i want your suggestions, and thoughts on a $5k car.
Regardless of which car I buy, it will not be without a pre-purchase inspection and solid evidence or the car being well cared for
>sport sedan or small-med crossover preferred >sport/luxury wagon >compact sedan/hatchback (2006+ it significantly increases the likelihood of finding a car in better condition)
>must achieve ~20+ mpg combined >~2000 or newer if it's a premium/luxury car >2005 or newer if it's an economy car >under ~150k miles >No American cars developed before the bailout...although I'm considering the last gen Ford Fusion >No Hyundais older than the last generation
Right now, these are at the top of my list, and they're very easy to find within the price range >BMW E46 330i/328i/325i >BMW E39 530i/540i >Lexus RX300 (98-03) >Toyota Rav4 (00-05) >Honda CR-V (01-06)
not so easy to find >Acura Integra GS-R (04-01) >Subaru Legacy GT (05-09) >Honda Civic LX or EX (06-11)
plan B >camccord >civicorolla >finance a cpo Ford Fiesta hatchback for 2-3yrs
I bought an rx300 months ago, a 99 and couldnt be happier. Im a mechanic so I can handle the maintenance aspect plus I got it cheap because when vvt solenoids fail it feels scary. Only issues are the transmissions are weak with a mix of aluminum and steel in bad areas needing an extra cooler and 15k mile synthetic fluid changes, but they have a trans drain plug so all is well. If you get one ditch the 2 tone I did.
Carson Cox
isn't the transmission issue, exclusive to the AWD models?
Brayden Nelson
No, just more prevalent they all use the same camry trans. Just the awd puts an extra strain.
my ideal prospect would be something along the lines of >original or 2nd owner >documented service records >garaged >no modifications (I'll let an aftermarket slide as long as they don't advertise it as some sort of upgrade) >does not list of recent "tune up" and "new" Chinese tires because they've been neglecting the car
Jose Peterson
You're entirely too picky for your budget.
Isaiah Cruz
it's not like i need to buy a car today. i've seen cars come up that meet most of this criteria almost daily, and i can go a few more weeks without a car.
You're being too picky for a 5K budget. You could spend a year wading through cars that 'mostly' meet the criteria my man.
The only 5K cars I have ever come across that check all the boxes you want are things I got for ~5K because I was buying them at a closed, dealer-only auction, or it was a trade in my dealership took directly, and I got first dibs to buy it at cost before we resold it/shipped it off to auction
something like this is good enough that i would consider taking the time see
Christian Murphy
This guy knows his shit
Austin Perry
>e46 >auto Nope.jpg
Aaron Jenkins
and that's exactly why i am still sitting here
I just posted that as an example. i just don't want a car owned by some someone who, neglected their car, or thought their car was something it wasn't designed to be.
Brody Johnson
Let me also point this out, as someone who OWNS a stable full of old German cars (2 of which are AWD). Ownership of a sub-5K german car is a DIY affair if you want to be able to enjoy owning it, otherwise, your nearest local Euro mechanic is going to put his kids through college on your dime.
If you don't have the space, tools-(and money to buy the proper tools), time, and temperament to DIY maintenance and the repairs that WILL need to be done on a old/cheap German car, stop looking right now. You need a garage. You need a decent 200-300 dollar set of tools. You will need a good floor jack and stands. You really OUGHT to invest in a proper diagnostic scanner, which is gonna set you back 500-1000 bucks.
Most people who take really good care of their cars keep them until they literally can't be kept on the road any longer. Cheap german cars are all going to carry a certain degree of abuse unless you have inventory connections the average person doesn't. Take my ML 430. I compromised on cosmetics because mechanically it was the best example I could find.
You need to really drill down and ask yourself what type of ownership experience you want, what is REALLY important to you in a 5K car, and devise a timeline with a hard end date at which you absolutely have to buy a car or give up looking
Xavier Wood
that's why i've been siding more with a crossover (CR-V, RAV4, RX300).
i think hatchbacks/wagons/crossovers are superior to sedans, but i also have a thing for sport sedans, wanting a car that is a enjoyable to drive but also practical for commuting.
Jace Nguyen
>i think hatchbacks/wagons/crossovers are superior to sedans In what sense?
>wanting a car that is a enjoyable to drive but also practical for commuting. >enjoyable >practical >well maintained >5K or less
Again, too picky. Asking for too many things on too tight a budget. If you want comfortable and reliable, you get the Lexus, but it's not going to be sporty
CR-V and Rav-4's are the commuter chariots of the masses. You'll spend a lifetime and never find a 'perfect' example at your price point. Again, you can find decent examples that will be comfortable and reliable, but they won't be sporty. And under 150K at your price point is debatable
If you want sporty and comfortable, then it's usually some sort of German sedan or obscenely high mileage Subaru, which aren't going to be one owner or under 150K or particularly well taken care of
At a 5K budget, you need to drill down to a singular quality you want your vehicle to be (sporty, reliable, lots of space, AWD), and then 2 or 3 'really nice to have' qualities to help you filter things. (under 150K, has leather, has a sunroof, better than 7/10 cosmetic condition). once you find some cars that meet those criteria, look at them, drive them, and purchase the one that appears to be in the best condition.
Dominic Lewis
>hatch and fold down seats provide a more open interior and more cargo room
i'm not looking for a car that really meets everything. The 3 series is probably the closest thing, but i'm aware it'll come with a higher running cost.
it's either
>fun but mostly practical car to drive, sacrificing a lower cost of running for the enjoyment of driving or >crossover that's fairly comfortable and practical
Hudson King
Lexus rx300 is a good choice. I've got an 02 with 240,000 on the clock and she still runs like new. The trans can be an issue on the awd models. Mine went out a 160,000 but I lived in east KY at the time so lots of steep hills. I replaced it and it hasn't given me a problem. As long as you aren't pulling a lot of strain on it, it won't be a problem. Like they say "Get in a Lexus 10+ years down the road, push a button and it will still work"
Xavier Brown
Late 2nd gen Mitsubishi Diamante.A bit special snowflake,hard to find but comfy as fuck and can be had for under $5K.It's FWD only in the US,but AWD in Japan.Heated seats,heated mirrors,and they're reliable.They're a touch bit loud at freeway speeds as well.
James Smith
The E39 530i is probably going to be your best option. A $5k 540i would be a nightmare and E46s are always overpriced as shit. Just make sure you inspect service records, don't buy an automatic, and look up the common problem points. Make sure you know your shit or at least are willing to learn, in order to maintain a rich person's car you either need to be rich (euro mechanics are expensive as tits) or know how to do things yourself.
