Car advice needed
January 10, 2008 12:58 PM Subscribe
Help me find my car.
I'll be in the (U.S.) market for a used car in a couple of months and have started looking around to see what's out there. Unfortunately most of the car websites require you to know what make and model car you're looking for, and I've yet to narrow that down. Here are my requirements:
Manual transmission
Leather interior
6 cylinder engine
Low to moderate mileage
2003 or newer, but not brand new
Import
Under $17,000
My last car was a Toyota Celica and I'm thinking about getting something similarly sporty, but with a larger engine (it was a 4 cylinder), although I've yet to see anything similar to the Celica. My other consideration is that there will be wee ones coming along in a couple of years - should I go ahead and get a four door in anticipation of that? Or get another couple of years of sporty fun under my belt?
I'll be in the (U.S.) market for a used car in a couple of months and have started looking around to see what's out there. Unfortunately most of the car websites require you to know what make and model car you're looking for, and I've yet to narrow that down. Here are my requirements:
Manual transmission
Leather interior
6 cylinder engine
Low to moderate mileage
2003 or newer, but not brand new
Import
Under $17,000
My last car was a Toyota Celica and I'm thinking about getting something similarly sporty, but with a larger engine (it was a 4 cylinder), although I've yet to see anything similar to the Celica. My other consideration is that there will be wee ones coming along in a couple of years - should I go ahead and get a four door in anticipation of that? Or get another couple of years of sporty fun under my belt?
We bought a used Mazda6 last year (the 5-door model, the coolest IMO), which meets all of your criteria, and we love it to death. I often use it to drive new sales people for my company around town, and they're always impressed with how nice it is. It's sporty but roomy, available with manual transmission, leather interior and all the bells and whistles, and completely fun to drive.
posted by junkbox at 1:07 PM on January 10, 2008
posted by junkbox at 1:07 PM on January 10, 2008
Even now I have a 2002 Saturn L sedan with manual and leather interior and heated seats and everything. Plenty of room in the back for kids but great car for the money. Never had a problem in 85K miles. I plan on running it for years to come. Bought it for around $19K as I remember so a used one has to be well under your price point.
posted by lpsguy at 1:08 PM on January 10, 2008
posted by lpsguy at 1:08 PM on January 10, 2008
You may try looking at the Mazda6, Honda Accord, or VW GTI, or Jetta (with the VR6 engine.) I'm not sure the Passat has a manual transmission option, internal. At your price point a 3-series BMW is out, but if you could spend a little more...
posted by wfrgms at 1:15 PM on January 10, 2008
posted by wfrgms at 1:15 PM on January 10, 2008
After buying a truck at Carmax a few years ago I rountinely use their website to take a look at what is out there and for how much. You can use their filter system with exactly the requirements you posted to see what cars fit those (that they have in stock anyway).
Also for what it's worth we have been looking at buying a Mazda6 as we have a youngin on the way also. We rented one for 8 days over christmas and drove it across the southwest US. Really liked it. Even with the 4cyl it was decently sporty.
posted by Big_B at 1:22 PM on January 10, 2008
Also for what it's worth we have been looking at buying a Mazda6 as we have a youngin on the way also. We rented one for 8 days over christmas and drove it across the southwest US. Really liked it. Even with the 4cyl it was decently sporty.
posted by Big_B at 1:22 PM on January 10, 2008
Nissan Maxima SE.
I've had 2 of them. A good clean 5th generation SE can easily be had in your price range.
posted by Thorzdad at 1:24 PM on January 10, 2008
I've had 2 of them. A good clean 5th generation SE can easily be had in your price range.
posted by Thorzdad at 1:24 PM on January 10, 2008
I also think a Mazda6 would meet your needs nicely.
posted by Doohickie at 1:24 PM on January 10, 2008
posted by Doohickie at 1:24 PM on January 10, 2008
I have a Mazda Sport Wagon (the Protegé, a precursor to the Mazda3/6/whatever wagon they got going now). It truly is an all-around fantastic vehicle. Sporty, minimal gas consumption, hauls lots (figuratively and metaphorically), looks good.
posted by iamkimiam at 1:43 PM on January 10, 2008
posted by iamkimiam at 1:43 PM on January 10, 2008
Third on the Mazda6 suggestion. Mine is a 2003 that fits all your criteria, except that I'm not selling mine:) It's been a joy to drive and maintenance has been easy. My only complaint is that the turning radius is kind of wide and I've had to step up my parallel parking skills ever since moving to SF.
posted by strangecargo at 2:28 PM on January 10, 2008
posted by strangecargo at 2:28 PM on January 10, 2008
I got a 2003 BMW 325i for about that price. Mine's automatic transmission though. I love it. It's a 4 door with a nice back seat, so future kids should be fine.
posted by desjardins at 2:44 PM on January 10, 2008
posted by desjardins at 2:44 PM on January 10, 2008
Models to consider:
posted by knave at 2:46 PM on January 10, 2008
- Honda Accord V6
- Nissan Maxima SE (as mentioned above)
- Nissan 350Z or Infiniti G35 (might be tough to keep under $17k)
- MINI Cooper S (not six-cylinder, but very sporty)
posted by knave at 2:46 PM on January 10, 2008
The Mazda RX-8 is under the $17,000 budget you've set if you buy a second hand one.
* Not a V6, it's a rotary. This puts it around the same performance/fuel consumption bracket as a V6 or V8.
* It's got 4 doors and 4 real seats. I'm 6'3" and have riden in the back without discomfort.
* Suspension and handling are brilliant.
* Rear Wheel Drive. :)
* Leather Interior
* Manuals are much more common than automatics - the automatic transmissions that mazda have can't handle the revs that the rotary engine puts out (9500 rpm redline in the manual), so the autos do about 140kw, and the manuals > 170kw at the flywheel.
posted by Jerub at 3:13 PM on January 10, 2008
* Not a V6, it's a rotary. This puts it around the same performance/fuel consumption bracket as a V6 or V8.
* It's got 4 doors and 4 real seats. I'm 6'3" and have riden in the back without discomfort.
* Suspension and handling are brilliant.
* Rear Wheel Drive. :)
* Leather Interior
* Manuals are much more common than automatics - the automatic transmissions that mazda have can't handle the revs that the rotary engine puts out (9500 rpm redline in the manual), so the autos do about 140kw, and the manuals > 170kw at the flywheel.
posted by Jerub at 3:13 PM on January 10, 2008
Your criteria were similar to mine when I bought a car in 2005. I couldn't find a 2-4 year old mazda 6 with a V6. It seemed to me that most people who buy cars with upgrades like leather and V6's....keep their cars for a few years.
We bought my 2004 Mazda 6 with cloth seats and 4 clyinder (while I was pregnant with #2). I like it. It gets good milage - most of my driving is city. It has 4 doors. The 2 door I had previously was AWFUL with child #1 only. In general, I am lazy, so you may be able to handle kids and 2-doors.
posted by beachhead2 at 3:58 PM on January 10, 2008
We bought my 2004 Mazda 6 with cloth seats and 4 clyinder (while I was pregnant with #2). I like it. It gets good milage - most of my driving is city. It has 4 doors. The 2 door I had previously was AWFUL with child #1 only. In general, I am lazy, so you may be able to handle kids and 2-doors.
posted by beachhead2 at 3:58 PM on January 10, 2008
Lexus IS-300
Sporty, and also comes in a 4 door model. The styling has held up well, and are fairly luxurious for being so fun to drive.
posted by clearly at 5:29 PM on January 10, 2008
Sporty, and also comes in a 4 door model. The styling has held up well, and are fairly luxurious for being so fun to drive.
posted by clearly at 5:29 PM on January 10, 2008
Go to autotrader.com and choose and advanced search. You can choose body type and enter all those parameters and within how many miles you want to do the search. You can't select import, but the manual transmission option will sort most american cars out. You can also search several makes under the other parameters.
posted by tonci at 5:56 PM on January 10, 2008
posted by tonci at 5:56 PM on January 10, 2008
Yeah, the cars.com advanced search lets you search without specifying anything other than a zip code. When I first started looking, I too was put off by the enforced specificity of most website's basic search, but usually the advanced is more flexible. Use basic search when you know you want a Maxima (like me) or a whatever.
posted by BeerFilter at 7:31 PM on January 10, 2008
posted by BeerFilter at 7:31 PM on January 10, 2008
Response by poster: Thanks for all the recommendations so far. Keep them coming! I'll move to a four door once the kids come, if not before, especially after reading this thread. It's nice to see that there are some sportier four doors out there. Didn't realize that autotrader.com had those options in the advanced search - I'll definitely check that out.
posted by Nathanial Hörnblowér at 7:38 PM on January 10, 2008
posted by Nathanial Hörnblowér at 7:38 PM on January 10, 2008
On the Passat and BMW 3 Series. I've had both, and reliability is not a concern for either. The Passat is considerably more practical and spacious and cheaper to maintain. If you go for the 2 litre turbo, the Passat is also faster than the 3 series equivalent, and almost as quick as the 325 (especially when it's a manual and you can keep the revs up). Personally, I don't think the little badge on the front of the beamer is worth the extra money. BTW, the VW Golf GTI (maybe Rabbit in the US?) uses the same engine as the Passat turbo, is as fast as a 190bhp Celica/BMW325 and comes in a genuine 4dr, 5 seat flavour.
posted by Jakey at 3:36 AM on January 11, 2008
posted by Jakey at 3:36 AM on January 11, 2008
Response by poster: I heard from a friend that VWs are not as reliable as they once were, which surprised and disappointed me. He didn't mention anything specific, just that the newer ones had issues and were constantly needing repair.
posted by Nathanial Hörnblowér at 6:44 AM on January 11, 2008
posted by Nathanial Hörnblowér at 6:44 AM on January 11, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by internal at 1:00 PM on January 10, 2008