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Car advice

Discussion in 'Anything goes' started by The Big Ragu, Dec 5, 2008.

  1. PaperDoll

    PaperDoll Well-Known Member

    Have you looked into programs like Zipcar, where you pay a monthly fee for use but no gas, insurance, alternate-side parking or anything else? There seem to be a lot of cars available in New York City, not sure about your neighborhood specifically.

    I have a couple of friends who really love PhillyCarShare for things like supermarket runs and occasional drives to suburbia.
     
  2. The Big Ragu

    The Big Ragu Moderator Staff Member

    Paper, I know about ZipCar. It doesn't meet my needs. I like having a car I can just hop into without having to travel to whenever I want. I also use it for slightly longer trips sometimes.

    tri, Lots of people here don't have cars. There are a lot of places to get food right nearby and you just carry things with you or shop on an "as needed" basis. Some of the places really suck and everything is overpriced. It's why I like the one supermarket I drive to. It's huge, has an organic section that alone is bigger than any local food store and is a lot less expensive. I save shopping there. They did open a Trader Joe's relatively nearby (it's a bit of a walk) a few months ago...

    Everyone else, Thanks for weighing in. Not sure what I am going to do. That beat up old Honda did me well. Someone recommended an old BMW, even if it has a lot of miles on it, over even a newer version of the cars I am thinking of. I'm not sure.
     
  3. The Big Ragu

    The Big Ragu Moderator Staff Member

    This would be a distinct advantage to where you live over where I live.
     
  4. 2muchcoffeeman

    2muchcoffeeman Well-Known Member

    Based on where I think you live, how about a Smart ForTwo? You could park it in a walk-in closet.

    http://www.smartusa.com/smart-car-fortwo.aspx

    Or does it have to be a used beater?
     
  5. The Big Ragu

    The Big Ragu Moderator Staff Member

    There are a bunch of those Smart cars parked around here actually. It's not a bad thought, but for that money, I can actually get something that has a proven record of reliability, is fairly new and doesn't look like a golf cart. As is, I told a friend I am looking at Hondas and Nissans and Volkswagens and his response was, "Those are bitch cars!" I can't imagine what grief I'd get if I pulled up in that 3-cylinder, four-wheeled moped. :) The other thought--just in the back of my mind--is a Jeep Wrangler. It is totally impractical, but I have always wanted one.

    Along the lines of those Smart cars is the Mini Cooper. Those are popular around here. I just see how much they cost and it seems like you can get a lot more for the money. Small is a bonus, but it isn't the only factor. That Smart car might actually be too small, aside from the parking advantage it gives you.
     
  6. Gomer

    Gomer Active Member

    If you're single or don't have someone else in the car, I'd go with the Smart. If you want to put more in it than groceries, it's a bad move.

    Mini Cooper is more expensive than a Smart. I thought you were trying to buy used and inexpensive? That wouldn't fit the bill.

    Get a Honda Civic, Accord or Nissan Sentra. The problem with Volkswagons is that few mechanics know them well enough to properly service them.
     
  7. JR

    JR Well-Known Member

    People I know who drive Mini's say it feels like you're driving a car twice the size. They're built by BMW so you have that going both for you and against you (well built but expensive to buy and maintain)

    And Smart Cars are built by Mercedes Benz so you know they're well built.

    A Jeep? Well, the way the US auto industry is going, you may be able to pick one up for about $4.99.

    You might want to consider either a Honda Fit or a Toyota Yaris.

    Oh, yeah, the other thing about used Toyotas are Hondas are they're hard to find and they tend to be more expensive than comparable years because they depreciate less.
     
  8. OTD

    OTD Well-Known Member

    Unless you really want to be able to park it sideways between two occupied parking spots, I'd stay away from the Smart. They're expensive for what you get, they burn premium fuel and the mileage isn't as good as some cars like the Yaris or Corolla.

    Cars I'd look at in your spot: Corolla, Civic, Sentra. Possibly a Toyota or Nissan compact pickup, maybe 4 or 5 years old. I'd stay away from the VWs. They haven't been as reliable as the Japanese cars. I'm also thinking you want an older car (to go with the I-don't-care-if-a-plow-brushes-it motif) which I think would knock out a Yaris, which has been imported for just a few years. I'm thinking a BMW or Mini would have really high insurance rates where you are.
     
  9. Ace

    Ace Well-Known Member

    I thought with the mini all maintenance is free for 3-4 years? And they cost about $20,000 but they resale for pretty much near that with 20,000-30,000 miles.
     
  10. The Big Ragu

    The Big Ragu Moderator Staff Member

    OTD, Thanks for reaffirming my instincts. Exactly the kinds of cars I am looking at. I want something that can get knocked around without me having to lose a ton of sleep, so my initial instinct was older. I want reliable, though. I would do something fairly recent and pay up a bit for lower mileage. I want something reliable, which I can run into the ground. The Honda I just ditched was a 1993. Between me and the guy who had it before me, it lasted 15 years as a city car. I don't need 15 years out of a car, but I would love to get something that well-built and reliable. I don't need style points. Just something that works and doesn't fall apart. Thanks again. I'm all over the Sentra and Accord. The Corolla and Civic are also on the list. The Yaris is also on that list. It will end up being something like that. I mostly asked about the Jetta because you can find late model Jettas cheaper than you can a Honda Accord (which have good resale) and a few people told me they hold up. I didn't know much about the car, though, other than it sort of looked to fit the bill.
     
  11. zeke12

    zeke12 Guest

    A note about Volkswagens.

    I've owned two, they get me great mileage and I never have problems with them.

    You simply HAVE to take them to the dealer for service, and take them as often as your warranty dictates.

    The entire process is computerized, they hook your car up, it prints out a diagnostic, they show it to you and make any needed repairs.

    It runs somewhere in the neighborhood of $300-$350 bucks once your warranty is up (they pick up every other visit until then.) They fix whatever's wrong, they've got courtesy shuttles, etc. Never taken more than a day to be serviced. And I've never put any money into them except that admittedly high routine maintenance money.

    If you know all that going in, as I did, it works out in your favor.

    If you don't live in or near a city with a VW dealership, or you have a great mechanic you like to throw the business to, I wouldn't buy one.

    If going to the mechanic is like going to the dentist for you, I can't reccomend them enough.
     
  12. Pete Incaviglia

    Pete Incaviglia Active Member

    I don't own one, but there are three Yaris' in our parking lot. All owned by reporters. None of them have a complaint. Heck, I looked at one, too. But it wasn't big enough for me with a baby now.

    But if I were single, I'd be all over that car. Or the Honda fit, which I believe is the No. 1 rated car going right now. And they're cheap.
     
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