new car time.

[taco]

im having a new car problems. or sound i say fever.

i am getting a new job making 5-7 an hour more, it is 108 mile round trip instead of my 130 mile round trip but over the last six months was staying in a room for cheap.
but my trip now is all 45-55mph 2 lane roads, my new will 65mph 4 lane all the way with alot smaller climbs but hilly non the less. well minus about 5 miles each way 2 lane. and about 1 mile of city.

my 81 toyota 4wd with its 4.88 gears and 31's turns 3k at 65 mph.. it does great on the 45-55 mph current trip but gets 18-20 mpg. that y i have the 06 shadow 600 dlx and the now legal 81 cm400e. both get 55ish mpg. still need to get a few tanks on the old one when i dont steal gas from it.
i wont need 4x4 like i did on my mountainous drive. so i want a new car. i want manual, aux input, a/c, cruise. in that order.

i have been looking at cars. test drove all but the veloster and cr-z.
1st a brz manual but only gets 30mpg. 26k
2nd a base veloster manual 18k 40highway
3rd a base yaris manual 15k 38 highway
4th a cr-z manual 19-20k 37 highway
5th prius c two. 21k 48 highway
those are all sticker prices not trying to haggle yet.

the ideal of fun vrs the idea of saving money.
in a month at 50 mpg i would use at 4 a gallon 198 bucks in gas
at 40 mpg 248 bucks
at 38mpg 259bucks
at 30 mpg 331 bucks
18mpg = 552 bucks

im thinking volester or yaris..i really liked the brz i drove but for what i need its too much and bad gas milage.....comments/ ideas?
and also thinking of sell my pickup for what i have in it.

[some_other_dave]

MINI Cooper (non-S), 37 MPG highway
FIAT 500, 38 MPG highway
Honda Insight, 44 MPG highway
Chevy Spark, 38 MPG highway
Kia Rio Eco, 40 MPG highway
Hyundai Accent (also the Rio), 40 MPG highway

Of the lot, I definitely know that the MINI can have an aux input. Get the bluetooth option, and you get BT plus an aux input plus a USB port. (The aux input may or may not be there without the BT option; not sure.)

Hard to find new cars without AC and cruise, so the manual and the aux are the key differentiators I think.

-soD

[Jake940T]

The Yaris is quite... boring. I think it is outdone by nearly all of its competitors.

I test drove a CR-Z and it's a pretty fun car. However, you are unlikely to get a good deal with leasing or financing options and you might think the interior could be better for that price point, if that's important to you.

If you want a car that's fun to dive but also frugal, you might want to look at the Ford Focus, Mazda 3, Mini Cooper, and VW Golf TDI.

[aldrinV]

I was about to move to a new career on the other side of the country when I discovered that I needed to sell my old car and get a brand new one. By the time I got to Brooklyn, I needed the brand new vehicle and fast. I ended up getting a fantastic deal on a new Ford at a car dealership in the area.

[user removed]

I would look long and hard for a light stripper car for your commute, then get a Honda CBR 250 R with the money saved. Car 45 MPG bike 75 MPG. If you could find a pristine Toyota Echo that would be my choice for a commuter I am going to put 20-30k a year on. Why beat yourself to death with depreciation, which would offset the increase in wages just like a gas hog?

There is a dealership in Alabama that was selling new CBRs for something like $3700.
I know my advice does not follow you desire for a new car, but if it was me I would focus on saving the increased pay for retirement and emergencies, or just use it to get out of debt, then you really start to save money.

regards
Mech

[Ryland]

Check on insurance costs too, I suspect that it will vary a bit from car to car.
For that long of a drive I would go with the Prius C just because it's going to be more comfortable and reliable, my 2nd choice would be the Yaris but only if you can get it with a manual transmission because the automatic on them is junk.
People like the look and feel of the Mini Cooper but from everything I've read their cost of ownership is the highest, next to a Diesel VW Golf.
Consumer Reports publishes a car buying guide every year, it's worth the $8 to buy it and see how different cars compare.

[taco]

I am currently commuting on my cm400e. Got about about 300 bucks in it. Im too tall for the ninja 250. When i sit on it my knees are above the gas tank.
Sold my Toyota pickup for 2500 yesterday. So I am a step closer to buying a new or newish car.

I am really liking the veloster.


I looked at a grey Prius c two. But I don't think it would be good for my drive. The mountains and all mountainous freeway. I have set a limit at 300 a month payment and I think the prius c would be over that.
I drove a base yaris manual I really liked it. The shifter was really low though. I drive a three door base. No cruise.
Speaking of Ford I really like the focus wagon. The manual is rated for 36 highway which is the lowest I have looked at.
The closest mini dealer is 4 hrs away. There is a import dealer that always has used ones with low miles. I just don't know much about them.

I found a 2007 corolla s manual with 50 k on it for 10k online but it sold before I could go look at it.
I still dOnt know what I want.

[roosterk0031]

Paid $7k for my cobalt just 30-40 hail dents, tough part is finding the XFE to get the manual. Find the local salvage yard web sites and keep watching untill you find something you like.

Dons Auto Truck Home Page

Find the local places like this, there's a 97 Honda Civic Ex 5 sp with 80,000 miles for $4k
or 2010 Cobalt LT (auto tranny though) with one dent 9,000 miles for $11,000 and clear title so full warranty.

To bad that 08 Prius wasn't there when I got the cobalt 88,000 $7950 with some hail dents. This place is only a few miles from the Des Moines airport if someone wanted to do a fly & drive home.

http://www.samsriverside.com/rebuildables.php

This one about 1/2 a mile from Don's so still easy fly & drive.

Like the new Fiesta?

Used Cars For Sale Inventory Potosi WI 53820 Used Car Dealer - Hudspeth Auto and Parts

I'm doubt I'll ever go to a regular dealer other to test drive and look.

[taco]

I do but I need to test drive one.

[ksa8907]

this might catch me a lot of flak, but have you looked at the new dodge dart? i don't know how big you are, but most of the cars you are going to look at will be small, and over 100 miles round trip, you are going to want to be comfortable. car shopping is always fun, good luck!