New car shopping - What to get?

6BangBronk

6BangBronk

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2005
Location
Durham
I'm in the market to buy a new car and was wondering what the favorites were. I haven't done much research but the Honey wants a Mitsubishi Eclipse. I guess that probably answers everything but since the funds will be in my name, there is still a choice and I'd like to see everything before jumping. Here's the deciding factors in order.
1. MPG
2. Long lasting - and even Crash Test
3. 2-Door (no kids)
4. Price (lower end) No BMW's or Lexus for me...

Any recommendations on what to go look at? Probably looking for a good deal on a 2008 even though the dealerships will probably put me in a 2009 with not much persuasiveness...
 
Toyota Solara? 2008 is the last year so you may find a good price on one still on the lot. The Eclipse has been a good car for us (multi-franchised dealer) but they don't seem to hold resale as well as the Toyotas. Just my .02.
Richard
 
Recommendation would be to not buy a new car.

Financially it will never make sense, especially if you say you are looking lower end price. Why not buy a bunch more vehicle that is 1 to 2 years old for the same money?

Im not answering you question, just hopinbg to make you think. For MOST people a new car is the worst financial decision they could possibly make
 
I agree w/k5. New vehicle depreciation is like 10% as soon as you sign the dotted line. As far as mpg goes, do you know how much gas you can buy with the 7-8k you save?
 
Totally agree. I had new car fever in 1994. Paid it off and then turned around and sold it for a fraction just cause my warrenty ran out. But don't cars have an automatic destruction mode built in days after the warrenty expires?
I guess alot of influence is who'll be driving it. She's going to be making the payments as well. She just needs a name and credit score to sign so she don't have to have $2,000 down.

Yes, I will definately consider!!! And will be looking!
 
yeah what k-5 said,the wife wants a new JK,i want to wait till next year and get a low mileage 08 and save 5-7k,i bought my 02 tj in 03 with 9k miles on it and got it for 17,500.i had went the nite before and looked at 03's for 25-27k
 
2 year old car!

My father-in-law just bought a Saturn Astra for his in-town car.. REALLY nice seats, tight suspension, pretty quick so he says, definitely different and kinda "sporty" looking, and still will pull down 30mpg..
 
Rich, I was looking at that today. But your F-I-L was lucky to find a used one. There's not one in any Craigslist nor Ebay within 500 miles to be found. Looked like best bang for buck for a new car though!
 
Take it from a recent Eclipse owner...... NO WAY !!!! After the re-sale debacle and the mechanical issues never again. Scion TC all the way.
 
We got my daughter a 2001 Eclipse with 150k on the clock. So far, the only thing that has gone wrong with it is the radiator cracks (plastic top), other than that, it's a fine running little thing.

As for new cars, I'd either wait until the new VW diesels come out or look at a Smart car.
 
buy a used V6 2-door accord, they offered a 6speed manual in 2007.. can be picked up for under 20K from the right place
 
Look up the Scion xB (well you don't like 4 doors but hey they are a funky 4 door) We get 30mpg around town and best every was 38 mpg from greensboro to myrtle

Scion is rebadged Toyota, costs 16k NEW and used ones are a pretty good bargain. (The xC is the couple I think, pretty sporty but bigger engine tanks the mpg)

As mentioned, from a purely financial perspective, at most, buy something 2-3 years old. I did buy mine new, Scion has no haggle pricing, but I plan on driving it 10+ years or more, maybe 20+.

Keep driving what you have, put $500 a month in the savings account for the next 5-6 years....Assuming you guys are lower 20s right now. If you do this and invest in SP500ish mutual fund:

At the end of those 5 years you should have 38k in that mutual fund. Leave it alone and...

Age 40 it is worth 132k
Age 50 it is worth 378k
Age 60 it is worth 900k
Age 67 it is worth 1.7 MILLION...

That is a 5 year car pmt x $500 a month OR you could be a millionaire when you retire... OR you could sell the car in year 5 for say 5k...
 
We've been looking at a 2008 Hyundai Sonata. Great rep and great warranty. We had heard a lot of good things from friends about them and they are about $5000 to $6000 less than Toyota and Honda.
 
6BangBronk said:
Totally agree. I had new car fever in 1994. Paid it off and then turned around and sold it for a fraction just cause my warrenty ran out. But don't cars have an automatic destruction mode built in days after the warrenty expires?
I guess alot of influence is who'll be driving it. She's going to be making the payments as well. She just needs a name and credit score to sign so she don't have to have $2,000 down.
Yes, I will definately consider!!! And will be looking!
Click to expand...


Im going waaaay off topic, again here.
I just see a string of my past mistakes coming from your posts.
*SHE*...is she your wife?
If not do not, no way no shape no form co sign or get a loan in your name for her car.
There are dozens of horrible things that can go wrong on that deal; and not a single good one.

My old country grandpa gave me the best advice ever one time I asked him to cosign on a 2,000 loan (I was real young and in a bind) he said, "Boy them banks have the biggest building in every town. Their sole product they sale is credit. If they think you are such a risk they will not sell you their product at any cost, why in God's creation would me on my lil ole farm think I was smarter than them and say you are more dependable? I love ya, here is 2,000 its a gift I dont want it back. That way we can avoid the whole hard feeling later."

What I am saying, is if you sign a note for her be fully emotionally prepared to pay for a car 100% that you never see or drive.

if you are married then none of this matters joint property state and all...but thats not what I am smelling here.

Edit: I paid him back of course years later and many times over.
 
I'm going to have to disagree with the "slightly used" car mentality, unfortunately. It seems trends are changing. Anything that gets good MPG, especially if it's sporty, seems to be commanding near-new prices, plus you're dealing with an unknown history. Two years ago, I would have thought the same thing, but after shopping for another car for the wife to commute in this year, we had a very difficult time finding anything that fit our bill for what I considered a reasonable price! We ended up with an 08 Xb 5-speed, and love it. It's really a nice car. They sacrificed a little MPG for power by implanting the Camry 2.4l VVTi motor, but it still pulls about 32 on the hwy and 26 or so in town. Respectable, considering the interior space it gained.

I'll tell you, with no shame in my voice, that we almost bought a Kia! The Spectra 5 was all that we wanted in a car. Comfortable, zippy, handled pretty fantastically, and a ton of room and features. It even seemed to be put together well on the inside. The materials and fit&finish seemed on par with or better than comprable entry-level cars. I also loved the feel of the Rio5, although we didn't drive it. It was a little too small, luggage-wise, for what we needed. However, I'm 6'5", and felt very comfortable behind the wheel. If I needed a commuter, I wouldn't think twice about the Rio. The reason we didn't go Kia is because they couldn't find the car we wanted, and we got kind of a sleazy feeling from the dealership.
 
Scored an '08 Focus new for little over $11,000.....knocks down 35 consistantly.
 
I second the scion XB. The wife got a 08 model in Dec and absolutley loves it. Tons of room, loaded, lifetime drivetrain warranty and gets 30+ mpg constistanly. Not to mention cool to drive :driver:
 
Buy American, It might save your job from going oversees
 
junkman said:
Buy American, It might save your job from going oversees
Click to expand...


what is American?

Yota and Nissan build more vehicle here than Ford or GM

Not to mention BMW...
 
junkman said:
And where does all the money go ,back overseas.
Click to expand...

And where do the corporate taxes as well as they personal income taxes of the workers go?:shaking:
 
Nosy bastards!:flipoff2::beer:
I should have mentioned - Fiance. Soul mate but nothing official besides her demanding for a $93 Walmart engagement ring she's picked out when I gave her the open-wallet option. My last one cost me a little more than 5 grand so she's worth $4,907.00 from the get-go.:flipoff2:
She is driving a 2006 Toyota Corolla right now but has a bad taste for Toyotas cause the Scion was my first pick. It's been taken into service for many problems since just last year. It was bought before the lifetime warrenty was an option and the warrenty is nearing!The tires BARELY passed inspection 2 weeks ago so we're shopping. It's in her X's name and the last thing left that connects her to him.
She says the G5 is an option? I just know I have more projects going on than I will ever finish and don't need another one. I would appreciate a car with a warrenty and even a few free services. But have also considered the gamble of a used car. She had a Grand Prix once and has a spot for them if we decide used.
 
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