new car time, recommend on.

King Nada

I'm shopping around for a used car since my 96 explorer has a dying transmission. I'm looking at the scion tC possibly. Seems 2006's are the ones in my price range. What's the general opinion them? Also, anyone with experience with buying through enterprise sales (the sales arm of enterprise rentals)? Should I avoid rental cars like the plague or can they actually be ok? Feel free to recommend anything in the < 12k range, i'm not sold on the tC quite yet.

Kotenk

TC is a great car, and this is coming from a car snob.

Anon the Felon

Just a small note: There are a few different opinions about rental cars, but I drove a 96 corssica that used to be a rental car for 5 years, then driven by family for 3, for 4 years (so, when I got it it had been driven by others for 8 years, then had 4 years in my hands, and I took zero care of it). It only had 1 issue crop up the entire time my family had it (7 years).

Some people get bad old rentals, some people get lucky, just remember that its been driven hard, so most of the kinks are already worked out of the engine and such. I am a big chevy fan, as they can take a ton of miles, and still be fine. I currently have a '00 trailblazer and love it to death.

I recommend buying something used, and get it checked by your mechanic before you buy. Also remember, a car is a car is a car, it might not be fancy, but if its reliable, and gets you where you need to go...might be worth paying less for something clunky but solid, and then buying all the toys you really want for it. As opposed to buying something with a bunch of plastic and junk you'll never use ("Look its got a cup holder IN THE STEERING WHEEL!") for your entire budget, and dropping another couple hundred into the nice things you really wanted.

PolloDiablo

Kotenk wrote: »

TC is a great car, and this is coming from a car snob.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fvOg13V5mI

They seem to like it.

underdonk

I had a friend with a TC and he loved it. I thought it was pretty fun and sporty. Can't beat a Toyota product. Also, with car manufactures with the likes of GM and Chrysler preparing to file for bankruptcy, you may be able to get a really great deal on a new car that would be affordable. Don't know how important that is to you, but it's an option.

TexiKen

Enterprise car sales is very high pressure. It's where the new recruits try and get up the ladder, and they will throw everything at you to make you buy a car.

A lot of used cars at dealerships are often rentals as well, but they also have regular trade ins to compliment them.

As was mentioned in earlier threads about cars, you can get a new car for $12k these days. A Hyundai Elantra with the new 2,000 discount goes right at $12k

VisionOfClarity

I'm getting a used Toyota sometime in the next week. Personally, I'm sticking to certified used dealers where I know the car has a used warranty backed by Toyota so I don't get fucked.

NotASenator

TCs are pretty lame.

illig

don't buy a previous rental... just think about how you'd treat a rental, and realize that most people treat them 10 times worse

my suggestion is to buy a certified used car.... something 2-3 years old, back from a lease, and with warranty

1ddqd

I've never seen tCs used as rentals - they're probably selling auction-bought cars.

Scrublet

I have a 2006 tC and it's been awesome. For add-ons, I would recommend looking for one with the spoiler on the back. Normally I hate ricers, and would never make that recommendation, but I think the car looks bad with nothing at all on the back. But I do all kinds of trips and the car has held up, even through some winter Vermont driving. However, if you will frequently be in snow conditions I can't recommend it, it's not THAT great.