cmf

Well, the time has come. Our Civic is two years old, which means it's time to say goodbye to the beater. We use the TSX only on weekends, or road trips, so usually we have a beater to get us back and forth to work, and to do misc. odds and ends.
Looking for a bit of feedback/ input from you all.

We have thought about the following:

Mazda 3
RSX-S
Accord

I know all those vehicles are on opposites sides of the spectrum, but that is what "appeals" to us right now.
The Mazda is super cheap, around 17 or 18K with all we need.
Got the Type S set at 23,300 drive out, which basically equates to Invoice
The Accord---well, we'll see tomorrow.
Basically the car is just to have to put plenty of miles on. I kinda threw in the Type-S to the old lady so I can have another project car, but am unsure if I can justify 23K for a beater. I know they sell Accords that are lower end and are pretty reliable, but can't get over the looks of the damn thing. The Mazda is a Ford basically, which is one thing that just doesn't want me to get it.

So I ask of you all your opinions/ thoughts, and any recommendations for other vehicles. Def. not lookin for a Hyundai or Kia either, regardless of how cheap they are. I need a car to drive around, not back and forth to the service dept. every other day. We would probably only keep this car for a yr, 2 max, cause we will hopefully be moving a bit further east, which will allow us to each purchase new vehicles again at that time.

Thanks in advance!

ks112

why are you getting rid of a 2 year old car? why don't you give the new corrola xrs a try, 6 speed 180 horse. Those retail for 24k in canada so i am pretty sure its gona be waaaayy cheaper in the states. too many people have mazda 3s.

bbbradley

Have you checked the Hyundai reliability reports of late? 2003 CR data has them equal to Honda, in theory you'll be servicing your Honda just as much as your Hyundai.

If you are getting a "put lots of miles on it" car, I'd think the smaller RSX would be rather impractical. The 3 hatch is a steal IMO, I've been driving a Mazda/Ford for several years, and I have been very pleased.

/bill

dom

cmf can you send me some seeds to your money tree. I had no idea 17k to 23k US cars are considered beaters.

CCColtsicehockey

dabuda

wow, a 2 year old civic is a beater? a beater for me is like a 10 year old civic! haha

majormojo

I'd find it difficult to justify paying more than $500 for a beater.

jlukja

A two year old Civic that's lived in El Paso (and therefore presumably never seen snow or salt) sounds like a perfect beater to me.

Actually, when I think "beater", I think of the kind of car you can take downtown and park on the street while attending a game at Staples Center (or Dodger Stadium) and not worry about it being stolen.

cmf

When saying beater, I mean a car that we can put plenty of miles on. We have had the Civic 2 yrs now, with 45K miles. Warranty is expired, tranny is getting a little crazy. Has been in a fender bender, basically it's old. Bad habit of mine to get rid of cars bi-annually, if not annually.
That is the main purpose of the buy is to get a car and drive the shit out of it. Money is not a great factor, so spending 20K or so on a car to beat it up is OK with me.

fdl

If you are just looking for transportation, then go lease a cavalier or sunfire or something like that. You can lease them for pennies every 3 years or so, and have a new, under warranty car all the time.

bbbradley

When you have a primary car you love, whatever the other car is gets relegated to the role of "beater." Until I started b-school my choice of "beater" cars to support my summer toy vehicle was either a 2000 A4, or a 1999 Accord.

/bill

bob shiftright

CLICK for C/D "Winter Beater" Road Test!

I think of a "beater" as something I can drive behind a salt truck or leave at the airport or RR station and not worry about.

miner

I bought my wife an '04 RSX-S as her daily drive car. A fun car to drive and amazingly roomy back seat too. Fun fqactor is good plus with '05 coming out soon prices for '04s will be declining. Got hers at invoice ($21805) in March. The hatch is very convenient too. Nice 2nd car for us.

cmf

Wow, good price. I got the prices of 22,179 for Type-S and 19,400 for base line w/o leather.

ks112

corolla xrs man

cmf

To be honest with ya, we went by the toyota dealership and scion yesterday, having read that other thread about the scion and doing more research. The scion is on a back order out here, with no talking in price, so we don't wanna wait 6 months to get one. My wife took one look at the corolla and said "hell no, I can't drive that". It's gonna be her car, don't know why she didn't like it, but she said no, so I have to go with that!
Test drove both RSX's and the Mazda 3. That 3 is quick as shit for a 160 hp 4 dr. Shitty interior if ya ask me, and fifth gear is a bitch to grab.
So right now we are trying to decide base line RSX, or type-s

iron_chef

Agree with all the above said....beater to me is a well-working oldie or POS,
something I'd drive to the congested city with bumper-2-bumper traffic, on slushy winter days, park ANYWHERE w/o thinking....my primary car will be the one I am in love with.

IMO, using a car like TSX only on weekends and such is a waste !
It's a nice car, you love it then enjoy the hell out of it. Life is too short.

Had a roommate 3 years ago who bought a sexy spanking new black bimmer coupe.....this guy put like 3 miles per MONTH on it...obsessively cleaning it all the time, drives around in his 91 pos Corolla that sounded like the engines is gonna drop to the ground. His excuse - can't find buyer for the pos but I really think he didn't really wanna get rid of it.

cmf

Sounds like me! I buy one car to baby around and fix up for show, or cruising, buy another to drive into the ground. Looks like we will be getting the RSX-S. Will know for sure tomorrow! Now I will have to divide my driving pleasure. That Type S is fun as shit to drive. Always test drive a car other than the one you want first, so you can beat someone elses future car into the ground. Then take the one you want out and be nice to it.

SPUDMTN

IMHO, get the Mazda 3 or RSX. I fell in love with the Mazda 3 when we had one for a rental car. Click here to read my thoughts on the 3

But if you aren't diggin' it, go with what you like the best. Don't simply throw the 3 out because it's "just a Ford"...it's based on the next-gen Focus platform, and it really is a capable and fun little machine. If you just test-drove the hatch, give the sedan a try. Great gas mileage, peppy engine, sweet handling, and a pretty decent interior for a compact (I thought so at least )

You can't beat an RSX, however. Maybe try looking at some Certified Pre-Owned cars

BuddySol

You know that area of downtown (Staple Center) isn't that bad, as well as most of downtown (Little Tokyo, Chinatown, Historic District, Bunker Hill). After their little regentrification project, it's pretty safe. And as long as quarter-million dollar lofts are rising around downtown, security and safety will only improve.

Yah downtown L.A. isn't the greatest of places, but after going to USC...you realize all that crime they talk on the news is all just hype. It's not that bad, people park their Lexus', Beemers, and Benzes on the side of the street all the time.