Reliable cheap car replacement?

NYGiants

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May 3, 2009
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Well i posted before about replacing the families tow vehicle thats been put on hold. yesterday afternoon my brother was driving to delaware on route 295s and one way or another lost control in the rain. hit a guardrail doing at least 65mph. while it dosent look terribly bad the airbags deployed and cars basically totaled and were waiting to find out if the frame has damage.its a 2000 acura 3.2 tl has 265k on it so its not worth putting money into it. need a replacement for it now in the 5k range. any opinions on a good used car? we were thinking maybe a civic or accord.
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R Socey

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Jan 9, 2011
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Re: Reliable cheap car replacement?

Hyundia has a good rep/cheap price in comparison - glad your brother is ok.
 

sutor623

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Re: Reliable cheap car replacement?

My buddy is looking for a black trunk lid, and other miscellaneous parts off of that exact car. Let me know if they total it out. If they do, you can buy it back for a few hundred and part it out, whether it be to me or other people. Hondas/Acuras are so easy to make money off of.
 

JB

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Re: Reliable cheap car replacement?

According to Consumer Reports Subaru, Toyota and Honda, in that order, make the most satisfying and reliable cars. With AWD, your Acura might not have gone astray.

You are used to a very good car. Don't settle for a Walmart quality car. My recommendation is a Subaru, Lexus, or another Honda/Acura.
 

sutor623

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Re: Reliable cheap car replacement?

Don't settle for a Walmart quality car. My recommendation is a Subaru, Lexus, or another Honda/Acura.

Agreed. No offense to Hyundai, but korean cars aren't usually the best way to go.
 

NYGiants

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Re: Reliable cheap car replacement?

in regards to parts were most likely going to sign the title over the the tow company. since the state police were called they called their tow truck which cost 500$ plus 65$ a day even if its part of a day.
 

sutor623

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Re: Reliable cheap car replacement?

in regards to parts were most likely going to sign the title over the the tow company. since the state police were called they called their tow truck which cost 500$ plus 65$ a day even if its part of a day.

Gotcha. Well I guess thats how they make their money. There is over $2000 just in motor, tranny and rims on that car. Trust me I have been messing with Acuras for a long time.
 

oldjeep

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Re: Reliable cheap car replacement?

Anything Kia or Hyundai makes
 

oldjeep

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Re: Reliable cheap car replacement?

What do you think of old jeeps? :)
They're a lot of fun and one of the worst daily drivers you could buy ;)

My wife currently has a 2011 Optima, previous car was a 2003 Sorrento, I had a 2006 Spectra 5 that I gave to my kid, my mom has a 2011 Soul at the lake place and liked it so much she traded in her A4 Cabriolet for a 2012 Soul for florida. We also had a 90 something (93? hyundai elantra)

Never had a minute of trouble with any of them. If Kia made a full sized crewcab pickup that could tow 7K I'd buy one tommorrow ;)
 

coolbri70

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Re: Reliable cheap car replacement?

the best cars i have had, ford volvo honda toyota vw in that order:D
 

JB

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Re: Reliable cheap car replacement?

Both Kia and Hyundai have improved quality greatly in the past few years, but you aren't going to get a good one for 5K. I trust what Consumer Reports says.
 

sutor623

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Re: Reliable cheap car replacement?

Spoken like someone who has never owned one ;)

Nah man my mom owned 2 of them. An elantra, and a sonata. I was a Honda Tech for a few years so I always worked on her cars. Not the cars that I worked on everyday, but I just wanted her to save some cash.Its not so much the reliability of the whole package, it is just that they have always used lots of cheap plastic parts and everything was always made very cheaply. Now a days the Hyundais are being made a lot more reliable, with the price tag to go with it. And the resale value still SUCKS!! So true, I have never owned one, and am proud of that.
 

bruceb58

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Re: Reliable cheap car replacement?

Now a days the Hyundais are being made a lot more reliable....And the resale value still SUCKS!!
Even better reason to buy them used. Sounds exactly what the OP needs!

Good advice!
 

sutor623

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Re: Reliable cheap car replacement?

Even better reason to buy them used. Sounds exactly what the OP needs!

Good advice!

Hahaha, true that! But, like JB says, only in the recent years has their quality really taken a turn for the better. Id say to get one 5 years old or younger. If he could find one under 100k miles, it'd even still be under factory warranty, which is another plus.
 

Pony

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Re: Reliable cheap car replacement?

Even better reason to buy them used. Sounds exactly what the OP needs!

Good advice!

I would gladly sell my wife's 04 Kia Optima. That thing is horrible. It is worth about as much as the couches in my basement. If the OP is looking at spending 5k.....he isn't looking at one of the newer and better Kia's. He would be looking at a slightly prettier version of the pig I have.
 

sutor623

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Re: Reliable cheap car replacement?

I would gladly sell my wife's 04 Kia Optima. That thing is horrible. It is worth about as much as the couches in my basement. If the OP is looking at spending 5k.....he isn't looking at one of the newer and better Kia's. He would be looking at a slightly prettier version of the pig I have.

Hahahaha. But let me ask you this Pony. Did you buy it new, and who maintained it if anyone)? Seems to be just like the old Mercury vs. OMC battle. I'd rather have a well taken care of older Merc than a neglected newer OMC, and I've always had the hots for JohnnyRude.

P.S. I see that sexy tiller steer Johnson you have in your Avatar. Is that an 80's 9.9/15?
 
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