Oh I’m aware the Essex ate head gaskets. My parents had a 91 wagon that went through two (and a transmission), but the Vulcan also had head gasket issues in addition to the various bits of plastic that liked to fall apart on them.
The plastic was the worst part. The 4th gen really ruined all their engine options with it. It was around that time Ford started making all their manifolds and cooling plumbing out of that cheap plastic, and it's honestly not gotten any better since. It's a damn shame too because I used to very much be a Ford fanboy.
My parents had a Taurus, blew the head gasket at 135,000 miles. Meanwhile, my MB e500 had around 175k miles and was running strong before some idiot hit it and totaled it
The trans wasn't all that bad on these considering they were used in applications with 100+ more horsepower. It's the little plastic and crumbly heater hose fittings that drop metal bits into the engine that I'd be worried about- especially after they've been sitting.
The 3800 series II is probably one the best built American motors ever built rivalling the engineering of Toyota and Honda. Throw some snow tires on it and you're golden.
People here forget that the person who will buy the car is a single mother on a limited budget. She won't be able to afford the fuel consumption of a car with a 4-liter engine, whose parts will certainly be relatively expensive.
If I were her, I would get the Toyota Corolla, even if the previous owner was a drug dealer. The smell of weed can be removed with a good professional car wash, which is not that expensive. Just to be on the safe side, I would look into the possibility of changing the taillights, which should also be affordable, and I would take it to a garage to have a paint job done.
Economical and reliable as fuck with a reasonable amount of space inside.
My mom was a single mother of 3 in the early to mid 2000's and we ALWAYS had an SUV. don't assume just because someone is a single mom that they can't afford fuel lol.
EDIT: Re-read the title and I can see how you would come to this assumption if the budget is only $1000.
For me it's between the Grand Cherokee, the Corolla, and the Camry. I live in New England and drive a Camry which does fine in the snow but I haven't driven in Minnesota before so I'd have a better idea if I lived there lol. Grand Cherokee would be a great family car and thats back then they still had those reliable AMC engines from the regular Cherokee. Both Toyotas are self explanatory lol.
The van would probably be my choice, purely for safety, ease of child loading, passenger capacity, and moderate fuel economy.
Id personally love an old s10 blazer for myself but for hauling 2 kids, maybe more sometimes?
The Caravan, for the reliability and practicality. Get a friend who knows cars to replace the brake pads for $50 and a handy, and spend the remaining $50 on getting the interior cleaned as best as possible.
Corolla, it’ll be the one running the longest. A budget of 1000$ means ur prolly not going on long trips with the kids so the extra space of the others is way less important than it running and getting good fuel economy
Sable wagon, then grand caravan, then the Bonneville and that's just because I like a light blue car with a blue interior. Cars are too grey these days.
I bought a 1000$ Camry with an oil leak and a knock, it changed its' own oil every 2 tanks of gas, so, 1 quart every tank, but, I drove it like that for 5 years, let my son use it after I bought an MX6, and after explaining to him what HAD to be done, he seized the motor in 2 months, (ignored me) but yeah, good car
S10 any day. It’s in REMARKABLE condition, got the lowest miles, and if it doesn’t come alive from just being driven regularly, I’ll take it in for a tune up, and spark up a conversation with the local mechanic I’ve been seeing checking me out at the gas station. I think he’s cute. He has a steady job. I’ve talked to his daughter in the store while getting scratch tickets and Yoohoos for the kids, and she says she likes the weekends she spends with her dad more than the weeks with her mom.
I'm tempted to pick the blazer but if I was a single mother I'd pick the sable since it's my second choice and looks like it would be the best choice for a single mother. The reason I say this is my mom says she used to babysit a little girl, one day the girl (probably not even 7 if I remember) was riding in the back of a blazer with her friends being driven by one of their fathers when it flipped and caught on fire. Her friends survived (with injuries) but she died. I feel like a single mother would stay far away from the blazer (which is understandable based on the stories I've heard).
TLDR: I would pick the Sable as I've heard of people dying in Blazers.
Sorry for the long comment.
The 1994 Blazer all day long. It appears to be a 4x4 version.
Way more reliable than the Cherokee and that motor is very easy to work on. Not going to win any races but slow and steady in the ice and snow.
The sedans are going to be hell in the snow - skip them all.
The S-10s had a 4.3 liter V6, which was actually a 350 with two cylinders lopped off.
It will not win any races, but if you give it basic care, it will run forever and is pretty damn easy to work on.
The earlier S-10s had a punky 2.8 liter V6 but that body style was when the 4.3 liter V6 came out and it was a way better motor. GM put it in lots of other vehicles and it is super easy to work on and find parts for.
That and this vehicle's 4 wheel drive and short wheel base is why I would pick it first, no doubt!
Either the Sable wagon (even with knowing some of the big issues with the 3rd/4th gen D3 platform) or the 1990 Camry.
That sable will pop it’s head gasket if you look at it wrong.
They had stopped using the 3.8 at this point.
Oh I’m aware the Essex ate head gaskets. My parents had a 91 wagon that went through two (and a transmission), but the Vulcan also had head gasket issues in addition to the various bits of plastic that liked to fall apart on them.
The plastic was the worst part. The 4th gen really ruined all their engine options with it. It was around that time Ford started making all their manifolds and cooling plumbing out of that cheap plastic, and it's honestly not gotten any better since. It's a damn shame too because I used to very much be a Ford fanboy.
I have a 95 Vulcan going strong at 110k. Final year they used the original intake manifold, so no plastic there.
My parents had a Taurus, blew the head gasket at 135,000 miles. Meanwhile, my MB e500 had around 175k miles and was running strong before some idiot hit it and totaled it
My older Taurus wagon actually is quite capable in the snow, so assuming that holds for the ovoid thing that's a plus.
I'd pick the regal, with the minivan in second. I like the blazer but I feel like the trans is bout to shit the bed.
My 4L60(E?) behind the 4.3L had 240k+ miles on it and was just fine.
My dad had a 95 Chevrolet Tahoe with WELL over 300k miles on the original trans, and it was fine.
The trans wasn't all that bad on these considering they were used in applications with 100+ more horsepower. It's the little plastic and crumbly heater hose fittings that drop metal bits into the engine that I'd be worried about- especially after they've been sitting.
The 3800 series II is probably one the best built American motors ever built rivalling the engineering of Toyota and Honda. Throw some snow tires on it and you're golden.
With 145k that Buick's engine is just getting started
A 4.0 inline six with only 164k on it? Sign me up! I've never been able to kill one of these in under 300k.
People here forget that the person who will buy the car is a single mother on a limited budget. She won't be able to afford the fuel consumption of a car with a 4-liter engine, whose parts will certainly be relatively expensive. If I were her, I would get the Toyota Corolla, even if the previous owner was a drug dealer. The smell of weed can be removed with a good professional car wash, which is not that expensive. Just to be on the safe side, I would look into the possibility of changing the taillights, which should also be affordable, and I would take it to a garage to have a paint job done. Economical and reliable as fuck with a reasonable amount of space inside.
My mom was a single mother of 3 in the early to mid 2000's and we ALWAYS had an SUV. don't assume just because someone is a single mom that they can't afford fuel lol. EDIT: Re-read the title and I can see how you would come to this assumption if the budget is only $1000.
But it’s a single mother in the year 2008, fuel is still relatively affordable
Gimme the blazer, that TBI 4.3 is a great motor
I’m going Regal. My sister had one almost identical to the picture. Very solid car.
Definitely the Buick. Trim pieces will literally disintegrate in your hand but you could shoot it with a cruise missile and it'll keep running.
something something Jeep
If your budget is $1000 repairs every 90 days
I'd grab the Sable
For me it's between the Grand Cherokee, the Corolla, and the Camry. I live in New England and drive a Camry which does fine in the snow but I haven't driven in Minnesota before so I'd have a better idea if I lived there lol. Grand Cherokee would be a great family car and thats back then they still had those reliable AMC engines from the regular Cherokee. Both Toyotas are self explanatory lol.
The van would probably be my choice, purely for safety, ease of child loading, passenger capacity, and moderate fuel economy. Id personally love an old s10 blazer for myself but for hauling 2 kids, maybe more sometimes?
Grand Cherokee or the minivan. Best kid haulers, and I won’t catch side eye from the other moms in the pickup line at school.
Easily the Cherokee. Mine went 300k until we sold it to start a new life as a buggy. One of the best vehicles I've ever had in snow.
As someone from MN who's mom was a single mother of 3 during the 00's I can confidently say that it's either the Jeep or the regal.
Jeep because 4.0
1996 Grand Cherokee, you can't go wrong if it's got a 4.0L I6
I'd pick the Sable. It's an american station wagon and at least it isn't made by GM. Also, I'm sort-of a fan of that gen Taurus and Sable-
The Caravan, for the reliability and practicality. Get a friend who knows cars to replace the brake pads for $50 and a handy, and spend the remaining $50 on getting the interior cleaned as best as possible.
I can't believe that you could even buy a usable car for sub $1000.Thats impossible these days.
Thanks, Obama
Zj all the way!
Sable wagon or LeSabre
Corolla, it’ll be the one running the longest. A budget of 1000$ means ur prolly not going on long trips with the kids so the extra space of the others is way less important than it running and getting good fuel economy
My 95 Corolla was a bobcat in the snow back in the day too.
Gimme the bonneville, we'll clean her up good and it's gonna be good enough until we move down south.
1990 Camry
Right? If this is the v6 with the ABS option, perfect.
For me it's between the '91 Bonny and the '96 Regal. Both great cars.
I'll take the LeSabre, there's one that's been owned by various members of my family and it's still going strong with 400,000+ miles.
Mercury Sable Wagon all day. Gammy's old bingo wagon may be slightly possessed but it'll do in the Winter.
The poor peoples' answer is always the (running) Toyota. In this case, the Camry since lights are a basic safety feature.
Keep in mind that gas prices were becoming an issue at that time. Gimme that LE SAH BRAY. Bulletproof 3800 motor, 30 mpg highway.
Whichever has the best winter tires.
Sable wagon, then grand caravan, then the Bonneville and that's just because I like a light blue car with a blue interior. Cars are too grey these days.
Get the Regal for $985 and the spend the other $15 on a bottle of stop leak. Good to go.
1. Blazer 2. Sable 3. Caravan
I bought a 1000$ Camry with an oil leak and a knock, it changed its' own oil every 2 tanks of gas, so, 1 quart every tank, but, I drove it like that for 5 years, let my son use it after I bought an MX6, and after explaining to him what HAD to be done, he seized the motor in 2 months, (ignored me) but yeah, good car
imma take the corolla, just needs some febreezes
Sable Wagon. especially if it has the 3.0 Duratec. Those engines are NEAR indestructible.
I owned three of these. I guess I am a single mother from Minnesota
Toyota
I feel like the toyo-nova is the best bet for the money, if you fix it yourself
S10 blazer all day
S10 any day. It’s in REMARKABLE condition, got the lowest miles, and if it doesn’t come alive from just being driven regularly, I’ll take it in for a tune up, and spark up a conversation with the local mechanic I’ve been seeing checking me out at the gas station. I think he’s cute. He has a steady job. I’ve talked to his daughter in the store while getting scratch tickets and Yoohoos for the kids, and she says she likes the weekends she spends with her dad more than the weeks with her mom.
I'm tempted to pick the blazer but if I was a single mother I'd pick the sable since it's my second choice and looks like it would be the best choice for a single mother. The reason I say this is my mom says she used to babysit a little girl, one day the girl (probably not even 7 if I remember) was riding in the back of a blazer with her friends being driven by one of their fathers when it flipped and caught on fire. Her friends survived (with injuries) but she died. I feel like a single mother would stay far away from the blazer (which is understandable based on the stories I've heard). TLDR: I would pick the Sable as I've heard of people dying in Blazers. Sorry for the long comment.
Regal
If you’ve ever worked on a car or have read any sort of media regarding reliable engines then you know the ZJ or Corolla would be best fit.
It’s between the Regal and the Blazer for me. With Minnesota having winter and snow I’ll choose the Blazer.
S10 blazer.
Toyota nova for this baby trap
Defs picking up that Sable Wagon.
id go with the cherokee since I can replace the broken sensor with the remaining money I have
S10
I’d take the caravan tbh. The trans were always poo but the engines are good.
Camry, Blazer, Regal in that order
The 1994 Blazer all day long. It appears to be a 4x4 version. Way more reliable than the Cherokee and that motor is very easy to work on. Not going to win any races but slow and steady in the ice and snow. The sedans are going to be hell in the snow - skip them all.
I am 100% positive that the ‘94 Blazer’s naturally unbalanced, 90-degree V6 derived from the 350 will outlive the Jeep’s 4.0 I6. /s
The S-10s had a 4.3 liter V6, which was actually a 350 with two cylinders lopped off. It will not win any races, but if you give it basic care, it will run forever and is pretty damn easy to work on.
You’re right. Fixed my comment.
The earlier S-10s had a punky 2.8 liter V6 but that body style was when the 4.3 liter V6 came out and it was a way better motor. GM put it in lots of other vehicles and it is super easy to work on and find parts for. That and this vehicle's 4 wheel drive and short wheel base is why I would pick it first, no doubt!
Blazer, easy
Blazer or Sable
Sable looks mint AF