Guest bastaad525 Posted February 8, 2006 Share Posted February 8, 2006 Well....!! My wife needs a new car! We are trying to narrow down the choices. She wants something nice looking, good gas mileage, well equipped, I want something reliable, cheap, but with some oomph for when it's my turn to drive !!! We're looking to spend no more than low $20,000... maybe $22,000 tops, but that's REALLY stretching it. So far, we've narrowed it down to three choices: Sentra SE-R V-spec Mazda3 Civic Si Things I know about each car: Sentra: Torquey as hell, good power like 175 hp, six speed manual, limited slip diff, four doors, costs about $17,000, supposed to handle pretty nice, comes nicely equipped. Mazda3: decent all around performance, mazda renowned for good handling balance, less power than the other two, 5 speed trans while others are six, nicest looking of the three in both our oppinions, cheapest as well but very close to the Sentra. Can be had well equipped for $16-17,000. Civic: 200hp, high revving motor = grins from me, should be best gas mileage out of the three when she's driving it , comes VERY well equipped, but obviously only two doors and the back seat is supposed to be pretty small (she's always owned, and has a preference for, four door cars), Honda reliability, six speed manual, should outperform the other two in every respect, but also costs the most, sticker is at $20,000, most dealers are asking a markup, lowest I found so far (without haggling) is $22,000. That's what I can think of off the top of my head, and that's what I'm telling her about all three. Our biggest concerns, in order, are: reliability gas mileage performance (well that's second most important after reliability in my book, but she wants 30+ mpg's) I'm leaning heavily towards the Si, she's leaning towards the 3. She wants to test drive all three though before really trying to decide, but I figured I could get some helpful info from here as well... So what do you guys think!! Try to be objective, and pitch in with some good info like for instance... I have no idea how reliable the Sentra or Mazda would be, though I expect the Si would definately be the MOST reliable. But that price premium is a lot to pay. Anyways, any input you guys can give would be greatly appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240ZR Posted February 8, 2006 Share Posted February 8, 2006 not a huge fan of the new Si body, I did love my civic hybid a ton tho... and it was quick for under 100 horse.... it has a TON of troque at minimal RPMs... too bad they dont make a stick hybrid anymore... they are a kick to drive.... and I never had a problem with my Civic and loved it to death... untill i gave it to my sister after she wrecked her escourt.... if i where you I would get her a Focus SVT they are awsome little tuner cars....and i think they are just about the same price... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bastaad525 Posted February 8, 2006 Share Posted February 8, 2006 last I checked, SVT Foci were out of production already... and used cars are out of the question, gotta be brand new. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240ZR Posted February 8, 2006 Share Posted February 8, 2006 also for a few more you can get something with a 6... like VW GLI or a Subaru (not an STI)..... or even a SLICK Ford 500, or a Chevy SS cobalt. and i believe this year a supercharged SS is available..... lots of potential there...(and i believe its about 20k) Unless you are hell bent on those 3 cars.... I would shop around and test drive... and trade in that goddamn POS geo...... >_> I know its not the same... but i test drove 15+ different types of cars before i choose to get a 240 again.. IMO the feel of a car is far more important then numbers and what not.... also if your are FAST you can get a NEW 2005..... and get a few K knocked off the sticker b/c tis last years.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bastaad525 Posted February 8, 2006 Share Posted February 8, 2006 LOL the Geo is actually a great car!! It's a '94 Geo Prizm, which most people don't know, is actually just a rebadged Toyota Corolla with a different front and rear fascia! Look at them side by side and they are identical, and it's the Toyota 1.8 L engine and 4spd auto, even says so on the original factory window sticker (we bought it from the original owner, he had EVERY bit of paperwork ever on that car, all reciepts, owners manual, EVERYTHING). It's a great car but it's gotten a LOT of miles on it, and my wife is REALLY bad about telling me whenever it does anything odd... so now it's got some problems I'm just finding out about... so I dunno. Anyways, she let me buy a new car, and she's been wanting a new car for ages, and we can afford it, so why not? But yeah we're still open to other cars, but those are the three that have really caught her eye... for me, I also really prefer that it be japanese, though the car I bought is all american Anyways, most 'japanese' cars are manufactured right here in the US of A anyways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240ZR Posted February 8, 2006 Share Posted February 8, 2006 and sadly most American cars are made in Japan..... Meh I like the new SS cobalts..... I am not too fond of anything out of toyota recently...... You know you you can get a PT cruiser... but i dont know how tunable those are... If i rember lancers are pretty cheap still.... and a decent car.... aslo there is the new Solstice... I think they are awsome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240ZR Posted February 8, 2006 Share Posted February 8, 2006 Ill doubble post telling you how HOT i think that New Solstice is... and its only 20k...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bastaad525 Posted February 8, 2006 Share Posted February 8, 2006 LOL well remember, this is for my wife, not for me! Unfortunately, she is too concerned with looks. I have suggested other cars to her but generally she doesn't like the way they look and so isn't interested. I actually should have put looks at the top of the list for her, or at least, even with gas mileage and reliability. She'd never go for a solstice, she wants something as utilitarian as it is good looking. As I said, preferably four doors and a nice trunk. Now... *I* may be looking at Solstices when the GXP's come out, depending on my financial situation and assuming I'm not upside down on the loan for my SRT I may trade up to the Solstice GXP. 260 hp in a nice light roadster SIGN ME UP! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240ZR Posted February 8, 2006 Share Posted February 8, 2006 Get the Civic IMO... best resale value... its cute.... you know there will be a ton of parts for it with in 6 months.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240ZR Posted February 8, 2006 Share Posted February 8, 2006 just a question but she didnt like the accords? they start at 20.... and Umm I think that new civic GX NGV is spiffy... its gets AWSOME milage..... and NG is Cheaper then dirt out here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240ZR Posted February 8, 2006 Share Posted February 8, 2006 did i mention the GX NGV gets FREE carpool lane status...... and there are a TON of NG stations going in here in california around us... there is one over on topanga i think and there is one over off balboa... and there is one... I think about 7 in the valley now teheh i just tried to build my self an SI on the honda site...... lol 27k for the SI i would take home..... scary stuff..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted February 8, 2006 Share Posted February 8, 2006 Drop the SI and just get a 4 door Civic. The SI's cost a good bit more, don't have 4 doors, get 10 less mpg and even with all that in stock form aren't exactly performers anyway. I'll bet you will get a better deal on a standard Civic than the SI. You wife will be much more happy with that car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave88SS Posted February 8, 2006 Share Posted February 8, 2006 just a question but she didnt like the accords? they start at 20.... and Umm I think that new civic GX NGV is spiffy... its gets AWSOME milage..... and NG is Cheaper then dirt out here does the NG civic have a useable trunk yet? The last one I saw (98ish) had the NG tank taking up half the trunk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest l28et Posted February 8, 2006 Share Posted February 8, 2006 Scion TC? Good looking car for the price, lots of options and stays well under 20K. Sporty, fun, practical and cheap. Oh - its a Toyota so you cant go wrong there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted February 8, 2006 Share Posted February 8, 2006 My oldest stepson has the Sentra SE-R and stepped down to it from a 93 RX7TT. It is a VERY nice and well equipped daily driver that will scratch all the appropriate boxes. He's even autoX'ed it and loves it... Fun car and well equipped for the money. I personally think that Nissan is the unsung hero in automaking right now. They've done more to turn that company around in the last decade than any other company in recent memory, except maybe Dodge. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
z-REX Posted February 8, 2006 Share Posted February 8, 2006 You're right Mike... not to mention Nissan did it themselves. Let's just say Dodge had a little help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slownrusty Posted February 8, 2006 Share Posted February 8, 2006 SE-R SpecV Awesome machine...I was very impressed when I drove it not too long ago. Yasin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest norm[T12SDSUD] Posted February 8, 2006 Share Posted February 8, 2006 Get the four door Civic and bolt on a Jackson Supercharger with the money savings left over from NOT buying the Civic SI! Personally I would recomend the Mazda 3 for the price alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2126 Posted February 8, 2006 Share Posted February 8, 2006 Ah, quit dorking around and buy her one of the new Jeeps with the Hemi....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auxilary Posted February 8, 2006 Share Posted February 8, 2006 did they fix the balance shaft = head go boom issue in the sentras? what about the 6 speed tranny problems? from what i've gotten in feedback is that spec V = poop. when looking for a new car, I drove the scion tC. It's bloated, it doesn't handle, it doesn't stop well, and it's not quick. It's just...poop. And it gets 29mpg on highway. Less than the srt4. On the other hand, the corolla XRS surprised me. It was roomy, fun to drive, good pep, good fuel economy with the 6 speed. Just... overpriced. I have a mazda3s. It's nice, save for some dash rattles. Seats kind of suck, not very supportive, it's as if hte car was designed for someone 5'3-5'10. Aside from that, it's fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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