A new cage

[Ivan]

Well, the time has come to auction my little Cirrus. 120k and it is sstarting to clunk over bumps, the CEL is on constantly, and the oil light constantly flickers.

The second week of November, someone came across the centerline on a two lane hiway and swiped the side of the car, and with the "pre existing damage" they called it a total loss.

I really don't want to get slammed with another $275 payment for a car, but I guess I have to do what I have to do.

Anyone got an idea on what kind of cars would be good to look into as far as used? I am hoping to stay under the $5k mark since it will get lots of miles and is basically a work car. Any ones to look out for? I haven't wrenched on cars for about 6 years, so I am out of the loop anymore.

[jetmechmarty]

Honda Accords and Toyota Camrys are always a very good choice in the reliability department. They're even better if you can find one with a manual transmission. The automatics are usually good for 200K miles.

I got a Neon for free last year and I put $1500 in it. It's a good car and gets 30 mpg.

[Montreux_Blue]

My sister had a 1997 Camry automatic v6 and put almost 300,000 miles on it before it got totaled at a light. Everything worked great including a/c. She changed ALL fluids (ALL is the key word to keeping any car lasting longer) on a regular basis, only needed routine tune ups and wheel alignments. She had it since new and had only one problem with it ever, power steering pump lines began to leak, so she had them replaced.

[tmworks]

you can't go wrong with a Toyota Camery.
Our 2001 has 137,000 and it does'nt miss a beat.

[Jerry]

Honda and Toyota rank very good in cost per mile expense, which is a combination of fuel economy, reliability, and maintenance. We have had 4 Toyotas and 1 Honda, all have been excellent vehicles.

I am driving an older ('92) Saturn, and have been pleased with it. Price was $2,700.00 when I bought it, have put another 78K miles on it. Odo turned 212K coming home tonight. It gets me about 32 mpg. The Honda (2001) turned 175K on the odo last week. it gets 30+ mpg, is larger and more comfortable than the Saturn. Another "sleeper" if you can find one is the early 2000 model Infinity Q20 sedans by Nissan. While they have a couple faults, like poorly designed cup holders, they have some of the most comfortable seats I've ever sat in. The also like to run revved up a bit and the manual transmission models are generally more fun to drive than the automatic versions.

[trbig]

Buy the car back from the insurance company.. offer them a few hundred. Fix it where the doors etc work.. replace the tie rod ends or struts or whatever is making it clunk...put in a new oil pump.. and drive the hell out of it for another 100k. Most auto parts stores will hook up an analyzer and tell you what the CIL is all about. Probably an O2 sensor..

If you have cash... the auctions are a great place to buy "Newsed" cars. Maybe right now, there won't be such a mad rush on everything that gets over 25 mpg.

Tod

[madmax-im]

I have 2 Volvos a '90 240DL sedan that has 165000 miles and a '97 Volvo 850 T-5 wagon with 160000 miles.Both of these are damn near bullet proof...and will easily do 3 times their current mileage.I 've paid cash for both...as I loath making payments.Be aware though that after 1998 Ford took over Volvo and thus the later models are not as good.I would have no qualms about buying these again even with their age.The '90 gets 25 mpg consistenlt...the '97 will do the same but the fact that it is turbocharged means i have a more spirited driving style...YMMV good luck with your...car quest

[webbcraft2150]

My main econo box is an '02 Mazada Protege, only has 87k on it and the only thing replaced has been a battery, all the belts and tires. It was bought after our '87 Mazada GLC was totaled by a Ford Dually, (the GLC was parked in front of the house) the GLC had over 230k on it and never had as much as the valve cover off. Proteges hold there value well but are not as pricy as used Toyotas or Hondas. Geo Prisms are Toyotas underneath the different sheet metal and seem to command a lesser price than a Toyota. My daughter had one with over 180k with no major issue till a dude running a red light turned it into parts rig. She liked it so well, we hunted another down for her with HIS insurance money.

2nd line econo box is a "90 Cavalier with AT and a four banger. With 123k on the clock its been a real trooper with no major issues. These can be had real cheap. Stay away from MT cars as they seem to have clutch eating issues.

Highway flyer is a "95 Olds 88. 3800 V6 w/mpi and power everything. This car shocked me when I first got on it, very quick for a full size lead sled. VERY comfortable car for long trips. Mileage is a unholy 19-21 in town and high 20's to low 30's on the highway. With 176k, all the power stuff still works and I think the car looks good with the few mods I have done. Gotta watch out for the higher mileage Olds. I bought it at an auction for $900 with a cratered tranny. $1200 for the tranny. It was still a good buy becuse it appeared to have been garaged all its life, no faded paint, seats or vinyl. A good runner (without a cratered tranny) can be had easily under 5-6k. Second hand, these can be good buys 'cause "older" people buy em new and don't really thrash em much. If you have far to commute, the mileage is great, has air bags and due to its size, would most likely survive any paint trading session with a lesser car.

Towing rig is a '75 Dodge W200 4x4 w/360 and manual trans. 8mpg, rides rough, is noisy, handles like, well a truck. Has no fuel injection, computers or check engine light. Its pushin 305k and I would not recommend it as a daily driver unless you have to plow thru deep mud, sand, snow on a regular basis. Bring your Texaco card. I keep 'cause I bought it new, does what I need it to and is paid for.

One place you might want to check is credit unions and banks, they will have repos that can go for a song. I bought a full dress '87 Caddy in '89 for 7k with 41k on the odo. (the caddy was slug but comfy).

[chrisso]

Wish I lived in the US, id buy the biggest baddest Big Block 600 hp Dodge as your gas is so cheap compared to here.
I drove my Stepdads 75 Caddie Eldorado in New Zealand a while back---500 ci, 8000 cc yeeeehaaaaaaaaar.....exceptin at fill up time at $1.90 litre X 4=nearly $8 gallon

[Ivan]

thanks for the suggestions.

Cadillacs are out for me. I will never own them because I have worked on them, and worked on them, and worked on them, and worked on them......

Keeping the old car was my original thought. The CEL is the EGR valve actuating solenoid, which cost upwards of $300. Since the EGR slows combustion, the computer advances the ignition. When it doesn't work, the mileage goes down by about 8 and it is a dog. The transmission has internal damage, as it squeals for about 5 seconds on a 3/4 throttle or more shift. I am not an auto tranny man. I tried once, but I am not. The suspension isn't anything common. I have checked all the struts, motor mounts, tie rods, ball joints and engine cradle bolts, but it still clunks like the engine is going to fall out over a bump. There is probably something deeper than what I can find at home, which probably means expensive. I really don't think the oil light is engine wear, since the light comes on and off at odd times. It started at cruise, and would go out at idle It isn't acting like an oil starved engine, valves clattering and such, but it is still unsettling. With the mileage on it, if the oil pump isn't keeping up, its probably time for new bearings. It is a Chrysler 60º V6 engine, which were worn out when they were new.

A good idea Tod, we were thinking alike, but the deal sealer was that I have an XS1100 now, and if I am going to wrench on something, its only going to have two wheels.

[chrisso]

[QUOTE=webbcraft2150;186725]My main econo box is an '02 Mazada with a lesser car.

Towing rig is a '75 Dodge W200 4x4 w/360 and manual trans. 8mpg, rides rough, is noisy, handles like, well a truck. Has no fuel injection, computers or check engine light. Its pushin 305k and I would not recommend it as a daily driver unless you have to plow thru deep mud, sand, snow on a regular basis. Bring your Texaco card. I keep 'cause I bought it new, does what I need it to and is paid for.''

I used to have an Aussie made CK ''Chrysler By Chrysler'' 1975 360 V8. had 727 Trans & did about 12 mpg. Bit of a slug really compared to a 351 but it did only have a small 2 BBL Holley. Luxo interior though

[trbig]

It is a Chrysler 60º V6 engine, which were worn out when they were new.

Not to be confused with the old Chrysler SLANT six... which seemed to NEVER wear out! lol.

Good luck in whatever you decide. I still say... If the other one starts when you turn the key and doesn't look like a crop duster going down the road, it's worth a lot more to me than what it's going to bring at auction in the condition it's in. Your clunking sound may be a motor or tranny mount. I've got an old '88 GMC Jimmy 4X4 that has been clunking like that for.. hmmm.. @ 200k miles? lol. BUT.. it's starting to do that crop dusting thing going down the road. With over 300k on it, and the way I have always driven it.. it deserves to burn some oil. It's been in 4 wrecks and never fixed.. lol. My dad cratered in the back quarter panel on it backing into it late for work when I was back home on a visit. It was old at that point so just took the insurance money. About a month later, a drunk ran a stop sign with my wife driving and slammed into it at the exact same spot! lol. So got paid again for that dent. Then I was hauling a trailer with it and a kid pulled out in front of me on a road with no shoulder and no way to stop in time and I slammed into the rear end of his new Grand Am. He apparently knew he screwed up because he took off. So I went after him. He was quicker.. but the old GMC was faster. After several miles, I was well into the triple digits and catching him.. hoping my radiator wasn't popped...still hauling that frikkin trailer.. when he turned onto a gravel county road. There were trees out by the road and I couldn't see down that road. I figured he was going to try to lose me on the dirt roads, so I kept up as much speed as possible making the turn... only to find out he'd pulled into that gravel road and had STOPPED! Nowhere to go and couldn't stop.. so I slammed into his azz AGAIN!! lol. Results were... one totalled Grand Am... and one bent $300 GMC bumper! lol.

Sorry to rob your post..


Tod

[Axel]

Toyota

Be careful of a Toyota Corolla (1995)with an 1800cc engine . They develop serious vibration and burn oil due to rings .

[CatatonicBug]

My choice would be a late '60s VW bug. They're super easy to fix, with very few parts to break, and they drive great in the snow too! No A/C, but the heat works great in those things. Since you said you'd rather not wrench on a cage, a VW might not be your best option, but they're cheap to buy and to fix if/when you need to.

[yadada]

Intermittent oil light could simply be the sending unit. My Big Dodge PU needed one when the gauge needle was going all over the place. Was cheap IIRC, but I think you've got bigger issues it sounds like.

I second the old people cars thing, good way to go.