Take it to a friggin' mechanic and have it thoroughly checked out!

Any car with higher mileage is going to be heading toward "maintenance city" once it reaches a certain point, so yes, you will be due for a brake change, fluid changes, and other possible mechanical work. But at the same time, any used car can be a great purchase if it's been taken car of and if you follow-up with routine maintenance.

As for the cars you've looked at, you've been all over the board as far as types of cars and years.

Your best bet if needing something reliable and that will last during your college years is something as new as possible and affordable.

So I'd look at cars like the RSX Type S, WRX, Scion tC, Acura Integra GSR, Celica GTS, a newer S2K (02-03), or something else that has been reliable over the years and that you can get fairly new and with low mileage.

 

Your dad does have some good points. At that mileage you start getting into some preventative maintenance windows that may cost some cash. That's NOT to say the S is unreliable. All cars need to have some major preventative maintenance to keep them in proper form. The only way to put that off is to

a) NOT do the maintenance (bad idea), or
b) buy a lower mileage car.

I would try to get a lower mileage car, especially if I drove to school back and forth every day. Then again, I'm getting old and cautious...what do I know!? LOL.

 

i've owned an rsx... and then a tree owned my rsx lol anyways don't forget Acura is still honda, they're just about the same to my knowledge atleast. However.. don't get teh rsx expect to get power.. noo it was a slow car, it was pretty light weight i beleive 2800lbs. It was pretty comfortable as the interior goes and was pretty stylish. Also the rsx sits up really high, droppin it would be a definate mod if i got another one. I've never driven a s2k but i ahve sat in one i think i'd like it better then a rsx. Plus Rsx's aer becoming more common.

 

Personally I would try to find one without the Veilside kit, that rear bumper is hideous IMO. Personally, I wouldn't want the S2k as an only car either.

 

yup i'm 100% greek also i was born there and moved here when i was 5, but i still attended greek school here at a local greek church so i could learn how to write and read in greek, and at my house that's the only language you hear =]

but anyways enough of that lol.. i agreed with my dad about the mileage. when i'd be done with college in 4 years i'd have a car with close to 100k miles, and even though that's not bad it still is a little high. now here's what sucks.. last night i found another s2000 on autotrader from a dealership, black, $17,000 with 23,500 miles. it was a steal! i asked my friend if he could run a carfax on it and everything came out clean. the next day i woke up early in the morning to call them, and they told me it was sold the first day it was put up online =(

i don't think i'll ever find another deal as good as that.. so i'm starting to consider other cars now also. i found a 2002 blue wrx for $18k with 14,300 miles. i called the guy and made an appointment to go checkout the car tomorrow.. i guess a 4 door would suit me better, but at times i hate being a taxi driver for friends =X but anyways, i hope i have better luck with this one!

 

argh.. the more i think about it though.. the more i want an s2000.. i drive my friends 240SX around once in a while and today it was kinda wet, so we went to an empty parking lot and i got it sliding around =D i'd floor it halfway through a quick turn then counter-steer and play with the throttle and holy cow that was fun =] i just love rwd ever since i've experienced it.

i guess i'll drive the wrx tomorrow and see how i like it, and if my heart still desires an S2000 then there's no rush for me to get one, i'll just keep waiting till the right one comes along =]

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Costas
argh.. the more i think about it though.. the more i want an s2000.. i drive my friends 240SX around once in a while and today it was kinda wet, so we went to an empty parking lot and i got it sliding around =D i'd floor it halfway through a quick turn then counter-steer and play with the throttle and holy cow that was fun =] i just love rwd ever since i've experienced it.