Probably Time for a New Car -Update

witch_ie

I was in an accident last night and based on the damage, my insurance will most likely total my car. I am pretty bummed about the whole thing since I really liked my car ('99 Toyota Corolla) and was looking forward to driving it for another 5 years at least. I'm anticipating that I will get around $6000 from the insurance company (retail value from Kelley Blue Book is around $6,300).

I am willing to spend more than the $6000 on my next car, but probably don't want to spend more than an additional 6 to 8 thousand (especially given that I didn't plan on this happening - I was thrilled with having no car payment when I paid off my Corolla a year ago). I'm pretty much only interested in Toyota's and Honda's and would like any recommendations about what to buy or how to negotiate with the dealer.

Update: Thanks everyone for your advice. I decided to go ahead and stay with the Corolla since I really liked my last one. There's one at a not so local dealership that I'm seriously considering. It's Toyota Certified for another 19,000 miles, but when I test drove it, it pulled strongly (more than just the road) to the right. I'm trying to negotiate with the dealer to get them to correct that as a condition of my buying the car, but I wanted to find out if this means anything else could be wrong with the vehicle. It has a clean carfax report. So for those of you who are mechanically inclined, is this something I should worry about?

RUNN1NGMAN

I'd shoot for another used Corolla, or a Civic, if you were happy with your old car. Problem is those cars both retain their value well, so it's going to be harder finding one in your price range.

Monolithic_Dome

In that price range you could go for a new Fit or Yaris, both of which get pretty good reviews. They're kinda like what the civic/camry were originally, but those models have gotten bigger/fancier over the years so the Fit/Yaris is the new hotness as far as economical compacts go.

Smurph

Or you know, you could get a used American car for half as much because everyone doesn't have a boner for them. I got an 04 Dodge Stratus in near perfect condition this summer for $5800. The extra money could be better spend on other things considering cars are the worst investments one could possibly make in most cases.

MichaelLC

Smurph wrote: »

Or you know, you could get a used American car for half as much because everyone doesn't have a boner for them. I got an 04 Dodge Stratus in near perfect condition this summer for $5800. The extra money could be better spend on other things considering cars are the worst investments one could possibly make in most cases.

That would be because non-American, which is silly since nothing is all-american anymore, are more reliable. Personal-antedote ftw, but my 2005 Corolla has had zero issues. Sounds like the OP was quite happy with their '99 as well.

Percieved vs. actual reliabilty comparison:
http://consumerist.com/5127337/the-10-most-reliable-car-brands-vs-your-preconceived-notions

Dalboz

I'm pretty happy with my '08 Civic. Given that car sales were in the crapper last year, you may be able to find lots that are still trying to get rid of '08, maybe even '07, so you could probably knock some of the price down quite a bit. That is if you're looking at new.

OremLK

You could also look into used hybrids if that sort of thing floats your boat.

Chalkbot

I think the reliablity factor is much less defined than it used to be. I agree that some foreign vehicles have had really good records in that department, my dad put 650,000 miles on his '93 Nissan before it finally croaked. That being said, I'd have to lend credence to the person who suggested looking at "American" vehicles as well. Certainly there are some to be avoided (easily identified via. Consumer Reports) and these are the models that drag down the perception of the reliability of American cars in those statistical reports like the one linked above me. I don't deny the fact that, as a whole, American cars are far less reliable. But let's be realistic, nobody is buying one of each so that hardly matters. There are also American cars with good reliability which are easily comparable to that of the foreign cars. Something to keep in mind is that American cars are generally cheaper (if buying used) and cost less for repairs/replacement parts. So if the reliablity is historically comparable to a foreign vehicle, you're coming out ahead with the American car.

That being said, some people just like the design of a particular model or brand of cars better, and if that be the case, by all means buy that car. Having a good car that you're not all that fond of is far less satisfying than having a car you love despite a few misgivings.

A good example of this is my circle of friends is very much of the same mindset as the OP, they only look at, and have only owned foreign cars, mostly Hondas and Nissans. They never even considered buying an American vehicle for the same reasons. I bought a Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS, which is very different from anything they would ever consider. I let them drive it, and they immediately saw the appeal.

To summarize, don't exclude American cars from your test drives. You never know what might strike your fancy.

TK-42-1

Dalboz wrote: »

I'm pretty happy with my '08 Civic. Given that car sales were in the crapper last year, you may be able to find lots that are still trying to get rid of '08, maybe even '07, so you could probably knock some of the price down quite a bit. That is if you're looking at new.

i love my '06 civic coupe ex. the only problem i've had was my engine block cracked randomly. it was still under warranty at 41k miles so I got a new engine and exhaust manifold out of the deal which probably extended the life of my car by a significant margin. there was no hassle with getting them to fix it so im assuming its a known defect in the new honda engine.

3lwap0

Assuming you don't go into debt, and just get a six thousand dollar used car, then you can disregard the following bullet point advice I'm about to lay down.


Assuming you get a car that requires you to get a loan:

1) Check your credit first before even applying for loan one. You can conveniently do that for free at https://www.annualcreditreport.com (not freecreditreport.com - those guys are fucks).

2) Re: 1 - Have a loan secured before you even set foot on the lot. Dealership loans suck so fucking hard, unless you have like an 850 credit score. Everyone else bends over usually on interest rates. I've learned this lesson the hard way.

3) Know what kind of car you want ahead of time - do your research. Want a new Corolla? Check out websites like Edmunds, who give a good detailed value of what you want. Personally, I prefer Carmax, where you don't have to deal with douchebag car salesmen. Carmax also has a nice car search tool on their website.

4) If you're going to seek a dealership for a car, solicit multiple dealerships for competing price quotes. Car lots are desperate to sell cars in this shit economy, they want your business, but I suggest making them earn it. A good buddy of mine e-mailed 3 dealerships, and had them compete on price quotes, and ended up with a good deal after a bit of typical dealership B.S.

Crashtard

I'll second that you should at least consider american cars. I have a 96 Chevy Beretta that runs great and has caused me little to no grief. Hell, you can buy a 09 cobalt for around 10-11 thousand these days and probably get some rebates and whatnot from that price.

TK-42-1

3lwap0 wrote: »

4) If you're going to seek a dealership for a car, solicit multiple dealerships for competing price quotes. Car lots are desperate to sell cars in this shit economy, they want your business, but I suggest making them earn it. A good buddy of mine e-mailed 3 dealerships, and had them compete on price quotes, and ended up with a good deal after a bit of typical dealership B.S.

this. the gf and i went to go look at an advertised nismo 350z, but after getting insurance for it we found out its just a enthusiast with the nismo appearance package so we told them we were going to walk. the guy was basically cutting $1000 off the price every time we told him no up until we closed the car door and drove off

Smurph

If you've had good luck with a product, by all means remain loyal but put a price tag on it. Is a specific brand worth paying an extra 6 grand or is it really only worth 1 or 2 grand? People being unconditionally loyal is what drives those prices up.

I would also suggest hitting up craigslist and looking for private sellers. Avoid the people who "fix up cars and resell them as a hobby" because they are probably fucking you, but sometimes you will find someone like you who just wants to get rid of a car. I bought my car from a guy who was moving to Japan and needed to sell it quick, no funny business. Dealers all wanted 2 or 3 grand more for the same car and would have given him 2 or 3 less than I did if he sold it to them.

Mmmm... Cocks...

As for the whole import vs. american debate, it's really more the fact that these hondas and what not are simple. With a smaller engine and no extra funny business they're easily repaired and maintained. Not only that but with simple engines and everything the build quality is a bit better because they've been making these engines for ages. A simple American car will essentially be the same. I have a '96 Saturn. Everything in the car is done manually (transmission, locks, windows) and of course it has a tiny 1.9 liter |4. No multi-valve craziness or multiple cams or whatever. The baby still runs strong to. Got her for 1,200 two years ago w/ 160k miles.

Edit: which is why I really want Toyota's new 86 to come out ::glee::

A Bear

Looking at Toyotas and Hondas is a pretty good jumping off point for finding a quality car, but I might suggest adding Hyundai (and the identical Kia) into the mix as well. While many early Hyundais are laughable, these guys have really worked to make a good car recently and you cant beat them on warranty or value for the money.

The $10-14k range can't get you a ton new, if thats your thing:

• the Honda Fit is the obvious frontrunner and deservingly so--the one thing to watch out for is making sure you get a good deal on one, as lots of dealers know these are popular cars and continue to be inflexible on price. Sporty, practical, underrepresented EPA mileage numbers (rated at 28/34 people say they get upper 30's, I had a dealer say 40's are common, I smelt BS.) And its a Honda. Despite what people might tell you, used copies of this car do not exist, they are just preowned vehicles priced like new vehicles.

• The Toyota Yaris is not as good as the Fit, but still worth considering. Toyota missed the mark on this car a bit, and needs to catch up in this department. I cannot think offhand one department where I felt the Yaris truly stood out from its competition, but that might be too harsh a criticism for what really is a fine car.

• The Hyundai Elantra is really a great little car, and Consumer Reports has a major crush on it. You will be getting more car for your money here than the Fit or Yaris, but the Fit remains the most refined of the trio. The Elantra hides its "cheap Korean" heratige well, but there are still times it pokes through. Cant beat the warranty, and most Hyundai dealerships I've dealt with have been more than happy to make a deal. If you get this car used, make sure it is the current generation.

Now, looking used you have a lot more options and frankly its the way to go most of the time, with off-the-lot depreciation being what it is.

• The Honda Civic is here instead of under new, because while I think you can still get a stripped-down model for under 13k, these things are everywhere and with the right deal-hunting and haggling you can pick up one of these used in the same body style as the current generation with whatever you would like on it (except GPS). You could even pick up a last-gen 2000-2005 model for even less and obviously would still have a fantastic car. These things are the top-selling vehicle for a reason, and their merits don't really need to be rehashed here.

• If you liked your Toyota Corolla you would not go wrong buying another, and I would endorse this over the Yaris or the heretofore unmentioned Matrix.

• Speaking about the Toyota Matrix, I like the concept, but I'm not entirely on the execution. I never have tested these cars out much, so its not exactly fair of me to criticize them extensively. I would think getting the identical GM cousin Pontiac Vibe would save you a lot of money, because of the reputation today's American cars suffer from.

• Also, the Mazda 3 is in this range and trying hard to compete with the Honda/Toyota crowd. They are pretty sporty, and like Hyundai sometimes you can get a good dealership willing to make you a bargain. The wagon is practical, and I actually prefer its styling over the sedan, but thats just a matter of taste. I have a secret lust for the Mazdaspeed 3, and even the basic models give a lot of performance and practicality. Mazda is making the attempt to become the "BMW of Japan" and while I don't totally follow, their willingness to craft cars for drivers (the MX-5, the RX-7 and 8, and even the 3s and 6s) might give you a reason to check them out.

The larger Accords and Camrys are going to cost you more, and obviously give you a bigger car with some jazzier bells and whistles, and maybe thats what you want. I think both currently look pretty hot for what were a pair historically bland commuter cars. I'd steer clear of most any small American cars like they had the plague, not because they are that much more horrible, but they just aren't better then anything mentioned here in any overall way, other than maybe price or something silly the domestics can use to throw in their TV spots. My fiance was in a very similar car buying situation and went with the Elantra, I would have gone with a Civic coupe myself. As long as you don't get a lemon or get ripped off, I really don't think you can go wrong with any of these.

Iceman.USAF

Hijacking a bit, thread seems to have stalled anyway.

Looking at getting a used RX-8. I've done some googling, just wondering if the collective forum has any insider knowledge about them. I am looking at a 2006 with 15k miles for just under $20k. Seems a bit expensive to me, I would say $17,500 is more reasonable.

Thoughts?

wasted pixels

Iceman.USAF wrote: »

Hijacking a bit, thread seems to have stalled anyway.

Looking at getting a used RX-8. I've done some googling, just wondering if the collective forum has any insider knowledge about them. I am looking at a 2006 with 15k miles for just under $20k. Seems a bit expensive to me, I would say $17,500 is more reasonable.

Thoughts?

What options? Dealer or private party? Region? Also, go ahead and start your own thread when you add those details, it'll make life easier for all involved.

prfntbtr

Yeah, on the RX-8, it really depends on what trim level we are talking here. If it is the base model with an automatic, then $20K is too much. If it is the GT or Shinka with a 6 speed, then the price is bordering on reasonable. 15,000 miles is really good, and mileage really affects the value of a mid-level car like that. You could expect 15K miles on a 2008 at this point, it really makes the car worth a couple more grand than if it had 40 to 45,000, which is what you would expect on a 2006.

Djeet

The low miles is nice, but it's likely running very close to warranty end, so you might want to find out when it was first purchased so you can determine how much warranty is left. If there's warranty left you want full doc on service, cause if something bad happens under warranty the dealer's gonna balk unless you provide evidence of good service. If it's out of warranty and it's a nicer/sporty car I'd want a good deal on it, factoring in that it could've been driven and I may be in for repairs sooner.

You should check the enthusiast sites for the car to see what kind of service/maintenance issues there are with the model. RX-8's I believe tend to burn more oil than a new drivetrain typically does. So if you take the car you'll want to keep a quart or two in the trunk and check every other gas up and top up if necessary.

Iceman.USAF

Yeah I know RX-8's burn oil but it's more by design. Rotary engine and such.

Anyways, it's the Shinka model. It's in Delaware (I live in MD, just outside DC woo me) so it's about 100 miles away.

Anywho, here's the link to the car

I've also found another one late last night browsing the interwebs here's the lin....fuck it says sold now. Wow, talk about quick turnaround. Well, it was a year older (2005) but had only 11K miles for $16K. Again, Shinka model.

I'll start a new thread, as well. Thanks guys!

BetelguesePDX

I owned a Hyundai Elantra 2001 in the past and was very happy with it. Not a single issue over the 4 years I had it. Great bang for your buck so I would recommend looking into it.

Currently own a Scion TC. Also very happy with it. Used TC's in general retain a lot of their value so may be out of your price range but do look at the xA or xB.

kingmetal

I own a 2006 Scion tC and I absolutely adore it. They've got a great feature-set for the price, Toyota reliability and they're really fun to drive. I bought mine used for about $8,000 (which was kind of a steal). Has one of the best stock stereos I've ever heard and really my only complaints are headroom (I'm 6'3) since its got a really low roofline and the fact that mine is an automatic (this car would be seriously a kick if it were a stick, but there's nothing wrong with the automatic transmission).

badpoet

I looked around and around for a car before I bought my 2007 Nissan Sentra. I got a great deal on it, but more than that I really like it a lot. The look isn't for everyone (I think it looks great), but it's comfortable, gets good mileage, and had my one prerequisite that I couldn't live without (a manual transmission --- in this case a six speed).

No problems so far. *knock on wood*

Ganluan

I drive a 2007 Civic Hybrid, and my wife drives a 2002 Elantra. They are both excellent cars, especially if you're tall (like me) and want to be able to sit comfortably. The Elantra is paid off and has had one major problem (cracked radiator) that we have had to fix, and it gets driven 50ish miles a day.

I love the Civic Hybrid, I'm getting 45 mpg right now and I really like the new styling.

Vladimir7

I am also going to be buying a new car end of march/beginning of april.
I have looked at 2 year used cars, but they only seem a bit cheaper then new andn they already have 20k+ km on them. To me I would rather pay a few k more to have brand new with full warranty since I am not a mechanic.

My budget is a little higher then yours (up to probably $28k). I haven't started test driving yet, but I have been looking. The three cars I have in mind right now are:
2009 Mazda 3 GS or GT. 0% financing, $500 off, $500 grad rebate -Great car, pretty good price
2010 Mazda 3 GS/GT - Way higher financing, no cash incentive, more expensive, WAY more features... New generation, may have issues
2009 Honda Civic Sport - $1500 off, I think grad rebate of $500. Honda reliability, great gas mileage, holds value well
2009 hyundai elantra - Way cheaper then others, offers amazing warranty, has many features, poor resale value.

I am going to test drive all of these within the next month or two.. At this moment (with no test drives) I am leaning towards the 2010 Mazda 3.

witch_ie

Thanks everyone for your advice. I decided to go ahead and stay with the Corolla since I really liked my last one. There's one at a not so local dealership that I'm seriously considering. It's Toyota Certified for another 19,000 miles, but when I test drove it, it pulled strongly (more than just the road) to the right. I'm trying to negotiate with the dealer to get them to correct that as a condition of my buying the car, but I wanted to find out if this means anything else could be wrong with the vehicle. It has a clean carfax report. So for those of you who are mechanically inclined, is this something I should worry about?

Crashtard

*usually* that's either a low tire or an alignment problem. I don't imagine they will balk at giving the car an alignment to sell it.

Iceman.USAF

It can also be corrected by overinflating a tire, so make sure you test the pressures if you think the dealership is trying to scam you.

proXimity

The steering can get out of alignment by hitting a big pothole or a curb, or just over time, and that wouldn't show up on carfax. It could be a semi-big deal to fix, or it could be something fairly simple as mentioned above. Would it be possible to take it to an independent shop to see what the problem is?

3lwap0

Personally speaking, I would try other dealerships or cars.

I would never buy a car that had an obvious defect when I test drove it.

witch_ie

Thanks everyone for your input. The dealership called me and told me that they just fixed the alignment. I plan to test drive it again before agreeing to buy it to see if the problem has truly been remedied. If not, I'll look elsewhere.

shotime

You should probably take it to another mechanic that you trust to look at it and make sure there isn't anything seriously wrong. It most likely is just an alignment issue, but it's always a good idea to get an inspection before you buy it. If you don't have a regular mechanic, check http://www.cartalk.com/content/mechx/ for one close to you. It shouldn't cost more than $100 and it might save a lot of headaches in the future.