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Proposed Budget: $20-25k New or Used: No preference Body Style: Would prefer station wagon, but since the US is crazy and hates them, probably have to consider crossovers. How will you be using the car?: General commute 10-12 miles, picking up kids, infrequent 4-6 hr road trips. Need to be able to pack a lot (likely two car seats in back, potentially small (15 lbs) dog, luggage for family + pack and play and misc stuff for infants/toddlers. Would prefer at least integrated bluetooth phone connectivity. Also live in the snow belt, so reasonable all weather performance since I need to be able to get to work regardless of road conditions. Will have to be an automatic, couldn't get my wife to learn to drive stick. What aspects are most important to you?: Reliability, fun to drive. I currently have an '02 Acura RSX type S. I had been planning on driving this thing into the ground, but the realities of having a family are making this unlikely. Wife has an '07 Jetta sedan, recently took a trip with her and infant and barely had enough space for everything with the 3 of us. With plans for a 2nd kid in the near future, my car's probably going to be replaced in the next year or two for something more cargo and family-centric. In general, I hate big cars and SUVs, but for our needs, I don't think a hatchback will cut it unfortunately cargo space-wise. I'd still like to find something that's actually enjoyable to drive on a day to day basis and could handle more aggressive driving if the occasion arose. Had assumed a station wagon would be a good option (parents had a Volvo 850 turbo that I have fond memories of driving), but it seems like those are hard to come by in the US, and crossovers seems to have replaced the segment. Here's the list I had come up with for cars to look at - Mazda CX-5 - Subaru Outback - Subaru Forester - Honda CR-V - Toyota RAV4 The Mazda seemed like the most likely one to still preserve some sense of fun despite the larger size. Any others I should be considering?
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Jul 10, 2016 18:47
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Proposed Budget: mid $20's, but flexible. New or Used: Open to either. Would probably prefer lightly used (e.g. 2-3 years) but I've heard the used car market is heating up and buying new isn't the huge writeoff it was before. I plan on owning the car for 7-10 years. Body Style: 4 door sedan, will need the ability to occasionally put two child seats in the back simultaneously. How will you be using the car?: Mostly commute (60-80 miles/day). I care about gizmos, definitely want leather, quiet cabin would be nice. Don't care too much about performance. I'd prefer not to have a 'luxury' brand (e.g. bmw, audi, etc). What aspects are most important to you? Comfort/tech, reliability, MPG in that order.
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Jul 10, 2016 19:48
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Budget: Mid-$30s New or Used: Leaning new thanks to new safety poo poo Body Style: Seats 7, including 2 car seats and 5 adults How will you be using the car?: daily commute about 20 miles, including picking up and dropping off kids What aspects are most important?: comfort I'm leaning towards a Pacifica, especially with the auto-park and surround crap because my wife can't park for poo poo. I'm contemplating the Pacifica plug-in if it ever comes out, although I don't even know if it'd fit in my garage to charge.
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Jul 11, 2016 04:36
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Chu020 posted:. FWIW, I've drove all of those recently and the cx-5 is my favorite mainly because it's got a nice sporty feel to it...at least compared to the others.
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Jul 11, 2016 05:01
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WhiskeyJuvenile posted:Budget: Mid-$30s I test drove everything 2016 that isn't a true minivan. Pilot is the only SUV thing that will fit adults in the 3rd row, because it's built on the minivan platform. I feel like you're well into the minivan zone though.
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Jul 11, 2016 06:10
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WhiskeyJuvenile posted:Budget: Mid-$30s The 9-speed auto in new FCA products scares the poo poo out of me if you plan to own it beyond the warranty period (Also being an FCA product scares me out of warranty). Being a 1st year FCA product is even more terrifying than those other things. Stow and go seating is loving awesome though. Also, don't you work from home? fake edit: Thing to consider is that a 2 year old Chrysler mini-van can basically be purchased for your pocket lint. fake edit2: You can get an outdoor charger, but a plug-in FCA car sounds like an electrical fire just waiting to happen.
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Jul 11, 2016 06:28
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FortifiedTumor posted:Roadsterish cars? fiat 124 Abarth with a flash?
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Jul 11, 2016 11:39
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nm posted:The 9-speed auto in new FCA products scares the poo poo out of me if you plan to own it beyond the warranty period (Also being an FCA product scares me out of warranty). Being a 1st year FCA product is even more terrifying than those other things. Stow and go seating is loving awesome though. yeah but one kid goes to day care with another on the way, and I'd like the room for when my parents come to visit FogHelmut posted:I test drove everything 2016 that isn't a true minivan. Pilot is the only SUV thing that will fit adults in the 3rd row, because it's built on the minivan platform. I feel like you're well into the minivan zone though. Durango?
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Jul 11, 2016 12:43
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Twerk from Home posted:We should have specified, 2004 or later Prius. The first generation cars are much worse, and a 2002 car could have been sold in '01 and be 15 years old now. Thanks! Technically speaking a 2006 or 2008 Prius would still be a better car for the long haul (assuming they are all about 150K or so) than a newer Altima? My Altima is pushing 250k and another car is something I need to look at this year.
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Jul 11, 2016 14:22
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WhiskeyJuvenile posted:yeah but one kid goes to day care with another on the way, and I'd like the room for when my parents come to visit Durango is great to drive, loved the steering and road feel. The suspension is stiffer and more truck-like. I thought the interior was bland and simple, don't know if that matters to you. I did not like the backup camera compared to other brands - it has a narrow viewing angle. The middle row is decent. Not the worst third row, but it's not as roomy as the Pilot back there. Might be worth sitting in. FogHelmut fucked around with this message at 15:34 on Jul 11, 2016 |
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Jul 11, 2016 15:32
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I mean the obvious answer is a Hellcat Pacifica
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Jul 11, 2016 16:08
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Not sure if you've considered it, but a lightly used Sienna can be had in the 20's depending on trim (CPO XLE's just under 30K, CPO LE's closer to 22K) and that thing will run forever and move 7 or 8 people in comfort. I know personally I would buy a CPO Sienna before a new Pacifica every day of the week.
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Jul 11, 2016 18:15
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Chu020 posted:Proposed Budget: $20-25k Acura makes a TSX station wagon thats kinda ballin. Mid20s mpg, slightly sporty engine and great handling / ride. fairly rare. I'd like one but dont need the space
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Jul 11, 2016 19:08
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Proposed Budget: Ideally, $7,500, but can push to ~$10,000. New or Used: With the budget, I can guess all the options are used. Body Style: I'm honestly pretty open, just no SUVs or larger trucks (maybe cap it at about the size of a Dakota). How will you be using the car?: It's mostly for my long commute, which is in semi-rural Appalachia so windy, hilly roads. Otherwise, normal stuff: grocery shopping, weekends, taking my dogs to the dog park, etc. What aspects are most important to you? I am and have always been pretty poor, bouncing around from cheap car to cheap car. I realize my budget isn't high by vehicle standards, but it's also hands down the most I've ever spent on a car. Reliability is the chief concern, along with generally reasonable maintenance costs. Gas economy would be nice. That said, I've never had the luxury of choosing a car based on how fun it is to drive, which is something I'd really like to try. Also, I'd really like to find a car that is available with a manual transmission if at all possible, though I guess that isn't a dealbreaker. The thought of getting something 6-speed makes me kind of giddy. I can do the basic car maintenance stuff like oil change, plugs, or breaks and have enough mechanical aptitude to try some middle-range repairs, but the idea of working on a transmission or changing a timing belt almost makes me break out in a sweat. And genuinely, thank you guys for any recommendations you might make. It's such a specific area that it helps us laypeople a lot.
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Jul 14, 2016 00:14
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You're prime Prius territory other than fun to drive and manual transmission. You could get a used Mazda3 with a manual transmission, that probably fits the bill fairly well. The 2014 and newer are much better, but may be a bit out of your price range. The Ford Focus is also pretty good with a manual transmission.
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Jul 14, 2016 00:48
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Thanks thread, today I bought a 2013 Prius with 22k on the odometer, that based on my driving habits will still be a viable mode of transportation until I retire in 2050 for 2k under KBB.
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Jul 14, 2016 10:01
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Thanks also thread, I bought a 2012 Prius plug-in with 50k miles. The Plugins all had the options packages I definitely wanted and were less than $1k over the non-plugin Prius 3/4 trim packages which defaulted to the options I wanted (backup camera / heated seats etc). I also have charging stations / better parking spaces at work due to being able to plug in so having it was a nice bonus there always having a 1st floor garage spot for my building etc. Round trip daily work commute is ~6-7 mi each way so will be able to take advantage out of the plug in mileage boost.
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Jul 14, 2016 11:56
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I keep comparing the Prius to the Chevy Volt and wonder what I'm missing: in my area, for the same year (2013) and sameish mileage the Volts are running about $1k-$2k more than the Prius, while having a much nicer interior and are seemingly less hateful to drive. There's also the ~35-mile all-electric thing. They've been on the roads for >5 years and reliability reports are solid. Why doesn't the thread ever mention Volts?
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Jul 14, 2016 16:32
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"Chevrolet" is my guess.
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Jul 14, 2016 16:51
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Shuntly posted:I keep comparing the Prius to the Chevy Volt and wonder what I'm missing: in my area, for the same year (2013) and sameish mileage the Volts are running about $1k-$2k more than the Prius, while having a much nicer interior and are seemingly less hateful to drive. There's also the ~35-mile all-electric thing. They've been on the roads for >5 years and reliability reports are solid. Why doesn't the thread ever mention Volts? First-gen volts have a hell of a lot less usable room, it annoys people that they need premium gas even though that's not a big deal, and a 5 year decent reliability record is nothing compared to the Prius's rock solid decade plus, along with them being common enough that shops see a ton of Priuses. Also, the aftermarket has already addressed the Prius battery replacement, where I'm sure replacing the battery on a volt is still many thousands rather than ~$1k.
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Jul 14, 2016 16:56
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Shuntly posted:I keep comparing the Prius to the Chevy Volt and wonder what I'm missing: in my area, for the same year (2013) and sameish mileage the Volts are running about $1k-$2k more than the Prius, while having a much nicer interior and are seemingly less hateful to drive. There's also the ~35-mile all-electric thing. They've been on the roads for >5 years and reliability reports are solid. Why doesn't the thread ever mention Volts? The Volt is fundamentally an electric car with a range extender. If you're OK with installing a charger, it's a worthwhile option, but it requires more investment and it's not for everybody. Without the charger, it's a Prius with poorer fuel economy. It also has significant packaging issues - no middle rear seat, meh cargo capacity, and so on. Battery replacement will be a bigger deal, simply because it's a much higher capacity. It's a good electric car in a world where most people are set up for gas cars. The Prius is designed to perfectly fit the "transportation appliance"-shaped hole in people's lives, without adaptation. No charger, good fuel economy, excellent reliability, acres of interior space, and so forth. It's a much easier recommendation to make.
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Jul 14, 2016 16:59
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Shuntly posted:I keep comparing the Prius to the Chevy Volt and wonder what I'm missing: in my area, for the same year (2013) and sameish mileage the Volts are running about $1k-$2k more than the Prius, while having a much nicer interior and are seemingly less hateful to drive. There's also the ~35-mile all-electric thing. They've been on the roads for >5 years and reliability reports are solid. Why doesn't the thread ever mention Volts? Well I didn't realize Volts were so cheap, they were a much more expensive car than the Prius when new ($35k to start?). That being said the Volt is still somewhat of a special use case car, because when not running on battery alone it actually gets significantly worse fuel economy than the Prius ,as it obviously carries a lot more weight in the batteries. If you had a commute where you could run mostly on electric and have charging facilities at either end, i.e. a commute that's more suited to an EV, then I guess a used Volt would be an enticing proposition. GM now makes a Malibu Hybrid, which competes more directly with the Prius, as well as the Volt.
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Jul 14, 2016 17:00
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I bought a Camry hybrid and I want to see more recommendations of that to make me feel good. Pros vs Prius: looks cooler, drives significantly better (2.4l vs 1.8l gas engine), better/bigger interior Cons vs Prius: costs slightly more (10%), worse mileage (-20%) Neutral: Toyota reliability, same drivetrain, assumed similar parts, software, and overall quality. DNK fucked around with this message at 18:14 on Jul 14, 2016 |
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Jul 14, 2016 17:21
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DNK posted:I bought a Camry hybrid and I want to see more recommendations of that to make me feel good. The drivetrain isn't any different from the Prius, it just has a bigger gas engine (2.4l vs 1.8l).
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Jul 14, 2016 18:10
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Ah, car newbie here. So there's no real mechanical differences between the Camry and Prius propulsion systems (aside from the noted larger engine in the Camry)?
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Jul 14, 2016 18:13
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Usable interior space isn't nearly as good on the Camry.
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Jul 14, 2016 18:16
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DNK posted:Ah, car newbie here. So there's no real mechanical differences between the Camry and Prius propulsion systems (aside from the noted larger engine in the Camry)? Not really, the heart of the hybrid system, the "CVT" transmission that allows seamless transitions between gas and electric power, is the same, so they operate broadly in the same manner. The Prius uses a version of the smaller 1.8l gas engine from the Corolla while the Camry uses a version of the 2.4l engine from the 4 cylinder Camry. The motors and batteries are probably different in minor ways too. I think the electric motor in the Camry is slightly less powerful than the Prius's because of the more powerful gas engine, or something like that. Ford and Nissan use the same technology, licensed from Toyota, but with their own Ford and Nissan gas engines and some also use LIon batteries vs NiMH.
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Jul 14, 2016 18:24
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Proposed Budget: $10k-ish (CAD) New or Used: Used Body Style: Small car! Also not shaped like a box. How will you be using the car?: Mostly city driving, mostly alone, probably no more than 25km/day What aspects are most important to you? Cost of ownership, has A/C, doesn't smell like cat piss. I'm looking to buy my very first car! I'm not too concerned about the sticker price, I'll be paying upfront and can afford more, I'm just looking for what would be the most economical. It seems to make more sense to buy a 10k car that will lose 3k in value than a 3k car that will be junked (and probably cost a lot more in repairs.) Beyond that price point it doesn't seem like you get much value, I don't need high performance or fancy options. I could be wrong, let me know if I would totally regret not spending an extra couple thousand. As mentioned I'll mostly be doing short city driving, with a couple of hour long highway trips a month. Might be driving it a lot more if I find a new job. I've noticed 10k gets you a 2010-2012 Civic with 100,000km, is that my best bet or is there anything else I should consider? Is there a huge difference between those years where I should consider paying more for a newer model? Thanks!
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Jul 15, 2016 23:45
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I test drove a 2013 Prius in the Persona trim (somewhere between 3 and 4) today, and wow - I thought reports of how awful it is to drive were an exaggeration. Visibility is terrible, the throttle is unresponsive, there's no feel to the steering, and the shifter and instruments couldn't be worse. I've never minded driving any before, and that includes all kinds of beater garbage cars and cheapo rentals. We also drove a 2013 Camry hybrid in SE trim, and a 2013 Volvo S60 T5 Platinum. The Camry was inoffensive but pricey at $22k, with a kind of cheesy "sporty" interior. The Volvo was great all around. Comfortable, fun to drive, great interior and stereo, and modern safety features on a used car - all for slightly more than the cost of the Camry. I'm terrified of the cost of ownership, though. I was set to end up buying a Prius. Is the new Prius significantly changed from the 2013 that if I hate the old one it's worth looking at?
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Jul 17, 2016 02:12
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What about a mazda 3 (or newer 6 if you want more space, though a 3 hatch will carry more stuff if you drop the seats)? If you care about driving, they're a lot more fun to drive, have pretty decent FE, and are fairly reliable (more so than a used volvo). edit: If you live in a place with heavy salt, they do rust a bit more than some cars though.
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Jul 17, 2016 06:43
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trip report: I really liked the Pacifica
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Jul 17, 2016 13:30
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I don't think anyone ever said the Prius was fun in any way. Cheap + fun usually leads to Mazda3 around here.
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Jul 17, 2016 14:24
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The Gen3 Prius drove so numbly that I went across the street and bought a Fit Sport. Mileage is a little lower and it's not exactly a speed demon either, but the engine revs nicely and the handling's great. Edit: the new Gen4 Prius is on a new platform and is supposed to handle better, so it might be worth a test drive.
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Jul 17, 2016 14:34
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WhiskeyJuvenile posted:trip report: I really liked the Pacifica Did it have the 9 speed transmission? Can we get some highs / lows? The Sienna / Odyssey are getting so goddamn expensive, here's hoping Chrysler can make something great.
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Jul 17, 2016 17:22
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nm posted:What about a mazda 3 (or newer 6 if you want more space, though a 3 hatch will carry more stuff if you drop the seats)? This is a good option. We've decided to not go with the 3 just because the wife likes SUV's, but a fully-loaded hatchback Mazda 3 (2014-) is my number one choice...and I'm comparing it to some vehicles that cost up to 10k more. It's got a nice interior, drives great, good gas mileage. Personally, I'd always upgrade to the 2.5 over the 2.0 because it's a more capable engine with barely a dent in the gas mileage.
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Jul 17, 2016 17:29
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I still love the gently caress out of my Mazda 3 and do not feel like it was a downgrade from the WRX. The '13 touring edition has a lot of really cool features I didn't think I would like and have really grown on me. Wife has been seriously eyeballing the Prius2 after her back quarter panel started unhinging on her '08 Focus. The 2016 model looks sicknasty but I haven't seen any credible reviews about the Prius2 vs the original. Are they that drastically all that different?
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Jul 17, 2016 17:43
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Twerk from Home posted:Did it have the 9 speed transmission? Can we get some highs / lows? The Sienna / Odyssey are getting so goddamn expensive, here's hoping Chrysler can make something great. Yes. Gear-hunting wasn't too bad. It feels more spacious than the Sienna, finish is a bit nicer. I'm really leaning towards Limited trim for the ventilated seats because having rear end-centric A/C is the greatest thing ever.
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Jul 17, 2016 23:12
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WhiskeyJuvenile posted:having rear end-centric A/C is the greatest thing ever. Yeah it is, as long as I have the means I'll never own a car without it.
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Jul 18, 2016 00:17
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Bill NYSE posted:I still love the gently caress out of my Mazda 3 and do not feel like it was a downgrade from the WRX. The '13 touring edition has a lot of really cool features I didn't think I would like and have really grown on me. What do you mean by Prius 2? 1st gen prius (>2003) -- sucks 2nd gen (2004-2009) and 3rd gen (2010-2015) -- Good and boring. 4th gen (2016) -- Too soon to tell. Butt ugly, even for a prius though. WhiskeyJuvenile posted:Yes. Gear-hunting wasn't too bad. It feels more spacious than the Sienna, finish is a bit nicer. I'm really leaning towards Limited trim for the ventilated seats because having rear end-centric A/C is the greatest thing ever. It'll be fine right up until it shits the bed. Hopefully while still under warranty. (Seriously, a first year chrysler product?) nm fucked around with this message at 00:22 on Jul 18, 2016 |
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Jul 18, 2016 00:18
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nm posted:What do you mean by Prius 2? Trim models. Two, three, four, five for consumers.
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Jul 18, 2016 01:05
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