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Within the next few weeks to few months I'll be looking at buying my own (used) car for the first time. It will be driven 50 miles per day (24.1 each way to my university) between Long Beach and Fullerton four days a week through the semester, and maybe once a month will be driven 93 miles each way back home for a weekend (One way of which will be up the steep Cajon pass section of the I-15 freeway).

The way I figure, I would be buying no more than $1500 of gas per year on a vehicle that averages 25 mpg. With this in mind, I will have roughly $3000 to budget toward a car. I can wiggle that number further if need be, the most of this will be coming from student loans that I have to pay back so the less I need to spend the better.

I feel particularly partial to classic Volkswagen Beetles.



Based on various ads I've seen, ones in running condition sell fairly close to around my price range. In well-maintained condition, their mileage should at least meet my 25 mpg average requirement. Reviews I've seen indicate they are fairly cheap and easy to self-maintain (though require it frequently) compared to other cars. Early/Pre-70's models have the advantage of not needing to pass a smog certification to be registered in California.

And everywhere I go, people will be punching each other, which is always a plus.

I know though that it's hard to find an air conditioner for them, which would be a problem in the warm seasons, but I can make do having the windows down. And the low engine power may have some difficulty when I drive up the hill.

In all, I know that if I find a cheaper, uglier car that works and has okay gas mileage, I should go for that. But I've never known a lot about cars and have no idea what specifically to go for or look for. So I'm asking for advice, either in general or about any specific cars, about buying used. Anything I should particularly watch out for? Questions I need to ask, or common problems I may encounter?

You could do worse than an older-model Ford Taurus. Plenty of spare parts for when it needs em, and they get decent mileage

If you buy a Beetle even the new ones, you better be one hell of a mechanic. They are great cars if you can fix them. But if you need to pay a pro, PASS.

Spend most of your budget on the car. Don't buy one that's over 8 years old. Stay away from 4-banger Chryslers, and Hyundais (they are good new cars - not used.) Toyota, Honda, Ford, Chevy are good used brands.

My personal favorite used car is the Ford Crown Victoria, but it gets about 19-22 MPG. On the other hand if it was well maintained it will easily go 300,000 miles.

My family has had good luck with Toyota Camry's. They last forever and ours have only needed minor repairs. My dad has had his camry for 10 years and it still runs great. It's a 2001, but I'm pretty sure he bought it in 03', used. They get around 19-22 mpg as well.

I don't know if this is a regional thing or what, but there are MANY, many Honda Civic's around here. A lot of parents here get them for kids as a 'first car'. I personally haven't ever had one, but from what I know is they're really reliable and run really well. And they get 25+ on gas milage (from what friends have told me).

I hope you can find a good car for yourself! =^^=

I'd say to go for a used Taurus like the Officer suggested. They're usually cheaper and run a long time. I had one from HS through the first couple years of college. A Civic or Camry would be nice, but good luck getting one for under 6k.

I like the classic Beetles too, but sixpack is right about them.

LittleKagsin said:

My family has had good luck with Toyota Camry's. They last forever and ours have only needed minor repairs. My dad has had his camry for 10 years and it still runs great. It's a 2001, but I'm pretty sure he bought it in 03', used. They get around 19-22 mpg as well.

I don't know if this is a regional thing or what, but there are MANY, many Honda Civic's around here. A lot of parents here get them for kids as a 'first car'. I personally haven't ever had one, but from what I know is they're really reliable and run really well. And they get 25+ on gas milage (from what friends have told me).

I hope you can find a good car for yourself! =^^=

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My camry just hit 200,000 miles and my mechanic says I have a good 100,000 more on it. It's a 98 and the thing is a TANK.

Camrys are usually solid, though I've discovered with my Tacoma (which had its entire frame replaced as they rust from the inside outward) that Toyota reliability generally means it will run forever but will eat sensors, drop seat belt clips, the stereo will reject about half of its speakers at some point. On the other hand parts and aftermarket stereos are cheap! The Taurus tops many best used cars for new\young drivers lists, gets decent mileage, is easy to repair and has plenty of mass in case of an accident. Not sure about its MPG ratings. Old bugs are cool! But how good a mechanic are you? If you are capable, know what you are doing and have access to the tools you can maintain them yourself for the most part. Or convert them into a Manx type dune buggy! http://www.meyersmanx.com/ Civics are great and run forever but everyone knows that so they retain value. If you can find one in your price range and in good shape, go for it! Be sure to take any prospective car purchase to your mechanic first! Some mechanics will go to see the car with you, helpful since dealers will often let a car go to your mechanic buy private sellers probably won't. If the seller says no to a mechanic's inspection, be wary!

My current car is a 2000 Saturn SL - I just filled it up over the weekend and got over 44 miles per gallon (and I need to do spark plugs/wires). I drive over 400 miles a week, 95% of it on the interstate between my home and work.

It's the very base model - manual transmission, no power steering, manual windows, but it does have A/C (that I never use) and a CD player.

It's currently got about 140k on it, and most of the forums I've been reading say that as long as you keep oil in it and change it regularly (Saturn-designed motors are prone to burn oil due to a bad design with the piston rings to not let the oil drain properly), it can go 350k+ on a motor.

The only maintenance I've needed to do is the standard oil changes (and add a quart every couple of weeks), replaced the tires, replaced the ECTS (coolant temp sensor), and the reverse switch. I still need to to replace the plugs/wires and have my front wheel bearings replaced (requires a bearing press, so I'll be getting that done professionally), but overall, not a lot to do to it.

Older Bugs have their own issues, so I would not recommend buying one unless you intend to maintain it regularly. They have a tendency to rot out the floorboards, and since the air from the heaters goes through the doors, you will lose heater function once the lower edges of your car start to rust away and no longer seal. All of this can be avoided with vigilant maintenance, but that is not something most students are known for.

Older (80's) Honda Civics are legendary for their ability to keep running for hundreds of thousands of miles, but much like the Bugs, their bodies are not known for holding up well.

A quick search on Craigslist in the LA area to see what is available turned up some possibilities:
Ford Ranger pickup - internals mostly Mazda, pickups are handy and (usually) cheaper to insure than sedans, but people will always be asking you for help moving their stuff.
Cars in the Taurus/Sable family are readily available, usually pretty solid, but may have engine or suspension problems, so have 'em checked out before you go spending any money on them. I actually prefer the Contour/Mystique due to their lighter weight and better milage
I would avoid Subarus/Volvos/Mercedes/Jaguar/BMW just because they are likely to have high costs for maintenance and/or fuel.
I would also avoid all minivans/SUVs as well as anything with a V8 just because of your fuel cost requirement.

--Patrick

PatrThom said:

Ford Ranger pickup - internals mostly Mazda, pickups are handy and (usually) cheaper to insure than sedans, but people will always be asking you for help moving their stuff.

--Patrick

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Ugh. So true. I have a Ranger and I get asked a bunch. I need to start charging people. If you do go for a truck, make sure it's at least a V6. And, Ford Ranger parts are relatively cheap and fairly easy to do your own work.

drawn_inward said:

I'd say to go for a used Taurus like the Officer suggested. They're usually cheaper and run a long time. I had one from HS through the first couple years of college. A Civic or Camry would be nice, but good luck getting one for under 6k.

I like the classic Beetles too, but sixpack is right about them.

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Huh, someone with Conan as their avatar is suggesting a Taurus. Go figure.
They really are great cars though.