Which car?

[dirtbox 0]

if you had upta $6000 to buy a car to travel and jump while in the USA for 12 months what would you buy? Needs to be reliable and the cheaper to run the better. How it looks and how fast it goes are really not that important. Needs to able to take to take rig, stuff for camping, a bicycle - maybe even sleep in it some times? A van? An SUV? A hatch? A wagon?

So far I have considred a volvo xc70 - though they seem to have some issues.

A subaru outback/liberty

Ford or a GMC Yukon of Jeep Cherokee

What do you think? ... Be in Dallas in 12 days :D

[NewGuy2005 53]

I love European cars, but for your purposes, they might not be the best choice. Any small Japanese car or a Ford would be good.

[skydiver30960 0]

Skip the part about sleeping in the back. Go with a Honda or Toyota, something small and older but gently used. Sink a little extra dough into a good tent and sleeping bags to make you comfortable at night.

Elvisio "only slept in my Tahoe a handful of times" Rodriguez

[shropshire 0]

I'd go for either a cheap People Carrier (I think the yanks call the mini-vans for some very strange reason) or small commercial (panel) van (I have a Peugeot Expert van - that I use as a camper - ideal - cheap and reliable)

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[Galenis 0]

Where are you going to be at when you buy the car? Check the local papers or autotrader.com. Like the previous poster said, get something small that is good on gas. A Ford or Chevy will be cheaper on parts and repair if something does go wrong with it.

I just noticed you said you would be in Dallas so try the classifieds at

http://www.dallasnews.com/ or
http://dallasobserver.backpage.com/AutosForSale/?priceMax=6000

It's time for my nightly ritual: Pleasure myself, weep, and repeat.

[billvon 3,072]

If the sleeping in the back is important I'd go with a Toyota or Honda minivan. We lived in a Toyota Previa for six months and it worked out great. Would hate to try that in a Civic.

[oldwomanc6 60]

Quote

I'd go for either a cheap People Carrier (I think the yanks call the mini-vans for some very strange reason) or small commercial (panel) van (I have a Peugeot Expert van - that I use as a camper - ideal - cheap and reliable)

Here in the states, a Peugeot might not be a very good choice (not because they aren't good--don't know), but if something happens, trying to find a fix may be difficult, and if you can find it, it will be expensive.


Dirtbox, perhaps a used Saturn would work for your purposes. They started out inexpensive and are reliable as heck. If you aren't wanting to sleep in it, the sedans are good, if you want to sleep in it. they made a station wagon version.

My 2¢ worth

lisa
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[shropshire 0]

Hiya.. I wasn't exactly suggesting that he gets the same vehicle as me (as you suggest, different makes and models are better based upon location f'sure) - but rather the type of vehicle - cheap and practical.

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[oldwomanc6 60]

He already knew he wanted cheap and practical I got the impression that he wanted specific advice--silly me! He may not know that isn't a car brand supported widely in the states--even if he could find one to buy.

I know that if I went to a foreign country, I wouldn't have much of an idea. When I lived in Japan (hubby's USMC) we bought a Toyota van. Pure dumb luck that it turned out to be a great find.

lisa
WSCR 594
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CBDB 9

[dirtbox 0]

Gday,

Thanks for the advice. American cars are very different to cars in Korea/Australia so it is rather confusing.

Most the panel vans I have seen have big v8s in them - can you suggest any panel vans with 6 or 4 cyclinder engines (99% of vans back home, and here in Korea, are only 4s).

Otherwise a sedan or hatchback (like the for focus suggested) might work out better - I was planning on camping anyway and I have a few friends scattered all over the states and sleeping in the car seems like it adds a lot of extra hassle.

Thanks

Dave

11 days to go

11 days to go

Dave

[oldwomanc6 60]

Hey, Dave.

You menioned the Ford Focus. My daughter has one. It is also very reliable. Add this to the list of ones to consider. They contain much more room on the inside than the outside would indicate.

You didn't make it clear, but are you going to come here and buy a car? Buy it before you get here and take possession after the fact? The second option seems unduly risky, and the fact that you will be here a year (if I read you right) means you don't have to buy the first car you see.

I wish you the best, and the most fun
Post, and let us know how things are going on your trip.
lisa

lisa
WSCR 594
FB 1023
CBDB 9

[SethInMI 174]

Quote

Most the panel vans I have seen have big v8s in them - can you suggest any panel vans with 6 or 4 cyclinder engines (99% of vans back home, and here in Korea, are only 4s).

The only one like that I know in the USA is the Ford Transit Connect with a 2.0L I4, but I am not sure if it has not been around here long enough to build a cheap used market. Cute little van though.

http://www.ford.com/trucks/transitconnect/models/

It's flare not flair, brakes not breaks, bridle not bridal, "could NOT care less" not "could care less".

[1888 0]

Get a Hyundai. Not kidding. I have an 06 & it's as good or better than the 4-5 Toyota's I've had.

[riggerrob 643]

Ford Focus station wagon will easily let six foot tall people sleep flat on their backs, because the back seats fold down perfectly flat.
The next step is to add a mattress. Thermarest is the minimum, but if you are planning to sleep in it during cold weather - or in the American South-West desert - you will need a six inch thick foam mattress for insulation. It is amazing how much heat you can lose through the BOTTOM of your sleeping bag!

Air mattresses provide almost ZERO insulation in cold weather.

The next step is to install curtains. Curtains provide privacy and leave thieves guessing about the contents of your car. Remember that the majority of thieves are amateurs - lazy amateurs. Any gadget (e.g. curtains) that slows down amateur thieves will probably save your luggage.
You are wise to chose a second-hand vehicle, because they look less attractive to thieves.

Heck! I lived in my VW Westfalia van for a couple of years in Southern California (California City, Elsinore, Perris, Hemet, etc.). The van was almost twenty years old when I bought it and the locks were worn-out, so I never bothered to lock it ... and no thieves ever ventured inside.

It also helps to avoid skydiving stickers.

[TriGirl 333]

Honda CR-V will tote all those things and more, gets great gas milage, and runs forever. Look for something in the 2000-2002 model year bracket. You can get a very nice one for less than your budget. 4-cy, all wheel drive.

Downsides: rear seats fold down, but not flush with the cargo area. However, foam mattresses as mentioned above can offset that.
other downside: you can pretty much see inside the whole thing from outside the car. If you tint the windows and/or install the curtains as suggested in another post, that will help out.

See the upside, and always wear your parachute! -- Christopher Titus

Shut Up & Jump!

[1969912 0]

Quote

Quote

Most the panel vans I have seen have big v8s in them - can you suggest any panel vans with 6 or 4 cyclinder engines (99% of vans back home, and here in Korea, are only 4s).

The only one like that I know in the USA is the Ford Transit Connect with a 2.0L I4, but I am not sure if it has not been around here long enough to build a cheap used market. Cute little van though.

http://www.ford.com/trucks/transitconnect/models/

Yeah, I've seen a couple of those around town. Looks like a pretty good camper conversion candidate.

"Once we got to the point where twenty/something's needed a place on the corner that changed the oil in their cars we were doomed . . ."
-NickDG

[kawisixer01 0]

Quote

I love European cars, but for your purposes, they might not be the best choice. Any small Japanese car or a Ford would be good.

lol most ford cars ARE european or asian cars now.

[dirtbox 0]

@ Oldwomanc6

Buying a car after landing - been dating a girl from Dallas for ~15 months (we were both teachers in Korea, she left a few months ago) so I can lay low and spend a week or two finding a car. Met a bunch of Americans and Cunucks while living in Korea and when I lived on international campus at uni. Going to pick up a car and jump till early November before heading to Canada to work a ski season as a lifty (as an Australian who grew up on the beaches snow is a novelty still) before returning to the US and jumping through till ~August again. Well thats roughly the plan google map of plans

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=211720272494411851028.0004a6b0c4d228bbf9c6b&msa=0

The Honda CRV looks cool (friend had one back home). That Toyota van suggested before is a Tarago in Aus (I owned its' smaller brother the Spacia before leaving Aus - was a good little van). The cars all have different names in America and it is confusing as hell.

Thanks for the link to the autotrader site - had has been good to guage the market. Any other advice - first time buying a car on my own :S

Dave

comming to a dropzone near you in 11 days

[LongWayToFall 0]

VW makes a hatch back version of the Jetta, not sure on the name. Any of the newer VW diesels are going to get amazing mileage...

[sinjin 0]

i think getting locked into a make or model is not the best way to do it. I would do searches on craigslist or autotrader by your price range. get the best deal you can. meaning the lowest mileage, best condition vehicle you can get for the dollars. locking yourself into a brand or model is not the best option in my opinion. i buy most of my cars/motorcycles this way.. i will do a quick search for you in the dallas area and give you my opinions.

http://dallas.craigslist.org/ndf/cto/2533555763.html

here is the kind of thing you are looking for. under 100k miles.. no salvage title.(stay away from salvage title for resale purposes) also check kelly blue book for value.. i would google online for buying a used car private sale and get a checklist of stuff to look for.

might be worth your time when u get close to buying, to find a local garage to check the car over for 50 or 100 bucks. will save you big money in the long run if you dont know much about cars. if you need more help, pm. glad to help.

dont let life pass you by

[dirtbox 0]

Yeh I am just looking for an idea of what is seen as 'good' vehicle for my purpose in the USA.

Neeeds/wants
Budget up to $6G I am happy with - happy to spend less if something practical as available.
fuel efficient (nothing bigger than a 6cyclinder - as best as possible/within the budget)
potential to sleep in it but not that important.
Reliable (no known fualts like the transmissions on the Volvo V70's ... shame, they are a nice car)
Something with easy to source/cheap parts (if I do have a problem)
Something with easy to source/cheap parts (if I do have a problem)
Well I am just planning for a max of two passengers - usually just one.
Don't care if it is diesel or gas (petrol to us funny speaking southern hemisphere people)
Don't care for colour ... pink might be an issue though.
Body shape, after looking at what has been said here prob a station wagon or a hatch.

I dont really own much - a rig, one big duffel bag, some camping/cli,bing gear and a road bike (cycling). I might take it up to Canada when I head up (nervous about driving in snow).


I had a good look through autotrader before but the American vehicle names take me a while to 'workout' so it would be cool to hear a more educated opinion.
If you ever seen an young Aussie living out the back of a car come and say hi

Cheers

Dave

[sinjin 0]

i again would go for the newest in year along with the lowest in mileage efficient vehicle you can get for your $$. you want to make it a year without big expenses. do a search for 4500 to 6000ish and find the best deal. if you email me 5 or so of ones you think are good, i will try to help ya find the best ones.

dont let life pass you by

[NewGuy2005 53]

Quote

Quote

I love European cars, but for your purposes, they might not be the best choice. Any small Japanese car or a Ford would be good.

lol most ford cars ARE european or asian cars now.

You're right. The cool little delivery van, the Transit Connect, is made in Turkey. I think the Fiesta is made in Mexico.

Ford makes good cars, none the less.

[LongWayToFall 0]

Man, I am the complete opposite. I do tons of research on a specific car, after deciding on it. If my research turns up things I don't like, then I move on. For cars, I usually formulate a list of engines I like the most, and choose a car which has one... Bikes, it is similar. I'll choose some criteria I want, for instance naked, v twin, etc etc. After that, I'll research the options I have, and choose from there. Buying a vehicle you don't know shit about beforehand isn't smart, and no way can you learn enough about a vehicle in the 1-2 days you have from seeing an add to buying...

[davelepka 4]

Just check autotrader and craigslist when you get here. Good used cars tend to sell quick, so all that matters is what's available when you get here.

Go for petrol for sure, diesel is not as common in the US. It's available everywhere for the trucks, but as far as finding a mechanic if you need one, it's more of a challenge if you're broken down on the side of the road.

Hondas and Toyotas are known for reliability in the US, so higher milage isn't as much of a concern. Over 100k isn't always a bad thing. Keep in mind that if you're looking for a car to travel around the US for 6 months, you're only going to be putting 10k miles on it as most, so you don't need to worry about long term maintenance.

Any car that you look at that passes your personal inspection and test drive MUST be taken to a mechanic for an inspection before you buy. The easiest way to do this is to locate the nearest dealer for that brand, and go there. They know the cars well, and it's generally under $100 for a used car inspection.

Keep in mind that every used car purchase in the US is 'as-is', meaning there's no warranty of any kind. The car can fall apart 5 minutes after you buy it, and you cannot go back to the seller for anything. This is why the inspection is so important. (Some used car dealers will offer a warranty with a purchase, however, the service usually needs to be at their location, so if you're going to travel, the warranty is useless to you).

The last thing to consider is registration and titling. I'm not sure how it works with visiting foreigners, but you'll need to title and register the car to someone. They might have a way for you to do it in your name, or they might require a permanent address, so maybe using your girlfriends name is as easier way. Maybe contact Aggiedave on this site with questions about Texas title and registration questions because he's a cop in Texas and should know the rules inside and out.