Car Shopping Soon...Any Recs? Affordable, Reliable, Cute?

[amc80]

Re: Car Shopping Soon...Any Recs? Affordable, Reliable, Cute

Rubyshoes, I loved that you named your car Yukio Chan. I wasn't familiar with the name (but I loved it) so I googled it. Apparently it's the name of a Japanese anime character. Fun!

Haha! Actually we have always been car-namers. Our Honda was named Henry and our Merc was named Fraulein Ingrid. We named the Subaru Yukio because we decided he was a boy car. Husband suggested Chan as a suffix. (chan is for kids, san for adults) We had no idea there was an anime character by that name.

We name our cars. Our Ford truck is Gerald and our Mercury Milan is Christina (DH named that one, I barely know who Christina Milan is).

 

[zoebartlett]

Re: Car Shopping Soon...Any Recs? Affordable, Reliable, Cute

Rubyshoes, I loved that you named your car Yukio Chan. I wasn't familiar with the name (but I loved it) so I googled it. Apparently it's the name of a Japanese anime character. Fun!

Haha! Actually we have always been car-namers. Our Honda was named Henry and our Merc was named Fraulein Ingrid. We named the Subaru Yukio because we decided he was a boy car. Husband suggested Chan as a suffix. (chan is for kids, san for adults) We had no idea there was an anime character by that name.

Too funny! I've never named my cars but I might start doing it.

 

[zoebartlett]

Re: Car Shopping Soon...Any Recs? Affordable, Reliable, Cute

Thanks, LV! I see so many Outbacks here it's ridiculous! know they're great cars though, and I do like them. I'll put it on my list, too. Thanks for letting me know about how much you and your husband like his Outback.

 

[KaeKae]

Re: Car Shopping Soon...Any Recs? Affordable, Reliable, Cute

I'm another owner of the 1012 Mazda3 hatchback. Love it. We got it September, so five months ago. So far, so good. No repairs needed (knock on wood!) and the gas mileage is great, as clairtek reported. The hatch has plenty of room for my kids' stuff, which often includes a trombone and viola, along with the expect backpacks and gym bags. The back seat is comfortable, though I haven't been back there for a lengthy ride to report. The bluetooth came standard, and I use it more than expected, the stereo system is great, I love having the moon roof. The only winter weather we have in SoCal is rain, and it's handled well in wet conditions so far. And, being that this is SoCal, I've used the AC as well. I recommend!

 

[kenny]

Re: Car Shopping Soon...Any Recs? Affordable, Reliable, Cute

Whenever people discuss what MPG cars get I have to throw this in.

I bought a new 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid in which I averaged around 58 MPG over 4 years of driving.
When I got a new car in 2010 my SO inherited that hybrid and he averages only around 35 MPG in the exact same car.
(Actually, he's happy because I think he got near 20 MPG in his 2002 Civic.)

I always knew HOW you drive affected MPG, but I had no idea how much till I saw it with my own eyes.
Granted, he and I have polar opposite driving styles.

I like to discuss what MPG various models of HUMANS get, not the cars.
There's a guy named Wayne Gerdes who averaged 60 MPG in a regular Honda Accord (not a hybrid)!

America could reduce it's gas consumption by 30 or 40%+ overnight just by altering driving style.
Another way to look at it is gas costs my SO $4.50, but only cost me $2.25 a gallon.

Okay, off the soapbox.

 

[bunnycat]

Re: Car Shopping Soon...Any Recs? Affordable, Reliable, Cute

Thanks guys! We've definitely added Mazda to the "lets go look" list.

Kenny- While I knew that driving style does have SOME affect on MPG, that's quite a bit! I regularly get a bit better gas mileage in my CR-V than the suggested amounts. Do you have anything you can elaborate on about how you and your SO's driving styles differ and what you think helps you get better mileage? For instance, do you do lots of in town driving while he may do lots of highway?

 

[kenny]

Re: Car Shopping Soon...Any Recs? Affordable, Reliable, Cute

Thanks guys! We've definitely added Mazda to the "lets go look" list.

Kenny- While I knew that driving style does have SOME affect on MPG, that's quite a bit! I regularly get a bit better gas mileage in my CR-V than the suggested amounts. Do you have anything you can elaborate on about how you and your SO's driving styles differ and what you think helps you get better mileage? For instance, do you do lots of in town driving while he may do lots of highway?

We drive in similar traffic conditions.
The main difference is, like most drivers, his priority is to get their as quickly as possible.
Mine is to get their on minimum gas.

You can google up a zillion 'hypermiling tips".

Years ago I used to post on a hybrid forum.
One poster had the exact same hybrid as I but only got around 33 MPG.
She had taken her car to a few dealers for repair, convinced it was defective.
All the dealers told her the car was fine.

She asked me to teach her.
We met.
I drove her car, with her in the passenger seat, on my daily commute.
I got 60+ MPG and she was just speechless.
BTW she easily weighed 400+ pounds, which takes a lot of gas to carry, but I still got 60+MPG with both of us in the car.

 

[iLander]

Re: Car Shopping Soon...Any Recs? Affordable, Reliable, Cute

Regarding tires.

Buy your tires from Costco. If you get a flat and they can't fix it, they'll just replace it for your free of charge, immediately.

Hmmm...perhaps a good reason to join Costco....

We got our car at a good price because of Costco We asked Costco for a quote for a Subaru Impreza with the details we wanted. Then we called up the Subaru dealership where we'd test-driven and asked them if they would price-match. If they didn't, we'd buy from Costco. They did, and we got a great price on our car. A friend recently bought his Honda Pilot through Costco and he says he saved $3000. So it is definitely worth checking with them.

YES! Go Costco! We bought DD's Rav4 through their program, and the sticker was 25K. We paid 21K. The dealer is only allowed $7-900 over factory invoice and they have to show you the invoice. We used the discount during factory rebate time (in the summer) and the result was that astonishing price cut.

We priced out a Nissan Altima the same way, and the result was a car priced at 24K offered at 17K!! DS loves his Altima, he has 135K miles on it, never a problem. Not one. The two door Altima is cool, but not as frequently discounted.

We also used the Costco tire warranty. We got a flat, and had to hobble on the spare to the nearest tire dealer and buy a new one. We brought the broken tire back to Costco, and they gave us every penny back of our Costco purchase price back, no questions asked. Just looked up the purchase using our card, no receipt needed. BTW, the tire dealer was $40 more for the one tire! They have tire sales at Costco, couple of times a year, I save about $200 for the set. We order them ahead, it takes a couple of days, since ours aren't right there in the store.

We had a Prius for 6 years and loved it. Not a single problem for 85K miles. Just got in the mood for something new. We got 47 mpg, no special driving. When I was looking, they weren't dealing, which ticked me off, so I walked away. Now that they have plenty of the new style, I think they're in the Costco program. The new tiny one is awesomely adorable.

Be careful of Hyundai, my uncle got one and it spent it's first 6 months (literally!!) in and out of the shop. It was under warranty, but still . . .

 

[iLander]

Re: Car Shopping Soon...Any Recs? Affordable, Reliable, Cute

Whenever people discuss what MPG cars get I have to throw this in.

I bought a new 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid in which I averaged around 58 MPG over 4 years of driving.
When I got a new car in 2010 my SO inherited that hybrid and he averages only around 35 MPG in the exact same car.
(Actually, he's happy because I think he got near 20 MPG in his 2002 Civic.)

I always knew HOW you drive affected MPG, but I had no idea how much till I saw it with my own eyes.
Granted, he and I have polar opposite driving styles.

I like to discuss what MPG various models of HUMANS get, not the cars.
There's a guy named Wayne Gerdes who averaged 60 MPG in a regular Honda Accord (not a hybrid)!

America could reduce it's gas consumption by 30 or 40%+ overnight just by altering driving style.
Another way to look at it is gas costs my SO $4.50, but only cost me $2.25 a gallon.

Okay, off the soapbox.

I suspect it's Kenny that I'm stuck behind in traffic.

 

[rubyshoes]

Re: Car Shopping Soon...Any Recs? Affordable, Reliable, Cute

Whenever people discuss what MPG cars get I have to throw this in.

I bought a new 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid in which I averaged around 58 MPG over 4 years of driving.
When I got a new car in 2010 my SO inherited that hybrid and he averages only around 35 MPG in the exact same car.
(Actually, he's happy because I think he got near 20 MPG in his 2002 Civic.)

Kenny, that's amazing. I have never heard this before. I just always assumed mileage depended on the car and that's it. Quite eye-opening.

 

[Gypsy]

Re: Car Shopping Soon...Any Recs? Affordable, Reliable, Cute

What Kenny says is definitely true.

In my car, which is an automatic, it doesn't make as much difference when DH and I drive. But in his car, which is a stick sports car (that gets crappy mileage AND uses premium gas) it makes a huge difference. He is a much better driver than I am (I freely admit this) and he gets almost double, I KID YOU NOT, the mileage I do on his car. It's the difference in the way we drive and shift gears. HUGE difference. In my car, the automatic, is far less pronounced, and the difference is slight, but in is car it's really obvious.

 

[Gypsy]

Re: Car Shopping Soon...Any Recs? Affordable, Reliable, Cute

Also for the record.
My husband has a 2009 RX-8 MAZDA.
I have a 2010 Mazda 3.
Never had a problem with either in the years we've owned them.

As for Costco:
I have always priced my cars against Costco, and I have consistently beat their prices with my own negotiating. But I do negotiate for a living and I do a ton of research. So if you don't have the skills/personality for it or the time, you are better off going with something like the Costco program, where they have done the negotiation for you already.

My step-dad once returned a car I had negotiated. After keeping it for a full weekend, and the dealer took it back happily. Why? His exact words were: "I might actually make a profit if I can sell it to someone else." It is possible. But it isn't easy.

 

[zoebartlett]

Re: Car Shopping Soon...Any Recs? Affordable, Reliable, Cute

Also for the record.
My husband has a 2009 RX-8 MAZDA.
I have a 2010 Mazda 3.
Never had a problem with either in the years we've owned them.

As for Costco:
I have always priced my cars against Costco, and I have consistently beat their prices with my own negotiating. But I do negotiate for a living and I do a ton of research. So if you don't have the skills/personality for it or the time, you are better off going with something like the Costco program, where they have done the negotiation for you already.

My step-dad once returned a car I had negotiated. After keeping it for a full weekend, and the dealer took it back happily. Why? His exact words were: "I might actually make a profit if I can sell it to someone else." It is possible. But it isn't easy.

So, Gypsy, can I hire you to go car shopping with me?

 

[bunnycat]

Re: Car Shopping Soon...Any Recs? Affordable, Reliable, Cute

Also for the record.
My husband has a 2009 RX-8 MAZDA.
I have a 2010 Mazda 3.
Never had a problem with either in the years we've owned them.

As for Costco:
I have always priced my cars against Costco, and I have consistently beat their prices with my own negotiating. But I do negotiate for a living and I do a ton of research. So if you don't have the skills/personality for it or the time, you are better off going with something like the Costco program, where they have done the negotiation for you already.

My step-dad once returned a car I had negotiated. After keeping it for a full weekend, and the dealer took it back happily. Why? His exact words were: "I might actually make a profit if I can sell it to someone else." It is possible. But it isn't easy.

So, Gypsy, can I hire you to go car shopping with me?

Ditto!

We're definitely researching the Costco program, as neither of us are the sorts of personality to be good at negotiation.

 

[UnsetTsavorite]

Re: Car Shopping Soon...Any Recs? Affordable, Reliable, Cute

I have a 2012 Scion Xb that I LOVE. It's a cute, solidly built car with tons of room for a small price.. The salesman actually sat on the door to show the strength and he was not a small man. I dunno what it is but I put a lot of stock into solidly built doors on a car. Makes me feel like the whole car is built better I guess. I've had the car for a year now and taken several 5hr road-trips with our enormous Mastiff in tow and so far it's performed well. Now, it's not the quietest or smoothest ride, but for that you get what you pay for and I was ok with that since I wanted all the electronic bells and whistles. The Scions basically come stripped down and then you select each accessory that you want, and well, I kindof wanted them all. I have Bluetooth, stereo controls on the steering wheel, touch screen radio face plate, usb ipod hookup, the works. The main thing that some people may not like is that the dashboard panel is up and to the right more towards the center of the dash with a digital speedometer. I like it because I feel like it's easier to read while driving but it did take a bit of getting used to. HTH!

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Re: Car Shopping Soon...Any Recs? Affordable, Reliable, Cute

Also for the record.
My husband has a 2009 RX-8 MAZDA.
I have a 2010 Mazda 3.
Never had a problem with either in the years we've owned them.

I've never had a Mazda before, but am planning to go test drive one soon. Right now I have a Subaru but it's time to trade it in and a Mazda has caught my eye so I want to check it out!

 

[kenny]

Re: Car Shopping Soon...Any Recs? Affordable, Reliable, Cute

What Kenny says is definitely true.

In my car, which is an automatic, it doesn't make as much difference when DH and I drive. But in his car, which is a stick sports car (that gets crappy mileage AND uses premium gas) it makes a huge difference. He is a much better driver than I am (I freely admit this) and he gets almost double, I KID YOU NOT, the mileage I do on his car. It's the difference in the way we drive and shift gears. HUGE difference. In my car, the automatic, is far less pronounced, and the difference is slight, but in is car it's really obvious.

Thanks for confirming this Gypsy.
I'm sure many people think I'm a lying or exaggerating liberal hippy when I preach from my MPG soapbox.
I really do believe wasting gas is immoral; many people die in our oil wars so Americans can waste relatively cheap gas in inefficient vehicles driven in a socially acceptable but gas-guzzling style.

About holding up traffic when hypermiling ...
When there's only one lane I do speed up to be more considerate to those behind me, perhaps not as much as they'd like but I consciously make a compromise of extremes.
On multi-lane roads/freeways I'm always in the rightmost lane.

If I'm in the front of a queue at a red light, when it turns green I'll often creep into the bus stop area across the street in front of me to let 'normal' drivers pass. Then with nobody behind me I can accelerate as slowly as I like.

When I change lanes on the freeway instead of finding a spot where I have to punch the gas to speed up and slip in, I'll look for a place behind me where I can change lanes without changing my speed at all.

I realize some slow drivers are rude and even anti-social, but I really do try to be considerate BUT I will not be bullied into racing up to every red light and slamming on the brakes at the last minute ... which is how I view 'normal' driving style.