Recommend a Worthwhile Family Car
#22
09-13-2007 | 03:31 PM
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,553
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From:
RE: Recommend a Worthwhile Family Car
ORIGINAL: Lrn2Go
Keep an eye out on late 90's and into 2000+ malibu's... or any general motors vehicle with the 3.4 (3400) or the 3.6 (3600) engines. They're goog engines, but the intakes leak... and not just some, but eventually ALL of them will fail. I've replaced a TON of them myself (proffesional mechanic of 6 years), and most every one I've seen that comes in with 60K+ miles will show the tell-tail signs of a leak. General Motors implemented a poor gasket choice here, and that leads to it's failure. Great cars otherwise (I'm a much bigger GM fan than Ford[:'(]). Just keep an eye out for them. (Usual traces would be "fluid" (radiator, often the orange stuff) seeping out the front and back sides of the motor (remember, it's in sideways, so front and back is actually the sides facing the front tires). The easy one to see is usually located under the intake "boot" coming from the air box. Just look straight down from where the boot hooks into the engine/intake and right where the transmission is bolted up and meets the engine (the lower intake gasket is located basically here), there will be wet parts and fluid that pools up. Good luck!
Keep an eye out on late 90's and into 2000+ malibu's... or any general motors vehicle with the 3.4 (3400) or the 3.6 (3600) engines. They're goog engines, but the intakes leak... and not just some, but eventually ALL of them will fail. I've replaced a TON of them myself (proffesional mechanic of 6 years), and most every one I've seen that comes in with 60K+ miles will show the tell-tail signs of a leak. General Motors implemented a poor gasket choice here, and that leads to it's failure. Great cars otherwise (I'm a much bigger GM fan than Ford[:'(]). Just keep an eye out for them. (Usual traces would be "fluid" (radiator, often the orange stuff) seeping out the front and back sides of the motor (remember, it's in sideways, so front and back is actually the sides facing the front tires). The easy one to see is usually located under the intake "boot" coming from the air box. Just look straight down from where the boot hooks into the engine/intake and right where the transmission is bolted up and meets the engine (the lower intake gasket is located basically here), there will be wet parts and fluid that pools up. Good luck!
#23
09-13-2007 | 03:42 PM
Retired Moderator
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 7,524
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From: Fort Awesome
RE: Recommend a Worthwhile Family Car
What ever you get, do yourself a HUGE favor and get four doors. Tow doors with a baby seat is a pain in the ***. I was alsway worried I was going to crack the kids melon getting it in and out of the car trying to reach into the back seat from the front. Anyway, food for thought.
#24
09-13-2007 | 03:43 PM
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 194
Likes: 0
From: USA
RE: Recommend a Worthwhile Family Car
ORIGINAL: Northernfirepower
Thanks for the heads up, I'd like to find a GM with either the 3.1 or 3.8. I had a 3.8 in a Regal and that thing rocked! Never gave me any trouble and had all kinds of power. I think that the later 3.8s also had an issue with the intake gasket if I remember right. Something about the intake being plastic.
Anyway, thanks for the input guys! Keep it up.
Thanks for the heads up, I'd like to find a GM with either the 3.1 or 3.8. I had a 3.8 in a Regal and that thing rocked! Never gave me any trouble and had all kinds of power. I think that the later 3.8s also had an issue with the intake gasket if I remember right. Something about the intake being plastic.
Anyway, thanks for the input guys! Keep it up.
Every modern car has its foibles, advantages and disadvantages. Toyotas have had sludge issues and tons of recalls, VW has had alot of recalls on Passats and Jettas/Golfs for various issues (seat heaters catching fire, brake light faults, suspensions failing) and have been downgrading their warrantees for the past three years, Ford has hada lot of safety recalls, GM cars suck, period. Leaves Honda and BMW, and Mercs. The BMW3-series wouldbe my choice, great handling,fantastic warranty/service package, good space, typical German quality. The Benzes are nice but too expensive.
#25
09-13-2007 | 06:16 PM
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 467
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From:
RE: Recommend a Worthwhile Family Car
ORIGINAL: Ty
Save yourself some hassle and stay away from the American cars. A 10 year old Toyota is more reliable than the average brand new American car. In that price range, you want to make sure that what you get is going to hold up. Anybody that feels like giving me the whole American car story and telling me I'm wrong can save it. You may very well have one of the few well-built American cars. Great, I don't care. The numbers don't lie. Buy a camry and call it a day. You'll never have to think about it again. An older 4-runner might be in your range, those are sweet. Or stick with Honda and pick up a Civic, you can't go wrong with that. An older Accord would be in your range and those are some of the most problem-free cars ever. Nice thing about Hondas and Toyotas is that mileage doesn't really matter, so you can get a newer model with high miles and not have to worry about it. The mileage will bring the price down, but really the car is just getting broken in. There's a dealer here that has an original Camry that they purposly didn't do any maintenance on (just oil changes) and it has over 500,000 miles and runs great. I didn't believe it until I saw it. Anyway, good luck. Hope you find something good.
Save yourself some hassle and stay away from the American cars. A 10 year old Toyota is more reliable than the average brand new American car. In that price range, you want to make sure that what you get is going to hold up. Anybody that feels like giving me the whole American car story and telling me I'm wrong can save it. You may very well have one of the few well-built American cars. Great, I don't care. The numbers don't lie. Buy a camry and call it a day. You'll never have to think about it again. An older 4-runner might be in your range, those are sweet. Or stick with Honda and pick up a Civic, you can't go wrong with that. An older Accord would be in your range and those are some of the most problem-free cars ever. Nice thing about Hondas and Toyotas is that mileage doesn't really matter, so you can get a newer model with high miles and not have to worry about it. The mileage will bring the price down, but really the car is just getting broken in. There's a dealer here that has an original Camry that they purposly didn't do any maintenance on (just oil changes) and it has over 500,000 miles and runs great. I didn't believe it until I saw it. Anyway, good luck. Hope you find something good.
#26
09-13-2007 | 08:04 PM
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 549
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From: stockbridge,ga
RE: Recommend a Worthwhile Family Car
ORIGINAL: F4Isvt
hate to break into you but toyota and hondas are the most american cars on the road today. So maybe someone should give the "american car story" I will agree I had a toyota pickup all orginal except brakes and clutch with 210k and it still runs like a champ.
ORIGINAL: Ty
Save yourself some hassle and stay away from the American cars. A 10 year old Toyota is more reliable than the average brand new American car. In that price range, you want to make sure that what you get is going to hold up. Anybody that feels like giving me the whole American car story and telling me I'm wrong can save it. You may very well have one of the few well-built American cars. Great, I don't care. The numbers don't lie. Buy a camry and call it a day. You'll never have to think about it again. An older 4-runner might be in your range, those are sweet. Or stick with Honda and pick up a Civic, you can't go wrong with that. An older Accord would be in your range and those are some of the most problem-free cars ever. Nice thing about Hondas and Toyotas is that mileage doesn't really matter, so you can get a newer model with high miles and not have to worry about it. The mileage will bring the price down, but really the car is just getting broken in. There's a dealer here that has an original Camry that they purposly didn't do any maintenance on (just oil changes) and it has over 500,000 miles and runs great. I didn't believe it until I saw it. Anyway, good luck. Hope you find something good.
Save yourself some hassle and stay away from the American cars. A 10 year old Toyota is more reliable than the average brand new American car. In that price range, you want to make sure that what you get is going to hold up. Anybody that feels like giving me the whole American car story and telling me I'm wrong can save it. You may very well have one of the few well-built American cars. Great, I don't care. The numbers don't lie. Buy a camry and call it a day. You'll never have to think about it again. An older 4-runner might be in your range, those are sweet. Or stick with Honda and pick up a Civic, you can't go wrong with that. An older Accord would be in your range and those are some of the most problem-free cars ever. Nice thing about Hondas and Toyotas is that mileage doesn't really matter, so you can get a newer model with high miles and not have to worry about it. The mileage will bring the price down, but really the car is just getting broken in. There's a dealer here that has an original Camry that they purposly didn't do any maintenance on (just oil changes) and it has over 500,000 miles and runs great. I didn't believe it until I saw it. Anyway, good luck. Hope you find something good.
As far as dependable ,a camry or avalon is your best bet..Accords trannies are known to go out,but can be had cheap(car and tranny )..Stay away from corollas(98 ups ,burn oil BAD after they get over 100k miles)..
But just about toyota is great.Ive see 300k~500K toyotas all the time..But im a little biased because i work for toyota(17 years- toyota master tech )...
#27
09-13-2007 | 08:34 PM
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,162
Likes: 0
From: Huntington Beach, Ca.
#29
09-13-2007 | 09:05 PM
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 176
Likes: 0
From:
RE: Recommend a Worthwhile Family Car
ORIGINAL: Northernfirepower
I test drove the Lamborgini, corners great! It's just that the insurance is equal to the amount I have to buy the vehicle.
I test drove the Lamborgini, corners great! It's just that the insurance is equal to the amount I have to buy the vehicle.
How in the H E Double Kickstands did you get to test drive a Lambo? My brother-in-law works for a VW dealership. The dealership decided to buy a Gallardo and not one employee was even allowed to sit in it.
#30
09-13-2007 | 10:04 PM
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 2,131
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RE: Recommend a Worthwhile Family Car
So you saved up $2500 and your fiance is going to fall in love with something in the 6g range. Guess whats next? "If you sell the bike we can get this much safer and more dependable car for our child, plus I want you to be around for the little one."
Quit looking around and buy the next 4 door you see before it comes to that.
Quit looking around and buy the next 4 door you see before it comes to that.