Most Reliable Euro for under $6k?

[Damon]

It looks like a may need to sell my car (2004 GTI) and get a daily driver for under $6,000. I need to free up the monthly payments ($400) and get my debt-to-income ration looooower (buying a house this, but that's a whole different thread!).

So, any suggestions for a good daily beat-box? I would like to avoid most (all) Japanese cars. A Focus wouldn't be terrible. I would prefer a euro (duh).

So... what about a list like
2001-2003 Focus
Late model BMW E36 328/325
MKIII 2.0 (golf/jetta)


Mike, I know you have opinions about this, so speak up! :)

[Carlos]

mk3 gols/jettas can be found for that price and under. they are pretty easy to keep up with also.

[mike]

FInd a nice MK3 Jetta or Golf for $3500 or less and stick the rest in the bank for your paint/appliance/moving fund

[Damon]

I assume we're talking 2.0's here.. not VR6.

[stevehayes01]

You can pick up a cherry SAAB 9-3 Turbo, 9000 Aero, NG900 or a Nice Volvo 850R for that price. Then you would get to ride in leather comfort with heated seats.

[mike]

No VR6, they have there malidies that can be expensive like timing chains and such

How long are you thinking of keeping this car?

[mike]

older 80's volvo's, MB and BMWs are reliable when well cared for and can be had cheap also

[RollinInGreenz]

my '83 Rabbit only cost me 2k and its the best running vehicle I've ever owned.

another key to old cars: you can usually bypass labor costs with a good set of hand tools!

[stevehayes01]

My old 1986 C900 Turbo SAAB made 225WHP and had 246K on the original motor and ran perfect... cost me $1200 to buy it.

[Damon]

No VR6, they have there malidies that can be expensive like timing chains and such

How long are you thinking of keeping this car?

As long as I can.
The short and long term plan is:
Sell my car for around 15k, pay off the loan which is 9k.
Use the ~6k difference to buy a daily driver (Auto tranny and good MPG preferred)
Drive the car to work and back - no need to have anything more than an euro econo-box.
Use the extra $400 to save for a house faster, buy things for the house after, double up my wife's care payment, etc.
Buy a "real" car like a 4 door MK5 GTI for weekend fun with %50-75 down.

In other words, I will own this car for at least 2-4 years.

[mike]

If you want a basic commuter car thats reliable with an automatic, get a used civic. If your hung up on a euro, get an older BMW like an E30 and have change left over, or a MK3 2.0 with change left over.

[Troike]

Most reliable? 2-Liter, hands-down. For $4-6k you could get a late-model OBDII mk3.

I've had one thing [coolant flange, cheap plastic part, easy fix] break in 25k miles / 3.5 years of ownership.

[mike]

I'm finally having to do an oil pan gasket, rebuild the shift linkage and the left axle (Its lowered) at 150K, I've done preventitive stuff like coolant flange, hoses, waterpump at T-belt changes, clutch (upgraded with a light weight flywheel), just stuff that might go at somepoint

[Para]

E36

[huitzi]

yea get a e36 or a mk3. i just got a 98 jetta vr for 3k and its clean

[318daily]

1991 BMW 318is.
http://www.methodair.com/images/E30/course_11.jpg


I'm such an idiot for ever selling it.

[Damon]

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone. I'm leaning more towards cheap-to-fix now. So there is probably MK3 8v or Focus/Civic ( :( ) in my future.

[mike]

I would stay away from a focus, but a MK3 8V and a civic are sure winners