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Thread Number: 16073
Just for Bob... |
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| Post# 268298 , Reply# 1 3/7/2008 at 13:17 (5,891 days old) by jaxsunst () | ||
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Of the cars you mentioned, the Honda Accord would probably serve you the best. You might also want to look for a Subaru. They can't be killed. | ||
Post# 268301 , Reply# 2 3/7/2008 at 13:44 (5,890 days old) by mistereric  (New Jersey (Taylor Ham)) |
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Alero
Hmm.. Mom owns an '03 Grand Am, which is the same platform. She's had nothing but trouble with it - google "gm 3400 gasket" and see all the issues people are having with the V6 version of this car. So far mom has had the Lower Intake Manifold gaskets and head gaskets replaced, a faulty front brake caliper replaced, and most recently the fuel regulator replaced. I used to like GM cars... but damn.. this car is only 40k miles. Seems like a piece. You may have better luck with the 4cyl version. Or get yourself a Honda. | ||
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Post# 268304 , Reply# 3 3/7/2008 at 14:24 (5,890 days old) by pulsator (Saint Joseph, MI) |
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Post# 268305 , Reply# 4 3/7/2008 at 14:33 (5,890 days old) by pulsator (Saint Joseph, MI) |
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Post# 268306 , Reply# 5 3/7/2008 at 14:35 (5,890 days old) by pulsator (Saint Joseph, MI) |
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Post# 268308 , Reply# 6 3/7/2008 at 14:39 (5,890 days old) by pulsator (Saint Joseph, MI) |
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Post# 268309 , Reply# 7 3/7/2008 at 14:41 (5,890 days old) by pulsator (Saint Joseph, MI) |
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| Post# 268311 , Reply# 8 3/7/2008 at 14:56 (5,890 days old) by lavamat78800 () | ||
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Wonderful Load.... Jamie, I really love your towels and your pictures you always post! But I´m always wondering where you get the money from to buy new appliances...mhhh ;-) | ||
| Post# 268312 , Reply# 9 3/7/2008 at 14:58 (5,890 days old) by funguy10 () | ||
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Finally! A BobLoad thread which is a clothes washer and not a dishwasher! My dream has come true! | ||
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Post# 268313 , Reply# 10 3/7/2008 at 15:14 (5,890 days old) by pulsator (Saint Joseph, MI) |
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Post# 268314 , Reply# 11 3/7/2008 at 15:15 (5,890 days old) by pulsator (Saint Joseph, MI) |
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Post# 268315 , Reply# 12 3/7/2008 at 15:18 (5,890 days old) by petek (Ontari ari ari O ) |
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From all you've mentioned I'd go with the Camry or Accord. I had a 93 Camry back when and it was a very good car. Sister had a 92 Accord and it was good as well. I don't think you can go wrong with either so long as you know it's not been absused. There's nothing worse than having a car that's always in need of a fix and $. What about a Corolla, less money, great cars as well, hard to kill. | ||
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Post# 268317 , Reply# 13 3/7/2008 at 15:33 (5,890 days old) by joeekaitis (Rialto, California, USA) |
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Your humble author's '96 Subaru Legacy with All-Wheel Drive shows no signs of giving up the ghost as it approaches its first 100,000 miles. Oil changes every 6,000 miles, major maintenance (tranny, radiator, plugs, filters) every 30,000 by a reputable indie mechanic. New timing belt coming up at 102,000 but it's cheaper than a new car. :) | ||
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Post# 268318 , Reply# 14 3/7/2008 at 15:36 (5,890 days old) by pulsator (Saint Joseph, MI) |
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| Post# 268321 , Reply# 15 3/7/2008 at 16:17 (5,890 days old) by jasonl (Cookeville, TN) | ||
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Fuel Economy: VW TDI Beetle or Jetta Most reliable: Honda Accord/Civic, Toyota Corolla/Camry (even though my Bug has been good to me) Wanna draw attention to yourself? Smart Fortwo. Don't knock the little car. It's roomy on the inside, makes 50mpg and does well on the interstate (about the same as an old Bug) | ||
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Post# 268322 , Reply# 16 3/7/2008 at 16:27 (5,890 days old) by rp2813 (Sannazay) |
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I agree, you should add Subaru to your list. I'd say you'd be safe with either the Camry or the Accord too. I drive a '97 Passat VR6 with 137K miles on it and I really like the car, at 6' tall I'm way more comfortable behind the wheel in it than I ever was in my partner's old MBZ 190. My Passat does require regular maintenance that doesn't come cheap but as Joe stated above, it's cheaper than a new car. I had to have the clutch replaced last year, that was a killer repair and the most major one it has ever needed but I honestly don't think all components needed repair. The mechanic I took the car to would always try to find more things wrong every time I brought the car in. So after the shock of the clutch bill, I quit him and the car hasn't needed attention since but somebody new will be working on it next time. My sister has a 2001 Subaru Forester and loves it. It hasn't given her any trouble, she just gets routine maintenance done and it keeps on going. I would definitely scratch the Olds off your list. That is just asking for trouble.
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Post# 268325 , Reply# 18 3/7/2008 at 16:36 (5,890 days old) by rp2813 (Sannazay) |
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| Post# 268337 , Reply# 21 3/7/2008 at 17:41 (5,890 days old) by johnb300m (Chicago) | ||
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Post# 268352 , Reply# 22 3/7/2008 at 18:57 (5,890 days old) by appnut (TX) |
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| Post# 268362 , Reply# 23 3/7/2008 at 20:01 (5,890 days old) by jasonl (Cookeville, TN) | ||
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I guess I'm lucky I haven't had very much trouble with my Bug. But repairs and service is pretty expensive. It's the price to pay if you want a "different" car. | ||
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Post# 268404 , Reply# 33 3/8/2008 at 03:20 (5,890 days old) by frigilux (The Minnesota Prairie) |
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Post# 268405 , Reply# 34 3/8/2008 at 04:02 (5,890 days old) by foraloysius (Leeuwarden, Friesland, the Netherlands) |
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| Post# 268410 , Reply# 35 3/8/2008 at 05:03 (5,890 days old) by stainfighter (Columbia, SC) | ||
Subaru/Honda/Toyota
I know of Pp that have the 1999-04 vintage of Chevy Impala and both of them have not had major problems, just routine maintenance. We have several in our motor pool at work. For a larger sedan they have great mileage - abt 21 mpg city and 29/30 on the hwy...resale value is not strong but trying to find one that is in decent shape, hmm... Personally, I own a '94 Honda Civic bought new, with 179K on the odo - has been just a great car. In the past year she has needed a new radiator and is getting ready for one CV joint but what would you expect for a 14 YR old car?! Years ago when in grad school I was real sad when Mom donated her Subaru Justy -was a Fantastic little car and really fun to drive! But, I shudder to think if it had been in an accident, very little metal to protect her - so it was for the best that I didn't get it. Have a friend with a '91 Toyota Corolla DX that is going great. Spend the $$ to have a trusted independent mechanic give the car you plan to buy a going-over. So many crooks out there that can make a car look and drive good enough for you to buy it then Murphy's law next month and BAAM!!! You're spending $$$ each month to fix stuff, no fun. Best of luck in your search! | ||
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Post# 268422 , Reply# 36 3/8/2008 at 07:25 (5,890 days old) by cuffs054 (MONTICELLO, GA) |
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I could be persuaded to part with my 1988 Yugo GVS or my 1968 Citroen 2CV for the right price. Oh, wait, you want something dependable...never mind. | ||
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Post# 268424 , Reply# 37 3/8/2008 at 08:16 (5,890 days old) by jons1077 (Vancouver, Washington, USA) |
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2003 Jetta
I did own a 2003 Jetta 1.8T and kept it for almost 5 years. I would say that, in general, I was quite lucky and got one with few problems. However, it did have quite a few recalls involving electrical components (i.e. heated seats). Being a turbo engine, it runs on premium fuel only (I found out right before driving it off the lot!). For a small sedan, I felt it didn't get good fuel economy either. It average around 20 mpg and that's really low in my books. Before I would consider a VW seriously read up on the reviews. Alot of VW for the US is manufactured in Mexico now and the quality is considerably lower than the German counterparts. My Jetta began having problems stalling at random times (usually at startup, but would occur at highway speeds sometimes as well). I ended up trading it in for a Saturn Outlook and I really do like the Saturn. Good luck with your search and hope this helps! Jon | ||
| Post# 268440 , Reply# 40 3/8/2008 at 10:00 (5,890 days old) by 58limited (Port Arthur, Texas) | ||
I would look at Honda, Toyota, or Nissan. They all seem to be very reliable. I drove my dad's 1990 Nissan Pulsar for a few years in college and I had only one problem with it: the timing chain went out at about 90,000 miles. I got the car with 65,000 miles on it and it still had the original fuel filter and air cleaner in it. The only thing my dad serviced was the oil. I had to replace the front struts too - he drove it HARD. The timing chain issue can be partly attributed to my dad's poor care of the car before loaning it to me. I decided to replace the chain myself - big learning curve but I did it. I loved that car but had to give it back so Dad could trade it in towards an Explorer. I'm not familiar with Subaru, I just remember a college buddy had one in 1993 and it needed an ignition part that was very expensive. For American cars, I tend to favor Ford. Having said this, the only two newer cars I have ever owned are a '99 Saturn and a '98 Olds 88, so I don't know how good the new Fords are. I bought the Saturn new and only had it for a year before it was totalled (women drivers!). It never gave me any problems. I bought the '98 Olds form my boss' inlaws 3 years ago for the good gas mileage - it had 35,000 miles on it. 10 days after buying it, on May 31, the intake manifold cracked and dumped the engine coolant into the cylinders. I knew the mechanic and got a discount, but it cost $600. The problem? poor design - an exhaust bypass was improperly insulated and melted the plastic intake. On June 1, GM posted a recall on these and I was re-imbursed for the towing and repair. This recall was 6 years after the car was manufactured. The automatic traction control is currently giving some problems, which disables the antilock feature on the brakes. But the brakes work anyway (like old brakes - no antilock) so I haven't investigated too far yet - it can be costly. I have several FOMOCO and GM classic cars ranging from 1957 to 1978. I am always having to fix something on the GM cars, only rarely on the Ford products. | ||
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Post# 268461 , Reply# 41 3/8/2008 at 11:42 (5,890 days old) by luxflairguy (Wilmington NC) |
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Great washer! But! How did you by-pass the lid switch? I'm going to be using a Neptune TL in Palm Desert for 6 weeks and I'm dying to see it work! Tell us more! | ||
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Post# 268516 , Reply# 44 3/8/2008 at 18:51 (5,889 days old) by pulsator (Saint Joseph, MI) |
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The machine slowly rotates the drum while it fills initially, just like the Fisher Paykel washers. If it needs to add water after it has begun tumbling, it simply keeps on tumbling and adds water until it thinks it has enough! You'd think a Whirlpool Duet would hold more laundry actually, my dad's Duet is rated at 3.8 cubic feet, the Neptune TL is rated at 3.5 cubic feet. However, the Neptune TL uses a LOT more water than my dad's Duet so the laundry is weighed down with a lot more water making it able to hold and clean much much more than the Duet. The lid switch is bypassed using 2 very very strong magnets, it's incredibly picky about the magnet placement however, and sometime takes me 2 or 3 tries to make it happy.(I'll post a pic shortly.) Just a word of caution, when it fills the lid either needs to be closed or the water jets diverted down into the tub, otherwise, it will spray water pretty much everywhere BUT the tub! | ||
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Post# 268517 , Reply# 45 3/8/2008 at 19:11 (5,889 days old) by pulsator (Saint Joseph, MI) |
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Here's the pics of the safety switch magnets, you have to be careful of the little cream colored tabs that pop out, those need to pop out or it will just beep at you. I've had happen a couple times where only one of the tabs pops out, which is fine cuz it doesn't seem to care, but that may just be a fault on my machine. The magnets need to be placed just right, it's very picky!!!
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| Post# 268524 , Reply# 47 3/8/2008 at 20:24 (5,889 days old) by myhooverco () | ||
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Oh well...I tried...I will keep Hoovering and Honda"ing" through life...ain't it grand! --Tom | ||
| Post# 268554 , Reply# 54 3/9/2008 at 00:19 (5,889 days old) by spankomatic (Ukiah,CA) | ||
I work for a M A J O R tow company in the United States. You get what you pay for. Trying to save a buck on a $5000.00 car it is very likely things will go wrong with it. Things you can't see. Bad transmission,bad computer,bad electronics,bad fuel pumps. All will leave you stranded on the road,waiting for a tow truck,with out transportation,having to spend money on repairs,rent a car,and wondering if it was fixed right. There are some exceptions. Actually finding that little old lady from Pasadena who has the 1968 buick with all the maintenance records. Good luck!
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| Post# 268557 , Reply# 56 3/9/2008 at 00:27 (5,889 days old) by spankomatic (Ukiah,CA) | ||
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A $5000.00 Honda will break down! I would not consider this a "reliable" car. More calls for newer and older Honda's than you would expect. Lots of calls for Fords,Chrysler,GM,VW. Less calls for Toyota's,Subaru,Mitsubishi,Nissan. The older the car,no matter what brand,the more likely for mechanical breakdown. A newer car is less likely for mechanical breakdown.
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| Post# 268561 , Reply# 57 3/9/2008 at 00:42 (5,889 days old) by spankomatic (Ukiah,CA) | ||
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Pay for the name OR pay for the tow,repair,rent a car,and TIME. Pay for zero miles on a new car OR pay for the tow,repair,rent a car,and TIME. Pay for the intrest on the loan OR pay for the tow,repair,rent a car,and TIME. Pay for maintenance OR pay for tow,repair,rent a car,and TIME. YOUR GONNA PAY.... New car,intrest loan,low maintanence,reliability OR Old car,high maintence,mechanical break downs,tow,repairs,rent a car and TIME. EITHER ONE YOUR GONNA PAY. WHICH ONE DO YOU WANT TO PAY FOR? INTREST LOAN AND NAME ON A RELIABLE NEW CAR OR HIGH MAINTANENCE,TOWS,REPAIRS,RENT A CAR AND T I M E? | ||
| Post# 268562 , Reply# 58 3/9/2008 at 00:50 (5,889 days old) by spankomatic (Ukiah,CA) | ||
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I chose new car,reliable name brand,low maintanence,intrest loan. I drive a 2008 Toyota Prius. No break downs for me. No tows for me,no rent a cars for me. No lost time dealing with a broken down car for me. No stuck on the side of the freeway for 1 hour waiting for a tow. Bonus = lower gas bill for me 'cause I got a Hybrid. Yes,I still PAY. Jim | ||
| Post# 268694 , Reply# 61 3/10/2008 at 01:32 (5,888 days old) by spankomatic (Ukiah,CA) | ||
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If your still gonna buy used.... The Nissan Altima is a pretty good pick. Another Toyota Camery would be good too. I would stay away from Honda's. Those old Honda's are trashed. Does the Nissan Altima have maintanence records ? Has it ever been wrecked ? Bought a used car many years ago that had all the maintanence records. Turns out it had been in a bad accident. Lots of major repairs. Blood seeping out of the dash board on hot days. Who knew ??? I traded that one in for my first NEW Toyota Tercel. Keep us posted.... Jim | ||
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