What Car is Right For Me? Help Me Choose!

speedin4jesus · October 2004

I am in the process of looking for a new used car. I am looking for something sporty, fun, quick, powerful, gas saving, and easy to drive. I have narrowed it down to the 98-00 Nissan Altimas, 98-01 Honda Accords,or the 97-00 Toyota Camry. Which is the best car? I know that the altimas are cheaper, does that mean that they are not as good as the others? I also know that the accords have bad auto tranny's, but I can't drive a manual. And the camry doesn't have a lot of power of of the 4cyl. I just don't know! Please help.

bh628 · October 2004

Thanks maxhonda99!!!

I'll give those cars a look. I did a short test drive of the Accord, but I was so in love with the Camry at the time that all I noticed was the bumpy ride of the Accord (the Camry just floats!). It was after that short Accord test drive that I did a longer Camry test drive and had the terrible back spasms.

I did take a peek at the Impala interior after seeing your message, while checking out the Chevy Malibu. The seat does have a longer cushion. Just more than I planned to pay. I may test drive the Impala.

The Taurus is something I haven't seen yet, and I will check that out, also.

I also noticed that I have to drive these new cars differently. In my current car, I can rest my foot on the floor and swivel my foot to go from gas to brake. Can't do that with the new cars so far because the brake sits higher. I thought the Chevy Malibu's adjustable pedals might help, but there's a big bump in the middle/in the way, and the pedals don't come down low enough. I decided to start lifting my foot to brake in my current car, to help build up right leg muscles. Maybe that will help my back to resist spasm attacks. And maybe give me more options. I don't know.

But thanks so much for your suggestions!!! Getting ideas from someone is comforting.

anonymousposts · October 2004

The 98-00 Altima's are reliable but their crash test results are behind the Accord and Camry. However, they offer good performance and a cheaper price tag.

The Accord does have a transmission recall but I know several people who have an Accord from that year and their transmissions have been fine. You do have the 100,000 warranty to fall back on though.

Using this criteria "sporty, fun, quick, powerful, gas saving, and easy to drive." the Accord seems like the best choice.

The Camry is another nice car. The engine is slightly underpowered compared to the competition though. And one thing you want to look out for is engine sludge. This is a known problem with several of Toyota's engines from that time period.

bh628: FWIW, I have a 2004 Accord EX-L and the seats are very comfortable. They were even comfortable when I was 9 months pregnant.

If you found the ride of the Accord bumpy the dealer may have had the tire pressure too high. I've had 3 of the 03+ Accords and 2 of the 3 had too much air in the tires giving it a bumpier ride. Although the Accord will have a firmer ride than the Camry regardless.

pat · October 2004

Good thoughts - thanks for your comments. You are well-versed in this segment and I'm sure your experiences and opinions are helpful to many.

setzer · October 2004

My wife is currently looking for a new SUV to replace her '97 Jeep Grand Cherokee. I've done a lot of comparing, but now I need some help. Right now we are kinda stuck between the BMW X3, Lexus RX330, and Infiniti FX35 (if any of you have any other ideas, please post them). She is a real estate agent so she needs a car that would be comfortable for her as well as the people that have to ride in it. Also, we are going to have a new addition to the family some-time around Spring and we will need room for all 3 of us and storage room. Our price range is around 35k give or take 5k. Thanks for your help!

anonymousposts · October 2004

setzer: If your wife wants room I would stay away from the X3. Since it's based on the 3-series it will probably be lacking the space of your other choices and will get even tighter once the baby arrives.

Out of the three the RX330 is probably the most refined, the X3 will probably be the sportiest, and the FX35 should be the best deal. The RX330 would be my choice considering it's resale, safety, reliability, and comfort level.

Have you considered the Subaru Legacy GT wagon? Great performance and AWD plus the room of a wagon. What about the MDX and XC90?

teemu312 · October 2004

Based purely on reliablity, what would be my best bet between a Mitsubishi Galant, Hynduai Elantra, Dodge Stratus, or Pontiac Grand Am. All are either 2002 or 2003 models

anonymousposts · October 2004

Go for the Galant or Elantra. Stay far, far away from the Stratus and Grand Am.

Between the Elantra and Galant I would go for the Galant. It's a larger car with decent crash tests. I know some people have complained of brake issues in the Galant but that was mostly for the early years of the 99 redesign.

The Elantra isn't a bad choice if you prefer a smaller car. Otherwise get the Galant.

bh628 · October 2004

I was just about to take a look at the Dodge Stratus. Why do you feel we should "Stay far, far away from the Stratus and Grand Am?"

I am looking for cars that have a generous driver's seat with thigh support. Consumer reports mentioned this car for that feature. However, if it's going to break down a lot, then I wouldn't want it.

Would love your elaboration.

anonymousposts · October 2004

CR gives the Galant and Elantra better ratings than the Stratus. Also, from personal experience through my employer and friends, the Stratus would be more problematic on average and the body integrity isn't as good as the Galant.

The Stratus does better than the Galant in frontal impacts according to NHTSA though. However, the Galant does better in side impact crash tests.

If I were you I would look at both and see which is more comfortable then you can weigh the pros and cons more accurately.

teemu312 · October 2004

I just took a look at Chevy Malibus on here and saw that they had a very good rating as well. So how bout between a used 2004 Malibu Classic and a 2003 Mitsubishi Galant?

anonymousposts · October 2004

Why not a used 2004 Malibu (non-classic). You can get the 4 cylinder with less than 10,000 miles for under $10,000.

Kirstie_H · November 2004

An Edmunds.com reporter wants your opinion: What are the coolest cars for soccer moms? Please email jhelperin@edmunds.com with which vehicles you like and why. Please respond by this Monday, 11/8, with soccer moms in the subject line.

lisacc · November 2004

I am looking for a very reliable used car. Other than power doors and windows and quiet what I really want is the ability to accelerate without having to turn off the A/C. I have a very big dog too. I was leaning toward a '01 Camry for the reliability and quiet but it doesn't seem to have the acceleration I want. I appreciate any input.

pat · November 2004

What do you think about an Accord? That's what folks who are looking for a bit more "sport" than a Camry often choose. There are others in this class worth a look - Mazda Protege, Nissan Altima or Maxima are just a few that come to mind.

The best thing you can do for yourself at this point is read, read, read, research, research, research.

We have discussions on every vehicle under the sun -- and then a few more ;-) -- which you can find with the Make/Model search on the left side of the page. Checking out those discussions will give you a ton of information. Also, you can use the Used Cars blue tab at the top of the page to track down empirical data on any vehicle of interest.

Hope this helps a little.

teemu312 · November 2004

Here's one my little brother is looking at. A 2000 Chevy Prizm LSI with 110,000 miles for $3500. I told him that it is really a Toyota so it should have plenty of miles left in it. No other choices. Everyone is so helpful here I would just see what you guys think.

bh628 · December 2004

Thanks for your help! I am now happy to report that I purchased a Chevy Impala very recently, and am very happy with the ample seating. Although I was drawn to the 60/40 split seating, I found the bucket seats just as ample--and a lot more fun! I was more impressed with the Impala than the Accord.

My second choice did turn out to be the Taurus.

pat · December 2004

Congrats bh628, enjoy! I hope you will continue your previous participation in our Impala dicussion as well as any others that you find of interest.

Best of luck to you!

lev_berkovich · December 2004

If I am not too late with my suggestion - look into Volvo XC90 - it has it all - room for 7, unprecedented safety, very good ride comfort, nice status (upscale but not too showy), beautiful looks, etc.

And you can get one in your price range.

paldi · December 2004

Both are 10k mile corporate cars, asking $60,000. I like the Phaeton because its so rare, solid quality, comfortable, big enough for 4 adults and has 4 wheel drive. The Audi is similar but less luxurious and, being all aluminum, I worry about repairs if it's ever hit. I also think the VW may be more reliable given the A8 MMI troubles. Help me decide.

sabishii · January 2005

Right now I have a '95 Lexus LS400. It's a nice car - great interior, engine and overall quality - but I would like something sportier and maybe smaller in dimensions. However, I've been spoiled by the V8 engine, so I'm not quite sure about smaller engine cars. On the other hand, this IS my first car (lucky, aren't I) and I haven't tested many types of cars, so a fast 4 cylinder COULD be viable.

Anyways, I'm not looking for specific model suggestions more than I am for general ideas. Like a range of cars... For example, a welcomed response would be like "look at a Mustang or a car similar to it."

My budget is around $20k, which I may be able to push to $25k.

Thanks for reading, and I hope I can get some detailed (and educational!) comments.

kyfdx · January 2005

Sporty with plenty of power?

Acura RSX-S

Need more room and AWD?

Subaru WRX or WRX wagon

Both of those could be bought under $25K.

Other options?

Honda Accord Sedan or Coupe with V-6 (without Navi).

Cheaper?

Mazda3.. S model... in sedan or hatch.. Around $20K.

claudius753 · February 2005

About June or so I will be purchasing a new car. It will be my first new car, replacing the '97 Cavalier I have now that I purchased used. I will list some of the features I am looking for in the vehicle.

-Price range of $17-20K

-Good Fuel Economy, but doesn't have to be hybrid-type. Something obtaining around 30+mpg highway would suffice

-Going with an auto tranny this time, preferably would like to have a 5spd AT, but a good 4spd works

-decent power and acceleration. Maybe 130-170hp

-Nice interior, well built.

-Reliable

I have already looked at the usual suspects, Civic and corolla. Any others I should look at? I am waiting to see the '06 Civic.

pat · February 2005

Have you thought about a Mazda6? A Malibu? Or maybe an Altima?

They are all in the price range you specify, but vehicles such as the Mazda3, the Elantra and the Sentra are direct Corolla and Civic competitors and come in under your budget.

Check out those links and also look up our discussions on those vehicles with the search features on the left side of the page. That'll keep you busy for a while!!

jap man · February 2005

i would look into getting any service records from the dealer if your buying it from a dealer also you can right down the vin# number from the vehicle and bring it in to your local minisry of transportation where for around 20$ dollars you can purchase whats called a uvip package wich stands for used vehicle information package and that will give you the vehicles history and mileage as well. its important to know if the vehicle your looking at was maintaned properly for longevity purposes down the road and a other thing i would highly recommend is take it for a thorough inspection to YOUR mechanic NOT the garage or dealer mechanic believe me its worth paying 50-60$ dollars when your gonna pay 15-20.0000$ dollars for a car. good luck

claudius753 · February 2005

I was looking at Mazda3 also. Nice looks and good power.

I have also looked at Elantra GT. Also has nice looks and I love that purple intrument panel. I don't know why, but having a nice gauge cluster is important to me.

Build quality is one of the top priorities. The Cavi has never left me stranded, but at 97,000 miles, the interior has squeaks and rattles everywhere and its pretty annoying. The 93 Civic I owned previously had none of those problems even at 130,000 miles and 9 years old.

I am not sure about Hyundai's quality. I have heard they aren't that great, but more and more I hear that they now rival the Japanese makes. Also am not sure of Mazda's quality as they are owned by Ford and I think that the 2.3 engine is a Ford Duratec.

Also, mid size sedans are not out of the question. I like the looks of the Camry, but I think Honda really screwed up with the new accord's design, I hate the front fascia.

So, as of now, the contenders are Civic, Corolla, Elantra, Mazda3, RSX, and maybe Camry.

I want to make sure I get what models to seriously consider, learn as much about each as I can, and then, take the test drives as an informed consumer, making my decision to get the best value and best car to suit me.

pat · February 2005

Take some time to explore all the information we have from the main Edmunds site. Also there a couple of resources in the "Helpful Links" box on the left that may be useful to you.

fbrownlo · February 2005

Hi -- I drove Buicks for years, well-made, reliable, excellent, courteous service. Last year I went Toyota for a change, bought the wife a very nice, top-of-the-line Avalon because she thought B's in general were "boring," my Riv. too masculine. So now we have a serious problem with sludge in the 3.0L engine, and so far not much by way of courtesy or interest from the dealership. My advice is: find a good, locally owned Buick dealership, drive the new Lacrosse, and see what you think. Myself, I like it. And I love my '97 Riv: what a car! What character! And my wife is changing her mind about Buicks.

alex_wareing · February 2005

Hi there,

I just recently moved to San Diego California from London, UK. I need to buy a car as soon as possible. However because i'm a student i only have a budget of around $2000. The problem i'm having is that i don't know the first thing about the mechanical side of a car and i don't feel like theres anyone i can trust in the car business. I've asked around for reccomendations but no one really knows anyone.

I have test driven a few cars from lots, i even found one that i really liked i almost bought it but at the last minute i took ot to a mechanica and he told me the repairs that needed doing on the car were more than the asking price!!!

I can afford to make monthly payments but theres no way i can get credit because i have only just arrived and i only need the car for the next 18 months.

So my question is what car should i buy and how and where should i buy it?

- My number one requirement is reliabilty, i need the car for 18 months and i need it not to give me too much trouble. my communte to work is less than 10 minutes but i plan to make some road trips (3+ hours) in the car as well

- I would prefer a smaller compact sedan, that goes easy on gas and insurance, but one with 4 doors

- I have always driven manual cars so i am more than happy with either manual or auto

- I'm not too fussy about the make, style, color or age, the above things are more important

- I need it as soon as possible, preferably within a week, i don't have much time to shop around

thanks for your help, alex

kyfdx · February 2005

Car lots pay $1500 for $2000 cars, then sell them for $3000.. If your budget is that low, try to purchase a car for around $1500 from a private seller, then keep about $500 back for repairs...

There really isn't a $2000 car that you can count on for 18 months with no repairs needed.. The fact that you want a manual will help your search.. they generally sell for much less than automatics in that price range...

regards,

kyfdx

latham · February 2005

My wife's car was stolen last week, and I'm beginning to think about replacing it. I'm 25, live in Berkeley, and have driven an 89 Corolla wagon passed on to me when I got my license, and it's still going strong at 147k miles. I'll probably drive it until it dies. My wife was driving a 92 Accord (198k miles) passed on to her from her mother until it was stolen.



Neither of us has purchased a car before.

I've been reading through information and forums here, and I'm still unsure about what to narrow my focus on. I'm hoping to get some advice.



I'm looking for a car with good long term value. For now the car would be used primarily for my wife commuting, and probably for occasional road trips for the two of us. Safety, reliability, mileage, and cost are important to me. Style, capacity, luxury, resale value, and brand name are not in themselves important to me. I'm not too worried about depreciation, since we're generally willing to keep driving our cars until it's no longer practical to do so. My wife only drives automatics right now, so I'd prefer to get one of those, though I'm trying to teach her manual (since my car is a stick and is currently our only vehicle). If a manual is a significantly better value, we might be willing to go for it.



I'm willing to purchase a new or used car. We have money saved, so we could reasonably use cash to purchase a new car and drive it 10-15+ years. I'd really appreciate some advice, both general and specific.



1) Would you recommend getting a used or new car?

2) Are there specific models and years that you would recommend? (Even links would be cool)



Thanks,

latham

kyfdx · February 2005

I like an '01-'02 Chevy Prizm.. It is a twin to the Toyota Corolla, but cheaper used.. You should be able to find a low-mileage example for around $6000-$7500... It should last as long as the current cars you have been driving..

regards,

kyfdx

latham · February 2005

I've been combing used car ads looking for a good value. Here are four I'm currently considering. I haven't yet followed up on these ads, so I'm not yet certain that there's not something hidden wrong, or that perhaps the price is negotiable lower. Which do you think is the best long term value?

$4950 - 2000 Mazda Protege LX Sedan 4D 64k miles Automatic link

$6450 - 2002 Chevy Prizm Sedan 40k miles Automatic link

$4000 - 2001 Ford Focus 63k miles Manual link

$9999 - 2005 Toyota Corolla 4k miles link

badgerfan · February 2005

Maybe you should look into leasing a car instead of buying.

I don't know if you can get only an 18 month lease, and you may run into problems with credit also with this approach, so this option may not be feasible either.

Otherwise, San Diego has nice weather pretty much all year long. Maybe a bicycle or motor scooter is what you need. Then rent a car for your few long road trips.

It will be difficult to find a reliable used car for $2000.

anonymousposts · February 2005

Maybe you could find a reasonably well-mainted 86-91 Accord or 97-91 Camry. Get a base model manual transmission and you should be able to get by with bare-bones maintenance. Heck, maybe even a early 90's Protege or Civic. The key is to look at base models and not get picky about color, exterior condition, etc and worry about mileage and mechanical condition.

Another option might be a mid-90's Escort.

autonuts · February 2005

I have a very broad but hopefully general enough question. First of all, I would like to say that I'm looking for a 4 door sedan that has good reliability, decent gas mileage (20-30mpg), good safety record and DOESN'T have all the bells and whistles on it. I'm looking for opinions on what others feel is the best basic car that meets the above criteria. Thanks for all for responding!

michael_mattox · February 2005

Autonuts:

The consumer reports auto issue comes out every April and always has a Section on best used cars for Under X price...It is worth picking up or going to the librury to read last years.

Japinese cars are were the most dependability is..Toyota and Honda are the best..But Suburu is also good and a little cheaper..

latham · February 2005

Even though it comes with some bells and whistles standard, make sure you check out the Hyundai Elantra. Just got a steal on one, and I don't think you can beat the value. Definitely has good reliability (unlike former Hyundai's) with the best warranty to back it up, decent gas mileage (though not as good as Honda/Toyota, but you will more than make the difference back in price).

anonymousposts · February 2005

autonuts: You didn't say how much you want to pay. That could be the difference between looking at a 96 Civic DX or a 05 Accord DX.

anon2 · February 2005

Right now, I am doing some car searching. I now have a choice between two cars, the BMW 525i and the Infiniti M35. They are both really nice. The M35 has a lot more features such as the rear view camera, voice recognition... The BMW drives a bit nicer. I want peoples' opinions on what they would get and why? Its been very hard for me to make a decision. I feel like I want to get BMW just because it is BMW and I dont want to make the wrong decision.

pat · February 2005

Be sure to check out our Luxury Performance Sedans discussion. Those vehicles are hot topics there. You'll probably want to go back several pages to read all the comments.

Have fun!

barby127 · February 2005

Which makes/models of 4 door sedans offer dual airconditioning control so the driver and the passenger can have different temperatures?

pat · February 2005

What are your other criteria? There are lots that offer that, but I'm not sure anyone can give you a concrete list of ALL those that do. You probably ought to try to fit your other criteria to available vehicles and then see whether this particular option is listed in the specs for the ones that seem to be a good fit for you.

Maybe if you give us more information about what is important to you, we can point you in the right direction. But asking us to give you a list on one criterion such as that is kinda tough.

Talk to us!!

OTOH, if that really is the only criterion for you, try a Search on our main site http://www.edmunds.com for that phrase and/or variations on it. You should be able to turn up matches in the vehicle specs.

anonymousposts · February 2005

barby: FWIW, my Accord EX-L has dual-zone climate control. Other than that you need to look at domestics or entry-level luxury cars.

werewolf · February 2005

From a BMW owner,

Get the Infiniti. The 525is lacks umph (especially if paired with an automatic tranny). The only issue is that the M35 is a 1st year model which means there is a higher likelihood of bugs, design flaws. BMW commands a market premium price which only you can judge if it is worth it. If it were my money, I would consider a recently used bmw 530i instead (assume same $ range). Just my opinion, good luck.

stzr3 · February 2005

we are looking to get a new SUV this spring or summer, and we've been thinking what we want for a while but now we need some help. We like the Saab 9x-7, GMC Envoy Denali, Infiniti Fx35, Lexus Gx350, and the bigger Nissan Armada (though we are afraid it may be a little too big for us). We really would like something that's comfortable, rides nicely, thats around $40k or less, and we can have for a while and not have tons of major problems (a few minor problems here and there will be OK). If you guys think of anything better than what I've listed, please post and tell! Thx.

stzr3 · February 2005

correction to above, it's supposed to be Lexus Rx330 and Saab 9-7x.

clark8 · February 2005

HAAAALP! I am sooo undecided. It's between a 1994 Toyota Camry with 1 owner, 76K miles on it, broken a/c, but I know the owner and he said it's been a good running car, asking $3K. However, I am tired of driving a "bland" car and my heart is on a 2003 Oldsmobile Alero from a dealership with 43K miles on it. I don't care about resale value since I plan to keep the car whichever one I choose but if I choose the Toyota, it means no monthly car payments but if I choose the Alero, I will be happy with the look of the car but it will mean car payments. It's like choosing between an old reliable boyfriend I know I can count on or a mysterious new boyfriend who looks good but I'm not sure I can count on. Which shall I choose?

anonymousposts · February 2005

With such low mileage on the Camry it's possibe the engine has sludge unless the owner was religious with 3,000 mile oil changes.

I'm not very knowledgable on the Alero. Although you should be able to getr an extended warranty with it. How much are they asking for the Alero?

bmwbenz06 · March 2005

I am looking for a sedan/coupe with the most powerful v6 engine I can find. Could you help me out? I am not looking for a v8, just a powerful v6. Thank you for all of your help.

Matt

What Car is Right For Me? Help Me Choose!

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