What's the best vehicle for my needs?

exb0

I'll second that. My wife just replaced her Odyssey with a CR-V, and everyone hates it. Kids don't like it because there is not as much room in the back seat and seats don't recline, and there are no AC vents there either. They also hate it because we can longer carpool with their friends. It doesn't have enough cargo space for us when we go the beach. Gas mileage is similar to Odyssey. Odyssey actually handles as good as CR-V, and it has more HP. And last but not least, seats are so uncomfortable that by the end of a six hour road trip all of our butts and lower backs were hurting.

tidester

The Odyssey has grown...

There are no steadfast rules but, generally, italicized text is used for quoted material (quotation marks work just as well) and normal text is used for the reply. I just thought you might like to know.

tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper

fezo

The Odyssey has grown with every new generation. Perhaps the one you disliked was 2 or 3 generations ago. The earliest Odyssey wasn't even a Honda product at all, but an Isuzu Oasis - which brought more money with the Honda label.

That's exatly backwards. The first Odyssey was built by Honda on an Accord platform and made available to Isuzu in exchange for Honda marketing the dreadful Isuzu SUV as a Honda Passport.

However, the fact remains that if the Odyssey that the husband didn't fit into was pre - 1998 it's a completely different Ody than what came after.

carstryke

get a toyota venza.....a camry/hylander mixed into 1 vehicle and it will literally eat all your storage items

dave8697

people who drive 145 miles a week to work can expect to save $25 a month with high mileage vehicles. That amount goes up by $7 a month for every additional 6 mpgs that the ultra high mpg vehicle gets. Bounce that off the $5000 up front cost of a TDI and you'd better be driving 100000 miles in the 3 years to recoup. Then why tout resale value? 100,000 miles is time for a new turbo unit.

dave8697

Minivans are anything but mini. Our Odyssey is as big as our previous Tahoe and weighs almost as much...except it handles better, is quicker, gets better mpg, and hauls people/stuff better.

My BIL just reached the exact opposite conclusion. He got rid of Ody and got a Tahoe several months ago. His family outgrew the Ody. Loves the Tahoe in comparison. Typical roadtrip for him is 3 adults and 4 children.

sebring95

My BIL just reached the exact opposite conclusion. He got rid of Ody and got a Tahoe several months ago. His family outgrew the Ody. Loves the Tahoe in comparison. Typical roadtrip for him is 3 adults and 4 children.

I'm not sure how he could come to that conclusion. I put up with the Tahoe for 3 years and tossed it for the Ody. Cargo space with 3rd row is tiny in the Tahoe compared to Ody, 3rd row doesn't fold in the Tahoe, access to 3rd row is compromised, rear doors are more difficult to get in/out. The only dimension that's a little better in Tahoe is width. The Ody and Suburban were the only choices I could see that made sense. I'm normally hauling 2 adults, 2 college kids and all their stuff or four adults and two toddlers. All the stuff was the kicker and I hate roof-top carriers which is what we were forced to use in the Tahoe.

sebring95

Then why tout resale value? 100,000 miles is time for a new turbo unit. Says who? I put 180k on my TDI before it was wrecked. In that time I spent a lot of time on the TDI forums and the funny trend was that the only folks that ever needed a turbo were ones that had a dealer service their cars. That's the first thing a dealer throws at them because they don't understand how the cars work. Sucks, but that's why I say if you need to rely on a dealer...don't buy a TDI. $ for $ on equally equipped cars there won't be a $5,000 difference anyway. If you want to compare a lower-end car to a laid-out TDI....that's the only way.

dave8697

My mistake. It was a Yukon which is Suburban sized. His 3rd row passengers are 3-4' tall and don't encounter difficulty with egress. I forgot the Tahoe is shorter than the Yukon.

dave8697

My neighbor was on his 3rd turbo for his Jetta TDI turbo at 70k mi and they told him he now needed his fourth one. He told me maint and repairs averaged out to $300 per 1000 miles driven over 4 years. He had long got away from VW dealers doing his work.

sebring95

Somebody doesn't know what they're doing or there's another problem causing his turbo's to "go bad". There's a pile of sensors that can make the turbo act goofy and if someone doesn't have the ability to diagnose the problem properly....guess what gets replaced? The turbos are actually very strong Garrett units, which show up in tons of OEM applications. I had no issues with mine even with major power mods starting around 50k miles. That turbo would just whine......really diesel turbos are relatively low boost and should outlast a gas turbo 2-1 easily.

plekto

My turn:

Here's my criteria. I'm not open to compromising on any of these.

1 - Rear Wheel Drive - absolute must
2 - Manual transmission - same here. Old-school push-start-it-possible manuals only.
3 - Can be had used for around $12-15K.
4 - Not a roadster. Needs a usable trunk and I'm not *quite* at my mid-life crisis - heh
5 - Not ancient. Cut-off around 2003/2004 or so.
6 - Not a truck (I've already narrowed that idea down to two choices, so no research is needed there).
7: Not Chrysler. GM is fine. Ford is fine but I hate the Mustang(bad interior, handles like a pig), so that gets a singular exception by me as well.

The optimal vehicle would be something like, say, a GTI with RWD, if such a thing existed. The last vehicle I had that made me happy and fit these criteria (years ago) was a Volvo 240 Turbo. Small, quick, and inexpensive to run.

I'd love to get a CTS, but they are still too pricey. I considered the RX8, but used they are incredibly dubious - loads of used ones need serious attention to the motor or were raced. I don't like the BMW 3 series at all and the 5s are too expensive by far in good shape.

So far my list is:
2004 GTO.
2004-2005 C230K Sedan (base model, no electronics to break)
GS300/IS300

Any other suggestions?

british_rover

Err the cheap Mercs are not the way to go. There are still plenty of electronics to break and those Mercs also have Fiber optic audio systems. They are the first gen fiber optics and while they don't break often they are insanely expensive to fix if they do. We just had a C-class that we sold lose the Nav screen and the amp. Total cost to fix over 3,000 dollars.

I would get a 2003-2002 3 series or 5 series. Either of the straight Sixes in those cars are great engines and they don't have any more electronics then a C230.

That gen five series is one of the best looking around and I have sold tons of them used with very few problems. I have sold one guy a couple of them. He buys one with around 50k-75k runs them out to around 250k-275k then gets another one. I think the most serious problem he ever had with one was the rear defroster went out. Not exactly a big deal.

sebring95

I was thinking GTO before I even got to your list. I like the 3-series idea as well although you have to go a little older and higher mileage, but they seem to be well built. I was looking at an AWD 3-series for a commuter and actually like the pre 2006 models better.

plekto

I know the Mercedes are a pita when it comes to their optical wiring and such, which is why by base I mean manual windows, no sunroof, cloth seats, no audio system at all(or just remove it)... A total stripper to get rid of most of that idiocy. Put in a good Kenwood setup and an amp in the trunk. But even stripped down, it still gets good MPG and is better than a Corolla

The GTO is a nice "sleeper" option since it's really a Holden V8 from Australia. RWD and it gets identical mileage(29 highway!) to the Lacrosse/LeSabre with the venerable 3.8(or 3.9 IIRC now). And the LS1 engine is far more reliable than the newer one from the looks of it. Plus, 350hp is a stupidly huge amount for daily driving as it is. 400HP is a bit mental... I just hate the colors is all - but I could live with the yellow I guess. But that's a cop-magnet color now.

I just don't like the 3 series since the late 90s. They are to plastic, too heavy, and too round. Shame, really, since they age poorly and buying a 10-12 year old 3 series is just going to be paying the mechanic every other month for something. The 5 series I might look into though. Much more attractive.

I thought about the G35 but it's still too expensive. The CTS is as well since you must get the 3.6. The 2.8 base engine gets no better mpg and is underpowered.

I really want a RWD "hot hatch" - but nobody's making them.

british_rover

That fiber optic audio system is fully integrated into the car. You aren't going to be able to just remove it without breaking other things.

As for manual windows no sunroof and cloth seats. IIRC the only cloth seat C240s were the two door coupe model Kompresors and they weren't avaliable with manual windows.

They had manual seats though but all of them have a panoramic power sunroof. At least all the ones I have seen do and I have sold a couple of them too.

Base 525i or 530i with a manual are your best bet. Those really are very good cars and they will get great mileage.

qbrozen

I'm on board with BR. A 3-series wagon is exactly what you are looking for.

plekto

I did say no 3 series. I've driven the new ones and they are horrendously heavy and ugly. Yes, they drive very nicely, but they are awful in city traffic. The new CTS is the same as well - it does what it does by engineering and massive components rather than being light and agile. I mentioned that I wouldn't consider a 3 series already.

What I'm looking for are other choices that I might have overlooked, like maybe something from Infiniti or Mitsubishi or Volvo(if they made the 940 turbo still, it would be a done deal) or another smaller maker that is RWD and can be had with a manual.

I love hatchbacks/fastbacks. Perfect solution to the problem. But I don't see any new or used...(except for FWD ones that is...)

So far the list is
Trucks.
Toyota Tacoma 4cyl, manual, 4x4.
Rav4(previous gen) 4cyl, manual, 4x4.

Cars:
Pontiac GTO with LS1 engine
Lexus IS300
Lexus GS300
BMW 530i
Mercedes C230K (undecided on coupe vs sedan) Too bad they don't import manual E class taxis from Europe... Yes, I'd consider a manual gray market E class, but so far I see about one a year for sale in California.

???

All of the above choices other than the IS300 are honestly already almost pushing the "too big and heavy" button, but I just don't see any smaller choices with RWD other than a few convertibles and roadsters. Yes, I'd go out and buy a S2000 in a heartbeat, but it's worthless for daily life with a kid. It's got to be able to do things like take his bike to the shop or get his stuff around or move some boxes from storage or whatever.

sebring95

I did say no 3 series. I've driven the new ones and they are horrendously heavy and ugly. Yes, they drive very nicely, but they are awful in city traffic. The new CTS is the same as well - it does what it does by engineering and massive components rather than being light and agile..........

So far the list is
Trucks.
Toyota Tacoma 4cyl, manual, 4x4.
Rav4(previous gen) 4cyl, manual, 4x4.

Well at least I had a great laugh at breakfast. News flash....BMW topped by ancient Tacoma in agility test.

jeffyscott

I thought that was pretty funny, you say no 3 series and just about every reply suggests a 3 series :confuse:

Have you tried going to the new cars section of edmunds? You can, for example, click on "sedans", then "all sedans", then you can check off RWD on the left side.

What about full time AWD such as in Subarus, would that work for you? Excuse the question, if you have already addressed that, I did not go back and reread all your comments.

colin_l

I'll be more polite and simply say that this is an interesting list. When you have such a wide variety of proposed vehicles, I think you need to spend a little more time and figure out what you really value. I can't imagine how any truck could fulfill the same needs/wants as a C230K, for example.

BTW, the IS300 has always been heavier than a 3 series when comparing similar trim levels. Just FYI.

british_rover

I am not talking about a new 3 series I am talking about the good ones from around 2002. Those are fun relatively light cars.

First of all you will never find a IS300 with a manual. I have seen two in my entire life. They made almost none of them and the few they did make have been bought up by kids and modded to hell and back.

A 325i weighs 40 lbs less then a IS300 with a manual

The 325 also gets significantly better mileage then the IS300.

The 530i weighs 250 lbs more then a 325i. So tell me again how a 3 series drives heavier.

325i vs 330i vs IS300 manual vs 530i

Kirstie_H

A national newspaper is looking to speak to consumers who are avoiding Chryslers because of the way the dealership closures were handled and/or concerns about the product liability that could happen because of the bankruptcy process. Please send your daytime phone number and the vehicle you own to ctalati@edmunds.com by Wednesday, July 29, 2009.

Thanks,
Chintan
Corporate Communications
Edmunds.com

qbrozen

I did say no 3 series.

Yeah, I know you did. I read it. But what some of us are saying is that everything you are describing - all your wants and needs - still points to one. If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck ...

And I never said a new one. That wouldn't fit your budget constraints by a long shot.

So what I'm not clear on is why, since it fits your bill perfectly, you refuse to accept it as a consideration.

plekto

It's not because of the dealerships closures. It's because the cars were rubbish and had the worst drive-train reliability in the entire industry other than Land Rover. Nobody buys a brand again with the transmission eating itself every 40K miles.

***
Oh - about the car, the E36 was the last one I'd consider. But I'd have to get a 1999 model and ten years old is too old. Ten year+ old BMWs are a lot like ten year+ old Porsches. Expensive to maintain and a total roll of the dice.

I just don't like the more current generation BMWs at all. Just like I don't like the Mustang or the current generation Mercedes(look like melted jellybeans)

As for the responses, this site is well known to be overrun with BMW and Hyundai fanboys. Such is life here. :P As for the trucks/suvs, those are the only two I'd even consider since I'm not entirely sure whether I want a truck or a car. Those are the only two I could even stomach driving... I'm generally not a fan of SUVs...

qbrozen

this site is well known to be overrun with BMW and Hyundai fanboys

Really? Interesting. Seems to be a lot of honda chatter, too, though. I wonder why that is. Oh yeah, cause they're popular and reliable. ;b

Seriously, though, my first response was going to be G35, but someone beat me to it and you shot it down. You should be able to get a RWD 6-speed sedan in your range. Finding one is a different story, though.

I do happen to own a G35, 325i, and XC90, so of course those makes will be my suggestions. It only stands to reason. No RWD volvo, though, so yer SOL there. If you'd accept AWD, on the other hand ...

plekto

I did look and it looks like I can afford a G35 from 2003-2004, so the G35 sedan is back in the list. The first gen G35 coupe(Z clone) was, um... ugly. Heh. The sedan looks much nicer, IMO.

The 2004-2005 CTS apparently has also depreciated enough to be considered - if I haggle hard that is. I loved the 3.6VVT engine in it. My only gripe is you can't possibly see out the rear. Absolute zero visibility for parallel parking.

So final list is shaping up to be this:
CTS
2004 GTO (LS1 engine)
G35
IS300
530i

Excluded:
Mustang (handles like, well, a muscle car. Worst interior of all of these)
3 series (please no complaints - a BMW *did* make the cut...)
C class (can't find one in base trim other than gray market it seems. In theory you could order one, but nobody ever did. Coupe is hideously ugly - reminds me of that BMW 318Tii abortion from the 90s...)
E class (I'd have to go gray-market to find one, like the C class)
Towncar (too big by far)
RX-8 (too pricey, reliability issues with the first years. Impossible to find one that's properly cared for since 95%+ of owners don't understand rotary engines)
Corvette (duh, plus the early 2000s models are ugly)
Z (no rear seat)

british_rover

You won't find a manual IS300 and if you do find one it will probably be trashed.

You think the CTS has bad rear visibility I was just behind a GTO today and the visiblity on that is much, much worse.

I still say 530i. They are dependable fairly common compared to the other stuff you are looking at and relatively easy to work on.

Changing the oil on a IS300 is an exercise in futility. Usually with Japanese cars that put the oil filter in a stupid place it is just a matter of having small hands/arms and being flexible. It also helps to have a high pain tolerance and a good burn sleeve. You need all of that for a IS300 oil change but in the end it won't help you.

Once you do finally manage to get the oil filter off it won't fit through either the bottom of the top of the motor. There is no room to get that small 1/4 quart filter out. You have to either push it down and to the rear of the engine where it will finally fall out somewhere back by the trans or you have to crush it with pliers and squeeze it out. Obviously the new filter is just as difficult to put back in but at least it isn't hot and you could wait till the engine cooled to make it easier. Sometimes I have had luck dropping the new filter from above and letting it plinko down to a place where I might be able to do something with it but that doesn't always work either.

Now I actually like the IS300 thought they were fun cars to drive. The ones with the upgraded seats have some of the most comfortable seats I have ever sat in. Worlds better then almost any other Japanese seat. That being said they are a pain in the [non-permissible content removed] to work on and would have been better cars if Toyota had left the Turbo 4 cylinder in them when they brought them over.

Second part of my advice is to wait a year and buy a one year old Genesis Coupe.

Solid axle or not the Mustang is not that bad. I do wish ford would at least offer a IRS option.

Finishing in second place . . . the Ford Mustang GT. Mind you, this was a photo-finish. The Mustang with Track Pack blew us all away with its sublime steering, incredible front-end grip, stylish cockpit, and beauteous V-8. As Loh notes, "That's what most impressed me: Ford's two competitors had the advantage of sampling 45 years of Mustang DNA, yet they still couldn't pull out a runaway win." The Mustang scores well on value, too: base price for the GT is $28,845, and with Premium package, Track Pack, security package, and the comfort group, our test car totaled $34,330. The Ford might even have scored an upset, except it cannot match the Camaro's unfailing poise, its breathtaking power, or its styling drama. Those quality issues sure didn't help, either.

link title

Best skid pad of the 3 at .90 g and close to the Camaro for figure 8 too

Mustang vs Genesis V6 also very, very close

colin_l

Ford made an IRS for the SN95 Mustang, and it sucked. Only the Cobra and a few other special editions had it. It was lifted from the Thunderbird (pre-coupe) and had horrible geometry. It had wheel hop problems under heavy acceleration and didn't handle well.

So no, I disagree. No IRS option for the Mustang. Do it right, and put it in every car, or don't do it at all.

british_rover

I know they had a IRS option for the mustang on the older cobras. I worked with a guy who had a Cobra Convertible. A lot of the mustang's current platform comes from the old Jag S-Type/ Lincoln LS platform. That platform had IRS that was very, very good. S-Type Rs made 400 plus horsepower and never had a problem with their IRS.

REPORT: S197 Ford Mustang could have had independent rear suspension for $100 per car

Ford could have done it they just chose not to.

plekto

Ah - I'll have to look at the Genesis as well.... (love the racing intro/video on their site)

Exactly the sort of "overlooked" car I wanted to add to the list. I have nothing against Hyundai's latest offerings, either. They are what they are - cheap and fun cars you use and toss after the payments are over with.(lot like VW that way... heh)

The 2004 GTO is fine to see out of the rear, since it's a re-badged but otherwise stock Holden(just removing or not ordering the rear spoiler fixes this issue). The 2005+ got all sorts of wrong with the body changes, IMO. The CTS needs a rear backup camera, no doubt about it.(same can also be said about the Honda Civic, so GM's not the only one with brain-dead designers) The IS300 isn't a huge deal since I get the Toyota dealer two blocks from my work to do oil changes as it is - let them burn their fingers.

british_rover

The four cylinder Genesis has good enough gas mileage to be a C4C car too. :P

sebring95

Funny about the IS300 manual chit-chatr....I was behind one last night. Older one (sorry I don't follow them that close) and it was clearly a manual the way he was accelerating. I'm assuming the older models drive a lot better than the new ones? My daughter has an '07 IS250 and it reminds me of my old '94 Camry V6 Sport....which was sporty....for a Camry. It also has some nasty appendage coming out of the floor that makes the car completely uncomfotable to drive. Maybe that's only on the AWD version....figure it has something to do with a driveshaft.

british_rover

Oh god I have sold about a half dozen IS250 AWDs and yes that stupid hump is for the front drive shaft to come out of the trans and go into the front axle. Makes the car impossible to drive for long distances if you have larger legs. I can't imagine it is very safe either if something large hits that drive shaft it is coming right through the floor.

The IS300s were pretty good driving car. Lexus copied the 330i about as close as they could and got most of the driving dynamics right. The car is still a bit to soft and floppy and somehow it gets much worse mileage then a 330i with the same tranny but it is close.

plekto

Yes, the IS250 is underpowered and loses some of the "BMW" feel in how it drives. The IS350 is front heavy and overpowered - it just doesn't have the same feel as the IS300 did. Now, lots and lots of people like the IS350. I think it's a lot of money for what it is.

Quite a few IS300s had manu-matics in them so he probably was in manual mode hitting the buttons on the steering wheel. Drives about the same as stick, just needlessly complex and pricey to fix.

http://s496.photobucket.com/albums/rr323/NErun2008/TJs%20GTO/?albumview=grid
This is what got me interested in the GTO - few mods and it looks a LOT better with the spoiler removed and dual exhaust put in. Perfect daily driver/sleeper.

(the modes he did later on aside, it looks better without the badges and spoiler)

sebring95

Daughters has the manu-paddle thingys too, but it doesn't do the nose-dive like when you push in a clutch. His was squating, then coming up during the shift. Who knows....but there might be some out there.

I do like the GTO a lot. I think that powertrain could really last a long time and not see some of the expensive gremlins you get in any of the luxo-brands. I have considered one for my commuter (for summer...forget it once the snow flies and the roads I drive...) but it would be a luxury. No way to pay for that with fuel savings like I did my TDI (compared to commuting in my truck).

carstryke

Chevy Silverado, Gmc Sierra, Dodge Ram, Toyota Tundra, Nissan, Titan ,Ford F150

For family and utility purposes, Can someone more familar with trucks enlighten a car guy (for the last 11 years) between these brands, and i am looking at 1500's. Basically i want a nudge in the right direction or to be told what to look out for, or suggestions, by someone who actually knows stuff about trucks

sebring95

Well, there's a huge variety of options and needs that can be met with any of those trucks. What exactly are you looking for beyond "family and utility"? Towing needs...hauling needs...how big of a bed...how big of a cab...performance/handling...etc. Also, are you talking new or used?

plekto

They all are about equal The question is what engines and what options you want. If you want manual or 4x4, for instance, it changes things. If you want a good interior, that also changes things. And then there's price.

morin2

Trucks used to be bought for utility and spec'ed out for their expected uses. Will you be towing? If so, a boat, camper, etc? If a boat, what are your ramps like? Ours are slippery with algae at low tide and I have pulled out some first year Tundras (no limited slip rear) with my Chevy (true limited slip and 4x4) - much to the embarrassment (but also education) of the Tundra owners. Do you need a 8' bed for hauling plywood, drywall? When combined with an extended cab or crew cab, that 8' bed truck with have a huge turning radius.

So, carefully determine your needs first, then your preferences - that will make your choice easier.

jkool56

I want to buy a new car for about 15k. Several features I have to have are power doors and locks, cruise control, abs, 4 doors and automatic transmission. I am looking to be out the door after tax, destination fee, as well as negotiating and rebates with about 15k. I have looked at the Toyota corolla LE and the Honda Civic EX. It seems the ex runs a little more expensive. (I realize both these cars' MSRP are around 17500 and 19000 respectively but no one pays MSRP price right?) Are there any other brands I should be considering? I don't know how I feel about Kia forte because its the first generation (although it really is just a continuation of the spectra). And the Mazda 3 is a little expensive. Nissan Versa seems nice but I don't know much about it. The Toyota yaris is a little too small, and the Fit doesn't drive as nicely as the civic (after I load up the civic the price is almost the same as the civic). I am a little biased towards Asian cars, especially Japanese cars (I have close ties to Toyota City). Thanks for your input in advance, any advice would be amazing, just graduated college and this will be my first car.

sebring95

I just spent a few days in an '09 Corolla LE rental and I can't fathom how they sell so many of those things. I seriously tried to return it but nobody at Hertz would answer the phone. I also have a few months seat time in an '07 Civic and wasn't overly impressed either. Is there a reason you have to go new? I was looking at an '07 Accord SE with 28k miles for $14k. That's a lot more (and better) car IMHO. If I had to go with a small car, the Mazda sure seems like the better car. Again, if you like something better...don't compromise just to get a new one. Or wait a bit until you can afford what you really want. It will be far more expensive to trade out if you're not happy a year down the road.

Sandman6472

We now have a '09 Versa SL hatch, an '08 Hyundai Accent GLS, an '06 Civic LX & a '05 Mazda 3s in our stable...all great cars and each driver loves their choice. All economical with three having ABS option...would also recommend the new Kia Forte...it looks to be a great contender in this field. The Accent has the 1.6 engine, the Versa & Civic have the 1.8 engines while the Mazda has the 2.3 which is more powerful than the others but that's personal choice. The Versa has the CVT tranny & I'm not a fan but you really need to try them all. Due to my severe spinal issues, the Versa is the best seat for me now...I just can slide right over without the drop I get in my Civic...next time I will put seat comfort as my 1st consideration if I ever do buy another car for myself...I only drive to and from work now and let the others drive me everywhere else as it's just too painful.

You've got some great alternatives out there, so please let us know how you make out!

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

jkool56

I was thinking it might be better to get a new car because it will be less of a hassle to maintain. I am hoping to get a solid 8 and hopefully 10 years out of this car as I will be starting graduate school soon and will not have a lot of money to play around with. I don't really know much about cars, I have test driven the honda civic and really liked it, but I have not driven a 2010 corolla yet, I plan to in the next week or so. However, I think what will happen is that I will be happy with both cars and find myself in the same situation as I am in now. Is the civic the better car for me at a higher price, or is the corolla ultimately the better buy. Accord would be nice though, but if I get a car that has been used for 2-3 years already it is kind of cutting in to my budget. Would that 07 Accord SE with 28k miles out last a new 2010 Civic or Corolla?

Sandman6472

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

sanjaysdca

Besides the choices already mentioned
I would also look at Nissan Sentra and Nissan Cube (if you like the looks)..
According to carsdirect.com...you can get a new 2009 Sentra 2.0LS in zipcode 92626 for 15.5K
There is a 2K incentive on the car.

Depending on yout negotiating skill you can do better thne carsdirect...

jkool56

Tell me more about this 2k incentive on the nissan sentra. looks like a solid car and a step above the versa. however, when I add all the options I want in the car, it pushes around 18-19k. i may be better of with the civic at that range. or save and get a corolla. i mean, does the corolla driving experience really suffer compared to these other cars in its bracket? i am willing to take a slight performance drop and go with the cheaper corolla, but if it is really unbearable then maybe i need to be looking elsewhere. i like the way the prius drives, and have driven that a lot, however i am sure its not really a good comparison with the corolla.

Sandman6472

Another excellent choice and I'm positive you could score one of them for $15k out the door as they didn't sell much during the C4C program. With current rebate & an end of the month time frame...extremely possible score! Keep at the dealers around you but come with your checkbook and be ready to but then & there you get your target price...don't play games & show them you are ready to drive off TODAY...you never know what might happen.

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

jkool56

Ok the sentra looks rockin. i think i need to go to the dealership. So like the sentra seems much better than the versa. is it correct to say it is in a "higher" class of cars. with some of the upgradse on the versa (i.e. hatchback, the prices come pretty close to the sentra R and RS). are they dealing on the sentra now? I mean the corolla was the number one trade in car for C4C and I image its still selling like hot cakes. will I have an easier time getting a deal on the sentra? dang I love shopping around and looking at my options.

sanjaysdca

Go to edmunds.com
and then look for "deal of the month" click on it and you will see available incentives.

Next visit carsdirect.com
configure your car
you should be able to beat carsdirect price by 500 to 1000...depending on availability.
Also check insurance quotes...you might be surprised some cars are less to insure...may help you decide/eliminate some cars.

I would take little less loaded sentra to a corolla