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I am trying to help my sister find a different car. She is currently driving a 2000 VW Passat, but it is starting to fall apart. She has about 3k to spend and wants something "cute." After her current car, she finally realizes that she needs to look into the reliability of a car before she buys it and needs to have someone with a bit of automotive knowledge take a look before making a purchase. She bought her VW without having anyone take a look at it with her, and it has not worked out well. I would have figured the staples across the front bumper cover would have tipped her off that this car wasn't regularly taken care of. The timing belt recently broke and bent most of the valves. In the process of repairing it for her, I had to remove the nails someone had used to reattach the front bumper cover and remove the original spark plugs.

She has been asking about whether various cars she comes across are decent or not. I have shot several of them down solely on the basis of FE. She doesn't seem to care too much about the FE, all she knows is that when the gas gauge gets low, you put gas in. I would like to help her out and get her something fairly fuel efficient. She drives mostly in town, so that hinders her FE even more.

So, basically, I need to put together a list of cars for her that are in the 3k price range, reliable, "cute", and have decent FE. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Only "cute" car available for <= $3k and tolerant of neglect would be an early 2000s Saturn SC. Avoid the Ion like the plague.

The fact that she cannot or will not observe maintenance means Honda, older Hyundai and many Toyotas are off the table, since they use timing belts that require replacement (else she will be back where she is now). Honda and Hyundai require periodic valve adjustments, too. Suitably inexpensive cars that have a timing chain - or a belt but a non-interference valvetrain - and can tolerate every-other-year oil changes are anything but cute. The other option is to buy a dirt-cheap car and drive it til it dies, and then donate the car and buy another one.

Read this: http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=665

It is 4 years old, but just roll it forward 4 model years, assuming a car was still in production.

Only "cute" car available for <= $3k and tolerant of neglect would be an early 2000s Saturn SC. Avoid the Ion like the plague.

The fact that she cannot or will not observe maintenance means Honda, older Hyundai and many Toyotas are off the table, since they use timing belts that require replacement (else she will be back where she is now). Honda and Hyundai require periodic valve adjustments, too. Suitably inexpensive cars that have a timing chain - or a belt but a non-interference valvetrain - and can tolerate every-other-year oil changes are anything but cute. The other option is to buy a dirt-cheap car and drive it til it dies, and then donate the car and buy another one.

I'd give Honda another look. Yeah, the belts & valves are a pain, but are long-interval items. They take daily abuse OK.

What about a VW Beetle TDI?

What about a VW Beetle TDI?

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but VW/Audi cars have a reputation as being very maintenance-intensive. Not a good candidate for a car that's going to be ignored and flogged to death.

Patrick,
I do not know about "cute". I am not sure that maybe she needs to out grow that as being an attribute for a machine whose purpose is to get from point A to point B with the most reliability and least expense. (Been here with my daughter.)

In that price range I would look at Prizms. They are Chevy Corollas but usually cheaper but just as reliable. And there are some Civics in that price range that have plenty of service life left also.

If possible have a mechanic or someone knowledgeable go over any car she is thinking about buying.

Well I'm hoping that this experience with the timing belt will teach her a lesson. She is a pretty smart girl for the most part, just not so much with cars. She is wishing now that she would have kept her last car, which was a ZX2 just like mine, except a '99 model with an AT. It would break down occasionally (partly because I flooded it once, long story), but I could fix that much easier than the VW. And by the time she sold it, we had replaced most everything that might go out after the 150k miles we put on it.

As for the VW Beetle TDI, I don't want to get her into another VW because of the maintenance and the price of the parts when they do need to be replaced. Plus I can just see her now calling me from the gas station cause she forgot and put in gas instead of diesel.

I'll put the Saturn on the list. I think my dad has a subscription to Consumer Reports, so I think I'm gonna borrow his Used Car Guide to help put a list together, but it always help to hear everyone's personal preferences and recommendations. Thanks and keep the suggestions coming, I want to make sure she gets a decent car this time so I don't have to fix em anymore.

Toyota Echo. Bulletproof and no timing belt. Sorta cute and has great FE. Pricing is low compared to competition.

I'll add a Toyota Echo to the list. I do agree on the sorta cute. I guess she will have to figure out how much cuteness she is willing to sacrifice for better reliablility and FE. Thanks.

When considering used cars, I tell people "Reliability, Low Price, Desireable" - pick any two.
Finding an Echo for under $3k without a lot of miles is a challenge in the Northeast, but you may have better luck in Texas. The budget is what kept me from recommending some of the smaller Japanese cars because of their high resale value. Using my "2 out of 3" selection above, it seems she can find something reliable and cheap but it won't be cute. Or she can have something cute and reliable, but it won't be cheap. Those cars that are cute and cheap are going to cost her in the long run in replacement parts or repairs.

One option is to shop for reliable cute cars that are painted odd colors. A Safety Vest Orange or other flourescent paint job may not command the same market price as a more conservative color. But even that is cyclical, and the market seems to be returning to wild colors again, at least on the new small cars. The Fiesta is available in colors like Magenta and Lime Squeeze, although most cars in stock in my area are painted in typical white/black/blue/red as expected.

When shopping for any used car, it's a matter of determination and diligence. When a good car hits the lot, you need to be there quickly because everyone is looking for the same thing - "Runs forever, doesn't cost much, don't have to get the windows dark-tinted so others can't see me inside" - and so you need to have cash in hand to grab it when it goes up for sale.

Toyota Echo. Bulletproof and no timing belt. Sorta cute and has great FE. Pricing is low compared to competition.

Having owned two Echos, I strongly second this recommendation. True, it has a timing chain, no belt. GREAT FE! Kinda cute in a quirkey sort of way. Look for a 2000 or so to keep the price down. There are a few 4 doors out there, which are much more useful, though the two door allows the back seat to fold down for pass through carrying of lumber;)

Hunt up a Ford Focus.You can probably find a 2003 with under 100,000 miles for $3000. They are decent enough cars-might even find a SW for $3000.

Echo is a good car also-probably more reliable but the Focus isn't bad.

Hi All:

While the $3K target is certainly a target, I just heard of a 105,000 mile 03 HCH-I w/ a CVT and a 61 lmpg going for just $5,200. If I could find a lean burn stick for that, I would consider getting rid of the Accord!

I thought the Echo was cute in a twisted sort of a way too but the lack of an armrest and that center display is tough to overcome. One can be fixed aftermarket but the other…

Good Luck and let us know what you find and she purchases.

Wayne

I was going to say the Toyota Echo would be my choice first. I drive without an arm rest and don't even think about it just my mpg and safe commute driving. Echos have great potential and are nice looking. I would take a focus second in this range as they are reliable and have good mpg. It will blow the passat out of the water if driven right I would bet!;) I would stay away from chevy aveo automatics if you were thinking that route unless alot of highway driving is done at low speeds 55 or 60. I am liking my manual trans Aveo more and more with the progress I am making. Don't know how reliability is with 100,000 + as I am at almost 70k in my 06. That said I would track down an Echo First..

The Chevrolet Cruze is far too new to be in the $3000 range. Older Nissan Sentras have timing chains, and lower prices than comparable Toyotas. The OP might consider one of them, in addition to an Echo.

I'd avoid Saturn SLs and SCs, as they have reputations as oil burners, and poor reliability.

I'd avoid Ford Focuses prior to 2003, when their reliability greatly improved. They might not qualify anyway, since they have timing belts.

Chevy Cavaliers might qualify. They're certainly cheap, and have timing chains. Reliability isn't a strong point, though.

Still looking?

This is relevant to me now. My wife mentioned that perhaps it would be in our best interest if she took the Elantra and I got a MPG monster to save us cash. Ignoring cute, what's tops as far as pulling down extremely high mileage numbers? $5k tops; 4k would be better. :)

Since you have had good luck with Hyundai, I did a quick search for something in the range of $4k-5k or less. For that (or less), you're looking at 2002-2005 Elantra, Accent or Sonata with a stick.

There's one down in Levittown (PA), an 03 Elantra GT hatchback 5MT, 89k with the belt changed at 68k, leather & moonroof, recent oil change w/synthetic, asking 3490. The 08 EPA is 21/30 but the 5MT makes a laughing stock of those numbers.

For your commute - 95% highway - I was thinking diesel or HCH-I with a stick. But the diesels are a safe buy only if they have been religiously maintained, and the HCH is a safe buy only if it has a documented service history and hopefully a fresh battery pack.

During the search, I also found a 2000 Echo 5MT but it had a lot of miles on it already. But they also offer silly MPG numbers when placed in capable hands.

Yes, five year old Hyundais and Kias only retain 16% of their sales price. Manual transmission with the smallest (1.6 L) engine should get 60+ mpg in the hands of a Div. A hypermiler. Other choices include Echos and Tercels with the 1NZ-FE (1.5 L),

There's one down in Levittown (PA), an 03 Elantra GT hatchback 5MT, 89k with the belt changed at 68k, leather & moonroof, recent oil change w/synthetic, asking 3490. The 08 EPA is 21/30 but the 5MT makes a laughing stock of those numbers.

QFT. ;)