Any advice on a new car?

wormdiet · Post by **wormdiet** » Sat Nov 20, 2004 6:58 pm

So I woke up thursday morning, went through my morning routine, walked outside to drive to school (I'm a high school teacher) and my car is. .. .gone! Vanished. Apparently stolen.

It was a '95 Honda Civic with some cosmetic "imperfections." If it is not located within 30 days, the insurance company will give me the bluebook value. (COnservatively, $1-1.5k)

If you had a new public school teachers' salary and needed a new car, what would you buy?

apollo11 · Post by **apollo11** » Sun Nov 21, 2004 5:45 am

We just bought a VW Passat for my wife. We went with the V6 4motion package, which has all-wheel drive; it will be fun to see how it works in a Western New York winter. It is a beautiful car all around, and loaded with features.

After looking at many different brands and models, we both took to the Passat. My wife, coming from a 95 Lincoln Continental, loves the new car. Considering what she had, that is good testiment.

Andrew

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Sun Nov 21, 2004 3:52 pm

If you do a lot of gigging how about a Dodge Magnum? Less than 30 grand, hemi V8 and gets about 30 Mpg on the highway.

cheyenne · Post by **cheyenne** » Sun Nov 21, 2004 4:20 pm

We're looking at a Honda Element. Kinda boxy looking, but as far as fuel economy and user friendly roomy features,(hauling equipment 100+ miles a night on weekends), it seems to be a logical vehicle for me.

I would really like to have a Dodge Magnum though. I love the powerful retro look.

incubus2432 · Post by **incubus2432** » Sun Nov 21, 2004 6:05 pm

I'm a policeman so we're not far off on salary I suppose. I bought a new car in the spring and was looking at Dodge Magnums, Suburu WRX's and VW Passats (wagons). I ended up getting a VW R32 and couldn't be happier. Plenty of power (250 HP) all wheel drive, nice interior, good mileage and plenty of room for my gear. If you have kids or a practical minded
wife check out a Passat Wagon with the VR6 and 4 Motion.....should still be peppy with plenty of room for your stuff. I liked the Magnum but was sold on the VW interior/overall quality and dislike rear wheel drive in the winter. If you live in a warmer area you can disregard the need for 4 motion and just get a new Mustang GT

wormdiet · Post by **wormdiet** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 3:17 pm

I was seriously looking at a Jetta Diesel - just as good mileage as a hybrid w/more creature comforts than the Honda, and I wouldn;t have to wait a Rickenbacker-like length for one (Unlike the Toyota hybrid). Unfortunately, though, all the reliability ratings I;ve found have panned VW.

Honda is currently in the lead, followed by perhaps a Toyota matrix.

What's an "R32" ??

My priorities in a car are:

1) Reliability
2) Gas mileage
3) Looks
. . .
20) Power

Sportiness has never been a real goal for me.

INterestingly, European cars have pretty much fallen behind both US and Asian cars in terms of reliability. Odd.

jps · Post by **jps** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 4:07 pm

I would stay with Honda, I have been driving them since '76. Currently I have an '01 CR-V, great for hauling that 2-15 Sunn cabinet! Last Spring I put Michelin HydroEdge tires on it and they TOTALLY transformed the handling. I highly recommend these tires for any vehicle that will work with them.

philco · Post by **philco** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 5:04 pm

Why get a car? The most useful auto is a pickup truck. SUV's are so..........yuppie. Try hauling a ton of feed or your 4-wheeler in an SUV. Fairly easy for me to decide. For a fullsize pickup, the Ford F-150 of choice. For a small pickup, the Ford Ranger of choice. 7+ years and 158K miles and my F-150 has never had a major problem and runs as quiet and smooth as ever. Biggest repair: first brake job and one axle seal replacement at 130K miles. Everything else very minor stuff. 22 MPG and lots of room. Really comfortable. Never been stuck, and I go skiing and fishing in it. A dead battery was the only failure to ever start, and it was a sudden and total failure (internal short, no fault of truck). All fullsize American pickups crash really, really well. As well as any high end Mercedes sedan. My friend had his new Chevy pickup totaled out by an SUV driver that went to sleep and crossed the median of the interstate. He and his wife walked away from the accident with no more than a good shaking up. After that, he doesn't worry about a few less MPG. Try that in your VW or Honda (or whatever kind of compact car), and I don't care how good the fuel mileage is. Nothing else at the price crashes as well as a pickup. That ladder frame is the "ramrod of death" to anybody that pulls out in front of you. Crowded cities like Paris are where compact cars shine, and the way the French drive, nothing would save you anyway.

No car can ever match the versatility and usefulness of a pickup. The lower gas mileage is offset by longer life and fewer repairs. If I'm going to pay the same in the end, I'll take the extra durability and less shop time. Pickups finally have 0% financing, and your $1.5K insurance payoff should make a down payment on one. You'll probably be thankful your Honda got stolen if you get a small pickup. My M-B was a maintenence hog compared to the F-150. Pickups perform better in real life for most people with something to really do. Don't forget tire chains, and you can usually forget about 4-wheel drive on hard surfaced or good gravel roads. If you REALLY need 4WD to make it down a highway, the road will be closed to traffic anyway. I've went through snow that stops most front wheel drive cars with my 2-wheel drive F-150 and without tire chains even. My tire chains I bought when the truck was new have never been used and I've been to ski resorts in weather so bad that the ditches were littered with cars and tractor-trailer rigs that didn't make it. 4WD is only necessary when venturing off of maintained roads, like a hunter or farmer would use, or towing very heavy loads under low traction conditions.

I recently drove a friend's Lincoln Continental, and I'm wondering where all that "luxury" is at that my pickup truck supposedly gave up. It had fewer miles and more rattles in it than my truck does, and I regularly drive over rougher roads than he does.

rob · Post by **rob** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 8:20 pm

Andrew, you said you're from Wetern New York. I'm from Buffalo!

I have a 2002 Buick Century, and the last couple of winters have been great. Technally this is the last year for new ones. GM is using up all their Century parts and calling these the 2005 model.

incubus2432 · Post by **incubus2432** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 10:22 pm

The VW .:R32 is a sporty hatchback with very respectable performance (and limited US production).....probably not your cup of tea as you said. VW had some problems with coil packs several years ago now they are almost a "Kia" to some magazines. Good luck with your quest !

jps · Post by **jps** » Tue Nov 23, 2004 2:51 am

"The most useful auto is a pickup truck"

This past weekend I drove from Cleveland to Baltimore in a driving rain most of the way. My basses and amp thank me for being in an enclosed vehicle!

jaymi · Post by **jaymi** » Tue Nov 23, 2004 2:57 am

I use an 89 Toyota Forerunner and a Nissan Quest to haul me, family and gear...Enclosed spaces for hauling gear is the ONLY way to travel(especially since I like big bass cabinets!!)If you go used, you can pay cash for something and have it checked out before you complete the transaction. Then you have more money for another Rick!!! AND no DEBT to boot!!!

lshaia · Post by **lshaia** » Tue Nov 23, 2004 6:37 am

My wife has an '02 Honda CR-V and really enjoys it; it's large enough to haul stuff, has all wheel drive, gets decent mileage (mid 20s highway), and was about $20K. It seems like a pretty good value. My only complaint is that the driver's position is a bit cramped for taller folks. She got the five speed version, and it moves pretty well for what it is.

soundmasterg · Post by **soundmasterg** » Tue Nov 23, 2004 11:33 am

John, my dad has a 2000 Jetta Diesel and couldn't be happier with it. It gets great mileage, and starts and runs a LOT better than older diesels. It is faster than my mid 80's Audi Quattro too and has just as much room and comfort. He bought his used and it has about 60k on it now and no problems at all. Don't write them off just because a couple magazines don't like it. Try one yourself.

billikenn · Post by **billikenn** » Tue Nov 23, 2004 12:09 pm

hondas last forever
I wouldnt sidestep a VW either

Im from a honda family.

LOok for a used Acura 3.2, awesome car and its resale price is rediculus low. My mum has a 99.. we bought in 01 for 20,000! (off a dealership)

I drive a 01 Acura integra. Nice little car, I also have a 1990 integra with 195000 miles on it. Been in the family since new. They really got it right with that engine. my 01's engine is extreemly similar to the 90. Both run like a top.
Save a little and dont get the Vtech, the 1.8 nonVTECH has more low end torque (wich makes driving fun)

Having general idea of your salary I would say get a used Honda Civic(top of the line) or a VW Golf
Look for something with 5-15k mils on it. I had a teacher in highschool who had been a car salesman and he would give us tips in the middle of lectures.
Mostly he said that generally car salesmen are fairly honest, and to never buy new. Always used with very low miles...

I used to have a 99 civiv that was very nice. Thinking about trading the integra back in on one.
the civic regularly got 40mpg city. Integra is about 27(close ratio tranny).

hondas last forever