new car decision time...

[tranzorz]

Here in CT, they give tax credits for Hybrids. If they don't in your neck, make it happen. They don't have a lot of power, though...

What about those VW BUG Diesels? They get a lot. Problem is Diesel is volatile and can fluctuate. Isn't it because it's also the basis for housing fuel oil as well?

T-

[the big lebowski]

first off, tranzorz, i wouldn't be caught dead in a sissy-ass beetle. but thanks.

thanks to michaelG for the tips that will come in handy big time as this will be my first time going to a dealer (even though buying it privately is not necessarily out of the question...anyone have any reasons for/against buying it privately?).

i was loosely planning on getting a used 2003-'04 model of whatever i decide to get, because getting a brand new, never driven anything is fucking retarded.

i currently have a '96 toyota corolla that has 164k on it. it's still running like a champ (well...a champ way past his prime), but it's starting to suck more gas and burn a bit of oil. so i could drive it till it dies at 25mpg and get who knows what out of it. or i could go ahead and trade it now, get a 45mpg car with a decent payment and will last 200k miles.

obviously the mpg differential isn't enough to pay for itself, but is it worth it for not only better energy cost, but fewer maintenance hastles as well. and i know, shit can happen to a new car just as well as an old car, but the odds are more against me on my toyota.

blue eyes: how loud is your tdi?

[rossnicoll]

[the big lebowski]

that's the one! YUS!!!

[Nick Postagulous]

I say, let's give the hybrid owners a decade to see how their cars fall apart before we jump on that bandwagon. I'm not saying they're unreliable or anything, but everything falls apart. It's just how it falls apart and how much it costs. When doing a cost analysis, Saturns end up looking good, even though they break constantly. They're cheap to fix.

I'm about to jump on the daddymobile bandwagon. The Miata isn't that great of a family car, ya know.

I like the Scion xA. I don't see any other tiny cars with four doors, the kind of suspension I like, yadda yadda. Gets about the gas milage as that TDI that Granola Mamma is driving (no offense, Mali, but sheesh, you're about to switch your kid to organic sugar free ketchup). And it's a Toyota, without having that gooshy "make it drive like a buick" suspension that plagues most Toyotas. Oh, and four doors.

Why not:
Mini Cooper? Only two doors and I don't want to deal with the BMW dealer.
Saturn Ion? Too long. Oh, forgot to add, I don't want anything much longer than the Miata.
Scion xB? I've only seen women, old men, and gays in them.
Suzuki Reno? Too long, also, let me see how well they stand up.
Suzuki Areo? Hmm, I dunno.
Chevy (Daewoo car with Chevy engine designed by Italians) Aveo? Dunno. My skin crawls to think I'd own a Chevy. I'd probably get NASCAR warts on my genitals or something.
Beetle? Does it come with a pink glitter shirt that says Princess?
Civic? Oh, the new ones are kick ass. but, they've gotten so big.

The counterpoint:
Keep the Miata? Ok, twist my arm. Hyuk hyuk...woob woob woob woob.

See links in sig for pro-Miata propaganda, especially link 1.

Miata's are fun, fast, and cheap (if you get the first generation (btw, 1994 is the best year for many reasons, check Miata.net for lots of info)). And that's all they are. Sure, I have leather and power windows, but I still feel like I'm in a chariot rolling down the road. It's loud in the car. There isn't enough room to actually install a decent stereo. You can only put half a dead body in the trunk (and it better be average dead hooker sized). And the car is so light, with such wide wheels, you cannot drive it in the snow. Also, since your weight makes up 10% of the car's weight, as soon as you sit in it, you've messed up the alignment. The car is so small and minimalist, you can feel when certain tires have less air in them and are always aware of the texture of the road. You hear it, you feel it, you're four inches from it. Oh, and the ground clearance...watch out for highway debris screaming "Dodge This!" at you.

But, yeah, if you get a Miata, you'll not regret it.

Hell, buy a 1980s Pickup. They money you'd save on gas with one of the modern cars will never break even with the minimal purchase price you'd pay.

[the big lebowski]

i'll have to look into the scions. my friend has one. i like the design, but don't know what the cost/mpg is. but it'd probably last forever being a toyota.

[MichaelG]

Originally Posted by the big lebowski

i'll have to look into the scions. my friend has one. i like the design, but don't know what the cost/mpg is. but it'd probably last forever being a toyota.

How can you get good gas milage out a BOX. Doesn't make sense

[the big lebowski]

yeah the boxes are a little too much for me. kind of looks like an uptight minivan. but those other scions look pretty sharp.

[shaun132]

I would recommend a VW V10 Touareg TDI. It has a 5 liter V10 that is biturbo. Its the most powerful diesel and gets pretty good gas mileage too. I think in the mid to upper 20s.

Only a few states carry this but if your state is fortunate enough, get one.

[mkl]

Originally Posted by shaun132

I would recommend a VW V10 Touareg TDI. It has a 5 liter V10 that is biturbo. Its the most powerful diesel and gets pretty good gas mileage too. I think in the mid to upper 20s.

The VW V10 Touareg TDI new is more like mid to upper 30's. The base model is around 33-35K. The ones you actually see in show rooms (you know with basic options and dealer addons) are more like 39-45k. Also its gets 17 mpg city, 23 highway, no where near good compared to a small car.