The time has come...looking for a daily driver

[FZJ80 in KC]

Well, the time has come.

My rear diff is puking fluid (probably just the pinion seal), crazy grinding clanking getting worse and constant, along with the grinding comes shuddering vibrations between 25-40 mph, my front swaybar mounts sheared off my axle on the way to the lake this weekend, rust getting a little out of control around the rear corners behind the bumper, transmission or transfer case is banging when I put it in gear pretty often....and more little things I can't think of right now...

...no I'm not selling! C'mon guys!...

Time to find a daily driver and retire the old girly for a while and really start tearing into her long term.

Planning on deflating my tires completely and removing the roof rack so I can hopefully get her in my garage and on Jack stands, and tearing stuff apart.

So I need to find a good cheap car. Max budget right now is about $3,000 with baby coming and more oral surgery ahead. That's about all I'm comfortable parting with out of savings. Hoping to really find something around $2k, but leaving a little room.

So let me know if you guys know someone or have something in mind that is available. Taking any and all leads right now!

Who knows what she'll look like when I pull her back out of the garage again...I do have a sawzall....

Thanks ahead of time!

 

[rockstate45]

Mike, hope ya find something soon to get your cruiser back up to speed!

We know your budget but do you care about space? How many seats? Fuel economy preference? Etc?

Without knowing any of those, if it were MY money, I'd probably go an old Camry, an old Honda, a scion (if you can find one) or even a 4Runner. Just don't do German if you want something to buy and drive.

 

[cjmoon]

i need to talk to my parents they keep talking about selling there 2005 chevy malibu. 190k but they have owned it since 2007 and have no issues. they were thinking $2500 a while back but keep driving it and letting my mom's new ford fusion eco boost sit in the garage as the malibu gets better mpg.

i love my Subaru i picked up this spring. Cult like following like the landcruiser lots of forum support but any of the domestic is high volume and just as much info out there if issues should arise. picked up my 2005 outback for $3100 with 213k it only gets about 20mpg with the larger 250HP 6cyl vs the smaller 2.5L 4 cyl but I don;t put enough miles on to really care about that.

 

[cjmoon]

oh and it sounds like rear pinion bearing issues possible i have stock gears laying around once you get to that point. hopefully it's less and just front drive shaft u-joint play or something but who knows

 

[weejub]

Harder to find, but a 03-08 AWD Toyota Matrix is on my list.

Should be able to get an 03/04 with about 150K miles for <$4K in nice shape.

 

[half k cruiser]

If you keep your eye on craigslist you may be able to find a good deal on a Lexus. I bought my 98 GS400 for $3950 and its sweet. I don't think I would ever buy another car that wasn't Lexus. Ok, if I had a lot of money I would try other stuff. But if I was banking my $$$ on one reliable daily driver then Lexus for the win.

 

[2fpower]

For two babies, I would recommend a 4runner. Let Rach drive it and you get the gas sipper she drives now.

K

 

[tornadoalleycruiser]

regular matrix with snow tires.. the awd only gets about 18 mpg? trust me when i say i am NOT nice to my poor matrix.. it gets 30mpg, it is cheap and maint is a snap.. it does eat some oil.. all 1zzfe's do.. the older ones WAY More.. How bout the corolla version of the geo? that should be WAY cheap.. I think 99? they were badged a Geo..

I do like the subaru's..
Thoughts on a prius? they are cheap now used. battery kits are avail local.. only expensive part of swapping them is the labor to pull them out.. guessing you can figure that out! I've wanted to try a prius..

 

[FZJ80 in KC]

i need to talk to my parents they keep talking about selling there 2005 chevy malibu. 190k but they have owned it since 2007 and have no issues. they were thinking $2500 a while back but keep driving it and letting my mom's new ford fusion eco boost sit in the garage as the malibu gets better mpg.

i love my Subaru i picked up this spring. Cult like following like the landcruiser lots of forum support but any of the domestic is high volume and just as much info out there if issues should arise. picked up my 2005 outback for $3100 with 213k it only gets about 20mpg with the larger 250HP 6cyl vs the smaller 2.5L 4 cyl but I don;t put enough miles on to really care about that.

Thanks Jess! Yep, I'm thinking rear pinion as well for the biggest problem. That's why I want to park it and start tearing into, and really take my time with it. I will most likely miss our main event this year anyway, since Rach is due in mid August.
Thanks for the offer on the gears! Forgot you upgraded.

Hey, if your folks wanna let go of the Malibu, I'd take it for sure,. Would be a great option for family car. But no worries if not either. I'm gonna give it a week or two and try to be as picky as I can with the small budget.

If you keep your eye on craigslist you may be able to find a good deal on a Lexus. I bought my 98 GS400 for $3950 and its sweet. I don't think I would ever buy another car that wasn't Lexus. Ok, if I had a lot of money I would try other stuff. But if I was banking my $$$ on one reliable daily driver then Lexus for the win.

That would be my first choice over anything, I love the gs400 (v8). Would settle for a nice gs300 too, but I'm really gonna try to stick to my $3k max budget which makes being picky with anything a little tougher.

 

[FZJ80 in KC]

regular matrix with snow tires.. the awd only gets about 18 mpg? trust me when i say i am NOT nice to my poor matrix.. it gets 30mpg, it is cheap and maint is a snap.. it does eat some oil.. all 1zzfe's do.. the older ones WAY More.. How bout the corolla version of the geo? that should be WAY cheap.. I think 99? they were badged a Geo..

I do like the subaru's..
Thoughts on a prius? they are cheap now used. battery kits are avail local.. only expensive part of swapping them is the labor to pull them out.. guessing you can figure that out! I've wanted to try a prius..

For two babies, I would recommend a 4runner. Let Rach drive it and you get the gas sipper she drives now.

K

Matrix or Subaru would work for me too, as would a 4runner. Lot depends on budget right now. Okay with getting a beater and upgrading in 6 months.

 

[FZJ80 in KC]

regular matrix with snow tires.. the awd only gets about 18 mpg? trust me when i say i am NOT nice to my poor matrix.. it gets 30mpg, it is cheap and maint is a snap.. it does eat some oil.. all 1zzfe's do.. the older ones WAY More.. How bout the corolla version of the geo? that should be WAY cheap.. I think 99? they were badged a Geo..

I do like the subaru's..
Thoughts on a prius? they are cheap now used. battery kits are avail local.. only expensive part of swapping them is the labor to pull them out.. guessing you can figure that out! I've wanted to try a prius..

Okay Erik, you might know something about this... Is the Pontiac Vibe pretty much the Matrix? Same parts? Toyota platform?

2003 PONTIAC VIBE GT ( MATRIX ) ****** 6 SPEED, 4 CYL ******* COLD AC!

Thanks!

Mike

 

[cjmoon]

Yes a Co worker has one and GM dealer tells her to take it to toyota for service

 

[FZJ80 in KC]

Yes a Co worker has one and GM dealer tells her to take it to toyota for service

Nice. There are couple nice vibes and outbacks on c-list right now.

 

[weejub]

The plastics on the Vibe fade weirdly, but otherwise its a Matrix - same plant according to a Toyota Sales guy I talked to about one.

 

[weejub]

. . .

Thoughts on a prius? they are cheap now used. battery kits are avail local.. only expensive part of swapping them is the labor to pull them out.. guessing you can figure that out! I've wanted to try a prius..

Local guy here in ONSC replaced his own battery - you have to take out the back seat, but sounds pretty easy.

Good to have a Prius V for the company car, but I am now wishing I had the money back and a $5K Matrix or Corolla instead of a 2nd Prius - - lot going on under the hood that I don't understand.

 

[tornadoalleycruiser]

The vibe is a matrix but... some of the electronics are gm based. The ac function in a vibe I believe is gm based not denso but my b mistaken, the stereo in both are gm based which was the first thing to go. Buttons were worn off when I got it. Could do stuff but didn't know what I was hitting. Stereos are dirt cheap and I needed USB for audiobooks

 

[cjmoon]

Subaru's are known for needing head gauskets to so be mindful of that and go on a long test drive and check for all the signs similar to the 1zf.

 

[tornadoalleycruiser]

I can give you a full rundown of all corolla matrix vibe issues, I got mine dirt cheap because it sounded like ball bearings in a coffee can when he started it and had a massive oil leak. $15 worth of parts and it was fixed. It was the crank seal and serpentine tensioner bearing. The ac relay has an upgraded pn now, will fail in the heat. Simple fix to get home is pull horn relay, put it in ac slot and drive home comfortable but without a horn till you get to the dealer. There is an upgraded intake manifold gasket pn as well when it tosses that code. Gasket was less than $20 and was the easiest part to replace, took 10 min five was finding wrench. The vibes come with a sunroof, most matrix don't. Vibes probably do not keep their resale value based on branding and pontiac going defunct

 

[tornadoalleycruiser]

Vibe matrix both built at nummi plant in California side by side

 

[cjmoon]

An aging subaru awd system also doesn't fear well for the budget cheap transportation fit. The vibe/matrix is prabably the better deal to be had with smaller issues/potential prablems