Cooter
UberDork
8/9/21 12:09 p.m.
Keith Tanner said:
Alternative view: does she NEED a car? They're expensive to maintain and park on a college budget and most colleges are set up so you don't need a car to survive. Most of my friends didn't have cars when I was in school. Saves a huge amount of cash.
I feel like that is something better figured out between Rose and her parents. I'm sure the 6 hour distance has something to do with it, as well as an interest in cars.
As I am not any of those people, I don't feel there is a reason for me to judge that.
Especially in a forum based almost entirely on automotive wants and desires.
Cooter
UberDork
8/9/21 12:10 p.m.
pres589 (djronnebaum) said:
I kind of like the "see if she can live without a car first" idea.
Not really how I respond to friends when they ask for favors.
Cooter
UberDork
8/9/21 12:25 p.m.
John Welsh said:
I'm out with the statement of not liking the Gen2 Prius.
I hate to tell you but an old $3k car now costs $5k. All you will get with present $3k is a former $1.5k car which then means it needs some repairs before "reliable".
The standard college girl car is CRV, Rav4 and the similar from Koreans.
To find a "value" you're gonna have to buy what other people don't want. Since everyone wants a CUV, its gonna have to be a sedan. Since people that are willing to take a sedan often want a back seat for kids, its gonna have to be a 2 door.
Someone said Solara...great choice. A 2 door Ford Focus or Escort ZX2 could be good too.
I've been buying and selling all through the pandemic. Deals are still out there.
Keep in mind, $3000 is twice the price of most of my fleet.
And I have no idea why you are "out", as no one said she didn't like the 2nd gen Prius.
She said it wasn't comfortable for her to drive. Maybe the seat didn't fit her correctly.
She also said she still was willing to buy one if that was what we found
Cooter said:
Keith Tanner said:
Alternative view: does she NEED a car? They're expensive to maintain and park on a college budget and most colleges are set up so you don't need a car to survive. Most of my friends didn't have cars when I was in school. Saves a huge amount of cash.
I feel like that is something better figured out between Rose and her parents. I'm sure the 6 hour distance has something to do with it, as well as an interest in cars.
As I am not any of those people, I don't feel there is a reason for me to judge that.
Especially in a forum based almost entirely on automotive wants and desires.
My university was 7 hours from home. My niece is going off to school in a few weeks, and she'll be about 12 hours from home and won't have a car. It's a question that should be asked of Rose and her parents, especially since the budget is relatively tight. It's only fair to ask the question because then the decision to buy the car (and sign up for the associated expense) is deliberate instead of just assumed. It's not judging, it's being responsible. College is expensive and if you're financing your education, that money you spend on a car now will follow you around for a long time.
This might be a car forum, but not everyone here got a car when they turned 16. I got my first when I was 22.
Cooter
UberDork
8/9/21 12:32 p.m.
John Welsh said:
I'm out with the statement of not liking the Gen2 Prius.
I hate to tell you but an old $3k car now costs $5k. All you will get with present $3k is a former $1.5k car which then means it needs some repairs before "reliable".
The standard college girl car is CRV, Rav4 and the similar from Koreans.
To find a "value" you're gonna have to buy what other people don't want. Since everyone wants a CUV, its gonna have to be a sedan. Since people that are willing to take a sedan often want a back seat for kids, its gonna have to be a 2 door.
Someone said Solara...great choice. A 2 door Ford Focus or Escort ZX2 could be good too.
I've been buying and selling all through the pandemic. Deals are still out there.
Keep in mind, $3000 is twice the price of most of my fleet.
And I have no idea why you are "out", as no one said she didn't like the 2nd gen Prius.
She said it wasn't comfortable for her to drive. Maybe the seat didn't fit her correctly.
She also said she still was willing to buy one if that was what we found
Cooter
UberDork
8/9/21 12:35 p.m.
Keith Tanner said:
Cooter said:
Keith Tanner said:
Alternative view: does she NEED a car? They're expensive to maintain and park on a college budget and most colleges are set up so you don't need a car to survive. Most of my friends didn't have cars when I was in school. Saves a huge amount of cash.
I feel like that is something better figured out between Rose and her parents. I'm sure the 6 hour distance has something to do with it, as well as an interest in cars.
As I am not any of those people, I don't feel there is a reason for me to judge that.
Especially in a forum based almost entirely on automotive wants and desires.
My university was 7 hours from home. My niece is going off to school in a few weeks, and she'll be about 12 hours from home and won't have a car. It's a question that should be asked of Rose and her parents, especially since the budget is relatively tight. It's only fair to ask the question because then the decision to buy the car (and sign up for the associated expense) is deliberate instead of just assumed. It's not judging, it's being responsible. College is expensive and if you're financing your education, that money you spend on a car now will follow you around for a long time.
This might be a car forum, but not everyone here got a car when they turned 16. I got my first when I was 22.
The car isn't for you.
It's for Rose. She isn't 16. You are assuming an awful lot about people you have never met. (Not even e-met online)
Would you like me to give you her number so you can decide for her whether she is worthy to have a first car?
Seriously. Not. Your. Place.
Cooter
UberDork
8/9/21 12:42 p.m.
John Welsh said:
John Welsh said:
Follow up: ZX2 in Chicagoland asking $2,300 w/ 104k
Boy, I'd jump on that one quickly!
Saturn Coupe in Mill: https://milwaukee.craigslist.org/cto/d/milwaukee-1995-saturn-coupe-door/7361610093.html
SL1 in Chicagoland: https://chicago.craigslist.org/nwc/cto/d/palatine-2001-saturn-sl-miles/7355308148.html
The Ford is completly rotted out, and being flipped by a curbstoner.
Don't take this personally, but I can search the local CL, Marketplace, and OfferUp.
The reason they came to me is that fact that I search nationwide every day, and have found things most of my car friends didn't realize existed, and at prices they can't believe.
I'm looking for specific vehicles to look for that aren't normally in my wheelhouse, and what to look out for in them. (And anything for sale that isn't on the big three classifieds listings or any of the auction websites)
Cooter said:
Keith Tanner said:
Cooter said:
Keith Tanner said:
Alternative view: does she NEED a car? They're expensive to maintain and park on a college budget and most colleges are set up so you don't need a car to survive. Most of my friends didn't have cars when I was in school. Saves a huge amount of cash.
I feel like that is something better figured out between Rose and her parents. I'm sure the 6 hour distance has something to do with it, as well as an interest in cars.
As I am not any of those people, I don't feel there is a reason for me to judge that.
Especially in a forum based almost entirely on automotive wants and desires.
My university was 7 hours from home. My niece is going off to school in a few weeks, and she'll be about 12 hours from home and won't have a car. It's a question that should be asked of Rose and her parents, especially since the budget is relatively tight. It's only fair to ask the question because then the decision to buy the car (and sign up for the associated expense) is deliberate instead of just assumed. It's not judging, it's being responsible. College is expensive and if you're financing your education, that money you spend on a car now will follow you around for a long time.
This might be a car forum, but not everyone here got a car when they turned 16. I got my first when I was 22.
The car isn't for you.
It's for Rose. She isn't 16. You are assuming an awful lot about people you have never met. (Not even e-met online)
Would you like me to give you her number so you can decide for her whether she is worthy to have a first car?
Seriously. Not. Your. Place.
Chill out, dude. I'm not judging, I'm offering a legitimate option. You are asking for suggestions of what car for someone in her situation. "No car" is a real answer to that for reasons I have provided. But if it's not on the table, it's not going to bother me. I don't have any other options for you because I'm not familiar enough with the cars that fit inside the given parameters to offer good advice.
Well, if Prius is then still being considered then... '05 w/ 141k asking $3.5k
Sorry that everything I find seems to break the no silver, no tan, request. Ha.
EDIT: I don't want to clog up your thread but based your written above, I'll just forward you my Gen2 Prius buyers guide that might help you with ones you find on your nationwide search.
I like how I gave a thumbs up to Keith's post above about how he didn't get a car until he was 22 and now the thumbs up is gone.
Ya'll have fun shouting into the void with this one.
I'd go with a late model Impala.
I55 from St. Louis to Chicago in the winter sucks. I've driven it a lot.
It has some weight to it for icy/snowy roads, simple enough for the small town garages if something happens, big enough trunk and back seat to hold a lot of crap, millions of them around so should be reasonably priced, and a little sporty for a young person.
Cheap cars don't always turn out cheap. Just saying. Especially when parents are faced with repairing them from a distance.
A quick Goggle search shows megabus type services 5 times per day from Chicago to St Louis for as low as $29. Cushy chairs, wi-fi, a/c, safe...
I'd vote for a Mazda 3 or 6, if you can find one that's not terribly rusty in your area. Some places they hold up great, in some places that use the calcium chlorate to paint the roads in the winter, they've all returned to earth.
As a life long car guy and a man with two daughters, this is an easy one to answer.
Whatever Honda she prefers. I put my girls in CRV and Elements. But Civics are fantastic too. There really is nothing to know about them. Get one new enough to have the K engine so there's no timing belt to worry about. Check it for codes. If it passes, buy it. You simply cannot go wrong with an entry level Honda.
STM317
UberDork
8/9/21 1:34 p.m.
How much Panther chassis does $3k buy these days? They'll take a beating, and can do the cruise home in relative comfort
JThw8
UltimaDork
8/9/21 1:44 p.m.
STM317 said:
How much Panther chassis does $3k buy these days? They'll take a beating, and can do the cruise home in relative comfort
Still my go-to answer for a cheap beginner car or road trip monster. Simple to maintain, plentiful, cheap.
Non toaster Kias
Rio5 I believe one of the earlier gens WAS the protégé 5. They just bought all the tooling from Mazda.
Rio
Optima
Hyundai
Elantra
Ford
Fiesta
Focus
Milan(mercury)
Mazda
2
3
Chevy
Cobalt
Cruise
Chrysler
Pt cruiser
Caliber/compass
Neon
Sebring convertible
Toyota
Any (remember the echo?)
Any scion too
Honda
civic
Accord
Acura
Integra non type
Other:
Electric bicycle
In reply to Cooter :
My philosophy for the above list is that it is a temporary car, hopefully her degree allows for a certified used car after graduation, anything under $3000 is going to have issues to live with as long as the engine and Trans are OK and can limp along for 5 years.
I tell my cousin's that ask me that they have to figure out how to maximize focus on school. A car is useful and for some schools required. But just like I suggest they take more student loans if it allows them to not have to work during school, don't get a car if maintenance RISK will be higher than living on campus and bussing home.
Screw it - go to school in style.
My answer to a similar college car dillema (not that I had much of a choice in the matter) turned out to be a 1996 BMW 318ti, which at the time was a 16 year old car and not exactly in luxury condition. On one hand, it was sporty to drive and a BMW on the outside. On the other hand, any time one of my friends got into the passenger seat, the inside of the door panel fell off. I considered it "personality".
Not sure what the equivalent of this would be nowadays, considering the current used car market and the fact that today's 16 year old cars are 2005's, but that might lead you to some interesting choices for her. YMMV, as my commute to college was only 45 minutes, not 5 hours.
I must be the only one on this forum who had issues with 01 -05 civic auto trannys
Kia Rio, Hyundai Elantra, Toyota Yaris, Mazda2 or 3
In reply to Nicole Suddard :
Came here to suggest a high-mileage E46 3-series BMW. Probably a bad idea though.....
