Madman's Shed of the Week

[Madman]

SOTW Update!




The 2012 Chevrolet Sonic 1LT Turbo 5-Door from last month had just had a price reduction.  This 66,427 mile Sonic was priced at $8,572 but now you can by this little red rocket for just $7,473.  No doubt the six-speed handshaker transmission has, unfortunately, prevented it from selling as of yet.

Poor souls simply don't know what they're missing!

[2o6]

Where was this car in March? 

[Madman]

9-15 October 2016:

Nine year anniversary Shed!




Nine years ago this week, I started a thread based on a simple question.  What old beater would I buy if the Volvo I had at the time suddenly died and I needed to quickly find a replacement?  This is how Shed of the Week was born and I've revisited this question every week ever since.  Today, nine years and over 460 Sheds later, I'm still pondering what my next car should be.  Over the years, I've even bought a few of those Sheds with my own money.  That old Volvo may be long gone, but SOTW is still here and going strong!  The Shed budget has gone up a few times since those early days.  The cars have become newer and less decrepit.  Even the very focus has shifted away from larger luxury and family-oriented models to smaller, more pragmatic choices as my personal priorities have changed over the years.  But the overruling philosophy of scoring the best deal within a defined budget remains intact.

So, without further adieu, allow me to present the ninth anniversary Shed of the Week!



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The car I've chosen to celebrate this auspicious occasion is a 2013 Honda Fit Base with alloys and navigation.  The Fit is Honda doing what Honda does best.  Small, clever, loaded with innovation and imagination.  It's everything Honda used to be but so seldom achieves today.  It stands out among the tepid Accords, Pilots and Civics which Honda churns out by the millions these days, lacking in imagination and utterly devoid of character.  The Fit is proof there is still a glimmer of passion in what has become a manufacturer of tediously dull blandmobiles.

Under the hood lies Honda's 16 valve DOHC 1.5 litre engine with i-VTEC (Just kicked in, Yo!) producing 117 horsepower.  It uses a chain-driven cam, so there's no expensive timing belt changes to worry about and it runs on cheap regular unleaded, too.  Naturally, the five speed manual gearbox is the enthusiast's choice but finding one can be a problem.  The more common automatic transaxle is a conventional torque converter five speed slushbox and a very refined one, at that.  Unlike last week's Nissan Note, you won't hear any CVT drone coming from this car!  With the auto, you can expect to see 28 MPG City and 35 MPG Highway.  Sure, some other B-segment cars get better fuel economy, but none have the room or the loading capability of the Fit.  CO2 emissions are only 292 grams per mile, helping the base model Fit achieve a ULEV II (Ultra Low Emission Vehicle, generation II) rating from the EPA.

Even base cars such as these get a plethora of standard features, including independent front strut and semi-independent torsion beam rear suspension, electric power-assist rack-and-pinion steering, alloy wheels, power operated outside mirrors, air conditioning with cabin air filtration, cruise control, keyless entry, power operated windows and door locks, auto-locking doors, tilt/telescope steering wheel, reclining front seats, 60/40 split fold rear seats, grey fabric upholstery, metal-look cabin trim, anti-theft CD stereo with on-board navigation, MP3 decoder, speed sensitive volume control, four audio speakers, halogen headlamps, rear window wiper and defroster, light tinted windows, front disc/rear drum brakes with four channel ABS, electronic brakes assist, daytime running lights, dual front airbags, dual side torso airbags, dual side curtain airbags, rear child safety locks, ignition immobiliser, security system with alarm, VSA electronic stability control, electronic traction control and anti-whiplash front seats.

Introduced for the 2009 model year, the second generation Fit received a mild mid-cycle refresh for the 2012 model year.  Improvements included newly styled wheel covers and colour-keyed mirror housings for the base model and blacked-out headlamp bezels and additional sound deadening material for all models.  Unfortunately, Honda doesn't deem Fit buyers worthy enough to have the option of a sunroof, which is a pity because a full-length panoramic sunroof would look very much at home on this car.  And whilst I'm going on about what Honda could have done to improve things, a sixth gear for the transmission would certainly have been a welcome addition.  Too bad that didn't happen, either.

The Shed-peddler selling this dark blue 2013 Honda Fit may want to give the interior and good clean and shampoo in order to increase their chances of tempting a buyer.  It wouldn't hurt to throw a bucket of water over it and shine-up those wheels, either.  But I can see the potential beyond the dirt and grime.  There are only 42,066 miles on the clock and the dealer is asking just $9,000.

It's a deal nine years in the making.  But it most certainly won't be the last!

[Vinsanity]

huh. it'll be 9 years this month since I bought the Caddy. I've owned that thing for 25% of my life. Crazy.

[Madman]

Where was this car in March? 

SOTW Update!




I hate to be the bearer of bad news but the deal on this Chevy Sonic just got even better.

Originally profiled in this space at $8,572 then slashed to $7,473 and now the dealer has dropped the price again to just $6,484.

I can actually smell the dealer's desperation wafting through my computer screen!

[Madman]

SOTW Update!




The price tag on the light blue 2012 Honda Fit Base shown here back in September just received a trimming.  It had been listed at $9,500 but now this 61,442 mile Fit can be yours for only $8,990.

[2o6]

SOTW Update!




I hate to be the bearer of bad news but the deal on this Chevy Sonic just got even better.

Originally profiled in this space at $8,572 then slashed to $7,473 and now the dealer has dropped the price again to just $6,484.

I can actually smell the dealer's desperation wafting through my computer screen!

Granted, mine had 16K fewer miles, and more options

[Madman]

16-22 October 2016:

In memory of the last real minivan.


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Remember minivans?  I'm not talking about the bloated, gargantuan, Barcalounger-equipped rolling living rooms that pass for minivans these days.  There's nothing "mini" about any of them.  I'm talking about real minivans in the vein of the revolutionary 1984 Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager.  Somewhere between the introduction of Lee Iacocca's original box-on-wheels and today's super-sized breeder busses, the "mini" in minivan got left behind.  A 2016 Honda Odyssey is more than TWO FEET longer than that pioneering Chrysler of long ago.  Width and height have gone up proportionally, too.  Is it really too much to ask for a family-sized car that can still fit in a normal garage?  Evidently, Mazda didn't think so, because they made the right-sized Mazda 5.  And, considering I own one of these magnificent machines, I'm so happy they did!  But no longer, however, because the Mazda 5 production for the USA ended with the 2015 model year.  Those lucky Canadians, however, can still get their minivan fix at their local Mazda dealer.

Cynics will claim the Mazda 5 was a sales dud.  I beg to differ.  When you take into account the fact Mazda spent precisely $0.00 advertising and promoting the 5, it is a miracle they sold as many as they did!  Have you ever seen an advertisement for one?  Neither have I.  While the 3, the 6 and the Miata got all the love and the advertising glory, the 5 quietly went about its business of satisfying families who recognized the fundamental truth that bigger is not always better.  And should you like to discover for yourself what folks like me already know, you can snap up a lovely pre-owned example like the one shown here.  Feast your eyes upon the 2012 Mazda 5 Sport!

2012 was the first year for the second generation 5.  You can easily distinguish these newer 5s from their older brethren by the smiley face on the front and the series of creases down the car's flanks that make it look like it has just been side-swiped by the wheel of an 18-wheeler.  Mazda called this distinctive look "Nagare" styling, whatever that means.  Nagare wasn't a huge hit with Mazda fans, or anyone else for that matter.  So instead of spreading to other Mazda products as originally intended, Nagare styling began and ended with the Mazda 5, only to be swept aside by the newer "Kodo" design theme soon adopted by other Mazda models.  And no, I have no idea what Kodo means, either.

Although this Mk II Mazda 5 has lots of details that closely mirror my Mk I, the newer version is built on an entirely different platform.  Yet, if you parked old and new side-by-side, you'd be forgiven for thinking the newer car is simply a clever facelift of the old one, so striking are the similarities.  The overall silhouette and proportions are damn near spot-on and the interior controls are all generally in the same place, although the dash itself has been noticeably updated.  The same 2-2-2 six passenger seating arrangement remains and is just as versatile as ever.  I seem to recall one reviewer complaining about how the third-row seats didn't have a power-folding feature.  Seriously?  You can easily flip each of the 50/50 third row seats down with one hand and they aren't difficult to reach, so there is no need for such unnecessary complexity.  Sheesh, some people! 

Motivating this Mazda is the familiar 16 valve DOHC 2.5 litre Mazda MZR engine.  Cams and valve gear are chain-driven, so no flimsy rubber timing belts to change here!  The 2.5 engine promises 157 horsepower on regular unleaded.  The Mazda 5 was unique in that you could spec a six speed manual gearbox in the Sport trim but, like most you will find, this one has the acceptable five speed automatic.  Fuel consumption figures with either transmission are an identical 21 MPG City and 28 MPG Highway and the auto-equipped version produces just 370 grams of CO2 per mile.  This helps the Mazda 5 achieve a ULEV II (Ultra Low Emission Vehicle, generation II) rating from the EPA.

Sport may be Mazda's code-word for base model, but there's nothing basic about this car.  You get four wheel independent suspension, speed-sensing electro-hydraulic power assist rack-and-pinion steering, 16 inch alloy wheels, power operated outside mirrors, front and rear air conditioning, cruise control, keyless entry, power operated windows and door locks, tilt/telescope steering wheel, reclining front seats, reclining middle-row captain's chairs, 50/50 split fold third row seats, black fabric upholstery, metal-look cabin trim, CD stereo with MP3 decoder and speed sensitive volume control, six audio speakers, projector beam halogen headlamps, variable intermittent wipers, rear window wiper and defroster, light tinted windows, four wheel disc brakes with three channel ABS, electronic brake assist, dual front airbags, dual side torso airbags, dual side curtain airbags, rear child safety locks, ignition immobiliser, electronic stability control and electronic traction control.

The black paint appears nice and clean and the interior shots reveals nothing alarming.  It has clocked 57,812 miles under its steel belted radials.  Ignore the "Toyota of Fort Worth" dealer plates because this 2012 Mazda 5 Sport is being offered for sale by my local Honda dealer for the very reasonable price of just $9,991.

I mourn the loss of these practical, fun and frugal vehicles from our shores.  But at least we can console ourselves with the fact there will still be used examples for us to buy and enjoy.  Thank you, Mazda, for putting the "mini" back in minivan!

[Madman]

SOTW Update!




The 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage ES from two weeks ago has just had it's price cut from $7,199 to $6,989.  $210 may not sound like much but it gets the price down below the psychological $7,000 threshold.

SOTW Update!

Okay, so a measly $210 discount was never going to be enough to shift this ride, especially with the glut of ex-rental Mirages coming into the market.  It's time for the selling dealer to get serious.  How serious?  Is an additional bag of sand off the asking price serious enough for you?

Yep, this little Mirage in desirable (or, at least not quite as awful) ES trim can now be yours for only $5,995.

Try to contain your excitement.

[Madman]

SOTW Update!




The Ingot Silver Metallic 2014 Ford Fiesta SE 5-Door from earlier this month has had a price reduction.  It comes with 48,136 miles and a clean Carfax.  The multi-brand franchised dealer selling it has just cut the price from $9,460 to $8,996.

[Eye of the Tiger]

I'll take it if it has the less desireable 1.0L Ecobewst.

[Madman]

23-29 October 2016:

Close to home.


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My SOTW searches are typically limited to a 50 mile radius from the scenic and palatial Casa del Madman.  I just don't fell the need to travel any further for a daily driver.  Sure, it would be a different story if I were seeking something rare or exotic but, for a car that's going to get beat to death on the everyday grind, what's the point?  As it happens, the place selling this 2012 Ford Focus SE is just a couple of miles down the road and I have occasion to drive past this dealer on a semi-regular basis.  Because it's in my neighbourhood, I've even been able to stop for a brief look at this particular car and, I can report it looks just as good up close as it does in these photos.

Ford's all-new-for-2012 Focus was a massive leap forward from the cheaply made, aesthetically challenged also-ran that preceded it.  In an instant, the Focus went from zero to hero, bringing sublime driving dynamics and a boatload of high-tech features to a segment better known for blandness and sparse equipment levels.  Beneath the stylish sheet metal lies a 16 valve DOHC 2.0 litre Duratec 20 direct injected, Ti-VCT inline four, promising 160 horsepower.  When fitted with the optional, and much more common Powershift automated dual clutch transmission, the Focus delivers 28 MPG City and 38 MPG Highway on regular unleaded.  CO2 emissions of just 287 grams per mile help the Focus earn a ULEV II (Ultra Low Emission Vehicle, generation II) rating from Uncle Sam.  If you are so inclined, you can also run this car on E85, although fuel economy will not be as good.

SE trim means you get four wheel independent suspension, electric power steering, alloy wheels, power operated outside mirrors, rear lip spoiler, air conditioning, cruise control, keyless entry, auto-locking doors, power operated windows and door locks, tilt/telescope steering wheel, grey fabric upholstery, reclining front seats, 60/40 split fold rear seats, metal look cabin trim, CD stereo with MP3 decoder and speed sensitive volume, four audio speakers, halogen headlights, front fog lights, variable intermittent wipers, rear window wiper and defroster, light tinted windows, trip computer, front disc/rear drum brakes with four channel ABS and electronic brake assist, rear child safety locks, ignition immobiliser, security alarm, dual front airbags, dual side torso airbags, dual side curtain airbags, electronic traction control and electronic stability control.

Oxford White is popular on the Focus, and it really looks good on this car.  If you wanted to buy this Focus SE new in 2012, the base price was $17,500 plus a $795 destination charge.  Add another $245 for the alloys and $1,095 for the six speed Powershift automatic and you're looking at $19,635 before state and local taxes, title and registration.  But you won't have to spend anywhere near that amount four years and 44,585 miles later.  That's because this very car is being offered by a nearby purveyor of all things shed related for a very reasonable price of $9,485.

If I didn't already have two cars and needed to buy something right away, this car would be at the top of my list thanks to it's close proximity to my front door.  After all, home is where the shed is!

[Morris Minor]

Madman.
Come back.

[Soup DeVille]

Madman.
Come back.

+1

Look man, I like seeing these bits here even though I rarely do more than read them.

[MrH]

Madman is my sole source for CO2 emissions data   I check every car he posts in here to make sure he includes and sure enough, like clockwork, he never forgets.

[Morris Minor]

C'mon Madman - we want more of your excellent shed pieces. We love you (and don't care about the political stuff anyway - all views will be welcome in the Trumpenreich.)