Nissan Sentra
But i'd be looking for a Camry, Celica, or Paseo.
They can all be made to handle well, they can be found in your price range, and they'll get good gas mileage.
Nissan Sentra
But i'd be looking for a Camry, Celica, or Paseo.
They can all be made to handle well, they can be found in your price range, and they'll get good gas mileage.
or a Mazda Protege. My '94 has 260k+ miles on the chassis and is an excellent small sedan. 34ish mpg average, too.
Chevy Cadavalier
You never listed "performance" as an option, I assumed you wanted a relatively reliable appliance that you would not feel upset about if the frat boys acidentally flipped it over.
Yes I wanted a 1989 Firebird Formula 350 when I started college, but I drove the Chevette to school because I was smarter than the curve.
A Cavalier would be a completely useless wasted piece of E36 M3 when you are done but you will get your moneys worth and there is NOTHING on them that is expensive.
BMW E30 325e 4door...
mine is an 86 and a auto trans, but i got it for $600 ive seen stick cars going around that price
old civic wagon AWD.
Toyota Camry FTW! If you CAN find one with a five speed, get it. I've only ever seen one. (I've seen more exotics than I have Camrys with manual transmissions.) The cabin of a Camry is just a pleasant place to be when you're driving. Not too exciting - just pleasant.
'95-'98 Tercel.
Deadset reliable, 2000lbs., 45mpg highway. Might be a bit tough to shoehorn a few baby seats into the back, though.
<---honda fanboi says: Civic. Good gas mileage, dead reliable. Just stay away from the "dual-point" TBI motors. I'm a little leary of the 97-02 Toyotas, as I've had 2 friends that had to replace the motor ~100k miles. Toyota folks might be able to tell you more about this.
http://www.corolland.com/sludge.html
I agree above. When it comes to beaters it is often not that you choose the make/model but rather you choose from what is available. A beaten and unloved Civic is not a better deal than a well maintained "less deireable" make/model.
From past experiences, body damage can really help drive down the price. Ugly is cheap!
Hmmm...
Protege is the best option in "small Japanese car" at that price range for sure.
I'd also look at it's domestic twin, the Ford Escort, especially a GT model. Escort's are a hoot and a half on the cheap.
If larger is OK with you I'd look at a clean civvie Crown Vic or Grand Marquis. Talking like 92ish to 97. 4.6 non-PI so it's dog slow, but later P71 stuff is cheap and bolts right up. The "aero" body cars are also lighter. Built like a tank too.
Hondas are great, but as said a grand isn't going to get you much. I'd avoid any Toyotas if you want upgrade-ability.
Sentra may be an OK choice, but finding them is tough and they're non-existent in JY's around here (at least performance versions).
So yeah, Protege, Escort, Crown Vic.
Along those lines, what part of MA do you live in? Here's some boston stuff...
90 CRX Si, already has springs/shocks/coilovers $1400:
http://boston.craigslist.org/sob/cto/898071638.html
92 DX hatch, $1k:
http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/cto/895103406.html
Nice looking 91 hatch $850:
http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/cto/893783117.html
White 95 4 door civic, too lazy to spend 45 minutes to swap an axle, comes with a B18B, $1000:
http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/cto/893474681.html
Nice looking 94 integra RS, $1,000 (the slushomatics are notoriously bad though:)
http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/cto/896116618.html
poopshovel wrote: <---honda fanboi says: Civic. Good gas mileage, dead reliable. Just stay away from the "dual-point" TBI motors. I'm a little leary of the 97-02 Toyotas, as I've had 2 friends that had to replace the motor ~100k miles. Toyota folks might be able to tell you more about this. http://www.corolland.com/sludge.html
He won't be able to afford a 97+ Toyota.
See... the really funny thing about toyota "sludge" is that one of the main engines affected by it, the 5sfe 2.2 litre 4-banger.... Has been in production since 1990, and there are NO changes in it other than cams, injection type, and electronics. So why they singled out 97+, is beyond me.
The sludge is merely people not taking care of their cars. I'm sure SOME of them sludge, but so does almost every other motor, in isolated instances. I've seen Dodge motors sludged up so bad i wanted to vomit.
The last 5sfe that i tore down had 218k miles on it, and it was still clean enough to eat off of, minus the charred piston pieces that resulted because of my bright idea to spray a 125 shot on a 218k mile motor. It LOVED the 75 shot, though.
the 2.2 in my wife's 98 camry has given no problems so far at 260k (kms) 
The rear shock mounts on the other hand definately need some attention
Like I said, I'm not claiming to be a damned expert (hence, the "ask the toyota guys,") I've just had a couple of friends who had the problem. The first was from a co-worker (who probably DIDN'T change the oil at the recommended interval) with a newer corolla. The second was my retired next-door-neighbor Bob who's freaking psycho about keeping all his E36 M3 in order, and had receipts for every oil change...performed AT the stealership. Anyway, apparently it was common enough problem that Toyota sez:
"To make sure that customers have absolute confidence in their vehicles, this program will cover repair costs and incidental expenses for which a customer has paid or could incur as a result of damage due to oil gelling for a period of eight years from the date of first sale or lease without a mileage limitation. In addition to the costs of repairs, reasonable incidental expenses, such as car rental, and other out-of-pocket expenses will be covered."
I didn't say "DON'T BUY A TOYOTA, THEY'RE PIECES OF E36 M3!!!" Just that I'd be leary, especially in the sub $1,500 range.
An Escort wagon/hatchback would be right up your alley and can be had with a 5 speed. Parts are cheap and can be snagged at any Auto store across the land. Parts to make these handle are pretty cheap and available and if you want to travel in comfort, snag a pair of Mazda Mx-3 seats (factory Recaros) and bolt them right in. A Protege would suit your needs as well. Escorts can be had for stupid cheap (picked up mine with 90k on it from the original owner for $450).
97 Tercel $475 (how bad are clutch jobs on these $$ wise?): http://boston.craigslist.org/sob/cto/890084727.html
84 318i $1k: http://boston.craigslist.org/sob/cto/892583010.html
Toyotas = boring. Given your two choices I would definately pick the Honda. But, you'll pay a premium for that logo on the front. I think Mazdas are a great, inexpensive alternative. Hyundais aren't bad, either.
but Toyota are also notoriously reliable
When you're talking about a $1,000 car it can become more about "what's in the best individual example that I can find for my money" instead of "what model of car should I be looking for?"
Consider traveling south for a less rusty car as well. 86-89 Honda Accords litter the D.C. area craigslist in seemingly decent condition for less than a grand.
Question, what is crazedlist? Like craigshelper?
I second the Escort GT. It is cheap and has had some proven autocrossing. I wouldn't recommend buying a Civic that cheap unless you have lots of time to do work.
MiatarPowar wrote: or a Mazda Protege. My '94 has 260k+ miles on the chassis and is an excellent small sedan. 34ish mpg average, too.
I second the Protege. I paid $500 for my '92 LX back in 2001. I want to say it had around 175k on it. It's got 240k on it now, and never let me down.
Then I let my sister in law drive it to my house when I moved, and she managed to run it so hot that it refuses to start. That's not the car's fault.
The only thing I didn't care for was the short 5th gear. It turns like 4000 RPM at 80 mph.
I'd suggest a early to mid 90's geo/chevy prizm. Japanese reliability with American depreciation...a great combination.
In addition to the Escort GT, you should also be able to find a decent ZX2, which is essentially the newer model. It's a coupe, but does have seating for four. I think they're a hoot to drive, but I've never owned one.
You'll need to log in to post.
