Please help me decide between...

jipster

Go with the Hyundai, 5 year bumper to bumper warranty and brand new car smell. :shades:

qbrozen

well, I guess SOMEBODY had to pick the hyundai.

theessenceofla

Haha come on Hyundai's aren't that bad. Situation has changed a bit after carfax look below:

I see why it's cheap

It's privately owned now but it was a rental car for 4 months and it has about 4000 miles from rental car. Since then, another owner has used it.

I am going to get it checked by mechanic but this requires thinking

20000 miles (2 owners- I will be 3rd)
$12000+tax
No accidents or anything else on autocheck though

still a good deal?

dtownfb

If you are uncomfortable with the Mazda being a rental, the Elantra is not a bad choice. Hyundai has come a long way since the Excel. Plus you have the long warranty.

theessenceofla

Just to Update,

I got the car and I ended up getting mazda 3i. More fun to drive and less out of pocket expenses and loan payments now.

I checked CARFAX and AutoCheck
I had the car checked out by a Mechanic
I called the dealer to see if any work was done (bulb change) and if it was still under warranty (yes!! till 50,000 or 2010)

Everything checked out and I drove home with it

Summary:-

Age: 22
19,600 miles 2006 mazda 3i touring
4.6% CU loan with Auto Debit payments
No Gap & No extended warranty
$12000 +$350 (Sales Tax and title and plate transfer)

Having a car to drive!! Priceless!!!

Thank you all for your help and input. I am happy and that's the most important thing!!

qbrozen

good for you!
enjoy!

wendyc5

We are planning to purchase either a Toyota Sienna or a Honda Odyssey. Our three boys are 12 years old, 8 years old, and just 4 months old. Given the number of children, and the age range (baby in a car seat for a long time still, 8 year old nearly out of his booster, 12 year old getting bigger by the day), what recommendations might any of you have for 7 vs. 8 passenger style models? Any suggestions for seating arrangements which have worked particularly well for you? Thanks very much for any suggestions!

cccompson

You can count on one of the older children wanting her/his own space in the third row and so will need a walk-thru in the middle row. The middle second row seat is easily removable on both vehicles. Trying to access the third row by tipping one of the second row door seats forward is a hassle.

aranb

Greetings all:

I plan to buy a sports car this spring, I am looking for a good autocrosser and weekend cruiser. I want a Boxster, but I think a 350Z or RX8 would make a better car. Any comments on which is a better car. I would be looking at a 2004-2006. I would also be open to other suggestions. Thanks!

mannyljr

I've put 74K miles on my 2004 RX-8. I love the car. It's biggest plus is the back seats. It will truly fit adults in the back comfortably. I've ridden in the back. Another big plus is it's handling and high revving rotary engine.
It's minuses are it's low gas mileage, 17 mpg has been my average and I drive it fairly hard. It's lack of power is something you'll notice if you have driven other high power cars. If this is your first "sports" car, it's plenty for spirited fun drives.
I'm currently thinking of buying a Cayman or 370Z as my next car. I've tracked prices on Boxsters for a long time too. Visit my blog, http://mannyljr.typepad.com/lizardslair/

qbrozen

Do you need a back seat? I presume no if you are considering a Z. Do you need decent gas mileage?

As the previous poster mentioned, these are 2 major differences to consider.

Another is ... how tall are you? I couldn't fit in the RX8, whereas I could in the Z. As to the mileage, I used to get 25mpg in my Z in mixed driving. There's not way an RX8 will get that high.

AutoX'ing is an interesting addition to the equation. Both of these cars run in the same stock class (B Stock). So, as far as the SCCA is concerned, they are equally quick around an autoX track.

One other point ... well, OK, opinion. I BELIEVE the Z holds its value better.

But its going to come down to which you prefer. Drive both back to back and decide for yourself.

koftheworld

Hello all,

My wife and I are expecting our first in July, and as a coincidence my lease is up the same month. I've been reading the reviews for various makes/models, and I think what would work best as a commuter car for us would be a hatchback. I was thinking of the: Subaru Impreza or Outback Sport, Toyota Matrix, or Mazda 3. I would like 4-wheel drive (it's not a deal breaker though). Which of the above (or do you recommend another make/model) would you recommend?

Thanks in advance!

qbrozen

Well, of course, if you want AWD, that rules out the Mazda3. However, in an economy 4-cyl, I don't see the necessity. Of course, I don't know where you live, either.

Out of what you listed, I do prefer the Mazda3. It is the smallest, I believe, though. Another I would suggest you take a look at is the Honda Fit. It would be the cheapest of the group and get the best mileage. Oh, and have the best resale value. So it has alot going for it.

koftheworld

Thank you for your input!

I was looking into AWD due to where I live (NJ), and because I recently had a small accident in my Honda Accord. The car slipped on some black ice and I went into some snow, so it got me thinking about AWD; not that it would have prevented the accident, but I probably could have driven out of the snow with it!

Why do you prefer the Mazda 3 out of the cars I listed?

I will take a look at the Honda Fit, but it looks like it might be too small.

Thanks again for any input you may provide.

qbrozen

Don't quote me on this, but I believe the Fit is larger inside than the Mazda.

I like the Mazda's driving dynamics. The Subaru is kind of lazy in comparison ... unless you get the turbo.
I've never driven the Matrix. Sat in one once and thought it pretty nice for the money.

I also live in Jersey. It really comes down to tires. I also had an Accord for a while and thought it was terrible. Of course, it had the stock tires. Had I upgraded, it probably would have improved immensely. But, prior to that, I drove an S70 T5 (FWD) and it was fantastic in the nasty stuff. BUT, I had very good tires on it (Continental ContiExtreme).

I did, however, make the switch to AWD (G35x) about 9 months ago. Not because I found FWD inadequate for our weather, but because I wanted something sportier than FWD affords. I had been driving FWD cars here in NJ for about 9 years up until then without any incidents. Keep in mind, even with AWD, if the tires aren't up to the task, you will be in trouble.

I'm gonna throw another suggestion out of left field in here, but you MIGHT want to give the Caliber a looksee. My sister bought one about 2 years ago (bought the caliber and leased a mazda3 sedan for her husband about 1 month apart), and they really love the car. It definitely provides good room inside. Similar to the CRV she traded in for it. With the 2.4/CVT combo, she's getting mileage in the upper 20s. Not nearly as fun as the Mazda, but provides lots more utility.

koftheworld

I will most definitely look more into the Fit. It looks to be cheaper compared to the other cars I mentioned, even with some of the options that I would want to add.

I had heard that the Mazda is fun to drive, and I guess I might experience that on a test drive.

As a lease, my Accord has stock tires. I never have an easy time in the snow/ice with it, and this time I just went off the road. I'll look into getting upgraded tires at the very least for my next car.

I did consider the Caliber, but the reviews I've seen for the car have been underwhelming. It definitely looks nice from the outside, but I'm not sure it's a good car.

As I would most likely be leasing again, which of those cars would I most likely get the best deal on? Is this the right section to be asking in?

Thanks again.

tlong

Also consider the Mazda 5. It is basically a tall 3 wagon, shaped much like a Toyota Matrix but handles like a Mazda. It has lots of space in a small package and a third row that is usable for extra people in a pinch. It also is relatively inexpensive and has impressive crash test results.

dtownfb

Congratulations! I'll be a bit more practical in approaching this process. Take a rear facing car seat with you and try it out in the backseat of each car. This may shrink your choices.

plekto

2008 350Z - CarsDirect Price: $25,059
Base model, nothing on it. decent trim level models jump in price much faster than the Mazda..

A 2008 RX8 can be had for close to 25-26K but that's before the 4K Mazda is currently offering to move their old stock.

The Z might hold its value a little better, but being so much more expensive to begin with, it's not the best deal for the money.

stickguy

The matrix is pretty roomy inside. Until you have a kid, you don't fully realize how much crap they travel with. Better to go a little "bigger" IMO.

The Mazda 5 is a great functional package. Compact outside, but lots of room inside, with respectable mileage. And can seat 6 in a pinch, or 4 in captains chairs (handy for the car seat) and tons of cargo room.

The 3 drives like a sporty car, but the cargo room is pretty limited. 1 big stroller and you are done.

The Fit is very roomy (can't beat a tall box!), but is much smaller, and it show on the highway. Not what I would pick for a lot of longer travel (IMO, much more of a local commuter type car).

I love small wagons myself. If you wanted to go a bit up scale, something like Volvo V50 is a handy package.

vzeeibor

I'm trying to buy the cheapest, safest, automatic transmission new car. I live in NJ and would need to take out a loan to pay for it. I have been considering the Ford Focus, Honda Fit, Hyundai Elantra. What would you recommend?

qbrozen

I'm trying to buy the cheapest, safest, automatic transmission new car.

Well, which is it? Cheapest or safest? You can't have both.

I believe the Nissan Versa and Hyundai Accent are the 2 cheapest new cars in the US right now. Within a few bucks of each other.

Kirstie_H

Well of course, the cheapest isn't likely to be the safest. But perhaps he/she is looking for the safest car for the best value.

The only vehicle out of the original selections that has rebates right now is the Elantra. Focus does, but appears to be only on manual transmission.

vzeeibor, what's your budget?

qbrozen

But perhaps he/she is looking for the safest car for the best value.

But I still find that conflicting. The question I'm asking is: which takes precedence? I can pick the cheapest or I can pick the safest. Or I can pick the cheapest that is safe or the safest that is cheap. In other words, the cheapest of the safe cars or the safest of the cheap cars. Did I confuse the issue enough yet?

I mean, is the question, more specifically, "which car with 5-star crash rating is the cheapest?" Or is it maybe "what is the cheapest car that scores at least 4 stars?"

Sorry. What can I say? It's the editor in me.

vzeeibor

My answer is both. What is the cheapest car with a high safety rating and what is the safest car that is the cheapest?

I like the IIHS safety ratings better because they are more specific but I'll take NHTSA.

I would like to spend $16,000 or less with tax, title, destination charge included. That means the car without this charges would have to be in the $15,000 range.

plekto

The best answer is to get a 0-1 year old GM midsize sedan. $12-$14K shouldn't be a problem. Yes, it will have 10-20K already on it, but the drive train warranty is good for 100K. A good example would be, say, a Pontiac Grand Prix(5/4 star rating) or G6. You want something with the 3800 V6 or similar in it - it's not a race car setup, but it's reliable, inexpensive to fix, and gets 29-30mpg highway.

Note - the crash tests didn't include the optional side impact airbags(not standard equipment, IIRC). Those generally raise side impact scores by at least a full star or two. The G6 which does have them standard gets 5/4 and 5/5)

Oh - but buy it in the next couple of weeks. GM has to honor its warranties on anything it sells before they declare bankruptcy.

exb0

I don't know where you live, but in suburban Washington DC you can get a base Hyundai Sonata for about $16K plus tax. www.fitzmall.com

It is mid size and it has all the safety features like stability and traction control standard.

qbrozen

Just one quick thing: You'd actually be looking at much less than $15k if you want to stay less than $16k out the door. Although, I don't know what your taxes are, here in NJ, on a $14k car, I'd be looking at $980 in taxes, $150 doc fee, and ~$350 DMV. So about $15.5k total.

Suggestions above are pretty good. I especially agree with going slightly used if you can. Used car values have been tanking drastically the past year.

And, speaking of fitzmall and safe, used cars, I see they have an '08 Impreza sedan and '08 Impreza wagon, each with ~20k miles and each priced $14,995.

fordfool

The 2009 Focus is on Consumer Reports' recommended list which means it is both safe and reliable. A base S model with automatic and delivery is $17,030 MSRP. An SE is $17,690.

You should be able to negotiate $1000 to $1500 off MSRP. In addition Ford is offering $2000 rebates in NJ plus another $500 for financing through Ford. However, your bank or credit union may save you more than Ford by offering a lower rate. Best to check before automatically grabbing Ford's $500 offer.

So a new Focus should run about $13,000 to $13,500 plus taxes and fees. A 2008 ex-rental or program car will be several thousand dollars less. I've been quite happy with my ex-rental Focus and with the $$$ I saved.

koftheworld

Thank you guys so much for the advice.

I will definitely be checking out the Matrix, both Subaru's again, and now the Mazda 5 (which I hadn't thought of before). I guess I will have to wait a bit to seriously look at these vehicles though, as my lease is up in mid-July. The Subaru dealer wanted me to turn in my Honda early, but roll my current lease payments in with the new lease. That didn't exactly sound like a bargain to me, so I guess I will have to wait till it gets closer to my turn in date.

qbrozen

Depends on how you shop. I've taken as long as 6 months to pick out a car, and you've only got 4 months left on your lease.

Just be sure to tell the salesperson that up front. "hey, i'm just taking a preliminary look to narrow down my choices for when I'm ready in 4 months." Most will be cool and cordial as long as they know where they stand up front. (of course, that won't stop most from trying to sell you NOW)

fezo

Where in NJ are you anyway? Just asking to see if there are dealers to recommend or specifically unrecommend.

qbrozen

Do you actually have any NJ you WOULD recommend? ;b

Personally, I know of zero good 'Yota dealers, which is why they are never on my shopping list. Honda is a complete crap shoot. I've had good and bad experiences at all 3 within a half hour of my home.

And I've been to 2 mazda dealers here and couldn't exactly recommend either of those. Although I would suggest one over the other in a pinch.

Oh, and, IMHO, avoid anything in the Pine Belt roster.

Of all the dealers of all the manufacturers, there is only 1 I can recommend with confidence. Volvo of Princeton.

fezo

That's the real killer. NJ has pretty much universally horrid dealers.

I had an OK time with Gateway Toyota but that was at least two ownerships ago.

A buddy of mine is good with the Subaru dealer in Wayne.

I know people that are happy with Coast Honda. I've dealt with pretty much all the Honda folks in Ocean and don't have anything good to say for the experience.

qbrozen

I've had both a good experience and bad experience at Coast. They made us a deal on the Pilot when they first came out when nobody else would. But then when I leased my Accord, they couldn't come close to the deal I got at Kay.

I've had several bad experiences at Gateway. When I was shopping for myself, I was kicked out of there.

I've never been to Subie in Wayne. Although, now that you mention it, I could suggest Bayside Subaru in Brooklyn. Not that I've ever been there, but they sponsor my AutoX club and I've raced with one of the techs on several occassions.

fezo

Kay was the next Honda guy I would have mentioned hearing good things about.

Kicked out of Gateway? Boy, that's hitting bottom.... I bought my first Honda there - an 80 Accord sedan in 1982. I wanted one, saw it on their lot and stopped in. They'd just traded it in - hand't detailed it or anything and made an OK deal - certainly for what I knew back then - because they got a quick turnaround on it. That's the only car I've actually bought there but went along with a couple of women from work who wanted a guy there who could be the grump.

The two closest Honda dealers to here are Causeway in Manahawkin ("family of dealerships - beware!) and Honda of Toms River which has changed names several times but is always a fairly lousy place to do business. Silly me - I bought the last van there.

Weird thing - the Lester Glenn folks moved their Subaru operation up to Route 9 where no one would look for it. It actually looks like a nicer version of all the used lots just north of it. They are also opening another Hyundai dealership down here in Manahawkin.

koftheworld

I got my Honda Accord lease from David Michael Honda on Rt. 9 S. They were great. They got me a $0 down, $244/month, 36/3 lease without any negotiation on my part. I wouldn't recommend their service department though based on price and somewhat spotty customer service. They do give out a free customer car if you bring your car in for service though, which I found to be a big plus.

I also had a good experience at DCH Toyota on Rt. 9 S. I didn't end up getting a car there 3 years ago, but the salesman that I dealt with sat my wife and I down and showed us the computer program that they use to calculate your monthly payments based on leasing and purchasing. He let us play around with money down, interest rates, etc and let us decide if the deal was good for us. While I don't know if they have the same quality staff now, I will definitely be going back to them to check out the Matrix (and the Rav4 since they have a lease special going on).

I would not recommend: Hyundai dealership on Rt. 1 S (don't remember their name) as they treated my wife like crap, Sansone on Rt. 1 N (my wife got her lease there, but not before a day wasted at the dealership), or the Sansone Nissan dealership on Rt. 66 near Neptune (they claimed that Nissan was the only car company that had CVT and engines that collapsed underneath the occupants in the event of a crash - which had saved this particular salesman's life apparently).

I will be going to the Mazda dealership on Rt 18 S in East Brunswick to check out the Mazda 3 and 5, and back to Able Subaru on Rt. 9 S in Old Bridge to check out the Impreza and Outback sport again.

stickguy

come south. I can actually find good dealers in the exit 4 (cherry hill) area, even toyota.

koftheworld

not sure about going all the way down there yet...if the dealers up here turn out to be junk, then maybe...

qbrozen

Kicked out of Gateway?

Yup. It was about 10 years ago. I've posted the story before in Frontlines, I think. Oh, and at the 'Yota dealer in Freehold, the salesman walked away in the middle of our conversation about his used car inventory. Weirdest thing. So, after those 2 experiences, I swore off Toyota dealers completely.

David Michael, huh? I've only had poor experiences there, too. Although I've met nice folks, they've just never been willing to deal.

koftheworld

Yeah, the Toyota salesman was great in that he basically let us pick a deal if we wanted it. Very upfront and zero hassle. I very much dislike doing back and forth, especially with the salesman and then a closer.

Yeah, the people at David Michael said this is the deal and if you don't take it someone else will. No pressure and no hassles. Honda Accords really sell themselves considering their rep. and quality, so I had no trouble buying into that. I needed a car that night too, so being able to walk off the lot with that kind of deal made me a happy person.

fezo

OH, my one experience with DCH Freehold Toyota was nuts. Not a matter of pushiness - just the opposite. We wanted to look at a CPO Sienna. They gave us the keys and we went to look but no plate and there was a car parked behind it so we couldn't try it out. It took over an hour to to fix that and when we came back from the test drive the sales manager had left. The salesman said to come back for a price. It's three years down teh road and we still haven't gone....

koftheworld

Ha! That's really funny. I can't imagine that having that kind of experience.

I'm honestly wishing for a dealer to take my lease off my hands early (the car is still in great condition) so that I won't have to deal with turning the car in when my child is due. I guess I'll keep a look out as I'm test driving.

fezo

You seem to have a pretty ood handle on what you want which is half of the battle.

Quick story concerning buying with baby due. Back 7 years ago when we were expanding beyond 2 kids I go to the Honda dealer up by where my dad lived - Rt 23 Honda in Pompton Plains. Looking for a new Ody at a time when you either had to pay ADM or wait. This dealer would put us on a wait list that was shorter than what I'd been quoted and we say fine.

The salesman did call up to see if we wanted to buy a used one just turned in and we went up to look figuring worst case scenario is we go say hi to dad and tell the salesman we'll wait which is what happened.

A few weeks later the salesman calls again with another van - new but a different color. I tell him, "Andres, I appreciate the call. I really do but my wife is in labor right now (she really was!) so I don't think I'm buying a car today." She wasn't out of the hospital a week or so when they got our van in.

Back then the guy in Manahawkin was quoting six months to get the van. This guy quoted three months and had it in under two.

Vans are what happens to you if you go beyond two kids. Be warned.

koftheworld

That's a great story! I'm not sure I would have answer the call at that moment, but I guess you needed something to take your mind off of the situation.

As far as the van goes, both my wife and I are firmly committed to not ever buying a van (that's right now of course). If we ever have enough kids, then I guess there will be no choice.

fezo

Funny thing. I was actually at work because my wife ordered me in. She was an OB nurse at the time and knew she was way away from an actual issue. Figured I'd be in the way.

At lunch time I went home and we started moseying to the hospital. This was kid #3 so we knew the drill.

Vans aren't bad. They're practical as all get out. The idea that a decent sized SUV is somehow less dorky is foreign to us. OTOH I'll readily admit that their gas mileage isn't much better than a lot of SUVs either. The Ody is actually our best snow vehicle.

That said, the best advice is always buy what you like. well, maybe not the best advice but certainly the most likely to be followed...

exb0

Honda is “repurchasing” our 07 Odyssey, long story. Wife doesn’t want another van, and she is looking for small to midsized crossover. Here is the catch, it has to have factory installed rear entertainment system similar to Honda’s where kids could listen to XM through the headphones and can control the stations, while she is listening to FM or CD through the speakers.

It can be five passenger, must be reliable, and costs under $30K. Toyota Venza doesn’t come with rear DVD systems, at least in our region. Cheapest Highlander with DVD is $37K+. Pilot is out, too big, too ugly. Any other suggestions? Does anybody have experience with Mazda CX-9?

steine13

Any other suggestions?
Yeah, get each kid a $120 8" DVD player + headphones and call it good.
You'd be amazed how quickly little kids learn this stuff if they know they're in charge of their own entertainment.
The factory ones are way overpriced.

-Mathias

corvette

The factory ones are way overpriced.

Just like factory nav systems (although the integration is pretty slick, but that's probably less of an issue with a kids' entertainment system). Don't get me started on Onstar's turn-by-turn navigation, which is just pathetic.

qbrozen

Does it have to be a new vehicle?