What's a good first car?

[Yiggs]

The deal is that when I land myself a job, my parents are going to find a way to get me a car. What should I be on the lookout for? Sure, a strong car would be cool, but I really don't want to be driving a gas guzzler. The less $$$ spent on gas the better. With that in mind, what cars tend to age well and won't give me all sorts of funky problems? I haven't had a single infraction driving a car yet, and I'm going on three years driving now :) One of those massive land boats of a town car would be cool. I'd pimp it out in pink fur seats just to look like a poser. Those probably aren't too good in the mpg department, eh?

[White Pony]

I've heard bad things about anything domestic. Hondas and Toyotas have been said to hold up really well and not cost a lot.

[GusButts]

Toyota Corollas, Camrys, Mazda Protégés? (;))

[Yiggs]

I've heard bad things about anything domestic. Hondas and Toyotas have been said to hold up really well and not cost a lot.

Yeah, I managed to read a consumer report special on cars with all sorts of stats. Hondas, etc. did very well over 10 years with very few problems. I just didn't think they made quality cars until relatively recently.


and Gus, what's the winking? Are you for real?

[GusButts]

It's because I have a Protégé 5 lol. :)

[Daywalker]

fifth generation civics kick ass, i love mine.

Get a stick. You get better MPG, others won't know how to drive it, and its just good to be able to know how to. That way you can borrow anyones car if need be.

[Chris R]

I've heard bad things about anything domestic. Hondas and Toyotas have been said to hold up really well and not cost a lot.


Well, not all domestics are bad after 10 years. The only solid rule I've seen regarding domestics are that most cars made during the 1980's were bad, but again, there are always exceptions.

You'll have to give us more info though, how much money are you willing to spend? How much does style matter to you? If you could care less what your car looks like I'll point you to a Geo Metro, Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, Chevy Cavaliers (somewhat sporty). Really depends. You'll also have to let us know how much mileage is too low, as in most economy cars get 28-36 miles to the gallon, some get 40. Some of the early 90's import sportier cars get around 30. A 90's V6 powered car will usually net you 20 to 25 mpg. Most things V8 powered that aren't brand new will get you 20 and below. Note that these stereotypes are by no means concrete, there are always exceptions, these are just from my personal experience.

[Yiggs]

Well, not all domestics are bad after 10 years. The only solid rule I've seen regarding domestics are that most cars made during the 1980's were bad, but again, there are always exceptions.

You'll have to give us more info though, how much money are you willing to spend? How much does style matter to you? If you could care less what your car looks like I'll point you to a Geo Metro, Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, Chevy Cavaliers (somewhat sporty). Really depends. You'll also have to let us know how much mileage is too low, as in most economy cars get 28-36 miles to the gallon, some get 40. Some of the early 90's import sportier cars get around 30. A 90's V6 powered car will usually net you 20 to 25 mpg. Most things V8 powered that aren't brand new will get you 20 and below. Note that these stereotypes are by no means concrete, there are always exceptions, these are just from my personal experience.
Money wise I'd expect them to not spend much. I'm not sure what cars tend to go for used, But I'd expect something at least 10 years old so however much that is. No more than 9k I would be sure on. Stylewise, I'd like something that didn't look like everyone elses two seater (two and two half seats.) This would normally rule out SUVs as those don't do so well mpg wise. Anything above 30 mpg is good. The more mpg the better I guess, but I don't want to be driving around in some teeny little car for the mpg. I'm also a big guy (6'3") so I need legroom. My dad's had a couple cadillacs that he liked a lot since there was so much room for his legs. :)

[Chris R]

Well, if you're willing to go up to 9k that opens up a lot. I do know that tall people can fit somewhat comfortably in Celicas. If you want something a little different you can look at an MR2, a 2.2L MR2 can go for around 5 to 6k, smaller cars that are certainly different, but there's almost no room. Maintenance and parts on those cars can be kinda iffy.

You might be able to find a decent V6 American sports car like a Mustang, Camero, Firebird, Trans Am, something along those lines. All look pretty decent, though I couldn't tell you how long the V6 lasts. I do know that in some generations (mid 90's and up) mustangs the V6 engines were alright, but the transmissions, namely the autos were terrible.

Also note that regardless of a cars reputation, the biggest factor in how it'll preform is how well it was taken care of. A car known to be a pos that had its oil changed every 3,000 miles and was babied will almost always outlast a reliable car that was absolutely trashed.

My Celica has 115k on the engine it and has been very well taken care of, it still runs like new. When taken care of the 5sfe engine in Celicas can go to 250k, in Camrys were they had less horsepower and thus less strain on the engine they were nearly indestructible. However, my dad and I looked at a Celica in a local junkyard that only had 150k on it, yet it barely ran because it was beaten to hell and the retard who owned it waited to long to fix a radiator problem, thus the engine has a pretty bad low end knock.

It really does go a long way for a car to be taken care of. Also make sure that whatever car(s) you decide on, you do extensive research. It may or may not be enjoyable, but it pays off in the long run when you know what to expect and know what might need to be replaced early on instead of it leaving you stranded on 10 miles from the nearest town or cell phone signal.

[pk!]

1998 Volvo 960 estate. Mate, it's like driving a Star Trek shuttlecraft.

http://images.automotive.com/reviews/images/96volvo960.jpghttp://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en-commons/thumb/0/05/250px-Volvo-960-wagon.jpg

The 960 is powered by a 2.9-liter dual overhead camshaft 24-valve inline 6-cylinder engine mated to a 4-speed automatic transmission

[Mr. Fiend]

My first car was a 1990 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera. V6, auto, power nothing, and no tape deck. The things run forever, provided you keep up on the basic stuff (fluids, brakes, etc.). You might want something newer, of course, but for a first car I wouldn't rule it out.

[PsychoMantis]

I drive a 2006 Saturn Ion. I love the damn thing; no problems with it and I get at least 30 miles to the gallon. Though you'd probably have to get a used one to fit your price range.

[Daffy]

Not telling you to get one, but my Chevy Blazer is 11 years old now and almost has 164,000 miles on it, and the only problem it had was an issue of the owner before me wiring a security system wrong. It eats gas, but I usually need all the space in the back for moving shit around from home to college. Just saying not all domestic cars have "zomg tons of problemslol!". It is also my first car, and got it fairly cheaply XD.

-e- Once I get a job up in Vermont after summer vacation is over, however, I will be looking for a car that has good MPG just because I won't have to worry about hauling to and from home anymore. Might just use this thread for reference ;p

-e2- It doesn't specify in your post, but if you're also looking for "safer" cars, here's a link after a small amount of searching:

http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/Insurance/P63955.asp

[Captain Colon]

buy a pontiac fiero lol


Seriously, it's pretty cheap to maintain since it's a parts bin special, it's fun as shit to drive, and you'll probably be able to get your SAE mechanic certification after a year of owning one because you probably won't be able to afford to not do the work yourself. Plus there's a ton of performance and kit-car options out there if that's your thing. It's also got a five-star crash rating all around if you're a pussy.

Really, just get anything that's cheap and works. It doesn't matter because you always love your first car anyway.

[Daywalker]

get an old domestic with a straight 6 in it. all you have to worry about is the rest of the vehicle going the shit, that engine will last forever with very minimal maintence.

[Captain Colon]

Yeah but it'll get shit power and gas mileage, and may not handle the high ethanol content of midwestern gas very well. Which is okay if you don't mind that and can afford the gas and replacing some seals with ethanol-safe ones.

[Glock23]

I miss my Celica, but I loooooove my GTI. :)

[Daywalker]

Yeah but it'll get shit power and gas mileage, and may not handle the high ethanol content of midwestern gas very well. Which is okay if you don't mind that and can afford the gas and replacing some seals with ethanol-safe ones.


glad i dont live in the midwest

[Reveller]

VWs although frowned upon, last a very long time if taken care of

my 97 Jetta has lasted me 2 years now, with only 1 major problem in the past, and it wasn't major at all now that I think about it. any of the 2.0L 8v engines with a manual transmissions (VW automatics last about a month) you should hold fine until you get enough for another vehicle. I reccomend against a VR6 as you need a bit of mechanical know-how to maintain them as they cause more problems than their worth. my car gets about 28mpg city and 30-31 highway on regular fuel

[CheeseSteakJim]

buy a pontiac fiero lol


Seriously, it's pretty cheap to maintain since it's a parts bin special, it's fun as shit to drive, and you'll probably be able to get your SAE mechanic certification after a year of owning one because you probably won't be able to afford to not do the work yourself. Plus there's a ton of performance and kit-car options out there if that's your thing. It's also got a five-star crash rating all around if you're a pussy.

Really, just get anything that's cheap and works. It doesn't matter because you always love your first car anyway.
Five star safety rating for a car that tiny, and prone to blowing up? That test must've been rigged.

Yeah but it'll get shit power and gas mileage, and may not handle the high ethanol content of midwestern gas very well. Which is okay if you don't mind that and can afford the gas and replacing some seals with ethanol-safe ones.

Hey faggot, my truck's got the Ford straight-six in it and that thing's still surviving. Get a truck with the 4.9L (300ci) inline six cylinder and it'll probably still be running after you no longer can.

[marty]

Get a 1989 Mercedes E300.

Reliability is hit or miss (they're either remarkably durable or they constantly break down -- it's a roll of the dice which of the two you get) and the price for parts is outrageous. The usual price is $2500, which sounds good for a Benz, but really fucking excessive for a 20-year old car.

But guess what? For only a small bit of money you get to feel really smug around your peers. This is not an ironic post -- smugness is one hell of a feeling if it's genuine.

And boy, driving a Benz, no matter how crappy or old, is as genuine as it gets.

NOTE: Don't bother acting smug around people who know cars. Just laugh along and say ":) Yeah, what a piece of shit -- but at that price who could say no :)." Also, don't tell them how much you really got it.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v460/marty4286/47ri.jpg

EDIT: Actually, this really doesn't work unless you buy it yourself. If your parents got it for you, you'll just look like an asshole.

[Afro Joe]

I love my 98 jeep cherokee

[CheeseSteakJim]

My friend has a '93 190E and you don't have to know anything whatsoever about cars to know that's a piece of shit. He has to have the heat blasting on full in the middle of summer just so that it doesn't overheat when he's sitting in traffic. Only one of the speakers work, and only intermittently. Its fuel gauge is broken. The list goes on and on... you'd think with all the supposed genius, kraut ingenuity could put a decent electrical system in a car.

But he DOES have a sunroof, and that's something to be smug about.

[Mirsky]

If you can find a decent one I'd go with an older Mercedes than Marty suggested. I'm a big fan of the W123 series (E-class) but TBH if you want an unusual 2 seater the 450 SL convertible is alot of fun.

http://www.bobbittville.com/Mercedes400SL-1981SheilaPetty.jpg

For a more sane suggestion I have a Toyota Echo. It's boring, ugly but at the same time economical, exceeding roomy and most importantly reliable. Mines done 117k miles with no major mechanical issues. I'm on the end of my second set of tires and need a new exhaust but that's about it. The bad thing about Toyotas (and Hondas to a lesser extent) is that servicing is very VERY expensive. My 60k mile service was $700 from the dealership! For the 120k service I took it to my local guy and he charged me $400.

Tip if you see a car for sale that's around 60k miles don't buy it. Chances are it hasn't had it's major service and thats an expensive you won't forsee and don't want to pay.

[marty]

like I said, hit and miss. I know a dozen stories like yours, and a dozen other stories where guys beat the shit out of their cars over the years but they still run.

German engineering is sort of overrated -- if it works, it works well. If it doesn't, it's fucking aggravating. It's the same story with BMWs -- but don't get one if you're trying to be smug, they're for wannabes :D. I'm not sure about Audi/VW -- they're supposedly great, but my mom's Rabbit once broke down at an inopportune moment...

[Captain Colon]

Five star safety rating for a car that tiny, and prone to blowing up? That test must've been rigged.
The rating is based on how much the dummies get owned in a crash test, five stars = 5% or smaller chance of a serious injury. The frame is pretty much one giant single chunk of steel and it's stupidly rigid.

Hey faggot, my truck's got the Ford straight-six in it and that thing's still surviving. Get a truck with the 4.9L (300ci) inline six cylinder and it'll probably still be running after you no longer can.
wow so it was running when you got it, that's awesome :lincoln:

but my mom's Rabbit once broke down at an inopportune moment...
we're talking about cars, not dildos

[Daywalker]

the test barrier is designed so that it represents a crash between two vehicles of similar weight, so the crash test ratings are a little misleading now that SUVs dominated the road.

[Enforcer]

Saab 900S. It's a cult car. It's cheap. It's usually a convertible. It has a turbo the size of Iran. It'll make you stand above the crowd. Get a late 80's early 90's one. And it still looks pretty damn good.

[Captain Colon]

the test barrier is designed so that it represents a crash between two vehicles of similar weight, so the crash test ratings are a little misleading now that SUVs dominated the road.
Depends on the car...for instance, mine will go under any decently high vehicle :lincoln:

[Daywalker]

Depends on the car...for instance, mine will go under any decently high vehicle :lincoln:


what I mean is that the barrier they use to crash the car into is designed to mimick the car hitting a vehicle of similar weight.


I know what you mean though, most things that will hit my car will probably ride up on top of me, but now with current trends a lot of cars will probably end up going under trucks and SUVs, since everyone has to lift them and put on brush guards for no utilitarian reason. Its sad people don't realize the douchebag shit they do to their penis compensating SUVs and trucks could actually be the reason why someone else dies in a car accident, when it will make little difference in what actually happens to them. Thats probably why I hate the suburbs so much.

[SinistralRifleman]

My first car was a 2000 Ford Focus I bought new back then. I'm still driving it, no major problems not related to regular maintenance. My dad owns a transmission repair business and he has told me he hasn't had Focuses come in so far for major repairs related to normal use.

I get 25 MPG in the city and 30+ on the highway.

100,000 miles on mine now. I will probably get a new car within the next couple years

[Captain Colon]

penis compensating SUVs and trucks
Most SUV/Truck drivers are women :lincoln:


Women with burning penis envy.

[Col. Psycho]

VWs although frowned upon, last a very long time if taken care of

my 97 Jetta has lasted me 2 years now, with only 1 major problem in the past, and it wasn't major at all now that I think about it. any of the 2.0L 8v engines with a manual transmissions (VW automatics last about a month) you should hold fine until you get enough for another vehicle. I reccomend against a VR6 as you need a bit of mechanical know-how to maintain them as they cause more problems than their worth. my car gets about 28mpg city and 30-31 highway on regular fuel


VR6 = shite. for the size of the engine, and the way its designed, its a very uneconomical engine. it gives power, but nothing that a GTI cant beat with an induction kit and a chipped ECU. dont get me wrong - the VR6 can pull when looked after and tuned properly, then it comes into its own, but overall, i'd take anything but a VR6 if i wanted a small car with good performance, good maintenance and good mileage.

just my 2 cents. :D

[Denwad]

a 1st generation cloud car is a good choice

95-00 are the years of manufacture

dodge stratus - mid range

chrysler cirrus - 'high line'

plymouth breeze - cheapo model

good parts availability

good reliability

alright power ( with 5-speed )

i have a 96 plymouth breeze, OEM clutch went out at 158000 miles, replaced it and not much else is wrong with it

[GrosPoisson]

Saab 900S. It's a cult car. It's cheap. It's usually a convertible. It has a turbo the size of Iran. It'll make you stand above the crowd. Get a late 80's early 90's one. And it still looks pretty damn good.

Old Saab's = win. I was going to be the proud owner of a 1986 Saab 900 (no turbo, unfortunately) when I hit 16, but two years prior to that it ended up getting totaled while my dad was driving on the freeway. The other driver basically pulled a PIT maneuver on the car, and it wasn't worth salvaging because the crumple zones did exactly that.

I miss that thing. It may not have been a very powerful car, but I loved its quirks.

[Enforcer]

Old Saab's = win. I was going to be the proud owner of a 1986 Saab 900 (no turbo, unfortunately) when I hit 16, but two years prior to that it ended up getting totaled while my dad was driving on the freeway. The other driver basically pulled a PIT maneuver on the car, and it wasn't worth salvaging because the crumple zones did exactly that.

I miss that thing. It may not have been a very powerful car, but I loved its quirks.

Im quite disappointed in the new ones. Although I have a 99 Saab 95, its been quite good. However, the build quality has really gone down the shitter. The 2006 95 is quite possibly the ugliest fucking car on the planet, pending the Kia Seed.

The old ones really were built like jets.

[GrosPoisson]

Im quite disappointed in the new ones. Although I have a 99 Saab 95, its been quite good. However, the build quality has really gone down the shitter. The 2006 95 is quite possibly the ugliest fucking car on the planet, pending the Kia Seed.

The old ones really were built like jets.

I blame GM :fier:

But yeah, they really were. I remember ours had an actual solid bumper that was sturdy enough to support my weight. The roof could as well, it was a solid piece of sheet metal.

[BlindSite]

Sigmas haul ass and are economical, in the 80s they were like assholes so you should be able to get a good one for under a grand.

[Captain Colon]

nobody in america knows what a sigma is

*E* It's a mitsubishi galant/diamante apparently

[Walnut]

German engineering is sort of overrated -- if it works, it works well. If it doesn't, it's fucking aggravating. It's the same story with BMWs -- but don't get one if you're trying to be smug, they're for wannabes :D. I'm not sure about Audi/VW -- they're supposedly great, but my mom's Rabbit once broke down at an inopportune moment...

My mom had a BMW X5, I think she got it the first model year it was out (2001?), which apparently isn't a good idea with BMWs. The same part (some kind of pump) broke 4 or 5 times in maybe 6 months, and the car only had about 30,000 miles on it, so she ditched it for a Japanese car.

However, if I was rich, a BMW 650i would be the first car I would buy. Pure sex. And, being rich, I would be able to fix it as many times as necessary. :D

[Captain Colon]

And, being rich, I would be able to fix it as many times as necessary. :D
I wonder how many former rich people bought a BMW on that logic ;)

[marty]

I will run over your crippled ass

[Enforcer]

My cousin just bought an '07 550i (which is like one of the ugliest cars on the planet) and BMW guarantees it for 50,000 miles / 5 years or something all parts and labor, 100%.

But then again, they better guarantee a car for $50,000+.

[Scraps]

Something with V-Tec.

[Daywalker]

Something with V-Tec.



http://encyclopediadramatica.com/images/8/83/Vteclol.jpg



my honda doesnt have v-tec:(

[Captain Colon]

wow your honda must be really old and shitty then :(

[Mr. Fiend]

Hey faggot, my truck's got the Ford straight-six in it and that thing's still surviving. Get a truck with the 4.9L (300ci) inline six cylinder and it'll probably still be running after you no longer can.We had a '92 Ford F150 with an inline six at work as our traffic control/work vehicle. The thing caught fire, was in at least two major accidents (one of them was a rollover, the other was a head on collision with a light pole), had it's engine knocked off the mount when it hit a building, had the engine sent forward into the radiator somehow (rumor has it someone started it with the pedal to the floor), routinely had it's fluids neglected, often missed it's scheduled servicing because of a shortage of vehicles on the job, and in general was beaten and driven harder than just about any truck in existence. When running traffic, we were always flooring it to avoid stupid drivers on cell phones who thought they had the right of way over an official vehicle complete with a dome light. People were always running it over curbs, and it needed alignments on several occasions since I started at my job. For a while it was moving almost 24 hours a day because we would hand it off to the nightwatchmen when we left, and pick it up from them in the morning. The truck was finally retired from service late last summer.

The mileage was over 243,000.

[Daywalker]

I've heard of people trying to kill a straight six by leaving a brick on the gas pedal and just leaving it, aparently it takes several hours to kill it that way.


My honda is a 92 civic dx, with the glorius D15B7 engine that has these stunning stats.

* Displacement : 1493 cm3
* Bore and Stroke : 75 mm X 84.5 mm
* Compression : 9.2:1
* Power : 102 hp @ 5900 rpm & 98 ft·lbf @ 5000 rpm
* Valvetrain : SOHC (4 valves per cylinder)
* Fuel Control : OBD-1 MPFI

[Reveller]

oh god, hondas :rolleyes:

[Enforcer]

* Power : 102 hp @ 5900 rpm & 98 ft·lbf @ 5000 rpm

How do they get such little power from a car

[BS87]

Honestly, the people on the jeep forums always joke "My lug nuts require more torque than your car puts out" but damn i always thought it was a joke. I usualy torque mine down to 95 ft/lbs =/

[Captain Colon]

Yeah, the ones on battlewhack's impala are supposed to be like 145ft-lb I think.

My car makes about 10 hp less than daywalkers, but like 30ft-lb more torque D: I CHALLENGE YOU TO AN UPHILL RACE

[nojmaster]

I wonder how many former rich people bought a BMW on that logic ;)

Indeedy, a friend of mine is an apprentice mechanic for BMW, says the only way to go is to buy a BMW new and sell them as soon as the maintenence warranty runs out.

[Wallrod]

How do they get such little power from a carFor an NA 1.5L straight four, that's not all that shoddy.

[Daywalker]

I can't even imagine driving my car without a stick, the auto would rob me of what little power I have.

[Chris R]

I'll give Honda credit, they do amazing things with tiny engines. Besides, some of them can get pretty quick.

I see more riced out Eclipses and pickups than Hondas around here anyways. The Eclipses never do anything, they all just drive the speed limit, along with the occasional riced out Escort or something. The pickup drivers all think they own. Mustang GT drivers always drive 5 miles under the speed limit. Weird how it all works.

An Izuzu pickup with no hood and a green paint job on the very front tried to intimidate me by revving his engine that had no exhaust. That was pretty entertaining.

[Daywalker]

Sometimes I rev my engine just to be a douche bag. I have one freind that has a Ram Charger Pick Up with the V8 Hemi. I always rev the engine around him.

Its nice when people see the big shit eating grin on my face and relaize im just fucking around with them, but some people are douches and think I'm actually wanting to race them.

[Chris R]

Every once and awhile you'll find someone around here thats willing to screw around a bit, but most of the people either are too apathetic, or would rather be douches and not stop till they get to 50 mph down a residential road.

[Captain Colon]

I should start revving my engine at people just so they can look over and be surprised that it's a tiny car next to them and not a 4-cylinder ford ranger.

[MatthewMarchand]

Subaru Impreza or Legacy.

Great cars, fun, AWD, solid and dependable.

[rovens]

If you can get one for your budget then a diesel golf.

[Daffy]

Did you buy one yet? D:

[Walnut]

If you can get one for your budget then a diesel golf.

lol, we don't get diesel Golfs over here (I've never seen one at least).