Tough what car question...

A buddy of mine is looking for a fun commuter car, he almost bought a 2000 Saab 9-3 Turbo Convertible if it hadn't sputtered and thrown CEL under hard acceleration. Anyway, his idea of fun is not autocross or track time, it's just a bit more fun than your typical appliance car. The thing is his criteria is a bit complicated and restrictive, here they are: - Price: No more than $5K - Mileage/Year: No older than 2000 or more than 90Kmiles - Somewhat reliable, he doesn't wrench on his cars. - Has a back seat - No typical commuter car, I recommended a Maxima and he already sat in one and said that it felt too much like an appliance car.

His criteria means no E36 or even early E46 (too old or too much mileage), he doesn't want to touch a VW and a Mk4 GTI will be too small anyway. Miata is way too small for him and it doesn' have a back seat, he has no interest in a P71.

I'm running out of the typical recommendation. What say the wisdom of GRM board????

Mustang V6. I wouldn't want one but it sounds about right given the requirements.

MS3?

ea_sport wrote: - Price: No more than $5K - Mileage/Year: No older than 2000 or more than 90Kmiles - Somewhat reliable, he doesn't wrench on his cars. - Has a back seat - No typical commuter car

At the time of Oldsmobile's death the car mags typically called the last Aurora a car so good it did not deserve to die.
http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?ct=u&car_id=283520690&dealer_id=100030960&car_year=2001&rdm=1289266341295&num_records=25&start_year=2000&body_code=15&awsp=false&lastBeginningStartYear=1981&search_type=both&distance=75&marketZipError=false&search_lang=en&showZipError=n&first_record=51&page_location=findacar%3A%3Aispsearchform&body_style=CONVERT&body_style=COUPE&body_style=HATCH&body_style=SEDAN&default_sort=newsortbyprice_DESC&seller_type=b&max_mileage=100000&sort_type=priceDESC&address=22301&advanced=y&end_year=2011&pager.offset=50&max_price=6000&cardist=40&standard=false

The most luxurious Mazda ever sold. This one has the fast but more complex supercharged engine.
http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?ct=u&car_id=286467842&dealer_id=100046192&car_year=2000&rdm=1289266341295&num_records=25&start_year=2000&body_code=15&awsp=false&lastBeginningStartYear=1981&search_type=both&distance=75&marketZipError=false&search_lang=en&showZipError=n&first_record=76&page_location=findacar%3A%3Aispsearchform&body_style=CONVERT&body_style=COUPE&body_style=HATCH&body_style=SEDAN&default_sort=newsortbyprice_DESC&seller_type=b&max_mileage=100000&sort_type=priceDESC&address=22301&advanced=y&end_year=2011&pager.offset=75&max_price=6000&cardist=22&standard=false

I found these by just using the advance search functions of autotrader.
There were a number of other Saabs listed.
I did see Cadillac Cateras out there. Be sure to avoid these, high repair costs.

If manual trans matters...
FWD Cougar
http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?ct=u&car_id=283380410&dealer_id=1388978&car_year=2001&engine=&fuel=&sort_type=priceDESC&systime=&default_sort=newsortbyprice_DESC&drive=&body_code=15&body_style=CONVERT&body_style=COUPE&body_style=HATCH&body_style=SEDAN&lastBeginningStartYear=1981&seller_type=b&min_price=&color=&keywords_display=&advanced=y&distance=75&doors=&keywordsrep=&highlightFirstMakeModel=&awsp=false&search_lang=en&showZipError=n&rdm=1289267933342&marketZipError=false&keywordsfyc=&search_type=both&transmission=&max_price=5000&max_mileage=75000&end_year=2011&make=&start_year=2000&certified=&num_records=25&address=22301&page_location=findacar%3A%3Aispsearchform&cardist=22&standard=false

Tip of the day:
See how my quote of your words is in a list format. I know this is what you intended but on this board you have to hit the space bar twice before hitting the return key if you wish for your text to he single spaced.

Pickings are slim in that price category, but you might be able to find an RSX. As different as they are, Mustangs also crossed my mind. Can you get a MS3 for that little yet?

No ms3, but you can get a Mazdaspeed Protege that cheap if you do some digging... and those things are total hoon monsters with the right care and feeding.

jrw1621 wrote: At the time of Oldsmobile's death the car mags typically called the last Aurora a car so good it did not deserve to die.

I realize that I am mostly alone here, but I LOVE the way that car looks. I have always had evil thoughts regarding a tube chassis and the indy aurora motor with Spyker style interior. It would be amazing.

Junkyard_Dog wrote: Mustang V6. I wouldn't want one but it sounds about right given the requirements.

That's exactly what I told him, an SN96 V6 Mustang. Btw, he's also open to Audi. Keep it coming guys...

Tiburon? P71?

And I want a 4-door, convertible, pickup truck, that gets at least 30mpg and can tow 5000 lb.

It's good to want, isn't it?

In reply to tuna55:

huh, i didnt know they came with a v6 too, i thought they all had that v8 that got stuck in shelby's new car. is that v6 the 'shortstar'? are they any good? ive honestly always liked the Intrigue's and aurora's look and the Intrigue was surprisingly pretty nice to drive.

EvanR wrote: And I want a 4-door, convertible, pickup truck, that gets at least 30mpg and can tow 5000 lb. It's good to want, isn't it?

Shelby dakota with a biodiesel build? You could probably put some seats and "doors" in the bed ala Subaru Brat....

Junkyard_Dog wrote: Tiburon? P71?

http://detroit.craigslist.org/wyn/cto/2021794363.html

The first body style of Aurora was 4.0L V8 only. With the redesign they offered a V6 as well to boost sales by dropping the price. When the Aurora was introduced in 2001 it was already public knowledge that Old would be going away. This model with V6 was only available for 2 years. The last year, 2003 only included V8's, and then they were all gone. The platform was shared with the last Buick Riviera.
This V6 is typical GM and the same can be found in vehicles like the Buick Rendezvous

If you look he could possibly find a W203 Mercedes C230 Kompressor that might just squeak in that criteria format

A fun car that rides very well on long road trips and can hold it's own pulling commuting duties...mercedes are notorious for expensive repair/maintenance bills

but at five grand paid cash it could be over a year before anything major needs to take place if the last services were performed prior to taking ownership.it's a gamble but the limit sets the game.

jrw1621 wrote:

ea_sport wrote: - Price: No more than $5K - Mileage/Year: No older than 2000 or more than 90Kmiles - Somewhat reliable, he doesn't wrench on his cars. - Has a back seat - No typical commuter car Tip of the day: See how my quote of your words is in a list format. I know this is what you intended but on this board you have to hit the space bar twice before hitting the return key if you wish for your text to he single spaced.

That's how to do it...I see now...learn something new everyday...

WilberM3 wrote:

Junkyard_Dog wrote: Tiburon? P71?

http://detroit.craigslist.org/wyn/cto/2021794363.html

I just threw up in my mouth a little bit.

I was thinking more this minus the CF hood and a bit less miles. In fact I think I work with this guy and $5k is probably doable.

Whats scary, that d-town tibby is already missing like half that front end... what would it have looked like complete?

jrw1621 wrote: The first body style of Aurora was 4.0L V8 only. With the redesign they offered a V6 as well to boost sales by dropping the price. When the Aurora was introduced in 2001 it was already public knowledge that Old would be going away. This model with V6 was only available for 2 years. The last year, 2003 only included V8's, and then they were all gone. The platform was shared with the last Buick Riviera. This V6 is typical GM and the same can be found in vehicles like the Buick Rendezvous

Not so fast, the Aurora and Intrigue were the only two recipients of the 3.5L short star. Good lil engine, but now the entire northstar line is coming to an end.

Admittedly, I do not know my GM engines (or really care.) I did not realize that the 3.5L in that Buick is actually known as the 3500.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_High_Value_engine#LX9

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_Premium_V_engine#LX5

No big deal. Just one of the useless facts I have logged away in my brain.

Mazda 3.

Its an appliance of sorts but smart looking and MUCH tighter than the Toyotas and Hondas of the same stripe. Has good attitude and should fit all the above needs aside from finding an extra clean one at his price point.

As a bonus they can be had in sedan or hatch with stick or slushbox in econo-motor or decently peppy 2.3 (which also can accept LOTS of power adders such as a turbo).

Mazda 3's are hard to find used, especially under $5k.

I really enjoyed my Mazda Protege5. Not a lot of power, but a lot of fun.

Other guesses:

Ford Taurus SHO.
Ford SVT Contour.
Infiniti I20.

Should be able to find a late model Celica pretty easily, POSSIBLY a GTS 6spd if you look hard enough.

Integras were still made in 2000, might be able to nab a GSR. Even if not, the LS isn't that bad, either.