Saturn ion 3
Website quote: $17,370 less employee discount special: $15,184
Honda Civic Hybrid
Website Quote: $21,708
Chevrolet Cavalier
Website quote: $17,705.00 less employee discount special: $14,121.95
Chevrolet Cobalt
website quote: $18,455.00 ( I loaded this one up with options...)
Less employee discount special: $16,261.50
Volkswagon Jetta
website quote: $19,590
Volkswagon Beattle
website quote: $18,260
Chevrolet Impala
website quote: $24,605.00 less employee discount special: $19,386.45
Mini Cooper
website quote: $21,207
Comments? votes? suggestions, all welcome.
6 comments:
Okay kid. Here goes.
The Ion 3. Don't do it. That car is ugly. Second, it isn't powered too highly at around 140 hp. It also has a problematic transmission. Test drive it, I don't think you'll like it.
The Honda hybrid. Too expensive for what you're getting at around 90 hp and an electric engine. Its a slow car, but nicely equipped. It's value is good though, since it saves on gas. Be aware that repairs on this vehicle can be possibly very expensive beyond the warranty.
The Chevy Cavalier. Good all around car. Nothing flashy, but a good engine, solid options, and its been around. I think its an excellent option.
The Cobalt is new, and on paper its pretty good. Just remember, its a new model, so insurance might be a bit steeper on the onset than the cavalier. I like it though. Keep in mind, its the new cavalier replacement, but the cavalier is far better. THere's already been a recall out on this model.
You know what I think of the Jetta. Awesome car.
VW Beetle. Good handling, solid engine, comfortable up front. Not much to say here. Not my kind of car, but nothing wrong with it.
The Impala is one of the better selections on here. I drove one about two years ago, basically the same one they're selling now. Nice car. Large engine, excellent handling. I like them better than the its competitor, the taurus, which is saying something for liking a chevy over a ford.
The mini is nice. Too small for my liking. Its roomier than you think inside, but still, not roomy enough for me. They do retain their value quite well though, so keep that in mind for a future trade in.
I think the jetta or the cavalier are your best choices on this list. Above all, I urge you to stay away from the ion3, despite whatever loyalty you might have for saturns. I think its a horrid car.
I'd like to add a disclaimer. I, myself, would never buy anything that isn't at least a V8. So when I say this car is good, and that car is good, what I really mean is that they suck less that the other ones.
You're welcome. MWAHAHAHA.
Full dislosure, Tree: I bought a Honda Civic '03 about 2 years ago. I did a lot of research, and the right choice for you really comes down to knowing what you're looking for in a car.
It seems that Wolfie is looking for horsepower, which is fine for him, but I was more concerned with reliability and gas mileage. Went to Edmunds.com and found that they'll actually give you real-world reliability and fuel efficiency stats, as well as a useful feature called "true cost to own."
Basically this takes into account the cost of the vehicle, estimated depreciation, estimated repairs and maintenance, and fuel efficiency, and gives you a pretty decent idea of how much you're spending every mile to own your car. The Civic came out on top at about 34 cents per mile, which is a big reason why I bought it.
Theory is great, but of course it's no substitute for experience. Thankfully this has also been positive for me. I've literally not had a single problem with the car, which is pretty much what I'm looking for in an automobile. With regard to power, it's not even close to the fastest vehicle on the road, but it does the job. I've never felt underpowered merging onto the highway, which to my mind is the only place horsepower really comes into play in everyday use, anyway.
Bear in mind that I would never buy an American car simply because I've had many bad experiences with them. They've improved recently, but they still can't match Honda or Toyota for reliability. Think of the number of old Civics you see on the road. Now think of the number of old Cavaliers or Saturns.
My buddy Matt had a Jetta and hated it. I know VWs are typically unreliable, but I do like the way the Jetta and the Beetle look.
Buy an Impala if you're looking for a 21st Century boat--it's quite roomy and if you can afford the gas and the expected repairs.
If I had 20K to blow, I'd get a Mini, even though I have no idea how reliable they are. It's just a cool car, and I've heard generally positive things about them.
My final advice is to stay away from hybrids unless you're going for a Prius. All other hybrids currently don't save you enough gas to offset their much higher initial costs and the potential, as Wolfie notes, for expensive repairs down the line. I get 375 miles to the tank in my Civic. You might get 50 more with a hybrid, but now you've saved 3 bucks and 3 goes into 5,000 (= hybrid price - normal price) a whole bunch of times.
That was much longer than I'd intended. And no, I'm not employed by Honda--just a consumer who's had a really good experience.
^ who are you/!?!
im dying to know.
Pretty sure that was Paul!
Yeah the long anonymous post was me.
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