High Mileage Domestics

[bttlscrs00x]

Hey guys. I'm in need of a bit of assistance here. I feel like this is the right place but who knows.

At some point I'm going to be selling my DD and I want to purchase a domestic car (sedan probably) but I need it to be mostly okay when it gets to be higher in mileage. I also need it to be a relatively easy keeper (my current car needs the bumper removed to access the headlights). I also need it to get decent fuel mileage (20+ mpg, at least).

I don't think this is too much to ask. I'm thinking that I'm probably going to be looking at 10+ years old, so obviously no financing.

Ford, GM, Chrysler... Whatever. Give me some tips, guys.

Thanks!

 

[Mark_88]

Aw, shucks, I thought this was about aging nannies for hire...

I am not up on the current used automobile market but if you can find an old Ford Tempo with under 100,000 klicks on it and a manual tranny...buy it...my old Tempo lasted 14 years and had almost 400,000 on the clock before I scrapped it...and it was still good...just needed a clutch and some floorboards...

Anyway...happy hunting...and if you know any nannies that are about to retire I think I can use one about now...might even let her work for me...lol

 

[adsm08]

Saturn's L-series fits the bill. Escort/Focus with a non-SPI engine (the SPI engine has a big old cast valve cover that says "Split Port Injection", stay away from those) should also do the trick.

If you go look at a Focus or Escort and it seems ok in park but gets real rough when put in gear don't let that scare you off from it. About $200 in new motor mounts (front engine mount, trans mount, and the dog bone isolator) and an hour with a floor jack and some ramps will clear that up for the most part.

 

[LIMA BEAN]

Seems like every other person I know has a Focus and they all love them. I work on their OTHER cars alot but rarely the focus' besides regular maintenence.

 

[bttlscrs00x]

What year Focuses are we talking about? I feel like they're an underdog if they really are reliable lol

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Crown Vic....dead nuts reliable...cheap ..easy to work on, mid 20s for mileage plus you still get RWD and a V8 rumble......thst would be tops on any cheap sedan list for me....

 

[adsm08]

Any year Focus is about as good as any other. 2003+ would be my top pick. The early early ones had issues with the front springs, but it was a problem with the process used by the spring maker, not a design flaw in the car.

 

[LIMA BEAN]

Any year Focus is about as good as any other. 2003+ would be my top pick. The early early ones had issues with the front springs, but it was a problem with the process used by the spring maker, not a design flaw in the car.

1+ my fishing buddy Erik came by the shop today whining because he was going to buy his wife April a brand spanking new Prius and she refused to give up the 10 year old Focus. When it was his we packed that thing to the gills hundreds of times to go fish Seward and Whittier and it sailed over the mountain passes flawlessly, its at 300,000 + miles.

 

[kunar]

Saturn's L-series fits the bill. Escort/Focus with a non-SPI engine (the SPI engine has a big old cast valve cover that says "Split Port Injection", stay away from those) should also do the trick.

If you go look at a Focus or Escort and it seems ok in park but gets real rough when put in gear don't let that scare you off from it. About $200 in new motor mounts (front engine mount, trans mount, and the dog bone isolator) and an hour with a floor jack and some ramps will clear that up for the most part.

this.

 

[bttlscrs00x]

Crown Vic....dead nuts reliable...cheap ..easy to work on, mid 20s for mileage plus you still get RWD and a V8 rumble......thst would be tops on any cheap sedan list for me....

Totally agree but good luck finding one that isn't a 300-500k cab. They're hard to come by around here. Well, unless I feel like spending $12k, which I don't. Lol

 

[bttlscrs00x]

1+ my fishing buddy Erik came by the shop today whining because he was going to buy his wife April a brand spanking new Prius and she refused to give up the 10 year old Focus. When it was his we packed that thing to the gills hundreds of times to go fish Seward and Whittier and it sailed over the mountain passes flawlessly, its at 300,000 + miles.

That's okay. Those ****ing Priuses are crap anyway plus they make you a target on the road. Hahahaha

 

[bttlscrs00x]

Any year Focus is about as good as any other. 2003+ would be my top pick. The early early ones had issues with the front springs, but it was a problem with the process used by the spring maker, not a design flaw in the car.

I'll have to see if they're in my price range. Looking for $5k tops.

 

[LIMA BEAN]

That's okay. Those ****ing Priuses are crap anyway plus they make you a target on the road. Hahahaha

Yea I think that time he fell off the rocks drunk while trying to fish falked his brain up. He drives a prius and April has a sweet F-150 and the Focus.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Totally agree but good luck finding one that isn't a 300-500k cab. They're hard to come by around here. Well, unless I feel like spending $12k, which I don't. Lol

Grand Marquises are the same car....but if you live in inner city Chicago I can see your point At any given time around here on craigslist I can find 10-15 of them usually 00-05 range for 3-5 k with around 100kmiles. Not all of them are ex police either.

 

[bttlscrs00x]

Inner city??? You must not come here much.