I need some serious car buying advice ...

[Jorgen]

Originally Posted by Shelly1

w00t! My suggestions

Trevor, my car is a 2006 and I paid $16K for it with 19K miles on it. The great thing about the Accord and Altima, is you can still get some aftermarket parts for them, to make them a little more stylish and not spend a ton of money. Both cars handle well for mid size cars too.

Here are a couple of pics of my car the day I drove it off the lot. This is before the windows got tinted. I get about 35 mpg on the highway in it.

Nice looking altima. You shoudl have my starter and alternator on that thing. I was thinking that I may have to get somethign like that for my comuter since it might be nice to drive my customers vehicle.

[FastCougar]

Add the Volvo V40 wagon to the list ... I'm off to test drive a 2004 Accord at a local dealer for a great price ... might drive home with it if we like it.

[Comando489]

Originally Posted by bensenvill

one word

1989 Dodge Caravan SE Turbo

thats at least 3 words. but it still does solve all your problems.

[bubby]

I'd go with the Altima. My friend has one and they are very nice cars. I drove it for roughly 80 miles and was impressed with the power and comfort of it.

[ice992]

we had an 05 altima, then along came the 2nd kid, and it was just toooooo cramped, once we had 2 car seats, forget it, if you are taller than like 5ft... its not gonna work... we went and traded it in like 3 weeks after having our 2nd, in 06 for an 07 nissan quest... and things have been great since! So for my $.02 quest is good!

[Shelly1]

That is weird. My car is an 06' Altima. I am 5'11" and my son is over 6'. We rode from Cincinnati to Orange Beach with 5 adults in the car and were plenty comfy.

[FastCougar]

Volvo is off the list ... must take Premium gas due to 1.9L Turbo engine

Well, today put me though all my emotions ... glad, happy, satisfied, upset, pissed-off and now dejected. I went to look at the Accord, but didn't want to jump on it. The dealer was great and worked on getting me what I wanted on my trade. They where asking $13,880 for an 04 Accord LX w/ 34,515 miles on it ... car was definitely garaged as it was immaculate and showed very little wear. They agreed to give me $9,000 on the trade-in and I would simply finance the remaining $5,200 (after taxes and title and blah blah blah) for 2 years and pay it off in about 6 months.

I didn't pay too anxious and they said that I could take the car home overnight. When on the phone with my insurance company to make sure that I was indeed covered fully for such a thing, they came back and told me that someone else had scheduled the car for a test drive online and was coming that night to see it. At this point, I didn't want to bring the car home and piss off my wife as she started the process with me at the dealership and had to leave to pick up our son from preschool. She wanted to test drive other cars and I agreed. So, I said no problem and walked out saying to call me after the other person left and let me know if I can come back to pick the car up for the evening.

I get home and hash things out with the wife and we agree that it's probably the best thing out there for the money and size and on and on and at this time, it's about 4:30 and this other person is supposed to be there around 5:30. 5:20 rolls around and I call the manager and tell him to call me after the other person leaves ... I totally brain farted my conversation with the wife ... I was supposed to say "I'll take it!", but I spaced. 6:30 rolls around and a second manager calls me saying the vehicle was sold, but they feel bad about the situation and want to work with me.

I was fuming ... not at them, but rather, at me for not acting. However, in hindsight, all things happen for a reason. So, I thinking about what a great deal for trade-in I was getting and don't want to loose that, but they have crap for used inventory other than that Accord.

HOWEVER, they are a NEW Chevy/Toyota/Scion dealer, so I might be sticking with them and getting something new instead. Yes, I know all about depreciation and letting the other guy take it and all that good stuff, but the price premium on the new car is the factory warranty that comes with it.

So, tomorrow I'm going to test drive a 2008 xB, 2009 Corolla, 2009 Matrix, and a 2009 Camry. I'm kinda pissed that Scion got the shaft with the xB's drive-train ... they get a 4 speed auto, but the same engine as the Camry, which gets a 5 speed and picks up 3-4 more MPG on the highway. The Camry is heavier by 300 lbs ... a 5 speed in the xB would equal instant winner. Right now, it's going to come down to the utility and ability for the baby seat and booster seat to fit easily .. the hatches get the advantage in my book due to utility ... changing a baby in a back seat sucks ... being able to plop him/her in the hatch area would come in very handy!!!

[pgtatx]

That sucks, when you miss outon something that sounded like a pretty good deal.

I would recommend against the Matrix and the Xb if you ever plan on having your kids in the car. They did not score well at all in the newest crash test ratings. Plus the videos I saw on their side crash tests was rather unsettling.

The Camry isn't bad at all... But honestly if you look for new, the new Accord is really a nice car, good on fuel, and it would be the first year of the redesign, so atleast you not losing out.

But again... if you look at new cars... don't forget Subaru... the newly redesigned 2009 Forrester is really nice, or a 2008 Legacy... I believe the 2.5i models get like 20/27 or 22/29... it's one or the other. Plus you have the best crash test ratings, awd, and solid reliability.

I know I drive a subaru, but Subaru does get the best crash test ratings without the use of Side/side-curtain airbags... and now with them becomming standard, they are even better than before. I wouldn't count it out.

Just a thought...

[FastCougar]

Been a LONG day, but I drove a new car home tonight!

2008 Toyota Camry LE V6 Automatic (6 speed). They had a $1,000 rebate for 08's and this one was White (wife's preference), and had the Bluetooth 6 disk in-dash JBL sound system with steering wheel radio and phone controls, and finally Alloy 17" rims. I compromised on the I4 due to acceleration difference and they would only deal with me on what was on the lot and the two white LE's (2.4L I4's) they had had NO Options at all and I need the hand free phone option. I commute one day a week into Washington DC and talking on a cell phone is a fineable offense and the wife will need to have her hands free to keep her mind clear when talking on the phone and trying to look after an infant and 5 year old. The difference in mileage between the 2.4L I4 vs. the 3.5L V6 is 2MPG city less and 3MPG hiway. If I stay out of the gas, I should be able to combine 25-27, so it was negligible.

So, it's white and will look HOT with dark tinted windows. It had 257 miles on it ... at 500, I'm switching to Mobil 1 and replacing the filter, then do another change at 2,500 and then again at 5,000 and do 5K intervals from there. I will snap some pictures tomorrow and post them.

[Jorgen]

My father in-law had a white 07 Camry with a Kit on it from the dealership, he loves the thing. Nice Pick.