My Girlfriend's New Car Search: What Should We Go Look At?

"Z (ND + Cancer Fighter)" (roadsterzach) 08/07/2013 at 16:48 • Filed to: Car Search, Advice

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So, my girlfriend is getting ready to go look at new cars for hopefully a 2 (maybe 3) year lease. She wants a decent sporty car (2 or 4 door) that gets good MPG. I was hoping that some of you opponauts could help us figure out what we should go start looking at!

So, to cut a long story short, I'm fronting the down payment on a car lease for her so she can finally get her own car. She's been using my '12 Focus for the last 6 months while I've been using my Supra to commute around.

Unfortunately, last weekend something felt off driving my Supra to work. It just felt lacking in power, and on the ride back home I heard the inevitable gurgling. After doing a compression test earlier today, I can confirm the head gasket I replaced a few years ago at 16 finally blew.

Which means for the time being we have to use one car to commute to work at totally different times. Thankfully we at least work at the same place. It has not been fun. In fact, we wouldn't have been able to make today work, so i had to call in sick and just screw around with my car in the garage.

She's pretty open to whatever I suggest for her to go look at, as she hasn't really been paying attention to what's for lease (or on the market) lately. However, she's a borderline car enthusiast, so it needs to be something somewhat sporty and fun. She has no preference towards 2 or 4 doors, and doesn't care whether it's a sedan, coupe, hatchback or convertible.

I've also been expressing interest lately in going back to AutoX sometime this year after being away too long, and she wants to give it a shot. So whatever she ends up with needs to be able to handle probably 4 or 5 AutoX sessions a year.

I should also note this will be her first car. Up until now she's only borrowed cars. The reason she wants to lease rather than buy is that she wants to build some simple credit, and get something else in a few years (something off her bucket list).

Now, here's her "simple" requirements:

Less than $250/month lease with no more than $2700 down. That's all she can afford per month without blowing her budget and that's all I can afford for a down payment at this time.

MPG. This is her main concern. Her goal is 25 city, 35 highway. Slightly under is fine, and over would be amazing.

Must have a shiftable / manual mode automatic. A true manual transmission is out of the question (it's mostly a commuter) but she wants a manual mode for the occasional AutoX or spirited driving. She's waiting to learn how to drive stick until I get a new sports car.

It must be able to handle. It should turn where you turn the wheel, it should have at least some road feedback and shouldn't be overpowered (i.e. NOT the new Camry where you can turn it with your pinky and not feel anything).

Comfy seats. Pretty simple, we have a 35 mile commute (each way) to/from work nearly everyday. She also drives 60 miles each way to go visit her grandparents once a week. Just something comfy to sit in.

Has to look "good". Things like the Avenger or Fiat are out of the question. Looks aren't everything but something that's not too bland would be nice.

Reasonable ergonomics. Not her choice of words but her description was hilarious. She wants something that makes sense, not with buttons everywhere that aren't labelled. She doesn't care whether it has touch screen or not, just so long as it has Sirius and bluetooth capabilities.

Absolutely no: CUVs, Pickups, SUVs, Trucks or Wagons. No hybrids either.

Notice why I put simple in quotes? So far the first thing that has jumped to my mind has been the Mazda 3. With the new one coming out (sometime soon? I haven't seen a release date..), that seems like a decent option. I want to look at multiple cars and see what she likes the most though, so whatever you can throw at us would be great. We'll probably be hitting the dealerships this weekend to start looking.

Also, it if helps, here's her Car Bucket list:

Chrysler Crossfire SRT

Factory Five Racing Type 65 Coupe (aka Daytona Coupe Replica)

Ford Mustang V8 Fastback - She wants a 1965 that has the 1964 1/2 bits

Mazda Miata NA1 with a hard top

Shelby Cobra Replica or Kit Car with a modern V8

Hopefully that helps with her taste. She also likes things like the Audi TT, R8, Toyota Supra MK4, etc. but doesn't want to own any of those.

So what suggestions do you guys have for us? There is no right or wrong answer; and we'd love whatever advice we can get!

Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs > Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) 08/07/2013 at 16:49

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She has an awesome car bucket list!

moarpowerr > Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) 08/07/2013 at 16:50

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FRS/BRZ? pretty cheap, good gas mileage, and pretty sporty!

CKeffer > Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) 08/07/2013 at 16:51

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The 3 is a great car, actually buying a 3i GT hatchback for my fiance today as a matter of fact. Another car I'd suggest she look at is the base model MINI. They have about the same power as the 3 with less weight and doors, and are an absolute riot to drive.

Converse > Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) 08/07/2013 at 16:52

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I would suggest the Mazda 3 or even a VW Golf. Not sure of the handling or if the DSG is up to par with the GTI though (my 1st choice, but not sure if it falls within the budget).

The Ford Focus may not be a bad idea either. The sport shift is actually good if you are on the hammer. Otherwise, it's pretty herky jerky.

Casper > Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) 08/07/2013 at 16:54

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A) Why lease?

B) The cars I would consider based on her tastes are: Genesis Coupe, BRZ/FR-S, Mustang V6. If you could go used I would look at an S2000.

AbigGRNboot > Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) 08/07/2013 at 16:59

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Impreza...it's impressive, but inside...it's cheap. All plastic.

I have a 10 y.o. boy so the plastic is very nice for us.

AWD, manu-matic, decent mpg, roomy, safe, I like the looks...?

CKeffer > Converse 08/07/2013 at 16:59

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The golf TDI was actually a blast to drive when we test drove it, and it gets good mileage since it's a diesel.

Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) > Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs 08/07/2013 at 17:01

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That she does! To her, it doesn't get better than old school American muscle.

Definitely a keeper, even if her future cars empty out my wallet. :)

SonorousSpeedJoe > Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) 08/07/2013 at 17:06

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I'd recommend a MINI and Mazda3 for FWD options and a V6 'Stang and Toyobaru for RWD options. Maybe a Sonic RS would work as well?

The '12 Focus she's driving is your car, but I commute in my dad's '12 Focus (a manual) and IMO it at least has the seats/ride, looks, and roughly the MPG that she wants (and there's the DCT as well). But then, I don't have any experience pushing a car to its limits, so I can't say that it can stand up to auto-x or has the steering feedback you're looking for. The ergonomics and price might not work as well.

Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) > Casper 08/07/2013 at 17:07

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A.) She has absolutely no credit. I'll be cosigning since I have some credit, but a car loan would just be murder on us right now. So to start building some credit, she's opened a credit card through her bank and wants to add a car lease. I know she can afford to pay it off, and so it'll be a simple way to get some credit going.

Plus she's not sure what she'll want to be driving in two or three years. If she really gets into racing or AutoX or something, she may want a totally different kind of car. Leasing allows her to not be stuck with something she may not want as much down the road.

B.) For some reason I hadn't even thought of the Genesis Coupe. Thanks, I'll definitely pass that along.

As for the FR-S / BRZ, she doesn't really like either of those. There's too many kids at her college that are ruining the car and it's image in her eyes, so I don't see her getting one.

The Mustang is out of the question as well. We already looked at getting a 2013 V6 last year and decided against it. The 6th generation Mustang is coming out too soon and with it's improvements, we'd both rather not get something that might be instantly outdated in six months.

RMudkips > Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) 08/07/2013 at 17:07

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Miata or BRZ/FRS.
I don't know the lease price.

hike > Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) 08/07/2013 at 17:08

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How about a Mazda2? Fun to drive, cheap, fuel efficient, and can look pretty good with the right color and wheels!

Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) > Converse 08/07/2013 at 17:16

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We're definitely going to go check out the current Mazda 3 this weekend. Hopefully the new Mazda 3 comes out sometime in the next 3 months (our time frame) because that sounds even more promising.

The Golf isn't a bad option, one I didn't think of for some reason. She enjoyed riding along in my friend's Golf R, so I'll definitely recommend for her to check out the regular Golf (and the GTI).

As for the Focus, I can attest to it being a great idea as I already own one! I just finished paying off mine, which actually has the DCT Sport Shift transmission. The jerky-ness bugged her at first, but I've found if you give it a bit more revs as you get going, it doesn't have any jerks or issues. Not looking to add a second Focus to the stable though, since they got rid of the true "Sports" package.

Thanks for the suggestions!

Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) > CKeffer 08/07/2013 at 17:18

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Thanks to her parents and her upbringing, she's under the false assumption that diesels are filthy and spew black smoke everywhere. I've been trying to convince her otherwise, but she's having a hard time accepting it. I'll see if I can get her to look at the TDIs when we go to VW though.

Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) > SonorousSpeedJoe 08/07/2013 at 17:28

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The Mini Cooper is a good option if she didn't dislike the way the regular Cooper looks. I have a feeling she might like the way the Coupe or Roadster looks, but the regular Cooper/Countryman/Paceman is something I feel like she just wouldn't like.

The Mazda3 is definitely on the list of cars to go check out. The current one seems to be pretty good, so maybe if we can get a deal on that we won't wait for the 2014 model.

The Toyobaru is out of the question, unfortunately. She's going to school part-time at our local community college and I guess all the local ricers have upgraded to the FR-S or BRZ. She hates them because she says they're all driven by asshats and jerks; even though I almost bought one last summer before I got my Focus.

The V6 Mustang is also not an option. If we were going to get a new Mustang, we'd be waiting for the new 6th generation next year. Too many improvements, plus IRS and the possible Focus ST engine make it seem awful to pick up a '14.

As for my Focus, she absolutely loves it to death. She loves to throw it into the corners on the tight back roads to her grandparent's house, and she loves the way the seats/interior are. She keeps telling me to lower it a little bit, but loves it other than that. Mine is a DCT, which we've both grown accustomed to it's quirks. It's a brilliant little car and does very well at AutoX. I broke it in on my second day of ownership by taking it to the last AutoX session I went to. So much fun, and it has a pretty high limit you can push it to! Although mine was one of the "true" SE Sport packages from '12 that got the upgraded suspension, so that might have something to do with it.

How's the manual in the Focus? Mine will be paid off next month, and I've been debating swapping the transmission at times.

davedave1111 > Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) 08/07/2013 at 17:29

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I sort of understand the whole 'building credit' thing, because you guys have a warped system for that, but even so... Wouldn't buying a $2700 first-gen Miata and putting $250 a month in the bank for the next few years be even better? She could also get a credit card and pay it off in full each month, or something, to build her credit score at the same time.

Casper > Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) 08/07/2013 at 17:35

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Yeah, if you can wait for the next gen Mustang, I would. If for no other reason than to see if it really gets a good IRS system.

The Genesis Coupe was the big contender with the BRZ we got my wife. She liked the BRZ because it has a few nicer options and was a little more sporty feeling with better direct potential (she doesn't really race it, just wants performance but I didn't like the weight of the GC). The GC was a very good contender, it mostly came done to personal preference on her part.

Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) > davedave1111 08/07/2013 at 17:36

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She just got a credit card through her bank to help build credit, and knows not to spend more than she can afford to pay off. So there's that.

As for buying a used Miata, I really wish it could have worked out that way. Ever since a few months ago when she expressed interest in owning one I've been checking Craigslist for them.

Unfortunately, the majority are POS, Salvage-titled, or horribly riced out. The nice ones are overpriced (the cheapest I've seen listed is $3500) and the majority are manuals as well. Finding a good condition automatic looks like it would run us $3700+.

On top of that, by the time I'm free to go look at a car for sale, it's been sold. I work 52 hours a week, and have very little free time to go look. She works 30 hours and goes to school part-time. We've never managed to get the timing right to jump on a good car for sale.

It's not for a lack of trying either. At least the dealerships have cars in stock constantly.

Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) > RMudkips 08/07/2013 at 17:38

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Definitely going to add the new Miata to the list of cars to check out when we stop by Mazda.

BRZ/FRS is not an option as she dislikes them thanks to the owners of Toyobarus at her school. Plus I think they have unreasonable high lease prices if I remember correctly.

SonorousSpeedJoe > Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) 08/07/2013 at 17:46

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I've only ever regularly driven the Focus and a 4-speed automatic '05 Matrix, so from my perspective the 5-speed is great - though I learned stick on it, so I'm biased. My only issue (possibly because of my limited experience) is that I usually have to dial in a bit of throttle for smooth 1-2 shifts in normal driving. I've noticed that the clutch point may be a bit high, but I personally like that. I like the shifter, too, but the ST's short-throw is noticeably better.

I realize that your GF wants to build credit, but if the Focus is this good a fit for her, would going for that cheap manual sports car for yourself and letting her drive your Focus be an acceptable alternative?

Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) > moarpowerr 08/07/2013 at 17:47

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Unfortunately the Toyobaru has been ruined in her eyes by the local wannabes and dudebros. In her opinion they are all driven by asshats who are no better than the cast of Jersey Shore.

I wish she'd get a World Rally Blue BRZ though, I'd have to stop driving my Supra and borrow her car a bit too often.

Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) > CKeffer 08/07/2013 at 17:50

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Everyone keeps saying how great the 3 is, and I'm getting this feeling that she's going to end up with that. I've never had the pleasure of driving one, so it'll be interesting to see how the car actually is. I know she'd only be looking at the hatchback Mazda 3 though, as she's said plenty of times that something looks off about the sedan.

As for the Mini, I'll see if she wants to check them out. I know she dislikes the looks of the standard Cooper or whatever it's called, but she might like the Coupe or Roadster.

Thanks for the suggestions!

Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) > AbigGRNboot 08/07/2013 at 17:53

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I'll add the Impreza to the list of suggestions for her. How cheap would you say the plastic is? Is it as bad as GM plastic where it looks and feels cheap; or is it the more durable but tolerable kind of cheap?

We don't have kids, and don't ever plan on having them, but having something slightly more durable might be nice.

Plus it's a Subaru and I have a soft spot for those. :)

bourgeoisie > Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) 08/07/2013 at 17:55

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Why would leasing be any easier for someone without credit? At the end of the day, you're leaving with the collateral whether it's a lease or a loan. Sounds like a pretty flimsy rationale for leasing, which is almost universally a terrible idea.

In fact, it sounds like she wants a Brand New Car , but can't afford it. That's when most mature adults start looking at the used side of the lot.

Dunnik > Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) 08/07/2013 at 17:57

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I'd also suggest the vee-dub Golf.

The rental car company I work for has Golf's, and of the three dozen or so models that appear on the lot, it's my favorite, and easily the one I'd buy if I were to limit my choice to vehicles in the fleet.

It's a car that surprised me. I thought they were still made in Mexico, but nope, they're made in Germany again. The straight-line performance also shocked me - I'm too used to the Golf coming with the old 1.8. But then I saw the "2.5" badge on the back, "Oh," I remember thinking, "so that's why!"

It's definitely a driver's car. Handling is very Teutonic: very precise, with lots of feedback. I have yet to throw anything at it that the suspension can't handle - I dare not throw anymore at it, in fact. Also, it doesn't feel heavy, like, say, the Volvo C30 T5 we have, and it feels just as fast, despite the Sweede's i5 turbo.

Interior is nice, we don't have the Highline edition, but the layout is good and it doesn't feel like you're sitting in a cheap hatchback. Has a decent amount of power options. Speaking of hatchback, as a 5-door its quite practical too.

For even more gas savings, go with the TDI.

Honorable Mentions: Mazda 3 is an obvious candidate, but also consider the 2 if you want to push the running costs down. It handles like a go-kart and due to its good power to weight ratio it zoom zooms up to speed very quickly for an econobox. It reminds me of the original Mini. It is an econobox, though, and does feel a cheap from the inside, but you get what you pay for (it'd be much cheaper than the 3 or the Golf).

Good luck, and may I say your GF does seem to have some sense when it comes to cars. Between the two of you I'm sure you'll get into something good.

AbigGRNboot > Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) 08/07/2013 at 18:05

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I also dd a 99 Bonneville, the plastic is a lot nicer in the subie. It's not as soft to the touch, but miles more durable. Fit and finish is world's better also. I bought ours for the wife. My advice is let her drive one, she'll love it. I "accidentally" took a wrong turn at the Subaru dealer instead of the Honda dealer.

RMudkips > Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) 08/07/2013 at 18:06

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In my neighborhood it mostly has that image, but if it has "touge" stickers it's cool enough for me. It's such a good car though, that it's sad to see it that way.

If you need a more practical option, wait for the new Mazda3 to come out, or just jump on the current one if you wish.

Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) > SonorousSpeedJoe 08/07/2013 at 18:11

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Ah, I was worried about hearing that the clutch point would be a little high. That was my one compliant I had with the ST when I test drove one last month. The ST's short-throw is amazing, and definitely worth it but the clutch point was off. I knew the regular Focus had a different transmission, but with a high clutch point the swap doesn't sound as appealing. Thanks for the input!

As for giving her the Focus, I'd love to but I'm waiting a bit on the sports car market. I've had this really bad habit lately of stalking the Mustang6G forums too often and am loving all the little bits and pieces we're getting. I'm leaning very heavily towards selling the Supra, trading in the Focus and getting a new Mustang when it comes out next year.

Of course there's a ton of new sports car coming out next year that I'm waiting for as well to see what I'll upgrade to. There's the new Alfa 4C, BMW 4-Series, Cadillac ATS-V, Chevy SS, Ford Mustang, next Nissan Fairlady, Subaru WRX STi all roaming around the back of my head. I just don't know what I'll be choosing until late next year when I can test drive and compare everything. There's just too many good sports cars coming up to buy one now.

Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs > Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) 08/07/2013 at 18:12

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Haha, good for you! I'm still on the hunt, haha.

Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) > hike 08/07/2013 at 18:15

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Awesome suggestion! I hadn't even looked into the Mazda 2 before but it looks like a cute little car she might like. Really good MPG numbers on it, and I'm sure with some rims and a proper lowering job it'd be a cool little commuter. We'll definitely check it out when we stop by Mazda.

SonorousSpeedJoe > Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) 08/07/2013 at 18:24

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Again, the Focus is the only manual I've driven, so a test drive in a regular 5-speed Focus might be worth a try even if the ST was disappointing.

There are definitely exciting cars on the horizon, but given that you need a second set of wheels now , would you have enough scratch after unloading the Supra to buy yourself a cheap NA Miata or something similar to drive while your GF gets the Focus? I realize that I'm asking the same question again, and that credit-building is definitely a higher priority, but the cars you're anticipating are pretty expensive new cars. There ought to be some used sports cars out there within your means that can tide you over for now.

RidgeFish > Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) 08/07/2013 at 18:48

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I think the main hurdle to your plan is the amount of miles she will be putting on the car. Just from her regular driving routine to her work/relatives she will be racking up almost 22,000 miles a year. Once you factor in mileage overages over the term of a lease, even a base 4 door Mazda 3 will cost you over $350/month. Maybe there are much better deals out there but doing a quick number crunch on Mazda's site didn't give me much hope. I'm not very knowledgeable with leases but I would do some research on what actually fits into your budget before starting to get too picky about what kind of car it is.

Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) > SonorousSpeedJoe 08/07/2013 at 20:43

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Its' not that the ST was disappointing at all, it's just not for my preference. The ST was crazy fun and really had me thinking about trading up for a few hours until I came to my senses.

Realistically, out of the future sports cars the ones I'm most likely to get would be the Mustang, the Fairlady Z or the STi. The others would push my budget too far and I'd have to finance too much to be comfortable with. The one that has my attention the most is the new Mustang, as something about it and a potential 2.3L inline 4 turbo sounds too much fun to resist.

The problem with selling the Supra and being an old Miata is that I can't force myself to do that. I have a ton of money invested in the Supra, and selling it just to buy a 20+ year old Miata would be a massive downgrade and heartbreak.

If I had the time, I'd tear down the engine, blew everything out, get the block/head decked and throw on a better head gasket; and call it a day. I just work too much to have the free time to do that right now, and I'd be afraid to pay someone else to work on it with how touchy the 7M-GTE engine is.

My main debate at the moment for the Supra is to sell it at a massive loss since the head gasket is on it's way out the door, or to hold on to it for a bit in the hopes I fix it later and can sell it for less of a loss. Had I been smarter a few years ago and not poured as much money into it, I'd be far better off financially.

Long Live the Longdoor > Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) 08/07/2013 at 21:05

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The Impreza interior plastics are pretty good IMHO. They look like something that will stand the test of time.

In terms of overall interior quality, I'd slot them in below VW, but much higher than that of GM (and that's coming from someone who currently owns two GM vehicles :S)

SonorousSpeedJoe > Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) 08/07/2013 at 21:13

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Ah, I see - I didn't know you were that attached to the Supra. Good luck with it and getting another car!

wkiernan > Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) 08/07/2013 at 22:03

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It really is not difficult at all to drive in commuter traffic with a manual transmission unless you have something like an old truck clutch that needs a hundred pounds of pedal pressure to disengage. In particular, the clutch in my Miata is light and easy to use, and it makes my daily commute, which is 34 miles each way, as pleasant, or as little unpleasant, as possible. Therefore, your solution is, buy a used Miata with a manual transmission. In fact, they're cheap; get two, so you'll have a spare car to drive when one of your cars needs service.

Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) > wkiernan 08/07/2013 at 22:12

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I have no issue driving a manual in traffic at all, personally. I've daily driven manuals for the past 5 years. It's just my girlfriend has only been taught to drive a manual once, on her Uncle's Miata about 3 years ago, and according to him it did not go well.

I've offered to teach her on my Supra, which is stick, how to drive one properly and everywhere; but she's too afraid of hitting herself/someone else/the car. Apparently the Supra scares the crap out of her. I'm sure she'll be happy if I get rid of it, but she tolerates it for now. She says it has too much power for her to learn in.

Unfortunately, the only friend of mine who has a manual car is the same one who's car has no engine at the moment. I just haven't found anyone willing to loan us a car for an afternoon so I can teach her. She probably won't learn until I replace the Supra with something else. I'll make sure she learns soon, it's inevitable really.

And since the new car is for her, it's her choice, and her choice alone: which is a sporty automatic.

CKeffer > Z (ND + Cancer Fighter) 08/08/2013 at 08:34

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Not a problem, I was in the same place you are not too long ago. The only other suggestion I would have is to take a day and just go test drive a ton of cars that meet most of her requirements, even those she may not like the look of as much. I say this because sometimes, the way the car drives is enough to overcome a few shortcomings, and you may also find that some she really likes the look of don't drive as well as she would have hoped. Test drives cost nothing, unless it's an STI, WRX, or higher end sports car, then they may have some rules about doing a credit check first or something, so it's a good way of adding some unexpected cars, and crossing off some that were already on the list.