Browsing local used car inventories for a replacement for my much maligned VW. The local mega dealer has 2 cars in stock that caught my eye. Same advertised price.
2015 Chevy Sonic LT Hatch. Black exterior, black/grey cloth interior
1.8L, 5MT. 46K miles. Chevy MyLink premium audio.
I test drove a Sonic with this powertrain combo when I was shopping last time. It was out of my price range at the time, but it seemed like an OK drive. Wasn't fast, but wasn't underpowered. Handling seemed pretty nimble. Ride was perhaps a little brittle, but not awful. I kind of liked the motorcycle-esque instrument cluster. New enough that it probably hasn't started to develop corrosion issues yet, though mileage is a bit high for its age.
2011 Honda Fit Sport Auto. Blue exterior, grey cloth interior
1.5L 5AT. 72.5K miles.
Closest experience I have with a Fit is a 5 minute spin around the block in my brother's HRV (which was CVT rather than the 5AT in the older Fit). Like the magic seat. Honda reliability. Concerned that the 1.5L w/ 5AT will feel horribly gutless. Twice as old and significantly more miles than the Chevy, but it's a Honda. Not as many convenience or safety features either. I don't mind simple, but I have been spoiled by steering wheel audio controls. My biggest concern would be corrosion. Hondas hold up well, but most cars, even corrosion resistant ones, start to succumb to the red death at around 6 years around here, so this is getting to the age where corrosion repairs start to be a concern.
Quote from: MX793 on June 17, 2018, 12:55:35 PM
Browsing local used car inventories for a replacement for my much maligned VW. The local mega dealer has 2 cars in stock that caught my eye. Same advertised price.
2015 Chevy Sonic LT Hatch. Black exterior, black/grey cloth interior
1.8L, 5MT. 46K miles. Chevy MyLink premium audio.
I test drove a Sonic with this powertrain combo when I was shopping last time. It was out of my price range at the time, but it seemed like an OK drive. Wasn't fast, but wasn't underpowered. Handling seemed pretty nimble. Ride was perhaps a little brittle, but not awful. I kind of liked the motorcycle-esque instrument cluster. New enough that it probably hasn't started to develop corrosion issues yet, though mileage is a bit high for its age.
2011 Honda Fit Sport Auto. Blue exterior, grey cloth interior
1.5L 5AT. 72.5K miles.
Closest experience I have with a Fit is a 5 minute spin around the block in my brother's HRV (which was CVT rather than the 5AT in the older Fit). Like the magic seat. Honda reliability. Concerned that the 1.5L w/ 5AT will feel horribly gutless. Twice as old and significantly more miles than the Chevy, but it's a Honda. Not as many convenience or safety features either. I don't mind simple, but I have been spoiled by steering wheel audio controls. My biggest concern would be corrosion. Hondas hold up well, but most cars, even corrosion resistant ones, start to succumb to the red death at around 6 years around here, so this is getting to the age where corrosion repairs start to be a concern.
The Chevy will hold up better with regards to rust. I live in OH, and my car looks good underneath.
The Honda isn't bad, but the automatic and 110HP and the usual Honda SOHC lack of torque does it in.
The Sonic is a more special car with the 1.4T and 6MT. I don't trust that 1.8L; it's not too different than the one in the old Daewoo Nubira.
I like my sonic a lot, and I'm biased.
I will say? The Sonic is a heavy car; front end parts seem to me mediocre with longevity, and tires also wear quick.
But, the ride is better than the Fit.
Also, I had a gen 1 Fit 5MT flip car at the same time as the Sonic.
The Fit is definitely more of a Japanese small car feel; it handles well, but above 70MPH it's nowhere near as comfortable and stable as the Sonic. It's geared shorter, it's louder, it's darty at higher speeds...
The 1.8 in the Sonic is unrelated to the 2.0L motor that was sold in the North American market Nubira. Foreign market Nubiras, with the smaller engines (1.6 and smaller) used a licensed copy of the predecessor generation of the Sonic's 1.8. The original motor was an Opel motor. The 1.4T is just a turbocharged version of the same family.
Quote from: MX793 on June 17, 2018, 02:47:50 PM
The 1.8 in the Sonic is unrelated to the 2.0L motor that was sold in the North American market Nubira. Foreign market Nubiras, with the smaller engines (1.6 and smaller) used a licensed copy of the predecessor generation of the Sonic's 1.8. The original motor was an Opel motor. The 1.4T is just a turbocharged version of the same family.
Then I'm mistaken, but the 1.8L was also the offering in the Saturn Astra. The LUW is also timing belt, FWIW.
Also, I'm pretty sure the 1.4T is from a newer engine family.
Having driven both, the turbo IMO really makes it feel like a better car. But the 1.8L isn't so bad.
I'd be lying if I didn't have some issues with my car in the 2.5 years I've owned it. But, I drive harder than average, and I got a first model year car. But it's a likable car, and IMO more engaging than the Jetta V you're replacing.
If you do a lot of freeway driving, I'd take it up to speed and see how you like either one.
As far as corrosion protection, anecdotally, I feel like GM is the best in the game right now. Mazda seems to have greatly improved, Toyota is hit or miss; my grey Yaris hatch had some exterior rust starting that most didn't notice, and I had a few exhaust repairs I did that were directly corrosion related.
Nissan seems to be the worst at the moment.
What about a Ford Focus or Fiesta? They're cheaper than the GM and Honda sometimes, and finding a manual is easy. It's also the same MTX they've used since like 2000, when they got it from Mazda, and the 2.0L Duratec is a reliable motor. It's also not super hard to find a well equipped MTX one. I'd avoid the automatic, tho.
My brother bought a new 2017 Fiesta hatch 1.0L manual for under 10k last year. What's the price of the cars you're looking at?
Quote from: 68_427 on June 17, 2018, 04:34:30 PM
My brother bought a new 2017 Fiesta hatch 1.0L manual for under 10k last year. What's the price of the cars you're looking at?
Yeah, they're practically giving these things away. Same with the 1.0 Focus. Also, the automatic 1.0L use a real automatic, not the DCT.
Quote from: 68_427 on June 17, 2018, 04:34:30 PM
My brother bought a new 2017 Fiesta hatch 1.0L manual for under 10k last year. What's the price of the cars you're looking at?
A little under 9. Finding MTs around here is problematic.
Checked all 3 local Ford dealers. At the closest, the only MT cars in stock are a pair of Fiesta STs (also the only Fiestas they have of any sort), which are more than I want to spend for a winter only car. They have a lot of Focii, but all are the 2.0L w/ PowerShit powertrain. The next closest dealer only has 1.6 w/ PowerShit Fiestas in stock and a couple of STs. They do have a pair of 1.0L Focii with MT, but they are well above what I want to spend even with discounts. Third closest has no Fiestas, a pair of 1.0L w/ auto Focii (blech), and a couple 2.0 w/ PowerShit. All more than I want to spend.
MT Honda Accord?
Just drive a few hours away and get some better selection. I feel like you're pigeonholing to a handful of vehicles on some tiny buy here, pay here kind of lot instead of taking the time and buying what you want. There are a lot of decent options for that kind of money. You can totally get a 1.0 L MT Fiesta
Quote from: MrH on June 18, 2018, 01:13:56 PM
Just drive a few hours away and get some better selection. I feel like you're pigeonholing to a handful of vehicles on some tiny buy here, pay here kind of lot instead of taking the time and buying what you want. There are a lot of decent options for that kind of money. You can totally get a 1.0 L MT Fiesta
I went to Ford's site and searched every dealership within a 100 mile radius (the max their dealer search will go). 42 dealerships covering every major city in NY except NYC and northern PA. I then checked within 100 miles of Rochester to ensure I got all of the Buffalo metro, which would push me beyond Buffalo and into Ohio. I'd guess at least 60 unique dealerships between the 2 searches. No one has a 1.0T Fiesta MT. No one has heavily discounted Fiestas, period, unless the discounts aren't showing up on their webpages.
I checked the nearest CarMax (in Rochester, about an hour and a half away). ~180 cars in inventory. As soon as I checked "<$10K", selection dropped to 2 vehicles: 2012 Versa S CVT or a Toyota iQ of the same vintage. Blech.
Local uber auto mall, where I found the Sonic and Fit, has over 750 used vehicles in inventory. Their prices are better than CarMax. Filter by MT and it drops to 19. Most of those are sports cars or luxo-sports (BMWs, Audis, Vettes, Mustangs). Filter to my target budget and the options go to just the Sonic. Allowing autos only adds 6 more vehicles.
Korean twins? Accent or Rio. Can have either in a hatch. 1.6L's. Shouldn't have any hp issues.
Quote from: Northlands on June 18, 2018, 04:35:43 PM
Korean twins? Accent or Rio. Can have either in a hatch. 1.6L's. Shouldn't have any hp issues.
I wouldn't touch a used one unless it was from down south or out west. The Korean makes have a really bad reputation for not holding up to salt. Out of budget new. Car dealers anywhere close to here just don't cut the ridiculous deals. Not enough competition. I'm not willing to drive 8+ hours round trip to haggle on a car. It's a winter rat. I'll drive it maybe 2500 miles a year. It doesn't need to be my dream car, it just has to be reliable, rust-free, comfortable, fuel efficient, and if it's somewhat fun to drive that's a bonus.
Sonic sounds like the way, then.
What about a lease? If the car usually ends up being used up by the end and you don't drive a lot, a lease sounds ideal.
Congrats on the impending arrival of your very own Aveo!
Quote from: 2o6 on June 18, 2018, 05:03:44 PM
What about a lease? If the car usually ends up being used up by the end and you don't drive a lot, a lease sounds ideal.
Because with a lease I'd have to carry full insurance coverage and I don't want another monthly payment to worry about. It's a seasonal car, to be driven very sparingly in shitty weather or if I need to transport something that won't fit in the Mustang's trunk (hence the desire for a hatchback). I don't need or care that it be a new car. I'm 100% fine with a used car. If I could find a new car for that money that meets my needs, awesome, but I'm not going to go way out of my way to find a deal on a new car if there are used cars nearby that meet my needs.
I saw a 2018 Fiesta SE hatch for $11,004 in Maryland less than 300 miles from me in Western Rochester. I know that's a stretch on your budget.
https://www.bobbellford.com/new-Glen+Burnie-2018-Ford-Fiesta-SE-3FADP4EJ2JM123311
It's actually cheaper than that 😂
If those are your options, keep the Jetta.
Quote from: MX793 on June 18, 2018, 06:11:01 PM
Because with a lease I'd have to carry full insurance coverage and I don't want another monthly payment to worry about. It's a seasonal car, to be driven very sparingly in shitty weather or if I need to transport something that won't fit in the Mustang's trunk (hence the desire for a hatchback). I don't need or care that it be a new car. I'm 100% fine with a used car. If I could find a new car for that money that meets my needs, awesome, but I'm not going to go way out of my way to find a deal on a new car if there are used cars nearby that meet my needs.
You'd carry liability only on a car that new?
Quote from: Raza on June 18, 2018, 07:21:08 PM
If those are your options, keep the Jetta.
His Jetta is a POS and is disentegrating.
Quote from: MX793 on June 18, 2018, 04:24:35 PM
I went to Ford's site and searched every dealership within a 100 mile radius (the max their dealer search will go). 42 dealerships covering every major city in NY except NYC and northern PA. I then checked within 100 miles of Rochester to ensure I got all of the Buffalo metro, which would push me beyond Buffalo and into Ohio. I'd guess at least 60 unique dealerships between the 2 searches. No one has a 1.0T Fiesta MT. No one has heavily discounted Fiestas, period, unless the discounts aren't showing up on their webpages.
I checked the nearest CarMax (in Rochester, about an hour and a half away). ~180 cars in inventory. As soon as I checked "<$10K", selection dropped to 2 vehicles: 2012 Versa S CVT or a Toyota iQ of the same vintage. Blech.
Local uber auto mall, where I found the Sonic and Fit, has over 750 used vehicles in inventory. Their prices are better than CarMax. Filter by MT and it drops to 19. Most of those are sports cars or luxo-sports (BMWs, Audis, Vettes, Mustangs). Filter to my target budget and the options go to just the Sonic. Allowing autos only adds 6 more vehicles.
Don't base all of this on advertised price. Find what you want within 300 miles, email all the dealers your offer and see if any bite.
Quote from: Raza on June 18, 2018, 07:21:08 PM
If those are your options, keep the Jetta.
Your snobbery is showing. The Jetta is a POS. The interior is falling apart at 75K miles in ways I've only seen in early 1980s American vehicles. The headliner is completely detached. All of the enamel has come off of the buttons for the stereo and the door controls. The washer line is patched with duct tape because Ze Germans thought it was a good idea to use brittle convoluted plastic instead of something more rubbery and flexible for the lines and it snapped (common on those cars).
It gets horrible fuel mileage. Like I routinely get 18-19 mpg in my normal driving. I don't drive it aggressive, either. It seldom sees more than 2500 RPM and the auto does its damnedest to keep the engine running at 2000 rpm or less. I used to keep my Mazda in gears where it never dropped below 2500 with 3000-3500 rpm shifts. Never got below 23 mpg. Hell, my last Mustang with 2x the power of the Jetta only recorded below 20 mpg on a tank once, and that was with a double-header auto-cross weekend on the tank.
It has irritating electrical gremlins that are apparently common for the model. The worst of them is a rear defroster that blows the fuse if I let it run for more than 90 seconds. This is after I upsized the fuse to one with a higher amp rating. That's hugely inconvenient in a winter car where I would use the rear defroster a lot. It has an intermittent, temperature-related short in one of the tail light assemblies that takes out one of the turn signals and brake lamps when it gets hot.
People who think VWs are great cars have never owned a good car.
Quote from: MrH on June 19, 2018, 05:22:38 AM
Don't base all of this on advertised price. Find what you want within 300 miles, email all the dealers your offer and see if any bite.
I'm not driving 600 miles round trip for a winter car.
FWIW my wife's 07 Rabbit was dead reliable outside of a dead vacuum pump and some fan fuckery from previous crash damage
Gas mileage was a complete joke though
Maybe they just built yours during Oktoberfest :lol: The thought of driving a mainstream Japanese brand does make Raza break out in hives (unless its a Mitsubishi :lol: )
Anyway I think I found your car
https://www.carmax.com/car/15137304
There are a few MT Honda Civics near you less than 10 years old with less than 100,000 miles in your price range.
But yeah I'd get the Sonic.
Quote from: 12,000 RPM on June 19, 2018, 05:35:43 AM
FWIW my wife's 07 Rabbit was dead reliable outside of a dead vacuum pump and some fan fuckery from previous crash damage
Gas mileage was a complete joke though
Maybe they just built yours during Oktoberfest :lol: The thought of driving a mainstream Japanese brand does make Raza break out in hives (unless its a Mitsubishi :lol: )
Anyway I think I found your car
https://www.carmax.com/car/15137304
I have been pretty lucky with my VW/Audi cars but I would never recommend them to someone looking for a reliable car.
You could wire me some money and I can get any of these for you and drive it to San Antonio for you to pick up:
(Divide by 20.5 for USD)
https://auto.mercadolibre.com.mx/MLM-624094586-renault-clio-16-rs-200-ed-privilege-mt-_JM
https://auto.mercadolibre.com.mx/MLM-613691752-renault-clio-_JM
https://auto.mercadolibre.com.mx/MLM-622752839-volkswagen-polo-gti-bi-turbo-dsg-2013-_JM
https://auto.mercadolibre.com.mx/MLM-629504496-peugeot-208-2016-_JM
(We have so many more interesting hatches)
https://auto.mercadolibre.com.mx/MLM-627401476-seat-leon-20-t-cupra-2015-_JM
Pretty sure we can't import things in from Mexico unless they're 25+ years old.
Quote from: MX793 on June 19, 2018, 05:28:05 AM
Your snobbery is showing. The Jetta is a POS. The interior is falling apart at 75K miles in ways I've only seen in early 1980s American vehicles. The headliner is completely detached. All of the enamel has come off of the buttons for the stereo and the door controls. The washer line is patched with duct tape because Ze Germans thought it was a good idea to use brittle convoluted plastic instead of something more rubbery and flexible for the lines and it snapped (common on those cars).
It gets horrible fuel mileage. Like I routinely get 18-19 mpg in my normal driving. I don't drive it aggressive, either. It seldom sees more than 2500 RPM and the auto does its damnedest to keep the engine running at 2000 rpm or less. I used to keep my Mazda in gears where it never dropped below 2500 with 3000-3500 rpm shifts. Never got below 23 mpg. Hell, my last Mustang with 2x the power of the Jetta only recorded below 20 mpg on a tank once, and that was with a double-header auto-cross weekend on the tank.
It has irritating electrical gremlins that are apparently common for the model. The worst of them is a rear defroster that blows the fuse if I let it run for more than 90 seconds. This is after I upsized the fuse to one with a higher amp rating. That's hugely inconvenient in a winter car where I would use the rear defroster a lot. It has an intermittent, temperature-related short in one of the tail light assemblies that takes out one of the turn signals and brake lamps when it gets hot.
People who think VWs are great cars have never owned a good car.
Holy fuck. I get 20-21 avg in my truck. Are those cars just that bad from new or does other shit go wrong that makes them chug like that?
Quote from: 68_427 on June 19, 2018, 08:09:27 AM
Holy fuck. I get 20-21 avg in my truck. Are those cars just that bad from new or does other shit go wrong that makes them chug like that?
EPA city is 19, so they're just that bad. Toss in that much of my driving is in winter conditions with the AC on for defrost and running winter gas, I'm actually probably doing better than EPA. The fact that the torque converter doesn't lock until like 28 mph is probably a factor. 0-40 stop and go means you spend much of your time slipping the TC.
Quote from: MrH on June 19, 2018, 08:05:51 AM
Pretty sure we can't import things in from Mexico unless they're 25+ years old.
Yep. If it wasn't sold in the US in the first place, can't import vehicles newer than 25 years old into the US thanks to a bunch of crybabies at Mercedes Benz.
WOW! I had no idea things were that bad. I remember when you first got that car you were impressed with how nice it was and how it would be a shame to use it as a winter car. While your anecdote is just one story, it doesn't help dispel the reputation of the iffy quality of VAG products. I had an opportunity to buy a brand new Mk7 GTI a couple of years ago for a little over 20K and just couldn't pull the trigger because I had a feeling that it would likely come back to haunt me in repair bills and general inconvenience. Anyways if it's not too rusty underneath I would go with the Fit no question.
Quote from: MX793 on June 19, 2018, 05:28:05 AM
Your snobbery is showing. The Jetta is a POS. The interior is falling apart at 75K miles in ways I've only seen in early 1980s American vehicles. The headliner is completely detached. All of the enamel has come off of the buttons for the stereo and the door controls. The washer line is patched with duct tape because Ze Germans thought it was a good idea to use brittle convoluted plastic instead of something more rubbery and flexible for the lines and it snapped (common on those cars).
It gets horrible fuel mileage. Like I routinely get 18-19 mpg in my normal driving. I don't drive it aggressive, either. It seldom sees more than 2500 RPM and the auto does its damnedest to keep the engine running at 2000 rpm or less. I used to keep my Mazda in gears where it never dropped below 2500 with 3000-3500 rpm shifts. Never got below 23 mpg. Hell, my last Mustang with 2x the power of the Jetta only recorded below 20 mpg on a tank once, and that was with a double-header auto-cross weekend on the tank.
It has irritating electrical gremlins that are apparently common for the model. The worst of them is a rear defroster that blows the fuse if I let it run for more than 90 seconds. This is after I upsized the fuse to one with a higher amp rating. That's hugely inconvenient in a winter car where I would use the rear defroster a lot. It has an intermittent, temperature-related short in one of the tail light assemblies that takes out one of the turn signals and brake lamps when it gets hot.
People who think VWs are great cars have never owned a good car.
FWIW my GTI is 8 years old/66k and has been perfect
Quote from: CALL_911 on June 19, 2018, 01:10:24 PM
FWIW my GTI is 8 years old/66k and has been perfect
Maybe it's something about where the cars are produced (GTI and I think Golf are not built in the same place as American market Jettas), but the problems with my car are not unique.
Quote from: MX793 on June 19, 2018, 02:23:14 PM
Maybe it's something about where the cars are produced (GTI and I think Golf are not built in the same place as American market Jettas), but the problems with my car are not unique.
E-Golf, and R are from Germany, the rest, including the GTI, are from Mexico, hence the complete color list being available on the E, and the R.
Quote from: Galaxy on June 19, 2018, 02:28:31 PM
E-Golf, and R are from Germany, the rest, including the GTI, are from Mexico, hence the complete color list being available on the E, and the R.
Not sure that was the case for Gen V production. Believe all Gen V GTIs were built in Germany. Jettas, for America at least, I think we're built in Brazil.
Man, the listing for Rochester, NY are absolute ass.
Quote from: MX793 on June 19, 2018, 02:33:00 PM
Not sure that was the case for Gen V production. Believe all Gen V GTIs were built in Germany. Jettas, for America at least, I think we're built in Brazil.
Golfs and GTIs came from Wolfsburg until MkVII.
Quote from: MX793 on June 19, 2018, 02:33:00 PM
Not sure that was the case for Gen V production. Believe all Gen V GTIs were built in Germany. Jettas, for America at least, I think we're built in Brazil.
Yeah, I was talking about the current Generation.
Quote from: MX793 on June 19, 2018, 05:28:05 AM
Your snobbery is showing. The Jetta is a POS. The interior is falling apart at 75K miles in ways I've only seen in early 1980s American vehicles. The headliner is completely detached. All of the enamel has come off of the buttons for the stereo and the door controls. The washer line is patched with duct tape because Ze Germans thought it was a good idea to use brittle convoluted plastic instead of something more rubbery and flexible for the lines and it snapped (common on those cars).
It gets horrible fuel mileage. Like I routinely get 18-19 mpg in my normal driving. I don't drive it aggressive, either. It seldom sees more than 2500 RPM and the auto does its damnedest to keep the engine running at 2000 rpm or less. I used to keep my Mazda in gears where it never dropped below 2500 with 3000-3500 rpm shifts. Never got below 23 mpg. Hell, my last Mustang with 2x the power of the Jetta only recorded below 20 mpg on a tank once, and that was with a double-header auto-cross weekend on the tank.
It has irritating electrical gremlins that are apparently common for the model. The worst of them is a rear defroster that blows the fuse if I let it run for more than 90 seconds. This is after I upsized the fuse to one with a higher amp rating. That's hugely inconvenient in a winter car where I would use the rear defroster a lot. It has an intermittent, temperature-related short in one of the tail light assemblies that takes out one of the turn signals and brake lamps when it gets hot.
People who think VWs are great cars have never owned a good car.
Bbut muh soft touch Plastics!
MX793, how long is your commute?
Could you do an EV? They are dirt cheap used. Just don't know how well they would hold a charge in those Canadian winters
Quote from: 12,000 RPM on July 19, 2018, 10:13:03 AM
MX793, how long is your commute?
Could you do an EV? They are dirt cheap used. Just don't know how well they would hold a charge in those Canadian winters
My commute is short (7 miles each way), but I do visit family ~60 miles away somewhat frequently, particularly during the holiday season. There are also no outdoor charging solutions at my condo (1-car garage houses Mustang and bike during the winter), so I'd be reliant on public charging stations. There are a few in the area, but they are all several miles from home and would require I go out of my way if I wanted to stop and charge up on my way home from work. There aren't any stations particularly near where my family lives out in the country. I also question range in the cold weather.
Oh thats definitely out then. I thought you were in a single family.
Still seems like there are a lot of options. Corolla? Elantra? *gulp* Sentra SE-R?
Quote from: 12,000 RPM on July 19, 2018, 11:06:18 AM
Oh thats definitely out then. I thought you were in a single family.
Still seems like there are a lot of options. Corolla? Elantra? *gulp* Sentra SE-R?
Nissans and Hyundai's rust like hell
Corollas can be expensive
Sonic or Cruze.
4Runner
Corolla with a manual, Mazda 3
Quote from: Char on July 25, 2018, 06:50:42 AM
Corolla with a manual, Mazda 3
Had a Mazda. Great car, but never again as a winter car in this climate. Too prone to rusting.
Any car you drive in those Canadian winters is basically gonna need a galvanic anode to last any reasonable amount of time.
Have you considered travelling to a more populous region to buy a car? You should be able to find something easy in NYC.
Quote from: 12,000 RPM on July 25, 2018, 07:00:47 AM
Any car you drive in those Canadian winters is basically gonna need a galvanic anode to last any reasonable amount of time.
Have you considered travelling to a more populous region to buy a car? You should be able to find something easy in NYC.
Not necessarily. Mazdas, and a few others (the Korean makes), are notoriously bad. Corrosion issues starting after 3-4 years from new. For all its faults, the VW's body is remarkably clean for a car that's lived a decade or more up here. Not even a blister on the body anywhere. Been a while since I crawled under it, but it was remarkably clean underneath when I bought it. I thought it was a southern car after I inspected it up until they showed me the Carfax.
My experience with NYC cars is they are frequently beat to shit. Scratches (rust seeds), dents, suspensions, lots of stop & go. I'm willing to drive a little ways, but I just don't have time to go looking at cars 4+ hours away for a winter.
With some other major expenses that hit this year, I may end up postponing another year.
Ah, you are right about used NYC cars. I forgot. There was a huge gulf between cars I bought locally and cars I either bought or that were transferred from out of state.
I will never forget how I howled and winced when I took what I thought was my smooth riding Z up to NYC. The roads up there are awful.
Still shocked you had such an awful experience; my wife's Rabbit was flawless outside of a vacuum pump
So why not a Corolla or Camry?
I'd consider a Corolla if I could find one. Camry is a bit bigger than I'd want.
Ok GTI isn't perfect anymore. The passenger window switch on the driver's side stopped allowing me to lower the window. But I can still raise it from that side.
Weird. Switch or wire bad?....
Dude, you can't find a used Corolla for sale?
Take a single day off work and go travel to some sort of civilization and buy a decent used car. This is crazy talk
Quote from: MrH on August 12, 2018, 07:25:33 PM
Dude, you can't find a used Corolla for sale?
Take a single day off work and go travel to some sort of civilization and buy a decent used car. This is crazy talk
Haven't really been looking for any specific models. Basically looking for something relatively rust free, under 100k miles, and under $9k. Haven't seen any Corollas pop up in my search yet that meet those criteria.
How big of a city/metro do you consider "civilization"?
Somewhere where a used Corolla is readily available :lol:
There's a Ford dealership out in the middle of nowhere, Ewen MI, that is very popular. The town only has ~600 people, but they have a big ol' Ford dealership. My grandfather used to buy his Fords there. I see their dealership badge on a number of vehicles. It's weird. They must have great service.
Quote from: MrH on August 13, 2018, 07:55:53 AM
Somewhere where a used Corolla is readily available :lol:
I'm legitimately asking, how big of a city is "civilization". As someone else noted, selection in Rochester (1 million people in the metro) is also pretty poor. Buffalo's not much bigger a city. Nearest city bigger than Buffalo is NYC (over 250 miles and 4 hours each way). Then we're talking Cleveland, Philly, or Pitt (all over 300 miles and 6 hours). A 12+ hour round trip isn't exactly an easy day-trip.
https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/inventorylisting/viewDetailsFilterViewInventoryListing.action?sourceContext=carGurusHomePageModel&newSearchFromOverviewPage=true&inventorySearchWidgetType=AUTO&entitySelectingHelper.selectedEntity=d295&entitySelectingHelper.selectedEntity2=&zip=14602&distance=200&searchChanged=true&modelChanged=false&filtersModified=true
:huh:
Like I said, I haven't specifically been looking for a specific model. Honestly haven't been actively looking at all. Got hit with some unexpected large expenses this summer and am now thinking new winter car will have to wait another year. The VW still runs and drives and I trust it to get me where I'm going, it just has a lot of irritating nuisance issues.
Do you have a Carmax nearby? Their delivery fees are reasonable. But if the search is dead the search is dead.
Quote from: 12,000 RPM on August 13, 2018, 08:00:17 PM
Do you have a Carmax nearby? Their delivery fees are reasonable. But if the search is dead the search is dead.
There's one in Rochester. When I did a search for my budget, there was nothing "local" and it was I think $150 or $200, non-refundable, just to bring anything that looked remotely promising in (seemed like there were a bunch of candidates in Ohio and Virginia). If I'm going to pay that much, I want to be damned sure the car I'm bringing in is to my liking, and photos can only tell you so much. Nothing worse than getting the car and it smells badly of cigarette smoke (or worse) or I start looking at it and there's signs it was in a wreck (which don't always show up in Carfax, especially if the vehicle was a rental car in a past life). Or there's bad rust underneath that their photos didn't show.
I've seen people say good things about Carvanna. I think they have a similar shipping type deal to Carmax, and on their website they point out any flaws/chips/dents/etc, as well as have a 360 view of the car.
CarMax is free to bring the vehicle to look at, they add the delivery fee if you actually buy it... :mask: