Forums » Grassroots Motorsports » Well, it looks like I'm looking for a car 1 2

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  Sept. 21, 2011 2:22 p.m. ratghia Reader

  About a month ago I bought a very clean mod free low mile 2000 Civic. I realized after a week it was burning a quart of oil per tank of gas. The dealer then agreed to split the cost for getting valve seals done on the car. A day after getting the car back it dropped a cylinder and is now only running on 3. The dealer agreed to buy the car back if it turns out to be more then just a minor problem. It appears as if I'll probably be getting money to find something new.

  I am in college and about 5 hours from home. I'll be without tools (except for basic hand tools), so I want something that is going to be reliable and trouble free. I'm in Erie Pa so something that can handle deep snow will be needed. There is snow on the ground from November until April, and it gets fairly deep. I could also use a car with a decent amount of cargo space for moving in and out of college and enough room to haul 4 people around.

  I own a Karmann Ghia and a Kawasaki Ninja so it doesn't need to be something that is exceptionally fun to drive, and I could even live with an auto if need be.

  I would have a max budget of $4,000 and was thinking along the lines of a sedan or small SUV. 4wd would also be a nice bonus. My thought were maybe a Subaru Legacy, Ford Escape, or Jeep Cherokee, but in all honesty I really don't know enough about this section of the auto market to know what to look for.

  Thanks for the help, Aaron

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  Sept. 21, 2011 2:33 p.m. 92CelicaHalfTrac SuperDork

  $4k would get you the world's nicest Cherokee.

  Gas mileage isn't that great, though.

  I paid $3000 for my 2000 Sport 4x4. It's in great shape, runs well, hasn't needed any attention at all in the last year. Gas, oil changes, drive.

  SCAVENGE THE SEA FLOOR FOR NUTRIENTS

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  Sept. 21, 2011 2:49 p.m. Rusted_Busted_Spit SuperDork

  Matrix/Vibe

  As a DIYer, my view is fear nothing, try anything, don't tell your wife what tools cost.

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  Sept. 21, 2011 2:51 p.m. ppddppdd Reader

  Focus? Protege 5? Something Korean? I'd stick with plain old boring FWD in a car, just for simplicity's sake. Aside from that? Condition condition condition.

  Although for $4K you should be able to get a damn nice 318i...

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  Sept. 21, 2011 2:56 p.m. Twin_Cam SuperDork

  Cherokee or Subie Outback. Both are reliable as dirt, cheap and easy to fix, all wheel drive, and can be had very easily for $4K.

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  Sept. 21, 2011 3:05 p.m. RossD SuperDork

  An updated Cherokee; I think it happened around '97 or so.

  My '98 was great fun in the snow, stupid simple, repair parts are everywhere, and can haul a lot of you fold the back seat down and through stuff on the factory roof rack.

  00100001

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  Sept. 21, 2011 3:13 p.m. neon4891 SuperDork

  Cherokee, although GCs are easier to find for stupid cheap. What kind of regular driving do you do? Live on campus, outside job, ect? Can you easily handle the MPG hit of a Jeep?

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  Sept. 21, 2011 3:25 p.m. 92CelicaHalfTrac SuperDork

  neon4891 wrote: Cherokee, although GCs are easier to find for stupid cheap. What kind of regular driving do you do? Live on campus, outside job, ect? Can you easily handle the MPG hit of a Jeep?

  GCs seem to have more electrical issues, and the V8 variants don't seem to be as rock solid as the 4.0 i6s.

  I'd rock an i6 GC, not a V8.

  SCAVENGE THE SEA FLOOR FOR NUTRIENTS

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  Sept. 21, 2011 3:31 p.m. ratghia Reader

  I live on campus and don't drive that often. Maybe 2 or 3 times a week and a short distance. I've only used a 1/2 tank in a Mini in the past 5 weeks. When I come home though it is a 350 mile drive, but that isn't that often. If I could stay around 20 mpg or above freeway that would be fine.

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  Sept. 21, 2011 3:35 p.m. mndsm SuperDork

  I'd second that churkey choice, IMO. Any subie up there for that cheap is probably gonna need more care and feeding than you can provide.

  Go fast or go broke.

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  Sept. 21, 2011 3:42 p.m. John Brown SuperDork

  I just went throuogh this. I bought a Merkur... it broke (almost in half actually) traded it for a PT Cruiser which proceeded to give up it's life almost instantaneously... I now own a 2006 Chevrolet Impala.

  There are no good used cars out there right now for some reason.

  I have the feeling our government is banking on the popularity of American Cheese.

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  Sept. 21, 2011 3:47 p.m. 92CelicaHalfTrac SuperDork

  ratghia wrote: I live on campus and don't drive that often. Maybe 2 or 3 times a week and a short distance. I've only used a 1/2 tank in a Mini in the past 5 weeks. When I come home though it is a 350 mile drive, but that isn't that often. If I could stay around 20 mpg or above freeway that would be fine.

  20mpg would be a stretch. Highest i've seen out of mine was 19.2mpg on an ALL highway tank @ 75-80mph. Likely be higher if speeds were kept down a bit. (But that was hauling a motor in the back, maybe that was the extra 0.8mpg?)

  In mostly town driving, we usually see 14-15mpg.

  SCAVENGE THE SEA FLOOR FOR NUTRIENTS

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  Sept. 21, 2011 3:49 p.m. Javelin SuperDork

  Split the difference between an Outback and a Cherokee and get a Forrester.

  Michael Pinto - 73 AMC Javelin 360 / GoKart / 86 944 Sport / 01 Grand Prix GT / 06 Mazda5 M5

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  Sept. 21, 2011 3:54 p.m. Streetwiseguy Dork

  It would be nice if you could find a nice 10 year old Civic.....

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  Sept. 21, 2011 4:09 p.m. Cotton Dork

  Cherokee. We love our 99 Cherokee Sport with the 4.0 and have almost 180k miles on it now (had 70k when we bought it). It got 19-20mpg before I lifted it and added 33 inch tires.

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  Sept. 21, 2011 4:12 p.m. 92CelicaHalfTrac SuperDork

  The Cherokee is the 4wd Miata.

  Notice that MANY people on here that have a Miata, also have a Cherokee.

  SCAVENGE THE SEA FLOOR FOR NUTRIENTS

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  Sept. 21, 2011 4:51 p.m. pete240z SuperDork

  John Brown wrote: There are no good used cars out there right now for some reason.

  We were looking for a used small car for college student son last May - I heard every reason from the dealers - Earthquake in Japan has shut down new production - everyone grabbing the used cars - $4.00 a gallon gasoline.

  The local Honda dealer told me one night they were going to raise the prices on the used cars. We also looked at a lot of Impala's figuring a little pain at the pump can't be that bad......can it?

  The kid found a 2007 Sentra.

  Datsun Pete

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  Sept. 21, 2011 5:07 p.m. integraguy SuperDork

  A 4X4 that gets BETTER than 20 mpg on the highway? Is there such a thing? Having lived in Pa. and returned a few times a year, I would think a Cherokee would be easier to find than any Subaru....but Erie may be different.

  For mileage, go with the Vibe, for heavy snowfalls? The 4X4 Cherokee.

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  Sept. 21, 2011 5:26 p.m. nocones HalfDork

  Try to find a late 90's early 00's crv or rav4 if possible. More space than a Cherokee with better mileage you will just gove up towing.

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  Sept. 21, 2011 6:12 p.m. clownkiller Reader

  John Brown wrote: There are no good used cars out there right now for some reason.

  Cash for clunkers took a bunch of used cars off the market place. 690,000 were traded in to be destroyed, making used cars a little more expensive.

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cash_for_Clunkers

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  Sept. 21, 2011 6:16 p.m. iceracer SuperDork

  Focus wagon with snow tires in the winter. Capable of 35 mpg.( not winter)

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  Sept. 21, 2011 6:17 p.m. pres589 Dork

  Small trucks like a Comanche or B2200 or S-10 all seem like good college vehicles. Another way to go would be small cheap station wagon like an Escort or Saturn. These can all be found in great condition for $3k, decent for $2k, and you'll have money left over for maintenance and such.

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  Sept. 21, 2011 6:23 p.m. tb Reader

  I really appreciate how my '98 Outback Legacy just does everything it ought to. Every time I start to think of it as an appliance, I realize that it is really a Swiss army knife.

  Smooth ride in all conditions, enough room for reasonable amounts of gear or people, reliable and easy to wrench on; I am averaging around 27 mpg highway. I would rate it just above average in all categories.

  Can't see the dents from the drivers seat

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  Sept. 21, 2011 8:53 p.m. familytruckster New Reader

  Hell, I'd sell my 318ti for 3K....been reliable, put 60K since I bought it and replaced everything....Did incredible in the snow earlier this year. Yay winter package with LSD!

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  Sept. 21, 2011 9:31 p.m. Zomby woof SuperDork

  Valve seals on a car burning that much oil is a bad call. You should get ALL your money back.

  AngryCorvair wrote: and that right there is why 90% of the time i think ZW is a berkeleying douchebag.

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