Help me buy a car!

theexactlee

No I'm not asking you to donate to a honey fund LOL. Tell me what kind of car you have and if you like it. We need to stay under 20k and even less if possible. I want a certified used car, or a Carmax vehicle. My husband is a snot that only wants new because we had a bad experience with a used car (but thats because it wasn't certified). I am in LOVE with Hyundai so I'm zeroing in on an Elantra since we've had one before. But I'd still love to know your opinions. Again, if you tell me you love your 30k car I'm going to snark all over you. But if you tell me you love your 30k car so I should look at that brand I'll only minorly snark on you.

smalfrie19

I love my Kia Spectra but they don't make them anymore, but many of the compact sedans are comparable The are cheaper then some cars, but they run really well and the value you lose from driving them off the lot you gain in longevity.

JennyColada

I just recently got rid on my Honda Civic. It kept me very happy for 170,000 miles.

I just got a Mini Copper and LOVE it. I've been wanting one forever.

But I dunno, a car is a car to me.

flyingfoxes

My sisters both have had Kias, and my coworker has one too.  I think they have had the Optima, the Sorento, and one other little coupe. They've all been happy with them and the warranties are good.

I'm a Honda Cr-V girl, but this week I'm driving FI's Ford Fusion and it's a very nice car too. 

cupcait927

I am obsessed with my Camry. I bought it pre-owned so it was under 20k. Fabulous gas mileage, handles very well and it always gets rave reviews every year. If you want something smaller, I would suggest a Corolla or the Elantra.

KatieinBkln

I've been very happy with Honda Civics. I think you can still get them for under $20k these days without too many bells and whistles, but I would argue that Hondas are so reliable that you may well want to get a certified used one WITH the bells and whistles. You can keep the price down and still get a really solid car (complete with MOON ROOF!).

pinkshorts27

I love my Honda CRV, but I have to have an SUV due to my lifestyle. My dad had a Toyota Camry a long time ago. It lasted forever and we loved it. (No idea what that costs). 

beachyone15

I love Hyundai. That's what I have, only it's an SUV. Both my mom and BFF have Nissan Altimas which they love (not sure of the cost though).

LadyMillil

cupcait927 said:

I am obsessed with my Camry. I bought it pre-owned so it was under 20k. Fabulous gas mileage, handles very well and it always gets rave reviews every year. If you want something smaller, I would suggest a Corolla or the Elantra.

I love my Corolla. I had to get a rental when I was in my hometown for my wedding, and I actually called the rental place to request a Corolla. It gets really good gas mileage and I haven't had any problems with it. It handles well and has decent trunk space. 

Cookie Pusher

I'm on my 2nd Honda Accord. My previous one was 14 years old with almost 200k miles on it. The only reason I gave it up was because it didn't have ABS or airbags, and the power shoulder belt kept hitting me in the face whenever I'd open the door. My current one is 10 years old with almost 150k miles on it. I splurged and got one that had most of the bells & whistles (I didn't want all of them, just some). I think you can still find certified used ones for under 20k in a lot of places.

arrippa

Good question. I am looking at buying a new car too.

I have been looking at mainly Hyundais and Kias.  This (<--clicky) is my favorite car website recently.

kaos16

I am partial to Fords at the moment since I was in one when when I totalled my truck into a pole and walked away with barely a scratch.  It was an explorer sport trac and I loved everything about it.  It also seemed to retain it's value quite well over the time I had it.  Now DH and I are driving a Ford Fusion Energi (which is not in the price range you are looking, unfortunately) and a Ford F150. . . . . Clearly, we are Ford people at the moment.

wandajune6

I love my Scion xD. I have an '08 with 70K on it and it's holding up perfectly- the only work has been routine brake work and the replacement of a sensor that had rust damage (likely due to parking in a slushy area for several winters). They sell for $16,500 new and the gas mileage is great for a non-hybrid (I've gotten up to 38 mpg on the open road but average 26-28 since I only drive in high traffic areas/times).

It's really just a small Toyota but my Dad has an xB that he loves and my sister had an xA that she adored - she only upgraded when she had a baby.

penguin44

My used VW Jetta is 14 years old, and it does not look it's age at all. I got a 2000 Jetta in 2008 and it's leather seats still looked brand new. A Jetta TDI that is a couple years old would be in your price range and you would get amazing gas mileage. Like over 40 mpg.

I am a fan of German engineering though. My dad got me this car because of the safety ratings, and I am going to get another VW when it's time to upgrade.

emmyg65

I drive a 2013 Mazda 3. I only bought a new car because at the time I was in the market, the interest rate at the dealership was 0%. It was just about $20,000, but of course you can get a certified used one for less. Before this car, I was a Honda Civic girl, but the Mazda is way sportier. Civics are excellent cars, but pretty whitebread. They are so, so reliable and they keep their value really well.

DH is a Volkswagen Jetta man (diesel only).

JaxInBlue

I love my Ford!  It's a 2011 Fiesta - really excellent gas mileage and it's magenta!! I'm also a huge fan of the Fusion and the newer model Focus.

DH drives an Element and swears he will never drive another car again.  I think he's got a 2003 right now.

jenna8984

My brother is a car salesman and my FI is a mechanic so we are very particular about brands that LAST. There really are no brands that hold a candle to Toyota, Honda, and Hyundai. They simply last the longest with the cheapest repairs & maintenance. Although emmyg65 is right- a diesel VW will last frigen forever.

I currently have a Scion tC (the small coupe not the box) and it's made by Toyota, my engine says Toyota. I love the thing to death but I bought it single 22 living on the west coast and now I live in snow and am going to have kids & car seats soon. So I will probably get an AWD Toyota suv.

My friend just traded in her 6 year old Mazda because she was "afraid of breaking down and maintenance costs" but she bought another Mazda. I was like why the hell would you do that? If you don't trust your Mazda more than 6 years, wouldn't you switch brands to one you did trust in the long run? I didn't understand that. But then again I'm an accountant who drives cars for 10 years to save money and most average people like their new cars every 5 years.

Blergbot

I had a Honda Accord (my first car) that lasted 17 years. It was even still running after I drove it across the country and then let my dad trade it in towards his new car. It was such a great car. I now have a 2007 Ford Fusion, which my mechanic raved about when I brought it in. I've had pretty much zero problems with it.

emmaaa

FI and I just bought a Ford Focus hatchback. It has great gas mileage (37 mpg) and is actually pretty roomy.

Check out Hyundais also. I have heard they are very decently priced.

princessleia22

I have a 2009 Mazda 6 and LOVE IT. Runs great, fun to drive, lots of space, very comfortable. I bought it brand new because 0% financing made it a better deal than buying used at that time and they redesigned it that year, so previous model wasn't the same. At that time I negotiated price down to right about 20k.  So you should definitely be able to find a recent year, used one for under 20k or maybe even new if you find the right deal.  They have just done another re-design for 2014 and it looks awesome.  I'm actually considering trading up to the new 2014 Mazda 6.

Peaseblossom55

I've have a few honda civics over the years, I love them. 

freebread03

I love my Prius C-perfect city car!  Back seat folds down and I can fit a ton of stuff in it, but it's still small and perfect for city driving.  I hit 56 miles per gallon last weekend on the highway too!

audubonbride2013

My H and I have a 2012 Ford Fiesta Hatchback in lime.  We love it!  It drives great and gets really good gas mileage for a non-hybrid (we've gotten over 40 mpg on the highway).  When I was buying my car, I found that Ford was the easiest to negotiate, with and we ended up getting the Fiesta for over $4000 off the MSRP.  I test drove a lot and my least favorites were definitely the Fiat and the Nissan Versa.

Before I got the Fiesta I had a Civic that lasted me 16 years, and H was driving his parents' 15 year old Mazda Protege.  I loved my Civic, but I wanted a more fun car.

lyndausvi

We have a new 2014 Pathfinder. Not really going to help you. In the islands we had a 1999 Pathfinder and that thing worked great. No problems. I've also had Hondas and Mazdas in the past that I have loved.

loveislouder

I love my Ford Focus.  It gets fantastic mileage, and I bought it brand new for 22, so it should be well under 20 if you're buying used.

FI has a Mazda 3 and I also love it lol but I can't see properly out the side mirrors, even when they're set the way I need them.  I guess my Ford just has bigger mirrors.

theartistformerlyknownas

Another Ford Focus lover! I have a 2014 hatchback and got an awesome deal on my lease, high mileage since I drive a lot. I get about 34mpg on my herky-jerky commute to work, and it's really roomy. Great for when I pick up furniture to refinish.

AuroraRose41

I have a 2013 Subaru Impreza, and I absolutely love it. I normally get mid to high 20's for gas mileage (lot of city driving though), but after a lot of highway driving I was able to get 33 mpg. They start at just under $18k new too. Mine is fully loaded, and cost $25k, but if certain options aren't as important then you could probably get one for $20k. Also, the 2014's are out now, so you might be able to find a 2012 or 2013 with more options for a lower price.

Subaru's also last a long time, and have very high safety ratings too. And I have only had to do regular oil changes so far, which are included in my warranty, so they are free for the next 3 years.

Plus, I think it looks awesome from the front! I still catch myself staring at it occasionally: 

 

cupcait927

AuroraRose41 said:

I have a 2013 Subaru Impreza, and I absolutely love it. I normally get mid to high 20's for gas mileage (lot of city driving though), but after a lot of highway driving I was able to get 33 mpg. They start at just under $18k new too. Mine is fully loaded, and cost $25k, but if certain options aren't as important then you could probably get one for $20k. Also, the 2014's are out now, so you might be able to find a 2012 or 2013 with more options for a lower price.

Subaru's also last a long time, and have very high safety ratings too. And I have only had to do regular oil changes so far, which are included in my warranty, so they are free for the next 3 years.

Plus, I think it looks awesome from the front! I still catch myself staring at it occasionally: 

 

For a second I thought the license plate on the front said "Bob Barker" and I got really excited that maybe he was living a new life somewhere as a car salesman.

AuroraRose41

@cupcait927 I would have died if I could have bought my car from Bob Barker! I was so upset that I never got the chance to go on The Price is Right before he retired .

lkristenj

I have a 2011 Hyundai Sonata (the first year of the new body style) and love it. I bought it in July 2010, right after the new style was released, so it was very popular and I didn't get a great deal on it. It's only slightly over $20K, so maybe it's within the "haggle" range or getting a good deal on one. I don't know. It's my second Hyundai and I like it. I had an Accent before the Sonata so the size difference was a big deal. My sister has a 2013 Elantra, which she also likes. The features in them are a little different, but that could be part of the age difference. I hope they've redone the lights on the Sonata. There have been complaints about the lights illuminating only a limited field, therefore essentially making you blind when you go downhill at night. I haven't encountered a big problem with it though. I've noticed the narrow light field, it just hasn't made a difference in my city driving, or on the mild hills in the country. If you live on a very hilly unlit road, however, it could be a consideration. Overall I love my Sonata and will probably get another Hyundai after this one bites the dust. I'm driving it until it falls apart. Edit: I've tried to fix my paragraphs and it's not working for me no matter what I do. I'm sorry.

CMGragain

I have a 6 year old Honda Civic that has never given me any trouble at all.  The Honda Fit was too small for both my husband and me to sit comfortably together, but if you aren't a tall, big person, it might be a good choice for you.  We also have a 7 year old Honda CRV that we love.