Help us car shop......
t-w need not apply (does he vanity-search?).
We liked the Focus. We're thinking the 2012 Fiesta looks fairly comparable -Focus seems to have "upsized" and beest test drove one a few weeks ago and didn't like it. We can get x-plan pricing on a new Ford.
We've decided we are ready to move to 4 door (and learned that maybe no-one does 2-door any more). We also need a hatchback. Other than that, small is good, cheap is even gooderer. Most little cars (except the Fiesta) seems to get crappy reviews. Is that because they're being driven by people who like big cars? We're not against the idea of a second hand car, but a quick search locally suggests we're going to have to work hard to find something appropriate at a decent price. second-hand prices are high and new prices are low......
If you are an "ecomomy car" driver, please give us a review of your car and your thoughts on the next car you might buy....
I have to say Wolf's comment about the ability to walk away from crashes over fuel economy have certainly stuck with me......
2006 Altima - Lil too big for my needs. It gets mid 20mpg. Plenty of room for 4 people and their baggage. This is my 4th Nissan and I've enjoyed them all.
2008 Toyota Corolla. Smaller than the Altima, gets 30ish mpg. Plenty of room given its size. Just got it this summer @ $7000
I've also owned a Chevy, Mercury and Ford. Wouldn't buy another unless there were no other options. Thats just my opinion. I know people who love theirs now. I'll admit that I owned mine back in the late 80's - 90's.
Best friend has a Honda Accord that has over 200,000 miles on it and he loves it as well.
Oh, and I've had some "intense" accidents in my Altima's over the years.
I second the Altima recommendation. My last car was a 1996 Altima and my current car is a 2008 Altima. Pleased as punch with my cars for the past 15 years in terms of looks, operating cost, incident repair costs, longevity of major systems (exhaust line failed after 9 years, alternator 1 year after that on the '96 car and that's it). My next car will almost certainly be another Nissan, possibly a Rogue.
I would also recommend Volvo but those prices tend to be high (my first car was a hand-me-down Volvo and it saved my life).
The Toyota corolla comes in a five door hatch and has a reputation for reliability and good build, although that reputation has fallen a little lately. My last one was a 1991 model so I can't speak for the recent ones, but they're probably still good.
OK gang, thanks for the suggestions so far, but we're talking smaller/more economy than an Altima. teeny-tiny. You're one or two brackets up with that. Four door, but small. This car usually obnly carries one person smal commutes and it's very helpful if it can fit in tiny parking spaces. And we don't want to be in the $25K MRSP ballpark.
How about Kia Rio 5-Door or Soul?
I loved my Honda, but I like my VW better.
Well built, reliable...
There's a four door Golf that they have in the compact section.
I think small cars do get crappy reviews because they are driven by car reviewers who get to drive lots of different cars but don't have to live with them. A high end Lexus is going to be more fun to drive than an economy car, so reviewers will hate the economy car when they drive it, but the economy cars are better to own.
The Fiat 500 is really cute.
I haven't been paying close attention to this type of car lately. We have a Geo Prizm (Toyota Corolla) and love it. It's been super reliable and cheap to operate for the last 16 years. Well built.
If I were in the market now, I'd look at the Fiesta because I've heard good things about it. I like the Smart car, but it costs about twice what it should.
If you don't like the Fiesta, I'd look at the Honda Fit. MTP likes hers and it gets pretty good reviews.
After the Cellar Car I'm never buying new again in my life, unless there is some sort of lotto win or something.
http://annarbor.craigslist.org/ctd/2715414515.html
you could offer them 4 grand and they would take it
Used cars are a great idea, but there aren't too many of them out there right now, and the prices are higher than ever.
Thanks, Toad, but again, way, way too big! We like to have one big car and one small car and this is the small car we are replacing. Also, a hatchback works so much better for us.
PW have you driven the Kias?
I don't trust the 'expansion' car teams.
2002 Hyundai Elantra 105k $3995
2002 Kia Spectra 105k $3500
If the Korean cars are like Korean food, they'll smell like feet, but have plenty of interesting spice, and will burn a lot of gas the next day.
Look at the hyundais. Our 2004 sonata has 174k on it w/ no real problems beyond routine maintenance.
2002 Hyundai Elantra 105k $3995
2002 Kia Spectra 105k $3500
If the Korean cars are like Korean food, they'll smell like feet, but have plenty of interesting spice, and will burn a lot of gas the next day.
Thanks, but no way do we want a car that old. And I think those are over-priced for what you are getting and the risks you take with an old car. We had two 2001s we know just what was wrong with them and how to hide it. Cars that age and mileage are worn out imo. Asking for trouble. Glad you got lucky with the cellar car, but I want a little less on the clock and in time.
Yah, I'm just messin with ya at this point
- however -
Every car I've bought and expected to drive to death, I just got totally tired of what was wrong with them. Another year with these stupid stuttering brakes and I will rip my hair out.
On the Cellar Car I knew there would be things wrong, but I would fix them, get them fixed, or just live with it. It was a surprise that I then felt ok about them. The things wrong are almost fun quirks, not the pain-in-the-ass problems that might be the death of the car in 6 months.
Last winter J shoveled the snow off the Cellar Car with a shovel, and she put a bunch of nice lines on it where she took off a layer of paint, as you will do if you shovel snow off your car with a shovel. And I was like, ha ha, wow, if I was making payments on this I would be hugely pissed. Instead, it's just a laugh. It's car character. It's an improvement. What a revelation.
Wow, you sure got more than just transportation out of the Cellar Car, didn't you?
Still do.... most days it is still the second best thing in my life.
I can't make a good suggestion, being as I haven't driven a small car since the Chevrolet Dent Magnet -er- Cavalier, but I will pass on a word of warning not to buy the Aveo. Everyone I know who had one (note the use of the past tense) has hated them and gotten rid of it as soon as possible.
Dad had 2 Kia Picantos, did not serve him very well.
They were new cars, (bought as finance deals traded in as opposed to buying new off the forecourt). The electrics seemed to go every 3-4 months, back to the garage.
The Vauxhall they have now is too large for your needs, but so far it's been heads above the Kias. They bought it when the money from Auntie Alice came through, but it was well worth it.
I loved my Nissan Micra, the gearbox went but I had no other trouble.
And my two Peugeot 205s were still going even after I'd driven them into the ground. This is years ago now though, they're literally different cars.
One thing I noticed then and still do now is how many OLD Peugeots you still see on the road.
They seem to age well.
If you decide to look at the Versa, I can be of some small assistance. I've never driven one, but as I recall it does do pretty well when compared to the fit and the yaris. Mortie git a fit, razz got a yaris. Maybe they will chime in.
Yah, I'm just messin with ya at this point
- however -
Every car I've bought and expected to drive to death, I just got totally tired of what was wrong with them. Another year with these stupid stuttering brakes and I will rip my hair out.
On the Cellar Car I knew there would be things wrong, but I would fix them, get them fixed, or just live with it. It was a surprise that I then felt ok about them. The things wrong are almost fun quirks, not the pain-in-the-ass problems that might be the death of the car in 6 months.
Last winter J shoveled the snow off the Cellar Car with a shovel, and she put a bunch of nice lines on it where she took off a layer of paint, as you will do if you shovel snow off your car with a shovel. And I was like, ha ha, wow, if I was making payments on this I would be hugely pissed. Instead, it's just a laugh. It's car character. It's an improvement. What a revelation.
My brother had a beater truck for messing around with (his main car is a work SUV), it was an old JEEP truck. Rusty, ugly...so ugly I loved it! Pieces falling off! If we got anywhere near it my brother would run over and act like he was buffing out where we had touched it. He'd say "sheesh, you can't have anything nice!" :lol:
Nuthen like a good beater
I'd love to have an old Jeep CJ7 for a beater.
If I had a beater, I'd want it to be a pickup truck. Not too much of a beater. It would need to start when I wanted to use it. But it could look like absolute hell, and I'd be fine with that.
Hey Monster, what about something like a Toyota or Nissan pickup truck? Small, good gas mileage, reliable, and usefull as all hell!?
Ps...my first car was a Honda CVC. Just about square and could park it on the sidewalk, practically. Loved it! (But they don't make them anymore).
I'd love to have an old Jeep CJ7 for a beater.
You literally cannot get one for less than $4k though. No matter how rusty and tired. Much better off going with a grand cherokee. You can get a daily driveable one for $3500, and a beater for $1500.
Oh, if I get one I'll be in a position to get one. It would have to be free, or cheaper, to seriously consider one now.
I'd love to have an old Jeep CJ7 for a beater.
You literally cannot get one for less than $4k though. No matter how rusty and tired.
BZZZZZT !!! Wrong , i see them and CJ5's around here for $2500 ish all the time
We just got an Audi A3 a few weeks ago. My wife tried the A4 and decided it was too big. I think the A3 is slightly smaller than the Subaru Impreza Outback Sport that it is replacing.
We drive in a lot of snowy, icy, blizzardy weather (all of that just this weekend), and it handles great - even better than the Subaru. It also gets fairly good gas mileage (~27 mpg, so far).
We haven't had it long enough to evaluate the reliability or maintenance costs.
Thanks guys. The windstar acts as our pick-up. Any pick-up truck would be too big for the second car -we need all the space (such as it is) inside the car for the odd occasion when all 5 of us need to ride in it.
Tony that's a lovely thing to share. Both our cars have been paid off for many years and we treat them the same. The Windstar also has snow shovel lines. :lol:
We just got the windstar back out of the shop, hurrah! and our friend lent us a Toyota truck from the Flintstone era :lol:
PW have you driven the Kias?
Yup. They are both a little tight for me. But not everyone is built like me, 6'6" and mostly torso.
I liked them otherwise. I had a Kia Rondo that I foolishly got rid of early this year. It was rock-solid reliable and cheap to repair (Honda parts or something?).
beest is 6'2" and mostly beestly...... the focus had great leg room for a small car... but if you got in the at 6'6" there maybe hope for him....
thanks
We love Leslie's Honda Fit. Actually *very* comfortable for both front seat occupants, and holds an amazing amount of crap for a car that small. Tiny engine, but cunningly geared, so it gets up and moves like a car needs to. Well worth investigating.
Cool, thanks -it's a hatchback, right?
Yes. 30 mpg average city/highway. The rear seats fold totally flat, and if you slide the front passenger seat forward and lay it down, you have nearly a full seven feet on that side of flat cargo space. If I didn't have a trailer to haul once in a while, I'd definitely consider one myself.
sounds really good -beest said his boss recommended it also. thanks, we will most definitely test drive.
Go to your local library and check out last April's Consumer Reports. They will tell you the good, bad, and the ugly of most cars available. Don't just look at the scores, though. Look at the text for each of the cars you're interested in.
If you have the money to spend, get a year's subscription to the online site. If you do some digging you can find out the dealers invoice figure for most models as well.
Go to your local library and check out last April's Consumer Reports. They will tell you the good, bad, and the ugly of most cars available. Don't just look at the scores, though. Look at the text for each of the cars you're interested in.
If you have the money to spend, get a year's subscription to the online site. Digging around on the site, I found the dealer's invoice price for the Honda Accord we wanted.
Beest sat in a Fiesta today and was impressed by the headroom, but apparently there is maybe only one manual avaialable in the whole of Michigan. They're phasing them out. *sigh*
Hey, if you can wait, Dodge is coming back out with the Dart!! :D
I'd love to have an old Jeep CJ7 for a beater.
You literally cannot get one for less than $4k though. No matter how rusty and tired.
BZZZZZT !!! Wrong , i see them and CJ5's around here for $2500 ish all the time
i miss my CJ5 :(
So Beest drove the Fit tonight (manual hatchback). Liked it.....except for the fact that the steering wheel pretty much blocked the view of the dash -particularly the speedo. :rolleyes:
What we need is for the car industry to be run like the real estate industry. just tell a buyer's agent what you want and let them get on with it......
Focuses are a great deal right now. Becuas they've gone crap. methinks. we could probably get one for a similar price to a fiesta, but unless its manual and hatchback, we are not interested. beest test drove an automatic in october and it sucked.
As long as we can make the finances work, we're going for new -there's nothing that meets our needs at a sensible price in the second-hand market. We're just not interested in getting a new old car every few years. we hate car shopping, and shopping for old cars requires love...
So, you reckon if you buy a good new car now you won't be car shopping again for years. :right: How old are your kids? :lol:
If you can hold out a bit, Mercedes is planning to bring some new small cars to the US:
Mercedes small cars coming to AmericaSo Beest drove the Fit tonight (manual hatchback). Liked it.....except for the fact that the steering wheel pretty much blocked the view of the dash -particularly the speedo. :rolleyes:
According to the honda web site, the standard Fit has an adjustable steering wheel.
According to the honda web site, the standard Fit has an adjustable steering wheel.
That's what we figured, sales guy said adjusted to max. which is weird. beest's gonna look into it.
If you can hold out a bit, Mercedes is planning to bring some new small cars to the US:
Mercedes small cars coming to America
I'm kinda thinking that's not going to be in the price range we are looking at...... :lol:
Have you looked at a Kia Soul? I could not believe the room in those cars. 3 adults in the back seat and still cargo room in the back.
oh ...yeah.. and they are COOL
'Ow about an GTi?
2door
4door
If I had to buy a new car, I'd go crazy from all the choices.
well, crazier....
i was looking at the golfs, not sure they have anything special worth the few extra thousand.
beest found a manual fiesta avaialble, but it has all the bells and whistles, so costs more than we want to pay with features we don't want/need/won't use....
I'll look at the Soul ....but mostly all i'm hearing about Kias is cheap and nasty feel, poor longevity and not awesome safety.......
Ok why would we want a Soul again? That's the ugliest-ass car I've seen in a while and cost more than a Fiesta when you add the necessary "options" They only just stopped short of suggesting the steering wheel was an optional extra :lol:
Golf VW massive amount of $$$ for replacement parts. i.e. coil/vr for vw $200+ coil/vr regular car $40 I don't know about safety ratings and stuff for a soul it just looks cool and you don't hit your head getting in or out. ;)
Ford is my brand but I drive a Chrysler go figger :P
The problem with the Kia soul is the sports model. It is called the "R" model. But no, it is not the "Soul R". No. They named it the "R Soul". Yes really.
They are obviously total morons and should be avoided.
I've got just under 70K hillbilly miles on my 2008 Suzuki SX-4. So far it has been a very good little car. The AWD was a big plus Wednesday night when I climbed our unplowed mile hill with 6" + of snow which was icey underneath weedling around a bus that slid across most of the road in a steep section. They are still around $14,000.
ooh, thanks griff, will look
OK so the AWD drive start at 17,000 but that's still in the ball park and beest really like the AWD idea. we get some slippy days here. No dealers nearby, though...
Ah, they bumped the price 3k since I bought...
My son is a Mazda salesman. Last year he sold me a Mazda 2 for under $14K. Very nice car and surprisingly roomy.
Too bad you're not in PA or he could have hooked you up ;)
I was going to suggest All Wheel Drive, but I didn't know of any hatch-type cars that have it. My Subaru has it and it is stable and self-correcting, even when I deliberately try to hang the back on a corner on a dirt road. If you drive in snow or wet (or dirt) a lot it might be good. I'm not sure how it will work on a hatch - the length of the subi also helps keep it stable, I think.
And that Suzuki looks pretty cool.
The Subaru Impreza comes in a hatchback in the States but costs quite a bit more than the Suzuki. Pete has a 2005 or 6 (?) that she adores with a ton of mileage on it. The 2012 has much better gas mileage so when repairs start outstripping car payments, she may go that way. I'd rather drive my Suzuki in the snow but she'd rather drive her Subaru. I think the Suzuki has a shorter wheelbase but I was a Jeep driver early in life so I'm very comfortable with it.
Make sure you take your hockey gear with you when you test drive to make sure it fits. We can put two fencing bags in the hatch. The rear seats fold down for cargo as well. If I take the front wheel off my mtn bike it fits in the cargo area.
Very tempted by a Subaru with the AWD, two of my work collegues have just bought them. I can get dealer invoice through a work discount, guess I'd better go look at one.
we have enjoyed our Mitz Outlander , 4 doors , lift back , seats fold down for some decent hauling room , high 20s in town and low to mid 30s on the highway ,
but if there had been a Subaru dealer any were close we would prolly gotten a Subaru
We've had the smallest Subaru Outback (AWD) since 1998 and it's been a very good car. It has a few rattles, but that's mostly due to driving off-road, which I think the car is not intended to do.
We use to have a Suzuki SX4 (until our financial situation hit the shitter and we decided to surrender it.) Loved that car. Didn't feel cheap or flimsy. The AWD was awesome in the winter. Husband use to drive it to work every day and it got better mileage than one might expect. The only problem with it we had was that the little spot in the back behind the seats was just about wide enough to fit a 3 ring binder.
We test drove the SX 4 a few years ago, and were very impressed.
Our need for a new car coincides with beest's need to use up his vacation allowance.... test-drive city, here we come......
(we're liking the Subaru recommendations. it does come in manual, right?)
why does it HAVE to be Manual ??
With Subaru outbacks the manual is the only one which comes with low-range option (good for steep hills, bad surfaces etc.) You don't get that with the manual.
You seem to have rejected corollas. Was there a reason?
why does it HAVE to be Manual ??
Because we like to drive manuals. I have a manual windstar if it were possible.
Corollas -any special reason to consider them? priced slightly higher, reviews are so-so. Only Saloon are avaialable here so that would be an issue -do they even do a hatchback any more/over here? The Yaris would be the Toyota offering in the size we are looking at and that is generally poorly reviewed, but I think beest is planning to give one a go....
Corollas -any special reason to consider them? priced slightly higher, reviews are so-so. Only Saloon are avaialable here so that would be an issue -do they even do a hatchback any more/over here? The Yaris would be the Toyota offering in the size we are looking at and that is generally poorly reviewed, but I think beest is planning to give one a go....
In Toyota's infinite wisdom the Yaris is only available in manual in a 3 door, for 5 door you have to have automatic
In Toyota's infinite wisdom the Yaris is only available in manual in a 3 door, for 5 door you have to have automatic
Oh, that was that one? See, that's why we're not into Toyota. And we won't be into Ford when we get to replace the Windstar for similar idiot reasons
why does it HAVE to be Manual ??
Because we like to drive manuals. I have a manual windstar if it were possible.
oh and ^^^ but only a man can post that ;)
Slick i drive a 10 and 12 speed Manual , 40 and 60+Thousand lbs respectively,
so I'll be Hanging on to my Man card Thank you verry Much !!
and yet you asked why.......
because that SERIOUSLY limits your choices of new cars, That is all
Handling, safety, power, control, economy ... but really this:
[ATTACH]35954[/ATTACH]
Now go and do a google image search for "how I feel driving an automatic" with the quote marks. I only got two pics ... have a look at the other one. WTF?
Limited choices is good. There are way too many choices.....
oh and ^^^ but only a man can post that ;)
Heh. No, I like manual transmission too. My CRX was a 5 speed. Loved it.
Manual transmission is superior in every situation except stop and go traffic on the highway. That gets really old after even just a couple of minutes.
Exactly. It wouldn't work well for my current commute.
My wife's Audi A3 has a kind of manual/automatic transmission, which gives you the best features of both.
You know, my car has some setting that you can shift it if you want. I've never used it. Where is the clutch? How does it work? I'd forgotten about it until you posted that.
Our Mits Out lander has that to , they call it Sport shift , the clutch is automatic ,
I Have had to go to manual drop a gear get the engine Revving Way high go up a gear to get out of tight traffic situations befor , my wife Hates it when i do that !!!
But its fun ;)
You know, my car has some setting that you can shift it if you want. I've never used it. Where is the clutch? How does it work? I'd forgotten about it until you posted that.
The Audi uses an S tronic transmission. Here's the description from Wikipedia:
The Direct-Shift Gearbox (German: Direkt-Schalt-Getriebe[1]), commonly abbreviated to DSG,[2][3] is an electronically controlled dual clutch[2] multiple-shaft manual gearbox, in a transaxle design - without a conventional clutch pedal,[4] and with full automatic,[2] or semi-manual control. The first actual Dual Clutch transmissions derived from Porsche in-house development for 962 racing cars in the 1980s.
In simple terms, it is two separate manual gearboxes (and clutches), contained within one housing, and working as one unit.[2][3][5] It was designed by BorgWarner,[4] and was initially licensed to the German automotive industry concern Volkswagen Group (which includes the Volkswagen Passenger Cars, Audi, SEAT, Škoda, Lamborghini, Bentley, Bugatti, Porsche, and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles automotive marques), with support by IAV GmbH.[citation needed] By using two independent clutches,[2][5] a DSG can achieve faster shift times,[2][5] and eliminates the torque converter of a conventional epicyclic automatic transmission.[2]
...
Operational introduction
The internal combustion engine drives two clutch packs.[2][4][5] The outer clutch pack drives gears 1, 3, 5[2][4] (and 7 when fitted), and reverse[2] — the outer clutch pack has a larger diameter compared to the inner clutch, and can therefore handle greater torque loadings. The inner clutch pack drives gears 2, 4, and 6.[2][4] Instead of a standard large dry single-plate clutch, each clutch pack for the six-speed DSG is a collection of four small wet interleaved clutch plates (similar to a motorcycle wet multi-plate clutch). Due to space constraints, the two clutch assemblies are concentric, and the shafts within the gearbox are hollow and also concentric.[5] Because the alternate clutch pack's gear-sets can be pre-selected[2][4][5] (predictive shifts enabled via the 'unused' section of the gearbox), un-powered time while shifting is avoided[2][5] because the transmission of torque is simply switched from one clutch-pack to the other.[2] This means that the DSG takes only about 8 milliseconds to upshift.[3][4] In comparison, the sequential manual transmission (SMT) in the Ferrari F430 Scuderia takes 60 milliseconds to shift,[18] or 150 milliseconds in the Ferrari Enzo.[3] The quoted time for upshifts is the time the wheels are completely non-powered.
These drive by wire cars make me nervous. You don't hear about the acceleration problem in cars any more, but I think it's just because the press moved on to the next scare story. Give me a mechanical connection to the throttle and to the transmission and I'm happier. All this routing the driver inputs through the computer seems unnecessarily complicated. What happens when a neutrino hits one of the critical paths in the processor and the driver's inputs corrupted?
I understand, glatt. I bought a slide rule last year and I'm still trying to figure out how to use it.
OMFG the nissan sales guy was Teh Slime....... :::shudder::: ::::need shower::::
If you decide to look at the Versa, I can be of some small assistance. I've never driven one, but as I recall it does do pretty well when compared to the fit and the yaris. Mortie git a fit, razz got a yaris. Maybe they will chime in.
Drove the Versa and the Fit today. Preferred the Fit. Wing mirrors on Versa are weird, way too small
did you drive the sedan or the hatchback? I just saw the 2012 sedan, and it's a LOT nicer looking than the 11. didn't really notice the mirrors....
Manual transmission is superior in every situation except stop and go traffic on the highway.
I prefer the manual in stop and go traffic. Some behind me do not. Because I do not accelerate quickly, then brake on the bumper of that car in front. And because I am not distracted by e-mail on my cell phone.
All automatic transmissions are trying to do what a manual transmission does better. An automatic transmission computer does not know what the 'human' computer sees and is planning to do. Too often, an automatic starts shifting while I am complaining what took it so long. Automatics tend to shift when it should have already been in that gear seconds ago. But then its computer does not know what I know.
A most common reason for getting stuck in snow is what the automatic transmissions does. What an automatic does makes a stuck wheel even 'stuckier'. A stick makes possible superior control and traction so that snow shoveling is even unnecessary. Again, because the 'human' computer knows more than a transmission's computer.
Many cars now offer the two best transmissions - manual or constantly variable automatic. A fixed gear automatic transmission will probably be obsolete by the next decade.
All this routing the driver inputs through the computer seems unnecessarily complicated.
Your car is already a computer network. The steering computer is not the computer that runs an engine or that controls the electric windows. Yes, even windows are now computerized. Often using a technology pioneered by Intel in the 1970s - CAN bus.
..... And because I am not distracted by e-mail on my cell phone.......
watchin' porn in traffic instead are ya?? :eyebrow:
:D :lol2: just kiddin man!
watchin' porn in traffic instead are ya??
Keep your eyes on the road. What happens five miles up is also available for public viewing on the highway. And you don't even have to pay to watch.
Real life is always better than a script written in LA's Valley.
OMFG the nissan sales guy was Teh Slime....... :::shudder::: ::::need shower::::
Lol, he was a noob, three months on the job, Creative writing major. he was very excited that I had a pen.
He did all the tricks, kept going into the back to 'check with the manager'
it was funny at first but got old.
I'm renting a nissan versa and like it, pros and cons compared to Fit or Fiesta.
gonna be 3K more for a Subaru, and there aren't even any I can look at for 2 weeks and we'd have to order with a 4- 8 week wait, worth it ?
did you drive the sedan or the hatchback? I just saw the 2012 sedan, and it's a LOT nicer looking than the 11. didn't really notice the mirrors....
Sedan -they didn't have a manual hatchback on site. but beest's rental is an auto hatchback.
really really really hate the sales twomp, though
here's a half-ass suggestion. look around when you're out and about. that's what i did. I picked out what i wanted while sitting in traffic or what have you then went to the dealer. granted i wanted brand new but wound up with a great used truck that was the exact color and body style i wanted, albeit a few years old.
doesn't even merit a half-assed rating, but thanks for playing ;)
(1) looks aren't all that important compared to how it drives/fits people and stuff in
(2) who can help from looking at the cars around them when they need/want to buy a car
easy moni. of course no one can help looking around while shopping. hell that's what shopping is all about. point being, looks on the outside usually are just as important as the inside. right? we're not shopping for a soul mate here, just a car. SO look around and get an idea then go to the dealership and look in the car. most companies nowadays cater to the interior. meh....i'm a guy. i find what i want and what i can settle with and get it.
right. me too. just more logically/technologically -we use google and the cellar to find what's "looks" good ;)
Maybe the thread was too long to read all, but we want a tiny manual hatchback. Search already reduced to manageable size :D
yeah i kinda have to spot read to catch up but you get the gist. on looking online? mmmmm i have to go back to my original debate of looking while driving. obviously you want dependability with comfort. ask yourself what looks good? then find out if it's comfortable and meets your criteria. as far as what you want? i have no suggestions. i never have had nor wanted a small hatchback. i'm in texas. texas=truck. imo anyway. now i did have a friend a while back that had a yugo. does that count?
looks good is last on the list of priority.
Then a yugo is perfect. ;)
I'll have a serious reply here in a second, but I was reminded of the Adobe. Too bad I can't find the skit on video. (Well there was a hulu but it took too long to come up.)
This SNL commercial is an excellent example of the genius that was Phil Hartman.
Spokesman (Hartman): These days, everyone's talking about the Hyundai, and the Yugo. Both nice cars, if you've got $3,000 or $4,000 to throw around. But, for those of us whose name doesn't happen to be Rockefeller, finally there's some good news - a car with a sticker price of $179. That's right, $179. The name of the car?
Adobe. The sassy new Mexican import that's made out of clay. German engineering and Mexican know-how helped create the first car to break the $200 barrier. At this price, you might not expect more than reliable transportation - but, brother, you get it! Extra features: like the custom contour seats, or the beverage-gripping dash. And the money you save isn't exactly small change!
Jingle:
"Hey, hey, we're Adobe!
The little car that's made out of clay!
We're gonna save you some money
that you can spend in some other way!
Hey, hey, we're Adobe!
Hey, hey, we're Adobe!
Adobe!"
[ show Adobe driver get into a fender-bender. She casually steps out of the vehicle and uses her hands to mold her bumper back into its proper shape, in under six minutes! ]
Spokesman: Adobe. You can buy a cheaper car. But I wouldn't recommend it!
Announcer: Not approved for street use in some states. No warranty either expressed or implied. All sales final.
OK, I asked my cow orker how she likes her Honda Fit. She really likes it. She said she wishes it had a little more "ooomph" but the sports model would.
She said it's responsive and reliable. She's had it about a year now I guess. Maybe less, she isn't sure how it does on snow but probably like most smaller cars. Mine little car has the anti-lock and the non-skid features (whatever that is) and does OK.
I was going to suggest All Wheel Drive, but I didn't know of any hatch-type cars that have it. My Subaru has it and it is stable and self-correcting, even when I deliberately try to hang the back on a corner on a dirt road. If you drive in snow or wet (or dirt) a lot it might be good. I'm not sure how it will work on a hatch - the length of the subi also helps keep it stable, I think.
And that Suzuki looks pretty cool.
You might be doing it wrong.
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for grins!OK, I asked my cow orker how she likes her Honda Fit. She really likes it. She said she wishes it had a little more "ooomph" but the sports model would.
She said it's responsive and reliable. She's had it about a year now I guess. Maybe less, she isn't sure how it does on snow but probably like most smaller cars. Mine little car has the anti-lock and the non-skid features (whatever that is) and does OK.
True, most of them are 1.6, adequate, but not exciting, Sport model has the same engine, just automatic with paddle shift and a louder music system.
Bet she's not 6'2" though, i tried it again and adjusted the wheel properly, much better, the wheel obscures just the top of the speedo, I'm worried on the highway I'd hunch to see the speed and end with stiff shoulders and neck. Other than that they are great
My ex was 6'2" and thought the leg room on my CRX was amazing (and he was all leg height!)
But it had no back seat.
And my cow orker is about 3'4"...well, maybe 5'2" or something equally shrimpy. ;)
So, I saw a CRX today and thought "that might be an option" and yet seems like you can't get new ones..... :(
Current State of affairs: Fit is rule out because although everything else is perfect, the driver space only scores a 7 for 6'2" beest and it needs to be a 9 or 10 as he will be the everyday driver.
Currently in the running:
Fiesta, but the back seat fold down/luggage space is an issue
Versa, but I'm not enamored -it rates a 7 for me on comfort but I hate the wing mirrors, They are too short and such poor quality there's a weird distortion going on. Beest agrees ..although it took him longer to realise the problem -he just though he hadn't adjusted them properly on his rental)
Subaru Impreza We haven't actually seen this yet and it'll be weeks before we can, but the sugestions here led beest to investigate further and he's impressed and apparently his colleagues feel it's a good choice too.... (he's in the car parts biz, yes, we get discounts on some brands. Subaru is one)
I have learned than American brands have much more useable websites than Asian ones.