YACT: What to get for $7k or less?

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cchen

Diamond Member
Oct 12, 1999
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I'm looking to get a used car for $7k or less.

Some of the better options I've seen so far:

96 BMW 318ti - silver, 88k miles, fully loaded with all options, sport package, auto, $7000
96 Audi A4 2.8 Quattro - red, 100k miles, fully loaded, Car A/C unit was recently replaced as well as entire power-steering system, manual, $6800
97 audi a4 1.8t - 84k miles, navy blue, $7000
95 bmw 325is - doesn't list mileage, at, ac, pw, pdl, lthr, p/seats, pwr.sunroof, cd, alloys, dark blue, $6995

those are some of the better cars i've found for my price range in my area (Washington, DC suburbs)

What do you guys think of these cars, and what others would you recommend?

Edit: The car will be driven a lot during the summer and less during the other seasons
 
F

FuZoR

Diamond Member
Sep 22, 2001
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your gonna get raped in repairs..

you sure you want to go german at a budget?
 
Freejack2

Freejack2

Diamond Member
Dec 31, 2000
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Awful lot of miles and age on those cars. Expect to put a bit of money in repairs. Can you afford dropping 2, 3 or 4 grand in the next year or two for repairs?

Might want to look at something newer that isn't a luxury car. Heck you can get 2001 used domestics still under factory warranty for $7k
 
vi edit

vi edit

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Oct 28, 1999
62,484
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You are leaning twords luxury type vehicles. You pay a premium in price up front, and then another premium when it comes to repairs.

Be smart and look at something like a Maxima or if you want a premium brand, Infiniti.
 
C

cchen

Diamond Member
Oct 12, 1999
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Originally posted by: Freejack2
Awful lot of miles and age on those cars. Expect to put a bit of money in repairs. Can you afford dropping 2, 3 or 4 grand in the next year or two for repairs?

Might want to look at something newer that isn't a luxury car. Heck you can get 2001 used domestics still under factory warranty for $7k
Click to expand...

Do you guys really consider 84k miles a lot?

The problem is.... I want to get something nice. If I'm gonna get a crappy car, I might as well just spend $3000
 
vi edit

vi edit

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Oct 28, 1999
62,484
8,345
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Do you guys really consider 84k miles a lot?

The problem is.... I want to get something nice. If I'm gonna get a crappy car, I might as well just spend $3000
Click to expand...

The problem is that you want to go cheap on a not cheap car. You are buying cars right at the threshold of being money pits. Any car with 80k is right at the point where you have to start replacing a lot of stuff. And with the cars you are looking at (BMW, Audi) you are looking at paying 50%-100% more than you would for a non-premium vehicle.
 
C

cchen

Diamond Member
Oct 12, 1999
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So any recommendations for cars in this price range that are fairly nice and won't cost me an arm and a leg to fix?
 
Freejack2

Freejack2

Diamond Member
Dec 31, 2000
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Maybe buying some crappy car isn't a bad idea. Domestics have some of the best prices used. You can probably get a used 95 - 97 domestic for $2000 and even if you throw $2000 in repairs in it during the next few years you are still way ahead. Use the other $3000 for whatever else you need.

Edit: I'm not too sure if Toyota cars are as reliable as some people claim but if you buy into it, the Chevrolet Prizms are basically rebadged Toyota Corollas. You can get a 2002 Prizm for about $7,000. It will probably have less than 30k and still be under factory warranty. If what they claim about Toyota reliability is true you'll probably be able to drive the thing for almost 10 years.
 
C

cchen

Diamond Member
Oct 12, 1999
6,062
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Originally posted by: Freejack2
Maybe buying some crappy car isn't a bad idea. Domestics have some of the best prices used. You can probably get a used 95 - 97 domestic for $2000 and even if you throw $2000 in repairs in it during the next few years you are still way ahead. Use the other $3000 for whatever else you need.
Click to expand...

Well I'm not a fan of domestics.... if I were to buy a car in the $2000-$3000 price range, it'd probably be a higher mileage used Japanese, maybe an accord or a miata

What about a 96 Audi A4, v6, auto, 66k miles, $7000
 
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Supertastic Fool

Golden Member
Oct 28, 2002
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you can get a freken nice wrangler for 7k... imo, my brothers cost him 5k (he got a good deal) it has 5 inches of lift and 35's on it...
 
F

Fiveohhh

Diamond Member
Jan 18, 2002
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I'm looking to spend about that much on a car this year, and looking towards an a4 quattro. I want AWD:p
 
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KokomoGST

Diamond Member
Nov 13, 2001
3,758
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If you want AWD then get a Subaru or a Mitsubishi.

If you don't want a crappy car... well, Toyotas, Nissans, and Hondas aren't exactly crappy or if you want to say it differently, "Lexus, Infiniti, and Acura... "
It's like VI says... germans are going to rape you on repairs. Sure, some Bimmers are trouble-free... but basic maintenance costs are much higher. VW/Audi is going to kick your @$$ in the repair bill. And having the worst reliablity out there doesn't help.

I don't understand going from sedan to Miata?? How about a Infiniti G20 or a 4dr Integra?
 
D

DaiShan

Diamond Member
Jul 5, 2001
9,617
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Originally posted by: KlitschBeiExitus
you can get a freken nice wrangler for 7k... imo, my brothers cost him 5k (he got a good deal) it has 5 inches of lift and 35's on it...
Click to expand...

Heh bet he gets good gas mileage too...
 
N

Ness

Diamond Member
Jul 10, 2002
5,407
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I would go for the option of buying a Nissan or something for about 5-6k, then banking the rest and having it ready in case you need any repairs.
 
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cchen

Diamond Member
Oct 12, 1999
6,062
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76
Originally posted by: Ness
I would go for the option of buying a Nissan or something for about 5-6k, then banking the rest and having it ready in case you need any repairs.
Click to expand...

another problem i'm having is that I can't find a car in the lower price range <$4000 that I like (I've been looking for the past 3 weeks) which I why I bumped my price range up to $7000
 
M

Mill

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
28,558
3
81
Nissan > Audi. Look at how many repair threads Skoorb has made, and how I've made none. :p
 
C

cchen

Diamond Member
Oct 12, 1999
6,062
0
76
Originally posted by: Mill
Nissan > Audi. Look at how many repair threads Skoorb has made, and have I've made none. :p
Click to expand...

Heh, I have no problem buying a nissan, but the only viable car I can see in this range is a 240sx. I'm not really a fan of the larger cars (Maxima) and I don't like the Altima.
 
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SilentZero

Diamond Member
Apr 8, 2003
5,158
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76
Yeah I second the advice on not buying german if your on a budget. Ive owned only BMW's till recently (bought a subaru), and repairs are pricey! I had a suspension problem with my 2002 E46 M3 and luckly the warranty covered it, but if it didn't it would have cost me $3500. So stay away from the higher end cars like bmw and audi especially if they are no longer under warranty, because repairs will kill your budget!
 
Turkish

Turkish

Lifer
May 26, 2003
15,547
1
81
as an audi owner, i recommend staying away from a german car unless it has less than 30-40k miles. since you are looking for something under $7k, i am sorr to say this but you'll get raped in repairs if you go german root.
 
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