Time for a car

Ok, i just graduated high school and got a job. Ive been driving around my moms SUV through school, but its about time for me to start being more independant. I need a car that will fit a couple people, but still get good gas milease. I dont want a honda, because ill end up modifying it and racing it. I want something slow and crappy, but works, gets good gas mileage, is affordable (a few thousand dollars) and has an automatic transmission (to further prevent temptation) and can fit crap (people or stuff) in it.

What do you guys suggest? I dont want to have a payment, because i want to save money through school. I have a scholarship, so pretty much any money i get ill spend on entertainment, food, and car stuff (insurance, gas, stuff like that)

Please give me some advice!

thanks.

Ok, i just graduated high school and got a job. Ive been driving around my moms SUV through school, but its about time for me to start being more independant. I need a car that will fit a couple people, but still get good gas milease. I dont want a honda, because ill end up modifying it and racing it. I want something slow and crappy, but works, gets good gas mileage, is affordable (a few thousand dollars) and has an automatic transmission (to further prevent temptation) and can fit crap (people or stuff) in it.
What do you guys suggest? I dont want to have a payment, because i want to save money through school. I have a scholarship, so pretty much any money i get ill spend on entertainment, food, and car stuff (insurance, gas, stuff like that)

Please give me some advice!

thanks.

Honda, that was easy.

seriously though, who told you hondas were fast? smack them. They can be made fast but there's a difference of opinions. Why don't you want a fast car so badly?

well i love hondas, so i know if i get one, ill do some of this, some of that, and before i know it, ill have all kinds of money dumped into it. So i want to get something that will be nearly impossible for me to modify (focus sedan?) just to keep the temptaion away. I know most hondas arent fast stock (s2k and nsx aside).

well i love hondas, so i know if i get one, ill do some of this, some of that, and before i know it, ill have all kinds of money dumped into it. So i want to get something that will be nearly impossible for me to modify (focus sedan?) just to keep the temptaion away. I know most hondas arent fast stock (s2k and nsx aside).

I hear Focuses are unreliable. If you buy a honda, you don't have to fix it up, contrary to disbelief. The question is, do you want to fix up a car no matter what?

So, basically you want a beater.


I second Honda.
or a Toyota

They were pretty much invented to get from A to B in the most efficient way possible;

Cheap and reliable; something only a soul-less person would buy :).

I think you should get a Honda, or at least something popular so you can find replacement parts. You dont have to upgrade the car. As was already mentioned, the lower price Hondas (Civic, CRX etc) were designed mainly as A to B cars. My Civic is awesome on gas, reliable, drives well, comfortable. Its my choice to upgrade it. I learn along the way, so that when I have a serious sports car, I will have a better idea of what I would like to modify. I think an ideal car is a Subaru WRX wagon. AWD, storage, some speed and handling ability, off road ability. Its a good mix.

So, basically you want a beater.


I second Honda.
or a Toyota

They were pretty much invented to get from A to B in the most efficient way possible;

Cheap and reliable; something only a soul-less person would buy :).

Or a newbie. My first car was a CRX 1.5L. Very reliable, except the automatic transmission lost a gear.

I think you should get a Honda, or at least something popular so you can find replacement parts. You dont have to upgrade the car. As was already mentioned, the lower price Hondas (Civic, CRX etc) were designed mainly as A to B cars. My Civic is awesome on gas, reliable, drives well, comfortable. Its my choice to upgrade it. I learn along the way, so that when I have a serious sports car, I will have a better idea of what I would like to modify. I think an ideal car is a Subaru WRX wagon. AWD, storage, some speed and handling ability, off road ability. Its a good mix.

If he's going for something for cheap, he could get an early 90s subaru right?

Learn some self-discipline and get a used Civic or Corolla, they're the best cars for the job.

I hear Focuses are unreliable.

Yes and no.

I know a guy who worked at Avis as a mechanic, so he got a pretty good spread of all the run of the mill cars. They didn't have too many problems with the later model Focuses they had but he said they had a quite a few TSBs about problems on the first year or two they were made. They are one of the best selling cars on the planet right now and have been for the past few years so apparently they got most of it worked out.

everyone's made some good points. there's no rule saying that you have to modify the car only coz it's a honda, or any car make for that matter. in fact, do honda a favor and don't modify it. stop the madness. ;) use it for what it's built for - reliable and sensible transportation.

Ok, i think if i can save up some money, id like to get a 01-05 civic sedan, 5 speed. Most of them around here cost ~7k, but ive driven a few of them and they're pretty good cars for the money. They also get like 35+ mpg

so i dunno, i have time to hink about it hough.

thanks for the input so far!

Get a tyota corolla. #1 selling car of all time. Get a standard. An old one, a 1.6. U can flog the sh*t outta it without the pigs noticing. Or get an old Citroen or something that's unique so your old high school palls will think you're cool er something. Or Subaru Justy.
WTF!! cars are made to beat the sh*t out of them! Exept american ones!!!!!!

Get a tyota corolla. #1 selling car of all time. Get a standard. An old one, a 1.6. U can flog the sh*t outta it without the pigs noticing. Or get an old Citroen or something that's unique so your old high school palls will think you're cool er something. Or Subaru Justy.
WTF!! cars are made to beat the sh*t out of them! Exept american ones!!!!!!

I thought the camry was the number one selling car...Toyota's messing with my head again.

Well, the Corolla has been around since the 1960s, whereas the Camry has only been around since the 1980s, so I'd say the Corolla has sold more overall than the Camry has. Whether it's really the best-selling car of all time, I don't know, but it wouldn't surprise me.

not much for me to say except..
civic sedan?
don't do it!

and really, i don't see much point in not getting an EP these days unless you prefer the look of the EK.
As a car, the EP is much better made than the older car and being newer, you'd fine them in better condition too, especially seeing as how the EK has also been adopted into mod heaven/hell; you're not likely to find a good unmolested one.

as a bonus, the EP also has a proper multi-link rear suspension.

i'm not a fan of the corollas.
in the few that i've sat in and the one that i had a drive in, it felt a bit soft and this is coming from a yaris driver. in fairness though, the car as awhole did feel incredibly solid, more so than say a focus but it just felt heavy and unwilling compared to the focus again.

My choices,for similar size/price/performance, would be focus or civic.

I agree with the newer Civic. I just think its a great choice for a commuter/economy car. Its been proven over and over. I would go for a two door, but the insurance might be a little higher. 5spd definetly. Much more fun to drive, and keeps you alert.