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Help Me Choose!

3274 messages,  Last post on May 18, 2013 at 3:48 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 307 of 328

#3059 of 3274 Re: Luxury Sedan help!!! [zeikman138] by sebring95

Feb 09, 2013 (7:01 am)

Replying to: zeikman138 (Feb 08, 2013 2:00 pm)
I wouldn't touch any of those cars you've listed...they're not reliable or durable....fashionable is subjective! I'm not sure what your goal is here....if you're trying to impress someone...a 12 year old luxury vehicle is not going to do it. If you just want something that has a lot of features and drives very good...along with your "reliable, durable, and fashionable" requirement there are a few others I would consider.
 
2002 Acura RL
2002 Toyota Avalon
Lexus GS300 (might have to go older than 2001 to make your budget)
2004 Nissan Maxima
2005 Buick LaCrosse (honestly don't know much about them but worth a look)
 
Is a Lincoln Towncar on the possible list? I ask because it doesn't seem less-fashionable than a Deville....and is far more reliable particularly if you find a basic model with less electronic gizmos.
 
Ok now...if none of that interests you here's a wild-card: 2003 Oldsmobile Aurora. Certainly different and seems no less fashionable than your previous selections. From what I can see they generally have good reliability reports and were considered one of the best sedans on the road (at the time). If nothing else even if the reliability was as bad as the three you originally listed....the cost to repair won't be as high.
 
Good luck!

#3060 of 3274 Re: Luxury Sedan help!!! [zeikman138] by benjaminh

Feb 09, 2013 (3:52 pm)

Replying to: zeikman138 (Feb 08, 2013 2:00 pm)
boomcheck and others are right about the poor reliability of the cars you mention.
 
You may not like my 2 cents, but....
 
30 years ago I was a college student, and for many years I went through one old unreliable car after another as I went through college, grad school, and then got my first job.
 
In retrospect I would have saved a lot of time, headaches, and frustration, and quite a bit of money too, if I'd just gotten a good new car to start with and stuck with it.
 
I'm a Honda man myself, and so I personally would see if you could get into a new Civic or Fit.
 
But what about this—VW is offering 0% financing with no money down for 66 months on most of its models. The question is would your credit rating qualify. Possibly not. But VWs also give you free maintenance for 3 years.
 
If you buy a ten year old car, imho, in a few years you are going to be crying uncle because of the huge repair bills, and then you'll probably have to start all over again looking for another car.
 
If you can somehow swing new you might be happier in the long run. Cars today are significantly safer, have better performance and mpg, and are generally more reliable than cars from 10 years ago even when those 10 year old cars were new. And now that they've had who knows what abuse for that time.....

#3061 of 3274 Re: Luxury Sedan help!!! [benjaminh] by backy

Feb 09, 2013 (4:29 pm)

Replying to: benjaminh (Feb 09, 2013 3:52 pm)
For someone trying to save some money, I think a better idea would be a gently USED Civic or Fit... especially since the Fit hasn't changed in several years and the previous-generation Civic is in many ways better than the current car.
 
But they are hardly luxury cars. But here's another idea... for not much more than the OP can pay up front, one could get a 3-year lease on a pretty nice car... maybe not "luxury", but very close to it. Some ideas there are the Passat, Sonata, Optima, and maybe others depending on lease rates. And "auto show" time (now) is a good time to lease or buy a new car, usually lowest prices of the year except maybe November. Very little money up front, and almost no costs during the 3 years except monthly payment, gas, insurance, and basic maintenance.

#3062 of 3274 Re: Luxury Sedan help!!! [backy] by benjaminh

Feb 09, 2013 (5:47 pm)

Replying to: backy (Feb 09, 2013 4:29 pm)
backy has good advice.
 
The only thing against getting a recent Civic or Fit is that they hold their value so well in the first few years that you almost might as well get a new one.
 
Leasing might be a good idea, particularly if you don't want to get stuck with a car for a long time.
 
3 year lease on a 2013 Accord is available for $239/mo with 2300 down, or $300 a month with 0 down. It's not like you save by putting money down (they are both almost exactly the same $ in the end), and so it seems to me the $300 might be better.
 
You say you wanted a luxury car? Well, I bet a 2013 Honda Accord actually offers as much or even more than most luxury cars from 10 years ago. For instance, you get integrated bluetooth, text msg display and reading, backup camera, alloy wheels, 0-60 in 7.7 seconds, which is as fast as a 6 cylinder from 10 years ago, dual climate control, etc.—all standard. And an Accord will save you at least $500 a year in gas compared to a lux car from 10 years ago. Again, there's a question about if you would qualify. Don't know about that.
 
http://automobiles.honda.com/accord-sedan/
 
If, in a few years, after you've graduated and are making a good income and want a true luxe car, just turn it in and buy a BMW or Lincoln whatever.....
 
Similar lease deals, or even cheaper, can be had on Optima, Sonata, Passat, etc.

#3063 of 3274 leases by benjaminh

Feb 09, 2013 (6:07 pm)

VW Passat: 209/mo with 2k down:
 
http://www.vw.com/en.html
 
Sonata: 199 with 2k down
 
https://www.hyundaiusa.com/financial-tools/special-offers.aspx
 
KIA Optima: 199 with 2.4k down
 
http://www.kia.com/#/optima/offers

#3064 of 3274 Re: leases [benjaminh] by backy

Feb 09, 2013 (6:38 pm)

Replying to: benjaminh (Feb 09, 2013 6:07 pm)
As always, it's possible to get a negotiated lease less than advertised prices. Low $200s with 0 out of pocket (maybe first payment) is possible on the Sonata GLS, for example. Probably on the Optima and Passat also. Accord... probably not.

#3065 of 3274 Shopping for something sporty... by zodiac7276

Feb 10, 2013 (9:06 pm)

Finally it is time to sell the hand me down pontiac! I'm looking for a sporty 2 door with some trunk space for hauling stuff to and from college (not tons of trunk space, just not a tiny trunk) My budget is around $7500. Currently I'm looking at base Chrysler Crossfires, and GT Eclipses. I want a manual, and please no Mustangs. Thanks.

#3066 of 3274 Re: Shopping for something sporty... [zodiac7276] by tifighter

Feb 10, 2013 (9:52 pm)

Replying to: zodiac7276 (Feb 10, 2013 9:06 pm)
All I know is I'd want nothing to do with a $7500 Crossfire...

#3067 of 3274 Re: Shopping for something sporty... [zodiac7276] by boomchek

Feb 11, 2013 (1:51 am)

Replying to: zodiac7276 (Feb 10, 2013 9:06 pm)
Few cars that come to mind immediately:
 
-Acura RSX base or Type S: they should be easily in this price range.
-Honda Civic Coupes 2006 and up: fun to drive, easy on gas, well equipped.
-Honda Accord coupes, 2003 and up: good trucnk space, you can find them with stick or auto, 4 cyl or V6, should be lot of them around. 4 cyl versions use timing chains not belts so less maintenance to worry about.
-BMW 3 series coupes, 99 and up: might be high mileage for under $7500 and more expensive to maintain than imports but very sporty and fun to drive.
 
These would be my choices.

#3068 of 3274 Re: Shopping for something sporty... [zodiac7276] by qbrozen

Feb 11, 2013 (6:44 am)

Replying to: zodiac7276 (Feb 10, 2013 9:06 pm)
I'm pretty sure the crossfire would qualify as having a tiny trunk.
 
For a college kid, I'd stay away from anything oddball or complicated.
 
A 325 coupe wouldn't be the worst idea, but I'd only consider it if you know of a good indy mechanic near your school that specializes in them.
 
Otherwise, stick with the more commonplace and notoriously reliable vehicles, such as the aforementioned Civic/Accord/RSX. Maybe a Celica, although I don't know how the trunk is in that.

Messages Page 307 of 328

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