What would you buy <15K 4 door sedan

[BrianZ06]

We have a 99 Nissan Altima GXE sport edition all leather and loaded it looks near new ,drives perfect and use no oil,leaks nothing with 220,000 miles. Maybe they dont make like they use to but I would buy another one. Save yourself more then 10k. This was my moms old car before she bought a new one so I know the history. It never had nothing major go wrong with it.

[AJ]

Lexus quality, Toyota reliability

 

lol

[OGRE]

The most car for the money, Seriously Ger a grand Marquis, it will have a giant trunk, huge room in the back, you won't find a better ride, and if equiped with a 2.73 rear gear you can see 30 MPG pure highway, I drive 90 miles a day and get 24-26 regularly, dont'fear the v-8.

Also, they are super reliable, hell . . . you can find 400k mile crown vic taxi's, parts are cheap (like you will need them) and thier resale value is ablsolute CRAP!!!! Which is awesome becaus you can find a 20k mile 2 year old car LOADED with everything that originally sold for 32K+ for like 15-18K.

For your needs you should look about 3-5 years old. Don't listen to that "grandma car" bullshit, grandparents have gotten wise in thier age and drive reliable & comfortable shit!

 

On Edit: think of the kids, it's also a tank. In addition there has never been a nissan that is goes down the road like somone installed your favorate couch in a giant car.

[hpfiend]

Thanks for all of the replies people...

 

In response- I do like the volvo S60R/S60 but I have never had a volvo and know very little about them and as ford no longer owns them that concerns me as that is the only reason I would have bought one before- who handles the parts?

 

The IS300 is too small as well as my sister has an IS250 and she is cramped for space with her daugher which is a similar age to ours. They are also rwd- her awd version got stuck last year due to its low ground clearance and I had to pull her out with the explorer.

 

I also like the Mazda 6s especially the Mazdaspeed versions but again never had a Mazda and ford no longer owns and I think the mazdaspeeds was not ford to begin with. We test drove a Mazda 6 when we got the RSX-S and we liked the aesthetics but the handling was way too soft for us- the engine did feel torquey- I think it was a v6 model but it may not have been.

 

Acura TL Type S I have started looking into but they are only 07-08 and cost a lot more...

 

the wife doesn't like the cts/ctsv/g8/gtp etc I have tried ;-)

 

She is willing to discuss the Lincoln LS but I think they are too old and high mileage now.

 

We have not had as much luck with the nissan and gm vehicles we and our extended families have had, Ford and Hondas have been much better for us for some reason. True I have a z06 and love it but then again ford/honda do not make anything close in the same price range. I would be tempted by a volkswagen but our family has also not had great experiences with german cars (porsches/audis mainly even though my mom and dad both had 60s beetles they thought were great) they are awesome cars when new and not with the hood up but are expensive and quirky to maintain and this is not something I am looking for in this type of vehicle.

 

Like the idea of subaru but again not familiar with the brand and the fact that I would guess they are hard to find unmolested.

 

So in short after discussing with the wife:

1. 06-07 Acura TL at a very strong lead

If the numbers work better but she'd rather not...

2. 08-09 Accord or 08-10 Fusion

And distant...

3. Lincoln LS (large enough but not sure but I think rwd which is questionable and if it doesn't have LSD it is out.)

Very distant...

4. Mazda6 and S60R (not sure if either of these are large enough)

 

We are going to try to drive each of these to know for sure...

[Aaron]

Lincoln LS's are small on the inside.

[Guest tbutera2112]

^ and i heard the jag suspension on them is expensive as fuck to repair when it needs it

[Fiji ST]

I would be tempted by a volkswagen but our family has also not had great experiences with german cars (porsches/audis mainly even though my mom and dad both had 60s beetles they thought were great) they are awesome cars when new and not with the hood up but are expensive and quirky to maintain and this is not something I am looking for in this type of vehicle.

 

That's a thing of the past. There are very few problems with VW anymore. A lot of our cars are recommended by Consumer Reports now as well. The only ones we have the real problems are in the Routans, which are part Chrysler.

[Aaron]

That's a thing of the past. There are very few problems with VW anymore. A lot of our cars are recommended by Consumer Reports now as well. The only ones we have the real problems are in the Routans, which are part Chrysler.

 

Wasting your breath. The German car stereotype lives as strong now as it did 15 years ago.

 

My A4 went into the shop 1 time for 1/2 a day.

 

My Rabbit never went into the shop

 

My current GTI has never went into the shop.

 

My 06 GTI was a bit problematic. About 5-7 dealer trips in 2 years.

 

100k combined miles. $0 spent.

[Mr. Jones]

Wasting your breath. The German car stereotype lives as strong now as it did 15 years ago.

 

My A4 went into the shop 1 time for 1/2 a day.

 

My Rabbit never went into the shop

 

My current GTI has never went into the shop.

 

My 06 GTI was a bit problematic. About 5-7 dealer trips in 2 years.

 

100k combined miles. $0 spent.

 

 

VW FAG

[OGRE]

you don't want an LS. Get the Vic/Marquis, mechanically it's a fat mustang GT.

[hpfiend]

That's a thing of the past. There are very few problems with VW anymore. A lot of our cars are recommended by Consumer Reports now as well. The only ones we have the real problems are in the Routans, which are part Chrysler.

 

Honest question, is the Toureg(sp) made by chrysler as well?

[hpfiend]

Wasting your breath. The German car stereotype lives as strong now as it did 15 years ago.

 

My A4 went into the shop 1 time for 1/2 a day.

 

My Rabbit never went into the shop

 

My current GTI has never went into the shop.

 

My 06 GTI was a bit problematic. About 5-7 dealer trips in 2 years.

 

100k combined miles. $0 spent.

 

4 cars for a combined 100K miles and one of them went in under warranty work 7 times in 2 years and you are happy about this? What does 1/2 a day run at MAG?

 

I do like my wife's friends' 01 jetta vr6. It has a bad coilpak on it which if you don't jbweld it costs I think 700.00, faulty window motor regulators, and something else I can't remember and it has less than 80K but it is still a neat driving car and with their resale value I can about be paid to have one- very fun to drive- good for a project car...

[hpfiend]

^ and i heard the jag suspension on them is expensive as fuck to repair when it needs it

 

ok pass on that- thanks guys!

[Drewhop]

Didnt read entire thread. Have you thought about a 2001-2005 Mercedes E320. My boss has one and loves it. Only problem he has had is with a tail light bulb that keeps going out.

[Fiji ST]

Honest question, is the Toureg(sp) made by chrysler as well?

 

Nope. They are made by Volkswagen and developed with Porsche (shared with the Cayenne).

[hpfiend]

Didnt read entire thread. Have you thought about a 2001-2005 Mercedes E320. My boss has one and loves it. Only problem he has had is with a tail light bulb that keeps going out.

 

Thanks for your suggestion but the only MB car I would ever touch is one of the more recent SL500s and I would only buy a salvage title version and strip everything but the interior and power folding top and put either an LS1 or 5.0 (old style) with a built t56/t5 or C4 auto, a pair of turbos and a 8.8 mustang solid axle rear- maybe if I had the bux at the time a beefed up c5 z06 IRS or 8.8 IRS cobra rear with the max motorsports bushing kit- nicely done roll bar and I would call it a day.

Edited July 27, 2010 by hpfiend

[cinergi]

IS300?

[mrs.cos]

2005 Legacy GT

 

I say the 2005s because they are now around 15K price range used. LegacyGT.com has many sellers of privately owned, loved cars.

AWD, Leather(if you get a limited), 2.5L comes in Manual or Auto(5EAT),rides nice, sunroof, comfy seating, and will drive forever.

[hpfiend]

Thanks, the legacy GT is looking better... and especially the volvo s60 and R-

the TL is in the price range at about 80K miles (which is a bit) but still her favorite.

[hpfiend]

IS300?

 

too small and rwd- but thankyou for the suggestion.

[Guest tbutera2112]

http://cleveland.craigslist.org/ctd/1829972596.html

[hpfiend]

http://cleveland.craigslist.org/ctd/1829972596.html

 

wow that looks like a lot of car for that price and mileage- I dont know anything about saab- thanks I will look into it.

[Guest tbutera2112]

wow that looks like a lot of car for that price and mileage- I dont know anything about saab- thanks I will look into it.

 

 

i had an 04 with the 2.0T...mine was a 6spd, but mostly the same otherwise...looked a bit diff on the outside

 

it was a decent car...my girl loved it, i just wanted a truck is why i got rid of it

 

it gets out of its own way, not fast though...mine ran a 15.4 with really shitty tires and a horrid 60' spinning

 

rides like a cloud (i had mine topped out at 146 *electronically limited* [or so ive read...indicated speed was 160] and it rode like it was doing 65)

 

parts are easy to find for the most part because they share a platform with GM vehicles

 

you get a lot of car for the money, thats for sure

[Guest tbutera2112]

and if you drive a saab...just be prepared for the question "Is that a BMW?"

 

i heard that shit all the time, despite the big saab emblems on it lol

[Aaron]

4 cars for a combined 100K miles and one of them went in under warranty work 7 times in 2 years and you are happy about this? What does 1/2 a day run at MAG?

 

Well lets look at it like this: Since the end of 2005, almost 5 years and 100k miles, I have been into the Audi/VW dealers about 10 times for unscheduled repairs. Thats averaging 2 times per year. I have spent $0 on any of it because they have good warranties from the factory, and excellent CPO warranties.

 

If my choices are to drive a Honda Accord and never go to the dealer for repairs, or drive my VW GTI and go in an avg of twice per year, I will pick the VW every single time. No questions asked. In doing so I will either get a shuttle to and from work/home, or a loaner (usually VW Jetta or Passat) if available.

 

Keep in mind, my GTI has been 100% problem free for 13 months and 24k miles. My Rabbit never went in, my A4 went in once for 1/2 a day for a simple fix, my wifes Rabbit hasn't went in for 2 years and 28k miles. My 06 GTI was the only car I have had that I would consider anything from STELLAR reliability.