The other brother finally got a car!

[nickdrinkwater]

BMW 3-Series.

[omicron]

Update:

I have gotten my brother hooked on some kind of car he's never heard of called an "Insight."

The idea of a manual gearbox and 60-70 mpg makes this look like a very good option at the moment.  I'm going to try and help him find one.  I sent him a listing tonight for one, but I don't know if he's ready to pull the trigger yet.

Had fate not intervened and caused the advertisement to vanish, I too would have been pulling a trigger but of the more violent kind. My goodness me - next you'll be off searching for a first-generation Prius or something like that.

[the Teuton]

Thoughts?

http://cleveland.craigslist.org/car/733837498.html

http://cleveland.craigslist.org/car/778912855.html

http://cleveland.craigslist.org/car/778016182.html

[the Teuton]

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?ct=p&car_id=249314320&dealer_id=63093533&car_year=2001&model=&num_records=25&systime=&make2=&start_year=1981&keywordsfyc=&keywordsfyc=&keywordsrep=&keywordsrep=&engine=&certified=&body_code=0&fuel=&awsp=false&search_type=both&distance=50&marketZipError=false&search_lang=en&make=ACURA&keywords_display=&color=&page_location=findacar%3A%3Aispsearchform&min_price=&drive=&default_sort=priceDESC&max_mileage=&style_flag=1&sort_type=priceDESC&address=44720&advanced=&end_year=2009&doors=&transmission=&max_price=5000&cardist=41

I like this one.

[CJ]

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?ct=p&car_id=249314320&dealer_id=63093533&car_year=2001&model=&num_records=25&systime=&make2=&start_year=1981&keywordsfyc=&keywordsfyc=&keywordsrep=&keywordsrep=&engine=&certified=&body_code=0&fuel=&awsp=false&search_type=both&distance=50&marketZipError=false&search_lang=en&make=ACURA&keywords_display=&color=&page_location=findacar%3A%3Aispsearchform&min_price=&drive=&default_sort=priceDESC&max_mileage=&style_flag=1&sort_type=priceDESC&address=44720&advanced=&end_year=2009&doors=&transmission=&max_price=5000&cardist=41

I like this one.

Older Honda V6 automatic.  That transmission is bound to go.  Besides, that's WAAAAY too cheap.

[the Teuton]

I found a Jetta 5-speed that, if it's still available, would make for a perfect car for my brother.  Of course, it's a 2.Slow, but he won't drive anything that requires premium, so that's the only option available to him in the VW range for the money unless he wants to find a Beetle.

[CJ]

I will cut my testicles off before I drive a Beetle. 

[ifcar]

That demonstrates poor prioritization skills.

[Tave]

I'll take your Beetle as long as you don't bleed on the seats.

[Soup DeVille]

"I will cut my testicles off before I drive a Beetle. "

With the middling crapwagons you pine over?

[CJ]

"With the middling crapwagons you pine over?"


It's a Beetle. 

[Soup DeVille]

Which would be infinitely preferable to any of the south east asian microcars you fawn over regularly.

[CALL_911]

Soup, that's 2o6.

[Soup DeVille]

Oh, nevermind then...

[CALL_911]

But Ceej here still fawns over Hyundais, so he isn't 100% exempt.

[2o6]

I rather like the Beetle. It's essentially, a Golf with an airy greenhouse. The depreciate rather fast, and are suprisingly fast. I would not mind having a beetle.

[Vinsanity]

But Ceej here still fawns over Hyundais, so he isn't 100% exempt.

I'd take any current-gen Hyundai (and certain older ones) over a Beetle

[Raza]

I rather like the Beetle. It's essentially, a Golf with an airy greenhouse. The depreciate rather fast, and are suprisingly fast. I would not mind having a beetle.

They're only fast if you have the 1.8T.

Also, what can't you get from an MkIV GTI that you can from a Beetle? 

[Soup DeVille]

They're only fast if you have the 1.8T.

Also, what can't you get from an MkIV GTI that you can from a Beetle? 

Bud vase.

[2o6]

They're only fast if you have the 1.8T.

Also, what can't you get from an MkIV GTI that you can from a Beetle? 

Price? For the buyer, Beetles depreciate faster than the Jetta and Golf.

[Raza]

Any comparable ads?

[2o6]

Golf:

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?ct=u&car_id=248804084&dealer_id=44113949&car_year=2001&model=BEETLE&num_records=25&systime=&make3=&make2=VOLKS&highlightFirstMakeModel=&start_year=2001&keywordsrep=&keywordsrep=&keywordsfyc=&keywordsfyc=&engine=&certified=&fuel=&body_code=0&awsp=false&search_type=both&distance=300&marketZipError=false&model2=GOLF&search_lang=en&showZipError=n&first_record=26&make=VOLKS&keywords_display=&color=&page_location=findacar%3A%3Aispsearchform&min_price=&drive=&position=top&position=top&max_mileage=&style_flag=1&sort_type=priceASC&address=44308&advanced=y&end_year=2002&pager.offset=25&doors=&transmission=Manual&max_price=10000&cardist=268

New Beetle:

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?ct=p&car_id=250074108&dealer_id=63160451&car_year=2001&num_records=25&model=BEETLE&make3=&systime=&make2=VOLKS&highlightFirstMakeModel=&start_year=2001&engine=&keywordsfyc=&keywordsfyc=&keywordsrep=&keywordsrep=&certified=&body_code=0&fuel=&awsp=false&search_type=both&distance=300&marketZipError=false&model2=GOLF&search_lang=en&showZipError=n&first_record=1&make=VOLKS&color=&keywords_display=&page_location=findacar%3A%3Aispsearchform&min_price=&drive=&position=top&position=top&max_mileage=&style_flag=1&sort_type=priceASC&address=44308&advanced=y&end_year=2002&pager.offset=0&transmission=Manual&doors=&max_price=10000&cardist=329

[Raza]

Well there you go.

[Vinsanity]

This might be splitting hairs or something, but that neon yellow color on the Beetle might be keeping the car's value down. I remember noticing the taxi-cab yellow IS300's and s2000's being noticeably cheaper than every other color.

[the Teuton]

We testdrove a 2000 Jetta GLS 2.Slow 5-speed yesterday, and to be honest, we were both underwhelmed by the car.

He liked the handling and steering, but the shifter was looser than Tara Reid's vagina.  He said that he had a harder time than normal feeling the gear go in place.  It might have just been the car...

It was a Florida car with 102k on it, and while the engine had definitely been maintained, the car felt like it had been abused otherwise.  There were trim pieces broken in the interior and the cupholder was broken.

Also, the seats were rock-hard and felt like they were shaped for a 5'1", 95-pound girl.  Compared the Contour SE's seat, they had almost no bolstering.  It was a nice car, but he came back underwhelmed so he didn't get it.

But he definitely needs a new car.  I felt unsafe driving his current deathtrap with all of the problems it has, as good as the engine and transmission still are.  So the search goes on...

[Tave]

But he definitely needs a new car.  I felt unsafe driving his current deathtrap with all of the problems it has, as good as the engine and transmission still are.  So the search goes on...

You haven't felt unsafe until you can hear the warped rotors with your foot off the brake pedal.

[the Teuton]

You haven't felt unsafe until you can hear the warped rotors with your foot off the brake pedal.

There's a ton of play in his steering because he has a bad tie rod, he has no rear suspension, so it bounces all over the place, and it just developed a slow leak in the brake lines.  I might have you beat.

[Cookie Monster]

Tell him to get an Impreza because it is the best handling car in the world and obviously God's gift to earth.

[the Teuton]

Tell him to get an Impreza because it is the best handling car in the world and obviously God's gift to earth.

He considered it, but he wants something that can do better than 30 mpg.  My little Imp only gets 31 with the 1.8 liter engine.

[the Teuton]

Ford Foci and Mazda Proteges seem to be the way to go right now.