Frugal second-hand picks

Are you of the mind that the only thing that can provide good value for that kind of dough is a three-bedroom bungalow?

We’ve prepared a list of budget-priced used vehicles that we recommend as durable, happy acquisitions.

1991-1994 Nissan Sentra

This blandly styled but well-regarded sedan is a fixture on many streets, including Queen St. West.

The 16-valve 1.6-litre four banger is a jewel that belies its econobox mission in life. Powerful, smooth and frugal, it has perplexed Detroit’s automakers, who have yet to duplicate it.

Available only as a four-door sedan, the Sentra never set hearts aflutter (the 140-hp SE-R two-door sedan did not migrate north) but it really had no vices.

Don’t confuse the Sentra with the Sentra Classic, the Mexican-built previous generation sold concurrently, but with a lacklustre 70-hp motor.

1987-1994 Dodge Shadow/Plymouth Sundance

If you’re shopping the discount aisle and vascillating between a Shadow/Sundance, Ford Tempo and Chevrolet Cavalier, we might humbly suggest the Chrysler pair is the way to go.

The 2.2 L and 2.5 L four cylinder engines were the company’s workhorses: durable, cheap to feed and care for, they literally pulled the firm back from the brink.

The modified K-car platform was reasonably solid, providing a good ride with a pinch of decent handling. The hidden hatchback was a neat feature; you get all the utility without the “shame” of a hatch door (what’s that about?).

Thanks to the extended family tree, there’s lots of dirt-cheap parts. And the cars didn’t rust much. What else can we say?

1989-1994 Dodge Colt

Somebody at work is selling a rusty 1991 Honda Civic hatchback. Asking price: $4,700 firm.

If you’re fed up with the astonomical prices being sought for old Civics, the Dodge Colt is a smart alternative.

Built by Mitsubishi in Japan, the Colt has acquired an enviable track record in North America as a durable economy car since 1971. The hatchback version (1989-1992) was particularly reminiscent of the Civic, but 200E sedans were sold as well (the Eagle Summit was mechanically identical).

A handsome two-door coupe arrived in 1993, but it was only sold for two years. It was replaced by Chrysler’s home-cooked Neon. They should have kept the Colt.

1988-1996 Buick Century

Craving something more traditional? It doesn’t get much more conventional that a Buick Century. Built on the ancient A-body platform that stems back to 1982, the Century had some of the oldest bones in the industry.

But them’s good bones. The Oshawa-built Century has endured well and, unlike its stablemates (Lumina, Pontiac 6000, Olds Ciera) its demographics were such that older people bought’em and fussed over them. An ideal second-hand source.

Avoid the four cylinder; the V6 drivetrains were among the General’s best. The Century offers a floaty, soft-sprung ride and the car’s bulk is a little deceiving; it isn’t all that big inside.

Still, it’s a lot of car for the money. Sold by the pound, it would be cheaper than ground beef.

1989- 1995 Mazda MPV

Canadians love minivans, so here’s our pick: cheap, reliable and a little quirky, Mazda’s made-in-Japan van earned gobs of accolades when it first appeared.

Buyers can choose from 2.6-litre four cylinder and 3-litre V6 engine – the fours were even available with a manual transmission for a while!

The rear-drive (929 sedan) platform means the floor is unusually high and the passenger doors swing out instead of slide, but if you can live with those quibbles, the MPV will likely reward you with a long service life.

The lack of front-wheel drive may be troublesome in the winter. If it’s a big concern, look for a four-wheel-drive model (there’s lots of them out there). Mazda got the nomenclature wrong; they should have called it the MVP.

1987-1991 Toyota Camry

The good news is that you can afford a Camry (even a wagon model, which is no longer made). The bad news is that these cars are more than a decade old.

The good news is that these four-cylinder and V6-powered cars are virtually indestructible. The bad news is that this generation is known for their chronic rusting.

The good news is that there are lots of second-hand parts available. The bad news is that even a 12-year-old Camry is a popular target for car thieves – who covet them for their parts.

Funny how things come full circle.

1990-1994 Eagle Talon

The brand and the dealerships may have vanished, but the cars, orphaned, continue to roam the streets.

When the Eagle Talon (and its siblings, the Mitsubishi Eclipse and Plymouth Laser) burst on the scene in 1989, the automotive press ran out of superlatives to describe them. Fitted with normally aspired or turbocharged four-cylinder engines, they were flavoured from mild (92 hp) to wild (195 hp).

Your best bet in a performance coupe is the Talon with the 135 hp 16-valve 2-litre engine. Turbos abound, but they’ve likely been abused over the years (unless you’ve found an original owner with all the documentation).

Who says you can’t have some fun in the cheap seats?