Well it was my birthdays yesterday, and I got some money for a car and some saved up in the bank, my question is: what is a good car for a high-school student / college student?

I am looking for:

• A U.S. Car :P
  
• Reliable
  
• Fun
  
• Practical
  
• Cheap, but not crap quality
  

I was looking at a Toyota Camry and Honda Accord as my main two, but I really don't have my mind made up. (I was looking at the Mitsubishi Lancer -evo but my dad [mechanic] said they were not the best quality build)

Post your recommendation

-Thanks

Jeep! Always go Jeep! My bro and his friend got a Jeep Cherokee CJ for only $600. They both ran fine, they already have lifts and HUGE tires for them, and they are loads of fun. My bro gets 24 mpg, he goes mudding and rock crawling with them, and they have easy storage. Jeep Cherokees have loads of trunk space, a great engine (if you go 6 cyl.), and they hardly ever break down. Parts are easy to get, cheap (low money great quality), and people can easily help you on the Jeep forums. So, since you need a U.S. car thats reliable, fun, practical, and cheap but good quality, get a Jeep Cherokee. Make Sure it's a late 80's and early 90's one. Also, if you hit a tree with them and damage your fender, you'll get more respect. For a Jeep, body damage is considered cool. Besides, Jeep's are tough vehicles! Still, don't annilate it.

I'm missing something.. you're looking for a US car.. like the Toyota, Honda and Mitsu that you've been looking at??

Its not the fastest, but if you can get a Volvo like a 240, it would be a good choice. Like I said, they arn't by any means fast, but they are very reliable cars. IF you get them in good condition that is. They are also very safe as far as collisions go, they are built like tanks, but they still have decent fuel economy.

Any car you buy that will be reliable will NOT be US made, domestic cars lost thier reliability when they started making them out of plastic. For some reason the big 3 can't make cars for shit now.

Perhaps as in, don't recommend an Opel or similar, something available in the US.

If you want absolute reliability, find yourself a Toyota pickup truck from the pre-Tacoma models. Something with less than 120,000 miles and the 22RE motor and you have reliability for years to come, even longer if you change the oil sooner than every 50,000 miles.

Toyota pickup truck maintenance schedule:

Rancho RS5000 shocks on all 4 immediately
Front brake pads every 50k
Rear brake shoes every 150k
Centerforce clutch or Toyota heavy duty clutch replacement at 150k
Change oil whenever you feel like it.

Should be good to go with that maintenance schedule. Stick some BFG rubber on it when you get the Ranchos and you will go anywhere your heart desires.

Get a Nissan Skyline R32

Na on a more serious note what about just a Chev cavilar or something V6

No, don't get an Evo or some RWD V6 or a Skyline...

I know you guys can buy whatever you want as you don't *have* to deal with getting insurance, but please choose something sensible or you'll put it in a tree quicker than you can say "lift off oversteer".

Quote from TiJay :

No, don't get an Evo or some RWD V6 or a Skyline...

I know you guys can buy whatever you want as you don't *have* to deal with getting insurance, but please choose something sensible or you'll put it in a tree quicker than you can say "lift off oversteer".

you suck

depends how much cash you have. Old toyota MR2 or Mazda MX5 are good fun cars (non turbo, cheap on insurance), as long as you don't need to carry much. If all you want is a daily, the Corolla's are generally good value, if a little dull (unless you get the twin cam/sports versions)

I don't really know many US cars so i can't suggest much more than the ones that are universal...do you get the ford focus XR5 over there?

Quote from DragonCommando :

Its not the fastest, but if you can get a Volvo like a 240, it would be a good choice. Like I said, they arn't by any means fast, but they are very reliable cars. IF you get them in good condition that is. They are also very safe as far as collisions go, they are built like tanks, but they still have decent fuel economy.

Any car you buy that will be reliable will NOT be US made, domestic cars lost thier reliability when they started making them out of plastic. For some reason the big 3 can't make cars for shit now.

i LOVE you!!

A bugatti veyron is what you need

Quote from SamH :

I'm missing something.. you're looking for a US car.. like the Toyota, Honda and Mitsu that you've been looking at??

I was confused too.


What about an MX-5?
or a "monster miata", there should be enough of those in the US.

buy a Porsche 924 or 944. Wich is not very expensive (in europe, between 2K and 7K€). That's a lot of fun

Quote from SamH :

I'm missing something.. you're looking for a US car.. like the Toyota, Honda and Mitsu that you've been looking at??

ROFL - exactly

-----------------------

Go for a Honda Civic Type R!!!!

Get a Saturn SC2 or Saturn SL2. They're reliable and not horribly slow. Pretty slow, but not the slowest thing on the road. Gets good fuel economy also.

Or you can get a SC1/SL1 which have a single cam engine so they get better fuel economy but are really slow. The transmission ratios aren't as close, and the engine only makes 100HP. But it does have it's peak of 110lb/ft of torque all the way down at 2400rpm.

When I meant by 'a U.S. car' I didn't want a Fiat or Citroen, I needed a car I can buy locally.

'92 ford tempo w/ 120k miles

but really, id say a chevy corsica

i have a clio 182 for sale but thats probably not a good one for you for the following reasons

A U.S. Car :P - no
Reliable - yes
Fun -yes
Practical - not at all
Cheap, but not crap quality 9.999 Eur

Dude, get a Jeep! I already said this. So what if they are SUV's, you can do more with a SUV than a car. Besides, in winter you will need four wheel drive if it snows.

Quote from GrIp DrIvEr :

Jeep! Always go Jeep! My bro and his friend got a Jeep Cherokee CJ for only $600. They both ran fine, they already have lifts and HUGE tires for them, and they are loads of fun. My bro gets 24 mpg, he goes mudding and rock crawling with them, and they have easy storage. Jeep Cherokees have loads of trunk space, a great engine (if you go 6 cyl.), and they hardly ever break down. Parts are easy to get, cheap (low money great quality), and people can easily help you on the Jeep forums. So, since you need a U.S. car thats reliable, fun, practical, and cheap but good quality, get a Jeep Cherokee. Make Sure it's a late 80's and early 90's one. Also, if you hit a tree with them and damage your fender, you'll get more respect. For a Jeep, body damage is considered cool. Besides, Jeep's are tough vehicles! Still, don't annilate it.

Yes i really love Jeeps, but with pain in my heart () i have to admit................. THEY ARE AS RELIABLE AS SHIT

My dad has lots and lots of problems with his '02 Grand Cherokee Overland

List of things that wrong with it in chronologic order
-Steering wheel isnt really ligned up with the wheels, pulls a little to the right.
-Some bearing in the front wheel makes noise.
-Airconditioning unit broke, so it constantly blew hot air.
-Few weeks ago the Airco lost lots and lots of cooling liquid which came inside of the car and made the carpet very wet, so we have no carpet in the car now, and it also got on the windows so it looked like they were very damp(?).
-Couple of days ago the radiator broke
-AND about 1 year ago we let built in a Gas installation, and even that now starting to shut itself of because there is something wrong with it.

I dont know about the newer Jeeps but the ones we always have are



What about a Dodge Neon or something similair to that.

One with 4 wheels, frankly.

Quote from jwardy :

i have a clio 182 for sale but thats probably not a good one for you for the following reasons

A U.S. Car :P - no
Reliable - yes
Fun -yes
Practical - not at all
Cheap, but not crap quality 9.999 Eur

Renault and reliability dont go in the same sentence!

You need to get a Yaris No seriously, get the SR spec, and you will love it

aha the SuperRice spec, always nice to see


http://www.xtreme-tuning.com/i ... /octubre2004/P9250001.JPG

I hope you mean sold not designed in the US, because most American cars are unreliable pieces of S***