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2000 was the first model year for the Focus in North America. The first few years up to around 2002 had some problems and it got better, but really at this point it's a 13 year old car, any sort of manufacturing defect specific to the model itself will probably have revealed themselves already and it's likely no more or less well sorted than any other 13 year old car. I don't mean this in any demeaning way but unless you guys are at least somewhat experienced shade tree mechanics with your own tools/place to work/dad/boyfriend to help then a $2000 car just is in't such a good deal, especially when you factor in insurance. Maybe you could consider public transit and renting the occasional car when you must have one? You're much less likely to end up stranded on the side of the road and/or on fire, or some other situation that might cost you even more money. Throatwarbler fucked around with this message at 08:59 on Aug 9, 2013 |
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Aug 9, 2013 08:49
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puberty worked me over fucked around with this message at 02:52 on Jan 4, 2020 |
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Aug 9, 2013 10:39
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As a Canadian cyclist, who lives in Ottawa at that (notoriously cold/snowy). I can tell you it is definitely possible to bike year round. I personally don't because you have to be a tough son of a bitch, and I would also fear for my life since cars don't look for bikes in the winter. However, if your route to the bus station isn't high traffic, it is definitely doable. I'm sure plenty of posters in the bike commuting mega thread can help you out if you are serious about it.
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Aug 9, 2013 12:09
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Heavily considering a Kia sportage for general purpose driving. My wife and I also own a Cruze that I mainly use to commute to work, whereas she lives 2 miles from work so a vehicle with ~20-25 mpg is fine for her. Is there anything I should be wary about concerning Kia? I've heard from friends that Kia is supposedly upping its game since it was bought by Hyundai but I am no expert. Can anyone weigh in on this for me?
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Aug 9, 2013 20:12
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Maybe a scooter or small motorbike would work? I have no idea but if you're just moving yourself most of the time it would be inexpensive reliable transportation.
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Aug 9, 2013 20:54
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Unzip and Attack posted:Heavily considering a Kia sportage for general purpose driving. My wife and I also own a Cruze that I mainly use to commute to work, whereas she lives 2 miles from work so a vehicle with ~20-25 mpg is fine for her. What year sportage. This is important. New one is fine. Older ones are a strong avoid.
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Aug 9, 2013 21:03
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nm posted:What year sportage. This is important. New one is fine. Older ones are a strong avoid. 2013. As an alternative, the local dealership also has a really nice 2009 Benz Class C with only 30k miles on it for about the same price. Then again, I don't know poo poo about upkeep for a Mercedes.
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Aug 9, 2013 21:55
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Of the pre-2008 Ford Focuses, which engines are to be avoided? I seem to remember that some are significantly better than others.
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Aug 9, 2013 21:58
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Background Info: The wife and I are expecting a kid early next year so its time to start looking at new cars. I currently drive a 93 MR2 (awesome) and she's in a 2012 Scion xB. I would basically be fine continuing to drive the MR2 even though it gives me occasional issues if it weren't for the kid. I won't be selling the MR2 which brings up a whole other issue of how the hell I'm going to park it at my condo. My daily commute to work and back is only about 15 miles but hers is about 50 or so. Proposed Budget: $25,000 - $30,000 with $10,000 down New or Used: Open to either Body Style: 4 door What aspects are most important to you? Performance (fun to drive), Mileage, Build Quality (no cheap feeling knobs), Reliability I really like Toyota's and they're pretty much all I've ever driven but I'm open to going with another Japanese brand, particularly Subaru. There aren't really any American cars that interest me aside from maybe a couple Fords and the Malibu. My initial interest list consists of the new Mazda 6, Mazda Speed3, Toyota Hybrid XL(E), Suburu WRX and WRX Wagon. I'd like an STI but I think that might be over my budget. I plan on going by a Honda dealership to see whats up but I can't say there is anything there that interests me besides the CRZ which is a 2 door. I really like G35's but only the coupe and I feel like pulling a kid in and out of that might be a pain in the rear end. General questions: How are used Subaru's? Is it possible to find a decent 2 or 3 year old 330i or G35 in my price range? What type of mileage should I be looking at? Any other cars I should be considering? Are car seats and coupes doable?
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Aug 10, 2013 00:11
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I'm pretty sure you can put a baby in a Scion xB. It's fine to decide you want to buy a new (third?) car, but don't rationalize it on the basis that your infant can't be put into an ordinary four-door vehicle. Edit: Oh, you're saying you need two baby-capable vehicles, and so you need one for yourself because your Mr. Two is too small. That makes more sense, I guess!
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Aug 10, 2013 19:16
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visuvius posted:Background Info: The wife and I are expecting a kid early next year so its time to start looking at new cars. I currently drive a 93 MR2 (awesome) and she's in a 2012 Scion xB. I would basically be fine continuing to drive the MR2 even though it gives me occasional issues if it weren't for the kid. I won't be selling the MR2 which brings up a whole other issue of how the hell I'm going to park it at my condo. My daily commute to work and back is only about 15 miles but hers is about 50 or so. Check out a 2010 Infiniti M35. They're surprisingly fun to drive and the fuel economy isn't that much worse than a G35, though better looking than the G37 sedann and a hell of a lot bigger. Build quality and interior quality is heads and shoulders above the G too. Should be able to get one in your price range easy and if you stop carting about MPG, probably the V8 too. I can vouch for V6 reliability as amazing, but I don't know the V8 that well. Subarus are fine though there are some piston issues with the turbos. Also, the fuel economy sucks hard. Modern toyotas are snoozemobiles. That said, you have a fun car already. You might just want to buy one that does the job you want here and keep the MR2 for fun.
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Aug 10, 2013 19:31
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Background Info: My not-so-trusty 2000 Ford Taurus Wagon is finally on the verge of kicking the bucket. Having gotten a new job, it's time to move on and finally get a new car. Luckily my employer has a deal with a local dealership that allows for discounts on parts and free oil changes for the life of the vehicle from them, so I figured it's not bad timing. I'm single, my commute to work is about 25 minutes, and I enjoy long walks on the beach. Proposed Budget: Not entirely sure on this. I'm moreso looking for smaller monthly payments. New or Used: Open to either Body Style: 4 door What aspects are most important to you? Mileage, Reliability, Space (I'm 6'4 so I'd rather not have neck problems coming out of the car). I'm open to any make and model, and I'm not sure if I want new or used, but I have to pick from what's available through the dealer which is here: http://www.edvoyles.com/ My previous car buying experiences were from family and family friends, so going to a dealership is new for me.
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Aug 10, 2013 19:47
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You can get anything with a 200 month payment and a 144 month lease term. We need a ballpark, or I'm recommending expensive stuff.
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Aug 10, 2013 20:48
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Dominoes posted:Looking for recommendations. I live in the US and currently drive an '06 Miata. I'll be moving to England for 3-4 years, and will probably sell it, then buy a car in England. I'd like a fun car, but I'd like it to be less tireing on the highway to drive. This may be partly due to its age and the aftermarket stiff springs, but my miata's tiring to drive on the highway - it's very noisy (small tears in the roof), the interior rattles in multiple places, and every bump is an experience. I'd like a fun car, but with a more relaxing ride. -Available in England -Fun car -Ideally RWD (may not be realistic) -Used, ideally only a few years -Ideally less than 14,000 gbp.
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Aug 10, 2013 21:22
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FrankeeFrankFrank posted:Is there really a "best" time of year, or time of month, to buy a car or is that a myth? Like the "we have to sell all the 2013s right now to make room for the 2014s so we are just giving these cars away" thing. End of the month is usually good. You can also look up to see the general days suppply of a vehicle. Higher days supply = more likely to get better deals. Dealers pay interest on inventory, so they have an incentive to move vehicles. 60 days in dealer inventory is usually baked in by the dealer, but once the car goes beyond that, it starts costing the dealer additional money to keep on the lot.
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Aug 10, 2013 23:01
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nm posted:Check out a 2010 Infiniti M35. They're surprisingly fun to drive and the fuel economy isn't that much worse than a G35, though better looking than the G37 sedann and a hell of a lot bigger. Build quality and interior quality is heads and shoulders above the G too. Should be able to get one in your price range easy and if you stop carting about MPG, probably the V8 too. I can vouch for V6 reliability as amazing, but I don't know the V8 that well. What kind of mechanical issues and costs can I expect with a 5-6 year old Infiniti? Like is there some $3,000ish service luxury cars require at around 75,000 miles or are they basically like Toyotas and Hondas where they'll run like champs? Did not know Subaru's got poo poo gas mileage. Modern Toyotas ARE totally snoozemobiles but unfortunately they're so God drat logical. Everything in my larger family (very practical immigrants) needs to be done with some grand consultation so everyone is basically like, "just get a Camry." Really, they want me to get a Sonata. My brother in law works for Hyundai and can get a new Sonata for some ridiculous price but damnit if that car is not a black hole of driving joy. He used to work for Mazda so I'm going to find out if he's got the hook up on the new 6.
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Aug 11, 2013 04:34
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visuvius posted:What kind of mechanical issues and costs can I expect with a 5-6 year old Infiniti? Like is there some $3,000ish service luxury cars require at around 75,000 miles or are they basically like Toyotas and Hondas where they'll run like champs? The G35/EX35/M35/FX35 drivetrain is solid. It's used in all of those vehicles plus a few different Nissan vehicles in other countries. I've had my EX35 since 30k on the odometer and I'm at over 90k now. I've done all the service myself which has been pretty basic fluid replacement and brakes so far. Because the engine was developed by Nissan it's fairly straightforward and doesn't really need a whole lot of special treatment aside from premium fuel.
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Aug 11, 2013 05:10
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visuvius posted:What kind of mechanical issues and costs can I expect with a 5-6 year old Infiniti? Like is there some $3,000ish service luxury cars require at around 75,000 miles or are they basically like Toyotas and Hondas where they'll run like champs? My dad has a 2006 M35x with 130k mi, and it has literally had no issues. Not to rely on experience though, Consumer Reports had the 2006-2010 M35 as the most reliable car in the class for quite a while. The VQ motors don't really have any major issues unless you're actually running them on a racetrack (in which case they could use better oil cooling).
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Aug 11, 2013 05:15
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Background Info: Unexpectedly now have two kids living with us, so time to move out of the city and buy a car! I have less than a week to buy something before their school year starts, so am in a big time crunch. I've never purchased a new car, so any help is appreciated. Proposed Budget: Up to $20,000. New or Used: Either, but leaning toward new. Body Style: Hatchback, but would consider sedan as well. What aspects are most important to you? Needs to be able to seat 4 plus a carseat comfortably, mileage (will have 40 mile commute each day), reliability. I looked at the Prius, Prius C, Mazda 3, Elantra GT and Corolla today. I've narrowed it down to a "used" base model of the 2013 Mazda 3 with 4k miles (was only used at the dealer, no prior owner, priced at $18999 before any haggling) and the style upgrade version of the new 2013 Elantra GT (leather seats, alloy wheels, sunroof, etc...got them below MSRP from $23090 to $19716). The Elantra has all of the bells and whistles whereas the Mazda is more basic but both are priced alright and seem to have good reviews. Any thoughts? amethystbliss fucked around with this message at 07:16 on Aug 11, 2013 |
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Aug 11, 2013 07:13
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amethystbliss posted:Background Info: Unexpectedly now have two kids living with us, so time to move out of the city and buy a car! I have less than a week to buy something before their school year starts, so am in a big time crunch. If it'll save you a thousand dollars or from buying the wrong car, renting a car for a few days is well worth the price. I'd say you never want to go to a dealership desperate to purchase a car today, if you can possibly avoid it. The 3 and the elantra are both decent cars. Make sure you get the full benefit of the manufacturer warranty on that mazda, if you go for it.
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Aug 11, 2013 08:33
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Background info: I'm a young person looking for a daily driver. I used to have a 1993 Mazda Protege that I loved the handling and feel of but had the front end pushed in after a collision, and am now driving my father's Ram 1500. I live 22KM from the nearest town, and a large portion of my driving in on the highway. I live in Northern Alberta, and we get loads of snow and cold weather for a long portion of the year which then turns to getting hot in the summer, so I need a car that can handle driving on a 3 km stretch of dirt road with a foot of snow on the ground. (for reference I was able to do this no problem in my Protege). This means it needs a good interior heater and a block heater. Proposed Budget: 2000-5000 CAD New or Used: Used Body Style: Car, Coupe>Sedan, but am cool with both How will you be using the car?: Daily driving with lots of highway kilometer's, mostly just 1 or 2 people in the car. Want something peppy so I can open it up a little on the largely unpatrolled secondary highways What aspects are most important to you? Gas mileage needs to be reasonable but I'm not too worried about this in a car. Needs to be fairly reliable and reasonable to source parts/ease of fixing. I am comfortable doing most auto repairs and maintenance myself, and want something I can upgrade later down the road. So far I've had my eyes on three different models of vehicles. My first choice is looking to be the Mazda MX-3. I lovelovelove the design of it, it has a roomy hatchback trunk for me to throw camping gear and such, and can be upgraded to a larger MX-6 engine later on if I really felt the need(this is somewhat of a pipe dream). I'm pretty torn for what else I'm interested in, but the MX-5 and the older VW Jetta TDI's seem to be interesting and fitting for my needs, with the VW leaning moreso on the comfort and gas economy side of things and the MX-5 moreso in the future upgrade-ability and fun, but I'm not overly jazzed on the way it looks stock.
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Aug 11, 2013 20:13
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For the guy considering a used mazda 3. I think mazda is running a 0% with cash on the hood (think $1000) on left over 2013 mazda 3s. It might end up cheaper or just a bit more expensive to own something where you are the first person to fart in the seats plus a complete warranty. Generally one year old used economy cars are a rip because the new cars have incentives up the rear end.
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Aug 11, 2013 20:24
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nm posted:For the guy considering a used mazda 3. Beyond that, that price isn't that good so you can definitely haggle it down. I've seen new, loaded grand touring Mazda 3's for $21,500. Coincidentally I'm looking at getting one of those for my next vehicle in probably early October. The 2014 is getting a small update to the outside so I'm hoping dealers will be looking to get the 2013's out and keep the drop in the price and offer the 0%. I'm really glad they moved the nav in the 2013 as well. That small one up in the dash was awful. It's the main reason I didn't get one the last time I bought a vehicle.
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Aug 11, 2013 20:39
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Proposed Budget: $6,000 or under (preferably under) New or Used: used Body Style: 2 door coupe is what I'd prefer, although I wouldn't be opposed to the right kind of sedan How will you be using the car?: A fun daily driver, just a thing to get me around as a first car. Don't have any kids or anybody to cart around except for my girlfriend so space isn't a huge problem. What aspects are most important to you? I would like something quick and sporty, possibly a manual. Gas mileage is a concern but if I find a nice car that I love gas mileage probably won't stop me from getting it. I've never owned a car (or worked on one) but I'd love to get a car I can tinker around on and make it go VROOOOMMMM.
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Aug 11, 2013 22:54
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rockcity posted:Beyond that, that price isn't that good so you can definitely haggle it down. I've seen new, loaded grand touring Mazda 3's for $21,500. Coincidentally I'm looking at getting one of those for my next vehicle in probably early October. The 2014 is getting a small update to the outside so I'm hoping dealers will be looking to get the 2013's out and keep the drop in the price and offer the 0%. I'm really glad they moved the nav in the 2013 as well. That small one up in the dash was awful. It's the main reason I didn't get one the last time I bought a vehicle. Neither here nor there, but it's a lot more than a small update. It's a total redesign inside and out, including an updated 2.5.
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Aug 12, 2013 01:32
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rockcity posted:Beyond that, that price isn't that good so you can definitely haggle it down. I've seen new, loaded grand touring Mazda 3's for $21,500. Coincidentally I'm looking at getting one of those for my next vehicle in probably early October. The 2014 is getting a small update to the outside so I'm hoping dealers will be looking to get the 2013's out and keep the drop in the price and offer the 0%. I'm really glad they moved the nav in the 2013 as well. That small one up in the dash was awful. It's the main reason I didn't get one the last time I bought a vehicle. True car on a Mazda 3i 5-door is $17.5k here in Socal (which you can probably beat by a touch). That probably includes $1000 in cash that disqualifies you from 0%, so even at $18.5k, that is cheaper than the asking on a used car with 4k mi. Really, to buy something used with 4k on it (4k test miles, which probably weren't nice), I'd need a few grand off what I could get a new one for plus something to compensate for the higher interest rate.
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Aug 12, 2013 02:14
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A Proper Uppercut posted:Neither here nor there, but it's a lot more than a small update. It's a total redesign inside and out, including an updated 2.5. Ehh, the body style is largely the same with a few small tweaks and the interior is mostly the same as the 2013 when they updated it. The 2.5 is new though, I forgot about that.
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Aug 12, 2013 04:37
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rockcity posted:Ehh, the body style is largely the same with a few small tweaks and the interior is mostly the same as the 2013 when they updated it. The 2.5 is new though, I forgot about that.
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Aug 12, 2013 04:49
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The 2014 Mazda 3 is a big redesign not just a facelift, and is by all accounts greatly improved. The 2013 Mazda 3 was and still is a good car, but that generation was beginning to show its age - especially in the fuel economy department. Unless you get a screaming deal on a 2013, IMO get a 2014. http://www.autoblog.com/2013/07/12/2014-mazda3-review-first-drive/ Guinness fucked around with this message at 05:28 on Aug 12, 2013 |
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Aug 12, 2013 05:20
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rockcity posted:Ehh, the body style is largely the same with a few small tweaks and the interior is mostly the same as the 2013 when they updated it. The 2.5 is new though, I forgot about that. If this isn't a completely redesigned car, then what is?
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Aug 12, 2013 06:39
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Friar Zucchini posted:If this isn't a completely redesigned car, then what is? My mistake, I remember seeing photos quite a while back when they were discussing they new model and it definitely wasn't as big of an external redesign as that is. I don't remember the changes to the rear being as big, more of the front view changing. Are they actually on the lots yet? The Mazda site really doesn't even have all that much info on there yet. I'd be curious to go take a look at one in person.
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Aug 12, 2013 13:50
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rockcity posted:My mistake, I remember seeing photos quite a while back when they were discussing they new model and it definitely wasn't as big of an external redesign as that is. I don't remember the changes to the rear being as big, more of the front view changing. Are they actually on the lots yet? The Mazda site really doesn't even have all that much info on there yet. I'd be curious to go take a look at one in person. Supposed to be on the lots in September. I can't wait, 90% sure it's gonna be my next car, though I'm going to wait until they release the manual with the 2.5. Also, on top of the exterior being different, it has a dual clutch automatic now, and also a new manual. As far as I can tell, the interior is all new, too.
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Aug 12, 2013 14:10
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Proposed Budget: $15-20K Canadian, prefer to stay on the lower side New or Used: New/Used, it seems the used cars in the types I am looking at are so close in price that I should probably go new. Body Style: 4 door sedan How will you be using the car?: Daily driver, commute maybe 40K+ or so per day, occasional longer trips Do you prefer a luxury vehicle with all the gizmos?: No, if the new options are there I will look at them but they are not the decider What aspects are most important to you?: Initial price, cost of ownership/maintenance, reliability and safety are all >>>> than cool factor or fun-to-drive First off - I freely admit that I know very little about cars. I'm looking for a reliable car that will last a long time. At this price point I seem to be looking between the 2013 versions of: Hyundai Accent Subaru Impreza Chevrolet Sonic Dodge Dart Ford Fiesta Any of these that are highly recommended or that I should initially stay away from? With MSRPs in the 15-18K range, what are my chances for negotiating below that?
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Aug 13, 2013 02:13
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edit: double post
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Aug 13, 2013 02:13
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My 2001 Dodge Intrepid just got totaled out after a nice Dutch gentleman rear ended me. I have about a week to find a new ride. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Budget: I'd like to stick to around $20,000 or less. New or used isn't that important, but I'm leaning to new. Model: I'm looking for a 4 door sedan. Features: MPG, reliability, comfort, and style. Right now, I'm debating between a 2013 Chevy Malibu vs. a 2013 Hyundai Sonata. I really like the look of the new Malibus, but the Sonata appears to be getting better reviews and has a better warranty. The dealerships I'm looking at are both highly reviewed and offer different incentives. The Chevy dealership offers free oil changes and tires for life while the Hyundai dealership offers a lifetime warranty on the engine, transmission, and drive axle. Again, thanks for any input.
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Aug 13, 2013 02:14
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Tahm Bwady posted:Proposed Budget: $6,000 or under (preferably under) It looks like the stars have aligned for you my son. http://phoenix.craigslist.org/nph/cto/3961028942.html  Go with god. Throatwarbler fucked around with this message at 03:45 on Aug 13, 2013 |
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Aug 13, 2013 03:41
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Throatwarbler posted:It looks like the stars have aligned for you my son. Between this and being the thread's resident VW apologist, reported for trolling.
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Aug 13, 2013 03:44
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Throatwarbler posted:It looks like the stars have aligned for you my son. "The Car runs Strong but smokes it may need a new Turbo or A new motor I am not a mechanic so I am not Sure" Going to go out on a limb and guess that this is a very bad thing Honestly though I have been considering an RX-7, specifically this:  http://evansville.craigslist.org/cto/3930505198.html
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Aug 13, 2013 05:40
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Important question for you. Do you care about reliability?
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Aug 13, 2013 06:10
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nm posted:Important question for you. Do you care about reliability? Somewhat, I will be using it almost everyday. However, I can find alternative ways to get to where I'm going most of the time. What exactly is the market like for reliable sports cars?
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Aug 13, 2013 12:14
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