Kevo

I am entering college soon and my commute is going to be 8miles to and back home so 16 miles total. I won't be taking my car out everyday because parking and gas is expensive. I am debating whether I should just buy a 2009 Honda Civic with 87k miles for $14k or spend an extra $1k and purchase a 2006 Acura TL with 74k miles for $15k. Both vehicles has never been in an accident before.

Would it be a really bad idea if I bought the Acura instead of the Civic? I am not that worried about fuel economy since I'm not going to be commuting everyday. Would the Acura cost a lot more to repair than Honda? I will not be racing or speeding;if anything, I drive like a grandma.

I am leaning towards the Acura more because it has leather seats, looks like a smaller car (I like snug cars) and overall, just looks better. Also, would the TSX be a better choice if I just wanted an Acura for the looks and less about performance?

The cars:

http://goo.gl/DZOrHf
http://goo.gl/UQPQVg

Thanks everyone.

ggesq

iTrader: (1)

The TL will be hands down more expensive to maintain. Premium fuel and in 30k miles you will be doing the 105k service which could range from 500-1500. If parking and gas is a factor like you say, you might wanna go ahead and get the Civic. The TL's fuel economy on short trips is horrendous.

Welcome to AcuraZine.

Kevo

Thanks for the quick reply. As for the premium fuel, it shouldn't be more than $4 more than a regular fillup right? I wouldn't mind paying an extra $4 for premium fuel. Also, I will be doing very light driving. Probably under 10k miles a year so that should leave me plenty of time to save up for a timing belt change.

truonghthe

price kinda high for no NAV model, like the guy above me said go with the civic if fuel economy is your biggest deal as far as maint does I own most Honda and the part is just around 10-15% different. TL average 17-19 mpg in city with A/C on all the time, on the highway it get 30 mpg.

lusid

Sounds like one of those standard threads where we should sway the OP from not getting the TL.

You are going to school right? Buy the Civic and upgrade later.

350

iTrader: (4)

Unless you're on a free ride I'd get something cheaper than both of them, too many people have far too much college debt.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

but guise, he wants an amazing awesome car for his college experience!!

Drei

iTrader: (2)

I'd definitely get the TL!

If you have a job (or two) you can manage!

Welcome

nttstt444

iTrader: (1)

The TL is too expencive. You can find a type s for that if you hunt around a bit. I would just get a cheap civic while in college. Save the money.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

who are we to tell you if a car is too expensive or not.

we dont know your finances.
we dont know your situation.

what did people do before forums!?
they actually checked pricing before they bought.
insurance, gas, maintenance is all included with a car purchase. be sure you can afford this and books.

because text books are expensive too.

nttstt444

iTrader: (1)

I ment to say overpriced. But if OP can afford it and not struggle elsewhere financialy then go for it.

pohljm

buy a bike

Kaiii

iTrader: (1)

If you're going to school, I'll agree with some of the guys above and recommend going with a cheaper option. However, I've never liked the interior of the Civic - my best friend has one and I feel like a sardine in there. I'm 5'10 and athletic (not fat), and I feel like the Civic is really tiny for me. I call the new civics "tiny space pods" because of their futuristic-looking headlights/tails haha.

If it's an option, I'd consider looking at the 1st gen TSX as well. It's a lot nicer than the Civic and more affordable than the TL.

Or do this. Live the dream!!!!

DeathMetal

iTrader: (2)

If the cost of parking is of concern, then the cost of premium fuel and all other equally higher priced routine items will only exacerbate your admittedly strained finances.

You're in college to learn; everything else should be subordinated to make your education the top priority. Get the Civic. We'll see you in 4 years.

parasitius

If you are anything like me all the number crunching you'll do is a crock of shit because before my TL I owned 3 cars and they were a way to get from point A to point B. After the TL, even 2 years in, I try to think up any bullshit excuse that I need to go to a store or go 'check' something somewhere just to have a chance to drive it more. This means my $150 gas budget became $300+ even trying to have self control. Honestly if gas was free I would ALWAYS drive 1 hour+ per day just for my own amusement, it is so pleasurable.

On the other hand, if you are like me, it may be an infinitely more valuable investment than the cost of gasoline, it will be something that gives you self-worth for the first time in your life. You'll realize that you've been intentionally trying to sabotage yourself and drag yourself through the dirt to punish yourself all these years because your sick subconscious thought doing so is a virtue. BUT NOW, and this isn't all the time, but on the good days I can say to myself: Justin, you f****** deserve to enjoy the shit out of this awesome second hand car because you (1) got good credit to get a loan (2) went to work to pay the loan (3) carefully picked the car out while other assholes go to a random used car lot and pick the first thing they see and are just ignorant.

Due_Diligence

Welp... looks like the civic it is, the TL is goneeee. As everyone has said get the civic OR for 15K definitely look for a manual type s.

Kevo

I'm just going to go ahead and purchase the TL. I live in Chicago so the only places where I really have to pay for parking is the downtown area. Since I'm not going to be driving a lot everyday, I don't really mind the low fuel economy. I'm more interested in how my car looks and feels than just driving a civic just because it has good fuel economy. Thanks guys. Anything I should look for during the test drive?

tb330

For 15k buy mine! Lots of extras

carz0159

Asbestos mostly. I would check for termites if you have time though. Turns out those damn things dont know the difference between wood and imitation wood. :/. I learned this the hard way.

Drei

iTrader: (2)

Bring a mechanic with you (befriend an Acura/Honda tech if possible) and lift the car and shine a flashlight and check if:

-the power steering pump is leaking

-the water pump needs to be replaced, check for any oxidation around it, if you see any, it needs to be replaced

-the oil pump is leaking (some gaskets might need replacing)

-after a 10-15 test drive, lift the car and have your tech tell you if the transmission is running a bit too hot and also check for leaks

-all the wheels look straight, inspect the wheels carefully with a flashlight and check for irregularities, run your hand along the wheels to make sure they're straight

-the car makes any clicks when you make a "hard" turn, if it does, your CV joints might need replacing

-check if the A/C works

Also, pop the hood and remove all the engine bay plastic covers and inspect fluid levels and check for anything that looks out of place.

Don't rush and take your time, it'll save you $$$ in the end! Post pics when you buy!

Good luck!

CLtotheTL32

iTrader: (3)

Get the Civic. I had my TL in college and it was thirsty just getting around campus and I was always paranoid about someone damaging it (which did happen once).

The TL is a great car but wait and reward yourself with a nice car when you graduate.

lusid

i have one with nav you can have for 18k, only 100k+ miles!

lol

Timbert

Those prices seem both very high. Aside from that, I'd choose a $15k luxury car over the $14k econo model. But for a college frosh, a $2k beater to stay out of debt, trouble, and inflated expectations is something you will not regret. Even if it doesn't work out and you have buyer's remorse, you still have $12k in the bank.

dezymond

If you can afford to play, then go ahead and get the TL. The Civic is obviously the wiser choice, but we also only get one chance at life. Back when I was in college I owned an s2000, used it just about every day to get to campus. Fun as hell, but I moved on from it a few weeks ago and am now having that same fun I had with my s2000 as I do with my TL now.

It's obviously cheaper to maintain a Civic compared to an Acura, but both will run strong and for your whole college career too, barring any major issues. The TL is practical and a bit more fun than a Civic, but it's obviously more expensive to maintain and refill. So if you can pay to play, go for it.

YeuEmMaiMai

skip the nice car until you are out of school. that car is going to get beat to crap by other students in the parking lot...

anionrings

iTrader: (2)

15k I'll sell you my 2003 Lexus sc430 minus the wheels lol !

Other than that... It's up to you.. Remember at the end of the day you pay for what you want to drive... Not because the economy is bad gas is high etc...

Think of it this way... My sc430 gets 18 to a gallon.. I calculate the amount of times I pump gas per month etc calculate in a year... In reality I only spend about 300 ish more on gas than my TL... Therefore I just cut back on eating out etx on some of the things I do to drive the sc

1black_seven

iTrader: (2)

Graduate college and buy a TLX with your fancy engineering degree.

guitarplayer16

iTrader: (8)

As a student, I agree with most people here.

Owning the TL is pretty expensive as a student.
Gas Price + Student Parking Permit + Insurance = $$$$

Take advantage of the public transit pass that's apart of you school fee.
I only drove like twice a week to save on gas costs and filled up once a month, whereas if I drove every day, I'd be filling up $60 a week.

Plus, I like the idea of seeing new faces on my public transit commute and running into people I know and so on, opposed to just hopping into my car and driving to class.

Best of both worlds if you have a car AND a transit pass.
Car for groceries and far destinations, transit pass to get to class and close-by areas.

EDIT: I just read that you won't be driving every day AND that you live at home (I assume with your parents).
I suppose your spendings won't be as much as mine because I have to pay for rent and mommy and daddy live 6 hours away from my city.

You're probably not planning to buy a student permit parking pass, but I would recommend considering it.
At my university, it's $10 a day to park, and $150 a semester to buy a pass. A semester is four months.
That means you only have to drive 15 times to school to make it worth the pass.