Car hunting today, car reviews

[FLfinfan]

Took some time to do alittle car hunting today. Not replacing the Titan, just looking for a gas miser. Want a new car, not used car problems. Looking to pay cash, around the 10k to 12k limit. If your doing the same I did some leg work for you today.

Went to Toyota 1st. Wanted to drive a 2007 Yaris hatchback 2 door. 100% Japan made. Front air bags only. 34mpg to 40mpg. Only one on the lot was just off the truck, so not ready to test drive. The Toyota dealer wanted to sell one coming in in 3 days for $14,804. I said I wanted stripped down, no options, nothing but AC, manual tranny, no power options, cheap as possible. See them on TV listed as 10k. RIGHT!
The one coming in 3 days from now has this as and option - do not want
($858):
*carpet floor mats
*road side asst.
*VIN etched glass
*sealant and undercoating
*rental car assistance for warranty repairs

Car= $12,465 including the above "option"
tax= $825
dealer fee= $599 (he said he could maybe cut 1/2 this)
new tag, reg= $225
total= $14,804

I might buy if he swallows the $858 BS "option", and cuts the dealer fee by 1/2. Making it $13,646, but still alittle too much.

As a goof I test drove the FJ cruiser. 100% Japan made. 17 to 21 MPG. Nice looks, Hard to get inside, especially the back even with suicide door, but ok room once inside. Very poor visabilty out the back and back sides. Ok out the front. Nice modern, tough interior. Hose out floors. Big knobs. Old school shift lever for 4x4, no dash switch, like that. Windshield straight up and down, no slant. 3 windshield wipers for windshield. Ok power but no better than OK. Reminded me alittle of my old 02 Frontier and Xterra. Very solid feel, tight, no rattles over the railroad tracks. Easy parking. Good ground clearance. Auotmatic. 29k+ Would love to have one but power and visability not good.

Next went to Hyundai. 2007 Accent 2 door hatch. Manual. 30 to 35 MPG. Head curtain air bags, side impact air bags, front air bags. AM-FM CD. No power features. No cruise control etc.... Long test drive, city and hwy.
I-95 at 70 mph was only half way (3.5k rpms) to redline (6.5K rpms). Pretty peppy as a manual, wouldn't want the auto tranny probably. Nice enough interior. New updated styling exterior. Liked it for what is it, little gas saver. Good warranty. OTD for 13k and change. Still alittle too much. Probably can work him down alittle.

Sorry so long, but I figured with gas like it is, maybe some of you would be leaning the same way or at least curious. By the way got compliments from each dealership on the Titan. At least 3 people (employees) said something nice at each place. New Tundra said to be out Aug next year (08) by Toyota sales manager. A year after that a hybrid and diesel.

[Titantexan]

Have you thought about checking out the new Nissan Versa. I saw one today during a Training session the dealer was having for employees and they used me as a guinea pig because I am 6'2". They had the Yaris & Fit next to the Versa & they had me sit in the front and rear seats of all three models, and in the Toyota my head was hitting the ceiling. The Honda fit had very cheap looking seats and poorly designed inside, The toyota was very vanilla & the Versa had very comfortable seats and the fit & finish inside was almost Infiniti quality. I also pointed out to the employees that the Versa's door felt very solid when you closed them & the Honda & Toyota's felt like econo-box doors.
It starts around $12,000 and has the CVT transmission, Bluetooth & Intilligent Key optional. I love my Titan, but this would be a great commute vehicle.

[buzzkillwill]

Good review FL...

I know you said new, but I bet you could pick-up Honda (used) well within the price range that you're looking in. Just stay away from the Honda V6 w/ auto tranny. But any other should be good to go!

[FLfinfan]

TitanTexan,
good point. Have thought about the Versa. Have not seen one yet, not on the lots here. Yaris barely is on the lot in the hatch back. Also I think (maybe) the Versa has the worst MPG numbers of the Toyota, Honda, Hyundai. I could be wrong. I know the Toyota is 100% Japan made and the Accent is 100% Korean made. Where is the Versa made? The Honda? Just curious.

Buzzkill, good point, I may have to settle for a good used car (is there such a thing) to keep from totally blowing all my available cash.

Been tossing around a few numbers tonight.

Titan V8 4x4, 28 gallon tank

per gallon----------per tank----------per month----------per year
$3.00-------------84.00-------------336.00-------------4,032
$3.25-------------91.00-------------364.00-------------4,368
$3.50-------------98.00-------------392.00-----------4,704
$3.75-------------105.00------------420.00-----------5,040
$4.00-------------112.00------------448.00-----------5,376

Per month based on one fill up a week. Over estimated.

It would take 3 years for a $13K to $14k car to pay for itself, counting the additional upkeep, insurance etc.....

[got_titan]

good info fl!!

[ttugrad95]

FL you kind of already figured out what my point what, its going to take a while to make this purchase worth while. You also have to keep in mind that while this car uses less gas, its still going to use it, making the payoff longer. Also, if you like me you spend a lot of time commuting, sitting in your vehicle. Would you rather sit in traffic in a big comfy titan, or crammed into a little economy car? Thats worth some money to me.
Did you even look at the Civics?

[Briank]

The civics are very nice cars for the money. The 2006 models have plenty of power and are very comfortable.

One thing about these little cheap eco cars. The dealerships always load them up with options, thats the only way they can make money off of them.

[BroncoTitan]

I am considering a Camry Hybrid for my wife. She shuttles my kids all over town and eats up a lot of miles in our Volvo XC90. I love the volvo but it typically gets 14mpg in town. I am also going to look at the Nissan Versa.

[UWSkier]

By the time you factor in licensing, insurance, initial purchase price, fuel used by the smaller vehicle, maintenance costs, it gets expensive to have another vehicle just to save money on gas.

I put about 25-28,000 miles on per year. If I were to split that right down the middle between the Titan and a beater 4 banger, I would still have to buy a really cheap car to make it economically advantageous.

[TitanRider]

You can also buy a beater car to SAVE $ faster on gas than buying a brand new car. Check on Craigslist.org, they got alot of cheap cars.

[BigA]

Originally Posted by FLfinfan

TitanTexan,
good point. Have thought about the Versa. Have not seen one yet, not on the lots here. Yaris barely is on the lot in the hatch back. Also I think (maybe) the Versa has the worst MPG numbers of the Toyota, Honda, Hyundai. I could be wrong. I know the Toyota is 100% Japan made and the Accent is 100% Korean made. Where is the Versa made? The Honda? Just curious.

Buzzkill, good point, I may have to settle for a good used car (is there such a thing) to keep from totally blowing all my available cash.

Been tossing around a few numbers tonight.

Titan V8 4x4, 28 gallon tank

per gallon----------per tank----------per month----------per year
$3.00-------------84.00-------------336.00-------------4,032
$3.25-------------91.00-------------364.00-------------4,368
$3.50-------------98.00-------------392.00-----------4,704
$3.75-------------105.00------------420.00-----------5,040
$4.00-------------112.00------------448.00-----------5,376

Per month based on one fill up a week. Over estimated.

It would take 3 years for a $13K to $14k car to pay for itself, counting the additional upkeep, insurance etc.....

I don't think you added in the gas for the small car because its still going to use gas you need to figure how much gas it will use over a year and add that in as well, probally about 1/3 to 1/2 of what a Titan uses so you'd probally save 2 grand a year in fuel at 3.00 a gallon, so it would take at least seven years to pay for itself, probally more with upkeep and insurance and thats being optomisic.

[TriKKy]

Every single car magazine I have that has rated the Yaris vs Fit vs Versa puts the Fit on top each and every time.

[bratsd]

FL
If you were at the toyota dealer than you should have checked out the scion line, I traded in my 05 XB (would not have done it but i also traded in my 03 xterra for my titan) could'nt afford both payments. Work pays for my gas so MPG didn't matter. They are right a $14,000

[Hyperion]

I think even saving $2k a year is overly optimistic if you only have to fill the Titan once a week. You are still going to drive the Titan some of the time (I am assuming). And even if you didn't you are still going to use approximately 1/2 as much fuel with the econbox so even at $4/gal you can only save maximum (never driving the Titan) $2600/year on fuel. Take out added costs for insurance, at least a couple hundred bucks per year if not more, license fees (depending on state this can be another couple hundred) and regular maintence and it makes the payback much longer than 3 or 4 years.

Now there are other advantages to a second vehicle.
-You are wearing out a cheap econobox with the majority of the driving so you won't have to replace the Titan as often and obviously when the econobox wears out it is much less expensive to replace.
-You have a vehicle in case something should happen to the other one or if you are having work done so you don't need to worry about renting or bumming a ride.
-Some people I know just like owning a bunch of cars.

Obviously the decision is yours. just my $0.02

[Mr. B]

I don't remember where I heard this, but it's well known amongst the smarter people in the world that a used '98 Camaro Z-28 is the way to go.