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Leperflesh posted:On the other other hand, if you want a hot hatch, you need to be cross-shopping Fords, because the Focus hatch is amazing right now. The Fiesta ST might drive even better than the Focus ST, although it's quite a bit smaller. They're both really good.
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Aug 7, 2014 02:13
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Chocolate posted:Proposed Budget: $2500 (could stretch to $3000 but would rather not) I was in this same position a few years back. Here's what I found out. The Corolla is a fine car, if a bit boring. Avoid the Golf if you're looking for reliability, especially at your price range. Civics have the same issues as Toyotas (overpriced because of reputation), but if you can find one that hasn't been modified, and the timing belt/water pump has been changed recently (as these engines ARE interference, the belt should be changed every ~60k miles), they're a good option as well. Be on the lookout for rust though. At your price range, you're going to have some, but it can get really bad on civics. Consider a Focus with the Zetec DOHC engine. Parts are super cheap, pretty reliable, and you're not paying the toyota tax (or the oil burning tax, these engines run reliably forever). They're also really easy to work on if you're going to do your own work. MPG's a little worse than the Corolla, but at your level of miles, it hardly matters (and it's not catastrophically bad, I've gotten 35 highway, but that's on the higher end of what it does). They come in sedans or hatchbacks. I know you said sedan only, but if your reasoning is for gas mileage only, the hatches have the same MPG rating, and are a little more useful for hauling/moving. The 3 doors can be a bit annoying to get into and out of the back seat though. Timing belt should have been changed around 100000 miles, but the DOHC isn't interference, so it's not the end of the world if it goes, you'll just be by the side of the road. Make sure you aren't getting the SOHC engine though, those suck. All the hatchbacks have the DOHC. It was an option on the sedans, but a lot of them have it. EDIT: A Mazda3 is probably out of your price range, but it's worth checking craigslist to be sure. Lastly: An obnoxious grammar nerd reminder that there shouldn't be apostrophes in car names (Golf's), unless you're dealing with possession. [/obnoxious] Grumpwagon fucked around with this message at 15:08 on Aug 23, 2014 |
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Aug 23, 2014 13:23
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How obvious is a salvage title? If (a malicious) someone were to attempt to sell a car with a salvage title, and didn't disclose it, when would you find out? Is it obvious on the actual paper title? Would you find out when trying to get insurance? Or is it just something like Carfax where you'd find it?
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Dec 10, 2014 19:21
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Trollipop posted:Thanks. Do you think those price numbers are fair? My research tells me the dealership probably didn't pay more than 7k (if that) for the car Seems like a lot to me for a 10 year old econobox. Fake edit: Edmunds says dealer retail of $7500, and that's before negotiation, but I didn't know what options to put in. Still, seems like a lot. Go put the details in here: http://www.edmunds.com/used-cars/
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Dec 20, 2014 03:47
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theHUNGERian posted:stuff /\/\/\/\/\ That and, while not recommended, a new car would probably be fine with an 11k interval between oil chances once (assuming I'm reading you right and it is only 47k-58k, and not 30k-58k).
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Feb 10, 2015 21:06
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I second all the above advice. Just want to add a little. I don't know how tall is really tall, but if you fit, Ford Focus with the DOHC engine is another solid choice. It will need a little more maintenance than the CCCA group (not that much though), but parts tend to be cheaper. 4 years ago, my girlfriend (with my "help") bought basically the first one that we looked at at random (a ~$3000 '03 with 125k miles that had plenty of deferred maintenance needed. Don't do what we did.). We have ran it since then at about $1k maintenance per year, but that was including replacing the engine for something that was 1000% my fault (turned onto a side street through a big puddle in a rainstorm while literally thinking "this is a bad idea, when engines flood, it ruins them. I could just go the longer way and avoid this."). Take that out and it's closer to $700/yr, including all wear items/tires/etc. Some of that work I've done myself with a friend (most notably the big engine job), but some was done in a normal shop. It has also been super cheap to insure. I know you're not looking for advice on this, but consider learning to do the basic stuff. It's really surprisingly easy. I didn't know anything when I bought this car, and now I know... well.. a little. Enough to get by. Grumpwagon fucked around with this message at 17:40 on Apr 7, 2015 |
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Apr 7, 2015 17:35
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VideoTapir posted:That would have to be less a puddle, more a pond to do that. Yeah, the PO had installed a cold air intake that was really low on the car (like I said, we just bought the first one we came across basically). That was why I knew it was a bad idea to drive through it (but did anyway). The water came up to the frame, but I opened the door after the car stalled without getting water inside. All I mean is, I bought what was close to the worst case scenario example of a Focus and have still ran it for quite inexpensively for a good period of time. It's running better than it ever has, and when I suggested looking at something newer, she scoffed at me. I'd consider that a good buy. As an aside, at the time we were driving back from looking at a really great rental that we missed renting because instead of driving and getting to the office the next morning right as it opened, we rode a bus and got there 10 minutes after it opened, and 5 minutes after someone else dropped an app. Wasn't a great week. Grumpwagon fucked around with this message at 17:51 on Apr 7, 2015 |
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Apr 7, 2015 17:43
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My sister is looking for a small hatchback for under around $10 grand. She looked at a Fiesta, but while she was there, also looked at a 2008 Suzuki SX4 with a manual and 32k miles. They were asking $8600. She said it drove well, was fun to toss around, and didn't make any weird noises and stuff. I know Suzuki doesn't sell here anymore, so that was a bit of a red flag to me, but I remember reading some good reviews of some small Suzukis (and bad reviews of others), so I wanted more opinions. Truedelta doesn't have much/any reliability data, and I don't really know where else to look. I know there are better cars, but ~$8k for a 32000 mile well maintained car doesn't seem like a bad deal. Thoughts?
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Apr 8, 2015 22:11
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Proposed Budget: I could pay cash up to about $10k, otherwise my credit is good. Looking for value, and willing to pay more than that. That said, my dream car is something like a Fiesta ST (insert 'dream big' joke about a turbo econobox here), but my practical side doesn't like spending 20-25k on a car with a house down payment to save for. In the midwest USA. New or Used: Probably used, but would consider a new compact/subcompact Body Style: Small hatchback How will you be using the car?: 20 mile commute, occasional longer trips. Intending to keep the car for a good long while. Do you prefer a luxury vehicle with all the gizmos?: Definitely not. Aux port (or the ability to put one in) required, bluetooth a nice bonus. Apart from that, basic is good. What aspects are most important to you? I can do my own work, but I'm not a mechanic, so ease of maintainability/cost of parts matter. Small car, but versitility to haul stuff. Good MPG, but we don't drive enough to pay a premium for it. I tend to favor domestics due to cheaper parts, but not a zealot. Why not a Prius?: I'd like something that is at least a little tiny bit fun to drive, and we both prefer manuals. It's probably the right car in a pure min/max kind of way, and that is normally the way I think about this, but I'd like to be just a little bit less practical. Only a little bit though. We currently are a 1 car household with a 2003 Focus Sedan with ~180k miles (bought at ~115k for $3600 in 2009 on advice from this thread!). It has served us well, but we're both out of school and gainfully employed now. There have been a few weird electrical issues lately, and we're looking for something that can haul a bit more (but not nearly enough to consider a truck). We'd be selling the Focus on craigslist after buying whatever. Neither of us are looking for anything fancy, but a hatchback would be nice for better hauling, possible dog and house in the nearish future. I have been watching the usual Fiesta/Focus/Mazda3/Fit manual hatchback sales on craigslist and autotrader. Any other suggestions? I'd like something sort of fun to drive, but in a cheap and cheerful kind of way, not a sports/muscle car kind of way. We both pretty strongly prefer manuals (Taught her how to drive a manual, and what's that saying about the converted are the most zealous?). Thoughts on http://madison.craigslist.org/cto/5009913617.html ? It is a base model fit with aftermarket cruise added. There's some body damage that I'd like to look at in person, but it seems cosmetic, and looks like a good car otherwise, and at a good price due to the damage. It isn't a salvage title. Fits are usually a bit more expensive than say, fiestas, but for the mileage, this one isn't. He has a 100 mile 1 way commute, so they're highway miles. We're comfortable with higher mileage anyway, and compared to what we have now, this is just a baby. Any Fit specific questions I should ask? Are parts as cheap as I'd expect for an econobox? Anything else? Grumpwagon fucked around with this message at 17:00 on May 13, 2015 |
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May 13, 2015 16:55
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Uthor posted:SOLD! Sucker. You can usually talk them up to a 30 pack if you're a good negotiator.
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May 25, 2015 19:37
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Everblight posted:In my experience you don't want the kind of beer that comes in a 30-pack. I drink only the finest Milwaukee's Best Ice.
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May 25, 2015 21:21
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Sadistic posted:Judging from the last page or so people really like the Prius. My wife and I are looking for a fuel efficient hatchback that won't have a lot of maintenance needed. The Prius is extremely low maintenance. It is almost certainly your best choice given your criteria. As for that specific year, that is part of generation 2, which is widely recommended here, so it is a good choice. My only potential red flag is that $7k for a 110k mile 2008 Prius seems quite cheap to me. Is there cosmetic damage or something? Either way, get it inspected, but assuming that turns out reasonably well, jump on it!
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Jun 10, 2015 22:05
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Dick Boat posted:I don't know if this is the right thread for this question, but I'm going to ask anyways. Probably. It's a car you love. As you get to that level of mileage, there are going to be more repairs, but you should still come out ahead compared to a car payment. If you wanted a new car, I'd say get a new car, but from a pure min/max situation, it's better to keep your car, and you have the added bonus of not wanting a new car.
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Jun 30, 2015 00:12
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Twerk from Home posted:R/T implies the 5.7. 360 hp, 390 torque I believe. Make sure to consider the insurance premium this will command.
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Sep 16, 2015 23:29
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Motronic posted:But we're from AI. Of course you can do that.
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Nov 6, 2015 03:01
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Fiesta ST
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Jan 22, 2016 14:10
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Wowporn posted:I have a 2000 Accord I wanted to keep running until I could afford the payments on something nice and recent (was at 232k and running strong) but I got hit by a schoolbus so now I'm looking for something maybe just a little nicer than it was. The insurance process is slow as poo poo and I'd like to know exactly what I want before I need to go buy it. Look for Focuses as well. They're everywhere, so they're cheap, reasonably reliable, and parts are cheap for when something does break (which, with a $3k car, will happen). Just make sure you get one with a DOHC engine, not a SOHC. As long as you're aware of the increased maintenance requirements for a higher mileage car (and clearly you are, given your accord), it'll be good. If you can find one with maintenance records, all the better, and DEFINITELY get it checked out by a mechanic before buying. I bought a 2003 Focus with 110k miles for $3k 5 years ago. I've had to do a decent amount of maintenance on it, but nothing catastrophic. It's a good car to learn how to wrench on too, if you are so inclined (and don't know how to already). We bought it (thanks to advice from this thread) with the intention of driving it until we were done with school then dump it for something nicer, but we like it enough that we've kept it another 3 years since we've both been out of school. Grumpwagon fucked around with this message at 02:53 on Jan 28, 2016 |
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Jan 28, 2016 02:34
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tater_salad posted:If you want that kind of reliability buy another 2000 accord or upgrade to a bit newer civic. The problem with this is you're paying the Toyota/Honda tax. Everyone looks for a civic/accord/corolla/camry. They're probably a bit more reliable, but when you're talking about a 15 year old car with 150k++ miles, you're looking for the vehicle in best shape and current maintenance, not the maker with the best reputation. The Focus is a step down, reliability wise, but it's a small step, and they're a lot cheaper, so you can get a newer/lower mileage one for your budget, which means less repairs. You'll likely end up with a lower total cost of ownership. EDIT: Obviously, I wouldn't just buy any old car, but a well maintained focus (and I'm sure people will come by with other similar suggestions) will do well. That's not to say the usual Toyotas/Hondas are bad. If you can find a cheap one that has been maintained well, by all means buy it. Grumpwagon fucked around with this message at 02:42 on Jan 28, 2016 |
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Jan 28, 2016 02:38
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tater_salad posted:I owned a 2000 focus and a 2001 civic the reliability issues are night and day Sorry, I should have said, 2000 was the first model year here and there were still kinks to be worked out. Don't get a 2000. I agree with you that the insurance company should consider the tax.
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Jan 28, 2016 03:12
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a worthy uhh posted:Thoughts on an '04 Mazda3 s Hatchback @ 114k mi from a reliability/maintenance standpoint? They're good. Pretty marginal gas mileage (still good, just not great), but fun to drive and pretty reliable.
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Jan 28, 2016 03:52
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tater_salad posted:I'd look at the civic and the zx3 focus. I totally agree with all of this, but just wanted to add one more thing. The Focus is a non interference engine, so it'll suck less if it lets go, but it's still an expensive repair.
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Jan 28, 2016 16:00
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tater_salad posted:"The battery pack in any hybrid Toyota is warranted either for 10 years or 150,000 miles (in states with California emissions laws) or 8 years or 100,000 miles in all other states." And, he adds, "There's no pro-rating at all. The battery will be replaced at no cost if necessary during the warranty period. Um, I'm not sure where you're getting your information for that, but many sources have been cited throughout the thread showing the Prius is literally the most reliable car ever made. There are aftermarket battery packs that are not nearly $4500. Not only that, but a battery at low health doesn't affect the operation of the car. Your mileage will be hurt, but it will still be close to class leading. The Prius is not an exciting car in any way, so it gets a bad rap with car people, but if all you're looking for is the lowest total cost of ownership to get from point A to point B, it's exactly what you want. One of those cars he linked had 92k miles. That's not even close to a lot of miles for a Prius. People recommend gen 2s with 150k or more, and back that up with data. If you're going to make an extraordinary claim like that tater, you'd better come with the data to back it up. That doesn't mean a link to a $4500 battery pack, that means longitudinal studies showing TCO over the lifetime of the car, and its competitors. tater_salad, for the last month or so I've been beating around the bush about this, because I'm not a regular advice giver in this thread, but you came in here a month ago asking for advice, mostly ignored it, and have been giving suspect advice here ever since. I don't pretend to be a mod, but as a personal suggestion, I think you should do some more research before continuing to offer advice here.
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Feb 17, 2016 03:01
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khysanth posted:What are the goon thoughts on Prius gen2 vs gen3? They're both good. People in the thread tend to recommend the gen 2 because they're cheaper, and there's even more reliability data on them, but they're both good.
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Feb 23, 2016 20:40
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Teeter posted:Mazda3 question: Every incarnation of the Mazda3 is a good car. The 2012 revision (Skyactiv motor) made the fuel economy go to good from below average. The 2014 revision made it the best car in it's class.
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Apr 29, 2016 20:40
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ma i married a tuna posted:What? Hatchbacks are about a billion times more practical than sedans. He was comparing it to an HHR, which is not a sedan.
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May 7, 2016 04:07
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Garrand posted:Proposed Budget: 2k. You're not really looking for a specific make/model at that price range, just the car in the best shape. You probably can't afford a camry/corolla/civic unless they're REALLY high mileage, due to their brand's reputation (but consider one if you find one). Mazda3s are rare at that price range, but good. Focuses can be good with the DOHC motor if they've been taken care of. There are others that would serve you well I'm sure. Look for cosmetically damaged cars that have been taken care of otherwise. Also insist on getting them inspected.
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Aug 8, 2016 14:03
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How bad of an idea would it be to get this Volvo S40 T5? I'm looking for a reliable DD for reasonably cheap, but I'd like something a little weird and different. It's our family's only car though, so if the choices are weird and different but unreliable, I'd just get the civic I saw for roughly the same price. Anything I should know about this? It's the T5 trim, so it's turbocharged with the 6sp manual. Seems like a bad idea to buy a 10 year old turboed car, but it's based on the Focus/Mazda3 platform, so at least the non-engine parts should be easily available. I can do most repairs myself on my current car, but it's a very basic 4 cyl Focus. Not sure how well that knowledge would transfer to this.
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Aug 12, 2016 13:34
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Proposed Budget: $5k-$10k, willing to stretch to $15k for the right car New or Used: Used Body Style: Small hatchback How will you be using the car?: 20 mile commute, occasional longer trips. Do you prefer a luxury vehicle with all the gizmos?: Aux port/bluetooth is important, everything else I could take or leave What aspects are most important to you? I can do my own work, but I'm not a mechanic, so ease of maintainability/cost of parts matter. Small car, but versatility to haul stuff. Good MPG, but we don't drive enough to pay a premium for it. I tend to favor domestics due to cheaper parts, but not a zealot. Why not a Prius?: We don't drive enough for the MPG to matter. The reliability is nice, but I'd like something that is at least a little tiny bit fun to drive, and we both prefer manuals. It's probably the right car in a pure min/max kind of way, and that is normally the way I think about this, but I'd like to be just a little bit less practical. Only a little bit though. I posted something similar to the above a year ago, but we ended up sticking with the car we have. It's at 200k now, and getting closer to the end. I know what advice is generally given to people in this situation (not least of all because I've asked this question before). I'm looking at Mazda2, Mazda3 (2012+ for the Skyactiv engine. Out of my budget mostly, but in the stretch), Ford Fiesta, Ford Focus (2012+ for the redesign), Honda Fit. Maybe a Prius if we decide to go for automatics. Maybe a GTI, but I'm not sold on their reliability. I'm still looking for cars to add to the test drive list, but I'm primarily making this post to specifically ask about the infotainment systems of these cars. I have a tiny bit of experience with SYNC, but I'm hoping someone can speak to the ease of use of some of the systems in my price range (i.e. several years old). I've heard Mazda's is not very good, SYNC is fine, but MyFordTouch is bad, and I know nothing about Honda's. That could all be really out of date though, and it's not based on much. I'm going to some dealers to test drive, but I'd love some feedback on this specifically. I've heard Chevy's is good, but I'm not sure if they have a good small hatchback in my price range. Thanks! Grumpwagon fucked around with this message at 18:04 on Aug 15, 2016 |
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Aug 15, 2016 17:49
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Leaving aside that they suck to drive, are Versas reliable?
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Aug 16, 2016 15:04
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Grumpwagon posted:Proposed Budget: $5k-$10k, willing to stretch to $15k for the right car To follow up on this, I bought a 2008 Versa Hatch manual with 88k miles in really good condition for $3300. I probably would have bought the 2007 Mazda3 hatch (with a tape deck????) with 120k miles for roughly the same price if it were my car, but the wife liked the Versa more. I expected to hate it, given how poorly it was reviewed, but I didn't. Great back seat room, seats folded down nicer than the Mazda's. 6 speed manual, 30k fewer miles, killer price, bluetooth, moonroof. It drove fine. I mean, it drives like a transportation appliance, but I expected it to be offensive, and it wasn't. We'll see how I feel after owning it for a while, but for now I'm pretty happy with it.
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Aug 19, 2016 03:20
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Thermopyle posted:Autotrader.com has by far the greater inventory of listings unless you're looking for niche stuff. More than craigslist? I've always had way more luck with CL than anything else (although I buy cheap cars, and that's kinda their niche).
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Aug 28, 2016 14:35
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DOOP posted:Car A: 2013 Kia Soul ! $13,379 with 9k miles. CPO Could I suggest car C? A normal (non C) prius, that would fit your bike in the back, and be a better car than a prius c anyway?
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Sep 13, 2016 17:52
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Residency Evil posted:I have a Cayman, the GF has a Macan. The Macan's not bad. You're such a doctor cliche (thanks for selling me your shoes though)
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Oct 20, 2016 19:49
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Tenacious J posted:It was a hard credit-check, I believe. Don't want too many of those. I agree with the just buy a Fusion, but I wanted to comment on this: You're worrying too much about hard credit checks. As long as you don't go crazy and get like 20, it will temporarily decrease your score a few points. Then it will rapidly go back up.
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Oct 27, 2016 16:36
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You really really should look at a Mazda3
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Nov 2, 2016 22:50
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signalnoise posted:If I absolutely love a car and intend to keep it for at least a decade with TLC, is an 84 month loan still stupid? I'm glad to see you've completely beaten the impulsive spending that made you create a BFC thread a while back.
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Feb 10, 2017 14:45
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JUST MAKING CHILI posted:Maybe wrong thread, but I'm looking for good financing options before I go shop. Last time I got a car note (2012) I was able to get 2.54% on a 60 month note. I'm looking for a shorter term, 48 months, and hopefully a similar or lower interest rate. Is there an aggregator website with the best financing offers? Creditkarma, American Express and Discover all say my credit score is between 750-760. bankrate.com kind of does this, but not perfectly
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May 23, 2017 21:47
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big crush on Chad OMG posted:I'd just pick up something cheap like a Civic, Fit, etc. The Prius is great but you won't drive enough to see any substantial savings. The thing about the Prius for a "car as appliance" buyer is, the gas mileage is just a bonus. The main thing is the fact that very little maintenance, scheduled or otherwise, is required.
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Jul 2, 2017 21:21
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IRQ posted:The new civic's butt looks like a spaceship and I kind of like it. I'm glad it exists. I'd never buy one
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Jul 7, 2017 16:15
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22 Eargesplitten posted:I've told her that you only really stall when starting. She still doesn't want to do it, maybe she's afraid of getting honked at for stopping traffic. Have you actually driven one? If you really step on it, it accelerates just fine. It's not sports car territory or anything, but it's fine for an econobox. You do need to actually step on it though. The 2013 Civic hybrid's 0-60 time is 9.8 seconds (the 2003 is 12 seconds). The 2011 Prius's 0-60? 9.7 seconds (2004 10.1). The reason Priuses are so strongly recommended in this thread is that because of the way the drivetrain is built, there are very very few things that go wrong. That said, the difference between the best and worst cars has greatly diminished. Anyway, it's clear you like the Civic more, and it's fine to have preferences, I just think it's an objectively worse car in nearly every measurable way. EDIT: Gen 2 Prius 50-70 7.9 seconds, 2006 Civic Hybrid 8.4 seconds according to car and driver. Grumpwagon fucked around with this message at 13:21 on Jul 22, 2017 |
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Jul 22, 2017 13:12
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