Cheap Daily-Driver Suggestions

[Ferrino]

In order to eventually realize my ambition of owning a 911, I'm looking for suggestions for a cheap daily-driver for my 20-mile round-trip commute, which I do about 3 days per week. Ideally it would be a hatchback, with 4 doors, as I would need to put an infant seat in there on occasion. And it would need to be an auto, in case my wife needs to use it. What are the used bargains out there in this category, please? I was thinking of maybe an older Ford Focus? Ideally something with a cheap and plentiful parts supply, in case anything went south.

I would ideally like to spend something in the region of 4-5K. To give you an idea of what I'm happy to tolerate in the daily-driver stakes, I used to drive a $1,000 '87 VW Rabbit :-)

Thanks very much!

[Rapewta]

Get a one owner 97'ish Volvo 850. Turbo would be nice.
$2500 approx.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Off of the top of my head, hatchbacks or wagon, 4 door, $5k, car seat friendly.

Saab 900SE/9-3SE - despite Saab going BK there's still a good aftermarket parts supply. The last of the good Saabs, a hatchback with tons of space, lots of power from a turbo motor with 30+ MPG. Had one and enjoyed it, especially with a manual boost controller for more power.

Mazda Protege5 - really fun to drive little wagon/hatchback hybrid thingy. Popular for autocross, which gives you an idea of how good they are to drive. Had one and enjoyed it.

Audi A4 Avant - pretty reliable with the V6, 1.8T watch for sludge and dead turbos

BMW E46 Touring, E39 Touring

Toyota Matrix/Pontiac Vibe - same car, different badges.

Honda Fit - not sure if they're $5k yet, but fun little reliable hatchbacks.

Subaru Impreza - WRX if you stretch your budget a little

VW Golf/GTI

Volvo 850, V40, V70


Any reason why it needs to be a hatchback/wagon? Sedan opens up a lot more options and is still kid friendly.

[Ferrino]

Thanks for the replies!

Any reason why it needs to be a hatchback/wagon? Sedan opens up a lot more options and is still kid friendly.

Just a preference, not essential. I find them more versatile and I guess it's the familiarity, being a European expat.

[LakeCleElum]

When my wife got a new car, we kept her '99 Camry V-6 as a daily driver......Now has 190,000 miles........Gets 25-29 mpg on road trips......Besides one timing belt, struts and brakes, only failure has been a wiper motor.....paid about $30 on Ebay for the wiper motor and installed myself.........You can buy used for $3-4K........Want to keep it forever.......Had the same experience with Hondas over the years.......

[ckelly78z]

There are alot of really nice automatic hatchback Porsche 944s out there that people do put car seats in the back of, or on the passenger seat.

Most of these cars have not been hotrodded and been taken care of because they belonged to commuters or women.

[porsche4life]

Stick shift 944 will be better to drive and more reliable.... They can be found in decent shape for 4-5k....

[redstrosekNic]

I would stay Japanese for cheap, reliable, and efficient daily transport.

[GG Allin]

E36, as much as you can get for what you want to spend. Find one with a 5 speed.

[RANDY P]

I drove an 84 GTI I paid like $1600 for as transportation during my save-for-the-911 days.

Get another VW or if you have good safe parking a cheap honda would be the way to go.

[azasadny]

I can recommend the Mazda3. If I could find my wife and daughter one for the $ we have budgeted, I'd get them each one. Great, reliable, affordable cars!

[Wilhelm]

Originally Posted by redstrosekNic

I would stay Japanese for cheap, reliable, and efficient daily transport.

For sure. A used well maintained Toyota or Honda. You cant go wrong with one of those. Cheap maintenance, parts, insurance. Good gas mileage, reliable.

[Scott R]

Lease a Volt, the gov' will pay you to drive it!

[kevin993]

Some good suggestions here. I currently have a 97 VW GTI as a daily driver and would recommend it as well. A little more civilized than the 80s rabbits, but still pretty cost effective.

[slodave]

I hate to say it, but I love my Corolla. I put it through hell, but it keeps going!

[thamlin000]

Lexus IS300. Straight 6, rwd, well built, and reliable. I'm on my second one with a 5 spd. My first was an auto. You can get a 5 door too but they are rare.

[kaisen]

You live in San Diego

What's super common in SoCal? Good value because they're no longer cool?
Older BMW
Older Mercedes

What's in ridiculously high demand and fetches a premium?
Any $4-5K car with a Japanese nameplate

Would you rather have a 2000 BMW 323i or a 2000 Honda Civic EX for the same money?

Parts are cheap and plentiful for either. Both will go several hundred thousand miles, or might break tomorrow (hey, you're spending $4-5K)

1997 BMW 328I $3795

1999 White BMW 323i for Sale $5000

2000 BMW 323I Black Runs Good $4000

2001 BMW 740i 112K Miles $5200 $5000

2000 honda accord lx $3950

2000 Honda Accord LX 4dr 5spd $4200

[Wilhelm]

Originally Posted by kaisen

You live in San Diego

What's super common in SoCal? Good value because they're no longer cool?
Older BMW
Older Mercedes

What's in ridiculously high demand and fetches a premium?
Any $4-5K car with a Japanese nameplate

Would you rather have a 2000 BMW 323i or a 2000 Honda Civic EX for the same money?

Parts are cheap and plentiful for either. Both will go several hundred thousand miles, or might break tomorrow (hey, you're spending $4-5K)

1997 BMW 328I $3795

1999 White BMW 323i for Sale $5000

2000 BMW 323I Black Runs Good $4000

2001 BMW 740i 112K Miles $5200 $5000

2000 honda accord lx $3950

2000 Honda Accord LX 4dr 5spd $4200

Parts are "cheap" for BMW's

Relative to Prorsche parts I suppose.

The Honda,or Toyota parts, maintenance , repair will be significantly less than any BMW or Benz. The Honda or Toyota wouldnt be as interesting/fun to drive. But we are talking "Cheap daily driver suggestions" here. The "fun factor" of that $5,000 2001 740i "cheap daily driver" would evaporate quickly when it needs a water pump replacement or something of that sort.

[kaisen]

Originally Posted by Wilhelm

Parts are "cheap" for BMW's ?? Relative to Prorsche parts I suppose.

Wear items, normal replacement items, used parts......yep, darn cheap and (in SoCal) uber-plentiful

Honda parts aren't really much less $$$

Same year 3 series vs Civic/Accord 4 cyl? Not enough difference in parts prices to make a good discussion

[kaisen]

Originally Posted by Wilhelm

Parts are "cheap" for BMW's

Relative to Prorsche parts I suppose.

The Honda,or Toyota parts, maintenance , repair will be significantly less than any BMW or Benz. The Honda or Toyota wouldnt be as interesting/fun to drive. But we are talking "Cheap daily driver suggestions" here. The "fun factor" of that $5,000 2001 740i "cheap daily driver" would evaporate quickly when it needs a water pump replacement or something of that sort.

Nice bold edit several minutes later. Still didn't fix the typo.

Yeah, you might be right on the 740.....I don't think most people realize that you can get a 2001 740i with 112K miles for LESS than you'd have to pay for a similar 2001 Civic EX auto sedan w/ 112K (try to find one)

But the E46 323i??

Nope.

I'd pick one as a DD in SoCal faster than a $4-5K Civic/Accord or Corolla/Camry

Shop around and it should be quickly evident

A $4-5K Jap car you buy today is no less likely to suffer an expensive malady than a similar year/miles $4-5K Mercedes/BMW if you're careful about which model you buy

And keeping them on the road for tires, brakes, batteries, belts, hoses, wheels bearings, etc -- normal wear items and maint -- will be no more expensive. True of big failures (used engines or transmissions, etc) too.

Don't fool yourself