If you had to buy a car today...

[NateDN10]

If your car was totaled this afternoon and you had to buy a car, given your actual budget, what would you buy?

I'd probably be looking at 5 to 7 year old stick-shift 4-cylinder Accords. I might force myself to consider similar vintage Camries or Corollas, though I find Toyota's styling so bland as to be ugly...

You?

 

[addyguy]

One of the last current-style 2012 Ford Escapes or Mazda Tributes w/a V-6.

 

[sierrascout]

I would drive 27 miles to the KIA dealer and buy a leftover 2011 base RIO manual and pay cash. Drive it til it wouldnt go anymore.

 

[Trav]

Today in the middle of winter a Subaru.

 

[eljefino]

Well I have an "extra" saturn in the fleet so I'd live with one less car (but one more vehicle than driver). But if I were carless I'd get a saturn s-series, knowing I could always get out of it later if my situation improved for about what I paid for it.

 

[SLCraig]

I would probably buy a $500-1000 Saturn like I have numerous times in the past. heh.

 

[IndyIan]

Originally Posted By: sierrascout
I would drive 27 miles to the KIA dealer and buy a leftover 2011 base RIO manual and pay cash. Drive it til it wouldnt go anymore.

I like 2011 Rio5 for some reason. Looks simple and practical
But I'd probably have to get a 5spd mid 2000's Corolla like BillinUtah's. Good mileage, relatively quick, and I could find some the of Corolla S suspension goodies to sharpen up the handling.
If I had months to look and research I would go for something more interesting. G35 Sedan? Lincoln LS? Maybe find a good indy BMW service shop in town and get a 3 series wagon?

 

[scurvy]

I'm with Trav - a new Subaru Forester would do nicely for my growing family, is available with terrific AWD and a manual transmission, gets decent (for its class) fuel economy and would still fit into my garage.

Plus the new FB25 has a spin-on oil filter (boooo) mounted right up top & upside down (YAY!) like a proper cartridge filter would be. Why they didn't just go for a cartridge I'll never know.

 

[bepperb]

I'd buy a 2009/2010 Sienna. Looking for a stick shift Accord that's 5 years old, huh? I know a guy...

 

[cp3]

Originally Posted By: IndyIan
Originally Posted By: sierrascout
I would drive 27 miles to the KIA dealer and buy a leftover 2011 base RIO manual and pay cash. Drive it til it wouldnt go anymore.

I like 2011 Rio5 for some reason. Looks simple and practical
But I'd probably have to get a 5spd mid 2000's Corolla like BillinUtah's. Good mileage, relatively quick, and I could find some the of Corolla S suspension goodies to sharpen up the handling.
If I had months to look and research I would go for something more interesting. G35 Sedan? Lincoln LS? Maybe find a good indy BMW service shop in town and get a 3 series wagon?



I agree, the new Rio5 is pretty sharp but then I like the stying direction Kia has gone. Our first two stops would be Hyundai and Kia, the wife really likes the Elantra.

 

[k24a4]

well, I've got an '04 I-4 stick shift Accord; I'd have to say, good choice, mine has been great. The 7th gen was, "just right". Not a big fan of the over sized current gen with the crowded center stack.

If it got totaled I'd think seriously about a Mazdaspeed3. If my better judgement took over before signing the papers, I'm with Trav and Scurvy, a Subaru Forrester, 5-manual would do the trick.

 

[odie]

Hmmmm . A 2002 Chevy Prizm with the 5 speed manual ( 1st choice ) or the 4 speed automatic .

 

[TomYoung]

Originally Posted By: IndyIan
Originally Posted By: sierrascout
I would drive 27 miles to the KIA dealer and buy a leftover 2011 base RIO manual and pay cash. Drive it til it wouldnt go anymore.

I like 2011 Rio5 for some reason. Looks simple and practical
But I'd probably have to get a 5spd mid 2000's Corolla like BillinUtah's. Good mileage, relatively quick, and I could find some the of Corolla S suspension goodies to sharpen up the handling.
If I had months to look and research I would go for something more interesting. G35 Sedan? Lincoln LS? Maybe find a good indy BMW service shop in town and get a 3 series wagon?
The only suspension goodies on the Corolla S are 16 inch wheel. The Corolla offers one suspension setup.

 

[Spazdog]

Paying cash? Kia Spectra5.

Finance? Camaro LS manual....just because I want one.

 

[NHGUY]

New 2012 Nissan Versa sedan,$11,990 + options/shipping.

 

[eljefino]

Originally Posted By: NHGUY
New 2012 Nissan Versa sedan,$11,990 + options/shipping.


Where? Sister needs a car.

 

[Brons2]

something I can fit in to with the least amount of cost per mile, depreciation not included. (I am 6'7")

total cost of ownership, hmm.

maybe a base model Cruze with 6 speed manual. I sat in one at the state fair and it fit pretty good with the telescoping steering wheel. Eco gets better mileage but where is the payback on the extra $3000, probably far down the road.

or Elantra base model 6 speed, also fit good at fair.

civic - no, not enough legroom

corolla - no, not enough headroom

fit - maybe, if a good deal.

 

[opus1]

A Chevy Cruze Eco.

 

[Win]

I sometimes miss the utility of having an SUV/CUV for a daily driver.

If my G8 was totalled, probably a Cayenne.

 

[crw]

Used, I'd look for an older BMW that has been well taken care of. Mileage doesn't matter so much, as long as it is clean.

New, for me will never happen, but I'd probably go Mini Cooper, or Toyota Tacoma. These vehicles really hold their value.