new/used for 16k.

Prefer something with good cargo room and decent gas mileage.

12/23/2010 5:01:14 PM

Define "good cargo room."

I would go with a Toyota Corolla.

12/23/2010 5:32:52 PM

Wagon/hatchback/crossover type deal

12/23/2010 5:39:31 PM

http://bit.ly/gnMRth

'05 outback limited 57k miles.
$15,750

12/23/2010 5:49:19 PM

manual or automatic transmission?

12/23/2010 5:59:46 PM

I'd prefer automatic, but it's not a deal breaker

12/23/2010 6:03:51 PM

Asian options for new:

Hyundai Elantra Touring

Kia Soul
Kia Forte 5-door
Kia Rio5

Suzuki SX4 Crossover
Suzuki SX4 Sportback

Toyota Matrix

Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback

Honda Fit

Nissan Versa
Nissan Cube


If you increase your budget to 19-20k: (some of the models below are just 18k)

Hyundai Tucson

Kia Sportage

Suzuki Grand Vitara

Subaru Forester
Subaru Impreza Outback Sport

Mitsubishi Outlander Sport

Mazda3 5-door
Mazda5

Honda CR-Z
Honda Insight

Nissan Juke


P.S. I have excluded sedans from the list, as per your indication. There are a lot of sedans which fit the bill as well, though, "good cargo room" is up to you.


[Edited on December 24, 2010 at 3:27 AM. Reason : ]

12/24/2010 3:03:53 AM

Ford Fiesta?

12/28/2010 2:55:08 AM

he lived in europe (used to smaller cars)
buy a ford fiesta

12/28/2010 10:00:20 AM

Quote :

"http://bit.ly/gnMRth '05 outback limited 57k miles. $15,750 "

12/28/2010 10:18:12 AM

thoughts on the dodge caliber?

2/21/2011 6:09:51 AM

Quote :

"thoughts on the dodge caliber? "

dont even go there.

2/21/2011 8:23:09 AM

LMAO, a Dodge Caliber? You can't do much worse.

2/21/2011 8:55:43 AM

Scion xB?

2/21/2011 9:26:54 AM

I had a dodge caliber as a rental vehicle a few months back.

It's like if you put an engine in a soapbox derby car, and of course that Big Three signature rental car interior.

[Edited on February 22, 2011 at 9:39 AM. Reason : based on the last couple you're asking about, look for a honda element. ]


If i needed a new car and I had your budget, I would buy this:
http://raleigh.craigslist.org/cto/2156483504.html

[Edited on February 22, 2011 at 9:51 AM. Reason : .]

2/22/2011 9:38:28 AM

Quote :

"thoughts on the dodge caliber?"

Supreme hunk of shit. I too had one for a rental car back in Spring '08. It got me where I was going and was clean, but remarkably unremarkable in every other way.

Passable if you want something utterly plain vanilla that you WON'T be keeping past 60k miles. Everybody in the know knows that most Chrysler products contain some sort of reliability bomb that goes off at the 60k-70k mark, leaving you with a perpetual automobile problem that is akin to herpes...shit don't go away.

2/22/2011 10:14:06 AM

second vote for a Mazda3 - I'm enjoying mine. it is what it is - a good gas mileage grocery getter with just a little bit of a sportier look and feel than similar-level cars

2/22/2011 10:35:31 AM

^^ you can put a new face on a neon but its still a neon... but heavier.

2/22/2011 11:18:40 AM

Also, would I be better off spending 11k on a car and 5k on a starter bike?

2/24/2011 2:43:22 PM

I'd say either rx7 twin turbo, or a Ducati Monster starter bike and a DSM.

2/24/2011 3:10:35 PM

^i literally just spit out my drink

2/24/2011 3:41:17 PM

Mazda 3 is about to come out with a new 41mpg engine

2/25/2011 10:49:26 AM

^ link?

2/25/2011 11:48:39 AM

element. plenty of cargo room, decent mileage and reliable as hell...or a subaru outback

2/25/2011 12:56:15 PM

http://blogs.insideline.com/straightline/2011/02/2012-mazda-3-gets-158-hp-sky-g-engine-on-sale-this-fall.html

that link doesn't mention official MPG figures. I don't think they are out yet. But the rumor mills are saying 40ish for gas and more than that for diesel. it's basically a very high compression ratio with direct injection, but it runs on 87 octane.

http://blogs.insideline.com/straightline/2010/08/mazda-sky-g-and-sky-d-engines-revealed-driven.html

[Edited on February 25, 2011 at 1:54 PM. Reason : .]

2/25/2011 1:52:30 PM

So I've narrowed it down to Kia Soul or Scion xB.

If I buy a car in Dec 11, would I still be able to buy an '11 model for cheap or have to get a '12 model?

4/10/2011 12:57:51 PM

mazda 3/ ford focus are the only small cars i like right now


in the fall im getting the girl a focus

4/10/2011 1:33:15 PM

Gets around 20 mpg around town, and upper 20s or maybe 30 on the highway. Fits 2 good-sized suitcases in the trunk.




However, why $16k? That seems like an oddly specific number.

4/10/2011 1:49:06 PM

^ It's how much I allotted for myself to get a new car. No real reason why I picked it, it's how much of my savings I'm willing to take out.

4/10/2011 2:47:09 PM

+ If you get the Corvette Duke posted, you could always stuff dead animals and a couch or two in the space left between the fenders and the tires.

4/10/2011 2:56:10 PM

Ahh, but in 15 minutes, you can lower it about 1" both front and back, due to the stock suspension having a modest range of ride height adjustment.

4/10/2011 3:12:36 PM

But then you'd scrape ants w/that overhang and approach angle.

4/10/2011 4:31:23 PM

Your beloved 911s are hardly rockcrawleresque in their overhangs and approach/departure angles.

I will say that your E36 ///M is downright stumpy in the front, in a good way.

4/11/2011 12:21:00 AM

2006 Acura TL
2006 BMW 325i

4/11/2011 1:54:54 PM