The new forums will be named Coin Return (based on the most recent vote)! You can check on the status and timeline of the transition to the new forums here.
The Guiding Principles and New Rules document is now in effect.
God I'm an indecisive cunt (help me pick a car)
revolutionary bean
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
I'm tired.
It's 2 in the morning and I can't sleep because I can't decide on which car I should buy. So I said to myself fuck it and will let you guys convince me on the car I should buy.
Basically my dad dropped $30k in my bank account and let me pick whatever the fuck car I want. On account of this being the first car I would purchase -ever- and me being an indecisive cunt (it takes more than a minute for me to decide on a coke or fanta) I'm basically stuck here unable to make a decision.
This is bad as I need this car soon for my College transportation (my campus is 40 km away from my house)
So far I've got my eyes on:
1. Mini Cooper
2. Mazda6
3. Toyota Corolla Levine
4. Honda Civic
I'm open to any other cars that are under the $30000 range, just bear in mind that this $30000 is a fixed amount as in I ain't got a damn cent over that amount.
So peeps, tell me what your preference is and also WHY.
It's 2 in the morning and I can't sleep because I can't decide on which car I should buy. So I said to myself fuck it and will let you guys convince me on the car I should buy.
Basically my dad dropped $30k in my bank account and let me pick whatever the fuck car I want. On account of this being the first car I would purchase -ever- and me being an indecisive cunt (it takes more than a minute for me to decide on a coke or fanta) I'm basically stuck here unable to make a decision.
This is bad as I need this car soon for my College transportation (my campus is 40 km away from my house)
So far I've got my eyes on:
1. Mini Cooper
2. Mazda6
3. Toyota Corolla Levine
4. Honda Civic
I'm open to any other cars that are under the $30000 range, just bear in mind that this $30000 is a fixed amount as in I ain't got a damn cent over that amount.
So peeps, tell me what your preference is and also WHY.
revolutionary bean on
0
Posts
Get your hands on a copy of the latest consumer reports magazines that compare cars that you like, this helped me immensely when I was getting my first car(back when Mazda Protege was the winner in its class), and check out Car and Driver too.
Edit: But yeah I looked at accord and it's lowest range model is actually within my budget.
Edit...Aussie...
Well, the exchange rate is basically the same, but I don't know the cost of cars there.
I guess the order of importance from the most to least would be:
- Appearance (Subjective yeah I know)
- Engine Performance
- ???
I'm not sure tbh.
My recommendation is not to go to crazy over appearances, especially not with your first car.
I'm thinking of getting a new one tbh. The old models of Honda/Mazda looks a little bit too..... Japanesey for my taste.
Aye, that's what Im counting on.
Mini Cooper is a rubbish car. As is the Corolla.
30k is a lot of money; couldn't you buy a crap car and pocket the difference?
Well.. I guess I can get a crap car.. I would still return the left over money to my old man though.
Lewisham, how about the Mazda6/Accord? I think both of them are the best looking car of the bunch.
Btw, I looked at some other choice European cars out there and their price just can't fucking match the Japs cars. I mean, damn Golf GTI for $40k???
Then look for something else like a model of Mazda or Toyota or something. I think it's a bad idea in general to buy new, at least unless you've got a job that pays well, but I think it's a terrible idea if this is your first car ever. You're losing too much value on depreciation at the start, and then you may not take all the steps to keep the car in good shape, and if it's your first car, you're a lot more likely to get into an accident.
Yeah, but doesn't the resale value of a third-hand car depreciate even more from purchase?
And Casual, yeah I'm kind of leaning heavily towards the Accord and Mazda. Another reason to buy new as their old models looks kind of gay.
True, in the UK many dealerships offer "nearly new" cars. These are cars which are 6 months to a year old or even ones that the showroom itself has used as a demonstrator. I've had more than one car that was a ex-demonstrator and its a great way of getting a car that is as near as makes no difference new without taking that major kick in the balls from depreciation.
The greatest depreciation on a car happens when you buy it new, through about the first 6 months I think. The difference in the amount you pay for a used car and the amount you sell it for, will be way less than the amount you pay for a new car, and the amount you sell that for.
Civic is a great little car but if you plan on returning the difference of that money your father gave you I suggest you spend as much of it as you can and get the most value possible. While the Civic is a great little car it is lacking in amenities and the Type R cannot hold a candle to the previous iteration. Honda cut some corners especially in the handling so expect that car to have a rough ride and some issues with cornering. Obviously I don't think you plan on racing it or anything but you should still be aware.
Mazda 6 is a good car. All Mazdas are still made in Japan. They might be owned by Ford but Ford pretty much lets them do their thing and uses them for badge engineering. Mazda uses no Ford parts (except like euro focus stuff which is also a great car) but Ford uses a lot of Mazda parts. I cannot speak for the new generation of the 6 as I don't think they've arrived just yet in America but the previous generation was a good car overall.
The Corolla is not a rubbish car. I do not know anything about this Levine edition so YMMV but the Corolla is a fantastic little car. Cheap, great mileage, amazing reliability and dependability. However for the amount of money you have you can get a lot more.
The Accord is of course a fantastic car. You can get a very, very nice used Accord for a good price but do plenty of shopping. Lot of competition in this area of cars. European cars are expensive but in some cases you get what you pay for. I suggest avoiding anything at the moment from Mercedes-Benz. Their build quality since the mid-late 90's has fallen quite a bit but its slowly coming back. BMWs are great cars but they are intense on maintenance. If you purchase a BMW get the maintenance package. Audi makes a great saloon car but again expect a lot in terms of maintenance.
edit: Whatever you decide to buy, do not purchase anything brand new. I know it isn't your money, but do not make this mistake. Let some other idiot take the gargantuan hit in depreciation. Automobiles are sadly a necessary divestment.
Shogun Streams Vidya
Well.. I guess you're right.. It's just that I can't stand the old models of Accord/Mazda which I'm looking at right now but I might shop around for Ex-Demo used cars.
I googled around and it turns out we do have that sort of thing here. The price difference is only around $1-2k though, so I'm not sure if it's totally worth it.
Thanks for the complete advice man, so if you're given a choice between the Mazda6 and Accord which one would you get?
When you say cool versions, is this the one that you're talking about? http://sti.subaru.com.au/showroom/
Edit: Because man, that's one hell of an expensive hatchback.
So I guess new cars are a big no-no?
However to answer your question between the Accord and the 6 at this time I cannot say. They are both great cars however in terms of reliability I would say the Honda. The 6 is such a fun little car and it looks great inside and out. However for me it would depend on what is locally available. What options does each car have that the other does not? What colors are out there? Do they come with alloy wheels or hubs? Things like this matter to me personally. Also I do not exactly love the Accord pre-2008. Its a great car but it looks ghastly. The new Accord on the other hand is a sexy beast so I would be looking for one of those which would be tougher because they are newer.
Basically they are both great cars. The important thing is to do your own research based upon what is available in your area. I know you need help deciding but this is the car YOU will be driving for a very long time. Do not buy anything without test driving everything you are interested in. Take a day or two and learn as much as you can about the car you will be driving for the next three years at least.
Shogun Streams Vidya
I ended up going with the Mini and here's what I've learned.
- I can take 4 of us out to lunch and the only complaint is getting in and out of the car. That's a problem with any 2 door though. There's plenty of leg room and space back there (6' 180lb guys).
- If I take off the front wheel of my road bike and slide the passenger seat all the way up I can actually fit my bike inside. Great for not having to buy a noisy roof rack.
- I can fit 2 snowboards (155cm), 2 sets of gear, myself and a buddy in the car for a trip to the mountain.
- My mileage is just shy of 28 per gallon, but I live in LA and much of that is city driving.
I think it's a great car, and as was mentioned by Shogun, they've gotten better since the BMW takeover. I think it was the 04 and 05 (?) that were pretty poor according to Consumer Reports, but in the past couple years have gotten a lot better.
Both Minis and Mazdas should hold their value well if you go to sell it later (I think Minis hold a little better, possibly because they've been selling so quickly out here. The one I ended up buying I actually gave them a deposit for before it was delivered to the dealer).
Man, what? BMW's been in charge since the relaunch. If the car was rubbish then, it's rubbish now. I'm not saying it is, but there you go.
You're way off base on the GTI too. Every review I read before I went out and bought one praised the build quality, and I have no idea where you're coming from on the maintenance. Is the Golf actually a Daewoo in Oz or something?
To the OP, just buy a Civic. It's precisely engineered to be the best possible first car and I've never known anyone to regret buying one.
Hearing what Lewisham's definition of "rubbish" would be interesting as well...
If you ever need to talk to someone, feel free to message me. Yes, that includes you.
I'd double-check the Mazda6; I'm fairly sure it's assembled in the US now (the Mazda3's are still made in Japan, and much of the 6 parts I think still are, but wikipedia also seems to say that it's done in Michigan )... also, I think they're totally redoing it for 2009 (checked, yes 2009, see here), so if you can wait the new design was getting some very good reviews (I'll look up an article later), but it also might mean you can get very good deals on the 2008's. Having said that I loved the look of it, and was debating between the 6 and the 3 for a while (wound up getting the 3). If you want space, there (at least were last year) 3 mazda3 models - 4 door, 5 door that looks the same but instead of just a trunk the entire back (incl windshield) opens up, and (edit - looks like they got rid of the hatchback model last year)
Also, as to new cars - everyone on the forum will tell you not to, but the truth is that if you want a close-to-new model, you're not going to save very much going used anyway in most cases, and starting around now going into August you can get pretty good deals on the last of the 2008 models since they're trying to make room for new 2009 stuff.
Further editing:
If you're looking at that Toyota (btw, is that the official name? I can't find info on that anywhere), does that mean you'd like a hatchback-style? I love my mazda3 hatchback, though there's stuff like the nissan rogue that also looks pretty nice (or I also really like the new subaru hatchback-ish smaller wagons, depending on whether you're driving around snow or not)
When you go used you can get more for less. Seriously. Used cars rule.
Also, I beg you to pick a car with good fuel economy. Especially if you do decide to buy new. Because you are going to be hating yourself in a few months/years if you go with performance rather than practicality.
Although I have to come clean with you. If I was in your shoes I would already have bought this because I am stubborn stubborn stubborn:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Cars-Trucks___DeLorean-DMC-12-V6-5-Speed-Manual_W0QQitemZ110272977258QQddnZCarsQ20Q26Q20TrucksQQddiZ2282QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item110272977258&_trksid=p3756.m14.l1318
Edit: Or, if you can somehow wait, wait for the 2009 Electric Minis. They might be too pricy though.
But if you want new, everyone else here has done a pretty good job with suggestions. Just make sure you're really getting something reliable, safe, roomy (enough for you) and preferably gets good gas mileage. Try and approach this with a mindset of "I want to buy a car that will last me at least 8 years."
They are a lot of fun to drive, but on the down side they have small interior space and are essentially a death trap if you get in an accident.
But they start at $18k which is well within your range.
we also talk about other random shit and clown upon each other
They start at 30k over here. Australian car prices are obscene.
I went to two dealers today, namely a Mazda and Toyota dealer and I also had the chance to meet a private seller selling a Cooper. I had the chance to test drive 3 different cars (Mazda6, Cooper and Corolla) and I gotta tell you, the rrp that's in the official website of these cars are fucking bollocks. I mean they're nowhere close to the price that these guys are actually selling the cars at.
The Mazda6 was pretty disappointing . It's interior is shit, as in Japanese plastic shit, while it's performance is just.... meh. It does look pretty stylish from the outside though. The salesman quoted $31000 drive away price for the manual and a few thousands more for the automatic.
The Cooper was a black S Chilli and boy I gotta admit it was an amazing test drive. I had a lot of fun driving it and it's interior, while cramped as fuck, was really comfy. There was only one problem, the guy who was selling it isn't actually the owner of the car (as in he's selling the car for his friend who's gone away to some other country) which I find a little disconcerting as I've never done this kind of deal before and there's no way I can make sure this guy ain't gonna fuck me over. He quoted $29000 as his asking price and I told him to call me back if he wants to meet my offer at $28000.
The Corolla..... well decent is the best word to describe the experience I suppose. For $29000 asking price though, decent just won't cut it for me.
Now, I'm yet to look at the Accord and I'll probably do it tomorrow but after seeing all these sedans I'm not sure if I'm suited to drive one yet. It just feels too mature for someone my age (20). I don't know really.
I gotta tell you, my first choice right now is to keep on looking for a good used Mini for sale... (which is hard) and if I can't find a good one maybe I'll then seriously consider the Accord.
And no, I can't wait until 2009 to get a car, I need a new one like right now.
Edit: The saturn astra isn't really to my taste and about mileage.. I don't really care I mean most cars nowadays have a pretty good mileage on them anyway. $10-20 a week on fuel doesn't really make that much of a difference to me considering I have to pay that much every fucking day right now for public transport.
Err... no. I'm not really into those kind of things.
EDIT2: In the other hand, I've looked at the interior of other cars around the $30k range and, the mini and bmw1 as exceptions, they mostly look plastic. Am I expecting a little too much luxury for this kind of price range? Should I sacrifice the interior of the car in favour of a beautiful exterior?
MY FUCKING HEAD IS ACHING.
Buying a car based on aesthetics, though fun, can lead to a lot of heartache down the line -- especially when your manufacturer warranty is up. My sister experienced this firsthand when she bought a spiffy looking 02 Jetta only to have that POS require constant trips to the shop for large and small things alike. I got an Accord and honestly it's been fantastic so far, but then again, it's only been two years.
Anyway, the point is don't let a "dinky" interior dissuade you -- if you really plan on driving this car down the line, it won't matter as soon as the car becomes less than new anyway.
If $30k is Corrolla range, then yeah, you might be asking for a little much. Most car makers are going for electronic frills such as Bluetooth, SatNav, MP3 jacks and/or built-in HDDs, etc. and hoping you don't notice the poor fit/finish of the inside.
I'd echo what others are saying and look to reliability over style. Toyotas have a good rep over here, don't know if that's different there.
But really, do you buy a Mini for trunk space?
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
You keep saying stuff like this, and I just can't impress how much I think you need to get out of the mind set of the cool, racy car. Leave that until your late 20s when you've got more experience with cars and more money.
And what's dealer price on Minis? 28,000 for a used one seems high already, let alone a private owner where you have no idea of the wear and tear on the car.
I just looked at pricing one out and was really hesitant to add anything. Metallic paint is 710, Dynamic Stability Control was 840 (recommended), auto transmission was 2,200...
So 28k for a used sounds about right considering how well they hold their value. And a Black S Chilli starts at 42,210 assuming nothing else is included. But if he's gone that far already, he's probably got a few nice upgrades inside right?
Aside from the potentially shifty dealings, that sounds like a helluva deal. Almost too good to be true. Maybe it is too good to be true. Why was he selling?
Out of curiosity, do they sell Scions in Australia? I drive a Scion TC and it matches up with the type of cars your looking at.