I totalled my RSX-S... broke even on insurance... I'm looking for something that gets 30+ mpg has 4 doors, and plenty of leg room. I'd like to stay on the south side of $5k, needs to be reliable enough to make a MD to NC (700miles round trip) regularly... I'm basically looking for an automatic <100k or a 5sp can be <140k.

Ok so Honda's are stupid expensive... its difficult to find a Honda worth buying for <$7k

Saturns on the other hand...

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/car/313122050.html

So I've always had this mental block against saturns... but I've heard a LOT of people talk about them being reliable with great gas milleage and running well into 200k, I guess I should go sit in one and see if I fit at all... The american cars I've sat in in the past have lacked leg room...

experiences?

4/17/2007 10:14:54 PM

They aren't bad...but they aren't good.

Kinda like the stale popcorn you sit there and eat when you're trashed, mainly because it's there and it functions at its intended use as calories.

4/17/2007 10:16:47 PM

Quote :

"its difficult to find a Honda worth buying for <$7k"

thats complete and total nonsense. I'm sure you can find a worthy honda for <$7k, look harder.

4/17/2007 10:19:44 PM

^^GG

[Edited on April 17, 2007 at 10:20 PM. Reason : ^]

[Edited on April 17, 2007 at 10:20 PM. Reason : ^Tr00]

4/17/2007 10:20:22 PM

I honestly have been searching for 2 days... I've mostly been searching locally (baltimore)...

I just found a few in on Raleigh Craigslist that are decent, but I'm looking for something that doesn't have any modifications....

Quote :

"Kinda like the stale popcorn you sit there and eat when you're trashed, mainly because it's there and it functions at its intended use as calories."

[Edited on April 17, 2007 at 10:23 PM. Reason : heh, point well taken... ]

4/17/2007 10:21:22 PM

^haha modded hondas... id say look for 98ish accord sedan, i know ive preached this before a few times, but they are definitely worth it.

4/17/2007 10:23:22 PM

http://charlotte.craigslist.org/car/309542330.html

I mean, if I had all the time in the world I could keep waiting for these to pop up...

but currently I'm paying $125/week for a rental car...

4/17/2007 10:27:10 PM

Quote :

"They aren't bad...but they aren't good. Kinda like the stale popcorn you sit there and eat when you're trashed, mainly because it's there and it functions at its intended use as calories."

ahaha, nail on head.

seriously though, they're not a bad choice for the price. you can get them dirt cheap, and they're not so unreliable that you're going to spend the money you saved on upkeep.

4/17/2007 10:28:37 PM

yeah, my suitemate freshman year had a 98 accord and that thing had like 220k miles on the original engine. Pretty sure he blew it out by now.

4/17/2007 10:30:24 PM

^only if he abused it. Things last forever. 260k miles on my engine, and I rag the thing out hardcore. No oil burning either.

I say get an old Integra, rock solid.

Quote :

"They aren't bad...but they aren't good. Kinda like the stale popcorn you sit there and eat when you're trashed, mainly because it's there and it functions at its intended use as calories."

That quote's dead on.

4/17/2007 11:17:56 PM

i had a 93 saturn SL2 that still runs to this day

my mom wanted a new car, and said she would get one when the saturn died. i stopped changing the oil and drove a week with the oil light on.....my dad got in one day to move the car for my brother to play basketball and noticed . Still runs but burns oil ever since my attempted homocide.

4/17/2007 11:25:17 PM

^it's not that surprising to see a 93 car still running. In fact, I would think that the first thing to go out on a car is the automatic transmission, not the engine.

4/17/2007 11:38:04 PM

paid $500 for mine w/127k on the clock, a bad radiator and grinding 3rd gear.... put $125 into the radiator, and $arkansas for oil (cause you know it burns it)..but it gets 34mpg and havn't had any other issues other then a bad battery cable (though this is because previous owner tried his hand a some interesting audio splicing).

I now have 158k on the clock and it's still going strong (except for the grinding 3rd gear) + it has AC that works!!.

4/18/2007 12:02:42 AM

^ rub some Tussin on it

4/18/2007 12:04:59 AM

^^sounds like the synchro is gone, if you want to mask the gear grinding, change the fluid to synchromesh.

4/18/2007 12:16:28 AM

what about this one?
http://raleigh.craigslist.org/car/313942322.html

4/18/2007 12:19:00 AM

yeah, the synchro is gone...this I know, but I just don't care

4/18/2007 12:19:27 AM

lol.

the synchromesh will help though if you care enough to put some in.

4/18/2007 12:23:06 AM

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/car/313942322.html

coupe... I can't have a 2 door car b/c of insurance...

Lemme rephrase something I said...

Its difficult to find a 4 door civic worth buying (price/milleage/condition)

or a 4 door 4 cylinder accord... the market is flooded with v6 accords and cheap coupes... I drive 50miles a day so I don't want the v6

4/18/2007 6:30:43 AM

Doesn't the Saturn Vue use a honda engine?

4/18/2007 8:28:31 AM

I drove a Saturn station wagon for a while when I was broke... got 100,000 miles on it, never had a problem. Then I wrecked it (or a beaner who couldn't drive caused a wreck rather) and, ironically, I bought an RSX.

It got awesome gas mileage (I got 36 mpg city, 40 on the highway), and was very cheap on insurance.

4/18/2007 9:17:27 AM

at least it's not the banana bomber !

4/18/2007 10:38:05 AM

^^^ Yeah, the v6 vue has the accord engine

4/18/2007 1:27:03 PM

I had a Saturn when I was still in school. Crummy build quality, but sounds like you don't care about that. Totally underpwered, and crummy ride too. Got north of 30 mpg though, and hit 40 mpg on the highway at around 60 mph in an Auto. 5 speed would only be better. Had a little trouble with the slushbox, so if you can find a manual, I would def get it.

They can be had cheap, and are reasonable reliable. I've even thought of getting one for my daily driver now. Plastic doors are kinda cool too.

4/18/2007 2:13:52 PM

You could get the hottest car on the road for way less than you're talking about spending. Here are some keywords to help your search: e30, 1989, BMW, 325i, automatic.

4/18/2007 2:24:26 PM

Here's some other key phrases to help your search: "Don't rape your asshole with maintenance."

4/18/2007 2:30:26 PM

^ding ding ding.

I've got a saturn. 1997 SL2. Paid 3200 for it almost 5 years ago. Put about 1000 into it over 5 years, and put almost 100k on it. Runs like a champ, only burns about a quart per 5000ish miles, and i get 34-40mpg

4/18/2007 2:49:16 PM

Quote :

"yeah, my suitemate freshman year had a 98 accord and that thing had like 220k miles on the original engine. Pretty sure he blew it out by now."

I assume you're talking about me? It's a 95 and it's still running strong. I would guess around 250 or 260 now . . . don't know for sure since a previous owner swapped the gauge cluster and it doesn't have th right mileage on it. It went from Newport News, VA to Raleigh and back about every other weekend last year and never had a problem.

4/18/2007 5:44:07 PM

I just bought a 2004 saturn ion w/ 50k for $teh cheap but it looks like this right now




[Edited on April 18, 2007 at 6:42 PM. Reason : .]

4/18/2007 6:39:52 PM

bought a 2001 civic sedan EX 5sp...

4/18/2007 7:29:07 PM

4/18/2007 8:23:54 PM

Quote :

"^it's not that surprising to see a 93 car still running. In fact, I would think that the first thing to go out on a car is the automatic transmission, not the engine."

i ran the car out of oil, and overheated the engine


that was 8 years ago

4/19/2007 8:31:00 AM

had a 2001 SL2 that was fantastic until a drunk driver destroyed it.

We promptly bought an 2002 L200 4cyl. (bigger for the baby coming), put 40k on it, and sold it for a 04 Accord. Accord was on another planet in terms of ride and power, etc., but the ol' L200 was still a fantastic car considering the price you can buy one for now...

we got 30's in the L200, mid 30's in the SL2. I wish i could find a clean SL2. That car was pretty sweet back in the day.

4/19/2007 1:07:53 PM

^^^good choice.

4/19/2007 1:08:15 PM

Check ebay too. Last time I was worried about my car dying, someone in Raleigh happened to be selling a 5 speed accord there with ~110k miles for 4000-4500 (ending price). You might get lucky and find something local.

Saturns did seem to get a lot more comfortable when they started putting V6s in them. I test drove one a couple years ago, and it felt pretty good, especially for the price. I don't know how much they're going for or when they made the switch over from plastic 4-cyl cars tho.


Nevermind, just read the second half of the thread.

[Edited on April 21, 2007 at 5:50 PM. Reason : I can read...]

4/21/2007 5:46:12 PM