Forums » Grassroots Motorsports » Economy Car Wars (sub-$2000) 1 2 3 4

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  Feb. 19, 2010 9:12 p.m. PHeller HalfDork

  Well, I've decided that current state of my 240SX is on the downward slope. She stills run very well, but rust issues, annoyances (squeaks, rattles), and more importantly an avg MPG of around 22mpg has me wishing I had stuck with the economy cars. At 180,000 miles, its only a matter of time before the clutch goes, head gasket, or some other problem I don't feel like fixing for time or money. I don't have much into the car, but I'd prefer to sell it for $1000 while its still worth that or less.

  We'll set $2000 as the budget.

  I've got lots of outdoor hobbies, and would like to take a vehicle cross country. Hauling stuff and getting good (30+ highway) is a necessity.

  So far I've found the following locally on Craiglist - Saturn Wagons ranging from $1200 - $1800 with varying degrees of mileage and seller response - Escort Wagons from $1000 - $2000 mostly automatic or with blown motors - Nissan Sentra 90-98. Going to look at two over the weekend. $1800 with 97.5k miles looks pretty promising. - Civics - generally overpriced with too many miles - Subarus - generally high mileage - Volvos - Occasionally find a 95 wagon for sub $2000, but again, really high miles.

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  Feb. 19, 2010 9:17 p.m. maroon92 SuperDork

  99 and up Saturn SW2 would be my pick. Decent mileage, pretty sporty, and could carry all of your stuff. I love our SL2, and they are bleedy simple to work on.

  "there is no horrible way to win, there is only winning" -Jean Pierre Sarti

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  Feb. 19, 2010 9:20 p.m. bengro New Reader

  older single cam saturns go through rings like whoa

  If it is broken you probably where doing it wrong.

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  Feb. 19, 2010 9:21 p.m. maroon92 SuperDork

  As much as people hate them, I also really really like my Aspire. A bit less sporty than the SW, but an improvement of 7-8 MPG, I drive mine on the highway every day, and have no problems keeping up with traffic, though you do have to worry about your placement in the flow of traffic.

  also, this thing has required absolutely nothing of me in over a year of ownership with the exception of a bit of oil, a few filters, and one brake caliper.

  "there is no horrible way to win, there is only winning" -Jean Pierre Sarti

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  Feb. 19, 2010 9:29 p.m. 93celicaGT2 SuperDork

  Nicest Celica hatchback you can find. Escort GT. Mazda 323. Integra?

  1992 Celica GT (FSP), 1993 Ford Escort GT (HS), 1990 Mazda MX6 GT Turbo (13.27@118mph)

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  Feb. 19, 2010 10:47 p.m. Travis_K Dork

  Sentras (at least the 90-94 ones) have trouble with popping out of 5th gear. Except for the rust, im not seeing anything in your list of problems that is likely to be solved by buying another car with a budget of $2k. You can at least get something thats not rusty and gets better mileage though im sure.

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  Feb. 19, 2010 10:49 p.m. Vigo Reader

  Does it have to be a car?

  I bought my 90 caravan for $280 with a blown motor, though it still would have been under 1k running.

  Its a non turbo 2.5L 4cylinder 5spd manual (yes manual). It avg's 27mpg on the highway doing 70+, and has hit 33 mpg on a tank driving slowly <60mph.

  Im sure if i put a $200 wideband and some cheap aero mods on it i could have pumped it close to 35hwy mpg.

  And heres the thing.. Its a low-buck outdoorsmans dream because it will carry nearly anything in or on top of it, you can sleep inside it, and its got enough ground clearance to go pretty much anywhere there's traction. No serious off-roading because its still 1wd, so if you wanted low-traction ability and even MORE space you'd have to go for a long wheelbase AWD caravan, but then you'd lose all the mpg.

  And actually its turbo now so i dont know if the numbers still apply. Needs odds and ends to finish it up and start driving again

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  Feb. 20, 2010 12:06 a.m. Marty! HalfDork

  3 months ago my brothers Accent bit the dust. Seeing as he delivers pizzas for a living and had no cash saved up I told him I would buy him a car. I found a Saturn wagon twin-cam for $500. It had been in a minor fender-bender but was really clean for the most part.

  No rust and better mileage than his Accent. He said that he had no idea a Saturn could be that good. Even better is that being a wagon (beige at that) he is able to stay under the po-po's radar.

  Minivans - Pleasing Soccer Moms since 1984....

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  Feb. 20, 2010 6:37 a.m. mad_machine SuperDork

  nothing wrong with a Saturn. Two of my friends have had them. Both had HIGH miliage before dying. One due to a lack of maintance.. the other to a tree.

  Both cars brought in 40s MPG

  Non-Sequitor Alert!

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  Feb. 20, 2010 7:32 a.m. Greg Voth Reader

  If you are looking for better mileage rule out a Subby. You probably wont average more than 22mpg (which isn't that bad) and you'll only likely see maybe 25-26mpg on the highway.

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  Feb. 20, 2010 8:15 a.m. PHeller HalfDork

  I've seen a fair amount of Saturns but no idea if they are single cam or not. I'd really prefer a dual cam, but I guess the only way to know is go and look.

  I'll add a Caravan to the list. Downside? They are big and often rusty vehicles. Upside? I know Chrysler/Dodge of those years like the back of my hand.

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  Feb. 20, 2010 8:58 a.m. P71 SuperDork

  What about the Spirit/Shadow/Duster in that era? The coupe is actually a hatch and can hold an absolutely massive amount of stuff. They are also really cheap and easy to work on.

  Michael Pinto - 73 AMC Hornet / 93 Miata STS / 01 P71 Interceptor

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  Feb. 20, 2010 8:59 a.m. PHeller HalfDork

  Just called about a Caravan Turbo. Owner says its a decent shape, but I told him I was looking for good body, good mileage. He said I should be more interested in the 1991 Caravan ES that he's got with the V6 and 4 speed overdrive. Says it'll do 31mpg.

  He also tried to interest me in a Mitsu Expo...but I've heard they shared a bit too much with the Plymouth Summit.

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  Feb. 20, 2010 9:01 a.m. PHeller HalfDork

  P71 wrote: What about the Spirit/Shadow/Duster in that era? The coupe is actually a hatch and can hold an absolutely massive amount of stuff. They are also really cheap and easy to work on.

  I've already had two. Want more space. The only reason I'm looking at a 98 Sentra is because of the low miles coupled with low price.

  If I found a low mile, excellent condition 5 speed Shadow/Sundance I'd probably alright with that.

  I just made the mistake of buying a 160k 240SX that is now at 180k and starting to have annoying little problems.

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  Feb. 20, 2010 9:38 a.m. poopshovel SuperDork

  Are civics really that expensive in your area? You can expect ~33 average in an 84-87 Si, probably much better in a DX (carb'd,) and I rarely see them down here for more than $1500. Same goes for EF's. Here's two for the price of one. My old 4-speed regularly got 40 MPG, but it is the crappy dual-point motor.

  http://atlanta.craigslist.org/wat/cto/1597225935.html

  Good looking 86:

  http://atlanta.craigslist.org/sat/cto/1577308621.html

  Tons of DA integras around here too. Stay away from the automatics. I have to 'work' for 33/34 MPG in mine, but it'll get 29 beaten like a filthy whore. What kind of "stuff" are you hauling, specifically? I can fit 10' long sticks of moulding in the integra and close the hatch. Low mile japanese motors are everywhere. Parts are readily available and affordable. At ~315,000 miles, I'm replacing a noisy wheel bearing; $48 shipped for a brand new hub.

  Aye, que pena.

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  Feb. 20, 2010 9:59 a.m. PHeller HalfDork

  I just don't want high miles. I can't stand spending more than $1000 a vehicle that has over 200,000 miles. It just aint right. It doesn't matter what vehicle it is, the lifetime of some parts is only so long.

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  Feb. 20, 2010 10:15 a.m. DILYSI Dave SuperDork

  Greg Voth wrote: If you are looking for better mileage rule out a Subby. You probably wont average more than 22mpg (which isn't that bad) and you'll only likely see maybe 25-26mpg on the highway.

  +1

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  Feb. 20, 2010 11:13 a.m. poopshovel SuperDork

  87 DX. "Cranks(?) but doesn't start" 87k miles, $700. Maybe worth a look?

  http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/cto/1600811267.html

  Aye, que pena.

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  Feb. 20, 2010 11:29 a.m. PHeller HalfDork

  but its an automatic...even in the vans I'm looking at I tend towards manual.

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  Feb. 20, 2010 12:32 p.m. PHeller HalfDork

  Going to look at a 94 Escort Wagon with 112,000 on it. Dealer is very interested in my 240SX, maybe I can have him knock it down to $750 with a trade.

  Downside? Heater core might be leaking.

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  Feb. 20, 2010 7:43 p.m. belteshazzar SuperDork

  your initial posted listed possible options in the exact same decending or in which I would be interested in them.
  saturn would be at the top of my list too, and the rings don't wear out, they bake in. To some degree they can be set free.

  spending money I don't have to buy parts I don't need to impress people I don't know

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  Feb. 20, 2010 8:30 p.m. PHeller HalfDork

  Good to know. I'd prefer a dual-cam but can't find any in my price range. Luckily I'm not in a rush so I can stand to wait for the right price deal. The Escort in York wasn't it.

  It will also allow me to start generating some interest in my 240SX, because I think if I want to get $1000 for it, it will have to be out on the market for awhile.

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  Feb. 20, 2010 8:39 p.m. SVreX SuperDork

  I agree on ruling out the Subbie for fuel economy.

  But you are also going to have to rule out the 323 GTX.

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  Feb. 20, 2010 8:42 p.m. SVreX SuperDork

  I've got a very nice Metro in that price range that gets 40+

  I've also got a Justy for a lot less that will get more.

  If you want to see them all in one place, I've also got an SVX and a 323 GTX.

  AND a very nice straight Turbo Caravan (shell) in need of TLC and a drivetrain. Match it up with the one you looked at, and you'll be golden.

  You can get great mileage in a Yugo! (But not mine )

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  Feb. 20, 2010 9:14 p.m. belteshazzar SuperDork

  PHeller wrote: Good to know. I'd prefer a dual-cam but can't find any in my price range. Luckily I'm not in a rush so I can stand to wait for the right price deal. The Escort in York wasn't it.

  For what it sounds like you're going to use it for, a nice sohc saturn would be fine. they have a different final drive so the mileage is slightly better than the dohc's. and to be honest, below 4000 rpm the sohc feel stronger than the dohc to me. Depends on how you like to drive I guess. There's other reasons to buy the dohc cars, like standard 15" tires instead of 14" (oh wait, those are more expensive), and fancier seats (that I personally find even less comfortable), and a rear swaybar (that you can add to a sohc car anyway). Ideally, I want a 1996 SW1 with a 5sp. But that's just me.

  spending money I don't have to buy parts I don't need to impress people I don't know

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