acckkk! I can't decide! yact: help me to choose one

[andylawcc]

Priority: Reliability, Maintanence Cost

99-00 Honda Civic Sedan: $5500-7000
04-05 used Scion xA: $12000-13000
New Scion xA / Yaris: $14500


yes yes, I know the price range is very different, but I can afford the latter two with a longer payment period... and my spending habits will have to be trimmed quite abit if I went with the latter two choices. So, what's it gonna be? Previous/current owners of these car please chime in.


EDIT
hummm... so for those who voted for the Civic: have you factor in the higher maintaince cost for an older car? (like timing belt, O2 sensors, transmission....). Also, by the time I sell the civic it will be considerable less than the Scion/Yaris. So I receive less on the other end.

in short: the only reason I want to go with the more expensive choices (xA / Yaris) is that it will have less maintanance issues, higher MPG, and will sell for little bit more than the Civic. (and it seems like from e-loan.com, financing a new car has lower APR than an used one).

Please dispell any fallacy I made. I am very new to this.

 

[helloedchen]

Just get the Civic.

 

[GeNome]

Definitely the Civic. Cheap, reliable, great gas mileage, easy to get parts for. Really no reason not to go with it. If you looked on Craigslist, you could probably get it even cheaper.

 

[her209]

New car (but not the Scion xA).

 

[andylawcc]

Originally posted by: her209
New car (but not the Scion xA).

I am looking for MPG and price. all these 3 cars get 30 above and reasonably priced.
the Honda Fit does too, but it's over my budget and is out of stock (even though it is my top choice).

 

[Kilgor]

Get a Corolla for the same price.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

Civic.

 

[dudeman007]

Uh...no question. Civic.

 

[wasssup]

Civic. I've got a 99 EX (manual tranny) and when I baby it I can hit ~37mpg. Thanks to my new job i'm doing a lot more stop n go driving getting there and coming home, so it's dropped to 32mpg. Still pretty good...

 

[Adfaw]

Yeah, I'd have to say the civic is your best choice. My brother has an old civic and it still runs great. They seem like reliable cars, good gas milage, and you'll be able to find all kinds of parts. Besides, don't you want all that extra spending money for new computer parts? Maybe I'm weird, but I'd rather have a really snazzy computer than a super snazzy car. Keep in mind if you buy those newer models, parts are gonna be expensive (assuming they break down) and you'll be afraid to get a scratch on them cause they look so sweet. I guess if looks are important to you though, definitely go for a better looking car than the civic. I think they are pretty ugly.

 

[andylawcc]

hummm... so for those who voted for the Civic: have you factor in the higher maintaince cost for an older car? (like timing belt, O2 sensors, transmission....)

 

[thedarkwolf]

I pick the civic but then if you replace civic with pinto I'd pick pinto just to keep out of a scion.

 

[alkemyst]

WTF is your real budget?

a good civic in that day and age shouldn't need a ton of maintenance.

A new scion or slightly used would not be bad...I see a lot of them around.

 

[andylawcc]

Also, by the time I sell the civic it will be considerable less than the Scion/Yaris. So I receive less on the other end.

(well, actually I don't, because depreciation hits newer car more so than older cars...)

 

[Dr. Detroit]

I like the look of the Yaris sedans.

 

[Baked]

One w/ the highest MPG.

 

[andylawcc]

Originally posted by: alkemyst
WTF is your real budget?

If I want to I can afford those cars around that price range (sub 15k), but I will have to make a longer payment term. I do expect I will make more later, so ability to make future payment will be negliable. (meaning, 250 a month for 24 months vs 250 a month for 60 month, will not make a difference; as long as it makes sense and monthly payment is around that 250 dollar range)

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: andylawcc

Originally posted by: alkemyst
WTF is your real budget?

If I want to I can afford those cars around that price range (sub 15k), but I will have to make a longer payment term. I do expect I will make more later, so ability to make future payment will be negliable. (meaning, 250 a month for 24 months vs 250 a month for 60 month, will not make a difference; as long as it makes sense and monthly payment is around that 250 dollar range)

don't buy a car on a future pay grade.

 

[andylawcc]

Originally posted by: alkemyst

don't buy a car on a future pay grade.

I know and understand that I shouldn't expect a pay raise and leverage myself to point beyond my means.

but if I can afford 250 a month for now, I am pretty confident I can afford the same amount in the future too.

the only reason I want to go with the more expensive choices (xA / Yaris) is that it will have less maintanance issues, higher MPG, and will sell for little bit more than the Civic. (and it seems like from e-loan.com, financing a new car has lower APR than an used one).

Please dispell any fallacy I made. I am very new to this. My previous car was paid by my parents, this time I want to do it on my own.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: andylawcc

Originally posted by: alkemyst

don't buy a car on a future pay grade.

I know and understand that I shouldn't expect a pay raise and leverage myself to point beyond my means.

but if I can afford 250 a month for now, I am pretty confident I can afford the same amount in the future too.

the only reason I want to go with the more expensive choices (xA / Yaris) is that it will have less maintanance issues, higher MPG, and will sell for little bit more than the Civic. (and it seems like from e-loan.com, financing a new car has lower APR than an used one).

Please dispell any fallacy I made. I am very new to this. My previous car was paid by my parents, this time I want to do it on my own.

maintenance and cost per month for the note are all part of the deal.

If you can only squeek out $250...get new/used with a warranty.

If you can spend more then the choices become greater.

I have a 98 Nissan 240SX SE...just bought it 2 years ago, it will be paid off soon...payment is like $26x. I have put almost 3x that in it each month.

I like it because it looks different and I havent seen another at a light or passing.

 

[andylawcc]

Originally posted by: alkemyst
maintenance and cost per month for the note are all part of the deal.
If you can only squeek out $250...get new/used with a warranty.

well, timing belt, brakes and stuff are not covered by warranty... and those will be the ones that tend to wear out on the Civic; while I have at least a good 50k miles before I have to do anything major on the Toyotas.

I have a 98 Nissan 240SX SE...just bought it 2 years ago, it will be paid off soon...payment is like $26x.

i envy you, I think the late S14 are the best looking. (S15 are my all time favorite, but not available here; while the S13 are good given its price; that leaves me with the only model I do not like - the early model S14 with those ugly headlights).

I have put almost 3x that in it each month.

on what? insurances and gas? so you paid total of 260 x 3 = 780 each month????

 

[newParadigm]

Neither.

Used Jetta TDI. As good or better mileage than either Civic or Yaris, more interior space, and plain more fun to drive (get the stick too).

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: andylawcc

on what? insurances and gas? so you paid total of 260 x 3 = 780 each month????

insurance and gas probably add up to $200, but I was not counting that. Just since I have had it the past two years. Some of it was restoring the interior/exterior to new condition, then there are coilovers and other suspension bits, wheels/tires, brakes, Like this. .


If you are locking yourself into just looking at a used civic from those years then a timing belt may be in the picture or you can find one with it done. Brakes should not be bad to do on one. I'd worry more on the CV's.

You should be able to find a decent used car between the civic and the xA that will still put you at $250/month. If you do go xA, I would not buy new. Almost any car for that matter I would not buy new.

 

[dug777]

That's easy, get the Yaris if you can happily afford it

New car warranty, a guarantee it's not been maltreated in ANY way, that awesome feeling that comes with a brand new car, the new car smell, i could go on, but i'd bore you

That's my 2c of course, i've done the buying 2nd hand, got a great deal, but my next car will be new, for the reasons above and some others

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: dug777
New car warranty, a guarantee it's not been maltreated in ANY way, that awesome feeling that comes with a brand new car, the new car smell, i could go on, but i'd bore you

Not necessarily. Test drives are notorious for abuse...

Most cars can take some abuse and newer cars have things that prevent most of the damage that would occur in an abuse situation.

A good used car (obviously not a 20 year old beater) should still smell new and have most of the initial depreciation hit worked out of it. Warranty should still be intact.