So, the wife is in the market for a "workhorse"...

  • Thread starter Thread starter Gil
  • 25 comments
  • 917 views
Gil

Gil

Bird man
Premium
Messages
6,977
Messages
old-guy64
And for the last few days we've been shopping for not one, but two cars.
The kids need a new ride because my third son totalled that damned Plymouth mini-van. (I can't say whether I'm happy or sad about that). But their car has to be of some size in the interior, as my third son is actually, a bit larger than I am. (See the "I'm in a quandry here" thread for a pic of me and my new truck to gage my size then imagine bigger).
We are/were also looking for a "throwaway" car for the wife to drive back and forth to work. (Our van is sort of "rare" as it is the 8-passenger version. She wants to save it for road trips, and the occasions that we all go somewhere together.)
The requirements: (her words) "It has to get better gas mileage than the Venture and be comfortable on my 100+ mile round trip commute."

So, the search began. She looked at a '97 Acura 3.2 TL. Low miles, a color she liked, heated seats (which would become important, as it will not be garaged), and a pretty good price. However, while she was thinking about it somebody else drove it, and bought the thing.
So she looked at another Acura 3.2 TL. It was more expensive, and she wasn't jazzed by the color.

Next day I'm able to go with, and I've researched some on the Acura. Nice vehicle, but it gets about the same gas mileage as the Van, and is therefore unacceptable. So, in the course of our travels we hit a few of the used car places and continued the search.

We drove a "cute" Pontiac Sunfire (a prospect for the kids), but after we got away from the dealer, I was trading places with the son who would be doing some of the driving, and I noticed some dirt at the bottom of the fuel filler door. Opened it and found full-fledged mud.:eek: Plus, the number on the motor didn't match the number in the door jamb or the front window. Took that one right back to the dealer!!!

Tried a Turbo Bug, but my wife, who is quite capable with a manual had problems driving it, and while it is supposed to get 40+ miles per gallon, there is always contruction traffic. So the manual trans, and the need for Premium grade fuel, knocked it right out of the running.

So in the course of the day we looked at a '98 Mercury Tracer (for the boys). It sucked. My son and I took it out, and there wasn't enough room for us to sit side by side in it comfortably, and the knob for the heater fan was broken off. Plus, it had a feel of "cheapness" to it. I want a cheap car for them, but I also want quality.

We looked at a Focus, An Altima, An Accord, a Maxima, and a Camry. My wife fell in love almost immediately with...The Camry.
It's a '99 with 50K miles on it. It's that mundane champagne color. And it gets better mileage than the Van and my truck. And it was priced such that we could just write a check.:D
So the Toyota sits in the drive waiting to be insured.

I'll keep you posted on the search for the kid's car. I have a line on a '96 or '97 Probe. I know it's small, as we already have an '89, but the price is right.
 
Good choice on the Camry, Gil. It'll let your wife have a hassle-free, comfortable commute for many miles to come.

Did you consider a 89-97 Thunderbird for the kids? It's a tank, so they'll be safe and it can take a few fender-benders without crubling into peices. The V8's dont give great gas milage, but the V6es are a pretty good buy, if you ask me. Big, comfortable seats, plenty of luxury, and many of them sell for less than 3 grand.
 
menglan
Is it just me, or are they always widening the roads here in KS?
Click to expand...
Or something.
I heard a joke a few months back that sums it all up nicely.

Scientists have determined that the sun will burn itself out in the year 2115. Do you know what that means?
They'll have to finish I-35 in the dark.
 
You could make a similar joke about the Big Dig here in Boston and the year 2372.

You're actually buying your kids a car! Lucky, bastards.
 
Klostrophobic
You're actually buying your kids a car! Lucky, bastards.
Click to expand...

Well, not so much. There are six of them, three that drive. The oldest "inhereted" his granpa's Geo/Chevy Metro. He is the only one proficient with stick-shift. As a result he doesn't have to share. His brothers are "chomping at the bit" to learn though. So that isn't a permanent condition.
The other two are sharing an '89 Ford Probe. And doing it poorly. The maternal parental unit will not let them at her Venture, or the Camry. They are underskilled to drive my truck. (and it's not really likely that I'll give them a chance at it for a while).
So, the solution is to procure another inexpensive ride.
We have a friend whose mom knows quite a few older people that have lost spouses and may be looking to get rid of the extra car.
So, the guys may end up with an Olds 98 or some other "old-timer car". But it beats walking.
 
Looked at a '94 Probe today.
Aside from being too small, too few doors, too much power, and a niggling little CEL that came on repeatedly during the 15 minutes that I had it out, it was perfect.

Well, I wouldn't have minded having to use it as my "winter rat" this season. But no way I'd let my kids loose with it.

I'm looking for a 4-door with fairly low miles, and some size to it. Maybe a Taurus will turn up.
 
Drifting Thunda
You can't go wrong with an '89-'97 V6 T-Bird or Cougar can you?
Click to expand...

But I'm looking for a Front wheel Drive, 4-door, semi-large vehicle.
I like the bird and the cat, but the guys need a bigger car.
I get the final word though.:D
 
If fuel economy isnt a major priority for your children, id actually suggest a mid 80's Chevy pickup. Very safe and will get you from point A to B every time.

Besides, i own a '82 Single Cab. Its as old as me, but gets the job done. Not stylish by a long shot, but safe and reliable. Just a horrible idea.
James-
 
Nah don't punish them like that, they should at least be allowed to enjoy driving. :) I think you're looking for a Bonneville my friend. Big enough, 4-doors, front-drive. If you're *really* nice you'll get 'em a Bonneville SSEi!
 
I've known too many Pontiacs...:lol:
However, the Bonnie isn't a horrible Idea if I can find one with low enough mileage, and at the right price. As I'll be "nicking" it for snow days, It may be just the ticket.
I'll keep it in mind.

K.J. did you see my requirements?

Front wheel drive preferable, 4-doors a must. A mid '80's single cab Chevy Truck, doesn't fit the bill.
Plus, aren't they the ones that blow up if struck too hard from the side?...

I'm also looking for a relatively "young" car. As in, one that is under 70,000 miles of service.
Not that I plan to spoil my kids with a near new car. But I also don't want to be going out on "rescue" runs every weekend. As well, I want a car that I'll also enjoy as it will be my ride when there is snow. And I want no one to have to rescue me in bad weather due to a breakdown, or, as is likely in a rear-drive truck have to come and pull me out of the ditch and back onto the road.
 
Gil, for the kids:

1991-1996 Acura Legend
1997-2003 Chevrolet Malibu
1994-1997 Honda Accord
1991-1996 Infiniti G20
1990-1991 Lexus ES250
1993-1997 Toyota Camry
1993-1997 Volvo 850

The Volvo is a great bet, the newer the better. Beginning in 1995, side airbags became available - standard on the Turbo, optional on the rest. It was the first car to feature side airbags, and they complemented an already impressive array of safety features: anti-lock brakes, dual front airbags, daytime running lights, and available traction control. A base 1993 850 will run you about $3000, a 1995 with side airbags $5000.

The 1990-1991 Lexus ES250 is rare, but it was the original Camry-based Lexus. I believe all had leather and a sunroof, and the only engine/transmission combo was a 2.5L V6 and a 4-speed automatic. $4000 or so.

The 1991-1996 Infiniti G20 is the most reliable car of all time, period. Judging by the plates of the ones I see, most 1991-1996 G20s are still owned by their original owner, and the only two people I actually know who own one are indeed original owners. You can get a 1991 with absurdly high miles for well under $2000 and expect it to last for another few years with minimal maintenance; a decent, say, 1993, goes for like $3000.

Whenever you're shopping for a front-drive, four-door kids car, a Camry and Accord are in order for obvious reasons. A 1993-1997 Camry can be really cheap or really expensive, while most 1994-1997 Accords run the cheap side. All are bulletproof.

The 1991-1996 Acura Legend meets your criteria.

The 1997-2003 Chevrolet Malibu is a deal if you go back to the 1997 and 1998 models, prices rarely top $5000 and usually hover between $3500 and $4500.
 
Doug,
Those are all good suggestions.
Even though I think the Malibu is "unpretty" It fits the bill for a "snow duck" for me when the weather turns to crap.
I also like the Accord and the Camry. The Camry is probably better suited for my "smallish" frame. It was more difficult to get into and out of the Accord. I have a friend at work that loves hers. However, her husband is "small" like me and also has problems with getting in and out of the car.
 
Those Delta Eighty Eights are good cars. They last for stinken ever to! I saw one with 240k miles on it. And we own one with 170k and it drives like a new car.
 
Im not sure if this fits your criteria, but why not get an early model MPV/Windstar? They're kind if big, fwd, and can carry like 6 people quite comfortably. I know that the MPV comes standard with an in-dash CD player...i think from 2000 onwards. If not you can opt for a '93, minivans dont create a huge rift whenever models change. The sienna is a good choice too, if you're looking for mileage.
 
I know that this is an old chestnut. But to save the bandwidth...
The problem was solved by grand-ma.:D
She recently has married a very nice man, and between them there are 2 houses, and 5 cars.
Her Geo Storm went to my sister-in-law.
Her '99 Chevy Lumina came here to live.

It gets decent mileage,(27-31) has AM/FM with cassette, and a 6-CD changer in the trunk.
My second son drives it. On the days when he and his older bro are car-pooling in the winter, I may take it if the weather is bad.

But as the Probe is limping...
 
All of them? I thought only the ones with "Suspension by Lotus" badges.
 
No - that badge was exclusive to the Isuzu Impulse, the Storm's twin. But both the Storm and the Impulse were indeed tuned by Lotus. However, Isuzu offered a sedan and a hatchback version, while Geo offered a hatchback and a wagonback version. The only one that sold in any real numbers was the Geo hatch, and the others are a major rarity to this day. And, although it's little-known, Isuzu's hatchback offered a 160-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder and all-wheel drive in 1991 and 1992, just like the DSM cars of the same period.
 
M5Power
You know, the Geo Storm's chassis was tuned by Lotus.
Click to expand...

Then some idiot put a 3-speed auto trans in it, and negated all the cool stuff done by Lotus.
It did handle well, even on the skinny tires.
But it was small, uncomfortable, and let's not forget ugly.
As well it was leaking tranny fluid like the proverbial seive.
My mother-in-law "threatened" to give it to us.:eek:
Thank God she came to her senses.
 
M5Power
Yes, they weren't the best, though I don't think they were ugly in the slightest!
Click to expand...
Keep in mind, "car wash" paint, peeling from the hood and roof, stock skinny tires, and I knew the car's "internals".
I add it all up and come up with "ugly".
I have actually seen some cute Geo Storms.
 
Actually I saw one tonight - in poor condition - and decided that it looks worst from the side. But I've seen photos that make the car look pretty good.
 

Latest Posts

Back