Fvck me, I hate that car! You all remember the problems I had with it, first with the engine grenading two days after I bought it, then with the persistent oil leak (still not resolved), then with the AWD system clunking very loud when you back up (loud enough to make you think you hit something - still not resolved), right? Well, now it's in the shop awaiting a new alternator. While driving the other day, in the pouring rain, the car quit. Just died. I called CAA and had it towed to my workplace, where it was diagnosed as needing an alternator. I called the warranty company and it's covered, but it must be replaced with an OEM alt (not a reman or rapair). To further compound problems, there were three different alternators used in 2000, and mine is the rare and expensive one (of course).
I've made my mind up. By Canada Day (July 1) I will have a different car. That Goded thing is going. It's pretty bad when a 2000 model year near luxury car with a reputation for being reliable is less reliable than a nearly 20 year old Ford, and a 20 year old Dakota. Now I just have to decide what to buy next...
Man, that sucks.
Any thoughts on what the replacement might be?
That sucks. Sell that thing and RUN away.
Probably this is the first time i have to say anything like this....
Buy a Toyota or a Nissan.....
And im not joking, ford and chevy dont have anything to offer to you (or if you want a truck...different history)
Or try again to find another 80´s car, when they were slow, but reliable as hell...
Dodge has come out with a ton of neat stuff...that would be the first place i would look at if i was in the market for a new car, toyota or nissan don't have anything to wright home about thats for sure...the new camry looks similar to a mazda 6... not very orignal styling. Anyways back to Dodge, the new hemi magnum, charger, and 300 are all worth looking into, and on the looks factor they score high in my books.
Su-ba-ru Su-ba-ru! A nice Forrester Turbo, Legacy Turbo, or WRX wagon would give you the utility of the Volvo, turbo power, AWD, and be faster and WAY cooler to boot! Not to mention, actually be reliable.
The Birdman is right - go with one of the Subarus, they'll do you right, and for a half-decent price too.
dude that cars got some bad mojo, sell it and run far far away. I agree on the subaru thing but I love the look of the magnums. If your just looking for reliability you cant kill a suzuki, trust me I have tried.
Yep, but the reliability of these cars arent proven enough, but the caliber may be a good try....
Of course, ill take any day a Charger than any nissan or toyota, but he is looking for a reliable, good fuel economy, and AWD ? car....hell, i wouldnt even buy a puppies car for the design, they simply dont look good to me. For me, i would buy a Mercury Marauder (and forgot the fuel economy and the traction, 302 hp wont help me in the snow...) or a V8 MN12 Cougar-Bird, but im 21 and the impractical big boats cars are good to me...
i Second the Subaru Idea....
wait for challenger wait for challenger!!!! ;-) thats my thoughts lol
Would YOU drive a new Challenger as a daily car? I sure wouldn't. The Birdman has the right idea. Something a couple of years oldwith 4 doors, room , reliability, and decent power. If you wanted something a little on the newer side with a full warantee I say go for an Audi A3 wagon. 200 HP and a 6 speed gearbox for $25K US.
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/wagon/112_0411_2005_audi_a3/index.html
We're actually talking something in the $13k CDN range, so new cars are out unless I want a Kia Rio or something. I'd also prefer to stay away from econopoopsters - I like my big cars. Fuel economy isn't a huge issue, but I'd prefer something that does better than the Volvo (the thing only gets 26MPG highway, worse than the T-Bird). AWD isn't a huge issue either, because I have a 4WD truck for when the roads are snow covered, and really, they're only snow covered a half dozen times a year.
I'm not a lesbian and have never owned Doc Martins, so a Subie wagon or Forrester is out :p (though I do have a few plaid shirts, so maybe...)
I'm actually thinking I might try to find a Linkin LS, or even a Caddy STS. Truth be told, I'm actually leaning toward the Caddy, for a few key reasons:
1) I am very well versed in GM electronics. I've got about a hundred courses and know them inside out. I also know my way around the rest of the car, but with Caddies, it's good to know about electronics
2) My employer is a GM/Delco authorized dealer. That means that if a part isn't covered by warranty, at least I can get it cheap...
3) Northstar. Probably one of my favourite GM engines, and I've seen 'em last well in excess of 400k miles in airport taxis
4) I have always loved the looks of 'em. One of the few GM designs in the past two decades that I like, and I like it alot.
5) Caddies are cheap. While depreciation is a bad thing for a new car buyer, it works great for those of us that wait until they're a few years old. I can buy a car that was $70k CDN in 2000 for about $12k now, and still have my heated leather seats, power moonroof, and the rest of the luxury goodies.
Still, I do like those Lincoln LS's, too. They're RWD for a start, and I migth even stumble across a 5-speed version (albeit with a 6-cylinder). I dunno...
Ah... I thought you were set on a wagon. I know I'll get heat for this but between the Caddy STS and Lincoln LS I'd go Caddy.
Lincoln Lincoln Lincoln!
I just like it more. But the Caddy would be sweet as well.
For once I'd stray from Ford and go with the Caddy.
Since you're in cahoots with a GM dealership, I say you look for a Grand Prix GTP. A small investment in aftermarket stuff can get you into the 13s... plus they don't look too bad.
Six months ago I plunked down a ridiculously small chunk of change for a 1998 Mercury Mountaineer AWD 5.0, with 124K on the ticker. It is dead-nuts reliable, comfy, plenty of room to haul stuff (which I do quite a bit), and Ford's AWD system is rock solid. My expenses so far: brakes, tires and a new serpentine belt. Woo. If you don't mind an SUV--in other words, sitting up high and riding like a truck--then I wouldn't hesitate to recommend one. It does absolutely everything I need to perfection, and with no complaints whatsoever. The electrical system seems to be pretty decent too. :)
But given the choice of cars I'd probably steer towards the Caddy as well. My parents had a '91 Sedan deVille with the 4.2 V8 and even though mechanics have always shied away from that engine, it was really peppy. They traded that in last year for an '02 Eldorado ETC with the Northstar. That's a fun tire-fryer there. :) Both cars have been extraordinarily reliable for them. If the floorboards hadn't started to rot on the '91, I'd have bought it from my folks for a daily driver...
Lincoln eh? Mark VIII.
dont get a GTP... i dusted one of those with my beat to hell TC.
My mechanic is selling a mint body 96 STS with 140,000 on it for $3,500. It's a nice car. I'd buy it to replace the Buick but I don't have the money right now. Doesn't help you Thunder Chicken, it's in Chicago:hick:
My mechanic is selling a mint body 96 STS with 140,000 on it for $3,500. It's a nice car. I'd buy it to replace the Buick but I don't have the money right now. Doesn't help you Thunder Chicken, it's in Chicago:hick:
Search for Cougars2Go's thread about his junk MarkVIII he had and all the problems he had with it.
Carm, get this:
(http://images.autobytel.com/view/aic/CADILLAC/CTS-V/sdn/usa_2005_cadillac_cts-v_sdn_4_x_exfrdrvr75_x.jpg)
Id love to get a new Acura TL. Theyre one of the few new cars id love to own. Theyre peppy, can get a 6-speed manual, and packed full of options.
I briefly considered a Mark VII, but it would be redundant. I already have a two door, RWD, V8 barge. And that barge should outrun, outhandle and outclass any VIII by the time I'm done with it...
Zach: I don't really like the GP. They are a nice car and are very capable, but they just don't do anything for me. One wouldn't be out of the question if I got a smokin' deal, but I'd much prefer the Caddy.
Eric: Gas is nearly five bucks a gallon here. An SUV for a daily driver ain't in the cards. I'm gonna get a 4WD truck to replace the Dakota in the fall, but it won't be a DD, it'll be a hunting, fishing, firewood gathering, building materials getting, mud slogging, bounce-it-off-a-tree work truck, so it'll probably be a mid 90's F150. It's not that I have anything against SUV's (I've owned two Cherokees), I just don't have much use for one.
The wagon has come in VERY handy during the house renovations (did you know you can stack about 20 2X4X8's in the car with the rear seats down if you put 'em between the front seats? :D) but as the renovations wind down the wagon's usefulness does as well. I bought the wagon because I liked the looks of 'em, but now that I'm soured on Volvo forever I can't see another wagon in the future. At least for a while, until a Vista Cruiser comes along...
What about a Sonata? Both V6 and I4 engines get great gas mileage for the size of the car. It was bigger inside than the Accord and Camry and had a bigger trunk than the Accord and Altima. Since the Accord and Camry were redesigned and I haven't been selling cars since the fall, I don't know if that still holds but nevertheless, the base 06 Sonata after cash backs and whatnot is a helluva buy. ABS, TC, ESC, 6 airbags all standard on every one. And for a northern climate, ESC is nice to have.
Not to mention, it's new. Having a 3-year old domestic luxury car (Mark 8) gave me a whole new perspective on domestic luxury cars. I learned why the resale value drops so fast and so much. My experiences with the Mark will keep me away from getting a newer domestic luxury as a DD for a long time. It also made me appreciate simplicity more than I did before.
You know what I would do? I would call up Volvo and pitch a fit at them. This car is obviosly a lemon. I would tell them you have a real challenge for them, and let them do their worst.
I'm really happy with my 4 door Ranger 4x4. It's my work truck and my DD. With the extra leaf spring I had put in the rear, it can carry a decent load. I've carried everything from motors to firewood, to lumber...I picked up 1.5 ton of 3/4 crushed stone last week. And with a fuel consumption of aprox. 16L/100KM it's not to bad on gas for a DD. When the Mustang is paid off in Feb 08, I'll be buying another new Ranger.
If I were you, I'd go new. Used cars leave too many variables and obviously you became a victim of this. I'd stay away from used since you really don't know the true history of the car. Was it wrecked? (may not have been reported) Was it maintained?(may say so but could have not been) What problems have the car had?(Nearly impossible to find out but could tell you that more are to come)
Seriously, with a new car, you get the advantage of the full manufacturer's warrenty. Not a dealer warrenty like most have for used cars but a genuine full unexpired manufacturer's warrenty.
In my experience so far, this has been one of the greatest things about getting a new car.
I'd be a little leary of the newer CTS'. They are sharp and fast however I've heard that they seem to deteriorate rather quickly. I've heard it doesn't take long for it to rattle and loosen up. But then again this is what I've heard not experienced.
Good luck.
I myself would never buy a new car again. I've only bought one and while it was nice to be in a new car, I'd rather use the savings elsewhere. My most recent purchase was a '98 E350 15 passenger van. I bought it last year for $8700. If I were to buy it new, it would cost me around $35,000.
Now the whole new car/used car thing also has impact on the type of car you're looking for. A used Mustang will probably be a lot more on the 'used' side than say a used Crown Vic or Towncar. When I bought my MN-12 a few years ago, I also was looking at the same year BMW 3-series. While the Cat has more miles on it, the BMW looked a lot more used than the od was showing. My car was more than likely owned by an older couple that used it sensibly. And knowing a lot of the older folks, when something doesn't sound or feel right, off to the shop it goes. And it's usually the dealer. Check it out. Drop by any car dealer and hang out in the service department. Unless someone is there getting some warranty work done, most of the patrons will be older people.
As far as the warranty is concerned, all cars break. Yes you are getting a whole car warranty, but that's because the whole car is new. Now, when you buy a part for your car, that part carries it's own warranty. Just like the alternator I bought for my Cat. Just like a new car, when the alternator went bad, I went back to the place I bought it and had it replaced for free. Again, not saying that there's anything wrong with buying a new car, it's just not for me. I drive 35,000 miles a year commuting. That's what I currently put my Cat through. I park it on Friday evening, and it doesn't move until Tuesday morning (I only work 4 days/week). The other times, we use the family 'truckster' - E350). With a used car, I'm never concerned about getting near the 100k mile mark. My Cat has 214k on it and I can't wait to see 250k. I always feel the opposite with a new car. Keep the milage down as much as possible, but then it defeats the purpose of getting a commuter car.
Anyway, just my thoughts on the matter.
Well look at the big picture, every car company is fairly reilable and reliabilty often depends on the owner and how they take care of it. Most of the new cars now are all so close when it comes to reliability, for me its about performance, safty, and the PRICE as well as parts prices ext. Many puppiesanese car dealerships can be costly to replace parts whent they break, and im sure the same goes for some domestic car companys but with what i have experienced and heard puppiesanese cars on average cost more to replace parts.
always could go with a Taurus wagon...3.0 SOHC or the pushrod version...good cars...seen many with over 200k on them...if ya want a small truck go with ford/mazda ranger, or the nissan frontier with the 2.4 4cyl, 5spd...300k on the ones @ my work
New cars have one serious problem that doesn't affect used cars as much: Depreciation. A new car depreciates more in its first few miles than it will for the rest of its life. I can't see myself buying a new car only to have it end up worth 60% of what I paid for it two years from now. NO warranty is worth that. Besides, as I noted above, I'm looking at $13k here, and $13k doesn't buy you much of a new car. Going into debt is not an option. I'm debt free now and I intend on staying that way for the rest of my life.
It would have to loosen up a lot to be as loose as my 18 year old Fox car :hick: Seriously, I've not heard many bad things about 'em, except electronics, and electronics is my specialty anyway. I've known cabbies that have put almost a half million miles on 'em. Of course, I also hadn't heard anything bad about Volvo...
I do agree, depreciation sucks ass. Personally I wasn't worried about that since I don't plan on getting rid of my new car. My plan is to drive it until it's dead and even once it is, I'll probably rebuild it. As far as it's book value, I could care less. If it's worth a penny, I'll still keep it and drive it. Now sure I owe more than it's worth (and it's only a year old) but if it gets wrecked, I have gap coverage. So really the only way depreciation of this vehicle is going to get the best of me is if I plan to sell or trade which is non existant in the planned future. Besides, it's my first big purchase on my own so theres that whole 'attachment' thing. Of course new cars are bound to have their problems, talk to Karl and he could tell you about problems I've had with my new car but thankfully the warrenty is there to the rescue.
I guess it all depends on your priorities and what you're looking for. Now knowing that you are looking at the $13K range for a car, I can clearly see why you are going the used route. That can buy a new car but it won't be anything like you want nor will it be comfortable for you. Again, best of luck to you.
i went new for the first time. cause I am driving 70 miles one way, 3 times a week, and 25+ miles one way the other 2 days. in the last year and 5 months, i have put 45,000 miles on my car. If I did that in a used car, I would be worried about the next big break down. I don't pay much per month, and all the problems are fixed for me. I had a 97 saturn that I was doing that to, and in less than 3 months the car literally just fell apart. I don't plan on doing this kind of driving for more than a couple years. it will eat up my warrenty, but then I shouldn't have so much driving to do when it is up. I know what is wrong with the car, I know how well it was maintained, and it should last for a long time. I have gap, so even if there is no warrenty, and i still owe, if it gets wrecked, i'm covered, and if I treat it well it should last way into the 300K miles mark.
1987 Mercedes 300D
Big
Reliable
Comfy
Loads of torque
40mpg
That was the first thing I thought when I read your post. Hell even one of the non turbo Imprezas would be nice. Still AWD, and pretty easy on the pocket book for what it is.
uh yeah...until you get hit with dealer only parts, or exhaust systems...prices are up there and in salt/snow they rot quick. we also have a legacy @ my workplace...I hate the thing...sad I'd rather drive the '93 escort
i know i might get alot of for this, but i work at a mitsubishi dealer and have for a long time....my DD is an 04 galant i bought new 2 years ago. the style isnt great but its a great car for the money. it get 30-32 mpg has a little pep has a basic warranty of 5 years 60000 powertrain is 7 years 100000 and i paid 16,200 for it brand new. and i must tell you that from a tech point of view they are great cars, which means they dont break much, unlike my wifes honda which everythinks are great cars. just my .02 good luck in your hunt