ok... long story short, my car is fucked up and i'm choosing to cut my losses and buy a new car rather than continue to sink money into this one. (not necessarily new new, but new to me)

my situation:
i'm moving to college station, texas for a 6 month assignment for work. i'm driving out there (approximately 1200 miles from home) and the commute from where i'll be living to where i'll be working is about an hour each way (the site is in the middle of nowhere)... so needless to say, i need something reliable.

i've already been approved at my bank for 15k but would prefer to stay in the 10-13k range.

i think i would like a smaller SUV (escape, tribute, xterra, etc.) or a hatchback (honda fit, toyota matrix, etc.) because i'll be dragging my life to texas with me, and i'll need the room.

my questions are:
is there a particular company you would recommend, a brand you trust or a car you've had a particularly good experience with?

also, would you recommend buying before the end of the year? or do you think it would be worth waiting to find out what happens with the big 3?

any help would be appreciated. i know nothing about cars, and i'm leaving the beginning of february so i don't really have tons of time.

11/30/2008 9:51:20 PM

Based on what you've posted I'd get a Honda Fit.

11/30/2008 9:56:36 PM

what kind of bullshit assignment have you been assigned dude?

11/30/2008 10:15:22 PM

09 fit

11/30/2008 10:26:52 PM

if you're going to keep the car long term, don't buy just for the move. buy the most suitable car, and do what you need to do in order to get your stuff to TX (rent a van/truck and tow your car behind it, have it shipped in a POD, etc).

11/30/2008 10:28:01 PM

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/ctd/928734515.html

11/30/2008 10:29:04 PM

hell you could probably get a brand new 2008 truck right now...my parents live in San Antonio and they said that there was a listing for a brand new 2008 F150 (not loaded or anything) for under $10k. American car companies are hurting and people don't want a new truck right now because they are worried gas prices will go up so they are basically giving the things away. Not only would you not lose that much money due to the mpg but you would have a brand new ride with a warranty.

12/1/2008 12:34:03 AM

he has to drive 2 hours a day and you want him to buy an f150?

wtf is wrong with you people

12/1/2008 8:13:11 AM

Honda Fit

-or-

Ford Escape (the 4-banger w/manual transmission gets decent fuel economy)

12/1/2008 8:37:07 AM

^^ ummm because you can get a brand fucking new truck for very very very little money and the savings you would make there would probably be enough to cover your gas. having a fuel efficient vehicle does not really save you THAT much money every year

12/1/2008 9:00:09 AM

you are a god damn retard

there is no reason to be driving a truck 2 hours a day just for commuting

you have to look at all the variables: gas, maintenance, parts, insurance, taxes

cost out 4 tires for a truck and 4 tires for a shitbox and get back to me on which one you think is better

12/1/2008 10:36:11 AM

definitely go with something like a fit...if you think you can fit your life into a hatchback, then there's no reason to go with more than that

before anyone jumps down my throat about this, because i could be wrong, you could always haul a small trailer or u-haul if you needed the extra space...i would assume the fit, with the towing package, could pull either of those, within reason

12/1/2008 10:57:02 AM

^not advised on the towing. rooof rack is a different story

12/1/2008 10:58:25 AM

the fit has a towing package?? lol

12/1/2008 10:59:48 AM

a new truck can get close to 20mpg on the highway and you would have a brand fucking new car not some piece of shit like a honda fit. If you drive one of those you might as well chop off your balls because those things are fucking garbage. I would rather have a brand new vehicle that I could do a whole lot with, spend under $10k, and have a warranty than drive some shitbox because I am worried about saving maybe a couple thousand a year in gas.

12/1/2008 11:00:48 AM

^^^ you're probably right...hence the disclaimer

^^ *shrug*...there's an after-market towing kit for my 2002 saturn sl1, not that i'd ever use it

Quote :

"piece of shit like a honda fit"

i don't know if you can use "piece of shit" and "honda" in the same sentence when the other option is an american-made truck

12/1/2008 11:11:20 AM

American trucks are pieces of shit? That's news to me. I dd a 98 z71 with over 120 on the clock and I have never had an issue with it. If you properly maintain your vehicle it will last a long time.

12/1/2008 11:16:09 AM

^ i think the argument isnt against trucks, but this chick doesnt need a truck. many people dont need trucks.

also, blah doesnt need to buy a new vehicle based on moving. that's completely idiotic. buy the vehicle for what you're going to be doing day in and day out - in her case, commuting.


i'll throw in a subaru wagon of some sort, cant go wrong there.

[Edited on December 1, 2008 at 11:31 AM. Reason : also, I own a truck that couldnt even haul 400# in it's bed without adding some preload ]

12/1/2008 11:24:07 AM

Quote :

"i think the argument isnt against trucks, but this chick doesnt need a truck. many people dont need trucks. "

yeah, pretty much

[Edited on December 1, 2008 at 11:26 AM. Reason : .]

12/1/2008 11:26:00 AM

yeah, i don't want a truck... and thanks for realizing i'm not a "he"

let me clarify by saying i'm not buying this car specifically for the move, but i'd like it to get me through the move.

i would absolutely LOVE a subaru wrx sti, but the one i've priced out is over 30k... a little out of my price range at the moment..

i have friday off, so i'll be doing some test driving... right now my list is:

toyota matrix
honda fit
mazda tribute
ford escape
mazda 6 hatchback
any kind of subaru

please help me add to my list.

also, would you recommend buying before the end of the year, or waiting until after the first of the year to see what happens. will that even matter if i'm buying used anyway? keep in mind, i need this car before the beginning of february, so i don't want to wait until the last minute if i can help it.

extra--> i'm not moving any furniture and i don't have a boat, so there's no need for something that would be able to tow. a roof rack might be nice, but you can get that aftermarket for just about any car. i can worry about that later.

[Edited on December 1, 2008 at 11:40 AM. Reason : extras]

12/1/2008 11:36:05 AM

Versa

12/1/2008 11:40:37 AM

cool, i forgot about that one.. thanks

my list
toyota matrix
honda fit
mazda tribute
ford escape
mazda 6 hatchback
any kind of subaru
nissan versa

12/1/2008 11:47:01 AM

Of the list you posted, I think my pick would be the 6 hatch. Best looking of the bunch by a long shot, and they ride/handle decently. (Can't say on the engine as the one I test-drove was a V6, which you wouldn't want if gas mileage is a primary concern...) But then again I'm not much of a small car person, so my bias is showing. Second pick would be between a Subaru (4cyl Legacy wagon) for room/size, or a Fit for gas mileage.

12/1/2008 12:08:46 PM

Go Honda!

12/1/2008 12:27:01 PM

THE FIT IS GO.

12/1/2008 12:50:35 PM

What about the Mazda 3 hatch?

Smaller, yet still peppy engine will give you better gas mileage than the Mazda 6 hatch.

12/1/2008 12:52:01 PM

i'm open to trying the mazda 3 hatch. i just prefer the body style of the mazda 6 to the mazda 3.

carmax has a nice nissan versa - '07, 29k miles, $12,600 - but it's a manual and my manual transmission skills are limited

12/1/2008 12:57:30 PM

no time like the present to learn! it's easy and, imo, way more fun...after a month you won't even realize you're shifting anymore

12/1/2008 1:09:08 PM

my mom has taught me and i know the basic principle, i'm just a little jerky.. i'm just nervous because most dealerships are right on major highways with crazy ass charlotte drivers zooming all over the place.

i've always wanted a manual.. i guess now's my chance haha we'll see how the test drives go i guess.

12/1/2008 1:12:44 PM

meh, just ride the clutch until you get used to it

12/1/2008 1:26:48 PM

save some money for the clutch job if you're new to driving manual

12/1/2008 1:33:33 PM

Quote :

"carmax has a nice nissan versa - '07, 29k miles, $12,600 - but it's a manual and my manual transmission skills are limited"

Considering that a new Versa's price around here is $9,990 how is this a good deal?

Get the Fit, its the best "fit" for what you described. Also while I don't have any first hand experience with one all the car magazines rave about its handling. Its supposed to be a fun car to drive (well, about as fun as a 110hp car can be). Should get around 35mpg on the highway too.

12/1/2008 1:39:43 PM

Quote :

"save some money for the clutch job if you're new to driving manual"

my first car (a '94 probe GT) had 50k miles on it when i got it...i had never driven a manual before i bought the car, and taught myself...it made it to ~133k before it was totaled (not by me) and i never needed a new clutch

or are cars nowadays notorious for not accommodating someone new to driving a stick? or are you implying that girls just can't drive manuals?

also, i've taught 3 people how to drive a stick using my car, and it's at almost 130k miles and i haven't needed a new clutch yet (AND that's after driving it for 6 months with no first gear...stupid shifter cables kinking)...granted, i may need one soon because i've abused the damn thing, but she shouldn't have anything to worry about

[Edited on December 1, 2008 at 2:07 PM. Reason : .]

12/1/2008 2:05:38 PM

you can make all the lists you want. go out and do some test drives.

btw, you can buy an older STI for a lot cheaper than 30K if you look around (and if its really what you want).

start hitting up used car lots or dealerships. goto carmax. go drive these cars that you "like"

12/1/2008 2:17:53 PM

I test drove an 08 SRT4 Caliber @ Hendrick Dodge when moparnum5 bought his truck-- they had just pulled it out of the shop before I drove it (replacing the clutch). I'm hoping it was a fluke and not a trend in newer manuals-- because there was no good reason they should have had to replace the clutch yet with maybe 150 miles on the chassis even if it had been abused.

blah, I'd suggest going out and test driving everything on your list. You have enough time to shop around and make sure you get what you want. Some models will just be more comfortable for you (I don't mean plush seats or cup holders-- I mean ease of sight, pedal placement, general space within the car, etc).

(Also- towing ability would allow you to possibly rent a smaller UHaul that you could tow behind you-- not necessarily for a boat heck- the first thing I'm going to tow with my Jeep is a trailer full of girl scouts in a parade oh well. boats and OHVs will come later )

[Edited on December 1, 2008 at 2:35 PM. Reason : ]

12/1/2008 2:32:47 PM

Quote :

"btw, you can buy an older STI for a lot cheaper than 30K if you look around (and if its really what you want). "

Yep.

I wanted an STi, though, and ended up choosing an Evo hands-down after driving them both. Most people I've met who've driven both strongly prefer the Evo.

These are very, very different sorts of cars than anything else on your list, though, and likely from anything you've driven. They (especially the Evo) are fanastic automobiles, but make sure that's what you want before you buy one. They are pretty hardcore, extremely performance focused machines (though still very daily driveable for a car enthusiast...just be prepared to deal with more noise, a mediocre-to-poor (depending on STi or Evo) interior, higher operating costs, and a lack of features for the money. My '06 Evo didn't even have cruise control...and it ate $800/worth of tires about every 8-10 months (you would likely fare better...maybe a year or a little more. A year and a half would be MIRACULOUS.) Also, mine needed a clutch job ($1100-2000+) at 22k miles, which is pretty routine in an Evo (don't know about the STi). Some need it a lot sooner than that (!!!), while some make it to 30k or a little more.

They're both great cars, but know what you're getting into. You can get one for $15k if you want.

[Edited on December 1, 2008 at 3:09 PM. Reason : a regular Impreza WRX might be a better compromise.]

12/1/2008 3:07:27 PM

clutch job every 20-30k miles FTL

12/1/2008 3:15:48 PM

Quote :

"^^ ummm because you can get a brand fucking new truck for very very very little money and the savings you would make there would probably be enough to cover your gas. having a fuel efficient vehicle does not really save you THAT much money every year"

LOL what kind of ignorant redneck comment is that?

^my Evo is approaching 60,000 miles on original/factory everything. (except tires, brake pads obviously).

[Edited on December 1, 2008 at 3:22 PM. Reason : .]

12/1/2008 3:21:24 PM

Quote :

"LOL what kind of ignorant redneck comment is that?"

LOL what kind of dumbfuck comment is that? If she doesnt want a truck then that is fine she should get what she wants. All I was saying is right now it is a buyers market for a truck (if that is what you want) and if she was interested in one now is the time. The facts are that you really don't save THAT much money on getting a "fuel efficient" vehicle if you go by the average gas usage per year and when you can save over 50% on sticker price for a truck then that will buy you a lot of gas not to mention you would have a warranty so that would save you a decent amount repairs. That is of course if you would like to have a truck, it would be pointless to get a vehicle you don't want because it is cheap.

If I was her (with her list) I would probably check out the escape since the American dealers are hurting more than the import dealers and she could probably get a screaming deal on one.

12/1/2008 3:30:27 PM

i feel like someone was hating on my list! that's my list of cars to test drive. i'm pretty short, so some of the cars i should be able to rule out just by sitting in them. for example, i hate pontiacs.. every pontiac i've ever sat in/drove i hated. i can hardly see over the dash and the seat is shaped weird and the pedals are higher than most cars i think.. either way i have to hold my leg up to drive them or something weird like that.

Quote :

"Considering that a new Versa's price around here is $9,990 how is this a good deal?"

is that base price or something? with no options what so ever? teh $12,600 that was priced for the versa at carmax was about 2k less than blue book. i have a hard time believing you can buy a brand new '09 versa for less than 10 grand. send me some links or something.

i'm not trying to get into anything performanc-y. i don't know enough about cars to really care about all that, and i'm certainly not down with replacing the clutch every 20-30k miles. i've always liked the evo, but that and the sti are things that i'd rather wait until i had the money and time to fully appreciate and enjoy.

how do you feel about a jeep cherokee or something similar?

[Edited on December 1, 2008 at 3:33 PM. Reason : n]

12/1/2008 3:32:45 PM

Quote :

"^my Evo is approaching 60,000 miles on original/factory everything. (except tires, brake pads obviously). "

I've never heard of an Evo clutch making it that long. You must not be properly driving the shit out of it!

Quote :

"i'm not trying to get into anything performanc-y. i don't know enough about cars to really care about all that"

Haha, then the Evo and STi are definitely not what you want.

Quote :

"i'm pretty short"

12/1/2008 3:40:38 PM

used BMW 3-series!

12/1/2008 4:05:02 PM

Quote :

"I've never heard of an Evo clutch making it that long. You must not be properly driving the shit out of it!"

No, I am....its seen track days, tail of the dragon trips, etc. I just know how to shift and I don't launch it like I'm in a drag race at every stop light or ever. (ok maybe once or twice).

Quote :

"LOL what kind of dumbfuck comment is that? If she doesnt want a truck then that is fine she should get what she wants. All I was saying is right now it is a buyers market for a truck (if that is what you want) and if she was interested in one now is the time. The facts are that you really don't save THAT much money on getting a "fuel efficient" vehicle if you go by the average gas usage per year and when you can save over 50% on sticker price for a truck then that will buy you a lot of gas not to mention you would have a warranty so that would save you a decent amount repairs. That is of course if you would like to have a truck, it would be pointless to get a vehicle you don't want because it is cheap."

LOL...its still a fucking truck! And your 50% 'savings' goes right back into Ford's pocket because its a FORD

[Edited on December 1, 2008 at 4:14 PM. Reason : ,]

12/1/2008 4:13:04 PM

You say you don't like Pontiacs, but you should know that the Pontiac Vibe is just a rebadged Toyota.

If you want something practical but fast try to shop around and see if any Mazdaspeed 3s are in your price range. I believe new they were around $23k, and since they've been out for 2 yrs they might have dropped down below $15k. I wouldn't consider the Dodge Caliber (not saying you would, but it was mentioned in this thread by another). Everything about that car is fail.

12/1/2008 4:20:02 PM

^^ wow you really are a dumbass...

[Edited on December 1, 2008 at 4:21 PM. Reason : ...]

12/1/2008 4:21:08 PM

wow, that's even more impressive.

I bought mine at 7k miles, and it was toast by 22k. I could probably count the drag-strip style launches on one hand. I also heel & toe (or at least rev-match, if i'm not braking) my downshifts. All in all, I'm very smooth and not abusive (to the clutch...the tires, yeah, ok.). I did spend the vast majority of those miles tearing up backroads (I had a rural commute to work and pretty much everywhere else I went). In other words, my car was driven fairly hard pretty much constantly, but not abusively or in a way that should cause a clutch to fail that early.

I looked into it a little more on forums, etc, and talked to several dealers, and found that 20k-ish is pretty much average.

12/1/2008 4:25:50 PM

Quote :

"You say you don't like Pontiacs, but you should know that the Pontiac Vibe is just a rebadged Toyota."

i'll have to consider that too. it looks like it would have what i want, but of course i'll be able to tell better after i drive it.

Quote :

"I wouldn't consider the Dodge Caliber "

i had the dodge caliber as a rental car while mine was in the shop and i absolutely hated it. that will not be an option.

12/1/2008 4:37:19 PM

Quote :

"wow, that's even more impressive. I bought mine at 7k miles, and it was toast by 22k. I could probably count the drag-strip style launches on one hand. I also heel & toe (or at least rev-match, if i'm not braking) my downshifts. All in all, I'm very smooth and not abusive (to the clutch...the tires, yeah, ok.). I did spend the vast majority of those miles tearing up backroads (I had a rural commute to work and pretty much everywhere else I went). In other words, my car was driven fairly hard pretty much constantly, but not abusively or in a way that should cause a clutch to fail that early. I looked into it a little more on forums, etc, and talked to several dealers, and found that 20k-ish is pretty much average."

yeah I drive it pretty much the same way. heel-toe/rev-match. I am aggressive in driving depending on the road and traffic.

12/1/2008 6:02:56 PM

2002-2005 Civic Si.

Hatchback functionality.
Notably quicker than a normal Civic or the Fit.
Far better handling.
Much nicer seats.
Runs on regular octane gas.
Still gets 30+ mpg on the highway.

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/cto/937103351.html

These things look like a turd, but I'm thinking of getting one for myself and slapping some roof racks on it. Would make a great commuter/weekend road tripper.

[Edited on December 1, 2008 at 9:34 PM. Reason : l]

12/1/2008 9:33:09 PM

94 geo tracker

hell of a beater car

12/1/2008 9:34:11 PM