Please help me decide between...

Kirstie_H

As british_rover suggested, please take a drive in the Solara convertible. I also recently totalled my car, and that's one of the vehicles I test drove. It meets the criterion of being a convertible, but it's way more reliable than any of the models you've mentioned. And, after being warned that it might not be as fun to drive, I was really very pleasantly surprised.

I ended up with an Infiniti G35, but partially because I couldn't find a used Solara with all of the options I wanted on it. It certainly has a lot going for it, and wow! Did I ever look good in it... I'm sure you will too

guss

a Pontiac G6 convertible, they should be out later this year for under $25k. The Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky would be under $25k also , if you can find one.

To stay on my domestic tangent , have you looked at the Mustang. Certainly not as exotic as your list, but a ton cheaper to keep.

If I were to buy in this category I would probably wait for the G6 , just to get the front wheel drive and better gas mileage over the Mustang(assuming this is my commuter car).

qbrozen

Easy choice, in my opinion ... the Volvo.

I like the Audi, but that's a HUGE drop in interior space for you. The Volvo is easily the biggest of the bunch and can be had for a pretty good price used (since they don't hold their value all too well).

oregonboy

Here's a link to a short review of the solara that has nice interior & exterior photos.

http://www.tomstrongman.com/RoadTests/Solara/Index.htm

james

cccompson

Agree - my sister-in-law got a new one about a month ago. It's a hard to find cloth interior model - she said she gave $26,000 for it. I rather doubt that but, still, you can buy one for less than 30K. It will have true reliability, unlike the others on your list.

If you want to spend less, a new (or leftover '05) 200 hp six cylinder Mustang might be worth considering.

zacjs

I'm in the market for a new car and can't decide between the C6 Corvette Coupe or a BMW M3 Coupe. I love the finess and understatement of the M3, but sometimes I'm drawn to the value and power of the C6. However, I see the Corvette as overly American and brash in its looks sometimes. Which should I prefer?

exb0

I wish I had your problems. :P

bolivar

Corvette

guss

Vette, no better bang for the sports car buck.

dan8385

We are looking to buy a quality used Japanese car with the following; Manual trans. A/C and 4 doors. It also needs to have a big back seat to accomodate a youth seat. We have about 8000.00 to spend and are torn between the above cars that we estimate would be about 5-6 yrs old to be in our price range. We need a low maint. car and resale value is not important.
Any help/advice would be much appreciated...
Thank you, Dan's wife
PS...something curious that we have noticed, Altima drop a lot in price after 2002. Just a fluke?

bobst

We had a 1994 Altima and it was a wonderful car. Our family drove it unitl 2005.

However, we liked our 1995 Honda more, so we have been buying Hondas ever since.

In general, the Camrys and Accords appeal to more people, so they cost more as used cars. The Altimas, while being very good quality, cost less.

asafonov

Camrys with manual transmissions are extremely rare. But if you find one, you may be able to get it cheaper than automatics of the same vintage.

Unless you have a reverse-facing child seat (which truly needs a substantial back seat), you may want to expand your search to include Mazdas (Protege and 626) and Prizms/Corollas.

jaserb

If you mean that 2001 and older Altimas are much less expensive than 2002 and newer, it's no fluke. The 2002 Altima was totally redesigned, much larger, and was quite a hit compared to the 2001s. Not that the older cars are bad, but they're much smaller - more like a Sentra as far as interior room goes. Probably doesn't meet your "big back seat" criteria as well as the 2002 and up models.

-Jason

cccompson

As one of the other posters said, it can be difficult to find a Camry with a stick. You might also consider another fine car, the Maxima.

Try them all and buy what you like - you won't go wrong with any of them.

Kirstie_H

A reporter is interested in talking with consumers who have purchased All-Wheel-Drive vehicles, or would consider doing so next time they are in the market. Please respond to jfallon@edmunds.com with your daytime contact information and a few words about your level of interest in AWD.

perna

I can comment on the Altima/Maxima deal.

For the '02 models, Nissan made the Altima more like the Maxima at the time, as far as size and power went. If you look at '02/'03 Maximas, you'll see that they were very similar in price to the same era Altimas (V6). The '04 and up Maximas are more luxo-sport cruisers.

As far as what you should buy, it really depends what kind of driving experience you prefer. Nissans will be the fastest, Hondas will have the sharpest handling, and Toyotas will have the smoothest ride. Quality-wise, you can't go wrong with any of the 3 brands.

steine13

Good luck finding any of those with a stick, and equally good luck finding a nice one for $8 out-the-door.

Of course, domestics are almost impossible to find with a stick.

You might want to include the Pontiac Vibe in your search; they built quite a few with a manual, and $8k should buy a miley 2003... since all the dirty parts are Corolla, miles are no problem if the car has been taken care of.

-Mathias

perna

Good luck finding any of those with a stick, and equally good luck finding a nice one for $8 out-the-door.

Err, I missed the 8k part. I cant' comment on the Accords/Camrys, but '02/'03 Maximas go for around $15k-$16k.

For 8k, our friend should visit the wonderful city of Taurusville, and check out neighboring Impalaland while he's there.

speicalops

I am looking at serveral cars, but before that Ill tel you my perferance, Im 17 I can only spend 7k at most on the car and I have the problem of insurence. I have looked at honda civics and preludes, chevy cameros. With the gas prices going up and the monthly payment and insurence, what would be the best car, most reliable, and the most exciting to drive? I perfer a 5 speed, I think their are better to drive. On my condentions, insurence gas price, and cash problem, what would be the best car for me to buy?

bolivar

A Civic.

But for $7,000 you will only be able to get an old one with high milage.

Do I really think you are going to take my advice? Ha! I'm an old f**t.

17 years old - you're going for the Camero!!!!! You'll deal {or maybe not deal} with the insurance, bad gas milage, and unreliable history and grab up a hammered, rattly, gas-hogging, several things don't work, check engine light is on - Camero!!!!!

After you've hammered it some more, poured all the money you can scrape together from your after school job, slid it into a curb, ruining 2 wheels and the front suspension, gotten it wired back together, you will be 19 and can pass it off to some other 17 year old.

I'm old, but I waited a while and was about 26 before I bought my first Corvette. New. Before that I drove a Ford Falcon, a Chevy, and another Ford.

villebillies

I have a dilemma of either buying a honda civic 05 EX w/ 9,800 miles 4 door for 16,650 (which I wonder if I could get for cheaper still) and maybe spending 16,000 on a new car. I really like added options and the sunroof and auto and all that and dont really want a stripped down model, but I need something relianble for the next 4 years that I will have 0 problems with. What do you think I should do? I am looking to spend about $305 or less/month. Thanks for your input!!

bobst

A car with 9800 miles can look as good as new, but it's not.

It is 10K miles closer to needing new brakes, new tires, and the expensive 30K mile maintenance. It also has 10K less miles under waranty.

I think you should get a new car.

villebillies

what do you reccomend for 16,000?

cccompson

A new Civic or Corolla (and don't forget that you'll have to pay sales tax on it).

bobst

I think a lot of companies make cars for $16K. Check under the 'New Cars' heading, find a few cars that appeal to you, and go to the DGs where people discuss the cars. See what they think.

qbrozen

does it need to be a sedan? The Scion TC comes with moonroof and all the power features for around $16k.

sarahap

I'm car buying a used car this summer. Ending my minivan-mom days and not sure where to go from here. I have a strange ache for a european car even though have never had one. I've driven the BMW 3-series wagon which seemed short on head room for DH (6'3"--aren't there lots of tall German men too--what do they drive?) and the Audi A4 which I really like but DH has not had a fit-test. I also like the one I drove felt to have been driven hard and put away wet--seemed loose and spongey all over. Is this characteristic of a Saab? It had lots of headroom--seating and view was comfortable.

I've seen these in what look to be off-lease '03's with 40k in the $15-20K range which is what I have in mind. I know there are more relieable and lower cost-to-own vehicles out there and I don't know who I think I want to impress with one of these names. What else is the down-side? What is a sensible choice for me? Or less sensible but just as fun? :confuse:

qbrozen

DH?
designated hitter?
damned husband?

Have you checked out the V50? Its a tallish car, so headroom is pretty good. Not to mention volvo seats are OH SO comfy. Might be tough to get into the $15-$20k range, but a slightly used 2.4i should fit the bill. However, personally, I'd be looking for a T5 6-speed, which I'm sure would be more than $20k.

tdreamz

I can't decide between the Lexus IS250 or the Mercedes C280. Any advice would be appreciated.

pat

The comparison discussion you created should be very helpful to you. But let's keep all of your responses in one place - that will be easier for you and for us as well. Let's ask anyone who has some thoughts for you to respond here: tdreamz, "Lexus IS 250 vs. Mercedes C280" #1, 27 Jun 2006 10:23 am

sarathin

Hi,

I looking to buy a used car. I am buying a car for the first time, so need some help to determine which one to buy!

1. 1991 Toyota Corolla - 79k miles ($2345)
2. 1995 Nissan Maxima - 120k miles ($3460)

Both of them are clean without any issues also checked out with carfax report.

Which one should I opt for?

I will be using this car till Oct'06 very lightly, probably around 100 - 200 miles per week the max. But after October it will be used heavily - probably around 400 - 500 miles per week.

qbrozen

very different cars, so its more than an age/mileage thing.

If you can be happy with the Corolla, then save yourself some money up front and gas money and go with that.

If you need a bigger car and prefer V6 power, then the Maxima is a decent choice (although that seems a bit high for an 11-year-old Max).

Kirstie_H

My opinion, which you can take with a grain of salt substitute (keeps the blood pressure low), is to opt for the Corolla.

Easy to fix, parts are cheaper and easy to obtain, and it runs on the smell of an oil rag. You can drive that baby for a couple of years and if you take care of it, you'll get a lot of your money back out of it selling it privately.

jlawrence01

I am going to take a different approach than the others. Both cars are fairly old but are pretty low mileage for the year.

I would buy the one in the best condition. Since you are buying VERY USED vehicles, you had better get a very thorough examination of the vehicle bt a competent INDEPENDENT mechanic who can tell you what repairs will need to be made in the next 20k miles to keep the car roadworthy.

Also, putting 25k miles on a 11-16 year old car is NOT the same as doing it on a 4-5 year old vehicle with 50k miles. You are going to be in the shop more frequently and it is going to be more expensive than if you purchased a newer vehicle.

My advice would be to have a back up plan of what you are going to do on the 2-4 days a year that your car will be in the shop. Personally, Enterprise rent-a-car is a good backup.

I know that I sound pessimistic BUT ... I have had three 10+ year old cars in my driveway with 120k+ miles EACH and BOTH of us drove 25k miles per year. BEEN THERE, DONE THAT and have the bills to prove it.

tidester

I'd go for cheap and use the savings toward a newer model somewhere down the line.

tidester, host

corvette

My advice would be to have a back up plan of what you are going to do on the 2-4 days a year that your car will be in the shop.

Wow, 2-4 days a year out of service isn't bad for a fifteen-year-old car. That's better than a late-model Volkswagen.

jlawrence01

My advice would be to have a back up plan of what you are going to do on the 2-4 days a year that your car will be in the shop.

It is a lot cheaper to drive a beater and budget for 3-4 days out of service than to absorb the costs of a newer car or a "backup" beater.

danaf

Hi I only need the car for one year during my foreign assignment, and I have three choices: rent it (at least $700 per month), buy an old certified used car (I am very paranoid so buying a cheap one from private party won't work for me), or do a lease (one year, or break the lease early and pay the penalties).

I talked to many dealers but none is willing to give me a rough estimate on the payments for a one year lease over the phone. I am not in the country at the moment but would like to sort things out before I arrive. Many thanks for your help.

british_rover

I don't think anyone offers a one year lease.

jaserb

This looks like a job for...

http://www.leasetrader.com/

Just find one you like with the right amount of time left on the lease, and there you go.

-Jason

kyfdx

Leasetrader or Swapalease...

Also, there have been reports of reasonable deals on the Infiniti FX35 for 12 month leases.... If you are in the $500/mo. range and want to drive an SUV...

That is the only 12-month lease that I'm familiar with...

danaf

Thanks a lot everyone!

kyfdx do you know where that infiniti lease is being offered? Unfortunately I cannot find such a good idea in my area (Boston, MA).

If I cannot find a one year lease I am planning to do a two years lease on a Honda and then return the car to the dealer after 12 months and giving them the remaining payments (for the other 12 months). Will I get additional penalties? I do not want to buy a new/used car and this will still be cheaper than renting one. Thanx again.

kyfdx

Check out this discussion

Infiniti FX35 / FX45: Lease Questions

Read back over the last 4-5 pages... It is possible that lease program is over, or regional in nature..

Swapalease can be a good deal... You can find a car that has 13-14 months left on the lease... and probably get into it for around $500.. Sometimes, you'll even get the original lessees security deposit back at the end of the lease... That is probably the cheapest way to drive a car for a year... But, you'll be driving a two-year-old car..

Your 2-year lease plan really won't work... Even though it makes no sense.. the leasing company won't let you off the hook that way...

regards,
kyfdx

danaf

Thanks a lot kyfdx. That really helps!

ghulet

My mom STILL has her '88 Mercedes 300E, she wants to replace it with either a newer Mercedes E-class (like an '02-03) or (at my suggestion) maybe an '05 or '06 Toyota Avalon. I think she won't be as happy with a newer Mercedes as she has been with her old one (I think the newer ones are LESS reliable, will cost as much or more to maintain). Her main 'wants' are good safety, rear seat legroom and decent fuel economy, all of which the Avalon offers in spades, IMO. She seems stuck on the notion of Mercedes being 'safer' than Toyotas, despite similar safety records (the Avalon actually has better frontal crash ratings, the Mercs do better in rollovers, which are quite rare). Anyone have any opinions?

audia8q

you might want to take a look at the Avalon problem board first....It isnt exactly a great example of toyota quality.

If 'ole mom wants another MB...don't try to put her in a Toyota. All facts aside, No matter how you slice it she won't be happy.

kronogoose

I hope this is the correct forum--I'm interested in any and all thoughts on my situation.

I currently own a Mazda Protege5 which I use to commute 90 miles daily. With my carpool, I end up driving at least a couple of days a week. In any case, I estimate that I am putting around 20K miles per year on the car,and I currently have about 86K on the odo. FWIW, I don't think I'm a good lease candidate because of the amount of miles I put on my car.

The Pro5 has been great, with excellent reliability (no problems, just routine maintenance) and I average 31 MPG. I like it.

My plan is to purchase a Mazdaspeed3 in September 2007, and keep the Pro5 as a commuter/snow car. I'm hoping to find a MS3 for under $20K, but it remains to be seen how the car sells in general and what prices are like at that time.

I know the MPG on the MS3 will be much less (and it uses premium fuel, too) and I don't like the idea of driving a powerful, performance-oriented car through snowy Utah winters.

The pragmatic side of me says that I should use the equity in the Pro5 to get a decent commuter car, like a Legacy GT or Camry V6 that will offer decent performance and a comfortable ride for the commute.

The more adventurous side of me wants the Speed3, not so much for driving on a track, but more for bragging rights and feeling like I have a "unique" car.

I estimate the cost of either approach will be around $20K: purchasing the MS3 at $20K--or a newer commuter car for around $25K minus the $5K equity from the Pro5.

Thoughts on my plan? Any other options that I should consider?

Thanks!

Greg

qbrozen

WELL ... let's see... for one thing, you'd be carrying insurance on both cars. So that extra cost is something to keep in mind.

As far as the unique factor, I'm not sure you'd see a whole lot more Legacy GTs on the road than MS3s. Then again, the Legacy GT will continue to be made, while the MS3 will be limited to maybe 2 years.

The thing I like about the 2-car plan is that you aren't putting 20k miles per year on the new car. Of course, at the same time, you'll be breaking 100k miles on the pro5 next year and repair bills COULD start to get bigger.

You like how I'm not giving you an answer here?
I see the appeal to both sides (and its a debate I've held with myself many times). What I think it comes down to is ... do what your gut tells you. Whatever will make you happiest is the right route. Oh, and, by the way, I don't think that route includes a Camry V6! Quick? yes. Sporty? no.

cccompson

Here's another option - trade your current ride for an '06 MS6 now. Street prices are in the low 20s at present. Swap the tires for all-season rubber and drive it year 'round (the AWD will be handy in the winter).

krony

For your example I'd definitely go the MS3 route. I don't see a Camry as "sporty", even with it being in NASCAR in '07

I'm kind of in the same boat, just with different models. When my budget catches up to my car desires I'd like something with performance and luxury in the 30K range. I like the looks and 300hp of the new Mustang GT's but want a bit more luxury in something like a Cadillac CTS. CTS with the 3.6L is only 255hp though. CTS-V would be better but is out of the ballpark price wise.