The Dude Posted November 20, 2016 Share Posted November 20, 2016 Want to see what the opinions of the knowledgeable are. I am looking for a commuter, I like the thought of 35-45 mpg with some of the Volkswagens. Plus I have heard that they are reliable as long as regular maintance has occurred. Found some locally on CL for $2000-$2500. But then came across an Audi A4 with an overhauled engine. Haven't contacted the seller, figured main thing would be to find out who overhauled it and ask for documentation he does have photos of the overhaul happening, but no way of knowing if that is the engine in this car. At this point, anything has to be better than an 01 Jeep Cherokee. https://omaha.craigslist.org/cto/5884282563.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richieb Posted November 20, 2016 Share Posted November 20, 2016 Unless you are stuck on a German machine I'd shy from both for reliability and maintenance costs. Although the V-dub is made in Mexico I believe. For a commuter it's hard to beat one the Japanese brands. Although many of those are built right here in the USA. While I owned an Audi S4 and had no issues I got rid of it before I did. The engine was one of the sweetest V-8's you can imagine but also one of the most complicated built. German engineering and complexity at its finest. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dude Posted November 20, 2016 Author Share Posted November 20, 2016 Unless you are stuck on a German machine I'd shy from both for reliability and maintenance costs. Although the V-dub is made in Mexico I believe. For a commuter it's hard to beat one the Japanese brands. Although many of those are built right here in the USA. While I owned an Audi S4 and had no issues I got rid of it before I did. The engine was one of the sweetest V-8's you can imagine but also one of the most complicated built. German engineering and complexity at its finest. Hondas and Toyotas are not off the table. But for the age and price range, i haven't found anything that isnt a turd (haven't looked real hard either). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wvu80 Posted November 20, 2016 Share Posted November 20, 2016 5 minutes ago, The Dude said: Hondas and Toyotas are not off the table. But for the age and price range, i haven't found anything that isnt a turd (haven't looked real hard either). For a used commuter I would recommend a Toyota or a Honda. Remember that when you buy a used vehicle you are buying unused miles. Hondas can get up to 250,000 miles, parts are cheap and readily available, and even though they are expensive to buy on the used market, the resale value is high as well. I had a Civic bought for 5K, my son ran the crap out of it, beat the crap out of it, and after 5 years we sold it for $2,000. Can't beat that. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dude Posted November 20, 2016 Author Share Posted November 20, 2016 The tdi diesel is what drew me towards the German cars, along with friends that have 200,000-400,000 miles on their Beatles and jettas. I do know some older German made cars are getting hard to find parts for. But my friends still swear by them. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wvu80 Posted November 20, 2016 Share Posted November 20, 2016 Be sure to consult sites like kbb.com and carcomplaints.com. Even though I like Honda there are some years, and some model years to stay away from. Same with the Toyota's. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Matthews Posted November 20, 2016 Share Posted November 20, 2016 My friend had a VW Jetta. He didn't keep it long. It was around $600 just to replace the spark plugs. Something is really goofy about that. Love my Hyundai. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dude Posted November 20, 2016 Author Share Posted November 20, 2016 My friend had a VW Jetta. He didn't keep it long. It was around $600 just to replace the spark plugs. Something is really goofy about that. Love my Hyundai.If I did do a volkswagen, it would be diesel not a gaser. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tnycman Posted November 20, 2016 Share Posted November 20, 2016 Want to see what the opinions of the knowledgeable are. I am looking for a commuter, I like the thought of 35-45 mpg with some of the Volkswagens. Plus I have heard that they are reliable as long as regular maintance has occurred. Found some locally on CL for $2000-$2500. But then came across an Audi A4 with an overhauled engine. Haven't contacted the seller, figured main thing would be to find out who overhauled it and ask for documentation he does have photos of the overhaul happening, but no way of knowing if that is the engine in this car. At this point, anything has to be better than an 01 Jeep Cherokee. https://omaha.craigslist.org/cto/5884282563.html European cars are great, but once they start giving issues, you better throw that thing over a cliff.. i had a bad experience with Jetas, no experience with Audi, love the bimmers Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wvu80 Posted November 20, 2016 Share Posted November 20, 2016 2 hours ago, Jeff Matthews said: My friend had a VW Jetta. He didn't keep it long. It was around $600 just to replace the spark plugs. Something is really goofy about that. I had a nice car, a Nissan Altima. You can NOT keep the check engine lights off for long, it was always something with that car. The Altima had some goofy fuel injectors that went continuously bad, it was always recommended you replace them as a 6-pack. $600 every time just to keep the check engine lights off. Sold the Altima, went to a Toyota Rav4. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MORE KLIPSCH PLEASE Posted November 20, 2016 Share Posted November 20, 2016 So Nick here is my 2 cents into the mix..... if your in the $2500 range then most likely no matter what make your looking at it's going to be a bit older and have some miles on it. I tell all my customers that a car is nothing more than a machine.....the older and the more miles on it the more it's going to cost to keep it going. That's just a simple fact no matter what make it is. At the shop it's nothing for me to work on Honda's with well over 200k. The Accord has stood the test of time.... imho it's one of the best Honda has put out.....but you also got the Civics and the Acura Integra.... I'm gonna list a few that I think you need to look out for.... Accords: 86-89....these models are getting old, on the east coast they are about dried up. but these were some of the 1st Honda's that us Honda guys started see getting crazy mileage on them. These models were the last with a cast iron block and aluminum heads. Great in there day but like I said there old....and unless you find one from a older person that got it new and drove it to church and the store on Sunday, pass on it. and if you do find one of these make sure it's a fuel injected one. LXi model....pass on the LX and DX Accord: 90-93..... great old cars...but again there getting old....Honda put a bunch of these out. Really good design...... imho these are easy to work on and parts are everywhere. Transmissions will let loose before the engine gives up. Timing belts every 100k. Front brake rotors are a PIA to replace it's a trapped rotor design. Accord: 94-97...... again a really good design...just about the same drive train as the 90-93 Accords. These models also started with the 4 cylinder V-tech engines....good engines... Still have the same trapped front rotor set-up. These years were also offered with the 2.7 V-6. I don't like the V-6 ones. Just more crapp stuffed in the engine bay... Over all just a really well built car. Accord: 98-02..... Good cars... but this was the start of Honda going through changes on how there cars were put together. You can start to see some GM engineering in the subframes of the cars. In some ways it made them easier to work on...... again the 4 cylinders very similar to earlier models. Started to see some oil consumpsion issues on some of these. Accord: 03-07 This will be the 1st model that I'll say 4 or 6 cylinder. Both good engines. The 4 cylinders will now be a timimg chain set-up. This is basicly the same engine that's used in the CRV's Acura TSX and RSX... not to many problems with these.... I've seen a few of the chains have stretched....do to lack of oil changes. The 6 cylinders are good engines and the transmission are better than earlier 00, 01's and 02's ones. but the trans is still a weak link. Civic's.....there's a chitt load out there....I'm just gonna throw some stuff out there... Stay away fom the old 1.5L 4speed most of these turds have dried up and rotted away.... 96-00 1.6L .... good engines and transmissions both auto and 5 speed. My youngest daughter has a 00 Civic with 330k on it....original eng and trans....that car even amazes me. I started working on that car when it had around 75k on it. My customers sold it to me for500 in shop credit.....it had 307k on it when my daughter got it. Civic: 01-04..... good cars, but have seen a few head gasket failing on these. Civic: 05- + ..... I don't really care for this model but I've seen so many get crazy milage on them. These are all timing chain engines.... Well I've dumped a good bit out here....If you are looking at a Honda or Acura just shoot me a pm and I'll give ya my 2 cents. I'll leave you with my thoughts on the VW's and for the most part all the European cars. They don't come in my shop!! I dislike the engineering of them and most of my shop owner friends feel the same way. Also they seem to suffer with strange electrical gremlims. But on the other hand I know people that love em... MKP :-) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wvu80 Posted November 20, 2016 Share Posted November 20, 2016 Great post, MKP. You sound like my mechanic Ron, aka the Honda Man. He has taken care of the many Hondas in my family for over 30 years. He talks a lot like you, including doing preventative maintenance on the timing chain (belt?). We have a great working relationship built on trust. I tell him my philosophy on new vs used parts, if he finds something that needs fixing, fix it, and he's never let me down. I never discuss price, he takes care of things and I pay him what he asks. He is always more than fair. I'll be real unhappy when Ron the Honda Guy retires. They just don't make them like that anymore. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtimer Posted November 21, 2016 Share Posted November 21, 2016 My dad once told me that any car will last forever---if you just keep fixing it. It's funny but it's true. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2K Posted November 21, 2016 Share Posted November 21, 2016 I checked the air in my tires today and found 2 specs of dirt on the Buick so I added air and knocked off the dirt. I couldn't remember the last time I cranked it so I cranked her up and put a few miles on the odometer. Back in the garage I noticed the odometer was up to 8,414 miles. Pretty high for 5 years this month. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtimer Posted November 21, 2016 Share Posted November 21, 2016 Maybe if you got something besides a buick you would drive more? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MORE KLIPSCH PLEASE Posted November 21, 2016 Share Posted November 21, 2016 1 hour ago, wvu80 said: Great post, MKP. You sound like my mechanic Ron, aka the Honda Man. He has taken care of the many Hondas in my family for over 30 years. He talks a lot like you, including doing preventative maintenance on the timing chain (belt?). We have a great working relationship built on trust. I tell him my philosophy on new vs used parts, if he finds something that needs fixing, fix it, and he's never let me down. I never discuss price, he takes care of things and I pay him what he asks. He is always more than fair. I'll be real unhappy when Ron the Honda Guy retires. They just don't make them like that anymore. Thanks Dave.... imho I think it's importat to find a shop that specializes in the make of car you own......and to find someone that won't B.S. you..... There are a lot of thinks I know and a lot I don't..... I had a tow in a few weeks ago from another shop. The shop is a good shop but does mostly European cars....They had the car for two days and through the towl in.....I had it figured out and running/fixed in less than a hour...... was a loose/bad ground, I just knew where to look. I have few customers that do alot of there own work.....I'll give them pointers and sell some parts and for the big jobs they can't handle we'll work out a "cash" price. This cash helps my audio addiction......... MKP :-) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2K Posted November 21, 2016 Share Posted November 21, 2016 2 hours ago, oldtimer said: Maybe if you got something besides a buick you would drive more? I've got an economy vehicle that gets worse gas mileage and rides like a wagon. I drive the Buick on 3 or 4 trips a year, otherwise I'm afraid to drive too much because of all the drivers out there that are high on marijuana. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mungkiman Posted November 21, 2016 Share Posted November 21, 2016 7 minutes ago, T2K said: I'm afraid to drive too much because of all the drivers out there that are high on marijuana. The drivers that insist on driving the speed limit, and giving you the right of way? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted November 21, 2016 Share Posted November 21, 2016 VW Passats and the new Atlas are built in Chattanooga. I would still be more inclined to get a Japanese design, but stll made here... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dude Posted November 21, 2016 Author Share Posted November 21, 2016 15 hours ago, MORE KLIPSCH PLEASE said: Accord: 98-02..... Good cars... but this was the start of Honda going through changes on how there cars were put together. You can start to see some GM engineering in the subframes of the cars. In some ways it made them easier to work on...... again the 4 cylinders very similar to earlier models. Started to see some oil consumpsion issues on some of these. Accord: 03-07 This will be the 1st model that I'll say 4 or 6 cylinder. Both good engines. The 4 cylinders will now be a timimg chain set-up. Got them on my radar, thanks for the great tips. Until she seen this post, my wife had a hard time believing I look for advice for other things on this forum. There was a recall or TSB on Volkswagens and Audis in the early 2000's. Something to do with the suspension. The local dealership couldn't keep up with the volume when it came to aligning them after the repair. I had the opportunity to align most of them. My favorite was the Audi TT, which was the first turbo charged car I had driven. Since then I always wanted one, figured an A4 would be the closest I would get. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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