Hi,
I am looking for a good reliable car to transport my three kids to and from school in the fall. I have a small budget of $4000 CDN. Can anyone give any advice as to what type of car would be a good bet? I have been looking at the Chrysler Intrepid but notice that a lot of the 94-95 models have well over 250 thousand KM. I am in Ontario.
Thanks for any help and advice.
Beth snipped-for-privacy@gosympatico.ca
I'd look at a used Toyota. Two different categories of things go wrong in cars: Normal things, and stupid things. I've driven 4 Toyotas into the
300,000 mile range, with no stupid problems, just normal stuff wearing out.
I like the Acclaim, I used to have one. Two things to beware:
1) The 3.0 engine (GO Up to 3.3 or down to a 4 cylender), and2) The 4-Speed transmission! If this puppy has not been impecably maintained, or recently rebuilt, then you could be in for a large repair bill.
YMMV
Older late 80s or early 90s Toyota Camry. Damn things just won't wear out.
Word. A buddy of mine has had one since new; it still looks new and all he does is wash it every week and change the fluids regularly. It's got over 250,000 miles on it (he delivers pizzas for Dominos, and has for around 20 years). Emanuel
Mazda 626 might be worth a look, or alternatively, some of the more "boring" Japanese sedans. (But I'm slightly biased at the moment. I would have suggested MX6 but that doesn't really suit your passenger demands.) With your budget you're pretty much in yank and jap territory; decent used Euro cars usually cost more, at least here in Canada (in my experience). It's amazing how much a clapped out old rustbucket can sell for if it's got a BMW or VW badge on it.
Condition is more important than mileage: a well maintained car with
250k will likely be a much better buy than a poorly maintained one with
Mini-vans tend to depreciate very quickly so you can get a lot of vehicle for the money. Have a trustworthy mechanic check any vehicle you are considering, because engine / trans problems can cost thousands to fix...my son has a 92 bonneville that has been superb, larger 'safer' car than most, he's got 150K miles on it...you can go onto the web and searh autotrader.com, yahoo etc. and put in criteria such as less than 3000 dollar, less than 100K miles, less than 100 miles from your house...very handy...also consider safety (air bags) when looking at a vehicle that age, early 90's not all cars have them, especially passenger
Yep, as far as earlier US-DoT air bags are concerned, NOT having them is a safety feature.
Thanks to everyone for your helpful tips. On the weekend, I went to see a '92 Ford Crown Victoria. I'm not sure if this car would be a good choice. It has 290,000 km. The fellow that is selling it is a mechanic and it is certified and e tested. He's selling it for $2500 transfer included.
Anyway, thanks to all again who replied, I really appreciate it! Wish me luck :-)
From Beth in Ontario, Canada
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