[Jerry H.]

My daughter crashed her 03 Sunfire yesterday. She's ok, but I'm afraid they're going to total the car. The car has been a great one for her, we bought it with only 3k on the clock, with only regular maintenance and now 75k on it. Looks like she may have about $6500 to spend on a replacement. She can't afford a car payment right now, so she's going to have to find a car with that budget. I've seen some PT Cruiser's with decent mileage in that price range. Anyone have any ideas about those? Any other suggestions in that price range with decent mileage?

[sleepy]

Check your local creigslist.

[Hitman]

I have not heard anything good about used PT's. I know you can pick up a used Beetle (new) pretty cheap but then again you roll the dice with all that german engineering. You should talk to her about getting a couple year old cobalt. You may find one of those G5 cobalt knock offs cheap. $6500 will go pretty far in the used car market. Sorry to hear about the car. Glad to hear she is ok.

[Old Blue 66]

Originally Posted by Hitman

I have not heard anything good about used PT's. I know you can pick up a used Beetle (new) pretty cheap but then again you roll the dice with all that german engineering. You should talk to her about getting a couple year old cobalt. You may find one of those G5 cobalt knock offs cheap. $6500 will go pretty far in the used car market. Sorry to hear about the car. Glad to hear she is ok.

Cant agree more.

$6500 is where the cars start getting good right now. Thats kinda the sweet spot for the hot part of the used car market today.

Ive had great luck with Maxima's. Very few problems between two of them and about 250K miles. You could get a fully loaded SE model (sport version) for that kinda money. Maybe a 2003 or 2004.

Glad to here shes ok Jerry

[GT182]

We looked a a couple of new ones when thay came. And I'm glad that's all we did was look. PT Cruisers are uncomfortable up front, and NO room in the rear beween them and the front seats. And I hated the looks of the dash layout.

Get her and older Altima coupe. 29 mpg ain't bad.

[salem1912]

PT Cruiser=NEON Think they are stone ugly IMO

[Lightfoot]

Jerry, there was a body shop over in Mount Airy that would have a few cars for sale, and I used to stop and check them out. Seems like they always had something that was a decent car for the money.

If you were going to go the German car route, I'd avoid the newer Beetles. The drivetrains are well engineered but hey have modular body construction that is a pain, if you ever need collision repair. Jettas are decent cars, if you can handle the German servicability.

Altimas & Camrys are as good as anything.

[Jerry H.]

She called late this afternoon and said the insurance company had moved it to the body shop she requested so I guess they're not going to total it. It's been such a good car I guess that's a good thing. The body shop is at the Pontiac Dealer I worked for and they do excellent work. It will be done right. With it she knows what she's got. I've always hated buying a used car for my major transportation that had over 50k on it unless I knew the car.

[Jerry H.]

Well I was wrong. They have totalled it after all, and Progessive is giving her he!! trying to settle it. They have made her one offer, subtracted $600 for a small dent in the rear quarter and said that was it. She has made 3 calls back to try to get them to up the offer and the lady keeps saying no. The original figure is fair, but subracting the $600 for a 2-300 dent? And I told my daughter today to tell the lady that she had priced some cars at dealers and she was going to have to pay sales tax and the dealer fees. (I figured she could at least get them to pay the sales tax) But the lady said no again. My daughter asked to speak to a supervisor and the lady got ugly with her and told her that no one else could offer her any more money. My daughter finally hung up the phone. Any suggestions short of hiring an attorny?

[Old Blue 66]

Originally Posted by Jerry H.

Well I was wrong. They have totalled it after all, and Progessive is giving her he!! trying to settle it. They have made her one offer, subtracted $600 for a small dent in the rear quarter and said that was it. She has made 3 calls back to try to get them to up the offer and the lady keeps saying no. The original figure is fair, but subracting the $600 for a 2-300 dent? And I told my daughter today to tell the lady that she had priced some cars at dealers and she was going to have to pay sales tax and the dealer fees. (I figured she could at least get them to pay the sales tax) But the lady said no again. My daughter asked to speak to a supervisor and the lady got ugly with her and told her that no one else could offer her any more money. My daughter finally hung up the phone. Any suggestions short of hiring an attorny?

Call the body shop, ask someone there if they know who looked at the car from the insurance company and find that guy. Or at least his department. Youve got nothing to loose.

[Jerry H.]

Originally Posted by Old Blue 66

Call the body shop, ask someone there if they know who looked at the car from the insurance company and find that guy. Or at least his department. Youve got nothing to loose.

I've already talked to the Appraiser. I was thinking about trying to buy the car back and fixing it if the estimate wasn't too much. He said that when he saw that the unibody was crushed and the engine would need to be taken out and the car sent to a frame shop to be pulled back into specs before any other work could be done, he didn't go any further. He guessed it would take well over 6k to fix the car. It's value is just a little less than that. But then wanting to take the $600 off that and not pay the sales tax. I've got a call in to a claims supervisor. Let's see when (if) he calls me back.

[lighthouseman]

Plenty of used stuff out there, but make sure you check the history, and the various auctions (ever state has several) is the best way to buy a used unit cheap (plus they have to disclose the car's history, etc.)

[71 T/A]

For $6K you can buy a 2003-2005 Grand Am. In my opinion, a better car than a Sunfire and it's a Pontiac!

[Jerry H.]

Everything I have been finding in the 6k price range has well over 100k miles!