jetta 1.8T? civic? celica? accord?

[NeoSolo]

After serving me 9 years with 220,000miles, my mazda 2200B truck is dying.
It served me well with just regular maintaince all these years.
Time to say goodbye and hello to new car.
When I am driving up hill around 70+ on highway, it jerks and start losing speed. Fine when I am driving flat land. Engine runs fine when I take it out of gear.
Will change fuel filter, distributor cap/wire, and pcv tomorrow, just to make sure.
Changed clutch not too long ago.

I am looking for less than $20,000.
Which should I get?

Jetta seems to be top of my list now.

1. Jetta 1.8T
1.5 Mazda 6 (First generation, and I am not sure if my truck will last me til Dec)
2. Accord (Do not like 2003 looks)
3. Civic 2 door (Do not like the looks)
4. Celica (too sporty)
No altima ( did not like interior)
No corolla
No sentra

I was hoping final price to be upto $20,000.

Financing

________________________________________________
update

Ok,
I test drove
Honda Accord LX 5 sp 4Cly coupe (looks much better than seden !!)
Altima 2.5S 5sp ( they want too much for it ~$20,000, i thought this would be lowest out of all but came highest: probably suxy dealer)
Jetta 1.8T GL Auto (did not have 5sp)

Now I am down to
Accord Coupe LX 5sp
Jetta 1.8T 5sp

Accord LX 4cly 5sp
pro: quite, smooth, assume practical car with less maintance, like interior and exterior
con: less power, about 1k more, less option such as no 4 wheel disk break, side air bag..

Jetta 1.8T 5sp GL
Pro: more power ( has that kick !), side/curtain airbags, 1k less, 18500 out the door, 4 wheel disk, Cousin works at VW dealer as Mech.
con: smaller, little loud compare to accord, $100+ for 4 spark plug !!!, made in Mexico, Assume little more maintance than Accord.


I guess from looks of the pro/con Jetta looks good.
I am looking at 10+ years keeping the car, just wanting to do just regular maintance.
Hate going to shop for repair even it is under warrenty.

This is hard.......

 

[ElFenix]

before or after tax? and are you financing?

might as well add the altima, though at 20K you're not gonna get a lot. if you're looking at smaller cars you should add the sentra and the impreza 2.5.

 

[Nutdotnet]

Easy answer, Jetta 1.8T!

 

[Ns1]

the jetta is a pretty nice car for the price; did you plan to buy a purse with that?

what are your priorities and stuff?

 

[PoPPeR]

Originally posted by: NeuroSynapsis
the jetta is a pretty nice car for the price; did you plan to buy a purse with that?

what are your priorities and stuff?

in my area the celica is the car u would buy a purse with and a 1.8t jetta would be sick

 

[NeoSolo]

I was hoping final price to be upto $20,000.

Financing

No altima ( did not like interior)
No corolla
No sentra

 

[Ns1]

volks gti
honda prelude =)
toyota solara

 

[ElFenix]

the jetta 1.8T comes almost stripped (for a jetta) for under 20K. not even alloys. though the thing is a blast to drive.

if you can find a 2002 accord ex 4-banger that might be the best bang-buck. its a pretty good size, is reliable as heck, and pretty darn nice on the inside.

can't say much about the mazda 6 except for that it looks nice and the engine should be pretty good for a change.

though the civic would be inexpensive, i suggest you don't get a car whose looks you don't like.

unless you're getting a special interest rate its almost always cheaper to go through a bank. and bring a financial calculator with you so you can call them on it if they try to pad your payment.

 

[RU482]

why are there cars on your list that you do not like the looks of.....why bother

I've done it, trust me, you'll just kick yourself for it down the road....don't even get a color your iffy about

 

[Talon02]

Mustang

 

[NeoSolo]

because I like honda from past experience.
Very simple car, reliable, I would buy it becuase it is honda and will get me to point A to point B.

Bought Mazda Truck because reliable, simple good truck.
Initially I did not like the truck, but because it was so reliable I love it.

 

[SOSTrooper]

Mini Cooper

It's an eye candy car.

 

[flood]

TDI golf/jetta?
Are you set on gettin a new car, or would you be open to a car thats one or two years old?

 

[imported_vr6]

Of course the 1.8t, i have a VR myself and love it... but i always wanted force induction....
but at 20,000, all you can get is a GL. My g/f did settle with a GLS 1.8t in Platinum gray for 21000, but after a month and a half of waiting and no definite answer from the dealer about when the car is going to arrive, we went into the Acura dealer and walked out with a 03 RSX type-s

but i am a VW man.

 

[Triumph]

well, what exactly are your requirements in a car?

 

[Nessal]

a few more grand, you can afford the wrx....

 

[The Stigenator]

If your looking for a great little car.. (infact since your considering the civic and the accord etc etc) might you want to head over to Suzuki and try out their Aerio sedan/Wagon. I liked the wagon.. nice little zippy car with lots of power and nice ride (sporty ride) and all for under 16K with loaded options (that with everything including ABS).

I test drove both teh sedan GS and the wagon (SX model) and I loved it..infact teh wagon is a lot tighter in handling..

Edit: You got to test drive the car, suzuki's site doesnt do enough to tell you how that car handles and feels.. but it does give you an idea on what to expect.

 

[bizmark]

Mini or Golf.

 

[WinkOsmosis]

Make sure you get a manual .

 

[Thegonagle]

An Accord. Have you seen the new one in person? I'd say it doesn't look that different from the 98-02s.

I say an Accord because they will serve you longer, better, and farther than almost anything else with just regular maintenance, IMHO.

 

[0roo0roo]

rsx?
matrix?
corolla?

 

[NeoSolo]

Basically, I can live with appearance of Accord or Civic.
I do not like it much, but I think I can live wiht it.
Yeah, I seen both in person. I like 2002 Accord looks, but 2003.. something about 2003.. something looks not right. =)


RSX? I think I really hate that looks.

requirment?
1. reliable.
looks decent.
good gas miliage.
30 miles to work and home each way.
visiting gf 250mile every 2 weekend.
new car. Now that I have decent job. I just wanted to get new car for myself. I really want and can get 350Z, but I just cannot justifiy myself of high insurance and maintance fee.

I cannot decided if I want feeling of European car or just reliable Japanese car.

 

[jonnyGURU]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
the jetta 1.8T comes almost stripped (for a jetta) for under 20K. not even alloys. though the thing is a blast to drive.

I didn't think you could get the 1.8T in the GL (the stripped down car). To my knowledge (which is often flawed), the GL only comes with a 2.0 or TDI. I thought that 1.8T it was only an option for the GLS. The GLS has alloys. Not as nice as the GLI's wheels, but still better than steel.

No Monsoon and sunroof and it's still a nice car for not a lot of money.

What you want to do is finance a slightly lesser expensive 2.0, then get a personal loan from a credit union to buy a Neuspeed Supercharger for 50% more horse and 55% more torque.

 

[vi edit]

Buy a two year old passat with the 1.8t and slap on an extended warranty.

That's what I'd do anyway.

 

[Triumph]

Originally posted by: vi_edit
Buy a two year old passat with the 1.8t and slap on an extended warranty.

That's what I'd do anyway.

There's an idea My Passat is 2 years old and it feels like new. It's more reliable than the Jetta, bigger, only slightly slower, and a lot more luxurious than anything else on your list. They can be had for less than 20K.