Best Small (American) Car To Buy Used?

[Dana]

Whatever you do, don't take your drivers exam with a 72 chevy with a three speed on the column. I failed miserably LOL

Most likely it'll be a 96 Saturn.

 

[Joe the meek]

My Escort cannot get out of a snow pile. My ex boyfriend's Liberty could get out of a snow pile. I'd assume most people would like to get out of a snow pile. Even in areas with good plow services, a bad snow storm means little cars can't get out.

They have these things call shovels, you use them to dig your car out.

When I left upstate NY one time the "hill" area got 74" in twenty four hours. I take the south any day now.

That said, it was upstate NY where I remember a guy telling me how great his new four wheel drive jeep was on the ice. ******* idiot.

 

[Joe the meek]

Most likely it'll be a 96 Saturn.

You'll be fine. If I remember correctly, I re took the test the next day with a '80 something automatic Escort and passed with flying colors LOL

 

[Darrell]

I would get a Honda Civic if I were you. They are reliable, good cars.

 

[Kyle B]

They have these things call shovels, you use them to dig your car out.

When I left upstate NY one time the "hill" area got 74" in twenty four hours. I take the south any day now.

That said, it was upstate NY where I remember a guy telling me how great his new four wheel drive jeep was on the ice. ******* idiot.

It's even worse if you live in the mountains like me. If you don't have four wheel drive, it's an extra battle driving up the million plus hills.

 

[Panacea]

They have these things call shovels, you use them to dig your car out.

My entire family lives in North Carolina. If you've lived there most of your life, you can kiss my ass.

 

[Panacea]

most cars are front wheel drive and they do well in snow if they are not too low to the ground. The only thing stopping them is if the snow is too deep and it lifts the car off the ground enough to lose traction. I went thru some deep snows with my cars. If you could get it to move you just about plow with em.

This is precisely my point. You speak Michigan winter.
My car does just fine as long as the side streets aren't too deep, which they can be. The highways usually get plowed nicely but the turn-arounds and residential streets can trap me. Only happened three times but it's tough when it does.

 

[Joe the meek]

My entire family lives in North Carolina. If you've lived there most of your life, you can kiss my ass.

If I lived in NC most of my life, I wouldn't of mentioned the fact on how much snow I was use to dealing with. If I weren't married, I would kiss your ass, but keep in mind, you'd end up leaving your boyfriend. Guess it's just lucky for him

 

[Panacea]

If I lived in NC most of my life, I wouldn't of mentioned the fact on how much snow I was use to dealing with. If I weren't married, I would kiss your ass, but keep in mind, you'd end up leaving your boyfriend. Guess it's just lucky for him

Your posts are kind of a blur of rude, I don't always catch everything in them. Clearly, then, you know a hand shovel doesn't make a city's worth of blizzard disappear so someone's cheapie roller skate vehicle can maneuver it.

I just know it's even worse out on the East Coast where Dana is. We've been lucky here compared to some states.

 

[Natasha]

yeah chevy makes the cobalt and some other small cars
ford makes the focus and other small cars
dodge makes the Stratus? i think and some other small cars

they all make small cars and they sell well, the idea that we all drive lifted trucks is a stereotype

Stratus isn't a small car...it's mid-sized. Unless the design has changed in the past few years.

I drive a Toyota Corolla. It's small, dependable, and great on gas. You can get a brand new one for about $14K or so.

 

[Joe the meek]

Your posts are kind of a blur of rude, I don't always catch everything in them.

Good excuse for not actually comprehending what you're reading. Don't worry, I do it sometimes myself.

Worked in DC for some time. NEVER will catch me living in a "city" again.

Fact is, driving slow and cautious in bad weather probably helps more so than 4x4. God knows I've been driven by many people in small compact cars and 4 wheel drive vehicles on snow packed roads where I'm in 4 wheel drive driving well below the speed limit only to come across those same cars who passed me in a hurry stuck in a snow bank on the side of the road. I make sure to smile and wave at them as I drive by. Middle aged mom's and young punks in 4X4's are the worst.

 

[Panacea]

Good excuse for not actually comprehending what you're reading. Don't worry, I do it sometimes myself.

I own up to my mistakes when I make them, in this case I didn't give a fuck about what you were saying.

Fact is, driving slow and cautious in bad weather probably helps more so than 4x4. God knows I've been driven by many people in small compact cars and 4 wheel drive vehicles on snow packed roads where I'm in 4 wheel drive driving well below the speed limit only to come across those same cars who passed me in a hurry stuck in a snow bank on the side of the road. I make sure to smile and wave at them as I drive by. Middle aged mom's and young punks in 4X4's are the worst.

You don't seem to understand my consideration for the Liberty over the Focus was about size, not 4WD versus FWD.

 

[Tim]

Fact is, driving slow and cautious in bad weather probably helps more so than 4x4. God knows I've been driven by many people in small compact cars and 4 wheel drive vehicles on snow packed roads where I'm in 4 wheel drive driving well below the speed limit only to come across those same cars who passed me in a hurry stuck in a snow bank on the side of the road. I make sure to smile and wave at them as I drive by. Middle aged mom's and young punks in 4X4's are the worst.

Sorry, there is absolutely no substitution for a 4 wheel drive vehicle in deep snow (which we deal with often enough) You cannot say that 4 wheel drive vehicles aren't much better just because there are idiots out there driving them too fast for the conditions.
Just before Halloween when we got 14" here I needed to go to my brothers farm to pick up a generator. There is no way in hell I could have made it in a front wheel drive car, even if it was equipped with chains.
When it's truly needed, there is NO substitution for a good 4 wheel drive vehicle with good tires, none.

 

[Joe the meek]

I own up to my mistakes when I make them, in this case I didn't give a fuck about what you were saying.

Listen, word of advice, if you don't give a flying rats butt about what I'm saying, don't respond. Got it?

Show a little more intelligence (which I certain you're capable of) than just cursing out a comment.

 

[Joe the meek]

Sorry, there is absolutely no substitution for a 4 wheel drive vehicle in deep snow (which we deal with often enough) You cannot say that 4 wheel drive vehicles aren't much better just because there are idiots out there driving them too fast for the conditions.

I won't disagree that it's hard to beat knowing how to drive a 4X4 in bad weather, but you'd be amazed at the people out in Idaho and Montana (that get a whole heck of a lot more snow than eastern Pa) who drive with two wheel drive trucks with chains with a good amount of "winter" weight in the back.

Like anything else, a good tool will help you go far, but using a good brain will help you go farther. That's my point. Too many idiots get AWD or 4x4's thinking that they can drive in anything, and usually don't have a problem until they have to hit the breaks.

 

[retro]

Chevy Cobalt
Toyota Corolla
Kia Optima/Hyundai Sonata (a bit larger though)
Toyota Matrix/Pontiac Vibe

I've personally driven all of those (I own an Optima) and they're all pretty good quality and reliable. For price/performance ratio, the Cobalt or Optima/Sonata would probably be your best choice.

 

[darkcgi]

I would get a Honda Civic if I were you. They are reliable, good cars.

yep right on bro

 

[Natasha]

I should point out, in my recommendation of a Toyota Corolla, that I live in Georgia and very rarely deal w/ snow...so it might not be a good option for where you live, LOL

 

[darkcgi]

get a beetle
they will startup even when its at artic temperatures
and they are air cooled so they will keep you nice and warm and stay nice and cool
get a battery kit that puts a small current into the frame of the car
it will keep it from rusting or getting eaten by the salt

 

[Kyle B]

Chevy Cobalt
Toyota Corolla
Kia Optima/Hyundai Sonata (a bit larger though)
Toyota Matrix/Pontiac Vibe

I've personally driven all of those (I own an Optima) and they're all pretty good quality and reliable. For price/performance ratio, the Cobalt or Optima/Sonata would probably be your best choice.

I drive a 2005 Cobalt and it still runs great. I only just hit the 100k mileage mark though, and I'm putting lots more mileage on it now than I did before. It seems that every time I turn around I have to change the oil.

My family still owns a 1998 Toyota Rav 4, and it's used regularly.