I went to Jerry Smith Chev-Buick-Kia with the intention of getting a Rio Cinco wagon or a Spectra sedan. Turns out they had no 2002 Kia Spectra sedans or 2002 Kia SpectraWing's in stock. They had the 2002 Kia Cinco wagons(3 or 4 of them) and they had the red one I wanted. My wife and I even test drove a black 2001 Kia Optima with the V6 engine and leather everything, power moonroof, etc. I loved it but the payment was a bit steep. The finance guy asked us about the 2001 Kia Sportage's. My wife was tickled pink and I was very interested, too. We found a 2001 Kia Sportage 4x4 with a $2,500 rebate. They gave me $11,000 trade-in for my '99 Sephia that had 73,700 miles on it! Part of the package has to be a good dealer and I've definitely found one. The color is Pepper Red. Next is ordering bodyside cladding to protect against door dents. A must! I'm very happy with the deal made and the Sportage!
I find it EXTREMELY unbelievable that you got $11,000 for a '99 Kia Sephia. My dad's 1999 Solara SE V6 with leather and sunroof has a trade in value of about $11.5k and it has 90k miles on it. According to KBB:
Equipment Air Conditioning Power Steering Power Windows Power Door Locks Tilt Wheel Cruise Control AM/FM Stereo Cassette Compact Disc CD Changer/Stacker Premium Sound Dual Air Bags ABS (4-Wheel) Leather Dual Power Seats Moon Roof Rear Spoiler Alloy Wheels
Trade-In Value $6,390
And I know that leather and power seats aren't options on the Sephia. I'm sorry, but that $11,000 sounds a little far fetched. Wouldn't the dealer actually be losing money on such a deal?
I am in the market to purchase either a Honda civic, Hyundia Elantra, or a Mazda Protege. I would tend toward the Honda, because of reliability, but I am skeptical of the sunroof, which you have to take on the EX. I keep cars a very long time(20 years), but put on very low miles 3-5000 per year. Will the sunroof on the Honda remain watertight over 20 years if the car is garaged most of the time. I live in Florida where the sun destroys everything. I have tried the Sentra, but since I am very tall, I cannot drive it comfortably.
First off, go out and drive those cars you mentioned to see which one you think you'll enjoy driving the most for the next 20 years. Take it for a real long test drive--you'll be living with the car for a long time after all. See if you can't take it out all day, or even all weekend, even if you have to rent it. Drive it over the same roads you frequently use, e.g. the daily commute. If one car stands out from the rest in the test drives, that's the one you should go for, as they are all good cars but each has its plusses and minuses.
If the test drive is inconclusive and more than one car would work for you, then it gets more interesting. The Civic and Protege do have the best long-term reliability records, and the Civic has the highest resale value. But you will be keeping the car for 20 years, so resale value is not a factor here. The Elantra's warranty may be more important here, since you will use all 10 years of it. You could even think about upgrading the warranty to 10-year bumper-to-bumper, since you know you'll be keeping the car that long, and have 10 years of full warranty coverage for around $700 extra up front.
Sounds like gas mileage will not be a big factor for you either, so that lessens the Civic's advantage there. If you like a sharp handling car above everything else, I think you will enjoy the Protege the most. If you like a smoother, more comfortable ride, then the Elantra or maybe the Civic will please you more. They are all pretty equal in interior room.
Cost-wise, the Elantra seems on the surface to have a big advantage, especially if you can snag one of the remaining 2001 GLSes with the $750 rebate. But Mazda is offering some excellent deals on the 2001s, including 0% financing and free alloys and sunroof on the LX 2.0, so if you are going to finance the car and like the Elantra and Protege equally well, the cost difference may not be that much. You probably won't find many 2001 Civics, and I don't think you want one, based on all the complaints I've seen on the Civic forum re the bouncy rear suspension, which has been improved for 2002. Since there isn't a big fiancial incentive to get a 2001 Civic, may as well go for the improved 2002 model.
Another option to consider, if you can wait a few months, is the 2003 Corolla, an all-new design set to debut in the spring. Given Toyota's track record with the Camry, it should be much improved but not cost much more, maybe even less. Also, the ECHO should be a reliable long-term car, low in cost, and if you do mostly city driving it is a nimble little around-town scooter. Might as well have a lot of fun and drive all the small cars, since you won't be shopping again for a new car for 20 years. Have fun, and good hunting!
Your father's Solara has 90k miles on it and its only a 99 model? That's alot for a 2 1/2 year old car. But it's a Toyota, and 90k miles isn't even broken in yet!
I also agree that there are discrepancies with Iluv's trade-in value. I don't even think the car costed $11K when new!
My copy of the Kelly Blue Book lists two types of '99 Kia Sephias. The sedan and the LS sedan. The base sedan MSRPed for $11,605 and the LS MSRPed for $12345. These are before adding options.
Either Iluv is telling us what the dealer gave him in trade PLUS the amount the dealer paid off OR Iluv made a typo.
Perhaps he meant to type that he got $1,000 in trade. ; )
Or maybe the dealer was really, really, really desperate for Iluv's business. ; )
I can't imagine paying a $21,000 for a Kia, no matter now much they have improved, although I know they have. If I took any Hyundai/Kia sedan for practicality, it would be the Elantra.
The Sportage does not cost $22k. The purpose for my illustration was to show that if a dealer gives more for a trade-in than it is worth, it must make up the difference somewhere. But all of this is speculation; what would put it all to rest is if iluv would share with us what he actually paid for the Sportage before TT&L. Then we could return to our regular programming.
Actually Iluv's Sportage could very well have cost $22k.
Iluv says he got the 4x4 and if he got the 4x4 Limited with automatic and all the options, that particular Sportage has an MSRP of $22,864.
FWIW, the invoice amount is $21,550 and right now you can buy one from Carsdirect.com for $19,102. The website indicates they have a $3,00 rebate. This is for a zip code in Missouri where I live. The price in your zip code may be different.
Anybody out there want to talk about cars? Otherwise I will go turn on CNN for opinions on our strategy in the war against terrorism, or ESPN for the latest on the baseball playoffs.
Backy: Thanks for taking the time to answer. We test drive tomorrow.Critical is opinion of wife.Suspect wife will find the ride in the Protege a little too hard. ichem1
Backy, I understand your sentiments, but is there anything left to talk about? After all, each of us feels that (to us) we got the best low end car on the market. And using the different criteria of what was important to us, it is probably true.
(With credit to Peggy Lee) I think there's more to talk about. For example, we have someone like Robert who is looking for some advice on low-end cars. I can't believe I was the only one who responded to his question. We also have some new or improved models coming up for 2002 that we can discuss, and as soon as Edmunds.com runs a new low-end car comparo I'm sure that will be good for a few dozen posts.
If not, there's other boards.
coolguy7, if you will please re-read #761 what I think what you will see is not a smart-aleck comment but a question to participants of this board as to whether they would like to continue discussion on our board topic, and a statement regarding some sources I turn to seek out political commentary and sports news when I want those things. If you were offended in any way by my statement, I apologize.
Larry, I tried the link you posted to the ECHO review but all I got was a generic home page. So I searched on "Toyota Echo" and found this review of the Top 5 Urban Cars. Their ranking is:
1. VW Golf 5-door
2. Kia Spectra 5-door
3. Toyota Echo
4. Mazda Protege5
5. Hyundai Accent
Within our low-end range, Spectra is the top ranked, followed by ECHO and Accent.
The main criteria, from the article, is: "City cars must be nimble, economical and fit into small parking spaces. Here are five cars ideally suited to urban use. And they're fun to drive, too!" The URL is:
Note the favoritism towards hatchbacks, although the ECHO made the list without that feature. I'm a little surprised the Elantra GT didn't place, with its 5-door utility and value compared to the Golf and Protege5.
Note also that the ECHO was ranked highly in another list on the same site: Top 5 Cars for Jockeys. ;-)
Check out Hyundai Elantra #1845 for intriguing rumors on the Elantra GTS sedan, said to be coming next year with the 6 cyl engine and 6 spd transmission from the Tiburon follow-on. Also the suspension and other bits from the Elantra GT. That would be some car, if true. Anyone know anything about this?
They were trying to clear out the 2001 models. I did get $11,000 in trade for my Sephia. I also received a $2,500 rebate towards my purchase. Now, figure it out guys. The Sportage costs more than a Sephia. Mine is a 5-speed manual without AC or a radio. Keep thinking......my Sephia was worth around $4,000 or $5,000. My Sportage price was $17,075. Figure in T & L, etc. and the final price was $21,300 or something in that range. I'm really happy with the SUV and how it drives. That's the main thing. My wife didn't want another small economy car-she loved the Sportage's right away when we got to the dealer. It will be cool to take it out to the woods which are plentiful in my area. As for the M's, it's now 1-1! Go Mariners!
I did not respond to Mark because I figured that it would be more appropriate for owners of the cars he mentioned to respond. I have no idea why only you among the actual owners responded.
Keep cheering on the Mariners. I'd like to see someone other than Cleveland or New York in the World Series for the American League.
I used to like Oakland back in the 70s, but am pretty upset that our GM (for the KC Royals) let them end up with Dye and Damon. If Seattle meets Oakland, you have my blessing to encourage Seattle to demolish them.
However, while I think that Seattle has about a good of a chance as any team to get to the World Series, I don't think winning it all will be as easy as Iluv thinks.
We now return you to our regularly scheduled car chat. :-)
Backy brought up the point about there being some cars that are going to be coming on the market soon.
With that in mind, what low end car are you looking forward to seeing?
From purely a low end car enthusiast's perspective with no regard to probable quality, I am looking forward to seeing the "new" Kia Spectra. There has been some degree of controversy as to what it is going to look like and this has made me curious.
I am also looking forward to seeing the next generation Hyundai Tiburon. I want to see for myself how close it comes in looks to past Toyota Celicas and Supras.
I would think someone who has worked for Boeing for the time you have would want a car with a little more luxury...as in air conditioning and radio at the least. But that Sephia would be perfectly fine if it was just for short commutes and you've also got another car in the household. I heard about 12,000 or so layoffs by December 14 for Boeing. I hope you aren't one of those.
Thanks for explaining this for us. Turns out the dealer gave you about $7500 net for your trade--really good for a '99 Sephia with high miles. Here's how I figured that:
Final price: $21,300 Less TTL (est. $1,300 - I don't have that info) Dealer's offer = $20,000 Less rebate: $2,500 Net price: $17,500
Now, Sportages that list for $17,000 can be had for around $14k after rebate (based on Edmund's TMV and local ads). That's about $3500 less than the dealer's price to you. So your effective trade-in price was about $7500. But that's still more than you expected, and as you said, the main thing is that you are happy with the SUV and the deal you got.
Yes, I think we need fresh meat. For example, the 2002 Spectra sedan, the 2002 Protege DX with the 2.0L engine, the Focus ZX5, the 2003 Corolla (not too far off now), the Rio Cinco, the Cavalier/Sunfire with the EcoTech engine, the "fixed" 2002 Civic, inquiries from prospective buyers looking for advice, whether Daewoo will survive, whether the US and Japanese automakers will throw in the towel on low-end cars to the Koreans (i.e. Hyundai/Kia), etc. Lots of things we can talk about besides baseball.
Coolguy-I'll weather the Boeing layoff thing. I'm actually feeling as if I've weathered so many of them-Boeing is famous for them-that I get weary of even starting to worry about them. Hence, the decision to go ahead and trade-in the beloved Sephia for the Sportage. Yeah-backy-your tally-ups make it clear that I did OK on my Sephia trade-in. I also felt like a regular to this site like me needed to supply more of the money particulars of the deal. Didn't want to leave 'ya hangin'. As for lack of radio and air-that was necessary to get the rebate and trade-in deal. Dealers and finance guys at the dealers and salespeople at the dealers are fine-tuned that day as to what would work best for you. You really need to communicate what you want to them and forget about trying to screw them over. They deal with that daily and you won't get near to what you want(usually!). Hence the crappy attitude towards them people have. Remember, they're in it to make a PROFIT. If as a consumer buying from them I feel unsure or screwed over I just get up and start walking away from the table. Watch how fast they perk up to your desires. Seriously. Yes, my wife and I took the Sportage the day after the purchase to Circuit City in south Everett. We found a good deal on a Kenwood 4x45watt AM/FM cassette deck that's more than adequate for about $175.00 installed. Yahoo tunes!!! As for the all-important air conditioner? Not to worry. I'm going to parlay my Fed.income tax refund for 2002 into an AC install at Jerry Smith Chev-Buick-Kia in Anacortes(my normal dealer). They will sell and install it for a no markup for installation price. In other words, I mention my salesman's name and he'll arrange the install at a very fair price. Aniryu-I highly recommend this dealer if you're a Bellevuite who might be interested in a Kia. The North Cascades Highway is to the east past Burlington and it is beautiful if you drive up there and decide not to car shop but just sightsee. Enough rambling? I just had a certain Allman Brother's tune pop into my head. Wonder why?
To Backy and all others. "Suspect" wife and I went for the test drives on FRi-12. Results totally unexpected. I did not tell wife that the Protege has a rather stiff suspension and let her drive it first.She never made a comment about it.She was very impressed by Protege ES. Next drove Honda Civic and Hyundia Elantra. She did not like the Elantra and niether did I. On the way home, I mentioned the suspension of the Protege, and she responded that she did not notice that the car rode particularly hard. In fact she told me that of the three, she liked the Protege the best, because it is a Zoom Zoom car. This from a conservative 63 yr. old, who drives very cautiously. She liked the Honda okay, but we don't care for the sunroof. Some concern that over long lifetime, seals will not hold up, unless constant maintenance is performed. "Suspect" wife has always said that she really wanted a Mazerati, and the Protege is the nearest thing to it. I was without words. Is the long term reliability of the Mazda as good as the Honda? The idea of an extended warranty is an idea worth considering. Do most manufacturers offer them?
"Conservative", eh? Looks like your wife has some latent race-car driver tendencies that are screaming to come out.
I think of the three cars, the Protege ES has the most personality, and definitely the best handling. If your wife likes the way it drives, and you do too, it sounds like the right car for you. The ES has been at or near the top of most car mag's reviews of compact cars, so it is generally well-regarded. Mazda, including the Protege, has an excellent long-term reliability record, maybe just a tick under Toyota and Honda but still way above average and definitely better than Hyundai's. Extended warranty? Most don't go past seven years (you can check with your Mazda dealer on duration and cost), and given Mazda's record for reliability and the fact you take great care of your cars (and you must if they last 20 years), it may not be worth it. But if it gives you peace of mind and you have the bucks, go for it. Question: did you look at/drive the Protege LX 2.0? There's some great deals on that model right now (for '01s), including free alloys and sunroof, and although the handling won't be quite as sharp as the ES it will cost much less. Question 2: did you drive the Elantra GLS or GT (hatchback)? The GT has a sportier ride than the GLS and lots of features, for less money than the Protege ES. And of course has the ten-year powertrain warranty standard.
ichem1: I enjoy reading people's test drive accounts of these two cars. My wife and I had to make the same choice back in June. We chose the Elantra GT but the Pro ES was sooooo close. Like you, I thought my wife wouldn't like the ride of the ES. It turns out that she didn't even want to drive the Mazda because she was so smitten with the Hyundai. To preserve marital bliss, I didn't press the issue (I'll admit that I also thought highly of the Hyundai, too!). We've had the GT for four months and we love it. We don't regret our decision to go Korean, but had the Pro5 been readily available at purchase time our decision may have been different.
I have always liked the Proteges and I think it's a compliment to Hyundai that the Elantra is being cross-shopped against a more driver-oriented car like the Pro ES. It's also a (long-overdue) compliment to Mazda that larger numbers of people are FINALLY starting to figure out that the Protege is a top-shelf contender for the Compact Car Crown.
ichem, if you go with the Mazda you will be very happy. IMO, the Pro is a much more satisfying vehicle than the Civic (except for mpgs) and more tossable than the Elantra. Don't worry about long-term reliability. Mazdas are pretty scrappy cars and with proper care they should live as long as Honda and Toyota offerings.
Ford has upped the powertrain warranty on the 2002 Focus to 5 years/100,000 miles, in direct response to pressure from Korean automakers, according to an AP story reported by Cars.com. The direct link is too long to be posted here, but as of today the story was available from the Cars.com main page, http://www.cars.com/.
As noted in the article, "The extended warranties may be a smart gamble. Hyundai and Kia sales are up 37 percent and 38 percent respectively this year, while industry sales as a whole are down 5.3 percent."
Edmunds also reported that story which is where I read it. And it was stated that Ford was also doing it because the Focus is not known to have the quality of the Civic and the Corolla.
"It's a competitive response to the market, and something our dealers thought would be effective," said Ford spokesman John Jelinek.
This statement by Ford leads to a couple of conclusions that were touched on by the press (AP and Detroit News):
1. Ford is responding to the perception that the Focus has lower quality than makes like Civic and Corolla by using the same marketing tactic employed successfully by Hyundai and Kia--increasing the warranty coverage.
2. Ford is responding directly to the surging popularity of Korean competitors by matching them (well, almost) in warranty coverage.
Interesting that Hyundai and Korea have enough confidence in their cars to provide full 5-year warranties, while Ford warrants only the engine for 5 years. I tried to find more info about the new warranty, but Ford has no information about it yet on their Web site--which considering the size of their IT budget, is quite strange.
Hey folks, one thing I thought might be interesting? What small econo sedan does everyone own and what are the three main reasons you purchased the type vehicle in this discussion? I know as "car nuts", we probably had more than three things that influenced our decisions. Nonetheless, what were the three issues that "closed the deal". I'll go first.
I purchased a 2000 Mazda Protege- 1.) Interior room & comfort- 2.) Value pricing- 3.) Appealing styling-
Larry, sorry for the long answer when you asked this on the Echo board. Let me try to narrow it down to three. Understand that all three are equally important.
1. Quality now and reliability down the road. 2. Fuel economy. 3. Interior room and comfort.
Put those three together along with my other considerations and you get the Echo.
1.Every option known to man. 2.Style,style style 3.Controversial Manufacturer-one that brings out the passion in it's owners and detractors. Clearly there is only one car meeting this criteria-the one,the only- Daewoo Leganza.The only car with oxen power.
Wasn't sure which board to post a reply to, since the same question is in a few, but figured this one was best because it covers many cars vs. one or two.
It's hard to narrow it down to 3 because there are several other criteria I used. I used a "pusher/blocker" system for rating cars. Each criterion is either a pusher (not mandatory, but the better a car does, the better I like it) or a blocker (if the car doesn't have this, it's out). So here are 3 blockers from my list:
1. Roomy back seat (enough for 3 growing kids or 2 adults in comfort). This one eliminated all but the Civic, ECHO, Focus, Elantra, Neon, Protege, and Sephia. 2. Quality (solid feel, quality materials, looks and feels like a more expensive car). This one eliminated the Focus, Neon, and Sephia. 3. Comfort (comfortable seats, especially the driver's seat; smooth, quiet ride; ergonomics; convenience features). This one eliminated the Civic, ECHO, and Protege. (Actually the ECHO had been more or less eliminated earlier by a fourth blocker: styling that I can live with for many years.)
I have more than 3 reasons that stand out for my purchase, like the majority of the people who have already answered your question, so I am declining to answer it.
Another reason for not answering it is that I know who is asking the question, and I can imagine how this information is going to be used. If the answers do not suit his argument, he may well put out another survey.
Comments
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
1999 Kia Sephia LS 4 Door Sedan
Engine: 4-Cyl. 1.8 Liter
Trans: Automatic
Drive: Front Wheel Drive
Mileage: 73,700
Equipment
Air Conditioning
Power Steering
Power Windows
Power Door Locks
Tilt Wheel
Cruise Control
AM/FM Stereo
Cassette
Compact Disc
CD Changer/Stacker
Premium Sound
Dual Air Bags
ABS (4-Wheel)
Leather
Dual Power Seats
Moon Roof
Rear Spoiler
Alloy Wheels
Trade-In Value $6,390
And I know that leather and power seats aren't options on the Sephia. I'm sorry, but that $11,000 sounds a little far fetched. Wouldn't the dealer actually be losing money on such a deal?
I say we give him time to respond before we condemn him.
If the test drive is inconclusive and more than one car would work for you, then it gets more interesting. The Civic and Protege do have the best long-term reliability records, and the Civic has the highest resale value. But you will be keeping the car for 20 years, so resale value is not a factor here. The Elantra's warranty may be more important here, since you will use all 10 years of it. You could even think about upgrading the warranty to 10-year bumper-to-bumper, since you know you'll be keeping the car that long, and have 10 years of full warranty coverage for around $700 extra up front.
Sounds like gas mileage will not be a big factor for you either, so that lessens the Civic's advantage there. If you like a sharp handling car above everything else, I think you will enjoy the Protege the most. If you like a smoother, more comfortable ride, then the Elantra or maybe the Civic will please you more. They are all pretty equal in interior room.
Cost-wise, the Elantra seems on the surface to have a big advantage, especially if you can snag one of the remaining 2001 GLSes with the $750 rebate. But Mazda is offering some excellent deals on the 2001s, including 0% financing and free alloys and sunroof on the LX 2.0, so if you are going to finance the car and like the Elantra and Protege equally well, the cost difference may not be that much. You probably won't find many 2001 Civics, and I don't think you want one, based on all the complaints I've seen on the Civic forum re the bouncy rear suspension, which has been improved for 2002. Since there isn't a big fiancial incentive to get a 2001 Civic, may as well go for the improved 2002 model.
Another option to consider, if you can wait a few months, is the 2003 Corolla, an all-new design set to debut in the spring. Given Toyota's track record with the Camry, it should be much improved but not cost much more, maybe even less. Also, the ECHO should be a reliable long-term car, low in cost, and if you do mostly city driving it is a nimble little around-town scooter. Might as well have a lot of fun and drive all the small cars, since you won't be shopping again for a new car for 20 years. Have fun, and good hunting!
I also agree that there are discrepancies with Iluv's trade-in value. I don't even think the car costed $11K when new!
-RAVvie4me
Either Iluv is telling us what the dealer gave him in trade PLUS the amount the dealer paid off OR Iluv made a typo.
Perhaps he meant to type that he got $1,000 in trade. ; )
Or maybe the dealer was really, really, really desperate for Iluv's business. ; )
Less Trade-In: $11,000
Less Rebate: $2,500
Final Cost: $8,495 + TTL
Comment: A new Sportage can be had for less than $14k, after rebate and before trade.
Iluv says he got the 4x4 and if he got the 4x4 Limited with automatic and all the options, that particular Sportage has an MSRP of $22,864.
FWIW, the invoice amount is $21,550 and right now you can buy one from Carsdirect.com for $19,102. The website indicates they have a $3,00 rebate. This is for a zip code in Missouri where I live. The price in your zip code may be different.
Point is, I think we need some fresh meat. ; )
If not, there's other boards.
coolguy7, if you will please re-read #761 what I think what you will see is not a smart-aleck comment but a question to participants of this board as to whether they would like to continue discussion on our board topic, and a statement regarding some sources I turn to seek out political commentary and sports news when I want those things. If you were offended in any way by my statement, I apologize.
1. VW Golf 5-door
2. Kia Spectra 5-door
3. Toyota Echo
4. Mazda Protege5
5. Hyundai Accent
Within our low-end range, Spectra is the top ranked, followed by ECHO and Accent.
The main criteria, from the article, is: "City cars must be nimble, economical and fit into small parking spaces. Here are five cars ideally suited to urban use. And they're fun to drive, too!" The URL is:
http://autobuy.about.com/cs/toppicks/a/urban18.htm?terms=Toyota+Echo+Review
Note the favoritism towards hatchbacks, although the ECHO made the list without that feature. I'm a little surprised the Elantra GT didn't place, with its 5-door utility and value compared to the Golf and Protege5.
Note also that the ECHO was ranked highly in another list on the same site: Top 5 Cars for Jockeys. ;-)
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
But don't you think that we do need "fresh meat?"
I used to like Oakland back in the 70s, but am pretty upset that our GM (for the KC Royals) let them end up with Dye and Damon. If Seattle meets Oakland, you have my blessing to encourage Seattle to demolish them.
However, while I think that Seattle has about a good of a chance as any team to get to the World Series, I don't think winning it all will be as easy as Iluv thinks.
We now return you to our regularly scheduled car chat. :-)
With that in mind, what low end car are you looking forward to seeing?
From purely a low end car enthusiast's perspective with no regard to probable quality, I am looking forward to seeing the "new" Kia Spectra. There has been some degree of controversy as to what it is going to look like and this has made me curious.
I am also looking forward to seeing the next generation Hyundai Tiburon. I want to see for myself how close it comes in looks to past Toyota Celicas and Supras.
Final price: $21,300
Less TTL (est. $1,300 - I don't have that info)
Dealer's offer = $20,000
Less rebate: $2,500
Net price: $17,500
Now, Sportages that list for $17,000 can be had for around $14k after rebate (based on Edmund's TMV and local ads). That's about $3500 less than the dealer's price to you. So your effective trade-in price was about $7500. But that's still more than you expected, and as you said, the main thing is that you are happy with the SUV and the deal you got.
Iluv--I hope you're ok.
Now. About cars.
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
I think of the three cars, the Protege ES has the most personality, and definitely the best handling. If your wife likes the way it drives, and you do too, it sounds like the right car for you. The ES has been at or near the top of most car mag's reviews of compact cars, so it is generally well-regarded. Mazda, including the Protege, has an excellent long-term reliability record, maybe just a tick under Toyota and Honda but still way above average and definitely better than Hyundai's. Extended warranty? Most don't go past seven years (you can check with your Mazda dealer on duration and cost), and given Mazda's record for reliability and the fact you take great care of your cars (and you must if they last 20 years), it may not be worth it. But if it gives you peace of mind and you have the bucks, go for it.
Question: did you look at/drive the Protege LX 2.0? There's some great deals on that model right now (for '01s), including free alloys and sunroof, and although the handling won't be quite as sharp as the ES it will cost much less.
Question 2: did you drive the Elantra GLS or GT (hatchback)? The GT has a sportier ride than the GLS and lots of features, for less money than the Protege ES. And of course has the ten-year powertrain warranty standard.
by the way, this is aniryu. my interest connection was lost for 12 hours so i had to make a new account.
I have always liked the Proteges and I think it's a compliment to Hyundai that the Elantra is being cross-shopped against a more driver-oriented car like the Pro ES. It's also a (long-overdue) compliment to Mazda that larger numbers of people are FINALLY starting to figure out that the Protege is a top-shelf contender for the Compact Car Crown.
ichem, if you go with the Mazda you will be very happy. IMO, the Pro is a much more satisfying vehicle than the Civic (except for mpgs) and more tossable than the Elantra. Don't worry about long-term reliability. Mazdas are pretty scrappy cars and with proper care they should live as long as Honda and Toyota offerings.
Happy motoring!
As noted in the article, "The extended warranties may be a smart gamble. Hyundai and Kia sales are up 37 percent and 38 percent respectively this year, while industry sales as a whole are down 5.3 percent."
This statement by Ford leads to a couple of conclusions that were touched on by the press (AP and Detroit News):
1. Ford is responding to the perception that the Focus has lower quality than makes like Civic and Corolla by using the same marketing tactic employed successfully by Hyundai and Kia--increasing the warranty coverage.
2. Ford is responding directly to the surging popularity of Korean competitors by matching them (well, almost) in warranty coverage.
Interesting that Hyundai and Korea have enough confidence in their cars to provide full 5-year warranties, while Ford warrants only the engine for 5 years. I tried to find more info about the new warranty, but Ford has no information about it yet on their Web site--which considering the size of their IT budget, is quite strange.
I purchased a 2000 Mazda Protege-
1.) Interior room & comfort-
2.) Value pricing-
3.) Appealing styling-
-Larry
1. Quality now and reliability down the road.
2. Fuel economy.
3. Interior room and comfort.
Put those three together along with my other considerations and you get the Echo.
2.Style,style style
3.Controversial Manufacturer-one that brings out the passion in it's owners and detractors.
Clearly there is only one car meeting this criteria-the one,the only- Daewoo Leganza.The only car with oxen power.
It's hard to narrow it down to 3 because there are several other criteria I used. I used a "pusher/blocker" system for rating cars. Each criterion is either a pusher (not mandatory, but the better a car does, the better I like it) or a blocker (if the car doesn't have this, it's out). So here are 3 blockers from my list:
1. Roomy back seat (enough for 3 growing kids or 2 adults in comfort). This one eliminated all but the Civic, ECHO, Focus, Elantra, Neon, Protege, and Sephia.
2. Quality (solid feel, quality materials, looks and feels like a more expensive car). This one eliminated the Focus, Neon, and Sephia.
3. Comfort (comfortable seats, especially the driver's seat; smooth, quiet ride; ergonomics; convenience features). This one eliminated the Civic, ECHO, and Protege. (Actually the ECHO had been more or less eliminated earlier by a fourth blocker: styling that I can live with for many years.)
I bought the Elantra GLS.
Another reason for not answering it is that I know who is asking the question, and I can imagine how this information is going to be used. If the answers do not suit his argument, he may well put out another survey.