NFB Best second car

[LS1 TA]

What would you guys choose as the best second car to have parked next to the F-body(Other than another F-body) to go back and forth to work etc. Going for mileage and dependability. I was kinda thinking about a VW jetta, there a 99 for sale here for $5000.

[Steel2686]

I guess a lot depends where you live. A Jetta would work in New Mexico as a daily driver, but up here in New England, an SUV or 4x4 pickup is really the only way to go. We need winter beaters here.

As far as I know, the Jettas are okay, as long as you get a stick. I know they had a lot of trouble with the automatics, especially in the late '90s.

[Jeff_in_Atl]

Honda Civic for low end. Honda Accord for a little better. Toyota Camary was rated #2 but I don't like the seats in them. Too hard.

[Jay 02 TA ws6]

Toyota Corolla XRS

[Christopherrr]

Jetta...personally, I love em. a little weak for the bottom end 2.0, but other than that...you can't beat German engineering...althought, Jettas have electrical gremlins.

My ex GF has one...been good to her.

If not a Jetta...definately a Corolla.

[Crazy Canuk]

I here Jetta's are good over all, great gas milage but watch out for the following:

Audio system : The door speakers may rattle due to loose rivets or wiring harness contacting the speakers. Requires new fasteners and rerouting wires. (1999)

Clutch : Due to the return spring falling out of position, the clutch pedal may not fully return and the cruise may not disengage. (1999)

Engine noise : Due to the throttle cable contacting the engine cover, the throttle pedal vibrates and there is a rapping noise under the hood. (1999-2000)

Vehicle noise : A humming noise when cornering may be coming from the differential. Draining the automatic-transmission fluid and replacing it with synthetic may help. (1999)

Recalls:
1999 Jetta : If the vehicle is driven with a rear flat tire, the fuel-tank filler neck can wear, causing a fuel leak and possible fire.

1999 Jetta : Some vehicles do not comply with head-injury criterion requirements.

1999 : Sound-absorbing mat attached to inside of B-pillar side-trim panel could ignite when exposed to exhaust gas of seatbelt pretensioner, if it's triggered during a crash.

I use http://auto.consumerguide.com/ to do my car research, it's a good place to start. Then I use a online car selling page (not ebay) to get general prices and availibility of cars. Then search out specific cars on the net and fourms to find out more info and common trubble spots to look out for. Good luck in your search. Acura's like the TL and CL are nice, also Maxima's are nice but may be a bit pricey to fix. Be real careful about people modding any of these cars because people generaly wont do it right and will cost you alot to fix there mistakes.

[N20LT4Bird]

Stay away from VOLKSWAGON!!!!!!! ....unless you have a bottomless pocket to pay the dealer when its broken. Volkswagon has the WORST aftermarket support. Parts are often dealer only and they will screw you over bad. My buddy has an 03 Jetta and he just went to buy an 02 sensor........aftermarket price: 250.00 The electronics on them are very difficult to deal with unless you have the dealer scan tool. You really cant access much without it. If there was a vehicle on the top of my list of "never buys" VW is probably close to number 1.

If youre gonna get something foreign, Honda is pretty good.....toyota is alright. I would personally stick with a GM or Chrysler product. Personally, I have an 87 Omni GLH with a 2.2 turbo for my second car. Its not the most reliable car, but its FUN to drive, easy and CHEAP to work on, and it gets good gas mileage if youre not in the boost. Best thing is that it runs 14.2 @ 102 in the quarter mile!!!

[LS1 TA]

Stay away from VOLKSWAGON!!!!!!! ....unless you have a bottomless pocket to pay the dealer when its broken. Volkswagon has the WORST aftermarket support. Parts are often dealer only and they will screw you over bad. My buddy has an 03 Jetta and he just went to buy an 02 sensor........aftermarket price: 250.00 The electronics on them are very difficult to deal with unless you have the dealer scan tool. You really cant access much without it. If there was a vehicle on the top of my list of "never buys" VW is probably close to number 1.

If youre gonna get something foreign, Honda is pretty good.....toyota is alright. I would personally stick with a GM or Chrysler product. Personally, I have an 87 Omni GLH with a 2.2 turbo for my second car. Its not the most reliable car, but its FUN to drive, easy and CHEAP to work on, and it gets good gas mileage if youre not in the boost. Best thing is that it runs 14.2 @ 102 in the quarter mile!!!

My buddy carl has one of those omni's as well, surprised the heck out of me when I looked over and it was still next to me going down the highway.

[N20LT4Bird]

Yes, I have the intercooled T2 GLHS motor running 15psi of boost. I have beaten my fair share of f-bodys....(Shhhh) . If I run from a roll, I walk a stock LT1....and will hang well enough with an LS1 that I get respect. From a stop its not so easy. They dont lauch well without suspension mods. I raced an 04 GTO at the track. He had more $$ in his headers than i had in my whole car. He beat me by a 1.5 car lengths.

I love these cars as my beaters...theyre fast and cheap. Ive got about 1000 bucks into my Omni.

[Jeff_in_Atl]

My wife has a Beetle which is essentially a re-bodied Jetta. It has been to the dealership many times (under warrantee). I asked them to look for an engine rattle and it turned out the timing belt tensioner broken.

The thing I don't like is the service is questionable. Recently the front cigarette lighter wouldn't work with a power adapter. The middle and the back one worked. We took it in. They looked at it said nothing was wrong. It still didn't work. We took it back. They couldn't find anything wrong. We went to pick it up. We tried it. It still didn't work. We got the service manager out to look at it. We showed them it was messed up. They tried to sand the thing because it was rusty. It still didn't work. Finally they put a new one in it. They should have just changed it after the second time. We are having an argument about the brakes now. They have been just a pain.

The first thing that happened to it was something went wrong with the AC compressor and it melted the fuse panel. I mean melted blob. They had to replace both the panel and the compressor.

The sun roof sun shield broke too. They replaced everything under warrantee though. A lot depends on the service writer that you get. I wouldn't buy a VW.

[Joe 1320]

. Honda Accord for a little better. .

Bingo. Although I hate mine, I bought it for the right price and I flog it for daily driving duties. 35 mpg on the highway and the ability to disappear in a crowd. The cars run pretty well, body panels are a little thin but that's what helps keep the weight down. Expect some rust at panel edges and some repair parts higher than average. The rear O2 sensor for example is over $200. I spliced in a generic replacement for $70. At least with the 4 cyl. models, everything is very accessable, repairs are quick and easy. The car has been darned dependable, just boring as heck.