Some of my friends are pointing me towards a new Hyundai Sonata. Creeping up the list.. I think its a good middle point between what I really want and what I ought to get. Gonna go test driving next week if nothing changes.

We drive too much to keep the mileage down.. We make a lot of 240-300 mile round-way trips to see our friends and family who don't live close by. I don't mind putting a ton of miles on a new car, I prefer that to breaking down in an older car.. I think I've just had enough of beaters for now and am ready to eat another monthly payment.

NJ insurance has gotten better thanks to Geico. I had Allstate in CT for my neon, 1300 a year with accidental.. In NJ they quoted me 3300 a year for my Sentra, no accidental. Geico quoted 1500 for full coverage.. Been with them since.

It's not baller to anyone, it's just hood rich and tacky to drive the lowest end luxury car when the highest tier commuter car offers very similar features (sometimes better) for the same price with lower operating costs. It exudes "keeping up with the Jones's" rather than confidence.


Dealers sell at higher markups than private sellers and probably can't be negotiated with as much. Plus they usually don't know the history of a car; not all private owners will be honest about the history of a vehicle but usually they are more reliable than a dealer. The positive of buying from a dealer is you can get warranties and other incentives with the purchase of a used car. I'm in the market for a car right now myself, and while I'm trying to avoid dealers if there's a good buy I'll jump on it.

I think cars like the Accord, Camry, Hyundai Sonata (maybe Elantra too?), mid-sized cars would be a good fit for you. They offer more features and are a little heavier than say, a Civic, so they'll be more enjoyable to drive.

I had a new Focus as a rental car a few months ago. In the week or so I kept it, I found it to be a pretty decent ride. Tons of head room, good ergonomics, etc. I don't know if Ford or Chevy are considerations for you since their new lines haven't withstood the test of time yet, but maybe take a look at their mid-range cars?

I think you should go drive a bunch of prospective cars, then narrow is down to the ones you like most and then compare those to make the final decision. Ultimately it's your money so if you like something and can objectively say you can afford it, buy it and to hell with what we say. I just don't want to see someone making the mistake of getting bogged down by a car that they really can't afford just because it looks cool or whatever.

Ford Fusions are pretty sweet and reliable

I just bought a 09 Corolla S used with 39k miles. Certified from my dealer I got 12 mo bumper to bumper and lifetime powertrain warranty (provided I get my service done at the dealer- if I dont then I have the remainder of the 7 yr 100k warranty)


Have you considered leasing a car for a bit before you decide if you are going to move?

Funny you should ask. That car took me from New England to Miami (to deal the WPT) to Arkansas (to visit my kids) to Minnesota (to start a new job) in April and May last year, without a hiccup.

I appreciate it. Most likely we'll give ourselves some time to save up a larger down payment. I'm not one to take on overbearing financial responsibility.. I'm an accountant!

That is an awesome car. Did you get them to add the bumper to bumper into the sale or did you have to pay extra? I have done a bit of searching on leases yesterday but it looks like 2 years is the standard minimum? A few of my friends have suggested that it is probably not in my best interest to lease here, just too much risk paying for dings and etc. It's still crossing my mind but if I have to drop 8k to lease a car for two years I'd probably buy before that. I think leasing is way more ideal for true ballers.. Someday!

That's...

I'm also looking to get a new car. Was considering a 2006 Mustang I found that's only about 6k. Anyone want to offer some opinions on that?

Why not buy a low end, unloaded new car like an Altima and find a dealership with 0% APR.

You'll pay that same 8k for a used crap box in 2 yrs... ;]

Just a thought

Con is ur stuck with it for like 5 yrs :}

Yes

Also, Honda

Seriously tons of cheap to own reliable options for around 8k

Does it have a stick?

No, automatic. I can't stand manual. I'm not trying to race anyone.

Mustang is only recommended if you live southern part of the states. In the winter time, you might as well not have a car at all.

I'm assuming that you are asking what the best financial decision will be for you.

If that's the case then the best financial decision is always to buy the cheapest car you can possibly stand. There are plenty of $5,000 cars that can go for 5-10 years without having major problems. And if you are unlucky and have major problems you're only looking at a couple thousand to fix it. (See youtalkfunny for inspiration.) That's way cheaper than a new $25k car that depreciated to half it's value in a few years.

Of course most people hate driving older cars. And all these new cars are the biggest reason Americans are so freakin broke but that's another story.

If you don't feel like driving a beater it's cool. But whatever you do DON'T lease. DON'T buy new. DON'T buy used unless it's more than 4 years old. And DON'T buy used from a dealer. Don't do these things and you'll be in pretty good shape.

I live in Florida.

didn't read the whole thread but whatever you do, don't get American cars...Japanese or German cars just are so much better in quality vs American cars. No offense on patriotic members here fwiw.

mustangs perfect to have then. id note the mileage though. Just like many american cars, its capable of breaking down easier than german or japanese cars. I personally wouldnt get anything over 50k in miles. There are lot of mustangs out there so it shouldnt be hard to find one at a good price.

Dont jump on cars just because they are listed at a low price. They are listed low for a reason.