GM makes cars for college kids and 20-somethings that don't know better. I would rather get something used off craigslist made by Honda, Toyota, Nissan or something like that.
Given the Honda Accord thread begun previously, I don't know too many kids burning to get an Accord, and I don't see a Yaris or Corolla super high on a kid's shopping list..perhaps their folks lists though. Maybe a Subaru or a Mitsubishi...or something with SYNC...
"I really like Stickley... Wish I had a nice Craftsman style house to outfit it with.."
Oh, it'll go in any house. I have two pieces, but won't be buying any more for a while. The window installation uncovered some hidden roof damage (which should be fairly easy to fix). Also, my crawlspace is damp. Ever seen that movie, The Money Pit?
If you had Shelly Long living in the house with you, you might not care about the repairs......or anything else.
"hidden roof damage"--how old is the roof? The crawlspace--is it concrete, or like the awful bare dirt crawlspace under one room of my house? Would a dehumidifier fit, or help?
This is why saner people buy condos. Unless they are wealthy enough to buy a perfect house, &/or just pay whatever it takes to pay for the constant repairs, maintenence, yardwork, etc.......(from someone who's too stubborn to sell his SF money pit, back-breaking yard work & snow-shoveling--house, & move to a condo.....)
New-ish roof, bad flashing in one area on the back. Rest of the roof looks OK, so we think it can be fixed rather than having to replace the whole thing.
It's a dirt crawlspace with a vapor barrier that stops about 8" short of the edges. You can get a dehumidifier that will fit, but I think there may be some groundwater drainage issues that need to be fixed first.
New-ish roof, bad flashing in one area on the back. Rest of the roof looks OK, so we think it can be fixed rather than having to replace the whole thing.
We lucked out on our roof; it's about 15 years old, but we had a roofing company inspect it-just to be safe-and the diagnosis was $250 to fix a couple of buckled boards a and several nail pops. The foreman told me that now the roof should be good for at least another 10 years.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
I saw a show on HGTV or someplace about a crawlspace over dirt that needed to be "fixed". It was amazing what they did. I think (?)--it's supposed to have gravel on the dirt, & a modern vapor barrier over that. And maybe french drains around the perimeter.
Of course the sub-floor over the crawlspace can get dry-rot, or wet-rot, if there are water issues....mine is the "Collapsing floor", because of the shoddy construction over bare dirt, with non-pressure treated wood, etc.....
Update \ Review at [ nearly ] 10,000 miles I recently returned from a round trip drive to visit friends on the Florida [ panhandle ] coast – and passed 9,500 miles on the return leg. So – as I approach 10,000 miles, I decided to document a few impressions of my 2009 G8 GT.
Executive Summary: I enjoy every drive in this car & it has met or exceeded every expectation. If it was flattened by a meteorite in the parking lot today, I’d make every effort to replace it with an identical G8 GT – same color & equipment. That is very high praise, indeed.
Car: Sport Package, Premium Package, Sunroof.
A few details: MPG has risen slowly but steadily, as I have added miles. In my first 3,000 miles, including a virtually identical trip to visit the same friends in Florida, I was averaging 18 MPG overall – and that trip MPG was approx. 22.5. This past trip – driving exactly the same route @ the same speeds, & under somewhat less favorable weather conditions [ much hotter ] for fuel mileage, I averaged approx. 25.0.
My overall average has gradually risen to nearly 20 MPG [ 19.97 according to my Excel spreadsheet ], from about 18 early on.
My ‘best’ MPG, under near ideal conditions has risen also. Typically once each week I stop at the same station & fill at the same pump – then immediately drive 20 or so Interstate miles as the first portion of my commute to work, leaving before 6AM and entering the highway when traffic is relatively light and I can generally maintain 65 to 70 MPH. I reset the DIC at the fill. When I exit the highway portion of my commute I check the DIC. When new, the MPG would display 22 to 23. I have seen this rise to 25 then to 26 then to 28 – and this morning, best ever, it displayed 29.4 MPG. Not bad at all, in my view.
Dynamically, I still see this as the closest thing to a four door Corvette [ I traded in a C6 ‘Vette Coupe ] on the market in the U.S. of A. - for a reasonable price. And I see the actually transaction prices, now that the initial MSRP + + nonsense has long disappeared, as a screaming bargain.
I do have some concerns about long term parts availability & service – we shall see.
Driving 6+ hours at a time, to and from Florida on this past trip, I was reminded of several things:
1 - How comfortable the cabin is. The seats remain comfortable & supportive even after long stretches of seat time. The seat, steering wheel, pedals relationship is ergonomically excellent, for me. I find the quality of the interior materials, fit & finish to be very acceptable. And I have experienced no squeaks, rattles, moans or groans – even when driven over poor road surfaces.
2 – How terrific the performance of this drivetrain is. For example, I had occasion a couple of times during this trip, on rural 2 lane roads, to blast past someone dawdling at 5 or 10 MPH below the speed limit. By the time my foot moves from steady quarter throttle in sixth gear to WOT and I start to swing into the other lane, the 6L80 trans. has quickly dropped to second or third gear and the acceleration rate is quite satisfying. Very nice.
3 – How steady & secure the handling is. I hit over an hour of steady [ often monsoon ] rain on the return leg of the trip. The car handles this annoyance very well – feels precise & secure at all times. In my daily driving, the Sport suspension performs with a near ideal compromise [ for me ] between firmness \ responsiveness and comfort. I find that the damping rates, bushings, springs and tires work very well together.
4 – I have had my issues with XM marketing \ sales \ [ automatic re-]billing, but on such a trip, I really enjoy and appreciate the choices & the good reception outside metropolitan Atlanta.
5 – The Turn-By-Turn directions are useful & generally well implemented.
6 – I enjoy having a sunroof again - with the option of closed, open, multiple vent positions, sunshade, etc. This is one feature I really missed driving the Corvette – the coupe’s removable roof I found basically useless.
7 – Fun. This car is remarkable fun to drive. And that is very important to me.
Now that I'm semi-retired I have to travel all over the state of Kentucky 5-10 days per month. I find I've been driving my 116,000 mile 1995 318ti Club Sport most of the time. I've fitted a Conforti chip, and in addition to 12 more horsepower I've picked up a couple of mpg. At 80 mph(4,000rpm) the old sled averages 31.5 mpg. After almost 14 years it's still one of my favorite cars; it's still a comfortable ride but it can really hustle down a twisting two lane if I want to. Best of all, maintenance and repairs run 4.6 cents per mile.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
The 318ti sounds like a great car to have in your "fleet"--+ 31.5 mpg(!). I guess people have to buy a Mini now to get an affordable new car with great or good mileage (by bmw).
I test drove a new e30 318is in '90 or '91 (?), & loved it. It wasn't the monster that a 325is was, but way less $$--less than $20K I think? If bmw had any sense they'd sell a 4 cyl. 1 series in the USA with great mileage that "normal people" could afford.....
Car-buying plans for me keep getting put off by house repairs. I paid $1750 today to have 6 dead or marginal trees removed. 3 of them were right next to the house. All either big, or gigantic. Took the large crew several hours to remove just one gigantic dead "2-trunk" tree.
Now there are 3-4 more gigantic trees left way too close to the house, that could easily demolish part of the house if even one giant limb fell. I hate to spend the $$, because I still want to move, but stuff like collapsing chimneys, or huge dead trees near the house, or leaking roofs, you're kind of forced to deal with.......
Makes me almost wish for the Good Old Days when maintenence or repairs on my M6 or my range rover was the big issue.....
My sister is looking to replace a 1998 Maxima SE (AT) shortly, so that is the frame of reference for these requirements. not that she is picky or anything, but at least she doesnt want to pay too much. She is also single, so the car is just for her.
Oh, and the fold down rear seats are so she can stick a mountain bike in there. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Car must list: Have 4 doors Automatic transmission Fold down rear seats Alarm system Antilock brakes Side curtain airbags (front) Automatic door opener/window down on key fob Alloy wheels (no 15" stuff I rather like the bigger tires) Power driver seat CD (nothing fancy needed for the radio but perhaps an Ipod connection)
My on the fence wish list Navi system - really want Sun roof - will miss terribly if I don't have Would like stability control Not really keen on hybrid stuff but would consider if the car still has power and was predominately gas powered.
So what I'm considering are: Accord & Altima (both might be to big so I have to do some width measurements because of my garage turn) Sonata Civic - haven't sized it up.
I'd like to keep the price no more than $22K
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ So, what are all of your fine opinions? I'll post my recommendations later!
My sister is looking to replace a 1998 Maxima SE (AT) shortly, so that is the frame of reference for these requirements. not that she is picky or anything, but at least she doesnt want to pay too much. She is also single, so the car is just for her.
Oh, and the fold down rear seats are so she can stick a mountain bike in there.
You should really at least look at a Fusion or Milan. The 2.5 4 cylinder with the 6 speed automatic is relatively thrifty and offers some semblance of performance. The Fusion SE has a moons/toons option that gets you premium sound, SYNC, and a moonroof.
Is it limited to 4 doors, or are 5 okay? The Mazda3 hatch has been very popular.
Has to be new (her issue, not mine). 5 door could work. She drove a Sonata (rental) and didnt like it (too spongy, almost Camry like). Guess she has gotten used to a firm ride and steering feel on the Maxima!
She is also the one that bought a Fiat 850 spider when she was about 20. My BIL to be hated that thing, since he got stuck working on it!
I suggested the Sonata, Mazda 6, Altima and Fusion, with Legacy and Volvo V50 as dark horse entrants.
Subes out, doesn't want AWD. She read good things about the Fusion, but hated the high rise trunk and poor rear view (a big problem with many sedans now, after drving a nice low slung Maxima).
Ny Neice has a 2006 Mazda 6, which sis seems to like. The new one is a bit bigger though, but I expect she will like how it drives. Her friend fot a deal on an Altima 2.5s last year, so that is still in the running.
I think something like the Volvo would be more functional for her, but hey, it's her money. THe safe and sound offer is a nice feature too. Pretty much gas and go for 5 years or 60K (even covers wear items). Hard to beat that.
You won't get a V50 or a S40 for any where near 22k. The new car programs are much better on a S60 because of the model close out and production end.
You can get a FWD S60 Special Edition for 26ish or maybe a little less with some hard bargaining. The Special Edition S60s have the sexier 17 inch wheels too.
That's a long list for a $22k (new) car. Also, the keyfob window down trick really limits your options--BMW, Volvo, and Nissan are the only ones I know of who have it.
Almost anything with a four-cylinder is going to seem noisy and cheap after having a Maxima with a VQ30DE. Why not look at a gently used Maxima or Altima V6 for around $20k? You probably won't find one with stability control, as Nissan disdains safety features and only included it on the very top model, but I think it would meet the other requirements. May be hard to find one without leather.
I was looking around online and found a used car dealer in Cinci who has a 2006 Mini Cooper S with around 45k, priced right. Then I took a gander at the Mini boards to see what was involved in changing the fluid in the automatic transmission. I saw a bunch of threads on things like broken gloveboxes and a topic with a ton of replies on broken suspension mounts--reminded me of the VW I used to own! Not to mention I'm 100 miles from the nearest Mini dealer.
My G6 is still shuddering at highway speed. I've driven two others with the same powertrain and tire size that don't have the same problem, so at least that's probably not the way it's designed.
Haven't driven one with an auto, and call me an old man, but a manual is a deal-breaker on a car I have to drive every day.
I concur with BR! There are much better small car automatics if that is what you need. A VW GTI with a DSG comes to mind as a possibility - decent small car w/auto. Neither the Mini nor the V-dub is particularly thrifty with fuel, just more fun to drive than a Corolla.
My S with a manual got 40 to 45 mpg pure highway and around 25 pure city. My lifetime combined avg was around 30 mpg so not bad for the performance you got. I can see some people wanting more mpg for such a small sized car.
I will say that I have heard, but cannot confirm because I haven't driven one yet, that the autos in the new new MINI are much better then the old one. I still think that for a car that small with such low torque a manual would be better but the regular cooper with an automatic is supposed to be ok now.
If your sister is willing to roll the dice on the General, let me put my plug in for the Malibu.
So far at 1 year and 16k miles mine has been flawless. It has everything on your list except the auto down windows. Mine also has the suede with heated seats that are excellent. The ride may not be as sporty as your sister is use to though.
That 318iS would have been a '91... E30 body with the "new" engine from the E36... I think the base price was just under $20K, but most of them were MSRP'd around $22,500.... All had sport package standard with sport seats, air dam, etc...
Like the ti, the E30 318is has become a bit of a cult car among the BMW faithful. Some call it a "baby M3", and I think that is an apt description. The engines are just about bulletproof(now that the profile gasket issue has been resolved), and the E30 has that classic timeless BMW styling coupled with light weight and entertaining handling. I'd buy one if I wasn't in the middle of the 2002's "rolling restoration"... :P
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Accord have the window down feature too on their keyfobs.
I'd be looking at a 2 or 3 year old (previous generation) Accord EX V6. Great cars, great features, safety, performance, lots of trunk space, and last few years can be found with Navi. I find that Honda Navigations are among the easiest to use too. Lots of power too with a 265HP V6.
While working at Honda I had a few older Maxima owners buy Accords because the size and performance was right.
the E30 318is has become a bit of a cult car among the BMW faithful
Of all the cars I've ever driven, or owned, inc. my M6, e34 535i & 540i's, e30 325is, 850i--all great--there was "something about" that E30 318is that got to me. Shoulda bought it, but I was on such a "test driving every interesting car possible" craze that I didn't follow my gut. It was pretty, red, had a lot of fun bombing around on back country roads.....
I was thinking about it earlier and realized that I've had my Pilot 2 years today. It really doesn't seem like I've owned it that long. I still enjoy driving it, its been a relatively problem free car, the few little things are more quirks than anything. My only real wish is that it could tow the TT, but I guess no harm in that sitting for yet another summer.
The Pilot has just over 40k on it, I only put about 1k miles/month on these days, so the miles are only slowly racking up. I have a 6 year/120k Honda Care ESC on it so any problems it might have will be covered.
To sum it up, I'm still very happy with my Pilot and will probably keep driving it for several years to come. Still on the look out for an old truck to pull the TT though so the CCBA membership isn't in jeapardy, lol.
BTW, hubby's 09 Civic (duct taped bumper and all) has been a wonderful car as well, he's very happy with it. He's catching the Pilot's mileage pretty quickly, I believe the car has around 23k on it at the moment and isn't quite a year old yet.
I bought a 95 Civic Si coupe that came in on a trade to keep my CCBA membership active. But it's not for me, it's for my 18 year old sister for her 19th birthday. She better like it!
It's been almost a year since I had the Jeep Patriot. Although it's a boring car unless you're taking it on forest trails and in the bush, I find it quite handy to haul around large items, and it's very nimble and easy to park because of it's small size.
If I were to replace the Jeep today (which I won't cause I still owe on it) it would probably be a tossup between leasing a new MB C230 and a VW Passat CC. Both are for under $500/month taxes in with about $2k down. But that's just dreaming for now.
My aspiration of owning a beater from the 70s has been put on hold too for now as we bought a condo and have a baby due in 2 months
Looks like after this my CCBA will be dormant for a couple more years
Is a Canadian Civic Si from that era the equivalent to a US Civic EX? Did you buy it with your money or with hers? Probably a valuable friend to have for someone looking for a car...
Yeah the Canadian Si is same as a US EX, it has the VTec motor. I bought it with my own money and my parents chipped in too.
Most of the old trade ins get bid on by the wholesalers before they even arrive here, so it's rare that a trade in will sit on our lot. I had to jump on this one. Plus the managers won't sell beater trade in cars to us very often as it would be easy to curb them and make money on the side. Bad image we don't want to deal with.
Yeah in Vancouver, actually a suburb of Vancouver, maybe only about 15 minute drive from city centre. Things were pretty expensive here for while until the market corrected itself recently. However that only lasted about 6 months and things are slowly going up again.
Overall I'm not complaining, just that I wish I'd have a house with a large garage and enough spare change for some "toys" to put into that garage.
Comments
Given the Honda Accord thread begun previously, I don't know too many kids burning to get an Accord, and I don't see a Yaris or Corolla super high on a kid's shopping list..perhaps their folks lists though. Maybe a Subaru or a Mitsubishi...or something with SYNC...
Oh, it'll go in any house. I have two pieces, but won't be buying any more for a while. The window installation uncovered some hidden roof damage (which should be fairly easy to fix). Also, my crawlspace is damp. Ever seen that movie, The Money Pit?
But hey, $500 in incentives and a $1,500 energy credit. Almost as bad as what a car manufacturer has to do to sell cars these days.
Houses cost too much!
If you had Shelly Long living in the house with you, you might not care about the repairs......or anything else.
"hidden roof damage"--how old is the roof? The crawlspace--is it concrete, or like the awful bare dirt crawlspace under one room of my house? Would a dehumidifier fit, or help?
This is why saner people buy condos. Unless they are wealthy enough to buy a perfect house, &/or just pay whatever it takes to pay for the constant repairs, maintenence, yardwork, etc.......(from someone who's too stubborn to sell his SF money pit, back-breaking yard work & snow-shoveling--house, & move to a condo.....)
It's a dirt crawlspace with a vapor barrier that stops about 8" short of the edges. You can get a dehumidifier that will fit, but I think there may be some groundwater drainage issues that need to be fixed first.
We lucked out on our roof; it's about 15 years old, but we had a roofing company inspect it-just to be safe-and the diagnosis was $250 to fix a couple of buckled boards a and several nail pops. The foreman told me that now the roof should be good for at least another 10 years.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Of course the sub-floor over the crawlspace can get dry-rot, or wet-rot, if there are water issues....mine is the "Collapsing floor", because of the shoddy construction over bare dirt, with non-pressure treated wood, etc.....
That's only because you and I aren't willing to paint it purple with ghost flames, put a folgers can on the tailpipe and a 3-foot wing. ;b
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
That's so 9 years ago,
Anyway, used cars are a better buy, but then look what happens when new cars sales drop. Catch22
I beg to differ. Bad taste never fades. ;b
Here are a couple of pics from the last SEMA.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
I had to go to Denver yesterday and had some time to kill, so I stopped by a VW dealer.
They had not 1, not 2, but 3 2008 R32's on the lot. Each of them red - the only one with a window sticker had an MSRP of just over $35K.
Wonder what they might take for it?
They also had 4-5 Jetta TDI's, but no wagons. A number of 2009 GTI's, but only 2 4-doors, both in the gunmetal grey color.
Update \ Review at [ nearly ] 10,000 miles
I recently returned from a round trip drive to visit friends on the Florida [ panhandle ] coast – and passed 9,500 miles on the return leg. So – as I approach 10,000 miles, I decided to document a few impressions of my 2009 G8 GT.
Executive Summary: I enjoy every drive in this car & it has met or exceeded every expectation. If it was flattened by a meteorite in the parking lot today, I’d make every effort to replace it with an identical G8 GT – same color & equipment. That is very high praise, indeed.
Car: Sport Package, Premium Package, Sunroof.
A few details: MPG has risen slowly but steadily, as I have added miles. In my first 3,000 miles, including a virtually identical trip to visit the same friends in Florida, I was averaging 18 MPG overall – and that trip MPG was approx. 22.5. This past trip – driving exactly the same route @ the same speeds, & under somewhat less favorable weather conditions [ much hotter ] for fuel mileage, I averaged approx. 25.0.
My overall average has gradually risen to nearly 20 MPG [ 19.97 according to my Excel spreadsheet ], from about 18 early on.
My ‘best’ MPG, under near ideal conditions has risen also. Typically once each week I stop at the same station & fill at the same pump – then immediately drive 20 or so Interstate miles as the first portion of my commute to work, leaving before 6AM and entering the highway when traffic is relatively light and I can generally maintain 65 to 70 MPH. I reset the DIC at the fill. When I exit the highway portion of my commute I check the DIC. When new, the MPG would display 22 to 23. I have seen this rise to 25 then to 26 then to 28 – and this morning, best ever, it displayed 29.4 MPG. Not bad at all, in my view.
Dynamically, I still see this as the closest thing to a four door Corvette [ I traded in a C6 ‘Vette Coupe ] on the market in the U.S. of A. - for a reasonable price. And I see the actually transaction prices, now that the initial MSRP + + nonsense has long disappeared, as a screaming bargain.
I do have some concerns about long term parts availability & service – we shall see.
Driving 6+ hours at a time, to and from Florida on this past trip, I was reminded of several things:
1 - How comfortable the cabin is. The seats remain comfortable & supportive even after long stretches of seat time. The seat, steering wheel, pedals relationship is ergonomically excellent, for me. I find the quality of the interior materials, fit & finish to be very acceptable. And I have experienced no squeaks, rattles, moans or groans – even when driven over poor road surfaces.
2 – How terrific the performance of this drivetrain is. For example, I had occasion a couple of times during this trip, on rural 2 lane roads, to blast past someone dawdling at 5 or 10 MPH below the speed limit. By the time my foot moves from steady quarter throttle in sixth gear to WOT and I start to swing into the other lane, the 6L80 trans. has quickly dropped to second or third gear and the acceleration rate is quite satisfying. Very nice.
3 – How steady & secure the handling is. I hit over an hour of steady [ often monsoon ] rain on the return leg of the trip. The car handles this annoyance very well – feels precise & secure at all times. In my daily driving, the Sport suspension performs with a near ideal compromise [ for me ] between firmness \ responsiveness and comfort. I find that the damping rates, bushings, springs and tires work very well together.
4 – I have had my issues with XM marketing \ sales \ [ automatic re-]billing, but on such a trip, I really enjoy and appreciate the choices & the good reception outside metropolitan Atlanta.
5 – The Turn-By-Turn directions are useful & generally well implemented.
6 – I enjoy having a sunroof again - with the option of closed, open, multiple vent positions, sunshade, etc. This is one feature I really missed driving the Corvette – the coupe’s removable roof I found basically useless.
7 – Fun. This car is remarkable fun to drive.
And that is very important to me.
Cheers,
- Ray
No buyers remorse here . . .
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
I test drove a new e30 318is in '90 or '91 (?), & loved it. It wasn't the monster that a 325is was, but way less $$--less than $20K I think? If bmw had any sense they'd sell a 4 cyl. 1 series in the USA with great mileage that "normal people" could afford.....
Now there are 3-4 more gigantic trees left way too close to the house, that could easily demolish part of the house if even one giant limb fell. I hate to spend the $$, because I still want to move, but stuff like collapsing chimneys, or huge dead trees near the house, or leaking roofs, you're kind of forced to deal with.......
Makes me almost wish for the Good Old Days when maintenence or repairs on my M6 or my range rover was the big issue.....
My sister is looking to replace a 1998 Maxima SE (AT) shortly, so that is the frame of reference for these requirements. not that she is picky or anything, but at least she doesnt want to pay too much. She is also single, so the car is just for her.
Oh, and the fold down rear seats are so she can stick a mountain bike in there.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Car must list:
Have 4 doors
Automatic transmission
Fold down rear seats
Alarm system
Antilock brakes
Side curtain airbags (front)
Automatic door opener/window down on key fob
Alloy wheels (no 15" stuff I rather like the bigger tires)
Power driver seat
CD (nothing fancy needed for the radio but perhaps an Ipod connection)
My on the fence wish list
Navi system - really want
Sun roof - will miss terribly if I don't have
Would like stability control
Not really keen on hybrid stuff but would consider if the car still has power and was predominately gas powered.
So what I'm considering are:
Accord & Altima (both might be to big so I have to do some width measurements because of my garage turn)
Sonata
Civic - haven't sized it up.
I'd like to keep the price no more than $22K
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
So, what are all of your fine opinions? I'll post my recommendations later!
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
My sister is looking to replace a 1998 Maxima SE (AT) shortly, so that is the frame of reference for these requirements. not that she is picky or anything, but at least she doesnt want to pay too much. She is also single, so the car is just for her.
Oh, and the fold down rear seats are so she can stick a mountain bike in there.
You should really at least look at a Fusion or Milan. The 2.5 4 cylinder with the 6 speed automatic is relatively thrifty and offers some semblance of performance.
The Fusion SE has a moons/toons option that gets you premium sound, SYNC, and a moonroof.
Is it limited to 4 doors, or are 5 okay? The Mazda3 hatch has been very popular.
2007 or 2008 Volvo S60 with the six year 100,000 mile certification should be right around $22,000.
Has everything you are looking for and the 2008 S60 has an iPod connection.
She is also the one that bought a Fiat 850 spider when she was about 20. My BIL to be hated that thing, since he got stuck working on it!
I suggested the Sonata, Mazda 6, Altima and Fusion, with Legacy and Volvo V50 as dark horse entrants.
Subes out, doesn't want AWD. She read good things about the Fusion, but hated the high rise trunk and poor rear view (a big problem with many sedans now, after drving a nice low slung Maxima).
Ny Neice has a 2006 Mazda 6, which sis seems to like. The new one is a bit bigger though, but I expect she will like how it drives. Her friend fot a deal on an Altima 2.5s last year, so that is still in the running.
I think something like the Volvo would be more functional for her, but hey, it's her money. THe safe and sound offer is a nice feature too. Pretty much gas and go for 5 years or 60K (even covers wear items). Hard to beat that.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
You can get a FWD S60 Special Edition for 26ish or maybe a little less with some hard bargaining. The Special Edition S60s have the sexier 17 inch wheels too.
Not being willing to take leather lets out most high end or Euro cars anyway.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Almost anything with a four-cylinder is going to seem noisy and cheap after having a Maxima with a VQ30DE. Why not look at a gently used Maxima or Altima V6 for around $20k? You probably won't find one with stability control, as Nissan disdains safety features and only included it on the very top model, but I think it would meet the other requirements. May be hard to find one without leather.
I run across people like that from time to time.
Honda has the roll down windows feature, but I don't think that's a deal breaker.
I don't think the 4 cyl is going to be a problem Especially the one in the 6 or Altima, since they are pretty powerful IMO.
She has also had some recurring problems with the engine, and would probably be happy to get something different.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
My G6 is still shuddering at highway speed. I've driven two others with the same powertrain and tire size that don't have the same problem, so at least that's probably not the way it's designed.
Its gotta be a manual for a MINI.
Haven't driven one with an auto, and call me an old man, but a manual is a deal-breaker on a car I have to drive every day.
Haven't driven one with an auto, and call me an old man, but a manual is a deal-breaker on a car I have to drive every day.
I concur with BR! There are much better small car automatics if that is what you need. A VW GTI with a DSG comes to mind as a possibility - decent small car w/auto. Neither the Mini nor the V-dub is particularly thrifty with fuel, just more fun to drive than a Corolla.
I will say that I have heard, but cannot confirm because I haven't driven one yet, that the autos in the new new MINI are much better then the old one. I still think that for a car that small with such low torque a manual would be better but the regular cooper with an automatic is supposed to be ok now.
So far at 1 year and 16k miles mine has been flawless. It has everything on your list except the auto down windows. Mine also has the suede with heated seats that are excellent. The ride may not be as sporty as your sister is use to though.
Great little cars... wish I had one...
Edmunds Price Checker
Edmunds Lease Calculator
Did you get a good deal? Be sure to come back and share!
Edmunds Moderator
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
I'd be looking at a 2 or 3 year old (previous generation) Accord EX V6. Great cars, great features, safety, performance, lots of trunk space, and last few years can be found with Navi. I find that Honda Navigations are among the easiest to use too. Lots of power too with a 265HP V6.
While working at Honda I had a few older Maxima owners buy Accords because the size and performance was right.
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
Of all the cars I've ever driven, or owned, inc. my M6, e34 535i & 540i's, e30 325is, 850i--all great--there was "something about" that E30 318is that got to me. Shoulda bought it, but I was on such a "test driving every interesting car possible" craze that I didn't follow my gut. It was pretty, red, had a lot of fun bombing around on back country roads.....
Whatever, I just don't see a 4-door sedan for someone with bikes. Then again, I know that arguing with one's sister is a losing proposition.....
The Pilot has just over 40k on it, I only put about 1k miles/month on these days, so the miles are only slowly racking up. I have a 6 year/120k Honda Care ESC on it so any problems it might have will be covered.
To sum it up, I'm still very happy with my Pilot and will probably keep driving it for several years to come. Still on the look out for an old truck to pull the TT though so the CCBA membership isn't in jeapardy, lol.
BTW, hubby's 09 Civic (duct taped bumper and all) has been a wonderful car as well, he's very happy with it. He's catching the Pilot's mileage pretty quickly, I believe the car has around 23k on it at the moment and isn't quite a year old yet.
Akangl, I think you're officially on CCBA probation. :shades:
Is the tranny on the G6 acting up that badly ?
It's been almost a year since I had the Jeep Patriot. Although it's a boring car unless you're taking it on forest trails and in the bush, I find it quite handy to haul around large items, and it's very nimble and easy to park because of it's small size.
If I were to replace the Jeep today (which I won't cause I still owe on it) it would probably be a tossup between leasing a new MB C230 and a VW Passat CC. Both are for under $500/month taxes in with about $2k down. But that's just dreaming for now.
My aspiration of owning a beater from the 70s has been put on hold too for now
Looks like after this my CCBA will be dormant for a couple more years
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
Most of the old trade ins get bid on by the wholesalers before they even arrive here, so it's rare that a trade in will sit on our lot. I had to jump on this one. Plus the managers won't sell beater trade in cars to us very often as it would be easy to curb them and make money on the side. Bad image we don't want to deal with.
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
Time flies when you're buying cars every six months eh?
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
Do you like the new condo? That's major, a new condo in vancouver bc, is that right (?). Sounds like life is pretty good in canada right now.....
Overall I'm not complaining, just that I wish I'd have a house with a large garage and enough spare change for some "toys" to put into that garage.
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX