Best car for $20k ? How about $2k ! | FerrariChat

Best car for $20k ? How about $2k !

Discussion in 'General Automotive Discussion' started by anunakki, Oct 23, 2007.

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  1. anunakki

    anunakki Seven Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Oct 8, 2005
    72,468
    Las Vegas Nevada
    Full Name:
    Jerry
    Alright my little sister needs a car and has $2000 cash. She doesnt want to finance anything as times are tough for her (shes only 20).

    So what is the best path to proceed ?

    I am thinking 70s american as they should be dirt cheap and easy to fix when something goes wrong.
     
  2. Razzer92

    Razzer92 F1 Rookie

    Aug 4, 2006
    4,496
    old honda civic
     
  3. nsxnick

    nsxnick Formula 3

    Jul 24, 2001
    1,479
    Detroit
    Full Name:
    Nick

    $20k : New Civic
    $2k : Used Civic

    edit: great minds think alike
     
  4. Mbutner

    Mbutner Formula 3

    Aug 11, 2005
    1,689
    Bay Area / Washington DC
    Full Name:
    Quick Draw
    No BS?

    Go buy a bone stock Honda Civic. May be hard to find in LA but I think it is the most bulletproof crap bucket out there. You're not going to get much for $2k but that is the best you can do.

    Parts are plentiful and the car is easy to work on. Good luck.

    70's American!?!? You might as well ball up your $2k and flush it down the toilet.

    Edit: See! Two other civic votes while I was typing this.
     
  5. Mike J

    Mike J Formula Junior

    May 10, 2005
    570
    Ship Bottom, NJ
    Full Name:
    Michael
    I'd rather a bus pass than a Civic.
     
  6. SRT Mike

    SRT Mike Two Time F1 World Champ

    Oct 31, 2003
    23,343
    Taxachusetts
    Full Name:
    Raymond Luxury Yacht
    A guy at my work went through this - you don't need to go 70's American to pay $2k for a car. For $1k he got a 1996 Chrysler LHS with 120k miles. it needed brakes, a tie rod and 2 new tires which came to around $300 (parts are cheap on those year American cars). Car has full leather, AC, traction control, pretty peppy for it's size, rides like a caddy, very little road noise, big back seat (heh), huge trunk!

    They have them on the lots around here for $1500-2200 with just around 100k miles.

    You can also get something like a Ford Taurus, Ford Contour, Chrysler Sebring, Dodge Cirrus, etc for around the same money in the same general (96-99) year range. Just find a guy asking $2900 or something and whip out $2k in cash.

    If you want to go foreign, you will need to get something a bit older and with more miles because they have higher resale. I would recommend either a Honda Civic or a Toyota Corolla. My father had an 89 Corolla he bought new. That car was the first/only car that all 3 of his kids drove through high school, was taken to college by 2 of us and when they finally carted it away with 200k miles on it, the interior looked almost new, and it started fine and drove fine. He just wanted the tax writeoff. That car literally never needed a single thing other than tires, a muffler and brake pads. Never so much as had a fuse blow or a turn signal bulb burn out.
     
  7. Devilsolsi

    Devilsolsi F1 Veteran
    Rossa Subscribed

    Mar 1, 2007
    8,503
    MD
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    Alex
    When it comes to reliability, you really can't go wrong with a civic.
     
  8. ecadwell

    ecadwell Karting

    Nov 10, 2003
    203
    Bend, OR
    Full Name:
    Eric Cadwell
    I'd personally go for a early-to-mid '80s Nissan(Datsun) 280ZX.
     
  9. Choptop

    Choptop F1 Rookie

    Aug 15, 2004
    4,455
    Carmichael, CA
    Full Name:
    Alan Galbraith
    toyota corolla

    cant go wrong. I have one thats got 250k on the motor and it runs like a top.
     
  10. Choptop

    Choptop F1 Rookie

    Aug 15, 2004
    4,455
    Carmichael, CA
    Full Name:
    Alan Galbraith
    Pontiac Bonneville with the 3.6 V6 that has had the intake update done (basically a new intake plenum installed). They are a nice comfy large 4 door, with LOTS of power and the engine will run for a LONG time when the forementioned update is done.
     
  11. Auraraptor

    Auraraptor F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Sep 25, 2002
    13,196
    MO
    I had 2 BMW 6 series (both 1982 models). Right around $2k. Great cars! Handle like a RWD dream, yet still with about 2x the steel of a civic! The venerable M30 is a tank of an engine. The back seats are usable, and very comfortable to boot (though they lack head rests...at least in 82).

    Parts are dirt cheap if you know where to look... I picked up a used alternator for $40 dollars on ebay.

    If 6ers aren't your thing, a similar era 3 series or 5 series (80s; early 90s as well in the case of the 3) can be had for even less!
     
  12. JohnLClark

    JohnLClark Karting

    May 15, 2005
    188
    Pittsburgh
    Whatever car you are looking for, look on Craigslist in your area. I have found very good cars dirt cheap on my local site.
     
  13. Fnix

    Fnix Karting

    Jun 23, 2007
    87
    Orlando, Florida
    Or you could cash 2k and finance 2k (not too bad)
     
  14. SefacHotRodder

    SefacHotRodder F1 World Champ

    Dec 20, 2003
    11,148
    NJ
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    Chris
    How about a '97 Chrysler Sebring convertible, fully optioned with 88k miles for $3k? :D
     
  15. thecarreaper

    thecarreaper F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Sep 30, 2003
    17,564
    Savannah
    find a 85 Toyota MR2 .... :)
     
  16. donv

    donv Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Jan 5, 2002
    23,988
    Portland, Oregon
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    Don
    If you can go a little over $2k, look for a late 70s - early 80s Mercedes 240D. I suggest a manual transmission.
     
  17. jorge.rios

    jorge.rios F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa

    Mar 2, 2006
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    Monterrey
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    Jorge
    +1

    Nothing better than a Toyota or a Honda
     
  18. Bullfighter

    Bullfighter Two Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Jan 26, 2005
    22,350
    Indian Wells, California
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    Jon
    Old Honda Del Sol.
     
  19. FerrariF50lover

    FerrariF50lover Formula 3

    Aug 12, 2005
    2,383
    Ohio
    Full Name:
    Nate
    Old Impala or crown vic.
     
  20. Pantera

    Pantera F1 Rookie

    Nov 6, 2004
    4,479
    1+

    Same here.
     
  21. Pantera

    Pantera F1 Rookie

    Nov 6, 2004
    4,479
    Meh

    With that money you could find a nice well used late model Fiero GT at 2k. Its a perfect car for anyone in their 20's ;) if your looking for something diffrent.

    Now I must say though working on them isn't exactly an easy task. It will take a weekend, group of buddys who know their suff about them and some beer. :)

    If you go MR2 don't waste your money on the 80's model, get one thats the 91-95 models :) thats worth it.
     
  22. Mang

    Mang F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Jul 11, 2007
    5,911
    ta HO
    Full Name:
    Mike S.
    they are double overhead cam, alloy block beauties that just beg to be worked on, so mechanics skills come in handy, but when running right..... smiles per gallon!!! available all the time in the 2K range.....rust is the only killer!
     

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