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VW GTI?
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Feb 16, 2017 20:55
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New MT, AWD Sportwagen MSRP is like $24k, it will have Apple Carplay/android auto and a new car warranty. There's at least $5k on the hood of almost every new VW right now.
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Feb 16, 2017 21:09
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martinlutherbling posted:Fair enough. For the sake of argument, let's say AWD isn't a necessity. What are my options then? How about if I bump my budget to $18k or so? There are some pretty nice Mazdas that open up, then. Lots of gadgets, good quality, fun to drive. A 2015 Mazda3 hatchback is only around $13k.
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Feb 16, 2017 21:40
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Are those mazda3 hatches good? What about the previous generation? I've been looking at some hot hatches but they're pricey and some of them are a bit juvenile. I want something that feels fun to drive but that's probably going to be just about anything compared to my old CR-V. Also yes I know I said upthread I wasn't actually buying a car soon and that's still true, I've just become addicted to car shopping.
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Feb 16, 2017 22:51
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[Edit: This is super snarky and that is really more towards the other guy, but I am going to leave it here because I think it needs to be said.] Man, some of you guys like to throw some serious shade about your cars. Have you ever heard the phrase "beggars can't be choosers?" You and the WRX guy. We'll, I'd like something a bit less "boy racer," a bit less "juvenile." Guess what? They are "boy racer" and "juvenile" because they are relatively cheap, relatively fun to drive cars. If you want to be regarded as a big boy among the elite class, you gotta drop big boy bucks. Or at the very least rank luxury above things like driving characteristics. To answer your question, yes, Mazda 3 hatches are very good. They are likely the car most recommended by this thread besides Priuses. Be careful though, you might be viewed as slightly less mature if you trade your CR-V in for a Mazda3 hatch. Definitely skip the ground kit.
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Feb 16, 2017 22:59
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I didn't mean to talk any poo poo, juvenile is probably the wrong term. I'm just out of the 18-29 demo that some of these cars are tailored towards. I'd feel weird driving something with a big spoiler or a hood scoop even if I do think they're kinda cool.
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Feb 16, 2017 23:44
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martinlutherbling posted:Fair enough. For the sake of argument, let's say AWD isn't a necessity. What are my options then? How about if I bump my budget to $18k or so? Focus ST can be found with low miles around that price range. Fun to drive, fairly quick, handles extremely well, and comes with a MT. It's also a hatch and is pretty versatile. Plus the 2.0 EB is a great engine.
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Feb 17, 2017 00:17
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prom candy posted:I didn't mean to talk any poo poo, juvenile is probably the wrong term. I'm just out of the 18-29 demo that some of these cars are tailored towards. I'd feel weird driving something with a big spoiler or a hood scoop even if I do think they're kinda cool. Yeah, sorry. I had just finished watching Trump's press conference today and was a little amped up. :-D If you liked your CR-V, the Prius may make sense to look at. If you want something a little more fun to drive, the Mazda 3 would be a great contender.
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Feb 17, 2017 00:31
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Are you still asking for leather interior and wood trim or was that a joke. I'm sorry I have Joke blindness
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Feb 17, 2017 00:42
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Git Mah Belt Son posted:Focus ST can be found with low miles around that price range. Fun to drive, fairly quick, handles extremely well, and comes with a MT. It's also a hatch and is pretty versatile. Plus the 2.0 EB is a great engine. Or a new GTI.' http://www.sheehyspringfieldvw.com/new-inventory/index.htm?model=Golf+GTI&sortBy=internetPrice+asc&
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Feb 17, 2017 01:03
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Throatwarbler posted:Or a new GTI.' Add $1500 to that to be legit. They don't include a lot of fees.
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Feb 17, 2017 01:05
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Internet Explorer posted:Yeah, sorry. I had just finished watching Trump's press conference today and was a little amped up. :-D No worries, I have rained unnecessary snark all over these forums, it happens. I'm not crazy about my CR-V, I only started even thinking about cars as anything beyond getting from place A to place B when my CR-V started acting up so I'm probably going to try to drive a bunch of different cars before I jump on anything. I'm learning to drive stick this weekend as well so we'll see how that goes. I think just about anything will be more fun than my CR-V.
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Feb 17, 2017 03:02
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prom candy posted:Are those mazda3 hatches good? What about the previous generation? I've been looking at some hot hatches but they're pricey and some of them are a bit juvenile. I want something that feels fun to drive but that's probably going to be just about anything compared to my old CR-V. Also yes I know I said upthread I wasn't actually buying a car soon and that's still true, I've just become addicted to car shopping. My last car was a basic 6-speed Mazda3 and the only mechanical cool thing it had was a 2.5 engine. It was fun, for the price. Then it broke! I know a few people who have the Mazdaspeed3 and they love it.
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Feb 17, 2017 14:02
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signalnoise posted:My last car was a basic 6-speed Mazda3 and the only mechanical cool thing it had was a 2.5 engine. It was fun, for the price. Then it broke! I know a few people who have the Mazdaspeed3 and they love it. What broke on it?
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Feb 17, 2017 15:30
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prom candy posted:What broke on it? I'm not sure specifically because it was going to cost a shitload in labor to find out, but it was something that drove power from the engine to the wheels. The engine would turn over, and you could use the clutch and put it in gear, but revving the engine did nothing to move the car. I ended up selling it to a junk dealer for more than I could have expected the car to return if I subtracted estimated repair cost from estimated post-fix sale cost.
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Feb 19, 2017 22:07
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signalnoise posted:I'm not sure specifically because it was going to cost a shitload in labor to find out, but it was something that drove power from the engine to the wheels. The engine would turn over, and you could use the clutch and put it in gear, but revving the engine did nothing to move the car. I ended up selling it to a junk dealer for more than I could have expected the car to return if I subtracted estimated repair cost from estimated post-fix sale cost. You probably shouldn't own a car until you learn how they work. Very good chance you got fleeced by a mechanic on an estimate and then made some salvage guy's day.
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Feb 19, 2017 23:37
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signalnoise posted:I'm not sure specifically because it was going to cost a shitload in labor to find out, but it was something that drove power from the engine to the wheels. The engine would turn over, and you could use the clutch and put it in gear, but revving the engine did nothing to move the car. I ended up selling it to a junk dealer for more than I could have expected the car to return if I subtracted estimated repair cost from estimated post-fix sale cost. Sounds like your clutch or TB died. <$1000 to fix. Even rebuilding a manual transmission on non-high end cars is surprisingly cheap.
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Feb 19, 2017 23:46
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signalnoise posted:I'm not sure specifically because it was going to cost a shitload in labor to find out, but it was something that drove power from the engine to the wheels. The engine would turn over, and you could use the clutch and put it in gear, but revving the engine did nothing to move the car. I ended up selling it to a junk dealer for more than I could have expected the car to return if I subtracted estimated repair cost from estimated post-fix sale cost. I've seen a car for sale with this exact problem. A cotter pin on a shifter linkage fell out. Bought a car for scrap value, fixed it for $0.25 Hope you didn't get fleeced
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Feb 19, 2017 23:52
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Didn't his original post mention massive oil leakage? E: yeah, it did : 'My car got hosed. Currently my car will start just fine, I can put the car in different gears and rev the engine, but there is no power transfer from the engine to the wheels. When I was on the side of the road, a big puddle drifted slowly from under the front end of my 2010 Mazda3.' I suppose it could just be a busted half shaft that came out when it broke, but seeing as how he mentioned that the mechanic was a longtime trusted person, it's probably a hosed up transmission and would have cost some coin. I mean, -I- would have tried to find a good used tranny, but I'm also a mechanic so the labor's free.
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Feb 20, 2017 00:41
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Even if you aren't a new tranny isn't that much. My 09 Mazda3 is still worth over 5k according to kbb, I'd repair a blown up tranny rather than replace the car, but it only has like 76k miles on it so that would be a major outlier. Aren't manuals more reliable if not treated like poo poo and in any case cheaper than automatics?
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Feb 20, 2017 02:40
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All numbers are relative, the only thing that matters is whether or not it was worth it to OP.
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Feb 20, 2017 03:17
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IRQ posted:Aren't manuals more reliable if not treated like poo poo and in any case cheaper than automatics? Generally yes, but not in all cases, and they can be near-impossible to find hard parts for in many cases. Also as manual options dry up, it gets harder and harder to find even good used manual gearboxes. I hardly build them anymore unless somebody brings me all the parts, it's easy to spend more time trying to source parts than you do building the drat thing.
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Feb 20, 2017 05:43
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I'm going to have 4-5k saved up for a down payment shortly, and I've been kicking around some ideas for vehicles in the 8-12k range. Most of these choices are really unrealistic given that they are likely to cost a hell of a lot more than a car payment in the long run, but it's a starting point that should at least set me up for some recommendations. Ordered from the ones I think are most feasible on down. Mazda RX8 - This one could either be the most feasible or the least feasible, but I don't have the firsthand experience with it to be able to tell. There's a lot more that goes into owning one of these than any other car I'm looking at due to the rotary engine, but I'm not super concerned about pre-mixing, topping off the oil every fill up or two, and making sure I follow the proper start up and shut down procedures. I don't mind fiddling with cars when it's not "take out part, put in $300 replacement" constantly. The problem is that there seems to be two trains of thought when it comes to the car. The first is that the rotary engine is junk and the car is a break down waiting to happen. Given that the last models retailed at close to 30k and can now be had at really low mileage for 10-12k, they could very well be pieces of poo poo. But the other train of thought is that they will run well for a long time if you just maintain it the way you are supposed to. If that's true, then maybe it's just getting a bad rap due to people not maintaining them properly, and getting a really nice one for 10k would be a steal. Of course, if they do piss poor with bad maintenance, then you're relying on the previous owner to have kept up with it, but still. Anyone got any experience with these? BMW Z4 - Not a huge fan of convertibles, but these are really reasonably priced. I'm guessing replacement parts cost an arm and a leg, but BMW's have a reputation for holding up, don't they? Would I be likely to get by without a whole bunch of really expensive part failures with good maintenance? Nissan 350Z - Probably my favorite car on the list, but probably the least feasible as well. I've seen a few that looked to be in really good condition, but I do think you're scraping the bottom of the barrel a bit at this price range. Comes with more miles than the RX8 and you can add things like brakes to the list of parts were routine maintenance and replacement are way more expensive than your typical grocery getter. Also it's horrible in the snow and life is unfair and I should not buy this. Porsche Boxster - In this price range, they're late 90's, early 2000's, so they're the oldest car on the list, might be the most expensive of them all to maintain, and I personally think that generation are ugly cars. Probably quite a bit of fun to drive though. Not likely to go with this one but it's a fun idea to kick around. As far as recommendations, my only criteria is that I want a manual, I want it to handle really well (yeah I know, 350Z, but it's a sweet rear end car), and bonus points for being not horrible in the snow with winter tires. I care most about enjoying driving it, and I'm fine with paying a premium on maintenance and repairs when the time comes for that. I just don't want poo poo breaking down every time I go to start it. I'm also likely to trade it in in the next 2-3 years once I finish school, so it'd be best if it was fairly well depreciated by this point so I'm not losing a whole lot.
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Feb 20, 2017 14:56
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I think the RX8 is the way to go, basically 90% of the problems with the drivetrain come down to it being basically unusable with an automatic transmission. The automatic transmission ones are worthless, but the manual is fine as long as you keep up the oil and wring it out to redline often. The added practicality of the backseats is useful too. The only concern would be the very poor fuel economy, even compared to other sports cars. My personal preference is the Mazda byt there's nothing glaringly bad about the 350z either, the interior is pretty chintzy and I just don't like the styling Ii guess. If you're OK with just 2 seats, Miata?
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Feb 20, 2017 15:11
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Volkerball posted:I'm going to have 4-5k saved up for a down payment shortly, and I've been kicking around some ideas for vehicles in the 8-12k range. Most of these choices are really unrealistic given that they are likely to cost a hell of a lot more than a car payment in the long run, but it's a starting point that should at least set me up for some recommendations. Ordered from the ones I think are most feasible on down. Any of those cars should be fine with snow tires. It sounds like you're really worried about maintenance. RX8s aren't exactly known to be reliable and are known to be use a lot of gas. Get a compression test if you find one you like. I don't have too much experience with any of the others. I don't think the porsche is the right car for you though. Honestly, I'd going to be recommend buying a Miata with a hard top. Overall, pretty reliable, cheap and not too difficult to find. Besides that, since you're still in school, why not consider something that could be considered "fun to drive" like a Civic or a Mazda 3?
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Feb 20, 2017 15:28
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Just wanted to chip in that even though I didn't post to this thread specifically, I found it very helpful. Lots of good insight. Thank you for the (indirect) help. I bought a Mazda 3 which ticked off everything on my checklist.
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Feb 20, 2017 17:01
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Is leasing still the preferred way to go for German sedans? My wife and I are looking at the Audi A6. We have a very good income, no CC debt, lots of savings and can afford to either lease or purchase. We've looked at Lexus, Acura and ze Germans and have narrowed it down to the A6. From what I remember, it's probably best to lease and get something new when the lease is over as we don't want to be stuck with an out of warranty German luxury car, correct?
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Feb 20, 2017 21:50
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Cacafuego posted:Is leasing still the preferred way to go for German sedans? Why would you be "stuck" with any vehicle that you own and/or have a note on that's not upside down? Do you think that you won't be able to sell it or trade it in? Leasing is a thing that makes sense for a very small subset of people and a larger subset of businesses.
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Feb 20, 2017 22:00
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Cacafuego posted:Is leasing still the preferred way to go for German sedans? I typed some stuff here, but realized I'm lazy and don't want to do any number-calculatin, so I'm just going to avoid giving any advice. However...I'm jealous because that A6 is one sweet-lookin automobile.
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Feb 20, 2017 22:02
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Cacafuego posted:Is leasing still the preferred way to go for German sedans? https://forums.edmunds.com/discussion/42274/audi/a6/2017-audi-a6-lease-questions/p8 http://www.audiworld.com/forums/a4-b9-platform-discussion-212/what-current-audi-money-factor-leases-2914585/page2/ Audi A6 2017 you should be able to get 6% off MSRP do 36 mos/12k per year Quattro - .00006 money factor and 54% residual $758/mo BMW has way better residuals and along with refundable multi-security deposits that can make the interest rate lower. http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=809480 http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=895604 BMW 540 2017 you should be able to get 7% off MSRP before incentives do 36 mos/12k per year .00134 (or 0.00085 w/msd's) money factor and 61% residual $706/mo I did both cars above based on $65k MSRP and CA 8.75 sales tax and $975 fees. ZERO cap cost reduction never do that. Calculator http://www.leaseguide.com/calc/ Residuals are set by the manufacturer but money factors can be dicked around with by dealers so watch out. Keyser_Soze fucked around with this message at 22:25 on Feb 20, 2017 |
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Feb 20, 2017 22:09
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Motronic posted:Why would you be "stuck" with any vehicle that you own and/or have a note on that's not upside down? Do you think that you won't be able to sell it or trade it in? It's been a while since I was thinking about a new car, but I thought that the consensus was to lease luxury German cars due to expensive repair/maintenance costs after the warranty expires. Am I incorrect? If so, we'll purchase. It's entirely possible that I know nothing about what I'm talking about and should be purchasing the car. E:^^^Thanks. I'll look it over. We debated going to Germany to pickup the new car as my wife has a friend that did that with a BMW or Audi a couple years ago. If they still do that, we might be up for a trip! Cacafuego fucked around with this message at 22:15 on Feb 20, 2017 |
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Feb 20, 2017 22:13
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Volkerball posted:I'm going to have 4-5k saved up for a down payment shortly, and I've been kicking around some ideas for vehicles in the 8-12k range. Most of these choices are really unrealistic given that they are likely to cost a hell of a lot more than a car payment in the long run, but it's a starting point that should at least set me up for some recommendations. Ordered from the ones I think are most feasible on down. The biggest problem with the RX-8, if we assume the issues are maintenance/owner related (I'm not convinced), is that you are buying a used car. The RX-8 doesn'yt just require changing the oil regularly, it means checking the oil regularly and reving the piss out of it -- things that records won't tell you. My brother bought one and it has been alright (100k mi on original engine!), but he bought a one-rotard owner car. This is not a car I'd buy anything but private party and ideally from the original owner or at least the owner who has owned it the longest by a fair bit. The Rx-8 is; however, fun as gently caress to drive. Also with the RX-8, you need a mechanic who knows rotaries. 9/10 this is NOT the dealer (if you're in elk grove, ca, you're in luck, but there's only one guy, hope doesn't quit). Like if you are in a major, major metro (LA, SF, NYC, Chicago), you'll be able to find one, but otherwise, do some research about mechanics before you buy one. Otherwise, you'll just get some guy who throws random parts at a misfire when it really just needs [some cheap part]. Oh, right, you'll need this guy before you buy the car because 99% of mechanics will do the compression test wrong on a rotary (which you 100% must get). The good news is that replacing the engine is cheaper on an RX-8 than basically any other car. Re: Boxster. Google "ims failure." OP: The true answer is to buy a $5k miata. Seriously.
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Feb 20, 2017 22:53
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Cacafuego posted:E:^^^Thanks. I'll look it over. We debated going to Germany to pickup the new car as my wife has a friend that did that with a BMW or Audi a couple years ago. If they still do that, we might be up for a trip! Why do German delivery on a plebian saloon when you can do the Audi R8 driving experience, literally crash it into a bus (as my friend did), and just give it back? They have since hit him up to do it again. Then spend the cost difference on an Accord EX-L.
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Feb 20, 2017 23:23
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Volkerball posted:I'm going to have 4-5k saved up for a down payment shortly, and I've been kicking around some ideas for vehicles in the 8-12k range... I don't mean to sound like a jerk, but it really does not sound like you are in a position to responsibly buy a finicky used sports/luxury car. If saving up 4-5k in order to finance the rest is an accomplishment you absolutely should not buy something like a BMW, Porsche, or RX8. The Miata is about the only reasonable cheap, reliable car with few possible $$$ surprises. The 350z is borderline, but probably ok if not owned by an asshat. Do not buy a 10k BMW or Porsche if you have to finance it, especially a convertible. Despite being generally well built they have more expensive routine maintenance and their own handful of expensive surprises and longer-interval "maintenance" items that don't fail on regular cars but do on a German car. Also electric top problems are $$$ if anything goes wrong. Others have already covered the RX8 better than I can but it is a special snowflake of a car and you've got to really know what you're getting into.
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Feb 20, 2017 23:54
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Guinness posted:Do not buy a 10k BMW or Porsche if you have to finance it, especially a convertible. Despite being generally well built they have more expensive routine maintenance and their own handful of expensive surprises and longer-interval "maintenance" items that don't fail on regular cars but do on a German car. Also electric top problems are $$$ if anything goes wrong. A $10k BMW convertible should be considered "converted" - in that the top is in whichever position it currently is in. The ragtop Z4's are all going to poo poo right now if they see any UV exposure, not to mention the mechanical parts underneath. I am dreading the first time my 2009 E89 Z4 hard top fails to go up, the original hydraulic unit was replaced at like 300 miles. Hopefully they've solved whatever problem it had with something more permanent.
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Feb 21, 2017 00:40
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Re: the Miata, I've been driving a Durango since 2007. That's a bit much of a transition. The RX-8 is honestly on the low end of what I'd accept when it comes to dinkiness. The Miata is way worse. Although being able to pick it up and spin it around on your finger would be a cool trick to show friends. It's a big part of why I'm not a huge fan of the Boxster. I like the 911's more, but at the 10k range, they've either already had an IMS failure or you can bet they're showing the warning signs of an impending one. nm posted:The biggest problem with the RX-8, if we assume the issues are maintenance/owner related (I'm not convinced), is that you are buying a used car. Another option would be to buy one that has already had an engine failure and has a new one in it. I've seen quite a few in my price range where the motor had less than 10k miles on it, with the car itself having 70k or so. Some of those go clear down to $7-8k, so I could get some work done on the cooling system and whatnot to help keep the new motor running well. Would that circumvent a lot of these problems or would it be a whole new can of worms? And I'd likely be buying the car in Chicago. I don't live too far from there, so I could probably track down a specialty shop if I dug around on some RX8 forums. Guinness posted:I don't mean to sound like a jerk, but it really does not sound like you are in a position to responsibly buy a finicky used sports/luxury car. I can definitely see how you got that impression, so no offense taken. But I financed $6-7k a decade ago with no issues, and I make a lot more now than I did then. The down payment isn't really an accomplishment, just a pleasant surprise. I could afford to finance the full price of a 10k vehicle, so being able to knock off a little less than half of it right off the bat will make it so I barely even notice it financially. Tbh, I could probably get something economical in the 14-15k range, but I'd rather get something fun with a cheaper cost to help cover costs down the road. I'll be ok if horrible things don't happen all the time, but I'm a bit paranoid about that because I've never owned a sports car before.
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Feb 21, 2017 02:52
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Volkerball posted:I can definitely see how you got that impression, so no offense taken. But I financed $6-7k a decade ago with no issues, and I make a lot more now than I did then. The down payment isn't really an accomplishment, just a pleasant surprise. I could afford to finance the full price of a 10k vehicle, so being able to knock off a little less than half of it right off the bat will make it so I barely even notice it financially. Tbh, I could probably get something economical in the 14-15k range, but I'd rather get something fun with a cheaper cost to help cover costs down the road. I'll be ok if horrible things don't happen all the time, but I'm a bit paranoid about that because I've never owned a sports car before. Being able to make the payment is not the same thing as being able to afford the car.
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Feb 21, 2017 03:17
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Is seeing a manual transmission car that has had the clutch replaced at 80k miles a red flag? There's a Mazda 3 that's been reposted a few times over the last couple of weeks on Craigslist, and I never really gave it a second look since it sounded like it was not driven responsibly. I haven't even compared the price to KBB or whatever, but maybe it's worth a look?
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Feb 21, 2017 04:27
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80k is a bit early but not too bad. Plus it's a new clutch.
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Feb 21, 2017 04:33
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ShadeofBlue posted:Is seeing a manual transmission car that has had the clutch replaced at 80k miles a red flag? There's a Mazda 3 that's been reposted a few times over the last couple of weeks on Craigslist, and I never really gave it a second look since it sounded like it was not driven responsibly. I haven't even compared the price to KBB or whatever, but maybe it's worth a look? 80k isn't out of line for a clutch. It depends both on how and where it was driven. A lot of stop and go driving, or lots of hills requiring a large number of shifts can make them wear out faster. If it was all highway driving, then yes, it's a problem. You can look the car over to see if it has other signs of hard driving. Personally, I wouldn't be all that concerned about it in isolation.
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Feb 21, 2017 04:39
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