Which small car would you buy [Archive] - Sawmill Creek Woodworking Community

Michael Weber

11-20-2009, 9:21 PM

Rick Davidson

11-20-2009, 9:32 PM

I get stuck driving rentals alot because of my job and I always like to get the Nissan Altima

Brian Kent

11-20-2009, 9:52 PM

Honda Civic
Mazda 3 (my daughter had one and it was really fun to drive
Ford Focus, because Ford has been improving its product line and this one makes Car & Driver top ten list every year.
Ford Fusion - Motor Trend Car of the year

If buying one of those, I would also check out Accord and Altima. Simpler versions overlap with Civic pricing.

Joe Pelonio

11-20-2009, 9:53 PM

I had a rental that I really enjoyed, and later found them to be very highy rated. Not quite as small, though, it was the Ford Fusion. I have a Ranger and my wife has a Liberty, but if we were to buy a car that would be it.
The hybrid version gets 41 mpg, the regular one 23/34.

Jim Becker

11-20-2009, 9:58 PM

The Honda Civic is a very nice car and always is one of the top rated in its class. The Toyota Corolla is also worth a look for a similar size vehicle as is the Ford Fusion that Joe mentioned. (But I still love my wife's Prius...)

Tom Godley

11-20-2009, 10:25 PM

I am in the market for a smaller car and since we often rent cars from Enterprise I have been trying out a few different ones.

I was quite impressed with the new Civic - surprising large inside - very refined small car. I have owned two Honda Accords and had a lot of problems with both of them - surprising I know. Normally good resale value. I am going to price them out next week.

Also liked the Prius -- my brother just bought the redesigned 2010 model -- my Enterprise only has the 2009 models. You mention this may not be an option but I would look into the cost - payback. The only item that I did not like about the 09 was the seats on a long trip -- supposedly upgraded on the 2010. I am going to drive a Camry hybrid on Monday. The Corolla's we have rented have been a disappointment -- we have rented them about a half a dozen times recently and not one person liked it. I have owned quite a few Toyota/ Lexus products and while a little boring in style they run like sewing machines and have excellent resale value.

Enterprise has a lot of Korean made cars and small SUV's -- the ones from Kia and Hyundai have all been surprisingly nice and from all accounts very well liked and held up in fleet use. The Hyundai's have an especially good warranty. The resale value is not as high as the Japanese cars so this may play into the equation.

I will second the Nissan Altima -- when the new one came out I was shocked because I liked it better than the Maxima. They are more $$ than a Civic. I love the Nissan motors (except the new Rouge) I currently have an older Pathfinder that we all love and will hate to get rid of.

I also liked the Chevy Malibu hatchback -- quick and comfy plus it got excellent gas milage. GM has come-out with some nice cars recently.

Also liked the Mazda 3 hatchback -- but the new one is REALLY ugly IMO.

Did not like the Dodge Caliber - the design was very functional but it was not up to the competition.

With the advances in engines / transmissions it is really important to look into the specs -- many of the midsize cars get milage equal and greater to some of the smaller cars.

Matt Meiser

11-20-2009, 10:34 PM

We have a Focus right now and its a good car and gets great mileage. We'd probably look at both a Focus and a Fusion if we were buying a new car right now because we both really like the looks of the new Fusion and would be a step up in size and comfort. If you aren't in a hurry and want a real small car, the new Fiesta from Europe looks really cool.

I also drive a lot of rentals. The Calibur was also one of my least favorites in the last year or so (after the Chevy HHR, but that's not in the class you are looking at.) The rest in the class are really pretty much all the same. Nothing in that class is particularly memorable.

Tom Godley

11-20-2009, 10:58 PM

I forgot about the HHR! I started looking for what is now basically extinct - a small wagon or hatchback. The HHR looked promising -- NOT. Massive blind spots, slow, noisy and the cheapest interior I have seen in years.

I liked the Fusion and the Focus is OK. It depends on how you are going to use it and how many people are going to be in it on a regular basis.

Pat O'malley

11-20-2009, 11:51 PM

My wife and I both have 2006 Scion XB's (a division of Toyota). We really like them would buy them again. She averages 33-34 mpg, me 29-31 mpg, I have a heavier foot. I can drop the seats and fit 8' 2x4s in it, I hauled my Ridgid TS3650 in it, had to remove the Herc-u-lift, and a 4 foot bathroom vanity. I have 90,000 miles so far and have put on a set of tires and front brakes. Best of luck...Pat

Eric Larsen

11-21-2009, 1:41 AM

Considering buying a new vehicle. :( I have a strong preference for a Honda Civic but haven't really been paying attention to cars for several years. What else is out there now with the reputation of the Honda in the same size price range. I know there are some from Korea now but know little about them. Probably not interested in a hybrid at this time. What would you buy if you were in the market for a new small car or what's your opinion of the small make you own?

I would never buy a new car. I always buy low-mileage one and two year old cars and let someone else pay the big initial depreciation.

I have a Nissan Altima Hybrid, and I love it. My favorite car out of any I've owned or even driven -- and I've owned and driven a lot of really cool cars. (I paid $19,000 for it, which puts it in line with all the other reliable Japanese cars.)

I settled on the Altima because I'm very tall, and I've got more than 50 inches of leg room. I don't get driver's fatigue like I do driving smaller cars. That was the number one reason I bought it.

I love the fact that my gas consumption was instantly halved (because 99% of my driving is city driving). I love the fact that I burn no gas whatsoever sitting at traffic lights. I'm getting 800+ miles on a tank of gas, and I haven't changed my driving style all that much.

I'd also look at the super-efficient diesels coming out of Germany. Diesel costs more than regular gas. But with 45 mpg, the cash outlay will probably be a lot better amortized over the useful life of the car.

It's a buyer's market for both new and used cars. But I will always go for the low-mileage used car. It makes a lot more sense financially for me.

Tim Morton

11-21-2009, 7:19 AM

i reeded in my 07 civic coupe for a 09 mini cooper...i would never switch back:D

scott spencer

11-21-2009, 8:56 AM

We've been pretty happy with our 2007 Hyundai Elantra for an inexpensive small car. We've also got an 1998 Civic...the Elantra is nicer, but it's also quite a bit newer so it's not a fair comparison.

Doug Carpenter

11-21-2009, 9:13 AM

Shawn Pixley

11-21-2009, 9:20 AM

Check out the Honda Fit. Great mileage (~36 MPH) and dependability. And can carry a full drumset, guitar and Amp. I bought one for my son.

Michael Weber

11-21-2009, 11:31 AM

Lots of options and mostly it seems people are very happy with their choice. I've always like the Mini Cooper's looks but the nearest dealer is 200 miles away. I live in Arkansas, what can I say.:rolleyes: I've owned a few British cars (still have a 1950 MGTD RHD) and they are sometimes uh.. interesting to service/keep running. Don't ask me about the Austin Marina I owned. :mad: A favorite memory is seeing a bumper sticker on the back of a British car that said "Why do the British drink warm beer? They own Lucas refrigerators":D

Tim Morton

11-21-2009, 11:48 AM

mini cooper is german now..not sure if that makes it more or less reliable:cool:

Myk Rian

11-21-2009, 12:09 PM

Buy American. With all others, the profits go overseas.

Anthony Scira

11-21-2009, 1:31 PM

Ford Escape for the SUV
Chevy Malibu for the family
Ford Focus

Eric DeSilva

11-21-2009, 1:44 PM

A favorite memory is seeing a bumper sticker on the back of a British car that said "Why do the British drink warm beer? They own Lucas refrigerators":D

I used to own a Series II Land Rover (actually an ex-RAF airfield crash rescue ambulance), and I know well the joys of Lucas electronics. I like my favorite bumper sticker on the LRs simply said "Lucas, Prince of Darkness."

As for best small car--since I'm not buying, I'm going with the Lotus Elise. :D

Pete Schupska

11-21-2009, 6:55 PM

+1 on the Fit. I've had an '07 Civic coupe for almost 3 years, and been very happy with it.

The rear seat system is pretty neat, and the potential cargo space really impressive. In the spirit of full disclosure, I am an employee of Honda. My comments are mine though, and not my company's.

Dave Lehnert

11-21-2009, 9:14 PM

A lot of people at work drive an hour or more to get there. They buy the cheapest Hyundai they can buy and run the wheels off of them.
My brother has one of the more expensive Hyundai and it is a very nice well built auto. I have always owned GM, Ford or Dodge and his car is nicer than any I have owned.

Kevin Groenke

11-21-2009, 11:58 PM

+1 on the Fit. There are several in the family, all reliable, very versatile. It's much roomier in the inside than the exterior leads one to believe. Actually has more front and rear headroom and legroom than the Civic though perhaps less width.

If you want to go domestic, the coming Fiesta has been around in Europe since 08 and is highly regarded. If you buy a Fiesta, some of the money may stay in the US, but the car will be made in Mexico. My Honda was assembled in Marysville, Ohio, most US Civics are assembled in Indiana. Two friends with Focus' call them their F@&*-us. Critics rarely have much good to say about the Caliber or the Cobalt (except the racier RT and SS models). America really hasn't done small cars particularly well.

I'm digging the Nissan Cube when I see it around, but, like my Element, most folks will probably find it fugly.

Alan Trout

11-22-2009, 2:06 AM

Dave Lehnert

11-22-2009, 4:43 PM

I forgot to say before. If gas mileage is the reason looking for a small car. I own a 2003 Buick Century 6cy and believe it or not I get 32 miles to the gallon with it. I have checked it time and time again and people don't believe me. I have ran into other owners when out and they will ask me if I also get 30-32 MPG. So I know I'm accurate with my figures.

http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com/pictures/VEHICLE/2003/Buick/100104823/2003.buick.century.21857-300x189.jpg

Jim Mattheiss

11-22-2009, 8:26 PM

I have a 2008 Toyota Yaris 4 Door Sedan. It's a 5 Speed base package car (A/C, Power Windows, Remote Entry, ABS) and I get a between 35 and 40 MPG highway. The difference is mainly seasonal when they winterize the fuel here in NJ.

The Corolla has the same drive train and is a little bigger and has a trim level available approaching a high end Camry.

Jim

Mark Elmer

11-22-2009, 9:12 PM

I don't buy new either. However I do get a new "company ride" every three years and I am currently driving a 2010 Camry which I like very much. I have almost 19K miles on it. I had to choose between the Chevrolet Malibu and Camry and I picked the Camry because GM took tax payer dollars from the BIG GUBMINT. The Camry is built in Tennesee with non-union labor. Which was important to me.

Rick Vincent

11-22-2009, 10:31 PM

From the people that brought you pearl harber & you guys still buy that stuff. If was fair trade it would be alittle bit better but it is not. They sell An American made car over there for more and sell {their} cars over here for less than in there on country..

Anthony Scira

11-22-2009, 11:06 PM

Chris Friesen

11-22-2009, 11:14 PM

I drive a Matrix, which is basically the hatchback version of the Corolla. I've got the earlier version with the glass hatch that opens separately, which can be useful when transporting stuff too long to fit inside. It will take 8' lumber with the hatch down (almost 9' if you put it up on the dash). Due to the height and upright windshield it has more than average wind noise on the highway.

I test-drove a Mazda3 back in 05. It handled very well and was fun to drive, but wasn't great on gas.

If you're already looking at the Civic you might want to look at the Fit. It's going to have a bit less fit-and-finish and probably a bit more road noise than the Civic, but it's more flexible for transporting stuff. My wife's aunt owns a Fit, and her parents own a Civic.

They Toyota equivalent of the Fit would be the Yaris. I don't like the instrument cluster in the middle of the dash, but it doesn't bother some people.

I've driven a fair number of Hyundai rentals. The Accent is a reasonable vehicle, but feels inexpensive. The higher-end one (Sonata maybe?) that I got one time had a very loose suspension, with nasty wheel hop while cornering at speed. Lots of gadgets though.

Around here (I'm in Canada) I'm seeing a growing number of Smart cars. Tiny little two-seaters, really only useful as commuter vehicles. Not cheap though--I think they're made by Mercedes. Unfortunately you can't get the diesel version in North America anymore.

Mac McQuinn

11-23-2009, 12:41 AM

Dave,
It's more than entirely possible. I retired 3 years ago and my job was to solely maintain a 200 car fleet for the purpose of long distance travel. The most reliable vehicles we had were Buick 3.8 V-6 push rod engined equipped. We could put 5 men in a vehicle on a roadtrip and knock down 29-30 MPG at 75MPH+. This was always documented. Oil use was nil and reliability was flawless. Great engines, lots of torque, smooth & quiet. These cars were not babied and had 85-90K on them after only 3 years of use. Too bad they're no longer in production.

Mac

I forgot to say before. If gas mileage is the reason looking for a small car. I own a 2003 Buick Century 6cy and believe it or not I get 32 miles to the gallon with it. I have checked it time and time again and people don't believe me. I have ran into other owners when out and they will ask me if I also get 30-32 MPG. So I know I'm accurate with my figures.

http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com/pictures/VEHICLE/2003/Buick/100104823/2003.buick.century.21857-300x189.jpg

Dennis Peacock

11-23-2009, 8:07 AM

Ok folks, let's please leave out the verbiages of unions, slang statements of origin, government talk, and such as this.

The OP simply asked what small car would you buy if you were looking to buy one. Please stick to the topic.

Horton Brasses

11-23-2009, 10:31 AM

Depends on what you like and what your goals are. Me: I would buy a Suzuki SX4 hatch. It's just a cool car and it is AWD with a locking differential making it a true 4 wheel drive car. I have no idea if its reliable or not, but its cheap, its AWD, and its funky. Not in the snowbelt? A Mazda 3 is probably the most fun to drive small car out there-not counting VW diesels which cost quite a bit more.

If it's all about getting the most bang for the buck a Hyundai's probably your best bet. As reliable as a Honda or Toyota but costs less. A little less refined as well, but equally or more reliable with a much longer warranty. The warranty (10yr 100K powertrain) is not transferable so that at least partly explains the resale drop off. Probably best to buy new and drive it until the wheels fall off. That Elantra touring (code for station wagon) is slick. Has more cargo room than many SUV's.

If you can wait-the next generation Ford Focus (es?!?) (and Fiesta too) are supposed to be amazing. I have seem them on the road in Europe and they look great-like a small Saab.

Matt Stiegler

11-23-2009, 11:50 AM

We have a Mazda 3 my wife bought before we met. We both like it pretty well, it is comfortable and reasonably fun to drive. If we had it to do over again today and were going to buy new we'd get a Fit or a Prius instead. But in reality we expect our next new car to be a plug-in hybrid.

Neal Clayton

11-23-2009, 12:25 PM

I like the mini cooper. I don't think I could ever do it though because I'm too used to my to my Deisel Truck.

My in laws have a deisel bug. It's comfortable and roomy (not the back seats) and it gets like 40 miles to the gallon.

They also have a new Hundai elantra. The headrest gives me a headache the second I sit in it. Other than that it seems nice but it's not very thick. It just doen't say quality to me.

on the topic of diesel, which i'm a firm believer in too ;)...

there's a VW jetta diesel.

i drive a merc E class diesel, gets about 36 on the highway, and of course, since it's diesel, change the oil once a year and that's about it.

the jetta gets about 40 i think, slightly smaller car.

Greg Peterson

11-23-2009, 3:08 PM

There is nothing on the market that is better engineered than Toyota.

I have 23 Tacomas in my fleet, with many in excess of 400k miles on them. I have a 1997 Tacoma with over 550k miles on it and it purrs like a kitten. I do the standard maintenance and change out the occasional starter or alternator. These things run forever.

I've got one or two that burn a little oil, maybe a quart every 2k or so but that isn't bad for a engine with over 400k on it.

As for small car, I would get a Corolla or Camry. But you can not go wrong with any Toyota.

Lee Schierer

11-23-2009, 3:17 PM

Mazda products are very under rated and get great mileage. I've owned 6 so far and have yet to take even one in for a repair, just recommended maintenance. I get 32+ on my Mazda 6 with 4 cyl engine. It will cruise all day at 70 and go 450+ miles on a tank of gas. Have a better warranty than Toyota. Most Mazda 6's are made here in USA.

Larry Edgerton

11-26-2009, 8:15 AM

We have a Mazdaspeed 3, and you can keep all your boring Toyotas and Hondas. The Mazda outhandles them all, rips them a new one in a straight line, costs less if optioned compareably, and has a far better interior that doesn't make you feel like you are being punished for buying an economy car. We get about 35MPG average with my wife driving, and about 28 mpg if I am having a little over the speed limit fun.;)

This is our fourth Mazda, and they are stone cold dependable, and are designed for "drivers". I am not loyal to any particular brand, I just buy what I like and what I feel is the best investment for my dollar.

My second choice was a Ford Focus with the handling package, third was a Ford Fusion with a stick.

Chuck Wintle

11-26-2009, 8:57 AM

Toyota, Honda or a Hyundai. 3 good brands that deliver what they promise, reliability, fuel economy and resale value. The domestic cars need to improve quality first and foremost. After having a couple of chevrolets that literally fell apart I swore not to buy from them again. I still don't think they have learned that customer is the most important part of the equation....once they don't come back....?

Al Willits

11-27-2009, 12:29 PM

Wife has had two Altima's one 3.5 and one 2.5 motor, the 3.5 was pretty fast for a grocery getter and the 2.5 went very well for a 4 cylinder motor, one was a 2001, the other a 2007, both very well made and resonably priced.

She know owns a Subaru Outback and that has been a great SUV for the couple of months she's owned it.

I'd suggest the Altima imho.

Al

Lee Schierer

11-27-2009, 12:57 PM

We have a Mazdaspeed 3, and you can keep all your boring Toyotas and Hondas. The Mazda outhandles them all, rips them a new one in a straight line, costs less if optioned compareably, and has a far better interior that doesn't make you feel like you are being punished for buying an economy car. We get about 35MPG average with my wife driving, and about 28 mpg if I am having a little over the speed limit fun.;)

We just drove our 2005 Mazda 6 from Erie, PA to Millville NJ and averaged 32 mpg cruising continuously at 72 mph.....We get even better mileage on the back roads where you only go 45-55 snd the more curves there are, the more fun it is to drive...zoom zoom

Colin Giersberg

11-27-2009, 1:10 PM

I have owned a VW Jetta Diesel since 05 It is the most amazing car I have ever owned and I have owned some pretty nice cars. I get 42MPG around town and near 50MPG highway running 75mph. I took a long road trip our west and running 90 I got right at 40MPG.

I Know several others with VW high efficiency diesels everyone loves them and they all get better then posted millage.

After driving a high efficiency diesel I would never own a hybrid.

Good Luck

Alan

I'll second, third, whatever, on the VW Jetta Diesel. While I have yet to get the mileage that you state (typically 38 to 41 mpg for me), I thoroughly love the torque at highway speeds. If you want or need to pass someone, a slight press of the accelerator and your around them fast. I don't like their dealer servicing though, but that may be the local dealership. Recommended services are $75 for the first, $150 for the second and $300 for the third. This pattern seems to repeat for future servicing. With each service, they check just a few more things on the car, but I find it hard to justify their pricing, so I use a local Express Oil service. Cost is around $70 for each service, and I get out a heck of a lot quicker. I would spend 8 hours just to get the oil changed. Now, I am sure that it didn't take that long, it just took all day for them to get to it.
I even quizzed the service manager about the prices, and he told me that they were trying to keep them down. I told him that they needed to try a lot harder, because their service dept. was not worth the cost involved. For the prices quoted, they should have jumped through hoops to get the car serviced fast.
Otherwise, I love the car (2005 Jetta) more than my wife's 2009 Honda Accord. The Accord's center control panel for the air, stereo, etc. is like a computer. It even has a Menu and Return button. In my opinion, it takes too much time to determine which button or knob to push or turn to change a setting. Time needed to keep your eyes on the road, not the control panel.
Anyway, enough of my soapbox. Good luck with the car purchase.

Regards, Colin

Pat Germain

11-27-2009, 10:10 PM

I understand the comments about not wanting to buy new. But sheesh, have you actually looked at the prices of used cars lately? I mean like in the last six months. And most dealers will not budge on the inflated prices. Maybe it has something to do with the recent "Cash for Clunkers" program, but dealers are awfully proud of used cars of late.

Either through hard negotiating or using a buying service, like through Costco, you can get a very good price on a brand new car. If you're financing it, which most people do, you can get killer loan deals on a new car. Zero percent interest is not uncommon. And you can sometimes get rebates to boot. This pretty much negates the cost savings on a late model used car.

My daughter just bought a 2008 Corolla S. It's an amazing little car that gets amazing fuel mileage. She had been looking at Corollas for four months straight. (She almost bought new, but wanted to keep the payments down.) Everyone, to include Toyota dealers, other dealers, used car lots and Joe-down-the-street wanted the exact same price for a late model, low-mileage Corolla in good shape. My daughter ended up buying her Corolla at Car Max because they treated her very well and the car came with a warranty at no extra cost. (Of course, an extended warranty was optional.)

I would also highly recommend taking a look at Subaru. Subaru is the unofficial Colorado State Car. (The dealer in Colorado Springs is the number one Subaru dealer in the nation.) It's not uncommon to see twenty year old Subarus zipping around in Colorado. I drive a Jetta and when it was in the shop awhile back, I got a new Outback as a loaner. I was very impressed with that car.

Just down from the Legacy/Outback in the Impreza. Most Imprezas are hatchbacks, but they are also available in a sedan. The Legacy and the Impreza are also available with turbo chargers in the GT models.

Since all Subarus are now all wheel drive, the fuel mileage isn't quite as good as similar cars. But I would still recommend buying one. My next car will almost certainly be a Subaru.

Nathan Hawkes

11-27-2009, 10:49 PM

I gotta throw in a vote for the Toyota Matrix (re-badged Corolla station wagon which ceased production when the Matrix was born). I bought mine new in '06. I've done nothing but change the oil & regular maintenance. It averages 32-33 overall, 36-37 highway, and 28-32 city, depending on how lead footed I am, and how much I use climate controls. As far as buying American is concerned, there are about as many labor hours in most Toyota and Honda vehicles as GM's. Profits might go overseas, but they employ just as many americans as Detroit, with much less corrupt CEO's that don't bankrupt their companies and leave with multi-million dollar "severance" packages..............