What car fits this description?

Safe, reliable, can take a beating, and depreciated like used underwear?

Preferably not boring, and preferably not a GM FWD or Taurus. I'm coming up empty on this one.

3800 F-Body. sorry about the GM.

Usually vehicles that have the first three qualities don't have the last one.

Volvos, except for the not boring. And reliablility is relative

Any generation Celica?

Any generation MX6?

Any generation Protege?

E36 BMW?

Old pickup trucks, or do those not count as cars?

Neon.

I second the 3800 f-body.

SAAB? Maybe Saturn with the twin cam? I like the Neon mention as well

age of vehicles considered? Budget?

Aircooled 911, 22RE powered Toyota and Volvo 240 come to mind. Volvo 240 isn't boring once you service the rear end with a 5.38 and limited slip.

P71.

Under $5k, would prefer something on the "newer" side, meaning 1998ish and up.

Acura RSX type S

Swank covered a good spectrum.

The cavalier is quite tough to beat in that category as well.

SVT focus? never owned one, but they are cheap and seem to hold up well

depreciated like used underwear

Acura RSX type S

Does not compute.

04 volvo s60 R, awd, 300hp, 6 speed. slightly above $5k but i think it hits the nail on the head

Gearheadotaku wrote: 3800 F-Body. sorry about the GM.

I said, no GM FWD. Meaning I don't want a Park Avenue or a Grand Am. F-body would be interesting.

edizzle89 wrote: 04 volvo s60 R, awd, 300hp, 6 speed. slightly above $5k but i think it hits the nail on the head

Interesting... Did they make this in an auto? (Fiance won't learn a stick. And with only one car between the two of us and living in Chicago, I'm giving up on that fight. 19 year old me is so disappointed)

In reply to Vigo:

when you consider that Acura will never make another reasonably sized fun to drive hatch again, meaning there's a chance, by no means a guarantee, but a chance that the value of the RSX type S has bottomed out and will either remain stable at current price points or even see a small uptick. Then even though they still sell for roughly 25% of their new cost, they're at the bottom of the depreciation curve. It's the Honda version of the VW Corrado, only with Honda reliability.

Also the OP should look into LS400s, though not exciting there are worse places to be bored.

Corolla, Vibe, Matrix.

Skip the Vibe, it's GM.

drummerfromdefleopard wrote: age of vehicles considered? Budget? Aircooled 911, 22RE powered Toyota and Volvo 240 come to mind. Volvo 240 isn't boring once you service the rear end with a 5.38 and limited slip.

I'm pretty sure the aircooled 911 has gone through depreciated and come exploding out the other side.

trucke wrote: Corolla, Vibe, Matrix. Skip the Vibe, it's GM.

Gah, why would you ever suggest a Corolla? Pukepukepukepuke. puke.

(That is what this car would be replacing, we're assuming that it is getting sold by FIL)

Early Saab 9-3.

Another vote for the Saab 9-3. Brother had a 2005 and it was a great car, comfortable, got excellent hwy MPGs, seemed fine with my brothers complete neglect and ignorance of all things mechanical. And he can vouch for it's ability to take a high speed hit. Very very safe cars.