Hey Oppo:  What car should we get?

"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn) 08/20/2015 at 20:55 • Filed to: None

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I posted this last night, but I thought I’d bounce it off the day shift and see what y’all have to say. I’ve gotten a lot of good, thoughtful replies. Thanks, Oppo!

My 2001 Golf has over 220,000 miles on it and is burning more oil than Saddam Hussein. It will soon be time to put it out to pasture. I’m pushing for a 5-speed, and I told my wife that I wanted a manual so our son, who turns 13 next week, will be able to learn how to drive stick when the time comes. It’s a life skill. Anyway, we’re looking for something of a similar size to the Golf, but that could still hold three kids in the back if necessary. So it should have four doors. I’d love a hatch, but it’s not a requirement. Her only stipulation so far is that it be red, and since she will DD it, I am fine with that. Besides, red is a lovely color, and all of our cars have been boring colors. I also don’t want to break the bank. Any suggestions from the Opposphere?

PanchoVilleneuve ST > ttyymmnn 08/20/2015 at 20:55

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jkm7680 > ttyymmnn 08/20/2015 at 20:56

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A new Golf!

Nibby > ttyymmnn 08/20/2015 at 20:57

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ttyymmnn > jkm7680 08/20/2015 at 20:58

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We got a flyer in the mail the other day advertising the SportWagen, but she wasn’t impressed. I will definitely consider another Golf, but we’ll see.

PS9 > ttyymmnn 08/20/2015 at 20:58

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McLaren P1.

I also don’t want to break the bank

Oh. 650s, then.

BlueMazda2 - Blesses the rains down in Africa, Purveyor of BMW Individual Arctic Metallic, Merci Twingo > ttyymmnn 08/20/2015 at 20:58

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I really love the new MK7 Golf TSI S with Sunroof. It’s a cracking little hatchback. You can order it with Xenons and a 5 speed manual in Tornado Red.

Jcarr > ttyymmnn 08/20/2015 at 20:59

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Accord? I'm sure it comes in red, can get a stick with the 4-pot, good size and a forgiving clutch for the boy.

ttyymmnn > Nibby 08/20/2015 at 20:59

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It’s not red. And I think that my bank account would look pretty red if we went that route. But it would definitely fit the kids.

AthomSfere > ttyymmnn 08/20/2015 at 20:59

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Price range?

I’d say:

or a WRX

ttyymmnn > Jcarr 08/20/2015 at 21:00

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It’s on my list, but for a car that size I would want the 6. Might get a little spendy.

djmt1 > ttyymmnn 08/20/2015 at 21:00

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Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras > ttyymmnn 08/20/2015 at 21:00

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Mazda 3 hatchback or..FiST

Textured Soy Protein > ttyymmnn 08/20/2015 at 21:00

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My gf has a 2013 Civic LX sedan. It’s decently roomy but I’m not so sure about fitting 3 across in back. I suppose if we’re talking kids it should work. There’s not much of a hump in the middle of the floor.

jariten1781 > ttyymmnn 08/20/2015 at 21:01

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Mazda3 or Elantra GT are good hatches that are decently dynamic without actively encouraging hoonage like a GTI or ST, that’s what I’d look into if it’s in the plan to hand down to a first timer.

ttyymmnn > AthomSfere 08/20/2015 at 21:02

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I haven’t even thought of a price range. My MO when buying is usually to go out and find something, then see if I can make the payments. When we got our Odyssey, I really liked the new Sienna we looked at, but I would have had to pay for it for six years and there’s no way I’m going to do that. We went with the Odyssey off a lease, and have been extremely happy with it.

Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection > ttyymmnn 08/20/2015 at 21:02

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The civic in your lead photo is a good choice if you have a second larger vehicle for long trips. I’ve driven a few and it literally has the best shifter I’ve ever used. At once both light and firm with a tight linear clutch.

Plus it’s the only way you can get a civic sedan in bright red. Also, quick but not stupid fast and very well equipped.

It isn’t the best sporty compact car but it does so many things well that it doesn’t have to be.

I never was a Honda guy but I drove one and it blew me away.

Jcarr > ttyymmnn 08/20/2015 at 21:02

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What about a Jetta? Should tick all those same boxes but in a smaller, less expensive package. The pre-2011 models would be more fun to drive since they have a multi-link rear setup.

ttyymmnn > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection 08/20/2015 at 21:03

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In spite of my call for proposals, I think that’s probably where we will end up. My wife has always wanted a Honda sedan, and we’ve been completely satisfied with our ‘03 Odyssey. Your observations are sound, and I think she would really like it.

ttyymmnn > Textured Soy Protein 08/20/2015 at 21:04

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We would definitely see if they all fit before we bought.

ttyymmnn > djmt1 08/20/2015 at 21:05

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He’s sitting on the wrong side.

Shankems > ttyymmnn 08/20/2015 at 21:06

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I think the Chrysler 200s aren’t moving too much so you can get a good deal. My fathers 200c is comfortable enough.

Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection > ttyymmnn 08/20/2015 at 21:06

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Go for the Si. Do it. Drive one.

ttyymmnn > Jcarr 08/20/2015 at 21:07

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Being a VW guy myself, I’d be happy with that. But I think this will be a new car. And since she has to DD it, and isn’t crazy about VWs, hers will probably be the final say. Honestly, I think that not everybody fits well in a VW. You have to have somewhat longer arms and legs.

Amoore100 > ttyymmnn 08/20/2015 at 21:07

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This:

Good luck finding one though...I’m not sure of your price range but in our area I saw a low mileage, manual, T5 V50 sell for around 12K so it can be a bit pricey for a small car...still, 227 hp turbo 5 means it goes pretty well and sounds pretty good, and it is extremely handsome in person so I’m sure your wife will approve, and you will probably approve after driving it...really a win-win-win it seems...I hear the shifter is not quite as precise as a Honda though, so in the end deciding between the V50 and the Civic is probably a Euro vs JDM choice...

Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection > Jcarr 08/20/2015 at 21:07

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Accord can only be had in black gray or silver with four doors and a stick

ttyymmnn > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection 08/20/2015 at 21:07

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Will do. We might even go out and kick some tires tomorrow night.

djmt1 > ttyymmnn 08/20/2015 at 21:10

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So was Doug but he made work. So what colour takes your fancy?

AthomSfere > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection 08/20/2015 at 21:13

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Now you know why they have the following they do! They fit a niche too, decent power-fun-to-drive maintenance free, reliable easy to budget for, eh... I could go on.

ttyymmnn > djmt1 08/20/2015 at 21:13

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My wife’s only stipulation is that it be red.

AthomSfere > ttyymmnn 08/20/2015 at 21:14

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I try to have my numbers before I go looking... Seems so scary the other way around!

djmt1 > ttyymmnn 08/20/2015 at 21:16

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Ah! The 205 GTI’s most common colour. I look forward to your tales of imports and registration.

Nibby > ttyymmnn 08/20/2015 at 21:28

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Rob a bank or two.

daender > ttyymmnn 08/20/2015 at 21:30

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Acura CL, preferably the Type-S model.

Red? Check.

Sedan? Check but the coupe is still roomy.

Manual? Check.

Affordable? HELL YES. There’s a ‘03 with 185k miles for 4500$. Also they’re Honda-reliable.

Agrajag > ttyymmnn 08/20/2015 at 21:31

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I will add that I’m quite enjoying my new Golf TDI.

Jcarr > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection 08/20/2015 at 21:33

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Wow, didn't know that. Come on Honda.

norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback > ttyymmnn 08/20/2015 at 21:34

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I recommend the Subaru Impreza Hatch. Sure it’s mostly CVT equipped but there is the option for a 5 speed on a few trims. AWD so it’ll be great in winter. Very spacious so there’s much room for people and other stuff, also fairly good on gas mileage. Our Impreza sedan averages around 30mpg all year.

punkgoose17 > ttyymmnn 08/20/2015 at 21:40

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Mazda 3 or Hyundai Elantra GT are my smallish hatch recommendations. If you want something bigger the Mazda 6 seems like a great value, and has nicer proportions then the 3.

daender > daender 08/20/2015 at 21:41

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On the flip side:

HHR with a stick. Bulletproof inline-4, cheap plastic interior that’s easy to clean, and it’s a hatch/wagon. The bigger motor provides adequate power to get it moving out of harm’s way and it’s surprisingly fun to toss around in autocrosses. I had a base model which was okay but the higher trims might have gotten a less McDonalds PlayPen-like plastic interior.

HammerheadFistpunch > ttyymmnn 08/20/2015 at 21:42

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Why wife loves her sportwagen, but i wouldnt call it roomy in the back

ttyymmnn > norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback 08/20/2015 at 21:57

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AWD so it’ll be great in winter.

We live in Texas. It’s 75 on Christmas Day here.

ttyymmnn > Agrajag 08/20/2015 at 21:59

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I am definitely looking into the TDI. My wife drives 15 miles one way, 5 days a week. Do you see the mileage benefits on smallish drives like that? Or is it better on long hauls?

ttyymmnn > daender 08/20/2015 at 22:04

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Agrajag > ttyymmnn 08/20/2015 at 22:08

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The nearest large town(where Burger King is) is about 8 miles from me. I regularly make that trip and by the time I get home my average is around 50mpg. I’m in a really hilly area, but recently got to do a long stretch on flat roads and got my average up to 67mpg. In urban areas with lots of traffic I’ve gotten as low as 40mpg but that’s the lowest so far.

dogisbadob > ttyymmnn 08/20/2015 at 22:13

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What’s your budget? The Fit comes to mind as a first choice.

Amoore100 > ttyymmnn 08/20/2015 at 22:20

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Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > ttyymmnn 08/20/2015 at 22:21

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I don’t personally like the driving position in Honda automobiles.

I’ve never grooved on Nissans.

I drove a Honda Fit a couple of years ago and I thought the shifter felt awful, and the electronic throttle, combined with the crappy shifter, made the car distinctively not fun to drive.

I drove a 2013 or newer Corolla S 5sp a few months ago and the shifter was terrible on that one, too, and the car was gutless. 1989-92 was the Golden Age for Toyota and they’ve been in decline ever since. The best manual car I’ve ever owned is my ‘90 Corolla, still running strong: 25 years and 220,000 miles.

You might consider driving over to the Subaru dealership and seeing what they’ve got on offer. They’d probably be my first stop, actually. Something different .

The warranties on the Korean cars are unmatched: 10 years, 100k miles on the power train. If I were seriously going to buy a NEW car — which will probably never happen in my lifetime — I’d definitely look at Kia. (There’s a cottage industry offering badges to replace the Kia badge.)

I’d want 4 doors and a sedan, so that I could keep items secure in the boot.

The Ford Fusion is a helluva car, and last I knew, you could buy one with a manual transmission, but that might be out of your price range.

Mazda might be a brand to consider.

My opinion: steer clear of the TDi Volkswagen. Look at the others, but I’d stick with four cylinders, on any of these cars. You’ll pay $1,500 per cylinder more for a 6-banger. Maybe more. And heavier, and more complex, and more gasoline.

Does it have to be new? You can save a wad of cash buy purchasing something two or three years old.

Consider visiting a yard that sells off-lease rental cars, though none of those will likely have manual transmissions.

If I were buying a NEW car, I’d shop exhaustively. But it’ll never happen, unless I find a bale of money washed up on the beach.

wafflesnfalafel > Nibby 08/20/2015 at 22:48

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perfect - but in that sexy blue

norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback > ttyymmnn 08/20/2015 at 22:51

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Oh, well then it’ll be pretty good on maintained gravel roads haha

For some reason I thought you were in Chicago lol

ttyymmnn > norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback 08/20/2015 at 22:55

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Well, during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, I changed my avatar to the 1950s Black Hawks logo, but changed it back to Lego Schumi after the Hawks won. So that might have confused you. I lived in Chicago back in the mid-70s, and have been a fan every since.

titsinmymitts > ttyymmnn 08/20/2015 at 23:01

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Mazda 3 hatch.

norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback > ttyymmnn 08/20/2015 at 23:04

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A-ha, that’s why. Regardless, they’re still very good cars.

CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist) > ttyymmnn 08/21/2015 at 00:58

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2003-2008 Toyota Matrix XRS. Except for the 2003 model, it never came with the option of an automatic but only a 6 speed manual. I daily drive one now (and I’m 17) and the quirks of this has taught me a lot. The overly touchy throttle, the loudest exhaust a stock Hatchback can be found with, and a stupidly high redline. And it comes in red. The car handles and brakes extremely well while corner carving and within life. These run around 5000 ish dollars. I highly recommend it.

Dunnik > ttyymmnn 08/21/2015 at 01:54

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^ A red four-door Civic Si 6MT?

pip bip - choose Corrour > ttyymmnn 08/21/2015 at 04:34

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Chevy Cruze?

ttyymmnn > pip bip - choose Corrour 08/21/2015 at 07:42

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I don’t think there’s anything American that interests me. ButI might give it a look.

ttyymmnn > Dunnik 08/21/2015 at 07:43

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There’s a reason I used that image.

ttyymmnn > CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist) 08/21/2015 at 08:15

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That’s a good recommendation, but I’m pretty certain we’re going to buy new.

ttyymmnn > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 08/21/2015 at 10:07

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I’m coming at this with an entirely open mind, and will look at most brands, though with the exception of the Focus, there’s not much American that interests me. Thanks for the lengthy reply.

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > ttyymmnn 08/21/2015 at 10:21

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Per policy, this was bounced back to last night... thanks

duurtlang > djmt1 08/21/2015 at 10:21

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Cough . It’s got 3 seatbelts in the back! And the steering wheel on the correct side!

Van Man, rocks the Man Van > ttyymmnn 08/21/2015 at 10:22

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Get a GTI. It is, in my opinion, the best all around car on the market. It's inexpensive, it's fairly luxurious, it's quick, it handles well, it's practical, it gets good fuel economy, it has manual, and it looks great in red. You can't go wrong.

DrScientist > ttyymmnn 08/21/2015 at 10:22

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this sounds like the approach that dealers capitalize on to squeeze every last penny out of you.

ttyymmnn > DrScientist 08/21/2015 at 10:26

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You are right, but it’s not an entirely true statement. I’m not really an impulse buyer, and will do my homework. I might even drop a line to Automatch, too.

ttyymmnn > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 08/21/2015 at 10:38

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You mean this policy?

Please do not share any post more than once after its original publication, with the following exceptions:

http://oppositelock.kinja.com/sharing-can-be…

DrScientist > ttyymmnn 08/21/2015 at 10:40

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right... and you walking away from that 6 year loan means you likely won’t get too much wool pulled over your eyes. i mean, the dealers can manipulate the numbers any way they want in order to get to your target monthly payment.

ttyymmnn > DrScientist 08/21/2015 at 10:42

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Exactly. The Toyota guy knew that we liked the van, and he was doing whatever he could to put us in it. Frankly, he seemed pretty desperate. But we knew we had the Odyssey in our back pocket, so we always had an affordable fallback. But there’s no way in hell I’m going to finance a car for 6 years. That’s nuts.

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > ttyymmnn 08/21/2015 at 10:44

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Yes

ttyymmnn > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 08/21/2015 at 10:54

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You mean the part about “do not share a post more than once”?

Does that mean only post something once, or don’t share something more than onc? Look, I get it. You don’t want people spamming Oppo with all that “repost for the morning crowd” business. You would rather it be reframed, whatever. So I added my disclaimer to the beginning of the post, and an open question like “What car should we get?” certainly seems tailor-made to this site.

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > ttyymmnn 08/21/2015 at 11:00

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The initial post on Oppo is considered the first share.

ttyymmnn > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 08/21/2015 at 11:02

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I don’t think that interpretation would hold up in court, but it’s not worth arguing about it.

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > ttyymmnn 08/21/2015 at 11:03

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Focus?

Price range?

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > ttyymmnn 08/21/2015 at 11:14

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ok

ttyymmnn > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 08/21/2015 at 11:15

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As in Ford Focus? It’s definitely on my radar.

Price range? I don’t really know. We are only just beginning the process, and some of it will be determined by what sort of loan options we can get from our credit union. Once I know that, I’ll start looking at amortization calculators, see what payments might be like, and check the budget. At this point, I don’t have a set amount. That being said, I don’t want to break the bank, nor am I looking for the cheapest thing on the road.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > ttyymmnn 08/21/2015 at 12:06

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The Fusion may be more car than you want, but I was extremely impressed with the Hybrid version I rented this summer. My complaint with Honda was about driving position. I found the Fusion very comfortable.

I’d definitely want to scope out a Chevy Malibu, as the Impala has always been a favorite car of mine. Value retention is an issue with Chevies, but I always buy used, so it’s no issue for me. In fact, quite the opposite: when they say a car doesn’t hold its value, it ought to be less expensive used.

Roadkill wrings out a couple of Subarus in the episode linked below. The Subaru saloon cars seem a little stodgy to me, but I’d still be curious to have a look.

All things considered, my first two looks would be Malibu and Kia. No manual trans available on the Malibu.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > ttyymmnn 08/21/2015 at 22:59

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ttyymmnn > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 08/22/2015 at 00:47

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