Car shopping for me...

['96explorereddiebauer]

Well...I don't feel like paying money for big problems in the future, I'm looking for a new car. I'm looking for something that's under $10,000 and has to be an import, specifically a Honda product, not anything with a 4-banger. So my choices are very limited, but I'm willing to take advise from you guys. Here're my list of choices:

'98-'00 Honda Accord EX-V6
'97-'99 Nissan Maxima GLE
'96-'98 Acura 3.2TL or 2.5TL

That's all I can think of right now. I know the Honda is gonna be awesome since I have a '90 with 220k miles right now and my parents have a '98 EX-V6 with 70k but I don't know anything about the Nissan Maxima nor the Acura TL's. Any advise on either one??

 

[IAmTodd]

You do know that the Nissan is not a Honda?

What are your big problems? Are you willing to give up the perfect paint!?

 

[Hokie]

I'd get the 3.2 TL, more car for the same money, safer, more refined. Acuras are crazy reliable and any Honda place can fix them. We've owned 5 Acura legends, 3 of them were my sister/my first cars in HS.

So i'd say go with the '96-98 TL then Accord, then Maxima

EDIT: That Acura 3.2 V6 has beautiful low-mid range tq for its displacement

 

['96explorereddiebauer]

Cool...I'll definitely look into the TL. I've always love the look of the 1st gen TL's. I guess I can look on Ebay for some good deals.

Todd, I believe there's a blown engine head gasket. It's not a really big problem right now so that's why I want to get rid of it now before it is too late. At only 118k, there shouldn't be problems like that. My '90 didn't have any big big problems until it hit 170k miles. I'm gonna miss it very much but hey, I really can't afford the gas anymore. Last month alone was over $200.

I'm also looking for a Maxima because I've heard their engines are excellent.

 

[boominXplorer]

if you get a TL make sure you go with the bigger motor. The 2.5 has major problems with head gaskets. It is the same motor found in earlier legends.

 

['96explorereddiebauer]

Cool...will do. What about Lexus ES300's?? I can find some on Ebay for around $10000. Not a bad deal.

 

[huskyfan23]

[QUOTE='96explorereddiebauer]Cool...will do. What about Lexus ES300's?? I can find some on Ebay for around $10000. Not a bad deal.[/QUOTE]
Is the ES300 that one that's just a rebadged Camry? I'd definitely use eBay for car buying though. Most of these places are dealerships and you can get the cars inspected over the web. Definitely check out the TL, I don't like Honda, but if I were to go that route that'd be my choice. Good luck!

 

[Hokie]

if you get a TL make sure you go with the bigger motor. The 2.5 has major problems with head gaskets. It is the same motor found in earlier legends.

Umm.. the '86-88 base Legends had that 150hp 2.5L after that they all got the 165 hp 2.7L from the LS models

We ran our 2.7L's to 155k, 168k, and 175k with no problems

 

[Scormunch]

Yeah the Maximas are dead reliable in my experience... go with a 5 spd over the auto. They all came with the same VQ 3.0 (190hp, 190tq) so you won't have to worry about getting stuck with a base model engine. The 5-spds run mid 6 0-60 times and hit the quarter in the high 14's with a good driver (most mags ran low 15's).

For under 10k now you could probably even find an 00' to 01' (5th gen) with decent miles and the bigger 222hp 3.2L VQ.

www.maxima.org *used* to be a great forum but I haven't been over there for a while so I'm not sure how it has changed.

As you can tell I'm a big fan of Maximas and I'd be driving one right now if I didn't tow a my boat around all summer. Either way, good luck with the choice! You really can't go wrong with any of the cars you've listed.

 

[Mike 92 XLT]

If you're looking at Maximas you should check out Infiniti I30s as well. As for the TLs, I know the last generation had problems with the auto transmissions. Was that true of the first gens as well?


Mike

 

['96explorereddiebauer]

I really like Maxima, but I also like I30, but I think the I30 look too old for me. I'm only 22. LOL...

I've read from the acura-tl.com forums, the guys over there said that the '99-early '04 trannies are being recalled. If the vehicle has less than 15k miles, then they would modify the tranny cooler so the fluid can be directed directly to the gear, to increase lubrication and others will be replaced with a reman tranny which is already modified. So since it's a recall, I don't have to worry about the problem that much so I'll definitely look into the '99 models. I love them HID headlights!!!!

Oh well...I hope I can sell my truck ASAP so I can put a huge down payment for it. But should I look for cars on Ebay?? I have found a lot of great deals. I know huskyfan said that it's great, but are there any other opinions about that??

 

['96explorereddiebauer]

Heh...I'm gonna have to retract my statement above about the I30's. I'll be going to the dealer tomorrow and test drive a '99 I30. It has only 61k miles on it and it has almost everything my Explorer has (auto temp control, Bose sound system, autolamp, etc...) plus leather seats (which my truck lacked) and 4 airbags. It sounds like a pretty safe car and the engine is one of the best in the world and I've read that reliability is just awesome!! So for $10k, it's not a bad deal at all. I think I'm gonna actually push this thing way past 200k miles.

I wanted to get an Accord but a '98 EX-V6 here costs a couple of thousands more than this Infiniti so that's why I'm not getting that.

 

['96explorereddiebauer]

I took it out for a test drive, but unfortunately, I just cannot stand the current condition of the paint, figuring that I will have to spend a couple of thousands of dollars to repaint it. So I'd rather get something newer or something that's in a better condition but the problem is that I couldn't find anything that has remotely similar mileage that I was looking for so I have abandoned the search for an I30.

My dad looked on Ebay this past weekend and found this '96 Acura 3.2TL with only 62k miles on it for $9000. He immediately fell in love with it and even put a down payment on it this morning. Heh...he didn't even tell me. But anyways...he has contracted an inspection company and they are inspecting the car now. So if the inspection goes well, he'll finish all the paperwork later this afternoon or tomorrow and have it shipped to our house so I can pick it up hopefully next weekend when I go home from school for the weekend.

I know you guys will hate me now!! But here's a pic of the car:

 

[Stephen]

Is the ES300 that one that's just a rebadged Camry? I'd definitely use eBay for car buying though. Most of these places are dealerships and you can get the cars inspected over the web. Definitely check out the TL, I don't like Honda, but if I were to go that route that'd be my choice. Good luck!

Actually of the I30, TL and ES the ES is the furthest removed from the Camry, with the closest being the I30 to the Maxima and the TL and the European Accord somewhere in the middle. The ES of 94-96 was an excellent car, pretty sporty, good styling that still looks fresh for its age, and very reliable.

As for the TL, I know Acura has had HORRIBLE transmission problems on 99-03 TLs its one of the worst trannys in the industry, I don't know if that seeps back into some of the older ones or not. Something to consider.

My choice would be the ES300, only because of my excellent experience with Lexus since 1998, and the experiences of others that I know. I have a customer that has 3 ES's, one old ES250, a 93 ES300 and a 96 ES300. The 96 ES300 has almost 300,000 miles on it and its never needed any severe repairs. Lexus truly is an excellent vehicle. Not that Infiniti and Acura aren't though.

That TL looks like its in great shape, hope all goes well!

 

['96explorereddiebauer]

Woohoo!!! The inspection company called this morning and everything checked out. He said there's a problem with the front driver's window, window would go up slow. A couple of panels were repainted but there were no body filler and the only way to tell if the car's been repainted is using a paint depth measurer. The engine and tranny are in excellent condition. I've already paid for the shipper and my dad will help me pay for the car now and I'll pay him back later. Oh man...I'm soooooooooo excited!!!!!

 

[Hokie]

[QUOTE='96explorereddiebauer]Woohoo!!! The inspection company called this morning and everything checked out. He said there's a problem with the front driver's window, window would go up slow. A couple of panels were repainted but there were no body filler and the only way to tell if the car's been repainted is using a paint depth measurer. The engine and tranny are in excellent condition. I've already paid for the shipper and my dad will help me pay for the car now and I'll pay him back later. Oh man...I'm soooooooooo excited!!!!![/QUOTE]

Atta boy... excellent car

 

[Stephen]

Congratulations!

The slow window movement could be a couple things, it could be as simple as the mechanism needing to be lubricated, I had that problem on my Lincolns.

 

[XplorerKid]

Nice new Car 96EB, Im sure you can make it shien even more with your talented Detailing work

 

['96explorereddiebauer]

Thanks, Stephen and Kid. The shipper picked the car up earlier this afternoon and he told me that he should be here on Saturday, not next, but the 2 days from now Saturday. I can't wait!!!! I'll definitely take some pics of the exterior and the interior.

Oh...detailing is definitely in order, but after all my exams this coming two weeks.

 

['96explorereddiebauer]

Well, I finally got the car 3 hours ago. The shipper said he ran very behind on his shipments so the car finally got here at 9 tonight. The car is awesome!!! I love it soooo much!!! For a '96, the paint condition is a little better than mine so I'm very happy. But one problem. It has ABS problem. The light would stay on. I start the engine, the usually light check, then all lights turned off. Well, all of a sudden, I hear a very loud clicking noise, which sounded like the ABS system cycling, then the ABS light turned on and stayed on. I don't know what is happening to it. Should I call the dealer and see what they can do, even though we signed the paper which said there is absolutely no warrenties for the car??