Which hatch (or car) for me?

I know the "What car" threads pop up quite a lot but I have another one.

I am moving to Columbus (Ohio) next year to go to OSU. I am going to leave the Miata at home and I need to buy a daily driver. Budget is $3000, maybe 4000.

What I have so far:
Infiniti G20 (probably P10)
VW Golf/GTI (mk3)
Nissan Sentra (B15 2000+)
B13 Sentra SE-R
Honda EG or EK hatch

A hatch would be very convenient, are there any others worth recommending? I don't really need something with a lot of power, just a reliable daily driver that is comfortable.

How is the reliability of the B15 Sentras? I am mostly looking at the 1.8L base models due to price.

What about an early focus? By now most of the bugs would be worked out.

I was looking at those but I have heard pre 2001 have problems. I have found some 2001 and newer in my price range though and they are worth considering.

I had some friends that lived just off of Campus, so I would say not to drive anything too nice...or with a cool stereo....or rims.

Honda Civic wagon, maybe an Integra or a Probe GT?

JFX001 wrote: I had some friends that lived just off of Campus, so I would say not to drive anything too nice...or with a cool stereo....or rims. Honda Civic wagon, maybe an Integra or a Probe GT?

This is the truth.

Get a "don't steal me car" Maybe a subaru wagon?

That is a good point to consider. I am going to be living on High St. on the south side of campus.

I didn't want to edit after being quoted, but what about an Escort? 2/4 door,wagon/GT ?

Get a white four door, slap some PEPSI or Time Warner Cable decals on the side...and live anonymously.

reliable, dirt cheap, don't steal me car?

How about a Hyundai Accent?

Do you need 4 seats?

If not, I suggest a minitruck with a good locking camper shell. Preferably one with a slightly beat-up exterior, oxidized paint for extra points. The practical uses for a pickup while in college are innumerable. Hauls stuff around, with a tarp doubles as a pool or ice chest, gets you free beer when you move your buddies' stuff that doesn't fit in their hatchbacks.

I don't know how OSU is, but at UCF civic HBs seem to have a nasty habit of disappearing from parking garages on campus.

The problem with owning a pickup in college is that everyone is always asking you to borrow it to move. I would stay away from any of the popular foreign brands. They get stolen.

EvanB wrote: That is a good point to consider. I am going to be living on High St. on the south side of campus.

Dood, just remember to hit up the Bier Stube. Only real bar left on South Campus. . .

That said, newer Foci (post 01) might be a good ride. I had a '00, and after 15+ recalls, and one dead tranny (no, not something I picked up on High Street), enough was enough. . .

How about a rusty Civic hatch? I happen to know where you can find one

lived in steeb, the nice apartment style dorms by the marketplace (cant remember the name, worthington?) and in morrill tower...

I never saw fit to have a car while i was there (lived in dorms)

living anywhere but west of the river, get something that you wont care at all if it gets scratched.

DONT get a jeep or a convertible, had friends get tops slashed

DONT get something that people can easily sell off parts stolen off of yours (civic, integra, ect)

DONT have a nice stereo visible.

keep it innocent looking and dont make it draw attention.

volvo wagon? they ARE invisible.

its not really going to matter too much what you get, a VW hatch, an omni, or anything like that otherwise. just make it something you see as expendable.

look at different wagons and see what you like. (buick roadmaster wagon?, or you can look at a P71)

get a cheap mountianbike to get around campus, you will thank me! You will end up using it alot in day to day life. (also get the little fenders for the tires so you dont get sprayed on the rainy days)

start walking alot now either way to work yourself up, it is a BIG campus and your legs will be punished just walking from class to class.

be sure to check out the gyro place that is halfway up highstreet along campus. I miss those gyros that that place made (good price too) also UDF is always good for late night milkshakes.

what are you going there for?

Some good suggestions...I would prefer more than two seats but I don't think it is really a necessity. Volvo wagons are another thing I have been looking at. Maybe I should get another rabbit pickup, I loved the one I had before but it was a little too rough.

I will be sure to go to the Bier Stube, it is right across from the apartment I am going to be living at (hopefully).

I have a mountainbike that I will be riding to class most days.

I have been to Apollo's, I love those gyros. I stop by there whenever I am in Columbus.

I am going for Mechanical Engineering, at least that is the plan for now, maybe electrical engineering.

ignorant wrote: The problem with owning a pickup in college is that everyone is always asking you to borrow it to move.

What? Who lends someone their truck? I don't even let other people (other than my S.O.) drive my cars with me in them, much less without me, the rare exception to this being an instructor at an autocross or track day.

Don't rule out Escort hatches and wagons. They are cheap, hold quite a bit of stuff and are pretty much invisible..

When people write, "do not have a nice stereo" I will change the to be sure that you only have a factory radio. Even if you get a cheap name, aftermarket unit, someone will try to steal it or at the least they will not know it is a cheappy until they have broken the window. When was the last time that you heard someone getting their factory radio stolen?

I too think that Escort Wagons can be a great deal.
Ford Probe's may be worth a look as well.

Stay under your budget as much as possible.

On the bike topic, keep the bike ultra simple. Many people will paint their fames in an attempt to ghetto-up the bike a bit and to hide the brand names. A good working but ugly bike that you keep is much more valuable to you than a good looking bike that you will never see again.

PS: I am up here in Sandusky. If you find a car on craigslist around here, just shoot me a PM and I will be happy to take a preliminary look at it and save you an hours drive.

-John

After living on a big-ish college campus (20,000 students) for almost a whole year now, I have come to my own conclusions about what I would want to drive here. The big thing I would say that hasn't already been said is that if you are not in a garage, get a junker. Obviously the whole stereo and invisible car thing too.

Volvo wagons
pickups with a shell
Ford Taurus Wagon
Crown Vics
Minivans (don't laugh, this might be the best pick of all)

mblommel wrote: I don't know how OSU is, but at UCF civic HBs seem to have a nasty habit of disappearing from parking garages on campus.

Yea well that's because UCF is close to Osceola county....where 95% of pre-2000 Honda's don't have titles and were prolly $free.99.

I've always had my Trans Ams at college, I just never drove them anywhere except to work, other than that they were in the school parking garage or in a distant but visible parking space. When I moved off campus I made sure to get covered parking and the only time anything ever happen to my car was during the national championship celebrations at Florida when beer got thrown all over it.

I would suggest VW hatch, volvo, etc. Honda's are just to risky, especially on a college campus, especially an EG or EK.

JFX001 wrote: I had some friends that lived just off of Campus, so I would say not to drive anything too nice...or with a cool stereo....or rims.

The nicer it is, the more likely it will get stolen. Get a Reliant K.

People are giving away toyota pickups with 5speed transmission and 22re. You can get one for between 2000-3000. Great little truck and served me well in college. You don't need to worry about speeding tickets because cops ignore you. No maintanence is needed besides oil/coolant changes. Mine is a sleeper shade of oxidized grey.

pinchvalve wrote: The nicer it is, the more likely it will get stolen. Get a Reliant K.

Aries K in your neighborhood. $900 w/ 67k

http://mansfield.craigslist.org/ctd/1094962733.html

suzuki swift GT if you can find one. It will cost much less than your budget, but is fun to drive, not something people will steal and can fit a large amount of stuff in the hatch. I had one in University and used it to move everything I had including my futon/bed.

Mid-90's Mazda 626 sedans blend in well, especially in "subdivision tan" paint and I doubt anyone looks at them much. Get a 4-cyl with a manual trans and it should do well on fuel too. Steel wheels with no hubcaps and crummy window tint that's already got a weak purple cast should keep prying eyes out and look cheap at the same time.

Four cylinder five speed compact pickup. Choose your favorite flavor, they're all pretty decent. You can find a clean S10/Dakota/Ranger for $1500, or a clean Toyota for $2k. The 'yotas will be more reliable than the domestics, but parts will cost a lot more when stuff does break and they can be less than fun to work on.

The downside is that if you stay in town during the summer, you will hear from friends you didn't even know you had. You won't ever have to buy your own lunch, gas, or beer...but it can still be a pain in the ass. It's kind of comparable to that guy you haven't talked to in eight months calling you for help when his car breaks down.