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I personally think the Avenger is ugly as sin, and would not want to be seen driving one. The proportions look completely wrong to me, the shapes of the different boxes are not unified, and the hood has a bizarre slope to it that goes nowhere.
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May 15, 2013 03:28
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One guy at a BMW autocross showed up in an Avenger rental cuz his BMW broke. He took pains, when asked, to explain that it was a rental. And more reliable, apparently 
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May 15, 2013 04:07
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Now that we're getting toward the end of the model year, if I'm interested in buying a new car but don't need it TODAY, would it make more sense to wait until late summer when the 2014s start rolling out? Will 2013s be cheaper then, or does it really matter?
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May 16, 2013 18:37
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Depends. Every manufacturer has a different sales cycle. What car are you interested in? Usually towards the end of a MY run you'll see cash rebates or promo financing get a little sweeter. New car sales are so cutthroat these days dealers don't really make much on the actual sale of the car, so pricing won't get much better unless there's manufacturer cash involved. Don't get me wrong, dealers have plenty of ways to make money selling cars, but the actual profit from selling the physical car is relatively small compared to things like dealer add ons, extended warranty sales and financing kick backs.
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May 16, 2013 19:09
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skipdogg posted:What car are you interested in? I've test driven 8 or 9 different models and have narrowed it down to an Altima SL or Accord EX-L. Those are, what, the #2 and #3 highest volume midsize sedans sold? I doubt there is or is going to be a scarcity of them at all, and there's at least a dozen dealerships of either variety within a couple hours drive of me.
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May 16, 2013 19:45
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I'm not really sure if this is the right place to ask but it's not really thread worthy either; but what are some good American cars of the 90's and early 2000's? I mean ones that are technically and mechanically good? Good to drive, good suspension, good brakes good engines, look good. Like a say a BMW 3-series would probably count as a good car. But what about American cars?
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May 16, 2013 20:01
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Oldsmobile posted:I'm not really sure if this is the right place to ask but it's not really thread worthy either; but what are some good American cars of the 90's and early 2000's? I mean ones that are technically and mechanically good? Good to drive, good suspension, good brakes good engines, look good. I'm no expert, but the best American cars of that era are probably going to be highway cruisers. My gut feeling would say things like a Lincoln Mk 8. There are also the Panther platform cars, some people really love those. That'd be the Crown Vic, the Mercury Marauder, Lincoln Towncar, and Mercury Maquis. The only American sports car from that period that really springs to mind as excellent is the C5Z06, introduced 2001, which paved the way for future Corvettes to drive better. I'm probably going to be proven wrong, but my belief is that the 90s were not great times for most American manufacturers. If you were talking about trucks and SUVs there's stuff like the Jeep Cherokee that's widely considered to be best of breed. Twerk from Home fucked around with this message at 20:18 on May 16, 2013 |
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May 16, 2013 20:13
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saintonan posted:I've test driven 8 or 9 different models and have narrowed it down to an Altima SL or Accord EX-L. Those are, what, the #2 and #3 highest volume midsize sedans sold? I doubt there is or is going to be a scarcity of them at all, and there's at least a dozen dealerships of either variety within a couple hours drive of me. I probably wouldn't hold off waiting for a spectacular deal. Those are two very popular cars that don't often have major incentives applied to them. Honda in particular doesn't usually have large cash rebates on their vehicles. Nissan is doing 1.9 for 60 with a 500 dollar rebate right now. The Altimas sell for about invoice, that's a pretty solid deal. Honda is also doing 1.9% for 60, no cash rebate and tend to sell for a little over invoice. Oldsmobile posted:I'm not really sure if this is the right place to ask but it's not really thread worthy either; but what are some good American cars of the 90's and early 2000's? I mean ones that are technically and mechanically good? Good to drive, good suspension, good brakes good engines, look good. Are you asking from a historical perspective? I don't think any American car from that era has help up well and I personally wouldn't consider purchasing something from that Era. I do have positive memories of my Mom's 4th gen Taurus. It seemed to have driven well and with the 3.0V6 wasn't slow or anything. I still see quite a few on the road. If I had to consider an American car from that era, I'd be looking for a clean Buick LeSabre or Regal. Good solid highway cruiser. Weinertron's recommendation of a Panther platform car is solid as well. skipdogg fucked around with this message at 20:32 on May 16, 2013 |
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May 16, 2013 20:22
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Weinertron posted:I'm no expert, but the best American cars of that era are probably going to be highway cruisers. My gut feeling would say things like a Lincoln Mk 8. There are also the Panther platform cars, some people really love those. That'd be the Crown Vic, the Mercury Marauder, Lincoln Towncar, and Mercury Maquis. The only American sports car from that period that really springs to mind as excellent is the C5Z06, introduced 2001, which paved the way for future Corvettes to drive better. Those are good answers, but the reason I asked was that I was really having trouble thinking of anything at all, but there must have been something at least. The Impala SS seems to be mentioned quite often, 5.0 liter mustang and maybe the Ford Probe but imho that doesn't count because it's a Mazda in drag and I'm not sure stiff rear axles really count as technical excellence. Oldsmobile Aurora maybe? skipdogg posted:Are you asking from a historical perspective? I don't think any American car from that era has help up well and I personally wouldn't consider purchasing something from that Era. Definitely from a historical perspective. I mean cars which people will see and go "yeah, that was a good car and still looks and drives good." Not sure if the Taurus counts. I'm not really out shopping but this seemed like the best thread to ask.
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May 16, 2013 22:12
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Basically the 1990s and early 2000s were a wasteland of garbage as far as American cars i.e. not trucks or SUVs were concerned, other than a few special sports cars like the SVT Cobra and Focus, and the SRT-4 Neon that came out in what, 2003? These were technically good cars in their little niche but not really enough regular people actually bought them to have any kind of society-wide positive memory. Some of the cars mentioned,like the Lesabre or Crown Vic, are "good" cars in the sense that 15 years down the road they can be had for dirt cheap on the used market while still being decently reliable, but they were not "good" cars that anyone in their right mind really would have bought new. Compared to their contemporary competitors, would any of the posters here have really have bought a brand new W-body Buick Regal over a Lexus or Acura? I kind of doubt it. The Chrysler LH cars were legitimately quite innovative in terms of design and layout when they first came out, even Jeremy Clarkson liked them, but given Chrysler's indifferent build quality and horror stories about the 2.7l engine, no one today will really have much positive to remember about them. Here's the thing though. The late 1990s and 2000s were massively, massively successful and happy times for the American carmakers and they were making the largest profits in their entire history during this period. I think 1998 was the most profitable year GM and Ford had ever seen. Ford's plant in Wayne, MI was literally the most profitable manufacturing concern of any kind on the face of the planet, and at the time the financial press were speculating on what Ford would do with their huge, Apple-level piles of cash. Many expected them to just outright buy BMW, but they ended up buying a whole bunch of other lovely European carmakers instead. There's a NYT article from the 1990s that details this but I can't find it right now. Have you ever seen the first few seasons of The Sopranos? It's a great way to get a "historical" perspective on late 1990s America. The reason behind all this was SUVs, especially luxury SUVs. The great innovation of the domestic Big 3 during this period was that they could convince Americans through marketing to pay an amount of money for a Chevy Suburban, Lincoln Navigator, or one of these other body-on-frame truck based monstrosities that was like, 5x what it cost them to build. If you read more recent mainstream media garbage about what sank Detroit, they always harp on about how Detroit "focused on large trucks and SUVs while ignoring small cars", like that was some kind of bad decision, when in fact it was absolutely brilliant and basically the only thing that kept them afloat. Given the relative economic conditions and exchange rates at the time in the US and Japan, CAFE regulations, and all kinds of other factors, there really was no plausible way that Detroit could have competed with the Japanese in small, cheap cars, and only very marginally in larger premium cars. Throatwarbler fucked around with this message at 01:18 on May 17, 2013 |
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May 17, 2013 01:12
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Hey all you condom-broke guys, the new IIHS small frontal overlap crash test for small SUVs is out. So before the same question gets asked another 15 times in the next 3 weeks, the answer is 2014 Subaru Forester.
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May 17, 2013 01:33
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skipdogg posted:I probably wouldn't hold off waiting for a spectacular deal. Those are two very popular cars that don't often have major incentives applied to them. Honda in particular doesn't usually have large cash rebates on their vehicles. Dealers will want to dispose of aged inventory a couple months after the model year changeover so if you aren't too awfully picky about colors and options you will have a bit of leverage even on a Japanese midsizer. Even more so if it's a significant MY changeover.
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May 17, 2013 03:07
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KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:Dealers will want to dispose of aged inventory a couple months after the model year changeover so if you aren't too awfully picky about colors and options you will have a bit of leverage even on a Japanese midsizer. Even more so if it's a significant MY changeover. This is typically the case but don't take it as an absolute truth. In the summer of 2006 - with NC Miatas already on the lot and '07s not far away - I tried to negotiate with a dealer that had a shitload of new Mazdaspeed Miatas on the lot (including at least four '04s) and ended up just wasting two+ hours of my life to lovely and shady sales tactics. gently caress you, Earnhardt Mazda (for that matter, every Earnhardt dealership). With the Honda, at least, there may be some unadvertised dealer cash you can work on if you finance it. I bought a '13 CR-V LX just over two weeks ago at just over $21.6K, and part of what got me there was $750 that Honda Finance tossed in on top of the 0.9%. There was no advertisement anywhere that I could see about this dealer cash.
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May 17, 2013 03:19
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I'm completely torn. I'm in the market for my first car, and I chose a Fiesta as it fills my needs in terms of space and fuel economy and I've driven one for quite a bit. Plus, Ford Canada's running a nice little rebate this month that would set me on an SE well equipped model for around 18 grand. But then I started thinking about how long this car should last me, and wondering if I shouldn't just go for a used Focus for more room down the road. I've found a few 2012 SELs around dealers. They would set me back around 20 grand, but I know I'd probably end up liking the choice 5 years down the road. Not only that, but the SELs are packed with some pretty great options (though not necessary). The lure of just going in a dealer and building exactly what I need is great, but so is having a higher trim, roomier car. The "used" portion kind of ticks me, though those year-old models usually have low mileage. I think I'll still go test drive one just to get a good feel.
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May 17, 2013 03:29
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Throatwarbler posted:Basically the 1990s and early 2000s were a wasteland of garbage as far as American cars i.e. not trucks or SUVs were concerned, other than a few special sports cars like the SVT Cobra and Focus, and the SRT-4 Neon that came out in what, 2003? These were technically good cars in their little niche but not really enough regular people actually bought them to have any kind of society-wide positive memory. I forgot about those Chryslers. The Chrysler 300M still looks really good, but yeah, I've heard the drive train is the worst of anything. A great chassis with a broke engine and tranny isn't something that will stick with history. I do remember the 90's being SUV heaven but how many of those are still around being driven? Who the would think back with nostalgia at gas sucking V8 hulks with questionable driving dynamics? There must be something? Were Cadillacs any good? Was there a Chevy worth mentioning?
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May 17, 2013 09:18
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quote:I do remember the 90's being SUV heaven but how many of those are still around being driven? Who the would think back with nostalgia at gas sucking V8 hulks with questionable driving dynamics? Demographics probably had a large part to play, it was a period in history when the baby boomers were getting basically into their best earning years, gas was cheap, and huge SUVs projected the kind of youthful, rugged image that appealed to them. Actually, come to think of it, if there ever was a real American icon, it would have been Jeep. The way you build a credible brand is by sticking true to the brand message and retaining the prestige that comes from authenticity even if it was at the expense of sales volume and mass appeal. Jeep never strayed from its core message and audience, and "its a Jeep thing" is still, uh, a thing. People in AI today still drive and pine for the old Cherokee, and those definitely are still being driven over all kinds of things today. quote:There must be something? Were Cadillacs any good? Was there a Chevy worth mentioning? Not really. I guess the LS1/T56 was a good drivetrain but I don't think even any of the GM apologists here would unironically argue that the cars that it came in were "good".
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May 17, 2013 13:08
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Can anyone comment if the ECO-Assist button on the new Honda Civics actually does anything (notable)? I had it on the whole time, but I turned it off yesterday and my ride felt a bit quicker to accelerate, and I feel like my gas mileage was about the same. Or maybe I was using it wrong? The dealers couldn't explain it to me other than that it lowers the AC. Which I didn't even notice.
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May 17, 2013 19:32
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Nibelheim posted:I'm completely torn. Obligatory closure self-reply: I left the dealer with a used 2012 Ford Focus SEL Hatchback. It's amazing.
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May 18, 2013 02:38
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Oh, a bit late, but for anyone else getting a ford in Canada this might be useful. Costco members get a grand off any new ford.
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May 18, 2013 15:25
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iv46vi posted:Oh, a bit late, but for anyone else getting a ford in Canada this might be useful. Costco members get a grand off any new ford. Actually, if you read the fine print, some popular vehicles are excluded. "Offer only valid from April 2, 2013 to May 31, 2013 (the "Offer Period") to resident Canadians with a Costco membership on or before March 31, 2013. Use this $1,000CDN Costco member offer towards the purchase or lease of a new 2013/2014 Ford vehicle (excluding Fiesta, Focus, C-Max , Raptor, GT500, Mustang Boss 302, Transit Connect EV & Medium Truck) (each an "Eligible Vehicle")."
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May 18, 2013 15:30
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Still, a grand on the hood of a new Fusion is pretty strong.
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May 18, 2013 22:20
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My bad, didn't read the fine print.
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May 19, 2013 02:00
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OK, this isn't entirely a car-buying suggestion request, more of a general lifestyle question. But I think it fits in this thread. After years abroad, I'm coming back to the States for an indefinite length of time in a few months. Maybe I'll get a job there and stick around for some years, maybe not. Will probably be at least 6 months though. And I'm planning a road trip across the States in September. Probably 3-4 weeks long. Proposed Budget: $4-6k ish New or Used: used Body Style: compact sedan, smaller is better. Preferably 4 door but I don't really care. How will you be using the car? Nothing special really, probably average an hour or two driving a day What aspects are most important to you? reliability, cost of ownership/maintenance, MPG, depreciation rate—basically "value over time" As far as reliability and running costs go, mid 00s Prius seems pretty good. I don't care about cars at all, they're a means to an end. I'm not opposed to doing some of my own maintenance but I haven't done much aside from jump-starting or changing a tire. Considering all I said above, could buying a car now (ie in a few months) and selling it when I maybe decide to leave make sense, at all? Or should I rent a car for the road trip, then use zipcar or something similar until I decide more firmly on a plan?
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May 19, 2013 10:39
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edit: after craigslisting a bit I'm surprised to find that you can find priuses for under $6k with under 200k on the clock even in my area. Several are salvaged titles, which you absolutely should not touch, but a few with 150k on the clock seem to be around. It's a good option if you can find one with under 200k or so, which passes a mechanic's inspection. I think you can buy a car for $5k, drive it 10k miles or so, and then turn around and sell it for very near that original $5k, though. What you want to look for are cars that have more or less fully depreciated, but are still in good shape mechanically and still have reasonable life left in them. I'd suggest approximately 10-year-old cars with around 150k on the clock. Most people would say buy a honda or toyota, but for $5k you'll have a significantly older honda or toyota than if you get a different make, because there is a premium for those cars on the used market that is outsized compared to actual reliability. That is to say, all else being equal, your honda or toyota might have 50k more miles on it than your non-honda or toyota. But leaving all that aside: there's going to be huge variability in condition at that price point. This means that while you should consider a set of makes/models/years that is appropriate for your needs, the condition of each individual car is probably more important than which specific make/model/year it happens to be. I could say, for example, to buy a Ford Focus, as it's a small car with decent longevity and reasonable reliability, but you'll probably find examples that are in lovely condition that you shouldn't buy; at the same time, you might find a late-90s Honda Civic in amazing condition and priced as a serious bargain. So, I think if you do decide to buy a used car, you should take them on a case-by-case basis, do a few minutes research on each car you see for sale in your price range, area, and that fits your basic criteria, and then base a purchasing decision on mechanical condition, test drive, and whether the price you negotiate is reasonable. However, I think renting a car for your road trip is also a decent approach. You don't have to care about reliability, you can calculate the cost in advance, and you'll certainly have a newer car to drive in. Zipcar can be an option depending on where you'll be living, too; if you're moving to a major city, it might be cheaper than trying to park your car on the street, and more convenient for you. If you're in a suburb or rural area, it will probably not be convenient compared to owning a private car. When you figure your costs of ownership be sure to include insurance. Also keep in mind American gas is much cheaper than most other places in the world, but we also have longer normal driving distances than is typical in europe and many other areas. Leperflesh fucked around with this message at 20:19 on May 19, 2013 |
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May 19, 2013 20:15
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Two part post, looking for a used SUV to take overseas to Africa with me. I need a car that's reliable enough to tool around a small town of normal roads, but then use it on weekends to go to the beach or hit unpaved roads or uneven terrain (nothing like rockhopping craziness). I've been looking at 06-08 Jeeps, used Tacoma trucks, also Nissan Xterras. Toyota and Nissan are what Im gravitating towards due to compatibility purposes overseas, but I've been told it's unlikely that people know how to work on anything out there, so most people just buy what they want, order spare parts as needed and explain to local mechanics what to do with it. Proposed Budget: 10-15k New or Used: used Body Style: Truck or SUV. Prefer 4 doors but really not a big deal. How will you be using the car? This car will be driven around on decent roads day to day for work (short commute) but weekends will involve trips over unpaved dirt and to the beach. What aspects are most important to you? Reliability is a top concern. Something that can handle most general unpaved conditions is going to be key. I dont mind it getting bashed up either, so I'm willing to go below my budget for something that would be reliable. I just got into NoVA where a buddy of mine has a '06 Xterra he's looking to sell that just came back from the mechanic and got a full tune up and check up to ensure that all is well. He bought the car to go to Africa too but it turns out he doesn't need it anymore. It's got 90k on it, and is in really good condition. He's offering 8850 for it, which is about 1k less than what Carmax wants to shell out for it. I have till the end of the week to decide and to do some research, so I thought maybe I'd get some opinions here on what people think of Xterras in general or if I should know about anything in particular about them. It would put me under budget which is always good. Any other suggestions are welcome, however.
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May 20, 2013 23:12
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I think you might be better off with something a bit older where you might be working on it more often, but you're not going to have to ever worry about diagnosing a computer issue. If you have to explain to the mechanic how to do (x), they probably don't have a computer capable of hooking up to the car to do any advanced diagnostics / reset procedures that need to be done. The real trick is going to be finding something old enough to be easily fixed, but new / nice enough to not need a shitload of work. Or just blow your budget on a restored old-school truck that will run as long as it has 12V to the distributor and some semblance of fuel pressure.
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May 20, 2013 23:51
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Proposed Budget: Flexible, but I'd like to keep it under 15k. 10-12 is sort of what I am hoping for, but if I can't get what I want for less I can go up a little bit. Less is also better too - if I can get what I want out of a used vehicle for less I am totally happy to go with that and pocket the savings. My parents are going to help me pay for some of the car, and I'd kind of prefer if their contribution is on the small side. New or Used: I would prefer used with my budget, but like I said, it is flexible and I could be talked into paying more if I will get more value out of it. I want this car to last a long while. Body Style: I am looking for a 4-door mid-sized SUV ish kind of thing. Think Toyota RAV4, Honda CRV, etc. I could also be talked into a subaru wagon sort of vehicle. How will you be using the car?: I am pretty outdoorsy and I want to be able to fit extra people or have lots of trunk space in this car. This is why I am looking at wagons/midsized cars. It is also highly likely I will be moving to Minnesota (from CT) in the next 12-18 months, and so 4 wheel drive to deal with snow/ice is also something I am looking for, in addition to being very handy for going offroad to get to campsites. Also, if I do move to minnesota, I would be living within walking distance of my job and so I do not need a daily commuter sort of car.I wouldn't be eligible for a parking spot at my job for the first decade or something stupid like that, anyway. What aspects are most important to you? I ABSOLUTELY want a car that will be reliable and rock solid. That is my first and last priority. Value is second - I do not mind going to the higher end of my budget if it means I will derive better value per dollar. The trunk space/size thing and miles per gallon are just about equally important to me as they are going to be inevitably inversely related so I am hoping to strike a balance between the two. however, like I said, not looking for a commuter vehicle, so I don't mind if it isn't the most fuel efficient car in the world. Kommienzuspadt fucked around with this message at 02:20 on May 21, 2013 |
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May 21, 2013 01:41
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Homie S posted:Two part post, looking for a used SUV to take overseas to Africa with me. I need a car that's reliable enough to tool around a small town of normal roads, but then use it on weekends to go to the beach or hit unpaved roads or uneven terrain (nothing like rockhopping craziness). I've been looking at 06-08 Jeeps, used Tacoma trucks, also Nissan Xterras. Toyota and Nissan are what Im gravitating towards due to compatibility purposes overseas, but I've been told it's unlikely that people know how to work on anything out there, so most people just buy what they want, order spare parts as needed and explain to local mechanics what to do with it. In my experience, you are going to want whatever is common in country. This means Pajeros and Land Cruisers in East Africa (only region I know poo poo about), or some sort of thuggin all wheel drive Hiace or similar. Finding parts for your car is going to be a huge pain in the rear end, because things are going to break due to TIA. The AWD Hiace and similar are actually the coolest most utilitarian cars of all time so you should get one of those.
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May 21, 2013 02:49
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KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:In my experience, you are going to want whatever is common in country. This means Pajeros and Land Cruisers in East Africa (only region I know poo poo about), or some sort of thuggin all wheel drive Hiace or similar. Finding parts for your car is going to be a huge pain in the rear end, because things are going to break due to TIA. This is exactly the answer. It is almost certainly something Toyota. Note that most of the land cruisers sold in the US are not the landcruiser sold most in farica (they got smaller/less luxurious versions), so be careful of that. You may actually be better off acquiring in country as many US models sold rarely or not at all in much of Africa.
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May 21, 2013 03:10
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KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:In my experience, you are going to want whatever is common in country. This means Pajeros and Land Cruisers in East Africa (only region I know poo poo about), or some sort of thuggin all wheel drive Hiace or similar. Finding parts for your car is going to be a huge pain in the rear end, because things are going to break due to TIA. It appears that buying anything in East Africa (where I'm going) is considered pretty expensive and not worth it, not to mention Im trying to do the dance of using the car in the states before it gets shipped out. (currently dont own a car and need to get a car for work as I dont go overseas until next year). After doing some research on US market cars, there's nothing that really matches up compatibility wise to whats offered in country, so I've decided to just get what I need to get and go from there. If I tried to tack on the added preference of diesel I'd be waaaay behind trying to buy in the US.
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May 21, 2013 03:19
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Have you actually done this "importing a car to some third world country with questionable rule of law" thing before? Because if not I think the actual make and model of the car is going to be pretty low on the list of things you need to check out. Cars in these places are expensive for a reason - the person or people with the right political connections at the dock/customs office/ government are usually the only people who can "legally" import cars and they charge for the privilege. Is this some kind of Embassy/State department gig where you can just bring in your own black Suburban and drive over everything roughshod, or are you just a civilian?
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May 21, 2013 03:55
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Proposed Budget: $10k  New or Used: Used Body Style: 4 door compact or midsize sedan How will you be using the car?: fairly short commute to work and school, ~600km trip once or twice per month, frequently driving with other people (and golf clubs in the summer) What aspects are most important to you?: reliability, low cost of maintenance, automatic transmission I've been looking through listings for dealers in the area and it seems like there's quite a few 2008/2009 Focus, Sentra, and Elantra with fairly low mileage. I remember reading in this thread that the Sentra isn't great. Of the other two, there's a ton of 2009 Elantra GLs which would fit the bill and have some features I like (sunroof, heated seats). Everything I've read suggests that it's a solid car and the scheduled maintenance doesn't look too bad (http://bit.ly/116GSmE) but the sheer volume of them for sale from this model year and similar mileage is making me wonder if there's some big issue I'm missing. Any advice on those cars or some other options to look for would be great.
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May 21, 2013 03:55
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Throatwarbler posted:Is this some kind of Embassy/State department gig where you can just bring in your own black Suburban and drive over everything roughshod, or are you just a civilian? He's a DSS agent, the black Suburban is a good idea 
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May 21, 2013 04:03
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Throatwarbler posted:Have you actually done this "importing a car to some third world country with questionable rule of law" thing before? Because if not I think the actual make and model of the car is going to be pretty low on the list of things you need to check out. Cars in these places are expensive for a reason - the person or people with the right political connections at the dock/customs office/ government are usually the only people who can "legally" import cars and they charge for the privilege. Is this some kind of Embassy/State department gig where you can just bring in your own black Suburban and drive over everything roughshod, or are you just a civilian? That. I'm just trying to get a handle out of my options here in the states what would be the best option. I'm not ruling out buying while in country, but I'm really hoping to buy a car here so I can use it. I guess an option would be to buy something state side for what I need (straight up commuter), and then sell it upon leaving to africa and then buying out there. Like I said, just trying to flesh everything out thoroughly.
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May 21, 2013 04:11
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Leperflesh posted:
Great, thanks for the advice!
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May 21, 2013 06:05
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So I was looking online at some cars at the local dealer and found a few in my price range (10-12K). The one that stood out most was a 2007 VW Jetta Wolfsburg with 70k miles on it for 11,000. Does VW still have a reputation for being unreliable in 2007? I like everything about the car visually and am gonna go for a test drive next week. Any thoughts?
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May 21, 2013 13:52
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marsisol posted:So I was looking online at some cars at the local dealer and found a few in my price range (10-12K). The one that stood out most was a 2007 VW Jetta Wolfsburg with 70k miles on it for 11,000. Does VW still have a reputation for being unreliable in 2007? I like everything about the car visually and am gonna go for a test drive next week. Any thoughts? VW does still have a reputation for unreliability. Some AI posters swear you shouldn't buy any VW ever. In my opinion, they've gotten better and are no longer so unreliable that nobody should buy one, but are still nowhere near the top of the list. Please understand though that "reliability" is an overly broad term that describes a lot of different kinds of issues. For example, a major issue with earlier-model Mark IV Golf/Jettas was a poorly-designed window regulator that broke a lot. Now, that sucks, to have your windows not go up and down and needing to have that fixed... but it's also not like you're getting stranded on the side of the road because your window isn't working right. Electrical gremlins can be expensive and annoying but they're not on the same order as a car with a bad head gasket that blows out prematurely or something. And longevity is another kind of reliability: a lot of domestic cars over a period of 20 years ending around 2007 or so are unlikely to last 200k miles, and that lack of longevity is reflected in their poor value retention. So the "reliability" of one car isn't always easy to compare to another, if you just look at how many stars it gets on a chart from Edmunds or Consumer Reports or something. So, there are specific VWs from specific years/ranges of years you should certainly avoid. Don't buy a VR6 VW Mark IV golf/jetta/GTI prior to 2004 or so, for example, as that engine was problematic. I think the VW DSG gearbox has been problematic too, but the recall should have fixed the most serious issues. In general the MkIV platform had a lot of gremlins, but by 2004 or 2005 they're mostly worked out (2005 is the last year of that platform in the US for golf/jetta). A 2007 Jetta is going to be a fifth generation. There are significant improvements over the previous generation, especially in safety, and I'm not aware of any major issues. In general, manual transmissions are more reliable than autos. This car also shares a lot of parts with its Golf sibling. The next generation of Jetta starts in 2011 I think? It's still on the same platform but has less in common with the golf. Both cars still do not score top reliability ratings from Edmunds, but I think this is mostly down to minor gremlins and annoyances. Basically, VW is still not making the most reliable cars. However, a 2007 Jetta is going to be much more reliable than pretty much any car you'd care to mention from, say, 1997; generally all the car makers are making cars that last a lot longer these days. You should be aware that parts are more expensive than domestics, and maintenance is a little more expensive too (your car must have its special VW-grade engine oil, for example). But in exchange you get a nicer, upscale interior, that german car feel, and really a pretty good resale value. I bet you can negotiate that price down below 10k, and I think that's a decent deal for that car if it's in pristine condition. Cross-shop some other brands and models in your price range, but I don't think it's a terrible idea to buy that car. Just keep up on your maintenance. Also click the right thingies on this page to see a review of this specific car on Edmunds. Edmunds thinks this car, manual, in clean condition is worth around $8900 dealer retail in my area, so bear that in mind when you negotiate price. e. I should add that I have been accused of being a "noted VW apologist" in this thread, so bear that in mind I guess. The accuser could be fairly characterized as a "noted VW critic", though. Leperflesh fucked around with this message at 17:29 on May 21, 2013 |
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May 21, 2013 17:18
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Kommienzuspadt posted:Proposed Budget: Flexible, but I'd like to keep it under 15k. 10-12 is sort of what I am hoping for, but if I can't get what I want for less I can go up a little bit. Less is also better too - if I can get what I want out of a used vehicle for less I am totally happy to go with that and pocket the savings. My parents are going to help me pay for some of the car, and I'd kind of prefer if their contribution is on the small side. Hi all - sorry to quote this post again, but I am going to be visiting some dealers this afternoon and wanted some input kind of soon. I will probably check with the Toyota dealer nearby first, but I wanted to know if there were certain makes/models I should look for outside of Toyota so I can pick my dealer wisely. I am trying to get this car now, as my existing vehicle needs a T-belt by like at least 30k miles and so I want to offload it for parts while it still can get around on its own 4 wheels.
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May 21, 2013 18:09
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Kommienzuspadt posted:Hi all - sorry to quote this post again, but I am going to be visiting some dealers this afternoon and wanted some input kind of soon. I will probably check with the Toyota dealer nearby first, but I wanted to know if there were certain makes/models I should look for outside of Toyota so I can pick my dealer wisely. I am trying to get this car now, as my existing vehicle needs a T-belt by like at least 30k miles and so I want to offload it for parts while it still can get around on its own 4 wheels. I'm confused as to what you're asking for. You've pretty much listed the vehicles that meet your requirements. There aren't many cars out there that hit the '4 door, AWD/4WD SUV/WAGON' requirements of your post. To meet your requirements you're going to be looking at Honda CRV's or Toyota RAV4's or various Subaru models. Maybe a Hyundai SantaFe if you can find one in AWD. I wont' recommend a Ford Escape. My wife had one for about 30K miles and it was a decent enough vehicle but I don't need Throatwarbler going apeshit on me for recommending it. Maybe a Nissan Rogue? You might snag a 2008 AWD in your price range. I'm hesitant to recommend it though my mom had a terrible experience with Nissan's CVT unit. As for a car being ROCK SOLID, what are your expectations here? All cars have parts that wear out and require regular maintenance. Almost anything built in the last 10 years will run to 250K miles as long as factory service intervals are followed and wear items are replaced in a timely fashion. Those things cost money though and cars that are picky about maintenance get a bad rap from people too cheap to pay for things like servicing the transmission, or fixing the brakes before they destroy themselves. The biggest issue is finding something in your price range. You're probably going to be looking at 5+ year old cars with around 80,000+ miles to stay in your 12K-ish range. Hell if I were you I'd be trying to find a decent XJ Jeep Cherokee and save the rest.
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May 21, 2013 19:01
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skipdogg posted:As for a car being ROCK SOLID, what are your expectations here? All cars have parts that wear out and require regular maintenance. Almost anything built in the last 10 years will run to 250K miles as long as factory service intervals are followed and wear items are replaced in a timely fashion. Those things cost money though and cars that are picky about maintenance get a bad rap from people too cheap to pay for things like servicing the transmission, or fixing the brakes before they destroy themselves. This really needs to be reiterated to every "not a car guy" car owner/shopper. Just to be clear, I'm not directing this at any particular poster, just in general. While some cars are less prone to issues than others, at the end of the day every car requires regular, scheduled, and preventative maintenance. Just because it says Toyota on the grille doesn't mean you can neglect the servicing intervals. Cars are expensive, period. Yes, brakes, tires, belts, fluids, batteries, filters, spark plugs, light bulbs, etc. are all expected wear items on every car. Just because your car needs new brakes and a new timing belt doesn't mean your car is unreliable. It means it is a car. I've seen too many people who think their "ancient" 7-year-old car is an unreliable time-bomb because they never ever do any regular maintenance on the vehicle and having to spend even $1 on car servicing is unacceptable what a piece of poo poo car god time to replace it. If you are never proactive about maintenance, every car you own, whether it's a Toyota or an Audi, is going to have issues sooner rather than later. And waiting to fix things until they outright fail is often more expensive than nipping them in the bud preventatively - and a lot less stressful. The truth is most cars from most manufacturers in the past decade are all "good" cars and will run to 150-200k miles with minimal issue if you maintain them on schedule and fix little issues before they turn into big issues.
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May 21, 2013 19:17
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