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Alright guys, time to enlist your help! Current ride: 2001 PT Cruiser Limited with 158,000 miles on it. This car was inherited from my folks after I graduated college and they bought a new Toyota. The car currently needs a new power steering pump, tires, and engine mount. It also burns oil and has a cooling system leak that no one can figure out. I figure it's time to finally ditch this sucker and get a real car. Financial situation: I'm in my mid-twenties and have a decent full-time job, though in the next 2-3 years I'll likely be moving more toward freelance work. I've got $20k in the bank as long-term savings, and my credit union will give me a loan for a new car at 1.99 APR - I think it's slightly higher for used. Location/car use: I'm in Los Angeles, and currently live very close to my job. This is an anomaly, though, and most other jobs I'll be taking over the next 10 years or so will likely require 30 minutes to an hour of commute through very heavy traffic. For this reason, I do not wish to own a car with a manual transmission. I like taking my car on long road trips and out into the desert or up into the mountains on weekends, but probably don't have the budget for anything too amazing. Also, I've been driving a freaking 1.6 liter PT cruiser most of my life, so nearly anything will feel like an upgrade. I'm 6' 2'' and I don't like feeling cramped while driving, especially because I go on lots of long drives. I like the hatch on my PT, but I don't want another wagon that big. I'm looking at small hatchbacks that are fun to drive and also have a reasonable amount of cabin space and decent cabin quality if possible. I don't want to feel on the inside like the car is about to fall apart and I don't want to feel like I'm driving the world's shittiest rental car. Price: Currently looking between $12,000 and $25,000, depending on new/used and how amazing/reliable the car is. Cars I'm considering: Golf GTI - LOVE the power and outrageous feel, but they're expensive - even used - and hard to find in a 4-door hatch with an automatic transmission. They're also a bit cramped and costly to maintain. Mazda3 hatch - test drove a new one of these, lowest trim package and the sedan, though, so I didn't get the full experience of the car. Liked it, but wasn't blown away. Haven't driven but I'm considering looking at the Subaru Impreza (though the AWD feels a little silly to have in LA), Prius (hybrids make sense in LA, though they're a bit pokey), new Focus, etc. I like minis, even though they're small, but they're a bit on the pricy side too. Am I missing any cool/fun options? What do you guys think?
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Jul 18, 2012 20:55
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Small cars with autos are not very nice, but you should also consider the Chevrolet Sonic and Honda Fit. I love the Focus in that class but the automatic is terrible.
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Jul 19, 2012 02:26
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You say no manuals, but I'd highly recommend a Mazda2 with a 5-speed. I've been completely happy with mine and I've had some taller friends hop in with no complaints about cabin space.
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Jul 19, 2012 03:27
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Manuals aren't really that bad in traffic in practice.
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Jul 19, 2012 03:31
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nm posted:Manuals aren't really that bad in traffic in practice. I love manuals, but they suck in traffic. Nothing like going up a sharp incline in the pouring rain stopped in bumper to bumper traffic at a light...
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Jul 19, 2012 03:51
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nm posted:Manuals aren't really that bad in traffic in practice. Not bad if you are just driving. If you are driving, and eating a mcmuffin, and 48 oz soda, they show some drawbacks.
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Jul 19, 2012 03:53
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LorneReams posted:I love manuals, but they suck in traffic. Nothing like going up a sharp incline in the pouring rain stopped in bumper to bumper traffic at a light... I don't know, I've done San Francisco at rush hour too many times to count, and LA isn't poo poo.
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Jul 19, 2012 04:59
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Proposed Budget: $6,000 or under New or Used: I think it's gonna have to be used Body Style: Don't care much but would prefer something not tiny and not huge How will you be using the car?: Scooting around town and the suburbs on errands, occasional road trips. Will only see use a couple times a week tops. What aspects are most important to you? (e.g. reliability, cost of ownership/maintenance, import/domestic, MPG, size, style): Reliability, cost/ease of ownership and maintenance, reasonably pleasant to drive or ride in, doesn't have a jillion miles on it Where?: Portland, OR, USA Right now we have a 2005 Prius. We moved out here from the Midwest a year ago and we've only put about 2K miles on it since then. It's a great car but we just don't drive enough to justify keeping it around. Instead of continuing to pay off the loan on it, we want to sell it and buy something more practical with cash. I don't want a beater, just something humble so I don't have to feel terrible about leaving it outside and people door-dinging it constantly. I'm OK getting something with less-than-stellar gas mileage because we drive so little. Any ideas?
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Jul 19, 2012 08:29
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HondaCivet posted:Proposed Budget: $6,000 or under I hate to be the one to say this but why not just keep the Prius? You didn't say how much you had left on the loan but Prius models have shown to be some of the most reliable vehicles on the road. Plus they get their high gas mileage, retain their value pretty well, and have average to lower maintenance costs. Is it possible to just pay off the loan as quickly as possible?
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Jul 19, 2012 13:56
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Thwomp posted:I hate to be the one to say this but why not just keep the Prius? You didn't say how much you had left on the loan but Prius models have shown to be some of the most reliable vehicles on the road. Plus they get their high gas mileage, retain their value pretty well, and have average to lower maintenance costs. It's coming up on 100K miles so it has some maintenance stuff coming. My b/f and family said to either commit to it or sell it at this age. I assumed that selling while it had value still would be better, plus I'd be getting out of paying interest on loan payments. I could be wrong though. I have just under $8K left on the loan if it matters. Edit: It's a Prius so that drat battery replacement is looming over the horizon. That's the main thing I'm scared of since it still costs $3K last I checked. If I picked up a normal car now I could dodge that bullet. HondaCivet fucked around with this message at 17:11 on Jul 19, 2012 |
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Jul 19, 2012 16:13
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HondaCivet posted:It's coming up on 100K miles so it has some maintenance stuff coming. My b/f and family said to either commit to it or sell it at this age. I assumed that selling while it had value still would be better, plus I'd be getting out of paying interest on loan payments. I could be wrong though. I have just under $8K left on the loan if it matters. Stop listening to the internet (except me). There is no battery problem on priuses and they're going to 300k on them. Car has a huge amount of troublefree life left. Keep the car.
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Jul 20, 2012 20:35
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nm posted:Stop listening to the internet (except me). There is no battery problem on priuses and they're going to 300k on them. Car has a huge amount of troublefree life left. Keep the car. I'm more worried about time killing the battery than mileage since it's an '05 but I have decided to keep it after all since it really is pretty much what I want even if it's a bit big.
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Jul 20, 2012 21:23
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HondaCivet posted:It's coming up on 100K miles so it has some maintenance stuff coming. What maintenance? A Prius is such a drat good boring-mobile because it needs nothing. They hardly even wear brake pads and tires.
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Jul 20, 2012 21:28
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HondaCivet posted:I'm more worried about time killing the battery than mileage since it's an '05 but I have decided to keep it after all since it really is pretty much what I want even if it's a bit big. If it does fail, the cost for the battery is $2300, however, your battery has lots of valuable minerals, so it is actually worth a hefty chunk of change ven when it doesn't work, allowing you to recoup much of that cost. Hell, Toyota will good will these much of the time. Whatever you buy for $6000 is going to be less reliable. The Prius is basically the most reliable car sold in America. Any car can have a $2000 failure -- transmission failure, engine issues, cats, etc. This one is just less likely than the rest. Keep the car.
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Jul 21, 2012 01:52
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Commit to the Prius and keep it, you're not going to get a better car for your needs than what you already have. Keep it and run it until it dies which will probably be after you die.
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Jul 21, 2012 05:51
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Dangit I should've asked BEFORE I paid hundreds of bucks to get it presale detailed. Oh well, at least it's pretty and clean now.  Thanks everyone, I now feel confident in my decision to be an eternal Prius owner.
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Jul 21, 2012 06:05
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HondaCivet posted:Dangit I should've asked BEFORE I paid hundreds of bucks to get it presale detailed. Oh well, at least it's pretty and clean now. In any event, if you're going to be keeping a car forever, you should be waxing it (or having it waxed) ever 6 months anyhow.
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Jul 21, 2012 07:16
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Proposed Budget: 3500 + ~3000(Trade-in) = $6500 Location: Philadelphia, PA USA New or Used: Either Body Style: Smaller is ok(Mini Cooper is my dream car), a low price is preffered. How will you be using the car?: Normal use, commuting to work, shopping, visiting people, etc. What aspects are most important to you? Fuel economy, reliablilty, decent sound system(but that can be installed later) Basically my trusty old 2001 Nissan Sentra isn't looking so hot these days, $1400 in repairs in Feb and now another $1100. I'm thinking it might be time go get something a bit more modern and reliable. Someone suggested a lease and there's a dealership around here with a decent deal, at least to my eyes, on new Corolla leases, $3000+taxes/tag/etc. and $50 a month for 24 months. Also my dad works for GM so I have access to the employee discounts.(Looks like $250 off plus a lower insterest rate for the cheaper cars). I also would be fine with another used. You folks have any ideas?
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Jul 22, 2012 03:05
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Terminus posted:Proposed Budget: 3500 + ~3000(Trade-in) = $6500 $50 a month lease? What?
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Jul 22, 2012 03:15
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Bovril Delight posted:$50 a month lease? What? http://www.teamtoyota.net/specials/new.htm They're pretty highly though of in the area too. Not shady in the least.
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Jul 22, 2012 05:43
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Terminus posted:http://www.teamtoyota.net/specials/new.htm Yeah, with $3000 down plus $1500 in rebates that you probably won't qualify, you're only financing negative $157 (based on their published cash price, which you could likely bring down more, making it even worse of a deal). You're basically paying $5800 to lease a stripper corolla. That's more equivalent to a $250/mo lease. You could lease a good car for that. Don't put money down on a lease. -- You should buy that 2005 Prius that other guy is worried about. (Or a Ford Focus) nm fucked around with this message at 07:17 on Jul 22, 2012 |
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Jul 22, 2012 07:11
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Budget: $15-28k We can put up to 8,000 down. New/used: Would love new, would settle for a much better car that was lightly used. Body style: Something compact, no kids for us. Proposed use: Daily driver. City driving mostly, something that will last for the next 10 years with not a lot of problems. Must have sun roof! I'm thinking the Hyundai Veloster Turbo w/Automatic transmission: https://www.hyundaiusa.com/build-your-hyundai/?vehicle=veloster&year=2013 Thoughts?
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Jul 22, 2012 12:37
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I'd get a Scion FR-S/Subaru BRZ over that any day, though I'm not sure if a sunroof is available. You could get a Miata with a retracting hardtop (a giant sunroof). Mustang V6. Civic Si Maybe a somewhat used 370/350z. There's nothing particularly "wrong" with that car, but there are better options. Also, why an automatic on a car like that? Particularly if you want no problems for the next decade.
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Jul 22, 2012 20:28
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Get a Prius C. - 46mpg city, 53mpg highway. Regen braking and engine stop/start are great for city driving. - "Won't have problems for 10 years" is not something I want to say about any car but this one is a pretty good bet. - For about $22k new you get one with sunroof, nav, bluetooth, smart key(leave the keys at the bottom of your purse, the loving doors unlock via RFID when you walk up to the car and you just push the start button and go) basically everything I would ever want in a car except memory seats. At least the seats are manual. Even has 3 years of free telematics service - in car Pandora and live traffic updates. If you want to stretch a bit you might be able to get into a used Lexus CT200h. Same idea but a bit more flash, dual zone climate control, etc, and honestly whatever else AI says about them I really like the look - like a much more stylish Mazda3. Plus you can get memory seats. Throatwarbler fucked around with this message at 21:09 on Jul 22, 2012 |
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Jul 22, 2012 21:04
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nm posted:I'd get a Scion FR-S/Subaru BRZ over that any day, though I'm not sure if a sunroof is available. The Scion looked ok, Veloster still does better than any of those on gas mileage. I don't really care about automatic I suppose. The Prius is interesting, having never driven one myself can you tell me if it feels gutless?
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Jul 22, 2012 21:26
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Mean Bean posted:The Scion looked ok, Veloster still does better than any of those on gas mileage. I don't really care about automatic I suppose. Turbo cars are especially subject to this. I have to have the softest foot and say a prayed to get my EPA numbers. Note also that a turbo can bring more to go wrong. While turbos themselves are more reliable than ever, they cannot be expected to last beyond 100k mi (though most do, I'm at 120k mi on mine and it is fine, though I have money in the bank for it when it does happen), plus as your car ages, tracking down boost leaks gets loving annoying. As for Priuses, they're very reliable cars, but they're fairly gutless. I often recommend the Prius, but based on what you were looking at I didn't think it would fit. nm fucked around with this message at 21:39 on Jul 22, 2012 |
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Jul 22, 2012 21:33
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Mean Bean posted:The Prius is interesting, having never driven one myself can you tell me if it feels gutless? Yes, even when acknowledging it as an economy car, Edmunds found it very gutless when presented with mild hills.
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Jul 22, 2012 21:38
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It's basically the same as the full size Prius - adequate for every day driving. You know, more fun to drive a slow car fast and all that. The automatic in the Veloster turbo isn't the DSG, it's a conventional slushbox. Basically with such a small engine if you get the auto half the power boost from the turbo is lost in the drivetrain.
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Jul 22, 2012 21:47
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Throatwarbler posted:It's basically the same as the full size Prius - adequate for every day driving. You know, more fun to drive a slow car fast and all that. quote:The automatic in the Veloster turbo isn't the DSG, it's a conventional slushbox. Basically with such a small engine if you get the auto half the power boost from the turbo is lost in the drivetrain. I'd note i'm not recommending the mini or VW because I'm not sure of their reliability.
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Jul 22, 2012 23:06
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Has anyone bought a car through Costco? Tell me about it, it looks like one could get a decent deal.
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Jul 23, 2012 00:11
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Hotbod Handsomeface posted:Has anyone bought a car through Costco? Tell me about it, it looks like one could get a decent deal. My dad uses a similar service, but his time is worth a lot more than mine.
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Jul 23, 2012 00:21
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Hey guys, just got a job outside Chicago now I have to move to a small town where I need a car. Last car I owned was a '92 Oldsmobile 88 Royale I drove into the ground. Since then I've been car free and have only driven rentals or friends cars. The car I'd say I've driven the most since car died was a Honda Civic (forget the year but I think it was a 04 or 05) that belonged to an ex girlfriend. I feel comfortable in sedans and liked the Civic a lot. I'm hunting for a mid 00's sedan and I've found what I think might be some decent deals. My budget is around 8k. This is my first pick, a 2004 Honda Civic VP Sedan http://tinyurl.com/cqplg2r This is my second pick, a 2005 Honda Civic VP Sedan AT http://tinyurl.com/cm6xe74 The 05 Civic doesn't have a free carfax attached but I'm willing to buy one. I guess the advice I need is is there anything I need to know about these models. Anything go screwy at 100k miles that I have to be prepared to drop more money on? Any known flaws with these makes/years? I'm going to take which ever car I buy to an non deal mechanic before I buy but I'd be interested to know if there's any reason to avoid these years/makes. Quick edit: would anyone have a suggestion on how much I could try to get a dealer to cut on these cars by paying cash in full?
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Jul 23, 2012 20:01
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Blendy posted:Hey guys, just got a job outside Chicago now I have to move to a small town where I need a car. Last car I owned was a '92 Oldsmobile 88 Royale I drove into the ground. Since then I've been car free and have only driven rentals or friends cars. The car I'd say I've driven the most since car died was a Honda Civic (forget the year but I think it was a 04 or 05) that belonged to an ex girlfriend. I feel comfortable in sedans and liked the Civic a lot. You really aren't going to get a dealership to move very far for just being cash - you don't make them much of any money unless you are financing through them or trading in a car.
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Jul 23, 2012 22:06
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Blendy posted:Hey guys, just got a job outside Chicago now I have to move to a small town where I need a car. Last car I owned was a '92 Oldsmobile 88 Royale I drove into the ground. Since then I've been car free and have only driven rentals or friends cars. The car I'd say I've driven the most since car died was a Honda Civic (forget the year but I think it was a 04 or 05) that belonged to an ex girlfriend. I feel comfortable in sedans and liked the Civic a lot. https://www.carcomplaints.com I'm looking at the same models for myself, and they're both good. '05 is even better. Also, when I went to a dealer they wouldn't let me take it off the lot to let a mechanic look at it. Maybe this varies by dealer?
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Jul 24, 2012 00:21
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Ramrod Hotshot posted:Also, when I went to a dealer they wouldn't let me take it off the lot to let a mechanic look at it. Maybe this varies by dealer? Absolutely. I've never had a dealer refuse to let me take the car to a mechanic. I would give this dealership a wide berth. Most likely there is something very wrong with the car, something they don't want you to know about. Run away.
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Jul 24, 2012 04:42
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Oxford Comma posted:Absolutely. I've never had a dealer refuse to let me take the car to a mechanic. I would give this dealership a wide berth. Most likely there is something very wrong with the car, something they don't want you to know about. Run away. I went looking and at every larger dealer this was the case, so it's not that abnormal. I had to get my mechanic to make an appointment to pick it up and sign it out.
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Jul 24, 2012 04:54
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^^^^ That is weird, but could be worse. I've had dealers refuse or demand 100% deposits before doing so. gently caress that. Ramrod Hotshot posted:
This is the dealer saying "we have poo poo cars, don't buy from us."
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Jul 24, 2012 06:52
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Proposed Budget: 12,000-17,000 New or Used: Either, if used low(ish) mileage Body Style: I'm like 6'4 and 265lbs, a car that has some room, outside of that, no a big deal. I really liked my old first year model Nissan Xtera back in highschool. Currently in a Nissan Frontier truck and its small and I'm not so big on it. How will you be using the car?: TRANSPORTING DRUMS. My set is not Neil Peart-like or anything, but it takes up room. Other than that, medium driving. What aspects are most important to you? Reliability, moderate or low upkeep, gas mileage, comfort, capacity for storage, looks cool. I'm in the US and I'm not a car guy. As far as looks I really like the BMW X5. Maybe I could look in to a car-sized vehicle. Also, I was checking out half-bed trucks (perfect for a bass drum, I was thinking....).
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Jul 24, 2012 23:11
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Proposed Budget: $9,000 cash New or Used: Used Body Style: Wagon, SUV or crossover How will you be using the car?: We want a roof rack for kayaks and/or bikes. We will drive the car around town but work from home and put maaaaybe 10k miles/year on it. What aspects are most important to you? Reliability and low cost of ongoing maintenance. My wife and I live in DC right now and have not had a car in 4 years. We are moving to San Diego and will need a car once we move. We plan to do a lot of biking and walking for short distances and will use the car mainly for grocery shopping, trips to visit friends in Las Vegas or LA, and trips out to kayak or hike. We will be working from home and living in a pretty bikeable/walkable part of town. We are looking for something with maybe 90k-110k miles on it that we can expect to last for another 5-7 years at 10k miles/year without too much poo poo breaking along the way. We're mostly looking at 2002-2004 Subaru Outbacks/Foresters and Toyota Rav 4s/Highlanders. One other question, having not bought a car in quite some time, what is the general opinion on buying an extended warranty of some kind from dealers? And can we expect anything off of the sticker price if we are paying in cash? Thanks, internet.
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Jul 25, 2012 01:04
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Sub Par posted:
Get a 2005+ Outback over a pre-2005 OB or a Forester. Much better (more reliable, more refined, safer) and a 2005 should be in your price range. A 2005 Legacy 2.5i wagon is well in your price range, but they are rare and probably do everything you want (the Legacy and OB are the same car, except for the lift on the OB). I'd much rather have a 100k+mi 2005 than an 80k -2004 or Forester. As you approach 100k mi, think about the timing belt. It is due every 105k mi and costs $800ish if you don't DIY. Rav4 is a snoozemobile and the highlander is a lifted camry. Boring. Extended warranties suck. If you're buying a car where it would pay off, you shouldn't buy that car. Sups posted:Proposed Budget: 12,000-17,000 nm fucked around with this message at 02:35 on Jul 25, 2012 |
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Jul 25, 2012 02:31
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