long term car question
Old Prof. Otter
my wife Linda wants to get her a car.
(Likely, actually, a better car then I will have.)
So how much and what car or process would get a reliable, safe, good
mpg car for the lowest amount of money?
If it costs $4k to drop a new engine and tranny into an old car would
that be worth it? What cars would be good candidates? How old is too
old?
Ok, that 4K is an estimate, and will vary with the car type.
Richard Fallstrom
<50b12801-0686-413c...@z4g2000prh.googlegroups.com>, Old
Prof. Otter <seanea...@hotmail.com> wrote:
I happen to like Geo Metros. A Suzuki Swift is basically the same
machine. Mine (I have two) get over 40MPG. Engines are fairly
inexpensive here in Washington State and I can change one out in under
a day including nosh and beer breaks.
Rick (sometimes is a GentleRF and sometimes is not)
Clothahump
Look at Saturns. Good, reliable and cheap.
Old Prof. Otter
wrote:
> In article
> <50b12801-0686-413c-a3b5-a741529a8...@z4g2000prh.googlegroups.com>, Old
Wow.
Yeah, I ment cost to the non tech, not cost to the non tech with beer
buddy.
But stil, thanks for the first suggestion.
I found a 93, 97 and 94 geo for between 2k and 4K,
and no swifts within 30 miles of me.
Would the bodies and such hold up?
Would the engine/tranny for the above be good enought to be considered
reliable as is??
Sean
MajorOz
Is this for a girl graduating from HS and going off to college?
Lots of options, there.
cheers
oz, who recommends a Toyota pickup
Old Prof. Otter
yes, and I wil have to get a better idea than buying something new,
which I think is both excessive and foolish.
'Otter
Wes Struebing
Well, my middle, married daughter has a Kia sedan (1998? something
like that) She has had zero trouble with it. It's small so it's easy
to handle, but it still has a decent amount of room inside. Gets
really good mileage - over 30.
Caveat, though, I haven't heard a lot good on Kias, so my daughter's
experience may be an anomaly. But I'd check them out. They are
inexpensive.
--
Wes Struebing
I pledge allegiance to the Constitution of the United States of America,
and to the republic which it established, one nation from many peoples,
promising liberty and justice for all.
Homepage: www.carpedementem.org
linkedin profile: http://www.linkedin.com/in/wesstruebing
MajorOz
Agreed, as I said in the other car thread.
Really, don't know the youngster. She might think a 4-door is dorky,
or a convertible is "Barbie" sexist. Still..........to keep your baby
safe, a '99 Chevvy half ton with a 4.3 will do the job, and is very
easy to maintain and fill the tank. A good one will cost about 3K.
cheers
oz, who likes having his ass above the traffic.
Hanging Jester
5d3bba...@h40g2000prf.googlegroups.com:
> <snip>
>
> Wow.
> Yeah, I ment cost to the non tech, not cost to the non tech with beer
> buddy.
> But stil, thanks for the first suggestion.
> I found a 93, 97 and 94 geo for between 2k and 4K,
> and no swifts within 30 miles of me.
> Would the bodies and such hold up?
> Would the engine/tranny for the above be good enought to be considered
> reliable as is??
> Sean
General Motors considered most of the Geos to be "short-lifetime vehicles." In
support of this (gleaned directly from salesmen,) They did not generally offer an
extended warrenty on those models.
The ONLY exception I would make on Geos is for the Geo Prism (1998-2002) which was
the same thing as a Toyota Corrola. (In Japan the Prism was sold as the Toyota
Sprinter.) The Prisms were very reliable. While I will grant that there were
individual exceptions, the same can not be said in general for the Tracker, Storm
and Spectrum. Geos Metro (AKA Chevrolet Sprint) and Tracker were made by Suzuki,
the Metro Storm and Spectrum were made by Isuzu.) The Metro was of average
reliability, but again was not a car expected to have a long lifetime. The Metro is
not a very safe car to be driving and have an accident in, as they do not offer
very much protection.
~ Jester
Richard Fallstrom
<771215f3-2379-48fe...@h40g2000prf.googlegroups.com>,
Old Prof. Otter <seanea...@hotmail.com> wrote:
Sean:
The bodies on my two have held up reasonably well. A friend from
college (also with two) has done quite well with his as well. The
engines and transmissions do hold up well. The only reason I had for
changing engines was a rod through the block due to abuse by the
previous owner (I got that one for free), camshaft oil seal backed out
on another (it has an automatic trans), and finally the first Metro
which started the "fleet" started chuffing smoke due to a broken ring.
The one with the automatic needed its trans changed due to a largish
crack in the bellhousing but at least it took my bride and I on our
honeymoon quite nicely.
Old Prof. Otter
and fixing up a poor used car is not as good?
Sean
MajorOz
wrote:
> So the consensus is that buying a good used car is best,
> and fixing up a poor used car is not as good?
> Sean
...dasss it.
cheers
oz, who always tries to keep it simple
Old Prof. Otter
Thanks an Otter,
Sean
Wes Struebing
ah-yuh!