Quote :

"my parents' Mazda went through two transmissions"

If its a 626 with an automatic transmission yes its a horrible transmission. But only that model had serious problems from what I know. My friends with Mazda 3's have had no problems. Another friend of mine has a Nissan 350Z and his transmission has been replaced twice. Would I tell someone not to buy a Nissan? No.

8/19/2008 10:15:22 PM

teg i looked at the mazda 3 a few years back. i liked the look, but never felt comfortable enough with mazda reliability

so yeah, we signed for a 09 matrix tonight. won't be here till early next week. pretty excited

and i got 2 more questions: 1) i can get a maintenance program for +$5/mo which covers all recommended maintenance for the first 30k miles. over 60mo that's $300. worth it? 2) and i can get a car care system for +$10/mo (so $600 over the life of the loan) where they put exterior and fabric protection applications on. and it's good for 5 years so i can bring it back in 4.5 years and basically get the inside and outside cleaned or replaced for free. we have a 6 month old so i'm sure at some point in the next 5 years she's gonna ruin something. worth it?

[Edited on August 19, 2008 at 11:02 PM. Reason : .]

8/19/2008 11:01:53 PM

If it covers those couple hundred dollar big mile marker maintenances, then I would do it. I don't know how much of that you have to do on a Matrix by 30K, but I know that it would be worth it with my VW.

8/19/2008 11:05:33 PM

8/19/2008 11:06:12 PM

qntmfred, I'd go for that maintenance package. Sounds like it includes everything?

8/19/2008 11:17:49 PM

Good choice with the Matrix. I was going to say get a Vue 5 spd with the 4 cyl engine. Which I'm buying sometime this week (hopefully).

8/19/2008 11:22:40 PM

definitely.....

8/19/2008 11:28:49 PM

^^^ it includes all the recommended maintenance for the first 30k miles. oil changes, tire rotations, fluid topoffs, and then the extra things at the 15k and 30k mile marks.

Quote :

"i suspect they are probably going to do a "we'll get you $5k for the sentra and $1k off the matrix how's that"."

i sure called that. they offered $5500 for the sentra and $750 off the matrix. and then when i asked for more off the matrix, he was like, "ok i'll knock it down to $18600" to which of course i said "how about $18500" and he said "i'm not gonna argue with ya over $100". it was like the perfectly scripted salesman setup lol

[Edited on August 19, 2008 at 11:29 PM. Reason : lols]

8/19/2008 11:29:08 PM

you paid too much, but it was worth it in the end.

8/19/2008 11:33:43 PM

that's what she said?

8/19/2008 11:36:09 PM

hahah

[Edited on August 19, 2008 at 11:58 PM. Reason : stretch]

8/19/2008 11:57:50 PM

pretty cool I guess

I gotta start looking for an 09 myself

The 08 has been solid but I only ride in the year that I'm in so its got about 3 months left

[Edited on August 20, 2008 at 12:11 AM. Reason : x]

8/20/2008 12:11:06 AM

8/20/2008 12:12:34 AM

color?

[Edited on August 20, 2008 at 12:14 AM. Reason : ..]

8/20/2008 12:14:23 AM

pics or it didn't happen

8/20/2008 12:20:29 AM

Quote :

"so yeah, we signed for a 09 matrix tonight. won't be here till early next week."

-qntmfred

8/20/2008 12:22:38 AM

Quote :

"e was like, "ok i'll knock it down to $18600" to which of course i said "how about $18500" and he said "i'm not gonna argue with ya over $100""

you should have asked for $18K

[Edited on August 20, 2008 at 1:26 AM. Reason : .]

8/20/2008 1:26:35 AM

I'm kinda late in this thread, but I was going to say that you should get a Matrix. I love mine, I have absolutely nothing negative to say about it.

Great choice!

What color did you get?

8/20/2008 7:59:58 AM

the nautical blue one. YAY!!!!

8/20/2008 8:03:39 AM

nvm - congrats on the new car!

[Edited on August 20, 2008 at 8:09 AM. Reason : ...]

8/20/2008 8:08:58 AM

Nice!

I did think of something negative to say....not really to do with the car but the keyless remote. The panic button is in a really bad place, not sure if this is for all Toyotas or just the Matrix. But I am ALWAYS accidentally hitting that button at the wrong time

I wish there was some way to disable that button

[Edited on August 20, 2008 at 8:11 AM. Reason : .]

8/20/2008 8:09:57 AM

I never had any problems with my Mazda

8/20/2008 8:12:41 AM

take remote apart

break button for panic

profit

8/20/2008 8:14:56 AM

Quote :

"I am ALWAYS accidentally hitting that button at the wrong time"

i've got a 04 camry and this happens to me all the time too

[Edited on August 20, 2008 at 8:20 AM. Reason : ^ might actually do that. who uses a panic button anyways]

8/20/2008 8:20:12 AM

one without a motor

8/20/2008 8:32:03 AM

Quote :

"pretty cool I guess I gotta start looking for an 09 myself The 08 has been solid but I only ride in the year that I'm in so its got about 3 months left"

From what I gather of the rest of your posts you're not hurting for cash at all, but damn that's gotta get expensive replacing a car every year. Those depreciation hits have to be killer.

qntmfred, The Matrix sounds like a good choice. Granted, some of the other stuff you were considering was sportier or more luxurious, but rarely a day goes by where I don't wish I had gotten a more sensible, fuel efficient car. Toyota is always a good decision.

8/20/2008 2:57:06 PM

subarooo b9 tribeca

8/20/2008 2:58:02 PM

Quote :

"I did think of something negative to say....not really to do with the car but the keyless remote. The panic button is in a really bad place, not sure if this is for all Toyotas or just the Matrix. But I am ALWAYS accidentally hitting that button at the wrong time"

hahaha, I do this too

mostly when I'm trying to lock the car but I've got my hands full

8/20/2008 5:25:05 PM

i like the matrix.

Quote :

"The 08 has been solid but I only ride in the year that I'm in so its got about 3 months left"

seriously??

8/20/2008 5:29:33 PM

wait.....people under 40 buy the matrix?

8/20/2008 6:27:26 PM

I did not know that people over 40 drove these. None of the people that I know that own these cars are over 30. The brochure looks like it is targeted at art fags and hipsters (age range is 22-35).

8/20/2008 9:43:29 PM

car owners' ages always skew older for economic reasons

8/20/2008 9:54:46 PM

^^^ the only people I know (including myself) who have them are under 30

8/20/2008 11:11:52 PM

You're all kidding right?

I appreciate the combined effort though.


1) Toyota that puts a minimum age at 25
2) Wagon +5 years
3) Slow as hell +5 years
4) Not sporty in the slightest +5 years

40 year age minimum.

You could classify the mazda speed 3 using similiar logic but I would argue >250hp subtracting the wagon years.

8/21/2008 8:09:47 AM

you and Slave Famous should get together to talk about cars.

8/21/2008 8:13:59 AM

I don't think there is more that could be said about the matrix. It's a boring wagon made by a boring auto company.

8/21/2008 8:15:23 AM

which wagons do you prefer in the 25k price range then?

8/21/2008 8:20:43 AM

I think a better question is what wagons wouldn't you prefer for 25k?

8/21/2008 8:23:21 AM

exactly...there aren't many really great ones out there.

i mean i love the audi wagon, but it's out of that price range.

8/21/2008 8:26:04 AM

I don't buy new cars or cars for 40 year olds.

The only "wagon"'s I would consider buying new would be a prius or a fit (or a clubman cooper). Just because the hit wouldn't be THAT bad. Those are all shitty excuses for wagons though. I hope its obvious I have no solution to this "wagon" problem.

8/21/2008 8:29:52 AM

I actually meant the exact opposite.

There are plenty of comparable, if not better, wagons at the random price point you picked.

8/21/2008 8:30:42 AM

i guess what you're really saying is that you aren't interested in having kids until you're old enough not to care what you drive (age 40).

^it wasn't a random price point. i'm pretty sure it says somewhere in this thread that she wanted to keep it under 25k.

[Edited on August 21, 2008 at 8:31 AM. Reason : ]

8/21/2008 8:31:05 AM

You obviously have no idea what I drive.

I think "caring about what you drive" has long since passed for me.

8/21/2008 8:33:02 AM

Quote :

"^it wasn't a random price point. i'm pretty sure it says somewhere in this thread that she wanted to keep it under 25k."

In that case, I don't understand how with these criteria:

Quote :

"i almost certainly will want a 4 door sedan with high reliability and good to excellent gas mileage and < $25k."

The Prius never got mentioned. Then again, they did get a Matrix for 7k less than that, so I guess it wouldn't have mattered much anyway.

8/21/2008 8:40:31 AM

For the rest of you following this thread, Consumer Reports rated compact sedans in their July 2008 issue.

In the test, the Subaru Impreza got the "Quick Pick" nod, but its MPG kept it's rating down to a respectable #8.

The overall top ten results are as follows:

*1 - Hyundai Elantra SE - 82 Overall Score - $17980 as tested - 27 MPG - Excellent Predictability Rating
*2 - Honda Civic EX (MT) - 82 - $18810 - 31 - Excellent
*3 - Toyota Prius Touring - 80 - $24803 - 42 - Excellent
*4 - Mazda3 i (MT) - 78 - $17290 - 30 - Excellent
*5 - Honda Civic EX - 78 - $19610 - 28 - Excellent
*6 - Mazda3 i - 72 - $18190 - 27 - Excellent
*7 - Honda Civic Hybrid - 72 - $22400 - 37 - Excellent
**8 - Subaru Impreza 2.5i - 72 - $19106 - 24 - Very Good
9 - Toyota Corolla LE - 71 - $18404 - 32 - New
*10 - Hyundai Elantra GLS - 70 - $17555 - 27 - Excellent

* = Recommended Models
** = Quick Pick

[Edited on August 21, 2008 at 8:46 AM. Reason : tailored]

[Edited on August 21, 2008 at 8:47 AM. Reason : .]

8/21/2008 8:44:48 AM

there are 2 wagons worth getting in the 25k range. e39 540it and wrx wagon. that is all

8/21/2008 8:50:18 AM

buy matching segways with a car seat attachment

8/21/2008 9:42:09 AM

what kind of car should zorthage get?

He may or may not be getting the volt when it comes out, and is buying new now :-\
Right now, he's looking at getting a pontiac vibe.

We drive to chicago at least once a year, drive for vacation and weekend trips, and go canoeing, so it can't be a miata or something

I feel like I should be able to suggest something for him, but am coming up blank
He's also absurdly practical, but doesn't want something TOOOOOOOO practical, like a civic hybrid

[Edited on August 24, 2008 at 3:17 PM. Reason : i'm also trying to convince him to get a manual ]

[Edited on August 24, 2008 at 3:17 PM. Reason : and he REALLY likes hatchbacks wtf]

8/24/2008 3:15:56 PM

rabbit

8/24/2008 4:23:40 PM

Might as well just get a Prius, since it will hold it's value better than any of the other cars when he sells it on the off-chance the Chevy Volt actually comes out within the next couple of years.

8/24/2008 4:25:56 PM