I too am looking for a new car

[Tom]

I suppose you can just wash your car after each salting.  There are a lot of Japanese cars that seem to fit you well.

[Champ]

his has some rust on it, but alot of it is from scratches or dents that could have been painted and sealed up so it didn't rust through over time.  But it is in decent shape for being a 17 year old Minnesota car.

[JYODER240]

If your willing to extend your price range and go with turbo the dealership I work at just took in a 99 or 00 9-3 Viggen with 118K miles that would work well for you. I think they are going to ebay-it and want 7-8K for it.

[280Z Turbo]

A Viggen would be awesome, but 7-8K is definately not possible at this time.

[Raza]

You're looking at 6 grand, right?  Why not drop the 6 on the Viggen and then get a loan for the other one or two?  

What about just a regular Saab?

[omicron]

I hope that US Viggens do not have the dreadful torque steer of Australian ones. If so, I shall slap those who recommended one :wave:

[Raza]

I hope that US Viggens do not have the dreadful torque steer of Australian ones. If so, I shall slap those who recommended one :wave:

I believe they do.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

i skipped most of the other posts(sorry guys), as someone who seems to be on the same page when it comes to vehicles i have a suggestion that i think would fit you pretty good.

Try and find yourself a early/mid 90's Mazda MX6 V-6. I loved the one i had, it was tight, handled great and had pretty good power. Overall mazda makes some of the best fwd sporty cars around.

Should find a nice LS with leather and lower miles for around 4k.

[TBR]

That is a great solution, if my top pick proofs to be too soft for my tastes I will immediately turn to the MX6. What a fabulous little car!

[ifcar]

What about a mechanically identical but less-expensive Ford Probe?

[FlatBlackCaddy]

the ford isn't a bad call, i personally prefer the interior of the mazda over the ford.

and the fixed headlights of the mazda should be worry free.

[280Z Turbo]

Mazda MX6s are very, very rare, and a Probe is well...a Probe.

There's a good reason that its worth less than the Mazda version.

A non-turbo Saab is like a Ferrari with a 3.9L V6 from a Dakota. Kinda slow and pointless. Why have a turbo-less Saab?

Right now, a Focus sounds pretty good.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

I didn't know a MX-6 was rare in your area...they aren't all over around here but if i wanted one and had the cash i could still find a couple clean used examples.

You might as well just find a saab, they are good cars if you get a well kept example. When i was saab shopping it took me about 2 days to learn all the warning signs for most saabs, in the end you should find a nice car with good miles that will last as long as you need it. Plus saabs are unique and really nice rides, i too always come back to looking at saabs when it comes to a nice semi luxo fwd car.

I've been thinking about getting a Mazda 3, loaded, which is about 20k new, but i always like to think of the better deals i can get going used.

I'm thinking about calling on this and taking a look at it, always loved the hatchback's, throw in a nice  turbo and i'm there.

mmmmm blue

[SJ_GTI]

I didn't know a MX-6 was rare in your area...they aren't all over around here but if i wanted one and had the cash i could still find a couple clean used examples.

You might as well just find a saab, they are good cars if you get a well kept example. When i was saab shopping it took me about 2 days to learn all the warning signs for most saabs, in the end you should find a nice car with good miles that will last as long as you need it. Plus saabs are unique and really nice rides, i too always come back to looking at saabs when it comes to a nice semi luxo fwd car.

I've been thinking about getting a Mazda 3, loaded, which is about 20k new, but i always like to think of the better deals i can get going used.

I'm thinking about calling on this and taking a look at it, always loved the hatchback's, throw in a nice  turbo and i'm there.

mmmmm blue

Oh...that looks sweet.

You should get the Saab FBC, then i won't think you're a Nissan troll anymore.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

I didn't know a MX-6 was rare in your area...they aren't all over around here but if i wanted one and had the cash i could still find a couple clean used examples.

You might as well just find a saab, they are good cars if you get a well kept example. When i was saab shopping it took me about 2 days to learn all the warning signs for most saabs, in the end you should find a nice car with good miles that will last as long as you need it. Plus saabs are unique and really nice rides, i too always come back to looking at saabs when it comes to a nice semi luxo fwd car.

I've been thinking about getting a Mazda 3, loaded, which is about 20k new, but i always like to think of the better deals i can get going used.

I'm thinking about calling on this and taking a look at it, always loved the hatchback's, throw in a nice  turbo and i'm there.

mmmmm blue

Oh...that looks sweet.

You should get the Saab FBC, then i won't think you're a Nissan troll anymore.

I'm sure you'll just find some other reason to dislke me...  

[280Z Turbo]

I think you guys may have been leading me down the wrong road with the Ford Focus. We looked at a 2001 today and a 2002 yesterday and they both had heavy rust on bolts, studs, EGR valve, etc. The Ranger doesn't even have rust like that under the hood. Not to mention all of the teething problems with Foci and mechanical failures.

I'm going to look at a V6 Cougar 5 speed tommrow. It's right in town, so I figure it's worth a look.

I think I'd like to try something else. Honda maybe?

[TBR]

Screw Honda, think Mazda  

[Raza]

Screw Honda, think Mazda

+1

[ifcar]

I think you guys may have been leading me down the wrong road with the Ford Focus. We looked at a 2001 today and a 2002 yesterday and they both had heavy rust on bolts, studs, EGR valve, etc. The Ranger doesn't even have rust like that under the hood. Not to mention all of the teething problems with Foci and mechanical failures.

How about the first ones you looked at?

[280Z Turbo]

I think you guys may have been leading me down the wrong road with the Ford Focus. We looked at a 2001 today and a 2002 yesterday and they both had heavy rust on bolts, studs, EGR valve, etc. The Ranger doesn't even have rust like that under the hood. Not to mention all of the teething problems with Foci and mechanical failures.

How about the first ones you looked at?

I really only looked at 3 in person. One in Grand Rapids, MI, one in Holland, MI, one in Jenison, MI.

I didn't look at the engine compartment of the GR car too closely, but the ones in Holland and Jenison had to much corrosion/rust for me. I could pop the hood on our '99 Intrigue or '98 Dakota and show you what a late model car is supposed to look like under the hood.

There were rusted brackets, bolts, studs and other engine parts that should NOT have gotten crusty rust after a few years. It worries me because rust is contagious and it indicates the quality of the rest of the vehicle.