Looking at buying a new used car...

[Gamingphreek]

Recently I got an internship, which, if I continue to do great work, will lead into a full time job in a year. Given this fact, my 1995 Toyota Tacoma is reaching the end of its life in some senses.

I have replaced the entire suspension system (Save for the Front Springs), the alternator, starter/solenoid, Clutch Master Cylinder, O2 Sensors, and Catalytic Convertor.

The truck just threw a P0125 OBDII code about the fuel system. Nothing has happened after I reset it, so it may have been and isolated incident. Regardless, I feel, given what is going on in my life, that I am in the market for a "New Used" car.

I searched for Toyota Tacoma's (V6 Xtra Cab or Double Cab) with relatively low mileage and a 2003 Model Year or later, and everything is coming up with $16K+ with a 50K+ miles. I feel comfortable taking out a loan and paying, but do not realistically think that I can afford another truck at this time.

My parents were pushing me to look at the Honda Civic. I like Honda's, Toyota's, and Nissan's; however, looking at cars feels strange. I always liked and used (extensively) the versatility of a truck. So I am looking at the Nissan Altima and the Civic Si.

I test drove a 2008 Civic Si from Carmax today and really liked it. It was fun to drive, the 6 speed short throw gear box was very nice. It was priced at $18,998 and had 10K miles on it. Given that I am coming from a 1995 Tacoma (Base Model) (152HP 2.7L I4) I know that I want the Si trim for the extra power. What concerns me is the "Premium Grade Fuel Required". Is that honestly and truly essential for that car? It isn't turbocharged or anything, so I don't understand why/if it is actually needed.

I'll look at the Nissan Altima also; however, how does it typically compare to the Civic's similar to the one I drove. The Altima's styling and what not are very nice from what I have seen. I would also imagine they are, comparatively, cheaper than the Honda's.

Thoughts or opinions or other suggestions? (Note: I will not buy Ford, Chrysler, or GM - no ifs and's or buts about it)

Thanks,
-Kevin

Edit: After reading reviews on the Altima's it looks like they aren't quite what I am looking for. Gas Mileage isn't comparable to the Civic's and Premium Grade fuel is still recommended.

 

[Fenixgoon]

high compression ratio or turbocharged motors generally require premium fuel in order to prevent knocking (premature detonation) since the fuel/air mixture heats up under compression.

As for small sporty cars, you could also check out the MazdaSpeed3 or VW GTI/GLI

 

[Gamingphreek]

I'm not necessarily looking for the sporty cars, but the base 140HP engine in the other Civic's just doesn't seem like it would be too terribly fun to drive.

I want to stay away from Mazda - but I have entertained VW before. The problem I see with VW is it's reputation for having electrical problems later in life - perhaps that is out of date, but it still lingers in the back of my mind as Honda, Toyota, and Nissan generally have the reputation that they just "keep running".

-Kevin

 

[VinylxScratches]

What's wrong with the Mazda RX-8?

 

[iamwiz82]

I dont understand this fear of premium gas. It's 20 cents a gallon, you are talking a few hundred dollars per year.

 

[Gamingphreek]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
I dont understand this fear of premium gas. It's 20 cents a gallon, you are talking a few hundred dollars per year.

Well when you will be a Senior in college, that "few hundred dollars" can be a bit hard to swallow.

RX-8 is too small - I can't remember if it has seating for 4 - if it does, it BARELY does. The Corolla -S might be an option, but I feel like Toyota cars aren't as fun to drive as the Nissan or Honda.

-Kevin

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: Gamingphreek

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
I dont understand this fear of premium gas. It's 20 cents a gallon, you are talking a few hundred dollars per year.

Well when you will be a Senior in college, that "few hundred dollars" can be a bit hard to swallow.

RX-8 is too small - I can't remember if it has seating for 4 - if it does, it BARELY does. The Corolla -S might be an option, but I feel like Toyota cars aren't as fun to drive as the Nissan or Honda.

-Kevin

Then don't get a car that will require a loan 😕.

 

[Gamingphreek]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82

Originally posted by: Gamingphreek

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
I dont understand this fear of premium gas. It's 20 cents a gallon, you are talking a few hundred dollars per year.

Well when you will be a Senior in college, that "few hundred dollars" can be a bit hard to swallow.

RX-8 is too small - I can't remember if it has seating for 4 - if it does, it BARELY does. The Corolla -S might be an option, but I feel like Toyota cars aren't as fun to drive as the Nissan or Honda.

-Kevin

Then don't get a car that will require a loan 😕.

The few hundred dollars from GAS is harder to swallow - The load is essential given that, as a college student, I don't generally have $18K lying around. At any rate, I'm going to crunch some numbers, but even with Premium fuel, I feel like I will still be saving a ton on gas compared to the 22-Highway my truck currently gets.

-Kevin

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

I think you would be better suited to just keep the truck for now. Your broke as it is and adding a car loan right now would not be the smartest thing. Your intern job turning to something in the future is not for sure. Sure your probably gonna post"Well my boss said I was the best intern ever and he said he likes the way I smell." No matter how much your boss "likes"😉 you nothing is guaranteed especially an intern job. Not what you wanted to hear but you know its true.

 

[Fenixgoon]

simple, don't buy a new car until you're out of college. you're arguing over a few hundred dollars in gas when you're looking to put yourself in tens of thousands in debt? that doesn't make any sense at all.

keep the truck, graduate, get a job, and *then* drown yourself in debt 😉

 

[Gamingphreek]

Haha - all duly noted. I understand that I'm not guaranteed a position at my job - but I don't know that my truck is going to make it much longer. Its more of a sell the car for a good value while I still can type deal.

I figure that I work at school ($300 a month), and I will have the money from my internship, and also the sale of my current truck. All of that in addition to the money that I have now shouldn't make it much of a problem.

Just to put it out there also - I don't plan on buying for another month or 2.

The VW Jetta's don't look too bad, but still I don't have the comfort of the Civic's reputation behind me.

-Kevin

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

Hey if your dead set on this car thing I would personally go with a small toyota truck. Every man should have a truck. They always come in handy. I bought my wife a brand new honda civic last year and we love it. Its not a SI but its an EX-L sunroof and leather seats.

 

[adlep]

My vote is for a used 06-07 Accord. You may be able to find a low miles 07 Accord Sedan V6 for around $15,000 and it is basically a pocket version of Acura TL. The 4Cyl Accord Manual can be found for well under 14,000
I bought mine last November. It was an 06 Accord with 26,000 miles, SE trim with 166HP 4-cyl for $13,800 with tax. The car feels new. The handling and power are excellent to the point of no comparison with my 96 Civic.
You may also look at the Honda Element. It is a truck with a very versatile interior. For some reason they are about $2000 cheaper than a comparable Honda CR-Vs

 

[Bignate603]

Honestly, you may be better served by looking around in the $3-4k range and paying cash. If you aren't picky on getting one exact type of vehicle you can get a good deal. I've picked up 3 different vehicles in that range over the past few years. All still run well. Use the vehicle for a few years and then junk it. If you're really worried about it not being reliable keep your truck as a second vehicle so you'd have time to fix anything that went wrong.

As a college student with no guarantee on a job when you graduate you should be trying to minimize your debt as much as possible. Be willing to sacrifice what you want for what you need. You may want a nice new truck but you may stumble across a well maintained but older (and maybe even with cosmetic issues like bad paint) used camry with 100k on it. Or a civic, or a small truck, or a nissan, or any other kind of car. In this case the best car you can get is whatever you can find for dirt cheap that will last a few years without any big repairs. It may not be exactly what you want but there's no shame in being a poor college student. You make sacrifices to get through school so you don't owe your soul to the banks when you get out or have to kill yourself working like crazy to make ends meet while you're in school.

Also, if the SI would probably run on normal gas. Most naturally aspirated cars are able to (the SI may be different, but I haven't heard anything about it) because the computer will play with the timing to make it work ok. However, when it adjusts the timing you'll get less power than when on premium fuel. It would be pointless to pay more to get the SI for the extra power and then fill up with the non-premium gas so the car produces less power. If you're considering that it's a sign that you shouldn't be thinking about buying a more expensive, faster car because you really can't afford to run it like its supposed to be.

 

[tfinch2]

Originally posted by: Gamingphreek

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
I dont understand this fear of premium gas. It's 20 cents a gallon, you are talking a few hundred dollars per year.

Well when you will be a Senior in college, that "few hundred dollars" can be a bit hard to swallow.

RX-8 is too small - I can't remember if it has seating for 4 - if it does, it BARELY does. The Corolla -S might be an option, but I feel like Toyota cars aren't as fun to drive as the Nissan or Honda.

-Kevin

Few hundred dollars per *year*, if that. Have you actually done the math?

I use 10 gallons/week x 52 weeks/year = 520 gallons. At $0.20/gallon extra, that's a whopping $104 per year extra, or $8.67/month.

If an extra $8.67/month is hard to swallow, you have no business spending any money on a newer vehicle.

 

[slugg]

Originally posted by: VinylxScratches
What's wrong with the Mazda RX-8?

Many, many things... Recalls after recalls. Many complaints. Poor quality control for the engines. Oh and good luck finding a rotary mechanic after your warranty is gone! Prepare to get raped by the dealer.

 

[razor2025]

I would be wary of getting a new car if you're already stretched a bit on finances. It's not just the car + gas, you also need to pay for more expensive insurance. Save the money from internship and wait till you can get a full-time. I have a internship over summer too, and just graduated. I'm going to wait for full-time offer before plunking down the cash for a new ride.

Too bad you're not up for a Mazda. A Speed3 is about $18k-20k used, and IMO, much better value over SI in terms of power and practicality (sedan vs hatch).

 

[angry hampster]

Don't spend $18k on a car while you're in college and already have student loans. At least not unless you've got a full-time job outside of school. You can get a LOT of car for $10k. Check out Nissan's Altima 3.5SE with a 6-speed.

 

[Docnasty]

Check out the Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec-V.

Similar performance to the Civic Si, a little more torque, cabin is bigger, and its a bit cheaper. I have seen them on CarMax for about 16-17k.

 

[Gibson486]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82

Originally posted by: Gamingphreek

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
I dont understand this fear of premium gas. It's 20 cents a gallon, you are talking a few hundred dollars per year.

Well when you will be a Senior in college, that "few hundred dollars" can be a bit hard to swallow.

RX-8 is too small - I can't remember if it has seating for 4 - if it does, it BARELY does. The Corolla -S might be an option, but I feel like Toyota cars aren't as fun to drive as the Nissan or Honda.

-Kevin

Then don't get a car that will require a loan 😕.

LOL....if that money is hard to swallow, then why are you looking at a car priced at essenatlly $19K? Top that off with the higher than new-car intrest rate.

 

[soccerballtux]

You want to get a new used car? I am unfamiliar with these kinds of cars....time space continuum warp...

 

[Gamingphreek]

Originally posted by: tfinch2

Originally posted by: Gamingphreek

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
I dont understand this fear of premium gas. It's 20 cents a gallon, you are talking a few hundred dollars per year.

Well when you will be a Senior in college, that "few hundred dollars" can be a bit hard to swallow.

RX-8 is too small - I can't remember if it has seating for 4 - if it does, it BARELY does. The Corolla -S might be an option, but I feel like Toyota cars aren't as fun to drive as the Nissan or Honda.

-Kevin

Few hundred dollars per *year*, if that. Have you actually done the math?

I use 10 gallons/week x 52 weeks/year = 520 gallons. At $0.20/gallon extra, that's a whopping $104 per year extra, or $8.67/month.

If an extra $8.67/month is hard to swallow, you have no business spending any money on a newer vehicle.

I hadn't done the Math yet, but that honestly isn't much then. It just looks like a lot at the pump, but I would still be saving boatloads of money over my truck which gets ~20/21 no matter where I drive (Highway/City).

Many, many things... Recalls after recalls. Many complaints. Poor quality control for the engines. Oh and good luck finding a rotary mechanic after your warranty is gone! Prepare to get raped by the dealer.

Another good point - I am not familiar with rotary engines (Not many people are)

Don't spend $18k on a car while you're in college and already have student loans. At least not unless you've got a full-time job outside of school. You can get a LOT of car for $10k. Check out Nissan's Altima 3.5SE with a 6-speed.

My parents are paying for college provided that I do well (Honestly, I have been giving 110% but am not doing near well enough - but they still pay - I can't thank them enough for what they do for me). At any rate, I'll check out that Nissan and the Sentra that was also mentioned.

LOL....if that money is hard to swallow, then why are you looking at a car priced at essenatlly $19K? Top that off with the higher than new-car intrest rate.

Well given that my current car is nearly 15 years old now, I won't be in an all fire hurry to pay it off. If I get 4 year financing with a decent APR, the cost should be minimal and I should have more than enough to pay it off in another year (I could pay 60% of it by the end of the summer if I went all in (save more my after-college savings)

Can someone explain to me why the interest on a used car will be higher than on a used car? 0% would be swell, but I am guessing 4% is more of a reality on a used car...

Thanks,
-Kevin

 

[Arkaign]

You could always buy a good condition mid-90's Civic, then do a B18C swap. Done proper, that will eat a new SI alive, and the whole project should cost ~$5k. They're relatively easy to work on, and when you're done with it, you won't have lost a heap of cash on depreciation.

 

[Gibson486]

Originally posted by: Gamingphreek

Originally posted by: tfinch2

Originally posted by: Gamingphreek

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
I dont understand this fear of premium gas. It's 20 cents a gallon, you are talking a few hundred dollars per year.

Well when you will be a Senior in college, that "few hundred dollars" can be a bit hard to swallow.

RX-8 is too small - I can't remember if it has seating for 4 - if it does, it BARELY does. The Corolla -S might be an option, but I feel like Toyota cars aren't as fun to drive as the Nissan or Honda.

-Kevin

Few hundred dollars per *year*, if that. Have you actually done the math?

I use 10 gallons/week x 52 weeks/year = 520 gallons. At $0.20/gallon extra, that's a whopping $104 per year extra, or $8.67/month.

If an extra $8.67/month is hard to swallow, you have no business spending any money on a newer vehicle.

I hadn't done the Math yet, but that honestly isn't much then. It just looks like a lot at the pump, but I would still be saving boatloads of money over my truck which gets ~20/21 no matter where I drive (Highway/City).

Many, many things... Recalls after recalls. Many complaints. Poor quality control for the engines. Oh and good luck finding a rotary mechanic after your warranty is gone! Prepare to get raped by the dealer.

Another good point - I am not familiar with rotary engines (Not many people are)

Don't spend $18k on a car while you're in college and already have student loans. At least not unless you've got a full-time job outside of school. You can get a LOT of car for $10k. Check out Nissan's Altima 3.5SE with a 6-speed.

My parents are paying for college provided that I do well (Honestly, I have been giving 110% but am not doing near well enough - but they still pay - I can't thank them enough for what they do for me). At any rate, I'll check out that Nissan and the Sentra that was also mentioned.

LOL....if that money is hard to swallow, then why are you looking at a car priced at essenatlly $19K? Top that off with the higher than new-car intrest rate.

Well given that my current car is nearly 15 years old now, I won't be in an all fire hurry to pay it off. If I get 4 year financing with a decent APR, the cost should be minimal and I should have more than enough to pay it off in another year (I could pay 60% of it by the end of the summer if I went all in (save more my after-college savings)

Can someone explain to me why the interest on a used car will be higher than on a used car? 0% would be swell, but I am guessing 4% is more of a reality on a used car...

Thanks,
-Kevin

b/c people who finance used cars are more of a liability because the car is not new, so the car is more likely to be repaired.

Also, 4% is pretty optimstic unless you do penfed. Normal used rates are around 7%. 0% precent on a used car is only available at dealerships that have ALOT of buying power and they are VERY rare. They usually have to be certified used also.

 

[Gamingphreek]

Ah - jeez over my planned 4 years of financing, 7% adds up to quite a chunk of change...

-Kevin

Edit: I will admit that Sentra SE-R Spec V is very nice for the price. I am impressed, it is smaller than I was looking for (but yet taller - its a weird bubble shape that I don't really care for), but 23/31 MPG with 200HP in the engine at that price is attractive. 2007 or newer seems to be the redesign which is infinitely nicer than the old one IMO. I'll have to test drive 1 of them.