That’s right, I’m finally getting rid of that piece of crap Neon I won. Right now I’m thinking of getting a Chevy Impala or Malibu, or maybe a Saturn. Any suggestions? Do you like your car?
And please, no suggestions of BMWs or RollsRoyce. If I could afford those, I wouldn’t be thinking of a Malibu or Impala - I’d be on the prowl for a '57 T-bird if I could afford any car I wanted.
Does anyone know if Kias or Daewoos are any good, I’ve seen these cars, but know nothing of them.
I love Hondas and Acuras…I would definitely go for a Civic before a Saturn…
A while back, I was thinking of getting a Kia. I didn’t start a thread about it, but I asked around in #straightdope chat. Someone (and, damn it, I can’t remember who) said that they were “good and cheap”. Apparently her daughter had one and loved it. Anyway, I’ve seen your picture. I think you’d look pretty cute in one of those new VW bugs. ::snicker:: No, really. 
I have a Saturn, which replaced my Honda Accord. I believe they are about a wash in terms of quality, at least by my experience.
I assume you’re talking about the L series Saturn, as the S series is much smaller than the Malibu or Impala, both of which are fine cars. Can you give a few more specifics about what you are looking for in a car and how much you are willing to spend?
Silver Fire - you have me at a loss - so where’s your pic and when do we get to see it? And the day I drive a VW bug is the day Jarry Fallwell marches arm in arm with Ronald Reagan in the center of the Gay Rights Parade.
Telemark - I’m looking for a sadan - do not want another compact car (maybe a coupe). Not looking for a convertable. I have $1000 to put down plus my piece of crap Neon as a trade-in.
Do not get a Kia! I had one and it was the biggest piece of crap. I went through the brakes in 22,000 miles. Also they have the electrical system of Chryslers. Get the horn fixed…the defroster stops working. Save yourself from the pain.
On the other hand, Saturns are great little cars. Did you know that if you take a Saturn to the dealer, they will wash it for free anytime? The service is top of the line.
Personally…I bought a 5 speed 99 Mustang GT for 18,900. If you go through a credit union instead of a dealer, you sometimes can get a better deal.
I seem to recall reading lately that Daewoo is in financial distress - can’t remember when or where I saw that or I’d post a link. In any event, I’d not buy one of those anyway. And I’m a fan of the VW Jetta - had one for years and drove it till it really did fall apart in a parking lot. I want to get another when I kill my Aerostar…
I never thought I’d buy a Subaru, but I did. And I love it! If you live in a heavy rain/snow area the All-Wheel-Drive can’t be beat. Plus they have a great reliability record. But I guess they’re a little pricey, my car was almost 25,000, and Subaru doesn’t really offer leases. I know what you’re thinking, but Subaru has a sedan: the Legacy, they also have an Outback sedan, but I think the two tone is ugly.
As far as Kia/Daewoo, I seem to remember them not having so good safety ratings, which was a big thing to me when I got my car. Plus they have to cut corners somewhere to make their cars so cheap (in my opinion).
The hyundai elantra is probably your best value, they’re cheap, and have good safety ratings. I see a lot of them on the road. They’re not too bad looking either. I don’t know how long it would last though.
My mom has a Malibu, and once I drove it to the airport and hated every minute behind the wheel. Not very comfortable. They’re very cheap to lease though.
Anyway, this is all my opinion. Take it for what it’s worth.
If a few thousand dollars is going to be a deal breaker I’d strongly recommend you not waste your time on Toyota’s and Honda’s. Contrary to reflections of the 70s and 80s there is not a marked difference in reliability or safety. To be honest the American alternatives typically are rated higher for performance and handling. IMNSHO the extra cost of the imports give no added benefit. IIRC a Camry is about $4000 more than a Taurus. I don’t like either, but I’ve spent alot of time in both and they are a push when it comes to quality and features.
That said I’d look at the new Dodge Stratus or the Olds Alero. A little cheaper than the full size Taurus/Impala/Intrepid/Aurora and every bit as nice. I drive a loaded Alero that I am extremely happy with. The other choice I like is the Jetta. The Malibu hasn’t gotten the best reviews, but I’ve never read any complaints about reliablity, only performance letdowns. The Stratus is a brand new design and I haven’t seen one in person yet but the commercial looks very appealing
I think its smart to avoid the marginal companies like Kia and Daewoo if you can afford it. Those cheap prices and great warranties aren’t worth anything if the company shuts down in the states. They are worth it if you simply cannot afford to spend and extra $3000, and distrust the relaibility of used cars, but I think buying a domestic for a bit more is worth the cost, unlike the first example.
To follow up on Omni’s post…
I have the Chrysler version of the Stratus. (Chrysler Cirrus.) Basic body, etc are the same, as usual, the differences are in what’s standard for the car. (Example: leather seats are standard in a Cirrus, optional in a Stratus.)
Anyway. I’ve had mine for 3 1/2 years, and it’s WONDERFUL. Only repair I’ve ever had to make, besides the normal oil changes, was getting the brakes worked on a month ago. It rides well, has a nice sound system that can play CDs AND tapes (a requirement for me…), and I’ve never had a problem. Then again, I’ve never had a problem with any Chrysler car in general.
Good point, I’ve had alot of experience driving several cars and in every case I’ve found GM stereo systems to be the best, with the exception of BMW and VW. Ford and Toyota have easily been the worst.
I’m pretty sure that Chrystler has discontinued the Cirrus opting to go solely with the New Dodge Stratus. Its also important to clarify that Chrystler has completely restyled the model and I have no idea how it compares to the model Falc has. I think the reliablity would likely be comforting though.
Thanks Omni, and yes, I am leaning towards American cars and not imports.
So far:
Kia/Daewoo - out of consideration
Saturn L or S-series still in the running
Chevy Impala still in the running/Malibu out
Dodge Straus now in consideration
I may decide on putting the Malibu back into consideration if only because it’s fun to say. Mal-i-buuuuu
For what you pay for a Stratus you might as well buy an Intrepid. The only thing I don’t personally care about most newer GM cars (Alero included) is the gawdy use of cheap plastic. If you position the vents you think they are going to break. They are so bad.
I will second the Subaru vote. The Legacy’s and Imprezzas kick serious ass. They are a little more $$$ than some others, but will worth it. I will also vote for an Accord. They are beautiful cars. Very smooth, quiet and reliable.
Telemark wrote:
Is “a wash” a good thing or a bad thing?
My main criterion for a car is its reliability/durability/low-cost-of-maintenanceability. Things like fancy features and engine power and sexy looks lose their novelty reeeeeeeeally quickly. I prefer crank windows to power windows because there are no motors or fuses to burn out. I prefer mechanical fuel pumps to electric fuel pumps for the same reason.
Well, I went out and bought a car last night.
I hope no one makes fun of me when I say what I got. Please no ass-kicking either, m’kay?
I guess I should’ve said what car I got . . .
It’s a hunter green 2000 Ford Focus. 5-speed manual transmission, CD player, remote keyless entry, some other stuff I can’t think of off the top of my head for $13,600.
Not exactly a Malibu or an Impala, but I like it. 
Oh Crunchy…you poor poor soul. For your sake I hope Ford has improved its transmissions in the last decade. Sorry to leave this out in my first couple posts, and sorry again to bring it up after the purchase, but hey, you never hinted at considering Fords!
Anyways, I drove an 88 Mustang for 8 years. For the most part I loved this car, I never had any electrical, engine or accessory problems at all. It was power everything and they all worked perfectly as of last month. The only problem I had was with the transmisson. It had to be replaced at about 70,000 miles and I gave her up for dead this summer after the tranny gave out again, at 140,000 miles. Additionally my parents also drove an 88 Taurus, which of course had to have the transmission replaced around 60,000 miles, we traded it in when it started slipping again at around 125,000. An ex-gf of mine had a 89 Ford Tempo, yup 2 transmissions before 100,000 (granted the way she drove…). That same family replaced the tranny in a ~92 T-Bird as well. Finally one of my friends has a 92 Taurus in mint condition who’s transmission just gave out at about 50,000 miles.
I guess it sounds bleak, but all my examples are from the 88-92 range, here’s to hoping things have changed. An aside, I personally don’t like the Focus style either, but I don’t want to sound like a negative person ;).
The upside is that my family bought another Ford even after the transmission went, so my mom obviously liked it alot. And none of us ever had any nickel and dime annoyances that are rumored to be common in the low end economy cars. Best of luck!
BTW, its a great color isn’t it.
Crunchy, it seems like to you made a good choice as I think the new Focus is a pretty cool little car. It’s so much better than that heinous abortion Toyota calls an Echo. It has to be the ugliest car they have ever built.
Let us know how the car does.
Feynn - I like it a lot so far. Of course I’ve only driven about 15 miles, so you never know. It rides smooth and is very comfortable. It’s also got a great sound system in it. (I’ve been listening to the London Philharmonic performing Pink Floys songs, have you ever heard it?) It’s got a 5-year, 60,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty and for the first 3 years (regardless of mileage) any routine maintenance (oil changes, wheel alignments, tire rotations, etc) is done for free at the dealership.
Omni sorry to pull a Ford out of my ass at the last minute on you. I hadn’t been considering them, but when I was looking around and doing pricing on the different cars, I popped by a Ford dealership. The Chevys I wanted I would’ve had to get used to afford, and this was a brand spanking new car for the same price (and a CD player, I won’t lie and pretend that didn’t affect my decision at all).
As for the transmission problems, were those cars manual or automatic? Maybe there’s a difference there. In either case, I’ll probably get tired of the Focus in 5 years and go out looking for a new car. I have a bad habit of doing that a lot. (Been through 3 cars in 6 years)
And yes, it is a nice color.
From what I read on a car-buying-tips site, Saturns are great if you want to pay the Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price, and not haggle at all… They’re for people intimidated by haggling over price, or who can’t be bothered. If you ever get invited to a barbeque hosted by your Saturn dealer, go to it, becasue you paid for it.