I am looking to buy a car so that I can commute to and from an internship this summer. It’s about 30-40 miles each way. Also, I’d be using it to visit my girlfriend on the weekends, 60 miles, during the summer as well as during the school year. Ideally, I’d like to spend no more than $8000, though …

Stop by the local bookstore, pick up a Consumer Reports Used Car Buyers’ Guide, and let the data be your guide. Look carefully at whatever you find for evidence of abuse, neglect, accident damage, or somethiung that just doesn’t look right. If you take the time to look, it usually becomes obvious. …

with that many miles a day, I’d be more concerned with driving comfort than saving fuel; it’d be a nice plus though. Used Crown Vics can be had for cheap and are nice highway commuters while returning ~25mpg highway.

In the last year and a half my twin daughters bought 3-4 year old Cobalts with automatics, 40k miles and spent less than 7500 for each. Corollas were easily 2500 to 4000 more. 38 mpg and cheap insurance.

I would recommend the Chevy Cobalt also. I have never owned one but I have to listen to my uncle talk endlessly about his. There must be something good about them because he usually dumps a vehicle in about 6 months. He’s had his Cobalt for 3 years and has taken several long trips with it with no pr…

A 4-cylinder stick shift pick-up will deliver the lowest cost per mile to operate and when you sell it (if you sell it) it will return most of your “investment”…A small P/U can be VERY handy… Should repairs be needed, they tend to be the simple, basic things that ANY mechanic can deal with for a re…

“Know this…For $8K, you are going to get a vehicle with over 100K miles …” Only if it is a Honda or Toyota.

While “SOME” fwd vehicles had a few problems with transmissions for 1-2 years…Well over 99% of them had 0 problems…even well past 200 or even 300k miles. If a timing belt breaks on an interference engine then there’s a very good chance you need a new engine. As long as the belt is changed per maint…

For those of you pushing the Cobalt I submit the following, according to Consumer Reports review of the Cobalt/Cavalier: “The Cavalier is crude, noisy, cramped, and uncomfortable. A more modern but still buzzy powerplant arrived in 2003. Interior pieces are flimsy and fit poorly, and seating is cra…

CR ratings are highly compressed. An excellent rating is less than 1% reporting problems. A poor rating is greater than 3% problem rate. If we wanted to buy our 2009 Cobalt LT sedan from a dealer, it would cost about $12,750. The similar Civic EX would cost about $14,900. If the difference is w…

Deciding on a Car

General Discussion

jtsanders February 10, 2012, 5:47am 3

If you have about $8000, I would remove the Prius and both Hondas. You will spend thousands more than a comparable Focus. Add the Chevy Cobalt LS and LT sedans to the list. You could get a 2007 or earlier Cobalt for that price. A 2008 Kia Rio LX is less than $8000 even from a dealer.

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Deciding on a Car

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