Need Help prospecting for new car

Discussion in 'Planes, Trains & Automobiles' started by z33b, May 21, 2010.

  1. My price range will be around 5-7k and im thinking about something with decent overall specs.. reliability, power, gas mileage, either allwheel or 4wheel drive, and definitely nice options.

    an older bmw xi, a subaru, an older audi or something along those lines have been my thoughts so far... any suggestions? :confused:

    suggestions of other makers are equally appreciated, i don't have my heart set on any brand(s)
     
  2. as far as reliability goes you may have a hard time finding something that is going to be reliable within the price range you listed...sorry for if I may sound mean but I know that it's going to be very hard to find something in what you listed that may have a issue or not but just trying to be realistic for ya.

    I know one of my buddies just picked up a used WRX and it's running really good and has i think about 67k miles on it but had to spend about $9,000 to get it. Just a good college beater car for now though.
     
  3. you can find e46 xi's for cheap on craigslist
     
  4. Before you do anything, check out insurance. Are you going limited or full coverage?

    I think the best place to start would be on cars.com, autotrader, and start shoving in numbers and such. Just use this as a reference to see what you can get out of it and what years. You might find a nice private owner willing to take some off, but you also want to know about the car.

    I know Carfax gets shit, but if you go to a dealer, they should give it to you. Use this as a means of seeing any discrepancies in the car and recognizing any potential problems.

    Also, how old are you, your income, and some other stats? I'm asking because it will play a role in insurance and how people will treat you if you go into buy a car. If you're young and go into a car dealership on your own, they might try to fuck you. Keep in mind costs and repairs. If you can do a lot of them on your own, you should be fine. If you have no idea whats up, those BMWs and AUDIs can rip apart your pockets.

    My opinion: go Honda. Not AWD or 4x4 (why do you need that by the way? Weather?) We've had 3 hondas, 2 currently, and they've all rocked. No problems. Just take it in and spend about ~300-400 in maintenance, including oil changes, every year, and they've done well.

    I've been in consumer banking and finance for awhile now. Cars are shitty investments, so make sure you make the right one. Don't buy an AUDI or BMW to be flashy or get shit. Be smart. The idea is to get you from point A to point B without problems.
     
  5. #5 z33b, May 22, 2010
    Last edited by a moderator: May 22, 2010
    @russtang
    ive heard good things about WRXs and the reliability of subarus in general. only need the car to last a few years, do you think it would be a bad idea to pick up a wrx that has around 90-100k on it for cheaper than 9k?

    @docleary
    which models?
    checked wiki and it seems only the 325 and 330 had xi options. seem quite nice, but almost too nice

    @Coup
    im going to be a sophomore in college attending University of VT. yeah, the weather was a concern for me because ive had a lot of issues even in PA with rear wheel drive cars, and although my current cavalier is front wheel it still isnt up to what i would want for traction, especially in vermont winters. i dont want to be flashy but i do want something with decent options, the interior of my cav is somewhat sparse compared to many other cars ive been in and it would be nice to have something a bit more comfortable. perhaps im hoping for too much given the price range i listed.
    my income right now is essentially whatever i can make working through the summer and part time during the school year, and is kind of hard to estimate. im anticipating hopefully having the 5-7 saved by the end of next summer, right before my junior year starts. of course im studying to be an electrical engineer, so perhaps it would just be best to wait until i graduate to buy a new car?
    im not the best with cars myself but my dad knows plenty when it comes to basic/intermediate fixes, of course as you said bmw and audi parts are expensive.

    what would you recommend for a honda? im not concerned with a bit of high mileage as i only need the car to last me about 2 years until i graduate. what has some good loaded options for a good price?

    thanks
     
  6. i have a 98 audi a4 quattro 1.8L turbo 5spd. It has great power, small, roomy, sporty, luxurious and it's in your price range. It's my first euro car and i love it. Granted german cars are expensive to fix, but they are reliable. "you know germans always make good stuff." And they pay attention to great detail. ...There's my 2 cents.
     
  7. thanks for the input nugs. have you had any problems with it? ive heard some people claim that audis are 'like the macs of the car world...great for the first few years, then they just stop working'.. though i don't know how true this is.

    I've ridden in a few audis and I love the interior and the engineering, so maybe I'll have to look into that. the engineering/design is exactly why i enjoy bmws as well, but price is an issue, as i simply dont know where to find what im looking for. audis are nice with the allwheel,(or 4wheel? im not sure of the difference exactly..) which is desirable to me. a small turbo engine would be excellent for me as well to help with gas/power
     
  8. z33b,

    I've lived in the NE, and I understand the snow issue up there. The NE, aside from Alaska, has the highest percentage of Subarus, so I would consider going with that. That or Volvo. In your case AWD/4X4 is necessary is necessary.

    This is what I recommend doing:

    1. Go to autotrader.com or cars.com and do an advanced search in used cars.
    2. For drive train select AWD or 4x4.
    3. Put in your price maximum of 7k (go up to 8 or 9 if you don't mind haggling at the dealership).
    4. Search

    This should give you a good idea of whats available around you in PA or VT. Write some of these names down and talk to your insurance company about what you might be facing in yearly charges. Take into consideration if its a 4 banger, V6 or V8. Though I'm not a fan of 4 cylies in general, I wouldn't mind an AWD with an I4 (as in Nugs case).

    Involve your dad in the search. If he is comfortable with the car you're buying in terms of being able to do minor to intermediate fixes, it works in your favor.

    I'm guessing you have this summer to decide, so take your time. Try to get a mechanic in to check out any of the cars you want. Check to see if the wipers work, lights turn on, get out of the car and listen. Pop the hood open. The more you inspect and investigate the car, the less likely the salesman is going to try to fuck you over.

    Good luck and lemme know if you need some more help.
     
  9. ah word two friends of mine have volvos and they are quite nice as well, one is an s70 and the other is a pretty new s40 which is too new to be in my price range, but volvos i like.
    the s70 only cost him 5k or so, so perhaps thatd be a good option. just gotta find that 4wd or awd

    thanks for the help guys
     
  10. i would get the 330xi just for the extra ~50hp.

    if you're willing to travel to buy a car, check craigslist in your area and neighboring states - there are always great deals on e46's on craigslist.
     
  11. With 5-7k to spend you could get a 2000-2001.5 Audi s4 (v6 twin turbo, nice leather interior & Bose speakers make a great smoking environment) I'm in the Midwest aswell and traction isn't an issue with these cars in the snow, haha in fact I've seen people drive them through deep snow with summer tires. Maintinence can be a pita if it's your first cars, but there are plenty of people on local forums that would be down to help you. Or a WRX STI, they come awd aswell and are a lot easier to work on than audis, traction wih these cars is not a problem, they are based on a rally car platform so they're very rugged check out forced4s.com.
     

  12. b5s are a bitch to maintain and can be very unreliable.

    You could probably find an 02-04 subaru wrx or impreza in your area for that price if you're looking for awd
     
  13. low mileage 3000GT twin turbo AWD with active adjustable aerodynamics

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