New car input

Ralph

Ralph

NAXJA Member #149
Location
Lubbock, Texas
My daughter is on the market for a car. She needs a small car, that is affordable to buy and operate and one that is extremely reliable yet cute. She will be going away to college next Fall and will not have dad around to tinker on her car for her. She likes the Volkwagen Jetta and New Beetle. I've heard that their reliability is iffy. Do any of you have any knowledge that would help me with regard to these cars? Any thoughts on other cars that we should consider?

Thanks
 
My neighbot across the street is a 'sports car' type, audi's, jettas, hondas and the latest is the mitsubishi equivilent of the eagle talon. They seem to break alot, are a PIA to work on and the parts are expensive. If you start looking and have cash in hand look for a 97/98 TJ, we just picked up two of them, both cherry, one was $4999 the other was $3700. Easy to work on with the 2.5L, both get about 20 hiway and run all week on a tank of gas. Mods are MUCH cheaper than the XJ's are and TJ's are the 'hot one' for students now. Plus I trust them more for my kids safety, more so once those warn bumpers get here :D after seeing how the YJ held up after being almost head on with another car.
 
We have owned several Jetta's over the years. And a friend had a Beattle b4 he got a TJ. The parts for these cars are pricey. The person working on them is even more so! The Beattle was in the shop a lot but he bought it used with low miles. I had a 97 TJ with the 2.5L and wish I would have never gotten rid of it! 14MPG around town and 17+ on the highway when it was new. Of course I was runnig 70 too! Honda's are the same way with parts. Very $$$$ by the way. JMHO!
 
I'm a big fan of VW and have owned a water cooled VW of some sort since 1986 or so. Saying that, I don't know if I would send my daughters off very far in a used VW unless it was a newer TDI.
If reliability is more of a concern, which I think it should be if she is going off to college, I would try and talk her in to something rock solid like a Toyota Corrolla or a Honda Civic. The VW's are "chic" for sure but I don't want to be spending my time flying out to her college every month to keep it running for her.
Let us know what you decide on. And if you decide on a VW, I know some support groups you can turn to for help. :laugh:
 
Ghost said:
We have owned several Jetta's over the years. And a friend had a Beattle b4 he got a TJ. The parts for these cars are pricey. The person working on them is even more so! The Beattle was in the shop a lot but he bought it used with low miles. I had a 97 TJ with the 2.5L and wish I would have never gotten rid of it! 14MPG around town and 17+ on the highway when it was new. Of course I was runnig 70 too! Honda's are the same way with parts. Very $$$$ by the way. JMHO!
Click to expand...
that's mpg I get on my 4.0 before I added a rack and went up another inch.... so for a 2.5 it seems kind of poor!!
 
if you want reliability good torque good gasmilage and something that will hold up in an accident you should look at a plymouth Acclaim or a chrysler of that line. I drove one for 3years before I got my jeep and it gets around 25mpg average, is pretty fast if you get the 3l v6 and they are cheap too. Parts are cheap too, and much easier to fix than your average foriegn car. Although...definately not cute, I've been told they look like "grandma cars" but hey I got hit by an old lady in a civic when she ran a red light and I was doing 35 and the car and myself came out fine, I can't the same for the front end of the civic though.
 
While the XJ has the windtunnel characteristics of a brick the TJ's have the characteristics of a barn, end on, with that big flat honken windshield.
It's always interesting when I head up to tobyhanna army depot for a class 6 run and hit the plateau on Rt81, good for a gear drop to 4th when theres a good northern wind blowing...

Kejtar said:
that's mpg I get on my 4.0 before I added a rack and went up another inch.... so for a 2.5 it seems kind of poor!!
Click to expand...
 
For driving around town and picking up Cheerleaders at the local Hi-School, I LOVE my 98' TJ. I was lucky to find a Sahara edition in Girl Scout green and it is TOTALLY CUTE! Your daughter will just love it the first time see goes topless in it, trust me! :woohoo:
 
Erik said:
For driving around town and picking up Cheerleaders at the local Hi-School, I LOVE my 98' TJ. I was lucky to find a Sahara edition in Girl Scout green and it is TOTALLY CUTE! Your daughter will just love it the first time see goes topless in it, trust me! :woohoo:
Click to expand...
I think you just killed any chance of her getting a TJ as I have a feeling Ralph would have something against her going topless in it :D
 
I second the Honda Civic. Those are the most reliable little cars I've ever seen. Although, the TJ is a lot cooler, but it sounds like you will be footing the repair bills so I'd go with the Honda.
 
i have been hearing a lot of good things about the ford focus if your looking for domestic makes. the first year they had electrical problems but apparently they have been fixed now.

i would shy away from vw. i have a few friends who have/had newer jettas and everything seems to fall apart on them in a couple of years, but the motor keeps running (ie: headaches-electrical problems, and interior falling to pieces)

if you want reliability your best bet is to go japanese. look at the normal stuff civics, accords, altimas, sentras, carolla, camry, matrix (even comes in awd, or with a 6speed manual).

if you want a jap car in a different package check out the subaru, they are just as reliable.

i dont see where anyone mentioned, your gonna save a pile of cash gettin a car thats not brand spanking new.

Hunter
 
You'll not go wrong with a Honda Civic and they are available in different packages so you can find a balance between power and mileage. I'd buy another Honda in a heartbeat.......in fact, I just might get a sporty Civic to commute in and turn the Accord over to my wife.
dig my 98 VTEC V-6 Accord and my wife's 89 Civic ran like a top for 130k miles, we sold it and the new owner put another 80k miles on it with no problems yet. I have 103k on my Accord and it still runs like it did when I bought it used with 30k miles.
 
Erik said:
For driving around town and picking up Cheerleaders at the local Hi-School, I LOVE my 98' TJ. I was lucky to find a Sahara edition in Girl Scout green and it is TOTALLY CUTE! Your daughter will just love it the first time see goes topless in it, trust me! :woohoo:
Click to expand...


another vote for Honda or Toyota for cheap, cute is not option, I say it is her first car, it is gonna get beat, unless she is the type to really take care of it like washing it every once in a while and can do her own oil changes... if she wants "cute" let her pay for it. C'mon, every girl wants a "cute" car, I'd rather have a safe and reliable car for her to drive. Than a cute car that is trouble to take care of or expensive to maintain, being "cute" for a car doesn't cut it, that gets old real quick. Than... she has a car that looks good, but lots of problems, doesn't seem cute anymore, now does it? I am not saying to get a car that has been beaten half to death or a mechanic's DD (those things are just mechanically sound, but usually looks like hell) and for her to be embarassed to be in it, just a plain vanilla looking car will do just fine. I didn't buy my Cherokee or any of my trucks I have driven and or owned for cuteness or for looks, just need it as a reliable daily driver and for utility like hauling groceries, cargo, moving, etc. I guess I am a practical guy. Just make sure she wears a seat belt at all times... ESPECIALLY any convertables, ragtops, and especially topless Jeeps! Just my two cents. :viking:
 
Last edited:
Kejtar said:
that's mpg I get on my 4.0 before I added a rack and went up another inch.... so for a 2.5 it seems kind of poor!!
Click to expand...

Well the 97 was an auto, I forgot to mention that part, and I have a very heavy foot! And the 4 speed auto did not hit the TJ till last year and only in the Rubi. This year though it is a 4 speed auto in them all! Rich is right on one thing, that front windshield is like a huge air brake!
 
Hunter-Lynchburg said:
oh yeah. cars get beat up in college parking lots (dents, dings, drunks, dumbasses who cant drive, etc..), another reason to not buy a new one.


Hunter
Click to expand...

That is very true. I love my XJ and it looked great when I bought it, but parking in the parking garages at school it is getting beat up pretty good. I get upset everytime I clean it up because I find a new ding on it from some inconsiderate dumbass. :bawl:
 
Atl XJ said:
That is very true. I love my XJ and it looked great when I bought it, but parking in the parking garages at school it is getting beat up pretty good. I get upset everytime I clean it up because I find a new ding on it from some inconsiderate dumbass. :bawl:
Click to expand...
We bought our daughter a used Saturn SL2 with 80k miles on it for her first car. Plastic body panels were great. IIRC, she put about 55k on it, still ran and drove like new. I've heard the non 16valve engines were not as reliable, though. Now she bought an '03 Altima that she really loves. I don't know, but I think that considered one of the "cute" cars, too. My only other experience with Japanese cars was the Accord that two of my brothers put over 300k on with only minor repairs, but major rust.
 
Atl XJ said:
I love my XJ and it looked great when I bought it, but parking in the parking garages at school it is getting beat up pretty good. I get upset everytime I clean it up because I find a new ding on it from some inconsiderate dumbass. :bawl:
Click to expand...
Two possible solutions for ya:
1) Quit cleaning it up...the dents are harder to find that way, and the dirt actually cushions the impact.
2) Step-Rails. 2x2 steel wins everytime vs car doors... :laugh2:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

bradleyheathhays
No start on the old 96er, with clues
Replies
4
Views
728
Tim_MN
Tim_MN
P
1999 XJ is getting the best of me. No Start.
Replies
13
Views
566
Anak
Anak
W
Cranks, has spark, fuel pressure, voltage to injectors..
Replies
8
Views
518
Anak
Anak
bradleyheathhays
New smoke from the tail pipe
Replies
2
Views
1K
cruiser54
C
B
First misfire now no start.
Replies
7
Views
2K
old_man
old_man
Back
Top