provench

So I am considering doing something for the sake of a bit more financial freedom as well as some general practicality. I am thinking about selling the TSX (eek) and taking some cash I have and getting a 2-3 year old sedan for around $10K and making it so I don't have a car payment for the next 3-4 years anyway. It's just an option I want to look at, but what better place to weigh the option than on Acurazine with you folks

I work at home so I will only be putting like 8-10K miles per year so even something with 60K miles doesn't bother me that much as when I sell it it will still be under 100K. I am of course a major Honda/Acura fan so the one thing that is sticking out right now is the '02 Accord SE which seems to be able to be had for like $10K. I am mostly interested in something with sedan function (space for the kids if needed) and some amount of reliability to it.

So what do you guys think? Accord? Something else?

Thanks for the help!

ric

Accord is no fun to drive (not bad, just pretty bloodless), but it will hold up, perform flawlessly and be trouble free for the kind of running around you're describing. Depending upon the year you get, the back seat can actually be pretty large, larger than the TSX. Other alternative is to go to the dark side and buy a used Toyota............. an older Camry will be fairly large, Corolla may be too small.

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

Something practical = Accord or Camry
Something sporty = BMW E36 3-series
Something feminine = Jetta
Something cheap = Civic or Corolla
Something snooty = Old MB C-Class
Something different = Audi A4

Zapata

.....u switch cars alot although if i didn't have a car payment for the next three years i'd save about 20k I can see why you'd want to do it.

ric

I'd look carefully at the reliability records for the VW/Audi's on CR before buying one of those............my personal experience with a 2001 Jetta GLX V6 sucked, and the last think you want is to get the kids into the car and discover that the ignition motor doesn't work, or have the car stall out at 60 mph for no apparent reason. If you're looking for size, the Civic, Corollo and Jetta will give you back seats that may require amputation.

provench

... yep ... the other option I am considering is a 2003 V6 Accord (sell out for the larger family sedan that I'll likely need in 2-3 years anyway) and drop the same 10K in to that and finance the rest for less than half of what I am paying per month now. I would drop the 10K in the TSX, but I just don't think it is practical enough for the next 5-6 years at all. I think I am getting ready to check my passion for cars for exactly 5 years and trade it for some $$/month freedom ... but with the 2003 AV6 option at least it will be something that is a great car it its class AND has some guts (more than the TSX even).

Whiskers

Get a convertible

F23A4

If by chance you dont mind not having a V6 but want something new, I was quoted a price of $19,995 for a loaded non-Navi Accord 4 cylinder @ my local Honda Dealer. (Then at a later date, you could probably add a turbo kit if you get the mod itch. )

As for going to the dark side, you could probably locate a used 2002-03 Nissan Maxima for about $14k - $15k (at least in the NJ area). Based on my experience, it has measurably more interior space than the 6G and 7G Accords. (Reliability may not be as high as Honda but, the auto trannys wont flip on you. )

Good luck in your search.

provench

Thanks guys ... looks like I am going plan B ... 20K range + 10K downpayment ...

The contenders are ... '03 AV6 and '03 TL-S ... Discuss ...

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?p=372756