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Proposed Budget: 7k ideally, but I could go 9 or 10 if needed New or Used: Used Body Style: Small car, sedan or hatchback How will you be using the car?: Basic commuting, about 10 highway miles, occasional trips of an hour or two on average, may eventually drive it back to Chicago from the east coast (only once, it won't be a regular thing). I want a small car for the ease of parking in city spaces, and rarely haul more than myself and one other person. What aspects are most important to you? I really want an aux jack so I can use my phone to stream music or play podcasts. I enjoy good handling and a comfortable interior. I want cruise control and power windows/locks. A sunroof would be great. My current car is a 2000 Civic which I'm just sick of and on it's last legs. I like Mark V Volkswagen Jettas or Rabbits/Golfs and Mazda 3's. Honda Fit seemed roomy on the inside but kind of cheaply made. Are there any other cars I should be considering? I'd say the Mark V Jetta has been my favorite of the ones I've looked at, but I'd appreciate any recommendations.
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Mar 28, 2014 02:25
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Thanks for the help so far, AI+BFC thread. Now that I've been scared off of the Fusion by you guys + CR + random internet reviews, I need another car to look at that checks the "somewhat cheaper than a Legacy but still good" box. Anyone have thoughts on Accord vs. Legacy, maybe from 2010-2012? I'm getting the feeling that a lot of the cars in this class are pretty similar to each other, but I really have no clue what I'm doing.
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Mar 28, 2014 13:53
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Insanite posted:Thanks for the help so far, AI+BFC thread. Now that I've been scared off of the Fusion by you guys + CR + random internet reviews, I need another car to look at that checks the "somewhat cheaper than a Legacy but still good" box. Anyone have thoughts on Accord vs. Legacy, maybe from 2010-2012? I'm getting the feeling that a lot of the cars in this class are pretty similar to each other, but I really have no clue what I'm doing. Why don't you go a class smaller? The Impreza ticks most of your boxes, as does the Mazda3 (hatch not wagon, but still).
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Mar 28, 2014 15:22
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Feel, mostly, plus wanting a little more room for people/music gear. I'm certainly not going to totally discount those cars, but I don't have them at the top of my list.
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Mar 28, 2014 16:41
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Insanite posted:Feel, mostly, plus wanting a little more room for people/music gear. I'm certainly not going to totally discount those cars, but I don't have them at the top of my list. The Mazda5 might be interesting to you.
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Mar 28, 2014 17:47
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I had not explored the sub-horse-sized minivan market. Doesn't look half-bad. There are a few around me--I'll check them out as I do this weekend's car shopping. Thanks!
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Mar 28, 2014 18:05
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So I got a chance to drive the mazda3 and 6, as well as a focus and a fusion. Sadly the only ST was a fiesta in the showroom, so I'll need to give those a go once the dealer gets some but I figured I'd post my thoughts here if it may be helpful for people. The fords really seem to have their poo poo together, the cars feel very well put together and even the lower trimmed interiors really feel great. My main beef with both of this is that electric steering really feels atrocious coming from a nicely weighted Audi steering rack. I'm hoping the STs feel better, hopefully someone can comment on that? The Mazdas, as expected, rode much nicer at least in my opinion. The suspension was firmer and the steering, while electric, felt very competant. The interiors on the other hand just felt cheap, even the decked out grand touring trim just didn't seem up to snuff, and the base mazda3 interior was absolutely dreary. Also, holy gently caress those Taurus's are loving massive. I took one look at it on the lot and decided against it.
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Mar 28, 2014 18:06
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ArgaWarga posted:Proposed Budget: 7k ideally, but I could go 9 or 10 if needed I would suggest you eliminate the aux jack thing from your criterea, just because it'll only cost you two or three hundred bucks to have a new stereo installed in whatever you buy, if it doesn't come with one. You shouldn't eliminate a potentially promising make/model/year if it's otherwise ideal on that basis. A MkV Golf/Rabbit/Jetta is a fine car, but it will come with higher maintenance costs so be aware of that. Mazda 3 is a great choice. Also consider Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, a newer Versa (but that's not as nice an interior or handling), Hyundai Accent, Nissan Versa or Sentra, and I'm sure I'm forgetting some. Basically all of them are going to feel nicer than your old 2000 civic, but exactly how nice an interior or handling you want will eliminate some of the cheaper compacts. At $7k you should be able to find good examples with under 100k miles for most of the above cars.
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Mar 28, 2014 18:47
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Insanite posted:I had not explored the sub-horse-sized minivan market. Doesn't look half-bad. There are a few around me--I'll check them out as I do this weekend's car shopping. Thanks! No problem. The 5 was kind of unloved - too small to compete with actual minivans, too minivan-esque to be cool. But if you don't care about the appearance, it's a very tall and longer Mazda3 with sliding doors and six chairs for a quite competitive price. They are not quick, though.
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Mar 28, 2014 20:39
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What's the oldest I want to go if I'm looking at the Mazda 3 and I have a upper budget limit of 8k?
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Mar 29, 2014 20:22
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Anyone mind sharing opinions on the 2009+ Infinity G37 range? A G37x coupe seems to tick all the boxes I would love to have, with AWD, 2 doors, plenty of power, and nearly nonexistent maintenance costs since I change my own oil.
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Mar 29, 2014 20:50
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My wife and I are looking at buying a Limited Edition Kia Optima. We were originally looking at other cars/crossovers/SUV's, but loved the Optima Limited. So now we're looking at the website and see cash back offers like so: http://www.kia.com/us/en/offers?series=optima&year=2014 To me, this looks like something they do and end every single month to make you buy because of the limited nature. I've failed finding out via Google - does anyone have any idea?
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Mar 29, 2014 22:06
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I am looking for a new car and want some advice. Proposed Budget:$10,000-$14000 (cash if it matters) New or Used:Used Body Style: I would like a 4 door car, we already have a 2013 Ford Escape How will you be using the car?: It will basically sit in the garage most of the week. I may use it to run some errands but the primary use will be driving from Denver to Vail to see my wife the next 2-2.5 years on the weekends. What aspects are most important to you? Gas mileage is kind of important but since most of it will be mountain driving I am not overly worried. AWD is a must(I will not be one of the idiots who get stuck on I70 during a snow storm). Power windows and such is good. Really it is just a car to me. I am going to be getting rid of my wife's old car which I drive since I got her the last escape (an 08). That is a 2002 Saturn SL1 and it is ok but it sucks hard trying to get up the mountains. In the winter it will be even worse. I would love to just keep that car and not buy a new one but my wife will be in Vail for work for 2.5 years and I would like to see her and have it be reliable. I just started looking around and I have a time frame of about the next 2 months. So far I have found one car that looks like it could fit the bill, 2008 Subaru Impreza 2.5i. Thanks for any input and advice. spwrozek fucked around with this message at 03:29 on Mar 30, 2014 |
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Mar 30, 2014 03:26
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spwrozek posted:I am looking for a new car and want some advice. I love my Subaru to pieces. Sounds like an Impreza would be a good fit for you.
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Mar 30, 2014 03:42
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TreFitty posted:My wife and I are looking at buying a Limited Edition Kia Optima. We were originally looking at other cars/crossovers/SUV's, but loved the Optima Limited. So now we're looking at the website and see cash back offers like so: Manufacturers offer different incentives at different times for various reasons, usually tied to inventory levels. If a car is selling like hotcakes they cool off the incentives. If they have excess inventory or want to clear the previous model year out the rebates and incentives start coming out. Model Year 2014's for most manufacturers are going to finishing up their production run pretty soon, so now isn't a bad time to buy. Incentives are available but there's still a good amount of inventory so you can probably find the color/options you want. There is no perfect time to buy a car, find a deal you are happy with and enjoy the new car.
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Mar 30, 2014 03:51
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spwrozek posted:I am looking for a new car and want some advice. I loved my 2007 Subaru Impreza 2.5i before I totaled it. One thing I will say is that the options in the car are pretty basic, although they are plenty functional. Expect 22-26mpg in mixed use for gas mileage. Maybe I'm just jaded but the car linked seems pretty over priced. I know that my 2007 was the earlier body type and all, but I paid $8000 (private party) for it with 75k miles only a year and a half ago.
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Mar 30, 2014 05:32
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ifuckedjesus posted:Maybe I'm just jaded but the car linked seems pretty over priced. I know that my 2007 was the earlier body type and all, but I paid $8000 (private party) for it with 75k miles only a year and a half ago. I agree that the specific one linked is over priced, which is why I am glad I have plenty of time to figure out what to do. Denver/Boulder loves Subaru though and I have noticed that they hold a high price on used vehicles. In this case I would try to get it for $10K.
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Mar 30, 2014 05:48
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spwrozek posted:I agree that the specific one linked is over priced, which is why I am glad I have plenty of time to figure out what to do. Denver/Boulder loves Subaru though and I have noticed that they hold a high price on used vehicles. In this case I would try to get it for $10K. If at all possible delay subaru shopping until late-spring and summer.
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Mar 30, 2014 09:32
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nm posted:If at all possible delay subaru shopping until late-spring and summer. Could you explain more? Like I said I have time to make a decision. Realistically the Saturn can be OK this summer and my wife will probably drive down here more than me up there.
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Mar 30, 2014 15:13
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My dad's looking to buy a car to replace his 1999 Passat and is looking into 2013 Infiniti G37s. I would imagine it should be pretty solid overall as the engine's been around forever, has that Japanese reliability, and I imagine it shares a lot of parts with Nissans. Any thoughts?
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Mar 30, 2014 15:15
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quote:Proposed Budget: <$20k I'm replacing an 05 Chevrolet Malibu. This car will be used in NYC so it needs to be small enough to park in the garage comfortably. AWD is a must for the winters here, the car has to be drat near 100% reliable in all weather. Fuel economy is the next biggest factor. I want diesel or hybrid. I've done some research and so far all I have found that fits both of these needs is the Subaru Imprezza. I'm looking for suggestions for other makes and models so I have something to compare with. This car needs to be fairly new (2012 models and up) and low mileage. I could take up to 20k previous miles.
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Mar 30, 2014 16:34
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spwrozek posted:Could you explain more? Like I said I have time to make a decision. Realistically the Saturn can be OK this summer and my wife will probably drive down here more than me up there. Same reason you buy a miata in the winter. Lots of people driving in snow think "hey I want something with AWD" jacking up demand and prices. They are less likely to think this in the summer because they're thinking "I should buy a convertible."
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Mar 30, 2014 20:04
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spwrozek posted:Could you explain more? Like I said I have time to make a decision. Realistically the Saturn can be OK this summer and my wife will probably drive down here more than me up there. People are stupid and forget winter exists. This matters in places that get real actual winter, like you do.
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Mar 30, 2014 21:09
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IRQ posted:People are stupid and forget winter exists. This matters in places that get real actual winter, like you do. Makes sense, although in Denver it was 70 the last few days. I will go take some test drives and give it some time though spwrozek fucked around with this message at 03:21 on Mar 31, 2014 |
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Mar 31, 2014 00:10
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notZaar posted:I'm replacing an 05 Chevrolet Malibu. This car will be used in NYC so it needs to be small enough to park in the garage comfortably. AWD is a must for the winters here, the car has to be drat near 100% reliable in all weather. Fuel economy is the next biggest factor. I want diesel or hybrid. I've done some research and so far all I have found that fits both of these needs is the Subaru Imprezza. I'm looking for suggestions for other makes and models so I have something to compare with. This car needs to be fairly new (2012 models and up) and low mileage. I could take up to 20k previous miles. May not be an issue depending on howlong you keep the car but Imprezas have big problems with rust which could be a concern in the NE. There aren't many sedans with AWD so you will need to look at hatchbacks and small pseudo SUVs. I think you should look into: - Nissan Juke: Pretty small, gets 25/30 mpg which is quite good. OTOH it looks kind of weird and the turbo engine requires premium although 188hp in a car this size is pretty zippy. - Mitsubishi Outlander Sport: slightly larger than the Juke, comparable fuel economy, cheap, long warranty, but Mitsu dealers are thin on the ground so you might have to really look for one. - Toyota Matrix/Pontiac Vibe: It's really old, gets relatively poor fuel economy and I wouldn't buy it over the other two but I guess it technically fits your requirements. - Jeep Compass: Slightly larger than the others and can be had for quite cheap. fuel economy is slightly worse. Go for the post 2012 redesigned version.
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Mar 31, 2014 03:01
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When you're looking at non-evo Mitsubishis you should probably just buy a subaru. Wait, you want a diesel or hybrid? Looks like you're getting a highlander. They're the blandest of blandmobiles, but the only awd hybrid I can think of.
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Mar 31, 2014 03:25
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nm posted:When you're looking at non-evo Mitsubishis you should probably just buy a subaru. Probably but in this case the Subaru equivalent to the Outlander Sport is the XV which didn't come out until like this year and might be hard to find for the given price. He's buying slightly used, and all the cars in this category have slow as molasses CVTs and chintzy cheap interiors so the Mitsu's interior design aesthetic and poor resale value makes it pretty competitive on all those fronts. quote:Wait, you want a diesel or hybrid? Looks like you're getting a highlander. They're the blandest of blandmobiles, but the only awd hybrid I can think of. There's a few of both, but since the X6 and the Escalade and the V10 TDI Touareg don't really fit his other requirements I'll guess that it's a want and not a need. 
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Mar 31, 2014 03:44
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Yeah performance is a fairly low priority for me in this case. Thanks for the replies, I'll look into those cars.
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Mar 31, 2014 03:56
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Throatwarbler posted:Probably but in this case the Subaru equivalent to the Outlander Sport is the XV which didn't come out until like this year and might be hard to find for the given price. He's buying slightly used, and all the cars in this category have slow as molasses CVTs and chintzy cheap interiors so the Mitsu's interior design aesthetic and poor resale value makes it pretty competitive on all those fronts. Then I'm going to suggest a Suzuki SX4
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Mar 31, 2014 05:24
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Proposed Budget: under 30k New or Used: Used but open to new Body Style: SUV, wagon, hatchback How will you be using the car?: Back and forth from work (about 40 miles each way). Needs to also accommodate 5 people comfortably when bringing kids to school. What aspects are most important to you? Reliability, I'm an ER MD at a place without reliable backup. If I don't get to work chances are people going to the ER won't have a doctor available until whenever my relief can show up. Safety is up next, I'll have 3 kids in the car at times and will be driving on lots of rural, poorly lit roads at all hours regardless of road conditions. I'm also on call for hurricane activations so I need a car that can get me to the hospital in tropical storm force winds and get me home when the worst has passed.
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Mar 31, 2014 15:06
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Full Circle posted:Anyone mind sharing opinions on the 2009+ Infinity G37 range? A G37x coupe seems to tick all the boxes I would love to have, with AWD, 2 doors, plenty of power, and nearly nonexistent maintenance costs since I change my own oil. I own a 2010 G37x Sedan. They are fantastic cars. Great fun to drive, nice and quick, and very reliable. If snow is an issue for you, it is extremely sure-footed with good snow tires. The only downside is the fuel economy, especially if you are driving it like you should. Infiniti are going to release a model refresh of the coupe in 2015 I believe - it'll be renamed the Q60 to be consistent with the G37 sedan becoming the Q50. You can google some pretty good shots of what it should look like. This may or may not impact the price of the G37 coupe as resell. The Q50 does not seem to have significantly impacted the resell value of the G37 Sedan, but you never know.
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Mar 31, 2014 15:56
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Nodelphi posted:Proposed Budget: under 30k Get a new Forester. IIHS top safety pick plus, 5 stars NHTSA, reliable, AWD, 8.7" ground clearance, starts at $23k.
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Mar 31, 2014 16:05
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notZaar posted:Yeah performance is a fairly low priority for me in this case. Thanks for the replies, I'll look into those cars. If your open to another midsized sedan, try to find a 2012 Ford Fusion SEL with AWD. Ticks most of your boxes (except the diesel hybrid), and you should be able to find one under 20K with under 20K miles. The SEL's tend to be nicely equipped as well. Heated seats, yadda yadda. Other than that, you're probably getting a Subaru.
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Mar 31, 2014 17:31
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Full Circle posted:Anyone mind sharing opinions on the 2009+ Infinity G37 range? A G37x coupe seems to tick all the boxes I would love to have, with AWD, 2 doors, plenty of power, and nearly nonexistent maintenance costs since I change my own oil. I test drove a '11 G37 back to back with a 335i, which ruined it for me. The car is nice enough, there are no terrible issues. The engine is a bit agricultural and reluctant to rev, the car is quite large by my standards and I found the interior to be a bit garish. However, they are quick, handle well and you can find them used for a good price.
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Apr 1, 2014 00:33
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Throatwarbler posted:Get a new Forester. IIHS top safety pick plus, 5 stars NHTSA, reliable, AWD, 8.7" ground clearance, starts at $23k. The Outback would also be a good choice for five people. A few inches longer in the wheelbase, otherwise very similar.
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Apr 1, 2014 00:36
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notZaar posted:I'm replacing an 05 Chevrolet Malibu. This car will be used in NYC so it needs to be small enough to park in the garage comfortably. AWD is a must for the winters here, the car has to be drat near 100% reliable in all weather. Fuel economy is the next biggest factor. I want diesel or hybrid. I've done some research and so far all I have found that fits both of these needs is the Subaru Imprezza. I'm looking for suggestions for other makes and models so I have something to compare with. This car needs to be fairly new (2012 models and up) and low mileage. I could take up to 20k previous miles. I am going to question your need for AWD in NYC unless you work at a hospital or something. Think hard about that one - if you get rid of the AWD requirement and throw snows on your car in the winter (I am a broken record), you will open yourself up to a delightful class of small cars which are both cheaper and more fuel efficient - Fit, Yaris, Fiesta, Versa Note, Mazda2, Sonic etc.
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Apr 1, 2014 00:37
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KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:I am going to question your need for AWD in NYC unless you work at a hospital or something. Think hard about that one - if you get rid of the AWD requirement and throw snows on your car in the winter (I am a broken record), you will open yourself up to a delightful class of small cars which are both cheaper and more fuel efficient - Fit, Yaris, Fiesta, Versa Note, Mazda2, Sonic etc. Also Prius C, since he lives in 100% city driving.
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Apr 1, 2014 01:40
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KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:I am going to question your need for AWD in NYC unless you work at a hospital or something. Think hard about that one - if you get rid of the AWD requirement and throw snows on your car in the winter (I am a broken record), you will open yourself up to a delightful class of small cars which are both cheaper and more fuel efficient - Fit, Yaris, Fiesta, Versa Note, Mazda2, Sonic etc. I'm actually picking a car for my sister and she does indeed work in a hospital. She's not budging on the AWD but I did get her to give up the diesel/hybrid engine. She works out of the city which involves a lot of highway driving.
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Apr 1, 2014 02:12
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notZaar posted:I'm actually picking a car for my sister and she does indeed work in a hospital. She's not budging on the AWD but I did get her to give up the diesel/hybrid engine. She works out of the city which involves a lot of highway driving. Impreza hatch, Suzuku SX4 and the Juke are the best options then.
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Apr 1, 2014 02:40
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Isn't the SX4 really terrible reliability wise? Everything I've heard says so but then all of 8 people actually bought the drat thing so I can't tell how much of it is true. Also Suzuki actually isn't around anymore, at least Mitsubishi still is.
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Apr 1, 2014 02:59
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