In need of new car
#3
The Third Ball
Join Date: Sep 2002
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$300 month, youre looking at like 16-18k
#5
One on the right for me
if you find a pampered 93 Infiniti Q45 with low miles that is the car to have. They are beasts. Fast, roomy, decent hwy mpg, and look good. Sort of high cost to keep running but depends on the car.
#6
Originally Posted by ludachrisvt
Whats a good family car that still has some pep? Must be something reliable (no dead tranny) and roomy. I dont really want to be paying more than 300 a month. It can be a slightly used car too.
Depending on what you plan to trade/put down it may be over the budget but the new V6 Camry looks like a real winner.
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#11
I second the Mazda6 4 cyl. In particualar, the Sport gives you a cavernous amount of storage space beneath the hatch, it handles well (I got the salesman to stop talking during a test drive when I shifted into 4th, after redlining in 3rd, and nailed the gas instead of the brake, going upto about 160 kph on an off ramp) , brakes are great, it moves well with the MT, and it's pretty reasonably priced. The 06 has a better interior than previous years.
#14
Tristate ViP Crew
Exactly what YoungTL said an 2001 Maxima will run you around 15-17 AT/6spd...I found a 6spd with Navi when I was searching for cars, just dont like the tailights on the Max.
www.carvision.com
www.carvision.com
#15
Drifting
Originally Posted by CL Platano
Exactly what YoungTL said an 2001 Maxima will run you around 15-17 AT/6spd...I found a 6spd with Navi when I was searching for cars, just dont like the tailights on the Max.
www.carvision.com
www.carvision.com
If you go one year higher, you can get HID's are standard, as well as 255 HP instead of 222
#16
Not sure of the price, but...
https://acurazine.com/forums/car-talk-5/holy-jeebus-332256/
https://acurazine.com/forums/car-talk-5/holy-jeebus-332256/
#17
Senior Moderator
The Mazda 3 hatchback is not as small as it looks and a decent car...?
#18
Originally Posted by Yumchah
The Mazda 3 hatchback is not as small as it looks and a decent car...?
#20
Senior Moderator
Originally Posted by Always Dirty
Are they decent? I was thinking about the 3s and 6s when I was looking for a car and thought they were cool looking cars for very reasonable $, but never really did any research.
For comparison, she also considered and tried out the Acura EL, Honda Civic sedan, and Nissan Sentra SE-R...The 3 was heads above the competition in her mind.
#21
Drifting
Originally Posted by Always Dirty
Are they decent? I was thinking about the 3s and 6s when I was looking for a car and thought they were cool looking cars for very reasonable $, but never really did any research.
you get a lot for the money with the 3 and the 6. For 20k, you can get leather, nav, moonroof, heated seats, satelite radio. Plus the 3 is a very good handling car.
#22
Originally Posted by ludachrisvt
^ i was thinking the same thing! So what are some good cars between 16-18k?
Although I like the M6 it seems to have some reliability issues compared to the M3 which is by all accounts very solid.
Downunder hit it on the head, the Sonata. The new one is excellent, great warranty and is pretty zippy. Hyundai is on the cusp of becoming a well respected car maker and we are getting close to the end of DEEP discounts, I would take advantage of the bargaining power and jump on one now. I think you would be happy in the end. Personally, I hate buying used because I like having the mechanicals from the start so I can take car of them so they last a LONG time.
#23
go like hell
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Originally Posted by ludachrisvt
Whats a good family car that still has some pep? Must be something reliable (no dead tranny) and roomy. I dont really want to be paying more than 300 a month. It can be a slightly used car too.
Impala.
#26
Originally Posted by Water-S
how about (i know i'm gonna get flamed for this) a slightly used
Impala.
Impala.
Actually, I don't think it is flame worthy at all. It has a MUCH better realiability record, 03-04 particularly, than most would expect. It can be had for a song with very little milage, has a lot of room and a HUGE trunk, though its isn't exactly a style queen. My next door neighbor is in outside sales and has one for travel. It has 250k on it, doesn't burn any oil, had the original tranny fluid in until 200k when I changed it for him and has had a radiator, water pump and radiator changed and thats it (all after 150K), still has the original spark plugs and gets 30mph on the highway, it has been aligned ONCE and his last set of 55K rated Michelins have been on the car 98K. I have kept up with it because he uses my lift for oil changes and it continues to amaze me with its longevity. Again, I am not a big fan of used cars but it is maybe the best value for a larger family car. Its biggest cost of ownership is depreciation, but if someone else takes the early big hit and you plan to keep it for a while, it is a good bet ownership cost wise.
#28
go like hell
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Originally Posted by SpeedyV6
A used Buick would probably be just as reliable as an Impala & slightly more comfortable.
you get a SS Impala at least it's a little exciting. I'll admit it's not a Maxima or TL caliber.
#29
Banned
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Originally Posted by Water-S
But a buick is so BORING.
you get a SS Impala at least it's a little exciting. I'll admit it's not a Maxima or TL caliber.
you get a SS Impala at least it's a little exciting. I'll admit it's not a Maxima or TL caliber.
Buick Regal all the way man!
<= dad says to lease a Pontiac, or start a family and get an Impala
luda needs to drive on over to my old apartment in Stow and say "what up" to my old neighbors, young families with Impalas. He'll get inspired(big time)"way cool man." And they'll help him find a church to go to(wake up on Sundays)"get Jesus man" !!!
#31
Moderator
Only problem with the earlier Impalas is that many of them were equipped with the 3.4L V-6, which was notorious for leaking from the intake manifold gasket.
The new ones are much better, and I just saw a new 06 Impala with the redesigned 3.5L for $19K at the local Chevy dealer. I know for sure that the GM transmissions have a better track record than the newer Honda transmissions.
If you really want something "durable," the 4-cyl 06 Camrys are about $17K plus tax in most places, but the Sonata V6 is hard to beat.
The new ones are much better, and I just saw a new 06 Impala with the redesigned 3.5L for $19K at the local Chevy dealer. I know for sure that the GM transmissions have a better track record than the newer Honda transmissions.
If you really want something "durable," the 4-cyl 06 Camrys are about $17K plus tax in most places, but the Sonata V6 is hard to beat.
#33
Senior Moderator
I didnt like the manual tranny in the 02 maxima I drove last year. Maybe others like it, but I thought it had a rubbery shifter and I didnt like the clutch. Interestingly, I thought the Sentra SE-R felt much better (was an 04). Both pale in comparison to my TSX of course.
Family car,........I second the Sonata w V6.
Family car,........I second the Sonata w V6.
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