Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous

stickguy · September 2005

I never really spent any time in the last gen Civic, but this one seems to have plenty of room. Up front, it's a little narrower, but other than that, seems comparable to the Accord.

corvette · September 2005

...geared fairly tall in top gear...

Second stab in the dark: I suppose it's just the performance tuning on the Ecotec--kind of like the Cobalt SS engine.

stickguy · September 2005

spent some time at the mazda dealer today. Turns out I like the 3 even more than I remembered. It fits me real well. I drove a Grand touring model (new this year, basically the old SP23 with every goodie on it). FOund the seats to be very comfortable, really no issues or need to rationalize (except it wouldn't mind if they tilted up slightly in the front, but I could probably fix that).

Drives like a little hot rod, handles nice, pulls strong. Probably a little noiser than the Civic, but it's a "good" noise. Definitely the performance car in the class.

SHifts nice too, but a much different layout of the shifter (you reach dwon for the stubby lever, as opposed to to reaching up in the Honda).

The Honda gets better mileage, the Mazda has more torque, and still gets relatively good mileage. A 3i is almost as good as the Civic, but doesn't come with leather.

The 3 can be a bit pricing. The GT was $21,060, but that includes heated leather, auto climate control, Xenons, and some other stuff the Civic doesn't have. A cloth touring without the fancy stuff like HIDs and ACC is about $19,050, so comparable to a Civic EX.

Unfortunately, the 3 has no rebates or fire sale prices, but I guess you get what you pay for.

I may go back tomorrow and talk some numbers on a touring w/leather (saving $1,400 worth of HIDs and auto CC that I don't really care about).

akangl · September 2005

Of new cars is gonna have me tumbling off the bandwagon in no time! I do love the Mazda3, drove one last summer, great little car to drive, but I still like my Focus better. Then again its hard to find another car I like as much as Zippy.........I compare every car to her.

I have had thoughts of selling the Titan privately, but its hard to part with a truck I truely enjoy.........wouldn't mind parting with the payment though.

gee35coupe · September 2005

Since I have the "car credit card" already approved, it's just a matter of deciding what I want. My Civic is doing just fine rightnow so there's no hurry. I want to get rid of a few things and fund our Roth IRA's for this year and next before i pull the trigger. That'll give me time to evaluate the new IS, SI, and GTI. I figure I should be ready to go about next Christmas.

Stickguy...I'd go for the 3. I love the 4 door but I don't fit in it. I also don't like Sirius radio and Ford/Mazda is Sirius only. I'm XM all the way. Other than those gripes though, the 3 is an awesome conveyance. Or you could wait like me and check out some of the other nicities coming down the pike. Nothing like not needing to buy a car when it comes time to shop.

boomchek · September 2005

Chaos in the 2006 civic forum. So many new posters and postings that it's hard to try and keep up.

I'll hide out in this more sedate and quiet thread for a bit untill things come down over there.

There's only a few good postings in there with facts, and it's hard to weed them out from among the others. The rest seem to be new kids on the block :P arguing and assuming things. :mad:

anonymousposts · September 2005

really get comfortable in the 3.

Stickguy: Seems like the 3 has most, if not all, of the things you are looking for. If the price is right then go for it.

boomchek: Yeah, the Civic forum is a mess right now. A lot of "trollesque" posts over there.

stickguy · September 2005

Stopped at the HOnda dealer with the family last night for a test sit (always a dangerous move). ANyway, my daughter liked the civic (because it was red, and she could keep tabs on how fast I am going with the digital speedo). My son liked the Accord, because he said the back seat was more comfy.

My wife seemed OK with the Civic, but liked the Accord better. She also makes a valid point that it would be better to have the bigger car with bigger trunk, since we would plan to take it on some trips when we don't need the cargo room of the Odyssey.

I also still haven't gotten myself comfortable in the drivers seat of the Civic. Spent 15 minutes in one on the showroom floor earlier in the day.

Saw a 3 earlier today (in a parking lot). Wife thought it looked small.

So, I think that I need to look more at "mid size" wheels. The current front runner is an EX-L 5 speed 4 cyl Accord, if a real good deal can be found. But, I sitll want to see the Fusion too.

I may also wait for the new IS250, but that's in a whole nother price range, and won't be helping MPG either.

stickguy · September 2005

the leater seats are quite comfortable. I still, however, have a problem with almost all cars without power seats. They seem to all be going to the 1-lever height adjustment, which tends to pitch you forward as it raises. I really prefer to have the front cushion tilted up (for thigh support), which pretty much requires a power seat.

anonymousposts · September 2005

Got the Si washed. It's amazing how a simple car wash can make a car drive different.

The Accord had developed a slight vibration/pull in the tires so we got the alignment checked. That checked out fine so we got the tires rotated and balanced. Problem solved. We had a wash done on the Accord as well. Looks like a new car again.

I cane to the conclusion that Gee should not trade his Si any time soon. It's a great car and can't be beat for the price IMO. I'm also very attached to my Accord. It's really 95% of what I want in a car. It's safe, reliable, great gas mileage, XM radio, comfy seats, and good power.

stickguy: There are a few people in the Civic room saying that the tC is a better car than the Civic. What's your opinion?

stickguy · September 2005

hard to tell, partly because I haven't seen a coupe yet, just a 4 door. But, I would say that the Civic is every bit as good, and has better overall ride/handling. The tC does offer a lot of features for the money.

I'm assuming that newer tCs have resolved the squeak and creak problems of the early one.

Anyway, probably hard to go wrong with either one, and the differences will amount to personal taste.

Oh, and the Civic will likely get way better mileage.

andre1969 · September 2005

still have better performance than the Civic, though? My impression of the tC was that it was kind of a mild musclecar, having a lightweight body with a larger Camry 4-cylinder thrown in. The previous Civic was a dog, unless you got that SI hatchback with the stronger engine. The new one, with 140 hp standard, should be much better, but I'd imagine a tC would still whoop its butt!

anonymousposts · September 2005

the tC is a bit tubby for it's size. The MPG (22/29) is not that great for a small 4 cylinder car. It has a lot of content though .. which probably accounts for it's heft. I've seen 0-60 times in the high 7's-low 8's if I'm not mistaken.

We stopped by a Honda dealer on the way home from toy shopping today to check out the 06 Civic but they didn't have any. Gee saw an EX sedan there last week but it was nowhere to be found today.

stickguy · September 2005

is a bit porky for ist size. Plus, it is geared really short, which helps account fo rthe mileage estimates.

But, to be fair, I average between 24 and 25 on most tanks, and that is real short hop around town for the most part. No real highway driving (maybe 3 miles at a time at cruising speeed). Mostly local stuff.

I would guess that switching to a 2006 Civic might get my normal driving up to maybe 30, but for ~100 miles per week, not a big savings.

racer63 · September 2005

Remember me? Last heard from heading off for a new job with car allowance? All which is going sort of OK, with less mileage accrued in the past 9 months on the daily driver than I was doing previously.

To keep this on topic, the household CEO/CFO is loosening the leash for me to consider buying something in the next 3-6 months. So many choices though. The basic criteria is 4 doors, maybe a wagon body, manual tranny, and have some kind of fun or bling factor. The list goes from PT Cruiser/HHR, through various Accords, TSX or TL's, and though it probalby will violate the stick requirement, CPO 3 series or C-class wagons.

I was considering buying something totally impratical and sporty, and to continue daily driving my almost 100k Celica, but a new work car is a more rational solution.

Sat in an HHR this week, and just couldn't get comfortable. The pedal/seat/steering wheel realationship was just all wrong. I'd probably get tired of the styling too after a while. I suppose the PT would be the same in that regard. But either is cheap. Accords are what they are, common middle ground plain vanilla. Either Acura would do the trick, but will both be some coin. Which leaves either of the German family trucksters, neither which I'd care to own without warranty, but both have been out for a while with '04 versions not necessarily having the teething troubles earlier years that those model runs have had. The local Benz dealer has a few Starmarked C240W's advertised for 26,999. I have a feeling the transaction price would be lower.....

I'll post as the search goes on. :P

michaellno · September 2005

But have moved from the reasearch to the shopping stage.

Still thinking about trading in the Focus for a similar car with an automatic for the daughter.

Stopped at the local Chevy and Ford dealer at lunch today to check out what they had. Saw an HHR for the first time --- not nearly as tall in person as it looked in the photos. Pretty well loaded for $16K - ABS, power everything, iPod jack in the stereo. Add another $1K for the slushbox and it's still a pretty good deal. The interior really impressed me - yes, there are still lots of plastics used, but the overall look and feel seemed to be above average.

No automatic Cobalt sedans available - the green pea salesman I had located one with a $17K MSRP. Since it was an '05 it would still qualify for the employee discount through next week. Not a huge issue as I get the supplier discount from GM, Ford and DCX.

Ford dealer next door only had 3 Foci that I saw - 1 ZX5 (w/ stick) and 2 ZX4s. One was an S trim, the other an SE. The SE had an auto but didn't have the cruise/tilt option, which is necessary for my daughter as she is pretty tall.

Have been checking out gmbuypower and similar sites for Ford and DCX to check local inventory.

The search continues....

nippononly · September 2005

to buy an Outback Sport again. I just can't quit! The '06 has the new looks (which work better on the Impreza line than the old looks) along with 8 more hp and FINALLY standard side airbags. The SE has the nice interior leather bits and the 260 watt six-disc changer with subwoofer. It's too bad that fuel economy has dropped a point, but it will still do WAY better than my old truck!

Reminds me - gotta sell my truck first though. :-)

nippononly · September 2005

Holy cow! With all this talk of SUVs getting harder to sell, I thought it would take forever to sell my old 17 mpg guzzler, and yet I sold it this morning four hours after I put it out there!

Now for intensive thoughts about Outback Sports...

:-)

danf1 · September 2005

Are you looking for a job? I could use some good salespeople right now.

michaellno · September 2005

First stop was the Saturn dealer to drive an '06 ION. Nice car, pretty well loaded for $16K (power everything, automatic, ABS/TC) except then the dealer added another $1K worth of "accessories" - pinstriping, mud guards, clear bra, etc. Drove quite nicely and the upgraded interior is eons better than what they offered in the past. I'm interested, as I can get the GM Supplier discount - now only if I could find one that hasn't had all the stuff added onto it.

Second stop was the Kia dealer to take a look at the Spectra. They had a couple of '05 EX trim levels on the lot - it, too, was loaded but no ABS available (even as an option!). Sticker said $15.9K. For what you're paying, not a bad little car. The only thing I had against the Kia was that the seat didn't seem to go far enough back and the bottom cushion was a bit short for me. Sales manager offered to let it go for $12,500 (rebates and discounts) before I could say "hello". Passed as the car would be for daughter, so she needs to evaluate it as well.

Don't know where either dealer would hit me on the trade in value of the Focus - I'm guessing between 7 and 8K - I owe just over $9K on it at the moment.

EDIT: also drove the newly introduced Kia Rio with an automatic. If you are desparate for a new car, you might consider one of these. Lots of goodies on the inside (including 6 airbags), but the powertrain hunts often to keep the momentum going. Might be better as a stick.

nippononly · September 2005

Funny you should say that, I have thought from time to time over the years that I might like to take a job as a car salesman. I am afraid, though, that seeing the nitty-gritty business side of cars would take the fun out of my favorite hobby. :-(

Tried the internet quote route on a couple of dealers with regard to the OBS, got quotes back that are $1000 more than I would consider paying.

I think I am going to wait until the slow season after Christmas, rather than going in there knuckle to knuckle with some finance guy who thinks HIS Subarus are the best thing since sliced bread, and sweating hours and hours of my time to get that extra $1000. I mean, the weather is too nice this time of year for that. :-)

boomchek · September 2005

I had a customer who bought a car from me last year. In the span of a year he referred his 3 friends to me, his girlfriend, and the girlfriend's dad. During each deal he was present there and negotiating on their behalf since he knew how the process worked.

Eventually he liked it so much, he took an automotive sales course and now he's selling cars too

After you're in the business you do look at cars slightly differently though. When I started 2 years ago, I was getting excited over every car on the lot (new and used) and had to try and drive every one of them. After a while it starts to become a routine and I don't pay attention to them as closely as I did before (just another Accord/Civic etc... any accidents? what's the mileage, does it have a/c, and what are we asking for it).

akangl · September 2005

To talk hubby into a new truck today. He said a big fat NO! Said he would sell me first.......hmmmm.

His buddy got a new truck and it got me thinking is all. A diesel would sure be nice. Course his buddy paid FULL MSRP for the truck he bought, a 2006 Ford F-350 6.0L PSD dually Lariat...............$51k!!! OUCH OUCH OUCH!!! With hubby's truck almost paid off I can see where my hubby said a big fat NO! lol

I can't bring myself to part with the Titan or Zippy.........so guess that means no new vehicle anytime soon. Is it time to surrender my CCBA membership card?

anonymousposts · September 2005

"I am afraid, though, that seeing the nitty-gritty business side of cars would take the fun out of my favorite hobby."

I've been in it for 7 years and car shopping is still one of my favorite hobbies.

lancerfixer · September 2005

WIth Mrs. Lance's Accord showing a progressively high component failure rate as time progresses (it IS 12 years old with an estimated ~200,000 on the broken odometer; this past week's adventure was a power window motor failure...stuck down, of course) I found myself at the local Honda joint looking at the '06 Civic.

Wow, what a quantum leap over the old Civic. I drove one of two they had at the dealer (they'd had five on the front line at one point; they were down to one outside and one in the showroom, both LX autos.)

First off, the dashboard/instrument cluster wasn't nearly as distracting as I thought it would be. Every other car I've driven with a digital speedometer annoyed me as the motion of the changing digits would catch the corner of my eye and would cause distraction. Somehow this doesn't happen with the Civic.

I was kind of surprised (and a little disappointed) the automatic was rated 2 highway MPG higher than the manual; it's kinda tough because this would be a purely highway commuting car (Mrs. Lance racks up close to 400 mi/week) so when it comes down to it, we'll both have to make the mileage vs. fun value judgement.

Interior room feels about the same as our '94 Accord, though of course with all the modern safety goodies (kudos to Honda for making ABS, side/head bags, etc standard instead of some asinine option package or an EX only thing, like other competitors in the segment.) As I mentioned, I came away really liking the dashboard. There were a couple of areas that the interior plastics seemed just a tad on the cheapish side, like on the door panels. If that's the compromise to get all the other features of the Civic at a manageable price point, though, I'd be able to live with that.

The automatic did a really good job, as slushboxes go; much smoother than Honda autos of the past (which frankly wouldn't have been hard to do anyway.) Handling is, of course, Honda-precise. I'd still want to drive the stick.

We'd both really like the Accord to at least last through the winter; we'll be in a much better financial position in the spring to be able to afford a payment. When the time comes, though...the '06 Civic just got bumped to the top of the list of potential replacements (and I said I'd never buy a new car...)

stickguy · September 2005

go with the stick since you want it 9when it doubt, take fun). Anyway, when did everyone start taking the EPA figures as gospel (just go check out the Odyssey MPG board!).

I think (occasionally) that the stick will still return as good or better mileage overall as the AT. Maybe if you truly do all highway cruising there might be a difference, but still 38 isn't going to break you.

lancerfixer · September 2005

Yeah. Plus, of course, the stick is cheaper to buy in the first place.
On the other hand, traffic on Mrs. Lance's commute (I-380, Cedar Rapids to Iowa City) has picked up substantially in the past few years as both cities grow quickly. A few months ago, she took my car (the slushbox Volvo) to work and remarked when she got home that she was glad to have it that day since traffic was unusually heavy (stop and go...on the interstate! In Iowa! Thought we'd left MA/NH to get away from all that...) It might just be a matter of time before she breaks down and wants an auto, anyway...

corvette · September 2005

38 or 40 MPG--both are probably higher than what the Accord gets.

woodyww · September 2005

I've been getting Prius Fever, altho I haven't driven one yet. My problem is, I'm used to driving bmw's, Range Rovers, a Saab 9000, so I don't know how deprived I'll feel going to a smaller economy car. Also, my 2000 528i Wagon (Touring) has only 24K miles on it, so I don't have much excuse to sell it. It gets about 17mgp city & low-mid 20's highway, so rationally, not putting on a lot of miles, it wouldn't be worth it to trade for a Prius. Altho it's already $50-$60 to totally fill up the 528i; will be a real drag if gas goes higher.

I supppose I could order a Prius, drive it when it comes in, & decide. And even keep the bmw for awhile so I don't have seller's remorse while I get used to the Prius. And if I wind up hating & selling the prius; I think they have great resale. Unfortunately, I couldn't really afford to keep both.

One more wrinkle: I really like having cargo capacity, with a hatch (another reason for the Prius as opposed to a Civic, say). Altho I have considered a new 4 or 6 cyl. Accord.

Any of this make any sense? (Or not?) Advice?

akangl · September 2005

With all this good pricing going on a diesel is looking extremely tempting, I could easily trade the Titan in and get into a nice diesel 3/4 ton. Problem is I LOVE my Titan. I've also thought about consigning the Titan, could get out of it easily that way, but dang I love that truck.

Guess its just my CCB side talking........have had the truck nearly a year and 20k miles.

michaellno · September 2005

today and decided that ABS is a non-negiotiable "must have" if (and its a very large if) we decide to trade in the Focus for a new car for the daughter. That rules the Spectra out.

How much are the new Civic's going for, anyway? Perhaps an LX might work, if all those safety features are standard.

ION for $16K still seems to be a good deal, if I could find one without all the dealer add on crap.

Bottom line is, like Jolie, I like where I am, vehicle wise (and financially, as well).

corvette · September 2005

The Prius driving experience will not be nearly as involving as what you're used to in a BMW or Saab. I think it's about like a Camry or Corolla. The Prius is really cool, and I respect it for what it is, but I know it's not for me.

michaell,
I think a Civic LX is in the same price range as the Ion. My own experience has been that it's possible to get an objectively good deal on a new and popular model if you shop around.

chrisbgood · September 2005

Has me thinking Mini Cooper (fun, with all the stuff for safety on it standard -- can be had for 17,000 brand new, or 18 with the auto tranny and the first three years of maintenance for everything but tires is included free). Mini vs. Saturn Ion -- no contest. Has it been that long since I shopped cars? The Saturn (risk of being a Saturn basher) is a good 12k car or there abouts -- same as the Focus and Kia.

The Civic is bigger and an excellant option though. If you want inexpensive the Sentra is a decent deal although dated. And if you don't want options (or do want to spend a lot) the Toyota is an excellant car.

lancerfixer · September 2005

Having just looked extensively at the Civic this weekend, I can say that ABS, side and head curtain airbags are all standard on even the DX. I was glad to see Honda step up in this class.

I've driven an Ion and the new Civic, and frankly there's simply no comparison. The new Civic is twice the car the Ion could hope to be.

woodyww · September 2005

Yeah........the prius is probably just a Pipe Dream. I have previously vowed to keep the E-39 until it's 9 or 10 years old. And last I looked, it might bring about $18K. It's such a great car, with such low miles, it's like, why sell it now that (hopefully) it's taken the brunt of the depreciation?

It can get expensive being hooked on German cars. But one of the things that strikes me is, this 6 y.o. bmw has had virtually Japanese-car reliability (not to brag, I don't want to jinx it). It was made in Dingolfing (sp?), & is built like a Tank. And actually, my previous bmw, an E-24 6 Series, didn't have much of anything go wrong until about 8-9 years old, & even then it was fairly routine stuff, altho definitely more expensive & complicated than a Toyota.

Uh, sorry for all the bmw talk, if it bores anyone. I keep trying to find reasons to buy a Toyota or a Honda, for practical reasons. Maybe if I could afford to buy an S2000, & keep the 5-series wagon.......

michaellno · September 2005

Trust me, if the kid had her way, there would be a Mini Cooper parked in the driveway. Have actually looked at a couple of used ones. Downsides, as I see them:

--> requires premium fuel
--> only 2 doors, so will jack up the insurance and reduce the practicality

Thanks for the confirmaiton of the safety features of the new Civic. May have to check one out see ... what about keyless remote? Available? Optional?

danf1 · September 2005

The true danger of working in the car business is that you are always tempted to buy something. I am not looking for a car today, but if I see a deal that makes sense, I might buy a car today. It is definitely good for maintaining a proper CCB membership.

qbrozen · September 2005

So... let's see... I think I bought my Lincoln LS 2 weeks ago? Anyway, we traded our '03 Pilot for a new '05 Pacifica this weekend. My wife is enjoying all the extra features. The power rear liftgate is neat. I didn't want satellite radio, but it has it and its free for a year, so I'll check it out. I haven't even tried the DVD player yet.

Why did we trade? I have no idea now. Sounded like a plan when I did it. We did lower our payments and now she has a vehicle with no miles as opposed to 49K. Pilot needed tires real soon, so now we got out of that, too. We're happy so far.

kyfdx · September 2005

Two new cars in less than a month... I see Platinum Status in your future....

corvette · September 2005

One reason for the reliability could be that you haven't put many miles on it.

My 325i has a rattle or two and a chronic "low battery" warning light when running the accessories with the engine off, even if the battery is fully charged. I need to order winter wheels and tires.

michaellno · September 2005

congrats on the new cars, but i gotta ask --

you lowered the payments, but do you have more payments to make?

I know, it's anti-CCBA to even mention fiscal responsibility, but that is one of the main reasons why I haven't pulled the trigger on a deal and trade in the Focus. I only have 30 payments left - but, if I trade it in for something new, the payments will be about the same, but i'm looking at 48 or 60 months.

If I could convince the Mrs. to find a late model used car for the kid and stick with a 3 year note, I could probably get into something around $9 or $10K pretty easily. The downside is finding a car that has the equipment on it we want (automatic, ABS and keyless remote, specifically) in that price range.

Hope you enjoy the Pacifica and the LS!

corvette · September 2005

The base Mini Cooper should run happily on mid-grade, and electronic stability control is also an option if you're looking for safety features (if I could only choose one, I would take ESC over side airbags, you're much more likely to use the ESC).

I think the Civic includes remote locks starting with the LX. The DX has no standard aircon, and adding it brings the price up to within spitting distance of the LX.

woodyww · September 2005

Yeah, the low miles can really help lower the maint. & repair costs, esp. on an expensive Euro-car.

How old is your 325i? BTW I ordered Dunlop Winter Sport M3's, after selling a set of Michelin Artic Alpins that were OK in the snow, but the Dunlops are supposed to be much better. I scored a set of almost-new 16" bmw rims for cheap, but I kind of wish I'd just ordered the after-market wheels with the tires already mounted & balanced......

woodyww · September 2005

Uh......you have an excuse to get a Mini Cooper? Will you be able to drive it much yourself? If so, I'd already be filling out the order form & obsessing over the colors. BTW, I'd get every safety feature they offer, inc. side airbags.....

jaserb · September 2005

Okay, but you haven't answered the real question: did you keep the Alfa?

-Jason

thegraduate · September 2005

Since 1990, my family of three has had:

8 Honda Accords - 90, 92, 93, 96, 00, 01, 03, 05
4 Honda CIvics - 82, 91, 93, 95, 98
1 Honda CR-V - 02
1 Honda Odyssey - 00
1 Chrysler Sebring Convertivle - 96 (and a piece of crap)
1 Chrysler LeBaron Convertible - 94 (also a piece of crap)
16 Total cars in our posession in the last 15 years
Currently have the 96 Accord, 00 Odyssey, and 05 Accord. Once the 82 Civic wast totaled late in 90, the chronic purchasing began.

danf1 · September 2005

So how do you feel about Honda?

qbrozen · September 2005

yes, i still have the alfa. and i still have the volvo. Trading the Z for the LS got us the cash we were looking for. Trading the Pilot for the Pacifica just got us a bit more monthly cash to apply to child care.

Yes, its definitely more payments (we basically just hit that reset switch on the payment cycle). But, its highly unlikely we would have kept the Pilot past the period we would have been making payments. It already had near 50K miles in just 2.5 years. The wife is driving less now, so the Pacifica shouldn't rack them up as fast.

And, yes, that is anti-CCB'er of you to ask. I think you should have to sit in the penalty box until you've learned your lesson.

So, let's see, on top of the 2 cars within a couple of weeks, there was the Z purchase 6 months ago, and the old Benz purchase 6 months before that. So that's 4 within a year. The Benz and Z are both gone. Obviously, based on these habits, I don't think my volvo has anything to worry about in terms of most miles I've put on one car. 82K and counting since I purchased it 4 years ago.

michaellno · September 2005

(2 minutes for cross payment checking) - sorry, I couldn't resist the hockey comment.

Yeah, I'm about ready to turn in my CCBA membership card. I've got a perfect opportunity to trade in one of my vehicles and get something new, and I'm not able to pull the trigger!

Sheesh.

woody - don't know how much of this thread you've been through, but the Focus would be traded in for something with an automatic for my 17 year old daughter to drive. Currently, she's driving my '03 Saturn L300 (leather, V6, sunroof) while I'm driving the Focus.

She wants a Mini Cooper; dad thinks that she's asking a lot. Her second choice is a Scion xA; OK, that's a bit better (read: cheaper) but, as stated above, I'm not sure that I want to start over with a new set of car payments.

On top of which, she's a senior in HS and is looking to head off to college next year in a town where on-campus parking is at a premium and jobs for college age kids are tough to come by (she would need the job to pay for gas and insurance for whatever ride she has).

There is one possible scenario where she doesn't have a car at all - either we sell it outright or we take it off active insurance except for when she's home in the summer.

So, now it's looking as if we'll wait until next year to see where we stand, both college and job wise, before making any sort of decision.

I'm thinking of putting 16" wheels and tires onto the Focus -- gotta be a lot cheaper than a whole new car - if I'm going to continue driving it.

thegraduate · September 2005

I'll go out on a limb and assume you didn't imply sarcasm...

We love Hondas, and the fact that we have bought them all from the same person (sales manager, neil bonnett honda in birmingham, AL) adds joy to the buying experience. They are good honest folks, and I'd reccommend them and their products to anyone!

Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous

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