Help pick my new car.

[Nicklz]

Ok I got my 96 firebird, I've been using it as a daily driver, and the miles are starting to add up really quick.
I've also got a 91 mr2 turbo 5spd, slighlty modded.
I was originally going to use the firebird as DD, and the mr2 as a track car, but my limited amount of time has not allowed me enough time to do anything with the duece.

Sooo.... I'm thinking of selling them both. The bird and the mr2. Only selling the bird because it's got alot of miles and I need something really reliable for work. The bird has been reliable, just started worrying when it topped 155,xxx.

I have to take into consideration this is a work vehicle, I'll be putting alot of miles on it (gas mileage, reliability, maintanence costs, etc), but it stilll needs to be comfy, fun, and liveable for 60,000 miles a year.

So I figure I'll spend like 10 to 14 grand at most, for a used daily driver. I'm considering:

Cadillac Catera 99+ I've found them for about 10grand
BMW z3 98ish It's pushin my 14 grand limit and cramped on space but I like them.
BMW 3-series 325 or 315 just between 10-14 grand
Jeep Wrangler 99+ got to be 6cyc 5spd hard top
Subaru WRX (not sti)


Or post what you'd buy 10k to 14k. Considering it's a work car, etc.

[L32Projekt]

Get a Neon, then throw a bunch of stereo equipment into it, tacky bodykit, fake hubcap spinners, bus stop wing, neon underbody kit, paint it a "chameleon" color (retina-burning intensity, if possible), Mirrored tint, fartcan muffler and some NAAAWWWWSSSS!!!

Oh, I voted for the Catera.

[Nicklz]

Thats the direction I am leaning to. The catera that is not the "sexy neon" sorry neon lovers.

[shenanigans]

I'd stay away from the older bimmers... I hear they start to get REALLY pricey to work on.

Wrx might be cool, and fun to take out to the track(I assume autocross, if you used to have a MR2)

Jeeps cool but I am biased since I am a tall mofo, my legs don't fit right to drive it.

[Nicklz]

Yeah I have like 2 centimeters between the underdash and my knees, although I drove an unlimited (the stretched ones) and have more room, but those are still pricey.

[shenanigans]

Thought about 99+ GTs? maybe 6-speed Ls1?

just throwing those out since you know they eventually will.

Check out some used Lexuses or Lexi(how do you say it?)

Not sure what its like near you but a quick search found a '02 IS300, with 36k fro $10,500

[ March 21, 2005, 02:35 AM: Message edited by: shenanigans ]

[Nicklz]

Thought about staying with a firebird but wanted something a bit more civil for work. The Z3 isn't really the best choice seeing I have alot of stuff I carry around for work, it was a pain back when I used the mr2 for work. You don't miss the back seat till you don't have one. But I like them, chicks dig beamers too.

[Pewter2K1]

Accord? Jetta? both good on gas mileage, and are spacious. I have a accord as a daily driver. its a 1990 with almost 200K miles and its still running strong. Its only worth 2,000 bucks, but the money it saves me and the miles that stay off the camaro are rediclious.. I fill up once a week, with at least 350 miles per tank around town.
Caddilacs and Jeeps are gas hogs...
BMW's are maintence nightmares, well cost wise
And the z3, well if your a tall dude and you need a liveable car, then you might as well keep the firebird and spend a few thousand to get a fresh motor installed.

[Vracer111]

Daily driver for something that meets gas mileage, reliability, maintanence costs, etc, but it still needs to be comfy, fun, and liveable for 60,000 miles a year = Honda or Toyota.

As far as the BMW's go...run away unless you got the $$ for parts and service. Installation of new front rotors for co-workers 98 BMW Z3 was $900+ dollars. Finally ended up getting rid of it after the computer started acting up in it.
I believe the 3-series coupes and sedans are a little more reliable, but still $$ for parts and electrical/electronic problems are not rare with them. Would make great project or race cars but not an inexpensive daily driver. Cadillac Catera...never heard much good about them but I don't know much about them either, except that they are Front wheel drive and were a failed product for Caddilac. Wranglers always seem to be popular and WRX's also...would probably be the best picks for daily drivers from your list.

My '98 Toyota Tacoma extended cab has been trouble free for the 63k plus HARD miles I've put on it (bought it with just over 32k miles all I've had to do is change the oil and sparkplugs in the nearly 4 years I've had it. BTW hard miles means getting it to redline daily, autocrossing it once a month, and taking performance driving schools with it. It gets OK gas mileage for a 4 cylinder truck (averages 25mpg) and is nice to have when you need to pick up large objects (car parts, lumber, supplies, furniture, whatever). You can get used ones for less than 10k easily - look in Autotrader. And if the Tacoma has been taken care of you should have to worry about it until after 250-300k miles...then you could just refresh the motor and run it another 250-300k miles [img]graemlins/banana.gif[/img]

Side note: My mom recently got a 2002 Camry (4 cylinder, 5-speed manual) and that thing gets over 35mpg on the highway. Not only that but the rear seat room is HUGE, one of the most comfortable rear seating of any car I've been in - leg room, head room, its all there! Not to mention the engine is no slouch either... that car has nice acceleration too with the VVTI all the way to near redline and shifting through the gears. All it really needs is a slightly stiffer suspension [side note: I just put a set of my tacoma wheels (16x7.5 Kosei K-1s, 14lbs) and tires (225/50-16 Kumho Ecsta MX, 32psi front/30psi rear) on the camry tonight and really brought out the cars potential on the stock suspension...talk about gobs of traction and nice cornering manners!]

[Nicklz]

I'm not much of a truck person. The cadilac Catera's are rear wheel drive dy the way. I researched them a bit last night, and it says to stay away from 98 and earlier, but 99 up is fine.

There is a catera here in town, don't know how much they want for it, but i think I might stop in there today and test drive it.

[malice10985]

Get a late model GTP. They are decently fast and can hold stuff in the trunk.

[JohnD.]

I was gonna suggest a Grand Prix as well. They drive nice,look nice, work year round and will give you the same longevity as your F-body.

[MTMike]

From the list you provided, I pick the Caddy as well. Decently big, decent milage, chaper to fix than a BMW, better mileage than the jeep.

I'm not big on commuter cars, myself. I'd rather pay more in gas and have a weight/size advantage in a wreck than be driving around in a Campbells soup can that gets 40 mpg and get squashed by a Kia SUV in a wreck.

[BLLDOGG]

i'd say get a hybrid honda but if not, get a neon :D

i voted for a wrangler cause i (my fiancee) has one [img]graemlins/banana.gif[/img]

[Nicklz]

BLLDOGG - I've driven the jeeps the rough ride doesn't bother me. I was just wondering how they are to drive over long distances??

MTMike - yeah I don't like commuters either, kinda want something that I won't see a hundred of a day. At least with a jeep I could put lots of accesories on.

GTP, have just never done it for me.

I was looking at a H1 hummers in ebay/autotrader. Bit pricey but it would kick *** to have one. Gas is 9mpg LOL no thanks.


Btw, catera pulled into lot, and it was sitting off to the side, it was already sold.

Drove a Yukon 2dr GT black, leather but it had to high mileage.

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