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Proposed Budget: Ideally 11k out the door, but can go up to 12k or so if I find a really good deal New or Used: Used Body Style: At least a sedan, but a wagon or a small SUV-type vehicle would be great. Maybe a small truck? They seem kinda pointless in the US market though. How will you be using the car?: The biggest reason I want a different car is because I currently have a 2 door Cobalt. Now that I'm living in Bumfuck, WI I'd like to be able to pack a tent, gear, a bike and a kayak up and take some rutted dirt/back roads and camp for a weekend. This Chevy isn't gonna cut it. What aspects are most important to you? Reliability and the ability to handle a load of gear and a roof rack for a kayak. Gas mileage is a plus, but not super important. I'm going to drive where I'm going regardless of cost. Casu Marzu fucked around with this message at 01:02 on Mar 23, 2014 |
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Mar 23, 2014 00:55
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Artemis J Brassnuts posted:Howdy recommendation thread; seeking your thoughts on my situation here. You can get a hell of a nice car for $30k. My dad was looking for a car with similar attributes to yours a couple years ago and opted for an Infinity G37. It's essentially a dressed up Nissan 370z, and you can get them in both sedan and coupe body styles. His has the new smart key, auto with paddle shifters, leather/heated seats, etc. He loves it. MSN auto says 27mg highway. I think I remember my day saying that he gets mid 20's mixed. FYI - it does use premium fuel.
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Mar 23, 2014 01:11
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Artemis J Brassnuts posted:The best contender I came up with was a last-gen Corvette; plenty of power, you can get them with paddles, they have the fancy "shut off cylinders to reduce fuel consumption" devilry and some of the trim packages (I don't recall which) came with magnetically-damped adjustable suspension. Corvettes didn't come with AFM and only the very top trim 2011+ Z06/ZR1s had magnetic suspension. You're not going to be getting that much better fuel economy either, esp. with the automatic. Buy a 2009-2010 C63 AMG. The AMG SPEEDSHIFT (TM) transmission is a torque converter automatic that can still lift up its skirt and scoot when you want it to.
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Mar 23, 2014 04:26
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Casu Marzu posted:Proposed Budget: Ideally 11k out the door, but can go up to 12k or so if I find a really good deal You're getting a Forester!
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Mar 23, 2014 06:45
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ifuckedjesus posted:My dad was looking for a car with similar attributes to yours a couple years ago and opted for an Infinity G37. Throatwarbler posted:Corvettes didn't come with AFM and only the very top trim 2011+ Z06/ZR1s had magnetic suspension. Throatwarbler posted:Buy a 2009-2010 C63 AMG. The AMG SPEEDSHIFT (TM) transmission is a torque converter automatic that can still lift up its skirt and scoot when you want it to.
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Mar 23, 2014 07:31
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Is 100k miles on a vehicle still the "end" of a vehicles life where it starts having issues pop up? Or is there a new number when looking at used cars? Everywhere I look people seem to still be selling vehicles right under that 100k mark. It's an '09 Yukon SLE if it matters. e: Updated year. kloa fucked around with this message at 17:35 on Mar 23, 2014 |
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Mar 23, 2014 17:04
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kloa posted:Is 100k miles on a vehicle still the "end" of a vehicles life where it starts having issues pop up? Or is there a new number when looking at used cars? Good makes will last around 200k or more if taken care of. 100k the car is going to need some repairs from wear and tear, and if you google that car you can find things that commonly need to be replaced.
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Mar 23, 2014 17:18
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ifuckedjesus posted:You can get a hell of a nice car for $30k. I know the G37, Corvette, and Mercedes are in a different class of car, but the new Mazda 3 kind of fits what you're looking for. Under 30k, fun to drive, 32 mpg combined on regular fuel, and the automatic on the S trim has flappy paddles along with the bigger motor. I have an S Touring and I feel like it punches above its weight class.
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Mar 23, 2014 19:11
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What care should I buy? Bumpy roads in the middle of nowhere edition... Proposed Budget: Under 30k New or Used: New or certified-pre-owned couple-years-old Body Style: I don't know  A pickup or an SUV? As long as it seats 4 (or really, 2 people and 2 giant dogs...)How will you be using the car?: So I live in the middle of nowhere in Montana. My wife and I have an '06 Subaru Legacy that is starting to very slightly show it's age and it would be a good idea to have redundant transportation just generally. Being the middle of nowhere, and Montana 4WD/AWD is an absolute must, as is having more than 6" of clearance. We love the poo poo out of our Subaru and are sort of torn between getting a Forester and getting actual pickup or SUV. Ideally as this vehicle would be far more badass, we would use it to drive into the wilderness on poo poo-rear end unimproved roads for camping/hiking/hunting. We don't have a serious need for a pick-up truck bed -- but we would definitely find use for it occasionally. Being able to plow out the ~1 mile from our house to the highway would be great, though just being able to drive over/through 12" of snow would be fine too (we went all winter just driving the Legacy over unplowed roads, except for one storm that we couldn't handle). What aspects are most important to you? Reliability, longevity, and handling lovely backcountry roads, snow, etc. This will not be our primary going-places-on-the-highway transportation, so mileage isn't super-important. I know I haven't narrowed it down all that much, but we would probably be fine with either an SUV or a pickup as long as it meets our other criteria.
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Mar 23, 2014 19:13
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kloa posted:Is 100k miles on a vehicle still the "end" of a vehicles life where it starts having issues pop up? Or is there a new number when looking at used cars? That said, it is a line that matters for getting a loan. It is much cheaper and easier to get a loan on a car under 100k mi. Which is why dealers especially stock more under 100k cars.
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Mar 23, 2014 21:35
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Phone posted:You're getting a Forester! Hahah. Yeah, that is my first pick. Are the contemporaries like the Escape and such worthwhile to even look at? It seems like everyone recommends a Forester overall.
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Mar 23, 2014 23:29
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Casu Marzu posted:Hahah. Yeah, that is my first pick. Are the contemporaries like the Escape and such worthwhile to even look at? It seems like everyone recommends a Forester overall. In your shoes I probably wouldn't be looking at a small SUV/CUV, especially not an Escape, and I owned 2 of them from the last generation. Fine little machines for running around the city, but I wouldn't do anything serious with them. I don't think you can find a decent Toyota Tacoma in your price range, they hold their value stupidly well.. Maybe a 4x4 Nissan Frontier?? Grasping at straws here, because really you're getting a Forester. kloa posted:Is 100k miles on a vehicle still the "end" of a vehicles life where it starts having issues pop up? Or is there a new number when looking at used cars? 100K miles today is mostly a mental thing... It is true though as a vehicle hits it's 6th or 7th year and the 100K mile mark maintenance needs go up. Suspension parts wear out and need to be replaced, interior bits are 6 or 7 years old and plastics start breaking. Major service intervals come due around that time which can be expensive but all these things are expected. If you're prepared for them, it's fine. Now the Chevy truck platform is pretty drat reliable. Their drive trains are solid if properly taken care of. I have a family member with an 2002 Tahoe with over 300,000 miles and aside from replacing parts designed to wear out and normal maintenance the vehicle has done its job very well. It's 12 years old and the leather seats have cracked, and the paint looks like a 12 year old paint job, but it's a very solid vehicle still. My Step Dad put 313,000 miles on a 97 Silverado 1500 before he downsized to a sedan. He was in construction and every day according to him was a "Chevy Truck Commercial" with towing and hauling etc. In those 313K he rebuilt the engine twice and rebuilt the transmission three times. He loved that drat truck. If I was in the market I wouldn't worry about a 2009 Yukon with 100K miles on it as long as I was prepared for the upcoming maintenance obligations. It's going to cost more to maintain than a 2015 fresh off the lot, but your also saving a ton of money.
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Mar 24, 2014 00:08
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I need a car. My 2002 RSX-S bit the dust when some dude ran a stop sign. I loved that car, and it was the only car I've ever had. However, I need a temporary replacement. I'm in grad school and recently got married so money is very tight right now. I'm looking to buy something that costs less than $2000. It only needs to be temporary, because I start working in September, and will be able to get the car I actually want as a replacement after I start working (Cadillac ATS). I need something for the in between time. The RSX was awesome and a ton of fun, and want something in that mold. I was looking at e30's, but they run about $3k, and I'm worried about maintenance issues. Am I searching for the white whale, something fun to drive (don't care about age/mileage whatever) with A/C for under 2k? Here is the breakdown Proposed Budget: $2000 New or Used: Used as gently caress Body Style: I'll take anything, SUV, Truck, Hatchback, anything but a 2 seater sports car really. I have dogs that need to travel with. How will you be using the car?: I live in Houston, so this will be a daily driver urban car. I have a short commute to school everyday (about 4 miles each way), and when I start working, that commute becomes even shorter (1.5 miles each way). It will be used as transportation within the city exclusively. If we need to take longer trips, my wife's car will be used for that. What aspects are most important to you? Most important to me is A/C, and that it will run with very little maintenance cost for at least 6 months. After that, I want something fun to drive and something I can keep as a project after I get a new car in December.
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Mar 24, 2014 18:11
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Sab0921 posted:Proposed Budget: $2000 At this price point, it's impossible to recommend any particular make/model. What you have to do is find any car that costs $2k and is in good mechanical condition. That means it will probably be in lovely cosmetic condition. Use craigslist and find private party cars for sale at $2200 to $2500 (which you will negotiate down to $2000), insist on a Pre-Purchase Inspection at a mechanic near the seller, and do not consider any vehicle with a rebuilt or salvage title. Buy one the mechanic says isn't in need of major service or replacement. The only cars that will fit these criteria will be relatively unpopular cars with bad paint, dents, and deteriorating interiors and 150k miles from the late 90s or early 2000s, or relatively popular cars (compact and subcompact honda and toyota sedans) with bad paint, dents, and deteriorating interiors with 200k+ miles from the early to mid 1990s. The bad news is that even with a car like the one above, you might well wind up needing a multi-hundred-dollar service or repair, within weeks or a couple months of buying. The good news is that it will be a fully-depreciated car so you'll be able to sell it for more or less what you paid for it six months later (although cars usually fetch worse prices in the winter than in the summer). Fun to drive is probably not an option. Being a car you can work on after you get a new one is pretty much guaranteed, but you might not want to, because $2k only buys lovely cars.
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Mar 24, 2014 19:14
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Leperflesh posted:Fun to drive is probably not an option. Being a car you can work on after you get a new one is pretty much guaranteed, but you might not want to, because $2k only buys lovely cars. I don't know that this is really true, I'm in Houston and I've seen my friends buy 3 Miatas for $2500 or less in the last year. Sure they're up there in miles, and no the paint or interiors aren't perfect, but you can definitely find great Miatas for $2k. This was a $2000 flat car: http://imgur.com/a/5EvS0 Here, go buy this late 90s M3? $2000 asking price. Will be expensive to own but not too insane if you do your own work. http://forums.24hoursoflemons.com/viewtopic.php?id=25989 Twerk from Home fucked around with this message at 21:40 on Mar 24, 2014 |
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Mar 24, 2014 19:48
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polpotpotpotpotpot posted:What care should I buy? Bumpy roads in the middle of nowhere edition... Step one is deciding if you want to be able to plow with the thing. If you really want to plow, you can't go wrong with a F150/Sierra 1500/Ram 1500/Silverado 1500. You can get some pretty decent offroad packages on a quad-cab short bed. Or you could do a body-on-frame SUV (Tahoe, Suburban, older Explorer). My personal recommendation would be to find an older quad cab short bed American pickup truck in decent condition. You can use that as your plow vehicle/horrible weather vehicle/camping fun times vehicle. You should also keep the Legacy as a second vehicle.
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Mar 25, 2014 00:49
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Sab0921 posted:I need a car. My 2002 RSX-S bit the dust when some dude ran a stop sign. I loved that car, and it was the only car I've ever had. However, I need a temporary replacement. If you are only keeping it for 6 months buy the most decent Crown Vic you can find. Don't fantasize about keeping something as a fun project car. That is a mutually exclusive goal with your current situation.
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Mar 25, 2014 00:50
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So looks like I'm moving to Mozambique. I need something that will let me drive around wherever I want to go without getting stranded and dying. Proposed Budget: Less than $10,000 New or Used: Used Body Style: SUV How will you be using the car?: Driving around in the mud and deserts of africa with really lovely roads/going off road, in the middle of nowhere with no cell reception. What aspects are most important to you? Not getting stranded in the middle of nowhere during the wet season and dying. Location: Mozambique
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Mar 25, 2014 10:37
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My current car (2004 audi TT V6) is finally starting to show it's age, with some large looming maintenance costs coming up, so I'm looking at buying something new. Proposed Budget: $18k - $25k, possible stretch to $28k. I don't care about the actual cost, so much as the depreciation rate. New or Used: either, but if used: under 30k miles. Other caveat would be a car I can get parts easily for. This is the main reason I'm selling the TT, as the V6 model was a very small production run, and every time something unique breaks it takes 10 days and 10x the price to get it from Germany. Body Style: (e.g. 2 door? 4 door? sedan or coupe, no convertibles. How will you be using the car?: Commuting 2 miles, with bi-weekly 2 hour highway drives. Do you prefer a luxury vehicle with all the gizmos?) Can live without. What aspects are most important to you? -Fun to drive is paramount. I don't need (or want) a track rat, but my TT struck a very good balance of being fun/fast, and still being comfortable enough on long drives. -Looks, although this is subjective -Pandora over bluetooth -FWD/AWD, as I will be using it to commute in Wisconsin. -Nothing with even less storage capacity than my TT. Right now I'm planning on test driving the fiesta and focus ST's, as well as the mazda3 and 6. Some consideration is being made for the 2015 WRX, but I would need to do some more research regarding depreciation in comparison to the other models. I'd be lying if I didn't say that these choices are made entirely on the fact that I love the looks of these redesigned models, so I'm asking here to see if there are some good options I am overlooking. Full Circle fucked around with this message at 13:36 on Mar 25, 2014 |
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Mar 25, 2014 13:32
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Full Circle posted:My current car (2004 audi TT V6) is finally starting to show it's age, with some large looming maintenance costs coming up, so I'm looking at buying something new. What about a used Ford Tuarus SHO? I see lots of under 30,000 mile 2011 Taurus SHOs on Autotrader around me for ~$25k, and 350 lb-ft of torque from 1500 to 5000 RPM should be more than fast enough for you. It's also AWD, with great parts availability because the engine is shared with the F150 and the body with fleet vehicles. On the downside, fuel economy will be pretty terrible and despite being really fast it's never going to be a sports car. I'd definitely go drive one and see for yourself.
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Mar 25, 2014 15:31
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Womens Jeans posted:So looks like I'm moving to Mozambique. I need something that will let me drive around wherever I want to go without getting stranded and dying. You're likely getting the nicest diesel land cruiser you can buy with your budget. But maybe not, as I don't know Mozambique. You want one of what everyone else has for parts availability. But that's probably gonna be LCs.
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Mar 25, 2014 15:36
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Twerk from Home posted:What about a used Ford Tuarus SHO? I see lots of under 30,000 mile 2011 Taurus SHOs on Autotrader around me for ~$25k, and 350 lb-ft of torque from 1500 to 5000 RPM should be more than fast enough for you. It's also AWD, with great parts availability because the engine is shared with the F150 and the body with fleet vehicles. That's actually a good option I hadn't considered, so thank you. My only reservation is to get one with decent mileage (at least where I am) it ends up awfully close in price to a 2015 WRX, which I prefer the look of, even if the interior isn't on the same level. EDIT: I did find a few more in my price range, and I think I'll try and find one to test drive. My only real reservation is the sheer size of the thing. Anyone have reccomendations for something a bit smaller? I'd prefer something in the range of say a fiesta to a fusion Full Circle fucked around with this message at 17:35 on Mar 25, 2014 |
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Mar 25, 2014 15:44
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Motronic posted:You're likely getting the nicest diesel land cruiser you can buy with your budget. But maybe not, as I don't know Mozambique. You want one of what everyone else has for parts availability. But that's probably gonna be LCs. At least on the other side of the continent, LWB Defenders, Hiluxes and Pajeros are pretty common.
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Mar 25, 2014 15:59
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KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:Step one is deciding if you want to be able to plow with the thing. If you really want to plow, you can't go wrong with a F150/Sierra 1500/Ram 1500/Silverado 1500. You can get some pretty decent offroad packages on a quad-cab short bed. Or you could do a body-on-frame SUV (Tahoe, Suburban, older Explorer). Thanks, but why not a Tacoma?
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Mar 25, 2014 16:53
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polpotpotpotpotpot posted:Thanks, but why not a Tacoma? There's nothing wrong with them if you want to pay the Toyota tax.
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Mar 25, 2014 17:38
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Full Circle posted:That's actually a good option I hadn't considered, so thank you. My only reservation is to get one with decent mileage (at least where I am) it ends up awfully close in price to a 2015 WRX, which I prefer the look of, even if the interior isn't on the same level. Hi me-from-six-months-ago! I went from an 03 TT to a focus ST and it's awesome. If you want something smaller the Fiesta ST also owns. Hatch format is not for everyone, but your instincts are steering you in the right direction.
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Mar 25, 2014 18:20
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Full Circle posted:My current car (2004 audi TT V6) is finally starting to show it's age, with some large looming maintenance costs coming up, so I'm looking at buying something new. I'd say start with driving a Focus ST and see where you want to go from there. There are options for faster/bigger/nicer out there. The dealer near me is doing 4K off Focus ST's all day every day so that will help take some of the initial depreciation sting away. RE: Taurus SHO I just traded in a Fusion Sport on a 2013 Taurus SHO that I picked up for 28.5K with only 18K miles. Original MSRP was 47K and it's got all the gadgets installed, even massaging seats. It's a big rear end car that feels really small inside. My old Fusion probably had the same amount of usable room in it. The trunk is massive though, in like 5 dead hookers massive. I had to move some stuff in my garage to get it to fit. My wife drives a Ford Explorer Sport and the Taurus is 6 inches longer than it, a loving 3 row SUV. In short the SHO is a neat car for what it is, but probably not what you're looking for. Fuel economy so far in the SHO has been around 21.5MPG with a 70/30 highway/city split.
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Mar 25, 2014 19:02
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The Taurus has a center console that appears to be designed to fit a complete Viper drivetrain despite it being a fwd sedan. Half the cars problems would be solved if it just had front bench seats and a column shifter. How about a Regal GS? It's got pretty much every fwd handling trick that exists, descent power, a nice interior and since the regal was never a huge seller for GM and there are probably 6 GM dealers within 25 miles of you there should be good deals to be had. There's also Acuras if you want to pay the Honda tax for no reason.
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Mar 26, 2014 02:03
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polpotpotpotpotpot posted:Thanks, but why not a Tacoma? You can probably buy two F-150s for the same price.
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Mar 26, 2014 03:14
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Delivery date for my car is approaching. I'm going to assume Mazda sorted out their rust issues on 2014 models. Still my dealer is insisting that I get rust proofing to protect my car. Is it worth it? (I live in Canada where the roads are like the dead sea every winter.)
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Mar 26, 2014 04:10
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No. Just wash the car occasionally when it gets above freezing and the roads are clear.
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Mar 26, 2014 04:23
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KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:No. Just wash the car occasionally when it gets above freezing and the roads are clear. So in spring, then.
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Mar 27, 2014 03:57
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Alright, my wife and I suddenly have to buy a second car. Aaaah! Proposed Budget: <$15000 New or Used: Used Body Style: Mid-sized sedan or station wagon. In an ideal world, I'd go smaller, but there are just so many SUVs + trucks locally that I don't want to feel all tiny and vulnerable .How will you be using the car?: I live in Massachusetts, so snow happens, but it doesn't wig me out so much that I demand AWD or anything. Daily commute is about 15 miles each way, half of which is highway. Occasional ~200 mile trips to see the in-laws. Being able to fit a mid-to-large dog or some guitar/bass equipment would be a plus. What aspects are most important to you?: I want great safety, and I'd rather have recent safety innovations that not. Reliability is a big deal, though I don't mind fixing cheap/easy niggling things as long as nothing major (that would, say, compromise safety) is apt to break. Fuel efficiency is a semi-important--if it weren't, I think I'd be looking at older Outbacks (the new ones aren't necessarily in my budget and have become a bit large for my tastes). Infotainment/gadgets/navigation are nice, but those are just about the last things I'd use to make a decision. The actual last thing is style. Ugly or boring is okay.
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Mar 27, 2014 15:28
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Insanite posted:Alright, my wife and I suddenly have to buy a second car. Aaaah! Pretty sure a Subaru Legacy would work perfectly for you.
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Mar 27, 2014 16:24
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Insanite posted:Alright, my wife and I suddenly have to buy a second car. Aaaah! Smaller cars aren't significantly less safe, so if you're concerned about practical safety, then don't worry about that. If it's entirely the feeling of safety, then yes, mid-size is good. Mazda6 wagon might be a good choice.
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Mar 27, 2014 17:22
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Those happen to be two of the cars I've been considering, along with the Fusion, though I've read about some throttle body issues that freak me out a little. I wanted to come into the thread with an open mind, though. Is it more complicated than more weight + more material between you and something else in a crash = more safety? Man, cars are hard.
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Mar 27, 2014 17:42
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Insanite posted:Is it more complicated than more weight + more material between you and something else in a crash = more safety? Man, cars are hard. You basically want the newest, most recently refreshed car in your budget if safety is a huge priority. Each fresh redesign of cars is significantly safer than the last, and yes in general larger usually safer unless you're hitting something entirely unyielding, like a concrete wall.
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Mar 27, 2014 17:49
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Insanite posted:Is it more complicated than more weight + more material between you and something else in a crash = more safety? Man, cars are hard. Nowadays, yes. It all depends on how the car is set up to absorb the shock of impact. If all the energy is dispersed in the car body crumpling (or with the metal properly treated), there will be less rattling around of you the passenger. As I understand it, the older cars from decades past just went with the "more than=better". Example youtube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ULm6QrC428
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Mar 27, 2014 17:51
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Insanite posted:Those happen to be two of the cars I've been considering, along with the Fusion, though I've read about some throttle body issues that freak me out a little. I wanted to come into the thread with an open mind, though. Very much so, yes. Certain parts of vehicles are now designed to be stronger or less strong to help spread impact in crashes. Also, new cars utilize much stronger materials than cars of even a decade ago in much grater proportions.
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Mar 27, 2014 21:47
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My main concern with the fusion would be transmission issues on the 2010-2011 models with the 2.5l and 3.0l. At this point you can get a NEW 2014 Chrysler 200 V6 for around 15 after incentives if you look hard enough. They fit your criteria and are pretty reliable, you've got the warranty and they are as safe as anything else you can get for that price. They are cheap because they are boring and ugly and also a little small on the inside. Throatwarbler fucked around with this message at 00:57 on Mar 28, 2014 |
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Mar 28, 2014 00:54
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