Looking for used car that's <$12k

[z1ggy]

Besides that price range, my needs are:

-Available in automatic trans.
-Not RWD
-Four seats (so no S2000s, etc)
-Reliable

My wants are:
-Automatic trans. that can go into "manual" mode
-Something visually pleasing
-Blue-tooth built in (although I realize I can get a head unit with that feature)
-Still somewhat fun to drive, but again for this price and my needs, I know it won't be much

The budget is a little flexible, I basically don't want my payment to be more than $200 a month, assuming a 4% rate.

 

[desy]

Mazda 3

 

[tweakmonkey]

S2000

/s

I second the Mazda 3 actually.

 

[uclabachelor]

Mazda 3 is nice for the price, but the engineers decided to make owner's life a living hell if they maintain the vehicle by themselves.

Just wait till you have to replace a low beam headlight bulb. Or the cabin air filter.. If you're going to DIY maintenance, have fun and be prepared to curse a lot.

 

[z1ggy]

Mazda 3 is nice for the price, but the engineers decided to make owner's life a living hell if they maintain the vehicle by themselves.

Just wait till you have to replace a low beam headlight bulb. Or the cabin air filter.. If you're going to DIY maintenance, have fun and be prepared to curse a lot.

That stinks. I do most of the easy stuff like oil, air filter, brakes, etc.

What about a 2011 civic?

Also found an 06 TSX with around 80k on it.

 

[toronado97]

Sucks that it's got to be automatic, you're eliminating a significant portion of the fast compact sport versions like MazdaSpeed 3, Civic SI, Subaru WRX, etc. That said, I'll third the Mazda 3. Get the 2.3L engine in the Gen 2 body if you don't mind skimping on features a bit (probably not going to find many 3S models in that price-range).

Something like this? http://www.cars.com/go/search/detai...f1Dir=DESC&prMx=10000&aff=national&listType=1

If you get one cheaper (8,000 or so) you can easily buy an adjustable rear sway bar, some koni springs/shocks, and a CAI and have a ton of fun without spending much at all to mod it out just a bit.

 

[z1ggy]

Sucks that it's got to be automatic, you're eliminating a significant portion of the fast compact sport versions like MazdaSpeed 3, Civic SI, Subaru WRX, etc. That said, I'll third the Mazda 3. Get the 2.3L engine in the Gen 2 body if you don't mind skimping on features a bit (probably not going to find many 3S models in that price-range).

Something like this? http://www.cars.com/go/search/detai...f1Dir=DESC&prMx=10000&aff=national&listType=1

If you get one cheaper (8,000 or so) you can easily buy an adjustable rear sway bar, some koni springs/shocks, and a CAI and have a ton of fun without spending much at all to mod it out just a bit.

I eliminated stick only because I'll be driving down to the NYC area a few weekends every month. My last car was manual and I did this and... well, I wanted to rip my hair out with all the stopping and starting in 1st gear.

Which years are the Gen2? How will I be able to tell? I bumped my price range up to $12k just to see if I could get more, and I found a Mazda3s with the dual exhausts with only 50k on it, I believe it was a 2010 or 2011. Looked pretty nice.

Also, I noticed on the Mazdas, it looked like the display for the radio etc is this tiny little thing up top on the dash. How would I ever install an after market head unit? I have a left over amp and sub I'd like to pop in eventually, so a new head unit is a must.

Edit: Can't find a 2.3L anywhere.. Only 2.5L. I'm specifically looking at Mazda3s Hatches

 

[sontakke]

Being little partial to Honda, I think TSX beats all your other choices. You get stylish, reliable and fun to drive car with almost all the required goodies.

To the best of my knowledge, I have yet to find an unhappy TSX user!

 

[monkeydelmagico]

Mazda 6/Ford Fusion

 

[z1ggy]

Being little partial to Honda, I think TSX beats all your other choices. You get stylish, reliable and fun to drive car with almost all the required goodies.

To the best of my knowledge, I have yet to find an unhappy TSX user!

Are higher mileage ones okay though? I don't know how I'd feel buying a car with 80k already on it..

 

[monkeydelmagico]

Are higher mileage ones okay though? I don't know how I'd feel buying a car with 80k already on it..

Those cars will rack up the miles without a problem. K24 Honda motor is outstanding. Many of the other components are very sturdy. In the northeast rust usually kills them before a mechanical issue does.

 

[z1ggy]

Those cars will rack up the miles without a problem. K24 Honda motor is outstanding. Many of the other components are very sturdy. In the northeast rust usually kills them before a mechanical issue does.

Interesting. I may go check it out this weekend, seems like a nice little car.

Will it be as sporty as the mazda3 though? I'm assuming the TSX will have a relatively soft suspension. I can obviously change that, but it's something to consider.

 

[monkeydelmagico]

Interesting. I may go check it out this weekend, seems like a nice little car.

Will it be as sporty as the mazda3 though? I'm assuming the TSX will have a relatively soft suspension. I can obviously change that, but it's something to consider.

I've owned a 2nd gen mazda 3 and nearly bought a TSX. I would say they both handle very well. The only downside and what ultimately swayed me to purchase a G35 instead of a TSX was power. TSX doesn't have much of it. TSX is a drivers car though and worth your time to check out.

 

[Kaido]

Looking for used car that's <$12k

Besides that price range, my needs are:

-Available in automatic trans.
-Not RWD
-Four seats (so no S2000s, etc)
-Reliable

My wants are:
-Automatic trans. that can go into "manual" mode
-Something visually pleasing
-Blue-tooth built in (although I realize I can get a head unit with that feature)
-Still somewhat fun to drive, but again for this price and my needs, I know it won't be much

The budget is a little flexible, I basically don't want my payment to be more than $200 a month, assuming a 4% rate.

How about a new car? My local Nissan dealership has a Versa sedan for just under $12k. Per your list:

http://www.nissanusa.com/cars/versa-sedan/versions-specs

Needs:

1. Transmission: Manual (5-speed, 27/36 MPG), automatic (4-speed, 26/35 MPG), and CVT (31/40 MPG) options available.
2. Drivetrain: FWD
3. Four seats: Yes, it's a sedan. I'm 6'1" & fit in it nicely, surprisingly.
4. Reliability: Brand-new, with warranty (36-month/36,000-mile limited vehicle coverage and a 5-year/60,000-mile limited powertrain coverage).
5. Under $12,000: Base model is $11.9k. I think my local dealer had them for a couple hundred cheaper than that when I was car shopping. Keep in mind taxes, title, registration, etc. will add to the total out-the-door cost.

Wants:

1. Transmission modes: Dunno if it has tiptronic/manumatic/whatever controls on the auto trannys.
2. Aesthetics: Nope, not really attractive. Not ugly, just plain-looking.
3. Bluetooth: Not standard on base $12k model, but available for $760 as part of the Convenience or Technology package, along with steering wheel controls.
4. Fun to drive: It's an econobox, but I did enjoy driving it more than the Sentra. I test-drove both & the Versa was a lot more fun to drive than the Sentra; it zipped up to 80 on the highway fairly quickly & felt good to throw around corners.

I almost got a Versa (my parents have the hatchback & it's a great little car), but ended up getting the Kia Soul for a few thousand more (boxy interior space worked out better for me). They are redesigning the Versa for 2015, so (1) if you wait you can get the new one, or (2) if you wait, you can probably snag a (slightly) better deal on this year's model:

http://www.autoblog.com/2014/04/11/2015-nissan-versa-sedan-revealed-new-york/

There's not much room for negotiation since it's so cheap already, but my local dealers have them for under $12k (before taxes), so it might be worth looking into - brand new, nice safety features, warranty, etc.

 

[Midwayman]

You should be able to pick up a 3g TL for that much.

 

[z1ggy]

How about a new car? My local Nissan dealership has a Versa sedan for just under $12k. Per your list:

http://www.nissanusa.com/cars/versa-sedan/versions-specs

Needs:

1. Transmission: Manual (5-speed, 27/36 MPG), automatic (4-speed, 26/35 MPG), and CVT (31/40 MPG) options available.
2. Drivetrain: FWD
3. Four seats: Yes, it's a sedan. I'm 6'1" & fit in it nicely, surprisingly.
4. Reliability: Brand-new, with warranty (36-month/36,000-mile limited vehicle coverage and a 5-year/60,000-mile limited powertrain coverage).
5. Under $12,000: Base model is $11.9k. I think my local dealer had them for a couple hundred cheaper than that when I was car shopping. Keep in mind taxes, title, registration, etc. will add to the total out-the-door cost.

Wants:

1. Transmission modes: Dunno if it has tiptronic/manumatic/whatever controls on the auto trannys.
2. Aesthetics: Nope, not really attractive. Not ugly, just plain-looking.
3. Bluetooth: Not standard on base $12k model, but available for $760 as part of the Convenience or Technology package, along with steering wheel controls.
4. Fun to drive: It's an econobox, but I did enjoy driving it more than the Sentra. I test-drove both & the Versa was a lot more fun to drive than the Sentra; it zipped up to 80 on the highway fairly quickly & felt good to throw around corners.

I almost got a Versa (my parents have the hatchback & it's a great little car), but ended up getting the Kia Soul for a few thousand more (boxy interior space worked out better for me). They are redesigning the Versa for 2015, so (1) if you wait you can get the new one, or (2) if you wait, you can probably snag a (slightly) better deal on this year's model:

http://www.autoblog.com/2014/04/11/2015-nissan-versa-sedan-revealed-new-york/

There's not much room for negotiation since it's so cheap already, but my local dealers have them for under $12k (before taxes), so it might be worth looking into - brand new, nice safety features, warranty, etc.

Friend had a Versa. I think it was a 08? Around that model year. I hated driving it compared to my Impreza. The steering was numb, the brakes kind of sucked, and it was slow (but probably b/c of it being an automatic).

I'm assuming they've changed the design a bunch since then. I'd give it a test drive, but I place steering feel among one of the top qualities that I look for in regards to how a car drives. One reason why I loved driving my old Subie..The tranny sucked but it gave me great feedback.

Edit: The Versa S is the one that is $11.9k. It has a 4 speed auto, and 106hp .... -_- 106hp??? I hope this thing weighs as much as my motorcycle or else I'm probably going be taking about 10 seconds to pass a car on the highway.

 

[halik]

No one mentioned M3 yet?

 

[Kaido]

Friend had a Versa. I think it was a 08? Around that model year. I hated driving it compared to my Impreza. The steering was numb, the brakes kind of sucked, and it was slow (but probably b/c of it being an automatic).

I'm assuming they've changed the design a bunch since then. I'd give it a test drive, but I place steering feel among one of the top qualities that I look for in regards to how a car drives. One reason why I loved driving my old Subie..The tranny sucked but it gave me great feedback.

Edit: The Versa S is the one that is $11.9k. It has a 4 speed auto, and 106hp .... -_- 106hp??? I hope this thing weighs as much as my motorcycle or else I'm probably going be taking about 10 seconds to pass a car on the highway.

It's one of the cheapest cars on the market, so I'll get that out of the way first. However, after taking one for a test drive, I actually had fun in it (even with the low horsepower - it IS a smallish car, so it's not too bad). For the price, it's amazing, especially if you've had a string of crappy cars like I did in the past

It really depends on what you want though. This car is an appliance: it's relatively inexpensive (for a brand-new car), it's reliable, it's covered by a warranty, gets very nice gas mileage, and it has newer safety features & such. This is a good option if you don't want to think about maintenance for the next 5 years. But if you want a "fun" car, yeah, probably go somewhere else, haha. Take it for a test drive first though!

 

[dbk]

late model Sonata

 

[toronado97]

I eliminated stick only because I'll be driving down to the NYC area a few weekends every month. My last car was manual and I did this and... well, I wanted to rip my hair out with all the stopping and starting in 1st gear.

Which years are the Gen2? How will I be able to tell? I bumped my price range up to $12k just to see if I could get more, and I found a Mazda3s with the dual exhausts with only 50k on it, I believe it was a 2010 or 2011. Looked pretty nice.

Also, I noticed on the Mazdas, it looked like the display for the radio etc is this tiny little thing up top on the dash. How would I ever install an after market head unit? I have a left over amp and sub I'd like to pop in eventually, so a new head unit is a must.

Edit: Can't find a 2.3L anywhere.. Only 2.5L. I'm specifically looking at Mazda3s Hatches

2004-2009 is Gen 1
2010-2013 is Gen 2
2014 is Gen 3

I apologize, the 2.3L is only available in the MazdaSpeed variety. The normal 3's are either 2.0 or 2.5L. If you're bumping it up to 12,000, you might be able to find a Gen 2 with the SkyActiv motor in it, which would be my recommendation. Honestly for that price point though I don't think you can beat a MazdaSpeed 3. I realize you're kind of against manual transmissions, but it would become second nature in no time, and in a price per fun to drive battle I don't think you can top the Speed 3 for what you're looking at.

 

[z1ggy]

No one mentioned M3 yet?

As in... BMW??? 0_o

It's one of the cheapest cars on the market, so I'll get that out of the way first. However, after taking one for a test drive, I actually had fun in it (even with the low horsepower - it IS a smallish car, so it's not too bad). For the price, it's amazing, especially if you've had a string of crappy cars like I did in the past

It really depends on what you want though. This car is an appliance: it's relatively inexpensive (for a brand-new car), it's reliable, it's covered by a warranty, gets very nice gas mileage, and it has newer safety features & such. This is a good option if you don't want to think about maintenance for the next 5 years. But if you want a "fun" car, yeah, probably go somewhere else, haha. Take it for a test drive first though!

I came from an Impreza, to my current car (Genesis Coupe) to now this. Seems like I'd be taking a huge hit in performance with the Versa. Not saying I won't atleast give it a TD, but..Odds are I'd pick something more fun.

2004-2009 is Gen 1
2010-2013 is Gen 2
2014 is Gen 3

I apologize, the 2.3L is only available in the MazdaSpeed variety. The normal 3's are either 2.0 or 2.5L. If you're bumping it up to 12,000, you might be able to find a Gen 2 with the SkyActiv motor in it, which would be my recommendation. Honestly for that price point though I don't think you can beat a MazdaSpeed 3. I realize you're kind of against manual transmissions, but it would become second nature in no time, and in a price per fun to drive battle I don't think you can top the Speed 3 for what you're looking at.

Most of the cars around me under $12k are 2010 or 2011 mazda3's with 50+k miles on them. Probably not going to find one with skyActive in it, although I can certainly look.

Automatic is a sacred requirement. I drove stick down I95 and I287 last summer atleast 4-5 times. It was horrible..Absolutely horrible. Maybe because my impreza had a heavy clutch..Either way I can't imagine doing the whole start and stop game for 45-60mins driving stick again. After doing the math, I'd likely be spending about 15% of my time in any given month stuck in traffic. It's not bad really. However, when that 15% comes basically at all once, it takes a toll on my left leg, lol.

If I'm going to go back to driving stick...That basically negates this whole process and I should have just kept my old impreza and saved myself the money.

 

[DrGreen2007]

Maybe a Subaru Forester? 2010/2011 might be around 12k

 

[z1ggy]

Maybe a Subaru Forester? 2010/2011 might be around 12k

Yup but they all have over 100k on them. Plus aren't they that ancient 4speed auto??

Edit: Additionally, all the mazdaspeed3's that are in my price range, are either something like 7-8+ years old, high miles or both. I don't know how much repair or maint. I'd have to do but I'm not sure that's something I really want to get into. I'd rather take something with <40-50k on it that's only 3-4yrs old.

 

[Midwayman]

Automatic is a sacred requirement. I drove stick down I95 and I287 last summer atleast 4-5 times. It was horrible..Absolutely horrible. Maybe because my impreza had a heavy clutch..Either way I can't imagine doing the whole start and stop game for 45-60mins driving stick again. After doing the math, I'd likely be spending about 15% of my time in any given month stuck in traffic. It's not bad really. However, when that 15% comes basically at all once, it takes a toll on my left leg, lol.

If I'm going to go back to driving stick...That basically negates this whole process and I should have just kept my old impreza and saved myself the money.

I feel you. I have driven manuals all my life and finally got an automatic after realising that I'm stuck in traffic 90%+ of the time. My knee gets sore once in awhile, and the wife can't ever trade cars with me so auto it was. If I ever get a toy it'll be with the correct number of pedals though.

 

[ProchargeMe]

I bought a nice lexus is300. It's a small but quick car with 4 doors, is automatic with an option to switch to manual, not very good mpg, but not the worst I've seen, and it's been unbelievably reliable. Only problem is it's RWD. That's a plus for me but unless you're driving in snow it's fine.