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Orange_Lazarus posted:However I remember reading that older Hyundais need to be avoided like the plague, is this still true and if so when did Hyundai turn around? Believe their big quality turnaround was 2005-2006. I wouldn't look prior to that. I'm going to toss in a vote for Nissan. I have three friends who have Altima/Maximas from early 2000's and those cars seem bulletproof.
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Apr 5, 2011 01:54
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My 2000 Ford Focus just ate itself with 160k miles. Technically it still drives, but it is no longer a car I feel comfortable driving more then 10 miles away from my house. Being an 11 (almost 12) year old car and a early focus, it's pretty much time to call it dead. I think I'll try to sell it or trade it in but I doubt I'll get more then $500 for it. I bought it for $9000 in 2001 with 12k miles so I feel I got my monies worth. It started dying about a month ago so for the past 30 days I have been looking at cars. I test drove the Honda Civic, Honda Fit, Toyota Corolla, Toyota Yaris, Mazda 3, VW Jetta, VW Golf, Ford Focus, Ford Fusion, Toyota Matrix, Scion xB, Scion tC, Hyundai Elantra, Hyundai Sonata, Suburu Impreza, and Hyundai Elantra Touring. I also drove some sports/luxury cars since I could afford them and I wasn't sure I wanted a 'cheap' car. These were the BMW 335i, Infinity M37, Audi A5, and Hyundai Equus. These were all 2011 year cars. After driving all these cars and taking copious notes I came to a few conclusions. I realized that the expensive cars would make me go crazy because I have no garage and people in Maryland are horrible drivers that would bump me in parking lots. Ample evidence of this can be seen on my Focus. Additionally I am a cheap bastard. I'm pretty much set on the Hyundai Elantra. For it's price it cannot be beat. That being said my next choice would have been the VW Golf TDI or the Honda Fit. Tomorrow or Wednesday I plan to go in and get one from some dealer around here. I was going to buy a used 2010 Elantra for $14,800 but I think it is overpriced.
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Apr 5, 2011 04:25
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What sort of "dying" does a car do for a month but is still driveable?
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Apr 5, 2011 04:47
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n8r posted:What sort of "dying" does a car do for a month but is still driveable? Well it wasn't 'dying' for a month, just certain (non-critical) things broke and it occurred to me that fixing these problems would cost more then the car is worth. Then I realized that if something actually made it undrivable it would be far to expensive to fix.
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Apr 5, 2011 05:01
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Twerpling, you are in almost the same exact position I may be in. I had what feels like serious engine misfires from my 2000 Honda Accord SE. It's got 117k miles on it and I'm very nearly done putting any more work into it. Depending on what the dealer says is the problem and how much it'll be to fix it (and how much they'll meet me on the cost), I may be ditching it real soon. I was also looking at the Fit and Elantra. I feel guilty for thinking about financing a new car. I'm pretty proud of how well I've gotten my finances under control in the last 3-4 years. I know the frugal wisdom is always buy cash and never new. But part of me really feels like saying "gently caress it, most people buy cars this way" and wanting not to care just so much about it. That's countered by my rational and frugal side, but still, I can't pay cash for a new (or used) car so it'll be my only option. I'll still shop around for the best financing rate and then best price but I wish I wasn't so goony feeling guilty about something I should be excited about.
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Apr 5, 2011 18:52
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1992 Geo Prism Cylinders: 4 CYLINDERS Transmission: Automatic Body: 4 Door Color: White Int. Color: Red Miles: 156,825 Price: $1,495 :| Seems like a good deal; I checked out the dealer and he seems reputable. I think I'll have a hard time convincing the wife why we should purchase an older vehicle but I really doubt this thing could depreciate further at all. Have to wait until Thursday to test-drive and inspect it though 
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Apr 5, 2011 19:49
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Thwomp posted:Twerpling, you are in almost the same exact position I may be in. I had what feels like serious engine misfires from my 2000 Honda Accord SE. It's got 117k miles on it and I'm very nearly done putting any more work into it. Depending on what the dealer says is the problem and how much it'll be to fix it (and how much they'll meet me on the cost), I may be ditching it real soon. I was also looking at the Fit and Elantra. Why are you taking a 11 year old car to the dealer? Don't do this. That car should have another 100k left in it at least.
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Apr 5, 2011 20:05
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Today my car exploded. Something about a valve in the engine. I'll hopefully be able to limp the old bastard into a junk yard. I'm kinda sad actually, this was my first car and up till now it had no mechanical problems. It's like a 45 year old who is perfectly healthy then has a heart attack and just drops dead. I'm going to shop around for an Elantra, see if I can get a good price. I may get that $14K Elantra I saw. Should I pay in cash? I can if I need to, but I already have financing set up. I'm not sure what my best option is... Thwomp posted:I wish I wasn't so goony feeling guilty about something I should be excited about. This is my exact issue. I have boat loads of money but I feel like a moron buying a new car. The problem is, it is so difficult to find used cars that arn't garbage for a decent price. I don't understand how or why econoboxes are priced with like $1K/year depreciation schedules. How does that happen!? I blame cash for clunkers.
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Apr 6, 2011 00:36
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Twerpling posted:This is my exact issue. I have boat loads of money but I feel like a moron buying a new car. The problem is, it is so difficult to find used cars that arn't garbage for a decent price. I don't understand how or why econoboxes are priced with like $1K/year depreciation schedules. How does that happen!? $15K shitboxes don't have the value to depreciate that quickly. The only ones you'll find heavily discounted have had 20k miles/year put on them. At best you are going to find one private party for a small discount and also avoid having to pay sales tax and all of the other bullshit dealer fees.
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Apr 6, 2011 01:41
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Arzakon posted:$15K shitboxes don't have the value to depreciate that quickly. The only ones you'll find heavily discounted have had 20k miles/year put on them. At best you are going to find one private party for a small discount and also avoid having to pay sales tax and all of the other bullshit dealer fees. In Maryland your car gets assessed sales tax when you register it if it was a private deal. Also what sort of bullshit fees should I be aware of? The only one I know of is the pre sale prep.
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Apr 6, 2011 02:15
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sanchez posted:Why are you taking a 11 year old car to the dealer? Don't do this. The CEL was flashing (which is no excuse but I don't have a mechanic I trust so I brought it to the dealer). After a day of them looking at it, turns out bad spark plug wiring was causing one cylinder to misfire. Still had to pay their diag fee but my Dad and I bought new plugs and wiring and did it ourselves. Total cost parts and their diag fee was less than half what they wanted for just doing the parts with labor. My accord (knock on wood) continues to avoid the scrap pile another day. Twerpling posted:I blame cash for clunkers Funny you mention this. Our dealer, after we asked if the problem I was having would affect turn in value, told us exactly that. They'd take my car in whatever condition it was in for way more than it deserves due to Cash for Clunkers. All those beaters were suddenly off the market, never to return (they told us the government poured liquid glass into the engines of every clunker turned in, gently caress!). Now the average age of a used car is 5-9 years and it's all going into the private market (which is sending prices up for used cars). The dealers can't get a hold of anything. Thwomp fucked around with this message at 03:07 on Apr 6, 2011 |
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Apr 6, 2011 03:00
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Twerpling posted:In Maryland your car gets assessed sales tax when you register it if it was a private deal. Also what sort of bullshit fees should I be aware of? The only one I know of is the pre sale prep. Sorry about your poo poo state, the new governor in Georgia is trying to get the same thing passed. Dealer Prep, Destination Fees, Advertising Fees, Documentation Fees, pretty much anything with "fee" in the title. That isn't to say every fee is bogus or even negotiable, just another cost of doing business with a dealership on a new vehicle that you won't have paying cash in a private party sale. Its just not as simple as seeing a car invoice for $16K new and seeing them selling for $13K 2 years later. Even if the original owner got it at invoice there is still $1-2K more hidden in that $16K purchase every time.
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Apr 6, 2011 03:23
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I'm giving serious thought to getting a third vehicle. Now, before you go all "HAHA TYPICAL CH NOTHING CHANGES OMG" let me explain. This probably wouldn't happen until this fall or even next spring, when I'm in an even better position than I am now. I'd like a cheap spare utility vehicle like a small pickup or SUV. I'm thinking Ford Ranger, Jeep Cherokee, Dodge Dakota territory. I'm also thinking no more than $1,000. Here are my arguments: - Being able to pull one of my other two cars off the road and fix at my leisure, rather than having a mechanic do it because I need it back right away. - Being able to haul stuff as needed rather than rent a U-haul or borrow someone elses vehicle - Parts for what I listed above are stupidly cheap nd decent examples are all over the pick-n-pulls. - If I need the money I should be able to sell it for about what I paid for it, assuming halfway decent condition and still running. - If I have to replace one of my daily drivers, I can take my time doing so rather than needing a new vehicle right away and not being able to do research or wait for a good deal. I have a hard-on for the old AMC 4.0 six, which is why I'd like a Cherokee; though I've heard the manuals have issues, so I might have to spring for an automatic and hate life. I don't know much about Dakotas or Rangers but don't often hear bad stuff about them. I have, however, heard bad things about working on S10s so I think I'd avoid those. Am I completely insane or am I being rational here? And if I am in fact being somewhat rational, any thoughts on what a good cheap spare vehicle would be?
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Apr 8, 2011 00:43
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CornHolio posted:I'm giving serious thought to getting a third vehicle. Just out of curiosity, how often do you need to haul stuff? I mean actually haul, like something so big it can't fit in the trunk of the Volvo? I double dare you to ask this question your thread. You know which one.
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Apr 8, 2011 01:32
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Most of what you listed as pros are hopefully not something that you'll be dealing with on a regular basis - car needs fixing/replacing daily driver, etc. - so it comes down to the question of how often you need to haul things (though I grant you seem to do more maintenance on your cars than most pit crews). If you're really renting trucks often for moving stuff and this will truly save you money, go ahead. If, however, you're getting by with what you've got and it removes some of the inconvenience factor, you're spending money for a want, not a need, and I'd keep focusing on debt until you got that under control. I admit, even if you don't move big stuff often, the 1 or 2 times/year that it would be nice to have a truck/suv does weigh on my mind, but people tend to overemphasize the rare occasions. Especially since you seem to like working on your cars to the point that it dominates most of your posts, giving you an additional vehicle to fix all the time seems to be inviting extra expenditures beyond the cost of the vehicle itself. I wouldn't do it without hearing some darn good reasons as to why you need to haul things regularly.
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Apr 8, 2011 01:35
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Usually I haul things no more than once or twice a year. My main consideration is having a spare vehicle for when one of my daily drivers needs work. basically I would like being able fix things at my discretion rather than taking it to a mechanic so I can get to work. I just figured that I may as well add some utility while I'm at it.
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Apr 8, 2011 01:55
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You can rent a car when you need a spare car. And, don't forget that your $1000 cheapo beater will need constant work and maintenance, and you'll have to insure it, to keep it running and roadworthy. Because trucks have utility that keeps their value unless there's something wrong with them. Pretty much any truck that has a running engine is worth a minimum of $1000. And the liability insurance on a truck is higher than on a car because you can do more damage with a truck when you crash it into something. I think you're better off just renting something when you suddenly need a third vehicle. I doubt you'll spend $1000 in rental money over the space of year, much less $1000 + maintenance, registration, and insurance.
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Apr 8, 2011 02:06
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You've made tons of progress on your debt. You will probably be debt free this point next year. You are making more money and closer to what you are worth. You've sacrificed. You can afford it, and if it allows you to tinker on your other cars, then that's a plus. But Leperfish is spot on about the costs. I just think you will be able to afford it. Just don't rationalize that you will be saving tons of money. A man needs toys.
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Apr 8, 2011 02:24
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Yeah, I understand. Though if I could theoretically always sell it for what I paid for it, doesn't that lower the operating costs significantly? (i understand that's not guaranteed, but a thousand dollar truck isn't going to be worth much less than that as long as it runs)
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Apr 8, 2011 02:32
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CornHolio posted:as long as it runs This being the operative point.
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Apr 8, 2011 02:35
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I bought an 2011 Elantra today for @ $16,500 + $720 shipping. It's the GLS automatic and I'm pretty sure I got a great deal. I got the new one since I wanted the long warranty and a car with a known history. Also it was only about $2-3K more than the used ones I was looking at so I figure it was worth it. I paid $8,000 down and financed the rest at 1.9% for 36 months. I'll probably pay it off before then though. It is also awesome looking, which I have had to tell my self multiple times is perfectly fine for a car to be. For some reason I always think my car has to be an ugly heap for it to be economical. I would not recommend it for anyone taller then 6'3" though. I'm 6'1" and it fits me like a glove. I could imagine someone taller would have some issues getting in and out and with the head clearance.
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Apr 8, 2011 03:37
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CH, your post would have been strengthened if you didn't sperg about how much you want a 242 motor. Certainly they're cool, but I think there's a lot of want and not need bleeding through.
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Apr 8, 2011 07:14
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kimbo305 posted:CH, your post would have been strengthened if you didn't sperg about how much you want a 242 motor. Certainly they're cool, but I think there's a lot of want and not need bleeding through. eh, fair enough. I honestly don't know much about them other than that oil and coolant appear to be optional. I was just thinking I'd find something reliable, common enough to be at every junkyard, and easy to work on, and that fits all three of those nicely. Something with a V8 would be pretty friggin sweet but it's likely be a gas hog. But like I said, something like this wouldn't happen until fall or next spring anyway, so I have plenty of time to weigh my options and finances and such. (Also, my old work has a very good condition 2001 Cherokee that they'll probably unload for cheap by the end of the year)
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Apr 8, 2011 12:35
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Since I have a house, (do never buy), and I perform a lot of my own maintenance I purchased and maintain a domestic pickup truck. If you have basic maintenance skills the annual expense comes to around $300 on a $1,000 truck. Modern fuel injected trucks provide a lot of low maintenance miles. This annual cost includes gas, insurance, and maintenance. I use it around 9 times a year. Each one of these uses saved me on average of $100 in delivery fees, dumpster fees, landscaping costs, etc. I can't live without one.
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Apr 8, 2011 15:03
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Could you elaborate, as in what truck you got for that price, the condition it was in, and the repairs it needed to stay running?
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Apr 8, 2011 15:09
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CornHolio posted:I'm giving serious thought to getting a third vehicle. From a purely financial point of view I think this is dumb decision. First of all I think it would really cost more than $1000 for a truck, and if it was a $1000 or less, its going to break down and require its own maintenance. You are going to have to pay taxes, insurance, and registration on the truck as well increasing the true cost of ownership. That money would go a long way towards buying AAA towing coverage, renting a truck on the few occasions you need it. Clearly the way you worded it is you want it to be something more of a hobby. That's fine but lets not phrase it a financially wise step. As for if you have the money for it now, I would say no. Wait until you are debt free and then if its something you still want to pursue, go for it.
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Apr 8, 2011 15:10
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I would estimate that I spend at least $500 a year on my 2wd Toyota pickup that has only 72k miles and was given to me. It's in perfect mechanical shape, but between registration, insurance, and an oil change, I'm pretty much there. That gets you lots of car rentals, or rides on the bus, or uhaul rentals with $500. I drive cars that are at least as crappy/unreliable as yours, and it still doesn't make any sense to have a 3rd automobile. A $1000 truck/SUV will be a terrible piece of poo poo as well and if you don't end up doing at least $500-$1000 in repairs in the first year I'll be amazed.
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Apr 8, 2011 23:52
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alreadybeen posted:Great choice, I have a Hyundai and absolutely love it as well. It has been one of those purchases every time I get in the car I feel good about my purchase, even a year later. Also the ipod hookup is great the way it can be controlled through the actual stereo. I'm starting to backpedal on the Elantra because I've been waiting over a month for the dealer to get the model I want in stock (black/black Limited). I told them they had a week before I went elsewhere, but that's more of a threat then anything because all the other Hyundai dealers are the same story and I don't like anything besides the Elantra. I test drove the '11 Jetta TDI today - I really love the power output of the diesel engine but the interior was really lovely and the steering was reminiscent of my old Volvo. That might've been forgivable if the price matched the Elantra but it was actually a full 25% more, $25k compared to $20k.
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Apr 9, 2011 01:34
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NOTinuyasha posted:I test drove the '11 Jetta TDI today - I really love the power output of the diesel engine but the interior was really lovely and the steering was reminiscent of my old Volvo. That is what did it for me. Cars are built pretty well now, Toyota/Honda/Ford are all going to last if you treat them well. But the interior of the Hyundai was closer to their luxury brands than the cheap brands. Plus the warranty was totally kick rear end.
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Apr 9, 2011 04:36
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One thing to keep in mind with the Jetta - and part of why the reviews of the current model are so much worse than past models - is VW purposely went downmarket on a lot of features and materials used in the car in an effort to lower the price tag, while everyone else is moving to make their low-end cars nicer.
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Apr 9, 2011 04:44
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IOwnCalculus posted:One thing to keep in mind with the Jetta - and part of why the reviews of the current model are so much worse than past models - is VW purposely went downmarket on a lot of features and materials used in the car in an effort to lower the price tag, while everyone else is moving to make their low-end cars nicer. Compared to the Sonata, the Jetta actually comes out as the cheaper, lower quality driving appliance and that isn't right at all. The TDI hasn't even gone down in price like the gas model so yeah, bad deal. At least the Golf/wagon remain unchanged.
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Apr 9, 2011 18:40
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Arzakon posted:Sorry about your poo poo state, the new governor in Georgia is trying to get the same thing passed. What really sucks about a private party sales tax in GA is that we already have to pay an annual ad valorem tax on cars. IOwnCalculus posted:One thing to keep in mind with the Jetta - and part of why the reviews of the current model are so much worse than past models - is VW purposely went downmarket on a lot of features and materials used in the car in an effort to lower the price tag, while everyone else is moving to make their low-end cars nicer. The new Jettas really are bad inside. My brother has a Jetta that's a few years old and it's got a nice interior, but I looked at one of the new models at an auto show the other week and it was terrible. Reminded me a lot of a lovely Cobalt rental I got stuck with once. Everything was cheap, hard plastic with huge panel gaps and nothing really fit right. Also, the base Jetta model now comes with an ancient 114HP 2-liter I4.  My '93 Saturn SL2 had more power than that (and weighed 500lbs less to boot).Fake edit: The Jetta isn't even in the same class as the Sonata anymore, it's more comparable with the Elantra (and the Elantra is pretty much better in every way unless you really gotta have a diesel). dennyk fucked around with this message at 20:13 on Apr 9, 2011 |
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Apr 9, 2011 19:33
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It is worth noting, I suppose, that a diesel engine can be expected to last roughly twice as long as a gasoline engine, all else being equal. For some folks that's worth $5k. Of course, that's a generalization. But I think it'd be fair to expect the Jetta's TDI to go at least 250k, and 350+k would not be surprising. In some places diesel is also cheaper than gas, and the TDI gets amazing mileage too. Factor that into the cost, the same way hybrids factor it in, and the Jetta is comparable to the Hyundai. Sorta. I haven't been in one of the newer generation ones though, if the interior is crap, that'd be a deal breaker for me too. I hate shoddy interiors. One of the things I loved so much about my Mk5 golf was the quality of the interior.
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Apr 9, 2011 20:07
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Leperflesh posted:It is worth noting, I suppose, that a diesel engine can be expected to last roughly twice as long as a gasoline engine, all else being equal. It is a VW though... Have they become less awful recently?
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Apr 9, 2011 22:13
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CornHolio posted:
CH: I need a truck once in a while to haul heavy stuff from Home Depot or whatever just a few times a year, just like you. I've found that borrowing a friend's pickup (and filling it up with gas when I'm done) costs less than $100 a use. I have also borrowed the Lowes' 2500-series truck with the open frame bed for around $25 + gas. If my car goes down, I can drive my fiancee to work and pick her up, but if that's not an option it would be much cheaper to rent a car for a week. It'll cost you closer to $2000 once you figure in insurance costs, gas prices, and maintenance on an old gas-guzzling $1000 Cherokee or Dakota. Setting $100 aside every month would probably end up being cheaper in the long run. An idea just popped into my head as well: can you get rental car insurance on your cars in case you need to have them in the shop? Considering the age/mileage of your cars it might be a good investment.
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Apr 9, 2011 23:42
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Nocheez posted:
I do have rental coverage but it only applies if my cars are in a wreck or otherwise getting insurance-covered work on them. Just being in the shop doesn't work. I called and asked last time my my car was in the shop. See my thinking was that I should be able to sell the truck for the same amount I paid for it, as long as it still runs. I don't think American trucks are difficult to keep in running condition (I could be wrong) and I know it would be a risk but between the resale value of a fully depreciated truck and the small amount (2000 miles or less I would say) it would be driven a year it would be a lot more cost-efficient. I really don't know, though, and in any case it would probably need to wait until I have a house and a garage anyway just so I have somewhere to put it. At the very least I would need to wait until used car prices stabilize again. Although with gas as high as it is, people are dropping trucks left and right right now (I have a friend getting rid of a Land Rover Discovery for fairly cheap! No, I'm not interested, believe me...)
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Apr 10, 2011 01:24
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It's a gamble. At this point in time, I think it would be wise to keep your money in the bank and hope that you don't need another car. If you need one once or twice, you'll come out ahead. You're so close to getting your debt erased, I would keep plugging away and when you're finally in the clear you'll feel much better about buying a toy.
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Apr 10, 2011 03:40
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NOTinuyasha posted:Compared to the Sonata, the Jetta actually comes out as the cheaper, lower quality driving appliance and that isn't right at all. Well, if the Jetta is genuinely cheaper, that's ok. There's no reason to take established repuations too seriously.
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Apr 10, 2011 04:48
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Cornholio: I went through the "do I buy a beater truck" thing myself a few times. Reality is, unless you absolutely need a truck a lot, renting one from UHaul when you need a truck (while somewhat less convenient than owning it) will almost always come out cheaper, even with their assrape per mile charges. Adding a third vehicle to a two-driver household never makes financial sense - if the mechanical and/or financial situation with one or both of the primary vehicles is so bad as to actually justify it, the more prudent decision would be to get into primary vehicles better suited to your needs. Insurance and registration alone mean you would need to be renting a truck at least three or four times a year to even consider it as an extra vehicle, and that's before you account for purchase price and actual running costs. This is the least AI post I have ever written.  The only way I was able to make the truck thing make sense was when I realized I was at a point where having a truck made more sense more often than having the Miata. So the Miata is gone and a cheap-rear end Ranger is in its place. Now, granted, I do have three vehicles for a two-driver household, and the third vehicle is also a truck, but in body only; since it's under classic insurance it can't be used for any sort of hauling. it is inherently an absolutely horrible financial decision as its primary purpose is to take up room in my garage, and the secondary purpose is converting money into tire smoke.
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Apr 10, 2011 05:44
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Nocheez posted:It's a gamble. At this point in time, I think it would be wise to keep your money in the bank and hope that you don't need another car. If you need one once or twice, you'll come out ahead. Well yeah this wasn't going to happen anytime soon, it was more of a general question than anything. I think I had thought that the potential resale value of such a vehicle would make it much more feasible to the point where the initial purchase price was largely negligible. My car is at this point off the road about once or twice a year tops, so that certainly wouldn't justify it. Though hopefully it stays that way, I just screamed past 200,000 miles.
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Apr 10, 2011 15:11
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