buying

[farooq7]

Hi guys Im looking to get a NEW car. Around 24-32 k before tax. Which cars would be the best for this amount? So far I was thinking

Honda Accord
Acura CSX
Honda Civic
Mini cooper s

[goleafsgo1]

If you are looking for a mid-size sedan go for Accord otherwise pick a Civic.

[yao416]

If I had that amount of money, Id go with Acura CSX
but Honda Civic is also good.

also ANY car with 2 doors= your insurance is High

[MrDisco]

Hi guys Im looking to get a NEW car. Around 24-32 k before tax. Which cars would be the best for this amount? So far I was thinking

Honda Accord
Acura CSX
Honda Civic
Mini cooper s

you're all over the map.

do you want a small sporty car? a sedan?
who's paying the insurance?
what about gas?

[farooq7]

Yes I know Im all over the map, I dont think Id get the mini. I think its between the accord and the civic si, although I like the accord alot more.

[yao416]

Yes I know Im all over the map, I dont think Id get the mini. I think its between the accord and the civic si, although I like the accord alot more.

well if you get civic si (2door) your insurance is gonna be a problem
get accord than :D

[theprodigy]

the civic has better handling, in my opinion...i test drove both and went with the civic...liked the drive and feel of it a lot more.

[Spray]

Once again I'm going to have to suggest a Legacy GT Ltd :P

[B0000rt]

Hi guys Im looking to get a NEW car. Around 24-32 k before tax. Which cars would be the best for this amount? So far I was thinking

Honda Accord
Acura CSX
Honda Civic
Mini cooper s

Mazda Mazdaspeed 3?
VW MK5 GTi?
Sentra SE-R Vspec?

[malaco0219]

Mazda Mazdaspeed 3?
VW MK5 GTi?
Sentra SE-R Vspec?

i would take off sentra SE-R Spec V off your list.

[B0000rt]

i would take off sentra SE-R Spec V off your list.

Well the Sentra SE-R fits his 24-32 range ;)

[malaco0219]

Well the Sentra SE-R fits his 24-32 range ;)

yea i know, i just took it off cause i didnt think it's a good car :cheesygri

At least IMO, he can get a better car than the Sentra SE-R for his price range

[ElvaSoShexai]

u can basically get a base 350z from the states for 32k b4 tax

[royal]

toyota camry? a year old mercedes? lexus? look at acura tl used..

many options .. i would pick civic or accord or camry .. my favs of this year.

[thephenom]

yea i know, i just took it off cause i didnt think it's a good car :cheesygri

At least IMO, he can get a better car than the Sentra SE-R for his price range

The Spec V isn't bad, $27k for 200hp/180ft-lb, that's similar horsepower to a Civic Si and way more torque than the Civic can ever produce, AND it has four doors. ;) The Si is nice, but it has a boy racer look to it. The Speed3 is one hell of a car for $30k, leader of the pack for all the cars in range. I'm in a similar boat looking for a purchase later on this year. Depending on your age, insurance will vary.

The Accord will have the lowest insurance followed by GTI 4-door, CSX (non Type S), Sentra SE-R Spec V, then Speed3, and Civic Si.

Not to add in more confusion, with the current WRX being the last year model, you might be able to scoop out a deal later on this year when they are clearing stock.

Over the few weeks I've been looking, I've narrowed it down in my selection:
GTI 4-door, Speed3, SE-R Spec V, and MAYBE WRX.

It's a tough choice, go for a test drive. ;)

[boyoflondon]

From what you have mentioned, I would go with the accord. For that amount, you can get a V6 nicely equipped. I have a 99 accord my self and have not had any major problems over the past 5 years i've owned it. If you are interested, torontoaccords.com is a great club with a lot of mature members who could give you some first hand advice.

Civic is also a good choice ... I would take the CSX off your list as its pretty much a 'luxury' civic and for the price of a CSX, you might as well go with an Accord.



At the end of the day, its very hard to give you real advice as you never mentioned what exactly you are looking for.

Ignore the people suggesting the spec-V's, GTI's, 350z's etc. Not everything is about horse power and how fast your car can do at the track, as chances are, you wont be racing in the city from stop light to stop light ;)

[D-3vil]

also ANY car with 2 doors= your insurance is High

That's not exactly true.

[actng]

used Audi S4

[Maxspeed]

used acura 2005 TL ...32k

[sergiepopov]

I am guessing you are single and don't need 4 doors, I'd go Acura.

[mintcoffee]

Once again I'm going to have to suggest a Legacy GT Ltd :P

The Legacy GT is an awesome car.. too bad they don't offer the GT non-Ltd version. I believe the Ltd is out of your price range...

I was lucky to have gotten the 2005 Legacy GT non-Ltd while they still had it. :)

[Spray]

You can pick them up from the USA, GT Limited loaded for around 30-31K CAD before 14% taxes.

I honestly cant think of any car that beat's this in the price range, unless you wanted an MS3. It's such a phenomenal car, I know I'm sounding like a fanboy by now, but seriously just drive it and you'll never look back. The fit and finish is superb, the pickup is amazing, and the creature comforts are great. You can also try to get a 2006 Spec B with low mileage for around what I paid (27-29 K CAD) before taxes

The Legacy GT is an awesome car.. too bad they don't offer the GT non-Ltd version. I believe the Ltd is out of your price range...

I was lucky to have gotten the 2005 Legacy GT non-Ltd while they still had it. :)

[ElvaSoShexai]

i still think a 350z is a pretty gd choice... sure the legacy is nice (i've test driven one)... but it's not for a young person

the guy is like wut? graduating from hs? 350z is sporty, rwd, n pretty nice lookin. just think he'd like something more fitting 4 his age.

[Spray]

if you can get a 350Z new (keep in mind they'll be 20%+ tax too right?) then yeah for sure take that. It's a great car, I love it a lot. It's not as fast as the Legacy though :P It sounds great, but if you want to bring friends along it's not very practical.

To the OP..go drive a few cars. The thing you need to make sure of is you're not buying more than you can afford...I almost made that mistake getting a higher class of a car before I really sat down and thought about it. If you're young, just buy the car that you REALLY fall in love with. In ten years you might have three kids and be driving that minivan, so get what you love for now :P

[new_vr]

well if you get civic si (2door) your insurance is gonna be a problem
get accord than :D
The fact that a car is a 2 door or not, really doesn't make a whole of of difference. When I got mine, I think the difference was less then $50 a year. The big problems are: how likely that car is to get into trouble, how likely it is to get stolen, and cost to repair.

[rfdrfd]

Most importantly, call and find out your insurance rates for each of your choices.

[rfdrfd]

The fact that a car is a 2 door or not, really doesn't make a whole of of difference. When I got mine, I think the difference was less then $50 a year. The big problems are: how likely that car is to get into trouble, how likely it is to get stolen, and cost to repair.

Exactly. Same with WHERE you live, how many times YOUR model of car has been stolen, crashed, etc.

I have an Accord and "thought" it was in a good rating, but nope. It isn't.

My insurance company tells me "SUV's" and Minivans actually have a better class rating because they are bigger = less damage & safer in terms of insurance costs.

[MrDisco]

Most importantly, call and find out your insurance rates for each of your choices.

well he still hasn't answered the questions i posed, like who is paying the insurance, his gas, etc. till then this is all just a fun what-if exercise not grounded in reality (i mean come on - a 350Z for an 18yr old? that's nuts).

[MrDisco]

I have an Accord and "thought" it was in a good rating, but nope. It isn't.


true. the accord costs quite a bit to insure when compared to an equivalent domestic.

[farooq7]

Hey guys how about the volvo s40 a used 2006 one with 10-25 k km on it. How are those in terms of value and insurance cost.

[thephenom]

Hey guys how about the volvo s40 a used 2006 one with 10-25 k km on it. How are those in terms of value and insurance cost.

You might want to tell others your age, driving record, where do you live, etc.

[B0000rt]

Hey guys how about the volvo s40 a used 2006 one with 10-25 k km on it. How are those in terms of value and insurance cost.

DIY.

www.belairdirect.com

If you're going to take on the responsibility of being a driver, you'll take on the responsibility of knowing how to get an insurance quote online!

[thephenom]

DIY.

www.belairdirect.com

If you're going to take on the responsibility of being a driver, you'll take on the responsibility of knowing how to get an insurance quote online!

BTW, is anyone using belairdirect as their insurance agent. Their quotes are usually significantly lower than other insurance provider.

Oh yeah, here's a better link.
http://www.kanetix.ca/

They quote multiple insurance agents at once. :D

[farooq7]

I live in Vancouver.

[MrDisco]

BTW, is anyone using belairdirect as their insurance agent. Their quotes are usually significantly lower than other insurance provider.

there's also pcfs insurance. i found their quotes to be quite low, however they don't offer as many options to customize your coverage.

[malaco0219]

The Spec V isn't bad, $27k for 200hp/180ft-lb, that's similar horsepower to a Civic Si and way more torque than the Civic can ever produce, AND it has four doors. ;) The Si is nice, but it has a boy racer look to it. The Speed3 is one hell of a car for $30k, leader of the pack for all the cars in range. I'm in a similar boat looking for a purchase later on this year. Depending on your age, insurance will vary.

The Accord will have the lowest insurance followed by GTI 4-door, CSX (non Type S), Sentra SE-R Spec V, then Speed3, and Civic Si.

Not to add in more confusion, with the current WRX being the last year model, you might be able to scoop out a deal later on this year when they are clearing stock.

Over the few weeks I've been looking, I've narrowed it down in my selection:
GTI 4-door, Speed3, SE-R Spec V, and MAYBE WRX.

It's a tough choice, go for a test drive. ;)

I'd go speed3. Some guy made a big deal about 5 cases of the engine falling out, but i'm sure its already been taken care of by Mazda already. That honestly will give you the biggest bang for your bucks if thats what you want. However, i would choose GTI with DSG. Why? Go look at vwvortex. There is so much DIY you can do, and with a chip for 500 bucks from upsolute.ca, It goes from 200 hp to 240, and you can probably even beat a Mazdaspeed 3 with that chip and DSG on 0-60.

Actually, a GTI w/ DSG and the chip might be around the same price as Mazdaspeed 3. However, both has their goods and bads.


Quickly summarize from my knowledge

Mazdaspeed 3

-Best Bang for your bucks you can ever get
-All basic necessities are already there.. HID, alloys, cd player, you name it
-Mazda can be expensive in parts

GTI

-DSG transmission, up shifts in 0.8 seconds? (Correct me if i'm wrong but thats what i remeber)
-Euro car.. hey.. i favour euros =]
-Lots of Aftermarket support, lots of DIY
-VW is not best well known for reliability

[MasterXan]

if you can get a 350Z new (keep in mind they'll be 20%+ tax too right?) then yeah for sure take that. It's a great car, I love it a lot. It's not as fast as the Legacy though :P It sounds great, but if you want to bring friends along it's not very practical.

To the OP..go drive a few cars. The thing you need to make sure of is you're not buying more than you can afford...I almost made that mistake getting a higher class of a car before I really sat down and thought about it. If you're young, just buy the car that you REALLY fall in love with. In ten years you might have three kids and be driving that minivan, so get what you love for now :P

what do you mean by "20%+ tax" for the 350Z?

[Spray]

I havn't checked...but the 350Z is made in Japan right? If so it's 14% tax + international duty (6.1%~) to import it. If the vehicle is made in North America, no additional duty is needed.

what do you mean by "20%+ tax" for the 350Z?

[MasterXan]

duty? you mean freight?

[Spray]

no...duty. For any cars not made in USA or Canada you must pay the additional 6.1% tax.

duty? you mean freight?

[thephenom]

I'd go speed3. Some guy made a big deal about 5 cases of the engine falling out, but i'm sure its already been taken care of by Mazda already. That honestly will give you the biggest bang for your bucks if thats what you want. However, i would choose GTI with DSG. Why? Go look at vwvortex. There is so much DIY you can do, and with a chip for 500 bucks from upsolute.ca, It goes from 200 hp to 240, and you can probably even beat a Mazdaspeed 3 with that chip and DSG on 0-60.

Actually, a GTI w/ DSG and the chip might be around the same price as Mazdaspeed 3. However, both has their goods and bads.


Quickly summarize from my knowledge

Mazdaspeed 3

-Best Bang for your bucks you can ever get
-All basic necessities are already there.. HID, alloys, cd player, you name it
-Mazda can be expensive in parts

GTI

-DSG transmission, up shifts in 0.8 seconds? (Correct me if i'm wrong but thats what i remeber)
-Euro car.. hey.. i favour euros =]
-Lots of Aftermarket support, lots of DIY
-VW is not best well known for reliability
Thanks for the quick summary!

GTI with DSG and sunroof is actually more expensive than the speed 3. ;)

Still a tough choice I would say. Spec V isn't completely off my list yet, if I trade in my current car, I actually qualify for 1% financing. :D

One weekend, I'll test drive them all and see which I like more.

[thephenom]

duty? you mean freight?

They mean if you import the car from the US by yourself. You'll have to pay tax and duties.

[malaco0219]

Thanks for the quick summary!

GTI with DSG and sunroof is actually more expensive than the speed 3. ;)

Still a tough choice I would say. Spec V isn't completely off my list yet, if I trade in my current car, I actually qualify for 1% financing. :D

One weekend, I'll test drive them all and see which I like more.

The only good thing about nissan right now is that its 1% financing, i dont know about speed3, couldnt find it, but GTI is ridiculously high. I personally dont like Sentra cause it looks like a POS IMHO, though you cant always consider looks. Also, another plus for GTI is that its made in Germany, and i believe Sentra is USA, correct me if I'm wrong.

However, I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy the GTI more. If i were you and i didnt have enough money at the moment, i rather save up and buy a more enjoyable car.

Test drive all three and see how you like them first, and tell us your decision =]

If i had 30ish K to choose for a pocket rocket, my money would go to either GTI or MS3, no doubt.

Or, try the MS6, 4wd! My friend got one with 3.1% financing, and lumlum got it with 2.9% i believe, you can ask him about it.

[thephenom]

Yeah, but if I look at the MS6, I can also look at the Legacy 2.5GT and the WRX. Don't want to be trapped into thinking "a couple more grand could get me this, a couple more grand could get me that", it'll be a never ending hole. And quite honestly, I don't need a performance family sedan just yet; sports compact class would probably be my #1 choice atm. ;)

With the current price range of cars I'm looking at, I can still save at a reasonable pace to purchase my own place in about 3-4 yrs, so I don't really want to go above it to delay my other plans.

The Spec V isn't too bad, the looks take a lot of convincing to really like the design, but it might be a little too boy ricer-ish for me. I'm personally still leaning toward the GTI, with the 4-yr bumper-bumper coverage and 5-yr powertrain warranty, reliability shouldn't be too much of a worry.

[malaco0219]

Yeah, but if I look at the MS6, I can also look at the Legacy 2.5GT and the WRX. Don't want to be trapped into thinking "a couple more grand could get me this, a couple more grand could get me that", it'll be a never ending hole. And quite honestly, I don't need a performance family sedan just yet; sports compact class would probably be my #1 choice atm. ;)

With the current price range of cars I'm looking at, I can still save at a reasonable pace to purchase my own place in about 3-4 yrs, so I don't really want to go above it to delay my other plans.

The Spec V isn't too bad, the looks take a lot of convincing to really like the design, but it might be a little too boy ricer-ish for me. I'm personally still leaning toward the GTI, with the 4-yr bumper-bumper coverage and 5-yr powertrain warranty, reliability shouldn't be too much of a worry.

haha you're right, Sentra is more of a ricer type. For a family type, do you need a lot of cargo space?

If you need cargo space, go for MS3 if you're looking for a sports compact. Otherwise, i would go for GTI.

[thephenom]

haha you're right, Sentra is more of a ricer type. For a family type, do you need a lot of cargo space?

If you need cargo space, go for MS3 if you're looking for a sports compact. Otherwise, i would go for GTI.
Cargo space isn't so bad for the GTI with the folddown back seats. But the only times I'll use it much is for my travel luggage and maybe camping trips.

[portboy]

07 Accord SE is just over $30K on the road, with low 1.9%. Check it out.

[BartBandy]

I doubt you'll find one now, but three weeks ago, Acura still had a handful of 06 TSXs, and there is (was?) an unadvertised $2500 rebate as well as low financing rates on them. I got a manual with navi for $35,400 before PST and GST (MSRP $38,700 + $1,430 pdi + $175 gas and air tax) with 0.8% financing for 24 months. A manual non-navi should go for about $33,000. You do not want to see my monthly payments, but I could have put 50% down, and at 0.8%, my total cost of borrowing is $300. My down payment is better off in a savings account.

I was looking hard at an 07 GTI, but try finding one with the options you want, then try buying it for less than MSRP, then realize that the financed amount will be subject to 6.9% interest. The 06 TSX came out less expensive, with navi, and is arguably more reliable.

[malaco0219]

I doubt you'll find one now, but three weeks ago, Acura still had a handful of 06 TSXs, and there is (was?) an unadvertised $2500 rebate as well as low financing rates on them. I got a manual with navi for $35,400 before PST and GST (MSRP $38,700 + $1,430 pdi + $175 gas and air tax) with 0.8% financing for 24 months. A manual non-navi should go for about $33,000. You do not want to see my monthly payments, but I could have put 50% down, and at 0.8%, my total cost of borrowing is $300. My down payment is better off in a savings account.

I was looking hard at an 07 GTI, but try finding one with the options you want, then try buying it for less than MSRP, then realize that the financed amount will be subject to 6.9% interest. The 06 TSX came out less expensive, with navi, and is arguably more reliable.


Wow 2500 rebate and 0.8 financing? Amazing.