You have to choose one car. 13.5k or less models ONLY

[ciper]

Personally, the toyota is the only one in the group that is reliable and functional enough.
Read this thread for some discussion about the Scion http://bbs.legacycentral.org/viewtopic.php?t=15133

[scottzg]

I'd buy my legacy again and pocket the 11k. I figure my car will prolly last 72k longer than more than half those entries, so it's valid.

I will buy a new car the same day i take a car to a mechanic, but among those choices, i'd take the scion.

[ciper]

Legacy doesnt count. New cars only.

[scottzg]

I will never buy a new car unless i expect to chalk the money up as a loss. I would only do that if it was a pleasure car, and i dont see any of those as pleasure cars.

[ciper]

The loss on these cars is very low. You cant group all cars together. Its not like buying a brand new passat and loosing 13k in 2 years.

edit: click the vote box!

[Yukonart]

My vote goes to the Scion. . . been in one several months back, seen another just a few days ago. They kick ass for the money, and they're certainly a head-turner.

After that, the Hyundai . . . seriously, you simply can't beat their 7 year warranty.

[scottzg]

I wouldn't buy a volkswagon unless i had millions of dollars and a hammer protruding from my cranium. Ok ok, ill cast a vote for your SCION. But i think all these cars are a mistake.

[ciper]

Oh, also take into account that the Scion is the ONLY car on the list made in Japan!!!!!

[JasonGrahn]

no way. the Suzuki Aerio is boss hog outta that group of shitpacks. My brother is a technitian at a Mitsubishi/Kia/Suzuki/Mazda/Hyundai dealer and has his fair share of the pack listed. The only thing he hasn't worked on is the scion, which is just a glorified echo that is shaped like a brick (air-brakes anyone?). The only reasion i'd get a scion would be to mod the hell out of it for the ultimate g-ride sleeper unit.

The Aveo is another chevy ride destined to fall apart. Even if it's a quality japanese-made vehicle, chevrolet will find some way to make it a crap-wagon. Look at the Swift versus the Geo Metro.

I've raced in the Focus before, a very high quality car IMO. However, given the option of AWD that the aerio has (or will have), it completely makes up for it. On top of that, the aerio is a VERY reliable car and my bro only sees them into his shop for routine oil changes and standard maintenence.

The accent is a pile of shit that falls apart. the only thing worse on the list is the kia rio. there's a reason that they have warranties that long, it's the only thing that will sell the car!

The neon i will place in 3rd. The 1st generation neon was a throw-away car that didn't last too long. 2nd gen got better. After they were taken over by Daimler, then things have definitely improved.

My picks in order:

Aerio
Focus
Neon
Scion
Aveo
Accent
Rio

[91White-T]

I voted Focus... Decent handler and not half as ugly as the rest.

[Legacy777]

I need pics to look at damnit.....heheh

[kelley]

now does it have to be by the msrp?
I have seen focus svt's, ser vspec's, and honda civic si's on add for around 13.5-14k.
of all the cars I have driven my vote goes to the civic si.
i dig the dash shifter

[ciper]

Civic SI? My bud is the sales manager at a Honda dealer. He got an incredible deal on a new SI when they first came out. 8 months later he sold it at a big loss. Its not a very good car.
The Spec V Sentra is better in SO many ways. On raw specs the Sentra is .4 faster in 0-60, .3 faster in 1/4 mile, 8 foot shorter braking distance, .04G higher in skidpad and 3mph faster top speed. They are equal weighted too. With dealer incentives and such you can get a Spec V for about 14.5 right now.
Neither are a choice on this poll

[kelley]

yeah i know on paper the ser is a better car. but when i drive them I still like the si much better. the main problem with the si is chasis tuning (the motor doesn't help either). but for me I love the driving position.
but i think with some descent wheels and tires it would be a nice daily driver.
plus I love the look. I love hatchbacks. the si sucks compared to the type r (lol, I know) I wish we got that car here.

[THAWA]

of those choices I'd choose the focus, but I'd rather have a sentra or a civic.

[evolutionmovement]

Jesus, a good Grand National is $12k! Well, if it was a gun to the head kind of thing (.22 so I might not die, but be paralyzed instead, which is far worse) I'd go with the Focus. Keep America rolling!! It's the closest thing to a rally car there and there's always the V8 option in a couple years when the drivetrain's beat and the value is near zero. The Neon would've won were it an SRT-4 or if the Sentra fit in this price range I'd go with that. The Koreans are absolute trash. Who cares about a 10 year warranty? So what if it runs, who's going to want to drive the falling apart POS after only a few years.

I really hate new cars, though - the worry, cost, smell, and lack of soul.

Steve

[entirelyturbo]

First off, ciper, when was Suzuki not Japanese???

I had to vote the Scion, because even though I think it's overpriced, it's the only well-made car out of the group...

The Neon would be my next choice. No it's not a very well-made car, but it's better than the rest of the stuff listed...

Suzuki is most definitely Japanese, in fact, it's the worst Japanese car made, statistically. I would much rather have a Suzuki motorcycle than car, but I'll never have a bike, so nevermind.

Focus=trash. If I bought one, it would get recalled 3 times before I left the dealer

Nothing from Korea, which throws out the Rio, Accent and Aveo right then and there. Yes the Chevy Aveo is a rebadged Daewoo that Chevy saved from certain doom... While Hyundai's aren't that bad of cars anymore (Kia's are still crap for some reason) I don't like buying cars from a country with suc political instability and then risk not getting parts or anything like that.

But when I finally decide I'm getting a new car (to complement the cars I already have ) I'm probably gonna save a little more and just get a new 05 Legacy 2.5GT...

[ciper]

Your telling me the Suzuki is made in japan? From what I know its built in korea along with the forenza and verona.

Im surprised by so many Focus votes. Do you guys know how many recalls it has?

[scottzg]

11

these cars are all crappy to varying degrees. USED CAR.

The only time ive been genuinely scared in a car was in a focus. Ir wasnt even being pushed. The rear suspension is horrid.

The Spec V Sentra is better in SO many ways. On raw specs the Sentra is .4 faster in 0-60, .3 faster in 1/4 mile, 8 foot shorter braking distance, .04G higher in skidpad and 3mph faster top speed. They are equal weighted too

You wrote this as a joke, right? Those numbers are the same when you are using human testers, or driving in the real world. I love watching old nissans drive by with 1 blown rear shock making the wheel bounce along.

[mTk]

/me hops on his bicycle and rides away

MK

[legacy92ej22t]

I voted for the focus. They look ok in my opinion. Ford doesn't sit real high with me personally but I think it would be the funnest to own of the listed cars.

[123c]

Personally I wouldn't buy anything that is brand new, and Second, I would try and find a 2000 Volkswagon Jetta tdi, a good example can be found for about $11,000, and the 50mpg figure sort of catches my eye, since gas prices are now at almost $2/gallon in my area ...
My Second choice would probally be either a 2000 Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS with fairly low miles...