Back to school, in a new ride
Your university-bound kid needs a second-hand ride. Here are five options to help them get around
“Back-to-school sale” is arguably the most disturbing phrase to an adolescent, although “device is powering down” and “let’s go to the museum” come awfully close.
The looming school year will usher in a new travel routine for those young brainiacs who are attending classes at a suburban college or university campus that isn’t always easily reachable by transit. Buying a used compact car to commute from home — rather than renting a dorm room or basement apartment — makes some sense, if the distance is manageable.
Here are five recommended second-hand cars for around $8,000 each. The emphasis here is on reliable, cheap-to-keep transportation, the automotive equivalent of sensible shoes. 2009-10 Pontiac
Vibe Like mixtapes and fondue parties, Pontiacs are fading from our collective memory, but the Vibe still resonates with people who appreciate its frugal ways and hardy reliability. Assembled by UAW workers in sun-kissed California, it benefited from good juju and a Toyota Corolla drivetrain that just won’t quit.
The base engine was a 1.8-L four cylinder making 132 hp, which is all you’ll find for our self-imposed student budget (there’s a bigger four borrowed from the Camry, too). The 1.8 made do with a four-speed slushbox or five-speed stick; the larger four could be bundled with a five-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel-drive hardware.
The Vibe’s tall stance and flat floor provided decent room inside for five; the rear bench split 60/40 to extend what was a meagre cargo hold for a wagon. Rare mechanical lapses included a few leaky sunroofs, bad radios, loose weatherstripping and dashboard rattles. The paint chips and scratches easily. Watch out for oil consumption in the Toyota-sourced engines. 2008-10 Nissan Versa
The Nissan Versa distinguished itself by offering a quiet and expansive cabin that could seat five grown-ups comfortably — or 19 frat boys painfully. The Mexicobuilt Versa was initially offered only as a five-door hatchback; the be-trunked, four-door sedan followed six months after its 2007 introduction.
A 1.8-L DOHC four cylinder making 122 hp provided the motivation. Buyers could choose between two automatic transmissions: a conventional four-speed unit and a smooth continuously variable transmission (CVT); a six-speed manual gearbox was also available. Front side airbags and curtain side airbags were made standard, but antilock brakes were optional.
Problem-wise, a malfunctioning fuel pump can make the Versa hard to start or stall in traffic. Other reported weaknesses include frequent brake service, alignment issues, recalcitrant power windows and plastic hubcaps that fly off regularly (a few dabs of silicon can fix that). Early CVTs were trouble-prone, but Nissan’s Jatco subsidiary seems to have it licked. Avoid the inaugural 2007 model.
2007-09 Volkswagen Rabbit The 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit marked the return of the cutesy North America-only nameplate affixed to a hatchback that had grown pudgier than the outgoing Golf. Propulsion was provided by a 2.5-L inline DOHC five-cylinder engine derived from a Lamborghini V10 split in half like a peach. The power plant produced 150 horsepower (bumped up to 170 hp for 2008) and a robust 177 poundfeet of torque. This engine is a lugger, not a fighter, so it’s well suited to the automatic transmission Canadians typically favour. The resurrected bunny won over buyers with its Eu- ro-breeding, disciplined road manners and best-in-class interior.
Built in Wolfsburg, Germany, this three- and five-door hatchback exhibited better durability than any VW in recent memory. Things to watch for include bad fuel pumps, along with troublesome automatic transmissions, wonky power-window regulators and inaccurate speedometer/odometer readings. Oh, and that five-cylinder is fond of gasoline, thankfully the regular kind. 2008-10 Ford Focus Reduced to clipping coupons in 2008, Ford chose to renovate its entry-level car rather than federalize its second-generation European hatchback. The reconstituted Focus turned out better than anyone expected, available as a four-door sedan and, for the first time, a two-door coupe. Gone were the hatchbacks and wagon. C’est dommage. The re-skinned body was more aero-efficient and quieter, the brakes were improved and the suspension was retuned for a better ride. The seats provided more lateral support, while Microsoft’s SYNC interface provided voice-activated features. The lone engine was a 140-hp, 2.0-L DOHC four cylinder that owners boasted was miserly with fuel.
The Michigan-built 2008-10 Focus exhibited relatively few problems. The tires reportedly may not last more than 40,000-50,000 km, particularly the rear pair, due to camber issues. Other setbacks include a smattering of bad automatic transmissions, failed engine mounts (causing vibration), broken door latches, short-lived wheel bearings and sundry rattles. 2008-10 Mitsubishi Lancer Canadians are slowly getting to know Mitsubishi; its cars have been on our roads since the early 1970s, imported under the Dodge banner. Forming the foundation for the uber-cool Mitsubishi Lancer Evo, the civilian-issue Lancer sedan is a competent-driving compact with a spacious cabin that compares well with bigger cars.
Extensively redesigned for 2008, the base Lancer was powered by an all-aluminum, 2.0-L four cylinder engine, good for 152 hp (the GTS model’s 2.4-L motor is outside of our budget). The 2.0 is mated with an Aisin five-speed manual gearbox or optional continuously variable automatic (CVT), supplied by Nissan’s Jatco division.
Lovingly assembled in Japan by robots that care, the Lancer generally doesn’t break much. Gripes are limited to easily chipped paint, shortlived clutches and tires (there are reported alignment issues), a few failed CVT transmissions and some unwelcome rattles. A few drivers disliked the CVT’s sluggish behaviour, which is reputed to suck a lot of forward thrust from the 2.0-L four, as does the air conditioner.