ski's First Car Purchase - Part 1: Narrow down which to look at

[ski]

Wow, my first car purchase. I am looking to buy one by the end of the year, and sadly, my current Dodge Caravan will crap out before I can buy this car in cash (financing questions later ;)).

Here's my current list with the engine and other features in detail:
The 15 candidates (http://www.littleboyinc.com/uploader/uploads/auto.htm)

To sum up the candidates, from cheapest invoice to highest:
Honda Accord DX
Scion tC
Toyota Corolla XRS
Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V
Toyota Camry Standard
Mazda 6i
Nissan Altima 2.5S
Acura RSX
Toyota Camry LE V6
Mazda 6s
Nissan Altima 3.5SE
Honda Accord LX
Acura RSX Type-S
Volvo S40 2.4i
Subaru WRX

What I'm looking for is:
The best price to performance ratio
Decent gas mileage

I kinda care about:
ABS, Traction Control, etc.
Side airbags

Don't care about:
Leather
Sunroof

First of all, am I missing any $16k to $24k small to midsize foreign cars with pep in this list?

Second of all, what would you recommend? I'd like to narrow it down to 5ish, so I don't have to spend 10 days test driving :)

[Showtime]

Civic SI.

-j

[bachviet]

Wait for the new Civic SI coupe to come out.

[Cubsfan]

I've been looking for something similar, although pretty much just a midsize family sedan.

Currently, I'm thinking Altima. I drove he Camry, Accord, Altima, and Mazda6, and the Altima is my favorite right now.

You've got a huge range in prices there, did you want to narrow it down a little? For instance, you have the Accord DX on the list. Big difference between that and the Accord LX V6. (In fact, the dealership that I visited doesn't even get any DX's in). Do you mind having a smaller car with more features, or a larger car with less features?

Anyway, my impressions of the cars I've driven:
Camry --> Not very Sporty, kind of boring. Not a bad value.

Mazda6 --> Felt small and cheap to me personally. The Mazda3 felt better, but it was a bit too small for me.

Accord --> Nothing wrong with it, it was just kind of boring. Felt like a well-made car, nothing flashy.

Altima --> My favorite of the bunch. It was roomier than the 6 and the accord, more power than the Camry, and overall I liked the looks of it better. Both engines seemed to have enough power for me.

If I remember correctly, you work for a big company. Check to see if you get any special discounts for any of these manufacturers. I think with some of my plans I get cars under invoice.

[attgig]

HYUNDAI SONATA! most reliable car according to consumer reports. And with the new model/engine...definitely more pep for the buck.

[ski]

Wait for the new Civic SI coupe to come out.
Is the 2006 Si a new design? I don't like the egg-looking hatchback shape of this gen's...


HYUNDAI SONATA! most reliable car according to consumer reports. And with the new model/engine...definitely more pep for the buck.
Is the 2006 going to be the one everyone talks about (there was a thread on here many moons ago about the next-gen Sonata)

[Merlin]

With all the American cars on that list it is hard to choose. :bandit:


But seriously, if it were me I would choose one of the last two listed the Volvo or the WRX. The Volvo and the Acura are probably the "classiest" two on the list.

[InfiniteNothing]

Civic SI.

-j
I think the RSX is really much more car for they money not to mention you have less of that "rice boy" reputation.

My top pic on the list is the Mazda 6.
Runner up is the WRX.

[bachviet]

Is the 2006 Si a new design? I don't like the egg-looking hatchback shape of this gen's...


...
2006 Civic SI (http://www.edmunds.com/future/2006/honda/civic/100511162/preview.html) (from www.edmunds.com)

[Showtime]

I think the RSX is really much more car for they money not to mention you have less of that "rice boy" reputation.

My top pic on the list is the Mazda 6.
Runner up is the WRX.

Read his list. The new civic si is the clear winner if you go by his list of wants. I think he'll be able to get one soon if demand doesn't raise the price.
Plus he gets a reliable car and high resale.

-j

[SecretIkon]

IMO, i think the best price for performance would be the RSX type-s. It has great performance, great interior design, its a sport luxary car and gas milage isn't to bad. You wouldn't go wrong with this car.

But if you can hold off and wait for the new Civic Si...I would take that.

thats just my .02.

[ski]

Thanks bachviet... if that "90% of what you see here will go into the production" is true, that is my top candidate.

I would much rather have a sedan than a coupe, and with practically the same engine as the RSX Type-S (and cheaper, don't need leather), it will be a winner. I would be buying sometime December-March (8-11 months), so I guess I'll have to wait on pricing.

[baggio248]

I just bought a 05 Accord EX. It's a great car. The one thing I hate is that everyone and their mom has one. There's really no way to differentiate it from anyone elses. I'm sure i'll think of something though. For the price I couldn't go wrong, I got it for below invoice.

[AlpineJay]

My girlfriend who's our year (you're a senior in college, right? me too) is also shopping with a similar budget and a darned similar list (mostly because I'm being pretty influential on it). So we've been test driving cars nonstop and drove the Mazda 6, Honda Accord/Civic, Scion tC, Sentra, Altima, S40, the RSX, and the Camry.

I really do like the Acura RSX - not the Type-S, although if you're into a lot of power and manual transmission which my girlfriend is not *sigh*. It comes with a lot of standard amenities - in fact, there's nothing you can "add on" as options in the vehicle... It was overall a pleasure to drive/ride on. The gas mileage is claimed around 30 mixed, and I can see that as the engine is a 2.0L DOHC.

I am also biased towards the Volvo, which adds the bonus of free scheduled maintenance for the first three years of ownership. My family and I have owned and driven many Volvos and we really enjoy the safety aspects of it and the practicality. The S40 is a great car and likely will be atop my list of cars when I buy one in the next two years or so.

That being said, the Sonata, both new and old, will fall right in your price range and I have to recommend it. It's extremely reliable (the older version at least) and the new one is supposed to have improved exterior and interior as well as to have an engine that's actually respectable in class (3.3L, 238hp I believe are the figures). I have told my girlfriend to wait to test drive and look at the new Sonata before she makes up her mind. My local dealership in Massachusetts gave us a mid-June timeline.

Good luck, though. They're all good cars and I'm sure you can't do much wrong.

[civicdidex]

tC is your best price/performance ratio. it comes with crazy options [knee level airbag!], i think i read 42 in all. not much cargo room [stealth bazooka sub], but the rear seats recline. long wheelbase keeps the ride stable and 10"+ brakes are sweet. only prob is that it will get no love from TRD since there is no tC in japan. i plan to get one of these in a few months.

[AlpineJay]

In my opinion, though, the tC was just plain boring to drive. Nothing exciting about the car except its looks. I also think that it's overpriced for the features and the car it gives you - because the car carries the Scion marque and the Toyota background.

Nice car, but not the best price/perf ratio as it's a plain ol' Toyota to drive.

[verve247]

I recommend the Nissan spec V. Nice torque heavy car and a great suspension makes it a fun ride. Damn cheap too and it has all the features your looking for. MPG is mid twenties which isnt bad either. Nissan's seem to be reliable. My SE-R is at 44k miles and haven't had a problem. Few people have the spec V too so you are not another camry or honda on the road either.

[sizemic1]

You could also get a Chrysler 300, Neon SRT-4, Jetta, and a Passat for < 25k. All of which I would at least check out. I've driven that Neon and it's kinda fun. I opted against cuz i'm a little too old to drive a car with a wing :P Also, there's a new body style coming out for the Jetta and Passat so you may be able to get a pretty good deal on a 2005 towards the middle of summer.

For Myself:

NO - Honda Accord DX
Yes - Scion tC
NO - Toyota Corolla XRS
NO - Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V
NO - Toyota Camry Standard
Yes - Mazda 6i
NO - Nissan Altima 2.5S
NO - Acura RSX
NO - Toyota Camry LE V6
Yes - Mazda 6s
Yes - Nissan Altima 3.5SE
Yes - Honda Accord LX
NO - Acura RSX Type-S
Yes - Volvo S40 2.4i
Yes - Subaru WRX

[Eugene]

What ab mazda3? u can get the sedan w/the 5door engine (the ~160hp one).

Or how ab the VW GTI, Cooper Mini, Lancer Ralliart (the one w/the okay engine..not just the body kit one), Ford Focus (supposed to be fun to drive).

As for price/performance, u can't beat the srt-4...no way the tC gets anywhere close. The extra kick the srt-4 would give u is well worth the +4k on invoice.

[InfiniteNothing]

2006 Civic SI (http://www.edmunds.com/future/2006/honda/civic/100511162/preview.html) (from www.edmunds.com)

That's a bigger bump in HP than I expected. Def consideration worthy.

[civicdidex]

160hp and 163tq/for $16000. id say thats the best perf/price ratio. xrs is good too, but the tC looks better imo. spec v is nice too, i didnt notice that one on the list.

i've never been to VA or anywhere near there, so im not sure if it snows there or has a lot of unpaved roads. WRX is a good pick for these situations, but for flat/paved roads, it isnt necessary. also i wouldnt pick the volvo because any maintenance or repairs will cost at least double of any of the others listed.

[Bires]

I recommend the Nissan spec V. Nice torque heavy car and a great suspension makes it a fun ride. Damn cheap too and it has all the features your looking for. MPG is mid twenties which isnt bad either. Nissan's seem to be reliable. My SE-R is at 44k miles and haven't had a problem. Few people have the spec V too so you are not another camry or honda on the road either.


I recommend AGAINST the SpecV. I bought one new this time last year. I traded it in for a Civic EX.

It is cheap...BUT...
The car has TOO MUCH torque. On a wet road, you will actually spin your tire so much that you will move backward for a second or two.

MPG is not in the mid 20's..more like 22. Most I got was 24 on the freeway and in-town expect 21. It has a 2.5L engine, way too much for a car that light.

The manual tranny (parts from the much heavier Maxima) feels like a stick in a bag of rocks, even with Redline in the gearbox. Also, you cannot shift from 4-->5-->6 w/o staying in 5 at least two-three seconds to let the synchos engage. I was frequently locked out of 6th entering the freeway.

This car is plagued by road noise, especially from the A-pillars.

The ride is WAY TOO TIGHT. Sport suspension on a car that light is like having no springs at all. You will feel EVERYTHING on the freeway.

Finally, I had a low tire (not a FLAT tire) and it threw off my alignment. Bad build quality. Very bad build quality.

But, again...it's cheap.


................................................................................
On the positive side of things...

Out of those you listed, I recommend the Accord but EX or the 6i.

[Airencracken]

Um...prius?

[palayah8ta]

You could also get a Chrysler 300...
....
Yes - Scion tC
NO - Toyota Corolla XRS
Yes - Volvo S40 2.4i
Yes - Subaru WRX

Chrysler 300 is PIMPIN!

Heres a question u know u can get like a used Acura TL or something nice thats got a few miles on it but still under warranty.
If i was in your shoes, id take a 03 /04 mitsubishi EVO. mmmm EVo. its got 4 doors, room, and speed like no other.

[verve247]

I recommend AGAINST the SpecV. I bought one new this time last year. I traded it in for a Civic EX.

It is cheap...BUT...
The car has TOO MUCH torque. On a wet road, you will actually spin your tire so much that you will move backward for a second or two.

MPG is not in the mid 20's..more like 22. Most I got was 24 on the freeway and in-town expect 21. It has a 2.5L engine, way too much for a car that light.

The manual tranny (parts from the much heavier Maxima) feels like a stick in a bag of rocks, even with Redline in the gearbox. Also, you cannot shift from 4-->5-->6 w/o staying in 5 at least two-three seconds to let the synchos engage. I was frequently locked out of 6th entering the freeway.

This car is plagued by road noise, especially from the A-pillars.

The ride is WAY TOO TIGHT. Sport suspension on a car that light is like having no springs at all. You will feel EVERYTHING on the freeway.

Finally, I had a low tire (not a FLAT tire) and it threw off my alignment. Bad build quality. Very bad build quality.

But, again...it's cheap.


................................................................................
On the positive side of things...

Out of those you listed, I recommend the Accord but EX or the 6i.

Woah, completely different experiences. I love the high torque, especially for quick acceleration and passing. While it takes effort to prevent spin when leaving from a rest position during the rain, the traction and road-handling is superb. I'll admit, my gas mileage didnt improve until 25k for some reason. Before that it was 24, but now is up to 27. I can't mention on the shifting since i got the SE-R in automatic which also has slightly looser suspension(still better than the base). The ride does feel quite smooth and quiet. I've been traveling at 85mph before and be asked to speed up because it feels like 65. You might want to test-drive this one.

[ufcrusher]

First of all - DO NOT RELY ON CONSUMER REPORTS!!! This has been said time and time again, but some people still fail to understand how CR works and why their results are completely skewed and unreliable.

For those who have not been informed, I will quickly sum up why CR is worthless and has such skewed results. In order to determine the reliability of they send our mailers to all of their subscribers and ask them if they own the product. If they do, they ask them to rate the reliability and if they have had any problems. If they send out 400,000 surveys and only 400 people own that car and only 3% of those people respond, their opinon is based on 12 people! Not exactly a true representative sample. On top of that, they ask question such as have you experienced any serious issues with your car? Unfortunately they dont define the terms and leave it to the responding party to interpret what serious is.

The problem with this method is that loyal owners dont want to disparage the products and dont report properly. With cars, typically the japanese cars get top ratings no matter how many things go wrong. In fact, an article that I read by a relatively impartial source (in this instance a car magazine who after having many many problems with their test vehicles were surprised to see CR give the same vehicle its best marks and started looking into how the cars were rated), the magazine contacted some of those who responded and discovered that in one instance, although a car had been in the shop 20 times since an owner bought it, he gave it top marks. Why? Because most of the repairs had been done at no charge, the dealership was nice to him, and they immediately notified him about a recall issue. [so simply because he was happy with the outcome, he "forgot" that there was a problem.]

Here is a link to an article which points out some things (*note - this is not the original article(s) I have read but a similar article and thus would be useful here)

So....now that you get rid of the misconception that consumer reports is not a holy grail to take at face value, you can use it for what its worth to you for information.

As for cars, you may feel that right now in your life you dont need to have many things but let me be the bearer of bad news. Life changes....quickly. Yep, I said it. For example, will your job require you to have clients in your car? If so, then the smart money is to spend a bit more to have a nicer car as it will pay dividends in terms of first impresions. Plus, you would want to have a sedan rather than a coupe as its easier to get in and out of then.

If you are planning on having kids....well then, once again...the coupe is gone. :bawl:

If you are a professional, well then.....appearance does matter. Driving to work in a cheaper car looks badly to clients as they want you to be doing better than them. It screams success.

I dont mean to tell you that you need to go out and buy a $35K+ car. There are plenty of less expensive cars that are nice and dont make you look like a college kid or younger. For example, Honda - go for an Accord hybrid rather than a civic. Acura, while the RSX is a fun sporty car (more so with the type-s) BUT its a coupe and conveys the sense of youth. (If you are working in a marketing firm where being in touch with youth is considered to be a benefit...well then, its perfect. However, if you are working at a Fortune 500 company routinely meeting with clients where they see your car, suddenly its bad.) Going with the TL (which is actually a European spec Accord) is a bit more adult.

Here are a few real life examples that I know of: Friend of mine who is also an attorney has owned and driven a 1991 Toyota truck ever since we met in law school. Since its old, its been beaten to hell and well worn. Unfortunately, as law school was expensive, he was unable to buy a new car until he had a job. For an interview he borrowed his mothers car, which was a new fully loaded Jetta if memory serves, and drove it to the interview. In the lot several members saw what he was driving and said commented on it. He had his interview and successfully managed to get hired on a probationary period which is somewhat standard in firms. Since his mother barely used her car, he was borrowing it on most days to go into the office. Unfortunately, there was several days where he had to drive his truck into the office. One of the members saw what he was driving and actually talked with him about it being inappropriate. The member thought that pickups were bad enough to be seen in, let alone one in that condition. My friend explained that was his only transportation and he had been borrowing the other car for the time being. At that point, the member told him that he better start car shopping that coming weekend and to please not park the truck in the front of the lot where clients may see him getting into it. (FYI, he still has his truck...but only because it wasnt worth anything when he made the deal on his new jag.)

I had a similar instance where I had to leave my car in the shop for the day and had to decide between renting a car or borrowing one from a family member. I chose to borrow the car, which was already 15 years old at the time and beaten to hell. Figuring that I knew I wouldnt be seeing any clients that day I wasnt worried about driving it for the day. It just so happened that my boss happened to notice me pulling into work that day and called me into his office.
BL"I'm not trying to be rude here, but I just happened to see you pull up in what I would nicely call a beater car. I thought you drove a new Mustang."
UFC: "My car was in the shop for the day and I borrowed that car for the day."
B: "You arent seeing any clients today or going anywhere on business for me, right?"
UFC: "Not unless something unexpected comes up."
B: "Well thats good, because I wouldnt have let you go in that thing."

And before you think this is only with attorneys....I know several real estate sales people who have had similar issues. Almost any profession where your car will be seen by your clients.

You should also recognize that if you go up the corporate ladder you may find that this becomes an issue while its not currently one.

[sizemic1]

I second the TL! I love mine.
Classy and fun to drive.
However it's not exactly in the <25k range.

[civicdidex]

^^ neither is an evo

[Eugene]

wow.... i'm glad i don't have to talk to any clients. just thinking about that gives me wierd chills... it's amazing how superficial we all can be.

civicdidex, an evo MIGHT be in the 20k range, if you buy used... i know someone selling an S2000 for 20k (it's a 2000 model). I consider that high for the car and year, so it's not too unlikely to find a similarly priced car (evo, sti, s2k, etc) in the 20k range. Possibly with the TL too, which is such a sweet looking car!!! I'd LOVE a white one, with a good suspension kit (like the A-spec or similar aftermarket), gunmetal/black wheels and red smoked tail lights.... I'm usually not into rice, but for some reason, that would be simply amazing.

[Airencracken]

In honor of his return...

Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer Bimmer

[JaQnAbOx]

WRX- hands down the other cars dont even compare...im looking around that same range myself...where are you located?..maybe we can goto a deal together..and say we want two cars for XXXX price...take it or leave it

[DankNstickY]

In honor of his return...


return??? :hmm: there's no honor in that

[logicdc]

My suggestion would be to shop these models used and see how they hold up over time. Such as the Altima -- noted to have a cheap interior and not so great back seat (from what I have heard).

Depreciation on the Nissan, Mazda, and Scion make them scary to buy a first buyer. Not that they are bad cars but knowing what new ones run -- buy one one to two years old and let someone else take the depreciation hit. New scions are 17 -- 1.5 yrs later are 11 trade-in.

Volvo is a new design -- most people don't like buying first yr models -- something to consider.

I like Honda's and Toyota's but seems equally optioned the Toyo is a little pricer. Again all this is just food for thought.

Without knowing more about you -- it is tough to help pick a car. That is quite a broad range of cars.

[Showtime]

That new saturn that looks like a little corvette will get you a lot of attention.
:wow: Your young, get one of those when they come out.

-j

[rasetsu]

To sum up the candidates, from cheapest invoice to highest:
Honda Accord DX (stipped out car -wasted of money - NO)
Scion tC (yes, good buy, lots of standard equipment, TRD offers an exhaust, cavernous interior with the back seats folded, no haggle pricing, needs a little more power, and better suspension)
Toyota Corolla XRS (tC is a better buy - no)
Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V (power, but miss in build quality and looks)
Toyota Camry Standard (boring - appliance car)
Mazda 6i (good, suck it up and get the 6S or 3S, but questionable reliablity and resale value)
Nissan Altima 2.5S (buck up for the 3.5, poor engine build quality)
Acura RSX (good buy, but a bit pricey for what you are looking for and expect higher insurance premiums just because it's an Acura)
Toyota Camry LE V6 (boring appliance car)
Mazda 6s (see Mazda 6i)
Nissan Altima 3.5SE (good buy, nice revised interior, comfortable, common on the road, but still fun - watch out for the torque steer)
Honda Accord LX (buck up for a EX)
Acura RSX Type-S (see RSX)
Volvo S40 2.4i (styling is eh, but still good)
Subaru WRX (hell yeah! only negative is gas mileage - not typical 4 banger numbers because of turbo and AWD, expect about 23mpg, but low financing and incentives available - rumor mill has it that 2006 will be a 2.5 litre vs. the current 2.0 litre so look for a bump in hp and tq)

New Civic Si looks good on paper, but no official release on final design and specs. Also expect to pay a premium unless you can wait a few months after it's introduction. Still won't have the power, room, or the safety and performance of AWD like the WRX.

[Cubsfan]

So we've heard from a lot of people, but not Ski! What has made your short list ski? (At the risk of being criticized if someone else thinks it sucks :) ) I'm pretty much heading for an '05 Altima 2.5s myself (Don't want to pay for the 3.5SE, and honestly, I WOULD get myself into trouble with that much power )

[ski]

I'm leaning more towards the following:

New Scion tC
New Acura RSX
Used Altima 3.5SE
Used RSX Type-S
Used WRX

Basically something in the $16k to $20k range. :)

[Cubsfan]

Let me know what you find on the used 3.5SE. The ones I've found don't offer much of a value as far as being used, but let me know what you find.

[Airencracken]

I LIKE the tC. Manual, nice wing on the back (the bigger of the two they offer) Supercharger (offered by TRD).

[Eugene]

I LIKE the tC. Manual, nice wing on the back (the bigger of the two they offer) Supercharger (offered by TRD).
have they finally started offering the supercharger now? I've been reading ab it for some time, but I didn't hear that they started offering it now. wow... it's now a very potent car. since it's still under warranty after u super it. I wonder how that effects the reliability of the car 6-7 yrs down the road.

[ski]

No supercharger from TRD yet. Checked out the website and wasn't on it...

[Airencracken]

Huh, I had heard from my local dealer (wuz chatting whilst getting mah oil changed) that it was available. Also I had heard that it was wareenteed.

[AlpineJay]

I'm still inclined to say the RSX if you're going new. Just drove the 2005 this past weekend and it was fantastic.

[palayah8ta]

I'm leaning more towards the following:

New Scion tC
New Acura RSX
Used Altima 3.5SE
Used RSX Type-S
Used WRX

Basically something in the $16k to $20k range. :)

WRX!!!!!! Get that 4wheeldrive, and that 270 hp turboooo. You cant ask for more than that. ok im done ..

[bachviet]

WRX!!!!!! Get that 4wheeldrive, and that 270 hp turboooo. You cant ask for more than that. ok im done ..
Where do you get the 270hp WRX??? The STi comes with 280hp and it costs $30K.

[rasetsu]

Where do you get the 270hp WRX??? The STi comes with 280hp and it costs $30K.


STi has 300hp. WRX has 227. EVO has 276. WRX will probably put out about 250 for 2006 with the change over to a 2.5L motor.


I'm leaning more towards the following:

New Scion tC
New Acura RSX
Used Altima 3.5SE
Used RSX Type-S
Used WRX

Basically something in the $16k to $20k range. :)

I think you'd get the least bang for your buck with base RSX. A step up to the Type-S is well worth it.

You could afford a new WRX with the financing promos that Subaru is offering.

Nissan offers special interest financing on Altimas every now and then too.

Keep checking Edmunds.com

[Airencracken]

I wonder if they'll pump up the STi as well...

[rasetsu]

I wonder if they'll pump up the STi as well...

There's a lot of speculation, but so far, it's nothing more than that: speculation. The specs on the EVO IX are out and it looks like it'll make about 289 so that still below the STi. Subaru should focus more on the suspension. I wouldn't expect anything more than a 10hp bump without skyrocketing the MSRP. Expect to see the whole Subaru line get a major face lift in mid 2006 with the Alfa-style grill introduced on the Tribeca. There are also talks that the Impreza will become a hatchback and be built in Indiana at their new factory there.

[Jabberwocky]

I like the WRX, it is very sporty.

In terms of comfort though, I think the Volvo s40 the the way to go. I like the interior and the engine is whisper quiet (if you are into that), last time I drove one, I thought the car was off and turn the ignition while the engien was running. :wavey2: doh

[g222leav]

I'm leaning more towards the following:

New Scion tC
New Acura RSX
Used Altima 3.5SE
Used RSX Type-S
Used WRX

Basically something in the $16k to $20k range. :)


dude, i hope you realize that after tax, title, etc...4 out of those 5 cars are going to be above 20k

just my 0.02 cents, i'm looking at a base rsx....i've looked at just about everything and that's the one that appeals to me most.

the 06 civic si sparks my interest, but i don't think that i'd consider waiting for that, and plus the insurance rate on that probably wouldn't be as "high" as a base rsx...keep in mind that the type-s has a much higher insurance rate as well...don't forget about that as well as the fact that the type-s also is said to require *premium* gas...that is serious nowadays with crazy inflated gas prices.

i'm going test-driving saturday, and unless any other car blows me away, i'm pretty much settled on an rsx.

i have a '96 civic ex that i've pretty much driven into the ground...i'm positive that if i actually did a better job with the up keep the car would be in a better state of being...but i love honda/acura...i just think that my particular car was blessed with my bad karma...it did provide me ~10 good years and +200k miles...that's killer in my book...so i'm staying with the honda/acura...and seeing how the new civics don't appeal to me much, i'm leaning heavily on the rsx.

so anyways...keep this in mind if you get a type-s:

1) higher insurance rate
2) invoice is over 20k
3) premium gas (91 octane or higher)
4) *bose audio system (as far as i can tell, head unit can't be switched out)

the long term costs alone make the type-s not worth it (for myself)...even for the extra 50hp....i'd rather get my use out of the base rsx until i can afford a much more luxurious car.

[Mike_N_Ike]

Get the type-s :P

[rasetsu]

More power is ALWAYS better and 50hp is a pretty big difference for a tiny car.

[Bires]

More power is ALWAYS better and 50hp is a pretty big difference for a tiny car.

What about fuel efficiency?

[Yossarian]

i'll sell you my '94 grand prix coupe for 5k :P

[rasetsu]

What about fuel efficiency?


For a difference of 3 mpg, I'll take the extra 50 hp thank you very much. 3 mpg is a small price to pay for that extra umph to accerlate on the on-ramp or over take that crazy SUV in the middle lane.

[DJjeff1080]

Either get the RSX or the WRX. Both are good cars. If you get the WRX I would suggest getting a warranty. That way you can beat on the car and not have to worry, not to mention that you won't have to worry about what the previous driver did to it.

My vote is for getting a good price on a used WRX with a 100k mile warranty. But get what you will enjoy the most.

[g222leav]

No supercharger from TRD yet. Checked out the website and wasn't on it...


the supercharger exists...i was at a scion dealer yesterday and it was one of the options on their so-called "menu-styled" options list...we asked the deal but he didn't have an info about it.

[Eugene]

FYI - Subaru is has incentives to move the 2004-5 models. It's either a $1500 cash rebate or apr rates of 1.9-3.9% I just test drove a wrx for fun... wow!! That is a fun car. The backseat is minimal, but do-able if u (the driver) are not too tall.

Rebate/apr
http://autos.msn.com/research/vip/pricing.aspx?modelid=11219&trimid=-1&src=VIP&tab=1&sub=-1

[g222leav]

FYI - Subaru is has incentives to move the 2004-5 models. It's either a $1500 cash rebate or apr rates of 1.9-3.9% I just test drove a wrx for fun... wow!! That is a fun car. The backseat is minimal, but do-able if u (the driver) are not too tall.

Rebate/apr
http://autos.msn.com/research/vip/pricing.aspx?modelid=11219&trimid=-1&src=VIP&tab=1&sub=-1


yea i'm 6'2" and i sat down in a wrx last saturday...it can be kinda fumbly getting in and out...but once you're settled it's ok...much better than say an eclipse.