I will have to dissagree about the Aerostar though. My wife still has one, 160k mi, no problems other than the typical water pump and tune ups, and its RWD so I dont hesitate towing a trailer. But that goes to prove this post is subject to many differing opinions wich could also help to make a good choice of vehicle, since you get to hear the possitive inputs as well as the negative.. I was leaning toward the Contour and Merkur from the Ford camp... Not shining days for them.
Help me buy car for daughter...
- Thread starter SonnieP
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Great responses... thanks!
I've been fortunate in that I've been in the finance business for 22 years and have financed 1000's of cars. It's pretty much a given which ones will give my customers problems. I refuse to finance some cars and have a system in place where I finance 50%, 75%, 90%, 100%, 110% of NADA Loan Value based on the make, model and mileage. I won't name any as not to possibly offend anyone.
I may very well look into a used Civic or Corolla but only a late model with low miles. Not that she'd have any problems with either but you don't always know how well someone has taken care of a car... be it one owner or not. I know if I get it new then there's no risk of that... she will work for it no doubt. I say automatic because my wife can't and won't drive a manual and I would want her to be able to drive it as well for quick trips into town and such. She leases her a new car every 3 years so that would help with miles. Plus she doesn't always get the best gas mileage cars. Maybe she'll consider a tad better gas mileage car this next time around.
Airbags are a must!
Stereo... well I am the king-daddy of boom in a car stereo. Check out MY CAR STEREO. She takes after her daddy and loves good car stereo. No doubt I'll have her a good XM radio/CD player with good speakers, amps, and a sub or two. I got to be able to thump when I'm in it too!
I've been fortunate in that I've been in the finance business for 22 years and have financed 1000's of cars. It's pretty much a given which ones will give my customers problems. I refuse to finance some cars and have a system in place where I finance 50%, 75%, 90%, 100%, 110% of NADA Loan Value based on the make, model and mileage. I won't name any as not to possibly offend anyone.
I may very well look into a used Civic or Corolla but only a late model with low miles. Not that she'd have any problems with either but you don't always know how well someone has taken care of a car... be it one owner or not. I know if I get it new then there's no risk of that... she will work for it no doubt. I say automatic because my wife can't and won't drive a manual and I would want her to be able to drive it as well for quick trips into town and such. She leases her a new car every 3 years so that would help with miles. Plus she doesn't always get the best gas mileage cars. Maybe she'll consider a tad better gas mileage car this next time around.
Airbags are a must!
Stereo... well I am the king-daddy of boom in a car stereo. Check out MY CAR STEREO. She takes after her daddy and loves good car stereo. No doubt I'll have her a good XM radio/CD player with good speakers, amps, and a sub or two. I got to be able to thump when I'm in it too!
duber34
Silver Member
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( But, if you must, I'd recommend the Honda Civic as well. My '97 Civic has over 150,000 miles on it and I've just mainly changed oil, and tires. I did however have a new timing chain installed at about 90,000. )</font>
Has Honda started to use timing chains? I remember them using timing belts. I must be more out of touch than I realized. A timing chain is certainly a nice upgrade!
Regards,
Duber
Has Honda started to use timing chains? I remember them using timing belts. I must be more out of touch than I realized. A timing chain is certainly a nice upgrade!
Regards,
Duber
Gatorboy
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<font color="blue"> Has Honda started to use timing chains? I remember them using timing belts. </font>
It was a belt -- I am just so used to saying timing chain.
It was a belt -- I am just so used to saying timing chain.
RedDog
Platinum Member
<font color="blue">I won't name any as not to possibly offend anyone. </font>
Go ahead and name them, I won't cry. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
RedDog
Go ahead and name them, I won't cry. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
RedDog
hazmat
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From purely a safety standpoint a "full size" (not as big as it used to be) car is better than a compact - you may want to look at an accord / camry / taurus etc. size vehicle - although civics and corrollas from the last couple years are available with side airbags and do well on crash tests. You can look up the 5 star safety ratings online - safercar.gov I would recommend the 4 cyl from a fuel economy and safety stanpoint - the 6 cyl have 240+ HP = a fast car!
My 4cyl accord gets ~31 mpg in mixed driving
My 4cyl accord gets ~31 mpg in mixed driving
Bob_Skurka
Super Member
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</font><font color="blue" class="small">( <font color="blue">I won't name any as not to possibly offend anyone. </font>
Go ahead and name them, I won't cry. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
RedDog )</font>
I agree. Name names. I just picked up a new VW Touareg and checked with an automotive acutarial before making the purchase. It wasn't the best, but it was considered pretty good in actuarial terms. I know only 2 people with VWs, one has a 2 year old Passat, she loves it. The other just got rid of a New Beetle, but only because she is getting married and wanted something larger. Neither had problems.
Now as for the comments about the Ford Aerostar, that was a waste of sheetmetal! But I actually owned a couple of the K Cars at my company, ran them to nearly 150,000 miles in a few years and then dumped them. But I won't say they were trouble free. My guys put a lot of miles on cars pretty quickly so they were relatively new, just worn out! I had a guy who owned a Yugo. One day he came to work with the passenger door stuffed in the hatchback. Yikes!
Go ahead and name them, I won't cry. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
RedDog )</font>
I agree. Name names. I just picked up a new VW Touareg and checked with an automotive acutarial before making the purchase. It wasn't the best, but it was considered pretty good in actuarial terms. I know only 2 people with VWs, one has a 2 year old Passat, she loves it. The other just got rid of a New Beetle, but only because she is getting married and wanted something larger. Neither had problems.
Now as for the comments about the Ford Aerostar, that was a waste of sheetmetal! But I actually owned a couple of the K Cars at my company, ran them to nearly 150,000 miles in a few years and then dumped them. But I won't say they were trouble free. My guys put a lot of miles on cars pretty quickly so they were relatively new, just worn out! I had a guy who owned a Yugo. One day he came to work with the passenger door stuffed in the hatchback. Yikes!
I would name them but I know there could possibly end up being some who I would offend so I will simply do the safe thing and refrain.
I can tell ya that I don't ever remember having any problems with Toyota's or Honda's... they are both very good cars to finance. I'll say that while I'd like to support American made cars... most of the ones we have experience problems with have been the less expensive American made or American branded cars. There are a few foreign branded that we've had some problems with but not as many. Trucks do pretty good, especially full size trucks... some of the small American trucks have give us problems but that's mostly the older ones.
There are some cars that once you get 50K miles on them it's time to wad them up and file 13 them... they just don't last without constant problems.
If you ever have a chance to go to any of the smaller auto auctions and pay attention to what cars the franchise dealers are selling, you'll see most of the ones that give more problems. The franchise dealers typically don't want to keep cars and sell them if they are known problem cars... they'll take them to the auction and dump'em off. They know if they keep them and sell them that they will get a bad rep. It's the same with high mileage cars... they don't want the risk, or at least most of them don't. If they can't sell them to a wholesaler then they go to the auction.
I can tell ya that I don't ever remember having any problems with Toyota's or Honda's... they are both very good cars to finance. I'll say that while I'd like to support American made cars... most of the ones we have experience problems with have been the less expensive American made or American branded cars. There are a few foreign branded that we've had some problems with but not as many. Trucks do pretty good, especially full size trucks... some of the small American trucks have give us problems but that's mostly the older ones.
There are some cars that once you get 50K miles on them it's time to wad them up and file 13 them... they just don't last without constant problems.
If you ever have a chance to go to any of the smaller auto auctions and pay attention to what cars the franchise dealers are selling, you'll see most of the ones that give more problems. The franchise dealers typically don't want to keep cars and sell them if they are known problem cars... they'll take them to the auction and dump'em off. They know if they keep them and sell them that they will get a bad rep. It's the same with high mileage cars... they don't want the risk, or at least most of them don't. If they can't sell them to a wholesaler then they go to the auction.
RobertN
Super Member
Your stereo installation is VERY NICE! The installation is very clean and well done. The attention to detail, for sound and looks is excellent.
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I got to be able to thump when I'm in it too! )</font>
But, leave the boom/thumpa at home. I took the Thunderheader off my Harley 'cause it was too loud;I went back to stock pipes with mild exhaust tips for better performance and queiter operation(open pipes are good at redline, but a little backpressure is good for running stoplight to stoplight). When people pull up next to me, and the bass thump is louder than my Harley, and causes a secondary vibration in my rubber mount v-twin, that's a bit much /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Even worse is when I can hear it over the Turbo Cummins in my pick'em up truck /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I got to be able to thump when I'm in it too! )</font>
But, leave the boom/thumpa at home. I took the Thunderheader off my Harley 'cause it was too loud;I went back to stock pipes with mild exhaust tips for better performance and queiter operation(open pipes are good at redline, but a little backpressure is good for running stoplight to stoplight). When people pull up next to me, and the bass thump is louder than my Harley, and causes a secondary vibration in my rubber mount v-twin, that's a bit much /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Even worse is when I can hear it over the Turbo Cummins in my pick'em up truck /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
Thanks Robert... I agree... I don't do the boom-boom when near anyone else. That's the last thing I want is someone lookin' over and sayin' "he thinks he's badddd". It ain't cool to me. I live 20 miles from work and it's mostly country back roads so I save boom for then, and then it's only occasional. Again... it's really not about loud to me as much so as it is clean and quality.