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jackpot
Aug 31, 2004

First cousin to the Black Rabbit himself. Such was Woundwort's monument...and perhaps it would not have displeased him.<
I asked this another thread but this is a much better place for it:

My 2002 Acura RSX (base model) has got a few issues (the driver door and hatch actuators are busted, which means the key fob doesn't work and the hatch won't open at all), and I am distinctly un-handy - to get these fixed I'll likely have to pay someone. At what point when trading/selling a car is it not worth it to have something fixed? For instance it might cost $250 to have a mechanic fix this, but if I do have it fixed will I see at least a $250 gain in trade-in price? Or is it a wash?

My fear is that they'll see the locks don't work and the hatch won't open, and they'll assume bigger (unseen) problems and automatically knock a huge chunk off of their estimate.

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Throatwarbler
Nov 17, 2008

by vyelkin

jackpot posted:

Proposed Budget: around $20k
Used
Body Style: 4 door midsize, but open to an SUV.

This will be the "nicer" car in the family, so vacations, trips to the store, potentially hauling kids in the future. My commute is currently about six miles/20 minutes, round trip, so while I'd like to have something nice it's not like I'll spend a lot of time in it everyday.

I honestly just have no idea what my options are, I haven't paid attention to cars in years. My current car is a '02 Acura RSX with 70k miles; I love it but cosmetically it's showing its age, and I'm in the mood for something a little bigger. What I'd really hate to sacrifice in a new car is performance - yeah, my base RSX won't win any races, but it's still fun to stomp on the gas once in a while and I don't want to feel like I'm driving a '82 Cadillac.

I don't want something so used that I've got to worry overly much about how it's been treated. For that reason I'd like to keep it under around 3 years / 30k miles, unless someone can give me a smarter number to start with.

I've looked at Accords, Altimas, Maximas (although it's pushing it to find any in my range) and a few others. The Accords are a little on the boring side but I like the Altima and Maxima, especially if I can find something with the 3.5L engine.

Carmax has a 2011 Altima SR that I'm liking; 3k miles, $22k. A bit over my price range, but 3k miles counts for a lot. Same with a 2008 Maxima SL at $21k, with 30k miles: that's just a bit older than I'm looking for, but it's a hell of a car.

Any thoughts? I hate to only look at Nissans but they're everywhere and I rarely hear bad things about them; if there's some other car that seems fit for me I'd love to hear it.

Go try out a Jaguar S-type, they are definitely mid-size sedans that are nice and fun and have 4 doors. If you want bigger an XJL isn't much more expensive. I'm personally not a big fan of the huge grill on the S-type, the XJ looks much more sleek and understated.

S-type R

Jags aren't as common though, and are only available with an automatic. If you are set on a manual you could also look at a BMW 535i or 550i.

535ix

535i

Both cars tend to be driven by older people who usually maintain them at the dealer, so you won't have to worry too much about how they've been treated.

It's just a hair outside your budget, but if you want to stretch closer to $30k you could get an Audi S6 with the V10 and AWD for the winter if you live somewhere snowy. The styling is a bit dated in my eye but that might just be because every third car here is a C6.

Throatwarbler fucked around with this message at 05:28 on Jun 20, 2012

Esmerelda
Dec 1, 2009
Apparently I need a car. Or, at least, it will make my life easier.

Proposed Budget: $10,000 (can go up to $14,000 but would prefer not to.)
New or Used: Used
Body Style: Compact. 2 or 4 door works, a hatchback would be nice but not mandatory.

Essentially I need a vehicle to get me to/from my various after-work activities as the bus doesn't cut it. I live around 3.5 miles from work and don't plan on driving there every day (biking on some.) I live in a city, most of my driving will be in a city and I get to parallel park on hills so size does matter.

I suppose I'm looking for good gas mileage, reliability and size enough to fit a bike rack somewhere on it. Oh, and not crying when it sees a hill is mandatory. I do sort of like the look of the Mazda 2 or the Volkswagen GTI, but, again, a hatchback isn't a necessity.

Manual or automatic doesn't matter. I'd like to have a trunk big enough to put my soccer gear into. I don't need stuff like cruise control or a sun roof or heated seats.

I'm the USA, Seattle specifically, so we don't have too much extreme weather to deal with. And as much as I'd like to say a car would make me go skiing again it probably wouldn't so 4wd and capable of conquering mountains not required.

I haven't owned a car in 8 years and really don't have much of an idea as to what is or isn't preferable as far as engine types and options. I've been doing some research but some help narrowing it down (like is a 2005 or newer Ford Focus actually an okay car?) would be helpful.

Endor
Aug 15, 2001

jackpot posted:

I asked this another thread but this is a much better place for it:

My 2002 Acura RSX (base model) has got a few issues (the driver door and hatch actuators are busted, which means the key fob doesn't work and the hatch won't open at all), and I am distinctly un-handy - to get these fixed I'll likely have to pay someone. At what point when trading/selling a car is it not worth it to have something fixed? For instance it might cost $250 to have a mechanic fix this, but if I do have it fixed will I see at least a $250 gain in trade-in price? Or is it a wash?

My fear is that they'll see the locks don't work and the hatch won't open, and they'll assume bigger (unseen) problems and automatically knock a huge chunk off of their estimate.

There's no specific formula for this sort of thing, but I'd say your hunch is correct that if people learn they can't open the driver side door or the hatch, they're just going to walk away instead of thinking "Hey, this is a good deal and all I need to do is spend $300 to make everything work again!" Instead they'll think "why did the owner live with this shitheap that he had to climb in Dukes of Hazard-style for so long and not get it fixed, and what the hell else is wrong?"

Many people will overlook worn tires and brakes or an aging water pump or a wonky transmission, but being able to open the doors is kind of a big deal for everyone.

nm
Jan 28, 2008

"I saw Minos the Space Judge holding a golden sceptre and passing sentence upon the Martians. There he presided, and around him the noble Space Prosecutors sought the firm justice of space law."

Esmerelda posted:

Apparently I need a car. Or, at least, it will make my life easier.

Proposed Budget: $10,000 (can go up to $14,000 but would prefer not to.)
New or Used: Used
Body Style: Compact. 2 or 4 door works, a hatchback would be nice but not mandatory.

Essentially I need a vehicle to get me to/from my various after-work activities as the bus doesn't cut it. I live around 3.5 miles from work and don't plan on driving there every day (biking on some.) I live in a city, most of my driving will be in a city and I get to parallel park on hills so size does matter.

I suppose I'm looking for good gas mileage, reliability and size enough to fit a bike rack somewhere on it. Oh, and not crying when it sees a hill is mandatory. I do sort of like the look of the Mazda 2 or the Volkswagen GTI, but, again, a hatchback isn't a necessity.

Manual or automatic doesn't matter. I'd like to have a trunk big enough to put my soccer gear into. I don't need stuff like cruise control or a sun roof or heated seats.

I'm the USA, Seattle specifically, so we don't have too much extreme weather to deal with. And as much as I'd like to say a car would make me go skiing again it probably wouldn't so 4wd and capable of conquering mountains not required.

I haven't owned a car in 8 years and really don't have much of an idea as to what is or isn't preferable as far as engine types and options. I've been doing some research but some help narrowing it down (like is a 2005 or newer Ford Focus actually an okay car?) would be helpful.

Mazda 3. Maybe a Fit.
The 3 hatch got the "big" (all 2.3 liters!) engine only, so it will have more grunt but less mileage. The new 3 with the skyactive would have been perfect, but that is out of your price range.

The fit is a great car, but retains its value to an extraordinary degree, so the value for money isn't there as much.

I don't like the versa.

Any subaru in your range will have the old engines and transmissions which will kill gas mileage. If you can deal with the MPG, any subaru made on or after 2005 is a fairly safe bet.

The Toyota Matrix/Pontiac Vibe is a good car, if boring as hell. Note that the vibe is exactly the same car with a different badge, so take advantage of the lower resale (though I think most people know this my now so resale is more equal now).

The mini is probably too small. They also have some reliability niggles.

The VW Golf/Rabbit is really nice but compared the the Japanese or Ford, the reliability isn't quite there. A non-turbo or a diesel model is the way to go though if you go this route. 2006+ only. The previous MKIV golf is a nightmare.

The dodge caliber is terrible, stay away.

$10,000 will get you into a 2004-2005 Prius (second generation). They are pretty flawless cars from a reliability standpoint, but they are not for everyone. They are shockingly cavernous inside.

The later focuses are fine: 2005+ Focus (or any model with the 2.3L PZEV motor). We didn't get a hatch after 2007 until the latest generation which will be out of your price range.

New Hyundais and Kias are fine or better (they are actually quite excellent now). The used market is more hit and miss, and I don't know enough about them to tell you want is good or bad. All current models should be very good though.

Throatwarbler
Nov 17, 2008

by vyelkin

Esmerelda posted:

Apparently I need a car. Or, at least, it will make my life easier.

Proposed Budget: $10,000 (can go up to $14,000 but would prefer not to.)
New or Used: Used
Body Style: Compact. 2 or 4 door works, a hatchback would be nice but not mandatory.

Essentially I need a vehicle to get me to/from my various after-work activities as the bus doesn't cut it. I live around 3.5 miles from work and don't plan on driving there every day (biking on some.) I live in a city, most of my driving will be in a city and I get to parallel park on hills so size does matter.

I suppose I'm looking for good gas mileage, reliability and size enough to fit a bike rack somewhere on it. Oh, and not crying when it sees a hill is mandatory. I do sort of like the look of the Mazda 2 or the Volkswagen GTI, but, again, a hatchback isn't a necessity.

Manual or automatic doesn't matter. I'd like to have a trunk big enough to put my soccer gear into. I don't need stuff like cruise control or a sun roof or heated seats.

I'm the USA, Seattle specifically, so we don't have too much extreme weather to deal with. And as much as I'd like to say a car would make me go skiing again it probably wouldn't so 4wd and capable of conquering mountains not required.

I haven't owned a car in 8 years and really don't have much of an idea as to what is or isn't preferable as far as engine types and options. I've been doing some research but some help narrowing it down (like is a 2005 or newer Ford Focus actually an okay car?) would be helpful.

I'll sumarize the various posts I've made in this thread answering basically this question.

- 2008-11 Ford Focus, manual transmission ideal.
- 2008+ Dodge Avenger, or Chrysler Sebring/200 if you can find one, 2.4l I4 engine (not the 2.7l V6).
- 2010+ Kia Soul, will probably cost you more than $10k but you are getting a newer car and maybe some factory warranty.

All these cars were unpopular and only sold with big incentives due to a combination of being ugly, slow/drives like poo poo, and poor interior. This is good for a value minded car buyer who just wants to get a round and doesn't care about any of that stuff, because they are reliable, safe, and will have pretty good if not quite class leading fuel economy. Tey also sold in semi-decent numbers to rental fleets if nothing else and so you will always have a choice of units to choose from wherever you are.

I'll throw in the 2007+ Mitsubishi Lancer, they're similar to the above except there aren't that many Mitsubishi dealers around so they are not easy to find, and Mitsubishis are driven exclusively by douchebags who beat the crap out of them. Also the 2007+ Nissan Sentra, although they tend to be a little more expensive than the others for no good reason other tha being Japanese.

jackpot
Aug 31, 2004

First cousin to the Black Rabbit himself. Such was Woundwort's monument...and perhaps it would not have displeased him.<

Endor posted:

Instead they'll think "why did the owner live with this shitheap that he had to climb in Dukes of Hazard-style for so long and not get it fixed, and what the hell else is wrong?"
For what it's worth the driver door works, it just has to be locked/unlocked manually, with a key. It's the hatchback that won't open. But your point stands - its something I'm a little worried about, I'll probably go ahead and fix it.

Leperflesh
May 17, 2007

nm posted:

The VW Golf/Rabbit is really nice but compared the the Japanese or Ford, the reliability isn't quite there. A non-turbo or a diesel model is the way to go though if you go this route. 2006+ only. The previous MKIV golf is a nightmare.

Allow me to elaborate.

The MkIV golf platform had a lot of problems when it first came out. Do not buy a 2001 or 02 or really even an 03 Golf/GTI. (note: Jetta is just the non-hatcback version and is otherwise nearly identical across these model ranges.)

Much of the problems had been worked out by '04, and in the last year of the base golf ('05) the car was mostly trouble-free. In particular the issues with window regulators were fixed, the engine was more reliable, and generally the car was tighter.

The MkV golf was called the Rabbit in the US, although its souped-up brother was still the GTI. This car was more reliable and had a new engine and transmission, but had a much cheaper-feeling interior and a lot of people preferred the MkIV (myself included) because it had kind of lost that "nice german car" feel. In the US this is from '06 through '09. Don't get me wrong, though: the car is more reliable and a good value.

The MkVI golf ('10+) is going to be out of your price range, but in any case it restores some of the nicer interior feel and has better fuel efficiency and such.

Across all these models the general advice is to get a manual if you can and to avoid the DSG where its available. Golf auto transmissions do not have a great record for longevity.

Golf is well known for being a good diesel, though: and diesel engines in general last a lot longer than gasoline ones (they are built much stronger to handle the higher compression and are in some ways a little less complex than gas engines).

I think the main impediment to buying a golf is that they are popular among a certain tuning/modding subculture and so a lot of the ones you will find will be lowered and have lovely mods on them. Avoid molested Golfs like the plague. A decent unmolested one will cost a fair penny as well - I'd say $8k is a good number for a late MkIV ('05) with reasonable mileage, or closer to $10k for a MkV.

Leperflesh fucked around with this message at 16:51 on Jun 21, 2012

Esmerelda
Dec 1, 2009
Thanks for the info. I'm going to do some more research based on what you guys have given me and then go drive some more cars :)

OctaviusBeaver
Apr 30, 2009

Say what now?
Anybody have an opinion on the Doge Neon? Specifically I'm looking at a 2005 with ~100k miles for $4000. Edmunds didn't list any major reliability problems for that model but other review sites seem to give it a bad ranking in reliability, and I'm not sure which I should trust. I'm basically just looking for a driving appliance for the next few years and don't care too much about it being fun to drive or looking cool.

nm
Jan 28, 2008

"I saw Minos the Space Judge holding a golden sceptre and passing sentence upon the Martians. There he presided, and around him the noble Space Prosecutors sought the firm justice of space law."

OctaviusBeaver posted:

Anybody have an opinion on the Doge Neon? Specifically I'm looking at a 2005 with ~100k miles for $4000. Edmunds didn't list any major reliability problems for that model but other review sites seem to give it a bad ranking in reliability, and I'm not sure which I should trust. I'm basically just looking for a driving appliance for the next few years and don't care too much about it being fun to drive or looking cool.

Jesus, why?
http://www.iihs.org/ratings/ratingsbyseries.aspx?id=382

Hateful little cars, excepting the fast ones (SRT, ACR).

Kefit
May 16, 2006
layl

Leperflesh posted:

VW Golf Stuff

Thanks, this info is helpful. I've been considering a Golf/Rabbit for a while now, since it meets my needs of a small four door hatchback with a nice interior. Fuel economy is kind of a drag, but I don't regularly drive long distances so it's not that big of a deal.

What I hadn't considered before reading this post was a MkIV Golf. I see a few 2005's in my area with asking prices of less than $9000, which is a great fit for my budget, but I always assumed that the VW reliability issues weren't addressed until the release of the MkV Rabbit. You assert that a 2005 Golf is a relatively reliable vehicle, but that a Rabbit is more reliable. Can you clarify this difference for someone who has spent his entire driving life married to an aging Saturn SL sedan that's seen little repair work beyond regular maintenance, a clutch rebuild (at ~90k) and a replacement alternator? I tried googling for reliability info, but I only found anecdotes of "I loving love this car, best car ever" and "I detest this car with all my heart and soul because it's literally never worked for longer than a week" with little in between.

sharkytm
Oct 9, 2003

Ba

By

Sharkytm doot doo do doot do doo


Fallen Rib

Kefit posted:

Thanks, this info is helpful. I've been considering a Golf/Rabbit for a while now, since it meets my needs of a small four door hatchback with a nice interior. Fuel economy is kind of a drag, but I don't regularly drive long distances so it's not that big of a deal.

What I hadn't considered before reading this post was a MkIV Golf. I see a few 2005's in my area with asking prices of less than $9000, which is a great fit for my budget, but I always assumed that the VW reliability issues weren't addressed until the release of the MkV Rabbit. You assert that a 2005 Golf is a relatively reliable vehicle, but that a Rabbit is more reliable. Can you clarify this difference for someone who has spent his entire driving life married to an aging Saturn SL sedan that's seen little repair work beyond regular maintenance, a clutch rebuild (at ~90k) and a replacement alternator? I tried googling for reliability info, but I only found anecdotes of "I loving love this car, best car ever" and "I detest this car with all my heart and soul because it's literally never worked for longer than a week" with little in between.

The MKV was more reliable than any MKIV. Expect to need to change electrical stuff, and need a good VW-knowledgeable mechanic around for the occasional computer/sensor fault. They aren't hard cars to work on, and there's a ton of documentation on the VWVortex about how to do ANYTHING on them. They need rear brakes more regularly than they should, and the ebrake cables rust up and seize if you live in a rust-prone area. If you get a 2L (base), it'll be a reliable engine. Just change the oil, timing belt/WP, keep up on spark plugs (use only the Bosch copper 3-prong plugs), and it'll go forever. If you get a 1.8T, use really good synthetic oil, don't shut the car off immediately after romping on it, and do the timing belt/WP. If its a VR6 (GLX) do the same as the 2.0, and enjoy one of the best engine notes out there. Good oil will keep the timing chains in good shape, but they will eventually go.

OctaviusBeaver
Apr 30, 2009

Say what now?

nm posted:

Jesus, why?
http://www.iihs.org/ratings/ratingsbyseries.aspx?id=382

Hateful little cars, excepting the fast ones (SRT, ACR).

Ah, well glad I asked then, thanks. It never even occurred to me to look at the crash test results for some reason, but it is pretty important.

I'm about to go take a look at a 2011 Focus, that seems like a fairly solid bet.

Leperflesh
May 17, 2007

sharkytm posted:

The MKV was more reliable than any MKIV. Expect to need to change electrical stuff, and need a good VW-knowledgeable mechanic around for the occasional computer/sensor fault. They aren't hard cars to work on, and there's a ton of documentation on the VWVortex about how to do ANYTHING on them. They need rear brakes more regularly than they should, and the ebrake cables rust up and seize if you live in a rust-prone area. If you get a 2L (base), it'll be a reliable engine. Just change the oil, timing belt/WP, keep up on spark plugs (use only the Bosch copper 3-prong plugs), and it'll go forever. If you get a 1.8T, use really good synthetic oil, don't shut the car off immediately after romping on it, and do the timing belt/WP. If its a VR6 (GLX) do the same as the 2.0, and enjoy one of the best engine notes out there. Good oil will keep the timing chains in good shape, but they will eventually go.

Yeah, this pretty much covers it. A lot of people got bad opinions on the MkIV based on early models in the line, but even those, the things that tended to go wrong were niggling electronics stuff. For my own part the only problem I ever had with my MkIV golf (base model 2005) was a faulty door sensor. Not a big deal, fixed under warranty, but it took a while to figure out which sensor was bad and the symptom was "the alarm goes off" which is an annoying issue. The temporary solution to your alarm blaring in the middle of the night is to disconnect the battery (which I did) but this erases the sensor log so the dealer couldn't tell which sensor was causing the problem. Eventually we got it figured out though and after that it was five years of happy trouble-free ownership until one night on the fourth of july when a drunk crashed into it while it was parked in front of my house and then fled the scene and wasn't caught and my poor car which I'd bought new and babied and loved was totaled.

Earlier ones had a consistent issue with the window regulators which would cause windows to get stuck or not roll up. I can imagine if you had a problem like that and couldn't get it fixed easily that would be pretty irritating.

Early VR6es did have an engine issue which VW eventually got class-actioned for. But like I said, if you avoid the early ones and especially if you stick to a base model or perhaps a GLX/GTI non-VR6 you'll have a good car with a nice interior that is fun to drive and is not especially unreliable particularly if you maintain it properly.

Golfs want specific high-spec motor oil. My '05 wanted 10w50 with a specific quality rating on it. It was not that hard to find and not that expensive and so it wasn't really a problem for me.

So, why do I say the MkV was "more reliable"? Well, not personal experience - but its reliability ratings are higher, and the consensus opinion seems to be that it was an improvement over the MkIV. I think in general I tend to avoid the first year or two of a new car design, just on the principle that a brand new, untested design is more likely to have issues than a later model where the manufacturer has had the opportunity to make small adjustments based on what they're seeing in their in-warranty repair statistics. On that basis I might actually prefer an '05 MkIV to an '06 MkV... but perhaps I'm a little biased because I loved my '05 golf and miss it every day. :(

Leperflesh fucked around with this message at 17:45 on Jun 23, 2012

Oxford Comma
Jun 26, 2011
Oxford Comma: Hey guys I want a cool big dog to show off! I want it to be ~special~ like Thor but more couch potato-like because I got babbies in the house!
Everybody: GET A LAB.
Oxford Comma: OK! (gets a a pit/catahoula mix)
I think everyone who posts in this thread should be required to do a follow-up post with what car they bought.

Bobby_Wokkerfella
Apr 16, 2007

i am a black female myself and i am not good of can't sporting another black person who doesn't look black,like other brothas and sistas

AlphaDog posted:

I'm looking for a recommendation for a used car. I live in Australia, and my budget is very low.

Proposed Budget: Up to $5,000

Body Style: Station wagon, hatchback, or van.

How will you be using the car?: Mostly short trips, sometimes with lots of lightish stuff inside (homebrew vats, computer parts, stuff like that). A Holden sedan is big enbough for that part, or a Camry or something. Once a week, it will travel roughly 100km in a single day going across the city via freeways. It must seat 4 adults on that trip. Comfort isn't a huge issue, but most of my friends are tall, so tiny cars are right out. A Corolla is fine for that part. Edit: Once or twice a year, it will go 500kms or so on a short roadtrip. If it turns out not reliable for roadtrips, no big deal, we'll use someone else's car.

Do you prefer a luxury vehicle with all the gizmos?: No. Power steering is a must. Aircon is a bonus. Everything else being manual would be fine. CD player nice but not necessary, I can build my own stereo/ipod/whatever setup. Edit: gently caress, my girlfriend informs me she can't drive a manual, so auto transmission is a must too.

What aspects are most important to you? (e.g. reliability, cost of ownership/maintenance, import/domestic, MPG, size, style): Reliability, cost of maintenance, running costs. I can do basic maintenance myself, and while I'd be happy to say I know jack poo poo about cars, I did once change a head gasket, mostly because I'm a loving master at following instruction manuals.

If you do not live in the U.S. you should probably say so because what's available can vary a lot: Melbourne, Australia.

Cars I've looked at: Early 2000s Corolla wagon. Late 90s / Early 2000s Mitsubishi Magna wagon (best choice, I think). Mitsubishi 380 (too pricey, but I really like it). Early 2000s Camry. Various vans (I kind of like vans, but if I got a van it would need to have a comfortable rear seat). I don't want another holden, all my cars have been shitbox holdens, and they're awful.

I don't expect to get much for the price, but stuff like scratches and dents bothers me not at all.

I hate Magnas with a passion, dreadful styling, horrendous to work on, handles like a boat and the v6 is thirsty. That being said, they're pretty reliable, my grandparents have had a 2000 Verada wagon since new, and my rents had a 99 Verada sedan for years and nothing catastrophic went wrong on either, but definitely not my cup of tea.

I had a 96 Toyota Camry wagon, and would definitely prefer it over any magna, the 4cyl motor got absurdly good fuel economy (~7L/100kms)after being serviced, was dead easy to work on, I'm 6'2 and was comfy in the back seat, and you can find them all day long in the sub 5k market (mine had only done 200,000kms and because of some minor hail damage I paid $1800)

If you want something with a little more personality than a Camry, try looking for a late 80's/early 90's Volvo 240 wagon. Legendary reliability, smooth ride, a fuckton of room and easy to service. Downsides include average fuel economy (I get about 10L/100kms in my 88) and it being harder to get parts for than a Japanese car ,though if you shop online in American stores you can get stuff for a fraction of what it costs over here, as the old RWD Volvo's have a bigger following in the US.


e: Any other US goons reading, the Mitsubishi Magna/Verada was over there as the Diamante, and I know nothing about the 380, but IIRC it was a slightly modified USDM Galant if anyone more knowledgeable wants to help out

Bobby_Wokkerfella fucked around with this message at 10:44 on Jun 24, 2012

Elector_Nerdlingen
Sep 27, 2004



Bobby_Wokkerfella posted:

I hate Magnas with a passion, dreadful styling, horrendous to work on, handles like a boat and the v6 is thirsty. That being said, they're pretty reliable, my grandparents have had a 2000 Verada wagon since new, and my rents had a 99 Verada sedan for years and nothing catastrophic went wrong on either, but definitely not my cup of tea.

I had a 96 Toyota Camry wagon, and would definitely prefer it over any magna, the 4cyl motor got absurdly good fuel economy (~7L/100kms)after being serviced, was dead easy to work on, I'm 6'2 and was comfy in the back seat, and you can find them all day long in the sub 5k market (mine had only done 200,000kms and because of some minor hail damage I paid $1800)

If you want something with a little more personality than a Camry, try looking for a late 80's/early 90's Volvo 240 wagon. Legendary reliability, smooth ride, a fuckton of room and easy to service. Downsides include average fuel economy (I get about 10L/100kms in my 88) and it being harder to get parts for than a Japanese car ,though if you shop online in American stores you can get stuff for a fraction of what it costs over here, as the old RWD Volvo's have a bigger following in the US.


e: Any other US goons reading, the Mitsubishi Magna/Verada was over there as the Diamante, and I know nothing about the 380, but IIRC it was a slightly modified USDM Galant if anyone more knowledgeable wants to help out

Hey thanks man!

I'm looking at the Magna because as far as a cheap car goes, I like the styling. Also, my marine diesel engineer / backyard mechanic mate knows them really well because his parents and his wife's parents own them. Reliability is a big deal too, and I hear no complaints about that.

I'll check out the Camry too, my girlfriend drives a 1992 model and it's ok... for an old shitbox. I think it's just that when I think Carmy, I think "oh god, no" because a mate had an awful one. I'll have to not let that affect me too much.

Volvos are something I looked at, and while I love them, I couldn't afford the servicing and I can't do much myself. But it's definitely worth considering. Is the mid 90s 840 in that pridce range worth even looking at, or are they all hosed for that money?

Elector_Nerdlingen fucked around with this message at 02:17 on Jun 25, 2012

wide stance
Jan 28, 2011

If there's more than one way to do a job, and one of those ways will result in disaster, then he will do it that way.
Desperately need advice on a new car. I have no idea what I want.

Proposed Budget: $25k?
New or Used: Don't know!
Body Style: 4 door or hatchback. Compact or midsize.
How will you be using the car?: Commuting 16 miles round trip. Running errands and occasionally hauling stuff.
Do you prefer a luxury vehicle with all the gizmos?) Bluetooth and USB would be nice, but not a must. Don't really care about high performance.
What aspects are most important to you? Decent winter weather handling as I live in MN. Although as a baseline I drove a 2003 Toyota Corolla with all season tires no problem. Resale Value and depreciation (who knows where I'll be in 6 months and also I hate cars). Good outward visibility. At least 30 MPG combined so I can look myself in the mirror. Comfort, I have a 33" measured inseam. Automatic transmission.

I mentioned the Corolla...I HATED driving it because of the cramped seats and typical compact sedan visibility. I drove a Honda Fit during an hourcar rental and loved it but I'm very concerned about driving up hill in the winter to my parking spot. I really don't want to have to put winter tires on it. I've driven lots of mid-size sedans for work rentals and liked pretty much all of them.

Also I don't have a car which makes car shopping very difficult...

wide stance fucked around with this message at 05:58 on Jun 25, 2012

Oxford Comma
Jun 26, 2011
Oxford Comma: Hey guys I want a cool big dog to show off! I want it to be ~special~ like Thor but more couch potato-like because I got babbies in the house!
Everybody: GET A LAB.
Oxford Comma: OK! (gets a a pit/catahoula mix)

wide stance posted:

Desperately need advice on a new car. I have no idea what I want.

Proposed Budget: $25k?
New or Used: Don't know!
Body Style: 4 door or hatchback. Compact or midsize.
How will you be using the car?: Commuting 16 miles round trip. Running errands and occasionally hauling stuff.
Do you prefer a luxury vehicle with all the gizmos?) Bluetooth and USB would be nice, but not a must. Don't really care about high performance.
What aspects are most important to you? Decent winter weather handling as I live in MN. Although as a baseline I drove a 2003 Toyota Corolla with all season tires no problem. Resale Value and depreciation (who knows where I'll be in 6 months and also I hate cars). Good outward visibility. At least 30 MPG combined so I can look myself in the mirror. Comfort, I have a 33" measured inseam. Automatic transmission.

I mentioned the Corolla...I HATED driving it because of the cramped seats and typical compact sedan visibility. I drove a Honda Fit during an hourcar rental and loved it but I'm very concerned about driving up hill in the winter to my parking spot. I really don't want to have to put winter tires on it. I've driven lots of mid-size sedans for work rentals and liked pretty much all of them.

Also I don't have a car which makes car shopping very difficult...

You could get a Subaru Outback for that much cash. Obviously these do very well in the snow.

nm
Jan 28, 2008

"I saw Minos the Space Judge holding a golden sceptre and passing sentence upon the Martians. There he presided, and around him the noble Space Prosecutors sought the firm justice of space law."
2013 Subaru Impreza 2.0 (30 MPG combined) if you want the best for snow.

Prius if you want MPG. This might be a bit tight though, do a test fitting.

A fit will do just fine up a hill. Ice traction is about grip, not HP. Otherwise as modded Cobra making 800hp would be the perfect snow car.

Also, check out the Mazda 3 skyactiv, a golf diesel, and the koreans.

Oh and get winter tires. They're not about being able to "get up a hill" they're about having proper traction when braking and turning. All it takes is one patch of ice on 94 to make you happy you have them (speaking from experience)
They're not even expensive. You see it as having to buy a second set of tires, but remember that you're only driving on one set at a time, so they'll last twice as long. Seriously, try them, it is a revelation, you will no longer hate the snow.

Bobby_Wokkerfella
Apr 16, 2007

i am a black female myself and i am not good of can't sporting another black person who doesn't look black,like other brothas and sistas

AlphaDog posted:

Hey thanks man!

I'm looking at the Magna because as far as a cheap car goes, I like the styling. Also, my marine diesel engineer / backyard mechanic mate knows them really well because his parents and his wife's parents own them. Reliability is a big deal too, and I hear no complaints about that.

I'll check out the Camry too, my girlfriend drives a 1992 model and it's ok... for an old shitbox. I think it's just that when I think Carmy, I think "oh god, no" because a mate had an awful one. I'll have to not let that affect me too much.

Volvos are something I looked at, and while I love them, I couldn't afford the servicing and I can't do much myself. But it's definitely worth considering. Is the mid 90s 840 in that pridce range worth even looking at, or are they all hosed for that money?

Fair enough, like I said, Magna's aren't my cup of tea, but if you like them, by all means, it's your cash. One thing to look out for is if they've had their spark plugs replaced, being a transverse (mounted side to side) v6, 3 of the plugs are right up against the car's body, and it's a big job to change them. They only need doing once every few years though, but there's tons of magnas out there, you may as well pick one that's had it done recently to save you/your friend the money/hassle.

I like both the 91-96 and 97-2001 camry models, sure they're just camrys, but toyota really perfected the reliable roomy car with decent fuel economy formula in those models, even though they are a bit bland, and will be lacking in power compared to the Magna. (I have no experience with camry v6's though)

If you're not willing to learn a little bit of wrenching, probably steer clear of the Volvo's, (they're a great vehicle to learn on if interested however) the 850s moved away from the 240/740's simpler 4cyl RWD platform and on to a more complex 5cyl FWD platform, they're good cars, but there is a lot more than can and does go wrong with them, and the parts availability over here is pretty slim, I'd avoid them if you'll be relying on mechanics.

Seems like if a bit more power/room is a priority, go with the magna, or if you want something a little smaller but more economical, go the camry route

Elector_Nerdlingen
Sep 27, 2004



Bobby_Wokkerfella posted:

Fair enough, like I said, Magna's aren't my cup of tea, but if you like them, by all means, it's your cash. One thing to look out for is if they've had their spark plugs replaced, being a transverse (mounted side to side) v6, 3 of the plugs are right up against the car's body, and it's a big job to change them. They only need doing once every few years though, but there's tons of magnas out there, you may as well pick one that's had it done recently to save you/your friend the money/hassle.

I like both the 91-96 and 97-2001 camry models, sure they're just camrys, but toyota really perfected the reliable roomy car with decent fuel economy formula in those models, even though they are a bit bland, and will be lacking in power compared to the Magna. (I have no experience with camry v6's though)

If you're not willing to learn a little bit of wrenching, probably steer clear of the Volvo's, (they're a great vehicle to learn on if interested however) the 850s moved away from the 240/740's simpler 4cyl RWD platform and on to a more complex 5cyl FWD platform, they're good cars, but there is a lot more than can and does go wrong with them, and the parts availability over here is pretty slim, I'd avoid them if you'll be relying on mechanics.

Seems like if a bit more power/room is a priority, go with the magna, or if you want something a little smaller but more economical, go the camry route

Awesome, thanks again. I'm 6'3" and the Camry is starting to be a tiny bit small at that point, while the magna is fine. Like I said, my girlfriend drives a 92 model, and it's fine, and I could deal with the very slight crampedness, but if I can get a non-cramped car, I'd prefer it. I'll definitely add the Camry to the list of cars worth looking at though, there's nothing wrong with them but the size.

I really don't give a poo poo about power. If it gets to 110 on the freeway, I'm good. I've never owned a nice new car, so I'm far from worried.

I am willing to learn a bit of wrench work, but my talents sadly lie in other directions. I can check/change fluids and light globes and fuses and stuff, and perform very minor repairs, but I'm simply not skilled enough to do that on a regular basis. I once changed the rocker cover gasket in an EFI VK Commodore, and it took me all afternoon. I also have no idea what I did, I'm just a loving master at following instructions.

Don Lapre
Mar 28, 2001

If you're having problems you're either holding the phone wrong or you have tiny girl hands.

wide stance posted:

Desperately need advice on a new car. I have no idea what I want.

Proposed Budget: $25k?
New or Used: Don't know!
Body Style: 4 door or hatchback. Compact or midsize.
How will you be using the car?: Commuting 16 miles round trip. Running errands and occasionally hauling stuff.
Do you prefer a luxury vehicle with all the gizmos?) Bluetooth and USB would be nice, but not a must. Don't really care about high performance.
What aspects are most important to you? Decent winter weather handling as I live in MN. Although as a baseline I drove a 2003 Toyota Corolla with all season tires no problem. Resale Value and depreciation (who knows where I'll be in 6 months and also I hate cars). Good outward visibility. At least 30 MPG combined so I can look myself in the mirror. Comfort, I have a 33" measured inseam. Automatic transmission.

I mentioned the Corolla...I HATED driving it because of the cramped seats and typical compact sedan visibility. I drove a Honda Fit during an hourcar rental and loved it but I'm very concerned about driving up hill in the winter to my parking spot. I really don't want to have to put winter tires on it. I've driven lots of mid-size sedans for work rentals and liked pretty much all of them.

Also I don't have a car which makes car shopping very difficult...

An impreza meets your needs. The outback is more comfortable but you wont do 30mpg combined, only highway.

Alterian
Jan 28, 2003

Sort of a little off topic, but I figured this might be a place to ask. My credit union has a service where they help you buy a new car. Are these services worth it? My husband is probably going to need a new car pretty soon. He has a 2001 Dodge Neon and the transmission is starting to go. We're both really dreading dealing with buying a car.

wide stance
Jan 28, 2011

If there's more than one way to do a job, and one of those ways will result in disaster, then he will do it that way.

nm posted:

2013 Subaru Impreza 2.0 (30 MPG combined) if you want the best for snow.

Prius if you want MPG. This might be a bit tight though, do a test fitting.

A fit will do just fine up a hill. Ice traction is about grip, not HP. Otherwise as modded Cobra making 800hp would be the perfect snow car.

Also, check out the Mazda 3 skyactiv, a golf diesel, and the koreans.

Oh and get winter tires. They're not about being able to "get up a hill" they're about having proper traction when braking and turning. All it takes is one patch of ice on 94 to make you happy you have them (speaking from experience)
They're not even expensive. You see it as having to buy a second set of tires, but remember that you're only driving on one set at a time, so they'll last twice as long. Seriously, try them, it is a revelation, you will no longer hate the snow.

Thanks!

Unfortunatly the Impreza is all but sold out in the Twin Cities. Might check out a Mazda3 hatchback today.

Anyone have any tips on car buying without a car?

nm
Jan 28, 2008

"I saw Minos the Space Judge holding a golden sceptre and passing sentence upon the Martians. There he presided, and around him the noble Space Prosecutors sought the firm justice of space law."

wide stance posted:

Thanks!

Unfortunatly the Impreza is all but sold out in the Twin Cities. Might check out a Mazda3 hatchback today.

Anyone have any tips on car buying without a car?

It would be worth traveling if you thought it was the right car.

As for tips: Rent a car. It is cheaper than you think, and will put off the pressure to buy now, right now, which you will have when you "need" a car.
Or you could move to downtown where you don't need a car.

Tytanium
Oct 27, 2006

YASSEAH!

wide stance posted:

Desperately need advice on a new car. I have no idea what I want.

Proposed Budget: $25k?
New or Used: Don't know!
Body Style: 4 door or hatchback. Compact or midsize.
How will you be using the car?: Commuting 16 miles round trip. Running errands and occasionally hauling stuff.
Do you prefer a luxury vehicle with all the gizmos?) Bluetooth and USB would be nice, but not a must. Don't really care about high performance.
What aspects are most important to you? Decent winter weather handling as I live in MN. Although as a baseline I drove a 2003 Toyota Corolla with all season tires no problem. Resale Value and depreciation (who knows where I'll be in 6 months and also I hate cars). Good outward visibility. At least 30 MPG combined so I can look myself in the mirror. Comfort, I have a 33" measured inseam. Automatic transmission.

I mentioned the Corolla...I HATED driving it because of the cramped seats and typical compact sedan visibility. I drove a Honda Fit during an hourcar rental and loved it but I'm very concerned about driving up hill in the winter to my parking spot. I really don't want to have to put winter tires on it. I've driven lots of mid-size sedans for work rentals and liked pretty much all of them.

Also I don't have a car which makes car shopping very difficult...

A 2012-2013 Ford Focus would meet most of your needs (except it doesn't have available AWD), has Microsoft Sync/Bluetooth and MyFordTouch. A Titanium premium spec hatch MSRPs at about 25k, but I gamed around a couple dealers in my area and got a quote of 21,750 for a Titanium Premium with winter package and upgraded wheels. I'm 6'8" and it fits me easily.

Pythagoras a trois
Feb 19, 2004

I have a lot of points to make and I will make them later.
I'm basically growing out of my training wheels, so I need to get more expensive training wheels in the form of a used car I can put a few dozen thousand miles on. This is the first car I'll be buying personally, so I'd like to just buy it outright with the cash I have available and draw from my appreciation of getting dirty to keep it in good driving shape.

Proposed Budget: $4.5 - 6k
New or Used: Used and probably old.
Body Style: Convertible
How will you be using the car?: 40 mile commute.
Gizmos?: I have a smart phone, I'll live if my car doesn't have an in-dash GPS.
What aspects are most important to you?: Manual/convertible/reliable. After that, it needs to be able to handle some snow if I put the right tires on it, I'm hoping for decent MPG (shooting for 30-35), and I really don't want to drive something that looks like it was made to go to the salon and back after church.


So at first I thought I'd pick up a Miata second hand, but they can't handle any weather, have awful gas mileage, and I'm going to need room for a passenger and a non-lap dog. So then I started looking at Saabs, and I'm quickly learning that Classic Saab 900's are priced for collectors, the NG's are worse engineering, and that I don't know enough about 9-3's and 9-5's to really look into them. Basically, I need me a solid car with a top that can come off, and if it requires a little hunting for a barn find, then I'm game.

Pythagoras a trois fucked around with this message at 20:11 on Jun 25, 2012

Falcon2001
Oct 10, 2004

Eat your hamburgers, Apollo.
Pillbug
Proposed Budget: 26k, give or take.

New or Used: New or lightly used

Body Style: 2 door compact preferred, hatchback or coupe, but a four door isn't a dealbreaker.

How will you be using the car?: 30 minute commute twice daily, daily driver. I have no need for a backseat, the two times I've needed one in the last year there were easy alternatives. Just myself and my girlfriend. Listen to a fair bit of music, so I'd appreciate a premium stereo.

What aspects are most important to you?: Must be automatic, Moderate to lower cost maintenance, warranty still valid for at least as long as I'll be owning it. I'd absolutely like more than 30 MPG and a small car that's still comfortable for a guy that's 6'1" and heavyset. I definitely appreciate a lot of features, especially internal quality of life tech ones. Also, I'd prefer to have a car that didn't look like 'generic manager car sedan' and hopefully looked even remotely sporty.

Location: Seattle metro area.

More context: I used to drive a '93 Civic, then last year I got a better job and decided I wanted a nicer car. Went out, picked up a 2007 Nissan Maxima SE with all the trimmings. It's a great car, it's pretty much exactly what I went out to look for, but it's a big 4 door Sedan that can't parallel park or fit in compact spots and I live in Seattle, so I realized that driving a bigass car in the city is probably a bad idea.

So, I'm looking to pick up a compact car that fits in the spectrum between 'econobox prius with zero oomph' and 'giant expensive rear end sports car with terrible MPG'. I'd also be willing to get a diesel, no inherent dislike of them. My biggest problem with my civic was that I couldn't get up to freeway speed and the car didn't have any ability to accelerate at speed either, to move away from potentially dangerous situations or people merging into me/etc. Also, Seattle is covered in hills, and my Civic hated it.

Here are a few cars I'm looking at currently:

2011/12 Honda CRZ(Two-seater doesn't faze me, and it leaves extra storage space in a small car. Reviews are mixed on it though, and AI has been fairly negative about it.)
2012 Toyota Prius C 3 (Worried about whether this will handle freeway and hills.)
2011/12 Hyundai Veloster (Terrible name, neat looking car, and I'm intrigued by the third door on the side.)
2011/12 VW Golf TDI or other TDI (little expensive, and I'll be honest that I don't really like the look of the 2012 Golf TDIs, because apparently the Turbo diesel doesn't get the nicer look that the GTI does :( )


I realize this is pretty close to a previously answered question so I'll quote that answer here as I'm a little bit pickier:

Tytanium posted:

A 2012-2013 Ford Focus would meet most of your needs (except it doesn't have available AWD), has Microsoft Sync/Bluetooth and MyFordTouch. A Titanium premium spec hatch MSRPs at about 25k, but I gamed around a couple dealers in my area and got a quote of 21,750 for a Titanium Premium with winter package and upgraded wheels. I'm 6'8" and it fits me easily.

That is actually pretty nice, although I'm slightly wary of those mileage estimates, although this is right about where I want to be, cost-wise. 14.3 feet long, so it's a couple feet shorter than my current car, although it's approximately the same width which surprises me, as my Maxima doesn't fit in compact parking spots at all. That being said, I'll add this to my list of cars to check out.

Edit to add questions: Does anyone know any reason why any of the cars I'm looking at would be a bad idea, or could suggest other cars?

Falcon2001 fucked around with this message at 00:26 on Jun 26, 2012

Leperflesh
May 17, 2007

Cheekio posted:

I'm basically growing out of my training wheels, so I need to get more expensive training wheels in the form of a used car I can put a few dozen thousand miles on. This is the first car I'll be buying personally, so I'd like to just buy it outright with the cash I have available and draw from my appreciation of getting dirty to keep it in good driving shape.

Proposed Budget: $4.5 - 6k
New or Used: Used and probably old.
Body Style: Convertible
How will you be using the car?: 40 mile commute.
Gizmos?: I have a smart phone, I'll live if my car doesn't have an in-dash GPS.
What aspects are most important to you?: Manual/convertible/reliable. After that, it needs to be able to handle some snow if I put the right tires on it, I'm hoping for decent MPG (shooting for 30-35), and I really don't want to drive something that looks like it was made to go to the salon and back after church.


So at first I thought I'd pick up a Miata second hand, but they can't handle any weather, have awful gas mileage, and I'm going to need room for a passenger and a non-lap dog. So then I started looking at Saabs, and I'm quickly learning that Classic Saab 900's are priced for collectors, the NG's are worse engineering, and that I don't know enough about 9-3's and 9-5's to really look into them. Basically, I need me a solid car with a top that can come off, and if it requires a little hunting for a barn find, then I'm game.



Assuming you're in the US, I think you are going to have a very hard time finding a mid-sized convertible that gets (combined city+highway) 30+ miles per gallon. Throw in your price range and it really really narrows things down.

Most convertibles are sports cars, basically, or are at least trying to be sports cars. Your really small roadsters like the Miata don't have the room you want, and your larger 'verts are heavier and don't have the fuel efficiency you want.

You should understand that merely being a convertible does a big number on fuel efficiency, of course. Even a light small convertible with a small engine is doing maybe 24-26mpg combined. That's just a matter of phsyics, a 'vert has a whole lot of aerodynamic drag!

That said: there are some possibilities.

There was a convertible geo metro in the early 90s that got great mileage. I think it probably has slightly more room than a miata but not much. Also like 50 horsepower. This might be your best bet.

The chevy cavalier in base spec in early-mid 90s got 22/26/33. It's also a piece of poo poo.

Fueleconomy.gov only shows the basic stats for a toyota celica (25/27/31) but there was a convertible version. Of course it has probably no more room than a miata.

From '97 there's the Toyota Paseo convertible. 25/28/32. I don't know anything about this car.

Basically that's it. You're going to have to compromise on either it being a convertible, or it getting good mileage.

wide stance
Jan 28, 2011

If there's more than one way to do a job, and one of those ways will result in disaster, then he will do it that way.

nm posted:

It would be worth traveling if you thought it was the right car.

As for tips: Rent a car. It is cheaper than you think, and will put off the pressure to buy now, right now, which you will have when you "need" a car.
Or you could move to downtown where you don't need a car.

Fortunately I work near almost all the dealerships so I have them pick me up to do test drives. They're usually not busy during the weekday.

I'm interested in the Honda Fit (love the visibility and cargo space), however I can't drive stick. Should I just pick up the auto or learn manual or die trying?

e: Seems like the car was intended for manual and has much better performance than the auto. 0-60mph is 9.2 and 10.7 respectively.

wide stance fucked around with this message at 14:57 on Jun 26, 2012

rt_hat
Aug 3, 2003
YARRRR

wide stance posted:

Should I just pick up the auto or learn manual or die trying?

I didn't know how to drive a manual transmission until I started looking for a car. I did some reading on the Internet on about how it works and what I was supposed to do, so I had an idea of what to do.

I test-drove a manual Toyota Matrix and the salesman came with me and took it for a couple of times around the parking lot before heading to the streets. After that I also test-drove a Subaru Impreza by myself and did okay too.

The only way you would learn is if you drove one, but make sure it's for you though. There is a lot of shifting if you're in city traffic areas.

A COMPUTER GUY
Aug 23, 2007

I can't spare this man - he fights.
Proposed Budget: 10k (15k at the most)
New or Used: Used
Body Style: 4-door sedan/hatch
How will you be using the car?: I drive from Orange County to Los Angeles 4-5 days/week for work and school.
What aspects are most important to you?
Must be reliable enough to survive a few years worth of driving in Los Angeles. MPG is the second-most important. I'm 6'4", so the car can't be super-tiny.

I was looking perhaps at an 04-06 Prius, as those seem to be plentiful in my area around my price range, but I know precisely gently caress-all about cars. I also drive regularly up to the High Desert, Santa Barbara, and the various Indian casinos in east San Diego county, so it has to have at least enough juice to get up the hills.

mobby_6kl
Aug 9, 2009

Cheekio posted:

I'm basically growing out of my training wheels, so I need to get more expensive training wheels in the form of a used car I can put a few dozen thousand miles on. This is the first car I'll be buying personally, so I'd like to just buy it outright with the cash I have available and draw from my appreciation of getting dirty to keep it in good driving shape.

Proposed Budget: $4.5 - 6k
New or Used: Used and probably old.
Body Style: Convertible
How will you be using the car?: 40 mile commute.
Gizmos?: I have a smart phone, I'll live if my car doesn't have an in-dash GPS.
What aspects are most important to you?: Manual/convertible/reliable. After that, it needs to be able to handle some snow if I put the right tires on it, I'm hoping for decent MPG (shooting for 30-35), and I really don't want to drive something that looks like it was made to go to the salon and back after church.


So at first I thought I'd pick up a Miata second hand, but they can't handle any weather, have awful gas mileage, and I'm going to need room for a passenger and a non-lap dog. So then I started looking at Saabs, and I'm quickly learning that Classic Saab 900's are priced for collectors, the NG's are worse engineering, and that I don't know enough about 9-3's and 9-5's to really look into them. Basically, I need me a solid car with a top that can come off, and if it requires a little hunting for a barn find, then I'm game.

What do you mean a Miata can't handle any weather? I drove mine every day this winter (like a proper winter with snow and poo poo), and besides discovering that I had a lovely battery, there was absolutely nothing it couldn't handle. If you drive like a grandma you could even get ~30MPG out of a 1.8l NB. A passenger or a dog fits fine, although not at the same time. The trunk's pretty small but isn't impacted by folding the roof.

I don't want to come off as a huge Miata fanboy, but as Leperflesh pointed out, you can't really get all of the things you want at once and within that budget. IMO an Mx-5 is a good compromise in your case, because with larger cars your options are either entry-level luxury cars like the 3 series or A4s, or giant piles of poo poo like the Sebring, neither of which would be good on gas in any case.

IOwnCalculus
Apr 2, 2003





Ulysses S. Grant posted:

Proposed Budget: 10k (15k at the most)
New or Used: Used
Body Style: 4-door sedan/hatch
How will you be using the car?: I drive from Orange County to Los Angeles 4-5 days/week for work and school.
What aspects are most important to you?
Must be reliable enough to survive a few years worth of driving in Los Angeles. MPG is the second-most important. I'm 6'4", so the car can't be super-tiny.

I was looking perhaps at an 04-06 Prius, as those seem to be plentiful in my area around my price range, but I know precisely gently caress-all about cars. I also drive regularly up to the High Desert, Santa Barbara, and the various Indian casinos in east San Diego county, so it has to have at least enough juice to get up the hills.

You're only going to know if you fit if you try it. I fit in my dad's Prius well enough (also 6'4") but I don't find it to be particularly comfortable (even my Mazdaspeed3 seems a good deal roomier). Reliability of the Prius has turned out to be incredibly good.

Take this with a grain of salt, but a coworker of mine was driving up I17 out of Phoenix and apparently, after getting stuck behind a slow-moving truck, didn't have enough power in his Prius to regain his former speed and had to follow the truck until the road leveled out. Something to do with using too much battery prior to this. I wasn't with him when it happened, but we were driving to the same spot and it is indeed a pretty big hill coming out of town there. I think it's just something you can avoid 99.9% of the time with proper planning.

Weebly
May 6, 2007

General Chaos wants you!
College Slice
Hi, I'm an RN and am looking to buy my first car. I currently have an old Dodge neon that is a POS from high school. I have no debt, $13,000 in savings for just the car plus my emergency fund of $5000. I'm in no hurry to buy a car. I'm just at the planning stages.

Proposed Budget: <40,000

New or Used: Leaning towards new

Body Style: Coupe

How will you be using the car?: This will be my daily driver. I don't have to haul anything large. I live very close to where I work and pretty much all the major hospitals are near me, so even if I switched it would not impact much. 95% of the time I would ever only need 1 seat for a passenger. I have family members with trucks that I could borrow if I needed to haul.

What aspects are most important to you? Style and fun. I'm 25 years old; and at the point in my life where I believe I can get justify a really fun car.


Added: A car that has caught my eye is the Nissan 350z (obviously used) or a 370z. I liked the look of the car when I saw it. If it helps you with the style I think is cool.

Leperflesh
May 17, 2007

I think you should rent one or at least test drive one before you buy a 350z for daily driving. You're used to the soft suspension of a economy car but the 250 has a very firm sporty suspension you might find jarring.

That said, since you're considering both new and used, there's a huge number of cars that fit your requirements (as near as I can tell it's "be a coupe" and "be a fun car"). Do you care about mileage? Is easy parking important? Do you care about cost to insure? For a used car, how well-used is too-used for you? Maintenance? Manual vs. automatic?

A few more criteria would really help to narrow things down beyond "it should be cool."

MrKatharsis
Nov 29, 2003

feel the bern
No 25 year old RN should be buying a car in the "<40,000" range.

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Guinness
Sep 15, 2004

MrKatharsis posted:

No 25 year old RN should be buying a car in the "<40,000" range.

Seriously. I'm 25, make more than an RN, and have my finances in good order, and I still can't responsibly afford a 40k car. Instead, last year I bought a car that was ~40k in 2004 with low miles and still in perfect condition, for 15k. The original owner babied it, and I've had it for over a year now and haven't had any issues at all.

If you're looking for something cool/sporty/luxury, instead of buying new get something 3-5 years old for <20k instead. There's a ton of practically new entry-level luxury/sport cars out there that you can get for half the price of buying new.

Since you were light on the details, things to consider in addition to the 350z/370z that are "cool" and can be had for under 20-25k if you buy 3-5 years old:

- Infiniti G35/G37 ("luxury" version of the 350z/370z)
- BMW 3-series
- Audi A4
- Lexus IS
- Ford Mustang (2005+, 2010+ even better)
- Acura TL

Or if you want to get more of a sports car or convertible:

- 350z/370z
- Honda S2000
- Mazda MX-5/Miata

Guinness fucked around with this message at 01:02 on Jun 27, 2012

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