Up to my eyeballs in cars

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

We are in immediate need of a new one and so have been on-line or on-phone with financing, pricing, insurance.

This is a new "station" car. Probably might take it down to OBX in June to get is some needed hiway mileage. Looking in the $15k range. Here are the front runners and the best prices received so far:

Honda Fit = $15.2k
Hyundai Elantra = $15.1k
Nissan Versa = $14.7k
Pontiac Vibe = $15.4k
Saturn Ion3 = $16.2k

all will have automatic trannies, power windows, doors, etc. a/c.

I'm leaning towards the GMs or Hyundai for the 5yr/60k warranties as opposed to Honda's and Nissan's 3yr/36k.

I've been researching on Edmunds and Consumer Reports as well.

Anyone have any feedback on these models or suggestions for makes & models I have left out < I have a grudge against Toyota they are out>?

Thanks.

[Luanne Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Luanne]

Hmmm, I love my Toyota, too bad you won't consider one.

But, how about a Mazda? Don't know what the prices are on the models you're looking at, but my dd has been very happy with her Mazda 3 and we liked the looks of the Mazda 6 as well.

[4ARedOctober Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close 4ARedOctober]

Best quality is Toyota and likely made in USA. Then Honda. There are reasons why those other brands have those extensive warrantees.

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

Best quality is Toyota and likely made in USA. Then Honda. There are reasons why those other brands have those extensive warrantees.

Well my Camry V6-XLE transmission blew up <after warranty> and my top of the line Honda Accord had to have the brakes replaced at 25k miles...although I LIKE the Accord just not Honda brake pads.

I am biased toward the Vibe as we had a blast with one in Sedona.

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

Now is not a good time to buy unless you are getting a good deal on a leftover 06. I find the best time to buy is late Oct. Whatever you do, always buy in the last week of the month and not in the beginning. Dealers have more cash to play with at the end of the month and if they have not met the quota they will lose money on a sale to get to there quota.

[CMF Member Find all posts View Profile Close CMF]

My Camry Story

I had an 87 and put 225K miles on it - not one repair bill the whole time. Just regular maintenace. I finally sold it to a cabbie for $500 who was going to ship it to his family in Ethiopia :-)

Charles

[4ARedOctober Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close 4ARedOctober]

We bought our Camry new in '94 and put about 80+k miles on it till the year 2000. We sold it for only $1000 less than the total what we paid for it in '94 and I could have bargained harder with our buyer but gave her a good deal. We shop smart and look for the loss leader specials, pay cash for our cars, take good care them, and they usually take good care of us. We never had any issues with it.

[Luanne Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Luanne]

I'm on my second Camry. No problems, none, none, none. I also had a 1983 Celica that I LOVED, that pretty much got driven into the ground when it was turned over to our aupairs. My first Toyota was a Corolla that I bought used. It was a lemon and for years I wouldn't even think of buying another Toyota. But, I'm glad I changed my mind. We've also owned several Mazdas, two 626s (only reason we don't have either of those is that they were both totalled), and currently dd has a Mazda 3 and dh a Miata. I would buy another Toyota or Mazda without hesitation. I would NOT buy another American brand.

[tonyg Goomba & Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tonyg]

I own a '96 Ion and we like it. The 2007s have a 5 year/100,000 mile warranty. I usually buy my cars in February or March when sales are scarce and the dealers are more likely to want to deal.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Are the cars really tall or are you really short?

[chellej Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close chellej]

We have a Hyndai elandra and I have been very disappointed with the gas mailage & although it responded as designed - My daughter rearended a SUV and it did $7000 damage to the elantra. It was fixed (wanted it total) and will never be the same.

I have just started looking myself and find the Dodge caliber really interesting if you are open to something other than a sedan

[nursetanya1973 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close nursetanya1973]

My husband has had really good luck with his Hyundai Elantra. He takes very poor care of it, but it has still held up well. Has over 70,000 miles, gets pretty decent gas milage, and has had no problems (knock on wood).

The insurance is higher on this cheap little car than on our expensive minivan due to the high rate of damage that happens in a collision, as the above poster metioned.

Of course my hubby would much rather be driving a Mustang!

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

In one of our previous incarnations, my bride and I owned and operated a driveaway company. One of our clients was a company that worked with insurance companies. We would travel around the country and pick up cars insurance companies had paid off on, bring them back, and they would be repaired and sold.

I believe in 1983 or 84 we bought a virtually new Nissan 200 hatchback, with light flood damage, disassembled, dried, and reassembled.

That was one of the best cars we ever had. It had all the power in the world, was sporty, not chincy at all, and got 38-40 MPG. We were astonished.

So, we wonder what happened to cars like that, why aren't they as good or better, fuel-economy-wise, now, more than 20 years later?

We still buy our vehicles through a salvage company, always waiting for just the right one when we need one. We normally pay 50-60% of NADA or Kelly Blue Book. I check the company's site every now and then and see what they have, with pictures. If something looks good, I call Jimmy (yes, he has the obligatory heavy gold chain around his neck ) and ask him if something is worth the drive to look at it (400 miles). We have made that drive twice the last six years and brought something new home both times.

Both times we told him over the phone that we would take it, subject to inspection.

[4ARedOctober Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close 4ARedOctober]

Then you must be building a huge parking garage after Katrina. What will OF think about that?

In one of our previous incarnations, my bride and I owned and operated a driveaway company. One of our clients was a company that worked with insurance companies. We would travel around the country and pick up cars insurance companies had paid off on, bring them back, and they would be repaired and sold.

I believe in 1983 or 84 we bought a virtually new Nissan 200 hatchback, with light flood damage, disassembled, dried, and reassembled.

That was one of the best cars we ever had. It had all the power in the world, was sporty, not chincy at all, and got 38-40 MPG. We were astonished.

So, we wonder what happened to cars like that, why aren't they as good or better, fuel-economy-wise, now, more than 20 years later?

We still buy our vehicles through a salvage company, always waiting for just the right one when we need one. We normally pay 50-60% of NADA or Kelly Blue Book. I check the company's site every now and then and see what they have, with pictures. If something looks good, I call Jimmy (yes, he has the obligatory heavy gold chain around his neck ) and ask him if something is worth the drive to look at it (400 miles). We have made that drive twice the last six years and brought something new home both times.

Both times we told him over the phone that we would take it, subject to inspection.