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I think the price is a little high for a car that needs a transmission, it's not the most fuel-efficient car either, but it's OK. With you being in the South, you can consider much older cars that would have rusted away in the Rust Belt - I have a similar commute to yours, my usual daily is an 82 Scirocco VW. You can find the old 8-valve water cooled VW cars and if you are even a little handy they are easy to work on, parts are available, cheap to buy, cheap to run, cheap to fix. You can probably find a good early WC VW for less than $2K
Older Honda Accord, etc. (but keep up with the timing belts!) or older Toyotas (Camry, Celica, Corrola) are good bets. The above-mentioned VW and the Toys are not interferance engines, a broken timing belt will put you on foot but you are only out the towing compared to doing it on time. These should be less than $3K for a good one, I have occasionally seen one that seemed OK for $1500, but didn't inspect it up-close and personal. Look out for cars that have been used and abused by kids - any sign that it ever had a wing mounted on the trunk, even on say a plain-Jane Camry, run away, don't walk.
I'd get a manual trans. How about a Miata? Lots of good old Miatas are running around, you probably won't get a good one for $1000 but 2 to 4 K will put a lot of them into your garage. With such a long commute you might as well drive something you like.
Couple of off-the-wall thoughts - find an old Mopar with a Slant-6. How about a first-gen Mustang with a 6? Likewise, early Camaro, Nova, Chevy II, etc with the good old 250. 3-speed or 4-speed manual with any of these, they are good on gas, low 20's if you tune them right and drive like you want MPG rather than like you stole it, and they are stone easy to work on. Smog exempt if you are afflicted with smog checks. A small V-8 can also give good MPG but you will have to work at it to crack 20. Prices for these cars will be all over the place, the GM cars being the most expensive, I doubt you can get a good unmolested early Camero for less than 5 to 7K, but, will hold value, if you don't beat it up it will be worth more rather than less over time. FoMoCo products a little less, the MoPar is the cheapest of the lot, and in this particular group as a driver would be not only the best buy but in many ways the best car.
Some of the C-4 Corvettes are for sale relatively cheap, they are geared tall in 6th or OD 5th, (depending on year) and are better on fuel than most would think. You would be enjoying your time on the road, too. Tires are a bit spendy but it takes a while to wear out a set. Although compared to a VW GTI it's a much thirstier car and less of a cheap date. Corvettes will be all over the place for price, too, although I am thinking 5K or more for a good one. This would be a deliberate choice to emphasize quality time on the road over green-eye-shade economy.
AAA makes a lot of sense for guys like us who drive a ways to work.
Last edited by M3 Mitch; 09-28-2009 at 02:58 PM..
Reason: Individually price widely different options!
Couple of off-the-wall thoughts - find an old Mopar with a Slant-6. How about a first-gen Mustang with a 6? Likewise, early Camaro, Nova, Chevy II, etc with the good old 250. 3-speed or 4-speed manual with any of these, they are good on gas, low 20's if you tune them right and drive like you want MPG rather than like you stole it, and they are stone easy to work on. Smog exempt if you are afflicted with smog checks. A small V-8 can also give good MPG but you will have to work at it to crack 20.
Some of the C-4 Corvettes are for sale relatively cheap, they are geared tall in 6th or OD 5th, (depending on year) and are better on fuel than most would think. You would be enjoying your time on the road, too. Tires are a bit spendy but it takes a while to wear out a set. Although compared to a VW GTI it's a much thirstier car and less of a cheap date.
AAA makes a lot of sense for guys like us who drive a ways to work.
You recommend these for a $2,000 or less reliable commuter car? I have agreed with most of your posts, but this one is so far off I can not even begin.
Ford Focus
Mazda Protege
Mazda 626
Nissan Sentra
Toyota Corolla
Chevy Malibu
Used Hondas and Toyotas are great but often a bit more expensive. The best used cars are often those that don't have the long term rep that Honda, Toyota, and Subaru have.
I would not buy a used car that already needs major transmission repair. The Legend was a fine car - but there is no certainty that it won't need another transmission repair shortly after you fix it.
You recommend these for a $2,000 or less reliable commuter car? I have agreed with most of your posts, but this one is so far off I can not even begin.
Sorry, I was not clear, post edited. Some of the cars, particularly the Vette, would almost certainly cost a lot more than $2K!
I do think you could get a good early water cooled VW or maybe a slant-6 MoPar for under 2K, but it's important when looking at these old rigs to know what a good one should be like, check it out for rust, etc.
You'd be better off with your suburban that actually works. The fuel mileage improvement is minimal. And what you spend on a new tranny for the Accura would take years to be recouped in fuel savings....assuming something else didn't fail.....
Thank you guys for the post. They all make sense and I think everyone agreed that a car already in need of repair isn't a good idea. I will take it to heart and show to hubby.
Thanks for the tips on reliable used cars. I guess I will continue to use the Suburban until something good comes along. It runs well, its just already seen better days and seems like it is losing power even though it just got a tune up. The caddy isn't throwing a code so, I am not sure what is causing the loss of power other than age.
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I have agreed with most of your posts, but this one is so far off I can not even begin.
