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Throatwarbler posted:So your criterias are power and price? The Civic is also 300lbs lighter than either the Focus or the Mazda and it has a real helical LSD standard which the Focus doesn't have at all, it's going to have the upper hand in cornering grip. The Civic has a moonroof and backup camera standard, it's pretty much fully loaded except for nav, so comparably equipped the price difference between it and the Focus is more like $3000 or more. The 2012 Civic Si is a straight up bad car. That was my argument.
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Apr 19, 2013 00:57
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Phone posted:The 2012 Civic Si is a straight up bad car. That was my argument. So aside from the fact that no one is recommending he buy a new 2012 Civic Si, because you know, it's 2013 and they don't make them any more, and no one except you has even mentioned the word "2012", why is it a straight up bad car? Because a year after it came out Ford came out with the Focus ST that has more power but is also significantly more expensive than a 2013 Civic Si which was updated and thus a different proposition than a 2012?  Hey guys I am really angry about Honda Civics. If people really want an example of questionable Honda value, remember they want $5000 more for an Acura ILX which is a Civic Si without the LSD.
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Apr 19, 2013 01:09
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Bro it has Leather Seats and a Push Button to Start It.
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Apr 19, 2013 01:29
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I currently drive a 1999 Corolla with 138,000 miles on it and have been driving it for the past 11 years. We have our first child on the way in August and I'd prefer to get something newer and a bit roomier but still with good gas mileage. I regularly average 35 mpg in my Corolla and have been pretty spoiled by that. Proposed Budget: up to about $6000 (I have around $6500 or so to spend if you include tax, title, license, etc.), I plan to pay cash and am not willing to finance. I will also not be using my car for trade-in because it will be going to my mom when her current lease is up. As an aside, her lease is up at the start of June so the sticky timing means I don't have as much cash to play with right now. The plan is to keep saving and step up in a few years. New or Used: Used, obviously. Body Style: Sedans, wagons, or small SUVs How will you be using the car: Mainly commuting and child hauling. I also regularly have to move drumsets and other instruments, and while the drumset and keyboards CAN fit in my car, it definitely isn't comfy. What aspects are most important to you: In my head, any car I buy must meet the following: 1. Newer than 2002 or 03...I'd at least like a car with a model year that starts with a 20xx and not 19xx like I currently drive since I might have it for a few years. 2. Fewer than 140,000 miles, since that's about where I am with my current vehicle and it seems impractical to buy a "newer" car with a mileage that picks up where I'm leaving off. 3. Good gas mileage...I realize most things will be disappointing after my current car. 22/28 doesn't seem terrible, FWIW. 19/23 is questionable. Anything below that I might not even look at. 4. For the sake of peace in my house, the car absolutely cannot in any way be made by GM. My husband has a deep loathing for the bailout, so I'd like to avoid tension on this. He's iffy on brands that were previously GM but were abandoned (i.e. Saturn, Pontiac, and maaaaaaybe Saab) 5. Good reliability reviews and safety ratings as much as possible Other info: I researched and test drove a 2006 Tucson about a week ago and put in an offer, but the dealer didn't bite. Regardless, I really enjoyed driving it if that provides any ideas. My husband has a 2001 Escape and while I enjoy it as a vehicle, I hate the way the pedals feel and I'm not a huge fan of how I sit in it. Could just be his particular car, but hey...
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Apr 19, 2013 02:18
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If you can borrow the husband's Escape, or trade cars for the day or w/e when you have to instrument haul, that pretty well gets rid of that requirement (or just makes things way easier on you). Are you actually looking for a bigger car? Because small SUVs are based on approximately the same size class as the Corolla, and while they appear bigger and are taller and easier to wrangle children in, they're not actually that much bigger. Honestly, you're not going to do a whole lot better for six grand than your current car. The standard recommendation for your needs and budget is an early-2000s competitor of your car. There's just not enough difference to warrant you giving your car away and buying a new slightly different version of the same thing. If you keep your car for a while and get up to the say, ten/twelve grand range, things will get much more interesting for you. PS: modern cars get really good gas mileage. You will probably be pleasantly surprised, especially if you manage to get 35 out of your Corolla. also, your husband sounds like a fuckin nut but that's a whole different kettle of fish.
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Apr 19, 2013 02:26
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She's giving the Corolla to mom. Standard suggestion would be a 03-7 first gen Ford Focus, the wagon body would be ideal for you but they are rare on the used market. You could also get another Escape from around the same time, as they are pretty much at the bottom of the depreciation curve too, depending on how you want to work it out with the husband. Not a car recommendation but do you drive stick? If not then consider learning, it makes the $5000 car lifestyle a bit more bearable in all kinds of ways (repairs, car selection, fuel economy, fun, etc).
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Apr 19, 2013 02:41
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Proposed Budget: 15-20k New or Used: Used Body Style: Hatchback, compact, 4 door How will you be using the car?: I live in the city, want a reliable, MPG efficient commuter that can periodically handle trips to the mountains, I have chains. What aspects are most important to you? Getting a solid price on trade-in, MPG, must be manual transmission, relatively quiet road noise, peppy I currently own a 2003 Impreza WRX wagon. It's great, but I'd like something a bit more modern, lower road noise, better MPG. Off the cuff, I'm considering the Honda Fit, Mazda 3, or Focus. Normally I sell outright and purchase privately, but I have started a new job, am busy, and don't have time or desire to entertain private offers. I don't buy many new cars and am considering going to Carmax to get an assessment as to what my trade in is worth. Seems to be the easiest thing to do for now, not sure what AI thinks of Carmax 
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Apr 19, 2013 02:46
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Throatwarbler posted:She's giving the Corolla to mom. Yeah, my advice only really applied if she was giving the Corolla to Mom because she was getting a new car, which I kind of assumed.
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Apr 19, 2013 02:47
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Planet X posted:Proposed Budget: 15-20k Carmax usually gives a decent quote. If you really don't have time, it's probably worth it. You can also talk trade with the dealer and see who gives you a better offer.
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Apr 19, 2013 02:48
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Planet X posted:Proposed Budget: 15-20k The Buick Regal turbo started in 2011 and should be showing up on the used market right about now, and oddly enough it's available with a manual transmission and is pretty peppy, while also being a Buick, so the sound insulation is there too. Only issue is that I don't think the MT version sold in big numbers so your choices on the used market might be limited. Maybe also consider an 4 cyl MT Acura TSX too, I kind of like the 2008-9 body style, before they brought out the V6 and the styling got all weird. Throatwarbler fucked around with this message at 03:01 on Apr 19, 2013 |
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Apr 19, 2013 02:58
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KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:If you can borrow the husband's Escape, or trade cars for the day or w/e when you have to instrument haul, that pretty well gets rid of that requirement (or just makes things way easier on you). I'm pretty aware of most of that. If there were another solution for my mom at this time, I'd love to keep my car for a bit, keep saving, and use the extra savings and money from selling my car. Things as they are with our particular situation, that just isn't going to be possible. I wish things were different, but they aren't. Whatever I get now isn't going to be my "forever car". I'd like to keep it for a few years at least and continue saving so that I can move up to that $10-12K+ class as you suggested. It's possible that I could borrow his car on the days I need to haul, but it's not a simple switch. We're both music teachers and performers, so we often have to haul at the same time, but to very different places. And it's not like it's been impossible to do up to this point with my little car...it's just annoying. Having said that, I know that most smaller SUVs are based on the same size class as my current car, but the usage of space is vastly different. For example, the Tucson I drove has back seats that fold completely flat, thus making it much easier to load drums and stuff in and out. Before the Escape, we had a Taurus wagon that was very similar in its usage of space. Straight-up sedans don't use the space as efficiently for this purpose, but I definitely don't rule them out, especially since I'm used to driving one. In my area, most of the cars I've seen that fit my needs fall anywhere from 2001s-2007s or so, which I don't feel is a huge deal. It's more the novelty of having a car with a 20xx model year and not a practicality. I know the things I can currently afford will be older, and that's okay. Throatwarbler posted:She's giving the Corolla to mom. Thanks for the recommendations! You're right about the rarity of the wagon bodies, especially in my area. Lots of my musician friends have Focus wagons, so they were on my list. I've seen a few but they either have 150K+ on them or bad titles/other issues. I have looked at other Escapes and have several on my list. Good to hear they're towards the bottom of the curve, too. And no, woefully I do not drive stick. I might pick it up at some point, but now is not the opportune time. General queston for everyone: Between all of my online and in person browsing I've found a lot of Passat sedans/wagons, Volvo sedans/wagons (V40, S80), Saab 9-3's and Audi A4's in addition to the typical Escapes, Santa Fes, Tucsons, and Sportages. All of these generally range in the 2002-05 area. I've tried to keep up with this thread for a while, but miss things sometimes so....what can anyone say to steer me towards or away any of these?
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Apr 19, 2013 03:08
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Thanks. They have 'no-haggle' prices. If I have cash, can I beat that, or is it (generally) set?
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Apr 19, 2013 03:23
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Ambidextranata posted:
What I would say is Do Not Buy Any Of Those loving Cars Jesus Christ.
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Apr 19, 2013 03:25
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Ambidextranata posted:
For wagons after 2000, subaru (non-turbo, ideally has HGs done and documented), a Focus (Zetec engine only), or even a BMW wagon (Get a PPI) would be less of a headache. Also, your husband sounds stupid. If wagon isn't that important, get a Zetec Focus and don't look back. Planet X posted:Thanks. They have 'no-haggle' prices. If I have cash, can I beat that, or is it (generally) set? edit: Carmax won't negotiate. Their prices are insane and the inspection is useless. nm fucked around with this message at 06:39 on Apr 19, 2013 |
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Apr 19, 2013 06:36
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Thanks for the honest replies, especially about the Focus. I knew I had an odd feeling about the VW/Audi and Kia/Hyundai choices among my prospects but wasn't knowledgable enough to know why beyond bad experiences my sister-in-law had with her '04 Elantra my mom had with her '04 Beetle. In fact, it was the constant repair costs of the bug that made mom dump it and get into the lease on her Prius in the first place. A lot of medical debt and poor financial choices later and now she has no means to get another car for herself, hence my current situation. If it came down to it for whatever reason, would an eventual parts shortage be the only real issue with a Saab 9-3 or do they have other known reliability issues? As for my husband, he has his reasons...mostly that it would be hypocritical to own a vehicle made by a company he doesn't support, but I don't have to defend him to you guys. Thanks again for the informative responses! I really do appreciate your input! Ambidextranata fucked around with this message at 12:51 on Apr 19, 2013 |
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Apr 19, 2013 12:46
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nm posted:
No Mazda 3? nm posted:Carmax won't negotiate. Their prices are insane and the inspection is useless. Thanks. Why is the inspection useless? Someone told me they generally did better on trade ins than dealers did, which is why I thought I'd start with them.
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Apr 19, 2013 13:25
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Ambidextranata posted:Thanks for the honest replies, especially about the Focus. I knew I had an odd feeling about the VW/Audi and Kia/Hyundai choices among my prospects but wasn't knowledgable enough to know why beyond bad experiences my sister-in-law had with her '04 Elantra my mom had with her '04 Beetle. In fact, it was the constant repair costs of the bug that made mom dump it and get into the lease on her Prius in the first place. A lot of medical debt and poor financial choices later and now she has no means to get another car for herself, hence my current situation. He meant the 9-3 is the least bad out of the list of awful cars you gave, not that you should buy a 9-3. I'm not sure I agree entirely with that particular ranking but Do not buy a loving SAAB 9-3. For one thing you will never find anyone who actually knows how to do any work on it, never mind the parts, they had all kinds of crazy poo poo like that torque vectoring Haldex AWD and that single turbo 2.8l V6 that blew up if you accidentally put regular in instead of premium and all kinds of poorly built junk that no one will know how to fix. Even if you stuck to the base model turbo 4 cylinder FWD, it's still an oddball European car that didn't share any parts with anything outside of Europe, it's own crazy dash and interior electronics modules that broke all the time and no one knows how to fix(or even make anymore!), and on top of all that still uses the same biodegradable cooling system that all the other German u-boat anchors use, except it was probably even cheaper - GM was putting out TSBs about how many rotting coolant hoses and overflow tanks they were having to replace under warranty.
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Apr 19, 2013 13:32
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Throatwarbler posted:He meant the 9-3 is the least bad out of the list of awful cars you gave, not that you should buy a 9-3. I'm not sure I agree entirely with that particular ranking but Do not buy a loving SAAB 9-3. For one thing you will never find anyone who actually knows how to do any work on it, never mind the parts, they had all kinds of crazy poo poo like that torque vectoring Haldex AWD and that single turbo 2.8l V6 that blew up if you accidentally put regular in instead of premium and all kinds of poorly built junk that no one will know how to fix. Even if you stuck to the base model turbo 4 cylinder FWD, it's still an oddball European car that didn't share any parts with anything outside of Europe, it's own crazy dash and interior electronics modules that broke all the time and no one knows how to fix(or even make anymore!), and on top of all that still uses the same biodegradable cooling system that all the other German u-boat anchors use, except it was probably even cheaper - GM was putting out TSBs about how many rotting coolant hoses and overflow tanks they were having to replace under warranty. Gotcha. Thanks!
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Apr 19, 2013 13:35
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Planet X posted:No Mazda 3? People in AI like the way the Mazda3 handles and rides, but most people don't really care about that. For the same year and mileage the Ford Focus is usually cheaper to buy and fix, and to actually find on the used market since they are more common (Mazda actually doesn't sell that many cars in America). The fuel economy was pretty lackluster for a compact car, and it also had particularly poor paint and corrosion resistance that made it vulnerable to body rust in cold climates. The latter was an endemic problem for many cars made in Japan, because the Japanese never had the kind of climactic conditions and road salt that North America suffered from. Anecdotally Toyotas, Hondas and Nissans built in the US/Canada no longer have any issues with this but Mazdas and Subarus built in Japan still do. It's not a bad car but not the first choice if your goal was just to get to work for the least amount of money.
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Apr 19, 2013 13:49
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Budget: 10-20k My wife works about 3 miles from where we live and needs a new vehicle. She rides a scooter to work in nice weather but needs something to get her around in bad weather. The main thing we're looking for is reliability but also the car will likely sit outside 24/7, so something that is resistant to direct sunlight(we live in Oklahoma)/rust/dirt/etc would be nice as well. Any suggestions goons?
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Apr 19, 2013 23:59
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Throatwarbler posted:People in AI like the way the Mazda3 handles and rides, but most people don't really care about that. For the same year and mileage the Ford Focus is usually cheaper to buy and fix, and to actually find on the used market since they are more common (Mazda actually doesn't sell that many cars in America). The fuel economy was pretty lackluster for a compact car, and it also had particularly poor paint and corrosion resistance that made it vulnerable to body rust in cold climates. The latter was an endemic problem for many cars made in Japan, because the Japanese never had the kind of climactic conditions and road salt that North America suffered from. Anecdotally Toyotas, Hondas and Nissans built in the US/Canada no longer have any issues with this but Mazdas and Subarus built in Japan still do. Exactly especially as the Mazda 3 you should buy is a hatch, which only came with the big (i.e worse economy) motor until very recently. Planet X posted:
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Apr 20, 2013 02:54
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Looking for car recommendations again! I don't remember what people told me to buy last time, but I ended up buying a Volvo 240 (I love it). Now I'm planning a long road trip in the summer, in the desert. My 240's gonna take some work to get it ready for something like that, and I'd prefer to upgrade. I'm in the Bay Area. Proposed Budget: $4000 or less New or Used: Used Body Style: Preferably 2-door or 3-door, maybe a liftback (they are cool); as long as it's not a truck or an SUV, I'm probably OK with it How will you be using the car?: I'm probably gonna be the only person in it, but it should be able to carry enough cargo/cameras/whatnot for a month-long trip (in other words, not an MR2 or anything) What aspects are most important to you?
My most likely choice at this point is either Volvo, either a 240 or a 940 turbo. I enjoy greatly how well my 240 handles, and how easy it is to work on (I can nearly stand in the engine compartment, and parts are readily available); a 940 turbo would be a bit faster, and be more comfortable, though I'd have to work on it some to make it handle as well as a 240. A late-model 240 would have the airbags, ABS, and non-worn parts that my 1988 240 doesn't; it might get better gas mileage, too, if I find one with LH-Jetronic 3.1 fuel injection (though parts are harder to find for that). There're some really nice Toyota Supra Mk. IIIs on Craigslist, too  Edit: it occurs to me I could get past a car prone to running hot by jury-rigging some sort of evaporative cooling thing by spraying mist on the radiator, so that's probably not gonna be a big issue. atomicthumbs fucked around with this message at 03:51 on Apr 20, 2013 |
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Apr 20, 2013 03:20
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How do you feel about 4th Gen F-bodies? I mean on the one hand they seem to fit all your criteria, especially if you can get an LS1, on the other hand they are objectively terrible cars in many ways, with the whole door sagging and dash-falling-into-lap thing, but you could sort of drive it ironically.
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Apr 20, 2013 03:38
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Throatwarbler posted:How do you feel about 4th Gen F-bodies? I hadn't really considered (eighties) American cars/V8s. How are they on gas mileage? I could go for a BITCHIN' atomicthumbs fucked around with this message at 03:55 on Apr 20, 2013 |
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Apr 20, 2013 03:47
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atomicthumbs posted:I hadn't really considered (eighties) American cars/V8s. How are they on gas mileage? A 4th gen is this kind:  3rd gens are from the 80s.
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Apr 20, 2013 03:50
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kimbo305 posted:A 4th gen is this kind: Yeah I looked up F-body on Wikipedia and clicked "Firebird" before I wrote that post 
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Apr 20, 2013 03:55
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They're rather large cars with big pushrod engines, so fuel economy in the city isn't great, but on the highway you can get close to 30mpg especially if you get a manual transmission with the really tall cruising gear. Basically 2 door liftback Crown Vics. The thing about $4000 cars is that the quality of the previous owner becomes rather important when it comes to reliability, and with cars that have large enthusiast followings it's easier to find used examples that have been taken care of by knowledgable owners.
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Apr 20, 2013 04:01
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atomicthumbs posted:Yeah I looked up F-body on Wikipedia and clicked "Firebird" before I wrote that post Well there's 4th gen Firebirds, too, so your dream is still there:  Though that one might be a shade more than $4k.
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Apr 20, 2013 04:08
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If you ever wonder why no one bought MK4 Supras back when they came out, the Supra was a large, heavy 2 door GT with a 6 speed transmission and engines up to 320hp, so was the Camaro, except the Camaro had 350hp, and it was like half the price of the Supra. With T-tops and everything. So basically the Camaro is an Mk4 Supra. 
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Apr 20, 2013 04:51
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Well, I'll support the poster above me. An LS1 Camaro/Firebird sounds like a good match. I've had one (Camaro) for 3 years now, and it's never let me down. Just routine maintenance, and it's at 125k now. Adding my own question, Can any Corvette Owners here tell me if I'm going from a moderately modded LS1 Camaro, am I better off going for a C5 Z06 or a base C6? I can afford either, I just don't have the time right now to go drive both and determine a better match. I don't need the 2 rear seats from my F-body, and at this point I'd rather go Corvette. It almost feels though that if I go to a C5, it's a sidegrade, and the C6 is the only option.
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Apr 20, 2013 07:41
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The C6 has a better ride and better handling, though I don't think the non-Z06 looks as good as the C5Z. On the outside -- the interior of the C5 will definitely be a sidegrade. The C5Z shifter is so wretched in shape and feel. You might as well drive both, though.
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Apr 20, 2013 07:45
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Maybe I'll go the compromise route and buy this and put an LS1 in it 
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Apr 20, 2013 08:06
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Looks like I might go the slow and Swedish route again. I'm going to go take a look at this tomorrow. http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/cto/3755921691.html It's got 180,000 miles (maybe less than my current car at this point; the odometer broke at 159k at some point during the previous guy's ownership), an airbag and ABS, an electric cooling fan and improved AC system, an interior in better shape, and (best of all) a seat that doesn't lean back and to the right or sag in the bottom.
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Apr 21, 2013 05:10
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I'd be worried about an automatic that old with so many miles. If it was a stick.
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Apr 21, 2013 06:31
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nm posted:I'd be worried about an automatic that old with so many miles. The AW70s are pretty durable. I just found an anecdote about someone's AW70 that was able to run trouble-free for a year after their transmission cooler sprung a leak, letting antifreeze into the transmission.
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Apr 21, 2013 07:47
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Well, this seems to be the closest thing to CA's "Tell me which bike to buy!" thread, so hopefully this isn't too out of place. I'm occasionally browsing around for a car for my little sister. She's into old cars, and my girlfriend and I have been thinking it would be cool to find one for her. While looking through Craigslist the other day, I came across this:  http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/cto/3691239444.html It's a '74 Fiat 124 Sport and seems to be in pretty good shape. Odometer reads about 44,000 and the engine was rebuilt 30,000 miles ago, so I'm assuming it's actually got 144,000 miles on it. I drove it today. It seemed to drive fine, also has a very nice interior, good roof, and the engine was pretty clean except for a little oil seepage near the dipstick. It's just about too small for me, but I'm a 6' man, while my sister is shorter and thinner. My sister is very smart and has some mechanical aptitude, so I'm not too worried if she has to do more maintenance or the occasional small repair. She's also said she'd like to learn more about wrenching on cars, which is probably a plus when you're looking at a 40-year-old Italian car. So I'm hoping to get some thoughts on this vehicle. I know nothing about Fiats, most of my wrenching experience is on motorcycles, so any input is super welcome. $4700 seems a little high, although NADA says that's about average retail for my area. Hell, any guidance/advice on buying cars of this era or earlier would be great.
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Apr 22, 2013 02:01
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Pham Nuwen posted:So I'm hoping to get some thoughts on this vehicle. I know nothing about Fiats, most of my wrenching experience is on motorcycles, so any input is super welcome. $4700 seems a little high, although NADA says that's about average retail for my area. Lowball him, he'll scoff. Wait a few days and call back. You may lose it, but you'll probably get a steal.
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Apr 22, 2013 04:22
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Find the rust. The only non-rusty 70s fiat has had a recent restoration, even in California. The question is where and how bad. I'd worry about parts availably too. The good news is that as a 74, it is CARB exempt, so you have more flexibility. Honestly, unless you're (or she) is into fiats, I'd look at something in a Datsun or domestic (note that the rust thing is also true for 60s and 70s Japanese iron as well as some domestics). Easier to source parts and find someone to work on it if need be. I assume this will not be a daily.
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Apr 22, 2013 06:33
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nm posted:Find the rust. The only non-rusty 70s fiat has had a recent restoration, even in California. The question is where and how bad. Well, according to the owner it was restored a few years ago. I didn't spot any rust, but I didn't spend very long looking underneath. From my short drive, I felt like it could be a daily assuming it was sufficiently reliable. I'm not going to buy her something that can't be used daily, so I'll pass on this one if AI thinks there's no chance. I'd just like to find her something fun if it comes up... she can buy her own 1995 Taurus beater if needed.
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Apr 22, 2013 06:43
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I meant a full restore, not whatever he spent $6k on. Unless he did everything himself it wasn't full. A good prep and paint would cost that. It mitht even be worse as a cheapo restoration just covers problems with bondo and paint.
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Apr 22, 2013 07:00
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