 (might talk him to $2200) with less than 130k miles. With regular maintenance (timing, oil, plugs, wires), the thing should hit 200k-225k miles without any significant issues.

Nothing wrong with used Civics either, though I think for $2,500 you'd end up with less 'car' than with something like the Maxima. The leather and Bose Audio, power seat, etc, make for a more luxurious experience as well, and jumping up freeway entrance ramps is a lot more comfortable with 200hp instead of 115/130/140/etc.

lol I happen to live in dallas/ftw area (richardson)
dunno when I would actually buy a car though, need to work on my license first 🙂

point taken on maxima, camry and accord.

Good deal 🙂 Just check back with Craigslist when you're ready to buy.

Note on Camry/Accord/Maxima :

The Maximas only come with the V6, but it's optional on both the Camry/Accord. It's a bit harder to find a respectably priced V6 Camry or Accord compared to the Maxima, a '95 Accord V6 w/130k would probably be more in the range of $4k-$6k, ditto on the Camry. I like them all about equally, but the Maxima is probably a better value, due to the much reduced cost. Comfort/Ride/Power are all more or less equivalent, but the price is a lot different.

Beware the 4cyl Accords/Camrys, they are big cars, and are pretty sluggish with the automatic + 4 cylinder. Fuel economy isn't much different either, because the little motors have to work so hard to push a car of that size. Example :

1995 Accord 2.2L 130HP Inline 4 Cylinder Auto gets 23 City/29 Hwy
1995 Camry 2.2L 125HP Inline 4 Cylinder Auto gets 21 City/28 Hwy
1995 Maxima 3.0L 190HP/205TQ V6 6 Cylinder Auto gets 21 City/28 Hwy

So, huge difference in power, almost identical fuel economy. Speaking from experience, that V6 will eat some gas if you have a lead foot, but it's a great motor overall.

You have a valid point on the power differential, but we have to remember, this is a guy with no experience driving whatsoever. 200hp is nothing but more of a challenge to drive fro him. A camry/accord I4 will do 0-60 in ~10 seconds. A Maxima will do it in the high 6 range. I'd rather see him start in a car that is slower but easier to drive than the self proclaimed/nissan marketed "4 door sports car"

 

[konakona]

You have a valid point on the power differential, but we have to remember, this is a guy with no experience driving whatsoever. 200hp is nothing but more of a challenge to drive fro him. A camry/accord I4 will do 0-60 in ~10 seconds. A Maxima will do it in the high 6 range. I'd rather see him start in a car that is slower but easier to drive than the self proclaimed/nissan marketed "4 door sports car"

well if that says something about how much I am going to give up for insurance bills then..

 

[Harabec]

Try something like my own car, a '88 Renault 5. Its a supermini, 1250cc (there are 1.2L, 1.3L and 1.4L versions) 5-speed with absolutely nothing that can go wrong. Chassis, engine, wheels. Very comfortable.
my last car was a European '95 Ford Mondeo (GREAT CAR!) so it was a step down, but you can't go cheaper than that! 😀

I think it was not imported to the US in those years (you got an earlier version called LeCar...) but surely you can find something similar.

BTW: it drives like a go-kart, so you should feel right at home.

 

[Strk]

Originally posted by: Harabec
Try something like my own car, a '88 Renault 5. Its a supermini, 1250cc (there are 1.2L, 1.3L and 1.4L versions) 5-speed with absolutely nothing that can go wrong. Chassis, engine, wheels. Very comfortable.
my last car was a European '95 Ford Mondeo (GREAT CAR!) so it was a step down, but you can't go cheaper than that! 😀

I think it was not imported to the US in those years (you got an earlier version called LeCar...) but surely you can find something similar.

BTW: it drives like a go-kart, so you should feel right at home.

The Ford Contour (it's a Mondeo) wouldn't be a bad choice, now that you mention it.

 

[Arkaign]

Originally posted by: konakona

You have a valid point on the power differential, but we have to remember, this is a guy with no experience driving whatsoever. 200hp is nothing but more of a challenge to drive fro him. A camry/accord I4 will do 0-60 in ~10 seconds. A Maxima will do it in the high 6 range. I'd rather see him start in a car that is slower but easier to drive than the self proclaimed/nissan marketed "4 door sports car"

well if that says something about how much I am going to give up for insurance bills then..

Nah, Insurance should be dirt cheap. It's a 4 door non-turbo, from Nissan. I insured an RX-7 with a few tickets on my record when I was 20-21, though it was liability-only, and even that wasn't so bad ($105/mo). I imagine that for a younger driver and a non-sports car, it would be about the same.

 

[konakona]

Originally posted by: Arkaign

Originally posted by: konakona

You have a valid point on the power differential, but we have to remember, this is a guy with no experience driving whatsoever. 200hp is nothing but more of a challenge to drive fro him. A camry/accord I4 will do 0-60 in ~10 seconds. A Maxima will do it in the high 6 range. I'd rather see him start in a car that is slower but easier to drive than the self proclaimed/nissan marketed "4 door sports car"

well if that says something about how much I am going to give up for insurance bills then..

Nah, Insurance should be dirt cheap. It's a 4 door non-turbo, from Nissan. I insured an RX-7 with a few tickets on my record when I was 20-21, though it was liability-only, and even that wasn't so bad ($105/mo). I imagine that for a younger driver and a non-sports car, it would be about the same.

heh I am 26 btw 🙂

 

[Arkaign]

Originally posted by: konakona

Originally posted by: Arkaign

Originally posted by: konakona

You have a valid point on the power differential, but we have to remember, this is a guy with no experience driving whatsoever. 200hp is nothing but more of a challenge to drive fro him. A camry/accord I4 will do 0-60 in ~10 seconds. A Maxima will do it in the high 6 range. I'd rather see him start in a car that is slower but easier to drive than the self proclaimed/nissan marketed "4 door sports car"

well if that says something about how much I am going to give up for insurance bills then..

Nah, Insurance should be dirt cheap. It's a 4 door non-turbo, from Nissan. I insured an RX-7 with a few tickets on my record when I was 20-21, though it was liability-only, and even that wasn't so bad ($105/mo). I imagine that for a younger driver and a non-sports car, it would be about the same.

heh I am 26 btw 🙂

Oh hell, maybe $50-$60/mo for liability on a Maxima then. You'll get great reliability, decent fuel economy, good comfort and room, decent power, and it will be safer than an econobox in the possible event of a collision.