Register a SA Forums Account here!
JOINING THE SA FORUMS WILL REMOVE THIS BIG AD, THE ANNOYING UNDERLINED ADS, AND STUPID INTERSTITIAL ADS!!!

You can: log in, read the tech support FAQ, or request your lost password. This dumb message (and those ads) will appear on every screen until you register! Get rid of this crap by registering your own SA Forums Account and joining roughly 150,000 Goons, for the one-time price of $9.95! We charge money because it costs us money per month for bills, and since we don't believe in showing ads to our users, we try to make the money back through forum registrations.
 
  • Post
  • Reply
bongwizzard
May 19, 2005

Then one day I meet a man,
He came to me and said,
"Hard work good and hard work fine,
but first take care of head"
Grimey Drawer

Leperflesh posted:

Even a small 4x4 pickup is going to get around 22MPG or worse.

Yeah, my last truck was a '76 Chevy that got like 8mpg so 22mpg will still be good enough.

Leperflesh posted:

Other than that, I don't see a problem with your plan. You don't want your car, you want a truck, you can sell the car and get a truck. A ranger or s-10 or mazda b-series (94-2000 is the same platform as the ranger) would be perfect - a tacoma would also be great but will cost a little more because it's a toyota.

I limited myself to the Ranger or Tacoma because my dad (who is my goto mechanic) hates S10s and doesn't know much about Mazda or Nisson trucks.

Leperflesh posted:

I don't know if it'd really cost "a few thousand" to fix your Scion, especially if you ignore the cosmetic stuff. You must fix the windscreen (safety) and tires (safety) and timing belt (if it's a collision head, which I don't know). Alignment is probably a great idea to keep it from chewing through the new tires and possibly also for safety depending on how bad it is.
The timing belt service should cost around $600 to $900 depending on how hard it is on that car. Tires cost anywhere from $50/tire for cheapo all-seasons to ~$150/tire for high-quality performance tires, plus some money to have them put on the car. Alignment is maybe a couple hundred? Windshield I dunno, it can vary a lot, but probably three to five hundred. I guess that adds up to something like $1500 to $2000 all told?

There are some other small things I should fix as well. The real kicker is today, just after I posted, the loving hatchback latch/handle broke for the second time. It is a cheap fast fix but why the gently caress did they use plastic pillars to attach a loving handle?

Leperflesh posted:

With only 96k on the clock that car should be able to run for another 150k miles or so, maybe a lot more if it's well cared-for.

I know, it would be silly to scrap the car or sell it for nothing but I really don't want to spend money on it. If I do get a truck I am sure once it is up to snuff I can turn my attention back to the xB and get it taken care of. I just really really want to not have to fear the winter and my lovely non plowing local government any more.

Adbot
ADBOT LOVES YOU

Throatwarbler
Nov 17, 2008

by vyelkin
It doesn't have a timing belt.

bongwizzard
May 19, 2005

Then one day I meet a man,
He came to me and said,
"Hard work good and hard work fine,
but first take care of head"
Grimey Drawer

Throatwarbler posted:

It doesn't have a timing belt.

Motherfucker. I had heard of timing chains but honestly never really understood them. Didn't even occur to me that my car might have one, I just assumed it did. That is some good news.

Drunken Lullabies
Aug 1, 2006

by Debbie Metallica
I'm now trying to obsessively stalk down an E30 325iX, someone tell me that it's a bad idea to want an early BMW AWD car.

Failing that, probably a 325i/325is/328i especially if I can find one with an LSD. I'm only finding sedans and convertibles around me, but I've gone and checked a few out already that were under budget and in surprisingly good condition. One of them was so meticulous that I'm having a hard time passing it up even though buying a convertible in the winter is stupid.

Came across some money so I'm not strictly limited to 3700 either, but I'm thinking I might actually be able to find what I want for less.

Throatwarbler
Nov 17, 2008

by vyelkin

bunnielab posted:

Motherfucker. I had heard of timing chains but honestly never really understood them. Didn't even occur to me that my car might have one, I just assumed it did. That is some good news.

It's like a timing belt except it's a chain. What is there to not understand?

Phone
Jul 30, 2005

親子丼をほしい。

Scipio posted:

My wife and I are trying to decide between a Mazda 2, Mazda 3 sedan or a Fiesta. Right now the 2012 Mazdas have some pretty good incentives for November, and it looks like I could realistically get a 2012 2 Touring for about $15k before trade or down payment or a 3 Touring for about $17k. No pricing on the Fiesta yet, but the dealership near my house insisted that they could be competitive with the Mazda 2.

When I was comparing specs, it looks like the fuel economy on the 3 Touring can get upwards of 40 mpg highway (owner forum chat) which I think beats both the Mazda 2 or the Fiesta. All of the cars are comfortable for my wife and I, and we can fit a car seat in any of them, so we're good there. I'm a bit nervous about the cargo space in the hatchback 2 and Fiesta, but I think we'll be okay.

I guess my questions on this are:

Is there any killer feature on the Fiesta that makes it stand out over these other cars? The only thing I thought was cool was push-button start, but that's only an option on the higher end model anyway.

Is the fuel economy difference between the 2 (34 hwy) and the 3 (40+ hwy reported) compelling enough to make it worth an extra $2k?

Are there any other questions I should be asking?

If you are getting an automatic transmission, go with the Mazda3. The 1.5L in the 2 and the 1.6L in the Fiesta will feel too great with an automatic.

WrathofKhan
Jun 4, 2011
Proposed Budget: Under $25,000, and ideally under $20,000
New or Used:With our budget, I'm assuming we'll have to go used. Options for new would be welcome, though.
Body Style: (e.g. 2 door? 4 door? Compact/Midsize/Fullsize Sedan? Truck? SUV?) Van or mini-van.
How will you be using the car?: I need something that can comfortably seat a guy who is 6'3", and haul at least six people. Figure full sized adults, because a kid in a carseat or booster takes the same amount of room as an adult. We're going to keep our current station wagon for the daily around town ride, but when the whole family goes somewhere, we'll need a van or mini-van.

What aspects are most important to you? Fuel economy and reliability. Yeah, I know that with a mini-van fuel economy isn't going to be great, but the better it is, the happier I'll be.

Throatwarbler
Nov 17, 2008

by vyelkin

WrathofKhan posted:

Proposed Budget: Under $25,000, and ideally under $20,000
New or Used:With our budget, I'm assuming we'll have to go used. Options for new would be welcome, though.
Body Style: (e.g. 2 door? 4 door? Compact/Midsize/Fullsize Sedan? Truck? SUV?) Van or mini-van.
How will you be using the car?: I need something that can comfortably seat a guy who is 6'3", and haul at least six people. Figure full sized adults, because a kid in a carseat or booster takes the same amount of room as an adult. We're going to keep our current station wagon for the daily around town ride, but when the whole family goes somewhere, we'll need a van or mini-van.

What aspects are most important to you? Fuel economy and reliability. Yeah, I know that with a mini-van fuel economy isn't going to be great, but the better it is, the happier I'll be.

How many whole family trips do you take? Can't you just rent a van for it? Or another car and just use both vehicles for your family outings? Unless you are saying you have 12+ people in your family.


With minivans go with a lightly used Dodge Caravan/Chrysler Town&Country. They are perfectly suited for your purposes. The Japanese vans are hugely more expensive for no good reason. The 2007+ Kia Sedona/Hyundai Entourage might be worth looking into but they never sold in big numbers and are not as common on the used market.

Scipio
May 27, 2003
Tender Warrior Poet

Phone posted:

If you are getting an automatic transmission, go with the Mazda3. The 1.5L in the 2 and the 1.6L in the Fiesta will feel too great with an automatic.

Do you mean won't feel too great? I've driven the Mazda2 auto, but not the Mazda3. For me, the 2 was sufficient, but it was obviously a step down from my 2003 Protege ES. I'm also taking a look at some of the cheaper Hyundai models this weekend and then I'll start hammering away at prices.

I looked at the Sonic with my wife, but there was something about it she just didn't like. I thought it was pretty cool, myself. She also vetoed the Kia Rio, since she can't see over the dash on the passenger side and the seat's non-adjustable.

Boten Anna
Feb 22, 2010

I'm having some trouble finding 2005-2006 Honda Insights for sale, and I am curious if holiday time tends to put more used cars on the market (people upgrading for holiday presents/selling cars to pay off bills) or less (people buying them for presents). Anyone who watches trends in this market, can you say either way?

KYOON GRIFFEY JR
Apr 12, 2010



Runner-up, TRP Sack Race 2021/22

bunnielab posted:

I limited myself to the Ranger or Tacoma because my dad (who is my goto mechanic) hates S10s and doesn't know much about Mazda or Nisson trucks.

The Mazda is the Ranger and vice versa after like 1989 or something.

iv46vi
Apr 2, 2010

Drunken Lullabies posted:

I'm now trying to obsessively stalk down an E30 325iX, someone tell me that it's a bad idea to want an early BMW AWD car.

...


The only thing different from a regular e30 in those are transfer case and front half shafts.They have to be in good condition, cause they aren't cheap. Price the replacements out before you fully commit to the cause.

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.
When people have cars inspected by a mechanic when buying private party, how does that work exactly?

Also, anyone know why the 2012 Mazda 3 Skyactive has all positive individual reliability rankings on consumer reports but its overall reliability score is low?

Guinness
Sep 15, 2004

wide stance posted:

When people have cars inspected by a mechanic when buying private party, how does that work exactly?

You tell the seller something along the lines of "I'll buy the car for X, pending an independent mechanic inspection." If they agree, you arrange for a pre-purchase inspection (any decent mechanic will know what you mean) with your favorite mechanic and it will probably run you $100-200 depending on the shop, car, and thoroughness. The seller drops the car off, mechanic does their thing, and delivers a report.

If the seller refuses the inspection, that generally is a red flag that they may be hiding something. However, if you are buying a very cheap car, or a car that is in high-demand, it may just be that the seller doesn't want to deal with it and knows that someone else will come along and just pay his price and drive away. Proceed at your own risk - this is where it helps to have a working mechanical knowledge and can do some of your own inspection. For instance, if I was selling a $3k 90s Civic in decent shape on craigslist and some joker wanted me to get the car inspected I'd tell him to get bent since there'd be 10 more people in line willing to give me cash on the spot.

Once you have the inspection in hand, if it's overall decent with no major problems you close the deal. If the inspection turns up some issues that you feel should be taken care of by the seller you can attempt to renegotiate the price based on the findings and estimated repair costs. Or if it's bad enough (or the seller won't renegotiate) you walk away happy that you spent $100 to save yourself potentially thousands.

Guinness fucked around with this message at 00:00 on Nov 10, 2012

IOwnCalculus
Apr 2, 2003





To add to that - if you're going to get a car inspected, you should be pretty serious about purchasing it if the inspection doesn't reveal anything majorly negative. Hell, if the inspection comes back particularly positive, you won't really have any room to negotiate down any further, either.

No idea on the Skyactiv Mazda3 reliability concerns. Maybe ask in the MZR thread? There's at least one goon in there who works at a Mazda dealer.

Red87
Jun 3, 2008

The UNE will prevail.
A quick question about a possible future car purchase.

Currently I own a 2011 Ford Fusion Sport (I have fully paid it off), that is currently just under 5000 miles. This car is fun to drive and I really like it, but I've been looking at the 2013 Audi A4. Normally this would be a situation of "what the gently caress you have a perfectly good car" and I totally agree with that except for the fact that I live in Germany for the forseeable future. My insurance is costing me just shy of 175€ a month because the Fusion can't get parts in Europe. The Audi would be costing me less than 100€ here, after talking to my insurance company. I can currently trade my car in for roughly 20-21 thousand USD according to the dealer and I can grab a US-Spec Audi A4 for 27.5 (I will move to the states again, eventually; its not worth it to buy a European spec due to the cost of getting it modified for US legal).

Is this just somewhere you'd recommend to suck it up and deal with the extra cost? I realize that with the time I have left in here in Germany that I wouldn't be saving any money on the 6000$ of difference in terms of insurance money saved, but the A4 does get better mileage than the Fusion. On the other hand, I'm worried the tables will flip when I move back stateside and that insurance will rise for an Audi in the US due to it not being an American car.

Literally Lewis Hamilton
Feb 22, 2005



You are going to take an absolute bath on trading in a brand new car. You'll never recoup that insurance/gas savings. Keep the car.

KYOON GRIFFEY JR
Apr 12, 2010



Runner-up, TRP Sack Race 2021/22
Spending seven grand to save 95 bucks equalizes in 74 months.

Dangerous Dan
Jul 21, 2007
So dangerous!
Proposed Budget: Up to $10k
New or Used: New (is this even possible?)/CPO/Gently Used
Body Style: 2 door, 4 door, hatch
Location: Chicago, IL
How will you be using the car?: Commuting to work (~1 hr each way), random errands, occasional road trips
What aspects are most important to you?: Fuel economy, low frequency of repair trips, affordable repair costs
Currently comparing: Ford Focus, Nissan Sentra, Mazda 3, Toyota Corolla, Honda Accord/Civic

Girlfriend and I are looking to buy a car for not more than $10K. She's planning on taking it back and forth to a new job, so we're looking to buy pretty quickly (in about two weeks). We're open to CPO and used, our budget probably prevents any purchases of a new car. Neither of us really have any free time whatsoever during the week, so we'd give preference to a lower-end car with better mileage or anything else that was an advantage in that regard (not having to repair it often). The cars we're currently comparing are just ones we know don't totally suck and have enjoyed driving in the past. In reality we're open to anything that fits these criteria.

Dangerous Dan fucked around with this message at 10:12 on Nov 11, 2012

liz
Nov 4, 2004

Stop listening to the static.

Guinness posted:

However, if you are buying a very cheap car, or a car that is in high-demand, it may just be that the seller doesn't want to deal with it and knows that someone else will come along and just pay his price and drive away. Proceed at your own risk - this is where it helps to have a working mechanical knowledge and can do some of your own inspection. For instance, if I was selling a $3k 90s Civic in decent shape on craigslist and some joker wanted me to get the car inspected I'd tell him to get bent since there'd be 10 more people in line willing to give me cash on the spot.

So basically with cars at this price range, which is sadly all I can afford right now, I'm probably not going to get an inspection out of most of them? Right now, I'm having trouble even viewing cars... as soon as I contact the seller, boom! It's been sold already. It's so frustrating. I don't really want to take out any loans right now, but I'm wondering if I even have a choice anymore.

WrathofKhan
Jun 4, 2011

Throatwarbler posted:


With minivans go with a lightly used Dodge Caravan/Chrysler Town&Country. They are perfectly suited for your purposes. The Japanese vans are hugely more expensive for no good reason. The 2007+ Kia Sedona/Hyundai Entourage might be worth looking into but they never sold in big numbers and are not as common on the used market.

We need to go someplace as a entire family at least two or three times a week. I also want something where I can have the option of bringing along an extra kid by myself, which wouldn't be an option if we needed two drivers. Not to mention that going places with a new baby already requires only slightly less planning than the landing on Omaha Beach, I'd rather not throw in the added difficulty of "You rode with Dad/Mom LAST TIME, its MY turn".

What about the Honda Oddessey? What kind of mileage does the Town & Country get?

Throatwarbler
Nov 17, 2008

by vyelkin

WrathofKhan posted:


What about the Honda Oddessey? What kind of mileage does the Town & Country get?

They all get basically about the same mileage (18 mpg combined). I want to be clear that the Odyssey and the Toyota Sienna are objectively better vans than the Dodge/Chrysler, they are better built, ride better because of independent rear suspension instead of a dead axle, are nicer inside, etc. They were *much* more expensive when they were new and are much more expensive on the used market.

I suppose it comes down to where your priorities are. The Chrysler is perfectly adequate for what it's designed to do, has lots of neat gimmicks like the stow 'n go seats, etc, and is cheap, the Japanese vans are snazzier and cost more. I personally don't see the point of buying a "nice" van when you have kids, because the kids are going to beat the poo poo out of it anyway, might as well save some money up front.

Couple more thoughts:

- there's also a VW Routan, which is a rebadged Chrysler T&C. It is identical to the Chrysler in every respect, but they never sold that many of them so you are unlikely to find one used but if you do, that's what it is.

- Try and avoid buying a used van that has been used to tow stuff. i.e. if it has a tow hitch installed, or if in a private sale the guy obviously has a boat or jetskis or some poo poo sitting beside the van. All of these minivans have drivetrains that are kind of taxed already (they are essentially midsize car engines/transmissions powering a much larger/heavier vehicle), and towing really puts a lot of wear and tear on the trans, especially since the kind of passive aggressive assholes who drive minivans always ant to push the load beyond the recommended tow rating.

Throatwarbler fucked around with this message at 05:48 on Nov 11, 2012

FCKGW
May 21, 2006

We ended up going with a Ford Flex over the Odyseey/Sienna and really like it.

It's probably not going to be a cheaper option however. For $20k you can get a base Flex with 40k miles or a base Odyssey/Sienna with 30k miles. Dodge/Chrysler can be found with less miles for cheaper.

Flex has a very polarizing look but my wife and I both liked it. It also means she doesn't have to say she drives a minivan and I don't have to say I drive an SUV (even though both are partially true).

Veinless
Sep 11, 2008

Smells like motivation
Proposed budget: $11000 roughly
New or used: Used
Body Style: Coupe, Sedan, SUV
How will you be using the car?: Luxury vehicle to drive to work a couple times a week, maybe more often (10 minute drive). Purely a vanity purchase of a 2nd vehicle. Will not be driven in the winter.
What aspects are most important to you? Looks & reliability are most important. Would like something thats classy. Older is fine. Cost of ownership average or better. I don't mind paying for repairs but cannot stand being stranded. Fun to drive with decent power would be nice but not a requirement. MPG is not a consideration. Gas or diesel is fine. Prefer automatic transmission.

Located in Canada.

I've been looking at ads for 10-12 year old BMW 3 and 5 series and various Mercedes but do not know much about them in terms of reliability or TCO.

Boten Anna
Feb 22, 2010

I just found this car at a place that sells cars donated to charity:

http://www.blokauto.com/2010-Kia-Rio-LX-Gardena-California-90248/4059557

By the pictures it looks like it's in really good condition, and nothing looks out of sorts in the under the hood shot, however I looked up the VIN on Vin Check and it's been in two collisions this year. This seems to be why it is ~$4,000 less than other used 2010 Kia Rio LXes.

This doesn't seem like a bad deal for a car that I'll be driving like 4 miles a day, and at this cheap I could afford an occasional repair. Is it a little bit too good of a deal though, and would I be signing myself up for a bunch of weird problems?

Esmerelda
Dec 1, 2009
Months ago I asked for advice in this thread and it was extremely helpful. It took a while for various reasons but I finally did pull the trigger on a new car yesterday - one that pretty much didn't fit what I initially was looking at but it's a great car and I can't stop smiling when driving it. So, thank you thread! You gave me a direction to go in and I found a car I really enjoy driving because of it :)

Literally Lewis Hamilton
Feb 22, 2005



Well go on, what did you get?

Esmerelda
Dec 1, 2009
Oh, right, sorry!

I ended up with a 2008 Mazda 6. Manual, 3.0L V6. Which means it isn't exactly the greatest when it comes to gas mileage, but I can handle that because it is really, really fun to drive. And, because it matters, it's red :)

KYOON GRIFFEY JR
Apr 12, 2010



Runner-up, TRP Sack Race 2021/22

Boten Anna posted:

I just found this car at a place that sells cars donated to charity:

http://www.blokauto.com/2010-Kia-Rio-LX-Gardena-California-90248/4059557

By the pictures it looks like it's in really good condition, and nothing looks out of sorts in the under the hood shot, however I looked up the VIN on Vin Check and it's been in two collisions this year. This seems to be why it is ~$4,000 less than other used 2010 Kia Rio LXes.

This doesn't seem like a bad deal for a car that I'll be driving like 4 miles a day, and at this cheap I could afford an occasional repair. Is it a little bit too good of a deal though, and would I be signing myself up for a bunch of weird problems?

Be extraordinarily careful about cars which have been repaired after a collision.

http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/esv/esv22/22ESV-000310.pdf

You cannot tell by looking whether the vehicle in question has been correctly repaired. Do you know what type of accidents the vehicle was in, and does the seller have repair orders from the fixes? If not, don't buy the car.

Captain Narwhal
Dec 4, 2002

Captain Narwhal posted:

Proposed Budget: As close to $30k as possible (some flexibility here)
New or Used: Used/CPO
Body Style: Luxury compact sedan or coupe 2+2
How will you be using the car?: mainly as a daily driver, shortish 20-30 minute highway commute
Do you prefer a luxury vehicle with all the gizmos?
I don't need all the gizmos (dont need navigation, rear-view camera, etc) but Bluetooth or some sort of iPhone connectivity would be great
What aspects are most important to you? Looks, comfort, reliability, value, should have a little pep in its step (I think any of the cars I'm considering qualify)
Cars I'm considering now, thoughts, etc: I'm looking at Audi A5 and A4, BMW 328i and 335i, Cadillac CTS (would prefer the coupe but don't see any available in my price range)

Big thanks to everyone in this thread <3 for the help. Took all the suggestions of what other cars to look at along with how to negotiate etc. I've been biding my time, waiting for a low miles, CPO, newer MY G37 coupe to show up at one of the dealerships within 400 miles and thankfully the wait has finally paid off (and it showed up only a couple miles from my house!). Last night I bought a CPO 2010 G37 Journey Coupe with just over 15k miles for $1.5k under KBB and I couldn't be happier!

:woop: Thanks again! :woop:

Captain Narwhal fucked around with this message at 18:15 on Nov 13, 2012

Realjones
May 16, 2004
Here's a dumb question I can't seem to find a google answer to:

People say that the best time to buy a car is the end of the month/year. What does that actually mean though...that I can walk in on the 31st and put a deposit down then come back a couple days later once financing is finalized (assuming financing is through an outside credit union), or do I literally have to drive the car off the lot and have everything done by the 31st?

skipdogg
Nov 29, 2004
Resident SRT-4 Expert

Realjones posted:

Here's a dumb question I can't seem to find a google answer to:

People say that the best time to buy a car is the end of the month/year. What does that actually mean though...that I can walk in on the 31st and put a deposit down then come back a couple days later once financing is finalized (assuming financing is through an outside credit union), or do I literally have to drive the car off the lot and have everything done by the 31st?

There's places on the internet that explain it better, but sales goals are calculated on a monthly basis for almost everyone in the auto sales industry.

Say your selling new cars someplace and if you sell 20 cars in a month you get a 2,000 dollar bonus. Say your at 18 or 19 cars and it's the last weekend of the month. You're going to do anything possible to hit that 20 car mark, even if you only make 50 bucks on the next 2 deals, those 2 deals trigger the 2K bonus.

Dealers have incentives as well. Ford might give a dealer a big bonus for moving 200 cars in a month or something.. basically by purchasing at the end of the month you could swing a deal you wouldn't otherwise get because parties involved will hit bonuses for hitting sales goals.

Red87 posted:

A quick question about a possible future car purchase.

Currently I own a 2011 Ford Fusion Sport (I have fully paid it off), that is currently just under 5000 miles. This car is fun to drive and I really like it, but I've been looking at the 2013 Audi A4. Normally this would be a situation of "what the gently caress you have a perfectly good car" and I totally agree with that except for the fact that I live in Germany for the forseeable future. My insurance is costing me just shy of 175€ a month because the Fusion can't get parts in Europe. The Audi would be costing me less than 100€ here, after talking to my insurance company. I can currently trade my car in for roughly 20-21 thousand USD according to the dealer and I can grab a US-Spec Audi A4 for 27.5 (I will move to the states again, eventually; its not worth it to buy a European spec due to the cost of getting it modified for US legal).

Is this just somewhere you'd recommend to suck it up and deal with the extra cost? I realize that with the time I have left in here in Germany that I wouldn't be saving any money on the 6000$ of difference in terms of insurance money saved, but the A4 does get better mileage than the Fusion. On the other hand, I'm worried the tables will flip when I move back stateside and that insurance will rise for an Audi in the US due to it not being an American car.

I also drive a 2011 Fusion Sport. I probably wouldn't trade my car in for an A4. The interior will be much nicer, but I really like the car. My next car will probably be a CPO Taurus SHO or MKS ecoboost.

If you want to trade the car in because you rather have an A4, go for it. It's your money, I wouldn't try to justify it through reduced insurance costs though. If you want to spend a few grand and drive a nicer car, do it. It's just not a textbook smart financial decision. The A4 isn't my cup of tea, and I personally don't care for Audi vehicles that much based on expensive repairs and reliability issues. I would lease an Audi, but I wouldn't buy one, or own one outside of the warranty period. The Fusion Sport isn't that cheap to insure here either. It has always cost me more to insure my car than my wife's who drives a 2012 Explorer.

Apollodorus
Feb 13, 2010

TEST YOUR MIGHT
:patriot:
Here's another question, on leasing versus buying: if I indeed get into a PhD program I will be in grad school for another 5 years, making little money but probably needing a car. Would it be a good idea to lease (for two 3-year terms) something like the Fit or the Fiesta and then, when I get a real job, buy a slightly better car? Or would it make more sense to try to find a cheap used car, get a loan, and buy it outright with the expectation of getting rid of it in 5-6 years?

skipdogg
Nov 29, 2004
Resident SRT-4 Expert

I would suggest someone in your position find a cheap, reliable used car and not lease a new vehicle.

Boten Anna
Feb 22, 2010

KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:

Be extraordinarily careful about cars which have been repaired after a collision.

http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/esv/esv22/22ESV-000310.pdf

You cannot tell by looking whether the vehicle in question has been correctly repaired. Do you know what type of accidents the vehicle was in, and does the seller have repair orders from the fixes? If not, don't buy the car.

Thanks! I doubt the CU would give me a loan for it either, as they're picky about the car having enough value that it's decent leverage against the loan.

I'm thinking of just getting a (used) New Beetle, they're relatively cheap, cute, and shouldn't fall apart being driven 4 miles a day. It seems people tend to love or hate those things, but they seem adequate for my needs.

Apollodorus posted:

Here's another question, on leasing versus buying: if I indeed get into a PhD program I will be in grad school for another 5 years, making little money but probably needing a car. Would it be a good idea to lease (for two 3-year terms) something like the Fit or the Fiesta and then, when I get a real job, buy a slightly better car? Or would it make more sense to try to find a cheap used car, get a loan, and buy it outright with the expectation of getting rid of it in 5-6 years?

You're a student, get a used car you can make low payments on then get your Dream Economy Commuter Car when you get that awesome job you're totally guaranteed straight out of college.

Heck that's pretty much what I'm doing and I already make decent money, except I'm waiting for an affordable electric car instead. :P (I also pay like $200/mo for a train pass so spending a ton of money for six years on a car to drive 2 miles to the train station is just a gigantic waste of money for me)

Boten Anna fucked around with this message at 05:46 on Nov 14, 2012

kimcicle
Feb 23, 2003

Proposed Budget: ~$15k.
New or Used: CPO/Used.
Body Style: More keen on two doors, but a proper looking 4 door is fine too.
How will you be using the car?: Occasional spirited drive, mostly to and from work.
What aspects are most important to you? Reliability and fun to drive with a stick shift.

I'm currently in a 2008 Infiniti G37S, but it's becoming a reliability nightmare after four years of ownership. I'm also about to get married, so that car will end up being the down payment for the car for my future wife (looking to be either a TDI Golf or possibly a CPO A3).

I'm currently lost as to what I should be looking for; only things that spring to mind that I really like is the FR-S (which probably won't pop up on the used market for a long time) or Audi A5 (I drove a 2013 with the 2.0T, and despite the fact it's down on power compared to the G37, it felt pretty good). It seems hard just to find used cars with a manual transmission these days.

Edit: Just to clarify, the $15k is coming out of savings, and the G37S is paid off.

kimcicle fucked around with this message at 07:18 on Nov 14, 2012

Apollodorus
Feb 13, 2010

TEST YOUR MIGHT
:patriot:

Boten Anna posted:

You're a student, get a used car you can make low payments on then get your Dream Economy Commuter Car when you get that awesome job you're totally guaranteed straight out of college.

Heck that's pretty much what I'm doing and I already make decent money, except I'm waiting for an affordable electric car instead. :P (I also pay like $200/mo for a train pass so spending a ton of money for six years on a car to drive 2 miles to the train station is just a gigantic waste of money for me)

Actually, I've been out of college for almost five years; I'm doing a (fully funded) MA program now. I used to have a real job before I decided I wasn't as good at it as I wanted to be and returned for another 2 degrees.

I'm assuming you purchased from a dealer, yes? What kind of financing arrangement did you work out?

skipdogg posted:

I would suggest someone in your position find a cheap, reliable used car and not lease a new vehicle.

Would going through a bank or credit union be the best way to go about this, or would dealer financing (assuming it were available) be better? Actually, I suppose that's probably too dependent on individual circumstances.

The real issue is, I've never actually been the sole buyer of a car before, having had vehicles handed down to me or bought them for a nominal amount.

(the other issue is I am and will likely continue to be a graduate student making very few :10bux:, of course)

KYOON GRIFFEY JR
Apr 12, 2010



Runner-up, TRP Sack Race 2021/22

Boten Anna posted:

I'm thinking of just getting a (used) New Beetle, they're relatively cheap, cute, and shouldn't fall apart being driven 4 miles a day. It seems people tend to love or hate those things, but they seem adequate for my needs.

I think I made this exact post somewhere in the thread before:

Do Not Buy A New Beetle.

KYOON GRIFFEY JR
Apr 12, 2010



Runner-up, TRP Sack Race 2021/22

kimcicle posted:

Proposed Budget: ~$15k.
New or Used: CPO/Used.
Body Style: More keen on two doors, but a proper looking 4 door is fine too.
How will you be using the car?: Occasional spirited drive, mostly to and from work.
What aspects are most important to you? Reliability and fun to drive with a stick shift.

I'm currently in a 2008 Infiniti G37S, but it's becoming a reliability nightmare after four years of ownership. I'm also about to get married, so that car will end up being the down payment for the car for my future wife (looking to be either a TDI Golf or possibly a CPO A3).

I'm currently lost as to what I should be looking for; only things that spring to mind that I really like is the FR-S (which probably won't pop up on the used market for a long time) or Audi A5 (I drove a 2013 with the 2.0T, and despite the fact it's down on power compared to the G37, it felt pretty good). It seems hard just to find used cars with a manual transmission these days.

Edit: Just to clarify, the $15k is coming out of savings, and the G37S is paid off.

Can you clarify "reliability nightmare" because when I think of anything that really meets your needs, they're all going to require an intense amount of preventative maintenance and things will in fact break. Both cars you suggested are obviously quite out of your proposed budget.

You could possibly get in to a 350Z at that price point, but that's basically a shittier version of your current car. The Mazda RX-8 is around, but I'd be wary of one that someone else had maintained, and you have to be dedicated to the rotard cause. You could possibly find a CTS or a 3-series, but I'm not convinced that they're going to be significantly more reliable than your current car. Used Mustang might also be a choice.

I think it's funny that someone with vehicle reliability issues mentions 3 VAG products in the same post as potential new cars.

Adbot
ADBOT LOVES YOU

Throatwarbler
Nov 17, 2008

by vyelkin

KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:

I think I made this exact post somewhere in the thread before:

Do Not Buy A New Beetle.

Add this to to the FAQ in the OP pls tia. It gets asked often enough:

Q: I am a girl and I know literally nothing about cars. Which 4 year old out of warranty VW/Audi should I buy?

A: The new Beetle. Because it's cute.

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • Post
  • Reply