Hey guys,

Helping a friend decide on a car and would like your input - whether you've owned or driven or heard anything significant about the cars.

The criteria are as follows:
- manual transmission
- either 3 or 5-door is fine
- good gas mileage (mid 20's city, ~30 highway)
- FWD is perfectly fine
- kinda fun to drive
- 10k at the very most
- preferably Japanese-make
- stuff we've thrown out: Versa, Yaris, xA, tC

Here is what we've considered so far:
- Mazda 3 hatchback, 1st gen
- Acura RSX base
- Civic Si (EP3)
- Impreza (GD/GG) - did they make an NA version for the wagon or only WRX/turbo?
- Fit, 1st gen - hard to find one under 10k!
- Insight, 1st gen - LOVE the MPG, but major drawback: 2-seater
- others??

Thanks for the help guys!

 

out of those Id go with the Mazda. I think its the best looking hatch out of all of those and has the reliability to boot. I know killer will be in in a bit to give his words about the 3

 

I owned an EP3 and it was great until I modded it too much. It was fun, sporty, decently quick for what it was, amazing shift feeling with the shift lever on the dash, got great gas mileage and was super reliable. The styling is either love it or hate it, but overall it was a wondeful car to own. 62k miles of worry free ownership.

 

I would go with the fit. The five speed is pretty fun to drive and its very practical.

 

used audi a3?

 

'04 or '05 Mazda 3 hatchback, hands down. Its described perfectly in post #1. I had an '04 and it was one of the best cars I've ever had. Well optioned, well made, excellent reliability, superb utility with the hatchback and folding rear seats.

Seriously, look no further. I personally wouldn't consider an '02 - '04 Civic hatch simply for the ripoff factor alone. Great cars also though.

Yes, there was a NA version of the GD/GG Impreza.

 

Under 10k?

Mazda++

 

EP3 is my favorite Civic hatch so my vote is biased

 

I'd go with the Mazda 3 as well. It might be a little difficult to find one with low miles under $10k, but there should be some with the base engine around that price.

 

mazda as well.

 

Awesome, thanks for the responses so far!

Are there any major issues with the Mazda3 I should be aware of? Would the first MY (2004) have any kinks that were ironed out later on?

 

"Looking for a used, practical & reliable hatchback, for under 10k"




Cant go wrong with a Honda/Acura product.

 

Just realize that the older the car, the more likely it could have been abused. Even the highest rated model could end up being a poor choice if it has not been well cared for. Get a professional to check it out before purchase if possible.

 

Not that I'm aware of, my '04 was rock solid. You can check here to be certain though:

http://www.mazda3forums.com/

 

Gotta love online forums for all the information (and junk)... gotta do some good researching if set on the mazda3

Most definitely, will do.


We're gonna go for some test drives in the next month. <!--emo&--><!--endemo-->

Anyone know about or have had experience with the Golf TDI MK4? Killer MPG and practicality. Issues I could think of... possibly reliability issues, hard to find.

 

i didnt know they made a golf tdi, i always hear of the jetta tdi but never the golf.

 

Here's some education for you and info for the OP...

http://www.transmitmedia.com/golfTDI/

 

AWESOME! The fact that it can run biodiesel/petrodiesel as well as veggie oil is a huge plus. 40+ MPG for the TDI simply cannot compare even to the ~25 for the small gas engines.
Will need to learn about the mechanical and maintenance differences, but otherwise the car has just become a very viable choice. I've found a few MT's along the west coast... so this might go well.

 

fuck, i want me a diesal golf...

 

Not that difficult, there is a forum for everything.
I want commission.

http://forums.tdiclub.com/forumdisplay.php?f=51

 

If you can find a early Mazda 3 hatch for under $10K then go for it but they are rare in this area. I would also go with a Matrix which you might be able to find in that range.

 

Saab 9-3 ever occur to you? quick, fun car with loads of space

 

he said reliable and last time i checked saab wasnt known for reliability...they do look damn good though imo

 

aside from the pcv valve update on the 2.3 engines and reverse gear engagement issues on the same platform (both for the 9-5)... ive heard nothing bad about them whatsoever. 9-3's in my mind have always been reliable.

 

oh ive heard alot of bad from them. not precise things just that they are expensive to upkeep and unreliable

 

expensive yes, if you take everything to the dealer. its not different then any other vehicle if you DIY, with the exception of having to import some parts. theyre trionic engine management system is unique to saab alone, tuning them is a bitch if you dont have someone who knows saabs.

 

its good to know, specially since i love these cars and really like the price on a few year old 9-3.

that golf tdi is really becoming intriguing.

 

Focus SVT? I think theyre around the $8k mark now. Impreza WRX? Just some to think about.

 

I will never again own an audi or VW. unless its fully covered by warantee for ever. lol

 

he said reliable


plus.. lol

 

youre telling the kid who owned a 96 a4 2.8 with a 136k on it. fucking a, first of all i never got more than 15mpg on the damn thing and it just had so many fucking problems. i didnt own the thing for very long.

ive been reading on these tdi's and they seem pretty reliable honestly

 

i had a 93 cs 90 with the infamous 2.8. 24 mpg, 155k miles, when i turned on my highbeams, the windshield wipers went. when i turned on my windshield wipers, the dash lights went out. i had to put coolant in it more often then i put gas! what great cars.

 

There's a reason why you don't see older Audis on the road.

 

My vote would be the Civic EP3. I researched one for awhile when my brother was looking for a used car to use at college. We had a couple around at the local used car dealerships and had the chance to do a couple test drives. Fun car, manual transmission only, 3 door hatch, and used 2004-2005 models can be found for about $10k-$11k. Oh, and unlike the new Civic Si, the EP3 doesn't need premium gas.

Anyhow, I think the SI is more fun compared against the Fit Sport or Mazda 3, which would be the other cars i'd consider from your list. Keep in mind the resale value on the Fit is insane and many used Fit Sports cost almost as much as brand new ones. You can always go with the base Fit too though, which should be significantly cheaper.

 

I'm partial to Honda and perhaps Mazda. I've had my share of VW and Audi. I returned a week old VW Jetta and bought a (New 1993) Honda DelSol which I still have!

 

The A3 is very reliable. I know several people who own them and all have reported trouble-free ownership with a couple approaching 100k miles. That said, you'll never get one for under $10k.

My vote would be Mazda 3...

 

mazda 3!

my second car is an 06 mz3 GT hatch...it's great and has been easy to maintain.

the only issues with the mz3's are "cheap" motor mounts that are easy to replace yourself and a purge valve solenoid issue that makes the car idle roughly. the solenoid is easy to replace as well.

mazda3forums.com is a good place to research.