# Choosing a car **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [April 2, 2011, 4:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/choosing-a-car/63268 "2011-04-02T16:13:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TAMALPAIS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@TAMALPAIS](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TAMALPAIS)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2011, 4:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/choosing-a-car/63268/1 "2011-04-02T16:13:58Z")
I AM CONSIDERING: 2001 AUDI ALLROAD WITH 120K 2001 RANGE ROVER WITH 87K 2003 SAAB WAGON WITH 93K 2001 AUDI A6 QUATRO WAGON 2001 PASSATT WAGON I NEED GUIDANCE ABOUT WHICH YOU WOULD RECOMMEND. THEY ARE ALL ABOUT THE SAME PRICE AND I HAVE BEEN DRIVING A VOLVO 1990 V70 WAGON THAT IS DYING AND I AM GOING TO TRADE IN. WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE. THANK YOU. I KNOW…THE ROVER GETS BAD REVIEWS BUT I LIKE HOW MUCH ROOM IT HAS. WOULD THIS BE A BIG MISTAKE FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS? THANK YOU. PLEASE ADVISE. ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2011, 4:18pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/choosing-a-car/63268/2 "2011-04-02T16:18:02Z")
Everything on your list are all models I would avoid…Money-pits waiting to bankrupt you, These all look like $2500 cars to me but I bet the owners are asking considerably more than that for them… ---
**Author:** ![PvtPublic](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/pvtpublic/32/13089_2.png) [@PvtPublic](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PvtPublic)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2011, 4:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/choosing-a-car/63268/3 "2011-04-02T16:21:33Z")
None of the above! ---
**Author:** ![Goldwing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@Goldwing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Goldwing)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2011, 4:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/choosing-a-car/63268/4 "2011-04-02T16:24:41Z")
Did you pick this list from the “most expensive to keep on the road” list? These will all cost a lot to keep going compared to cars made by American, Japanese, or Korean companies. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2011, 4:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/choosing-a-car/63268/5 "2011-04-02T16:36:57Z")
I have to agree with all of the preceding posts. If you were trying to assemble a list of the least-reliable, most-expensive-to-maintain-and-repair vehicles, then you did an excellent job! As was already stated, if you want reliability and less expensive maintenance and repairs, you should eliminate all European vehicles from your list, and try to focus on vehicles made in Japan, Korea, and the US. ---
**Author:** ![TAMALPAIS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@TAMALPAIS](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TAMALPAIS)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2011, 4:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/choosing-a-car/63268/6 "2011-04-02T16:38:30Z")
I have been driving a volvo and when I drive the 10 year old American versions they feel chintzy. Would you recommend another volvo? ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2011, 4:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/choosing-a-car/63268/7 "2011-04-02T16:40:53Z")
Nope! Volvos fit the typical European pattern of nice, luxurious vehicles that should be sold or traded in as soon as the original factory warranty expires. The cost of maintenance and repairs on all European vehicles is far higher than that of Japanese, Korean, and US-made vehicles. ---
**Author:** ![TAMALPAIS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@TAMALPAIS](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TAMALPAIS)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2011, 4:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/choosing-a-car/63268/8 "2011-04-02T16:42:54Z")
okay…okay…but if I was going to buy European what is the least painful for you to recommend. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2011, 4:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/choosing-a-car/63268/9 "2011-04-02T16:44:20Z")
Hmmm…most likely I would pick the Saab, but that is just the best of a bad bunch. ---
**Author:** ![TAMALPAIS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@TAMALPAIS](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TAMALPAIS)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2011, 4:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/choosing-a-car/63268/10 "2011-04-02T16:53:53Z")
Thank you… ---
**Author:** ![Manolito](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/manolito/32/3070_2.png) [@Manolito](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Manolito)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2011, 5:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/choosing-a-car/63268/11 "2011-04-02T17:00:28Z")
This was an unusual post. The list of candidates was a veritable automotive “Hall of Shame” and the poster reports to be currently driving a 1990 V70 Wagon. ??? The V70 was not introduced until the late 90s. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2011, 5:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/choosing-a-car/63268/12 "2011-04-02T17:04:31Z")
…perhaps this is another April Fool thread that was posted a little too late? ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2011, 5:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/choosing-a-car/63268/13 "2011-04-02T17:06:54Z")
If these were the very last cars left in the world, and I was edsperate, I’d choose the Saab. No, wait…on second thought, I’d rather shoot myself! These are all bad choices. ---
**Author:** ![Joe-Guy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joe-guy/32/124_2.png) [@Joe-Guy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joe-Guy)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2011, 5:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/choosing-a-car/63268/14 "2011-04-02T17:20:55Z")
If I had the money, I would buy them all and park them in here - [![](http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/car-crusher-8.jpg) ](http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/car-crusher-8.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2011, 5:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/choosing-a-car/63268/15 "2011-04-02T17:24:25Z")
Seconded. They’re all unreliable, especially at that mileage. ---
**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2011, 6:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/choosing-a-car/63268/16 "2011-04-02T18:05:24Z")
``` I believe you already have good car advice, but if I may, I suggest that using ALL CAPS makes you message harder to read. That is why you will not see your newspaper using ALL CAPS. If you message is harder to read fewer people will bother reading it. While I doubt if you choices would be my first choice, I am not as sure as some others that any of them would be terrible. ``` Good Luck with your choice. ---
**Author:** ![Docnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Docnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Docnick)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2011, 6:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/choosing-a-car/63268/17 "2011-04-02T18:13:16Z")
You have a talent for picking bottom feeders when it pertains to operating costs and reliability. Perhaps driving a Volvo now has made you you unaware as to how inexpensive and reliable other cars can be. Otherwise, I believe you are a late with an April Fools joke. None of the above are recommended. The SAAB will have parts supply problems, since it is a real orphan in the US market. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2011, 7:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/choosing-a-car/63268/18 "2011-04-02T19:24:32Z")
The main thing in a 10 year old car is to find one that has been well maintained. If you find one, even from this list, where the owner has all the maintenance and repair receipts, it might be worth a shot. What about a Mazda Protege wagon or a Lexus IS 300 wagon? ---
**Author:** ![bscar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bscar/32/34_2.png) [@bscar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bscar)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2011, 12:16am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/choosing-a-car/63268/19 "2011-04-03T00:16:18Z")
what’s your budget? Are you comfortable with having maintenance/repairs bills costing more than you spent on the car itself? ---
**Author:** ![andrew\_j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@andrew\_j](https://community.cartalk.com/u/andrew_j)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2011, 12:24am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/choosing-a-car/63268/20 "2011-04-03T00:24:25Z")
A few Volvo’s make the reliable/decent used cars list for Consumer Reports: > **[Consumer Reports: New and Used Car Reviews and Ratings - Consumer Reports](https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/)** > > Research new and used cars, save money with the Build and Buy Car Buying Service, and read the latest in recall and auto news from Consumer Reports. Forget the Range Rover they are real money pits. [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/choosing-a-car/63268.md?page=2)