What basic car for 10K?

JST · 07-21-2005, 10:37 AM

A friend wants good, basic transportation for 10K. The car must be a 4 door, preferably a 5 door, maybe a wagon. Auto or manual is not important. Private sale, for a variety of reasons, is less desirable than a dealer.

What are the best options? The Honda Civics I've found in that range tend to be 02s or 01s, with 60K ish miles.

There are Hyundai Elantras in that range that are damn near new and have very nice warranties.

I've found a couple of Tauri that have low miles and are only a year or so old.

New Focii, with the employee discount and other incentives, are 12ish.

Protege5s, which would be a nice option, are still fairly expensive (13 or 14).

Any thoughts on others I should consider? Honestly, at 12K a brand new Focus ZX5 seems like a frigging steal, especially compared to what else is out there for not much less. Anyone driven a Cobalt yet?

*Plaz* · 07-21-2005, 11:07 AM

I'd try and sell him on the pink R6.

JST · 07-21-2005, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plaz

I'd try and sell him on the pink R6.

Thankfully, I have no idea what that is.

*Plaz* · 07-21-2005, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JST

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plaz

I'd try and sell him on the pink R6.

Thankfully, I have no idea what that is.

http://forums.carmudgeons.com/viewto...p?&p=72039

rumatt · 07-21-2005, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JST

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plaz

I'd try and sell him on the pink R6.

Thankfully, I have no idea what that is.

It's what Jennifer Aniston drives.

JST · 07-21-2005, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plaz

Quote:

Originally Posted by JST

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plaz

I'd try and sell him on the pink R6.

Thankfully, I have no idea what that is.

http://forums.carmudgeons.com/viewto...p?&p=72039

I don't see a place for a baby seat on that, but the paint job is nice.

Ahem.

Back to the question posed...

Roadstergal · 07-21-2005, 11:59 AM

I've seen Mazda3s in the 13K range. My sister had a Protege, as well as one of my Miata-ownin' friends, and they're solid cars that are fun for what they are. Hyundais tend to score badly in crash tests. When I went to IIHS to confirm that, I saw that the Cobalt has a very high score... as does the Mazda 3.

rumatt · 07-21-2005, 12:07 PM

I'd start with the Civic as my default choice, and only change it if I found something very convincing.

blee · 07-21-2005, 12:18 PM

I would suggest the Focus ZX5. Decent basic transportation, and it's not even all that boring to drive in regular trim. One caveat would be its unimpressive (okay, bad) showing in a recent side-impact crash test. That, and the fact that none of these hatchwagons will have the kind of interior space that would really satisfy me.

Recent Hyundai models have been quite impressive with their reliability. They're also very cheap.

Rob · 07-21-2005, 01:39 PM

My wife had a Civic when I found her that lasted 175k miles before we traded it. It had the original clutch. It needed a timing chain once and that was about it. Her brother has a Civic that has 185k miles. Many of them were highway, but the car runs fine (it's currently in my 3rd car spot in the garage b/c he is deployed and I drive it once a month or so), has the original clutch and has had the timing chain replaced once or twice.

The point being that a 60k Civic has a lot of life left in it and they aren't that expensive to maintain.

07-21-2005, 10:37 AM	#1
JST 195 Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 24,609	What basic car for 10K? A friend wants good, basic transportation for 10K. The car must be a 4 door, preferably a 5 door, maybe a wagon. Auto or manual is not important. Private sale, for a variety of reasons, is less desirable than a dealer. What are the best options? The Honda Civics I've found in that range tend to be 02s or 01s, with 60K ish miles. There are Hyundai Elantras in that range that are damn near new and have very nice warranties. I've found a couple of Tauri that have low miles and are only a year or so old. New Focii, with the employee discount and other incentives, are 12ish. Protege5s, which would be a nice option, are still fairly expensive (13 or 14). Any thoughts on others I should consider? Honestly, at 12K a brand new Focus ZX5 seems like a frigging steal, especially compared to what else is out there for not much less. Anyone driven a Cobalt yet?

07-21-2005, 11:07 AM	#2
Plaz ••••••• Join Date: Oct 2003 Carmudgeonly Ride: '11 1M Location: Churzee Posts: 17,741	I'd try and sell him on the pink R6. __________________ 2011 1M

07-21-2005, 11:59 AM	#7
Roadstergal Butting in. Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: San Mateo, CA Posts: 4,553	I've seen Mazda3s in the 13K range. My sister had a Protege, as well as one of my Miata-ownin' friends, and they're solid cars that are fun for what they are. Hyundais tend to score badly in crash tests. When I went to IIHS to confirm that, I saw that the Cobalt has a very high score... as does the Mazda 3. __________________ The question is not whether I've treated you rudely, but whether you've ever heard me treat anyone else better. -H. Higgins

07-21-2005, 12:07 PM	#8
rumatt Mugwump Join Date: Oct 2003 Carmudgeonly Ride: E46 330i, Chevy Colorado, Tesla Model 3 Location: NY Posts: 17,475	I'd start with the Civic as my default choice, and only change it if I found something very convincing.

07-21-2005, 12:18 PM	#9
blee Doctor Mudgeon Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 6,433	I would suggest the Focus ZX5. Decent basic transportation, and it's not even all that boring to drive in regular trim. One caveat would be its unimpressive (okay, bad) showing in a recent side-impact crash test. That, and the fact that none of these hatchwagons will have the kind of interior space that would really satisfy me. Recent Hyundai models have been quite impressive with their reliability. They're also very cheap.

07-21-2005, 01:39 PM	#10
Rob The user formerly known as rwg Join Date: Oct 2003 Carmudgeonly Ride: Z4 Location: Vegas baby! Posts: 8,261	My wife had a Civic when I found her that lasted 175k miles before we traded it. It had the original clutch. It needed a timing chain once and that was about it. Her brother has a Civic that has 185k miles. Many of them were highway, but the car runs fine (it's currently in my 3rd car spot in the garage b/c he is deployed and I drive it once a month or so), has the original clutch and has had the timing chain replaced once or twice. The point being that a 60k Civic has a lot of life left in it and they aren't that expensive to maintain.