First Car, Need some help
 

Hey everybody, so here's the deal. Im 21, but got an apprenticeship and should be making pretty good money for being 21. So im now in the market of getting a new or fairly new car. here's what I need
-Low KM cause ill be driving around 60-70km each way, so the miles will rack up pretty quick
-Nothing ridiculously expensive, but am open to suggestions
-Fuel efficient since i don't need to be at the Gas station every other day
- and not a ugly piece of shit

Ive been thinking of either grabbing my moms 2008 pontiac vibe 4dr, black with like 45k on it for $9000 and id skip the tax, Or i can buy new since all the cars ive looked at used arent going to cut it.

For new cars, ive been looking at a chevy cruze or sonic, or a toyota or hyundai. Not my dream cars but they'll do for now, plus having a brand new car would be nice.

Im just looking for your guys opinions on what you drive, how they handle up to driving, and any complaints you might have. Any help is appreciated. Oh and if you work in the tri cities as a car sales man, let me know and ill stop by.

PS theres a 1990 rx7 very for $9000 at frank gies auto, its blue with 85k on it. could use a good home since i cant get it, but the price seems a little high but im sure a smooth talker could swindle him down.
Heres the site: http://www.frankgiesautosales.com/li...tible-394.html

Thanks again guys!

This will be an interesting debate. Out of curiosity, what are you taking your apprenticeship in?

I think you need to figure out what you'll be using the vehicle for, and what you expect out of it.

Purchasing a new vehicle is going to be very expensive, as you'll need to have full insurance coverage on it (whether for the bank or peace of mind), and at such a young age, I'd figure your rates are going to be around $5000 a year. I live closer to Toronto, and around 21 was looking at new cars, but it was $6000 a year for insurance. This insurance premium, tagged with the depreciation of a new car, just ends up being a large chunk of money at the end of the year that you can't get back. Realistically, purchasing a $20,000 honda civic brand new is a worse decision than purchasing a 2000ish Porsche 911 as the depreciation as already come into effect, and people will always like those cars. (please note: that a $20,000 2000 porsche 911 can be found in the southern states) Of course the maintenance will be a bit more expensive with the porsche, but your retaining it's value.

This is strictly a financial point of view. Of course, there are many things that come into effect when purchasing a vehicle, but my personal recommendation would be something that is at least three years old, and that will maintain it's value. Small pick-ups are very cheap on insurance and maintain their value, and you could usually find one that has been taken care of very well. Small economy cars have started maintaining their value a lot more as well, and luxury vehicles about 5 years old have lost their most amount of depreciation, and can be a sound buy.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1999-...c#ht_500wt_879 -just an example of one porsche at that price point. Insurance will probably be similar to a new honda civic, as not many 21 year olds are driving 911's

If u want a car that will drive u from point a to point b that will save u gas and is going to be leased, then a brand new elantra would be the best. Lease it, then dump it back to the dealer, those cars arent going to last very long. But if u want a second hand car thats about 3 to 5 years old, get a honda fit. Theyre made in japan, theyre cheap, good on gas, and have pretty good room. Toyota yaris would also be a good choice, but they dont have as much room. Honestly, if u needed a car to drive, get a older model car. Something in the late 90s. Quality in cars now adays just arent the same as they were before. Get a cheap 99 civic manual, do regular oil changes, wash your car often, do regular maintenance, and do your rust proofing, u will have a car that will out last most new cars. Or u can get a rx7 :)

Buy my Rx-7 for 6 grand lol... 137,000km with just under 20k on the engine... bulletproof!

I'd have to say, in your situation. A Corvette or BMW M5 would be perfect.

scion TC, not a ugly piece of shit, good on gas and not expensive
i have not driven this car my self but i think it fits your category, unless you want more sporty or more room

update!

I know its been while since ive been on, and want to let you bastards know whats up. To answer the first question, i got an apprenticeship as a meter technician.
I ended up buying a brand new 2012 mazda3 with the new skyactiv engine. Its been roughly three weeks since i got the car and i couldnt be happier. Its great on gas, averaging around 41mpg, got 47mpg the past weekend. It has decent power for a econobox, and a 6sp manual. I love the car, and i think i made the right decision. With driving as much as i will have too, i needed to get a new car, even though that porsche would look sweet in the driveway :)

I was also looking at a new 2012 jetta base, and it was a quiet, refined car with lots of space, but had ZERO power. 115hp with a 0-60 time of like 10.5. im not a racer, nor will i be racing people, but its nice to have something there for when you want it. I dont know if any of you guys are in the market for one, but i would suggest it to anybody. The GT with the 2.5 only has 12 more hp then the sky, and i get better gas mileage, so i can deal

who dat Beotch in da Mazda3?
just Greyseason pimpin yo!

It's good to hear that the skyactiv mpg's are actually living up to the advertising claims. I'm around them all day but haven't had the chance to drive a 3 with it yet. The CX-5 feels great with the full skyactiv drivetrain though.
BTW I like the junkhouse link. Rad cars.

Smart move. To me, the SkyActiv Mazda3 is one of the most interesting new cars on the market.

How is the steering? Some journalists have criticized its lack of feedback, e.g.: http://www.windingroad.com/articles/...zda3-skyactiv/

It's a subjective, thing, no doubt.

Its electro hydraulic power assist steering..it responds just like any other power steering and works great. Been using the same system since 2004.

I would have waited until 2013 for the redesigned Mazda 3 with Full Skyactiv. That and the 2013 model will be redesigned to accommodate the 4-2-1 header and will use the 13:1 compression ratio. The 2013 model will feature Skyactiv body and chassis in addition to the Engine and Trans already in the 2012 model.

not to hate...but mazda 3s are rust buckets in under 10 years...go on kijiji and ull see a BUNCH of 03-04 Mazda 3s with very decent mileage but rust starting everywhere...if i was to go for new or newer..definetly a vw....

Good thing Mazda pays for fixing all that quarter panel rust... just saying... Im still so surprised that so many 3 owners dont know this.

Thats a terrible generalization. NO Mazda 3s above 2007 rust. Only 2004-2006s had problems and there is a Corrosion Prevention Recall.

Volkswagens are pieces of shit, built in Mexico, ugly, hard to work on. And the new ones are over priced econoboxes which again are ugly as shit.

You wont regret buying a Mazda 3. The Skyactiv engine is amazing, the fuel economy is unbelieveable...better than some hybrids.

I can't wait to drive the 2013 SkyActiv.

Good choice. Two years ago I bought a Mazda6, my friend Ray bought a Mazda3, and last year my friend Michel bought the new Jetta. We're all very happy with our cars and I'd recommend any of them to anybody. The Jetta is a bit anemic on power, and when I drive it I always feel that part is lacking, but aside from that it's an amazing car. The 3 is a great little car, and I can't wait until SkyActiv is available for the 6.

If you don't mind me asking, what are you paying for insurance? I'd imagine that it's pretty steep. I pay $1365/yr to cover both the 6 (with full comprehensive because I'm financing) and the rx7 (with liability only), but I'm almost 30, live in Quebec, and have been insured with the same company for over a decade.

Glad you're enjoying your Mazda. They're fun cars to drive and the 3 is a great first car. Sure beats the hell out of the Dodge Shadow I started my driving career with, haha.

Jon

Thanks for all the support and replies guys!

HiWire, just like Mazdamike said, the steering is quite good, but i think mine pulls to the left just a tiny bit, which could just be a fluke or just myself being crazy.

I would have loved to wait, but i desperately need to get a car in order to drive to my job everyday

yeah my gas milage speaks for itself. Even with the *cough* often acceleration im still managing 40mpg, and like i mentioned before, up to 47mpg on a long haul going 120kph. Might have gotten better going 100-105.

i wish it were that cheap. I have an accident on my insurance from when i was 17, and im 22 now. I thought it would be going down next june, with it being 6years and all, but i was told it wont go down til the end of 2013, instead of in june 2013. It also doesnt help that im in the 19-22yr age bracket. I pay $322/month which is $3864 per year. not the best, but it has full coverage

That could be torque steer. Most cars have a bias one way or another... as long as it drives straight in regular driving, it shouldn't be a big problem.

Yeah, if it's under acceleration, it's definitely torque-steer. Front-wheel drive cars tend to have more of it than RWD from what I've experienced. My friend's Protege always pulled to one side on accel. It's still there on my 6, just seems much less pronounced, probably because of the wide wheelbase and added weight (possibly also other refinements under the hood? I don't know about that one though).

The real test is when you're cruising down the highway. If it's pulling to one side or other when you're cruising in a straight line there's something going on, especially with a new car! Then again, uneven tire pressure does that too, so it could be plenty of things. Probably nothing to worry about.

The two things I love about having bought my 6 brand new are that if *anything* happens to it in the next 5 years, I just make a phone call (either to Mazda or my Insurance company depending on the case) and say "you guys deal with it". The advantages of dealer warranty + comprehensive insurance! When you figure that a good extended warranty can add $4k to the cost of a used car (like my friend's Protege), it makes it more attractive. The second thing was the 0% financing. You aren't getting THAT on a used car purchase!

Congrats on the new ride, enjoy it!

Jon

Thanks jon! Yeah i think i might be making them a call, cause its while im driving on the highway, and its just a slight pull, but is nagging. but i know its not torque steer, cause ive expierenced that in my moms old v6 malibu pulling me into the wrong lane of traffic! haha

I paid the extra for the 6yr/160k km warranty, and the nice thing with mazda, is even if i exceed the 160k, I still get the 6 years of roadside assistance. I dont think many other car companies can say the same.

Mazda 3s do not typically torque steer, they do have equal length cv shafts. Torque Steer is typically caused by unequal length cv shafts (think 1st Gen MX6).

You may have a tire pull. I recommend checking tire pressures and adjusting to manufacturers specifications. That is 35 psi on a Mazda 3.

Very good decision in buying MAP greyseason. Its unbelieveable coverage, it now includes tire hazard damage.

Holy crap my dealership didn't offer that. I've got 5yrs, with only 3yrs of roadside assistance :( And I missed out on their promo of 5yrs free maintenance by like two months.

Still, I'm quite happy with my 2010 Mazda 6, there's no other sedan I'd rather be driving.

Here's the thread I made when I first got it. The car parked behind it makes it look like mine has a roof rack, haha

https://www.rx7club.com/canadian-forum-42/got-brand-new-car-started-project-my-rx7-898427/

Jon

Jon I'm pretty sure you can purchase MAP after the fact. It is transferable, I'm not 100% sure but I can find out for you.

Thanks mike, yeah im glad i got it. I was debating whether or not i needed it, but decided to with all the driving im doing. If i run out of gas, or just dont feel like changing a flat, i call them, they fix it, and im on the road again. Ill get some pics soon just so you guys can have a look-see.

Viper, that is a nice looking ride. Ive always liked those, but never knew why they didnt put a MS6 in the lineup. those are RAD.

not to hate on your comments, but if you dont grease your car every winter, you will end up with a rust bucket. i have a 94 chrysler acclaim with 18 winters on it and not a single piece of rust. its as nothing to do where the car is from or who makes it, its you at the first place who take care of it. grease it up every winter and you will never see rust