Recommend your car!

[Amandine]

Unfortunately, FI are in the market for a new (to us!) car. My ''99 Grand Am, which we just dropped $900 on a couple months ago, has more problems that will cost us $1500-$2k. We checked the blue book value, and we would be lucky to get $1500 in trade-in value.

We had really hoped that the car would last till the end of the year, or at least until after the wedding in October. Seems that is not to be!

We are looking for a smaller sedan, something along the lines of a Honda Civic, Accord, Toyota Camry or perhaps a Pontiac Vibe. If you have other suggestions or recommendations, we are open! We would rather not spend over $22k at the extreme, and definitely keep it to a four door car. It needs to have decent space, as I am tall and Edgar (dog in avatar) is large. We would like to have babies in a couple of years, so something approriate and safe, too.

And in a perfect world...dual climate controls. I am always cold, and FI thinks there is something wrong with me.

Needless to say, when we take any sort of a road trip I have to bring a lap blanket.

 

[cbs102]

I would NOT recommend jetta''s. the transmission and the timing belt are the big problems in these cars. I will say, that NISSANS are amazing cars and hold their value.. the altima and maxima... the new sentras are adorable.. but ont he small side though

 

[Selkie]

I love my Mazda3 5-door (hatchback). It''s very roomy, has good legroom even in the backseat (I''m tall too, so that''s important), and massive amounts of room when you put down the backseat and use the cargo space. Fun to drive, <$20000 for the Sport automatic version, and has relatively good reliability. Plus, it''s sporty looking! There''s a sedan version too, but I think it looks very generic.

 

[Dancing Fire]

bought my daughter a 07 4 door Civic last yr.

we own four Japanese cars,no problems.

 

[Delesh]

Honda Fit.
Small on the outside big on the inside - 5 door.
I think they start under $14k.
Of course it has Honda reliability/value and build quality.
It can carry a bunch of stuff and gets great gas mileage but is still fun to drive.
It has amazing seats that can be configured in many different ways (even turn them into lounge chairs).
Its been a huge hit in Europe for a long time and they recently brought it here.
They are coming out with a restyled model soon so you can probably get some good deals on them right now.

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Date: 8/21/2008 10:36:28 AM
Author:Amandine
Unfortunately, FI are in the market for a new (to us!) car. My ''99 Grand Am, which we just dropped $900 on a couple months ago, has more problems that will cost us $1500-$2k. We checked the blue book value, and we would be lucky to get $1500 in trade-in value.

We had really hoped that the car would last till the end of the year, or at least until after the wedding in October. Seems that is not to be!

We are looking for a smaller sedan, something along the lines of a Honda Civic, Accord, Toyota Camry or perhaps a Pontiac Vibe. If you have other suggestions or recommendations, we are open! We would rather not spend over $22k at the extreme, and definitely keep it to a four door car. It needs to have decent space, as I am tall and Edgar (dog in avatar) is large. We would like to have babies in a couple of years, so something approriate and safe, too.

And in a perfect world...dual climate controls. I am always cold, and FI thinks there is something wrong with me.

Needless to say, when we take any sort of a road trip I have to bring a lap blanket.

Oh, I''m so glad to hear that I''m not the only one who keeps a blanket in the car! LOL! DH and I are exactly the same way . . . he''s ALWAYS hot, and I''m ALWAYS cold!

As far as recommending a car goes, I

my 2006 Mercury Mariner!!!

I was specifically looking for something with four-wheel drive, and that was big enough to accommodate our three dogs (two black lab mixes and a Great Dane) whenever necessary. If I lay the back seats down, all three dogs can fit. It''s a little cozy, but they do fit comfortably!

 

[tenfour]

i was going to say ''i don''t recommend my car because it is 8 years old and you probably don''t want it''. i drive a 2000 grand am. bought it new in december 1999 and i am hoping it will last me til december 2009.
anyway, all i can contribute is luck.

 

[Elmorton]

NISSAN VERSA - I noticed you said you liked the Vibe - I fell in love with the Toyota Matrix (btw, the Vibe and the Matrix are exactly the same car - made in the same factory, even - thought I don't know this is true about the 2008/9 model) but the pricetag was a bit higher than I wanted. The Versa is AWESOME and I love it. Go test drive one - smooth ride, sits a little higher than a car, totally versatile (hence the name - I throw a bicycle, completely assembled in the back with no problems). And it's freaking cute Nissan is also a really great company in terms of customer service and satisfaction.

ETA: I also looked for a long time at the Honda Fit - what did me in is that I don't like how low they sit. Oh, that and dealers couldn't even get them on the lot for me to test drive. I got to "check out" a few that dealers called me about where someone had ordered it. This was two years ago, so I assume they're more available now.

 

[musey]

I wouldn''t recommend my own car, but FI''s dad drives a Prius and I loooooove it. Great car.

He''s had his for I think 2 years, with no problems at all.

 

[Amandine]

Thanks everyone...keep ''em coming!

 

[purrfectpear]

Scion by Toyota. I love mine:

2004 Toyota Scion xA 4 cylinder 1.5 liter R (M5) Manual city mpg 32 hwy mpg 38

They''ve replaced the xA with the xD, also a 5 door hatchback.
2008 Toyota Scion XD 4 cylinder 1.8 liter R (M5) Manual city mpg 27 hwy mpg 33

No dual climate control, but stock is power windows, locks, ABS brakes, A/C. The best part, no haggling. Like the Saturn there''s one price. The xD is under $14K.

Did I say I

mine?

 

[OUpearlgirl]

I drive a Nissan Versa hatchback. I had never seen one until we went car shopping, but I love it now. It also comes in a sedan, just go to Nissan''s website to see them. It gets great gas mileage and I love the way it drives. It''s also VERY roomy on the inside.

So far I have no problems or complaints with it! Give it a look. Oh, and I also test drove a Nissan Altima and I really liked those as well.

 

[phoenixgirl]

I got a Toyota Matrix in March. I believe it''s the "sister car" of the Pontiac Vibe -- I read that they are the same design, that Toyota and Pontiac made them together (kind of like how the Mercury Sable and Ford Taurus are really the same car).

We got a good deal (I hope) on a 2008 since they had just rolled out the 2009''s . . . $18k out the door for the nicest model (the XR with moon-roof, side curtain airbags, etc.). This year''s top model is the XRS, which has more features but should also cost a bit more.

I love the look of the Honda Fit and was a Honda girl all my life before this (my mom''s old Accord, then a ''99 CR-V) but it was like Goldilocks for me . . . the new CR-V was too big, the Fit was too small. The Matrix was just right size-wise.

Pros: size, versatility, easier to put the seats down than my CR-V, gas mileage (33mpg last time I calculated for a trip that was about 2/3 highway driving)

Cons: a bit noisy, not as comfortable/roomy as the CR-V on the inside

It''s fun to drive. DH obviously likes my car more than his VW Passat as he always wants to drive it when we go anywhere and takes it to bike races and on business trips.

Have you considered a place like Carmax? We''re considering buying DH''s next car there when his lease on his Passat is up (he needs a luxury-ish car for his job, but we can''t really see spending more than say $25k on a car). We used them for a quote on my CR-V so that we knew what it was worth when negotiating at Toyota (although we did not tell them about the quote). Carmax offered us $2,500, but the most Toyota ever offered us giving us their "best" deal on the trade-in was $1,500, so I just said, "Hmmm, I think I''ll keep my CR-V. An extra car always comes in handy. But this offer is still good without the trade-in, right?"

(And actually, those SOBs tried to tell me that their "finance guy" had made a mistake--I''m sure the mistake was that they thought they''d make more money on me with the trade-in--and they tried to up their price by $1k, but I declared I was "very angry" and leaving and they said, heh heh, okay, we''ll keep the price what it was, our bad.) Then we drove over to Carmax to complete our deal with them.

But anyway, trade-ins aside, since some of the models you''re looking at will be close to your $22k mark (meaning you''ll have to do all that haggling and might not get the climate control and other things that are worth it to you), you might consider a no-haggle place with good guarantees where you can get a gently used car with the works for a more reasonable price. Those Japanese models age so well that you can buy a two year old car and be confident you''ll easily get another ten out of it.

But if you, say, go with the Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla instead of the Accord or Camry, then you shouldn''t have a problem sticking to your budget and getting better option packages (although there may be fewer high-end options available as opposed to the higher priced sedans).

 

[MonkeyPie]

Dodge Caliber. Sporty looking little car, great in gas, runs about 15k new last time I checked. Lots of leg and head room too.

The Mazda 6 is amazing, too. I had one for a couple days when our Taurus was in the shop and LOVED it. Actually....a Taurus is good, too. Reliable and they last forever. Plus they are fast as heck heh.

 

[Northern Lights]

I have owned a total of four Hondas (two Civics and two Accords), and I cannot rave enough about what awesome cars they are. Actually, I am getting all teary-eyed just thinking about my beloved Accord that I had to leave in the States.

 

[tiffanytwisted]

I have a 2003 Accord and I love it. It has dual climate controls, which are great for us as I need air blowing and hubby doesn''t.
I have had very few minor issues. A few recalls that they fixed (windshield wiper motor and something with the radio display)
My dog is 85 pounds and comfortably fits in the back seat.

 

[ucdcows]

I have a 2002 Camry and a 2008 Accord and I love both cars! My Camry is a 4 cyclinder, my accord is a 6 cylinder...the Camry is really a gas saver. I went from the Bay Area to Las Vegas and back and only had to fill up 1.5 times. The Accord, as a V6, in my opinion doesn''t use as much gas as other V6 because it has a variable engine (goes back and forth from a 4 cylinder to 6 as needed). Both as super roomy (I look like a little kid driving in it...I''m only 5''3"), I had no complaints in the leg room department, no major engine problems on either one, just regular maintanence. To me the Camry is slightly underpowered for hills/mountain routes and mines did not have the ABS which I highly suggest as it is a heavy car. The thing is that I think dual climate control may only come with the higher end models for those cars.

 

[FrekeChild]

I feel you on the '99 Pontiac Grand Am. I only had mine for 2 years when it started to act up on me. I unloaded it and got my car, '01 Honda Prelude, which isn't made anymore here in the states. But it's a sports car anyway.

However, BF's car is a '07 Volkswagen Rabbit, and I can't say enough good things about it. It's like a mini SUV without the huge gas prices and it had a reasonable price tag to boot. It is really a lot bigger inside than you would think for a car it's size. I prefer driving around in it to my car-but that's a reliability issue having to do with an accident in mine a few years ago. I definitely recommend at least test driving one.

 

[pelicano]

Date: 8/21/2008 10:36:28 AM
Author:Amandine

And in a perfect world...dual climate controls. I am always cold, and FI thinks there is something wrong with me.

Needless to say, when we take any sort of a road trip I have to bring a lap blanket.

I think what you are looking for are heated seats

Our VW Rabbit has them, although I'm not sure if that option is available in the US (in Canada it is). See if you can add that option to any of the cars you are considering. I guarantee you'll love it if you get it.

 

[oobiecoo]

I have a Mazda3 and LOVE it! DH has a Nissan Sentra (2006 so its the older body style) and its ok. It doesn''t have the power that my Mazda has but it does get better gas mileage.

I rented a Pontiac Vibe for about 3 months once and I HATED it. It felt like it was going to fall apart and leave me sitting in the middle of the highway on my bum. It was jerky, loud, and overall horrible. I apologize to anyone who has a Vibe and loves it... it is very possible that mine was the lowest model and maybe not properly maintained or something although I would expect better from Enterprise.

Oh and I also rented a Hyundai... i think it was a Sonata. It was pretty nice and had a smooth ride.

 

[Shoopy]

My heart belongs to Toyota

I have a Corolla. I commute 60 miles per day to get to work and only put gas in once every two weeks

Everytime we rent we get stuck with a pontiac. Hate it. I don't like the way it drives, even the newer models.

I think you can't go wrong with Toyota or Honda. Those cars last forever. I will tell you to rent the car for a week before purchasing. It's one thing to test drive...a whole other to get in and out of the car on a daily basis.

 

[iwannaprettyone]

Date: 8/21/2008 3:29:06 PM
Author: fieryred33143
My heart belongs to Toyota

I have a Corolla. I commute 60 miles per day to get to work and only put gas in once every two weeks

Everytime we rent we get stuck with a pontiac. Hate it. I don''t like the way it drives, even the newer models.

I think you can''t go wrong with Toyota or Honda. Those cars last forever. I will tell you to rent the car for a week before purchasing. It''s one thing to test drive...a whole other to get in and out of the car on a daily basis.

DITTO

I am driving a Toyota Highlander Limited 2008

I LURVEEEEEEE OVE OVE oVE my SUV. It is built on the Camry Chassis so it is so smooth to drive. I get 20 mpg in town and 23-24 hwy.

 

[tiffanytwisted]

Date: 8/21/2008 3:08:57 PM
Author: FrekeChild
I feel you on the ''99 Pontiac Grand Am. I only had mine for 2 years when it started to act up on me. I unloaded it and got my car, ''01 Honda Prelude, which isn''t made anymore here in the states. But it''s a sports car anyway.

However, BF''s car is a ''07 Volkswagen Rabbit, and I can''t say enough good things about it. It''s like a mini SUV without the huge gas prices and it had a reasonable price tag to boot. It is really a lot bigger inside than you would think for a car it''s size. I prefer driving around in it to my car-but that''s a reliability issue having to do with an accident in mine a few years ago. I definitely recommend at least test driving one.

Oh Freke I am so jealous! My first car was a 84 Honda Prelude, then later I had a 93 Prelude. I still miss them both!!

 

[ericad]

We LOVE our Prius!

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 8/21/2008 1:09:45 PM
Author: phoenixgirl

But anyway, trade-ins aside, since some of the models you''re looking at will be close to your $22k mark (meaning you''ll have to do all that haggling and might not get the climate control and other things that are worth it to you), you might consider a no-haggle place with good guarantees where you can get a gently used car with the works for a more reasonable price. Those Japanese models age so well that you can buy a two year old car and be confident you''ll easily get another ten out of it.

But if you, say, go with the Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla instead of the Accord or Camry, then you shouldn''t have a problem sticking to your budget and getting better option packages (although there may be fewer high-end options available as opposed to the higher priced sedans).

been down that road before and found out that those 2-3 yr old Civic aren''t that much cheaper than a new one.

 

[oobiecoo]

I also loved my mom''s camry and accord. Our accord was a little nicer... leather seats, sunroof, nicer look IMO but the Camry held up just a little better. The clock light on the dash and the cd player broke in the accord. You''d think "no big deal" on the clock light... but it WAS a big deal. We had to hunt down the little fuse or whatever for it and then they had to take the whole dash off to replace it and it was pricey.

 

[vita*dolce]

i have an 08 honda civic and i LOVE it. it gets good gas mileage (about 30 mpg, sometimes more if i do a lot of highway driving) it''s really comfortable and roomy and the trunk is huge. i pretty much love everything about it. you should test drive one!!

ALSO -- in my area there are dealerships that buy cars that are totaled or wrecked where people decided to take the insurance pay out and not fix the car, and then they fix them and sell them for much less than they would normally be. that''s how i got mine, it only had 14,000 miles on it and it was SOO cheap. about 10,000 less than it would have been at a dealership!! look into it if you have time, it could save you a lot of money!

 

[Sabine]

I LOVE my Nissan Sentra, but it might be a bit small for you, but it gets GREAT gas mileage!

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Date: 8/21/2008 3:19:22 PM
Author: pelicano

Date: 8/21/2008 10:36:28 AM
Author:Amandine

And in a perfect world...dual climate controls. I am always cold, and FI thinks there is something wrong with me.

Needless to say, when we take any sort of a road trip I have to bring a lap blanket.

I think what you are looking for are heated seats

Our VW Rabbit has them, although I''m not sure if that option is available in the US (in Canada it is). See if you can add that option to any of the cars you are considering. I guarantee you''ll love it if you get it.

My Mariner has heated seats and I will NEVER AGAIN own a car without them. NEVER. AGAIN.

 

[BeachRunner]

I have a Subaru Legacy. It''s a great car with lots of features including great safety features (insurance companies love that), AWD, and many upgrades available. I drive a 2005 and it gets about 24/33 MPG city/highway. It drives very nicely, and Subaru''s also hold their value and drive forever.

Someone hit my poor car the other day, and was given a Nissan Sentra to drive as a rental. IMHO, it doesn''t drive as smooth as the Subaru, but still a roomy car for a "compact car".

I also hear Honda''s are very good, and will drive forever, but would recommend the Accord vs the Civic.

Good luck car shopping!