What cars should I consider? Indecision!

In My Humble Opinion
41

Along the same lines as the Matrix is the Pontiac Vibe. The two cars were built as a joint venture by Toyota/GM in a Toyota plant in California. They are basically the same, but styled differently. I like the way the Vibe looks better.

I’m 6’3’’ and I fit into the Vibe with ease.

The cargo capabilities are outstanding.

The back seats fit 6 footers as well, which is rare for a small cheap car.

The gas mileage is great: 30+ miles per gallon.

I got mine for less than 16,000 brand new.

I’m used to having an SUV, but haven’t missed my Explorer yet. I will miss the ability to go off road once hunting season rolls around though.

42

Hey there Figaro,

Well, then I unfortunately have to retract my suggestion that you get a VW :frowning:

The “reliability” problems most people have with VWs is largely based on shit mechanics here in the US. Whether or not they are good, they sure do some stupid things. If you are willing to try maintaining the car yourself for the large part (oil and filter changes) then you needn’t worry about much, to be honest. The good thing is that if you do decide to get a TDI, then you’ll have the tremendous resource of www.tdiclub.com Really, its all you’d ever need to know about a TDI

But you you are the kind of guy who can’t even turn a wrench, then don’t trust VW USA for a second. They are notorius for overtightening drain plugs and stripping screws, using the wrong oil, using too much oil. The list goes on and on. Oh, they also don’t replace with the proper stretch bolts when doing critical engine maintenance.

But if you are willing to spend a couple of hours every 10,000 miles to change oil and possibly filters, then its no biggie. I took my VW to the dealer only for the 60,000 mile timing belt change, which is involved. But this is a good dealership although very far away.

But the thing I always loved about TDIClub was the way people would simply post their problem there, and people would diagnose it. Just a good way to avoid mechanics all together, or at least get peace of mind. My airflow sensor went out and I got a new one from Germany because I knew from that website that there was a compatible one that was even better than the stock VW one.

But this is what it takes to be a happy VW owner, if you ask me. Here in the US it doesn’t seem that you can rely on all dealerships, and why would you want to take it in for them to diagnose anyway? For the record, I am not the type who obsesses over their car. I rarely think about it. I never go to TDIclub anymore, but its nice to know its there.

But if you drive one of those Jettas, you are going to like it! The question will be do you have to trust the dealer for all repairs and troubleshooting, because with the community its not necessary and even beneficial to avoid letting them work on it at all costs. But they are built nice…

43

Thanks for the helpful suggestions, everyone!

For anyone curious, after test driving a bunch I’ve narrowed my choices down to a used VW Passat or a new PT Cruiser. Both fit me nicely and were reasonably fun and solid.

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Even with my existing reservations and your comments, I ended up loving the VW, Merk. Even though I had my doubts about the local dealer, 5 minutes in a Passat 5-speed was enough to convince me I should own one if I can find one in good shape. What a beautiful driving experience! And great room. The one I drove had front end problems, though, so I may or may not find one before the temptation to buy the PT brand new (probably for less money) wins out.

Thanks again!
My the way, Merk, I love your screen name. It’s kind of sweet, but since it’s in German it sounds intimidating. The best of all worlds :wink:

45

PAY ATTENTION BELOW!

There’s only one car that you should look at. It’s the Subaru Impreza WRX. It meets all the criteria. It costs just over 20 grand. It’s reliable, durable, and easily provides enough headroom (if you avoid cars with sunroofs) for a 6’4" person.

The vital stats are 224 horsepower, 2700 lbs, 5.4 seconds 0-60, 14 even quarters, and 25 MPG in typical use. It’s classed in DS for SCCA autocross but its best class is STX.

46

Mom and hubby test drove a PT GT convertible yesterday. They both liked it a lot.