I actually like the new Altima. If I had to replace my Accord, and wanted another "upper mid size" (at least the way I size them!) that might be the one, although the new Accord looks like it might be quite nice too.
Really liked our '01 Altima but got rid of the '03 Sentra once the warranty ran out. The dealer could never fix the engine problem, though they did get the engine light to turn off. I proceeded to trade it within two weeks. Very glad I did, eventhough the dealer low balled me on it a bit. But since Florida is a state that calculates the sales tax difference, I went ahead and did the deal.
2003 L300 - Pewter. My current daily driver. Looked at both the Altima and the Passat .. both of them were $2-3K more than the L, and Saturn was offering 0% financing. No contest. It came loaded, except leather, and I had that put in aftermarket. 63K miles and 4 more payments. It's had its share of troubles (BCM, front axle seal, brakes) but it does everything I want it to and still it gets about 24MPG.
2004 VUE AWD V6 - Bright Blue. Was wife's car until earlier this week. We looked hard at the Hyundai Santa Fe but the polymer panels sold her. That, and the 250HP Honda engine and the $3750 rebate.
2001 L200 - Black. Bought used but on the same day as the VUE, this one is driven by my (step)son. 5-speed, it now has (I think) close to 150K on it. He's done a bit of work to it (shocks / struts, transmission rebuild) but he drives it all over Utah (lives in Provo, g/f in St. George) and it still runs strong.
2006 ION 2 - Storm Gray. Bought 14 months ago, now has 8800 miles on it. Driven by (step)daughter, who we felt needed a reliable car to get to and from college, 100 miles away. Automatic but fairly well loaded (ABS, sunroof). She calls it "Steve" and will probably drive it until it falls apart -- which, at the rate she puts on miles, will be in 15 years or so.
2008 VUE XR - Techno Gray. Bought earlier this week. The '04 VUE died on us on Sunday and had it towed to dealer; dealer couldn't find problem. We picked the car up from the service department on Monday evening and went over to sales and traded it in.
The more I look at the Aura, the more I like it. However, I'm just not sure that my next car has to be a sedan. I'm hoping to get another few years of service out of my L and get something more sporty. I am encouraged by the press the Aura is getting, however.
I wouldn't consider myself a GM guy. Growing up in California, imports were the thing. Mom drove Toyotas, mostly and Dad has a '70 Chevy pickup he bought new. I had a Pontiac Sunbird in HS and college, but after graduation, I had a couple of Hondas, an Isuzu and a Nissan.
After moving to Colorado (and got married again), I had a series of Fords and 1 VW before starting the Saturn thing.
You are the perfect person to ask this question. Which do you like better, your Civic or Mazda3? Both of these are at the tops of my short list if I do eventually decide to buy something.
I like the sportiness of the Mazda, even in the 2.0l, but the gas mileage seems significantly worse than the Civic. I am looking at both in automatic unfortunately.
Is there any features you like on one over the other? How has the reliability been on both?
ooh, I like that bright blue. That color looks good on GM's SUVs IMO.
I read somewhere that the Ions had extra long front seat tracks, or maybe just the drivers seat, that allowed for more legroom upfront than other cars of its size. I wasn't sure if that was accurate?
My parents were Ford and GM folks, though the car my Mom traded in was a Camry and my wife and I traded in a Civic that we (alright, maybe just me) were never quite happy with. The car was fine mechanically, but it had several annoying body integrity issues that never seemed to get fixed right.
I think we would have been happier with a V6 L series. We'd originally gone in because of the great deals being offered on the L100s (think there was a special edition one or some such of it) but we really wanted a power seat and some other extra stuff we got on the L200 for not much more.
My Vue was a good car -- it was the first V6 option and I thought it was adequate in the car. Nothing compared to the V6 you all had, but it worked ok.
One of my favorite memories of my Vue is getting invited to a Vue clinic at a GM center in the Chicago burbs and spending the day talking with Saturn engineers and other folks about the car. They fixed a misalignment in my sunroof right there which was pretty cool and I got to drive an Ion too before they hit the dealerships.
I read somewhere that the Ions had extra long front seat tracks, or maybe just the drivers seat, that allowed for more legroom upfront than other cars of its size. I wasn't sure if that was accurate?
It's been awhile since I sat in an Ion, but I do remember the seat going back pretty far. I'm kinda tall, 6'3", with long legs, so if it has bad legroom, that's usually the first thing I notice. I kinda remember the seat being low to the floor though, and somewhat flat.
Isn't the Chevy Cobalt basically the same thing as an Ion underneath? I remember the Cobalt feeling pretty comfy to me up front, better than the Ion. But then, perhaps they've improved the Ion's seats in more recent years, too?
mmmmm, I don't remember the seats that well in the Ion -- it's been a while. :-)
you are right, Andre, about the Cobalt being built off the same platform as the Ion. I sat in a 2006 or 2007 2 door Cobalt on showroom floor while my Impala was being serviced and feeling pretty cramped. It was disappointing cause I remember the old Cavliers, particularly the 2 doors, being really comfortable me. Of course, it's cause the seat was mounted so low to the floor it was like sitting in a bathtub. but I liked it! ;-)
The Aura XE has a more powerful engine than the base Altima... The 3.5 liter is not going to win any awards for refinement, but provides an amount of forward propulsion I consider adequate for a midsize sedan (I'd consider the four in the Altima, Accord, Camry, etc., a little slow).
I drove my uncle's Mini Cooper S today. Would have made a "money shift" into first if I had been driving it hard during that shift... Maybe my memory is sketchy, but I seem to recall that the shifter on my BMW wouldn't easily move into first if you weren't almost completely stopped. The Mini was fun, but after having a long string of four-door cars as daily drivers, I think I've been spoiled by their practicality.
I just found this forum and i have to say i am on my way to having ccbs... I am nineteen and ive already had 4 cars!! New one on the way!!!
April 2004: 2003 Nissan Fontier XE V6 Crew Cab Long Bed... bought new in 2003 and given to me in 2004! Still own it with 50,000 miles and not a single glitch!
April 2005: 2001 Saturn SL2... it was the first car i bought. Had 70,000 miles... lots of lil problems that dealt with it's cheap interior.. but whatever i loved it and miss it like crazy.. sold it with 96,000 miles a year later to get my next car...
August 2006: 2004 Nissan Altima SE V6.. amazing car.. fully loaded with everything! car got me into serious trouble because it was to damn fast and had so much torque steer...
April 2007: 2005 Nissan Xterra SE V6... my current daily driver... has tons of room and i average 17 mpg.. not bad for my driving habits... bought it because i gave my Frontier back to the person who gave it to me.. who recently gave it back to me... so now it has to go... because i live in sunny southern cali and 2 trucks is not necessary!!
Its been 4 LONG months since i have bought a car and i have the itch.. its time!! and with all these year end deals and student discounts new is the only way to go!!!
I just got home from driving the 3s, as the wife and kid #2 took the train up to Orlando for about five days. I'll now get plenty of seat time in it. If you want a small car that can really move, get the 2.3 3s...it has great low end torque and the shifts are unnoticable up the power band. It's a hungry animal for the petrol so just keep that in mind. The interior is just o k and surprisingly, the front chairs don't seem to upset my chronic back condition. The amount of blackness in the cabin is a bit too much and eventhough the a/c is cold, it really has to work sometimes. But after two years and 34k miles, the car just feels old. They finally got rid of the rear panel annoying vibration after three tries, so all is quiet now. The rear brake dust is very irritating also, just went out & cleaned the rear alloys. It's odd, they get it worse than the fronts, identical with the Volvo S40 which is the same car basically. Poor brake design. The Civic is a great car and I love it. The mpg's are great and everything is just where it should be. I would only wish for a schoosh more power and smoother shifts going from 1st to 2nd to 3rd, not as seemless as the 3. The seats are comfortable and since I added alloys from EBAY, I love my Honda! We got both cars for about the same price, within $15.00. The wife loves the size and the power though the mpg's aren't as stellar as the Civic. You can't go wrong with either choice really.
Sounds like I should be leaning more towards the Civic. I do a 50 mile round trip commute each day so the mpg's are important. I know neither is going to be confused with a Lotus so I can live with the poor acceleration.
I had heard about the poor a/c on the 3 and the color combination I like, black on black, will not help . I like the style of the 3 a little better than the Civic though. I was surprised though that the one Mazda dealer I went to really was not dealing much on them. I guess they are still hot even after 4 years.
I need to get some more seat time in a Civic, the one test drive I went on was only 10 minutes because it was a busy Saturday. I did like the seats more in the Civic, and it had a little more legroom.
Take a look at the 3i also. It has the 2.0 instead of the 2.3, and 16" wheels. Not really much slower, and certainly comparable to a civic, but gets a bit better MPG.
Not too long ago CR did a comparison test of small cars, and I think the 3i actually got the best MPG (beat the civic, but it might have been the prior model).
Well yesterday afternoon, I just purchased my first Honda...actually my first foreign car ever.
I've never been disappointed or had issues with domestics, but only Dodge is left making minivans and we don't like their 2007's and their 2008's are just rolling in and not discounted enough yet (besides the fact that they are totally brand new without a little history).
Anyway, we got a 2007 Honda Odyssey EX for $24,400 + doc + TTL. I think we could have gotten more off, but, I'm still happy. We keep our cars till they die so in the scheme of things I'm happy still.
Salesman was great, finance guy was not. He was unhappy because I wouldn't consider his finance terms (it was only .25% less than mine and not worth the hassle of watching over his paperwork, etc.)
Funny/sad story about Toyota that is related. We were all set on the Sienna. Found one of the last 2007's with the option package we wanted that was within 30 min of us.
Drove out all ready to buy. Van was there, looked great. Took it on a test drive. Transmission was bad! Salesman couldn't believe it. Did it to both him and I.
When van would shift into 2nd (either upshift or downshift) - it would first catch neutral...rev to like 6,000...and then slam into 2nd! Brand new Toyota. Nice.
So that left us with only 2008 Toyotas that were coming in around $2,600-$3,000 more than the 2007 Hondas and just not worth it (although we STILL like the Toyota better for 2 reasons: 8th seat is huge and seats flip forward to make getting into the 3rd row easier).
I sure hope my first experience with a foreign car goes well!
Wow 120% over book value? the most i've seen here in Michigan was 20% over book value at some dealerships, What states are the Auto Nation dealerships in?
With only 4 payments left on your L300 i'd be making a direct route to Auto Nation
You guys are kidding, right? I mean, I KNOW you are kidding, but it may not be obvious to newbies.
I think everybody around here is in agreement that these $5k guaranteed trade-in, push-pull-or-drag, 120% of NADA trade in etc. etc. sales are just a worthless gimmick.
Just in case any children are watching; we would not want them to get the wrong idea...
Good price - it's encouraging to me that you got an Ody for that price, and it's not even the LX. I paid about $22,800 for my '99 Quest new and now that it's getting pretty tired, I'm starting to watch the market a bit closer. Congrats! (my brother is liking his).
Sorry, I should clarify ... up to 120% OF book value, so yes, 20% OVER book value.
And, yes, I do know that this is a marketing gimmick. The local dealer in my town does the "push, pull or drag" promotion .. all trade-in's worth a minimum of $3500 when purchasing a used car. Which simply means that the price of the used car is jacked up.
The AutoNation promotion is a bit better as you can buy a new car with it -- I presume with all the discounts and rebates that are available.
I've got some pictures of the VUE .. I need to upload them to CarSpace then I'll link them in.
I am already getting the itch for a new car after 1yr and 8 months of owning my 06 accord SE, I am thinking of trading my SE for the Accord EX-L V6 Navi, because I am able to basically stay around the same payment, for everything I could want in a car. How crazy is that. I know, I am crazy.
Honda just recently opened up a $2,000 cash incentive to dealers on the Odyssey so that's why the prices have come down. Most dealers have been passing all of it on.
We really shopped the Toyota - and there were very few 07's left. Honda on the other hand, was very easy to find all sorts of 07's. Toyota's 2008's are already arriving on dealer lots though, and that's not so with the Honda's. I think they have another month before that.
Unfortunately, front plates are required by law here in Colorado.
Regarding the factory hitch .. yeah, I'm glad we got it, but I'm not entirely sure what to attach to it.
Was on a website looking at flatbed trailers ... could use it in place of a pickup truck bed when needed. A small one (5' x 8') runs $1000-1500, but I have no idea where to put it when I don't need it. I live in a covenant controlled neighborhood, so leaving it outside isn't going to fly with the HOA. Could put it in the garage, but that means that my car would be outside. Could find a storage lot to store it, but is it worth the money?
I guess the same would be true for anything we would by (pop up tent trailer, etc.).
1) figure out how to tilt it up against the back wall of the garage, if there is enough room
2) just rent one from U haul on the occasion that you need it. I am guessing that it isn't something you will use very often?
They are pretty cheap to rent for a day, so that is probably a better option if you are only using it 1-2 times per year. At least more cost effective, if not quite as convenient.
Oh, there is a fine option 3). Find a friend that has one, and borrow it when needed!
The other nice feature of the hitch is getting a hitch mounted bike rack, if you are into that kind of thing. Much better than hanging them on the back of the car.
You can also get a hitch mounted gas grill for tailgating!
I am in the same boat as you - looking for a small utility trailer. I don't know if you have "Northern Tool & Equipment" stores in your neck of the woods, but they sell a 4x8 trailer that folds up, and stands on end for storage. They have a website you can look at it on. It is a pretty light duty unit, and you have to put a plywood floor, and sides on it yourself. I am trying to decide whether to buy something like that, or something a little more heavy duty.
I was trying to figure out where to store a trailer also - we have an HOA controlled neighborhood as well, which is why I started looking at this folding one at Northern Tool. We recently bought a piece of wooded property out in the country we are going to eventually build on (about 15 miles away). If I buy a trailer that is a little more heavy duty, that doesn't fold up, I will probably just tuck it into the woods at our new lot, and maybe chain it to a tree with either some chain, or aircraft cable.
Congratulations on your Odyssey. I bought one for my wife earlier this year and she loves it. Our's is the EX-L and there was no rebate at the time, so it was a little more pricey.
One thing I would point out is that while Honda is a foreign company, your minivan was built right outside of Talladega, AL, so in a sense it's not really a "foreign" car. At least no more than a Ford, Chevy, or Dodge which utilizes imported parts or may have even been assembled in Canada or Mexico.
I am curious about your statement, "We keep our cars till they die..." That's not the usual in this forum. Around here, we're more likely to say, "We keep our cars until they need a new set of tires!" :shades:
One thing I would point out is that while Honda is a foreign company, your minivan was built right outside of Talladega, AL, so in a sense it's not really a "foreign" car. At least no more than a Ford, Chevy, or Dodge which utilizes imported parts or may have even been assembled in Canada or Mexico.
I take the opposite approach; I consider my 1999 Wrangler to be German since it was built by Daimler Chrysler... I've tried to make it even more German by adding Hella E-Code headlamps, Bilstein shocks, and MB Quart speakers.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Very true - keeping our cars till it dies - is not common in this forum. But I love reading about others and their search as I cannot afford to do that money wise. Being an only income with 3 kids makes it impossible if I want to be responsible.
True, the vans are built in the US, but the profits go overseas for the *most* part...that's why I consider it foreign.
It it just me, or does the front end of the sedan look a lot like the Sonata?
I know that is to address the new pedestrian regulations in Europe - our new VUE has the same slope to the grille as well - but from the front wheels forward, I really don't see a difference between the two.
However, I will admit that 200HP from a 4 banger is quite a feat!
I know that is to address the new pedestrian regulations in Europe...
I don't think they sell the American Accord in Europe--maybe they're planning to sell this one there?
The tiering of the four-cylinder engines is retrograde. Remember on the 1994-97 Accords, when you had to get the EX four-cylinder model to get VTEC (and a few more horses)? This is the same thing. Sadly, it only has four more pound-feet of torque than its 180 horsepower counterpart.
A proper split-folding rear seat is still unavailable on any trim level. I think all of the competition offer it standard.
Too funny!!! Does it make it run any better? You could also use that to explain the Wrangler's stiff ride - like a fine German car.
Well, I know the ride isn't Lexus-smooth, but I don't think it's as unbearable as a lot of folks make it out to be. You're trading some on-road comfort for off-road ability. As for the Bilsteins, I think they actually helped the ride a bit.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
I was in school in New Orleans (pothole capital of the world) from 94-97. One of my friends had a Wrangler and the ride to campus was bone-jarring. But that's what you expect from a Jeep. Older model compact pickups were IMO just as stiff as the Wrangler. My friends opinion was endure it during the week so you can enjoy it on the weekend.
got word brom my SIL that the nephews old Olds is dying, so I will be pressed into action soon looking for a replacement. Fun fun fun.
And, I got my Edmunds contest entry Essay. They should just stop the contest now and give me the prize. I was meant for this.
Besides, 90% of the regulars here probably won't make it past the qualifications. Even if you have the passport, the driving record test is pretty strict! And they require your DL number to enter, so I expect they are going to check.
I told my wife all the hours I spend posting here instead of doing chores would pay off someday. Not for her, but what can you do?
The European market Accord was introduced about a year before the Acura TSX, so Honda rebadged the European Accord as the Acura TSX, not the other way around. In other markets (Japan, Australia) it is marketed as the "Accord Euro".
Also, the US Accord was sold in Europe in previous generations - the 4th generation US Accord wagon was sold in Europe as the Accord Aerodeck, and the 5th generation US Accord wagon and coupé were both sold in Europe, alongside the European Accord saloon.
Hopefully the search for your nephews car goes faster than the search for your sons. What year is that in now, 6 or 7.
My oldest is 8 and I am already thing if I get the right car and stick it out for 8 years I can pass it down. We all know that will not happen, but you never know.
I also attended school in New Orleans but from 72 to 76 and the roads were crappy back then. I had an old '67 Cutlass Supreme and the car shook over most of the roads. But looking back, the shocks were probably getting on in age there. Great city though, sadly I've yet to return. Back on topic here, when will the ;08 Accords be hitting the streets? Wish I had been picked for that Accord focus group last month. Would've been a whole lot of fun to have gotten a first drive. Think Honda has a winner here!
My oldest is 8 and I am already thing if I get the right car and stick it out for 8 years I can pass it down.
I think this is the best reason I've heard for hanging onto a car. My daughter will be nine in October, and provided they don't increase the legal driving age to 18 as some are pushing for, the new Civic we have should be perfect for her to run around in.
I don't know what I'll do for my son. He's a typical 7-yr-old boy. He likes to explore, take things apart, play in the mud, etc. At four years of age he was already riding a bike with no training wheels. One day he was dragging a piece of plywood across the yard and I asked him what he was doing to which he replied, "beawding a wamp" (building a ramp). I'm thinking a fleet of junkers might be the best thing to have for him to drive when he comes of age.
My three kids are all in college now and am thinking that a small Hyundai or Kia might be just the ticket for a 1st car. Plenty of safety features now and a reasonable price to get into one. Soon, most will have the ipod jacks which is a big consideration for them. All they really need is automatic, a/c & a decent sound system. I think ABS and all kinds of air bags are now standard across the board now. I would personally let them take the 3 or the Civic when the time comes, I don't see what's wrong with a hand me down car. I got one and my folks had plenty of $. But the wife wants them to each get new like she did. Our time frame is probably in the late spring when the oldest finishes grad school.
"It it just me, or does the front end of the sedan look a lot like the Sonata?"
I'm glad someone else said it. The new Accord looks like a major disappoinment to me given how far it strays from the concept pics, and there is such a strong odor of Hyundai in ALL its lines, I'm amazed they didn't announce they collaborated with the "other big H" on styling.
Didn't think they could make the new Accord look worse than the existing model, but perhaps it's just such a large car now that it can't be helped.
Having said all that, I like the specs of the new car, and may have to test drive a coupe - I am glad they continued the V-6/6-speed powertrain combo! :-)
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Comments
The Sandman
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
The Sandman
2003 L300 - Pewter. My current daily driver. Looked at both the Altima and the Passat .. both of them were $2-3K more than the L, and Saturn was offering 0% financing. No contest. It came loaded, except leather, and I had that put in aftermarket. 63K miles and 4 more payments. It's had its share of troubles (BCM, front axle seal, brakes) but it does everything I want it to and still it gets about 24MPG.
2004 VUE AWD V6 - Bright Blue. Was wife's car until earlier this week. We looked hard at the Hyundai Santa Fe but the polymer panels sold her. That, and the 250HP Honda engine and the $3750 rebate.
2001 L200 - Black. Bought used but on the same day as the VUE, this one is driven by my (step)son. 5-speed, it now has (I think) close to 150K on it. He's done a bit of work to it (shocks / struts, transmission rebuild) but he drives it all over Utah (lives in Provo, g/f in St. George) and it still runs strong.
2006 ION 2 - Storm Gray. Bought 14 months ago, now has 8800 miles on it. Driven by (step)daughter, who we felt needed a reliable car to get to and from college, 100 miles away. Automatic but fairly well loaded (ABS, sunroof). She calls it "Steve" and will probably drive it until it falls apart -- which, at the rate she puts on miles, will be in 15 years or so.
2008 VUE XR - Techno Gray. Bought earlier this week. The '04 VUE died on us on Sunday and had it towed to dealer; dealer couldn't find problem. We picked the car up from the service department on Monday evening and went over to sales and traded it in.
The more I look at the Aura, the more I like it. However, I'm just not sure that my next car has to be a sedan. I'm hoping to get another few years of service out of my L and get something more sporty. I am encouraged by the press the Aura is getting, however.
I wouldn't consider myself a GM guy. Growing up in California, imports were the thing. Mom drove Toyotas, mostly and Dad has a '70 Chevy pickup he bought new. I had a Pontiac Sunbird in HS and college, but after graduation, I had a couple of Hondas, an Isuzu and a Nissan.
After moving to Colorado (and got married again), I had a series of Fords and 1 VW before starting the Saturn thing.
I like the sportiness of the Mazda, even in the 2.0l, but the gas mileage seems significantly worse than the Civic. I am looking at both in automatic unfortunately.
Is there any features you like on one over the other? How has the reliability been on both?
I read somewhere that the Ions had extra long front seat tracks, or maybe just the drivers seat, that allowed for more legroom upfront than other cars of its size. I wasn't sure if that was accurate?
My parents were Ford and GM folks, though the car my Mom traded in was a Camry and my wife and I traded in a Civic that we (alright, maybe just me) were never quite happy with. The car was fine mechanically, but it had several annoying body integrity issues that never seemed to get fixed right.
I think we would have been happier with a V6 L series. We'd originally gone in because of the great deals being offered on the L100s (think there was a special edition one or some such of it) but we really wanted a power seat and some other extra stuff we got on the L200 for not much more.
My Vue was a good car -- it was the first V6 option and I thought it was adequate in the car. Nothing compared to the V6 you all had, but it worked ok.
One of my favorite memories of my Vue is getting invited to a Vue clinic at a GM center in the Chicago burbs and spending the day talking with Saturn engineers and other folks about the car. They fixed a misalignment in my sunroof right there which was pretty cool and I got to drive an Ion too before they hit the dealerships.
It's been awhile since I sat in an Ion, but I do remember the seat going back pretty far. I'm kinda tall, 6'3", with long legs, so if it has bad legroom, that's usually the first thing I notice. I kinda remember the seat being low to the floor though, and somewhat flat.
Isn't the Chevy Cobalt basically the same thing as an Ion underneath? I remember the Cobalt feeling pretty comfy to me up front, better than the Ion. But then, perhaps they've improved the Ion's seats in more recent years, too?
you are right, Andre, about the Cobalt being built off the same platform as the Ion. I sat in a 2006 or 2007 2 door Cobalt on showroom floor while my Impala was being serviced and feeling pretty cramped. It was disappointing cause I remember the old Cavliers, particularly the 2 doors, being really comfortable me. Of course, it's cause the seat was mounted so low to the floor it was like sitting in a bathtub. but I liked it! ;-)
I drove my uncle's Mini Cooper S today. Would have made a "money shift" into first if I had been driving it hard during that shift... Maybe my memory is sketchy, but I seem to recall that the shifter on my BMW wouldn't easily move into first if you weren't almost completely stopped. The Mini was fun, but after having a long string of four-door cars as daily drivers, I think I've been spoiled by their practicality.
I am nineteen and ive already had 4 cars!! New one on the way!!!
April 2004: 2003 Nissan Fontier XE V6 Crew Cab Long Bed... bought new in 2003 and given to me in 2004! Still own it with 50,000 miles and not a single glitch!
April 2005: 2001 Saturn SL2... it was the first car i bought. Had 70,000 miles... lots of lil problems that dealt with it's cheap interior.. but whatever i loved it and miss it like crazy.. sold it with 96,000 miles a year later to get my next car...
August 2006: 2004 Nissan Altima SE V6.. amazing car.. fully loaded with everything! car got me into serious trouble because it was to damn fast and had so much torque steer...
April 2007: 2005 Nissan Xterra SE V6... my current daily driver... has tons of room and i average 17 mpg.. not bad for my driving habits... bought it because i gave my Frontier back to the person who gave it to me.. who recently gave it back to me... so now it has to go... because i live in sunny southern cali and 2 trucks is not necessary!!
Its been 4 LONG months since i have bought a car and i have the itch.. its time!! and with all these year end deals and student discounts new is the only way to go!!!
The Civic is a great car and I love it. The mpg's are great and everything is just where it should be. I would only wish for a schoosh more power and smoother shifts going from 1st to 2nd to 3rd, not as seemless as the 3. The seats are comfortable and since I added alloys from EBAY, I love my Honda!
We got both cars for about the same price, within $15.00. The wife loves the size and the power though the mpg's aren't as stellar as the Civic. You can't go wrong with either choice really.
The Sandman
I had heard about the poor a/c on the 3 and the color combination I like, black on black, will not help . I like the style of the 3 a little better than the Civic though. I was surprised though that the one Mazda dealer I went to really was not dealing much on them. I guess they are still hot even after 4 years.
I need to get some more seat time in a Civic, the one test drive I went on was only 10 minutes because it was a busy Saturday. I did like the seats more in the Civic, and it had a little more legroom.
Not too long ago CR did a comparison test of small cars, and I think the 3i actually got the best MPG (beat the civic, but it might have been the prior model).
Has a better ride too with the 16" tires.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
I've never been disappointed or had issues with domestics, but only Dodge is left making minivans and we don't like their 2007's and their 2008's are just rolling in and not discounted enough yet (besides the fact that they are totally brand new without a little history).
Anyway, we got a 2007 Honda Odyssey EX for $24,400 + doc + TTL. I think we could have gotten more off, but, I'm still happy. We keep our cars till they die so in the scheme of things I'm happy still.
Salesman was great, finance guy was not. He was unhappy because I wouldn't consider his finance terms (it was only .25% less than mine and not worth the hassle of watching over his paperwork, etc.)
Funny/sad story about Toyota that is related. We were all set on the Sienna. Found one of the last 2007's with the option package we wanted that was within 30 min of us.
Drove out all ready to buy. Van was there, looked great. Took it on a test drive. Transmission was bad! Salesman couldn't believe it. Did it to both him and I.
When van would shift into 2nd (either upshift or downshift) - it would first catch neutral...rev to like 6,000...and then slam into 2nd! Brand new Toyota. Nice.
So that left us with only 2008 Toyotas that were coming in around $2,600-$3,000 more than the 2007 Hondas and just not worth it (although we STILL like the Toyota better for 2 reasons: 8th seat is huge and seats flip forward to make getting into the 3rd row easier).
I sure hope my first experience with a foreign car goes well!
With only 4 payments left on your L300 i'd be making a direct route to Auto Nation
I think everybody around here is in agreement that these $5k guaranteed trade-in, push-pull-or-drag, 120% of NADA trade in etc. etc. sales are just a worthless gimmick.
Just in case any children are watching; we would not want them to get the wrong idea...
-Mathias
And, yes, I do know that this is a marketing gimmick. The local dealer in my town does the "push, pull or drag" promotion .. all trade-in's worth a minimum of $3500 when purchasing a used car. Which simply means that the price of the used car is jacked up.
The AutoNation promotion is a bit better as you can buy a new car with it -- I presume with all the discounts and rebates that are available.
I've got some pictures of the VUE .. I need to upload them to CarSpace then I'll link them in.
Do you need the front license plate bracket? If not you should ditch it, it ruins the look of the front.
Honda just recently opened up a $2,000 cash incentive to dealers on the Odyssey so that's why the prices have come down. Most dealers have been passing all of it on.
We really shopped the Toyota - and there were very few 07's left. Honda on the other hand, was very easy to find all sorts of 07's. Toyota's 2008's are already arriving on dealer lots though, and that's not so with the Honda's. I think they have another month before that.
Regarding the factory hitch .. yeah, I'm glad we got it, but I'm not entirely sure what to attach to it.
Was on a website looking at flatbed trailers ... could use it in place of a pickup truck bed when needed. A small one (5' x 8') runs $1000-1500, but I have no idea where to put it when I don't need it. I live in a covenant controlled neighborhood, so leaving it outside isn't going to fly with the HOA. Could put it in the garage, but that means that my car would be outside. Could find a storage lot to store it, but is it worth the money?
I guess the same would be true for anything we would by (pop up tent trailer, etc.).
1) figure out how to tilt it up against the back wall of the garage, if there is enough room
2) just rent one from U haul on the occasion that you need it. I am guessing that it isn't something you will use very often?
They are pretty cheap to rent for a day, so that is probably a better option if you are only using it 1-2 times per year. At least more cost effective, if not quite as convenient.
Oh, there is a fine option 3). Find a friend that has one, and borrow it when needed!
The other nice feature of the hitch is getting a hitch mounted bike rack, if you are into that kind of thing. Much better than hanging them on the back of the car.
You can also get a hitch mounted gas grill for tailgating!
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
I was trying to figure out where to store a trailer also - we have an HOA controlled neighborhood as well, which is why I started looking at this folding one at Northern Tool. We recently bought a piece of wooded property out in the country we are going to eventually build on (about 15 miles away). If I buy a trailer that is a little more heavy duty, that doesn't fold up, I will probably just tuck it into the woods at our new lot, and maybe chain it to a tree with either some chain, or aircraft cable.
One thing I would point out is that while Honda is a foreign company, your minivan was built right outside of Talladega, AL, so in a sense it's not really a "foreign" car. At least no more than a Ford, Chevy, or Dodge which utilizes imported parts or may have even been assembled in Canada or Mexico.
I am curious about your statement, "We keep our cars till they die..." That's not the usual in this forum. Around here, we're more likely to say, "We keep our cars until they need a new set of tires!" :shades:
I take the opposite approach; I consider my 1999 Wrangler to be German since it was built by Daimler Chrysler...
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
True, the vans are built in the US, but the profits go overseas for the *most* part...that's why I consider it foreign.
The Sandman
I know that is to address the new pedestrian regulations in Europe - our new VUE has the same slope to the grille as well - but from the front wheels forward, I really don't see a difference between the two.
However, I will admit that 200HP from a 4 banger is quite a feat!
Cost will be an extra $30 - which goes to the Kids First organization here in Colorado.
We'll be getting the ones on the left .. the ones on the right are for vanity plates.
Wife is the director of early childhood education at a small school district not far from where we live, so she thinks these are cool.
I don't think they sell the American Accord in Europe--maybe they're planning to sell this one there?
The tiering of the four-cylinder engines is retrograde. Remember on the 1994-97 Accords, when you had to get the EX four-cylinder model to get VTEC (and a few more horses)? This is the same thing. Sadly, it only has four more pound-feet of torque than its 180 horsepower counterpart.
A proper split-folding rear seat is still unavailable on any trim level. I think all of the competition offer it standard.
Well, I know the ride isn't Lexus-smooth, but I don't think it's as unbearable as a lot of folks make it out to be. You're trading some on-road comfort for off-road ability. As for the Bilsteins, I think they actually helped the ride a bit.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
And, I got my Edmunds contest entry Essay. They should just stop the contest now and give me the prize. I was meant for this.
Besides, 90% of the regulars here probably won't make it past the qualifications. Even if you have the passport, the driving record test is pretty strict! And they require your DL number to enter, so I expect they are going to check.
I told my wife all the hours I spend posting here instead of doing chores would pay off someday. Not for her, but what can you do?
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
The European market Accord was introduced about a year before the Acura TSX, so Honda rebadged the European Accord as the Acura TSX, not the other way around. In other markets (Japan, Australia) it is marketed as the "Accord Euro".
Also, the US Accord was sold in Europe in previous generations - the 4th generation US Accord wagon was sold in Europe as the Accord Aerodeck, and the 5th generation US Accord wagon and coupé were both sold in Europe, alongside the European Accord saloon.
My oldest is 8 and I am already thing if I get the right car and stick it out for 8 years I can pass it down. We all know that will not happen, but you never know.
Back on topic here, when will the ;08 Accords be hitting the streets? Wish I had been picked for that Accord focus group last month. Would've been a whole lot of fun to have gotten a first drive. Think Honda has a winner here!
The Sandman
I think this is the best reason I've heard for hanging onto a car. My daughter will be nine in October, and provided they don't increase the legal driving age to 18 as some are pushing for, the new Civic we have should be perfect for her to run around in.
I don't know what I'll do for my son. He's a typical 7-yr-old boy. He likes to explore, take things apart, play in the mud, etc. At four years of age he was already riding a bike with no training wheels. One day he was dragging a piece of plywood across the yard and I asked him what he was doing to which he replied, "beawding a wamp" (building a ramp). I'm thinking a fleet of junkers might be the best thing to have for him to drive when he comes of age.
I would personally let them take the 3 or the Civic when the time comes, I don't see what's wrong with a hand me down car. I got one and my folks had plenty of $. But the wife wants them to each get new like she did. Our time frame is probably in the late spring when the oldest finishes grad school.
The Sandman
I'm glad someone else said it. The new Accord looks like a major disappoinment to me given how far it strays from the concept pics, and there is such a strong odor of Hyundai in ALL its lines, I'm amazed they didn't announce they collaborated with the "other big H" on styling.
Didn't think they could make the new Accord look worse than the existing model, but perhaps it's just such a large car now that it can't be helped.
Having said all that, I like the specs of the new car, and may have to test drive a coupe - I am glad they continued the V-6/6-speed powertrain combo! :-)
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
i'm honestly asking because i just don't know anymore ... nore care a whole lot when it comes to family appliances.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S