Need some help finding a new work car...

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My current work car needs more work than I car to put in it and I'm ready for something different anyway.

With the short notice, I only have a couple of G's to work with. Leasing or financing is not an option at this point unfortunately.

I've been wrenching on cars for over 30 years so I know what to look for when searching.

My current work car is a 2003 PT Cruiser, had it for almost six years now and actually, the first 5 years were almost trouble free aside from tires/brakes/battery/etc that you'll have with any car.

I asked the shop that was working on my car what were some of the brands of cars they saw the least of. They mentioned Honda's and Toyota's.

I'm reaching out to my fellow shade tree mechanics and the full-timers as well, what are some of the better cars out there that seem to run forever and can be had on the cheap?

I'm getting older so an auto tranny is a must (I can drive a stick, just don't care to everyday), a good A/C system is a must as well.

Miles don't scare me if I can find out the repair history.

Car has to last me two years or more where I'll be in a potion to replace it with something nicer, it's just that my back is against the wall at the moment.
 
Years ago I would have said a 6th gen Honda Accord, but then I found out how awful their automatic transmissions were- closed system with design flaws inside. A 5 speed 6th gen Accord however is bulletproof (aside from some electrical issues Hondas also seem to develop over time but if you can wrench yourself those are typically easy fixes.)
I've never owned a Toyota but I know they are supposed to be bulletproof as well.
HOWEVER, my last car was a 1999 Nissan Maxima (last year of the 4th gen) which I bought from Goodwill (!) for the amazing sum of $290. It needed suspension work (I replaced the control arms, tie rods, sway bar links, and shocks all around, along with an alignment) so the total cost of the car and getting it nicely driveable was probably closer to $900-$1000 or so. I bought that thing with approx 300k miles on it and it went over 400,000 with zero engine/ transmission issues and AFAIK is still going strong:

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It was the 3.0 liter V6 with an automatic. Now, that's not to say that the engine or tranny may not have been swapped at some point, but I asked a mechanic working on it once and he said it was all original. So as far as I'm concerned, that powertrain is the most indestructible I've ever seen- plus the added advantage of a very torque-y engine that will get up and move.
If I hadn't already bought a 5th gen Maxima for a very good price ($1500) I'd be seriously considering another one. I don't have any issues with the 5th gen yet, but I think this is about when Nissan's reliability started edging downhill.
 
My son has a spare Toyota Camry at the moment that fits this description. It's in Ohio, though. Traveling for the holidays?
We've had several good used Volvos, but they're not cheap to fix, and they do require attention. The XC70s don't rust, though. Our 20-year-old one looked brand new underneath -- at least the body did. Exhaust, not so much.
 
My youngest son has a 1998 Honda Accord sedan he drives for work. He could afford a new, or barely used car, but keeps driving the Accord because everything works and hasn't required anything besides routine maintenance. He bought it cheap with 94K miles on it some years ago and has to be close to 200K on it by now.

I don't know if it's an exception to the rule but I see older Accords and Camrys running around here all the time.

Good luck with your search.
 
Avoid CVT's and watch for frame rust (they use cheap steel and rust thru) on Asian trucks, 97-03 Ford Rangers, 2004-08 Ford F-150 Club Cabs, small GM trucks and any later model (including full size) l from around 2000 & check body mounts.

Many 90's vehicles seem to be the best for longevity and reliability due to higher quality parts and simplicity (no VVT or DOD, electric power steering, screens etc)
 
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My youngest son has a 1998 Honda Accord sedan he drives for work. He could afford a new, or barely used car, but keeps driving the Accord because everything works and hasn't required anything besides routine maintenance. He bought it cheap with 94K miles on it some years ago and has to be close to 200K on it by now.

I don't know if it's an exception to the rule but I see older Accords and Camrys running around here all the time.

Good luck with your search.

Been looking at a few of the Accords & Civics, only found one Camry in my price range and it has a whopping 264K miles!
 
I can only speak to what I've had. I loved my 2 Volvo 850's. Such solid cars, and as mentioned above they don't rust, even up here in road salt country. The first generation v70's are basically the same car.
I'm also quite happy with my present '02 Camry. Super reliable and comfortable. It is starting to look a little rusty underneath though.
Subaru might be something to look for too. My parents are on their second Forester. They got rid of the first with 212k. Head gaskets are a big ticket item though, and usually need done around 100k. The Forester is a very practical car.
 
My go-tos for low price, reliable vehicles are Accords with a manual transmission, late 80s to 90s Cherokees (not Grand Cherokees) with the inline 6 engine and Ford Rangers with the 2.3L 4 cylinder.

I tend to favor manual transmissions if possible.
 
My kiddo has an '02 Accord, sadly with the V6, meaning that it has a great engine attached to a wonky B7XA transmission. Luckily though, we paid so little for it that tranny repairs would still leave us ahead of the game. (I still need to pull the solenoids and valves to clean them out, or replace. Just impossible to do in this crap weather we live in.) I'd say stick to the 4 cylinder Accords only up until about 2006 or 2007, when their new auto tranny design came along for the V6.

Civics also run until the wheels fall off. Got an '04 Civic here in the middle of a head replacement--spark plug disintegrated in the cylinder and ruined the valves and valve seats on #2 (damn Bosch garbage). Otherwise everything works fine on it. 240k miles, and will be ready for another 100k or more once I'm done...in the spring. My '92 ran flawlessly until my ex was in a crash with it--speedy and fun to drive (the Civic...not my ex). Kinda barebones at the time but I still missed it!

If you luck across an Acura TSX that might need a minor repair at your asking price, that is another option. That was the European version of the Accord, which was a completely different model from what we had here in the US. 2nd gen Acura TL? '99 is good; '00-'03, avoid (bad 5-speed tranny in those). These were the Honda Inspire and Sabre in Japan.

Toyota Corollas also can't be killed--I know a few who have dumped hundreds of thousands of miles on them and they keep on running. :)
 
Hondas and Toyotas are certainly great options, since they have a pretty solid reputation for longevity, but you pay the price for that. Used models in decent shape (even with 200K+ miles) are still barely within your price range. Take a look at "old folks" cars--like Buicks and Oldsmobiles with the 3800 drivetrain--pretty bullet-proof, likely to find one cheap with low miles, parts are cheap and plentiful, and easy to work on. I just recently found a cheap car for one of my employees wife--a 2003 Taurus--fully loaded, in near-mint condition with only 68K miles for $1400.
 
Older Honda Odyssey's get surprisingly good gas mileage (I get 22-28, depending), are a very comfortable ride and have lot's of room to haul whatever. Some years do tend to go through motor mounts though.

I bought my '03 cheap due to hail damage. 270K+ miles and it's still going strong.
 
There are a few of the old folk cars around and I have been saving the ads. Some of the major (?) problems I've read about with the 3800 is the leaking valve cover gaskets and intake gaskets needing replaced. Still, not a deal breaker by any means especially if I find history that they've been replaced already. Plus I found a site that states there is still a valid safety recall on these cars as the leaking valve cover gasket can possibly start a fire.

Going to look at a 1995 Lexus Es 300 after work tonight. 150K on the clock and the ad claims new battery/tires and fresh oil change. Little under my $2K mark so we'll see.

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Older Honda Odyssey's get surprisingly good gas mileage (I get 22-28, depending), are a very comfortable ride and have lot's of room to haul whatever. Some years do tend to go through motor mounts though.

I bought my '03 cheap due to hail damage. 270K+ miles and it's still going strong.

There is a 2008 Honda Odyssey EX-L with 217K on the clock that I haven't ruled out yet. Has a few dents though but...

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Hondas and Toyotas are certainly great options, since they have a pretty solid reputation for longevity, but you pay the price for that. Used models in decent shape (even with 200K+ miles) are still barely within your price range. Take a look at "old folks" cars--like Buicks and Oldsmobiles with the 3800 drivetrain--pretty bullet-proof, likely to find one cheap with low miles, parts are cheap and plentiful, and easy to work on. I just recently found a cheap car for one of my employees wife--a 2003 Taurus--fully loaded, in near-mint condition with only 68K miles for $1400.

One of the "old folks" cars that I'm thinking about. 2001 Buick Century, 140K on the clock and ad claims only issue is a tire sensor is out. Asking $1500 OBO

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Going to look at a 1995 Lexus Es 300 after work tonight. 150K on the clock and the ad claims new battery/tires and fresh oil change. Little under my $2K mark so we'll see.

I'd steer clear of that Lexus, just based on the wheels--not out of appearance, but that is an indication that it was probably owned by a kid at some point and not maintained properly. Probably had a twin sub box in the trunk too. Just sayin'
 
Hmmm... seems the 2001 Buick Century has the 3.1 V6, not the 3800 like I thought. :idea:
 
I'd steer clear of that Lexus, just based on the wheels--not out of appearance, but that is an indication that it was probably owned by a kid at some point and not maintained properly. Probably had a twin sub box in the trunk too. Just sayin'

I had thought of that as well... it is listed as having five previous owners so chances are you're probably right.

And $2K for a 1995 is stretching it for me even for a Lexus.
 
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