Newer car shopping...
 

Hello greekchatters...

I am looking at getting a newer car... some where between 2003 to 2005. My hubby wants me to get a toyota, nissan, or honda... I just want something that is four door yet fun.

So I am taking suggestions... do you drive one of these types of cars and what do you like or dislike about your car?

Thanks for the help in advance.

2004 Mazda 3 - great car, realiable, good on gas, 4-door, sporty. If you get 17inch alloy rims, be sure to get a tire with a treadlife warranty. My wifes tires are bald at 25,000 miles. Then again, they did stick 185 mph tires on there (pointless), and the car hugs corners like an Indy Car (pointless again). Other than that, the car is great.

http://www.autoafrica.co.za/content/.../resize/33.jpg

My 2005 Ford Focus is "four door yet fun" - I wouldn't go with one older than a 2005, but they are definitely affordable and I haven't had any problems with my little car even though I've put on 21,000 miles in the 18 months I've had it.

Fix
Or
Repair
Daily


I had a Ford Escort for 7 years & it was great until about the 5th year at which point it began breaking down all the time. The Service Engine Soon light came on at least once a month & sometimes for really no reason at all. The car was nickel & diming me to death for 2 years! The transmission was failing by the time I finally traded it in. I'm so glad to be rid of that car. For the longest time I thought it might be a problem with just my Ford Escort, until my best friend got a Ford Focus (2005) and has been having similar problems. Luckily hers is still under factory warranty so she has somewhere to turn.

I'm not going to say that all Ford cars will have the exact same set of problems, but you run the risk that they may. I have this personal theory that all brands of cars have something wrong with them, its just a matter of which types of problems you can deal with best! Good luck!

I used to have a Honda Civic EX and I loved that car. Hondas are so reliable and it was a cute little thing that got good gas mileage.

I had looked at the Ford Focus this summer and was about to buy one when I found a fantastic deal on a 2003 Ford Escape that was fully loaded and was more within my price range. I'd always heard horrible things about Fords in the past, but they've gotten much better recently. Everyone I know with the Focus loves it, and my Escape is a lot of fun.

the GM girl has to post
 

I like the new Pontiac G6 a lot. Really cute car and good gas mileage. My brother had one as a rental at Christmas and I test drove it and really liked it. We only get GM cars in my family, so I'm biased toward the Grand Am too.

Do you wear high heels when you drive it?

-Rudey
--I'm kidding homie :)

I have a 1999 Honda Civic. I love it. I get 36 miles per gallon still, even with 5-10 minutes of warming the car in the winter. I haven't had to put any work other than routine maintenance into it.

I once drove a Toyota Camry rental for a week and it was a wonderful car too. Much bigger than my Civic. It got 35+ miles per gallon as well.

Hope that is helpful.

Dude - 6'5" tall - I don't fit in it. With my heels, I'm pushing 7' - so no, I can't drive it. haha :)

I'm looking at Toyotas and Nissans myself. I preferred the newer Nissans because I'm short and have issues seeing out the back window. A Nissan Sentra had a lower beltline when I test drove it and it was a comfy car. It has a little more power and torque than a Corolla, but Corollas get killer gas milage.

I have a 95 corolla now and I'm running it into the ground. They last a long time.

I'm trying to stay away from American made cars. I rented a Ford Focus one and it sounded like something was going to fall off of it every time I went over a speed bump.

However, I'm intrigued with the new Kias. The brand new ones. Consumer Reports keep saying they are the best new car or something to that affect. I've always heard they were crap. Anyone know anything about Kias?

ETA: Depending on where you live, I wouldn't get a Honda. Hondas here are the number one car to get broken into, vandalized or stolen all together. And EVERYONE and their mom has one here. But it could be a different story where you live.

Thanks... keep it coming!
 

My first car was an 88 Ford Escort... only reason I wanted to get something different was because it was just basic with no a/c. Other than that I had a good time with it... no major issues. (This with an engine that filled once (that I know of)... I didn't get my Sunfire until 2002.) So I am all for Fords... good cars. I've even looked at the Focus.

My current car started having issues 6 days after I drove it off the lot, and I didn't have a warranty on it. I put over $600 in it before we finally found the issue. So I was glad that I still had my escort... it was my ride saver. It is a Sunfire... so I am staying away from GM and Pontiac's.

My hubby and all his family have Toyota's.

I have to have a wheelbase no larger than 110 and length no longer than 190, to say in the garage at home.

Love all you guys are giving!

I had a Nissan Maxima as a rental recently and was surprised how much I liked it. It was a 2006 and was brand new. It is quite spacious inside (we chose to drive it to Palm Springs over my dad's BMW 7 series -- enough room and we'd rather put miles on the rental). My sister (5'11") sat in back the whole way to the desert and back and was totaly comfortable.

ETA: I just looked and the wheel base is 111.2 and the length is 193.5 -- bummer

I had a '99 Ford Escort ZX2 up until July. I had both the tape deck and air conditioning go out twice. These aren't major mechanical failures but still problems nonetheless. Especially since the tape deck broke within 7 months of owning the car.

Right before I got my new car, my Ford stalled on me when I was in a parking lot. I had been looking into a new car for a while but it was then that I decided I would buy a new one that weekend...while my Ford was still working and worth something.

My friend had the same exact car as me. The transmission died on her last month at 70,000. The transmission shouldn't have gone out at 70,000. My boyfriend's Camry has close to 100K on it and it's still going strong!

And the ZX2 was supposed to be one of the better Ford cars in terms of mechanical issues since it was essentially the same car as the Mazda MX6.

I bought a '05 Honda CRV and I absolutely love it. No complaints here. It's big so I feel safer when I'm on the road but it's a small SUV so I still get great gas mileage. Plus, it's a Honda so I know it will last forever. It's very spacious and I was easily able to fit 4 of my very tall friends into it last night.

Stay away from the Kias!!!:P I drive a 96 Kia, and I have had sooooo much trouble with it!!! It's a love hate thing I guess, lol. At first I thought well maybe it was just because my car is old, but I've known a few people who have gotten the newer ones-One of my friend's Dad's actually bought her a brand new Kia, and not even a year later her car was falling apart(I think it was an 04-but not sure). Lots of electrical problems :rolleyes: In the amount of money we've spent on my car this past year, we probably could've just saved up a bit longer and bought a brand new Scion, lol.

Stay away from Kias - they have no resale value and you'll probably really need that "standard warranty"... And avoid Hyundais (sp). My dad test one when he was shopping for my Focus last year - and the passenger door on the brand new Hyundai wouldn't close. until the salesman slammed it really hard.

go with Toyota. i drive a 2003 Solara and although its a 2 door its a very nice car. no problems with it and i love it!

I just got a 2005 Focus in Dec. I wasn't really sure that I would like it,but it;s growing on me. Mine was gently used. It had a little over 21,000 miles on it.

I have had my 2001 Honda CR-V auto trans w/75k miles. for about 2 wks and averaging about 24-25 mpg [combo fwy/city driving].

The 2005 Mazda 6 rental driven for 2 wks it was comfortable and roomy. I think it averaged 25 mpg. For a smaller engine, it has a lot of get up and go.

Michell, I knew there was an other reason I like You!:)

1999 Honda, My 4 th. Hell only have @ 39,000, 5 speed and still love it.

They just keep on ticking like a Timex!:D

Keep resale value too.

Either a Honda or a Toyota are great for mileage and resale.

How ironic i spent the last two days looking and how thorughly disgusted i am with sales reps. I want either a expidition or chevy yukon taho

**LOVE** my 2004 Mazda 3

No problems whatsoever...drives like a dream...4 doors, yet sporty. I **LOVE** her!!

http://carolyn.kavefish.net/gallery/...0002.sized.jpg

http://carolyn.kavefish.net/gallery/...0006.sized.jpg

http://carolyn.kavefish.net/gallery/...0008.sized.jpg

Plus, great safety features (max airbags - front, passenger, side curtain, etc.)

I had a Mazda Protege prior to the 3, and it was fabulous - most importantly kept us safe in a major crash (with airbag deployment, etc).

I drive a 2003 Nissan Altima 2.5S

I love this car. It rides smooth and does really well on gas. 20 in the city and 30 on the Highway. The only problems I've had were morons (who don't know how to pull into a space) side swipe my vehicle. :rolleyes: I've had to buff out scratches a few times.

I guess people with the same types of cars have totally different opinions of them. I have a 2003 Kia Rio Cinco and I love it. I am a recent college graduate and obviously I can not afford much. I paid around 14,000 for my car. I have had absolutely no problems with it and I am on year 3. I go to school 8 hours away from home and I have put many miles on it. The warranty is the reason I got a Kia because I don't have money to be pouring into fixing everything that breaks. One of the reasons I got this car is because it is great for moving my crap from home to school and back. It is a 4 door and has a hatchback. The seats fold down so I can fit a lot in it.

Hope you find what you are looking for.

I just got a new 2005 VW jetta and I absolutely love it! While looking for it, I drove the focus (I personally really liked the hatchback, but didn't like the look of the sedan, it also didn't get great safety ratings), honda civic, mazda, and hyundai elantra (which I hated). We ended up getting a great deal on the jetta where it was cheaper than nearly all of the other cars we were looking at. It also has side and curtain air bags, which is something my mom is very happy with :).

LOL you guys, why do so many people respond to a request for information about some specific makes of cars by saying what kind of car they have or like?

So I test drove 5 cars this weekend... just to see what I am interested in... the dealership was really cool because I had no press placed on me by the sales guys... I just took keys and then traded them when I wanted to try something different.

I started with the Corrolla... but didn't like it. My legs went numb.
I really liked the Camry... but it drove rough, bouncy.
I really really really liked the Ford Escape... fullly loaded (top to bottom).

I didn't drive a KIA, so I need to go do that still... it is a good thing that I am just looking and am not in a hurry.