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Help Me Choose!

3289 messages,  Last post on May 23, 2013 at 11:06 AM

You are in the Sedans Forum.

What is this discussion about? Chevrolet Malibu, Nissan Maxima, Mazda MAZDA3, Nissan Altima, Honda Accord, Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, Lexus IS 250, Acura TSX, Car Comparisons, Sedan

Messages Page 273 of 330

#2712 of 3289 Re: First time buyer--opinions [newcargirl5000] by plekto

Jul 16, 2012 (1:07 am)

Replying to: newcargirl5000 (Jul 12, 2012 10:44 am)
You really need to get a CPO or slightly used car. The economy is tight, and it's simply bad economics to not let someone else eat the initial 40-50% depreciation.
 
To make the point, for $20K, you can get a 3-4 year old Cadillac CTS. Or a 3-4 year old C class. Let alone a used Accord for $15K, or my favorite, older GM cars for 12K. Sometimes two years old.
 
You drive so little that you really should get a larger mid to full size upper-end car if you can. After all, a used Camry is always going to be a better car than a brand new Yaris. Not only in safety and features, but also reliability, as everything is just built better. CPO is of course, preferred, as you get a warranty and some peace of mind.
 
If you absolutely have to have a new car, there is one that is a great deal, is $20K , and gets great MPG. The new Ford Mustang. It drives great, gets 30mpg highway, and with year-end incentives (wait 8-9 weeks), 20K for a base model is quite easy to accomplish.
 
Note - I went to Cars Direct and selected:
- 2013, a normal color (dark blue looks great)
- the option package with the fog lights, poser seats, and tech upgrades
- limited slip diff.
(did not select the 19" tires as it just makes the car ride like a rock)
$23,837 including a $795 delivery charge. By the end of the year, $20K will easily be possible with some haggling.

#2713 of 3289 Re: First time buyer--opinions [plekto] by newcargirl5000

Jul 16, 2012 (8:54 am)

Replying to: plekto (Jul 16, 2012 1:07 am)
Thanks for all the tips, you guys! And plekto, I actually don't like sedans. I want a hatchback. CPOs for the hatch's I'm looking at aren't super low/worth having less time on the warranty.
 
I actually had a long conversation last night with my cousin who's owned a Subaru for 16 years and it's still going strong. She was raving about it (as did my neighbor who has the Impreza.) The Impreza is starting to look like a front-runner for me (love the idea of AWD--while I don't drive in the snow that often, things might change in a few years--I have a small cottage in the woods and it's completely inaccessible in the winter without either AWD or 4WD.) Can't wait to start test-driving!

#2714 of 3289 Re: First time buyer--opinions [newcargirl5000] by backy

Jul 16, 2012 (11:11 am)

Replying to: newcargirl5000 (Jul 16, 2012 8:54 am)
Another plus on the Impreza is that visibility is good compared to several other cars in this class.

#2715 of 3289 2006 GS 300 vs. 2007-2008 IS 250 by natedouglas34

Aug 03, 2012 (6:58 am)

I'm looking at getting a either a 2006 GS 300 or 2007 or 2008 IS 250 Nav., both CPO. Which car is going to hold it's value better, cheaper to maintain down the road, and will have less mechanical problems after 100,000 miles? Thanks, having a hard time deciding!

#2716 of 3289 Re: 2006 GS 300 vs. 2007-2008 IS 250 [natedouglas34] by mr_gone

Aug 03, 2012 (7:33 am)

Replying to: natedouglas34 (Aug 03, 2012 6:58 am)
Hard to predict cost of ownership differences between the two, given that they're both Lexus products and fairly similar in underlying mechanics. The IS is essentially a trimmed-down GS. I'd dig pretty deep through consumer discussions on these two vehicles and see if there's anything that influences your decision one way or the other. A quick look on Edmunds shows a lot of unhappy IS owners in recent reports compared to GS owners, but that make be a fluke.
 
Seems to me that the IS is kind of a fake BMW 3-series, in that it doesn't have much of a sporty character despite its packaging. In the long run, I would guess that would hurt its resale value more than the GS, which doesn't pretend to be anything but a luxury car.

#2717 of 3289 RE: 2006 GS 300 vs. 2007-2008 IS 250 by natedouglas34

Aug 03, 2012 (9:53 am)

Thanks, anyone else have knowledge on this issue? I like that the GS is bigger, but the 2006 would have less tech than the 2007/2008 IS with nav.

#2718 of 3289 RE: 2006 GS 300 vs. 2007-2008 IS 250 [natedouglas34] by plekto

Aug 05, 2012 (2:32 am)

Replying to: natedouglas34 (Aug 03, 2012 9:53 am)
I'd actually look at other cars, because if you are looking at something used, you'll be wanting to find something that suffers as much depreciation as possible so that the first owner eats most of the car' value. It's a bit mercenary to view it this way, but it's just how it works in finance.
 
Lexus depreciates too slowly at first - mostly driven by dealer greed. But once they get to about 6-7 years old, the value drops sharply.(CPO isn't an option that old, so everything is priced off of base/auction price, pretty much)
 
I'd personally recommend something from Mercedes if you want luxury, or something like a 2008 CTS. You can get a better quality car a couple of years newer for about the same money. Also, the Cadillac is significantly more sporty than the Lexus, and better equipped as well. (it should be, considering what it originally cost).

#2719 of 3289 Looking to buy a car from 87 to 02 by kingtyger

Aug 06, 2012 (3:02 pm)

I am looking for a used car from the years 1987 to 2002, My price range is from 1,000 to 3,000, I like 2 Door cars that look sporty, my favorite cars in these category are Integra, Paseo, Sunbird, but my favorite car of all time is Eclipse 1990(found one at a decent price of 2,000, you guys/gals think it's a decent price? The only bad part is the paint is a bit faded but that can be fix later on I suppose), So if you could recommend me any cars in that price range and as cool looking and sounding of the Eclipse 1990(also, it has to be automatic and fuel respectable), please let me know, thanks
 
 Also on a side note, let it be clear, I don't know anything about cars, I just like a few, drove a few and the few I drove I loved, so if it ain't to much trouble, it be nice if you could tell me if the Eclipse '90 decent enough to maintain, I know its not new so it will have its trouble shots. Thanks again.

#2720 of 3289 Re: Looking to buy a car from 87 to 02 [kingtyger] by mr_gone

Aug 06, 2012 (4:57 pm)

Replying to: kingtyger (Aug 06, 2012 3:02 pm)
Danger! Danger! The combination of not knowing anything about cars and trying to find one priced between $1,000 and $3,000 is one that can lead to some serious regret later on. The Eclipse may be fine, but it may need a lot more than paint -- and you can't tell unless you've had a mechanic do a thorough inspection. So if you pay $2,000 and face $3,000 in repairs, you're suddenly way beyond your budget. The Integra and Paseo I would guess to be more reliable than the Sunbird or Eclipse, but none of these are guaranteed to be anything close to trouble-free when they're all obviously old and at the end of their lives.
 
More important than the car is the seller in your case. If you can find someone who is honest and straightforward and can give you a good idea of what might need fixing soon and what has been replaced, buy it. Otherwise, keep looking. Probably a private seller who is a friend or family member is your best bet. Good luck!

#2721 of 3289 Re: First time buyer--opinions [newcargirl5000] by mr_gone

Aug 06, 2012 (5:08 pm)

Replying to: newcargirl5000 (Jul 16, 2012 8:54 am)
The new Impreza is much improved for fuel economy vs the old ones. So I'd eliminate that as a reason to skip it.
 
Surprised no one has mentioned the Honda Fit? You can get a very nice one for your price and have both a fun car and one with a lot of carrying capacity thanks to the clever way its seats fold down in the back.

Messages Page 273 of 330

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