What to get for under $16k?

L

LightngSVT

New member
I havent posted in a while over here, life got busy and mot much time to detail. Anyway I think its time to trade in my 98 SVT Contour DD for something a bit newer. the car has been great to me, but needs suspension and A/C work, but looks new inside / out. My budget is in the $9k - $16k range and this will be a DD in Michigan, snow and all. I guess I could look into a new car lease as I would have about $2500 to put down but want a pmt under $260/mo. Any suggestions?



What I really wanted was an E36 M3. Found one (97 sedan, manual trans) at a dealer for $14999 in very nice shape, but it was sold before I could get to the dealer! :bawling: The only problem is financing a car between 95-99 MY.



I have also looked into the 2001-2004 Lincoln LS's, given they had bad depreciation there are some deals out there like a 2004 with 42k, loaded, sport pkg, pearl white paint,still under warranty dealer is asking $14995.



A Local dealer my family (parents, Aunt, wife) has went to for years and years would lease me an 07 Milan, loaded (leather, moon, heated seats, audiophile), 4cyl, manual trans for $260/mo (inc tax). MPG would be great, plenty of room but Im not sure how peppy / sporty the car would be?



My choice would be a sporty convertible with a manual trans, but I dont really want an SN95 Mustang GT. I could pick up a Z3 or possibly Z4 but it would be to impractical as a DD. I want something fun to drive, yet nice with at least enough room to load up my dog (Alaskan malamute) and wife. I really want another Bimmer, but probably wont be in a place to afford the typical payment ($450-750/mo) for another year. The A4's seem nice but I hear alot about Audi having a ton of problems. I really dont want a Civic, Focus (unless SVT), corolla, etc.
 
I would just do the suspension and A/C work

it would not be newer but it would feel new with

the suspension upgrades!
 
A few weeks ago my wife was considering trading her Tahoe in on something a little more efficient. I was trying to get as close to an even trade as possible so I was looking at models in the $15-20k range (07 MY). I threw together a spreadsheet to outline the parameters that were important to me (price, fuel economy, quickness, cargo, and interior room) for comparison. If you're interested you should be able to see it HERE. There are separate tabs to divide them into classes first (compact, midsize, suv, etc) and in each sheet I ranked them against similar model, then took the top 5 from each class and compared them for an overall ranking.



You may not care for rear leg room or ground clearance, but you can at least see how some of them stack up against others. The models on each page are in no particular order, so don't think that the last entry on the page is the lowest ranked. The only place the rankings are visible are on the "top 25" tab, otherwise I have all the scoring and formula here scribbled on a bunch of printouts.



I think the Milan is a nice car, too, but in my comparison it placed 8th out of 13 midsized cars.
 
Up there the Subaru's are a little more desirable and carry a higher price but you should be able to find a 2nd gen (00-04) Outback within your price range, and probably even an LL Bean model with leather. That'll have room for the wife and dog plus AWD and 8.5" of clearance for the winters, but it may not be sporty enough for you.



I really like the Malibu Maxx (though you appear to be a blue oval guy) and have seen the 06 models (when they started to come with remote start) going here for 15k'ish. It's got less cargo area than an Outback but a little more leg room between the front and rear, plus the 3.5L is quicker with having to carry only 17.20lb/hp.



If you want a new car, the 16k is going to limit you to compacts. To me it sounds like that's not your thing
 
At that price I would imagine the Milan was a lease. If so I'd run. Especially since this car will be a daily driver and racking up mileage. From others I have spoken with leasing is NOT the way to go.



I'm not sure if it would interest you but the 00-~04 model Accords can be found in that price range. You may be able to find one with a V6 and if you got really lucky may be able to find a manual tranny.



Good luck with your search man!



Ceezer said:
I threw together a spreadsheet to outline the parameters that were important to me (price, fuel economy, quickness, cargo, and interior room) for comparison. If you're interested you should be able to see it HERE. There are separate tabs to divide them into classes first (compact, midsize, suv, etc) and in each sheet I ranked them against similar model, then took the top 5 from each class and compared them for an overall ranking.
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:goodjob That's a nice tool!
 
Im not really into the bowties. My wife has daily direct contact with high level GM people in her job and so her company has leased her a 2006 malibu sedan. She does not like the car at all, so that would cloud my decision.



I was just looking at the 2002-2003 jaguar X-types, I even found a 2.5 manual, Sport pkg for $11995 and only 55000 miles. I know Jag dont have the best rep, but given this is basically a Mondeo (newer version of my Contour) with AWD. Might be a good choice, depending on how it drives, and has a high class look to (especially) the interior.



My local BMW dealer has 2 killer deals right now:

1. 2006 BMW 325i lease for $329/mo with 2500 down. 24mo, 24k miles

2. 2006 BMW M3 cabriolet, pretty loaded ($61k sticker!!!) for $599/mo lease, same terms as the 325i



I cant swing #2 with everything else right now and the wife isnt feeling option #1 since we have a decent payment on her car (the Mariner). I dont have a problem with leasing because 1) I dont drive that much (12-15k per year and 2) I have my toys and my bike that get used alot in the warm months, plus the wifes car to drive when she is out of town on business.
 
This is easy. Sporty, 4-cylinder, convertible, reliable...... S2K all the way. Of course, it will provide limited space and I'm not sure of snow performance but, damn, I'd like to have one!



If I were you, I would probably get an Audi or Subie. All wheel drive in Michigan would be nice. I know the Impreza WRX (not STi) is all wheel drive and has a nice turbo. It also has four doors and is reasonably priced. The other option is the Impreza 2.5. It is also all wheel drive.



You would likely have to buy used.



JJ
 
Take a look at used Saabs. The 9-2X is a rebadged Subaru WRX. The 9-3 and 9-5 depreciate like crazy, making them extremely good deals on the used car market. I've owned 3 Saabs in the past, and they were all pretty trouble-free. I traded my 1995 900SE in still running perfectly on its original clutch with no rust on the body despite spending hits whole life in MA and 160,000 mi on the clock. The 9-5 Aeros and 9-3 Viggens are a blast to drive...both are really damn fast. There are inexpensive kits for both to eliminate torque steer.
 
SVT- Sorry to hear the E36 idea didn't work out. If I were in your shoes I'd take BigJimZ28's advice and fix the Contour SVT. Unless you've absolutely fallen out of love with it and want something different, IMO it'd be the best choice $-wise and might even be the car you'd prefer driving. Suspension work? Maybe you could even do some upgrades! A/C work? Do it and it oughta stay OK for a long time. Maybe I'm just projecting...I've regretted a few of my decisions to let cars go, wished I'd just kept the known quantity.



Those lease payments seem like a bit of money for something you're gonna have to give back.
 
If I recall Accumulator you bought an E36 M3 earlier this year? How has the car been treating you? I found another, black 97 E36 about 1.5 hours away today. I was all excited about the price ($10k) until I realized it has 146k miles. :( Im a HUGE fan of all BMW's since I owned my E46 M3, what an awesome car



I see a few recommendations for Subies, Im not sure that car fits me? I recall reading that there were alot of problems with the manual trannies? Also, I test drove one 2 years ago and I remember the car having a "delicate" feel to it. Another AWD option is the Jaguar X-type, traction style, class and they can be had pretty reasonably. Now to find one for a test drive. I plan to go drive the 04 LS and the 07 Milan tomorrow night.



Keeping my car may be the lowest cost alternative and it is a pretty fun car to drive overall. But I tend to go through cars every 1 - 3 years. My Contour is going to need probably $2k+ in work if I have it done, inc parts. But everything else works like new on the car and it still looks great. Descisions, decisions...
 
LightngSVT said:
If I recall Accumulator you bought an E36 M3 earlier this year? How has the car been treating you? ..I see a few recommendations for Subies, Im not sure that car fits me? I recall reading that there were alot of problems with the manual trannies? Also, I test drove one 2 years ago and I remember the car having a "delicate" feel to it. Another AWD option is the Jaguar X-type, traction style, class and they can be had pretty reasonably. Now to find one for a test drive. I plan to go drive the 04 LS and the 07 Milan tomorrow night.



Keeping my car may be the lowest cost alternative and it is a pretty fun car to drive overall. But I tend to go through cars every 1 - 3 years. My Contour is going to need probably $2k+ in work if I have it done, inc parts....
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Heh heh for ~$2K I'd keep the Contour in a heartbeat ;)



My E36 M3 (Byzanz metallic sedan, automatic) has turned into another of my project cars :o I spent ages doing the undercarriage and now I'm starting on the exterior, even though I'm leaning towards getting a (proper ;) ) repaint after my mechanic finsishes up the last of the stuff I want done. I really was gonna just buy it and drive it, but after I got carried away doing the underneath, well, one thing lead to another so I'm *really* refurbishing it. Since my wife and I hate todays "better" cars it's money well-spent for me.



Now that the undercarriage is all nice I don't plan to drive it in the winter, but I'd been wondering about how feasible it'd be anyhow. You can only go so narrow when it comes to tires for that thing and I had visions of drama in the white stuff (though other E36s I've driven worked well with skinny snows).



I seem to be the only person who had problems with Subarus, but my problems were so severe that they left a very bad taste in my mouth. FWIW my wife didn't like the Subies either, and she's no car-snob. They're just "not us" if you know what I mean but *man* do other people love them. Make sure you have a good dealer who's worked on manual ones though.



Don't buy a Jag unless you have a mechanic you can *really* rely on. And that goes for Audis too (much as I love 'em).



My latest dog-car/beater is the '00 Blazer, but that's probably a direction you don't want to go. Cheap though, compared to my "real" cars.
 
Thanks for the advice! I think the E46 M3 is about the poinnacle of modern cars, its an amazing driving experience and it can be had without all the gizmos (nav, SMG, iDrive, etc) but they are still an expensive ride. I think Ill keep looking for an E36 M3 sedan though.



Ive been researching the X-Types on the net and seem to find that overall they have positive reviews and most owners have had little trouble with them, especially compared to the older Jag's. I love the Jag interiors! And the AWD would be nice in the winter.



Blazer isnt my style, besides we have the Mariner already. Its just my 140lb dog really cant jump so its easier for him to get into the Contour, he just steps right in. Maybe I should see if he would use a ramp to get into the marinier (although he is white/gray and the mariner is black / black) because I would MUCH rather have a coupe or conterible car to drive. My wifes Dad just bought an 07 Miata and its a sweet little car, but I think Id go used Z4 personally.
 
LightngSVT said:
.. I think Ill keep looking for an E36 M3 sedan though.



Ive been researching the X-Types on the net and seem to find that overall they have positive reviews and most owners have had little trouble with them, especially compared to the older Jag's. I love the Jag interiors! And the AWD would be nice in the winter.



Blazer isnt my style, besides we have the Mariner already. Its just my 140lb dog really cant jump so its easier for him to get into the Contour, he just steps right in. Maybe I should see if he would use a ramp to get into the marinier (although he is white/gray and the mariner is black / black) because I would MUCH rather have a coupe or conterible car to drive. My wifes Dad just bought an 07 Miata and its a sweet little car, but I think Id go used Z4 personally.
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Yeah, the way you can get a pretty stripped E36 is a big part of their appeal for us too. You might find one, they do turn up and some dealers won't want to be stuck with them all winter when the market leans towards SUVs. Some private owners might be looking to unload too, so just keep your eyes open.



The people in our Jag club (Jaguar Club of Ohio) who have X-types *do* like them so take a test-drive and see what you think.



Yeah, we would've soon needed a ramp for your (recently deceased) older dog so he could get into the Blazer, so I know what you mean about low step-up height. We got a telescoping one on sale mailorder for around $100 and it would've worked out great had he lasted long enough to need it.



FWIW used to haul a big German Shepherd around in a Honda CRX and later a Benz 450 SL, so you *can* do it in some pretty small cars :D A Miata would be pushing it, but have you *ever* met any Miata owner who didn't just *love* the thing?
 
I would look into a nice 03' Saab 93. They run aroun 11-13 off-lease, with relatively low miles. A nice black one with tints would be a fun ride.
 
Since your first post mentioned looking at the Lincoln LS, I'll toss in that you also should take a look at the Chrysler 300M. It's another luxury performance sedan that has taken a major depreciation hit, plus they have a repair record that by what info I've come across appears to be significantly better than the LS. I own a car with the same LH chassis, the LHS, and I've been very satisfied with it, it's one of the most satifiying cars I've ever driven. From '02-'04 they produced the Special model with a handful of additions such as lowered suspension, 18" wheel option (standard is 17"), body skirting, and factory dual exhaust. Mine has the upgraded factory 360W Infinity stereo, which was fairly common. It's definitely worth taking one for a drive.



This one is a little high on mileage, but I'm just linking to it as an example.

Cars For Sale: Car Details - AutoTrader.com
 
velobard said:
This one is a little high on mileage, but I'm just linking to it as an example.

Cars For Sale: Car Details - AutoTrader.com
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Wow that is a beautiful car! People always told me to look into them but I guess I never seen one with all the options like the one you posted. So that is the LHS model? Thanks for the info - Again...wow!



I would also second the Saab idea. Absolutely great cars, my cousin has one and you get alot of car for your money!
 
Joshua312 said:
Wow that is a beautiful car! People always told me to look into them but I guess I never seen one with all the options like the one you posted. So that is the LHS model? Thanks for the info - Again...wow!
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No, that's the 300M Special. I drive an LHS. This is an older pic, but the only real visible difference is that I've debadged the lettering on the front doors. I figure it looks cleaner and most people have no idea what an LHS is anyway.

LHS4.jpg




It has the same chassis, driveline, and interior as the 300M. The only real difference is a different nose and a longer trunk.



I drove all sorts of cars before I bought my LHS and it simply was the nicest car I found to drive, and that includes decent handling and power. That was a factor because at the time I was driving 125 miles round trip to work. One guy at 300MClub.org is a courier and has over 300K miles on his '01. There were a couple of things, the Seville STS comes to mind, that had a little more power but my car is hardly lacking and IMHO it's simply a nicer all-around car to drive. Oh yeah, one advantage the 300M has over my LHS (at least until I get around to picking up a few parts to make this mod) is autostick, to allow manual shifting.



There's not a lot of after-market stuff for these cars, but some people get pretty creative. One guy has gotten his 300M to break the 13.5 barrier in the 1/4, whereas stock is about 16.



Oh, and Josh? Most all of the options you see listed on that car come standard. These cars were meant to be luxury models and there were relatively few options available. The one I wish my car had is the full-sized chrome spare, but I'll be correcting that situation in the coming months.



Edit: I thought I'd point out what one 300M owner posted after he bought a Jaguar S Type R.

I have a lot more respect for it. I appreciate how much interior room it has. My jaguar has a very nice top grade leather interior. But there is no doubt that the 300m is way more comfortable. The leather is softer and there is much more room. The Special ( which is what I have ) will stop and corner with the best of them. Chrysler did a great job! You cannot beat it for the price. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love my new jaguar, the 400hp and the looks it gets wherever I go. I'm just being honest.
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Well I went and did some test driving tonight: 04 LS V6, 07 Milan 4cyl / 5sped, 07 Milan V6 / auto. Im a Ford guy so this hurts to say, but the LS is a POS. Like many have said the interior does look cheap, the steering is way overboosted, it thumps over bumps / expansion joints, yet at the same time has a hint of float to the ride, the standard stereo is so-so and it has surprisingly little rear seat legroom for the size of car. However the seats were comfortable and it was surprisingly peppy for being only the V6. Even for $14.9k for a 2 year old car I wouldnt take it.



Now the Milan on the other hand is proof Ford is making strides to change. It really is a very nice car! Nice seats, good features, good ride / handling balance (more european than American feel), nice steering, felt very solid, no rattles or creaks and it was quiet inside. The standard stereo was nice and had some "oomph" and the climate control work well. But it is not a sporty car, its not really meant to be. The 4 banger is a bit low on torque and you need to rev it past 3500 to get power out of it and the clutch had no feel. the 6's auto was great for cruising, the shifts were impreceptable. But this also meant the trans was tuned for comfort, not performace. However the V6 really moved the car along well once the trans was ready to go. Id say this is a great car for the price! Now what Ford needs is to take the V6 / AWD Fusion / Milan add a sports suspension, put in the V6 from the MKZ (260+hp) and a 6 speed and slap an SVT badge on it!



Now I still want to look at the X-Type, but Im starting to think I may just keep the SVT. The Milan woul dbe a great car to have for a DD, but @ $260/mo with $2500 due or $365/mo with $0 due Im in the BMW 325i territory ($329/mo with $2500 dn).



My wife has worked with GM on some of the Saab's and from the stories Ive heard I really dont want one.



But
 
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