Good, quick first car?
- Thread starter Christopher
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AndrewBall
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- Sep 3, 2010
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90's Audis and BMWs are a great choice. early 90's Benz' are indestructible but are hideous.
id look into B5 audis and e36 BMWs you can get a E36 328i, Manual, RWD, Leather, Power seats, ect... for like $6k
also Harbor Freight sells scan tools for OBDI and II I have them they were like $35 a piece. work great.
id look into B5 audis and e36 BMWs you can get a E36 328i, Manual, RWD, Leather, Power seats, ect... for like $6k
also Harbor Freight sells scan tools for OBDI and II I have them they were like $35 a piece. work great.
zliegen
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- Sep 12, 2010
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Late B5 and B6 I know require VAGCOM for anything more than simply reading codes, cant do any of the diagnostics or data stream viewing at all with a regular OBD2 scanner (I was using a Snap-On Solus, not really a cheap scanner by any means)
I think an early 90s benz is a great choice, they are seriously indestructible and fulfill all of the requirements that the OP has asked for. An E36 or E30 BMW would be a great choice too, I have just heard too many horror stories with used Audis and really can't recommend one. Also, I beg to differ on them being hideous, I think they look really classy but still a hint of sportyness.
See:
bova80
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- Oct 21, 2010
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this is probably your best bet, that has just about everything you want. i have a speed6 and love it. you do have to take care of it and respect the engine or it will let go as many have experienced. the norm with the speed6 is do not go wide open throttle under 3k rpms if you want your engine to run a long time.
I would consider the following:
Subaru Legacy Turbo
Perhaps a Mustang GT and or Camaro
Nissan Altima (might be too expensive) - late 90s to early 2000s Nissan Maximas (great engine, fast car handles well)
Grand Prix GTPs are awesome if you don't mind automatic also Buick Regal GTP.
Regarding BMW and Mercedes-Benz, I would only get one if you know its service history.
Subaru Legacy Turbo
Perhaps a Mustang GT and or Camaro
Nissan Altima (might be too expensive) - late 90s to early 2000s Nissan Maximas (great engine, fast car handles well)
Grand Prix GTPs are awesome if you don't mind automatic also Buick Regal GTP.
Regarding BMW and Mercedes-Benz, I would only get one if you know its service history.
RLove
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- Jul 10, 2007
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My advice - stay away from the German cars. Great cars, don't get me wrong, but you need ample resources to repair them. And in your price range, you ARE going to be buying cars that will require work.
The Lexus is-300 is a good suggestion as is the Mustang GT idea. I loved my old Works MINI Cooper, but again - German engineering and doesn't meet your weight requirement. Fun car though...
Christopher
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- Jun 16, 2010
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I found an '03 wrx with 113k miles, great condition (No dings / interior stains... Well taken care of) for 7.5k on craigslist, but he said he would take 6.5k. =)
Thoughts?
Thoughts?
Apokiliptik1
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- May 19, 2010
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hond accord v5 model should be considered
Y2KSVT
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- Jul 27, 2010
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I would check it out during daylight hours. You're a detailer, so you know what to look for with the paint and interior. Take the car for a drive to see if you like it. Does the suspension feel tight or will it need replaced soon? How about the tires? Take a look at the brake pads. Does everything work? Test all of the locks, windows, trunk release, wipers, lights, stereo, etc. Does the interior rattle?
Once you've checked it out, make sure you know what the car is worth in the condition it's in. If it's worth less than he's asking, tell him what you're willing to pay. If he doesn't bite, you'll find another car in no time.
Definitely don't rush into the first car you see. Be patient and "the one" will fall into place.
Mark
Once you've checked it out, make sure you know what the car is worth in the condition it's in. If it's worth less than he's asking, tell him what you're willing to pay. If he doesn't bite, you'll find another car in no time.
Definitely don't rush into the first car you see. Be patient and "the one" will fall into place.
Mark
zliegen
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- Sep 12, 2010
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Be wary, if you notice any odd engine or drivetrain noises or oddness I would stay far far away, WRX are commonly driven HARD. Even if the exterior is in perfect shape, id still be carefully inspecting the engine and drivetrain before I bought it.
How many DIY's.... or shops for that matter do you know of that actually do diagnostics beyond codes? Granted I have not tried data streaming via OBDII, but is that just your experience, or a known rule? I have an ELM I guess I could try out on my B5. Don't get me wrong, I agree that Audi isn't the most reliable German brand, but its not the least, and they are very durable, fun and AWD.
dougaross
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- Aug 3, 2010
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Good cars but very overpriced
zliegen
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Thats just my own experience with the Data Streaming, and all the good technicians that I know do diagnostics beyond pulling codes.
Replacing sensors and parts blindly without knowing whats actually broken is a waste of time and money and the customer is going to come back when code is thrown again.
I agree as well that Audi's aren't the least reliable german brand, that goes to some of the models BMW puts out IMO (8 series most notably).
Audi's are also great fun and pretty durable if they've been well maintained, but I certainly don't think that recommending an Audi with AWD to a young guy with a total budget of 11k is a good idea at all. When something expensive to break hes not going to have much left for repairs. And in an Audi Quattro there is a lot of expensive things to break, 3 differentials (and center Torsen differential at that, which is one of the most expensive kinds), more ujoints, expensive trans, expensive engine parts, lots of electronic wizardry.
vvvv Yes he must've meant V6, there is no such thing as a true V5 in cars, VW's VR5 is a variation of the I5. vvvv
Christopher
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- Jun 16, 2010
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- #36
I'm guessing you meant v6? Or is the v5 literally a model?
Its a waste of time and money for the customer, not the tech. No one around here seems to do any sort of diagnostics, just grab the code, look up the most likely part and replace. Customers don't like paying for diagnostic time and techs don't like working it as you can't book 2 hours diagnostic time in 1 hour.
Apokiliptik1
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- May 19, 2010
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lol yea v6
Last edited:
alko
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- May 23, 2011
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:iagree:they may also have some decent newer model accords out there. You just gotta do your research. Honda's are great cars and aside from brake jobs and tire rotations, there are no real maintenance until 105k miles. Maintaining the car is going to be key and with Honda's you can do the maintenance yourself. The newer model Honda's are SO easy to work on.