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For lack of a better term, that's a weekend car, not a daily driver. I would love to pick up a cheapish 90s Miata myself for fun when I have some spare cash, but I wouldn't rely on something like that to get to work. You're looking at older cars that have higher maintenance costs and I guess if you can afford that go for it, but it's not ideal if you can't.
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Jan 25, 2014 15:44
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Opinions on this car: http://dallas.craigslist.org/ndf/ctd/4287583733.html In general, how does Acura maintenance compare with Hondas? Is it going to be relatively cheap like a Honda's or does the luxury-status mean parts etc. are much more expensive? edit: I also like this one http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/ctd/4283180319.html editedit: uno mas https://app.dealerspeedleads.net/Microsite.aspx?l=cl&i=19UUA56653A077681&Dealer=1800 an skeleton fucked around with this message at 22:05 on Jan 25, 2014 |
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Jan 25, 2014 21:58
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How sold are you on the 2 door route? Have you looked at the WRX?
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Jan 25, 2014 23:36
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I would shy away from the 335i because BMW has been through like 5 or 6 high pressure fuel pumps and they still haven't figured out what the gently caress to do.
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Jan 26, 2014 09:21
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Phone posted:I would shy away from the 335i because BMW has been through like 5 or 6 high pressure fuel pumps and they still haven't figured out what the gently caress to do. The HPFP is under warranty for 10 years/120,000 miles...so just don't keep it any longer than that. Still a pain in the rear end if you have to drop it off at the dealer every couple years. Don't own any FI BMW past warranty basically. Garbage injectors, fuel pumps, PCM (or whatever their term is for it).
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Jan 28, 2014 16:03
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I've been daily driving a 2004 RX-8 for the last year (40,000km) and I have loved it. Amazing handling, nice interior, heated leather seats. It's getting a little long in the tooth (273,000km) so I have been considering what comes next, and honestly, I can't find much worthy of replacing it other than just getting a 2011 with low miles. You might consider test driving one! I personally think the reliability concerns are overblown.
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Jan 28, 2014 18:22
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Proposed Budget: $5000 - $10,000 New or Used: Used. Maybe up to $15k for a new car. Id really like to keep the amount low, but I also plan on driving whatever I buy until it dies at a ripe old age, so if a bit more expensive new(/newer) car is a better idea, I'm open to it. Ideal budget is a good quality car at $8000ish. Body Style: 2 or 4 door, very compact. A Camry is too big and a smart car is about right, but on the small side. How will you be using the car?: To/from work for the most part. 5 days per week, 16mi round trip. Not much freeway driving. An additional 3mi/day, 2 days per week, for school. What aspects are most important to you? Reliable, automatic transmission, with good mpg is about all I care about for the most part. Preferably something that isn't incredibly noisy while driving it. I drove a car that got maddeningly loud when I took it on the freeway. I haven't had a car loan in about 10 years (planning on getting a loan through my CU) and I haven't owned a car in about 4 years so I'm really on the outs about cars. Is this the right thread for insurance company recommendations as well? I've been poking around insurance websites to get a rough idea of what it's going to cost. I looked into AAA (Oregon) and they wanted 2100$/year for full standard coverage of a generic dodge neon. I'm a 27 year old woman with no accidents or tickets on my record. I knew they were expensive, and have a great reputation, but $170 per month?  ladyweapon fucked around with this message at 22:32 on Jan 29, 2014 |
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Jan 29, 2014 11:05
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Give Amica a try for your insurance. I love them. If you can stretch just a little, you could get a 2011 Ford Fiesta. Very small, great mileage, seems to run around $11k to $12k in Portland, OR. Of course, if it's not too big for you, the Honda Civic is a great car. I see ~2008 and earlier for under $10k in Portland area craigslist. Roughly the same for a similar-aged Toyota Corolla. For good mileage, good reliability, and good retention of resale value, those are the top two recommendations for a reason. Another option that's within your budget and maybe a bit smaller than those is a Chevy Aveo, ~2008/9 or so for maybe $7k in good condition/low miles. The super-smallest car I know that isn't a Smart is the Chevy Spark. Their fairly rare, but I see a 2013 with 33k on it in Tacoma for $11.5k (and that's a dealer price, so assume you can get it for closer to $10k). Actually that goes for all of the above cars, if it's an advertised price for a dealership, you should assume you can negotiate down at least 10% and maybe more. e. Oh yeah for road noise, every car is different but one thing that gives a lot of noise is the low-rolling-resistance tires that also give good mileage, so there is somewhat of a tradeoff there. If you're willing to compromise 1-3 MPG you can usually get some all-seasons that are rated for low noise. Look on Tire Rack, put in your car's info and look for those to see what it'd cost you.
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Jan 30, 2014 09:19
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Proposed Budget: $1,000-$4,000, flexible if you can give me a really good excuse New or Used: Used Body Style: Likely 2-door How will you be using the car? Commuting (not a long commute.) The occasional few-hour drive. What aspects are most important to you? Stick-shift mandatory. Fun to drive, low cost of ownership. Replacing an '87 BMW that I dearly loved right up until some moron didn't realize wet roads are slippery. Low road noise would be nice. Greatly preferred if the power steering can be disabled.  Help me out, I unfortunately need a replacement pretty dang quickly. 
ZorbaTHut fucked around with this message at 14:23 on Jan 30, 2014 |
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Jan 30, 2014 14:19
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ZorbaTHut posted:Proposed Budget: $1,000-$4,000, flexible if you can give me a really good excuse At this price point, you will have to just look for every manual car on Craigslist in your area, and pick the best one. Recommending a specific model/make isn't a good plan because condition is going to matter way more than anything else. You're looking at cars with either a lot of condition problems, or a lot of miles, or (probably) both. Your best situation is a car that is cosmetically bad (like, poor paint, some dings and dents) but mechanically good (which you can only determine reasonably well by having a mechanic perform a pre-purchase inspection). Do not buy a car with a salvage title, that's a trap. All that said: if you're OK with a convertable, maybe look for a 90's Miata?
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Jan 30, 2014 23:14
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Leperflesh posted:Give Amica a try for your insurance. I love them. Chevy Sonic is a pretty good call, at least for taking a look at.
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Jan 31, 2014 01:08
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ZorbaTHut posted:Proposed Budget: $1,000-$4,000, flexible if you can give me a really good excuse If you're only spending 1-4 grand and your last car was an E30, this probably isn't the thread for you. Anything you find that meets criteria is going to need a significant amount of work. But off the top of my head, I'd look for the least-rusted Volvo 240, Integra, Prelude, CRX, Celica, Sentra SE-R or Isuzu Impulse/Geo Storm I could find. You could also do another E30. Nothing from that era is going to be low road noise. If you really don't care about two seats and want to avoid power steering, the Miata is a good choice. Honestly, if you're hard up for wheels and you need something at that price point, just buy an old W-Body/Crown Vic or similar and flip it for the same amount of money once you find your mint Prelude 2.1Si or whatever the heck you actually want.
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Jan 31, 2014 01:12
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ladyweapon posted:Proposed Budget: $5000 - $10,000 I'd suggest a used Honda Fit be added to the list of recommendations if you're looking for a smaller car; please do not buy a smart as they are terrible in evey regard. There is an insurance thread in Automotive Insanity that you should check out.
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Jan 31, 2014 01:20
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Blitter posted:I'd suggest a used Honda Fit be added to the list of recommendations if you're looking for a smaller car; please do not buy a smart as they are terrible in evey regard. There is an insurance thread in Automotive Insanity that you should check out. If a really tiny horrible car is necessary the Scion iQ is like fifty times better than the smart fortwo.
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Jan 31, 2014 01:49
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I've seen the 135i mentioned a few times and it looks like it fits the bill for what I want. What's the best year? I've read that the fuel pump is problematic but seems to be under warranty by bmw. Any other common problems to be aware of?
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Jan 31, 2014 04:18
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aslewofmice posted:I've seen the 135i mentioned a few times and it looks like it fits the bill for what I want. What's the best year? I've read that the fuel pump is problematic but seems to be under warranty by bmw. Any other common problems to be aware of? I've seen a fair number of complaints about power steering issues on the BMW forums, and there were issues with turbos going out, though it seems to have been mostly with earlier models. You also have the typical "electrical gremlins" which aren't a myth, at least according to Consumer Reports. The 135i ranks below average in the electrical system, climate system and audio system areas. Not much you can do about that, though, except test everything to make sure it works before you buy and then cross your fingers.
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Jan 31, 2014 21:06
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ZorbaTHut posted:Proposed Budget: $1,000-$4,000, flexible if you can give me a really good excuse Look at early 90s Civics and Accords. They're not BMWs but still handle pretty well and have really nice 5-speeds. You're more likely to find an Accord in good condition than a Civic, for obvious reasons, and it'll be better on road noise.
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Jan 31, 2014 21:09
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Faceless Clock posted:Look at early 90s Civics and Accords. They're not BMWs but still handle pretty well and have really nice 5-speeds. You're more likely to find an Accord in good condition than a Civic, for obvious reasons, and it'll be better on road noise. Yeah, it took me over a month to find a civic that wasn't complete poo poo in that range. I wouldn't hold out on finding a good civic.
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Jan 31, 2014 21:28
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Blitter posted:I'd suggest a used Honda Fit be added to the list of recommendations if you're looking for a smaller car; please do not buy a smart as they are terrible in evey regard. There is an insurance thread in Automotive Insanity that you should check out. its kind of hard to find Fits in the 5-10 range. My GF almost bought one for close to ten but between it being posted online and her going to see it a day later, it already sold. My GF eventually bought an Elantra. Its a pretty nice road appliance and it is very well optioned for the price. Also easier to find good prices because it doesn't carry that Toyota/Honda premium.
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Jan 31, 2014 23:02
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an skeleton posted:In general, how does Acura maintenance compare with Hondas? Is it going to be relatively cheap like a Honda's or does the luxury-status mean parts etc. are much more expensive?
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Feb 1, 2014 05:11
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Leperflesh, KYOON GRIFFEY JR, Blitter, & Xguard86, thanks for all the input. It helped a lot  I don't plan on buying a Smart car, its just a point of reference because Portland's Car2Go service exclusively uses them so I've driven one a fair bit. 
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Feb 1, 2014 05:13
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melon cat posted:They're definitely more expensive (and your insurance premiums will be, too). My brother has owned two, and as nice as many Acuras are, servicing the Acura has always been more expensive than the servicing our Civics. Acuras are fun, reliable cars but they are considered to be Honda's higher-end vehicle line. Thanks for the heads up. But as far as back breaking maintenance, how do they compare to the german vehicles (BMW/Benz). I'm moving away from one of those and so I can handle "more than a civic" probably.
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Feb 1, 2014 05:36
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an skeleton posted:Thanks for the heads up. But as far as back breaking maintenance, how do they compare to the german vehicles (BMW/Benz). I'm moving away from one of those and so I can handle "more than a civic" probably.
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Feb 1, 2014 07:19
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melon cat posted:It really depends- are you getting a newer Acura? Because most newer cars across the board, whether it's Acura, BMW, Merc, Honda, are being made in such a way that DIY maintenance is becoming more difficult. I won't get into the reasons why, but that's the way a lot of vehicles are being made these days. I see-- well my friend who buys cars from auction recently got an Acura TSX 2004 with a euro-r body kit, a bunch of options and a really expensive sound system installed in it that he'll sell me for 4500 (I don't think he's actually making a profit off of it). The only downside is 169k miles. Assuming it was well taken care of, could this be a good deal? It's basically everything I want in a car besides the mileage, it's even black on black.
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Feb 1, 2014 22:44
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an skeleton posted:I see-- well my friend who buys cars from auction recently got an Acura TSX 2004 with a euro-r body kit, a bunch of options and a really expensive sound system installed in it that he'll sell me for 4500 (I don't think he's actually making a profit off of it). The only downside is 169k miles. Assuming it was well taken care of, could this be a good deal? It's basically everything I want in a car besides the mileage, it's even black on black. That's a lot for a car with 170k on it regardless of badge or sound systems or whatever if you want it to last. You could do better for that amount.
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Feb 2, 2014 02:09
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IRQ posted:That's a lot for a car with 170k on it regardless of badge or sound systems or whatever if you want it to last. You could do better for that amount. Really? I think the KBB value put it at about 6,000 and thats not taking into account some of the extra stuff.
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Feb 2, 2014 02:18
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an skeleton posted:I see-- well my friend who buys cars from auction recently got an Acura TSX 2004 with a euro-r body kit, a bunch of options and a really expensive sound system installed in it that he'll sell me for 4500 (I don't think he's actually making a profit off of it). The only downside is 169k miles. Assuming it was well taken care of, could this be a good deal? It's basically everything I want in a car besides the mileage, it's even black on black. Sounds like he is convinced aftermarket goodies increase a car's value, which is rarely true. Edmund's says dealer retail is about $4,500 so...$4,500 from a buddy does sound a little steep. With that said, the TSX is a pretty reliable car, and not bad to drive. I'd try to get him to knock a grand off, but I'd go for it at $4,000.
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Feb 2, 2014 02:20
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Faceless Clock posted:Sounds like he is convinced aftermarket goodies increase a car's value, which is rarely true. Edmund's says dealer retail is about $4,500 so...$4,500 from a buddy does sound a little steep. Well, it has some cool stuff that wasn't aftermarket on it too. My edmund's is saying dealer retail 6,367 and private party 5,216 at 170k miles. In any case I'll have a mechanic or two look at it. edit: Here's a base version in my area with 130k miles at 7,995. http://www.edmunds.com/inventory/used/vin.html?vin=JH4CL96814C021531 That's significantly less miles though, I know. an skeleton fucked around with this message at 02:45 on Feb 2, 2014 |
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Feb 2, 2014 02:42
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an skeleton posted:Well, it has some cool stuff that wasn't aftermarket on it too. My edmund's is saying dealer retail 6,367 and private party 5,216 at 170k miles. In any case I'll have a mechanic or two look at it. When you get up to that many miles you're looking at a bunch of stuff just looking to fail on you relatively soon. Even on Hondas/Toyotas. I mean, it could be fine and all, but for sure have it looked at and try to talk him down some.
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Feb 2, 2014 03:53
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IRQ posted:When you get up to that many miles you're looking at a bunch of stuff just looking to fail on you relatively soon. Even on Hondas/Toyotas. I mean, it could be fine and all, but for sure have it looked at and try to talk him down some. http://houston.craigslist.org/cto/4315443828.html Here's the car if it gives any further insight
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Feb 3, 2014 00:00
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an skeleton posted:http://houston.craigslist.org/cto/4315443828.html Pass. That car screams high schooler owned and lots of deferred maintenance
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Feb 3, 2014 04:58
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an skeleton posted:http://houston.craigslist.org/cto/4315443828.html That car looks like it was owned by a teenager. I wouldn't pay very much for a car that was neglected for 176k miles, Honda or not. Body kit hanging loosely, cold air intake? Only thing missing is a fart can exhaust and rimzz. [EDIT] Is the neighborhood in those photos especially nice, or do even working class slobs live in giant homes in Texas? Almost makes me want to move away from the Northeast. goku chewbacca fucked around with this message at 05:09 on Feb 3, 2014 |
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Feb 3, 2014 05:02
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goku chewbacca posted:That car looks like it was owned by a teenager. I wouldn't pay very much for a car that was neglected for 176k miles, Honda or not. Body kit hanging loosely, cold air intake? Only thing missing is a fart can exhaust and rimzz. Homes in Texas, Houston in particular, are hella cheap (relatively). Not sure I'd recommend the move, though I've never lived in the Northeast. Really? You guys think that's a bad deal for 4500, even if it checks out with mechanics?
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Feb 3, 2014 05:21
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That's a lot of air fresheners to cover up something.
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Feb 3, 2014 05:42
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an skeleton posted:Homes in Texas, Houston in particular, are hella cheap (relatively). Not sure I'd recommend the move, though I've never lived in the Northeast. Really? You guys think that's a bad deal for 4500, even if it checks out with mechanics? I'd say it's a problem of risk. Is it worth something if it runs well? Sure. Will it run well? Who fuckin' knows. I was actually at a dealer just today looking at a 2011 Mustang V6 with 40k miles, only $11,999. Is that a good price? You bet your rear end. But it also had an off-color rear bumper and a lovely aftermarket exhaust and god-awful wheels that were curbed in a thousand places. No way I'm going to take a risk on a very questionable maintained car even if it is cheap. If you reaaaaaalllllyyy want it, at least have it inspected thoroughly.
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Feb 3, 2014 07:46
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Hi! I'm shopping around for a new car to replace my aging 2005 Cavalier (2 door sedan, 28,000 miles after 9 years), which is a poorly built car that rattles a lot and has a very noisy engine, and just gives me that feeling that it's a year or two away from falling apart, or at least about to start incurring significant maintenance costs. I know nothing about cars, I hate needing a car, and I hate taking care of them (I never wash mine or vacuum inside, and I change the oil at most twice a year). Proposed Budget: $12,000 - $28,000. My income is ~$55,000/year before taxes, I have a 30 year $129,000 mortgage which has ~$17,000 already paid off after almost 3 years. I had $7,000 in my savings account after the down payment on my house and I am back up to $34,000 now. As you can see, I have a lot of disposable income, and I spend almost none of it. New or Used: preferably new Body Style: I would prefer 4 door and I am interested in a hatchback, but my needs are modest. How will you be using the car?: I have a girlfriend but I live alone. I usually have 0 to 2 passengers and I usually only have a few bags of groceries. My commute to work is 4 blocks (2 minutes). My immediate family is only 3 miles away. I very rarely travel anywhere outside of my town. Thus the low mileage on my current vehicle. I have a smartphone so I don't really need navigation. I live in a suburb of Buffalo NY, so it has to handle snow and ice fairly well. I have a large dog who occasionally travels with me in the back seat. What aspects are most important to you?: Reliability & maintenance costs, MPG is a minor plus. I drive in city traffic almost exclusively. I would like a larger car for convenience. I don't care at all for style or sportiness, but I do appreciate a smooth and quiet ride. I loathe GM and refuse to buy another of their vehicles. Otherwise, I have no great preference as to brand. I test drove a Toyota Camry and hated the entire driving experience; a VW Jetta which I hated even more; a Mazda 6 which was very nice but I felt like my visibility was kind of poor, and I felt that paying for something sporty would short-change me in other areas; a Mazda 3 and thought it was nice but it kind of a shaky/hard ride compared to the Mazda 6, and the weird LCD sticking up out of the dash looked stupid; and a Nissan Altima, which really I liked even though the recommendation in this thread is to stay away from it because of its CVT, interior, and road handling (being a very casual driver who doesn't give a poo poo about cars, I don't really see what the big deal is). I plan on testing a few Hondas and maybe a Ford. I wasn't sure about the South Korean cars and was avoiding them for no good reason. Lately I have been second-guessing myself and thinking that maybe I should be looking at cheaper cars ($12,000-$20,000) because I don't really need an Altima/Camry/Accord/Focus/M6 with my driving habits. Thank you for any suggestions.
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Feb 3, 2014 15:31
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Have you considered a Prius? I'm not sure what bothered you about the Camry, since it sounds like that's exactly the car for you, but hey. As far as Mazda 3s, yes, the ride will always be stiff; they are designed that way.
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Feb 3, 2014 16:53
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an skeleton posted:Homes in Texas, Houston in particular, are hella cheap (relatively). Not sure I'd recommend the move, though I've never lived in the Northeast. Really? You guys think that's a bad deal for 4500, even if it checks out with mechanics? A mechanic can tell you if there's something obviously wrong or very close to failure. They can't easily tell you if the internals are way more worn than they should be for a car that age, because the last owner hammered on it from cold, tried to treat his mom-and-dad sedan like a lightweight sports car, or did something horrifying to the electrical system. The only way to know for sure is to rip the whole thing apart and look inside. If you don't want to pay thousands to inspect a $4500 car, then all you can do is look at what you can see and make a few assumptions. A poorly fitted body kit, lovely do-little "mods," and a bad sound system are generally things you'll find alongside an owner who doesn't treat their car well in general. plushpuffin posted:Hi! I'm shopping around for a new car to replace my aging 2005 Cavalier (2 door sedan, 28,000 miles after 9 years), which is a poorly built car that rattles a lot and has a very noisy engine, and just gives me that feeling that it's a year or two away from falling apart, or at least about to start incurring significant maintenance costs. I know nothing about cars, I hate needing a car, and I hate taking care of them (I never wash mine or vacuum inside, and I change the oil at most twice a year). First of all, stay on top of maintenance even if you don't like it, because it will save you money in the long run (not to mention the potential for being stranded or having your car stuck in a very unpleasant place). Lucky for you, though, most modern-ish cars will remind you about service intervals themselves. Just do what it says and you will come out ahead on money. What did you hate about the Camry and Jetta? The Camry in particular fits a lot of your needs on paper: it's a reliable, boring transportation appliance that sacrifices any hint of sporty handling for a comfortable ride and reasonable price. Knowing what you hated about it would probably go a long way to a better recommendation. A Prius would be another car that would fit your needs very well on paper. The hybrid drivetrain is incredibly simple and reliable, it's good for short trips, it's a four-door with a hatchback and a good amount of room, and you don't care about the downsides (utter lack of any "fun to drive" qualities, mostly).
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Feb 3, 2014 17:02
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Ford Focus? Similar to the Mazda 3, but with a softer ride.
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Feb 3, 2014 17:08
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Thank you for the responses. I like a smooth and quiet ride, and when I took the Camry and Jetta up on the highway and down a badly paved street, there seemed to be a lot of road noise and bumpiness. I'm not a car person so it's all subjective and probably not even objectively true compared to the M6 and Altima, but I felt substantially less comfortable driving them. The Toyota/VW salesman was also the slimiest by far, which may have colored my impression of those cars. I'll try the Prius and Focus, thanks!
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Feb 3, 2014 17:30
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