Howdy! Anyone care to share their opinions on a few cars? (varying degrees of humbleness are permitted :P)
What I’m mainly interested in is the Volkswagen Jetta. I’m going to test drive a couple of them this weekend. I’m not sure which engine I’m more interested in based on reading alone, but if it drives OK - the TDi engine and its 50 mpg sounds pretty cool.
I’m also going to probably drive a few small SUVs, like the Ford Escape (I’ve always kinda liked 'em), the Jeep Liberty, and the Kia Sorento. I’m only interested in the Kia for curiosity’s sake, I haven’t heard too many good things about 'em.
Last weekend I test-drove the Saturn ION. Not a bad little car. I kinda dig the way the dashboard is layed out: The speedometer and accompanying gauges are all right in the center of the dash instead of behind the steering wheel.
I’m also going to try to drive a Honda Civic HEV this weekend. This is the hybrid electric/gas model. Serious gas milage, and a tax break. Arianna Huffington and Bill Maher would be happy with me, but I don’t want to drive something that feels like a go-cart, so I’ll have to see what it feels like.
I’ve driven the VW Golf with the 1.9 TDi with 115 bhp. It rocks!! I drove from Hamburg to Munich in it. It’s got great torque, gives a pretty decent mileage, and is generally rather comfortable. Man, sometimes it pulled all the way past 220 km/h on the autobahn. Not bad for a car fully loaded with two peoples luggage (students moving residence)!!
The Jetta is no doubt available with the same engine. I don’t know which engine you’ve written about, but if you have the budget, try the car with the 130 bhp 1.9 TDi. You won’t be disappointed.
**obvious answer **
Not being able to find a diesel station?
sounds like your interested in smaller cars. Not too interested in too much power. If so those Kia’s aren’t half bad nor is hyundai. They have like no power, but they get you around, and they’re cheap.
Well not really advice…
but I own a 2002 Liberty Sport and I have loved it.
I put a new sound system in. Not that the stock stereo is bad, but I wanted to play MP3’s on CD’s… so why not add a few more speakers while I am adding a new stereo.
They have the Renegade model now which seems pretty nice.
I drove the escape… I hated it… my sister owns one… and she bought the one with 2WD… (whats the point?)
but after she drove my car she regretted buying the escape.
I wouldn’t buy a kia because it is a kia…
I think I looked at a kia the wrong way once and it got a dent. they are not built well…
I am all for buying a hybrid, but they are too expensive right now…
My biggest thing was having 4WD… I hate the snow… and I used to own a Nissan Altima that woudl slide all over the place…
FWIW, Car and Driver called the ION “probably the most disapointing new American car in a decade”.
Ditto what Harmonix said re: the availability of diesel fuel in the US. In Europe diesels are far more prevelent because while Diesel fuel over there costs about the same as it does here, gas is up to 5x more expensive.
Also, the enviro-nuts here are not fans of diesels (because of particulate emissons) and are pushing for tight new regulations that could further erode support for diesel, thus making finding fuel even more difficult.
It’s too bad, because diesel engines with their powerful low end torque are particularly well suited to American driving habits.
We had a Jetta diesel that we drove till it quite literally fell apart in the parking lot - ball bearings all over the place!! :eek: My husband has been talking about replacing his PT Cruiser with a Jetta TDI. I wish he’d bought that in the first place.
My daughter drives a diesel New Beetle - great car, great fuel economy. She’s never had a problem finding diesel for it.
If I were to buy a new car I’d buy a Honda, Toyota or Nissan. I’ve always found them to be maintenance free. Change the oil every 3,000 miles and you should get well over 100,000 miles out of them.
As an insurance agent, I just want to let you know that the insurance rates on the Hyundai’s are the highest I see on any make. Not because they cost a lot to repair, but because in an accident there is generally nothing left of them and the injury rates are quite high.
Before you make a decision call your insurance agent/company to compare rates on different cars. The least expensive cars are not necessarily the least expensive to insure.
There are many site on-line where you can get honest opinions from car owners. Here is one.
With respect to the Ford Escape, my dad is leasing one, and is not very impressed. Nothing major has gone wrong with it (he’s had it for a little over a year I think), but lots of little squeaks and noises he doesn’t like. My dad puts quite a few KM on it (over 1000 a week, which makes for an expensive lease), but that’s probably 90% highway driving. Both my parents find it somewhat uncomfortable to sit in, especially my mom, who has back problems.
If you’re really interested in small SUVs, you might want to look at a Subaru Outback. I got one two years ago and love it. Just ask around - part of the reason I went Subaru was that there is a very loyal customer base.
I’m not sure if it would have enough pop for you in your price range - the standard Outback is 4 cylinder. I bought the new 6 cylinders, but paid the price for it as they only sold them that year in super-luxe models.
Although quite different from your Diesel Volkswagon, I would also highly recomend Subarus. Any of them. The new Outbacks and Imprezas are damn nice and “reasonable” in price.
How about the Matrix/Vibe? You can even get them in AWD… although since you’re from Texas that’s probably not a big issue, is it?
I’ve driven a Jeep Liberty. I wasn’t impressed. It’s like someone took a small car and put it on stilts-- and it handled about the same.
A Jetta is virtually the same as the new Beetle-- as far as handling goes. Fairly good. Between the two I’d pick the Jetta hands down-- larger back seat, and you don’t feel like you’re sitting in the middle of the car.
A Mazda protege is fairly good as well, but I always find they have a tendency to spin and slide a bit, especially if you’re making a turn from a stoplight.
I haven’t driven a Civic in a while, but everyone I know who has one likes it-- and the new Hybrid is supposed to be indistinguishable.
I’m not sure about the Ford Escape, but if it has the same quality in details as the Ford Focus, stay away. (Little doodads fall off or rub and squeak during normal use. Annoying as hell. )
Given my druthers I’d rather be on two wheels, and most of the time I am. But I belong to a Car Co-op, so when I do need four-wheels, I’ve got choice in what I need and use.
I’d buy a Toyota echo (maybe in black or silver) cause it looks like a Jetta & costs a lot less. Then add the maintenance package & the whole thing is covered top to bottom for years…
It depends on where you are too, after all the Toyota Camry is a very hot car --most taken car there is according to recent surveys.
I recently had to replace my old trusty Dodge Omni. I looked over all the cars in the $15000 range, and finally bought a 2003 Suzuki Aerio GS four-door sedan with a manual transmission.(Here’s the Suzuki site)
Fairly powerful, incredibly roomy (all my friends’ first comment: “Man, there sure is a lot of room in here!”), goofy looks, decent price, nice list of standard features.
Runner-up was the Mazda Protege, but its ride seemed a bit jiggly for an every-day commuter car (though we have a sunny-day Miata, and love it) and it was harder to get into and out of than the Aerio; the Aerio has HUGE doors. Oh, and a simply monstrous trunk.
I’ve owned it about three weeks now, and love it. Only trouble is a minor water leak at the bottom of the rear passenger-side door; it’s going to the dealer after the holidays.
How about a regular ol’ gas burning Jetta? I had one for a loaner car and I was completely impressed! It hauled butt and had a very nice ride…even felt a bit sporty sometimes but only when I wanted it to.
Re the liberty, I’ve owned a Cherokee and a Grand Cherokee and they were fine at first and then got worse and worse (not gradually either) they felt cheap very quickly (rattles, squeaks and repairs before 20,000 miles)
I have heard from a friend who test-drove a Sorento that it actually began smoking on their 5 mile drive…interesting.
What a coincidence - we are planning on getting a new vehicle soon and so far have test driven a Jeep Liberty limited, a Jeep Liberty Renegade, a Dodge Durango (too big IMHO) and a VW Jetta! My SO was all over that Jetta - he was really impressed after driving it. He is used to his Corvette, so that is saying a lot. It was the gas engine, and I’m pretty sure it was a 6 cylinder, 6 speed manual transmission. But I like white cars, and apparently that model Jetta does not come in white. Not that I would not buy a car that didn’t come in the color I wanted, but…
I really liked the Liberty, it had heated leather seats and I like the way it looks.
Arianna Huffington and Bill Maher would be happy with me, but I don’t want to drive something that feels like a go-cart, so I’ll have to see what it feels like.