You have $7k to drop into a family hauler that gets good mileage and has low operating cost. What do you buy?

[200HP4dr]

I'm kind of thinking a Fusion with a 5 speed. Good mileage (from the 4 cylinder).

Or I could go the traditional Camry route.

Impalas get good highway mileage and have tons of room and are pretty reliable. What else?

The car has to be comfortable, even if its small. I really liked my buddy's 08 Focus 5 speed and we put all 4 of us in the car for a 6 hour road trip, and that wasn't bad at all. Even had a rear facing car seat at the time.

We're trying to cut down our monthly auto budget, and if I could get into a car that will be trouble free for a lot of miles and have no car payment, that would free us up to save up for something a bit more fun in a few years.

Your input, TCL?

[Daskoupe]

a well maintained jetta or golf with a 2.0 and a 5 speed is that price.Thats the most problem free vw

[AdrockMK2]

The best Honda Accord $7k can buy.

[Aonarch]

The best Honda Accord $7k can buy.

[corrago]

The best Honda Accord $7k can buy.

Make sure it's a 4 cylinder though.

[200HP4dr]

You know, I would, but I've always been disappointed by real-world Accord fuel economy. And I don't know that they offer more than an equally priced Camry.

[200HP4dr]

Ooh, this looks promising.

http://cincinnati.craigslist.org/cto/2994119856.html

Chris

[Dr. Woo]

So by "family hauler" you mean a sedan? Usually people mean minivans and the like.

The Accords and Camrys will do it for sure, but definitely take a look at the Fusion if you can find one with a stir-it-yourself, like you mentioned. They're a great bargain.

[The Ninja]

I am in the same spot and I am struggling to find a Fusion for that price. What about a Focus Wagon?

[DTMTrini]

I've only seen/drive one 5 speed manual Ford Fusion...so I can imagine them being hard to find. If I was in this situation, i'd be looking at the best example of a 9-3, 4-cyl Accord, 4-cyl Camry, early/mid 2000's Maxima I could find.

[compy222]

impala is a great hauler. big, decent mileage, comfy, reliable, etc.

i would also consider a forester or outback if you want/need AWD. just get one that has had the headgaskets done!

accord and fusion are nice, but a bit smaller.

[juventuss]

Honda Accord. The V6 with the auto tranny suck though.

[Dan92SLC]

There is a 2003 SVT Focus silver 5 dr near me for $7. It has only 20,000 miles on it!

[jesiman]

7th gen Accord 6spd

[zaYG]

Make sure it's a 4 cylinder though.

Why?

7th gen Accords with the V6s are awesome cars. I'd dare say...fun. As long as you get the six speed.

[200HP4dr]

Why?

7th gen Accords with the V6s are awesome cars. I'd dare say...fun. As long as you get the six speed.

And can't be had for my price range. Might as well through STi's in there.

Chris

[Albeezy36]

What about something like this:

99 Lexus ES300.

http://seattle.craigslist.org/est/cto/2971599541.html

Senor's thread about the previous gen ES's got me pondering.

[Enderwaves]

I'm gonna chime in for the Fusion. We had one for about a year (company car). The fleet version was well appointed, and the interior was simply amazing for the price point. I really like what Ford is doing these days. We took a lot of road trips in it, and it always got just over 35 mpg, with the automatic. The 4 cyl was healthy and it was a fun car to drive. I would definitely look at buying one if that's what I was in the market for. I was definitely sad to turn it back in. For what I thought was going to be an incredibly boring car, it was really nice.

The one down side was the sync system, which was sort of nice, but often led to my significant other yelling at the "the b- who lives in my car".

[zaYG]

And can't be had for my price range. Might as well through STi's in there.

Chris

My friend bought a mint 03 Coupe for less than your price range. I'm sure you could definitely find one if you looked around. The 4 cylinder is still a great option either way.

[SpecialFX]

I'd probably try to get the lowest mileage protégé 5 I could find. Reliable, economical, cheap to fix, good handling, and I like hatchbacks

[das internet]

A handsome devil for sure. And to sweeten the deal, you'd be the ONLY ONE driving it basically - there are probably 10x more 1999 Tauri still out there than 2009 Tauri. The 500 and the Zephyr are also great looking. I do a double take with the 500, it looks so much like a Lexus LS. These are all supposedly reliable according to consumer reports.

The impala is so in your face with the huge gold-colored badges and the chrome prancing deer, other than that it's solid. Drive (2011) sold that car for me.
These days, in the time it takes to find a good honda/toyota for a good price, you could've made 200 message board posts. Not worth it.

[Turbio!]

a well maintained jetta or golf with a 2.0 and a 5 speed is that price.Thats the most problem free vw

But then you end up with a compact, not a midsize, with less power, more years, and more miles than a domestic, with more long-term reliability question marks.

It'd fit his requirement for comfort, but I'm not sure he's best served with that, especially with a rear facing car seat.

[AKADriver]

I'd get a Mazda6. Only real drawback compared to anything mentioned thus far is shorter rear legroom. Depends how tall your family is. Check carefully around the door frames for rust if you get an early model, otherwise they're my default pick for a midsize sedan.

With the QR25 powered Altima I'd be suspect of the engine's long-term durability. I've heard a few horror stories of the cats breaking up and cat substrate getting sucked into the engine. Symptoms start with an intermittent OBD code for the cat, and before you know it you're burning a quart of oil every 500 miles. A VQ35 should be okay, but then you've given up some fuel economy.

Accords and Camrys are overpriced. $7k in my area gets you a '98-'02 era Accord or a '97-'01 era Camry, which was pretty much the nadir of those two cars' history. I'd much rather have an '03-'07 Accord than an '02-'06 Camry; there's nothing wrong with the Camry, but there's nothing about it that outclasses the Accord, either, and the Accord is just a better driver.

The Fusion's just a bigger, softer 6, with the same 4cyl powertrain, built on the same production line, so if the 6 is too small for you, I can't disrecommend the Fusion.

[Turbio!]

Just to throw out an idea....first-gen Pontiac Vibe. It's not amazingly efficient (~32-33mpg with manual) and nor is it a great drive (no worse than an Impala, though), but it's supernaturally reliable, spacious for four and luggage, capable of carrying a carseat with room to spare.

I keep trying to justify buying something else for my daily driving, but my '03 has 77,500 miles on it and has required absolutely nothing but standard wear items, gas, and 5000 miles oil changes for its entire operational life. For around town, it's great.

[AKADriver]

Just to throw out an idea....first-gen Pontiac Vibe. It's not amazingly efficient (~32-33mpg with manual) and nor is it a great drive (no worse than an Impala, though), but it's supernaturally reliable, spacious for four and luggage, capable of carrying a carseat with room to spare.

That's a good one. It's a throwback to the old '80s Japanese tall wagons.. they were great family cars if economy was a priority.

My 2001 Corolla with that engine and 4-speed auto once got 38mpg on a highway trip. It would've been over 40 but climbing hills forced it to drop to third gear.

[das internet]

Just to throw out an idea....first-gen Pontiac Vibe. It's not amazingly efficient (~32-33mpg with manual) and nor is it a great drive (no worse than an Impala, though), but it's supernaturally reliable, spacious for four and luggage, capable of carrying a carseat with room to spare.

I keep trying to justify buying something else for my daily driving, but my '03 has 77,500 miles on it and has required absolutely nothing but standard wear items, gas, and 5000 miles oil changes for its entire operational life. For around town, it's great.

1. Yes but was it worth losing the mattress? i.e. can you sleep in it?
2. 32 mpg with the AC on in mixed driving is GOOD.

[Turbio!]

That's a good one. It's a throwback to the old '80s Japanese tall wagons.. they were great family cars if economy was a priority.

My 2001 Corolla with that engine and 4-speed auto once got 38mpg on a highway trip. It would've been over 40 but climbing hills forced it to drop to third gear.

It's not a mountain car. My parents live at 7500 feet, where its 130hp is probably reduced to about 90 due to altitude, and you've got to flog the bitch like it's wearing a gimp mask on the last gentle uphill before their highway exit. But it's got some pep around town.

[Turbio!]

1. Yes but was it worth losing the mattress? i.e. can you sleep in it?
2. 32 mpg with the AC on in mixed driving is GOOD.

Nah, if I need to sleep in the car, my 4Runner is where it's at.

And no, that 32-33 is highway, not mixed. And for godsake not on hills, it swills gas like a funny car on Vail Pass.

[Señor Peligro]

[das internet]

Buick Park Ave Ultra

15 mpg dude. You have no right to expect any more than that unless you're using cruise control at 45-75mph.

[01tj]

Honestly for a family hauler it really is hard to beat a Camry. Great MPG's, plenty of room and storage and you can't kill them. For me I would go a different Rt.




http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-s...20265640&Log=0

[Air-over-water]

Just to throw out an idea....first-gen Pontiac Vibe. It's not amazingly efficient (~32-33mpg with manual) and nor is it a great drive (no worse than an Impala, though), but it's supernaturally reliable, spacious for four and luggage, capable of carrying a carseat with room to spare.

I keep trying to justify buying something else for my daily driving, but my '03 has 77,500 miles on it and has required absolutely nothing but standard wear items, gas, and 5000 miles oil changes for its entire operational life. For around town, it's great.

x2
I have a first gen Matrix with just over 70k. Only thing I have replaced were oil, brake pads and the ECM*recalled for poss. of cracking*.
I have yet to see less than 30mpg average, even with our speed limits on the highway 75/80mph.
Hauls more than one would expect and easy to clean out if you use it for a home depot run.

1. Yes but was it worth losing the mattress? i.e. can you sleep in it?
2. 32 mpg with the AC on in mixed driving is GOOD.

Yes you can sleep in it depending on size. The rears fold flat and the passenger front seat also folds flat.
I have used it as a camping vehicle a few times.

[Mosbius Designs]

PM zaYG, he may be interested in selling you his 9-5

[zaYG]

PM zaYG, he may be interested in selling you his 9-5

Jetta needs to go first!

[XM_Rocks]

I just bought a one-owner 2001 Maxima SE (leather, BOSE and Auto A/C) and only 69k miles for $6,300.

Dealer serviced since day 1... garaged.

Some pics when I picked her up: