So I have a 2000 Maxima that has had 4 alternators put in it over the course of a few days (only paid for one), plus had a battery changed out, and it is still giving me signs of electrical trouble (battery+ ebrake lights still flicker while driving.) I am almost ready to dump the car completely seeing as I have no DIY prowess or troubleshooting skills, and no connections in the car business down in NC where I now currently live. While I earn a good living my family life allocates most of my money to other expenses.

The easy thing to do would be to purchase another used car, but over the course of my years as a driver the 3 used cars I've owned have ended in financial disaster due to surprise expenses. I drive 60 miles per day for work, so leasing is out of the question, but I need something dependable. I work in sales, and it is detrimental to my ability to be employed, as well as my paycheck to miss work unexpectedly.

Having said that I need something that is 17k or less, but am so out of the loop with new cars I don't even know what would be a good choice should I go this route. Being a Truecar junkie I have found that a 2014 VW Jetta 1.8t SE 5 speed seems like an interesting choice. Equipped like this it can be had for under 16k. I have no idea what the verdict is on this car, nor any other for that matter, and I figured a site full of enthusiasts could help me out.

My criteria is: alloy wheels, room for a car seat, and at least semi-enjoyable to drive. I'm still a few years off from getting my desired car (whatever it may be at that time) so I am looking for something to keep my interest, and also stay practical in the interim. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

.... so now I just went out to take it for a ride and my CEL is now on lol. Not to mention I have no heat at idle. yay.

 

have u checked ur engine harness for any burned, cut, shorted wires? Any aftermarket electrical equipment you added recently that would create this? Are you on Maxima.org? Go on there and ask maybe someone has had the same issue and corrected it...

 

New cars under $17k really require a sacrifice on space. You can certainly fit a car seat in a number of models under $17k, but I wouldn't expect a lot more than that.

That said, a number of base models can be had under $17k. The Hyundai Elantra for one. Mazda also. Chevy Cruze (I wouldn't but it).

The Civic with a Manual would run you about $18k.

 

Buy a used Jetta TDI with a manual trans. 40mpg and more reliable than the sun coming up tomorrow. People put hundreds of thousands of trouble free miles on the diesel motor. A Jetta 1.8t will be about as reliable as a 1984 Range Rover.

 

There are CPO Jetta TDIs near me for $17k ... 2012 with 43k miles as an example. The lowest mileage was a 2013 TDI S (I'm guessing) with 24k miles for about $16.5K.

So it's doable. And yeah, they'll run forever with near 50mpg if you do it right.

As an alternative, the Passat TSI S is not exactly the sexist car in the world with the most features but it gets great gas mileage, has great range, and you can get a new Passat TSI S for about $21k. 35mpg on the highway on regular gas and you can do about 70mph at 1900RPM. It's a solid car for $21k. Big enough for two car seats in the back without an issue. Plus the leatherette is pretty good and definitely stands up to kids dropping food and drinks all over it.

 

thanks a lot for the input guys I went out and test drove a jetta and was quite surprised at how well it drove... I have decided to also consider gently used cars as well in my search, as I think I have found a mechanic down here I can trust, so I am going to introduce that back into the equation. I am so lost I don't even know where to start lol.

 

I like the new 14+ legacy myself

but $17K will get a 2K11 or 12 Model with roughly 35-40K on the odo

 

Start with all the suggestions in this thread...

 

I'd go Jetta TDI or a used +13 Civic. My civic has treated me well for the most part. Just a few minor annoyances, but nothing mechanical. I've done 34k in about a year and a half, and I regularly see my highway mileage at 40mpg+

 

So tomorrow I'm going to hit a few dealers. Going to head to vw and try out the tdi jetta, then head to honda to drive a civic, and as a complete contradiction to myself I'm also going to check out this very clean 2001 gs300 I saw at a toyota dealer. it's at the bottom of my budget which is always nice.

As for the subie I will be doing a lot of reading tonight I honestly don't know anything about them, but I have a dealer in my area so I'll pass by there.

 

Stay away from the GS300, both 2G and 3G. Lots of carbon build up thanks to DI causes misfire and shuddering in the 3G and the 2G has a horrid transmission.

FINALLY....Recall on GS300 engine misfire - Club Lexus Forums

Sorry to hear about the problems with the Maxima, Frank. Good luck mang

 

Any input on the GS430? As rare as it is... I really fell in love with how the GS300 drove, and I am considering just going used again :-X .... I really want to buy a house soon, so a new car payment may not be what I should be putting my money into.