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$2k in and around GA will give you quite a few options. You could definitely get an 80s GM G-body, you could maybe find an older pony car, as said a Crown Vic and even Mercury or Lincoln, etc.
I would stay away from a Contour/Mystique, since the Taurus/Sable is a better choice from Ford, though they're not exactly perfect. If you don't mind a larger car, I would agree with the Crown Victoria/Grand Marquis, but I would not get a former police car or taxi. If you could find a mid-90s or newer Lincoln Continental in your price range, they can also be a good bet for a larger car.
For GM, I would stay away from a Ciera, since people I know who had one (from new) had absolutely nothing but trouble. My friend's parents had one for their housekeeper and she was always breaking down on the way to get the kids, or to the store, etc. -- and, it had been purchased new. A friend of mine had one in college that had been purchased new by her mother and then given to her, and it had bizarre gremlins as well. I cannot think that they have aged too well.
If you can find a good Buick, preferably with the 3.8 engine, that's definitely one to consider, since Buicks tend to have good quality, and tend to be purchased by older drivers. I would stay away from the Century that's a twin to the Ciera, though, for the same reasons. LeSabres, Park Avenues, some Regals, and some Centuries are good bets. Their twins, the Oldsmobile 88/98, and some of the Bonnevilles (non-supercharged) are also good vehicles. Also, I am not sure if the era of Regal you would find might have a supercharged engine, but if it does, you might not want the increased costs from fuel consumption and maintenance. The Bonnevilles are SSEi models with the supercharged engine.
Toyota Camry, I agree, can be a good bet for the price range you're considering, but the quality went downhill in the 90s. The Corolla is also a good bet for a smaller car, and if you could find an Avalon in your range, it's a good bet as well. You may come across a Cressida, which was a good vehicle, but RWD, so that may not be something you want to deal with in snow/ice, since I don't think they had traction control at the end of their run in the early 90s. The Cressida was replaced by the Avalon.
Honda Civics and Accords are good bets, though they can be pricey, even for an older model. I would also look at an Acura Integra, and perhaps an Acura Legend if you can find a good example.
I know two people who had Mazda Protégées and they were good vehicles, overall, so that might be one to consider as well, especially since they don't seem to attract the price premiums that a clean Honda may on the used car market.
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All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.
~William Shakespeare (As You Like It Act II, Scene VII)
Well you could look into a police Crown Vic., they auction them off with only around 88K miles. That's just broken in for a Crown Vic. check
Crown Vic.net
One of my friends bought a '97 Crown Vic about 2 years ago and has been very satisfied with it. It wasn't a former police car. I forgot the actual mileage but I think it was under 100,000.
Grab a copy of Consumer Reports annual auto issue, current or in the last few years at the library. Their data from hundreds of thousands of car owners surveyed per year will give you a better overall assessment of reliability.
No, no, no, on those American makes of those years. The BIG 90s American cars were pretty good, but those econo models... stay away.
Get a PRE 1998 Honda Accord or a PRE 1997 Toyota Camry.
Hard to find, but find a nice well cared for 1990-96 Honda Accord or a 1992-96 Toyota Camry.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ApostolicFlightAttendant
I'm in the market to purchase a car. I've been looking at AutoTrader.com and there seems to be great older model cars in my price range ($2,000...just trying to get from point A to B). My question to the board is, what older model cars (lets say from 1995 on) would you consider a great car to look into to purchase. So far I have Honda Accord, Nissan Altima, Ford Taurus, Ford Contour, and Ford Escort. I'm not even sure if these will be good or not. I just liked the body style of most of them.
In your view, what cars should I stay away from and what cars should I have on the top of the list. I'll be making my buying decision mid-february.
TRYING this again... I had typed a bunch and accidentally closed it!!
As I was saying, I said no to the Escort, but one of our members Las Vegas Drunk has had some luck with a 1991. The 1986-90 Escorts seem to be good cars.
My grandpa has a 1993 Mercury Tracer wagon (same as Escort). It has 136K. Its a decent car, but the interior seems to be made with cheap parts, but it was Mercurys smallest car in 1993 - it was a budget car, so we are not expecting Lincoln Town Car quality. His Tracer is in dire need of motor mounts, as it has a buzzing/shake when its running and all but one dash light bulb (the lights that light up the gauges/speedometer) are burned out. Night driving is no fun. Also a rattle from the steering rack on rough roads makes for unpleasantness.... and a flashing CEL light. He only paid $400 for it and the body and interior are nice, so no one can complain.
Avoid the Contour: it is a disgusting, hard to repair POS vehicle.
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