Buying a 10+ year old car what could go wrong?

[riser4]

I'm thinking Cuba.

[gravitylover]

The divide in prices between vehicles at or over 200k and the same thing with 150k or under is getting wider. The listing time for the high mileage stuff is also getting longer. It seems that used car buyers are really shying away from the high mileage vehicles and the prices are starting to drop. There's a ton of old Volvos with 200-250k for ~$3500-4k but nearly every one has a potentially disabling issue that people pass off as "it's just a sensor" and the problem is even more obvious with Japanese vehicles that aren't Toyota. One standout is the Mazda 5, the prices seem to be reasonable and many are actually 5 speed manuals. I knew a few people that had them and only one had a good experience, the others traded them in within a year or two. What were some of the problems they had and why would they stand out like that now?

[liv2ski]

To bad you can't find these old 1970ish Datsuns for a song anymore. My friend had one and it was a great little car with a manual trans.



Another buddy had a really nice Mercury Capri he bought for $2k. I would drive that car tomorrow if I could find one as it was a blast to drive.

[El Chupacabra]

Beater Corolla, cheap enough, and even with a manual.

https://reno.craigslist.org/cto/d/sp...440020652.html

[gravitylover]

To bad you can't find these old 1970ish Datsuns for a song anymore. My friend had one and it was a great little car with a manual trans.



Another buddy had a really nice Mercury Capri he bought for $2k. I would drive that car tomorrow if I could find one as it was a blast to drive.

Those V6 Capris were a hoot. A friends brother had a V6, 5 speed that was mildly worked with bigger brakes and I think it was Koni shocks with custom springs and that thing would run circles around Z's and Supras and made the American pony cars look silly.

[liv2ski]

Yup and looking at that picture, it was dead sexy too

[simple]

Datsun 510 only seem to exist in California and cost a grip. Same with 1st gen Celica. Surfs up!

I can find beaters with a manual all day. Montucky just likes to dream out loud everyday and tease himself. I think we should ask for proof of test drive next time. Post it up on YouTube

[Timberridge]

To bad you can't find these old 1970ish Datsuns for a song anymore.

All of them have turned to ferrous oxide.

[Ted Striker]

LMAO!

pfft! Dusters never came with a big block.

[MontuckyFried]

One standout is the Mazda 5, the prices seem to be reasonable and many are actually 5 speed manuals. I knew a few people that had them and only one had a good experience, the others traded them in within a year or two. What were some of the problems they had and why would they stand out like that now?

That one is definitely on my radar as a family hauler. It's the mini-minivan Basically a 3 with a 3rd row and sliding doors (great for kids) + a stick! From what I remember, they share the platform with the 3 and I had a great experience with my '04. Very reliable and pretty well built. Put about 200K on mine before selling it to a friend who took it to about 300K before passing it on to on of his friends. Last I heard, that car's STILL putting around between here and his home in Mexico so it has to be getting way up there in miles. Ran like brand freaking new when I sold mine and never had any leaks of any sort. That 2.3 is a damn good motor. Super smooth too with its counter-balancer shafts. Feels more like a 6 in that regard.

The 5 is one of the few cars out there which seems to have reasonable prices still but I've had a tough time locating one in the general vicinity. Not exactly the most common car out there. Shame it didn't catch on. I do have a Craigslist e-mail alert set up for them.

[MontuckyFried]

I can find beaters with a manual all day. Montucky just likes to dream out loud everyday and tease himself. I think we should ask for proof of test drive next time. Post it up on YouTube

Really? Geez. I haven't had much luck. Funny you want proof of a test drive cuz THOSE are apparently tough to come by too. Out of all the cars I've inquired about, I've only been able to check out ONE (the Mini). Everybody else has ghosted me upon saying I'd like to see the car, or just straight up don't even answer their phone or respond at all. So frustrating.

[Todd Zander]

This thread is inspiring me to get the 9-5 back on the road, clutch ps lines exhaust flex pipe and now brakes from sitting since august. This might be the first time I outsource a repair besides alignment and glass, scary.

[gravitylover]

If ya want I can send some links to 5s that look good. If it's as tough to find out there as you're saying it would be worth it to do a fly and drive.

[skaredshtles]

That one is definitely on my radar as a family hauler. It's the mini-minivan Basically a 3 with a 3rd row and sliding doors (great for kids) + a stick!

We rented one in Florida when we took the kids to Universal and Clearwater, and I gotta say - that vehicle was a *brilliant* design. And got really good mileage. A mini-minivan as you stated. More vehicles should have that design, IMO.

[skaredshtles]

Really? Geez. I haven't had much luck. Funny you want proof of a test drive cuz THOSE are apparently tough to come by too. Out of all the cars I've inquired about, I've only been able to check out ONE (the Mini). Everybody else has ghosted me upon saying I'd like to see the car, or just straight up don't even answer their phone or respond at all. So frustrating.

You got any brokers like this place? https://www.autotrek.com/

We've purchased a couple vehicles from them and the process was pretty easy - prices were decent, easy to test-drive several vehicles, and nothing was too terribly clapped-out.

[MontuckyFried]

We rented one in Florida when we took the kids to Universal and Clearwater, and I gotta say - that vehicle was a *brilliant* design. And got really good mileage. A mini-minivan as you stated. More vehicles should have that design, IMO.

Solid review! Thanks. Confirms what I was thinking.

You got any brokers like this place? https://www.autotrek.com/

We've purchased a couple vehicles from them and the process was pretty easy - prices were decent, easy to test-drive several vehicles, and nothing was too terribly clapped-out.

We do. Scoped them out but I've seen nothing but obscenely overpriced vehicles at them so far.

[MontuckyFried]

If ya want I can send some links to 5s that look good. If it's as tough to find out there as you're saying it would be worth it to do a fly and drive.

Thanks. For whatever reason when I do a nationwide search, seems that most do end up being in your neck of the woods. That said, after getting skunked so many times on CL, I'm a bit gunshy about flying and driving these days. Haha. Especially on a cheap-o car. Would be worth it for saving thousands on a more expensive, rare car tho.

Crazy as it sounds, if I end up getting this job I'm hoping I land (which is why I need a 2nd car to begin with), I might just end up renting a car for a couple weeks as a solid paycheck or two would definitely bump me up into the next category to a vehicle that is possibly NOT a total shitbox. Possibly somewhat nice even! Wouldn't that be great?

[riser4]

A friend of ours had one and her opinion was that it was too small. She upgraded to a Honda Odyssey. She had two kids in car seats and it was a pain to haul any of the kids friends and any luggage. I think it's better suited to people without kids who want a spacious wagon with sliding doors. I'd happily drive one now that I'm not hauling kids. I like the sliders. Add a manual transmission and heck ya.

[johnnyg82]

Hahaha. Totally. Just thought it perfectly represented the used car market these days. It's a dark wasteland of crap for top $$$ out there, my friend. See the Geo Metro I posted about above.

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Here’s a 91 Mercury Topaz to perfectly illustrate your point

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/...utm_source=sms

[MontuckyFried]

Here’s a 91 Mercury Topaz to perfectly illustrate your point

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/...utm_source=sms

Haha. Yup. Prime example.

[skaredshtles]

Haha. Yup. Prime example.

Come on... that's in Canada. I did the conversion and that's $47.66 in US$. Which seems about spot on for that piece o' shit.

[fatnslow]

I actually had a 90 Ford Tempo(same car as Topaz) as a company car back in the day and it wasn't worth $3500 then. WHAT A PIECE OF SHIT ! Fuel pumps died on those fuckers like clockwork.

[BmillsSkier]

My college buddy had a 91 Mercury Topaz that his grandpa gave him I think. Totally stock except for the Baby Spice sticker on the dash.

He would wash it in the street and the maroon paint (to match the maroon interior) would turn the wash water and sponge completely red.

Neat feature, really.

[riser4]

My college buddy had a 91 Mercury Topaz that his grandpa gave him I think. Totally stock except for the Baby Spice sticker on the dash.

He would wash it in the street and the maroon paint (to match the maroon interior) would turn the wash water and sponge completely red.

Neat feature, really.

Uh oh, better get Maaco!

[fatnslow]

Uh oh, better get Maaco!

sounds like it already had been Maaco'd