New used car

[m5child]

Hey all,

I've realized that I could use a town runabout, so I'm buying a used car this summer and I wanted to get your input on the matter... here are the criteria I'm looking for:

1) Good on gas (i live in new york and gas is getting expensive like everywhere else)... so should be a four-cylinder or usable six)
2) Preferably four door (or a somewhat larger hatchback)
3) Good city car (but i want manual transmission)
4) Should be as low maintenance as possible... so either Japanese or a reliable european-ish...
5) And cost no more than $6,000-$7,500... although the range is adjustable...

I've made a poll and I'm eager to hear your ideas...

1) VW Golf/Jetta (good car, decent on gas, although maintenance can be high)
2) Ford Focus (great city car, again, a question of maintenance costs)
3) Honda Accord/Toyota Camry/Nissan Maxima (japanese four door cars, reliable, decent on gas...
4) I forgot to put this in the poll, but maybe a Audi A4 (older one of course) could be an option

[taz_rocks_miami]

I'm parcial to German cars, my last two cars have been VW's. A Bug and a 2001 Pointer. My Pointer has the same 115 hp 4 cylinder as many Jetta's and it's very torquie once you get above 2,500 rpms.

As far as reliability goes, you can't do much better than Toyota I have to admit, plus they are great on gas.

I do a lot of city driving and since you live in NY, you might wanna re-think tha manual transmition. It can be very cumbersum in heavy daily traffic.

Good luck, let us know what car you get.

[Vindesh17]

1996 to 2000 A4s have lots of problems, so do Golfs between 1999 and 2000. Go japanese, its your safest bet.

[m5child]

I'm parcial to German cars, my last two cars have been VW's. A Bug and a 2001 Pointer. My Pointer has the same 115 hp 4 cylinder as many Jetta's and it's very torquie once you get above 2,500 rpms.

As far as reliability goes, you can't do much better than Toyota I have to admit, plus they are great on gas.

I do a lot of city driving and since you live in NY, you might wanna re-think tha manual transmition. It can be very cumbersum in heavy daily traffic.

Good luck, let us know what car you get.

Well, i wont be using the car for daily driving that much... my mom will get to work with it early in the morning on weekdays and i'll have it on the weekends, so manual isn't a big deal... im mostly worried about reliability...

[m5child]

1996 to 2000 A4s have lots of problems, so do Golfs between 1999 and 2000. Go japanese, its your safest bet.

I think i'm leaning towards Japanese... any suggestions/personal experiences?

[taz_rocks_miami]

Well, i wont be using the car for daily driving that much... my mom will get to work with it early in the morning on weekdays and i'll have it on the weekends, so manual isn't a big deal... im mostly worried about reliability...

If reliability is your major concern, go Japanese...specially Toyota.

[m5child]

What about Subaru? Maybe an Impreza 2.5rs or even a WRX... i wouldn't mind spending more on that car if i know it'll run good =)

[DesmoRob]

If reliability is your major concern, go Japanese...specially Toyota.

Amen to that!

[blingbling]

I recommend the Spyker C8. This Dutch sports car delivers over 400 horsepower at...what... oh UNDER $6,000, oh I apologize; I can not help you there mate.

I could have sworn you said OVER.

[JAWs72racing]

Hmm well I'm guessing your a BMW fan.. so I thought I'd throw in what I've been looking at.. what about a late 80s BMW? I've been looking at 3-Series and 6-Series/M6's on ebay motors recently.. and with the exception of the M6 you should be able to pick up a nice one for under 7,500. Although those are 2-door.. but I havent really looked at 4-doors either, so I dont really know whats out there in the 4-door market. They seem fairly reliable, just the usual things you would expect from a 20 something year old car. I dont know about fuel mileage.. the 3-Series has a 4 cylinder, so I wouldnt think it'd get too bad of fuel mileage.

[bmwpower]

I would say honda civic..costs nothing to repair and runs on gas in mililiters. My sister has had one for two years and done nothing but routine checks. They're clean cars and run well but they do lack somewhat in the horsepower department. If your looking for good gas with reliability and cheap to fix i don't think u need look further. However she paid 12,000 for hers slightly used.

[Souljah]

its too early here for me 2 read what everybody wrote....but my personal opinion i would go 4 the toyota without blinkin....dont consider a golf as a realible car at all....just the way its build...Toyota's dont break down that often, and normally cheap parts for toyota, here in europe.....dont know bout the US....But just make sure its a japanease built Toyota and not an english built one...

[The_Canuck]

Accord = Most fun
Camry = Reliable
Golf = Fun

[Ferrer]

I'd say Volkswagen Golf, or the Ford Focus if it's anything like the European one.

[Egg Nog]

Don't buy a VW because it's European (and therefore "upscale" according to most), buy it because it's your only diesel option. You can't beat a Diesel Golf/Jetta if you want something that's cheap to run and will last several millenia. Especially the turbo models, what fun

Seriously. They also hold their value a hell of a lot better than something like a focus, especially when fuel prices are going up. They're more and more in demand these days.

This is my opinion and it's a hell of a good one.