Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Common Interests sorry, here we go again (car choices) please help.

Any idea on what the actual miles are? IMO, it's never really too late to switch to synthetic unless perhaps you have an oil leak already, especially if the car has been maintained well.

1)if you are looking for a long term car and all is as you say the 626 is a fine car and it looks pretty decent
2)the rodeos are durable sob's! but if you think the guy may be hiding something concerning the condition of the vehicle then i would pass unless you feel like finding it and fixing it if it is no big deal
3)if you have found an 84ish toyo pickup in excellent shape, it will last you a long time. my dad just got rid of one that he beat it to hell and back again. he got it with 150,000 miles on a sick engine and drove it another hundred thousand while the engine just barely clung to life.
4)there is definitely something to be said about those old volvos. just about the safest thing on four wheels. if it is in good shape and you want a cheap beater car then go for it.

overall i say the volvo for the beater or the 626 if you want a decent looking car to drive while your tour is in recovery

just my opinion

I would go with the Volvo, just my input. They are solid cars. My wife have a 1990 240, 189,567 miles. Never had a problem with it. My father inlaw has been a volvo tech for 26 years, says the 240 were never seen getting fixed. The rarest car to have something wrong with them. When we looked for her 240 we saw about 5 240s over 289,000 miles with no rust, so you know they are in it for the long haul. Volvos are a serious car. There are 4 240s in our extended family .Durning winter i take the volvo over the contour hands down, i feel so much safer .

Good luck
MAtt

the volvo has a SERIOUS set fo problems.

-from 1987-1990, they had very serious wiring harness problems. this one did not appear to, but the way the car works says otherwise.

immediately upon turning the key, i smelled ALOT fo gasoline. the engine dieseled something fierce at ALL rpms. the passenger side window did not roll down with the pass. window switch that was on the drivers door. there was no headliner. maaco paintjob. the only thing on the instrument cluster that worked was the tachomoter...i have NO way of telling how many miles are actually on this car, or even how much gas it has. the motor looks clean, small leaks here and there (valve cover). its an automatic, tranny shifts good. hole in exhasut manifold. no rust. it had been in a minor accident, rendering the right hand turn signal useless. what wiring i could see looked excellent, until i got UNDER the car. the wires that ran to the fuel pump were falling apart. the insulation had completely disentagrated and they were now bare. no volvo for me. i called the local dealer and the repair runs $4500 parts and labor, its worse than the pre 98 tours, because EVERY WIRE IN THE CAR was made with the same insulation, so they all must be replaced (yes i said every wire). i have a sneaky suspiscion that the reason the gauge sluster didnt work is because of these wiring harnesses.


so i offed him 700 cash. he turned it down...not my problem.

the 626 i am probably nto gonna get. my boss has a 1990 lexus (camry equivalent) with 130,000 miles he will sell to me (and only to me) for $2,000. so im gonna go that route. i may be on a bike for a little while, but hey...no biggy

lexus:



looks just like that.

can you ask your father in law what would cause that gauge cluster to be out and how much to fix???

If I were you, I would take the 626, hands down... though it is an ATX... You need to get arround, and when you are on a tight budget... You cant be TO choosey.... a 626 with that few miles for that price... I would go for it.

the 626...im nto gonna be able to get it, the dealer will give them 2200-3300 depending on condition (it is immaculate, so picture it up around the 3k mark for the trade) and i cant match that, not even close.

did you not even see the lexus?? all it needs is brake pads (all wheel disk...i can do that!)

I didnt see the lexus... GO FOR THE LEXUS... Toyota makes AWESOME car... it may have 130K.. but its going to easily go to 200K.

I still pick the 626 out of the group... this car is from before they ruined them in 1997, and is a true driver's car, even with the 2.0 litre 4/ATX combination. Whoops... missed the last comment. I would pick the Lexus, then, even though I think the miles is still a gamble.

I'm sorry, but 130,000 is getting up there for any car, and even if the powertrain is all up to snuff, there is an issue of time and mileage on the rest of it.

The Volvo is a risky choice to me. True, they run forever, but they tend to get into needing quite a few expensive parts around the powertrain (especially exhausts... every old Volvo owner I know gets exhaust work done regularly and expensively).

heh, its alright fellas, AJ i postred it rigth when you posted so its all good.

the lexus looks lie the choice. the volvo DID need exhasut work...lets recap:

-1992 Inifinty Q45t 129K miles: needed Active Suspension recharged~$3,000. needed A/C system repaired $2500. NEeded Catalytic convs. $1500, asking price: $2000

-198? Toyota Pickup, 85K miles: Not for sale
-1996 Mazda 626, 60K miles: owner was offered $3,500 dollars for trade, i cant beat that.

-1996 Honda Passport, 130K miles: Knocking Lifter, Owner refused to get it inspected.

1989 Volvo 740 Wagon: ???,??? (probably over 250K) miles: needed all new wiring, new headliner, new carpet, exhaust system work, many other unknown things.


1990 Lexus ES250...everything i could ever want, at my price range, will be reserved for me tomorrow, whast not to like??? its not definate yet, i still have to come up with another grand...but that can be had fairly easily (thanks mom, i know im 24 , but you were always willing to help me when i need/ask )

took a closer look at the lexus today.. i think its the one guys.

its only problems are a small oil leak in the valve cover and a problem with paitn lifting off the rear doors...i can probably have those rear doors painted fairly cheap though, espcecially if i do all the prep myself.
i will drive it hopefully this weekend. it does not have leather though, only drawback. or a cd player (that io noticed...its ok, i have one from the tour). it does come with a motorola car phone kit(since im buying it from my boss, and he works at motorola, he got the car phone for free!!).

also the interior is IMMACULATE!!!!! i will take pix when i pick it up. im not sure if it will be next week or the week after, i had an unexpected expense come up...but we will see. i am most likley getting it though. the car had less wear than i woudl expect from a 14 year old car, but they guy babied it. he is almost 60 too, so you know he didnt hammer it.

i will tell you more when i drive it this weekend.


oh and...BUMP...