Quote:
Originally Posted by Laneco
One thing to honestly consider, Normy, is - are you in the market for a $2,700 car or a $6,000 car?
That's a lot of difference in this price range. $2,700 generally buys you a get-you-by transportation along with it's issues. $6K can buy a pretty decent car. If you can afford $6K, quit looking at $2,700 $hitters.
angela
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Yeah, that's a good question. I have a '97 Jetta GLX in Memphis right now, and this thing has been a friggin nightmare since day one! I paid $3300 for it, and as soon as I got it to Memphis, it [within the first month] needed to be towed THREE times and cost me about $2200 in repairs. I've had it four years now, and in between I had the coil pack fail [cheap fix], but then the steering rack finally died completely and last summer I had to spend $500 to replace it. Then in 100 degree heat the air conditioner failed, along with one of the two remaining power windows that worked. I was on the edge with this car at the time, and every time I drive it I'm worried about getting to work. This company gets upset real quick if you don't make it to work, so recently when the drivers door lock failed, and then the air bag light came on, I just said enough is enough. I like the car- it's fun as hell to drive, and the VR6 engine makes it genuinely quick, but it is literally falling apart.
I've heard that Subaru's are dirt-ass reliable, so when I saw a note on a bulletin board offering the '97 for sale for $2700, I started doing research and came up with a budget of $4500 to replace the Jetta. The more expensive '01 car, while out of the price range...is still affordable and it is low mileage, so I wonder if I can keep it for 10 years. My car up there sees about 2500 miles per year, so it seems like it might be a better idea than the '97 with a rebuilt engine and a fresh timing belt. The '01 uses a timing chain, solving that problem. But is it going to need a head gasket[s] in 10,000 miles? If so, then the cheaper car might make more sense.
As to AWD, it isn't necessary up there, but since Subaru's come that way, it can't hurt. They do get small snow falls, and occasionally slippery roads.
Thanx!
N