Haha, this thread has sidetracked a bit. I thought I'd give an update though. I've managed to eliminate some things from my list. I've also decided $25k is my max given what I want to keep my payments + insurance costs at.

The IS is gone b/c apparently there is like 1 manual IS for sale in the entire state. The CTS is on the bubble for the same reason but I did find one near Raleigh I might try to test drive tomorrow (well today technically).

The M3 and Corvette are out b/c the bank doesn't want to do anything older than '04 and the insurance was already a big deterrent. I might still test drive one though

The Wrangler is gone mainly b/c I've decided I don't like the idea of riding to work every day wearing dress clothes in it. Not to mention it would be a bitch on gas. But I would still love to have one as a toy someday. Maybe right about the same time I get a boat.

That leaves....
'03-07 BMW 3 series sedan (yeah, I realize this spans 2 diff generations)
BMW Z4
Ford Fusion
Cadillac CTS
Pontiac Solstice

I'm leaning heavily towards a 3 series right now, but thats the only thing I've had a chance to test drive. I've found a solstice, a fusion, and a CTS I'm going to try and take a look at tomorrow.

5/20/2009 2:08:49 AM

nvm

[Edited on May 20, 2009 at 2:13 AM. Reason : voted the cts but the back part looks gay]

5/20/2009 2:13:06 AM

I don't know... There's a C5 for just about $12k, it's local, and it's a manual...

Or, just buy the 330i zhp and get it over with.

5/20/2009 2:34:38 AM

My post was not applicable for anyone but the original poster, based solely upon inferences of the original post. Inferences are not useless to the query of deciding what to buy when the list itself presents the obvious fact that the person issuing the query hasn't narrowed down what SORT of vehicle he's really looking for. For example, if I gave the exact same list, but then went on to list every minivan made for the last 20 years, would you really think I am someone that should be told the best car for me is a 330i? of course not. hope this was short enough for all of you.

5/20/2009 7:50:39 AM

I'm sorry, but drivetrain config and CoG make a difference to the ENTIRE NATURE of a car. It just so happened that "not rwd" was a better shorthand. If anyone here thinks the fact that b/c a fusion with optional awd can shift a tiny bit of torque to the rear when it hits a puddle mid-turn gives it the serious-active-awd capabilities and handling of a "breaks the rule of thumb" sort of car like a mitsu Evo, then I'm sorry for your the loss of your senses. I should've said this:

Nice list of sporty cars you've got there. Take the truck and the accord-wannabe off the list and then we'll start the conversation.

5/20/2009 7:59:45 AM

I can understand that since most car magazines say "Not RWD" to mean that a car is top-heavy too.

5/20/2009 4:11:09 PM

Quote :

"The IS is gone b/c apparently there is like 1 manual IS for sale in the entire state. "

I wouldn't recommend a manual IS. Transmission is absolute rubbish. Really, I wanted a manual but not after I test drove one. Then if I were going automatic, I decided the IS was still the one for me my wife...

Get the BMW. I say this because I don't care for the Sotlice's manual transmission and the reliability reports of the Caddy. I wouldn't recommend a Ford either so yeah. BMW is the choice.

[Edited on May 20, 2009 at 4:37 PM. Reason : .]

5/20/2009 4:33:22 PM

^ I test drove a Solstice today and really liked it. I actually liked the transmission over that of the BMWs, which I know is crazy. But I think its b/c my first ever 5 speed was a Ford econobox that felt very similar to the Solstice. I'd probably like the bmw's shifting better after I got used to it. I don't think I'm going to be able to trade off all the pros of having a sedan for the fun of the Solstice anyway.

I've eliminated the Fusion b/c I discovered they didn't make any with a V6 and a manual transmission. An I4 w/ 160hp and 3100 pounds of car is .

5/20/2009 9:47:53 PM

s2000 > solstice imo

5/20/2009 9:50:11 PM

Quote :

"I actually liked the transmission over that of the BMWs, which I know is crazy."

It would be hard to be worse. I like bmw's but the transmissions dont feel good at all....... Or maybe they are for ultimate drivers.





[Edited on May 22, 2009 at 8:26 AM. Reason : .]

5/22/2009 8:25:48 AM

Quote :

"An I4 w/ 160hp and 3100 pounds of car is ."

wth is wrong with that? it may not be a "rocket" by any standards but I would seriously say it's peppy.

I mean, I had a ton of fun in my 150hp ~3000lb 944....

[Edited on May 22, 2009 at 8:44 AM. Reason : .]

5/22/2009 8:43:23 AM

in that case, my self propelled push miwer is "peppy"

5/26/2009 11:43:56 AM

Quote :

"s2000 > solstice imo"

Honestly, if you're considering a Solstice there's no reason you shouldn't look at an S2000. I like the way the Solstice looks and appreciate the horsepower. But the shitty quality of the interior materials and ridiculously small trunk were deal breakers for me. And its still beyond me how the Chevy Cobalt SS (w/Solstice GXP engine) outhandles and outbrakes the Solstice in every way.

[Edited on May 26, 2009 at 12:10 PM. Reason : what gives?]

5/26/2009 12:09:12 PM

Quote :

"I like bmw's but the transmissions dont feel good at all"

I'm not a huge fan myself. Not enough feedback, I think they need a bit more resistance... and the reverse placement is confounding

[Edited on May 26, 2009 at 12:40 PM. Reason : .]

5/26/2009 12:39:14 PM

I've always found BMW transmissions to be quite nice. Go figure son.

5/26/2009 1:14:52 PM

Well, it looks like I might be delaying the purchase of any decent vehicle. I got one place to run my credit for an '06 325i today and the best rate they could find was 14.99% . I knew my credit was weak sauce, but damn. Even one of my credit cards has a lower rate.

I'm kind of iffy on the idea, but does anyone know how hard it is to refinance a car loan? I'm pretty sure my credit would be a jillion times better after a year of paying car payments...but I don't know if I want to throw that much money away on interest. Although...I imagine it would help build my credit a lot faster so I can buy a house sooner. Hmmm...thoughts anyone? Could it be worth it to drop the 2-3 grand in interest just to build up my credit?

5/27/2009 5:02:05 PM

here's a suggestion, don't buy stuff you can't afford.

5/27/2009 5:31:44 PM

Thanks for the advice genius. I can easily afford it, I just don't want to throw the extra money down the drain on the interest.

I feel like I can justify even 7 or 8% interest b/c I plan to put most of my free cash (less some emergency dough) into an index fund and the return over the next 3 years is likely to beat those interest rates. But 15% is recockulous. I'm contemplating just straight up buying an 02-03 civic right now, but I definitely won't be able to get financed on that and am hesitant to use up so much of my liquidity.

5/27/2009 5:50:32 PM

sounds like an 02-03 civic is what you can REALLY afford, and just because you can spend most of your savings on a car doesn't mean you can AFFORD it.

5/27/2009 5:58:18 PM

No offense man, but you know you're in bad fiscal shape when in this economy you're getting a rate that high.

5/27/2009 6:39:54 PM

^ actually the rate has very little to do with my fiscal shape. Its all about my short credit history. I could be sitting on 100,000 bucks (ibt smartasses saying you could just buy the car straight up if you had 100k) and they still wouldn't want to give me a loan b/c of my credit score.

They wouldn't adjust the rate at all for more down payment. They were willing to give me 15% with 0 down, but wouldn't lower it for 5000 or even 7500 down (which doesn't make a lot of sense from the research I had done about car loans and shit, but whatever).

I'll either swallow the high interest for a few months and refinance or buy a beater and wait another year or so to get a car I will enjoy. Which brings me back to my question. Anyone have any idea how much of a pain in the ass it is to refinance a car loan?

5/27/2009 6:55:17 PM

My advice is to keep the car you have until your credit improves or your current car starts to really fall apart. Or go for it if you love throwing money away. There's no shame in keeping a car for a long time, I had my last car for 9 years before replacing it.

And the first time I ever financed a car was 6 months ago, and they gave me a rate of 5.45%. Granted I'm not "fresh out of college" but all I had to build my credit was maintaining credit cards and paying bills on time.

[Edited on May 27, 2009 at 11:19 PM. Reason : k]

5/27/2009 11:18:19 PM

Your credit must be awful. Pay off all your debts first then pay cash.

5/27/2009 11:26:02 PM

Reading comprehension folks. The only problem with my credit is that its very short (as in my credit history didn't exist until November). In fact the finance guy at the dealership told me one of the biggest problems was that I had no history of having made big payments before. I have <2k in debt that I am only going to pay off right before the 0% introductory offers run out on those cards. Geez ppl.

Quote :

"your current car starts to really fall apart"

That moment has arrived (and gone).

[Edited on May 27, 2009 at 11:36 PM. Reason : .]

V and I quote

Quote :

"They wouldn't adjust the rate at all for more down payment. They were willing to give me 15% with 0 down, but wouldn't lower it for 5000 or even 7500 down (which doesn't make a lot of sense from the research I had done about car loans and shit, but whatever)."

Bigger downpayment == smaller loan.

[Edited on May 28, 2009 at 12:03 AM. Reason : .]

5/27/2009 11:35:40 PM

Well, with no history of having made big payments before, why not just scale back your vehicle plans a bit? If you get a shitty rate with a bigger loan, you should theoretically get a less shitty rate with a smaller loan.

If you're a member of a credit union, ask them about how much of a used vehicle loan you could qualify for as well. Same goes for a bank, though I think you'd have better luck with a credit union.

5/27/2009 11:40:21 PM

lol, shouldn't have gotten the civic.

6/6/2009 9:29:41 AM

Quote :

"Well, it looks like I might be delaying the purchase of any decent vehicle. I got one place to run my credit for an '06 325i today and the best rate they could find was 14.99% . I knew my credit was weak sauce, but damn. Even one of my credit cards has a lower rate."

join a credit union

6/6/2009 9:33:55 AM

Yea, join a credit union/find financing on your own at your own bank. that rate is horrible.

6/6/2009 10:02:15 AM

Quote :

"They wouldn't adjust the rate at all for more down payment."

They suck, go to a credit union. They were trying to take advantage of you, and more or less figured that out given:

Quote :

"They were willing to give me 15% with 0 down, but wouldn't lower it for 5000 or even 7500 down (which doesn't make a lot of sense from the research I had done about car loans and shit, but whatever)."

A smaller loan netting a lower interest rate also makes plenty of sense. A loan making up a smaller portion of a car's value is also, logically, a lower risk loan. That these guys wouldn't compromise at all in that regard just shows that they were looking to give you their "brown people" loan rates.

6/6/2009 1:35:43 PM

I would strongly urge you to not finance a car. This seems like a great time to buy a car, but it doesn't have to be something that new or bling. Just my two cents...

6/6/2009 3:25:56 PM

^

6/6/2009 3:48:07 PM

why not?

i paid off a car easily (in his proposed budget) with the same job title in under 9 months. i put something small like 4 down. the reason was simple. i needed a loan to boost my credit. too bad it didn't really do jack shit because it was only open for under 9 months .

6/6/2009 5:02:01 PM

Quinn, I'm pretty sure a loan from your family isn't going to help w/your credit...

Besides, just cause you could've bought it doesn't mean it was the best move. I mean, you can find S2ks for significantly less than what you paid for yours now. If you think that was worth it, more power to you but I would've saved for a house first, and not continue wasting money on rent for example. Of course you may have felt "hey, I graduated, I have a job, time to pimp the car", and you know what, that's cool too, just not what I'd do or recommend hence my post.

6/6/2009 5:51:43 PM

I paid my parents 8,000$ back in 9 months and I paid them 5% interest over that duration. I paid BB&T back 8K , actually I'm not sure how much in 6? months at 7.85%? I'm not sure what the exact amounts were. I can try to find the statements if you would like. They ,BB&T , wont let me login to the account online since it was closed.

Maybe you dont understand because you never made it to the "i have a job" part?

6/6/2009 8:22:57 PM

its always easier to get about half the minumum payments you can afford, and pay it off early, than get stuck with a high one if something happens

7/4/2009 1:54:57 PM

fuuck that shit. pay cash. 15% interest is fucking insane, no matter what the car is.

I'm paying 8% interest, but I also ran the numbers (I got an insane deal on the car itself, which far outweighs the interest I *would* have paid over the life of the loan) and have the income to pay it off far earlier.

Keep driving your dad's truck until you can buy something cash in hand. Half the cars on your list you will be able to pay cash for if you save well over the next 6-8 months.

7/4/2009 3:04:41 PM

being able to make the payments on something and being able to afford it are two different things.

7/4/2009 10:47:08 PM

you should really be a financial life planner, josh

7/5/2009 9:23:09 PM