So shrill hectoring from my mother and a bout of common sense brought upon by rainy weather lead me to scrap the motorcycle idea. Id still love to ride around on a Suzuki SV650SF, but my joy riding fantasies will have to wait until next year.
I've decidedly to firmly commit myself to buying a car before the end of the year and am at a crossroads as to what to pick. I've narrowed myself to a few choices across several categories and wanted to get other people's inputs. I'm indecisive like that. Basically my budget is under 25k and I wanted to know if I overlooked anything and which car (or other cars) I should ultimately pull the trigger on.
My original ride of choice was a 2010 Hyundai genesis coupe. This was what I originally had my eyes set on when I first started car browsing.
On the positive
* Great looks at least in my opinion
* Rear wheel drive
* Relatively powerful at 212 hp for the turbocharged 4 cylinder
* Good deal considering 2011 is out and the model didn't sell much
* Long Hyundai warranty
On the negative
* First generation reliability issues seem to be common
* The 2.0T premium trim while negotiable in pricing is still at the upper end of my price range
* Somewhat mediocre gas mileage
* This is the biggest negative, while the engine is relatively powerful, the vehicles weight puts a major crimp in sporty aspirations. Furthermore Hyundai is releasing a 2.0T direct injected twin turbo for it's Sonata family sedan later year that makes a whopping 274 horsepower that absolutely smokes their sports car and pretty much everything else with a similar displacement other than an STI or Evo (I understand that the turbo is a Mitsubishi design)
This leads me to option number 2, the 2011 Hyundai Sonata. Everyone seems to be full of accolades for this car and it does look fairly nice for a mainstream four door people mover.
On the upside
* 2.0T turbo model puts out great power especially considering it's light weight. It's actually lighter than the genesis coupe.
* Already own a 2006 Hyundai Sonata which has been pretty reliable and was a good deal when I bought it then thanks to more than $2000 dollars cash back.
* Awesome gas mileage for it's horsepower, 22/34
* Long Hyundai warranty
On the downside
* Not as good of a deal now as then. A 2.0T turbo SE edition will likely push 25K and all I have today is a pitiful $500 customer loyalty rebate
* Still a four door practical people mover and not as exciting as alternatives.
* Already own a 2006 Hyundai Sonata, buying another seems kind of boring.
When I was collecting information on the 2011 Hyundai Sonata, it inevitably led me to consider the 2011 Kia Optima. Basically a sister car built on the exact same engine and chassis as the Sonata but under the Kia brand.
On the upside
* Sweet sweet looks for a four door sedan, even better than the 2011 Sonata
* A laundry list of extra luxury features that come standard where other vehicles require thousands of dollars extra.
* 10 year warranty just like the Hyundai's
* The same 2.0T turbo engine as the Sonatas
* Slightly cheaper than the Sonata and not to mention a $1000 dollars coupon for owners of competing vehicles (Mom owns an accord).
* A top of the line model can be configured for around 25K, a barely different midline trim can be had for the same price that includes the options of a panoramic glass roof and air conditioning for my ass. AIR CONDITIONING FOR MY ASS! Makes me feel like a rich bitch!
On the downside
* It's a Kia. I was somewhat ahead of the curve when I bought the 2006 Sonata which was Hyundai's first shot in it's climb to peer status with the likes of the Camry and Accord. Has Kia quality improved enough to mimic Hyundai's? I don't know and it's a risky choice.
The black knight choice that pushed itself into my consideration is the new Honda CR-Z. I had been aware of the vehicle on a passive level but didn't really consider it until I heard about the pricing and gave it a goo look.
On the upside
* It looks really cool. Boy racer cool, which I like. A close second to the genesis coupe but way ahead of the four door sedans.
* It's a hybrid! Good gas mileage
* Without a shitty overpriced navigation system, the retail price is only around 21k
On the downside
* Naming pretensions and sporty styling aside, nothing at all like the hallowed CR-X. Will be overtaken by a 4 cylinder Camry.
* It's a hybrid! Expensive repairs and battery replacement. Mileage is mediocre compared to other hybrid cars especially considering that the car is a 2 seater only hatchback that weighs in at 2600+ pounds.
* Only a 3/5 year warranty which is standard but what can I say, Hyundai has spoiled me.
A couple of other quick overviews of some other cars I considered but more or less rejected are the 2011 Ford Mustang, 2011 Chevy Camaro, and a 2010 Nissan 370Z
I already own a mustang and have had no end of problems with the car. Ignition, gas tank, power seats, power windows, air conditioning, brakes, etc are all either presently malfunctioning, repaired, or have been repaired and proceeded to malfunction again. I understand Ford quality is much improved since the 90's but I am wary about trusting them again. Otherwise a greatly improved car with a new 300hp aluminum V6 that Ford "claims" will do 20/30 but in reality won't get that much in contrast to the Asian imports that usually get more than their stated EPA mileages. The Chevy Camaro retro styling is really not to my taste and I've read by all accounts that the interior visibility and driving comfort is shit. I really don't want to be driving around in bumble bee. Not to mention the fact that the only people I've seen driving them are over the hill white guys. The only other demographic probably driving this car are dudebros and I really don't want to be mistaken for one. I would really love a Nissan 370Z, but unfortunately even the lowest priced one starts at 30k and I really can't justify that considering I can buy a car for 25k and then get the Suzuki SV650SF for another 5k. Leaving me with both a daily commuter and a crotch rocket to tear it up whenever I feel like it.
So given my own eclectic taste in cars in the vehicles highlighted above, what does the rest of Wotmaniacs (Or is it Raflers now?) recommend?
I've decidedly to firmly commit myself to buying a car before the end of the year and am at a crossroads as to what to pick. I've narrowed myself to a few choices across several categories and wanted to get other people's inputs. I'm indecisive like that. Basically my budget is under 25k and I wanted to know if I overlooked anything and which car (or other cars) I should ultimately pull the trigger on.
My original ride of choice was a 2010 Hyundai genesis coupe. This was what I originally had my eyes set on when I first started car browsing.
On the positive
* Great looks at least in my opinion
* Rear wheel drive
* Relatively powerful at 212 hp for the turbocharged 4 cylinder
* Good deal considering 2011 is out and the model didn't sell much
* Long Hyundai warranty
On the negative
* First generation reliability issues seem to be common
* The 2.0T premium trim while negotiable in pricing is still at the upper end of my price range
* Somewhat mediocre gas mileage
* This is the biggest negative, while the engine is relatively powerful, the vehicles weight puts a major crimp in sporty aspirations. Furthermore Hyundai is releasing a 2.0T direct injected twin turbo for it's Sonata family sedan later year that makes a whopping 274 horsepower that absolutely smokes their sports car and pretty much everything else with a similar displacement other than an STI or Evo (I understand that the turbo is a Mitsubishi design)
This leads me to option number 2, the 2011 Hyundai Sonata. Everyone seems to be full of accolades for this car and it does look fairly nice for a mainstream four door people mover.
On the upside
* 2.0T turbo model puts out great power especially considering it's light weight. It's actually lighter than the genesis coupe.
* Already own a 2006 Hyundai Sonata which has been pretty reliable and was a good deal when I bought it then thanks to more than $2000 dollars cash back.
* Awesome gas mileage for it's horsepower, 22/34
* Long Hyundai warranty
On the downside
* Not as good of a deal now as then. A 2.0T turbo SE edition will likely push 25K and all I have today is a pitiful $500 customer loyalty rebate
* Still a four door practical people mover and not as exciting as alternatives.
* Already own a 2006 Hyundai Sonata, buying another seems kind of boring.
When I was collecting information on the 2011 Hyundai Sonata, it inevitably led me to consider the 2011 Kia Optima. Basically a sister car built on the exact same engine and chassis as the Sonata but under the Kia brand.
On the upside
* Sweet sweet looks for a four door sedan, even better than the 2011 Sonata
* A laundry list of extra luxury features that come standard where other vehicles require thousands of dollars extra.
* 10 year warranty just like the Hyundai's
* The same 2.0T turbo engine as the Sonatas
* Slightly cheaper than the Sonata and not to mention a $1000 dollars coupon for owners of competing vehicles (Mom owns an accord).
* A top of the line model can be configured for around 25K, a barely different midline trim can be had for the same price that includes the options of a panoramic glass roof and air conditioning for my ass. AIR CONDITIONING FOR MY ASS! Makes me feel like a rich bitch!
On the downside
* It's a Kia. I was somewhat ahead of the curve when I bought the 2006 Sonata which was Hyundai's first shot in it's climb to peer status with the likes of the Camry and Accord. Has Kia quality improved enough to mimic Hyundai's? I don't know and it's a risky choice.
The black knight choice that pushed itself into my consideration is the new Honda CR-Z. I had been aware of the vehicle on a passive level but didn't really consider it until I heard about the pricing and gave it a goo look.
On the upside
* It looks really cool. Boy racer cool, which I like. A close second to the genesis coupe but way ahead of the four door sedans.
* It's a hybrid! Good gas mileage
* Without a shitty overpriced navigation system, the retail price is only around 21k
On the downside
* Naming pretensions and sporty styling aside, nothing at all like the hallowed CR-X. Will be overtaken by a 4 cylinder Camry.
* It's a hybrid! Expensive repairs and battery replacement. Mileage is mediocre compared to other hybrid cars especially considering that the car is a 2 seater only hatchback that weighs in at 2600+ pounds.
* Only a 3/5 year warranty which is standard but what can I say, Hyundai has spoiled me.
A couple of other quick overviews of some other cars I considered but more or less rejected are the 2011 Ford Mustang, 2011 Chevy Camaro, and a 2010 Nissan 370Z
I already own a mustang and have had no end of problems with the car. Ignition, gas tank, power seats, power windows, air conditioning, brakes, etc are all either presently malfunctioning, repaired, or have been repaired and proceeded to malfunction again. I understand Ford quality is much improved since the 90's but I am wary about trusting them again. Otherwise a greatly improved car with a new 300hp aluminum V6 that Ford "claims" will do 20/30 but in reality won't get that much in contrast to the Asian imports that usually get more than their stated EPA mileages. The Chevy Camaro retro styling is really not to my taste and I've read by all accounts that the interior visibility and driving comfort is shit. I really don't want to be driving around in bumble bee. Not to mention the fact that the only people I've seen driving them are over the hill white guys. The only other demographic probably driving this car are dudebros and I really don't want to be mistaken for one. I would really love a Nissan 370Z, but unfortunately even the lowest priced one starts at 30k and I really can't justify that considering I can buy a car for 25k and then get the Suzuki SV650SF for another 5k. Leaving me with both a daily commuter and a crotch rocket to tear it up whenever I feel like it.
So given my own eclectic taste in cars in the vehicles highlighted above, what does the rest of Wotmaniacs (Or is it Raflers now?) recommend?
Need help making a car buying decision
- 03/09/2010 01:14:42 AM
728 Views
Buy a Civic. *NM*
- 03/09/2010 02:42:27 AM
210 Views
What about an RX-8? Or possibly an Eclipse? *NM*
- 03/09/2010 04:22:03 AM
240 Views
Re: What about an RX-8? Or possibly an Eclipse?
- 03/09/2010 04:48:33 AM
531 Views
You can get the RX-8 for around 23, but yeah, the rotary engine is scary.
- 03/09/2010 06:23:37 AM
505 Views