If your car died, what would you buy?
 

If your current car died beyond repair (maybe it was totalled in a wreck or something), and you needed a new car, what would you buy? Be realistic about how much money you would actually spend, and whether or not the car is actually available (ie: a Prius might have a long wait). Would you buy a new car, or a used one?

Just curious.

I'd really hope nothing happens to any of my cars. As it is now there are replacements I'd rather have, but they are a lot more expensive (Paseo -> Insight, Matrix -> Prius). I don't really have a wasteful/excessive vehicle (that runs at least), so my current vehicles I'm very happy with and are quite ideal. However, I'll play along. :p

If the Paseo died on me I probably wouldn't replace it right away. It gets driven very little lately. Last time I filled it up was about 3 weeks ago. I could probably get away just working on getting my '93 Tercel (not fully assembled currently) back on the road.

If the Matrix died on me I'd seriously look for a used Prius, but I doubt I'd find one. Other than that, I'd consider downsizing to the Fit if it met size requirements for hauling the wife's work equipment. If neither of those worked out it would be another Matrix with a 5 speed without a doubt.


BTW, list of current vehicles:
03 Toyota Matrix
97 Toyota Paseo
93 Toyota Tercel
82 Honda CM400
73 Jaguar XJ12 (restoration project)

I'd hook myself up with a little used CRX or somesuch and bank the insurance money for a few years till the new crop of MPG/electric monsters comes around.

If my Honda van died I'd look for a used Toyota Highlander hybrid 4WD. I need to haul 6-7 people on a fairly regular basis and I need to be able to get to work even in a blizzard. If I couldn't find a Highlander hybrid I would buy a Toyota Sienna AWD.

Replacing my wife's Ford Exploder would be a used Ford Escape hybrid 4wd. Since she started driving the taller SUVs she hates driving cars because she can't see. Almost all her driving is city so the hybrid would really help and she loves the confience 4wd gives her in the winter.

If my Beetle got whacked I'd take the money and head down to the local auction where I got her. Buy something small with a 4 cyl and less than 100K miles.

Stick with Toyota and go Yaris hatch (or something similar). If I get that job with the USDA, get on a wait list for a hybrid sedan. Prefer new but I'll go used for both options.

rjacob -

Prius' are a minimum 2 months wait in LA right now.

(All of my choices would be with a manual transmission)

1st Choice - I'd make an attempt to get another S-Series Saturn, an S?1. The reason is that I have invested a *lot* of time in researching the car. I have FSMs (Field Service Manuals) and parts I could just "swap in". It should also be easy to get for a good $.

2nd Choice - Honda CRX.

3rd Choice - Used Pontiac Vibe (don't like the new model)

4th Choice - Honda Insight.

5th Choice - Honda Civic Coupe HX

6th Choice - New car. I'll have to think about which ones I would look at. Saturn Astra 5 door (looks like the old *classic* Vibe!!!!), Honda Fit, or Honda Civic Coupe come to mind.

CarloSW2

Three words:
Geo Metro, Baby!

Another CRX!

A Geo Metro for sure! Old school for 500 bucks!

If the Heep was totalled, I'd buy it back and make a trail rig out of it.

If the Insight went, I'd go for either an 04 Vibe or an Mazda3 hatch, 5 speeds all.

I have a bad feeling to do EOC. Currently I'm using DFCO and I rarely stop the engine while idle. So a car that is able to do at least one, or better both will be my first choice.

I want a prius since one year when I learned how it is working. In France the only other hybrid is the honda civic hybrid since about 5 months, but I'm always waiting to see one in the street...

Another choice would be a stop&start (mild hybrid, ie the electric motor is here only to start the ICE which switches off when the speed is under a few mph). Only Citroen do it on a few models. The last time i searched inside their web-site there was a 2 doors and a 4 doors, both are gasoline as are the prius and the HCH. I always found gasoline slow, but now that I'm (trying to) ecodriving I changed my minds...

Last week I saw a C1 4 doors. The C1 is the smallest car from Citroen but they managed to put 4 doors on it. The rear doors are really at the back. This would be OK to drive 3 people (driver included) and one baby seat. It isn't an hybrid, but it's rated 4.1l/100 (57mpg) for half the price of a prius :-) but there are second hand prius for that price in my region...

Denis.

I dont think I will ever buy a new car in my lifetime.

If my car died today, I'd find any fair condition kia/hyundai/saturn/honda/toyota that could be had for under 5k made after 96 (99 for the kia/hyundai). I already have one car payment, and that's about my max ;).

96 or newer is a handy criteria, it is nice to know you will pass emissions before you go to take the test.

Any small stick shift hatchback or wagon with fuel injection will do for me, assuming it comes out of my bank account. If someone else is buying it for me then I'd like a TDI stick, maybe jetta wagon. Or a hand-me down prius with an extra battery and plugin :) Or any already been converted geo to saturn sized EV with NIMH or better and a solid 60 mile range @ 50mph would fill the bill very nicely.

96 or newer.
Civic, corolla, fit, yaris, Saturn SL, cobalt in XFE trim, something TDI. Not really sure. I'd love a prius or insight, but I can't see finding or affording one anytime soon.

If the CSTT/10 died, i'd be forced to get another... But considering it has a brand new engine and trans, and their built like tanks, not much needs to worry there.

If the Firebird does, which when it does, I won't be surprised, but probably dump what ever insurance money from it into the CST10, or some other F-body, or some silly random small car to thrash around at the edge of what ever 50 hp it's got.

I would buy the least expensive car that will get me to the year 2012, when there will be a large variety of alternative energy cars available on the market. In other words, by 2012 the car will be worthless because it has been worn out. Obviously, however, FE would be part of the consideration.

If my TDI was to die, I would very much like an other old TDI, an A3 Jetta or a B4 Passat sedan. I would LOVE and A2 Jetta with a TDI swap in...

Id just drive one of my other 9 cars :D

If my POS van died I would end up with my wife's Sentra. She is always *****ing about it having no AC.

Another Yaris, maybe one with Hybrid Synergy Drive... when it finally makes it to the Yaris that is...

:)

Cant just buy a new car, rather build my own

gotta stay with Honda because they are magical

I would ride my ninja 250 while I found a clean Insight shell. I would then install a k20a3 with a custom turbo kit and programmed to leanburn with hydrogen injection (NOT HHO!). I would modify the rear to accommodate a awd Honda wagovan rear end that would be coupled to a brushless electric motor with regen capabilities. It would also have solar panels on the roof flush mounted and would have the option of plug in charging.

400+hp awd hybrid Insight:cool:

It would cost about 15K from start to finish and would be capable of 80+ mpg and a sub 12 second quarter mile.

Ford Focus wagon or Metro 5-door - if I could find either one! All the manny tranny models of either have been totally snapped up. Looks like Americans can indeed shift for themselves when necessary.

I'd want another xB. It's really a fantastic car.

A fun joke:
Q: How many 1st-gen xB owners does it take to change a light bulb?
A: NO, I'M NOT CHANGING THE LIGHT BULB. I LIKE THE OLD ONE BETTER, AND I'M KEEPING IT FOREVER. THE NEW ONES ARE SO MUCH WORSE.

A TDI would be nice.

Oh, I'd probably just get another Suzukiclone. And scavenge the salvageable mods off the wrecked one (I can't believe anybody would steal it). I'll also never buy a new car. Can't stomach the depreciation/money out the window.

I'd get another pre-96 manual transmission, sub-100hp car. Probably something pretty common, so parts are cheap.
I'd like something without power steering, like an escort pony, but those don't have a/c either, making those cars useless with my wife and baby.
I don't want an OBDII car with excess sensors to fail and unnecessary security/electronics. Sequential fuel injection is efficient enough.
My stepdad's 96 camaro was rendered useless when his body control module with its Vehicle Anti-Theft System (VATS) started going haywire. The car's not going to be stolen now; it's getting old. The module costs like $1500, about the value of the whole car.

I guess if my Metro died I would have to cry for awhile, ok a loong while. Then I would buy another one and rape my Metro for parts. I really want an Insight, but I can't really spend that kind of money:(

New mini cooper.

If we're talking realistically, I'd buy another Geo Metro 3cyl/manual for cheap and fix it up.
If I ever bought a new car(I won't), I like the Mini Cooper...maybe their new "Clubman" model.
If money was not a factor, I'd definitely order a Tesla...now that's an electric car!!!

Cars actually die?

hehe I have never had a car that was not repairable, as long as the vin plate is still readable it can be fixed :) It just might not look quite the same as it did before...

new car would be a civic gx, old car probably a crx or metro

Probably a ford fusion 1.4 tdci.
Ford Fusion Style 1.4 TDCi Specifications | UK New Car Data
Ford Fusion, Oldest: 2004, Newest: 2004, Diesel O nly - Used Cars on Carzone.ie - New & Used Cars in Ireland

Might be a jump down in the reliability stakes (nothing broke on the civic yet...) but i need three full rear seatbelts for booster seats.

ollie

If my Metro were to die, I would be totally upset about it. I probably would not replace it with another Metro to be honest unless is was a rust-free Southern Metro and then use my parts where I can. Don't get me wrong, I love the Metro, but another used one from my area would not be worth the hassle of doing another rebuild and then worry about the frame and structure defects.

I would be interested in a Honda CRX or Civic or maybe even a Toyota Paseo, but the car I would really want would be a pre 1999 Volvo 850 or V70 with a non-turbo 2.3L 5 cylinder mated with a manual. I worked as a Volvo tech for a few years and these cars are the best out there.

I love Honda's! I have owned several of them. They run forever! So if my current car (2000 Honda Civic VP) died, I would probably look to buy another Honda. I have never bought a new car, so I would be looking at quality used cars. I might look for a manual, but not sure. I have been driving an automatic for a long time. I guess it depends on what I find available. I would love a Civic Hybrid, but doubt I would want to pay the money for one. I might go for a Toyota Prius, but again doubt I would want to pay that much for one, if I could find one. So I might be looking at Honda Civics, or maybe even Accords if I could find a good deal on one. I would certainly be checking out EPA estimates. The new Honda Fits look interesting. I would also see whats available from Acura. I might check out Scion's as well as they have been mentioned a lot on the board.
But if I didn't buy a Honda, I would be checking out Toyota's. I wouldn't buy an American brand car. Every American brand car I have owned has been a piece of crap. They just don't last!!!

If the truck were totalled out, I'd probably get something cheap to drive until I got a project done.

Alternative A:
A 1994-96 Chevy Caprice (or Impala SS or Buick Roadmaster), convertit to a t-56 transmission and a 6.5 GM turbodiesel.

Alternative B:
Buy a 6-speed Pontiac GTO (not the G8), tweak the aero some, and wait til 4.5 diesels become available.

Alternative C:
If I could get a Hummer H3 REALLY, REALLY cheap, I'd convert it to the six speed and a Cummins 4BT3.9 or the M-B diesel out of a Sprinter. Just to show it can be done.

Alternatice D:
A Chevy K-Blazer with te same treatment as Alternative C

I'd look in the West or Southwest (Denver, Phoenix, etc) for a rust-free vehicle.

I have no beef with Hondas and Suzuki clones (I regard the Insight as a little engineering jewel) but they just don't have the headroom I need.

i'll buy whatever i can find for less than $500. mini vans are nice, plenty of room for tools and building materials.

for me:
If it was all of a sudden and i absolutely have to replace them
CRX -> Miata
IS-250 -> IS-250
RX-300 -> RX-400h

If i could wait till they are too old or break:
CRX -> i think it'll last until the CRZ comes out, or hybrid S2000, or full electric. (used as daily driver)
IS-250 -> another Lexus / Acura.
RX-300 MY2000 - I think I'll be dependable for another 5 years. Everything is good in it. Hybrid Van or 7 seat SUV.

choice numba zero( kinda like superman issue number 0)

1981 Delorean DMC-12 with a grooved gas flap hood, black interior, 5 speed, pontoon antenna, gunmetal wheels.

1st choice

1999 E300D Turbodiesel ( Black)

2nd Choice

1987 300SDL Turbodiesel ( Black)

3rd Choice

1987 300D 2.5 Turbodiesel

4th choice

1987 190D 2.5 Turbo

5th choice

1985 190D 2.2 5 speed ( can easily get 45 mpg)

6th choice

198x 300TDT Turbodiesel (thats a wagon)

7th choice

2001 VW Golf TDI

If I was Euopean... this guy!!!

First Drive: Volkswagen Lupo 3L TDI