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Dameius posted:How easily does a not fat 6'2" guy fit in one of those? I've considered them before but never got in one and do you off hand know how hard it is to find in manual? I've only ever driven manual and don't plan on changing now. At or greater than 6', you need to try it - I could make it work (at 6'4") for shorter trips and the occasional long one, as I owned a '99 for about six years. Once my commute went from seven miles one way to 25 miles one way, I got tired of it. They're also far more plentiful in manual than automatic, especially the first and second generation models that will be around a $5k price point.
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Aug 7, 2012 03:08
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Dameius posted:How easily does a not fat 6'2" guy fit in one of those? I've considered them before but never got in one and do you off hand know how hard it is to find in manual? I've only ever driven manual and don't plan on changing now. Depends on your proportions and what you consider comfortable. I'm about 6' and mostly torso and my 95 fit like a glove. You really just have to try one out and see for yourself to decide. Also, like 95% of Miatas are manuals since only dummies by an automatic roadster. They're really great cars if you don't need to haul a bunch of crap and are stupidly fun to drive. I had one as my only car for 4 years and it was fantastic. Bought it for 7k, put ~20k miles on it, sold it for 5k, and only had to do the most basic of routine/preventative maintenance (several oil changes, air filter, spark plugs, things like that). Guinness fucked around with this message at 04:06 on Aug 7, 2012 |
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Aug 7, 2012 04:00
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fineX posted:Proposed Budget: 5000 +/- 1000 Just to give you a head's up: There's a guy in Sherwood Park selling an '06 Yaris on Kijiji. Don't deal with him. The car seems fine and looks to be a great deal but he's just a sketchy dude. Not to mention he's selling a car not in his name and this other person refuses to be involved in the process. I've not convinced this other person isn't dead in his basement. Good luck on your hunt! Don't shop GoAuto!
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Aug 7, 2012 17:43
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Dameius posted:Proposed Budget: ~$5k How "good" of a Mustang can you get for $5k? Honest question, someone here probably knows more than I do. It's a different kind of fun. 
Throatwarbler fucked around with this message at 18:53 on Aug 7, 2012 |
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Aug 7, 2012 18:49
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Throatwarbler posted:How "good" of a Mustang can you get for $5k? Honest question, someone here probably knows more than I do. It's a different kind of fun. My brother managed to get a 1986 Porsche 944 that was going to be a father/son race team's project car until the son deployed for about 4k. The engine and transmission was all fixed and track ready but there was a lot of small cosmetic poo poo to do, like relining the interior, fix the dash electrics, etc... Probably another 2-3k in work. I'm sure you could get a Mustang of similar quality if you don't mind doing a little work after buying it.
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Aug 7, 2012 19:01
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Throatwarbler posted:I think the B&O is an option in the European market A3, audi.uk has it but in the US you need to step up to the top level A6 or A8 to get it. Meh. Now that you mention it, the A3 does seem unnecessarily small. The A4 feels like too much car though. And the Range is out of my range. What do you think of the Focus 5-door (titanium)? It comes in at around 28,000.
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Aug 7, 2012 19:10
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Dameius posted:My brother managed to get a 1986 Porsche 944 that was going to be a father/son race team's project car until the son deployed for about 4k. The engine and transmission was all fixed and track ready but there was a lot of small cosmetic poo poo to do, like relining the interior, fix the dash electrics, etc... Probably another 2-3k in work. I agree, a $5000 Porsche 944 or Mazda RX7 is the car for him. Many years and miles of motoring entertainment is sure to ensue.
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Aug 7, 2012 19:42
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Dameius posted:My brother managed to get a 1986 Porsche 944 that was going to be a father/son race team's project car until the son deployed for about 4k. The engine and transmission was all fixed and track ready but there was a lot of small cosmetic poo poo to do, like relining the interior, fix the dash electrics, etc... Probably another 2-3k in work. Haha, this is a horrible suggestion. RELIABLE is the key word here, I don't think the guy wants a project. A Miata is his best option, for 5k he could find a nice one that would need literally nothing and would probably last another 50k with nothing but basic maintenance. And 5k Mustangs are lovely and not fun to drive. Just for an example I got this for 3k:  Needs a little work but runs perfect and was very clean. For 5k you can do even better.
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Aug 7, 2012 19:55
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He specifically mentioned a Mustang for a different kind of fun. From that my brother's story seemed like a relevant anecdote. I didn't expect him to follow the same purchase path, just showing what general area he could be in if he wanted a light project car. Though I am far, far away from being anywhere near an authority on this stuff so I'll gladly defer to people who know better.
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Aug 7, 2012 20:14
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Rap Game Forum Mod posted:Proposed Budget: 22-25k You could take a look at the Focus Titanium as well, they should fit in your price range. The new Focus hatchbacks handle exceptionally well and have some pep to them. Also check out the Mazda 3 Skyactiv hatches as well. Both of those can get 38-40mpg hwy. The Fit has great storage capacity and utility but it lacks in terms of efficiency, handling, and power.
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Aug 7, 2012 20:23
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Proposed Budget: <$30K New or Used: A few years used is preferable but I'm not opposed to new. Body Style: Sporty 2 door coupe. How will you be using the car?: Relatively short commute that I bike pretty often, mainly want it for nights/weekends, just a fun thing to drive around. What aspects are most important to you? Fun to drive, relatively easy to maintain, maybe something I could eventually learn to work on (I know nothing about cars but would like to). I currently have an '88 300ZX that I love and want to keep, but would prefer not to drive it around too often. I'm currently driving a borrowed '95 Mercedes C280 that is perfectly usable and will be for quite a while I'm sure, but I would love to be able to drive a car that was made within the past 10 years.
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Aug 7, 2012 20:24
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The problem with Mustangs is it's hard to get a nice GT for a reasonable price that hasn't been ragged on or hosed with. You'll be hard pressed finding a nice Mustang that isn't a V6 for 5k. And they are a different kind of fun in terms of brute force and kicking the tail end out. Handling not so much. Old Porsches in the 5k range are fun but just a bad idea overall for someone that wants a reliable and cheap to maintain car.
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Aug 7, 2012 20:28
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Found a new vehicle I liked, and noticed that it has 500 miles on it. It's a 2013, being sold as new. How the hell could a new vehicle get 500 miles on it? I'm assuming that's something I can use as a bargaining chip?
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Aug 7, 2012 20:50
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DukAmok posted:Proposed Budget: <$30K How do you feel about a few year used 370Z? It's pretty reliable and looks and sounds decent enough. The power and whatnot are plenty for public roads. Since you already have a Nissan you can keep your parts and maintainance to one dealership. If you need back seats there's also the G37 coupe, which is similar in most respects although the interior is pretty bad for a luxury car. There are others (BMWs, Mustangs, Camaro, S2000 etc) that will fit your criteria depending on how you feel about the badge, fuel economy and exterior design. Throatwarbler fucked around with this message at 21:01 on Aug 7, 2012 |
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Aug 7, 2012 20:51
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Jam2 posted:Meh. Now that you mention it, the A3 does seem unnecessarily small. The A4 feels like too much car though. And the Range is out of my range. The thing about hatchbacks of this size (Focus, Civic, etc) is that I don't find their utility to be very superior over their sedan counterparts. Yes you can fit taller stuff in the back but they usually end up being significantly shorter than the sedan and thus you end up being able to fit about the same amount of crap in the back for both. The old Ford Focus from the early 2000s came in sedan, hatch and also a station wagon variant that did have a lot more carrying capacity. The VW Jetta did too, but it's a rare thing for North America. If the Focus fits in terms of size I would also look into the Chevy Cruze, which IMO is the best car in this category. I would take it by default over the Focus since it comes with a 6 speed manual vs the 5 speed in the Focus. It also has marginally better crash test ratings (actually one of the best crash test ratings of any car ever tested, only marginally better because the Focus is also very good) No idea about the stereo but the Cruze has the quietest cabin in the segment which I think would be a good thing for music listening. You might be better off going with a modest car and upgrading the stereo separately in any case instead of buying an expensive unreliable Euro car just for the speakers.
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Aug 7, 2012 21:01
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Throatwarbler posted:How do you feel about a few year used 370Z? It's pretty reliable and looks and sounds decent enough. The power and whatnot are plenty for public roads. Since you already have a Nissan you can keep your parts and maintainance to one dealership. If you need back seats there's also the G37 coupe, which is similar in most respects although the interior is pretty bad for a luxury car. 370Z is definitely an option, but I'm finding 2 year old ones for upwards of $30K still, seems a bit steep. Well, they're very low mileage two years old, but still. The FR-S and BRZ both look like what I'm looking for, but I can't even get a test drive until like next year. I'm in no rush, so I might end up waiting for that actually, but still trying to scope out my options in this general price/class range.
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Aug 7, 2012 21:26
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Maneki Neko posted:Found a new vehicle I liked, and noticed that it has 500 miles on it. It's a 2013, being sold as new. How the hell could a new vehicle get 500 miles on it? Eh, it's probably more likely it may have been used as a loaner/demo unit for the dealer. It's possible you could maybe work a bit off the price but not much.
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Aug 7, 2012 21:36
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Throatwarbler posted:I agree, a $5000 Porsche 944 or Mazda RX7 is the car for him. Many years and miles of motoring entertainment is sure to ensue. There are no cheap Porsches. None. If you find a cheap one, there's tons of deferred maintenance that will need to be done and Porsche parts and labor aren't cheap. Now, 944 parts are cheaper than they used to be because Porsche does lower pricing on older parts -- mainly to keep the old ones on the road. That said, if you're not able to do your own work, it'll still bleed you dry. Neither car will be anything close to what you'd consider reliable. A Porsche needs constant care, feeding, and looking out after. The RX-7 is a little better, but the FD's were notoriously unreliable -- there's a reason there's a lot of Corvette motors in used third generation cars. The FC's were better so long as you stay away from the turbo models. Even still, the rotary motor is unlike any other motor and you might find it difficult to find someone who can/will work on it. You can even damage the motor by doing things that seem like no big deal -- for instance, starting the car and then shutting it off before it's fully warmed up. Both cars ceased production as the Miata was just getting started, which means the newest of these will be older than all but the first or second year Miatas. Miatas will run forever with highly deferred maintenance and when they do break, parts are stupidly cheap and the car is very easy to work on. If you decide you want to go race, you'll have the perfect car. I instruct for several high performance driver's schools and I will tell that if you can't be fast in that car, you can't be fast in anything. I've watched Miatas humble some serious machinery around race tracks all over.
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Aug 8, 2012 01:48
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einTier posted:I actually own a Porsche. Go on. How's that working out for you?  I put forward a Mustang over a Miata simply because a larger guy could comfortably fit in a Mustang. Being theoretically faster around the cones is no good if you can't fit in it. EDIT: Someone swap a 13B into a 944 pls
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Aug 8, 2012 02:20
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Throatwarbler posted:Go on. How's that working out for you? Terrible. Ask me about $15,000 engine replacements.
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Aug 8, 2012 03:41
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DukAmok posted:Proposed Budget: <$30K If I was in this position my short list would look like Mustang GT 370Z G37 coupe BMW 3 Series Coupe
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Aug 8, 2012 04:27
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Throatwarbler posted:The thing about hatchbacks of this size (Focus, Civic, etc) is that I don't find their utility to be very superior over their sedan counterparts. Yes you can fit taller stuff in the back but they usually end up being significantly shorter than the sedan and thus you end up being able to fit about the same amount of crap in the back for both. The old Ford Focus from the early 2000s came in sedan, hatch and also a station wagon variant that did have a lot more carrying capacity. The VW Jetta did too, but it's a rare thing for North America. I'm actually about to pick up a 2012 focus hatch, how do you feel the two cars compare in terms of handling and Power? I'm in love with how responsive and fun to drive the focus is and the cruze seems to be lagging there unless I upgrade to the turbo version. It would definitely be nice to have a 6 speed of instead of a 5 for long trips though. It also seems like the focus has a bit more power under the hood as well. Is the cruze available in a hatch version? I know the hatches aren't too much bigger in terms of storage but hatches are easier to load things into for camping/climbing trips
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Aug 8, 2012 16:55
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TotallyUnoriginal posted:I'm actually about to pick up a 2012 focus hatch, how do you feel the two cars compare in terms of handling and Power? I'm in love with how responsive and fun to drive the focus is and the cruze seems to be lagging there unless I upgrade to the turbo version. It would definitely be nice to have a 6 speed of instead of a 5 for long trips though. It also seems like the focus has a bit more power under the hood as well. Basically Ford's approach with the Focus and a lot of its other cars has been to significantly upgrade the content of the vehicles, in order to achieve higher transaction prices, and the Focus in particular has been aimed at a more sporty crowd who likes horsepower, while GM has aimed the Cruze to be more on the side of quietness, refined ride quality and affordability in the lower level trims. One example is the available sport package you can get on the Focus Titanium, which packs really hi-po Michelin Pilot Sport 3 summer tires, IIRC you get these stock on an E63 AMG. Naturally all the magazine reviewers get test cars with the sport package and the Focus ends up winning handily in their comparisons of handling, but the owner won't like it as much when it starts snowing or when he has to replace/rotate the tires (they are asymmetric and not cheap). The Cruze has nothing like that and the top end LTZ is only available with an automatic. The base 1.8l engine is a dog for people who don't like driving but still want a nice car, the turbo engine is very good and can be upgraded quite handily to similar power levels as the Focus 2.0l. The Cheyv also comes with a slightly better warranty (100k mile powertrain vs 60k mile). In any case the reason why GM hasn't specced the Cruze quite as high is that they also sell the Buick Verano, which is aimed at Audi and Lexus buyers. and basically a Cruze on roids. Reviews so far have been very positive and the 2.0l turbo DI engine is very well regarded. Throatwarbler fucked around with this message at 17:30 on Aug 8, 2012 |
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Aug 8, 2012 17:26
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TotallyUnoriginal posted:You could take a look at the Focus Titanium as well, they should fit in your price range. The new Focus hatchbacks handle exceptionally well and have some pep to them. Cool, thanks for the info, I'll check those out too. Does anyone have any opinion on Mini Coopers? Im still leaning towards that, but Im not sure if it has a super high cost of ownership or if theres some other bs about it I haven't heard before.
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Aug 8, 2012 18:06
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Argh I am in a quandary. I can't decide between the 2013 Mazda CX-5 and the 2013 Ford Escape. It looks like the 5-year total cost of ownership is around $3,000 cheaper for the CX-5. The CX-5 could also be less expensive up-front, although I have access to an X-plan pin to get an Escape at or around invoice which means I can get more features for my bucks. The Escape has some amazing features which the CX-5 doesn't have. But there are also some pretty serious recalls going on with the Escape and I haven't seen any for the CX-5. As far as long term maintenance is concerned, 5 years worth of maintenance costs for the Escape are estimated to be $1000 cheaper than the Mazda - can I expect that trend to continue?
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Aug 8, 2012 22:14
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I'm actually getting the se base model hatch Focus so it's pretty fair to compare it to the Cruze I guess. I'll go test drive the Cruze but I think the turbo(no interest in the base motor at all) is pricier than the Focus se. In the end I definitely want to whichever car has more stock power and handling which still sounds like the Focus for now. The cruze definitely sounds like a great all around car though and reviewers love it.
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Aug 8, 2012 22:40
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Drewski posted:Argh I am in a quandary. I can't decide between the 2013 Mazda CX-5 and the 2013 Ford Escape. Almost completely impossible to predict. Both are brand new models with unknown long-term maintenance issues. The Escape has already had two recalls (the fuel line one being a "get out of the car and let us tow it back" kind of recall) on it. Who knows what will show up later on at 50k+ miles. Ex. The 2006 Ford Five Hundred was a decent enough large sedan. But when those hit about 60-70k miles, they all had their transmissions go. It was an almost universal thing but no one knew until they all starting hitting those mileages.
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Aug 9, 2012 04:14
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Thwomp posted:Almost completely impossible to predict. Both are brand new models with unknown long-term maintenance issues. The Escape has already had two recalls (the fuel line one being a "get out of the car and let us tow it back" kind of recall) on it. Who knows what will show up later on at 50k+ miles. It wasn't all of them, only the ones with the CVT. Depending on the trim level you could also get one with the Toyota transmission from the Fusion that had no problems. Just goes to show that it's silly to generalize about reliability without getting into the details, and other than VW/Audi/Land Rover you can get a reliable car from anyone. All those "cost of ownership" dealies sound stupid to me anyway. The biggest cost of ownership on a new car is depreciation and that's almost as hard to predict as repair costs.
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Aug 9, 2012 04:53
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Any opinions on the Buick Verano lease deal out there? It's $2,200 down, $200 a month, for 24 months, with 12,000 miles a year. I'm in the situation where I may be moving back to New York (and thus not need a car) by the time that lease expires, otherwise I'd consider buying.
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Aug 10, 2012 00:44
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Throatwarbler posted:Being theoretically faster around the cones is no good if you can't fit in it. Also known as "why I didn't buy a S2000 instead of a Miata".  einTier posted:Terrible. Ask me about $15,000 engine replacements. Still planning on selling it or are you going to see how long the second engine lasts?
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Aug 10, 2012 01:27
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A couple of days ago I went and took a look at a 2008 Mazda3 with 100k miles on it. The interior of the car is in excellent condition, the exterior is very good (a few minor dings, but you have to look for them) and it felt great during the test drive. All in all it looked, felt, and drove better than most (if not all) other cars I've looked at with half the miles. It's got a beautiful Carfax report too, with all recommended maintenance and oil changes performed at the dealer (ending with the prior owner trading it into the same dealer). The car has pretty clearly been used for a ~50 mile commute every day for the last 4-5 years by an owner who babied it. This seems like a good chance to pick up a nice car for a nice deal due to the high mileage. However, I have one minor concern. The general theory with daily commuter cars like this is that most of their miles will be relatively low-impact highway miles. But, this being Seattle, that 50 mile commute could easily have been spent fighting through high-impact stop and go traffic nearly every day. Should I be worrying about this at all, or is this car a real gem?
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Aug 10, 2012 04:57
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My 2007 Mazdaspeed3 has 113k on the clock and it sounds like the one you're looking at is in even better cosmetic condition than mine. There's no major gotchas on these cars; the turbo models like mine have a few possible pitfalls (potential for turbocharger failure or variable cam / timing chain premature wear) but they're still relatively limited. If it drives well and looks good to you, and the price is right, I wouldn't bat an eye at the mileage. I'm likely going to rack up at least 200k on that MS3 before I sell it.
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Aug 10, 2012 08:16
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Agronox posted:Any opinions on the Buick Verano lease deal out there? Putting money down on a lease is pretty silly due to time value of money issues. If you do a lease you're better off negotiating the OTD price up front and then discussing payment, money down etc. I put money down on my current lease but that's just because it was driving event incentive cash, so not real money.
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Aug 10, 2012 18:38
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Proposed Budget: ~$10k to $15k New or Used: Either or, though a few years used is perfectly fine. Body Style: Doesn't matter, though 4 door for family stuff would be preferable. How will you be using the car?: Commuting in town and long trips, like from Eugene, Oregon to Boise for example. What aspects are most important to you? Family friendly, good on gas, SAFE, easy to work on and or maintain if need be (prefer to fix cars my self when possible). We have a 4 month old and are basically looking to replace our 1995 Ford Explorer that is both a gas hog and starting to show its age at 200k miles. Outbacks are our preferred choice but are too expensive around here, so Mazda 5s have been recommended to us but wanted to see if others have suggestions. Louisgod fucked around with this message at 22:43 on Aug 10, 2012 |
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Aug 10, 2012 22:18
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Louisgod posted:Proposed Budget: ~$10k to $15k Go here for an aggregated list of all the crash safety scores for 2011-13 vehicles sold in the US. It should help you rule out a few vehicles and narrow your choices down. I recommended it to another poster, but a used Dodge Journey would be ideal, because it does everything you say you want and that's it. It's spacious, safe, pretty good fuel economy, LOTS of storage space (casserole dish under the 2nd row floor), cheap to buy, reliable, the interiors are easy to clean and Chrysler's infotainment system is well regarded. It's NOT fast or well handling, and the suspension/ride quality isn't great either. If you're OK with a sedan, the Chevy Cruze that I described a few posts ago is starting to come into your price range as well and will get you much better fuel economy. Throatwarbler fucked around with this message at 23:16 on Aug 10, 2012 |
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Aug 10, 2012 23:08
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Throatwarbler posted:Go here for an aggregated list of all the crash safety scores for 2011-13 vehicles sold in the US. It should help you rule out a few vehicles and narrow your choices down. Thanks for the crash ratings site! The Dodge Journey looks a bit too expensive though the Chevy Cruze doesn't look too bad. I'm not opposed to anything going back to 2005 if you have any recommendations. 2 door cars are fine too.
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Aug 10, 2012 23:40
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Louisgod posted:Thanks for the crash ratings site! The Dodge Journey looks a bit too expensive though the Chevy Cruze doesn't look too bad. I'm not opposed to anything going back to 2005 if you have any recommendations. 2 door cars are fine too. The NHTSA's crash test standards were significantly updated for the 2011 model year, previously they had been using a scoring system that had been unchanged since 1993, and basically by around 2007-8 every car on the market could easily get full marks under this scoring system. The crash test scores from before 2011 are thus not comparable to the new system's. You can see that some models which remained unchanged over the 2010-2011 model year generally got worse ratings under the new system. Similarly, the IIHS didn't implement a "roof crush" test until ~2008. Some cars like the Honda CRV and Accord use to be "Top Picks" until they got a bad score in the roof crush test. Roof strength is important in case of a roll over. Cars built in the last few years have been improving by leaps and bounds in terms of safety, so if you've got the money, you might as well spring for something newer with better crash scores even if it means something used with higher mileage. Throatwarbler fucked around with this message at 23:49 on Aug 10, 2012 |
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Aug 10, 2012 23:46
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I am also need of car advice!! Proposed Budget: $8k - $15k New or Used: Either works, really. Body Style: Sedan, hatchback, whatever. Just no trucks or vans, really. How will you be using the car?: Commuting to work ~30 minutes a day. Being capable of long trips if necessary would be beneficial, though they'd be rather infrequent. I'm flexible on seating as a result, though being able to put poo poo in it would be nice. What aspects are most important to you? Gas mileage, and reliability. Having A/C and cruise control are pretty much mandatory, but beyond that I am pretty flexible. Being cheap would be a definite plus, though. My 2000 Chevrolet Impala has shat itself repeatedly, and now that its engine is gone (bad fans => blown engine gasket => water in pistons => SO LONG ENGINE!!) and it needs yet another $3500 to get going when it's barely at 100k miles. I am done with GM and its subsidiaries, and I just want a car that will last me awhile. I'm looking to get used hopefully in the <40,000 miles range so I don't need to go through this rigamarole again. I AM BAD AT CAR SHOPPING AAAAA
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Aug 11, 2012 01:17
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I would look into a Toyota Prius, fits your criteria pretty well.
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Aug 11, 2012 01:34
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If you must spend $15k get a Prius. If you're spending closer to $8k then a 2008-10 Ford Focus will get you to work too.
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Aug 11, 2012 02:04
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