Sedan under 10k, what would you buy?

[OSE240]

To be honest the Volvo cars 1999 onwards suck. Anything before that was awesome. Volvo's are extremely reliable. . Holds the world record for the highest mileage car! 2.8 million miles.

 

[dmr727]

Now that I think about it, what you really need at your age is one of these:

Just think about how good the gas mileage will be! Oh, and let me know how your Mom reacts.

 

[jav6454]

2004 Volvo S60: http://cl.ly/a563a7428652de42b6a1

2004 VW Jetta: http://cl.ly/662a4a3f8911691cdf24

2004... but this is 2010, so I am guessing where are 209 downwards? Don't get me wrong. But there are plenty of car models that can fit your need. Also, at $10k it shouldn't be this hard.

 

[OutThere]

I've got some experience in this territory, having just graduated college where all of my friends were driving cars that generally fit your description and price point...


VW/Jetta: My friend's 2002 Jetta was a clunker even at 60,000 miles. Many repairs, got stranded and towed more than once. Maybe it was a lemon, but I'd think twice about a used Jetta at <$10k.

Nissans: I knew two people with Nissans and was generally impressed--nothing awesome but seemingly reliable.

Volvo: I knew a few kids with Volvos...my impression is that they're rock solid and last a very long time but can run up the repair tab pretty quickly if something big goes wrong.

Subaru: Nice cars, particularly if you get a sporty higher trim. Be careful of getting a WRX that someone really thrashed, people drive those like sport bikes.

Honda: I've always driven new Hondas and, while boring, they certainly get the job done. They are very reliable even at high mielages, apparently. Honda also makes really nice manual transmissions, if you want a little fun.

Saab: Stay away, my friend's 9-3 was good looking, fun to drive, nicely appointed and always broken.

I would avoid American brands--they've become much more interesting in the past couple of years, but those cars are not yet below $10k, though I'd take a look at some of the new generation Fords. They look good and you can get a good price on one that's recently come off a lease.

 

[iJohnHenry]

No one has suggested KIA.

They have improved leaps and bounds for reliability since Hyundai took them over.

For his task, I would suggest looking at a 2 or 3 year old Optima.

You could go smaller, but with 3 young adults riding in the car, you don't really want an econo box.

And their crash ratings are 5-star.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

No one has suggested KIA.

They have improved leaps and bounds for reliability since Hyundai took them over.

For his task, I would suggest looking at a 2 or 3 year old Optima.

You could go smaller, but with 3 young adults riding in the car, you don't really want an econo box.

And their crash ratings are 5-star.

I had forgotten about those.

Brands that should be off the list.
All European brands and all Luxury brands. Reason for European brands is for the most part they are too costly to get one that is new enough and reliable enough.

All of those cars seem like pretty good options, though (prepare for spoiled brat comment) I would rather punch my self in the testicles than drive a Chevy car (they make trucks, and only trucks...until the Cruze comes out).

I wouldn't get a sporty engine in a first car, regardless of if I wanted one. My parents would never let me, and for good reason.
The first car is the one I will "inevitably crash into a tree" with.

Oh but you can get one of those cars with a sportier engine that would go right past your parents.
Some examples are the Sentra SE-R Spec V. It looks like a sentra but it has 175 hp (2004) and geared to use it very large power band.
My first car was a 1992 Sentra SE-R. My parents though it was just a sentra until after they gave it to me and I look some stuff up on it. That is when they learned they got me a car with a little gusto.

I would not rule out the Cobalt just because you think so little of the brand. It really is a good little car and you can get a pretty new one for under 10k and they get amazing gas mileage.
Also do look at the ford focus which also fits your bill pretty well.

 

[countrykid333]

vw, volvo, and subaru are all excellent choices. I would stay away from domestics and south korean cars of the vintage you are looking at.
Personally a 3 series bmw would be at the top of my list, but repairs can be very expensive.

 

[iJohnHenry]

I would stay away from domestics and south korean cars of the vintage you are looking at.

I, naturally , have an '07 KIA Magentis (Optima in the U.S.), which makes it almost 4 years old (purchased Nov. 1/06).

Still in love with it, and I would hardly call it "vintage".

 

[Silencio]

VW's seem to have a rather checquered history of reliability, or lack thereof. From what I've read, most of the Jettas and Passats that have had chronic troubles are models with their 1.8L engine. My wife bought a 2000 Cabrio before I met her, but she sprung for the higher-end model with the 2.0L engine, allow rims, &c. It's been a reasonably reliable car except for the amount of lightbulbs it seems to eat (headlamps, tail lamps, brake lamps - you name it, we've replaced it).

If were looking at a Jetta I would do a lot of research.

 

[macfan881]

I bought a 2008 Kia Rio in June 35k Miles for 9k a lil more for the better warrenty i got of from enterprise great deal only draw back to the car is its all manual windows/locks but usually I'm the only one driving it bout 30mpg to.

 

[sprtnbsblplya]

I'm a huge fan of Nissans. My wife had an '00 Altima as her first car like 8 years ago, then her dad traded it upon college graduation for a new '07 Altima. The '00 never had a single problem and regular maintenance was reasonable. Nothing big ever broke on it and it sipped gas. Same goes for the '07, although it's only at 26k miles.
I have an '08 Xterra I bought new when I graduated college and its a great car. Built very solid, low ownership costs, good mileage as far as an SUV goes. I know this one is out of your range but just illustrating that Nissans are great.
I know both of our next cars will be Nissans, great prices for what you get brand new and low ownership costs.

I had an '00 Mercury Mountaineer before the Xterra, it was handed down from my Mom. Hated it. Clunky, loud, major stuff started breaking around 90k miles. Traded it for $3500 towards the Xterra, the stuff that broke woulda cost me $3000 to fix. Just like everyone else has said, I'd stay away from American cars unless it is one of the newer ones.

I would definitely consider a mid-2000's Civic, Corolla, Altima, something along those lines. They're all reliable cars with low ownership costs. Especially if you can do little things on your own, like filter replacements, bulb changes, etc.

Edit: Oh, my best buddy's little sis bought a used Passat with the engine mentioned above. She regretted it since day one. Always having minor repairs here and there that quickly went over $1000 within the first year. Same goes for his ex-gf that bought a Jetta with that engine, always having electrical problems that cost $200 here, $300 there, etc.

 

[wvuwhat]

Honda Accord. Hands down. Unless you were able to find a G35 Sedan under that price with acceptable mileage.

 

[Chris 123]

Used Subaru WRX sedan - can probably get a 02 or so for under 10k with a reasonable number of miles.

Good gas milage (mine gets 28mpg)
Very inexpensive to maintain
All-wheel drive (if you encounter snow/weather)
Reasonably safe
and...FUN TO DRIVE

Exactly what I was going to suggest...or a honda accord, but the honda won't be as awesome to drive!

 

[Xfujinon]

The Toyota Camry.

Mine has 186,000 on the clock. 1997 model year. I have replaced the started (300 bucks) in the last 40,000 miles. She runs like a champion. I get something like 24/28 mileage.

I recommend the toyota Camry very, very highly.

Yeah, hahahahhahaha about the gas pedal thing. Don't even worry about it. Not an issue. A used 2002 - 2004 Camry would be excellent, and nice to drive (although somewhat of a "boring" car compared to the Volvo S80, or even some of the Infiniti models).

Love the Camry.

 

[yoyo5280]

To be honest the Volvo cars 1999 onwards suck.

I disagree

Oh, and let me know how your Mom reacts.

"Are you insane?"

I've got some experience in this territory, ...

Can I award a "Great reply award here" ?
I never considered a subaru, i'll look into it
Ahaha my dad was a massive Saab fan (before GM bought it), and owned a couple GM era saabs. That are very dodgy.
Thanks for all the help.

No one has suggested KIA.

They have improved leaps and bounds for reliability since Hyundai took them over.

For his task, I would suggest looking at a 2 or 3 year old Optima.

You could go smaller, but with 3 young adults riding in the car, you don't really want an econo box.

And their crash ratings are 5-star.

Kia is great, at one point we thought about leasing a new Forte, but in the end that is not the best financially (I think).

But to be honest i'd rather have a few year old Honda rather than a few year old Kia. (spoiled brat much?)

Oh but you can get one of those cars with a sportier engine that would go right past your parents.


I would not rule out the Cobalt just because you think so little of the brand.
Also do look at the ford focus which also fits your bill pretty well.

My dad knows a fair share about cars, so he would check the specs before even considering a car .

I've been in 2010 Impalas, and if the Cobalt is anything like its more expensive brother... I don't even want to look at it.

Personally a 3 series bmw would be at the top of my list, but repairs can be very expensive.

Right now my mom owns a used BMW, thankfully certified, and it has needed its fair share of repairs. I'd preferably stay away from them, though I'd love a 90s 5 series.

VW's seem to have a rather checquered history of reliability, or lack thereof. From what I've read, most of the Jettas and Passats that have had chronic troubles are models with their 1.8L engine. My wife bought a 2000 Cabrio before I met her, but she sprung for the higher-end model with the 2.0L engine, allow rims, &c. It's been a reasonably reliable car except for the amount of lightbulbs it seems to eat (headlamps, tail lamps, brake lamps - you name it, we've replaced it).

If were looking at a Jetta I would do a lot of research.

Yea, VW has such a mixed reputation. Each year Jetta has completely different reliability ratings from consumer reports, its ridiculous. The 2006+ Jettas seem to have quite good reliability ratings, but then i'd be paying 10k rather than under 10k.

I'm a huge fan of Nissans. My wife had an '00 Altima as her first car like 8 years ago, then her dad traded it upon college graduation for a new '07 Altima. The '00 never had a single problem and regular maintenance was reasonable. Nothing big ever broke on it and it sipped gas. Same goes for the '07, although it's only at 26k miles.
... I know this one is out of your range but just illustrating that Nissans are great.
I know both of our next cars will be Nissans, great prices for what you get brand new and low ownership costs.

For some reason my dad was opposed to the Altimas I found, but to me it was one of the perfect cars! I'll use your arguments to defend them

Honda Accord. Hands down. Unless you were able to find a G35 Sedan under that price with acceptable mileage.

Dad once had a G35, but got hit by a Drunk driver in it. Terrible accident, and he hasn't been able to sit in an Infiniti, which makes it hard finding them

 

[OSE240]

Haha the reason why I said 1999 onwards suck is because Ford owned them from then on till now....Plus RWD > FWD.

 

[iJohnHenry]

But to be honest i'd rather have a few year old Honda rather than a few year old Kia. (spoiled brat much?)

Well, all I can offer is personal experience.

I had a '91 Accord I-4 for 16 years, and loved it 'till I bought the KIA, and gave it to a relative for college.

Within a minute of driving the Magentis (Optima) is was apparent that it was a bigger, more powerful, and luxurious Accord than my '91.

You best start doing some test drives, because I think you have heard just about all there is to say on the matter.

 

[cherry su]

Haha the reason why I said 1999 onwards suck is because Ford owned them from then on till now....Plus RWD > FWD.

I read somewhere that FWDs get better traction than RWDs. Of course, if you are concerned about snow and/or loss of traction, get AWD!

 

[OSE240]

I read somewhere that FWDs get better traction than RWDs. Of course, if you are concerned about snow and/or loss of traction, get AWD!

False. Just a bunch of understeer, torque steer and more expensive to maintain. Rear wheel drive provides better handling and acceleration and with the addition of traction control, virtually eliminates the fwd advantage in the snow. I got around fine with my RWD in the winter here and trust me Nebraska gets ridiculous when it comes to snow. Just makes driving in the snow so much more fun!

 

[applegeek13]

If I may jump in and say a few words:

European cars: Reliable, but when something does go wrong, you'll pay a lot to have it fixed.

That said, buy an Asian car. My mother has an 03' Toyota Corrolla, and it has NEVER been in the shop, aside from oil and tires. You could pick one up for about 3-4K. The base engine has a lot of get up and go too, if you want a little fun. Just don't tell your dad I said that. It gets great gas mileage, and is pleasing to the eye as well.

If possible, have any car you are seriously considering buying checked out by a trusted mechanic, preferably the local *insert brand* dealer, for any problems. Also try and see how it was driven and maintained, because that makes a huge difference in the condition of the car.

Hope that helps!

 

[wvuwhat]

False. Just a bunch of understeer, torque steer and more expensive to maintain. Rear wheel drive provides better handling and acceleration and with the addition of traction control, virtually eliminates the fwd advantage in the snow. I got around fine with my RWD in the winter here and trust me Nebraska gets ridiculous when it comes to snow. Just makes driving in the snow so much more fun!

I'd have to disagree. I've driven many cars in the snow, in Morgantown, WV, where I went to school, as well as here at home in Northern Virginia (NOVA). It goes like this AWD>FWD>RWD. I've driven multiple RWD cars in the snow and I muuuuuuuuuuuch prefer a FWD, but nothing beats my friends regular Impreza (non-WRX) in the snow.

I'd say if you can find a good deal on a WRX and if you can swing the extra insurance, go all for it. Sure, the turbo may be a problem down the road, but you'll probably have a lot of fun, which may offset any extra costs due to the turbo.

If I could have done it all over again. I would have gone with a used WRX as my first car back in 2003. Instead, I chose a new Civic, because my parents talked me into the importance of a warranty.

I'd say go with what you like, drive everything you can, and enjoy man. However, new or used, I think the WRX can't be beat hands down. If I weren't such a "non-risk-taking" person I would have gone with a STi instead of my Accord Coupe.

 

[wvuwhat]

If you are indeed still in Dallas, as per your avatar...

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.j...n=&max_price=10000&cardist=238&standard=false


http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.j...n=&max_price=10000&cardist=191&standard=false


I'd say you'd be able to work them both down in price, big time...

 

[yoyo5280]

Haha the reason why I said 1999 onwards suck is because Ford owned them from then on till now....Plus RWD > FWD.

I got around fine with my RWD in the winter here and trust me Nebraska gets ridiculous when it comes to snow. Just makes driving in the snow so much more fun!

I'd have to disagree. I've driven many cars in the snow, in Morgantown, WV, where I went to school, as well as here at home in Northern Virginia (NOVA). It goes like this AWD>FWD>RWD.

We lived in Colorado for many many years, and the best cars for driving in the snow out of every car we owned, was the Volvo XC70 with AWD.
You can't beat the kind of control it gives you, and we never got stuck (though neighbours in 4WD, and RWD did).

RWD is better for regular/performance driving I believe. But in the snow, Volvo AWD FTW.



Thanks loads to everyone for all their help!
WRX with my parents is out of the question, Though a traditional Impreza might work?

My dad said though, he wouldn't mind we spend closer to 10k (rather than farther from) if it is on a 2006+ Jetta.

 

[Shake 'n' Bake]

I've got some experience in this territory, having just graduated college where all of my friends were driving cars that generally fit your description and price point...


VW/Jetta: My friend's 2002 Jetta was a clunker even at 60,000 miles. Many repairs, got stranded and towed more than once. Maybe it was a lemon, but I'd think twice about a used Jetta at <$10k.

Nissans: I knew two people with Nissans and was generally impressed--nothing awesome but seemingly reliable.

Volvo: I knew a few kids with Volvos...my impression is that they're rock solid and last a very long time but can run up the repair tab pretty quickly if something big goes wrong.

Subaru: Nice cars, particularly if you get a sporty higher trim. Be careful of getting a WRX that someone really thrashed, people drive those like sport bikes.

Honda: I've always driven new Hondas and, while boring, they certainly get the job done. They are very reliable even at high mielages, apparently. Honda also makes really nice manual transmissions, if you want a little fun.

Saab: Stay away, my friend's 9-3 was good looking, fun to drive, nicely appointed and always broken.

I would avoid American brands--they've become much more interesting in the past couple of years, but those cars are not yet below $10k, though I'd take a look at some of the new generation Fords. They look good and you can get a good price on one that's recently come off a lease.

My mom's had a 2001 Saab 9-3 for a few years and nothing's gone wrong with it. Except the engine needed to be replaced because the previous owner was a bit careless with oil changes. That took about a month because the shop couldn't get a bunch of engines to work. But in the end we actually got a more powerful engine.

Volvos are awesome, especially the '80's to mid '90's models. They'll last forever if properly maintained (which isn't difficult if you know what you're doing). In my opinion, that era of Volvo wagons contained some of the best looking cars ever. Also, the 700 and 900 series had the best interior door handles I've ever seen.

A number of years ago, my dad got an '89 Nissan Sentra wagon with 4WD, which was actually a really rare combination. It was the crappiest car I've ever been in. It had a manual transmission and no tachometer.

I can't comment on the others any farther than saying if you get a VW, you can play that game with your friends where you punch each other and say the color of the car. Oh, and absolutely avoid anything American.

I read somewhere that FWDs get better traction than RWDs. Of course, if you are concerned about snow and/or loss of traction, get AWD!

FWDs get better traction because the engine is sitting over the driven wheels. So if you had a rear engine, rear wheel drive car (like a 911 or original Beetle) you've got better traction on the rear wheels. I prefer RWD, just because it's about a zillion times less complicated.

I'd keep an eye out for a Saab 900. The classic, not the GM model. Unless you're wanting a day-long project every year or so (carburetor rebuild), try to go for a fuel injected model. Get one with a manual, if possible and the liftback is a must. Most had two doors, but there are some with four. Either way, the back seat is the same size. The two door models look way better.

 

[yoyo5280]

My mom's had a 2001 Saab 9-3 for a few years and nothing's gone wrong with it.
I'd keep an eye out for a Saab 900. The classic, not the GM model. Unless you're wanting a day-long project every year or so (carburetor rebuild), try to go for a fuel injected model. Get one with a manual, if possible and the liftback is a must. Most had two doors, but there are some with four. Either way, the back seat is the same size. The two door models look way better.

Like I said somewhere in the sea of cars up there ^^ my dad used to love saabs in the pre-gm days, but he said if there were two things he learnt its a) They hate heat and b) they aren't particularly reliable.