Friend looking for a new car

[sxk122]

Buddy of mine is looking for a car. Said his civic finally shit out on him (bone stock 96 civic with a quarter of a million miles). Looking to spend $1500-2000. Wants something that is mechanically ok, but can look less than great. Needs it to last him 2 years or so. He has even more basic wrench skills than me, and doesn't want something he has to dick with. I don't have a clue what to tell him to look at, because I can't think of anything that falls in that price range and criterea that will be remotely reliable out of the gate. I am temped to tell him to sink the $$ into the car he already has, but I don't know what is wrong exactly. I do know the alignment is way off, the brakes are shot, the CEL has been on for months... and lord knows what else....

Ideas?
Suggestions?
Any cheap civic mechanics? lol

[trickyrix]

He has even more basic wrench skills than me...

Ooh... low bar, Simon... looooow bar.

I am temped to tell him to sink the $$ into the car he already has, but I don't know what is wrong exactly. I do know the alignment is way off, the brakes are shot, the CEL has been on for months... and lord knows what else....

Does the Civic run? I'm sure it's near E(nd) O(f) L(ife) with 250K on it, but those cars will run damn near forever as long as you change the oil and adjust the valves. Unless he ran over a bunch of giant curbs and bent the expensive parts, I can't see too much money in an alignment.

Brakes? Pad (and shoes) and rotors (and drums) can't run much more than $120.

CEL? Have VatoZone read the code and go from there. It's probably an O2 sensor or something like that.

In the end, he should be able to get the thing safe and make it pass inspection for far less than a grand, if he's handy with the wrenches...

Any cheap civic mechanics? lol

I'll recommend my buddies here in G-Town - Executive Imports over on 1st Street, just north of Walnut.

[sxk122]

Ooh... low bar, Simon... looooow bar.

That's why I said it.... lol. I'll make no pretense of knowing what I'm doing most of the time, lol


As for what is wrong with the car exactly I need to find out. It's very rough mechanically.... Been ridden hard for years and put away wet and leaking.... lol

[Vashthestanbeto]

Sorry to hear that! Hopefully he will be able to find something soon enough if the revival of the civic was proven too expensive.

Shame that I've just sold a 01' corolla that is running ok for it's age, just needed a starter as the old one's solenoid is really going out. I'd have happily sold it to him for like $750 and after you factor in the starter's cost, he will have a functional car for below $1000.

[CosmosMpower]

I didn't even know you could get a reliable running car for 1,500 to 2K.

[OZMDD]

All depends on your definition of "reliable."

[CosmosMpower]

All depends on your definition of "reliable."

touche'

[SirHustlerEsq]

I didn't even know you could get a reliable running car for 1,500 to 2K.

Ever seen my daily? If he can find something Japanese, preferably built in Japan (the reliability era), then he should go for it. I'd empower myself with internet research and spend money on tools at Sears.

[Sharpie]

My general rule is: It's always cheaper to keep what you got. Not that I've always applied that rule, but hey....Rick is right on this one.

[Rob®]

If he can find something Japanese, preferably built in Japan (the reliability era), then he should go for it

Second. Very late-80s to mid-90s Japanese econobox and he's pretty much golden. I would even go on a limb and suggest an early-90s Escort, but they are hit or miss: I sold mine to a friend with over 250k miles on the original motor (nearly 7 years ago by now), and last I heard it's still kicking. But I've also had to put motors in them at 70k miles, which is why I say they are hit or miss.

There's a huge difference between reliable and in perfect condition though. A car that old and with high mileage can easily nickel and dime you to death if you want it to be factory fresh.

I kind of agree with fixing what he has though. Motor swap if needed (easy as can be), brakes, and whatever the CEL is (like someone said, probably a sensor of some sort) and be under his price range.

[SirHustlerEsq]

Just finance a $40k car and live in debt. WHO CARES!!!oneone111

[CosmosMpower]

Ever seen my daily? If he can find something Japanese, preferably built in Japan (the reliability era), then he should go for it. I'd empower myself with internet research and spend money on tools at Sears.

Nope sure haven't. I had a crapbox 92 Sentra SE-R I bought in college as a beater and it ran pretty good. I think I paid 2,500 for it but the paint was faded and it had a few dings/dents.

[SirHustlerEsq]

Nope sure haven't. I had a crapbox 92 Sentra SE-R I bought in college as a beater and it ran pretty good. I think I paid 2,500 for it but the paint was faded and it had a few dings/dents.

I bought this car for $1300 4-years ago:




It's a real looker, no one will steal it, and driving in hail is fun. In the four years I've owned it I've only spent money doing a timing belt job, replaced all water hoses, two sets of tires, and it has a Torsen.

[CosmosMpower]

And you can drink beer in it and cruise around town too!

[SirHustlerEsq]

And you can drink beer in it and cruise around town too!

Is there any other way to cruise or to drink beer?

[cwisenheimer]

I'm with Sharpie and Rick. I tried to get my son in a cheap car (same price range) for a while. If A/C is a requirement, for instance, and it craps out, you can blow that whole budget just getting the A/C running again. I went through two cheap cars that ended up costing quite a bit in repairs. So I decided to bite a smallish bullet and got him a 2001 626 with 150K that seemed to be in pretty good shape. Within less than a month, the engine siezed - instant salvage-mobile. All told, $2.5K went poof. If your buddy can't repair it himself, then getting something else that will likely need to be repaired won't help.

The only exception I would make is a Miata. They are reliable, and cheap/easy to fix. There have also been enough of them around for a long time that the issues they have are fairly well-known as are the fixes for those issues. Besides, Miata people are generally helpful if he does run across an issue.

[boisking]

I am with the "keep it running" group. If the engine is still running smooth, you'll spend less on select replacement parts than buying a $2000 lottery ticket.

[johnwag]

My 95 Honda Civic VX hatch had 250K on it, 5 previous owners, multiple oil leaks, a transmission with 3 good gears and had been in a few cosmetic car accidents. It was parked under a tree in a field. I fixed the mechanicals when I got it - used trans, replaced clutch and PP, rear main seal, distributor, spark plugs, wires, oil change, gear oil. All of that cost under $600.

I sold it after I got another vw and it's still driving strong and getting 40-42mpg!