Reliable car < $10,000

[BadMojo]

So, it appears by brother's '95 Jetta is dying a slow death. My father is looking to get him something to replace it soon. The criteria are as follows:

* <$10,000 (duh)* Preferably 4 doors or at least a 2 door hatch* Good reliability* Something sporty but not high performance. More "show" than "go" is fine in this case.* 2000 MY or newer and low-ish mileage* Fairly cheap to insure

So far I've come up with...

2000 Toyota Celica GT - Good reliabilty (AFAIK), looks sporty but not really fast. Probably a bit out of the $10K price range and may be expensive to insure.

2001 Hyundai Tiburon - Questionable reliability on the last gen Tibby, looks a lot faster than it is, price good. May be a bit pricey to insure.

2002 Lancer Oz Rally Edition - Looks pretty cool, not sure about reliability, not expensive. Least powerful of the three cars listed here.

2000 Subaru Impreza RS - Got the looks (IMO), AWD (we live in PA), and decent reliability. Probably outside of the $10K price range.

Personally, I'd be all over the Subie but I don't think an RS can be found for ~ $10,000. Perhaps an Impreza L of the same year would be more fitting.

Anyway, I throw myself at the mercy of NICO. What do you think?

[nametakennow]

Look at the sig. Mine with Performance Package and every option except sunroof was $9600 from a credit union (read, overpriced) last August. 145hp, 139lb/ft, stock LSD, 16"s, keep up with a WRX in the slalom... blah blah, I'll let it speak for itself:

http://www.sportcompactcarweb.....html

[BadMojo]

Good point. I had kind of overlooked the Sentra, but that definitely seems like an option. The SE-R would probably be a bit too expensive to buy and insure, but the SE looks nice. I'll add that to the list.

The Impreza RS would be my personal choice, but I'm not sure how my brother would feel about the styling. I'm trying to do the research for him so he doesn't rush in to a purchase he'll regret.

I had suggested a Ford Focus (post recall, of course) but that didn't go over well. My old Tempo didn't leave the family with good feelings about Ford. My brother expressed some interest in the Mercury Cougar (which I will try to ignore).

[Checkered-Member]

1998-2000 Honda Civic SI

2000-2002 Sentra (2.0 or SE-R)

[BadMojo]

1998-2000 Honda Civic SI

I was trying to avoid Hondas since I figured it would be tough to find a nice low mileage vehicle in his price range. He doesn't really want anything older than a 2000, and I don't think we'd find an SI in our price range that didn't have the crap beaten out of it.

[Checkered-Member]

I was trying to avoid Hondas since I figured it would be tough to find a nice low mileage vehicle in his price range. He doesn't really want anything older than a 2000, and I don't think we'd find an SI in our price range that didn't have the crap beaten out of it.

interesting point....

[nametakennow]

SE is a great choice, it was such a huge surprise... when I saw it I was like "oh crap... not an SE-R, this is gonna suck." Then I did my research... well... couple mods and you'll keep up with a new SI (as in, intake) straight line, probably even in the corners too. This is an incredible handling car, particularly for a FWD. It's so neutral, hard to get it to understeer, and oversteer is possible.

I looked at the RS too, they're really hard to find, but if you did, I'd probably go for it, AWD would be more fun.

The best part is when people ask me what I drive..."A Sentra.""Oh."

Then they hear it/see it take off.

"Wow, that's quicker than I thought!"

Such a kick in the pants for such a simple car. It shouldn't be this fun to drive, but it is.

Seriously consider it , he wouldn't regret it.

[BadMojo]

interesting point....

Unfortunately, Hondas just hold too much value. Great if you're selling, bad if you're buying.

I do like the idea of the Sentra. I think the Sentra is a definite possibility, and probably a better choice than the Lancer.

I think the Impreza RS would be great, especially since my brother goes to school in the middle of snowy nowhere (Penn State).

Sooo...revised list...

2000 Celica GT2000-2002 Sentra SE or SE-R2000 Impreza L or RS sedan

[nametakennow]

Lol, yeah, check the previous issue of SCC (Super Civic was the cover), they do a comparo of the Spec and the Ralliart Lancer... let's just say the SE would have whipped up about the same as the SE-R did...

[BadMojo]

I assume there are plenty of nice Nismo S-Tune goodies for the Sentra?

[BadMojo]

Lol, yeah, check the previous issue of SCC (Super Civic was the cover), they do a comparo of the Spec and the Ralliart Lancer... let's just say the SE would have whipped up about the same as the SE-R did...

I read that. The Lancer really came off as a turd in that review. I'm slightly skeptical of the Lancer's reliability too. I wish there was a more accurate gauge of reliability than the limited amount of data JD Power releases to the public.

[Jesda]

So far these are excellent choices. I'd throw my $10k at a 1995 Infiniti Q45 with low mileage, but I suspect you dont think 15mpg at $2.20/gal is worth having 300hp.

My vote is for the Nissan Maxima, any year.

-Jesda

[nametakennow]

Actually NISMO support for the SE sucks... well... lemme edit that...

NISMO support for the USDM SR20DE sucks horribly. NISMO support for the B15 suspension is great. It will say "for SE-R/Spec V," but it will fit an '00-'01 SE as well. RSB, FSB, upgraded front strut bar (there is a stock one with the PP), coilovers (though they don't get great reviews, but for warranty and stuff, not a bad idea)... one or two wheel styles (I may be getting NISMOs, there's a really awesome looking 5 spoke avail for the Sentra), and shift knobs, plate frames, etc.

Aftermarket is pretty cheap for the SE too, in general. My intake was under $300 shipped, SS was about $150, an RSB would be about $200, as would an FSB and upgraded front strut bar...

Brembo has brakes for the SE too, good stuff. Slotted rotors pretty cheap (check Tire Rack)... only 4-5 exhausts to choose from, but why get anything but BRM? I can go on for a while, hit me um on AIM (nametakennow) if you want more info...

[574-240sx]

95-99 maxima of course. You might be able to find a 2000 but for that price there has to be alot of miles. I bought my maxima because I needed something realiable and fwd for the winter, the 4 door thing helps alot on the insurance. It is a 5-speed too. It has never broke an I have put 11K on it since I have had it. 118K strong still. just my opinion. Nick

[Altiman94]

Id look into the 4th gen Maxima, or the sentra for the amount of money he is looking to spend

[Mr1der]

if you just want a beater, I say by something new with a killer warranty.

perhaps a Scion? the xB is pretty ugly, but kinda neat in a retarded kid wins the chess game way. It's also a Toyota so it should be reliable, probably cheap as hell on insurance too.

[BadMojo]

if you just want a beater, I say by something new with a killer warranty.

Well, we had an eventful evening of car browsing. The sales girl had little going for her other than a tight shirt. She didn't know a whole lot about the vehicles.

We saw a lot of Mitsu Lancers. My brother seemed mildly interested, but I have to say I wasn't particularly impressed. Mitsubishi reliability worries me, and the Lancer came off as mediocre.

Looked a few Ford Focuses...errr Focii and even drove one. Manual transmission vehicles were tough to find.

Unfortunately, the Subaru Impreza L seems out of our price range. It's a shame, since I think my brother would really like the car. Decent styling, AWD, decent interior.

We've thought of going with a cheaper new vehicle. Dodge Neons are going cheap...a new one can probably be had for close to $10,000 and that's with a 7 year/70,000 warranty.

So...now we've got.

- Ford Focus of some sort. Don't know too much about these, other than the fact that the first model year was plauged with recalls.

- Mitsubishi Lancer. Not real keen on this, but my brother liked the styling.

- New Dodge Neon.

- Sentra SE or SE-R

[Mr1der]

the focus is eh...

look at the Yotas too though.

Hyundais and Kias aren't too bad from the ones I've seen though.

best warranties around and can be had cheap.

[Jesda]

The Focus didnt become a truly dependable car until the last 2 model years. It came to the states with a lot of build quality problems and bizarre bugs, but I have to credit Ford for getting on the ball and fixing all of them. Im really disappointed with the new Focus; my mom and I rented one and it was just awful to drive, awful to ride in, and the interior was crap. It was lacking the solid teutonic feel that was in the last one.

So that leaves us with the Accent, Elantra, Spectra, Sentra, and Lancer. (How about a Maxima?)

I also like the Oldsmobile Alero and Intrigue.

Don't go with a Dodge Neon. Just... don't.

-Jesda

[BadMojo]

Yeah...the list grows, again.

2000-2001 Sentra SE2002-2003 Ford Focus (preferably a ZX3, ZX5 or ZTS sedan to get the more powerful Zetec engine)2002-2003 Lancer LS or O-Z Rally Ed.2004 Dodge Neon

Unfortunately, the Maxima and the Subie can't be had within the price range with the mileage we're looking for.

The Sentra SE looks like a great deal, and well...it's a Nissan!

I'm a bit wary of the Focus, but my brother liked the styling and power with the Zetec engine is adequate. Reliability concerns me.

The Lancer is fairly cheap and looks OK, but is severely lacking in power

The Neon, well, has a 7/70 warranty. The SXT has some decent stuff for the price and Dodge is offering some good deals on these. Build quality is iffy.

I tried to find a Toyota that fit the bill, but the Celica is too expensive and the Corolla too underpowered and boring.

Edit: Jesda, I've found that almost every Ford interior is crap. I'd wager that the Sentra and Neon both have better looking/feeling interiors than the Focus. I've only seen Sentras and never sat in one, but I've been in a few newer Neons and the interiors were pretty decent. Don't know how long until stuff starts rattling though.

Wasn't too keen on the Lancer interior either.

[Mr1der]

Scion boss, the Scion.

goofy looking, but cheap and it's a Toyota.

base MSRP for a xB is like 13k, surely you can find a new one even cheaper then that.

[BadMojo]

Scion boss, the Scion.

goofy looking, but cheap and it's a Toyota.

I don't think I could get my brother or father to accept either the xA or xB due to the funky look, and the xC is nice looking but too expensive.

I haven't really considered Hyundai and Kia at this point, so I guess they deserve a look.

A salesman at a Chevy dealer had the big brass balls to try to sell us an Aveo. Less impressive in person than in pictures, if you can believe it.

[rico05]

You can get a GT-S in that price range. They have low resale value, and since mostly women bought them, it will be in good shape.

A 01 2.5RS runs about $11k-$13k. Dobut you can find a New RS for that cheap.

EDIT - I almost bought into that price range when I got my S13. The ONLY car that fit those same criteria in that price bracket was the SVT Contour. 2.5l V6 Duratec. 200hp, 169ft/lb. 4 doors. Looks pimp as hell, and is rare. You can score a nice 2000 for $9k-$11k. Trust me. My best friends dad had one. Car was super fquick on the street, and my roomate has a SE and it is a great car. The car was designed as a "world car" by Ford and was designed in Brittan.

[twelv]

Did anyone say 300Z it is a great car under 10,000.

[BB Turbo]

2000 Honda civic hatchback- huge aftermarket, good gas mileage, easily sub 10k

[jEzTeR]

I traded in my 2002 SE-R Spec V for $9,900 on my 350z. I tried to sell it out right for $12K but was having a hard time. I know I saw some for about $10K. Great car and has everything that you are looking for + its a Nissan!;)

[Bubba1]

There are plenty of good cars under 10K

Some good ones mentioned. HEre are a few more

Acura Integra - reliable, fun, practical. You might find a first year RSX something to think aboutCelica GT-S - very reliable, fun, No not blazing but a used top of the line GT-S has more ponies than a 240sx, and I test drove one, I was surprised how much fun it was. Plus toyota reliability is not a myth.Sube 2.5RS AWD is a plus, but looks impaired, BUT it is practical, reliable, holds tons and is fun to drive.Neon - I've driven several, including a few on the race track. very fun car to drive, but not a good car to own. Very cheaply made, kinda crude and, and unreliable. I've had several Chryslers, and you want to LEASE a chrysler product, not buy one. Trust me.Sentra SE-R - wolf in sheeps clothing. You'll find fit and finish maybe a little below Honda and Toyota, but the fun factor is much higher, it's also reliable, quick, and inexpensive to keepFocus. Actually a very competent car BUT Ford didn't get it's act straightened out until 2 yars ago, so I'd avoid used Foci like the plague.Hyundai Tibby - This year Hyundai has made some dramatic improvements in quality, but that does not apply to used ones.Built very cheap. I'd steer clear from used ones.Toyota Solara - essentially a 2 door camry. Very nice car, and with a V6. Mitsu Lancer. I'm not a big DSM guy, and I like the EVO, but I found the lancer rather ordinary and a full notch below Honda/Toyota/Nissan standards.Mazda Miata - awesome little car if your under 6' tall. Reliable and fun.Enjoy the hunt.

[BadMojo]

There are plenty of good cars under 10K

Some good ones mentioned. HEre are a few more

Acura Integra - reliable, fun, practical. You might find a first year RSX something to think about.

I think the Integra might be a little out of the $10K price range, especially since we're looking for something with < 50K miles.

Celica GT-S - very reliable, fun, No not blazing but a used top of the line GT-S has more ponies than a 240sx, and I test drove one, I was surprised how much fun it was. Plus toyota reliability is not a myth.

Again, haven't had much luck finding cheap low mileage Celica GT or GT-S within our price range.

Sube 2.5RS AWD is a plus, but looks impaired, BUT it is practical, reliable, holds tons and is fun to drive.

I'd love to find a 2.5RS for my brother. Hell, I'd probably buy it myself. Unfortunately, haven't found any that aren't outrageously overpriced.

Neon - I've driven several, including a few on the race track. very fun car to drive, but not a good car to own. Very cheaply made, kinda crude and, and unreliable. I've had several Chryslers, and you want to LEASE a chrysler product, not buy one. Trust me.

Yeah, I'm a bit skeptical about the Neon build quality. The big thing here is that we'd actually be looking at a new car with a 7/70 powertrain warranty over the other used cars. Another thing, Neons are deceptively expensive to insure.

Sentra SE-R - wolf in sheeps clothing. You'll find fit and finish maybe a little below Honda and Toyota, but the fun factor is much higher, it's also reliable, quick, and inexpensive to keep.

I think an SE-R or even an SE would be great. I'd like to get my brother to test drive one.

Focus. Actually a very competent car BUT Ford didn't get it's act straightened out until 2 yars ago, so I'd avoid used Foci like the plague.

Would you say an '02 or '03 would still be iffy?

Hyundai Tibby - This year Hyundai has made some dramatic improvements in quality, but that does not apply to used ones.Built very cheap. I'd steer clear from used ones.

I wouldn't go for the Tibby due to cost to insure and build quality issues. Truly crappy paint.

Toyota Solara - essentially a 2 door camry. Very nice car, and with a V6.

Haven't thought of that one...need to check that out. Mitsu Lancer. I'm not a big DSM guy, and I like the EVO, but I found the lancer rather ordinary and a full notch below Honda/Toyota/Nissan standards.

Wasn't impressed with the Lancers we saw. Two had badly peeling paint on the bumpers and the engine is positively anemic. Crappy interior too.

Mazda Miata - awesome little car if your under 6' tall. Reliable and fun.

My brother is about as tall as I am, 6'2". Unfortunately wouldn't be too practical for him.

Personally, I'm leaning towards an SE or SE-R, an Impreza RS (or even an Impreza L).

If they can get a new Neon SXT for ~$10,000 I couldn't argue with that. Warranty beats no warranty any day of the week in my book. Wouldn't buy a used one though.

I'm a little skeptical of the Focus. I think my brother would like the styling of the ZX3 and the Zetec engine has decent power for the class, but the recall issue and my previous experience with Ford makes me nervous.

Anyway, I'm enjoying this. I'm trying not to push my taste in cars on him, since it's gonna be his ride (although I did protest when he showed some interest in a Galant).

[POS_S13]

my friend got a new focus in '02, said he had the worst time ever in it. problem after problems with it so he traded it in a year after he bought it. i'm skeptical of the focus too...

[Bubba1]

Bad Mojo: Integras have been around for several years, so I'm sure there are some clean low mileage sub $10K ones floating around. 1st year RSX's should also be closing in on your price range. My cousin bought a used 2 door hatch Integra last year, and loves it.

I'd be wary of the 02 Focus, but I read the 03's are holding up a little better. Ford has a real image problem with the Focus because so many people with earlier models had so many problems. I'm not a big Ford guy. I've had 3, and the last one (a 92 grand marquis) was so bad, I swore off them.

Top of the line Celicas GT-S do come up used. Might want to check in with some Toyota Dealers and have them alert you if one gets traded or comes off lease. If you live in Reading, there are several Toyota dealers within a reasonable drive. I saw a sharp red one about a month ago at Team Toyota (Langhorne PA) when I took a friend there to test drive a RAV-4. I doubt its there now, but I don't think GT-s' are that rare and I suspect they should be close to your price range.

About warranties, Yes the 7/70 sounds nice, but there's so more to it. Such as: 1. The inconvenience factor to think about. My 300M which had the 7/70 went back to the dealer 6 separate times in 36 months for warranty problems. What a gigantic pain in the butt. Sure it was nice that all the problems were fixed free, but that was more than offset by the inconvenience of having to deal with it. OF course with 3 cars, I had the luxury of avoiding rental cars, but consider about the hassle of 6 overnight warranty repairs if this were your only car (3 of the 6 of my repairs took 3+ days). The rental car folks will know you by first name. That's not much fun unless your rental car agent is attractive. 2. There's a reason why certain manufacturers offer such long warranties. The cars are not built well. If you'll notice Toyota, Nissan and Honda don't have 7/70 warranties. Don't need 'em because they're built better in the first place. IMHO the long warranties are a warning sign.

I envy you, I love car shopping and test driving cars. Enjoy.