Whats a good reliable car for a college student like myself

[UlrichWolf]

I recommend a Hyundai Tiburon GT V6.

 

I have a buddy who has had an '05, and an '06. He delivers pizza with them, races them on track, and pretty much hoons around town all day long, and neither car has thrown in the towel.

 

To say I would be shocked is an understatement. Hyundai has REALLY gotten with the program.

 

Tim

[BrazilBoy]

I recommend a Hyundai Tiburon GT V6.

 

I have a buddy who has had an '05, and an '06. He delivers pizza with them, races them on track, and pretty much hoons around town all day long, and neither car has thrown in the towel.

 

To say I would be shocked is an understatement. Hyundai has REALLY gotten with the program.

 

Tim

Heck yeah they have.... Genesis Coupe anyone

 

http://over-boost.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/496hp-turbo-38l-v6-genesis-coupe-14.jpg

[Guest]

I bought my wife a Accord hatchback for $5000.00 and it lasted 11 years until the trans died.But you are correct, Five grand for a used Honda doesn't buy you much.

 

CALIBER 308

 

you know, one of the best Honda Accord models ever made were the '86-89 models. Cast iron blocks, aluminum heads, carb or fuel injection, hardly ever breakdown when properly cared for. Plus the electrical system, power windows, sunroof, mirrors will never fail on you, unlike the 1990 to 2010 models.

 

I can't tell you how much of demand there is for used window regulators on the 1990-93 models, 96-97 models and 98 to now models. Not to mention other electronics that go bad, speed sensor, master window switches and don't forget the infamously bad transmissions on the '98-2002 models.

[iamlew]

I have a few camaro buddies, that want me to get a 2000 ls1

 

I know of 3-4 for sale in my range in good condition. Hear they're not to fun to work on but of the 3 friends with them they've never broke down (1 has from driving it to s*** lol).

 

My friend claims he gets 42 mpg coming back to Cali from Oregon, sounds way to high to me, gets 27 around town though.

[Indiana]

VW tdi's? I just picked up a '98 tdi cheap and love it so far. 500+ miles to a tank and about 40 to fill from almost bone dry empty.

 

Is that one of the models with the junk auto trannys that have permanent fluid that take a crap and cost you 4500.00 for a new one from the dealer that nobody rebuilds?

 

Just like a Ford Taurus POS tranny, dies at 90k so sell it right before and let the next guy worry

[Indiana]

I'd try and stick with a manual tranny especially if its a high mileage car like 150k+

 

Nobody likes Subarus?

 

Old Hondas have bad control "main" relays so if you find one they say one day starts and the next won't and its a late 80s-early 90s and you don't hear a click when you turn the key on that may be its only problem. I have a CRX that has been beat on for the last ten years and its pushing 300k on the original engine.

[yzrider]

Honestly I havent a clue about the auto tranny tdi. I wouldnt consider buying a auto honestly so have no need to look into them. Lots of people report 500,000 miles to the stock internals on these engines same for the manual trans. Just stay on top of oil changes and the timing belts. These motors are like 19-1 compression ratio so they are definitly interference motors. Timing belt goes your whole motor goes no doubt.

[Guest]

I'd try and stick with a manual tranny especially if its a high mileage car like 150k+

 

Nobody likes Subarus?

 

Old Hondas have bad control "main" relays so if you find one they say one day starts and the next won't and its a late 80s-early 90s and you don't hear a click when you turn the key on that may be its only problem. I have a CRX that has been beat on for the last ten years and its pushing 300k on the original engine.

 

 

Subarus are good also.

 

The Honda's that had "Main Relay" issues are the 90's models, 1990-3 Accord, 92-5 Civic, 94-7 Accord. The 88-91 Civic was one of the best year models ever made. YOu can buy an HF CRX or Civic Hatch and get 42 MPG average. It's no joke, hybrid gas mileage on a 90's car.

[Burton]

Honda, Toyota, or Nissan.

 

Some of those old Escorts were pretty good back when Ford and Mazda were in cahoots in the 90's, but like was said, if you try to find one from way back then it will probably have high miles, be at the end of it's life and be way less than $5k.

 

I would put a good word in for Hyundai as well, as they have turned things around drasticly as of late. I just worry a newer, good Hyundai might be a little more than your price range, and a Hyundai that was in your price range might be from the time when they were still trying to step up their game. Who knows tho.

 

 

Oh, and I love VW's, and had a few 80's models, but I hear the newer stuff is not that great, and they've always been pretty expensive to fix.

Edited October 6, 2010 by Burton

[dmyers151]

My cousin is a Honda tech down in PA and he was telling me they also made a VX (I think) version with "E-VTEC". Apparently the VTEC was tuned for maximum economy, not performance and would easily yield mid to upper 40's and sometimes 50 MPG.

[Turborusty]

jamlew....your friends with the LS1 Camaros are full of crap! Straight up lies.

 

My brother had a V6 Camaro and it might get 25MPG on the highway...... In town, an LS1 Camaro will likely get 12-14 and likely 20-25 highway, ON IT'S BEST DAY.

 

Not only that, they are the sux to work on and they are cheaply built. It's not the kind of thing you get when you want to "step-up to a nicer car".

 

 

 

 

Turborusty

[yzrider]

The ls1's are incredibly efficeient engines and thanks to their super long legs via the 6 speed tranny's their darned good on gas for what they are. 30 mpg is certainly do-able if you keep your foot out of it.

[Turborusty]

The ls1's are incredibly efficeient engines and thanks to their super long legs via the 6 speed tranny's their darned good on gas for what they are. 30 mpg is certainly do-able if you keep your foot out of it.

 

 

They ARE efficient, but his friends claimed 42 highway and 26 city. They won't do that by any stretch of the imagination.

 

And yes, the LS engines are real jewels.......too bad so many of them come wrapped up in a bag of crap.

 

 

 

Turborusty

[iamlew]

Haha yeah I was talking to my other friend about it yesterday. We decided it's possible if he coasted in nuetral all the way home. I found out I'll have to wait about 8 weeks before I get my money, so I got plenty of time to research everything.

 

I was a bit surprised no one mentioned subarus. I was looking at a few outbacks and some of the sedans.

 

How are the jettas? Any major issuses on the late 90s early 2000's? Specifically was looking at one of the non turbo'd models I saw on craigslist.

 

I ran across one of the supercharged tbirds (want to say it was a 92/93?). My friend has one, I always loved it, didn't sound like the one I found ran very well though. My ex has a caddy for sale I could probably get for around 2000. She just got rearended in it but it's all good except a dent on the bumper. Only thing wrong with it is that and a broken motor mount. It's got a temp fix on it right now.

 

126k miles, I'm a bit worried it could s*** out in the next few years and cost an arm and leg to rebuild (not the northstar v8 if my memory serves me right, was a 92 eldorado) pretty bad gas mileage though (25 highway was the best I got in it).

 

A wrangler crossed my mind. I have a 93zj project right now. More of a toy I regret getting. Was a steal though. I don't think I could keep myself from lifting the balls out of another jeep though lol.

[Guest]

Haha yeah I was talking to my other friend about it yesterday. We decided it's possible if he coasted in nuetral all the way home. I found out I'll have to wait about 8 weeks before I get my money, so I got plenty of time to research everything.

 

I was a bit surprised no one mentioned subarus. I was looking at a few outbacks and some of the sedans.

 

How are the jettas? Any major issuses on the late 90s early 2000's? Specifically was looking at one of the non turbo'd models I saw on craigslist.

 

I ran across one of the supercharged tbirds (want to say it was a 92/93?). My friend has one, I always loved it, didn't sound like the one I found ran very well though. My ex has a caddy for sale I could probably get for around 2000. She just got rearended in it but it's all good except a dent on the bumper. Only thing wrong with it is that and a broken motor mount. It's got a temp fix on it right now.

 

126k miles, I'm a bit worried it could s*** out in the next few years and cost an arm and leg to rebuild (not the northstar v8 if my memory serves me right, was a 92 eldorado) pretty bad gas mileage though (25 highway was the best I got in it).

 

A wrangler crossed my mind. I have a 93zj project right now. More of a toy I regret getting. Was a steal though. I don't think I could keep myself from lifting the balls out of another jeep though lol.

 

The older Jettas are good, the newer ones are garbage. The best ones are from the 80's.

[ScooterDude92]

i had a 93 gt, and that thing was peppppy, i smoked all kinds of cars in it lol.. with great gas milage, until i tore the tranny out. my fault of course..

remeber when we went 5th to 2nd on the fort henery bridge and it went errrrt wananananan, haha good times, oh and that car is runing around colonial heights