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Volvo S40 2.4i fwd or the Subaru Imprezza 2.5 awd Limited sedan.
Both will be automatics.
Both new 06's.
Sticker prices are within $100 of each other.
The subie's insurance might be a deciding factor (runs higher).
Thanks.
Here's a link to Edmunds' "long-term S40 test"
If it were up to me, I'd look at the acceleration times, and if they're similar, then I'd go with the Jetta. ANother Jetta bonus is that its trunk is shaped better than the S40's - I don't care what they measure the cubic storage space as being, you can fit more in th Jetta's trunk than in the S40's.
The best cars are Honda's and Toyota's. I've owned Toyota's all my life, they never, ever break. The best thing would be to actually BUY a current camry. There is a new Camry coming out in a few months, so you will get a cheap price for the one out now. You can get a good new car for 24,000. The camry might be around 21-24, depending on features. The Honda accord is also something to consider - reliable, safe, affordable. Again, for two or three thousand dollars more you get a new car.
I hope this is helpful. If you have any more questions, I will gladly reply. Also, please narrow down to specifically what type of size car you want if you would like more information, and my opinion. (Avalon - large, Accord - Midsize)
Civic - about $14,000 - $18,000
Upcoming Fit coming in April - about $12,000 - $14,000 (Smaller than the Civic)
If you can spring for a new car with a new car warranty from somewhere other than Europe (and frankly probably the US, too), all the positive buzz in terms of your personal risk seems to suggest a certain car manufacturer originally making all their cars in Korea, now making some in the US, but all offering a 100,000 mile or 10 year warranty.
You probably figured: Hyundai is the company to mitigate risk ($$$$) -- moreover, they are often available for really surprising money, even brand new.
One of the guys I work with had a 2004 "baby Jaguar" looking Hyundai, V6, sunroof, nice sound system decent interior -- the car rode great, decent back seat and with the V6 engine was pretty peppy.
I'd say it was a bit bigger than an Audi A4 and, like I said didn't seem to be cheap, but he got it for around $17K "nicely equipped" as the saying goes.
I drove the S40 T5 AWD -- and I thought it was a very nice "discount" Audi S4.
There are quite a few Subarus that might do also, but the price point may be less attractive than a brand new 2006 Hyundai.
Hope this provides some food for thought.
Were I you, I would research this here and elsewhere on the Internet and then I would go drive some cars.
Note: difficult or awkward as it may be, test drive your short list more than once and if you test drive car "A" on a specific mixed route (of secondary streets, primary and secondary roads and Interstates), make certain you test drive the other cars on the SAME circuit.
If you drive car A on Rt 32 and car B on Rt 119, one of these cars will be at a disadvantage for this, that and the other reason.
I took a test drive with a salesperson with me (something I rarely do) and let her tell me which route to follow -- and sure enough if she didn't direct me on the route that had "perfect" road surfaces and ideally banked corners and curves and was as smooth as glass yielding the quiet-est ride. Now that was a revealing test drive! :P
Test your Volvo, VW and yes your Hyundai over the same, exact same route -- very revealing.
Also, if you, as I do, test the sound system, I bring my own CD and always use the same one in each test drive.
On the other hand, if you would never consider a Hyundai, don't waste your or the salesperson's time. If you must have a European car despite the comments here about reliability, etc, forget Honda and Toyota too.
If you're feeling particularly rich, test the new "high zoot" Hyundai Azera -- I saw it at the Auto Show and it is pretty impressive for $27K nicely equipped.
Just some thoughts. Keep us posted.
2 Subies, 2 Toyotas, 5 Hondas, 1 Nissan. No domestics, though the Hondas have a strong US flavor.
Dishwasher, sure.
Cars, not much -- rather get my input here from you folks directly.
I know some folks swear by CR.
While I may not swear AT them, generally I find their conclusions (often as expressed here since I long ago let my subscription lapse) off the mark. Now, if you look at a car as an appliance, well, perhaps they're OK.
Otherwise, not so much.
BTW -- the Subaru mentioned above ought to merit strong consideration unless you find its appearance not to you liking.
I don't care if they love or hate the Subaru or any other car -- I simply believe (and this may be unique and totally personal, kinda like Common Sense -- which is ONLY Common to ONE person) that cars are perchased significantly for emotional, right brain reasons. All of us attempt to rationalize these purchases.
Now it is true that some folks, and I only know of ONE for certain, care not what the car looks like and beyond a certain basic minimum, don't care much about amenities, ride, handling or fit and finish unless the lack or inclusion thereof materially influences reliability and cost. Progressively this person gets ever less expensive and, to my tastes, stripped down unappealing cars. He does always get new ones and he does not abuse them.
He simply eschews all the right brain trappings.
Now he has never had one of those really hideous Pontiac Aztechs or whatever they were called, but that, I am certain, has more to do with their quality and reliability and durability (in some combination) than looks, performance, sound system, power accessories, cruise control, etc. He could care less if the car is, and I choose this carefully, hideous looking. He is aware, or so it seems, of his cars perceived (by others including his wife, children and the larger society's) pulchritude.
If the most beautiful car in the world met his criteria, I think he would go with that.
The rest of us buy out of a huge dose of passion.
CR does little to talk to that part of most folks, IMHO.
But they also look at practical aspects to balance things out, which are of less importance to a car enthusasist.
Take an Audi A3 Quattro or a Lotis Elise. Pros: Excellent drive train, Fine handling, nice (Audi) interior, tons of image. Cons: burns premium gas, hard ride, weak reliability, few dealers to get service at, costs a bundle. Right brainers love those cars. CU, which had good things to say about them, takes a more balanced look.
Perhaps the 2 cents here is research, try, buy, and enjoy!
I imagine anyone with a significant imbalance towards performance would find CR less helpful.
If the MB warranty is $3,500 and the BMW's is $2,900 (made up numbers) then the expected cost of repairs on the MB must be higher.
Even if you do not buy the warranty (I never do) it gives you some idea what to expect in future repair costs - although the actual could be zero or MUCH higher.
I would also - give both BMW & MB service a call and ask them how much they charge to replace some common part - like a starter - or alternator - this will scare the heck out of you and you will decide to buy a different car.
The MB comes with a 5yr/50,000 mile warranty, bumper-to-bumper. Cost is about: $2400
The BMW comes with a 3yr/38,000 mile warranty, bumper-to-bumper. Cost is about: $1500.
Both are after-market warranties and two different companies, two different dealerships.
I will definitely call about a replacement part.
I do know that here in CT. It is less expensive when the 50,000 mile service is done. MB is a savings of $200.
Many thanks again for your reply.
Hope you factor in your repair costs during your ownership period... especially with the Mercedes.
Having said all of these things, however, the only reason that either of these German cars might SEEM to retain their value is that they have probably depreciated substantially already, so the relative reduction of value in absolute terms will be, on a go forward basis, low, or "low-er" than perhaps it would be were the cars in question current MY and new vehicles.
Having said this, it is my belief that leasing either a 2006 BMW or Mercedes AWD vehicle will quite possibly cost less than paying the breathtakingly expensive costs to keep either of these German beauties running.
And, despite my bias for AWD, my second preference remains FWD and the Hyundai will have a bigger and longer safety blanket with its warranty and I would suspect will not be any worse than the BMW or Mercedes in terms of loss in value especially when coupled with what will certainly be your out-of-pocket costs to keep the Germans running.
If you want something that will probably retain its value for years to come, well, it isn't going to be a car unless it is a collector's item or exotic.
These two vehicles that you have chosen will, I can imagine, become breathtakingly expensive to own in less than two years.
I don't have enough money to afford a 3 year old car is kind of the point, especially with BMW's (for instance) 100% free maintenance and heavily heavily subvented lease programs.
There are many factors that may make my conclusions less valid and perhaps completely invalid for your situation. I would encourage you to consider the maintenance and repair expenses on either of these 2003 models plus the acquisition and money costs (if any) before I pulled the trigger on two cars that may be less than "admirably" reliable.
Just a thought, or two. . . .
too long say some friends. I made a few calls and found out that where I live (CT) the cost and maintenance is less on the Mercedes. Insurance is also less. I have always had high end luxury cars and know they can be expensive to fix. I just wanted a few outside opinions.
I can't thank you enough for replying. Sincerely...D
Funny, the quotes I got locally varied somewhat from
what was posted. I wish I was more opened minded about what to buy. My last car was a 1996 Eldorado. Great car until it hit 100K...everything started to go wrong with it.
Not to mention the gas cost!!!!!!!! Thanks...D
The Azera is the top car on my short list at the moment. I'm trying to decide between buying new toward the end of the model year, the Azera or, VW Passat 3.6. Or used, something 2-3 years old, a BMW or Lexus. I know these choices are all over the place, but my main criteria is price point, about $25-30K and reliability. I see from your earlier posts, that if reliablilty is a persons main want, that you wouldn't recommend European. Do you think the reliability issue would be that big? What do you think about these choices? Any opinions from all would really be appreciated.
Thanks...cn
I am looking at a used BMW 3 series(01-03), Toyota camry(02-04), Honda civic(new), Hyundai sonata(new), and a few others. Could you guys give me your opinions on which way you would go. I know these cars are hard to compare, but would appreciate your input.
Thanks
Robert
Also, think about a used Accord
1. Reliable Transportation
2. Enthusasist Driving Enjoyment
3. Both in roughly equal proportions
Out of cars you listed, closest matches to above seem to be:
1. Camry
2. BMW and VW (latter should have "sports suspension")
3. Honda
Lexus - Excellent reliability, probably performs well too
My suggestion is Lexus although the BMW probably handles better. Test drive it
I also wouldn't buy a Sonata. Yes, they have long warranties. But you're going to need to use it - OFTEN.
Stick with something more reliable.
I have a 2002 VW Passat, and I test drove an '05 Camry. NOT a good transition. The Camry felt too big and sluggish compared to the Passat. The Civic seems small in comparison. If I were you, I'd wait and get an '04 Acura TSX. It's slightly smaller than the VW Passat, has more power, and looks sleek.
Overall, try not to get anything more than a couple of years old, and with low miles. That way, you'll get a considerable discount (versus a new car), and it shouldn't have too much wear and tear.
Get a new TSX.
I'd definitely stay away from any first year sports car (even if the spiel is "but it's been in (wherever) for 3 years before it came here". There are bugs anyway, and even Toyota and Lexus, kings of reliability, have to find and fix first year model glitches! Give the manufacturer a year to fine tune their USA verison.
Just another point of view.
I also wouldn't buy a Sonata. Yes, they have long warranties. But you're going to need to use it - OFTEN.
Stick with something more reliable.
I definetly agree with that funny and true sentence!
Thanks for help
Robert
Thanks
Robert
Thanks much
Robert
Thanks
Robert
As far as comfort vs. agility, I think the TSX offers a good balance for a reasonable price. It actually has more front legroom than the ‘04 Camry and the ’00 Passat (less head room, though). You would need to test drive it to see, though. For me, it would be an easy transition from a Passat because of the increased agility and reliability without a sacrifice in comfort.
As far as the Mazda3 is concerned, I have never test- driven one. I can tell you what the stats are, but test driving a car makes a big difference.
As far as new vs used TSX, it’s just a matter of preference. I tend to buy cars 2 years old because of depreciation in those first two years. I paid $9,000 less for my Passat by buying it 2 years old, and I only had to pay $500 for cv boots, which gives me an $8,500 savings. If you want to pay several thousand extra for a brand new car to possibly save money in car repairs, then by all means, go ahead. It just seems that buying one a year or two old with low miles gives you the cost savings AND you still have the reliability factor.
Not sure if it's "okay" to say this, but you can go to www.carsdirect.com for really good comparison info (new and used cars) .If you put in the years of the cars you're looking for, it will pull up a side by side comparison of pretty much everything. I'm sure Edmunds has it too, I just haven't looked for it on this site.
I wanted a hatchback which disqualified Accord and the Camry. The Toyota RAVE4 sounds very promising. Am also considering an Audi A3 but given poor dealer service hours in my area, have to find out first if it's bucked the Euro reliability curse.
The euro brands usually offer better handling and (for VW / Audi) a nicer interior. But so far their reliability isn't all that good (JD POWER and Consumers Union).
Then again, if you have a great Euro dealer and get a "good one", that can make a lot of difference.
So we went to Acura for a test drive.
Ride is not that great - about the same as a 2006 HONDA CIVIC - which is not bad in a $14,000 ECONO BOX - but if you are paying $25 - $29K then you should expect a MUCH BETTER RIDE. The handling is the major downfall of the TSX - I will be kind - it is a JOKE - the Civic has better steering control.
I will say the TSX does have more power than the Civic - so mark that down as the only advantage - you can always add leather so I will not count that!
The 2006 TSX is a 2002 European Honda Accord - and it lives up to that high standard. Not bad for a 2002 econo car - but a complete waste if you want a 2006 sport sedan. But wait - if you really want a front wheel drive "sport sedan" with a 4 banger that needs premium gas - it would be a good choice.
Trying to decide a car. Price point is anywhere in between $30K to $35K.
Primarily City Driving (Commute)
Should have good resale value in about 5 years
Mileage
Reliability
Features (One Touch Up Down; Tilt & Telescope; Nav; BT, Memory seating; etc ...)
Don't care much about power
Prices (all are equippped with NAV)
04 GS300 with 30K miles =$32K
06 Acura TL = $33K
06 Infiniti G35 with keyless, recling seats (rear), etc = $36K
Attributes:
GS300:
*Has already gone thru' its depreciation. Good thing.
*Limited interior features (no BT, poor NAV)
*Brand Name & recognition
*Spouse likes (loves) the steering. (I'm not too thrilled)
*Am not sold on the gear shifters embedded in the steering. :confuse: Space could have been used for other controls
G35
Love the looks. Spouse is so so
Keyless entry is a gr8 feature especially when hands are full
Recling rear seats :shades:
Power
Better ride (IMHO) than the TL
Worried about the reliability and resale
TL
Honda's accepted VTEC engine
Honda safe & reliability
AWESOME interiors
Lacks memory for steering wheel
Reviews state that it has a good resale value
Cheaper than G35 by about 3K
Better gas mileage than G35
Would like your inputs (outputs) on the above. I understand & realize that the decision is mine (or the spouse) and would like to have a good argument that can help me decide. FYI, I'm leaning twds the TL, but after driving the G35 these past 2 days, that car is growing on me.
TIA
M
I don't know bro. In 4 years you're over 100,000 miles. I don't know a whole lotta folks that want to pay a pretty penny for an car with that kinda distance on it.
I say get the TL. How many times to you adjust telescopic steering anyway? Once? Take the extra cash and go on a nice trip.