Ok, so here's the story. We're moving to the burbs and will need an additional car, since I'll be assuming a commute of approximately 20 minutes each way. My wife will be driving the kids around during the day (school / activities etc) as well as a commute once per week to her work. Esentially, she'll be putting the majority of our family's driving miles on the car that she'll be driving and will have the kids in tow 90% of the time. I therefore want something relatively safe, reliable, decent on gas (no SUVs) and she would like the car to be somewhat sporty (sedan MT), with some lux (leather etc). So...the way I see it, we have a few options:

1) keep our 5 yr old TSX (100k km / 62k miles) - and I use it for the daily commute since I'd only be putting less than 10k km / year on it. Purchase a second car which we will keep for >8 years - my wife would use this.

second car options: 2007 Accord V6 6MT sedan (I can buy one in the US to import into Canada for around $21-24K - no warranty coverage however in Canada).
2007 Jetta GLI 6MT sedan package-2 (leather etc) (I can buy one in the US to import into Canada for around $22-24K warranty is valid in Canada).


2) keep our TSX - my wife would use it. I would buy a 4yr old used car as a commuter and keep it for 4 years or so, before turning it over for another 4 yr old car etc. I've really only considered buying a 2003-04 CIVIC with around 100k km for approx $10-11 k. After 4 years, I could sell it for approx $5k, and begin the process again.

Anyways, I realize that option 2 is the cheaper of the two options. Not as fun however as option 1.

Any opinions? Thanks!

 

I wouldn't get a Jetta.....too unreliable.

 

ya I know, I know. On the other hand, my friend has an 04 Jetta that has been incredibly reliable. You just never know...

 

I complain a lot about our '03 Jetta, but for the most part our problems have been body hardware and interior stuff. No BIG issues like motor or tranny busting. It's hit or miss... but if you miss you could get electrical problems and that would be hellish.

I vote for #2. Yeah, it's not as much fun, but a used Civic would be super easy on gas and it's a great commuter car. Save the money from not buying new & on gas and use it to take a great vacation next year, and the year after, and...

Plus, a 6MT V6 Accord would not be so easy on the gas... The 2.0T Jetta would be better for that.

 

How old are the kids? What kinds of activities are they into? The Jetta isn't the roomiest car and if they're into something like hockey where you're dragging around a bag at least as big as the kid, I would think the size of the Jetta would be an issue. From what I've heard the newer body style Jettas ('05 and up?) are more reliable than the previous generation. The previous version being the first car they built in the Mexico plant.

 

Keep the TSX and go used car and save some $$$

My two cars are a 06 TSX and a 97 Accord LX. My 97 I-4 Accord LX with +175,000 miles is perfect as a daily commuter driver. It is the perfect car for car pooling with my wife and son to work/school/pratice, squeezing into tight parking spaces at work, driving during bad weather (I have hail damage from a few years ago), and hauling our son’s baseball/basketball/soccer crap around.

The Accord does have a several chips and a large crack across the windshield, paint job is a little shot, I wash it once a month, had a semi truck run me off into the dirt median once (no damage, just crapped my pants), and the front end looks like Edward James Olmos face. A real big bonus is whatever breaks or routine maint on the Accord costs way less than one car payment to fix and this is only about 2-3 times a year.

I’m still a few years away from making the TSX a daily commuter with my +35 miles daily commute. When the Accord dies, I'm thinking about TSX I-4 diesel or MDX V-6 diesel as an replacement when available.

 

If I were you I'd let your wife use the TSX and then you buy a used minivan. You can use it to fetch christmas trees, get large items from hardware stores, take trash to the dump, take your kids and all their friends somewhere in a single vehicle, more room for long trips, and a more versatile fleet at your disposal.

 

jetta

 

Get a new civic. safe for a small car, easy on gas. optional leather. comes in MT sedan. full warranty. reliable car. problem solved.

 

say no to VW. Very unreliable. My friend leased a '07 early summer and he already has a blown window fuse, brake issues, and engine issues.

 

Canadians love Civics, but they're ho hum cars. If you can afford to make driving something worth looking forward to every day wouldn't you do it?

 

The nice thing about Civics is how cheaply and easily they can be made to be not ho-hum. There was a lot I really liked about by mildly tuned Civic but I was just tired of fixing things all the time without a garage. It was easily on par with the TSX on the back roads. Maybe even a little better due to carrying so much less weight. The new SI is real fun to drive.

 

Volvo C30?



Not a sedan though, but they look so cool

 

Sure if you're all about speed, but aparently nobody bought the TSX for it's speed either. Civics are in a small, noisy sparse class of cars by design. With regard to comfort, if you choose a Civic then you've lost before the game has even started.

 

I like your style! While I like wakura's idea of a minivan, if I went new I'd split the difference and I'd go with a slightly bigger Volvo, the V50. I think it's about the size of a Euro Accord wagon... only you can actually buy one here. It won't haul as much junk as a minivan but it gets better mileage & does better hauling than a sedan.

Does anyone know the reliability of these cars? Hopefully better than VW?!


Yes, of course I found a picture of a red one...

 

Obviously you're mind is set and I don't really care to change it. I liked the car plenty. Obviously the TSX was a big step up in comfort which was 75% of the reason I went that direction. My particular Civic was not at all loud and I routinely hauled a ton of stuff in it. Most of the work I did to it was suspension and brakes. It rode very comfortably for what it was and could stop on a dime. I let a few friends borrow it from time to time and was always complimented on how fun to drive it was. I wish I could have held on to it after I bought the TSX but I just don't have room.

Automatic loss? Hardly.

 

I still have a late 90's Civic, and it's fun to drive in that it's small, light, bouncy and the initial acceleration tosses you back in your seat, but compared to the TSX it feels like torture. It's loud and feels like tin can.

 

 

I was driving an 03 Civic Hybrid before I got my TSX. I also drove an 07 Civic in comparison before the TSX. Yes, the Civic will be more economical for you to commute in, but honestly after 4 years I was tired of the noise, lack of refinement, no sat radio, average seat, marginal stereo, etc. All little stuff, but I spend about 2 hrs a day in my car and for that kind of time, I wanted something I enjoyed. Comparing a Civic to a TSX is truly bringing a knife to a gun fight - it's just no comparison.

If you like your TSX I'd be inclined to focus on the family car instead. There is supposed to be an 09 Accord Diesel - 50+ MPG and I'm sure would be a great car. In the here and now, Accords are always solid.

 

thanks for the input everyone. the latest plan is to purchase a new CRV up here (we can get a very good discount if we finance it ourselves / pay cash), and keep it for >8 yrs or so. It fits the bill nicely (EX-L trim level). I'll drive the TSX as my commuter.

 

^^ I avoided suggesting a CR-V because of the prior "no SUV" comment. That's an excellent choice.

If I may give you one more thing to ponder: I have two kids, and owned a Subaru Forrester and Outback in recent years. The huge issue for us was limited seating. With small kids, they can't use the front seat (air bag), which limits you to hauling 3 kids max. For me, if we were taking both kids and each had a friend, we needed 2 cars. Didn't happen often, but often enough for us to give up on both. We now own an 05 Pilot. While not so great on gas (18-20 MPG), it is a fantastic vehicle in every other way. It's very wide (kids are not on top of eachother and everyone can spread out), and also has 8 passenger seating. It does not look big from the outside, but the inside is a cavern and can haul amazing amounts of stuff. I can put a loveseat in the back and shut the tailgate. I'm not sure if the CR-V has a third row or not...

Anyway, don't know if your situation is similar kid-wise, but that's what happened to us.

 

I'm with wackura on the minivan. You may scoff at the idea, but most people have no idea how amazing it is to have one, for the mere fact that they can't get beyond the image. An Odyssey LX is not expensive, might be even less than that loaded Civic EX-L (although the EX is MUCH more family-friendly than the LX). Gas mileage is the big downfall.

 

Your second choice is obviously better financially speaking, but i agree its not as much fun.

Dont fall into the VW Hate group that so many here do. My 06 Jetta 2.0T has been awesome with only two minor problems in almost 2.5 years (fixed under warranty and the service was very good). You may also find its more fun to drive then the TSX and has the same interior room as your use to in your current TSX but a lot more trunk space for the kids stroller, etc. You dont have to worry about safety as its near or at the top in all categories and the drivetrain has been the best in its category for the past few years (perf/economy etc).

Your idea about the CRV is also another nice option to look at as it seems like a nice vehicle. You seem to like the Honda line and personally i like it much better than Toyota. If you have been having good luck with the Hondas i would keep the TSX and go with the CRV (athough earlier I though you said a SUV was not an option).....I cant believe Honda wont back their accord up here in Canada. I know other manufacturers are doing it to, but what about the Americans who move up here or are visiting?

Either way the vehicles you are looking at are good choices and dont be afraid to test drive a GLI as i know many here have and have loved them.....dont listen to the people who have never sat or driven in one and developed their only opinion from Asian Reports.....sorry i mean Consumer Reports.

 

I also have the TSX and a beater car since I have quite a commute also. I didn't want to beat up my TSX too much with this crazy commute to work. I'm also a few years awa from using the TSX as my daily commuter. It's my weekend car for now.

 

just get a 00-02 honda accord for about 10g's and get on with life... they are very nice and roomy with very low maintenance. cost or maybe an 03 with the new body styling. whichever u prefer; just stick with a honda and save yourself alot of money, gas and time at the repair shop =).

 

What exactly is a CR-V good for? Those crossover SUVs strike me as worst of both worlds; don't hold very many people, don't hold very much stuff; high center of gravity and they're very girly. The only benefit I can think of is you sit up a little higher than you would in a station wagon.

I don't understand why you're getting a new vehicle specificly to keep ot for eight years, why not buy a four year old verhicle and get rid of it in four years?

 

dont get the jetta.. really unrealiable

 

If you're considering the CR-V, you should probably check out the Rav-4. I've been in both and I liked the Toyota a bit better. I know that MT and C&D both chose the Honda over the Toyota (just barely), but it comes down to personal taste. Drive them both and choose.

Or, if you don't feel like going the CUV route, you could check out the Subaru line. They're very reliable, are very safe (and have AWD for those snowy Canadian winters), and you can choose a sedan or a wagon in MT form. Take a look at the Legacy and the Outback, you might like them.