Looking to buy a used vehicle

[Jabba]

I'm thinking of selling my current vehicle and buying a junker I can run around in. Nothing fancy. I would only use it back and forth to work which is about 15 minutes each way (i.e., 20 miles/day)

Some Parameters Are...

• I am looking for a car that I can do basic repair myself (i.e., easy to work on).
• Something that I could buy a Haynes book for.
• I am looking for a car where spare parts readily available if required.
• I want to keep the price down. Somewhere around 2-5K.

I like the little Honda Civic Hatchbacks, but not sure how easy they are to repair...

Any suggestions?

[Stingray]

I recently bought a 1989 3/4 ton Chevy truck for $500. It's an ugly rattle trap, but it can get my boat to the lake and it's super easy to work on. For the price range you're looking at, you could get a pretty nice truck of that vintage. You can sure put a lot of cabs in a full size truck. You could get a very nice S-10, or Ranger sized truck at the upper end of your price range, if you'd rather have something smaller or gets better milage. Once you have a truck, you won't know how you ever lived without one.

-S

[Jabba]

Hmmm, never had a truck. Good points on pulling the boat, and the cabs.

How many miles were on it when you bought it?

[Stingray]

Hmmm, never had a truck. Good points on pulling the boat, and the cabs.

How many miles were on it when you bought it?

I don't know, about a zillion probably. I really only bought it to use when I go fishing or need to go the lumber yard, or haul a cab or whatever. It's not a daily driver by any means. A couple days ago my dad bought a 2000 S-10 with 48k miles for $5000. There are a lot of very good trucks in your price range, and there are a ton of beaters for less than that if you're handy enough to do repairs yourself.

-S

[Jabba]

Any tips or resources (web) you know of to help me pick a vehicle that doesn't seize up 3 months down the road or where the Tranni falls out on the highway? 

I know kinda a loaded question, but what do you typically look for before you bring it to a mechanic to give it a once over?

Thanks!

[Dexter]

You can't look past the Japanese cars. Economical and uber reliable. I've a friend in Boston who got a Civic a few months back and loves it, especially when gas costs went sky high.

[ChadTower]

Except he wants a car he can easily work on without pulling the whole chassis to replace an engine part.

[Stingray]

Can't haul much in a Civic though.

As far as what I look for goes, drive it. Does it feel "right" (hard to quantify), any strange noises, does it shift correctly, brakes feel good & firm, minimal play in the steering, that kind of thing. Check the fluids, really dirty oil or coolant would suggest neglect. Water in the oil or oil in the water = run, do not walk away. Check to see if anything is missing or any half-assed repairs have been done. You don't want to buy something that some bozo has been working on.

-S

[ChadTower]

You don't want to buy something that some bozo has been working on.

Don't buy Stingray's truck.   

[Stingray]

You don't want to buy something that some bozo has been working on.

Don't buy Stingray's truck.   

Always good advice.

-S

[ChadTower]

Definitely don't buy Paige's truck.

That would be buying a truck from a BYOAC member who worked on it after buying it from another BYOAC member.

Plus, it probably has plexi on the CP.

[Jabba]

Definitely don't buy Paige's truck.

That would be buying a truck from a BYOAC member who worked on it after buying it from another BYOAC member.

Plus, it probably has plexi on the CP.

Drew to Paige to Jabba......*shudders* 

[Jabba]

Water in the oil or oil in the water = run, do not walk away

Great advice, thats what I was looking for. I;m kinda stumped though thinking how one would test for water in oil?

Thanks!

[Shape D.]

I like the little Honda Civic Hatchbacks, but not sure how easy they are to repair...

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahhahahahaha
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahhahahaha

[Jabba]

I take that to mean RUN, RUN real FAST...right? 

[missioncontrol]

A bronco

[AtomSmasher]

Make sure to check the smog laws in your area.  I live in California and I know if I were to get a beater car or truck that I wanted easy to work on, I'd buy a pre-1975 one so that I'd never have to worry about passing smog and could do whatever I wanted to it.

[Jess--]

easy way to check for water in the oil is to open the oil filler cap.... if its white and gunky its got water in it

[Stingray]

easy way to check for water in the oil is to open the oil filler cap.... if its white and gunky its got water in it

Exactly. Same deal with the coolant, open the radiator cap (make sure the engine is cool), see if there's any oil floating on top. FYI, this is a symptom of a cracked block or head, not cheap.

-S

[lustreking]

I like Subarus.

[Bones]

I was going to suggest a Kombi but you are probably not cool enough to own one.

[Stingray]

I know I'm not.

-S

[ChadTower]

Seph will own one in your mouth.

[Stingray]

-S

[Bones]

That is identical to my Kombi except mine is orange, has mag wheels, two spotlights and of course the stains and aromas from the 3 English backpacker babes who I am positive had wild and dirty lesbian sex in it.

[Stingray]

...stains and aromas from the 3 English backpacker babes who I am positive had wild and dirty lesbian sex in it.

I prefer to think that every vehicle I've ever owned has had wild & dirty lesbian sex in it.

-S

[ChadTower]

I went to UMass.  Lesbians have since had a new mental image for me, and they look like Jimmy Kimmel.

[Bones]

Don't destroy the image for me Chad. I have spent numerous hours sniffing out the evidence and I don't want to believe these countless hours have been wasted on tracking the scents of bewilderbeasts.

[grueinthebox]

If you can get by with two seats, consider a Miata.  Cheap, very easy to work on, parts are readily available, fun to drive, reliable, decent gas mileage...  Great little cars as long as you're secure enough in your manhood to endure the occasional quip from ignorant rednecks.  Any friends who give you flak will warm up to it after you let them take a test drive.

[ChadTower]

I'm not secure enough in my manhood to deal with a collision with a Bronco.

[DrewKaree]

I had a CRX.  You're right, they are nice looking for a small economical car, but forget doing ANY work on them other than brakes and a basic tuneup.

Like Stingray said, you can probably find a truck in your area, although I'm betting you're looking for something better on gas, and I'm thinking S is recommending a truck that's a gas hog.  The upside is the engines last forever.  And a day.

And my Suburban would be a sweet ride for you, but if Paige ain't supposed to leave the state, I'm POSITIVE Canada is out of the question.  And we don't need any more of your kind running aboot down here

[Stingray]

Like Stingray said, you can probably find a truck in your area, although I'm betting you're looking for something better on gas, and I'm thinking S is recommending a truck that's a gas hog.  The upside is the engines last forever.  And a day.

Well, a decent S-10 or Ranger can be had pretty cheaply, but as you said, they tend to not last as long as the gas hog variety. They're usually more trouble to work on as well.

-S

[missioncontrol]

My Bronco has a 302 and it's not too bad on gas compared to the 451 that was in my pickup.


so if you do get a ford pickup find one with a 302 in it.

[Stingray]

Chevrolet 350s (or 5.7 liter if you prefer) does suprisingly well on gas. Mine gets about the same milage as my Ford V6.

-S

[duffjr]

I went to UMass.  Lesbians have since had a new mental image for me, and they look like Jimmy Kimmel.

did you see my sister doing anyone?  class of '92.

[missioncontrol]

I went to UMass.

[Stingray]

Which kind was your sister?

What a loaded question, you either have to tell me that your sister is butch or that you think your sister is hot.


-S

[Bones]

There should be more lesbian pictures here. Perhaps in a dedicated forum.

[Stingray]

There should be more lesbian pictures here. Perhaps in a dedicated forum.

What a good idea!

-S

[SirPoonga]

I suggest getting a toyota or honda.  early 90s is fine.  You will get good gas milage, parts are easy to find.  However, certain parts can be expensive, you will most likely go to a junkyard and get a used one instead of new.  Alternators on a foreign car are expensive.

But, as long as you do normal maintainence they will last forever, well, at least in WI until the sruts rust out.  I've seen toyotas and honda go over 300k, they ran fine, just the body wouldn't handle 15+ years of WI winters.