This week, I’ve been trying to find nicer-than-average cars for less than three grand. And I think I’ve done a pretty decent job. None of our week’s winners are rusty, or beat-up, or look like a pack of wolverines attacked the interior. Now it’s time to take a second look at all of them, and see which is your favorite.
But first we need our fourth contender, and that would be the Ford Escort. The vote was about a 60:40 split, so not a complete blowout, but pretty decisive. The manual transmission was the deciding factor, it sounds like.
I wholeheartedly agree. That Stanza is a nice little car, but I have a good history with that generation of Escort. With an automatic, it’s a perfectly fine little car. With a manual it actually becomes fun, even with the thrashy CVH engine. And I love the idea of putting the Solo cup “Jazz” graphics on it; that’s perfect.
Now that that’s settled, let’s take another look at all four of them, so you can make an informed decision.
1989 Buick Electra Park Avenue – $3,300
The case for it: It’s a big comfy cruiser, built by a company that knows how to make ’em. It’s also a decently reliable car, and it gets better gas mileage than you might guess.
The case against it: Nothing, really, as long as you don’t mind a suspension system made of marshmallow fluff, and styling that screams Reagan-era.
1996 Volvo 850 – $2,850
The case for it: It’s built like a tank, and by all accounts it’s a nice car to drive, too. Volvo has a really good community of enthusiasts around it, so you’ll never want for good advice on how to handle problems, and parts support should be good, too.
The case against it: The air conditioning is broken, and the trunk lid is bashed in a little. Both are fixable, but both should be fixed if you really want it to be nice.
2005 Kia Sedona EX – $2,900
The case for it: It’s a one-owner van that looks like it has been well taken care of. It doesn’t have a lot of miles on it, and everything works as it should.
The case against it: As long as you’re okay with driving a minivan, not a whole lot. Parts availability is a minor concern, but the basic stuff needed to keep it on the road should be available.
1994 Ford Escort LX – $2,100
The case for it: It’s a reliable, economical little car that’s at least a little bit fun to drive, and looks a little bit sporty. It’s in really good shape, especially for an old economy car, and it has a nice blue interior. It’s also the cheapest, and lowest mileage, of the bunch by quite a bit.
The case against it: Well, there’s the seat belts. And the coarse engine. But as long as you don’t mind those, it’s a good little car.
What all these cars have in common is that they show you can still get a decent car for three grand or so. Any of these could be put into regular service right away, and none of them seem like they’d cause you much trouble. It’s all a matter of which one fits your style.
If I want a fun daily/weekend car, none of these are it. Since they’re not fun, a fat comfy ride sounds like something worth trying, so Buick for me. Volvo close second.
Eh, I already have a Volvo sedan and a much hotter hatch. Plus I drove an Escort in high school until I totaled it making an ill-advised unprotected left turn.
The minivan would fill the biggest need, a hardware store runner, but a) it’s a Kia, and b) it’s a minivan (yep, I still hold that prejudice). The only minivans I would consider are Toyota Previa or Alphard.
So, what the hell, I’ll put some highway miles on an old comfy Buick.
I’ll take some pride in the homeland and go Buick here, it’s a good blend of utility and reliability for our family.
I’d prefer the dynamics of the Volvo but the Buick presents better and should be cheaper to run.
I don’t want an old Kia minivan.
Not gelling with the Escort and I’m not sure why–I like this format of car. 2nd place for me. Maybe if it had a 110hp engine like it should.
Ask again tomorrow and my answer might be different.
None of these are particularly drivers cars so might as well go with the one that has the most utility by far and pick up the Kia minivan.
Glad you liked the Jazz suggestion. Escort because stick, looks like it was somebody’s “Last car I’m going to buy” purchase when new, and eventually got parked when they could no longer row their own gears.
There’s just something about that Volvo. Had to go with it.
Basically what soul crushing car do I choose for the lot of soul crushing cars.
I choose the Volvo. Bland and built to stay that way.
Ford Escort for me. It’s manual. It parts/service will be cheap. And there is no way that a 30 year old European luxury car like that Volvo will ever be “rock solid”.
I went with the Escort. Plain-Jane white, but the row-your-own transmission gives it a touch of fun. I’d prefer a red interior, but you can’t always get what you want; that blue is nice too.
The others are perfectly cromulent choices, but I don’t especially want any of them enough to be my first choice here. For me, the well-equipped minivan came in second, Buick third, and Volvo last. That order would change if the Volvo had working A/C but, as others have pointed out, fixing that likely makes it the most expensive of the bunch.
If I needed a larger vehicle the Kia is the winner. Everything works and it is the newest. However, it is a 17 mpg vehicle. (14 city / 21 highway)
Everything works on the Ford and it is a 25 mpg vehicle (23 city / 29 highway)
Escort for the win. However, in the real world I would look for a 1996 or later wagon which is a 30 mpg vehicle with more room.
Ja, Volvo. Tak.
All of them are decent, but only the Escort gets the slightest emotional response from me (and it’s mostly the manual transmission), so I guess it gets my vote.
The Kia is the newest, in the best condition, and with the best maintenance history doesn’t require anything at all.
In order from 1-4 I’m going Escort, 850, Sedona, Park Avenue. I think all of them are good options for the price range. I already have my reliable/comfortable daily driver needs covered so I can justify making space in the garage for a little 2 door stick shift car to toss around. And yes it is practically screaming for some garish 90’s vinyl graphics to break up the bright white.
Luxury. Refinement. Power. The Park Avenue is truly one of America’s most beautiful automobiles.
– Joe Pera
I’m impressed by the Kia Sedona interior, look how clean it is, Kia will be my choice.
Tough choice… Volvo b/c the seats are the best.
I will once again get entangled with the 32 year old escort.
Kia for me-a. It is simply the most practical vehicle of the quartet.
The Volvo being a Michigan car is definitely a large demerit. Rust never sleeps.
Had a 95 volvo 850. Loved it. Miss it. Want it.
Escort for sure. They’ll likely never make something like it again – cheap, fun, sport-ish in feel; whereas all the other choices still exist in contemporary forms.
Those seat belts cost the Buick my vote. Yes, the Escort belts are a pain, but they are attached to the car. The Buick belts attach to the door, and if the door opens in an accident – say if you slide on the snow and hit a pole sideways – it throws the belted occupant out of the car. I’ve seen the results, not interested in seeing them again. Volvo.
I chose the big old luxury sedan – Because I’m feeling old today.
I’ll go with the Escort. It small, it stick, I’m happy. But instead of Solo cup graphics, (there’s already a C4 Corvette in the area that has that pinstriping,) I like the idea of the stripes from the livery of the RS200. It’s a Ford, Fords should have Blue. Either that or the rainbow eagle scheme from the Christen Eagles aerobatic team’s planes. My grandpa on dad’s side built a pedal one we played with as kids.
Other schemes that might work but interest me less:
’80s Peugeot for ultimate Gr.B blasphemy
Martini Stripes
GT350 stripes (this will perturb Mustang people)
Mark Martin’s early Valvoline livery (to be fair, this is half dark blue, might be too much vinyl.)
The RS1600 thick blue beltline stripe livery might work too!
Combine those GT350 graphics with SHELBY at the top of the Escort’s windshield and you have a winner.
It came down to Buick vs Volvo for me. The deciding factor was working AC. Getting it working on the Volvo would probably eat up the price difference.
Does replacing the evaporator require opening up the dash?
You betcha it does
From the picture someone has already been in there. The low dash cover is hanging down and not secured completely. Likely someone has already busted some of those 30 year old brittle plastic retaining clips and tabs.
…And got the A/C to work… only for it to break again…