YACT - Which car for under $16000

[sniperruff]

what type of cars are you looking for anyway... coupe or sedan? wagon? a corolla XRS with 6-speed goes for $18k new.

i'd really look for a used maxima. roomy, reliable, powerful and cheap.

http://www.edmunds.com/used/2002/nissan...edmunds.u.prices.leftsidenav..6.Nissan*

255 horses and 246 ft.lb or torque... and you can bet the interior is way better than anything under $20k.

 

[RelaxTheMind]

scion has been out for many years... a company called toyota.

scion is just a renamed toyota made to appeal to the riceboy market. if you didnt notice, TRD parts came out the day after scions first car was off the manufacture line. well played marketing ploy.

Not hating on scions... just the overpriced TRD mods.

if u had that money in cash you can get much better cars at an auction. well thats if they are as big or good as the auctions here.

 

[Dunbar]

Scion tC is a great choice if a little under-powered. I'll throw in a 2003 Accord coupe LX-V6 if you want more power. Plan to replace the steel wheels with something more attractive.

 

[bootymac]

Scion tC is the best choice. It's a shame it's not in Canada yet.. But I'm starting to see more and more xB's around here. I hope the tC comes around before I get my Mazda 3 Sport next year

 

[Chrono]

Your 14K focus is, well, a focus still. I bought the Scion for it's reliability, parent company Toyota. It has the camry engine that has been proven to take a lickin' and keep tickin'. I was thinking of a ford car, but because of its all so many recalls, I chose not to go that route. Hell, I would've actually spent more money and bought a WRX or something, but I'm glad I chose the Scion tC. Let me see you put the same features as what my Scion tC has a standard option, then tell me how much it'll be.

 

[yhelothar]

Originally posted by: Chelsey
What guy do you know that's named Chelsey?

You, because there's no such thing as girls on teh intarweb.

 

[Fingolfin269]

Why would you buy a new car in the $16000 range? Why take the two year value hit when you can buy a two year old car and save a ton of money? Also, look in your local paper and try to find a personal seller instead of going to a dealership.

*EXAMPLE*

I just priced a private party 2002 BMW 325i w/ 60000 miles @ $16000.

HRMM... Scion Tc @ $16000 or a BMW 325i that will retain much more value from the point you buy it @ $16000?

 

[zerocool84]

so far the only good car that ive seen recommened is the scion tC. buy u should really buy a used car. u will save a ton of money and get more than buying a new car. basically its a toyota with a different shell and toyota's last for a freakin long time. i hate jap cars but toyota's always seem to last a long time even with so-so maintenance and that guy saying 160hp/160lb-ft on a 3000lb car being fast.......wtf are u smokin

 

[TheLonelyPhoenix]

I test-drove a Scion tC with my bro (he's looking to get himself a car) and I own a Mazda3s.

The Scion tC is a little more preformance-oriented, has a (much) wider range of options which can be added any time at the dealer, has the nice double-sunroofs, and is more spacious than any other 2-door couple I've sat in (front seats and back). However, Scion "pure-pricing" means you have to pay whatever is on the sticker (no negotiating), and I had some minor complaints about the ergonomics: the glove box and cup holders are a little hard to deal with if you've got someone riding shotgun, and its damn near impossible to check your blind spots through the postage-stamp sized rear windows. Not to mention, a large number of Scion options are pure rice (factory ground effects, multiple available rear spoilers, glowing blue lights everywhere) and some are overpriced and over-the-top ($1500 for 18" rims and high-preformance tires... on a FWD car). I have no idea what the supercharger option will run or what kind of performance-boost it will give, but that remains to be seen.

The Mazda3s sedan has a slightly nicer interior IMHO (more elegant, not so glitzy-looking), has a layout as good as any other small sedan I've ever sat in, and an excellent safety rating for a smaller car. Its also slightly more fuel-efficient, you get 4 doors (and decent sized rear windows), the engine has as much HP as the Scion, and there's a decent selection of options that are reasonably priced and don't go over the top (for example, the 3s wheels can be upgraded to 17" alloys with V-rated tires, which is probably the outer edge of what's comfortable to drive on a daily basis). You can also actually negotiate the price a little, so while the Mazda is more expensive when identically equipped, you can still get a dealer discount. No factory supercharger though.

Given the choice all over again, I'd still pick the Mazda. The Scion still feels like a purely marketed car... something Toyota pitched to compete with the Civic Si and Cobalt for the "youthful" market. The Mazda3s is just a car that you can love. Not to mention, it looks absolutely great on the outside: people stop me in parking lots to ask about it, and I still catch people walking around it later to get a good look. Not bad for a sub-$20k car.

 

[Rent]

Originally posted by: Chrono
Your 14K focus is, well, a focus still. I bought the Scion for it's reliability, parent company Toyota. It has the camry engine that has been proven to take a lickin' and keep tickin'. I was thinking of a ford car, but because of its all so many recalls, I chose not to go that route. Hell, I would've actually spent more money and bought a WRX or something, but I'm glad I chose the Scion tC. Let me see you put the same features as what my Scion tC has a standard option, then tell me how much it'll be.

I don't think I need to argue options, its pretty clear we bought our respective cars for different reasons. I will take my recall-laden "still a Focus" over a "Camry powered" (oh man, that gives me a chub :laugh: ) tC.

And just so you know, I have had my car at the dealer for recalls and problems (interior rattles, and the wellknown transmission chatter). Its just part of owning a car. If knowing you drive a Toyota lets you sleep at night, :thumbsup:

 

[Chrono]

If we're all happy, right?