Reliable car under $2k

[orkan]

Hi there! =)
I'm looking for a new car... As much as I read - most recomend Honda as most reliable.
First test on car would be trip from Orlando, fl to Chicago, IL (1200 miles)... (lol, I'm crazy %)... well, not the first, but it'll be in a week after purchase.
So first requirement is that car must make this =)
Second - it should be high mpg.
Third - cheap/easy on repair, so that I can repair it myself =)
I've checked reliability ratings on autos.msn.com... Civic is more reliable than Accord... Can I trust those ratings? anyways 100k miles Accord would be much more reliable than 170K Civic... =))

Actually... what I wanted to ask - is mileage... As I understand, it's much better indicator than age.... Would you recomend to buy car that has over 100k miles? 150k miles? 200k miles? How much engine/tranny usually run on these?

Or may be you recomend other makes?

Thanx for help.

[gigglesnirt]

well yea honda accord or honda civic, but i have seen that many of the older ones, like in the late 80's have clutch problems, fords dont show it today, but back in the 70's and 80's they were very reliable, i have a 83 4 door pickup that has about 350k miles on it, and has no major repairs at all, it does burn oil, but at that age what car wouldn't?

[orkan]

I'm oriented on not older than '90...
But mileage... Where is the border when reliability becomes very questionable?

[MKIII87Turbo]

Toyotas are good for high milage. I had a 82 pickup with 230K on it when I sold it with the original engine. With any car if its not taken care of it could be crap with 50K on it. Also get a stick, automatics tend to go between 100-150K on them. Hondas are a good car also.

[illegal_eagle187]

$2,000 and reliable dont usually go in the same sentence.....but if anything find a civic and make sure its been taken care of and that should be your best bet

[orkan]

How do I make sure it was taken care of?
What to check? Pay attention to?

[illegal_eagle187]

the engine compartment, always check the oil, and take it for a test drive and listen to how it runs, and run a carfax

[gigglesnirt]

basic things that you owuld tihnk a car should not do, sounds vauge, but when you feel, or hear them you'll know, also i guess it would depend on your area, but good luck finding a car for 2000 that is 1990 and older.

[orkan]

No, I don't trust my feelings anymore after buying `92 chevy lumina with over 220K on it, + with non-working odometer =) And a bunch of other problems I experienced very next day =)

[illegal_eagle187]

well lumina's are pieces of shit anyways, especially with 220k miles

[orkan]

He-he... I don't know why I was so stupid when I bought it... 220k miles!!! oh my gosh! I trusted the owner when she told that she owned car for 2 yrs, and that she's second owner... VIN check showed only 8 months and total of 6 owners, and travel all over US =) (damn, I didn't know about carfax month ago!)
Anyways, it was probably cheep lesson for me =) Only some $900, but now I know that lumina is piece of crap, and that there is carfax, and that there is repair manuals (with them it's 3 times cheaper to do repairs), and that you shouldn't trust anyone (me stuppid!), and many more things =))) for just 900 bucks! =)) he-he...

[orkan]

Hm... I had offer... Chevy Beretta.... 86K miles. No more details, and didn't take a look at it yet.
What can you say? What to pay attention to for this vehicle?
Thanks!

[illegal_eagle187]

everything

[orkan]

he-he =))
How's that car reliability?
Should I consider it for 1200 miles test?

[orkan]

more info...
`89 year... 4 cylinders... automatic tranny...
Didn't test it yet. Will on tuesday...
Any suggestions? May be I shouldn't waste time on that at all?