Recommendations for a first car?

[BD2003]

I'm a lifelong New Yorker, and for anyone that lives here, you'd probably know that most of us dont drive.

I'm gonna be moving out to long island soon, so a car needs to happen.

Preferably something thats relatively fuel efficient and reliable, looks nice, and wont rape me on insurance.
The most I can spend is $5000.

 

[Scouzer]

Civic?

 

[Gibson486]

a corolla

 

[maziwanka]

late 80s/early 90s mustang notchback

 

[BD2003]

Oh, and it wouldnt hurt to give reasons why.

 

[nakedfrog]

Karmann Ghia... meets all of your criteria.

 

[BD2003]

Originally posted by: nakedfrog
Karmann Ghia... meets all of your criteria.

WTF is that?

 

[nakedfrog]

Originally posted by: BD2003
WTF is that?

It's a VW Beetle with a sports car body.
1
2
3
4

 

[KnickNut3]

First car? Get something that's big, clunky, cheap to fix, and you won't care that much if you wreck it.

 

[Anubis]

ford tempo

 

[BD2003]

Thats it?

 

[petejk]

corolla would probably be best or a civic

 

[nakedfrog]

At least do yourself a favor and see if you can find a Ghia in your area to test drive... if you decide you need more power, there's plenty of other engines you can put in the back.
Rear-engine rear wheel drive = :thumbsup:

 

[BD2003]

Originally posted by: nakedfrog
At least do yourself a favor and see if you can find a Ghia in your area to test drive... if you decide you need more power, there's plenty of other engines you can put in the back.
Rear-engine rear wheel drive = :thumbsup:

Yeah, but its old and fugly.

 

[MetalMat]

As long as its not a Mitsubishi you should be fine

 

[nakedfrog]

Originally posted by: BD2003

Originally posted by: nakedfrog
At least do yourself a favor and see if you can find a Ghia in your area to test drive... if you decide you need more power, there's plenty of other engines you can put in the back.
Rear-engine rear wheel drive = :thumbsup:

Yeah, but its old and fugly.

Blasphemer!
*summons an army of a thousand rabid marmosets to consume BD2003's flesh*

 

[raildogg]

Originally posted by: BD2003
I'm a lifelong New Yorker, and for anyone that lives here, you'd probably know that most of us dont drive.

I'm gonna be moving out to long island soon, so a car needs to happen.

Preferably something thats relatively fuel efficient and reliable, looks nice, and wont rape me on insurance.
The most I can spend is $5000.

im a ex New Yorker and let me tell, anywhere outside of NYC, a car is a must.

i would recommend a used Civic. maybe a used accord coupe?

 

[dcdomain]

Acura Legend (if you can find one with enough miles to get it in your price range).

 

[imported_Pablo]

Mid 90's Jeep Wrangler with a hard top. Its a little primative, but that's what makes it such a great first car. If somebody taps you, no big deal. You hit a curb, no big deal. It snows, no big deal. Plenty of security products out there for it, and it gets decent gas mileage. Plus, resale value is good.

Get the 4.0 with the five speed and it, and it'll be reliable and O so easy to work on.

Just my two cents.

 

[BD2003]

Anything else?

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Corolla or Civic or Integra - All inexpensive, very reliable
or
Volvo - Bit different than those, safer for a first car

 

[Kishan]

hey bd-i live in long island also! what part are you moving to? don't get an integra-easy target for thieves. civics good, used camry, used benz diesel or volks tdi. In LI Diesel is 1.99 which is great for a car that gives you 700 miles on one tank. PM me if you need any info on LI.

 

[JEDI]

I've had a '93 nissan sentra- bought at 36k miles, drove it to 225k miles then gave it away to friend when i bought my new car..only problem was replacing the alternator 3x, then at 200k miles, developed a oil leak...1 quart of oil ($1) every 1k miles. so if i went another 200k miles, it would only cost $200 extra. waaaay cheaper than to fix the engine. but since i drove ALOT, it got a little annoying. then got a great deal on a prizm.

bought a 2001 chevy prizm new because dealer cash/incentives/gm card rebate = 1/3 off ($18k invoice, $12k out the door)..currently at 65k miles and running great

A prizm is a corolla with a gm badge. both the corolla and prizm come from the same plant. the only difference is the shell, and interior.

oh, i'm only did oil changes every 6k miles on the sentra and 7.5k miles on the prizm.

so my recommendations are buy a '93 sentra (<$5k) or a 2001 prizm (~$6k).

and the only standby of civics (1996) or Corollas (1996-98). later models cost more than $5k.

2001 prizm is your best bang for the buck since it depreciates fast since not many peiople know it's a corolla.

 

[thomsbrain]

civic/corolla

 

[ttown]

mid 90's infiniti g20

maybe nissan altima