Let's talk cars (again)

[audreyld]

mltru2tx has smoke coming out of his engine, and I have broken timing chain guides, which will any day become a busted timing chain and a whole big mess.

So, while he's gonna get his fixed, I'm gonna get a new car, and I'm looking for recommendations.

Keep in mind I'm a grad student who intends to go back into journalism, so "new" just means something in better shape than my about-to-die '97 Explorer.

I'd like something good on gas, and reliable. If I could afford it, I'd buy a new Prius and feel good about the contribution I'm making to our environment, but again, I'm in grad school.

Thoughts?

 

[BYH]

You're a grad student who is going back into journalism?

I hope you enjoy walking.

 

[2muchcoffeeman]

UT, take a look at Click & Clack's Auto Advisor, from the guys who host NPR's Car Talk. It only recommends new vehicles, but its recommendation can always be extrapolated back a couple of years.

 

[lono]

mltru2tx has smoke coming out of his engine, and I have broken timing chain guides, which will any day become a busted timing chain and a whole big mess.

So, while he's gonna get his fixed, I'm gonna get a new car, and I'm looking for recommendations.

Keep in mind I'm a grad student who intends to go back into journalism, so "new" just means something in better shape than my about-to-die '97 Explorer.

I'd like something good on gas, and reliable. If I could afford it, I'd buy a new Prius and feel good about the contribution I'm making to our environment, but again, I'm in grad school.

Thoughts?

This is a total no-brainer.

Buy a 2- to 3-year-old Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla. They don't break, they are great with gas and cheap to insure.

They don't have any flash, but you didn't list that as being important.

 

[audreyld]

You're a grad student who is going back into journalism?

I hope you enjoy walking.

I am taking my bicycle back to Austin...

 

[BTExpress]

This is a total no-brainer.
Buy a 2- to 3-year-old Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla. They don't break, they are great with gas and cheap to insure.

Absolutely.

In your situation, there simply are no other choices.

 

[bigpern23]

mltru2tx has smoke coming out of his engine, and I have broken timing chain guides, which will any day become a busted timing chain and a whole big mess.

So, while he's gonna get his fixed, I'm gonna get a new car, and I'm looking for recommendations.

Keep in mind I'm a grad student who intends to go back into journalism, so "new" just means something in better shape than my about-to-die '97 Explorer.

I'd like something good on gas, and reliable. If I could afford it, I'd buy a new Prius and feel good about the contribution I'm making to our environment, but again, I'm in grad school.

Thoughts?

This is a total no-brainer.

Buy a 2- to 3-year-old Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla. They don't break, they are great with gas and cheap to insure.

They don't have any flash, but you didn't list that as being important.

Then just hope it doesn't get stolen and sold off for parts.

 

[Flash]

UT, I met Denise McLuggage on a travel junket ... she's been an automotive writer since the '60s. I asked her what her favourite car was and she gave me some rare-breed Lamborghini model ... but then I said what if you're on a budget. She said the '06 Ford Fusion was the best bang for your buck. She called it 'fun.'

 

[Lone_Star_Speed]

You need to get a 6000 SUX

 

[Corky Ramirez up on 94th St.]

I really like the Dodge Caliber. It looks good, is relatively cheap as cars go ($15K), and gets great gas mileage.

 

[93Devil]

Honda or Toyota are the only choices.

I would also buy from Carmax. They will even give you a warranty for the next 60k miles if you pay a little more.

They base their business on not selling pieces of crap. They just won't give you much for you trade.

 

[audreyld]

UT, I met Denise McLuggage on a travel junket ... she's been an automotive writer since the '60s. I asked her what her favourite car was and she gave me some rare-breed Lamborghini model ... but then I said what if you're on a budget. She said the '06 Ford Fusion was the best bang for your buck. She called it 'fun.'

I rented a Fusion a couple of weeks ago for a quick trip to Austin. It was, in fact, a fun car.

Right now, I'm hoping to buy my dad's '04 Camry, but will definitely keep these suggestions in mind if that doesn't pan out.

Let me know if you have other ideas.

 

[kleeda]

2004 Hyundai Elantra.

As reliable as a Civic or Corolla, every bit as good on gas and it will have depreciated down to about $5,000-$10,000 less than the Honda or Toyota. You should easily get 150,000 total miles out of an Elantra and my wife's uncle has 270,000 miles on his '96 with no more than expected repairs. Loaded with standard equipment, easily replaced stereo (if that's your thing), and much more driver leg room than the Civic, by far. I prefer the 5-speed.

A quick search shows them going for betwen $6,000 and $9,000 in the Dallas area. Civic appears to be priced between $8k-$19k. Corolla is $8k-$14k.

Hyundai, folks. H-Y-U-N-D-A-I.

Thanks.

 

[93Devil]

2004 Hyundai Elantra.

As reliable as a Civic or Corolla, every bit as good on gas and it will have depreciated down to about $5,000-$10,000 less than the Honda or Toyota. You should easily get 150,000 total miles out of an Elantra and my wife's uncle has 270,000 miles on his '96 with no more than expected repairs. Loaded with standard equipment, easily replaced stereo (if that's your thing), and much more driver leg room than the Civic, by far. I prefer the 5-speed.

A quick search shows them going for betwen $6,000 and $9,000 in the Dallas area. Civic appears to be priced between $8k-$19k. Corolla is $8k-$14k.

Hyundai, folks. H-Y-U-N-D-A-I.

Thanks.

Just wait until 2008 or 2009 when it's doors will fall off.

You ever wonder why you never see any old Hyundais on the road... or Dodges for that matter?

It's because they fall apart over time.

I see tons of old Toyotas, Chevys, Fords, Nissans and Hondas.

 

[Flash]

Hyundai, folks. H-Y-U-N-D-A-I.

Thanks.

No, kleeda. N. O.

 

[kleeda]

2004 Hyundai Elantra.

As reliable as a Civic or Corolla, every bit as good on gas and it will have depreciated down to about $5,000-$10,000 less than the Honda or Toyota. You should easily get 150,000 total miles out of an Elantra and my wife's uncle has 270,000 miles on his '96 with no more than expected repairs. Loaded with standard equipment, easily replaced stereo (if that's your thing), and much more driver leg room than the Civic, by far. I prefer the 5-speed.

A quick search shows them going for betwen $6,000 and $9,000 in the Dallas area. Civic appears to be priced between $8k-$19k. Corolla is $8k-$14k.

Hyundai, folks. H-Y-U-N-D-A-I.

Thanks.

Just wait until 2008 or 2009 when it's doors will fall off.

You ever wonder why you never see any old Hyundais on the road... or Dodges for that matter?

It's because they fall apart over time.

I see tons of old Toyotas, Chevys, Fords, Nissans and Hondas.

I think there are two factors playing into your anecdotal perception.

1) Hyundai sold a third of the cars in the U.S. in 2004 Honda sold and a fourth of what Toyota sold. Many fewer cars on the road period.

2) Nearly a third of Hyundai's 2004 sales were at the entry-level price point (Accents and Elantras) and -- I would argue --owned by a segment of the population that doesn't always take care of their cars. Find a clean one and you're golden.

I remember when Hondas and Toyotas were considered cheap crap. After they improved quality, it took the general population at least a decade to realize they had turned the corner. Hyundai is in the middle of that decade now. Get 'em while they are cheap.

 

[OTD]

Civic or Corolla. It doesn't have to be that new--5-6 years old is great. My daughter's Civic is 11 years old. Those cars will go 180,000 miles, no problem.

Accept no substitutes.

 

[kleeda]

Civic or Corolla. It doesn't have to be that new--5-6 years old is great. My daughter's Civic is 11 years old. Those cars will go 180,000 miles, no problem.

Accept no substitutes.

I vividly remember the same advice back in 1981 when I was working at an auto shop, only you need to substitute Buick Regal and Cutlass Supreme for Civic and Corolla. The Civic and Corolla are very fine cars, but the budget buy and bang for the buck is the Hyundai.

 

[lono]

Civic or Corolla. It doesn't have to be that new--5-6 years old is great. My daughter's Civic is 11 years old. Those cars will go 180,000 miles, no problem.

Accept no substitutes.

I vividly remember the same advice back in 1981 when I was working at an auto shop, only you need to substitute Buick Regal and Cutlass Supreme for Civic and Corolla. The Civic and Corolla are very fine cars, but the budget buy and bang for the buck is the Hyundai.

Then again, the 2001-06 Elantras all earned a rating of "poor" from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in its side impact tests and the 2001-03 Elantras also drew "poor" ratings for frontal offset tests.

The Elantra "average" grade on reliabilty from Consumer Reports.

This is what the IIHS had to say about testing the 2004 Elantra:

"The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has evaluated the crashworthiness of the 2004 Elantra with the redesigned driver and passenger airbags in three 40 mph frontal offset crash tests into deformable barriers. A fuel leak occurred in the first test. Hyundai identified a fuel hose clamp that was improperly positioned, which led to puncturing of the fuel tank during the crash. Hyundai has recalled the affected models to reposition the hose clamp. A second test was conducted to assess the effect of the fix.

In the second test, no fuel leakage occurred, but the driver frontal airbag failed to deploy. This led Hyundai to modify the frontal airbag deployment characteristics beginning with 2005 models produced after December, 2004. Also, Hyundai will initiate a recall to modify at its cost 2004-05 models produced earlier. The Institute tested a third Elantra with the modified airbags, and the driver airbag inflated properly."

I guess that's your bang for the buck, or a case of you get what you pay for.

 

[blueview]

Here's a tip - it's not just about the quality of car, but the quality of upkeep. Routine maintenance such as oil changes, transmission/brake/heating and cooling checks are a must in automobile preservation.