# Good car for student?



## special-op navy seal (Aug 7, 2003)

Any recommendations for a safe, reliable and comfortable car for under $3000? I was thinking an older volvo 240 or 740...


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## andrewenterprise (May 22, 2005)

Buy an import such as a Toyota or a Honda. Theyre among the most reliable of cars and if something does break, the parts arent as expensive as they would be for Volvo. My fathers Acura TL (which I drive quite a bit) now has 135,000km on it, and nothing has broke on it at all, very reliable, touch wood.

I ran a search on Autotrader for you in the $3000 range

http://www.trader.ca/search/Results...yRowCount=48&mknm=-1&mdnm=&subcategory=&CAT=1

(wow, thats a long link)

Good Luck Deciding


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## iKV (Oct 3, 2004)

I agree with andrewenterprise, most bang for your buck.

Alternatively, you could do what I did and purchase an older 4x4/SUV. I bought a MUCH older model Ford Bronco when I was in OAC (Ontario's now defunct grade 13!), and brought it with me to uni. Don't know how many times I piled a bunch of people in the back for a road trip. Good times!! 

Btw, from personal experience, having wheels @ school makes you very popular! Also helps in bringing home the groceries!!


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## andrewenterprise (May 22, 2005)

iKV, I'm sure you could fit quite a few groceries in the back of that ol' Bronco. With rising gas prices, a little honda or toyota would be a more economic choice for a student budget. Them big SUV's are a lot of fun though!


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## CN (Sep 3, 2004)

Volvos are too expensive for replacement parts, although they are great vehicles. They are so good that you would have to buy a pretty old one for it to be in your price range. Try not to buy anything too new (high insurance) but I am really glad my car has airbags, I would definately try to find one with them. Just in case.


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## Jason H (Feb 1, 2004)

Get a toyota. Enough Said


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## talonracer (Dec 30, 2003)

I'd agree, from experience, and say that an older Toyota is the way to go. My first car was a Camry, and my goodness, the trouble and good times we got into in that car.....!  


ahhh nostalgia.


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## iKV (Oct 3, 2004)

andrewenterprise said:


> iKV, I'm sure you could fit quite a few groceries in the back of that ol' Bronco. With rising gas prices, a little honda or toyota would be a more economic choice for a student budget. Them big SUV's are a lot of fun though!


Ah, it was back in the day when the Bronco could be fed by the litre @ between 55 and 65 cents. Still quite a bit, though, even back then.

65 cents was ridiculous at the time, since the year previous I'd been paying 50 to 55+, so I'd try to wait it out until it came down. Once, my vehicle ran dry as I pulled into the gas station, and I coasted, err, sputtered, to the pump. All for a few bucks, but hey! 

Now, I pay almost double and call it a steal!!


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## district (Sep 14, 2003)

Stay away from Volvo, BMW, VW. Not only are the parts too expensive, GOOD repair jobs cost more because European imports are difficult to repair, properly. 

While Honda and Toyota are quite reliable, they're expensive. For $3000 you might find a base model 1993-1995 Tercel/Civic/Corolla. But because you're a student, you're insurance rates won't be fair because too many kids like to 'pimp' these out. I'm 22 and a guy, I've been driving for seven years without a single ticket or accident and $6500 a year was the best quote that I got on the 1997 Civic that I was going to buy.

I recommend the Chevy Cavalier/Sunfire. They're cheap to buy ($13,000 new after tax, or $1000-$4000 used), cheap to repair, easy to fix yourself, and insurance is fair (I'm paying $1980 a year with full coverage on a brand new Cavalier). While it's not as nice an S70 turbo wagon, or the VR6 Passat that I used to own, it gets me to work and school for much less and without headaches.


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## iLabmAn (Jan 1, 2003)

Ford Escort GT!!! 1991 to 1996

They are basically Mazda Proteges underneath with some Ford parts. Reliable.

My repairs have only been maintenance related.


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## davidslegend (Jan 6, 2004)

*I called the Mr. Turtle Neck!*

Hi Special-Op,

I just Got off the phone with Steve Jobs & he recommends a Segway all terrain with a G4 Laptop attached to the handle bars so you can do your homework at the same time commuting!

The answer to your question is no car 'cause they cost an arm & a leg. Yet, If I was shopping on a budget (as a single Dad I do) I'd go for a Cavalier (not Sunfire) but, expect to pay for some maintenance in the future. 

Go to the Library & get a copy of the Lemonaide Guide to Used Cars. There you'll find the Above Average to Excellent recommendations & learn about Curbsiding...how to prevent being ripped off....invaluable auto. shopping advice!

Best of Luck!

David aka. davidslegend


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## special-op navy seal (Aug 7, 2003)

*Nissan any good?*

I've done some more research and many websites say the japenese cars are much more reliable than european and american. Volvo's are durable more than reliable apparently. I think I like the nissan NX...it has excellent mileage for gas... this site was helpful 
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/sbs.htm
so was the autotrader site and buyandsell
What I especially like about the NX is the T top. Thanks for all the replies.


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## K_OS (Dec 13, 2002)

The Nissan NX is a nice machine but it's a older Nissan and older Nissan's are expensive to maintain. My recomendation would probably be a mid 90's Civic, I had a '92 Civic Se and the thing ran like a swiss watch for over 250,000k's, the other cars I would recomend are the Toyota Tercel or Corolla, like iLabman said the Escort is also something to think about it's cheap to maintain and a friend's Escort has just gone over 300,000k's it's rusty but it's still gets him from a to b. 

Good luck in your search for a car in your price bracket, one piece of advice before purchasing the car take it to an independent garage and have them give it a once over just to make sure the seller is not selling you a pontential headache.

Laterz


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## dona83 (Jun 26, 2005)

A lady in Edmonton had a 90 Corolla that got to 985,000 km in 2002. The only major repair she had on that car was the manual tranny which failed at 600,000 km.... aside from routine replacement of brakes, clutch, oil, etc. A dealership on Kingsway Garden Road offered her a free brand new 2003 Corolla in exchange for the 90 Corolla to display in their showroom to everyone how far a well maintained Corolla could go. 

I had a 91 Corolla before at 285,000 km that ran like a dream, and the 88-92 Corolla didn't look all that boring. Some of the older Tercels seem to be burning oil. Honda has always had better styling upto early this decade, but I think Hondas seem a tad less reliable Toyota -- Toyota is still the king in this area. My 85 Civic finally died at 314,000km, well it's not dead the engine's still fine but the stuff I'd have to change to get it back on the road: Alternator, Starter, Axles, Brake Calipers, Water Pump, Clutch or Clutch Cable.


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## Sonal (Oct 2, 2003)

Nissans are great. My brother (and then I) had a 1990 Stanza. No problems, drove it around for over 10 years, about roughly 200,000 kms on it before it died due to a complete and total lack of maintenance.

I currently drive a 97 Altima, and aside from a car accident, I've never had a major problem with the car. It's barely maintained.


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## rgray (Feb 15, 2005)

If you *really* enjoy fixing cars, an older Volvo would be good choice. These, and other Euro-trash, always seem to have some nigling issue or other and as soon as you solve one another turns up. I drove VWs for years, but I finally despaired of finding one that wasn't always pestering me one way or another (shocks, alignment, springs, electrics, alignment,.. did I mention alignment). 

US? I love Nascar, but they only drive about 600 miles between total rebuilds..... take note!

Japanese? I lucked into an '88 Accord EXi (279,000km). At 425,000km it needed a head gasket. Aside from expected consumables, oil/filter and adjusments, that was it. Great car, with nice tyres it was any corner - any speed. Some guy took it as a fixer..... Tried a Civic ('91) but it was like driving a tin can compared to the Accord - got rid of it as soon as I could. Then my brother-in-law sold me his one-owner '92 Accord LX coupe (_only_ 179,000km, movin' on up!). At ~300,000, my son is driving the hell out of it... I have a '95 Accord EX Wagon (150,000km, already approaching 200,000km)... Same as above: consumables, oil/filter, spark plugs.... All started every time, no matter weather........ I like older Accords. They are not sports cars, sports-touring maybe - but nothing else eats miles at reasonable super-legal speeds like an Accord. Motto? find yourself an older but nicer model (cruise, e/windows, etc.) Japanese car rather than a newer econo stripper - you'll thank yourself later. There's lots out there around the money you mention, they just take a little finding. Did you get I like Accords? But we have had good luck with an '87 Camry, 5 years ago it had 249,000 on it when we sold it - it is still running around. Friends swear by Nissan (Datsun) and Mazda..... Taken care of, a car like these would see you through graduation and still wouldn't be an embarassment to take to a job interview.


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## oryxbiker (Nov 29, 2001)

my friend has a 91 sprint, awsome car.


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## jicon (Jan 12, 2005)

I can't get rid of my 93 Civic hatchback.  I like it that much. It was fairly cheap when I got it eight years ago ($9000), but it is so much fun to drive, great on gas, and requires little maintenance. I pay $93 dollars a month for insurance, and IF I need room to move something fairly large, I can put down the back seats, thus giving me room to move those big items.

Call me crazy, but I drove halfway across this country in the middle of avalanche\blizzard season in five days with two people, a dog (including dog cage), a weeks worth of clothes, a shovel, an air mattress, sheets, two sets of cutlery, cup/plate and a laptop/printer for my job hunting once I arrived in Victoria. Space was never an issue. 

Repairs over eight years:

Brakes once. Timing Belt once. One muffler. Four new tires. One radiator. 

Gripe:

Rust forming above the back tires.


135,000 kms, still drive around proudly, with my mac sticker on the back window. I'm never selling the car, I will drive it in to the ground.


I work with the son of the woman in Edmonton. He tells me that his mom simply goes easy on the engine, and gets a good oil change every 3000 km. Never does more than 10km at a time.


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## scootsandludes (Nov 28, 2003)

I can't say anything about Toyotas, because I never had experience with an older Toyota, though my mother's Corolla is pushing 5 years, and my father replaces his 4 Runner every few years, and they don't have major problems, and keep them properly maintained.

As for myself. I had a 88 Civic DX Hb for about 3 years. It had about 290xxx miles on it (the car was from Texas) before the head gasket blew, and the brake line went, so it wasn't worth it for me to fix it. Even though it was tiny HB, I was amazed with how much stuff I could put in there. I was a student/photographer at the time so I always had the car full of gear, the biggest thing I got in there was a 8' roll seamless paper. The back seats were pretty comfortable too for full size passengers. 

Currently I have a 92 Prelude. This has been a money pit. One week after i got it used (220k km) the clutch blew, 2 weeks later I blew the engine. Brake line has gone, CV joints replaced, expensive tune ups. But she's now pushing 280k km and the engine is super strong. So lesson here is stay away from a used sports car. they usually lead a pretty abused life, and you will be inheriting somebody else's problems. Plus parts can be pretty expensive, such as a new set of ignition wires that had to be specially ordered (for a stock set) were $120, most other cars can get a complete tune up for that price. Plus I have Honda rust (rear wheel panel)

If you're gonna be shopping for a Honda, check the rear wheel panel for Honda rust. It's called Honda rust because Honda puts this stupid piece of rubber that's good for 2 years before the glue starts to fall apart, then it just holds salt and water causing rust. Check if the previous owner removed it or not, if not, either stay away or if it's still in good condition, and you buy it, remove it immediately and give it a good wash and get rust prevention spray done. I've learned the hard way.

vince


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## gnatsum (Apr 10, 2005)

my dad has a '96 camry with 350 on the engine.

but it cost a lot to repair it back to life. 


stick with japanese cars. cheap!!! go far....and long...don't ask about safety on the old ones though.


stay AWAY FROM american cars. and i would say vw's cus they are workhorses. but they are POOR quality. they make a good diesel engine. '87 VW scirocco is like 500-800 bucks...light, fast....cheap.



check out Dodge colts, those are mitsubishis, and some older fords, like the escort and Probe which are mazdaa, stay away from Eagle Talon.

and older chevrolet swifts? those are suzuki's...might be okay city cars...


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## shoe (Apr 6, 2005)

mazda protege now known as a mazda 3 had really good reviews 3 or 4 years back

toyota corolla, honda civic as also mentioned in this thread have won many awards for new and used cars

if you want something bigger id suggest a 4 cylinder accord or a camry ( to save on gas)

read up on stuff like when you need to replace parts though eg my 98 accord with 100 000 ish kms on it needed to have the timming belt changed tahts a $500 repair as most cars need to go threw that at one time.

other things like streess parts eg ball joints, suspension, tire wear is a huge expense these days.

manual transmition is cheaper

there is a used car guide magazine out by consumer reports i belive take a look at that too for an over looked car.

lemon aide used car guide is also an excellent book to look into

shoe

ps happy car shopping


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