Hey, Lounge...what kind of car should we buy?

[BluePatriot]

Hubby's Izuzu Trooper has needed transmission work lately and so we are looking for another vehicle. Personally I am thinking a used Toyota Corolla or something. Tell me about what cars you find reliable and what to avoid :)

[ikojo]

1. What about matching scooters?

You could both get 250cc scoots for the price of one car.

[BluePatriot]

5. Would love it, but

we have 15-20 mile commutes to work. Houston area not so scooter friendly. I remember them in Austin though. And Amsterdam :) Darn I wish we lived in an area with better transit planning...

[ikojo]

6. I live in St Louis and commute 15 miles to work one way

St Louis is not known as a bike friendly area either. You can get top cases and have plenty of room to schlep stuff.

I love my scoot!!!!

[BluePatriot]

9. That's cool

We are definitely scaling back to something more compact. Probably would go scooter or motorcycle route if I weren't so scared of Houston SUV drivers turning me or hubby into roadkill.

[LeftyMom]

2. Well, what do you need it for? Do you need something with a lot of room or

AWD or is safety paramount, do you need really really high mileage, what do you want to spend?

Try to narrow it down or everybody'll just tell you why you need the car they'd buy, which may not suit your needs.

[BluePatriot]

4. Well...

just something a young couple can get around town in, inexpensive but reliable.

[LeftyMom]

8. Inexpensive but reliable

Well the obvious answers there are used Japanese cars. Unfortunately because they're the obvious answer the prices are righer than they should be, IMO. You may want to look into a mid-late 90's Saturn SL or SW, they're dirt cheap, they get good milage for a car of thier size and they're reliable. The one real downside is that the interiors tend to be a bit spartan, but that's an issue with low end imports as well.

When it comes to looking for a reliable used car, consumer reports used car buying guide is a great resource. Once you get a car in mind, have it inspected by a mechanic you trust or by AAA. It'll cost you less than $100 and will save you a ton if they steer you away from a lemon or find a minor issue you can use to negotiate the price down. That's what I did when I got my car and I've been very happy with it.

[BluePatriot]

11. Thanks!

We had not really considered a Saturn.

[intheflow]

13. I second the Saturn vote.

My '96 Saturn just passed 188,000 miles. I've had to redo the brakes (I lived in New England and the salt on the roads took a toll), replaced the battery once, the a/c compressor, and the oil pump. Altogether that was only about $2500 in major maintenance over 10 years (not counting regular maintence and oil changes), which works out to a mere $21 a month over the life of the car. Compared to every other car I've ever had, that's dirt cheap. And I've had both a Trooper and a Corolla.

It does burn oil, but very slowly, no big plumes, and only really noticeable on long-distance highway driving trips. My mechanic tells me the radiator has a leak, but there's never any puddle under my car and I don't have to replace the coolant very often at all, so I don't know what he's talking about. I just drove it from Mississippi to Florida to North Carolina to Denver via St. Louis. I think I added three quarts of oil on the trip, and topped off the radiator slightly once.

The car has gottn me through Nor-easters in Massachusetts and 10-hour Texas baked highway drive-a-thons, no problem. I would buy another Saturn in a heartbeat.

[LeftyMom]

14. Have you tried a synthetic for the oil?

I've found that that nearly eliminates the oil burning issue. I have a '97. I love that car. :)

[Squatch]

3. VW Jetta TDi - 44mpg

and well-priced.

[billyskank]

7. Oh, I thought you were talking about a car for the Lounge

:silly:

[BluePatriot]

10. Haha...

I wonder what the Lounge would drive...someone should set up a poll *envisions clown car w/everyone piling in*

[flvegan]

12. I loves my Mazda PR5

During my 40 mile commute back and forth today, I got 30 mpg (driving like a maniac) with my Great Dane all stretched out in the back (seats folded down).

[taterguy]

15. High quality bicycles

You asked. I answered. If you don't like it, sorry, that's just how I feel

[Haole Girl]

16. You can't really go wrong with a Toyota

For the price, though, you will want to keep it for at least 200,000 miles!

[NJ Democrats]

17. Honda Civics are good

If you have enough you could get a hybird.