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New or used car for $15-16k?

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phucheneh said:
Believe me, I've driven both. I was working on rentals in...'09, maybe? The Versa was in it's first year (2010 model), I think. The new Maximas were just starting to come out. At that time:

Maxima > Versa/Cube > Altima > Sentra.

Also I owned a Versa hatch with the base engine and the 6 speed.

The Altima was just not interesting or particularly good in any way. When the Maxima came out, it REALLY made it look like shit. Mostly, I think it was just dated.

The Sentra was the same...but in a 'true' economy car. Shared the Altima's uncomfortable seats and general 'blah'-ness.

Sentra pros:
-seemed like it was maybe an inch or two wider than the rather narrow Versa (although the narrow Versa got me out of trouble a few times by being able to squeeze onto a small shoulder and avoid a wreck)
-less slab-sided, didn't feel like it got blown around so much on the interstate.

Sentra cons:
-everything else

I really couldn't find a feature that made it any better than the Versa. The latter was more comfortable, could seat adults in the backseat...I even think the base stereo sounded better. Why would I pay more to get a 'bigger' car that I liked less (and didn't actually feel any bigger)? Like the Altima, the Sentra was just too dated. I haven't kept up, maybe they refreshed it (like they did the Altima).

Oh, and Sentra pro: center console. An uncomfortable one. But still, I missed having a real one in the Versa.
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I cannot fathom how anybody would find the versa better than the sentra. I mean, unless they owned a versa or something.

Seriously.. The versa is a terrible rattlebox. In an excel spreadsheet it might equal the sentra, but I've driven both a good bit and the sentra is a much better vehicle.
 
SpatiallyAware said:
I cannot fathom how anybody would find the versa better than the sentra. I mean, unless they owned a versa or something.

Seriously.. The versa is a terrible rattlebox. In an excel spreadsheet it might equal the sentra, but I've driven both a good bit and the sentra is a much better vehicle.
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Sorry, I think you're the one who's missing the boat. I drove a hundred Versas, and none of them had problems with rattles or other noises, even after rental abuse. I think you're expecting too much in a car that starts at like 11k and can be had well-equipped for 13 or 14.

I cannot fathom how anybody would find the sentra better than the versa. I mean, unless they owned a sentra or something.
 
At this time of year you may find some very "good buys/discounts" if you see a NEW ... 2012 that you like.

Here are a few search engines to help your decision making process ...

EPA POWER SEARCH: 1984 to present; by OEM; by Market Class; by fuel type; by transmission type; by WD; by fuel economy (city, combined, or hiway)
MSRP is only available for new vehicles (2010-2013) and is also a searchable parameter.

EPA USER MPG Average ESTIMATES: back to 1984 by make and model (where data is available)

Hope this helps ...
 
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desy said:
My priorities are reliability, high gas mileage, cheap repair costs, and reliability.

so hows a BMW or G35 meet any of these requirements? Guy wants a A-B appliance
I had a Versa 07 upgraded to a 09 Altima, looked at the Sentra but there are much better compacts out there, Civic Rolla Lantra Focus and now Cruise should be in that price range too
Lots of good ones in that class, I'd say a Focus or Cruise cause he's in the midwest and usually more domestics to shop used from. New, I wouldn't be scared of a Kia or Hyundai these days and course not many regret a Rolla or Civic
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Those priorities can be satisfied with a <$8k used Civic. If you have $16k to spend then you can look at a lot more interesting cars. Or just get 2 used civics I guess?
 
New Subaru Impreza, it gets very close to that price point ( a slightly used 2012 might do) is quite reliable and the new ones return decent mpg, also it will be excellent in winter.
 
phucheneh said:
Believe me, I've driven both. I was working on rentals in...'09, maybe? The Versa was in it's first year (2010 model), I think. The new Maximas were just starting to come out. At that time:

Maxima > Versa/Cube > Altima > Sentra.

Also I owned a Versa hatch with the base engine and the 6 speed.

The Altima was just not interesting or particularly good in any way. When the Maxima came out, it REALLY made it look like shit. Mostly, I think it was just dated.

The Sentra was the same...but in a 'true' economy car. Shared the Altima's uncomfortable seats and general 'blah'-ness.

Sentra pros:
-seemed like it was maybe an inch or two wider than the rather narrow Versa (although the narrow Versa got me out of trouble a few times by being able to squeeze onto a small shoulder and avoid a wreck)
-less slab-sided, didn't feel like it got blown around so much on the interstate.

Sentra cons:
-everything else

I really couldn't find a feature that made it any better than the Versa. The latter was more comfortable, could seat adults in the backseat...I even think the base stereo sounded better. Why would I pay more to get a 'bigger' car that I liked less (and didn't actually feel any bigger)? Like the Altima, the Sentra was just too dated. I haven't kept up, maybe they refreshed it (like they did the Altima).

Oh, and Sentra pro: center console. An uncomfortable one. But still, I missed having a real one in the Versa.
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I drove a 2012 Sentra a month ago. It had surprisingly responsive handling and great suspension, much better than the 2010 Corolla S I drove in 2010, which probably is not improved: I drove a 2012 Camry in May and it had numb handling like usual and boring shocks.

The 2012 Sentra was very entertaining to drive.

How are the CVTs these days reliability wise? I would seriously consider buying the Sentra if I were in the market if it weren't for that.
 
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soccerballtux said:
I drove a 2012 Sentra a month ago. It had surprisingly responsive handling and great suspension, much better than the 2010 Corolla S I drove in 2010, which probably is not improved: I drove a 2012 Camry in May and it had numb handling like usual and boring shocks.

The 2012 Sentra was very entertaining to drive.

How are the CVTs these days reliability wise? I would seriously consider buying the Sentra if I were in the market if it weren't for that.
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Nissan is king of CVT's - why people don't mind driving them - They are a bit noisy at times but they have good reliability.

The problem with the Sentra is the Torsion beam rear suspension.
 
look for the new Kia Rio 5 door would be very similar car to your Aeiro but looks like a 40MPG hwy rating and 30 city and the EX model is nicely equiped and all for an MSRP of 16,700 so i think more the possible to get it down in your budget! and ive crawled around one in person a sharp little car kia is really stepping up there game and a 100k mile warranty is always nice!
 
A few years ago, I bought a ~3-year-old Civic EX 4-Door for about $15k. It had a few months of powertrain warranty still left, and had under 30,000 miles.

Best car purchase I've ever made. I freakin' love this car, and would do it again in a heartbeat if I had it to do all over again at the same price point. It's my first Honda, but definitely won't be my last. So far, all I've had to put into it is oil changes and a front brake job. It's really, really well-built.
 
Fmr12B said:
Nissan is king of CVT's - why people don't mind driving them - They are a bit noisy at times but they have good reliability.

The problem with the Sentra is the Torsion beam rear suspension.
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I thought CVTs were guaranteed replacement of rubberbandthing at 100k?
 
Kia Soul is nice for the price. I haven't seen that one mentioned.

I agree the used market is stupid right now. I'd buy new.
 
Black2na said:
look for the new Kia Rio 5 door would be very similar car to your Aeiro but looks like a 40MPG hwy rating and 30 city and the EX model is nicely equiped and all for an MSRP of 16,700 so i think more the possible to get it down in your budget! and ive crawled around one in person a sharp little car kia is really stepping up there game and a 100k mile warranty is always nice!
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Agreed, Kia is improving massively. My girl has an '06 Rio LX Sedan 5spd, and it's a flaming pile of crap, but the new one looks like it is absolutely 100% different, and improved several steps at once. It's like comparing an '88 Cavalier to a '12 Cruze, no comparison.
 
You can buy some cheap cars that will be 0 fun to drive and not have any luxury whatsoever; but you will get a warranty and great MPG. I vote for a new car.
 
Always buy Used but there is rules that apply (make sure there is service records, interior is nice <that usually tells you how the previous owner was, do your due diligence on the car you are picking etc etc.

BUT don't buy a used car that was very expensive when new. Another words, if you can't afford, insure, maintain, fix the car IF it was new, do NOT touch it with a 100foot pole. Because at 3-5 or 10 years old it will be THAT much more expensive when it comes to maintenance and fixing.

😎
 
In 2011 I bought an 09 accord lx-p with 36k miles for 14.9k, very nice and clean car. I think you can easily get a 3xk or 4xk miles accord, camry, altima for around 15k. Check out auto trader and your local cl. You should he able to find something good. I would not pay 15k for a civic class car unless it was almost brand new.
 
My brother in law bought a new Versa last month for like $12k. He likes it, not my bag though....I hate riding around in applicances. I like luxury and all options myself.
 
With your criteria, I would look no further than a Honda Fit.

Good mileage (not best in class)
Incredible space and versatility (best in class)
Reliable and built well (best in class)
Good resale value (best in class)

The fit is a great little car, it would serve you well.
 
I've driven a lot of cars, and have a hard time understanding how/why people would pay a premium for the "fun" factor in a car. It's even a bit hard for me to quantify what fun means in automotive terms.

My 92 corvette had power, braked well, and could take sharp turns very fast. I suppose those factors could be considered fun, but for the price and the short time it took for that kind of drama to wear off, I can say I'm not terribly interested in paying a premium for those brief experiences.

Personally, I'm much rather spend my money on a luxury car that is very reliable, or just a reliable car.

So what makes a car "fun" to drive?
 
My GF is looking to buy a Hyundai Accent 5dr soon, looks like a pretty decent car. Pretty much the same as the Kia Rio but a bit larger.
 
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