My poor poor 1988 Honda Accord is now what I would like to term "not very good", so I'm in the market for a new auto, but I'm not sure what I want. My budget is max $6,000. Suggestions? I've been looking at VR6 Jettas, Audi A4s, Saab 900 turbos, 3000GTs, and 300zxs, to get an idea at what i'm looking for. My main concerns are gofastness, reliability, and storage space (which I know I won't get with the last two cars on my list). Anyone have any other suggestions/places to look? The cars I've been looking at seem to be rather rare...
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- Thread starter blue
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The cars that you have mentioned are likely to be pounded. Have you considered a used BMW 325 or 328? Enough of them out there that you can find them cheap. They also last forever and have way more backseat room than a 300gt or 300zx.
I've seen lots of early 90s 318s rolling around...whats the difference in the 3 series?
The last 2 digits of the number denotes the engine displacement......318= 1.8 liter, 325= 2.5 liter, etc.blue said:
i=4 door, is= 2door. The second two numbers = engine size. 318 = 1.8l, 325=2.5l...
I wouldn't get anything smaller than a 325. A 328 has the same base hp but a busload more torque. My dad has a 1993 325is that now has a 2.8 in it. He used it to do driving schools (track). Now its mostly a wointer car. B/c they are so popular there are tons of parts/upgrades available for them. The original motor lasted ~160,000 miles including roughly 100 track days. I am biased though. Check out your local BMW CCA chapter. They are the largest carclub in America and boast more local chapters than any other. You also do not have to be a BMW member to join.
I wouldn't get anything smaller than a 325. A 328 has the same base hp but a busload more torque. My dad has a 1993 325is that now has a 2.8 in it. He used it to do driving schools (track). Now its mostly a wointer car. B/c they are so popular there are tons of parts/upgrades available for them. The original motor lasted ~160,000 miles including roughly 100 track days. I am biased though. Check out your local BMW CCA chapter. They are the largest carclub in America and boast more local chapters than any other. You also do not have to be a BMW member to join.
Subaru? Volvo?
I work in a UPS Store and our pickup driver races BMWs and is really big into them, I'll have to talk to him.
I've come to the conclusion that reliability in used cars is a lot more dependant on how the car has been treated all of its life rather than the make and model of the car (Take my poor Honda for example...beaten to death all its life), so I'm pretty open with suggestions.
I've come to the conclusion that reliability in used cars is a lot more dependant on how the car has been treated all of its life rather than the make and model of the car (Take my poor Honda for example...beaten to death all its life), so I'm pretty open with suggestions.
My dad used to be fond of saying that every engine has a finite number of revolutions. Its about how fast you use them up.
Subies seem to be out of my price range, I'd like an Outback, but any decent ones are way too expensive.black noise said:
I don't know much about Volvos that would be in my price range...I'm not very interested in a wagon aside from an Impreza/Legacy Outback.
You ought to be able to find a '96/'97-ish Outback wagon for around the $6k figure. It'll probably have high miles, though. Do a quick KBB on that vintage Outback with about 100K miles.blue said:
Buy Japanese...you won't regret it.
From an Ex-german car owner
From an Ex-german car owner
One of the "Made in Mexico" German cars?Sandwich said:
Coming form someone who works in a foreign car shop, get the VR6 Jetta or a 328 BMW. The 2.8 motor has way more power than the 2.5 and lasts longer. If you get the Jetta DO NOT GET AN AUTOMATIC! the VW auto trannys are total crap. If you have big balls you can even put a supercharger on the Jetta. My friend had a supercharged VR6 Golf and it would run with a Porsche 911 untill 110!
You mentioned that you were interested in an Audi A4. My
wife has a Quattro 1.8. The car is a lot of fun to drive and goes
great in the snow but man, is it expensive to get repaired.
As far as reliablity goes, her A4 is average. She's logged
about 80,000 mikes on the car and it's still appears pretty solid.
Her extended warranty expires at 90,000 miles. When that happens,
I don't think we could afford to get it repaired. I guess you have to
expect high repair costs when you own an Audi.
My suggestions, get a Subarau.
wife has a Quattro 1.8. The car is a lot of fun to drive and goes
great in the snow but man, is it expensive to get repaired.
As far as reliablity goes, her A4 is average. She's logged
about 80,000 mikes on the car and it's still appears pretty solid.
Her extended warranty expires at 90,000 miles. When that happens,
I don't think we could afford to get it repaired. I guess you have to
expect high repair costs when you own an Audi.
My suggestions, get a Subarau.
Sandwich said:
I agree, you listed reliability as a priority, yet VW's Audi's and Saabs aren't known for that. I love VW's and Audi's, but they are EXPENSIVE to repair. Unless you can afford to set aside hundreds a year for repairs on an older german/swedish car, I would suggest japanese - maybe an Integra, or a Subaru Imprezza.
I found a good local VW mechanic when I had my Audi 4000SQ and it wasn't particularly expensive to repair.Archslater said:
Maybe the newer ones have more expensive parts?
I own a Japanese car...Honda Accord...it's a flaming pile of crap. I think at least $4,000 has been spent on repairs for it in the past couple of years...I'm not saying Japanese cars are crappy, but what matters more with used cars is how well they've been taken care of over their lifetimes, rather than the make of the car. If I was buying a brand new car, I would likely go for a Subie.Archslater said:
The VR6 Jettas are a bitch to find...I've been looking high and low for one with no luck. I'm kind of more fond of one rather than a 325/328 because of the FWD (snow driving). I really would like a fast car with AWD, but I think thats not much of an option.
The 325s and 328s are also a bit hard to find...I've seen a couple, but the owners want lots of money ($6000+) for high miles, beat up cars. Our BMW-racing UPS driver told me 6k for a 93 325 or 328 is an obscene price and that I should just keep my eyes open...meh...
Anyone use eBay motors? If I can score a car for a lower price, I could afford to fly out and drive it back...
You are correct here, proper maintenance can prevent massive repair costs in the future, and a riceboy integra with 50k is going to be worse off than a granny car with 100k. The catch is, however, that GENERALLY, you can both A) Find, and B), find cheaply, parts for japanese cars. I found a set of rear calipers 10 miles away when I needed to repair my civic. The whole thing cost me 250 with rotors, and the calipers were new, not remanufactured, and loaded. Try that with your BMW. Go on autozone, thepartsbin, or advanceautoparts and do a search for new parts for whatever car you're looking at. From my experience, Japanese cars are cheaper than anything besides GM domestic, because they just recycle the same parts throughout the last 20 years, and most everything is compatible with everything else.blue said:
Awd is awesome, but options are limited, mostly to subarus and old homologation specials. Keep in mind that AWD with street tires will drive worse than RWD with good snows in the winter time. Also, a good, educated driver who is comfortable with his car regardless of what it is will be much, much safer than an uneducated driver in a huge SUV with 4wd and studded snows....blue said:
Welcome to the world of German cars...and why do BMWs always look like they're styled 5-10 years in the past? I mean a 91 325 IX looks like a 81 Mercedes... Although, the mid 90s beemers are some of the best looking, although not incredibly exciting, cars created.blue said:
If you use ebay motors, you've got to be very careful. I'm sure you know buying a car is not like buying a bike. From a picture, you can see everything on a bike. From a picture, you may be able to see 25% of what's going on with a car. Get a garuntee, and ask a lot of questions. If he's slow to respond or his answer doesn't suit you, walk away. Always ask about little things (does the Ebrake work? How old are the pads? When was the water pump/timing belt last changed? Who does your work? all the electrics work? Cruise control? etc)....ok some of those aren't minor, but you get my drift. I would very much recommend buying a car you can look at. Buying a car without seeing it is kind of like something somebody mentioned about military recruiters recently- they don't answer questions you don't ask. Tires, headliner, check engine lights...all weird little things that may bother you quite a bit in the future, even if it's ok now. Ebay is a good way of getting cars for cheap, but so many things can change with used cars that it's worth it to make sure you can inspect the car before paying the full price.blue said:
DSM = Eclipse/Talon/Laser... Inexpensive, reliable up to ~400hp. Make sure the timing belt and the Xfer case are in good condition. Other then that, just buy the year(s) that are within your budget and have fun. 92-94 are the most bullet proof btw.blue said: