If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Frugal auto transportation: theories?
My traditional view of frugal auto transportation has
been to have two beaters: (a small car I use most of the time and a larger vehicle for hauling larger cargoes and for backup). I've given up on my small car (a 1984 Chrysler Laser with 265,000 miles and am considering what I should buy next (I got the Laser about 6 years ago when it had 145,000 miles on it). So taken everything into consideration (initial cost, repair costs, insurance/license costs, gas costs...) what do you recommend as the type (age, mileage, foreign vs domestic...) of vehicle to purchase? Thank you. -- Jonathan Grobe Books Browse our inventory of thousands of used books at: http://www.grobebooks.com |
Ads |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
Jonathan Grobe wrote: > My traditional view of frugal auto transportation has > been to have two beaters: (a small car I use most of > the time and a larger vehicle for hauling larger cargoes > and for backup). I've given up on my small car (a 1984 > Chrysler Laser with 265,000 miles and am considering > what I should buy next (I got the Laser about 6 years > ago when it had 145,000 miles on it). So taken > everything into consideration (initial cost, repair > costs, insurance/license costs, gas costs...) what do > you recommend as the type (age, mileage, foreign vs > domestic...) of vehicle to purchase? > > Thank you. > I think your transportation costs are about to go up dramatically with the newer technology and the cost of newer parts. If they can't get you with a new car they will kill you with parts and repairs. You might get away with one more care in the pre OBDll era before about '93. A three cylinder Geo Metro might serve you, but I hear they have head gasket problems. You could get lucky. I say shop for the best condition older car rather than a poorer condition newer car. You still have transportation so take your time and wait for the deal to surface. |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
On Wed, 5 Jan 2005, Jonathan Grobe wrote:
> My traditional view of frugal auto transportation has been to have two > beaters: (a small car I use most of the time and a larger vehicle for > hauling larger cargoes and for backup). I've given up on my small car (a > 1984 Chrysler Laser with 265,000 miles and am considering what I should > buy next (I got the Laser about 6 years ago when it had 145,000 miles on > it). So taken everything into consideration (initial cost, repair costs, > insurance/license costs, gas costs...) what do you recommend as the type > (age, mileage, foreign vs domestic...) of vehicle to purchase? A Dodge Spirit or Plymouth Acclaim with non-turbo 4-cylinder engine and either automatic or (preferably but harder to find) manual transmission. They are much sturdier, more reliable and more durable than your '84 Laser was (and look how long you managed to make your Laser last!), with identically inexpensive parts/service/insurance costs. Gas mileage is high 20s to high 30s depending on equipment and driving conditions.You and/or your mechanic will already be familiar with Chrysler FWD cars, so there'll be no new learning curve. Thieves don't see them any more. Cops look right through them. They have good heaters, defoggers and air conditioners, and most of them came with cruise control. There are still plenty of low-miles examples around, especially if you're willing to travel for the right one. The '91-'93 models are the best. '94-'95 models have a less-safe (automatic motorized) right front seat belt, but are otherwise identically reliable and the motorized belt can easily be removed and replaced with the safer manual belt from a '91-'93 car. There's nothing really wrong with the '89-'90 cars, but the '91-up suspension is somewhat better. DS |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
Lots of cheap VW bugs still out there, and parts are still easy to come by.
Best years, IMHO, are 69 to 71, after the switch to 12 volts and before they put air pumps on the engine. Pre-67's are ok, if you don't mind the single circuit brake lines . . . --Tock |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
"Tock" > wrote in message om... > Lots of cheap VW bugs still out there, and parts are still easy to come > by. Best years, IMHO, are 69 to 71, after the switch to 12 volts and > before they put air pumps on the engine. Pre-67's are ok, if you don't > mind the single circuit brake lines . . . > --Tock Oh yah, heard on PBS radio tonight that some company started up in France to do nothing but make replacement parts for the Citroen 2-CV. They're able to build an entire new car from their inventory . . . so there's another possibility . . . -Tock |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Daniel J. Stern wrote:
> On Wed, 5 Jan 2005, Jonathan Grobe wrote: > > >>My traditional view of frugal auto transportation has been to have two >>beaters: (a small car I use most of the time and a larger vehicle for >>hauling larger cargoes and for backup). I've given up on my small car (a >>1984 Chrysler Laser with 265,000 miles and am considering what I should >>buy next (I got the Laser about 6 years ago when it had 145,000 miles on >>it). So taken everything into consideration (initial cost, repair costs, >>insurance/license costs, gas costs...) what do you recommend as the type >>(age, mileage, foreign vs domestic...) of vehicle to purchase? > > > A Dodge Spirit or Plymouth Acclaim with non-turbo 4-cylinder engine and > either automatic or (preferably but harder to find) manual transmission. > They are much sturdier, more reliable and more durable than your '84 Laser > was (and look how long you managed to make your Laser last!), with > identically inexpensive parts/service/insurance costs. Gas mileage is high > 20s to high 30s depending on equipment and driving conditions.You and/or > your mechanic will already be familiar with Chrysler FWD cars, so there'll > be no new learning curve. Thieves don't see them any more. Cops look right > through them. They have good heaters, defoggers and air conditioners, and > most of them came with cruise control. There are still plenty of low-miles > examples around, especially if you're willing to travel for the right one. > The '91-'93 models are the best. '94-'95 models have a less-safe > (automatic motorized) right front seat belt, but are otherwise identically > reliable and the motorized belt can easily be removed and replaced with > the safer manual belt from a '91-'93 car. There's nothing really wrong > with the '89-'90 cars, but the '91-up suspension is somewhat better. I had an 89 Acclaim for nearly 10 years. It was definitely robust, reliable and durable, however, fuel mileage was mediocre. I never saw high 30s, and, as best I recall, never saw 30.0 even. It averaged 26 on mostly highway driving (80% rural highway or four-lane, at most 20% in town). On the several long trips I took with it, the best I remember seeing was about 29, but that was only if you stayed below 60. At 70 it seldom got above 27 even in steady highway driving. I had the 2.5L/3 speed auto combination. Matt |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
"Jonathan Grobe" > wrote...
> So taken > everything into consideration (initial cost, repair > costs, insurance/license costs, gas costs...) what do > you recommend as the type (age, mileage, foreign vs > domestic...) of vehicle to purchase? >3 years old <50,000 miles Honda Civic VW Jetta/Golf (possibly diesel) Toyota Echo/Corolla Kia Hyundai Shop around and see what you can get in those models, for what price. You'll have to assess the condition of each car, and decide what the risk is for maintenance costs. |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
"Tock" > wrote...
> Lots of cheap VW bugs still out there, and parts are still easy to come by. > Best years, IMHO, are 69 to 71, after the switch to 12 volts and before they > put air pumps on the engine. Pre-67's are ok, if you don't mind the single > circuit brake lines . . . IIRC, the 67s had the best power/weight ratio; also, 12V, large rear window, pre-smog rules... OTOH, they have become a cult car, and may be relatively expensive to buy... |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
"Tock" > wrote...
> > Oh yah, heard on PBS radio tonight that some company started up in France to > do nothing but make replacement parts for the Citroen 2-CV. Isn't there still a company in CA selling 2-CV "kits" (to get around the smog & safety regs)? |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
Jonathan Grobe ) writes: > My traditional view of frugal auto transportation has > been to have two beaters: (a small car I use most of > the time and a larger vehicle for hauling larger cargoes > and for backup). I've given up on my small car (a 1984 > Chrysler Laser with 265,000 miles and am considering > what I should buy next (I got the Laser about 6 years > ago when it had 145,000 miles on it). So taken > everything into consideration (initial cost, repair > costs, insurance/license costs, gas costs...) what do > you recommend as the type (age, mileage, foreign vs > domestic...) of vehicle to purchase? > > Thank you. > > -- > Jonathan Grobe Books > Browse our inventory of thousands of used books at: > http://www.grobebooks.com > you mean to say you do not have any copies of the Lemon-Aid Used Car buyer's guide in your "inventory of thousands of used books"? visit www.lemonaidcars.com for a sales pitch, or go to your public library. the reference section of our city library has them going back forever. there is a section on "recommended beaters" for people just like you. -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ William R Watt National Capital FreeNet Ottawa's free community network homepage: www.ncf.ca/~ag384/top.htm warning: non-FreeNet email must have "notspam" in subject or it's returned |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Frugal auto transportation: theories? | Daniel J. Stern | Chrysler | 28 | January 9th 05 10:18 PM |
Auto Shipper Beware | Steve Sears | Antique cars | 0 | May 28th 04 05:58 PM |
Fleet Maintenance Pro v9.0.19 Enterprise 100 users, STRACfastMaintenance 2.5c, Auto Maintenance Pro v9.0 Professional Incl Keygen,various other AUTO and BOAT Maintenance progs ... | [email protected], [email protected] | Antique cars | 0 | October 23rd 03 09:08 PM |