Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: Chairboy on April 05, 2008, 03:12:36 PM
-
Insurance company confirmed that the car is totaled, so I'm looking for a replacement. I'd like to spend less than $20k, and I'm not interested in buying a newnew car. 2002-2006 is my target range, and I'm looking for:
1. Leather seats
2. Side impact airbags (after what I saw a week ago, yikes)
3. Reasonable maintenance costs/reliability
4. Can fit both kids in the backseat on occasion.
I've been maintaining a list of cars that I'm interested in as I go, here's my results so far:
1. RX-8: I love the engine and suspension, but the backseat is a little small and I'm thinking the insurance might be high.
2. Mercedes C320: Has all the safety features, but mileage isn't super duper. Also, it'd be kind strange to get the type of car that had the fatality in the accident, but that's just an aside.
3. Another Buick Regal: Each day, I lean a little closer to this, but it doesn't seem to have side airbags. It's a known quantity, it saved my bacon last week, etc.
4. Ford Five Hundred: Seems to be a good value, but 1. It's a Ford (haven't had great experiences with it) and 2. It puts me to sleep just looking at it. Eminently practical though.
I'll save the one that's caught my imagination the most for last:
5. VW Jetta TDI: This has been the one I keep going back to because I'm convinced gasoline prices are about to skyrocket. I like the idea of a Diesel because there's the potential to run on a bunch of different fuels, plus it gets 40-50mpg. Building a waste vegetable oil processor in the garage sounds neat too. The downsides, Consumer Reports ranks the Jetta very low in terms of reliability, it's hard to find one w/ the stuff I want (Leather, side airbags, etc) but possible. Just not a big selection. It's not a huge car, but I sat in one at the local biofuel conversion place and it seemed to fit.
As you can see, I'm all over the place. Any other suggestions? Any thoughts on the ones I've listed above?
Thanks!
-
I could see you doing the vegetable oil thing. Do the diesel Jetta; Mercedes makes some diesels too.
-
Don't forget the Bobble Head Jebus!
-
My dad rode on a bus in South America in the 70s that started its life as a schoolbus before moving south and being turned into a cross-country mass transit (w/ chickens and everything). He described it as having a Virgin Mary figure glued to the dashboard with a lightbulb in it that was wired to the brake pedals. Whenever the bus used its brakes (usually when crawling down the narrow single lane dirt roads with sheer cliffs beneath them in the jungles) the statue would illuminate as a signal to start praying.
I've often felt my car was missing something...
-
the jetta and ford are good choices. my mom has a 05 ford 500 with the 6 speed auto and FWD. itll get 30 to 33 mpg cruising at 75 to 80. Massive trunk. very quite. the seats are really comphy too. Downside is that the best 0 60 run i could pull in it was 8 seconds with just me in the car and quarter tank of gas. They are really sturdy and handle well to.
-
Live a little and at least test an RX-8. If you get it, remember it's not you sitting in the back. ;)
-
Thanks, Superpug, sounds like a good pirep on the Five Hundred. If I go practical, I'm more interested in the Regal, but that Ford looks easy to install a computer in w/ the big compartment on the dash. A test drive would, of course, be a big deciding factor.
-
I'd go with either the Jetta or the Ford too.
The Jetta is a damn good car.
-
I would stay the hell away from VW if reliability is a factor. Their parts network is absolute garbage... much of it having to do with outsourcing assembly to Mexico, while many parts come from Germany. Look up the recall and "dealer service initiatives" (or whatever VW calls them) on any car you're considering. A person I know worked for VW customer service and told some of the most horrible car stories I've ever heard.
-Entire runs of engines being built with upside-down piston rings, leading to poor compression and burning oil at rediculous rates. VW had to replace engines when people's oil ran dry on their almost new cars. Engines sometimes replaced with cannibalized ones (see ignition coil story below)
-Defective power window switches. I don't remember the exact problem, but they routinely died and replacement was difficult because of a part shortage.
-The worst, by far, were the ignition coil stories. The cars had 4 of them, and all would go bad within a year. However, VW didn't have enough to replace them, even though they knew they would fail. So people would bring their car in to get the one bad ignition coil replaced, and rather than do all of them the dealers would see the person back 4 times in their first year of owning the car, until all coils were replaced. They just didn't have the parts. Worse, cars that shouldn't have had the bad coils on them mysteriously acquired them after a trip to the dealer for unrelated service. Dealers were cannibalizing good cars to cover the bad ones, and hoping that it would buy them time to get the parts in.
Hell, VW can't even get people who want to open VW dealerships, leading to a very spread out dealer network. Problematic if you want to take your car to a secondary dealership, as many customers did after their ignition coils were cannibalized by their primary dealer.
I wouldn't put a dollar into one of those POS cars. VW relies on the myth and reputation of "german engineering" that rubs off from BMW and Mercedes to keep selling cars to suckers.
-
If you want safe, go with a Volvo. Saab aint bad in that respect either.
Camo
-
Now remember you need to save a little of that money for the VS-9000 HD.
-
Volvo = The natural enemy of the Motorcycle
-
Insurance company confirmed that the car is totaled, so I'm looking for a replacement. I'd like to spend less than $20k, and I'm not interested in buying a newnew car. 2002-2006 is my target range, and I'm looking for:
1. Leather seats
2. Side impact airbags (after what I saw a week ago, yikes)
3. Reasonable maintenance costs/reliability
4. Can fit both kids in the backseat on occasion.
It's so HARD not to recommend Honda Accord (V6).
There's just way too many of them on the streets but this says something - This is THE STANDARD of sedans.
I own the 2003 EX-L sedan. 3-4 year old accords can be had for +/- $20k
This trim comes with everything you mentioned above.
It has 3.0L iVTEC V6. The V6 here just SMOOTH. It can be THRASHED at 6,500 (red line is at 6,800) and feel no vibrations in the cabin. In comparison, I rode on my bro-in-law's Altima V6 and it feels like the altima's engine is gonna fall apart at red line :eek: (just exaggerating, it's really harsh near red line)
Don't mistake this accord as torqueless at low RPMs just because it has iVTEC. Power is good at all RPMs.
It does 21 mpg city / 30 mpg highway.
It does 0-60 in 7.2 seconds with auto, manual (coupe only) in sub 6s.
The drivers seat, interior, and the nice/simple instrumentation (just like my aunt's 1991 accord) is what made me decide to get accord.
-
I'll sit in an Accord. Used to drive one, and it was great, but if I'm getting a lightweight car, I'd kinda like it to be a super mileage car.
-
I wouldn't get a jetta. I've never been impressed by the reliability of those. The same goes with the RX8... It's a nice car but you're gambling with the reliability.
Find a nice used pontiac GTO and be happy :)
Or more seriously, consider an Accord, used if necessary. Get the V6.
If money wasn't an issue, I'd say get a BMW 3 series. A 328 would be nice. a 335 would be awesome. But that's a good 50% over your desired price range, so...
I'd recommend something smaller but I don't think you'd be happy. I have a civic and it's nice, but it's really cramped with a rear-facing child seat in the back.
Consider one of the Mazdas before you buy. They typically handle better (more sporty and responsive) but you suffer a bit in fuel economy.
I simply don't fit into most toyota sedans so I don't even consider them, although I am considering a toyota sienna minivan since it's the only minivan with an all wheel drive option right now.
-
Eagl, all wheel drive minivan for...? The icing D/FW gets in the winter? Rains? Off road muddin' Texas style? Surprising the pimply faced teen in his Civic CRX with a fart can sticking out the back?
-
Eagl why not an extended BMW or Audi?
-
Thanks, Superpug, sounds like a good pirep on the Five Hundred. If I go practical, I'm more interested in the Regal, but that Ford looks easy to install a computer in w/ the big compartment on the dash. A test drive would, of course, be a big deciding factor.
The 500 is a VERY well built automobile. The wife was looking at one and we took one for a test drive. The interior was great except one thing, less hiproom then her old 1997 Taurus. The car is wider, longer and higher than the 1997, but the console is larger.
She ended up getting a Certified Used 2006 Sable for $13,000 (it only had 9,000 miles on it). It was the dealerships loaner (not to mention I've known our Salesman since the 7th grade). What is great about that? The Dealership is a Lincoln/Mercury dealer with the clientèle being well over 40 years of age (meaning not ragged on).
The Regals are nice, I was considering a GS back in 2000.
I currently have this: (this is my car)
(http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c62/Masherbrum/Milan/Milan001.jpg)
The Quality numbers are through the roof on the entire Fusion/Milan/MKZ (formally Zephyr) platform. The majority of the platform is done by Volvo and the FIT and FINISH on my Milan is 2nd to none. I have the 4 cyl and get 30mpg on the freeway. The trunk is ALMOST as large as the 500/Taurus. Superpug1 claims the AWD 500 gets 30+ at 75-80, no way in hell. 25 would be about right in real world conditions.
I'd sincerely recommend you substitute your 500 for the Milan. I have airbags, including the safety curtain. There is room for 5 adults with MORE THAN enough legroom. I live in Michigan, but have been to Portland, Or twice. I am well aware of the "Black ice" you guys get (as our Wedding was in Dec.) and it isn't fun to deal with.
-
Eagl why not an extended BMW or Audi?
don't these cars usually require premium grade fuel?
-
Get a bicycle. Cars are a drain on the environment.
-
Eagl, all wheel drive minivan for...? The icing D/FW gets in the winter? Rains? Off road muddin' Texas style? Surprising the pimply faced teen in his Civic CRX with a fart can sticking out the back?
I like to go skiing sometimes, and AWD really helps. I had to use my elite fighter pilot driving skills a few years back when I took my trans-am to Vail, and the several other times I've driven in the snow have convinced me that AWD just can't be beat for that sort of thing. Also, I don't know where my next assignment will be so I'd be dumb to assume I will always be somewhere warm. I rented an AWD chevy caravan one time when up in Alaska doing simulator training, and it was a very nice feature since the weather was about 10 below zero.
-
Eagl why not an extended BMW or Audi?
Those would be good options for Chairboy, definately. They're safe and good quality. The only consideration is that a used BMW or Audi in his price range might be old enough that they don't have the safety features he wants (side airbags, etc).
-
I've always wanted an Accord V6 based on the reviews Ive read...plus the great comments my friends who own them have shared.
The "problem" is that they keep their value...so buying one used might cost more than you would expect
I have a friend who frequents the auctions, if you like anything the rental fleets have and are not concerned about resale value, you can get some deals there. I got my 04 Dodge Stratus for $9k with less than 10,000 miles on it. I figure I'll drive this thing into the ground, I usually got 5-9 years on my cars.
-
another interesting note is that the Ford 500 is built on a Volvo platform. really safe. Oh and i said the FWD gets 30 to 33, not the AWD. that was on the way up to OU from dallas with 3 people and no luggage. Loaded full of junk itll get 26 to 27 at 74ish.
-
Live a little and at least test an RX-8. If you get it, remember it's not you sitting in the back. ;)
Chairboy, I tried to make 2-door sedans' work for a long time. Finally had to give up. Kids' get bigger, Or you have more, or they get friends, etc. I wouldn't even consider a 2+2, in your situation.
The 500 Looks' like a good choice. Shopping around, you might find a really good deal. I personally don't even consider Minivans' or SUV's, but everyone has their own preference. It made me eventually go with a Charger, Although the Magnum SXT I looked at almost went home with me.
Anyway, sounds' like you've got your work cut out for you. Good Luck :)
-
My dad rode on a bus in South America in the 70s that started its life as a schoolbus before moving south and being turned into a cross-country mass transit (w/ chickens and everything). He described it as having a Virgin Mary figure glued to the dashboard with a lightbulb in it that was wired to the brake pedals. Whenever the bus used its brakes (usually when crawling down the narrow single lane dirt roads with sheer cliffs beneath them in the jungles) the statue would illuminate as a signal to start praying.
I've often felt my car was missing something...
:rofl
-
I'll sit in an Accord. Used to drive one, and it was great, but if I'm getting a lightweight car, I'd kinda like it to be a super mileage car.
The Honda CIVIC is quite economical, and a real fun to drive car. And it gets super ratings on everything from safety, to fuel economy, to reliability. You should be able to get one of them very well equipped for under $20,000
So if you stop by your Honda dealer, do test drive a CIVIC also.
I would eco the concerns expressed earlier on VW quality, now that so many of their models are using so many Mexican made parts and being assembled in Mexico. CIVIC's are still being built in Japan. Diesel fuel is also getting incredibly expensive these days.
(http://automobiles.honda.com/images/2008/civic-sedan/exterior-gallery/gal_lg6.jpg)
The leather interior on them is really nice:
(http://automobiles.honda.com/images/2008/civic-sedan/interior-gallery/gal_lg12.jpg)
The dash is also quite impressive, and very easy to view:
(http://automobiles.honda.com/images/2008/civic-sedan/interior-gallery/gal_lg13.jpg)
-
Insurance company confirmed that the car is totaled, so I'm looking for a replacement. I'd like to spend less than $20k, and I'm not interested in buying a newnew car. 2002-2006 is my target range, and I'm looking for:
1. Leather seats
2. Side impact airbags (after what I saw a week ago, yikes)
3. Reasonable maintenance costs/reliability
4. Can fit both kids in the backseat on occasion.
I did not read your original post in detail, so I did not realize that you were only considering used cars.
The problem with some popular cars like Hondas and Toyotas is that they can be rather hard to find used, as people simply tend to keep them. And they hold their re-sale value so well, that they are not as good a value price-wise.
You could buy a brand new Honda CIVIC for less than $20,000, though. Even a new leather equipped EX model would run about exactly $20,000, after a dealer discount is applied.
Another car to consider would be a Mazda 3, one of the CIVIC's competitors.
-
Mazda have brought an excellent product to the table :) VW's here in Oz don't seem to have the same issues you guys in the US have been having. The new Mazda 6's would also be an excellent choice, though traditionally (at least here in Oz) Mazdas have been expensive to maintain.
-
Mazda have brought an excellent product to the table :) VW's here in Oz don't seem to have the same issues you guys in the US have been having. The new Mazda 6's would also be an excellent choice, though traditionally (at least here in Oz) Mazdas have been expensive to maintain.
Do you VW's say Made in Mexico all over the vehicle's information sheet??
-
I really don't know, but next time one comes in to the workshop I'll be sure to check :aok
-
I must be one of the only people to choose NOT to have leather seats. :eek: I don't like them - never have. They're cold on a winter morning and get hot and sticky in heat. That's especially bad if wearing shorts. I once had an up-market Toyota which had leather seats as standard. I kept that car 6+ years and as it got older, the leather of the driving seat got polished by my @ ss and became slippery. I was forever having to hotch up, putting my elbow on the door armrest. After 6 years of that the surface material split under my weight. :uhoh
Yeah VW coil packs - LOL! I had one of those go on a V6 - lost power on 2 cylinders, but the emergency callout guys had it fixed the next morning before 10am. Still, coil packs would not be an issue on a diesel, if that's what Chairboy is going for.
-
I will never own another Volvo as long as I live. Had an S60 for 7 years and it was the most costly car to maintain I have ever had.
Over and above the normal things you pay for maintaining a car we wpent over $25,000 in maintanance. The troubles were long and many. A transmision which wuold suddenly drop out of gear while accelerating ($6,000 spent to fix, never did fix it) to fuel pumps going out ($2,000 to replace) to electrical problems (bulb replacement of some kind once every two weeks or so).
After complaining and writting letters to Volvo, I got a nice response. "Volvos cost more to maintain than most cars, maybe you should consider getting a Honda." That came from a management type in Customer Relations.
I could not get rid of that car fast enough and will never buy another Volvo again. The sad thing about the whole experience is the Volvo was a nice car in terms of ride, handling, and quiet. It was just a really costly car to maintain due to things breaking every three or four months after warranty expired.
-
Get the Jetta. Nothing wrong with VW realiabilty in my experience. I can't understand why it rates poorly in reliability over there. And if the price of crude goes up it will hurt gasoline more than Diesel.
-
Skuzzy,
I buy and drive old cars at the low end of the market. The 89 Volvo 240 I drive now is the most expensive car I’ve ever owned (out of 50+). I paid $1800 and have been driving it for years. I’ve had the exhaust, steering rack and power steering pump replaced; I don’t think I’ve ever spent over $400 on a single repair and probably not over $1,000 in a single year. A good private mechanic helps; never go to the dealer. I think it has 170K + on it. I’ve got a sturdy roof rack on it and regularly haul boats, lumber and big junk on the roof.
I’ve had several other Volvos. The last two (an 86 240 and an 82 240) cost $850 and $800; I owned each of them for eight years. On one of them I had the head gasket replaced; that was several hundred dollars. The 82 had 350 K on it when I bought it. The biggest repair I ever made on it was replacing the shift linkage; I did that myself.
Volvo has let its quality slide on many newer models; I’ve talked to a number of Volvo mechanics over the year who have very high praise for many models and engines, but claim that most of their work comes from several particular models/years and engines.
Avoid the bad models and their reliability and longevity is only rivaled by Mercedes.
As a brand, their safety can’t be beat. Notice how other brands often compare their safety crash-test results to Volvo’s. I doubt any other brand can claim more now standard safety innovations as Volvo. I believe the vast majority of safety innovations have been due to Volvo, Saab and Mercedes.
-
Mora, my family had both a Passat and Jetta from 2000 to 2004, after than the Passat was sold. I don't know about the Jetta now, but they back then they both had electrical problems. I used to see other VWs around town have the same headlight and break/fog light problems.
-
You want to drive a car forever? Volvo, Benz, Subaru.
Just don't fix every knob and whistle that breaks and they prove really hard to kill.
Bang for the buck Chair? I'd say dance with the one that brung ya.
-
eskimo2, I am glad we did not have to test the crash worthiness of the car. As many times as the car put my Wife in peril, it was a miracle she never got hit. The transmission body was replaced three times. The software was upgraded 4 times. The transimission was completely replaced once. None of these things fixed the problem with it randomly dropping into neutral. To my Wife's credit, she never blew an engine.
On occasion it would drop into neutral, then back into drive. That was rare though. Usually the car had to be stopped and shifted into park, then back into drive to get moving again. Try that on a Dallas freeway (635) sometime, during rush hour.
I am happy you had good luck with your Volvo. The final straw for me was the response from a customer rep for Volvo who basically told me to go buy another car if I could not afford to maintain this one. The three service dealers who touched the car all agreed that Volvos cost a lot of money to maintain.
I took the car to several third party mechanics. None of them wanted to work on that car. Yet they all had BMW's, Mercedes Benz, Volkwasgen, Honda, and one even worked on Alfa-Romeos.
A reputation is worth squat when you are stuck on the side of the road, in the rain, and it is dark. My Wife had to bear that burden three times during the life of that car. That, in my humble opinion, was three times too many in this day and age.
Volvo treated us like crap. I will never own another one and I will go out of my way to share the nightmare that was owning that car. I oculd care less what thier reputation is. For me, thier reputation is one of not caring about the owner or the quality of the vehicle. After all, they are Volvo. Why should they care if they sold me a piece of junk which was completely unsafe and unreliable to drive?
Her Lexus has been a god send for her. I count my blessings we could afford to eat that car. Yes, there is no way I could sell it as I would have left myself open for a law suit when the next owner got into an accident. I sold it to a wrecking yard.
-
They should have their dealership pulled for how they treated you. Car dealers can be a weak link in quality service for any make.
-
The service and the reponses from all three of the local Volvo dealers was the same. Almost like that were reading it from a script.
Anyway, sorry to start this thread on a different path. I'll bow out now Chairboy.
I will say there are a number oof cars which will fit what you are looking for Chairboy. I just do not believe Volvo is one of them, If it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone. Is it worth the risk?
-
This is where I'd be heading:
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/60/BMW_E46_2004_Black.jpg)
Higher maintenance costs but my mate works for BMW Australia and he works on them all day.... He's convinced that they're a solid car. Once I've got a little more out of my Ford I'll be buying something exactly like that.
The resale value on them is surprisingly similar to the Ford XR6/XR8 (Sports version of the standard Australian Ford sedan) and should fall within your budget.
Off the top of my head that BMW meets your safety standards too.
-
Wow, thanks for all the great feedback! We're heading out to the lots today to see some of these cars in person. One other car has been added to the core list, btw, the Buick Lacrosse (it's the Regal replacement). I'll check out the Beamers, with special attention to the 3 and 5 series. Wifey has the Volvo XC90, and I'm not wild about a Volvo for myself just yet after seeing how restrictive it is in some ways for modification, but I'll check out the Sedans. I'll sit in the Five Hundred again too.
Regarding leather seats, I rarely drive naked, so it's always comfortable. ;) It's also easier to clean by far.
I hadn't even thought of the Civic, but I'll try it out.
The VW seems all over the place. I love the idea of the turbo diesel (diesel might be expensive, but the Jetta gets 40-50mpg and can run on vegetable oil w/ a little effort, something that might be useful in the near future, but the reliability concerns are well put.
I'll report back from the trenches, I've gotta get something loaded into the breech so I can pull the trigger when I get the check.
-
The Jetta has a very solid body, suspension, engines and powertrain. The only "weak" part that I know of is the bushings of the semi-rigid rear axle, which last usually from 100 to 150 thousand miles and are easy to replace. If your dealerships are unable to troubleshoot some minor usual problems it might be another story.
-
Any Honda is a good choice. If you want a car you can put enough miles on to go to Pluto & back, very low maintainence costs, almost no problems....Honda.
I used to be a dyed -in-the-wool GM Pontiac man....
ROX
-
I used to have a Vovlo 760GLE with a 350 Chev in it. :D
It's simply amazing what you can do in the NT!
I did test it's crashworthiness one night. An (illegal Vietnamese :O) made a U turn in front of me with an unregistered Ford Econovan. I was doing 80kph and didnt even get to hit the brakes. I turned the van into a banana and punted it 15 feet down the road, this made the 61/2' long bonnet on the 760 a mere 1' long. The windscreen departed the vehicle in slow motion and the car stopped. The first thing I tried to do was start it to move it off the road :lol
The thing that impressed me was that I could actually open the door and get out. From the bonnet or what was left of it back the car was perfect! The Viet guy was OK too, he gave the cops some fake ID and vanished. The ambos' took one look at the car and the van and told me if I'd been in any other vehicle I'd be dead :(
-
Mazda RX8 unreliable? Are you sure? If there's one thing you can say about a Mazda, its the reliability.
-
This is where I'd be heading:
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/60/BMW_E46_2004_Black.jpg)
Higher maintenance costs but my mate works for BMW Australia and he works on them all day.... He's convinced that they're a solid car. Once I've got a little more out of my Ford I'll be buying something exactly like that.
The resale value on them is surprisingly similar to the Ford XR6/XR8 (Sports version of the standard Australian Ford sedan) and should fall within your budget.
Off the top of my head that BMW meets your safety standards too.
You'll never drive another car for under $45k that drives like a BMW, especially cornering. I loved mine and still regret parting with it to this day, but alas, my family got bigger, and so did my hobbies.
Here is a picture on the day I bought it brand new in 2001:
(http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL767/2726312/8668097/124409371.jpg)
And a picture on the day I sold it, 6 years later:
(http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL767/2726312/8668097/129243135.jpg)
-
Rip, if you knew, you could comment on whether the 4WD BMW models were worth it in Chairboy's case :)
-
The kids can ride on the roof.
(http://l.yimg.com/img.autos.yahoo.com/i/articles/new_auto_show_2007_articles/nissan_nismo_350z/nis350_nismo_02_x.jpg)
-
Rip, if you knew, you could comment on whether the 4WD BMW models were worth it in Chairboy's case :)
I'm not sure if there was sarcasm in that post or not, however, the 4WD 3-series is alittle heavier and doesn't corner as well I am told. One can expect 300k miles out of a good M54 BMW engine.
-
Well, had semi-productive weekend looking at cars.
1. Sat in an RX-8, loves it. I held off on test driving until I have the cash in hand, plus fam was waiting in the car. Wife wasn't super enthusiastic about it, but didn't see how much room there is in back. Kinda spendy, but still on the list.
2. Found an inexpensive Lacrosse. It's comfortable, and I could see driving one. It's not super exciting, but it's still a contender. There's another one at a dealership that was closed yesterday (who closes a dealership on Sunday? Isn't that when people buy cars?) that I'll check out.
3. Looked at another Five Hundred. I'm still seeing it, it could work.
4. I've been scouring the papers and webs for a Jetta TDI, and they're very hard to find. I talked with a couple dealerships, and got a consistent message that "everyone wants them" and they're snapped up real quick plus people aren't selling them. The ones I have found have had very high mileage yet still seem to fetch a premium.
5. Not a lot in the BMW arena, most of the ones I've found have been, er, "ridden hard and put away wet". Still looking.
6. Limited selection on the Benz too, and the ones that are available just don't seem to have any "zazz".
A big part of the decision is really picking between a newer mid to low range car versus an older higher end car. If I can get a 2006 Ford for the same price as a 2002 Mercedes Benz w/ similar features, which way to go? Cost of maintenance is an issue. I may have been spoiled with the Buick Regal, the only high cost repair was a busted plastic intake manifold that leaked coolant into the engine (ask GM why they used plastic, I can't figure it out) and that was maybe $700 3 years ago.
Decisions, decisions... I'll be driving up to Portland,OR today to empty out my car and get the mileage. In my mind, I'm convinced that the car only has 80k miles on it, but the oil sticker on the window sez 100k. I didn't leave the keys, so there was no way to check the odo. That 20k miles should help in the total value if I'm not crazy. Insurance company said my rental car expires on Wednesday (apparently, when they total the car instead of repairing, the 'you can rent $500 worth' turns into 'you can rent until you get a check') so I'd better make tracks on the decision.
-
If you pick one of those without at least test driving the Subaru WRX, I'm flying to OR and smacking you up! :D
-
Oh, I loves the WRX. Just can't find one. :D
-
I'm not sure if there was sarcasm in that post or not, however, the 4WD 3-series is alittle heavier and doesn't corner as well I am told. One can expect 300k miles out of a good M54 BMW engine.
No sarcasm.. I thought you'd be one of those that knew most about the 4WD BMWs and could give Chairboy some advice about them.
-
The thing that impressed me was that I could actually open the door and get out. From the bonnet or what was left of it back the car was perfect! The Viet guy was OK too, he gave the cops some fake ID and vanished. The ambos' took one look at the car and the van and told me if I'd been in any other vehicle I'd be dead
I had virtually the same experience SD when I totaled my 75 Volvo (under very similar circumstances).
I'll give the non sexy response.
Get a new Hyundai Sonata. 20 mpg city 30 mpg hwy with a 235 HP V6. One nut got a rental over 150 mph. 0-60 in the 8 range I believe. Loaded with standard features, airbags, ECS and anti lock, mp3 cd player, etc. Can even get heated leather, I bet for under $20k out the door. I'm happy with mine. Very reliable, great warranty.
I drove a Mazda MX3 from 1993 to 2006. If I had to actually drive more during that time (I telecommuted a lot) I would have traded it. A lot of small issues, most nagging being ignition problems. Not a high reliability car but maybe I had a lemon. Otherwise a neat little run about that was fairly unique for a number of years.
I also had a 84 Rabbit GTI that had a strong engine, but virtually all of the plastic parts and trim and fittings stuff choked at one point or another. Drove an Old Jetta TDI in the fall that was neat, but nothing special either way. It also had some fit and finsih issues.
Charon
-
On occasion it would drop into neutral, then back into drive. That was rare though. Usually the car had to be stopped and shifted into park, then back into drive to get moving again. Try that on a Dallas freeway (635) sometime, during rush hour.
I used to work at a Volvo dealership, and this was a common complaint. The repair was to download a software which disconnects the "neural control" feature, which didn't work very well in many cases. So your transmission replacement was totally unnecessary. I don't even recall a transmission ever being replaced, the "valve unit" was sometimes replaced because of rough shifting.
The substandard dealerships are one point against getting an euro car in the US I think.
-
They did multiple software upgrades and the problem never went away. Of course, we had to pay for all those upgrades and parts. Volvo refused to 'warranty' any of the replacement parts. And they do not offer any warranty on software. 3 different dealers all singing the same tune. I spent over $10,000, on the transmission work alone, over the 7 years of ownership.
I had to get a legal form and have it signed by the wrecking yard which was the basic, "this car will be crushed,..blah, blah blah", in order to protect myself from litigation in the case someone tried to drive it or sell it. Never had to do that before. 7 year old car with 125,000 miles on it. Our 10 year old Infiniti I30 had 200,000 miles on it and costs us $635 in repairs. The starter cable had to be replaced and I had the starter replaced at the same time.
I kick my self in the butt for buying that Volvo. I would have been better off keeping the Inifiniti.
-
Went to check out a Lacrosse today, but an employee at the dealership had taken off with it, so I'll see it tomorrow at lunch if I can. My trip to Portland to get my stuff today was canceled by a conflicting Junior League appt wifey had. No worries, I got to talk cars at a dealership with someone who suggested another option similar to the Five Hundred. The Chrysler 300 (gangstalicious) is pretty comfortable, and the sticker mileage is similar to what the Regal had. I'll be reading up on it today, anyone have any experience with it?
-
how about this car? Comes in three different styles.
(http://blogmedia.thenewstribune.com/media/users/crroberts/scaled.DSC01023.JPG)
(http://www.character-cars.com/images/flintstone.jpg)
(http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Gal4/3801-3900/gal3894_Flintstonecar/01.jpg)
ack-ack
-
i would not get a RX8 because. my father has 1 and A. you have to use premium gas. with gas prices these days 3.68 is a little high. also its a radial engine, my father went to leave one day and forgot something in the house. he turned the car off. then when he tried to start it it flooded (radial engines=bad) took him all day to finally get it all out.
I would recomend any 2005-07 v6 mustang. i have one and im 17. the insurence is affordable! and it drives great and the gas is about 20m/p city. Plus it looks nice!!!
-
Insurance company confirmed that the car is totaled, so I'm looking for a replacement. I'd like to spend less than $20k, and I'm not interested in buying a newnew car. 2002-2006 is my target range, and I'm looking for:
1. Leather seats
2. Side impact airbags (after what I saw a week ago, yikes)
3. Reasonable maintenance costs/reliability
4. Can fit both kids in the backseat on occasion.
I've been maintaining a list of cars that I'm interested in as I go, here's my results so far:
1. RX-8: I love the engine and suspension, but the backseat is a little small and I'm thinking the insurance might be high.
2. Mercedes C320: Has all the safety features, but mileage isn't super duper. Also, it'd be kind strange to get the type of car that had the fatality in the accident, but that's just an aside.
3. Another Buick Regal: Each day, I lean a little closer to this, but it doesn't seem to have side airbags. It's a known quantity, it saved my bacon last week, etc.
4. Ford Five Hundred: Seems to be a good value, but 1. It's a Ford (haven't had great experiences with it) and 2. It puts me to sleep just looking at it. Eminently practical though.
I'll save the one that's caught my imagination the most for last:
5. VW Jetta TDI: This has been the one I keep going back to because I'm convinced gasoline prices are about to skyrocket. I like the idea of a Diesel because there's the potential to run on a bunch of different fuels, plus it gets 40-50mpg. Building a waste vegetable oil processor in the garage sounds neat too. The downsides, Consumer Reports ranks the Jetta very low in terms of reliability, it's hard to find one w/ the stuff I want (Leather, side airbags, etc) but possible. Just not a big selection. It's not a huge car, but I sat in one at the local biofuel conversion place and it seemed to fit.
As you can see, I'm all over the place. Any other suggestions? Any thoughts on the ones I've listed above?
Thanks!
check the subaru WRX.....they're pretty quick, have a bit of room, and all wheel drive...and i think they get good mileage too.
or...screww the good mileage and get a mustang(05 or newer..friggin AWSOME looking and fast)
<<S>>
-
DemonSlyr, thanks for the feedback! I'm putting a rotary engine in my plane whenever I get around to finishing it, I'd better be willing to trust it in a car in the meantime. ;)
-
I wouldn't buy one of the new Dodge cars... That retarded gangsta look gives you a huge blind spot on both left and right sides. It's "stylish" in the same way faster and furiouser is a "style", but I personally think it's dumb. I'm not a gangster and think wanna-be gangstas are the biggest weenies on the planet. IMHO :)
-
I wouldn't buy one of the new Dodge cars... That retarded gangsta look gives you a huge blind spot on both left and right sides. It's "stylish" in the same way faster and furiouser is a "style", but I personally think it's dumb. I'm not a gangster and think wanna-be gangstas are the biggest weenies on the planet. IMHO :)
i agree with this..on the dodge 300's...but the charger is pretty hot......and have you seen the new challenger??? just like in the 60's dodge and chevy are copying from fords lead. ford goes to a retro-style for the new mustang(although at 25-30k they're over priced) then dodge and chevy do the same with the challenger and the camaro....i'll stick to my old junk for now.....a 78 fuel injected fairmont futura..it's fun to surprise the kids in hondas, stangs camaros, etc..and most of em don't even know what the hell it is that just hammered em :rofl :aok :rofl
<<S>>
-
The funny thing about the new muscle car aesthetics, is that old rims look better on them than the stock contemporary sets... Modern rims look out of place on them, more than any flaw in the retro aesthetics.
-
The funny thing about the new muscle car aesthetics, is that old rims look better on them than the stock contemporary sets... Modern rims look out of place on them, more than any flaw in the retro aesthetics.
that is covered by them....look at pics of the mustangs or chalengers.....they have older styled wheels too......but you know as well as me that some knitwit will put a gihugic stupid looking set of wheel on one of these soon.
<<S>>
-
i agree with this..on the dodge 300's...but the charger is pretty hot......and have you seen the new challenger??? just like in the 60's dodge and chevy are copying from fords lead. ford goes to a retro-style for the new mustang(although at 25-30k they're over priced) then dodge and chevy do the same with the challenger and the camaro....i'll stick to my old junk for now.....a 78 fuel injected fairmont futura..it's fun to surprise the kids in hondas, stangs camaros, etc..and most of em don't even know what the hell it is that just hammered em :rofl :aok :rofl
<<S>>
60's challenger ehh, I think not.
-
60's challenger ehh, I think not.
sorry/....meant 70's for that one.....i think the charger as their 60's hot rod......
<<S>>
-
Chair,
I have a budy with an RX-8, the first year they came out.
It's an ok car but he never gets better then 18 MPG.
He also had to have it towed once to the dealer to have the plugs pulled due to oil in the chambers....
What they told him is never start it and shut it down without it running atleast 5 minutes or the oil gathering in the motor can cause it to not start.
They prolly fixed this on the newer models.
-
ford goes to a retro-style for the new mustang(although at 25-30k they're over priced)
You can get a new Mustang for just a tick over 20k.
-
You can get a new Mustang for just a tick over 20k.
i think that's a 3.8L 6 cylinder........
how much for a V8 5spd trans, with all the go fast goodies? i think a nicely equipped gt goes for around 34k in this area
<<S>>
-
I test drove a Chrysler 300 today, and the visibility was surprisingly good with one exception: The ceiling extends a bit further forward than I like, so if I'm the first car at a light, I need to lean forward to see it. This isn't a huge deal, I could always install a periscope attachment of some sort. "One ping only," I'd tell the person in the passenger seat.
Here's the specific car:
(http://hallert.net/images/chrysler300.jpg)
http://tinyurl.com/4l69ea
Tomorrow I'll go see that Buick Lacrosse, and there's a local dealership getting a Ford Five Hundred in w/ the options I want that I'll check out and test drive. They're the same folks w/ the 300.
Today I spent 7 hours on the road, btw. I drove up to Portland to get my stuff out of my car. The folks there were nice, they stayed open late for me (I left at 2PM for a 2 hour drive (why do I hear the theme to Gilligan's Island?) but there was a bad wreck on the 205 that added an hour to my trip). I gutted the car of my personal effects as best I could. I probably left something like $100 in computer cables behind because they were threaded under the carpet. Installing a new carputer will be an experience for sure. My Dell Axim PDA that I use for charts and GPS while flying seems to have gone missing. :(
BTW, don't know if I mentioned it, but the Chrysler 300 is built on the Mercedes E-series chassis. So a phantom Benz is fighting it out with a phantom Volvo (the Ford 500), go figure.
I really appreciate all the feedback, btw. The RX-8 seems unavailable, as does the Jetta TDI, so they're basically off the list.
-
Bought a car! I test drove the Ford Five Hundred and passed on it, it was kinda rattly and cheap feeling. It reminded me of the Ford Taurus, in handling and cabin feel. Also, the highway noise was pretty loud.
We test drove a 2002 Lexus GS300 (what is it w/ the # 300?) and it was fantastic, but priced a little above what we wanted to spend plus 4-5 years older.
Finally, we went back to the place w/ the 2007 Chrysler 300 and test drove it a second time. Everything clicked, and I decided to get it. Wife bargained them down the same way she bargained the insurance up, and we got it for a good price.
I've joined 300cforumz.com and have seen a lot of interesting mods, tasteful and... not as tasteful. I'll be installing a 5' tall spoiler, some hypnorims (to mesmerize the ladies), some pina colada dispensers in the trunk, and a big 18" tall '2 Wycked' vinyl decal along the side. :D
Thanks again everyone for your help, I got some great feedback on what to look for and it really helped me focus on what I wanted. In one word: A boat.
-
What trim line did you get? Which engine?
Of course the 500 felt like a taurus... It is the taurus, and they're changing the name back for either this or the next year model.
-
BTW, don't know if I mentioned it, but the Chrysler 300 is built on the Mercedes E-series chassis.
Actually it has the S-series front suspension and the E-series rear suspension. A reliable platform in any case.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler_LX_platform
-
Screw it. this car deserves it own thread
Look for the worlds fastest street legal car
-
Ah! Sorry, there's a tiny difference between the different 300s, heh. I got a pretty basic package, the 300 Touring. It has the 3.5 250hp 6 cylinder, which isn't a speed demon, but also doesn't blow gas out the back like a Tomcat on afterburners. It's the same one I pic'cd earlier, see it here:
(http://hallert.net/images/chrysler300.jpg)
It's got leather interior, 45k miles (it was a leased car), and is really clean.
-
On Monday my father-in-law traded in his old 93 POS Lincoln Towncar and bought a 02 Honda Odyssey with 76 K on it. The rear seat folds into the floor and the middle seats fold forward against the front seats; this makes a huge cargo area in seconds. We needed a seven passenger vehicle for our seven person household; my old Aerostar also was rusting apart.
(http://hallbuzz.com/images/2008/apr/odyssey.jpg)