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Neurostorm posted:My mom is looking to replace her 2007 civic hybrid, and as best as I can figure she wants something like the following: There is really no downside to buying a Prius unless you want something fun to drive. Note that the honda fit is a much smaller car than the Prius.
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Dec 24, 2013 02:52
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My girlfriend is looking to lease a 2014 chevy volt. For a red base model we're being quoted by a dealer to the tune of $2500(inc first month) down $240/month, or a fully loaded model for the same amount down and $305/month. Both are 36 months 10k miles/yr. We're in California so there would be a $1500 check from the state as well as $500 gift card from Costco after we purchase the lease. Do you guys think this is a good deal? She's pretty set on a volt but if you guys think there are better alternatives I could pitch it to her.
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Dec 25, 2013 00:26
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Try not to put money down on a lease.
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Dec 25, 2013 03:07
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Sadi posted:I suppose the differences aren't that huge so they could be over come by aftermarket parts. Ive driven friends e46 325s and been very underwhellemed. I thought the breaks and shifting felt pretty bad. Ive driven my parents M3 and thought it was a pretty nice car to drive. I'd try to avoid the ///M tax because you can probably have just as much fun for a fraction of the price. You'll still be able to beat guys in M3s that don't know what they're doing in a similar enough car. If you want to go balls out, you can track down a ZHP.
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Dec 25, 2013 04:32
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I made the cardinal mistake two and a half years ago of A) leasing a car, and B) getting a car above my financial situation (which has since improved, but still). Was a 2011 BMW 328i, if it matters. Anyway, end of lease is coming soonish, next October, so I was wondering: is there ever a situation where it's better, in terms of minimizing losses, to get rid of the lease early in any fashion, given that I'm not especially burdened by the lease payment? (at least, not anymore  )I ask because I've had family suggest that I'd be better off taking the car to another dealership in a couple months, and dodging the inevitable fees the BMW dealership will charge at end of lease. I've never given the idea any thought before now. (edit) If it matters, I don't intend to go with BMW next go-around. Ciaphas fucked around with this message at 00:46 on Dec 26, 2013 |
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Dec 26, 2013 00:44
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I've been toying with the idea of a new car for a bit now and posted here before for suggestions. At this point I'm really digging the challenger. I may spring for the srt8 core model since I'm really after something sporty and fun. Besides the fuel economy can someone give some input on some negatives? Right now I drive a 2011 Chrysler 300 and while I love the room and the look I really want something sportier. I'm thinking mid to end 2015 so I have plenty of time.
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Dec 26, 2013 03:05
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You're looking at a different version of the car you already have - the Challenger and 300 are variations of the same platform. You can expect the same reliability and generally similar driving dynamics that you currently have.
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Dec 26, 2013 04:27
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nm posted:Try not to put money down on a lease. Is this because if the car gets totaled we're out of the down payment?
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Dec 26, 2013 04:31
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Yes.
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Dec 26, 2013 04:40
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Proposed Budget: I can afford up to $25k but I like being frugal New or Used: Either Body Style: Hatchback How will you be using the car?: Short commute, sometimes drive 800 miles home Do you prefer a luxury vehicle with all the gizmos? Nah What aspects are most important to you? Reliability, winter snow handling is nice I've currently got a '99 Chrysler Concorde with only 94k miles on it, but I'm worried the transmission might be going. I'm taking it to get checked out tomorrow. I'd like to start researching alternatives in case it would be an expensive repair. I want a smaller car with still decent storage, so a hatchback seems like a natural choice. I've been checking out the Subaru Impreza, but I have no idea what other hatchbacks I should compare it with. I'd be fine with something used from 2005 or so too, so a recent historical background on the hatchback market would be nice too! Thanks! e: nevermind the OP answers that question! brainwrinkle fucked around with this message at 06:55 on Dec 26, 2013 |
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Dec 26, 2013 06:41
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Searching on cars.com, a few dealerships in the area have deals on Ford Focus STs for under $20k, and there's a significant gap between those and the next-cheapest Focus STs. Anyone know what the deal is here? Is it scammy or just some kind of incentives from the manufacturer combined with wanting to move inventory at the end of the year?
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Dec 26, 2013 07:26
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Could be a little of column A, a litte of column B. There's nothing saying they have to advertise truly accurately - the "car" may be $19.5k but they're going to basically not sell it to you unless you take $4k in bullshit dealer add-ons. Best bet is to email the dealer and ask them for an out the door price based on the car in the ad, and if it actually holds up to what they advertised, see if anyone else will beat it.
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Dec 26, 2013 07:31
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IOwnCalculus posted:Could be a little of column A, a litte of column B. There's nothing saying they have to advertise truly accurately - the "car" may be $19.5k but they're going to basically not sell it to you unless you take $4k in bullshit dealer add-ons. Best bet is to email the dealer and ask them for an out the door price based on the car in the ad, and if it actually holds up to what they advertised, see if anyone else will beat it.
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Dec 26, 2013 09:44
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IOwnCalculus posted:You're looking at a different version of the car you already have - the Challenger and 300 are variations of the same platform. You can expect the same reliability and generally similar driving dynamics that you currently have. I have the 3.6 v6 300 and while they may be using the same platform I'd imagine the srt8 is a massive change compared to it.
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Dec 26, 2013 14:33
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The manual transmission really does liven it up a bit, especially vs the 5 speed auto. I'm a big Chrysler apologist but darn it that Camaro 1LE is a pretty attractive package. 
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Dec 26, 2013 16:43
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Indecision1991 posted:I have the 3.6 v6 300 and while they may be using the same platform I'd imagine the srt8 is a massive change compared to it. Oh yeah, it'll make a lot more noise when you get on the gas, and it'll probably be a bit harsher over bumps, but the only thing you'd likely be worrying about on reliability that you don't already is if there are any problems specific to the SRT8 goodies.
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Dec 26, 2013 18:00
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IOwnCalculus posted:Oh yeah, it'll make a lot more noise when you get on the gas, and it'll probably be a bit harsher over bumps, but the only thing you'd likely be worrying about on reliability that you don't already is if there are any problems specific to the SRT8 goodies. On that note what sort of problems are to be expected from an srt8 model? Throatwarbler posted:The manual transmission really does liven it up a bit, especially vs the 5 speed auto. I love my car but I didn't realize I wanted something sportier until I started actually enjoying cars more for their basic function. I'll have to learn manual but I have plenty of friends willing to show me.
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Dec 26, 2013 18:26
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How reliable is consumer reports' pricing numbers? According to it we're paying less than the bottom 15% of prices...and I really doubt we're that good negotiators.
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Dec 26, 2013 18:38
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Not sure, but different areas have different markets for vehicles so it's hard to generalize something across the entire country. Some dealers derive profit from selling a very high volume of cars. They sell the cars at almost no profit and make their money on the back end from financing and manufacturer bonuses. Other dealers focus on making it a pleasant and fair experience for the buyers. No Haggle joints are like this. For instance, here in Texas they sell a lot of trucks. Tons. Therefore all the dealers are slashing prices to move trucks. If you want a new F-150 you START negotiating at something like 12K off sticker. Los Angeles, CA might not sell as many trucks, so dealers there might only be offering 7K off sticker price. So it 'depends', also incentives are constantly changing which can affect your vehicle price. You can't compare a vehicle price in November when there was a 1,000 dollar rebate to late December/January with a 2,000 dollar rebate on the same car.
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Dec 26, 2013 19:05
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Indecision1991 posted:On that note what sort of problems are to be expected from an srt8 model? It's an iron block push rod V8 attached to a Tremec TR-6060. That's about the most reliable drivetrain you can get, the Challenger never really had any systemic problems to begin with and at this point is a pretty old car. The Core model deletes the adjustable suspension for fixed Bilstein shocks and gets rid of the HIDs, foglights and leather so there's even less to go wrong.
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Dec 26, 2013 19:11
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Throatwarbler posted:It's an iron block push rod V8 attached to a Tremec TR-6060. That's about the most reliable drivetrain you can get, the Challenger never really had any systemic problems to begin with and at this point is a pretty old car. The Core model deletes the adjustable suspension for fixed Bilstein shocks and gets rid of the HIDs, foglights and leather so there's even less to go wrong. Good to know. My 300 has the luxury pacjage so I'll miss the nice features but I'll enjoy the driving experience more since I'm on the road 3 hours a day. During the weekends I'd do canyon runs so do you guys think the SRT challenger will be fun for that? I do t place. To track it at all.
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Dec 26, 2013 19:18
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Proposed Budget: <17k New or Used: Used Body Style: 4 doors (Could settle for 2 if there is good trunk space) How will you be using the car?: Daily driver. About 50 miles per day, with monthly trips to see the family about 300 miles away. Do you prefer a luxury vehicle with all the gizmos?: Yes. I prefer nicer sporty/luxury type cars like BMW, Infiniti, etc... What aspects are most important to you: In rough order of importance: Fun to drive, good looking, good AC(living in Texas), comfortable seats, gas mileage, low cost of maintenance, manual transmission if possible. BMW would be the clear choice for me, if they weren't so expensive to maintain. I have a 2007 Volvo S60 right now, which I like, but it's at 110k miles, and I want to trade up while I can still get a passable trade in value. I just started looking, so haven't seen much yet, and am very open to suggestions.
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Dec 26, 2013 19:38
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het posted:Okay, that's what I thought, I emailed them but I'll follow up with a request for an out-the-door price. Be prepared for them to not respond at all or just say "come on down!" and refuse to talk about anything. This was the experience my GF and I had while she was car shopping. Maybe it is different for new cars but holy poo poo how frustrating. You end up wasting days driving back forth between dealers.
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Dec 26, 2013 19:39
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Doom Rooster posted:Proposed Budget: <17k Just some thoughts on your situation: 1: Is there anything wrong with your current car? What about keeping it? 110k miles isn't much for a car these days.. yes you're coming up on some big maintenance tasks but all cars have big maintenance tasks around the 100K mark and more than likely anything you buy in your price range will need similar service in the near future. If the S60 is in good shape and you're happy with it, just keep a few grand in a car specific savings account for big maintenance costs in the future. I'm unfamiliar with Volvo vehicles so I'm not sure what routine/regular maintenance is like on that car. 2: You wish list screams G37 Sedan, but your budget probably won't get you a good example you'll be happy with. (Unless you're budget is 17K + the trade in value of your current car) I'm not sure how much nicer a 2008/2009 G37 Sedan would be than your 2007 S60. The 4 door midsized sports sedan market doesn't have a whole lot of players in it. Even fewer if you really want a man tran. I would avoid out of factory warranty Audi's like the plague. Ford and Chevy don't really have anything that would probably interest you. Dodge/Chrysler Chargers/300's might be worth looking at. There's the awesome BMW 335/535 but both are probably out of your price range. Maybe a C Class Benz would work for you? One of the C trims is a sport model with manual transmission.
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Dec 26, 2013 20:04
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Thanks for the reply. The current car has about $2,000 worth of suspension work that needs to get done, and I only like it, I don't love it, and I just got a new, much better job so I was looking at possibly trading up. The S60 has the power to get up and go, but it just feels really squishy. Not sporty at all. The 17K could pretty easily be stretched to 20k, but does include trade in value, which I am cautiously valuing at 6k. The G37 definitely looks good, and I will check out a few of the ones I see available here in town. I have always had an unnatural love for BMWs, but have always heard that the maintenance costs are a bitch. Could I reasonably get something nice in the 16k range, and just set aside a couple grand for future maintenance? C Class Benz looks great, but not seeing any available in my area under about 25k.
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Dec 26, 2013 20:22
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Phone posted:I'd try to avoid the ///M tax because you can probably have just as much fun for a fraction of the price. You'll still be able to beat guys in M3s that don't know what they're doing in a similar enough car. If you want to go balls out, you can track down a ZHP. That's probably true. Having priced out insurance I'd have about an extra grand per year for maintenance on an m3 over an STi. That said I happen to notice the new 5.0s are dipping into high teens low 20s used with low miles. I see quite a few at autocrosses and tracks these days so they are up high on my list. I quite like the idea of cheap power, cheap parts, and pretty good trackability. And the insurance was a hair cheaper than that of the M3. I'd be keeping my miata on the side as a track toy, but the practical side of me says something like a cheap 325 for a dd would be fine and save money for something stupid fast and fun like a c6 z06.
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Dec 26, 2013 20:47
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I'd skip the C6 Z06 and get something more pedestrian like a C5 Z06. LS1s are everywhere, LS7s... not so much.
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Dec 26, 2013 20:58
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Doom Rooster posted:Thanks for the reply. Check out the Buick Regal Turbo. Should be able to get a ~2012 for around your budget, with manual transmission.
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Dec 27, 2013 02:29
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Not something that I would have even thought of. Looks really good though. Unfortunately, not finding many on local dealer sites (within 250 miles). If I went to a major dealer, is it possible that they might have other options at affiliated dealerships elsewhere that could ship?
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Dec 27, 2013 04:36
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Proposed Budget: 1500 New or Used: Used Body Style: 2 or 4 door, on the smaller side. How will you be using the car?: Just for commuting, but my commutes tend to be on the medium side and I live in a place with lovely roads, and my (long) driveway is unpaved. What aspects are most important to you? Reliability and MPG are at the top of the list. Good heating is second and decent is distant third. If it's fun to drive I'll consider myself blessed. Any help is appreciated. e: I think mentioning that I never learned to drive stick is a good idea.
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Dec 27, 2013 23:52
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Hate to be a debbie downer but 1500 dollars is the bottom end of running used vehicle territory. Years ago I bought a beater dodge neon for 1800 dollars and then put another 500 into it. It ran for the 2 years I needed it to, but 1500 bucks won't get you much these days. edit: Just for giggles I checked local craigslist and the only 2 running cars for under 1500 dollars on the first page were a 1993 Geo Prizm and a 1985 Olds Calais. skipdogg fucked around with this message at 00:39 on Dec 28, 2013 |
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Dec 28, 2013 00:07
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Yeah I figured, but that's like the low end of the spectrum I figured I'd go for.
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Dec 28, 2013 00:31
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muike posted:Yeah I figured, but that's like the low end of the spectrum I figured I'd go for. Well, the problem here is you don't get to choose other than what happen to be available when you need it. Because it's all junk. If there happens to be more attractive junk available at the time you need to buy then good for you. If you can do your own work and know how to evaluate a care even better.
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Dec 28, 2013 00:34
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Yeah, $1500 just can't really be expected to buy "reliability". If that's really your top priority, you should save up till you have $4k or more, and then purchase a car which has A) good mechanical condition and B) inexpensive parts. A is going to depend on exactly what's available around you, you'll want to buy privately (to get the most car for your money) and have the car inspected by a trusted mechanic (to evaluate its mechanical condition). The best situation is a car with significant visible-condition problems (like dents, bad paint) which have reduced its value to within your budget. (As opposed to a car that looks great but is cheap because it has one or more serious mechanical issues, which you must fix.) For B, that generally recommends domestic cars over imports, although there are some exceptions. It's very difficult for anyone in this thread to name specific cars, since at the bottom end of the used market, condition is so much more important than make/model/year. If you like, you can do some searching on your local craigslist/autotrader/etc. and post a few things you're considering, and we'll take a look and give you specific advice about those particular cars. Oh, and since MPG is your secondary criterion, you should focus on compact and subcompact cars with small engines in them.
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Dec 28, 2013 00:36
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What makes are generally easy to get parts for and do maintenance on? Asian imports? Low end domestic?
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Dec 28, 2013 00:44
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Proposed Budget: 5000 New or Used: Used Body Style: 2 door, or a sedan. How will you be using the car?: Commuting on the highway and in the city. What aspects are most important to you? Reliability and safety. Anything I can work with? Elderbean fucked around with this message at 08:54 on Dec 28, 2013 |
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Dec 28, 2013 00:54
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muike posted:What makes are generally easy to get parts for and do maintenance on? Asian imports? Low end domestic? Domestic non-luxury in general or very common non-luxury import. Just do a search at something like rockauto.com on common repair parts like water pumps, shocks/struts, etc and you'll find that the $1500 1996 Land Rover Discovery has a $150 water pump while the $1500 1996 Chevy S10 Balzer has a $15 water pump. Yeah, those are close to extremes, but I'm sure you get the idea.
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Dec 28, 2013 01:22
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Really any super popular car from 10-15 years ago that you can go pull parts from the junk yard is an option too. Just make sure nothing big is a common failure for a particular car you look at beforehand.
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Dec 28, 2013 04:38
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Xguard86 posted:Be prepared for them to not respond at all or just say "come on down!" and refuse to talk about anything. This was the experience my GF and I had while she was car shopping. Maybe it is different for new cars but holy poo poo how frustrating. You end up wasting days driving back forth between dealers.
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Dec 28, 2013 06:31
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Proposed Budget: $35,000 upper limit New or Used: New Body Style: 4 door Sedan How will you be using the car?: Daily driver on 30 min commute, plus people hauling road trips. Do you prefer a luxury vehicle with all the gizmos?: Yes What aspects are most important to you? AWD, Reliability, highway MPG should be ~30 highway and ~25 combined, spacious back seat is important. In the Audi thread I'm asking if we have more details on the A3 release date: http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3298776&pagenumber=128#post423746389 We're looking at trading my wife's Civic in for something newer and nicer. If the A3 will be here in Febuary/March I can probably convince her to wait take a look at it. We were looking at A4s yesterday but I didn't think to ask about the A3 since I was still under the impression it wouldn't be here until the summer. We really want a spacious AWD sedan that isn't also a land boat. The A4 is my first choice but it's honestly pricing itself just out of what we're looking to spend. I think the A3 would fit what we're looking for. We also looked at some 320is (didn't drive it yet) and this week we will probably check out a CLA, since BMW and Mercedes already have vehicles in that bracket for us. If the BMW and CLA don't impress us, and the A3 is going to be Q2 or later, then we will probably get a Premium Legacy and and pocket the difference. I drive a WRX now and both of us are pretty happy with Subaru. We looked at a new Legacy yesterday and even though Subaru doesn't do Luxury, the interior and features were still nice (with the right packages). It is a nice car that fits, but we still want to look at some more luxury cars. Anything else anyone can think to look at? Lexus IS and Cadillac ATS came up but she hates the ATS, and I hate the IS. Acura is also out, and she shot down the Chrysler 300 
itskage fucked around with this message at 12:31 on Dec 29, 2013 |
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Dec 29, 2013 12:28
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