NationStates Jolt Archive

So, I was going to buy a cheap old BMW last month, but other things came up and it went to somebody else. We really do need another car here shortly, and I was wondering if any of you wise NS folk were car enthusiasts.

So, take the thread wherever you'd like, but I'm looking for input along the following lines:

I'm looking to drop between $1,500 to $2,500 USD. I have no preference as far as foreign/domestic, car/truck, or big/small. Naturally any benefit in mileage or performance would be nice, but the main goal here is cheap and reliable (within the spectrum of reliability permitted by this low price range).

Thoughts?

http://saturncanada.com/ssi/images/en_CA/vehicles/2005/saturn/icoupe/gallery_hero_06_800.jpg

I just bought one of these. :)

i dont know shit about cars. so i cant say much. but i do know the old toyota pickups, stick shift, get great gas milage, are dependable, and parts are cheap. (by way of a friend)

Just buy something older than 25 years, everything else has no style whatsoever. That totally defeats your wish for reliability, though. But classic cars are like Linux, assembly and maintenance are half the fun. ;)

http://www.jrskelton.com/images/motor_vw.gif
Join us...

It's the way to go, man. You can beat around, fix it up trad, hot rod/customize.

Tellin' ya...

http://saturncanada.com/ssi/images/en_CA/vehicles/2005/saturn/icoupe/gallery_hero_06_800.jpg

I just bought one of these. :)

I do see a number of 92-96 SC Saturns in our price range. We almost picked one up from a dealer (he wanted $1,500 + $300 tax/fees). Unfortunately, the lock was broken. In my neighborhood, not sure I want an unlockable car. It might have been a cheap fix, but I balked at it anyway.

If I was looking for something new, I would consider the Saturn Redline, though.

i dont know shit about cars. so i cant say much. but i do know the old toyota pickups, stick shift, get great gas milage, are dependable, and parts are cheap. (by way of a friend)

yeah, I think thats probably true. Years ago, I had a little Toyota T-100 pickup. When I sold it, it held its value really well. I wonder why Toyota doesn't seem to make as many small compact pickups anymore.

http://www.jrskelton.com/images/motor_vw.gif
Join us...

It's the way to go, man. You can beat around, fix it up trad, hot rod/customize.

Tellin' ya...

I like a lot of the VW's, but the only ones in my range seem to be 70's bugs and trashed 80's rabbits and the like.

I like a lot of the VW's, but the only ones in my range seem to be 70's bugs and trashed 80's rabbits and the like.
I picked my 67 Westfalia Camper for $1900. I ain't gonna lie-she's had her issues. But it's been one of the funnest cars to have. It compares well with the 914 I gave up to drive it. Though I'd get another 914 in a second.

I do see a number of 92-96 SC Saturns in our price range. We almost picked one up from a dealer (he wanted $1,500 + $300 tax/fees). Unfortunately, the lock was broken. In my neighborhood, not sure I want an unlockable car. It might have been a cheap fix, but I balked at it anyway.

If I was looking for something new, I would consider the Saturn Redline, though.

Yes the RedLine model is quite nice but not a huge amount of HP for its class. I really didn't wanna spend the extra 3-4k or so. Still whips along the highway quite nicely though. Had it up to 110 MPH and it just waned to keep going but I didn't wanna speeding ticket. :(

So, I was going to buy a cheap old BMW last month, but other things came up and it went to somebody else. We really do need another car here shortly, and I was wondering if any of you wise NS folk were car enthusiasts.

So, take the thread wherever you'd like, but I'm looking for input along the following lines:

I'm looking to drop between $1,500 to $2,500 USD. I have no preference as far as foreign/domestic, car/truck, or big/small. Naturally any benefit in mileage or performance would be nice, but the main goal here is cheap and reliable (within the spectrum of reliability permitted by this low price range).

Thoughts?Be glad the beemer got away if reliability is the goal, for it to be in your price range means it probably was beyond reliable condition.
Do you have a preference or specific need as to body type and what area of the country do you live in?

Just buy something older than 25 years, everything else has no style whatsoever. That totally defeats your wish for reliability, though. But classic cars are like Linux, assembly and maintenance are half the fun. ;)

I agree. My mum was going to sell me her compact '63 fairlane, then she realised it was worth more than I was giving her and lent it to my bf at the time. Then he blew up the motor in it so it's sitting there waiting for me to get her a new one. And I will. And I'll take it from my mother and not drive it like an XR8

I've had great luck with Nissans. The damn things are practically unkillable and I'm really hard on cars. My current one is a 91 Stanza, but since 92 was the last year of the Stanza, parts are getting a little hard to come by.

OK I'm not gonna be on for long so here's some general advice. In the milder climes you can go for an older model, the bodies don't corrode out like in areas that get snow. If you know the party you're buying from you do better. Generally if you buy from an older person the car has been taken better care of and been abused less. I'd buy a car with 200k on it from a 60 year old who had it most of it's life sooner than I'd buy the same car with 100k on it if a 25 year old had owned it. Buy a popular model, I mean one that had high production/sales numbers, it's easier to find parts in the wrecking yards and keep your repair costs down. Stay away from sports models, when they drop within your price range they've generally been all but used up. These are generalities, there's always exceptions.

If you're really desperate, try buying a lein sale vehicle from a local tow yard. For 100-200 dollars you can get temporay transportation. I refer to them as throwaways, when they breakdown you donate the hulk and buy another. I did that myself for a couple of years before I found and settled for a car I really was satisfied with.

Well, I live in the Southwest U.S., so snow and road salt aren't a big problem. Yeah, the BMW wasn't likely a big opportunity to miss. I'm a fat guy, so I like a lot of leg/butt room. Personally, part of me wants a mid-size sedan like an old crown vic or a lincoln, but I'm hearing bad things about their reliability. I was pretty committed to a japanese compact, like maybe an early 90's Celica/Civic/Integra/240Z or maybe a mid 90's Korean, like a Hyundai. Not finding those as cheap as I'd hoped...heavy sigh.

I agree. My mum was going to sell me her compact '63 fairlane, then she realised it was worth more than I was giving her and lent it to my bf at the time. Then he blew up the motor in it so it's sitting there waiting for me to get her a new one. And I will. And I'll take it from my mother and not drive it like an XR8

KILL HIM!

Seriously though, people who don't know how to treat cars are ebil. OK, if you have a Muscle Car, you HAVE to take it to the strip every now and then, but generally, love your car as you want to be loved by her or him.