Recommend a Car for Me?
07-09-2011, 08:34 AM
#62
Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Montana
Posts: 296
I have a Chevy HHR. I bought it new in 2006 and I still love it. It is loaded and only cost $22,000. Basic model starts at around $16,000. I too like my seats to go stright up. It gets 30-31 mpg on the highway and 25 mpg in town. I have talked to other who have newer models of HHR's who tell me they are getting about 35 mpg highway. Check it out online to see what it looks like. I think they look cool.
07-09-2011, 10:26 AM
#64
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Port Lavaca, TX
Posts: 1,276
Originally Posted by Lisanne
I need a new car, and I'm not wild about anything that's out there. Maybe I'm missing something great, so before I buy something I don't love, I thought I'd ask for your suggestions.
It will be a new car. I know all the arguments for buying used, but I don't buy for resale value, I buy to own it.
Must be compact or relatively small. No SUVs, trucks, minivans or boat-sized cars, but nothing that looks like a cartoon car, either (meaning no Smart4Twos or Fiats).
I have had a Kia Sentra four door for 10 years! It is an automatic. You are right, the interior is not so fancy... but the back seats fold down to open up an already capacious trunk space to hold long stuff. I have driven it all over the USA and it is still going strong.
They gave me a 100,000 mile guarentee, and maybe you can get 200,000 , and the dealer does stand behind it for everything else too!
Other needs:
-- good gas mileage
-- reliable (will last 10+ years or 200,000 miles)
-- $20,000 or less
-- seat backs that go straight up. My Honda Civic seat slants back, and I'm tried of the neck problems from sitting back and craning my head forward to look straight ahead.
-- headlight controls MUST be on the lever by the steering wheel, not a separate button. No kidding, this annoys me no end. (Meaning no Ford Focus.)
-- must use a key. No push button ignitions. Call me old-fashioned, but I want to be able to turn the thing OFF and not have a button failure.
I have tried:
Hyundai Elantra - highly rated, but the seat area is tight and I couldn't see over the windshield or side windows to the lane lines on the road or for parking.
Mazda 3 - love how it drives, but gas mileage isn't great and there's the window problem.
Ford Focus - weird controls
Nissan Versa - hated it. Especially hate that the dashboard is lit when the headlights are OFF amd dim when it's dark and the headlights are on.
Toyota Corolla - seats don't go straight up and it doesn't drive as nicely as the Camry, which is bigger than I want.
Kia Rio - comfortable to sit in and drive, but cheesy looking inside. So far the front runner, though. I'll take a look at the Forte, but only to hope that it's not as cheesy looking as the Rio.
Audi A4 - my one try at a used car. No matter how great the car, I can't make myself take a used one. The headlight control is just like that of the Ford Focus.
It will be a new car. I know all the arguments for buying used, but I don't buy for resale value, I buy to own it.
Must be compact or relatively small. No SUVs, trucks, minivans or boat-sized cars, but nothing that looks like a cartoon car, either (meaning no Smart4Twos or Fiats).
I have had a Kia Sentra four door for 10 years! It is an automatic. You are right, the interior is not so fancy... but the back seats fold down to open up an already capacious trunk space to hold long stuff. I have driven it all over the USA and it is still going strong.
They gave me a 100,000 mile guarentee, and maybe you can get 200,000 , and the dealer does stand behind it for everything else too!
Other needs:
-- good gas mileage
-- reliable (will last 10+ years or 200,000 miles)
-- $20,000 or less
-- seat backs that go straight up. My Honda Civic seat slants back, and I'm tried of the neck problems from sitting back and craning my head forward to look straight ahead.
-- headlight controls MUST be on the lever by the steering wheel, not a separate button. No kidding, this annoys me no end. (Meaning no Ford Focus.)
-- must use a key. No push button ignitions. Call me old-fashioned, but I want to be able to turn the thing OFF and not have a button failure.
I have tried:
Hyundai Elantra - highly rated, but the seat area is tight and I couldn't see over the windshield or side windows to the lane lines on the road or for parking.
Mazda 3 - love how it drives, but gas mileage isn't great and there's the window problem.
Ford Focus - weird controls
Nissan Versa - hated it. Especially hate that the dashboard is lit when the headlights are OFF amd dim when it's dark and the headlights are on.
Toyota Corolla - seats don't go straight up and it doesn't drive as nicely as the Camry, which is bigger than I want.
Kia Rio - comfortable to sit in and drive, but cheesy looking inside. So far the front runner, though. I'll take a look at the Forte, but only to hope that it's not as cheesy looking as the Rio.
Audi A4 - my one try at a used car. No matter how great the car, I can't make myself take a used one. The headlight control is just like that of the Ford Focus.
07-09-2011, 11:01 AM
#65
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Lemoore, Ca
Posts: 1,467
I have a 2004 Elantra by Hyundai. I love it, good car and I am in the process of upgrading to a 2012 Elantra. 40 miles per gallon on hwy. I have no complaints, the only reason I am getting a newer model, is becasue I want one and my husbands care is getting old and he will inherit mine.
07-09-2011, 11:57 AM
#66
Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Arizona
Posts: 43
My only comment regarding a new car is that my next new car will be "Made and Assembled in America." Our auto industry supports so many people. Ford Motor Company did not take out any bail out money so those are the cars I will be looking at when the time comes. My daughter had a Ford Focus which she loved; good gas mileage and safety features. I'm starting to look for more and more items "Made in the USA." I really want to put our country back to work.
07-09-2011, 12:15 PM
#67
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Monroe, IN
Posts: 2,283
we recently purchased a Hyundai Sonata....just over 20k....love the car....it is getting 35mpg for city driving and 40-42mpg for highway....it has all the bells and whistles we needed....big trunk space with back seats that fold down for more room if needed...safety features everywhere....stabilitrack is standard....and made in the US!
07-09-2011, 12:43 PM
#68
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Ohio
Posts: 478
Originally Posted by MaryStoaks
I'm on my second Hyundai Accent, I liked the first one so well I bought another. Mostly I like the seat, I have back/neck problems and with this car I can drive forever. It has great AC, the interior is upgraded, wonderful gas mileage. It is a cheapy car, I only drove the first one 100 thousand miles, no trouble with it. I bought the new one because I live in the desert and I will not drive an old car for fear of being stranded in the heat. Good luck in your search.
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