$4000 DD beater
 

I got talked into a 2015 Nissan Versa "for the great gas mileage!"

Well, I have a love hate relationship with the Versa. The diminutive size means I fear no parking spot and zipping through traffic is a piece of cake (if you call 109HP/1600cc zippy) but also because of its diminutive size I am also familiar with every joint/crack/pebble on my commute to/from work.

Wife is planing a road trip and wants to take the Versa (it gets great gas milage!") so she took it to the mechanic for a brake job... of course when done we get the comment "it needs struts, shocks, bushings, etc." to the tune of +/- $2000.

To which I comment: "I would rather sell it than put another $2K into it"
Her retort: "If you can get something with out a car payment go for it."

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!

(Purchase would be August September IF I decide to go for it)

Criteria:
$4000
Under 100K miles
Post 2000 manufacture date
Do not want to be on a first name basis with my mechanic/tow truck driver.

I understand it will have some "platina" i.e. less than perfect cosmetically.

Poking around Craigslist found the usual suspects, Ford Focus, Honda Civic, something called a Chevy Aveo that I have never heard of before.
And...
A bunch of Volvo's
I know we have some Volvo fans here, what are the good/bad models/years for the Volvo?
Open to other ideas... except a PT cruiser... nope, no way, not going to happen. (a flock of them on craigslist)

Let the games begin!

I'm a Subie fan but the first two on your list is what I'd be looking at. Maybe toss a Toyota into the mix.

Twice in the past couple of years I've assisted one of the kids with purchasing a vehicle on a limited budget. Both times, we test drove the Versa and a bunch of other vehicles in the same size/price range. We found the Chevy Sonic (used to be the Aveo) to be a much better car all around and better bang for your buck. The Sonic was peppier, and had better features/options than the Versa. To get a comparable ($$) Toyota, you had to get the most stripped down Corolla with roll up windows etc.... Our other kid already had a Sonic and has put a ton of miles on it.

From your list, I'd consider the Aveo (although I'd be really nit-picky about one on the bargain end) and the Focus and the Civic. Around here, Civics and Corollas are way, way more expensive than everything else in the same class.

One thing, maybe if you're buying something older with higher miles on the cheap, then maybe it would be worth it to hold out for a Honda or Toyota instead of getting the Aveo or Focus.

I wouldn't let the miles scare me away from this one:
https://orangecounty.craigslist.org/cto/d/super-clean-and-relaible-2002/6634073627.html

Original owner, hiway miles, a little more style than your normal beater.

What's the Versa's MPG? Because I see Honda CR-Vs within the search parameters you provided.

https://losangeles.craigslist.org/search/cta?max_price=4000&min_auto_year=2000&max_auto_mil es=100000&auto_title_status=1

How about an 07" Avalon.

I know where you can get one that needs a little bit of work.

Killer deal.

Toyota seems to be big into the "interconnected" and "driver correction" and "assisted driving" thing.
(a small step from government-mandated self-driving cars for everyone)

Also they seem to be against the "right the repair".
(reference Auto Alliance and DRM and SOPA)

I used to like Toyota.

I'm going to go a completely different direction, since I just got back from a two week, 3400 mile road trip and you mentioned road trip.

3rd gen GM W body -
2004–2008 Pontiac Grand Prix
2005–2009 Buick LaCrosse/Allure
2006–2016 Chevrolet Impala/Impala Limited[4][5]
2006–2007 Chevrolet Monte Carlo

A Grand Prix or LaCrosse with the 3rd gen 3.8 would be awesome. Don't get a 3.4, if you get a 3.5 get a 2008 up.

The wife has a 2009 Impala with the 3.5, it has almost 160,000 on it, it had 120,000 when we bought it 6 1/2 years ago. I've put tires, brakes and tie rods on it, nothing else but oil changes. I did change the transmission fluid and filter since I don't know if it's ever been done. We averaged 30.7 mpg for the trip, but it kind of sucks in town, around 20. Insurance is dirt cheap too.

Miata is cheep cheep

Most $4,000 cars need $1-2,000 worth of work.

maybe try looking for cars with highest depreciation like Chrysler 300.
Someone looking to get out quick may take a low offer
otherwise in that range I agree with Steve Carlton above, the devil you know may be better than the devil you dont

Brakes should be $200 in parts. Spend an hour or 2 and get it done. Save up for a car you want. What's the value of your nissan? I imagine it might sting.

civic?

lacrosse would be a nice cushy ride. good looking car imo.

lexus e300?

BMW e46, plenty to choose from. I put 200k on one, easy to work on, parts are cheap. I had a 5 speed , lots of fun and got 28-30 mpg. Lots of beaters out there, be selective. They have begun climbing in value again. Wish I didn't sell mine to keep as a third car but my other doesn't want to drive a manual. Like all BMWS they eat window regulators and all coolant parts but aren't hard to work on.

Toyota Corolla. Best appliance car ever made. Mine has 111k miles on it and it’s only ever had filters, belts, and oil changes. Hasn’t even needed brakes replaced!

Chevy Cruze. A buddy has one with 150,000 miles on it. It is a special gas mileage model and it is killer on fuel consumption.

Here ya go, Scott...https://losangeles.craigslist.org/lgb/cto/d/2001-mazda-protege-lxobo/6633227180.html

How about just drive the Versa and ignore the nonsense from the mechanic? You can't bring a 4+ year old vehicle into a garage without an "it need this" list as long as the Gettysburg Address. You'll know when your car is broken when it....breaks, drive the damn thing.

My sister had a Sonic as a company car and I drove it a couple times to drop it off for service. I liked it. Drove nicely, fairly peppy and build quality was good. Materials were cheap, though.

If you would go older, I would say an E30 or an E34.

Any Mazda that has no rust around the rockers or the rear wheel arches.End of.

Holy Fark that is beautiful!!!

But wife is taking the Versa on a road trip (L.A. to Seattle... dont ask :rolleyes:) so won't be doing the flip until August.
Unless she decides to take the mini van, Versa gets better gas milage, with my lead foot getting around 34 combined.

KBB is $3-$4K - working a lot of overtime no time for a brake job.

Don't think I wasn't thinking that ;) but see above chances are a $4K Miata will need $1K of work. Would rather save up nice $10K Miata (when the time comes).

I like the Cruz, didn't see any in my quick search , but my search only about 15 minutes on the internet.

Nice!!! Wife isn't a fan of stick shifts I am and it is going to be my car. Did you find that this morning? I was on the L.A. craigslist yesterday and didn't see it (see above comment about only looking for about 15 minutes)

You BMW fans can you give me year and model inserted of the E number please?

I should throw out I'm okay with a diesel but other that very old MB's (yes I know they can go 250k miles easy but the interior most likely will be ratty) Some VW Diesels but I have heard rumors some of them have problems?

Thanks every one for the repiles!

PS: No love for the Volvo's?
PSS: A Lot of Altima's came up in my search.

A $4,000 Volvo will need $4,000 worth of work.

How many miles on the Versa? I wonder if a 2015 needs struts, shocks, and bushings, although possible. My 2015 Mazda6 needed the upper and lower bushings with around 40K miles, which was disappointing. Struts include shocks in the front- are there shocks in the rear?

I'd get a second opinion from someone with a good reputation. Personally, I think only Toyotas and Hondas are the truly best Japanese cars, with Nissans being some of the worst.

I'd be willing to bet this car has an accident on the Carfax and needs a timing belt. Just a gut feeling...

The "reply" button is red and won't open so I presume the ad has been closed/car sold.

Any killer deal like that is going to be snapped up ASAP so I will have to sell the Versa so I have cash in hand... but then I'm under the gun to buy something... but as said best to wait for a deal to come up.

I've been getting 39.2 cumulative average over 75k miles on my '13 Versa. Bought in '15 with 23k on it for $12.5k OTD

Just at 100k on the clock, no major mechanical issues that weren't caused by animal impact (deer cost my insurance co $2k, raccoon cost me $300 for a fuel leak - I had dropped down to 35mpg :( )

Haven't checked but around +60K miles... my first Nissan and so far not impressed but the Versa is the bottom of the line (lowest priced new car in America, at least last year).

Friend had a Maxima and the thing wouldn't die but that was a long time ago.

Mazda 3 or Protégé for sure.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1530981890.JPG

I'd be willing to say this is a car owned by an older gentleman that could afford to have all the maintenance done on time and the car got anything and everything it needed. And I doubt there are any accidents on its CarFax, but that's just the optimist in me speaking.

By the way, the above shot was taken just minutes ago when I clicked on the link in the above post, not even my original post.;)

Craigslist email working now and I sent a email.... but I'm n a precarious situation where I need to sell the Versa AND our renter is moving out so we will need to drop a couple grand on paint & fixes.

Okay, I'm going to reiterate this is going to be after my wife's road trip and we get a new renter in place (have to pay back original renter first/last)

But expect another post like this in a month or so. ;)

Dunno why I'm looking the same place you all are (craigslist) but not finding the deals you are. :confused:

Exactly right.

If you don't like the car, sell it...

Did some looking and spent $800 for a DD Winter Beater. It was a 1992 Range Rover.
Here is the web site I made for it. Sold Rover for $2500 4 years later.

2004 Cayenne S in great shape for $9000. lot more cumfy and more road trip capable.
Here is the web site I did for it... Sold it 3 years later for $9000.

Current DD winter beater is a 2005 Cayenne Turbo. Got it for $10K but have spent about $5k fixing stuff.
At $15K total still feel like a got a good vehicle for a good price.

Are there a few bodies in the trunk or is the rear end sagging just an optical illusion?

Probably one of the best under $4000 cars you will find.

I love one older owner cars. My last Buick came with a folder full of all the dealer maintenance since new. The older gentleman that owned it had every service done on schedule. It was like a new car.

I'm not sure it counts if you have the thing to the mat and old folks with walkers are passing you. ;)
When I got my first miata and my wife's old miata, we searched for the fabled "fantastic, needs nothing $4k miata". I didn't find any. I'm sure they exist, but you've got to be patient and willing to spend months, at least, searching for that unicorn. When I buy a car, I'm usually ready to buy the car. I'm not like a lot of the guys here that just constantly peruse the car ads in case something interesting pops up.

I'm guessing none of those got 35-40mpg?? I think the OP is looking for a fuel sipping road-trip kind of car.

I'm willing to back down to 28-30 MPG to get something comfortable to road trip in.

However $9-10K is definitely out of the picture for now.

Too bad the Acura will be gone by next month or I would be all over that!

Sweet looking ride... but " registration needs to be caught up." Hmmm, how does that happen?

You pay DMV registration and late fees to bring registration up to date when you title it after purchase. Their website describes the charges, so you can have a pretty good idea what they are. They cap these fees at 2 years. I bought a car that sat unregistered for 16 years. Thankfully, I didn’t have to pay for all 16 years to get up to date. The seller of the Mazda seems prepared to help cover (some or all?) of these DMV costs.

I've been driving a $2500 2004 Mustang GT convertible (triple black) for 3 years now with virtually no problems. It needed tires and brakes, but most cars of any age do also. It gets about 20 MPG, but provides far more grins than the 4 door Saturn SL2, I traded even up for it. I can't imagine ever driving a Versa for anything but a disapointing daily rental.