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Wasting posted:What do people think about cross-border buying? The price disparity between Canada and US makes buying in the latter kind of attractive, but I've heard that dealers are discouraged from selling to non-residents. I also have no idea what would be involved with customs/taxes. I imported a Subaru a few years ago and the process was relatively smooth, but there are some catches: 1) Many manufacturers void their warranty for exported cars. This is the first thing that you should check 2) Many, many dealers won't sell to you if they know you're going to export it because the manufacturers told them not to. You need their help, because... 3) ... there's some extra paperwork involved. You need a letter from the manufacturer stating that there are no outstanding recalls for your vehicle. 4) Not all vehicles are eligible to be imported. There's a list here. 5) There's a $195 fee, plus tax, at the border. 6) You will need to arrange insurance and a temporary plate for the trip home. 7) You will need to get it inspected when you get home. Canadian Tire can do this. Generally you'll be fine, but you will need to have DRLs turned on if they aren't already. 8) When you plate it, you will pay the full taxes then so you're not escaping those. 9) You'll have to arrange your own financing or pay cash. I did it when the dollar was at ~parity, after years of CAD being lower and before the manufacturers really started to clamp down on exporting. YMMV and expect to do a bunch of extra legwork to find someone willing to sell to you. Buying a used car to export is easier because the dealers don't put as many roadblocks in your way, and even if they won't sell you a new car will often be happy to sell you a used one.
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Apr 15, 2014 14:02
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IRQ posted:Is there any reason you would be looking at Mazda 2s and not 3s? 3s are much better cars and not much more expensive used. Around here at least, used 2s are a bad prospect because the base price is so low that they don't depreciate enough for it be a buyer's market, without even taking into account how horrendously underpowered they are. I suppose the thought was that the Mazda3s felt like more than I needed. However, it's true, they aren't much more expensive than the 2s and there's a lot of used 3s nearby. Uncle Jam posted:Is a hatch that much more important to you that you'd get a Fit instead of a Civic? Fits are super small and your budget could land you a 08-10 Civic. I've owned sedans in the past and always had trouble fitting stuff in the back seat. I'd like something that would fit ski/snowboard gear alright as well as potentially be a roomy vehicle when I eventually got a dog. nm posted:That is why you don't buy the automatic. The stick sucks less of the available horsepower and the gearing (thanks to having 1 more cog) is much better. The manual 2 is certainly not fast or quick, but I have never had an issue in sane driving where I needed more horsepower, though I have a turbo subaru for when i want to be stupid. I've driven a manual vehicle, like, twice in my life. I'd love to learn, so good to know that automatic isn't fun for the Mazda2. Althoooooough, I live in the Pacific Northwest. They don't salt the roads as much as other parts of Canada, but it's definitely a yearly thing. Also, I live in one of the wettest places in Canada. So, uh, after doing some more research, I'm a little less interested in Mazda. Though I'd read that they had extended their rust warranty to 8 years in 2012. Also, I will take a look at the Yaris. And I will never buy an ex-car rental. And I'm gonna look at some Civics--hatchback isn't an absolute must. And I will never buy an ex-car rental. Thanks for the advice.
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Apr 15, 2014 23:24
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Proposed Budget: $8000-$12,000 New or Used: Used Body Style: Midsize, possibly a small SUV How will you be using the car?: Year round daily driver in the midwest, mainly commuting 30 miles/day to work, with bi-weekly 150 mile trips in the summer. Do you prefer a luxury vehicle with all the gizmos?: Nope, aux-in & cruise is all I need, and I can add aux-in later if needed. What aspects are most important to you?: MPG, Reliability, cost of ownership/maintenance, I'm looking for a reliable, safe car with decent mpg. I'm driving a bare bones 2000 S-10 now with 110,000 miles on it, but I'd like a little better fuel mileage & something newer/more reliable. I did (maybe stupidly) just put a new transmission in the S-10, otherwise it is mechanically sound & well maintained, other than significant rust in the rear quarters. Am I stupid to sell my s-10 for little more than I have in the transmission? If I replace it, I'm at a loss as to what to look at, as there's nothing that jumps out at me at first glance.
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Apr 17, 2014 15:11
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Proposed Budget: $6,000-8,000 New or Used: Used Body Style: Definitely want a 2 or 4 door hatchback/crossover. How will you be using the car?: Daily driver in the city in the mid-west in the winter and somewhat in the summer when not on the scooter. Occasional road trips 1-6 hours away. I put about 7k miles a year on a car. Will use until it becomes unfit to drive, so something to last me 10 years, possibly more. What aspects are most important to you? Reliability is most important followed by MPG then size. My commute is only 10-15 minutes so I could care less about how fun it is to drive, but something comfortable for long stretches would be ideal. I have two dogs (possible third in the future) and like to travel with them. Current 4-door sedan (98 Toyota Corolla, 173k miles) isn't satisfying the need for a safe dog hauler that I can put in a dog crate. Also, more room for camping gear for some car camping/trips to the woods. Biggest complaints about my current car is the engine power and the size. It's just too small. A gust of wind knocks it around easy. I do love with all it has been through it's still running and can probably hit 200k+, but the body is extremely dented on all sides, both turn signals are busted out, the suspension needs fixing, there's something up with the steering column and the power steering is starting to go so it's time to junk/part it and start again. On my list right now is the Toyota Matrix/Pontiac Vibe, so yes the Corolla hatchback, but posting here to see if there's anything else I could give a consideration to? Also want to look at Mazda3 and a used Fit. Drove a newer Yaris as a rental last year and way too small. Is the Matrix iffy in the earlier years? My research says the difference between their introduction and the newer ones is a big difference. Also thoughts on salvage titles (like this) if I want to get comprehensive/collision? DUI on my record from 4 years ago too so insurance really hates me. Was planning on getting a carfax with any salvage titles. cheese eats mouse fucked around with this message at 16:07 on Apr 17, 2014 |
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Apr 17, 2014 15:47
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Outlaw Mailman -It's hard to give a recommendation without more specific information. You can't really go wrong with a midsized sedan built after 2006 or so. We're in a very nice, almost 'golden age' of vehicles where almost all cars will be solid performers up to and past 150,000 miles if factory recommended maintenance is performed. Chevy and Dodge's offerings aren't terribly exciting in the midsized sedan space, but you can find a good value there. The Accord/Camry/Sonata imports are all solid choices as well. As for small SUV's, Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V are both solid choices. Imports tend to carry a premium over a comparable domestic brand vehicle, but I'm not a huge fan of the Ford Escape and Dodge Journey's that are going to be available in your price range. I don't know enough about the Chevy Equinox to give an opinion on it. A cousin had a 2010 for about 2 years and it seemed pretty nice but they didn't keep it very long before moving on to a minivan. Other than that, go test drive some cars, see what you like and what you don't like. A car that wins on paper you might hate in person. Back in the day I really wanted an RSX when they came out, but I test drove one and the lack of center console/armrest drove me nuts. It was the best car on paper, but I couldn't live with it. cheese eats mouse posted:Proposed Budget: $6,000-8,000 A few comments before the recommendations... Your price range is going to put you into 6 or 7 year old car territory, expecting it to last another 10 (for a total of 17) without major maintenance issues (similar to your current vehicle) is not really realistic. The Toyota Corolla is generally regarded as the gold standard of driving appliances and as you now know even those need major work after a while. Your current vehicle is roughly 17 years old depending on when it was manufactured, so I guess if your next car can last as long you'll be happy. Salvage titles - Avoid unless you personally know the person that fixed the car. There are way too many shadetree auto repair guys out there that make money flipping these kinds of cars. Unless you know exactly what happened and how it was fixed... avoid. Your current list of cars is the general recommendation for your wants. Mazda 3 hatch, Fit, maybe consider a Prius. skipdogg fucked around with this message at 16:16 on Apr 17, 2014 |
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Apr 17, 2014 15:59
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Throatwarbler posted:Proposed Budget: 27,000 - 50,000 AED (~$7k - $14k USD) if the right deal came along. So to conclude this post, the 'rents had some other priorities for a while but finally started shopping in earnest a few days ago. Well, they really just ended up looking at one car - a 2012 Volvo XC60 T5 Comfort which they ended up buying after just a day of deliberation. It was bought off some nice folks moving back to the UK for a good price. Car is in great shape and exactly what they need - FWD, lower trim level without any fancy gadgets except for Blind Spot Monitor and memory seats. No lovely Haldex rear diff to leak and no other fancy electric/hydraulic poo poo to break. The "T5" drivetrain is essentially the 2.0l Ford Ecoboost engine, as found in the top spec Fusion and Escape, but not the hi-po version from the Focus ST. Mated to a Getrag 6 speed wet clutch DSG, which seems to be only used in some European diesel Fords and Chryslers, and also (modified for AWD) in the Lancer Evo X. As far as I can tell from research both engine and trans are quite solid which is more than can be said for either of the transverse inline-6 engines that the US model gets, so that's another bullet dodged. Car was bought with 16k km on the clock and 1 year of factory warranty and free service left for USD$24k all-in.
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Apr 17, 2014 17:48
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skipdogg posted:Outlaw Mailman -It's hard to give a recommendation without more specific information. To add to the salvage title advice here, which is very good, any time you see the word "frame" in a salvage title description run the gently caress away.
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Apr 17, 2014 19:02
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Proposed Budget: $10000-$15,000 New or Used: Used Body Style: Midsize SUV / Decently sized hatchback ok. I'm 6'2 and my legs are long. My girlfriend currently drives an 04 VW Golf and it's like just barely too small for me. Driving is borderline tight, passenger seat is uncomfortable for trips longer than 20 minutes. How will you be using the car?: Year round daily driver in northern Vermont. 4wd not necessary as I won't be anywhere remote or rural (Burlington). Expecting to put 10-20 miles a day possibly less. Do you prefer a luxury vehicle with all the gizmos?: Not picky. Extras are nice but I'd rather pay for MPG. What aspects are most important to you?: MPG, Reliability, Potential Storage I currently drive an 04 Jeep Wrangler SE (2.0L, 4wd, super basic) I removed the carpets shortly after buying it. They've almost never been used. It's beginning to take a toll on my wallet as every 3 months something new is breaking on it. It's currently in the shop to have the oil pump replaced. I feel like I'm running out of <$1000 repairs to make. The biggest thing I've had to fix was a tooth broke off a pinion that connected the drive-shaft to the rear axle. That set me back around $2000. I'm currently in TN however as soon as my pump is fixed I'm on my way to VT for a few years. I'd like to sell it when I get up there (Or trade it in I suppose). My biggest hurdles right now are I don't know what to get or whether to try and sell it for cash and then see a dealer or just trade it in. I know the resale value on jeeps is relatively high, but I'm not sure if I'd have an easier time just going right to the dealer and eating whatever difference I'd see in selling it outright. As far as what to get: I have no idea. I want storage. I bought my jeep when I was 23 and it's been great. I'm 30 now and having a 'fun' vehicle just isn't cutting it. My dog loving hates the thing, so taking him anywhere is out of the question. My girlfriend hates driving it. It has a minimal amount of room to store much of anything in and it's not very secure. As far as getting me to work and back it's been great. It's also great at letting me take the top off when it's nice out. The pros end there. I think I've used 4wd twice in the 7 years I've owned it. I'm interested in a mid sized SUV or a decent sized hatchback (Like a suburu of some sort perhaps? Something larger than an 04 golf) I'd like to be able to move poo poo if I need to. I'd like my dog to not be scared shitless driving in my car. And I'd like to get more than the 20mpg I currently get.
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Apr 19, 2014 03:17
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Proposed Budget: $15-$30,000 (preferably around $20kish) New or Used: Used Body Style: Hatchback or smaller sedan. How will you be using the car?: Daily driver - probably average 200km's a week. What aspects are most important to you? Probably reliability, in that I don't want poo poo to be constantly breaking as I (a) don't have the technical know how and (b) don't have any room to actually fix anything (apartment living). Hey goons, I'm currently looking at purchasing a car at the end of the year, maybe a little sooner. I'm looking for a car that is sporty (even if it's just quick 0-100 km/h), however, unfortunately it has to be an automatic as my girlfriend doesn't want to drive a manual (she has a sort of legitimate reason, but I'd prefer not to go into it tbh). I know there's golf GTI, but I know they're not the best reliability wise..But that's around the size I'm looking for. I guess it's worth noting that I live in Australia, so a lot of the typical suggestions (G37's etc) aren't viable. Should I just buy a Mazda 3? HALP GOONZZ!!1!
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Apr 19, 2014 06:12
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Guni posted:Proposed Budget: $15-$30,000 (preferably around $20kish) I don't know how AUD spend, but you can get a very nice new Mazda 3 for your price range in USD, or quite nice used for your ideal point. They are not, however, fast. They are very fun and sporty slow cars in their class to drive, but they aren't setting the world on fire as far as 0-60. The Mazdaspeed 3 might do you better in that respect, but it's manual. e: get one with the Skyactiv tech for sure, which I think started in '11 or '12, better MPG and power, and you can afford it. IRQ fucked around with this message at 02:17 on Apr 20, 2014 |
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Apr 20, 2014 02:14
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How terrible of an idea is it to buy some car with more than 100k miles on it? I'm looking to find an 06 to 09 vw rabbit, but the 4 door models are hard to find with less than 100k miles are scarce. Thanks! Ninja edit: when I say over 100k, I mean like 105k. Not like 150k.
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Apr 20, 2014 02:24
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ArgaWarga posted:How terrible of an idea is it to buy some car with more than 100k miles on it? Those particular cars all have just over 100k on them because the person who is selling them just found out how much it costs for the periodic maintenance they are overdue for (namely a water pump and timing belt). If you buy one like that at a sufficient discount knowing what it will cost to get this done it could work out. But that has everything to do with how the car was maintained (hint: someone dumping it 20-30k miles after a critical periodic maintenance item was skipped because they're terrified it's gonna let lose and wreck things any day now isn't really a good sign). Motronic fucked around with this message at 02:37 on Apr 20, 2014 |
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Apr 20, 2014 02:35
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Proposed Budget: 24,000-29,000 CDN New or Used: Either Body Style: Crossover (I live in midwestern Canada. It snows here) How will you be using the car?: I'm mostly about getting from A-B. I like a nice comfortable interior, good passing power, and a quiet ride. I like me a touch screen and silly extras in the cabin. Basically I have it narrowed down to a few models: Subaru XV Crosstrek Toyota RAV4 Ford Escape Mazda CX5 VW Tiguan The Subaru seems okay, but gets a lot of critical hate. The RAV4 is the least appealing aesthetically, and the Tiguan is really only in my range used, which is fine. The Ford and the Mazda I really don't know a thing about. I'm fairly brand agnostic, I'm just not sure about the anecdotal quality of these guys. I need something that doesn't bottom out in a conservative enclave that won't spend money on snow removal because taxes are the devil.
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Apr 20, 2014 04:43
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You may want to look at the Hyundai Santa Fe, as well.
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Apr 20, 2014 04:52
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WHERE MY HAT IS AT posted:You may want to look at the Hyundai Santa Fe, as well. This is an emotional stance, but I worked for Hyundai for a bit and the things I saw turned me off their products forever. Like being really conscious of eating at restaurants after working in a kitchen.
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Apr 20, 2014 04:56
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I have a 13 escape and it is pretty nice, no real complaints.
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Apr 20, 2014 05:19
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IRQ posted:I don't know how AUD spend, but you can get a very nice new Mazda 3 for your price range in USD, or quite nice used for your ideal point. They are not, however, fast. They are very fun and sporty slow cars in their class to drive, but they aren't setting the world on fire as far as 0-60. The Mazdaspeed 3 might do you better in that respect, but it's manual. Thanks  .Initially I was looking at WRX's (around '08-'11 models) to give you some insight into what type of car I was after, but after the girlfriend veto'd anything manual, I'm sadly looking at automatics, as we have to share a car (1 car family) and our current car is a large 4wd and manual - which she hates, because she can't drive a manual (and even if she could, it's "too big").
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Apr 20, 2014 05:32
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StoicRomance posted:Basically I have it narrowed down to a few models: Any reason for the XV over the Forester, and I don't see you saying anything good-or-bad about the Honda CR-V? I think there's one goon in AI with a CX-5 that likes it. I test-drove one and it seemed fine, but they were at $3k more than the CR-V and there wasn't $3k of extra car there IMO.
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Apr 20, 2014 05:35
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Just stopping by to thank this thread. I know there was a lot of discourse and at least one of y'all was disappointed but I just took delivery of a 2014 BMW 550i sedan and it is glorious.
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Apr 20, 2014 06:32
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IOwnCalculus posted:Any reason for the XV over the Forester, and I don't see you saying anything good-or-bad about the Honda CR-V? I think there's one goon in AI with a CX-5 that likes it. I test-drove one and it seemed fine, but they were at $3k more than the CR-V and there wasn't $3k of extra car there IMO. The XV/Forrester and CR-V arguments are the same: styling. I just think the XV looks better, and the CRV just has that weird back end. Not really good reasons, but I have the RAV4 on there for the sensible choice. spwrozek posted:I have a 13 escape and it is pretty nice, no real complaints. How does it drive? How are the entertainment systems? Interior noise?
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Apr 20, 2014 06:35
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Guni posted:Initially I was looking at WRX's (around '08-'11 models) to give you some insight into what type of car I was after, but after the girlfriend veto'd anything manual
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Apr 20, 2014 07:23
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Artemis J Brassnuts posted:Point of order: WRX's come in auto; it's the STI that was manual only. Yeah, but 'round these parts, the only WRX's that are auto's are '02ish models, which I'd prefer not to go that old TBH and the fact they're $20k, which means my dreams of a WRX aren't going to happen at this time  .
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Apr 20, 2014 08:03
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I'm batting this around because my current car situation doesn't fit my life at all. Proposed Budget: Trade 2010 VW Jetta TDI (43k miles) + 2001 F250 4x4 Diesel (234k miles, new transmission + tires, gooseneck hitch + brake controller) New or Used: New Body Style: Sedan or Hatchback How will you be using the car?: I work from home and 99% would be short errand trips in stop and go traffic which is exactly not what the truck and manual transmission turbodiesel Jetta are good at. I was thinking a hybrid or or even a plug-in hybrid would be ideal, but a standard gas engine would be the better choice because I'm probably never going to burn enough fuel to make up the difference (I seriously drive ~5k per year with rare long-distance trips). I would prefer something that I could shove my bike into without trouble and with good visibility, so i was thinking perhaps a well equipped manual transmission Focus hatchback (I've driven the Focus SE hatch and besides for the absurdity of SYNC found it nice). I'm thinking I could dump any leftover cash (would that be realistic?) into an account and call that my "if I need a truck I can rent one" fund. But then the ecoboost engine might have the same "short trips are godawful for it" situation too. Alternate option: keep VW, sell truck, put money in maintenance fund to deal with the higher wear on the turbodiesel from constant short trip driving and cover occasional rental costs. Shifty Pony fucked around with this message at 22:42 on Apr 20, 2014 |
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Apr 20, 2014 21:10
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Proposed Budget: $18-25k New or Used: Used preferably, around 3-4 years old Body Style: Light truck What aspects are most important to you? Something in the vicinity of reasonable gas mileage for a truck. I just need something for a short daily commute to work with a truck bed. 4wd isn't absolutely necessary, but I used it enough in my old (now dead) Dakota that I'd like to have it. Other then that, all I care about is power windows and ac. I've been nudging around something like a Tacoma but I don't know much about small trucks.
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Apr 20, 2014 23:00
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StoicRomance posted:How does it drive? How are the entertainment systems? Interior noise? I think it handles really well. Good turn radius, parallel parks very easily, has good get up and go on the highway. Living in Denver it handles the mountains easily, the engine is great on the climbs. Manual mode is nice for downshifting on the descents. We have the touch screen with the navigation which is pretty nice. It gives terrible directions but is nice for picking up cross streets ahead of time when you are not familiar with the area and so you know the speed limit. Sync leaves a bit to be desired but typically works well enough. It is a quite ride for sure. The sound system is OK for stock. Since it is AWD all the time the gas milage leaves a bit to be desired. We only average 25 mpg. A nice car all around though.
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Apr 20, 2014 23:07
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GAY KARATE MAN posted:Proposed Budget: $18-25k Any particular reason a wagon or crossover wouldn't work for the cargo space?
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Apr 21, 2014 19:30
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GAY KARATE MAN posted:Proposed Budget: $18-25k Unless there's a terribly compelling reason to get a "small" truck, I'd steer you to a normal half-ton. You could probably get a slightly used Ram 1500 with that sweet sweet IRS and Rambox and all that poo poo for somewhere on the lower end of your price range. poo poo, with truck incentives the way they are, you can probably get a new half-ton for that kind of money. In my area, the listed offer through Ram is $3k on a new Tradesman 4x4 1500 with an 8 foot bed and the power equipment group, which brings your total price down to about $23k plus TTR.
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Apr 21, 2014 22:32
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Friar Zucchini posted:Any particular reason a wagon or crossover wouldn't work for the cargo space? That's the way I was leaning originally, and still may lean. The problem is a lot of it tends to be garbage and "outdoor remodelling waste" type stuff which I wouldn't necessarily want inside. Maybe I could just put down a tarp  KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:Unless there's a terribly compelling reason to get a "small" truck, I'd steer you to a normal half-ton. You could probably get a slightly used Ram 1500 with that sweet sweet IRS and Rambox and all that poo poo for somewhere on the lower end of your price range. Well, mainly because the area where I do most of my driving is urban enough to making steering a behemoth through a parking lot a big pain in the rear end, plus I had assumed that the gas milage would be horrific compared to something lighter. You make a good enough point though that I'll do some checking into regular trucks which I hadn't really considered. Plus I can cover it with american flags and stuff. After posting this and poking around it looks like the Tacoma and Frontier are the only real compact truck options left. Maybe it's time to go back to the drawing board. sharknado slashfic fucked around with this message at 01:17 on Apr 22, 2014 |
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Apr 22, 2014 01:11
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The light truck market died a long time ago, I think its a combination in the way CAFE is laid out and market space.
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Apr 22, 2014 02:40
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The Colorado is coming back, but the current market of half tons gets the same kind of mileage as the old compact trucks, if you don't get a V8.
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Apr 22, 2014 02:47
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Proposed Budget: Au $7000 max (US$6.5k) New or Used: Used Body Style: Station Wagon or crossover (Large enough to sleep in the back if I need to) How will you be using the car?: Daily driver. Traveling either short distances or around 50km (30 mile) trips on sealed roads but would like the flexibility to travel long distances and on dirt roads. I don't need to travel off-road. If possible not having a massive turning circle. Do you prefer a luxury vehicle with all the gizmos? As long as it has aircon I am fine. What aspects are most important to you? Reliability and economy. Automatic. Basically I am living in a hub town in coastal rural australia and would like to be able to explore the area, go to festivals or gigs and take some equipment and sleep in the back. I have been looking into the Subaru Forester (2000-2005ish) and Toyota Camry/Corolla (late 90's) as options based on what people suggest, but I have realised I know next to nothing about cars and wanted to see if you guys had any suggestions or things to watch out for. This will be my first car if that matters. #Note: I also posted in the AI Subaru thread looking for advice. Perpetual Hiatus fucked around with this message at 11:38 on Apr 22, 2014 |
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Apr 22, 2014 11:34
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I have a company car and my girlfriend has a Pilot that is great for the family, but I'm looking at buying a "fun" car to play with on the weekends. Budget: is probably going to be in the $10-15k range. Type: Was considering something like a fox-body Mustang (the old 5.0 LXs that the State Police used) or maybe a muscle car. Basically, something with power, preferably a V8, and something where parts would be relatively available and not cost me an arm and a leg should repairs be needed. Manual transmission is not a problem. Location: I'm in the Philadelphia area. Overview: I have no problem buying something that can be upgraded over time, but I want something that I can drive off the get-go and isn't a full-on project car.
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Apr 22, 2014 14:55
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Count Freebasie posted:I have a company car and my girlfriend has a Pilot that is great for the family, but I'm looking at buying a "fun" car to play with on the weekends. $15k should get an incredibly nice fox body, I might aim a little higher than that though unless you really want to build it specifically for drag racing. $10-15k should get you into an LS1 Camaro or C5 Corvette. It looks like around me $15k won't quite get you a Z06, but you have your pick of nicely modded C5 Corvettes around $12k-14k. Edit: If you want something a bit more grand-tourer like and want a cheaper price, the GTOs are a great value right now. I see a 2006 GTO with the LS2 and 43,000 miles asking $11,500 around me.
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Apr 22, 2014 16:01
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GAY KARATE MAN posted:That's the way I was leaning originally, and still may lean. The problem is a lot of it tends to be garbage and "outdoor remodelling waste" type stuff which I wouldn't necessarily want inside. Maybe I could just put down a tarp If you get a V6 short cab 6 foot bed, it really isn't that much of a behemonth. Gas mileage with V6s is quite respectable for what it is, and the compacts are (a) kind of big now anyway and (b) don't provide many advantages. I'd test drive a couple of half ton V6s and see how you feel.
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Apr 22, 2014 18:54
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Perpetual Hiatus posted:Proposed Budget: Au $7000 max (US$6.5k) A big rear end Holden.
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Apr 22, 2014 18:55
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I'm beginning my car search for the first time in my adult life, and I hope some knowledgeable goons will be kind enough to give me some advice. My car experience and knowledge is pretty limited (I can change a tire, that's pretty much it) so any insight at all is greatly appreciated. Proposed Budget: 2,000 - 3,500 New or Used: Used Body Style: 4 door preferably, though there is nothing that excludes a 2 door in my usage. It will be for commuting, myself primarily. How will you be using the car?: I will be traveling to work daily, the distance is yet to be determined - I currently live/work in a city in CT,USA and will be purchasing the car to allow for job opportunities outside of public city transportation. I probably wouldn't except a job with a commute longer than 25 miles. Do you prefer a luxury vehicle with all the gizmos?: I don't expect anything luxurious for my price range. What aspects are most important to you?: Foremost - Reliability and gas mileage. Since my price range is on the lower end of the spectrum, I'd want a make/model with a proven track record and affordable repair costs. I happen to like the "tighter" steering of European cars - like Volvo and Volkswagen - the wheel seems to take more force to move, as opposed to some American cars I've driven that seem very loose. Though I understand my price range might exclude European cars. This is the very beginning of my car search, so even a nudge in the right direction is appreciated. bouruarofuto fucked around with this message at 20:31 on Apr 24, 2014 |
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Apr 24, 2014 20:23
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bouruarofuto posted:I'm beginning my car search for the first time in my adult life, and I hope some knowledgeable goons will be kind enough to give me some advice. My car experience and knowledge is pretty limited (I can change a tire, that's pretty much it) so any insight at all is greatly appreciated. In your price range, you're not going to be choosing makes and models. The most important thing will be shopping for a good previous owner. The car's individual history will override just about anything else.
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Apr 25, 2014 18:54
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plester1 posted:In your price range, you're not going to be choosing makes and models. The most important thing will be shopping for a good previous owner. The car's individual history will override just about anything else. Agreed, but I'll add that you should avoid VWs that cost under $5k, since reliability was one of your criteria. When you're shopping in the sub-$5k market, Japanese cars will on average have the better reliability (but cost more), while American cars will have cheaper parts availability (but be less reliable for a given dollar amount). Both of those factors are entirely buried by "did the previous owner do the maintenance," "was the car abused," "has it been in an accident," and "is it overdue for a majorly expensive service". bouruarofuto, if you want to, you can troll through your local Craigslist, make a list of a few cars that are within your budget and pique your interest, and we can give you feedback on the individual make/model/year/mileage/condition. But you'll still want to do your own test drive, and take any car you consider buying for a Pre-Purchase Inspection (PPI) at a local mechanic. Don't buy a car with a salvage title.
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Apr 25, 2014 20:13
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Proposed Budget: 20-25k USD, but I'd like to keep is closer to 20k. New or Used: New Body Style: I've been looking at hatchbacks because I like them and currently drive one, but I'm open to others if you think I'm missing out on something good. How will you be using the car?: I regularly travel between two cities that are ~75 miles apart. The car is mainly for normal use/commuting. I do like to have the ability to carry lots of stuff when I need to. What aspects are most important to you?: Reliability, gas mileage, handling. I don't care too much about luxury. I like decent acceleration; I'm no racer/performance freak, but I currently drive an old GTI, and so I'm accustomed to it. I would like to have the car for a long time; my GTI is over 12 years old. Currently I'm looking at the Mazda 3 hatch/5-door, VW Golf TDI, and Ford Focus hatch. Any info on reliability or fair pricing would be appreciated, as well as known issues/danger signs. I guess I'm also interested if I'm overlooking some other car/s. Thanks for any help.
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Apr 25, 2014 22:11
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bouruarofuto posted:I'm beginning my car search for the first time in my adult life, and I hope some knowledgeable goons will be kind enough to give me some advice. My car experience and knowledge is pretty limited (I can change a tire, that's pretty much it) so any insight at all is greatly appreciated. Your shortlist for the best value should be overlooked cars that were actually OK, but don't have the price premium of Civics and Corollas. Usual winners are Ford Focus, Mazda Protege, Nissan Sentra, and other reliable but not Honda / Toyota small cars. Don't buy a car with a salvage title or a J-body.
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Apr 25, 2014 22:58
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