Tennisjon2002

My gf's 1997 CRV with 220K highway miles has a tranny that is going to go before too long. It is the original tranny so it has had a good life, but I don't give it more than another year or so. I think she should dump it now before it goes. In the last year it has gotten new tires, battery, and front brakes and just had some of the hoses from the radiator replaced. It is in VERY good condition for its age and millage. I'm thinking she could probably get 3-4K for it.

Anyways she is trying to talk her parents into helping her get a new car. She doesn't need anything special, just a safe, reliable car with good gas millage. My suggestion was a Hyundai Elantra. I found a 2007 Elantra at a VW dealership down the street from her with 20K miles and they are asking 10,995. That is probably a little more than they were looking to spend but I think it is a perfect car. It has very low miles, still under factory warranty etc.
Her parents are die hard Honda fans and I don't think I will be able to get them to approve of anything but a Honda. I know they want her to get a civic. While civic's are great cars, I think they hold their value too well. Anyways any ideas of other good cars? I was checking out Scion TC and Mazda 3 also.


Cliffs:
Looking for a safe, reliable car with good gas millage for under 10k.


http://autos.yahoo.com/2007_hyundai_...xTqRKJ4;_ylv=3

wackura

Ya the Elantra is a sensible choice but I would perfer to buy a more desirable car that had been checked out by an auto diagnostic service. Also I realize a used car isn't a real asset but an Elantra will lose value more quickly than some cars. It could be a difference of several hundred dollars. I know that if I ever get a used vehicle again it won't be a sedan, it must have some utility value to give it new life after it's done moving people, such as a pickup truck for hauling yard waste or a minivan for moving large amounts of stuff that can't be exposed to rain, or a 4wd truck for some casual off roading.

Tennisjon2002

Well the car will probably be kept for a long time. Yes, an elantra will lose value more quickly than some cars, which makes it more desirable to buy used, rather than new. Someone else took at least the beginning of the depreciation hit. And yes a vehicle with utility would be nice because you can always get rid of it easy, but if all you need is a reliable car that is good on gas, that does not seem like a sensible option.

GreenMonster

Civic... it's exactly what your looking for... safe, reliable car with good gas millage for under 10k... and the parents like hondas, so you can score some points with them. Don't you own a Civic ??

In that price range, I'd stay away from a Hyundai... Also, you know that the 100K warranty is only good for the original purchaser, right ?? I think the warranty bumps down to 60K for any subsequent owner, so keep that in mind...

Sly Raskal

iTrader: (1)

Honda Fit!!!!!

GreenMonster

I've never heard anyone complain about good resale value before

They do hold their value well, and that's because they are such great cars. Buy the Hyundai, and after 100K miles, you'll probably have trouble giving it away, while the civic will still be worth thousands of dollars...

A civic may cost more up front, but you get that back on the other end, when you try to unload it, so it usually turns out to be cheaper to own in the long run...

You've got to look at it from a cost of ownership standpoint...

Costco

Corolla

GreenMonster

Fixed

The last gen Corolla looks so much better with the S kit on it

Tennisjon2002

Ha yea I own a 06 Si, so it is a "civic". I love my Si, but damn it has been a PITA! So far I have had my steering rack replaced twice, both sun visors replaced, strut bump caps replaced, battery replaced, steering wheel cover replaced, a few minor interior rattles and broken interior pieces and before long I will probably be getting my 3rd gear replaced. And all of that is in 2.5 years and 26k miles and that is just what I came up with off the top of my head lol .
I guess I have never been a huge fan of the normal civic's I have always thought things like the TC and 3 were better buys. Yes the warranty would only be 60K or w/e but, hey, ITS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. that is going to be hard to find in many other used cars under 10k.

Here would be a similarly priced civic:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Cars-...3A1|240%3A1318

That means going 2 years older and 30K more miles.

and here is the the elantra

http://keffer-volkswagen.ebizautos.c...e-3772672.html

Tennisjon2002

Ha the only downside to such good resale value is when you want to buy a used car. Civics just don't really drop much in price. Hence why I bought my Si new.

I do see your point though. For example her CRV, if it was a Hyundai and trying to sell it with millage like that it wouldn't get anything. But since it is a Honda it still somehow has some value. She would probably keep this car for a while though, so the loss hopefully wouldn't be too bad if she got a hyundai. If she was looking for a new car or a car to just have for a few years, I would be suggesting completely different things.

wackura

How about a newer CR-V?

Tennisjon2002

That could be a consideration. But it is just her driving around in it really and she has a 30-40 min or so commute each way to school every day so I think something a little better gas millage would be a better fit.

wackura

But she lover her CR-V. You're being a gas nazi.

Street Spirit

Isn't a new Elantra almost that price?

Tennisjon2002

MSRP is about 17.5K after destination charge, edmunds true market pricing says 16.5K after incentives etc. So a new elantra is a good amount more and def out of the price range.

AZuser

Toyota Yaris

And yes, they're safe.

http://www.autobloggreen.com/tag/toyota+yaris+crash/

AznX TL

7th gen accord.

Danil ACE

Maybe you can find a Honda Fit under 10k used? Not sure if they're this cheap yet though.

The Dougler

iTrader: (1)

Why don't you get a list of 3 or 4 cars, have your g/f test drive them and let her make the decision? Sounds like between you and her parents she get's no choice. all the cars mentioned are great safe reliable cars it's not that hard let her pick which one she wants to drive the most.

it's not hard.

Mazda 3
Mazda Protege 5
Honda Civic
Honda Fit
Honda Cr-v
Toyota Corolla (s)
Toyota Yaris

Heck for 10k
Look at Ford Fusion too.
7th gen accord as well.

mrmako

VW Rabbit or Jetta?

Tennisjon2002

From what I have heard reliability is
My gf has always loved the look of jetta's but I just don't think their reliability is good enough that I could ever recommend them to people. I have heard to many horror stories with electrical stuff etc. Thats one of the reasons I never really considered a GTI when I got my Si

calgary2800

It will have too many miles on it for 10k. And lets not get our Accords mixed with Civics, Yaris, Versa league.

Sarlacc

How much is the cost to replace the tranny and keep the car that you know all the maintenance history vs. buying another lost cost used car that is going to potentially need more maintance over the course time.

Sometimes...people are too quick to dump a good vehicle in lieu of getting something else "cheaper" that ends up costing more in the long run.

Osamu

<---- 1st gen xB. I think i've seen 05' models w/ 20-30k for ~10k.

Honda fit might be a little hard to find for 10k considering the oldest model is an 07'.

Malayalee King

iTrader: (1)

x2 on the vws. if you are getting one, get one with manual windows and you'll be good to go!

Tennisjon2002

Yea I agree, it would have to be to high of millage to make it under 10k.

Tennisjon2002

That is definitly a possibility. The only thing that worries me is it already has 220K on it. It has been pretty well maintained, but I am just worried that it will be come a money pit before too long. Also if she can get 3-4K for it, that seems like a very good price for a car with such high miles.

Also with something like the Elantra, there isn't all that much you can really mess up in 20k miles. As long as you changed the oil a few times it should be fine.

Sly Raskal

iTrader: (1)

http://motors.shop.ebay.com/items/Ca...10000&_fcsfc=0

Tennisjon2002

I got a car fax for the Elantra I was looking at, looks like it was bought on a loan, then repossed and went up for auction, where the dealer bought it. Are there any negatives to that scenario? I can't think of any off the top of my head, but just wondering.

godfather2

imho, a honda fit would be the sensible choice

Tennisjon2002

But those are all auctions with lots of time left. If you check completed listings, the only ones going for under 10k have a salvage title/wreck history etc.

Tennisjon2002

so her parents pretty much have decided they want to wait until summer to get a new car. I told them that is probably a bad idea cause everyone will want an efficient car come summer time when gas goes up, but i guess it is up to them

ghttf

es300

Ken1997TL

Corolla, cheaper to insure than a Civic FWIW

mrmako

Try this. It's a list of certified used vehicles within ~120 miles of Raleigh, NC.

Auto Trader Listing

Eoanou

Yeah, it's ultimately their choice, maybe they are worried to commit a few thousand dollars because of the poor economy, whatever the reasoning is, it doesn't matter.

Besides it's not like this involves you directly, it's your gf's car.

Tennisjon2002

Agreed. I think part of it has to do with the economy etc. They recently moved and are living in an apartment currently until they find a house they like so I understand that they want to get that big purchase out of the way before they worry about a car.

It does somewhat involve me, because they won't let her leave town in her car now because they don't want it to break down. So she can't come visit me at all, she lives about 3 hours away with her parents so I get stuck driving to see her and staying with her parents so it does somewhat selfishly involve me and gave me extra motivation to find her a new car

Tennisjon2002

Insurance is actually one of the big reasons they don't want her to get a new car I think. They said the Elantra was "too new". I think they are worried it would be too expensive to insure. Meanwhile last year they bought her little brother an 05 civic coupe . I am sure a 2 door civic has to be relatively high to insure.

Ken1997TL

It is.

My brother was shopping around for a new car last year. He narrowed it down to Corolla vs Civic. Corolla won because the insurance was much cheaper. 2 door Civics for him were almost double his Corolla costs. No tickets or accidents for him.

F23A4

We purchased our son's 05 Altima 3.5SE 5MT for $10k (plus TTL) with 75k and it has proven to be very reliable thus far (one year and counting). Granted, it is the most stripped version of the V6 Altima but, being able to post nearly 14-flat ETs @ 99mph+ makes up for it.