# Help my friend pick a car



## SlimKlim (Sep 11, 2008)

My friend is thinking of what kind of car he can get next year, and naturally I thought you bastards would have some good suggestions. He's not a car person per se, but enjoys driving stick. He would probably be looking for a ride for no more than $3k, but probably around $2k. 

I told him VW Golf, Saab 900, Honda Civic, Nissan Sentra. I figure with the first two he'll maintain some semblance of automotive pride, and since I'll be rooming with him, something I dont mind parking next too. He wants something that's going to be cheap to work on though. I figure with my help we can do most stuff to anything he gets, but do you think parts for a early '90s VW or Saab would eat him up? 

Do you have an suggestions for a cheap, decent ride? 

(Please don't move this to gen auto, I want to know what the OT crowd thinks)


----------



## Araq44 (Dec 16, 2008)

i think he will be shopping by "what do you have for 2K" rather than "do you have a black sentra with a manual tranny, i prefer black interiors and CD players, what do you have that fits that?"


----------



## phoenixreborn (Mar 30, 2008)

We think it's gonna get towed to general automotive. For $2k he could get a gun. That, and a few kind words, he'll be riding in style in no time.


----------



## chivas (Aug 31, 2002)

e30 foo!


----------



## SlimKlim (Sep 11, 2008)

Araq44 said:


> i think he will be shopping by "what do you have for 2K" rather than "do you have a black sentra with a manual tranny, i prefer black interiors and CD players, what do you have that fits that?"


We're looking more to pick a make, and then I'll find a car from there.



phoenixreborn said:


> We think it's gonna get towed to general automotive. For $2k he could get a gun. That, and a few kind words, he'll be riding in style in no time.


:rofl:
Meh, if it gets towed it gets towed.


----------



## SlimKlim (Sep 11, 2008)

chivas said:


> e30 foo!


Perhaps, but cheap decent ones seem hard to find, and the parts are pricey.


----------



## Ryan... (Dec 16, 2008)

chivas said:


> e30 foo!


+2, I picked mine up for $1100, 5 speed, alpine white, cd player, and it runs perfectly fine. Unfortunately, chicks don't dig it....:dunno:


----------



## bkmk5 (Feb 19, 2008)

MK3 Golf with a shocker sticker on the rear window should do him some good. Had an MK3 Jetta and an MK5 GTI and loved them both.


----------



## dannyc9997 (May 15, 2008)

1992 525i


----------



## SlimKlim (Sep 11, 2008)

chivas said:


> e30 foo!





Ryans E39 said:


> +2, I picked mine up for $1100, 5 speed, alpine white, cd player, and it runs perfectly fine. Unfortunately, chicks don't dig it....:dunno:


Are parts a bear on it?


----------



## chivas (Aug 31, 2002)

parts are cheap and plentiful. getting a decent one for $2K is so possible.


----------



## SlimKlim (Sep 11, 2008)

chivas said:


> parts are cheap and plentiful. getting a decent one for $2K is so possible.


 Hmmmm. This could work out.  Two alpine white 3er's tucked into their spots.


----------



## Ryan... (Dec 16, 2008)

SlimKlim said:


> Are parts a bear on it?


I've found parts to be very cheap, especially compared to the //m


----------



## chivas (Aug 31, 2002)

Ryans E39 said:


> I've found parts to be very cheap, especially compared to the //m


dude, a hooker and blow is cheaper than parts on an //M


----------



## Araq44 (Dec 16, 2008)

honda spree.

DUDE! - http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Selling-Porsche-944-Really-Great-deal_W0QQitemZ120397863273QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_Cars_Trucks?hash=item120397863273&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245&_trkparms=72%3A1171%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318"]http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Selling-Porsche-944-Really-Great-deal_W0QQitemZ120397863273QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_Cars_Trucks?hash=item120397863273&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245&_trkparms=72%3A1171%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318


----------



## SlimKlim (Sep 11, 2008)

^ Damn that'd be cool. We're kinda likin the idea of an E30. He probably wouldn't buy it until this summer, but its good to start thinking.


----------



## Calliope (Feb 3, 2007)

I am not sure about VW thier parts are a little pricey and they seem to have a least one $500-1000 problem a year (at least according to my coworker, we got rid of the Jetta at 50K). Civic would be pretty reliable and cheap parts and mods are available since everyone does it.


----------



## mksu19 (Nov 21, 2008)

SlimKlim said:


> ...Do you have an suggestions for a cheap, decent ride?...


http://lynchburg.craigslist.org/ctd/1067615656.html

Looks like a decent ride but about a grand more than what your friend wants to spend. Maybe you could be a real friend and help him out with the balance! 

EDIT: Here's another one. Needs "IDOL" control valve though but otherwise seems ok (for the price!) and it's a vert!

http://charlottesville.craigslist.org/cto/1064894293.html


----------



## Ryan... (Dec 16, 2008)

chivas said:


> dude, a hooker and blow is cheaper than parts on an //M


Unfortunately I learned that the hard way, buying an //M 
With how many hookers (and so much blow) I could've spent my money on, I'd have died long ago, before spending nearly as much as I already have...


----------



## rdkind62 (Jan 11, 2008)

Honda's are always dependable and Mitsubishi's are usually pretty nice and have a low resale value so a used one is generally easy to find.


----------



## SlimKlim (Sep 11, 2008)

mksu19 said:


> http://lynchburg.craigslist.org/ctd/1067615656.html
> 
> Looks like a decent ride but about a grand more than what your friend wants to spend. Maybe you could be a real friend and help him out with the balance!
> 
> ...


I didn't realize the E36 had dipped that low. Regardless, If he decides he wants a BMW we'll probably go on the prowl and find an E30, 318 or 325, auto or stick, and buy the most solid one we can find.


----------



## chivas (Aug 31, 2002)

i have the urban legend car: Diamante Wagon. it's no prom queen but she's got features you'd least expect from Mitsubishi. FULL auto climate control, reclining rear seats (yeah, it reclines and folds down), auto headlight off with driver's door open, and auto door lock. it's the same for the sedan so you can't go wrong. for $2000, you can definitely pick one up in great shape. i have 133K on mine.


----------



## SlimKlim (Sep 11, 2008)

chivas said:


> i have the urban legend car: Diamante Wagon. it's no prom queen but she's got features you'd least expect from Mitsubishi. FULL auto climate control, reclining rear seats (yeah, it reclines and folds down), auto headlight off with driver's door open, and auto door lock. it's the same for the sedan so you can't go wrong. for $2000, you can definitely pick one up in great shape. i have 133K on mine.


Added to the list. We have:

BMW E30
Saab 900
Honda Civic 
Mitsubishi Diamante

so far.


----------



## chivas (Aug 31, 2002)

SlimKlim said:


> Added to the list. We have:
> 
> BMW E30
> Saab 900
> ...


i think the reclining rear seat is only for wagons but i could be wrong. nonetheless, it's a good starter car and isn't bad looking. above all, it's a big car so there's room to relax in than being cramped and gnarled up in a tiny car when it's time to practice making babies.


----------



## mullman (Jan 5, 2006)

SlimKlim said:


> My friend is thinking of what kind of car he can get next year, and naturally I thought you bastards would have some good suggestions. He's not a car person per se, but enjoys driving stick. He would probably be looking for a ride for no more than $3k, but probably around $2k.
> 
> I told him VW Golf, Saab 900, Honda Civic, Nissan Sentra.


How about just save the money and ride the bus or maybe get a motorcycle?

There is a $750 RR Disco on my local Craigslist.
I'd buy it to drive around the farm, but I wouldn't want to have to depend on it in real life...


----------



## chivas (Aug 31, 2002)

mullman said:


> How about just save the money and ride the bus or maybe get a motorcycle?
> 
> There is a $750 RR Disco on my local Craigslist.
> I'd buy it to drive around the farm, but I wouldn't want to have to depend on it in real life...


what year?


----------



## SlimKlim (Sep 11, 2008)

chivas said:


> i think the reclining rear seat is only for wagons but i could be wrong. nonetheless, it's a good starter car and isn't bad looking. above all, it's a big car so there's room to relax in than being cramped and gnarled up in a tiny car when it's time to practice making babies.


Pfft. If I could make it work in a 1995 2-Door Saab 900, anyone can do it in anything. :bigpimp:


----------



## Ryan... (Dec 16, 2008)

SlimKlim said:


> Pfft. If I could make it work in a 1995 2-Door Saab 900, anyone can do it in anything. :bigpimp:


Please don't take offense, but I don't think I could handle ever driving a Saab 
To me, this is just about the worse looking vehicle ever created.


----------



## chivas (Aug 31, 2002)

Ryans E39 said:


> Please don't take offense, but I don't think I could handle ever driving a Saab
> To me, this is just about the worse looking vehicle ever created.


if it's the classic SPG edition, that's one hell of a special car.

EDIT: It's not the aero but the SPG edition.


----------



## SlimKlim (Sep 11, 2008)

Ryans E39 said:


> Please don't take offense, but I don't think I could handle ever driving a Saab
> To me, this is just about the worse looking vehicle ever created.


I don't have a picture on this computer, but mine was a naturally aspirated version of the one below with 17" wheels. I freakin loved that car, the thought that goes into the littlest things, like the placement of the window switches, was all awesome. 









Saab has also produced some of the most underestimated cars on the road. A 9000 CSE for example, produced 210hp, and 285 ft/lbs of torque at 1800RPMS!


----------



## FSUJP (Mar 25, 2009)

gary fisher or a vespa


----------



## SlimKlim (Sep 11, 2008)

FSUJP said:


> *gary fisher* or a vespa


I actual have a 29er. :supdude:

He was thinking about a motorcycle, but he really needs something with a trunk thats highway worthy.


----------



## hockeynut (Apr 14, 2002)

Corolla. Bulletproof reliability, easy to work on, can't ask for more.


----------



## Araq44 (Dec 16, 2008)

SlimKlim said:


> Added to the list. We have:
> 
> BMW E30
> Saab 900
> ...


you are not going to go for my P car recco?


----------



## 6 Brit (Jan 19, 2009)

E30
Civic
Honda CRX if can find one thats not raped...now thats a fun car!!!

I think a Saab would be a terrible idea...expensive parts and labor and it WILL need work
Mitsu's are destined for failure as well I don't think they are very well made cars
VW's just suck

toyota...ehhhh...just ehhh they are reliable but boring and numb to drive

the honda will get great mileage and be super cheap to work on, might get a better car for your money with a honda over a bmw at the age of car he is looking at, but the e30 is cheap and easy as well, little safer, and well...a BMW


----------



## SlimKlim (Sep 11, 2008)

6 Brit said:


> E30
> Civic
> Honda CRX if can find one thats not raped...now thats a fun car!!!
> 
> ...


Well I can do or figure out how to do most anything to a Saab, but I generally agree. I think you're onto something, honda or bmw.


----------



## mksu19 (Nov 21, 2008)

SlimKlim said:


> I didn't realize the E36 had dipped that low...


Oh yeah. My hubby picked mine up for CAN$1,900! His dealer friend thought that the tranny was shot. Changed the fluid (tranny) and the car drove like it was new. No metal bits or anything when the fluid was changed! All the car needed was maintenance. I guess we just got lucky.


----------



## mksu19 (Nov 21, 2008)

6 Brit said:


> ...I think a Saab would be a terrible idea...


The only Saab I ever liked:


----------

