Car Recomindations

[Chardok]

Get a nice V-6 camry. tough, good milage. NICE NICE NICE. especially for 30k+

[Tsyroc]

Don't pick these.



CNN /Money Most stolen Cars for 2004


Top Three Most Stolen vehicles by State Sorry but it doesn't list DC specifically.

Some other stuff to consider. ABC article on stolen cars ie: Avoid the Acura Integra.

If you own an Acura Integra, keep an eye on it.

A new study says the Integra is stolen more often than any other car for model years 1999 through 2001.

Theft investigators suspect Integras are popular with car thieves because of their parts, which can be used to build other cars, such as Honda Civics. Damn ricers, can't even buy their own stuff to make their cars craptacular.

The survey, conducted by the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI), found the Integra is stolen more than eight times as often as the average car and 2-and-a-half times more frequently than the Jeep Wrangler, the second most stolen vehicle according to the study.

For 5 years in a row, the Acura Integra has been on HLDI's "10 worst" list for theft. In response, Honda (manufacturer of Acuras) started equipping Integras with passive immobilizing antitheft devices, beginning with 2000 models. Results for 2000 Integras do show declines in theft claims to 16.8 per 1,000 insured vehicle years, compared with 25.0 for 1999 Integras. But the claim frequency has gone back up to 21.6 per 1,000 for 2001 models.

"Immobilizers are thought to be more effective in deterring amateur thieves than the professionals," says Kim Hazelbaker, HLDI senior vice president. "Theft investigators believe that Integras are targeted by professional thieves for their parts and that many of those parts, like the more powerful engine, end up on modified Honda Civics." The Civic and the Integra share the same platform.

Besides, you wouldn't want an Acura anyway since they are just a "High End" Hondas.

[Mr Bean]

Well I just combine Virgina and Maryland list
Honda Accord Dodge Caravan/Grand Caravan Toyota Camry
And
Honda Accord Honda Civic Toyota Camry

[Col. Crackpot]

Bean, you know whats pretty badass? That Chrysler 300C Hemi.



you can get one with a 340 horsepower Hemi for under $33,000. Evil. Pure evil.

[Knife]

Well, lets see;

The new Impala SS

240-hp Supercharged 3800 V6
Performance-tuned suspension
17" W speed-rated Performance tires
Special 17" cast aluminum diamond-cut wheels
Available exclusively in Black

Just under 30 grand. Hmmmm. Nice.

Monte Carlo supercharged SS

Supercharged 3800 V6 engine with 240 hp and 280 lb.-ft. of torque
P235/55R-17 W-speed-rated Goodyear Eagle RS-A Performance tires
17" diamond-cut cast-aluminum wheels
Performance-tuned four-wheel independent suspension
Four-speed electronically controlled heavy-duty automatic transmission with overdrive

Again, just under 30 grand. Pretty nice.

http://www.chevrolet.com/

Or; Pontiac has the GTO line out for about 32.5 grand.

Can't go wrong with the Grand Prix exspecially the GTP. They come in from base model of 22 grand or so to the GTP around 28 to 30 grand.

[aerius]

I've always liked the Buick Regal, it has the nice 3.8L V6 of the full size Buicks in a midsized package. I won't lie to you, you can't throw the Buick around curves like a BMW and it doesn't handle as well, but there's a lot of other things it does well. It is super quiet and smooth with effortless power, the car never feels like it's working hard. You can cruise on the highway at insane speeds and smoke most cars in stoplight races thanks to the abundance of low-end power and torque, especially if you get the optional 240hp supercharged engine, and the fun part is it'll still get 28mpg (30mpg for standard engine) on the highway. The engine & transmission is dead reliable and will never fail, GM has tweaked the damn thing to perfection over the last 15 years. Everything on the car is proven to work. It'll run you $25-30k depending on how you spec it.

[Col. Crackpot]

<snip>

dear god, a Buick? How old are you?

[His Divine Shadow]

The buick 3.8l V6 was the engine of choice for the 1989 Turbo Trans Am Pace car, it was so fast it beat that years corvette, a big no-no at GM, no other sportscar was supposed to be faster than their flagship.

Infact I don't believe the TTA from -89 has been beaten with factory specs until after 2000(from pontiac anyway, not sure about corvette) sometime and it was only one year.

[aerius]

dear god, a Buick? How old are you?

24. Buicks and Cadillacs aren't old senior citizen's cars anymore. Buicks are about the best "stealth" cars these days, they have nice engines and everyone still thinks they're "geezer cars", no one will ever suspect a guy in a Buick to do twice the speed limit. Cops don't even look at me when I pass them going 20 over the limit in my dad's Buick.

Also, let's not forget the '87 Regal GNX with the 276hp turbocharged engine that could smoke Corvettes and damn near anything else on the road.

[His Divine Shadow]

Here's a good image of a -91, ahhh just look at that:
http://www.gtasourcepage.com/91PhotoGal ... s91gta.jpg

[Ted C]

Assuming that Mr Bean's current car's blue book value had finaly droped under 200$ even in mint condition and assuming Mr Bean had limited himself to 35,000$ and assuming he was intrested only in cars, not SUVs, not 8x8 Armor Vechicals of any kind not Trucks nor Motocyles, what would you tell Bean to buy and why?

I would recommend a Nissan Altima both because it's a good mid-sized car for not-too-much money and because I know a lot of the people at the factory where they're built and you buying one is good for them (Altimas sold in the US are built in Smyrna, TN -- about 30 miles from where I live). I also think they're built well, having been all around the factory while working there as a contractor.

[Col. Crackpot]

Also, let's not forget the '87 Regal GNX with the 276hp turbocharged engine that could smoke Corvettes and damn near anything else on the road.

That sold as a Regal in Canada? They called it the Grand National here. They were pretty sweet, i concide. My friend Scott had an '87 with the Twin turbo, intercooled 3.8 V6. They came in black, black and black. I never could figure why they went with the 3.8 V-6. Oldsmobile and Chevrolet offered a 4.3 litre V-8's in the Cutlass and Monte Carlo (same body style) so it would have fit into the Buick. Imagine that with twin intercooled turbos.

[YT300000]

Just a side note

I WILL NEVER EVER DRIVE ANOTHER HONDA!
That is all

You are obviously in need of a Mitsubishi Evolution.

[aerius]

That sold as a Regal in Canada? They called it the Grand National here. They were pretty sweet, i concide. My friend Scott had an '87 with the Twin turbo, intercooled 3.8 V6. They came in black, black and black. I never could figure why they went with the 3.8 V-6. Oldsmobile and Chevrolet offered a 4.3 litre V-8's in the Cutlass and Monte Carlo (same body style) so it would have fit into the Buick. Imagine that with twin intercooled turbos.

I don't know to be honest, but most of our newspapers & car mags call it either the "Regal Grand National" or the "Regal GNX", at least the ones I have do. I've seen a few on the road and they just have the "GNX" badge on them. I kinda wonder about the engine too, one of our neighbours had an '85 or '86 Cutlass with a 5 liter V-8, if they did something with that engine it would be insane.

[Executor32]

Well, for the sci-fi nerd factor, you could get a used DeLorean.

Seriously, though, the new Saturn Ion Quad Coupe Red Line is supposed to be rather nice. Definitely a car that no one would suspect to go over 200 MPH.

aerius: Agreed, definitely. No one believes me when I tell them I've gone 115 in my '90 Regal. That's just with the standard 3.1L engine, too, rather than the optional 3.8L.

[Alferd Packer]

Seriously, though, the new Saturn Ion Quad Coupe Red Line is supposed to be rather nice. Definitely a car that no one would suspect to go over 200 MPH.

Uh, that's because it can't go over 200 MPH. There is nothing in the GM family that can crack 200 MPH (Vette Z06 can hit 170). Aerodynamic considerations aside, you need about 500 horsies in a 3000 lb machine to hit that kind of speed. But you'd never hit that in a Saturn anything anyway, because their redline in top gear (if they still use the Getrag M86 gearbox) is probably around 130--never mind the computer-controlled speed governor. My metric conversion is a little fuzzy, but I think that's over 200 kilometers per hour.

Anyway, my recommendation is my personal favorite:
9,000 RPM redline and sexy as all hell.

If it were possible to fuck a car, I'd fuck this one. So goddamn hot.

[Executor32]

Ahem.

http://www.new-cars.com/news/031017-sat ... record.htm

I'm not sure if the production model is able to go that fast due especially to the speed governor, but the Ion Red Line has gone over 200 MPH.

[Meest]

Saturn's new ION Red Line quad coupe raced into the record book at the Bonneville Salt Flats on Oct. 17, 2003, establishing a new mark in the G/Blown Fuel Altered class at 212.684 mph.

Not quite stock.

I'd recommend Infiniti G35, can even get it AWD now too

[Enigma]

Cadillac CTS for around 31K.

Oldsmobile Alero at around 24K.

SAAB 95 Sedan at around 35K

SAAB 95 Sport Wagon at around 32K

SAAB 93 Sport Sedan at around 26K

Pontiac GTO at around 33K

Pontiac Bonneville at around 28K

Buick Century, Regal, LeSabre 22 - 27K

Ford Mustang 18K+

etc...

[Glocksman]

I'd recommend the Mercury Marauder

A full size car with a 302 horsepower, 318 lb-ft of torque DOHC V8, true dual exhaust system, and a performance suspension.

All for about $35k.



And let's not forget the side benefit of people assuming its an unmarked cop car and watching them slow down when you drive by.

[phongn]

I'd recommend the Mercury Marauder

A full size car with a 302 horsepower, 318 lb-ft of torque DOHC V8, true dual exhaust system, and a performance suspension.

Needs supercharger

[Glocksman]

Add your own later, though 300 HP out of 4.6 L isn't too shabby.

[phongn]

Add your own later, though 300 HP out of 4.6 L isn't too shabby.

Not at all, but it is pushing 4400 lbs An extra 50 HP from a supercharger would be nice

[The Kernel]

Add your own later, though 300 HP out of 4.6 L isn't too shabby.

Not at all, but it is pushing 4400 lbs An extra 50 HP from a supercharger would be nice

Even that wouldn't give you much with that much weight. Ever drive an STS? Even with 300hp and gobs of torque, it's still not what I'd call fast.

[muse]

Pontiac Bonneville at around 28K

The Bonneville is a pretty nice car if the styling agrees with you or you can otherwise live with it. I thought the one we owned was downright ugly, but other than that it was a great car, I actually liked it more than the Lexus ES300 we replaced it with after my brother wrote it off in a snowstorm. It's just so nice & spacious while feeling pretty sporty with the way the exhaust & engine sounds, and it handled pretty well too. I think there's a supercharged engine available if you want more power but I'll have to check to be sure.