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Smart Shopper Used Vehicles Best Values
948 messages, Last post on Aug 11, 2009 at 11:51 AM
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Replying to: lilengineerboy (Jan 16, 2007 4:48 pm) WRX B I like the blue one because its a year newer and has a sunroof, but they both seem to have high mileage for the year. They are also both priced out of the ballpark, so either they have ALOT of flexibility or I can keep looking. Any thoughts?
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Replying to: lilengineerboy (Jan 26, 2007 12:34 pm) I didn't know you were in Ann Arbor. My folks live there and I spent 20+ years growing up there. I'm now in OK (for almost 20 years), but I get back to A2 twice a year. I test drove an 04 WRX wagon when new and really liked just about everything about it. The Subie clutches seem a little finicky to me having driven Honda, Toyota, VW and Mazda (briefly) 5-speeds. I always liked the WRX for the AWD, functional cargo space of the wagon, and what I thought was a kind of stealthy appearance/speed ratio. The stealthy aspect was challenged on my test drive when some high schooler in a truck blew past me and then swerved into my lane hitting the brakes and sending up a cloud of dust and smoke. After the light changed he pulled a burn-out on what remained of his pathetic tires and kicked up another cloud of crap while he and his buddy yucked it up. In the end I didn't buy the car, partly because of the kid, but mostly because of the high insurance costs (I was around 47 years old at the time). I also couldn't bare to part with my 92 MR2, which I have babied. In 04 the WRX Wagon I looked at was selling under invoice and was something like $21500. The dealer was pretty desperate to make a sale because I got a identical quote from another OKC dealership and they wanted to throw in more perks. Somewhere I have the dealer's quote and it may even have been less. Didn't Dunning Toyota take over the Subaru dealership on Jackson Rd.? Have you checked out the Mazdaspeed3. Even at MSRP the sport edition, with more HP and greater torque is only $22.8K, but it's not AWD. I checked some out at the Mazda dealer in Ypsilanti during the Christmas holiday and they are NICE! Those WRXs seem way overpriced to me. Gogiboy
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Replying to: gogiboy (Jan 27, 2007 11:06 am) As it turns out, I went to Dunning (yeah its on Jackson, the old Subie lot is a BHPH) and drove the blue one because the salesdude said the silver one was out on a ride. I came back with the blue one and he told me the kid driving the silver one just wrecked it in a head on collision. I too am worried about the insurance costs from the WRX, but I just cant get myself to buy a '03 Civic like everyone keeps telling me to.
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Replying to: lilengineerboy (Jan 27, 2007 5:16 pm) In 04 I was quoted about $450/6 months. For comparison our 02 Rav4 is $300/6 months. Recently I got quotes for a Civic SI sedan $400/6 months, a Mazdaspeed3 $420/6 months and a VW GTI 4-door (5-door, really) $435/6 months. Interestingly, I also had my insurance agent check an Acura TSX and that was $355/6 months, which really surprised me since it costs anywhere from $3500-$8000 more than any of the other models. The above quotes are from a mainstream insurer with 100/300 comp/coll. My wife and I have no accidents or moving violations, no kids and have each been driving for 30+ years. we also have our house insured with the same company. I'm not sure why the Subie should be the most, but it's not substantially higher than any of the other sporty cars on my short list. The insurance costs are what keep me from pulling the trigger, not the cost of the cars, but then my MR2 and Civic EX only cost me about $400/year for both! Of course, no comp/coll. for either. Was the silver one crashed on a test drive? That can't be good for anyone. Maybe that's why the insurance is so high.  Gogiboy |
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Okay, so a couple of life events later, I am back looking for a car. I think the WRX is still at the top of my wish list but my budget shrank a bit, so I don't know if its still gonna make the cut. I need: 4 or more doors manual transmission ABS < 5 years old (2002 or newer) < 60 k at the absolute max ~$15k (although 12k would be better) *a sunroof would be nice, but that isn't a necssity like the other things are.
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Under 15K... I have an odd choice for you that you might not have considered. Check out a 2003-2004 Mercedes C230 Kompressor* You want the following: - No GPS, No Sunroof, Manual everything if you can get it. - No leather(their leather is actually fake "pleather" at this level. Not unless it's no extra cost. - Manual transmission. - Supercharged 4 cylinder (1.8L) engine. (189HP - more than enough) - Sedan(90% of what you will find like this are the coupes) This combination is reliable and works. Looks sharp as well. The base engine is a slug and the others are problematic. The manual gearbox is the one they use in Europe and is reliable(automatic - yeah, not at all). THe electicals are prone to breaking, so go basic. Even so, it's a very nice little car and surprizingly quick. Gets over 30mpg as well. Note: To you naysayers, I only recommend this EXACT combination. You mileage WILL vary otherwise.
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Replying to: plekto (Apr 15, 2007 10:53 pm) Was this car made after MBZ bought Chrysler?
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Replying to: lilengineerboy (Apr 13, 2007 5:04 pm) For $16k (maybeless) you can get an Impreza 2.5i Wagon. 5-door 5-speed 177 NA Hp Great Milage AWD Full WARRANTY, etc. I priced these out recently in the end of Feb at they were going for $16.5k w/1.9% financing for the 07. You should be able to get em for about $16k or less now. -mike Motorsports and Tuning Host
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Man, I am really picky about spending my money. I WAS looking for a reliable used car and had finally decided on the Santa Fe. Luckily I did not go out and buy a used one yet, because as I can see the gas prices are going to be high this summer and probably forever, lol. I also have read that the claims of gas mileage on these is false, its actually lower. I liked this vehicle because 1. it sits up higher 2. it has great crash test ratings 3. it claimed to have ok gas mileage 4. from what I can tell its reliable. I am used to sitting up higher than a car would now in my current car (the very small geo tracker, which has been very reliable). So going back down into a car is a bit well strange, lol. So I am struggling with myself right now to either purchase a large sedan or stick with my orginal choice. I had narrowed my choices down to a Buick Lasabre, Chevy Impala or the Hyundai Santa Fe (and honestly also had a Toyota Sienna to that list but the newer styles are out of my price range, every older style I have looked at on the lots has either a trillion miles on it or sludge problems). Do I choose the SUV that gets not so great gas mileage, or choose either the buick or chevy that will provide good gas mileage???? Which one would you choose????? |
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Replying to: tkcolorado (Apr 16, 2007 9:30 am) On the Impalas, the OLDER design (pre 2006 MY) does better on gas mileage than the NEW model. On the 2004, we were getting 28 mpg in mixed driving. The new one is struggling around 25 mpg which isn't all that bad for full sized but not as good as expected. Do realize that gas costs are just one part of the equation. I recently switched from a 96/89 Olds Ciera that were averaging 25 mpg to a Toyota Corolla at 32 mpg just to find out that the increase in insurance premiums offsets any gas savings.
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