What's the best vehicle for my needs?

plekto

But, still... It's an Accord. It's very nice, very reliable, and very much the typical midsize economy machine. Yet it has zero soul. It's the Maytag of automobiles.

If I was looking for something used, I'd at least step to to a used sporty or luxury car. Why compromise with yet another commuter box? Shoot, for that much money, you can get a 1999 S500 - just to put it into perspective how far your dollar can go in the used market these days.

thenebean

i would also consider a used Altima - maybe an '05? still a midsized sedan, but i find it has a smidge more soul than an accord. also check out a used Mazda6 sedan. i think you can get quite a bit for your money with those two. accords are nice, but they are a tough used car buy, because they hold their value so friggin well. you can probably get more for your buck with the Mazda or Altima...

my two cents, of course...

-thene

suydam

I disagree, and this is where the subjectivity of cars you like comes in. I don't think of the Accord as the Maytag of autos (Camry more fits that description for me, but other people obviously disagree). More to the point, the poster had a Civic and liked it, so she (he?) would probably like an Accord. It's a great family sedan that drives extremely nicely and has lots of standard equipment (in the EX version) and safety features. It has a tighter suspension and handles better than a "commuter box" yet is practical for families. Better gas mileage than most sedans too.

I personally would not want a "sporty" or "luxury" car with a toddler, knowing they will probably throw up, spill juice and cookies, etc.

joe131

For a majority of drivers, the four cylinder accord is the closest thing to a perfect car. If you are one in that majority, get one.

gtscharg

I also live in a rural area with mountains, snow, ice, dirt, mud, etc. For what you are looking for, the Subaru Outback XT Limited is the best thing going. The Legacy is pretty much the same car but the ground clearance of the OB would be something you would want for those bad snow/mud days. The Forester is also a good car, Impreza based, same drive train but shorter wheelbase means a more pitchy ride. With your commute ride quality is important. The CR-V is a good car, but Subaru has been doing this forever. As for the Mazda, first year questions reliability and rear visibility is terrible. As for Audi and Volvo, they are very expensive to buy and maintain. We just bought an 08 Outback XT Limited, 243 HP Turbo, sportshift automatic, Si Drive (3 mode throttle mapping like 3 engines), power everything, CD/MP3, XM, Homelink, power moonroof, leather, power heated seats & mirrors, VDC (keeps you going where you point it), traction control, ABS, etc. Somewhat sporty but not as sporty as the Audi or small Volvo but very safe and easy to drive under the worst conditions. We are getting 24 mpg in mostly rural mountain driving, still breaking in. The turbo is hardly noticed, unlike earlier versions of the Outback and Forester XT. Just feels like a spirited 6-cylinder when you step on it. When you are at high elevations and steep grades, you are passing the 6's. We went from an GMC Envoy XUV V8 that was a gas hog and a nightmare to park in the city. This is our second Subaru and we will probably replace it with another one around 2012. Our other car is my company car, 2007 Grand Prix fleet car. Works okay with FWD, ABS, traction control and studded snows, as long as there is less than 6" of snow on the ground. Much more than that and nobody is going anywhere, wait for the plow. The Subaru is probably good for about 8" which is about what the big SUV's would be limited to. Hope this helps! Gary

mirde98

Hello there guys! I would also consider a 07 Mitsubishi Galant. Has top crash safety scores, good reliability and low price (rebates). If you get a Galant SE includes leather, sunroof, alloys, 4 cyl and a few more toys in the high 19k. Plus a great warranty.

jchan2

I would also consider a late model Volvo S60 or Saab 9-5. Both are extremely safe, far more luxurious than a Honda Civic, and get decent fuel economy, especially if you pick the turbo 4 or 5 cylinder models. Plus the 9-5 depreciates rather heavily so you could get into an 04 or 05 easily.

However, repairs past 100K miles on both cars will be significantly more than repairs on a Honda Accord, so you should take that into consideration.

But the Accord EX-L is an excellent choice, but you pay a significant premium to get one, as used Accords are in high demand, and a lot of people keep them for more than 3-4 years.

For both the S60 and 9-5, I would try to get a Certified one if possible, and if not I would get one that is still well within the factory warranty.

rudi2

I am moving to Ithaca New York in the next month and am looking to purchase a sedan car that is good on gas and good in snowy slippery weather. I would like to spend between $17,000 and $20,000 and have narrowed my choice to Subaru Legacy 2007 se 2.5i auto and a honda civic EX 4dr auto.I know that Subaru's are great in snow, but would the Honda Civic be a good choice too?(If I purchased the Civic LX, it would be about $3500 less than the Subaru).Are there any other cars that anyone would recommend that I look at?

joe131

Get the Legacy over the Civic for your location. A Forester, even better.

jchan2

Have you considered a Subaru Impreza? It's smaller than the Civic on the inside I believe, but it'll come with AWD.

I also recommend taking a look at perhaps a Honda CR-V LX, if possible.

plekto

I second the Impreza. They also have silly low financing deals if you want to go that route.

****Quote from their website****
SPECIAL LEASE OFFER* ON 07 IMPREZA 2.5i SEDAN (manual transmission 7JA)
Now through July 31, 2007 - $169 per month for 42 months with $1,594 due at lease signing. $0 security deposit. Tax, title and registration fees extra. Other leases available on other models. Cannot be combined with any other incentives.

OR

SIGN & DRIVE SPECIAL LEASE OFFER* ON 07 IMPREZA 2.5i SEDAN (manual transmission 7JA)
Now through July 31, 2007 - $209 per month for 42 months with $0 down payment, $0 security deposit and $0 due at lease signing. Tax, title and registration fees extra. Other leases available on other models. Cannot be combined with any other incentives.
****
(the latter one is $2 more per month) Other trims are a few dollars more.

Or just buy it outright.

jchan2

I think for those that finance there's also 1.9% APR or something. Either way, the deals are amazing as Subaru starts to clean out the 07 Imprezas to make way for the 08s.

steine13

The $209 sign&drive is a good one... but why oh why would anybody take a lease that goes exactly 6 months beyond the warranty period? Or even dumber, the fabled 39-month lease?

It's only a good deal if the warranty covers the car for the whole period -- has Subaru increased the B2B, or do they extend it for leases?

I would dread the end-of-lease inspection if I were on the hook for *everything*.
-Mathias

british_rover

Exactly never lease a car outside its warranty period.

Mr_Shiftright

Also leases are tricky. I think if you unpack that lease offer into all its components you will find it is not really $209 a month at all, but substantially more. Still, it could be an okay deal. But you have to consider:

1. All "up front fees" are lost money, and you can divide your total upfront fees by the number of months, and add that to your total monthly cost. So that offer of $219 per month for 42 months with $1,999 due is really something like $255 per month already.

2. Mileage restrictions might be very tight on these leases. They do not mention annual mileage limitations at all!. Overage can be costly. If it's a 10K lease, they'll charge you at least .15 cents a mile overage. They don't mention overage fees either.

3. You cannot modify a lease car, and of course you are responsible for damage. Also you don't own it, you are only renting.

4. Leases are very tough to get out of. If your situation changes, or you don't like the car, you're stuck with it in most cases. If it breaks after warranty, tough luck. You can't sell it at 36 months, you'll have to sweat the next 6 months until lease is over at 42 months.

5. These leases are only for highly qualified buyers in terms of credit score. You may not qualify for this offer.

jchan2

Which is why most of the time the cut rate financing is more appealing to me... (even though there are some really attractive leases out there right now)

plekto

I went to the local Subaru dealer last month and asked about it. I got a look at their little printout/grid with the leases and such. 36 months is only about 5-10 dollars a month more. The wagon is another $5 or so on top of that. There appears to be little in the way of hidden figures or B.S. on this deal.

jchan2

Isn't there also like 1.9% APR though on Imprezas?

I have never leased before, and I keep my cars for a while, so buying normally makes sense, and I like going for the cut rate financing.

tncarman

My son will be turning 16 in a few months and we've begun to look at cars for him. He is paying for the car himself, while i cover the insurance. He has $4,000 saved up to spend on a car, what would you guys recommend? BTW, we're not huge Toyota fans in this house, ours gave us multiple head-aches, but thats the only make thats out.

joe131

2001 to 2003 Ford Focus or Hyundai Elantra should be be available for about that price. Both are economical and practical. A Ford Contour would be good too.

Kirstie_H

Ford Taurus or an older Mazda (626 or Protege) have been mentioned a few times, and there's plenty of supply on AutoTrader.

(Note: I would not buy a Hyundai of early years - now, yes, but not older ones.)

jchan2

I second the following recommendations:
2001-2003 Ford Focus and Hyundai Elantra

Both are excellent, reliable automobiles. However, the Elantra had poor IIHS scores before the facelift, so I would be a little wary of that.

The Mazdas are also a good choice, but I wouldn't go with the Contour.

I would also recommend a 1999 Honda Civic or a late 90's Subaru Outback. The Outback will have AWD, but the Civic is cheaper to run (better fuel economy)

Mr_Shiftright

Subarus are more expensive to repair and not every mechanic wants to work on them.

suydam

Consider also a Buick. Cheap, reliable, and pretty safe. Our two sons at that age had
a Buick LeSabre
a Mazda 626

Both were great and very reliable. Well, we'll never know how reliable the first Buick would have been because it was totalled after 3 weeks! But the second one lasted for years!

jlawrence01

Consider also a Buick. Cheap, reliable, and pretty safe. Our two sons at that age had
a Buick LeSabre
a Mazda 626

The Mazda 626 I testdrove a few weeks ago took only PREMIUM gas ... if that is a consideration.

These are a lot of Buick Centuries out there.

The Contour is an expensive car to maintain.

Mr_Shiftright

Nice thing about Buicks, etc is that you can go to Kragen auto parts and get anything you want for cheap. Try buying a Volvo or Sabaru alternator there.

joe131

Contours are cheap to maintain

steine13

Not a bad car, but the 4cyl automatic is troublesome.

the stick is fine, as is the 6cyl auto.
or so i've heard...

The Contour is a decent car. I'd recommend the Taurus and stay away from the high-priced used Honda/Toyota/Subarau vehicles.

-Mathias

british_rover

A coworker of mine had a 4 cylinder contour that was trouble free for many miles.

The SVT models would be ok but they all get abused. I have never seen one that wasn't trashed.

thegraduate

I'd recommend the Taurus and stay away from the high-priced used Honda/Toyota/Subarau vehicles.

As an admittedly biased Honda owner (2 Accords, a '96 and an '06), I'd have to agree. Hondas are actually better deals when purchased new. They depreiciate very little. It also makes them less of a bargain on the used market, with many certified used Hondas costing within a couple of thousand dollars of a brand new one!

Heck, my 1996 Accord LX 4-cylinder is still worth over $3,500, and its got 174k miles on it.

Here's the copy from Kelley Blue Book's site on my car:




Excellent
$4,190

Good
$3,735

Fair
$3,180

Vehicle Highlights

Mileage: 174,000
Engine: 4-Cyl. 2.2 Liter
Transmission: Automatic
Drivetrain: FWD

Selected Equipment Change Equipment
Standard
Air Conditioning Power Door Locks AM/FM Stereo
Power Steering Tilt Wheel Dual Front Air Bags
Power Windows Cruise Control

Optional
Single Compact Disc

I must say, that I wouldn't pay $4,000 for a car with 175k miles on it, but knowing what a good car mine has been (and who has owned it and how well it has been cared for), I feel it is worth that to me. I have a hard time reccommending others spend that for a car as old and with as many miles as mine.

Go domestic, you'll get much more car for your used-car dollar.

tncarman

Wow, thanks for everyone's input, I had no idea I'd get such a response. My son and I will definently take a look at the cars you listed this weekend. He seems to be leaning towards the Contour, the 626, and a Riviera coupe, at least styling wise, but we'll see after our test drives. Once again thank you for your great suggestions.

metro123

Mazda Protege, Ford Focus, Honda Civic.

british_rover

I must say, that I wouldn't pay $4,000 for a car with 175k miles on it

Neither would most other people.

I wouldn't expect KBB to be too accurate on a vehicle with that many miles and that many years old.

stevecebu

Buy an older Honda Civic, lots of them around and be sure to have your own mechanic look at it to make sure it's ok and have it checked to make sure it wasn't in an accident or totalled and rebuilt. The Honda will last the Fords won't and the cheaper chevy's forget it! I've owned them and they break all the time. I'd rather have a Multicab(not sold in the US) than either of those brands. Someone said Buick is a good car and it is as they build them for older people who more often than not tend to drive them very little as they get older. My father has like 25,000 miles in 10 years on his.
You have to buy something that will last and not break every week. Fords break a lot, yes i've owned them and won't again. My ex had a beat to death Accord form the 1980's so many miles on it before the odometer broke and lots of dents. She got rid of it when the frame rotted through due to the salt on the roads. Rust is a big issue if you live in a snowy area. The way they repair rust is awful! Just patch it and that's it.

erics6

I'd skip most of the big name imports too, although you could find a decent Mazda Miata for $4k. I like the Mazda Protege too. My advice, get as low a mileage car as you can with a good service history.

suydam

You could be right. The 626 we had was a stick shift and was a terrific car. Some years later we looked at a late 90's model 4 cyl auto that seemed very underpowered. I think Mazda went through some cost-cutting years. I have heard that the Protege has been good all along but I don't have personal experience with owning one.

Mr_Shiftright

Any car with 175K on it should be FREE in my opinion, because it's just about used up....or if running well, then vulnerable to catastrophic failure at any moment in time.

If we presume that statisticians are correct that the useful life of the average vehicle is about 175,000 miles, then such cars are, statistically at least....worthless.

Of course, you can't get them for free, but I wouldn't pay more than $1,000 for an old car with 175K on it. Why? Because that's about all I can afford to lose in Las Vegas or in the stock market.

plekto

Well, he needs something that has cargo space as well, being a student(and most cars these days can't haul a real trailer full of 2000lbs worth of stuff to college, either).

But he also needs something with 4 cylinders to keep gas at a bare minimum. I suggest he find an old Japanese 4x4 from the mid 90s.(4-Runner is a good example). They hold their value well in addition if they have 4x4.

Other than that, a Volvo 1993 240. The electricals will be in sorry shape, but the entire car can be taken apart with a socket set and a couple of screwdrivers. The last of the no-tech cars made - and silly cheap to keep running.

Oh - manual of course, because that requires him to keep focused on driving, plus it's a good skill to learn. He has to listen to the engine, know how fast he's going without looking at the gauges, and can't yak on the cellphone while going through gears. Plus, old manuals cost a few hundred for a clutch job. Nothing ruined my semester in college faster than an automatic going out - I had to walk for nearly three months once, as I had no way to get $1200 together for one(and that was then - now they can run $3000+)

http://www.top4runners.com/ja/runhist21990.html
Get a 4 cylinder model from this generation. A 94 or 95. Stickshift with manual transfer case. These are the last of the smaller fuel-efficient models. The 1996+ are heavy bloated things that barely move with the 4 and the 6 is gas hungry.(plus they honestly aren't nearly as good off-road)

http://www.edmunds.com/used/1995/toyota/4runner/index.html
These are typical asking prices - expect private party to be a thousand or so less, or right in your son's price range. Obviously the limited is better than the SR5. 1994 had a lot of minor changes like automatically turning the lights off when you removed the key and side protection in the doors.

Oh - the thing is also super easy to modify. My older gen beater still is running at 345K miles and registration is $55 this year. :P

joe131

Ok then, a Ford Escort wagon or Focus wagon would be good. Those should have enough room for a college kid. If he needs a trailer for 2000 lbs of stuff, he has too much stuff.

suydam

for that much stuff for a college student! Either a sedan with a large trunk or a small wagon or hatchback will do fine. But remember, this kid is 16. It would be nice if the vehicle served as a college car but it may not. You can't plan for everything.

A manual transmission has many advantages, chief being that most other kids can't drive it, but it also has disadvantages too especially if you sell them later. I had to sell both sons' cars (the Buick and the Mazda) eventually (one son had military deployment, the other moved to Europe after college). The aged Buick sold in 2 days; the MT Mazda took over a month to sell.

jlawrence01

A manual transmission has many advantages, chief being that most other kids can't drive it,

What happens if your kid is out driving and drinks a bit too much?? ( I know that NEVER happens.) Who is going to drive him home?

That happened to me ONCE. Never again.

thegraduate

Well, call me crazy (as I'm sure some people think I am), but I'm about to drop money into the car to get a new timing belt (every 90k, and I'm right at 175k - only 5k to go). I drive the car every day, and it really has no mechanical problems at this point. I put over 1,000 miles a month on it, and it keeps those miles off of my 2006 Accord EX (with 22,000 miles on it). I'll drive the car until it isn't economical to do so, but at this point, it delivers 27-28 MPG in my regular mixed commute (some highway, a few side roads). It's A/C still blows strong and cold (important here in Alabama), it revs freely to 5,500 RPM, without burning oil or puffing black smoke (I haven't taken it higher than that in awhile). The exhaust is still good, and there's nothing in need of attention in the near future.

The day the A/C goes out though, is the day I put a "FOR SALE" sign in it. It's currently 91 degrees and fairly muggy here in Birmingham!

I feel like my '96 Accord's life expectancy may be longer than average due to how it spent the first six years of its life. It was my grandmother's car, and out of her 70 mile per day commute, 64 of it was 70 MPH interstate. So, it lived the easy life for 120k miles. Heck, the OEM front brake pads didn't need replacing until 131k, if that gives you an idea of just how little stop and go it did early on in its life (I still have the original shoes on the rear at 174k).

suydam

Good point. I just meant that it likely will not become the college dorm car that everybody borrows.

plekto

With manual, nobody will borrow it - problem solved

But by 2000 lbs, that also means the trailer, which is 1/3-1/2 of that right there.(typical U-Haul trailer). Nothing unibody will handle that these days. I remember driving from L.A. to college almost 500 miles away with a tiny U-Haul trailer filled with stuff. I weighed myself at a weighing station for fun and the total was about 1800lbs, cargo and trailer.

As for driving drunk, all the better. He can't drive it - so he calls a taxi or sleeps at the friend's house. And as for selling it, yes, if it's a bare-bones econobox, it's hard to sell. But my Volvo, my Mercedes, and my 4Runner(when I sell it) all sold immediately, because that's what people really want in luxury cars and for off-road/etc. There is a small crowd that will shop for hundreds of miles to find one.

Trust me - a manual BMW or Mercedes sells in a couple of days, tops. Conversely, an automatic Wrangler or Porsche is a total lot anchor.

Plus, that 4Runner has ABS, airbags, and all of the goodies in a 4000lb package. Safe in a crash is an understatement.

mbman2

i have a dilemma.

I am a 40 year old male with a wife and two kids, 14 and 16.

I am in the market for a new vehicle, but there are too many vehicles on the market right now!!!!

I don't have many needs in a car, I only have a 25 minute commute to work and my 16 year old already has a car, so rear seat room isn't a thing we're really looking for.

I am on the market for a sedan, because we already have a large SUV/CUV (2002 Buick Rendezvous)

Budget is $36,000

If anyone can help me i would appreciate it !

stevecebu

I am a 40 year old male with a wife and two kids, 14 and 16.
I am in the market for a new vehicle, but there are too many vehicles on the market right now!!!!
I don't have many needs in a car, I only have a 25 minute commute to work and my 16 year old already has a car, so rear seat room isn't a thing we're really looking for.
I am on the market for a sedan, because we already have a large SUV/CUV (2002 Buick Rendezvous)
Budget is $36,000
If anyone can help me i would appreciate it !

Simple BMW 135i It's going to be a great car and should be right around that price with the M Sport package.
It will be released sometime in October after the Auto show.
For that price point I will seriously consider one. My wife can drive a Fit or a Subaru :shades:
The BMW 1 forum has a lot of info and pics. It's a nice looking coupe!

michaellno

Sporty or cushy? Domestic or foreign? Automatic or manual? Lease or purchase? Is MPG a big issue for you?

Lots and lots of choices up to that price range.

Answering the above questions might give us a good place to start.

british_rover

We need lots more info to work this out.

You said new car but does it have to be new or just new to YOU?

jipster

What about a Buick Lucerne? Tiger drives one.

mbman2

Sporty, Foreign, Auto, Purchase, MPG doesn't matter