"George McNally" (georgemcnally)
01/12/2014 at 21:43 • Filed to: None | 0 | 50 |
I was pretty sure I wanted a Fiesta ST, unfortunately, my wife nixed the idea of having to drive a manual trans and since our 20 year old son lives at home-the insurance was killer-I guess the insurance companies are hip to what a Fiesta ST is......
Soooooo...we went to 3 different Ford dealerships and between all 3-there was maybe a dozen "regular" Fiestas between all of them. I looked at the Fiesta Titanium, it was almost 21 grand....not that impressed for the money.
Some (most) of you are gonna cringe, but we went to a Hyundai dealer and I looked at an !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! -it's a bigger car, has more options then the Fiesta for about the same money with a longer warranty.
Not 100% sure about this yet, going for a test drive in the next couple days. Looks like I am going to have to wait until our son graduates college and moves out before we get a 3rd "fun" car.
AM3R
> George McNally
01/12/2014 at 21:45 | 0 |
Why not a genesis coupe? If you want four doors a genesis sedan is still pretty nice, no manual option but still nice. Especially the 5.0
daender
> George McNally
01/12/2014 at 21:45 | 3 |
Mazda 3? I think they come with floppy-paddle auto.
Leadbull
> George McNally
01/12/2014 at 21:46 | 0 |
Dad?
Tom McParland
> George McNally
01/12/2014 at 21:48 | 3 |
What about a VW Golf TDI...still fun but because it's a "green car" insurance is cheap. Also a CPO A3 2.0T is the same car as a GTI but much cheaper to insure due to the buyer profile. This is what I do let me know if I can be of any assistance. :)
Automatchconsulting @ gmail.com
Dusty Ventures
> George McNally
01/12/2014 at 21:49 | 0 |
I've driven the Elantra. I despise the automatic gearbox but overall it's a good car. Not the most exciting car in the world but a good daily/commuter with good gas mileage.
Tom McParland
> daender
01/12/2014 at 21:50 | 0 |
Good choice as well
DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully
> daender
01/12/2014 at 21:50 | 0 |
I second the Mazda3. I have a 2013 and I love it.
thedevilinside
> AM3R
01/12/2014 at 21:53 | 0 |
I drove the Genesis Coupe 2.0T R-Spec and was unimpressed. Just curious if you have driven one as well? I think it looks great and should have driven a V6, it was just too expensive.
Slow4o
> George McNally
01/12/2014 at 21:54 | 0 |
Hmm that is somewhat surprising too me that the insurance on a 4 door hatch is a killer. I know the insurance for my SVT Focus wasn't too bad, but that might be because the car is 10 years old haha.
Orange Exige
> Leadbull
01/12/2014 at 21:54 | 0 |
Awwwwwwwkward.
Slow4o
> AM3R
01/12/2014 at 21:54 | 0 |
I might be totally off but wouldn't the insurance on any "sporty" coupe probably be close to that of an ST?
George McNally
> AM3R
01/12/2014 at 21:55 | 0 |
I want to keep it under 22k at the most.......
thedevilinside
> George McNally
01/12/2014 at 21:55 | 0 |
Why not a base focus? Reading more carefully it looks like you are going for a car with more options for your money, not the biggest you can get. Good luck in your car search, and my advice is don't buy anything unless you have driven a lot and can't think of a single thing you don't like about it.
AeroEagle333
> George McNally
01/12/2014 at 21:55 | 0 |
I have a 2009 Elantra (two years before they started looking nice) and I love it. I've had no issues with it at all and the only money I've put into it has been for regular maintenance. I'd highly recommend it.
cuts_off_prius
> George McNally
01/12/2014 at 21:56 | 1 |
I like the Elantra GT. It was originally intended for the European market - so you know it's going to be sporty...
George McNally
> daender
01/12/2014 at 21:56 | 0 |
Looked at them today-the warranty is only 3 years...Hyundai is 5 years 10 years on powertrain.
AM3R
> thedevilinside
01/12/2014 at 21:57 | 0 |
I've driven a Genesis coupe once on some backroads, it had upgraded sway bars and the owner (a friend of mine) had coilovers installed. It had the factory brembos. It was the 2.0t but it was tuned to much greater HP. It had nice lightweight wheels and sticky tires. I can vouch that they drive fantastically modded, unfortunately can't comment on a stock performance.
George McNally
> Tom McParland
01/12/2014 at 21:57 | 0 |
My first car was Beetle......the Golf? It's a good car, but I'm just not feeling it.
cuts_off_prius
> Tom McParland
01/12/2014 at 21:57 | 1 |
Hah! Your screen name didn't make sense to me until now :/
Edit - I would love a gently used A3 2.oT or TDI. Just not sure if it's one of those cars that is often found in the repair shop.
AM3R
> George McNally
01/12/2014 at 21:58 | 0 |
Ahh I see. Are you only going used? No CPO? If so a nice GTI with a DSG can be had in budget.
George McNally
> Leadbull
01/12/2014 at 21:59 | 0 |
LOL. Ain't no way you're my kid.....he is in the kitchen eating all my food right now :-)
Tom McParland
> cuts_off_prius
01/12/2014 at 21:59 | 1 |
You are kidding right? Drove it...one of the worst offenders of a "false" GT badge.
AM3R
> Slow4o
01/12/2014 at 22:00 | 0 |
I don't have first hand experience, but a friend of mines insurance rate dropped when he switched from a 2013 GTI to a 2011 Genesis coupe 2.0t
George McNally
> Slow4o
01/12/2014 at 22:01 | 0 |
Unfortunately, our son had a minor "at fault" accident 3 months after he got his license. Insurance will be an issue for another 2 years or until he gets policy.
M54B30
> George McNally
01/12/2014 at 22:01 | 0 |
A buddy of mine has a new elantra- great car. I feel my wife may nix my Fiesta/Focus ST ambitions when our 5 needs replaced in a few years.
cuts_off_prius
> Tom McParland
01/12/2014 at 22:02 | 0 |
I.. did not drive it. Just speculating. Oh. :o
Tom McParland
> George McNally
01/12/2014 at 22:04 | 0 |
Fair enough, as someone else suggested the Mazda 3 is nice. I DD a '10 3 with the 2.5 and 6MT it makes for a nice fun commuter car. There is also Veloster Turbo but it's kind of a let down and won't help the insurance problem. However the Mini Cooper S is on the list of cheap cars to insure, I had an 04 it was a great car.
Tom McParland
> cuts_off_prius
01/12/2014 at 22:06 | 0 |
No worries man...I really wanted to like it, bit no power and no feel.
Tom McParland
> cuts_off_prius
01/12/2014 at 22:07 | 1 |
The MKVs were pretty trouble free.
George McNally
> thedevilinside
01/12/2014 at 22:18 | 0 |
A Focus equipped the way I want would run about 25k. All the Focus's I saw with heated seats (an absolute must) all had leather interiors which jacked up the price. I can get a mid level Elantra (with heated seats) for less than 20k.
George McNally
> thedevilinside
01/12/2014 at 22:18 | 0 |
A Focus equipped the way I want would run about 25k. All the Focus's I saw with heated seats (an absolute must) all had leather interiors which jacked up the price. I can get a mid level Elantra (with heated seats) for less than 20k.
George McNally
> thedevilinside
01/12/2014 at 22:18 | 0 |
A Focus equipped the way I want would run about 25k. All the Focus's I saw with heated seats (an absolute must) all had leather interiors which jacked up the price. I can get a mid level Elantra (with heated seats) for less than 20k.
George McNally
> thedevilinside
01/12/2014 at 22:18 | 0 |
A Focus equipped the way I want would run about 25k. All the Focus's I saw with heated seats (an absolute must) all had leather interiors which jacked up the price. I can get a mid level Elantra (with heated seats) for less than 20k.
George McNally
> thedevilinside
01/12/2014 at 22:19 | 0 |
A Focus equipped the way I want would run about 25k. All the Focus's I saw with heated seats (an absolute must) all had leather interiors which jacked up the price. I can get a mid level Elantra (with heated seats) for less than 20k.
Tom McParland
> George McNally
01/12/2014 at 22:25 | 0 |
Don't get hung up on powertrain, that shit rarely breaks. It's bumper to bumper you want to worry about and I've only had two issues with my 3 a broken interior door handle and a headlight, both warranty covered.
George McNally
> AeroEagle333
01/12/2014 at 22:29 | 1 |
The more I think about it....if the Elantra drives nice and the interior feels as good as it looks- I'll probably go with it. As soon as our son passes the 5 year mark on his accident......a used Miata might be in the cards.
Tom McParland
> AM3R
01/12/2014 at 22:29 | 1 |
GTIs are some of the most expensive cars to insure in their class...funny thing is the mechanically identical Audi A3 is one of the cheapest.
George McNally
> Dusty Ventures
01/12/2014 at 22:32 | 1 |
That's pretty much what I am going to have to settle for....a good commuter car. Things could be worse.
George McNally
> thedevilinside
01/12/2014 at 22:37 | 0 |
Good advice......I am in no hurry to buy. I will test the Elantra this week sometime and I also want to try a Mazda 3 as well, the dealership with the Hyundai also sells Mazdas 3 is a little smaller than the Elantra, from what I understand-the Elantra is classified as a mid-sized car
NoahthePorscheGuy
> George McNally
01/12/2014 at 22:55 | 0 |
Maybe you should check out other insurance providers, because mine didn't care about the ST/ didn't know.
NoahthePorscheGuy
> Tom McParland
01/12/2014 at 22:56 | 0 |
believe it or not, when I was looking at cars, insurance for me was more expensive for the TDI than the GTI, and the Fiesta was even less. Weird huh?
Tom McParland
> NoahthePorscheGuy
01/12/2014 at 22:59 | 0 |
Varies from state to state... that is weird.
Jayhawk Jake
> George McNally
01/12/2014 at 23:30 | 0 |
Turbo sonic? Either the LTZ or RS, maybe it flies under the insurance radar. With a cheap tune you can get more power than an Abarth in a Fiesta sized package, for less money than either.
Otherwise, if you are looking at the Elantra be sure to look at the Forte. I prefer Kia's cars to Hyundai's, and they are cheaper. The new Forte 5 looks nice if you want a hatch.
Slow4o
> George McNally
01/13/2014 at 07:44 | 0 |
How old was he when he got his license? Or am I imagining that your record clears up after 3 years. I felt like Louisiana was weird because they kept it on there for 5 years.
AM3R
> Tom McParland
01/13/2014 at 10:46 | 0 |
Funny that you mention the A3, a few years back it was on the list of some of the cheapest cars to insure for a teenager! 2008 MY I believe
Tom McParland
> AM3R
01/13/2014 at 10:47 | 0 |
Yeah it's crazy because if you buy a GTI your insurance will be insane but if you buy a GTI with an Audi badge, not so bad.
AM3R
> Tom McParland
01/13/2014 at 10:50 | 0 |
You'd think the "upper market" A3 would be much more expensive... A manual A3 Quattro is a pretty good sleeper
Tom McParland
> AM3R
01/13/2014 at 11:10 | 0 |
Can't get manual Quattro :( If you could I would have gotten one.
thedevilinside
> George McNally
01/13/2014 at 11:47 | 0 |
On some cars, Focus ST being one (not sure about harness on non-ST, guess it is similar) adding heated seats is easy. The Focus ST owners with self install seat heaters like them more than the factory ones and they are cheap. Just trying to help! This is probably true for many other cars.
AM3R
> Tom McParland
01/13/2014 at 14:51 | 1 |
Damn! That would've made the A3 a really good jalop car.