Right now, I get about 16-17MPG city, 20-21MPG highway
I'd be okay with this. It's better than what I get now, and at one point I was considering a conversion van, which gets MUCH worse than that. I can deal with this as long as the car freaking runs.
Well you saw what I just picked up for $1000 lol.
I know and I'm SO JEALOUS lol. That's actually what prompted me to take a peek at CL today :rofl1:
A Civic, if you can find it, I would buy. A 4Runner I would also get - but expect that you'll need to put some cash into it.
This helps. I mean, ALL of this helps, everything everyone's said, but...yeah
I can live with a sedan if it runs. Gavroche's isn't showing/trialing anymore except for lure coursing, and Logan can be put in a soft crate at shows, so crate space isn't absolutely mandatory, it would just be nice.
Do you have any car knowledgable people who can go look at cars with you?
My little brother is going with me, but...I had to retrain him from buying a Sunfire with a blown headgasket last year because OMG IT HAS A TURBO AND IT'S A CONVERETABLE
And then he drove his own $500 Sunfire to death after the thermostat failed - it overheated and he just kept driving until he blew the head gasket. And then drove some more. So...depends on your definition of knowledgeable
I'd be most interested in the Taurus I think since it sounds well cared for and has a newer engine.
I'm really eyeing that Taurus. I used to have a Taurus sedan and I LOVED that thing. And then some asshole ran a red light and killed it
My brother's girlfriend has a Taurus sedan and it runs well too, and it's late-90s. But I also had a Sable (Mercury's taurus) and it was a piece of junk and I WAY overpaid for it. I emailed the guy about the Taurus and he said "nothing major except a/c doesn't work, should be able to drive anywhere." Of course I know people can hype up their cars, but I think it may be worth a look. A/C doesn't matter much longer at the moment, so I can save up to have it fixed. Or get it fixed with my excess financial aid.
A loan on a nicer car is a far better idea.
Is it at all possible for you to wait until you have more money, or to take out a personal loan with your bank and be able to buy something nicer?
If it's at all possible to budget for a monthly payment, I would strongly consider it. $3000 over a year is $250 a month, interest at a bank on a personal loan will be pretty low so not much higher than that. If that's too much you could potentially stretch it out over two years even...
A loan is pretty much out at this point. My credit is shot...as in, planning to file for bankruptcy shot. And then my stupid Caliber was a voluntary repossession, but a repossession all the same. I've also had AWFUL luck with car loans. My first car loan, for my Taurus, it was totaled after 6 months and I was out several thousand dollars because I didn't have gap insurance. My second one was for my Sable, and that car lasted a year and then died, so then I got the remainder of that loan put on my Caliber loan. My Caliber was awesome for 2 year, and started to go downhill the third year. And then by the end of the third year it was also dead dead dead without putting several thousand dollars I didn't have into it (hence the voluntary repossession). I still owe a few thousand on my Caliber, so technically I am still making car payments. On a car I don't have anymore. My Caliber was only 5 years old. My Taurus was 2 years old. My Sable was I think a 2001, so it was only 6 years old. And that's sort of why I want an older car. New ones have been shitty in my experience (except my Taurus. I LOVED MY TAURUS. WHY DID YOU SQUASH IT YOU STUPID BITCH. I'm still not over it.)
My older brother has a Jeep of some sort, and has had Jeeps in the past. I don't think he's had any trouble with this one, but I know the last one he had fuel pump issues. Don't know if that's common or not. I also don't know what kind of jeep it was.
It might also be worth mentioning my standards for "Can drive to dog shows" are probably lower than average. I mean, my Caliber had a freaking wheel FALL OFF on the way to a dog show, and I had a bad feeling the whole time that something was going to happen because it was making bad noises. But I still went. I do have roadside assistance that guarantees me a tow home if worst comes to worst, and my brother would come rescue my sorry ass out of Nowhere, OK if I needed it. I mean, it would be very nice if I could stuff everything I own in my car and drive to the west coast when I move, but I know in reality that won't happen (I wouldn't even have trusted my Caliber for that). But...driving 30 minutes to the stable without overheating would be lovely.
I could pour the $1600 into my current car, but I honestly don't think it would help much.
What I REALLY want is a Honda CR-V or Element. But that's out of the question for $1600
Thanks everyone for all the input! I really do appreciate it, even the parts I don't want to hear