What car $5000, durability for long drives

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Jul 19, 2013
Messages
46
Location
Colorado
Might be in the market for a commuter. I have a bit of a commute and don’t want to make car payments just to put miles on it.

So, if you have suggestions for an economical car, mid size or smaller but would like a good highway ride. Ideally would like 25+ on the highway, which will be most of the driving.

I know the usual suspects, Toyota Camry, Honda Accord. $5000 is upper bound. Lower is better of course.

As far as ownership, would like readily available parts for oil changes and maintenance. Simple maintenance so I can teach my kids the basics of car ownership as well.

So, the floor is yours. Suggestions?
 
2003 and newer VW MK4 2.0 5 spd. Common and cheap, basic solid axle/Macpherson strut and bulletproof miserly engine. Easy to learn how to drive manual on.

Even $5000 CAD will get you a nice one.
 
Last edited:
Buick somethingorother. You can find one with low mileage for a pittance.
Cheap enough you could spend the extra$$ on maintenance and tires.
 
I've never understood the idea of having another car to save miles on the nicer car.

I put as many miles on my Sonata as I can. That's why I bought it.

But if you want a simple, boring, reliable, cheap car, get a 97-01 Camry. Might be able to find a really nice granny one. Or a Lexus ES300 or ES330, same bones as a Camry, just nicer.
 
Originally Posted By: Lolvoguy
Buick somethingorother. You can find one with low mileage for a pittance.
Cheap enough you could spend the extra$$ on maintenance and tires.

People on here claim you can wring 25+ mpg from them, but I do not believe them. Certainly not the older ones.
I might be difficult to find a low mileage example that has already had the LIM gaskets done. That would be the BITOG dream right there.
 
Thanks for the replies. Taking notes.

And for what it’s worth I’m not taking miles off a nicer car. Current car might be totaled out and don’t want to finance a more expensive car. That’s not to say I would mind having a daily and a fun nice car, just not doing that right now.

If my current car isn’t totaled I’m sticking with it. Really like it! Does pretty much every thing I need. Just have an opportunity to save some money and keep perspective on a depreciating asset.
 
Originally Posted By: maxdustington
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
I've never understood the idea of having another car to save miles on the nicer car.

Because you live in Arizona where it doesn't snow.
I don't think they salt the roads much in Colorado.
 
Subaru Outback. Especially in your locale; great in the snow, decent on gas in the dry months, ready for any sane adventure you set off on during any season. Look 2003-2006 for best bargains in your price range.
 
If you make the search for a car a project and really work at it there are good deals out there but you have to find them. And you might have to travel to somewhere where the weather does not eat cars. Have cash ready and don't buy without a good mechanic's (one that's paid a fair price) opinion. All this is a job just like any other job.

I found an 06 xB that was a good deal after 6 months of searching and getting disappointed again and again. The one I found had all the service records and was the cheapest price, too. Amazing. The previous owner moved up to an Odyssey.

I also found an 02 4Runner with 10K miles parked in a garage that I turned to a friend. He cleaned it up, changed fluids, new tires and some other little stuff and it runs like new.
 
The Camry and Accord are both great choices.

The Echo is also a good car, very economical and simple, and has lots of space inside (within a few cubic feet of the Camry of the time, in fact) The Scion xA is also good, basically an Echo wagon, with the same virtues. Don't forget about the Matrix/Vibe, too.

There's also the Suzuki Aerio (available as both a sedan as well as the Aerio SX wagon), and later the Suzuki SX4 (in both sedan and wagon form). You may be able to get a Kizashi in your price range and possibly be still under warranty (they left the US after 2013, but they are still honoring their 7-year/100k warranties)

Originally Posted By: maxdustington
2003 and newer VW MK4 2.0 5 spd. Common and cheap, basic solid axle/Macpherson strut and bulletproof miserly engine. Easy to learn how to drive manual on.

Even $5000 CAD will get you a nice one.


The Mk4 Golf/Jetta is one of the worst cars ever made
27.gif
 
Maxima is my go to 5K ride.

Always discs all round and ward best engine forever - and a timing CHAIN.

Stay away from the belt driven cars unless you know for certain you aren't sitting on a 100K old belt ready to pop.

All the german stuff but the benzes Ive owned goes to the [censored] electronics wise after 15 years sensors, lifts, you name it.

UD
 
Originally Posted By: Snagglefoot
For $2500 and under, the Ford Taurus up to 2007. Bought one last year with 50,000 miles.


Agree I had one and drove the wheels off of it. Sold it at 183,000 miles to a woman who still drives it daily.
 
I like my twenty year old Camry. My seven year old Camry, not so much. But it too seems durable, just lackluster. I'd skip the 2.4L Camry as they are known for head bolt issues.

Can't comment on the other options, too much of a Toyota snob. I liked my 2004 VW but they are interference motors with failure-prone DMF manuals and VW automatics. For anything under $5k these days you might want to make sure it's either dead good or be handy with DIY.
 
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
I've never understood the idea of having another car to save miles on the nicer car.


I ran the numbers before I got my beater. Moving 25k/year off my Tundra onto my Camry was a break-even; gas savings paid for reg&ins. But now the miles on the truck are reaching average/year, and it should make a decent trade-in when I do that (need a minivan). And... the car is a nicer drive on the highway. Not as quiet, certainly not as fast, but I don't fear door dings now.

Also: it's nice having N+1. Wife's car has decided to lose balance in a tire. So we'll drop it off at the garage on Sun night and pick it up Mon night once it gets fixed. No alteration to our daily habits, no need for me to take time off from work to sit at a tire shop.
 
Pre 2002 camry. Get the 4 cylinder 5sfe engine and drive the wheels off of it. Solid cars at 80 on the highway and dead reliable. Don't be afraid of the belt driven engine. It's non interference so if the belt breaks it's not a problem and it's one of the most simple timing belts to do there is. 2 hours of ship time or 4 hours in your driveway with hand tools. Don't buy a chain driven motor over a belt driven engine like this just for the sake of not doing the belt. I've had 2 chain driven engines in recent history (Nissan vq35 in g35 and ford 2.3 turbo in mazdaspeed6) both had design issues which cause the chain needing to be replaced to the tune of $1000+ each. On the other hand we have a matrix now that with the chain driven 1zz and it'll never need doing.
 
Originally Posted By: ET16
2004+ Saab 9-5s are good cruisers and cheap.



They're cheap because they're always in the shop. I had one.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top