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OT: Buying a new car


rizzo9247

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Unfortunately, I am currently car shopping; it's almost like going to dentist (you dread going, but know it has to be done).

 

I'll be selling my 2004 Ford Focus hatchback to my younger sister, who is in desperate need of a vehicle. While I had no problem fitting 2 basses, my 2x10 cab, and GK head in the car, it didn't leave room for much else, and quite frankly, it looks a little feminine. I have been an SUV guy since I started driving(97 Trailblazer, 01 Durango), and would like to go back into that market, trying to stay under that 25K mark.

 

I am also interested in a couple of midsized pickups, specifically the Toyota Tacoma (one of the only cars not recalled by Toyota) and the Nissan Frontier.

 

This decision has been 6 months in the making, and it seems I am putting more consideration into this than a new bass ;)

 

What are guys (and gals) driving to and fro gigs/daily commute? Any other SUVs/trucks to take a look at?

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As far as the recall goes, my wife's car was on the list. We got a call from the dealer on a Friday evening. We asked for an early weekend appointment and they said "How about Sunday, 9 AM?" We said OK and the car was back home by 9:30 (we did get there a bit early for our appointment).
If you think my playing is bad, you should hear me sing!
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The three SUV's I've taken for a spin were the RAV4, Honda CRV, and new to the market, the GMC Terain. I liked the Terrain best, but it was a little over my budget. Around here it seems that most folks, when it comes to compact SUV's, drive either the RAV4 or CRV, but its tough to argue against them, they are both good cars.

 

While gas mileage is on everyone's mind, I don't drive my car all that much. I probably put on 5K miles a year at most, as I commute on the subway to work 90% of the time. If I do drive into Manhattan, I have a parking plaque :)

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As far as the recall goes, my wife's car was on the list. We got a call from the dealer on a Friday evening. We asked for an early weekend appointment and they said "How about Sunday, 9 AM?" We said OK and the car was back home by 9:30 (we did get there a bit early for our appointment).

The recalls could be used as ammunition at the Toyota dealerships...

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Around here it seems that most folks, when it comes to compact SUV's, drive either the RAV4 or CRV, but its tough to argue against them, they are both good cars.

I have a 2001 CRV, in Jeremy Cohen blue, that I bought brand new in Jan of '01. It just turned 100k miles and still runs like a top. It's also my fifth Honda. I love those cars. Have never had a problem with a single one of them.

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q106/lisamee/mycar.jpg

Queen of the Quarter Note

"Think like a drummer, not like a singer, and play much less." -- Michele C.

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Ah. A topic I'm pretty well acquainted with since I made a new vehicle purchase myself over the summer. I went with a 2009 Honda CR V. I got the EX model but in 2wd. It's got enough room for me to get a reasonable ammount of gear around. I could fit my 1x12" & 2x10" cabs, an amp and 2 basses in the cargo area easily.

 

Since I got the 2WD version I get pretty good gas mileage. It averages around 25/26 mpg. I've also been able to fit in some pretty tight parking spaces since I got this vehicle.

 

I went with the blue finish. Not in tribute to J (hey, nothing personal), but because the paintjobs were a little more limited on the 2WD version and I liked this one the most.

 

http://reviews.carreview.com/files/2008/12/2009_cr-v_ex-l-600x300.jpg

 

As for the RAV 4? I think given Toyota's recent troubles that you could probably get a really good deal with them right now. But I'm a little leary of Toyota's quality control with this whole accelerator defect issue. It's led to a number of deaths which led to these massive recalls. I would not want to purchase any Toyota vehicle for at least another year so that this problem can be properly fixed at the manufacturing stage.

Obligatory Social Media Link

"My concern is, and I have to, uh, check with my accountant, that this might bump me into a higher, uh, tax..."

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I have a 2005 Nissan Murano. Comfy car, good gas mileage, tons of room in there--I fit a Mesa 4x12, an Ampeg 8x10, two heads, three guitars and two people in there comfortably.

 

Looks just like this:

 

http://mankatofreepress.autoconx.com/photos/940/501156940_1_B.jpg

\m/

Erik

"To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting."

--Sun Tzu

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I have an '04 Chevy Astro van. I can fit my 4x10 cab, amp, bass, equipment case, wife and four kids and still have room left. It was built before gas prices soared to $4.00/gallon and spawned the fuel efficiency drive by the auto makers, so it only gets 16 mph!

 

I have a '95 Saturn SL1 that gets 30+ city for when I only need to drive myself or a smaller subset of family/equipment.

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I love cars, I've been a gearhead all my life but, I am anti-new car. Sure it's nice to be the first owner but it's only new for one day and then you have a used car that has depreciated 20% in a few hours. You can buy a "like new" bass for at least 30% less than a new one. You can buy a "like new" used car at great savings also. Why waste money? What you save on a used car will buy you a nice ealy vintage Fender bass that is appreciating in value.

Rocky

"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb, voting on what to eat for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb, contesting the vote."

Benjamin Franklin

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Completely agree Rocky, I have only bought used cars in the past. While researching the Nissan Frontier,for example, there is 'only' a couple thousand dollars difference from buying new than, lets say a 2007 with 30K miles.

 

www.kbb.com

 

This is your friend for pricing, etc.

+1, I've lived on that site for a while...

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If you decide to buy new, buy towards the end of the month. Factory incentives (rebates, financing deals, etc) are announced a few days to a week into a month. In the first days of a month, you probably just missed the delivery deadline for the previous month's factory incentive. At the end of a month, dealers are motivated to sell one more car to make the month more successful.

 

Look on the web for dealer incentives. I think Edmunds.com is one site that lists these each month. These are usually rebates of $500 and more that are given to dealers by the factory. Not the same as customer cash rebates. If there is dealer cash available on a particular car, a little information can go a long way in the negotiation process. Dealer cash is usually available in December and at the end of a model year (July-Sept).

 

It's tough to beat a Honda. I like the CRV a lot. They have great resale value which, unfortunately, makes used Honda prices a little high compared to other makes. Sometimes you can get a better deal on an end of model year new Honda than a slightly used one.

 

Another SUV that's worth considering is the Hyundai Santa Fe. Their build quality has greatly improved in the past decade and the new ones have a good warranty.

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Murano.

 

Have one. Love the hell out of it. The CVT transmission is a total dream. It's what all transmissions wish they were.

 

We got it when Toyota bought back my wife's Tacoma pickup (rusty frame thing...got top dollar!!!). She was a tough sell, but she loves it now. Only complaint is the inadequate cup holders. Really. That's it.

Things are just the way they are, and they're only going to get worse.

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I took a test drive in a Nissan a couple of years ago. Not a fan of the transmission in that vehicle. It was an automatic, but it felt like it was gear hunting in a big way. And I've had some history with another Nissan vehicle that had major transmission issues when it was about 6 years old. Not long into the life of most cars. And a transmission rebuild is a major repair job.

 

Now though, I'm on my second Honda. My first one required VERY little serious repair work. Just routine maintenance and that car ran forever. That was a major deciding factor in me going with a Honda again.

Obligatory Social Media Link

"My concern is, and I have to, uh, check with my accountant, that this might bump me into a higher, uh, tax..."

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I needed a vehicle in 2007 and didn't have the money for new.

I found that the manufacturer-certified programs were pretty good - especially Honda.

 

I ended up with an extremely clean 2003 Honda Element. Very roomy for equipment, not very "luxurious. If I wanted something more like a car, I'd have done the CRV (same basic platform as the Element).

 

My wife just bought a 2010 Mazda 3 Hatch and loves it. My niece has an earlier model, but we didn't see many used.

 

Best of luck!

Tom

www.stoneflyrocks.com

Acoustic Color

 

Be practical as well as generous in your ideals. Keep your eyes on the stars and keep your feet on the ground. - Theodore Roosevelt

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but it felt like it was gear hunting in a big way.

 

The CVT tranny is wonderful in that way. No hunting for another gear 'cause it's continuously variable. Seamless, no shifting. It's so good I wish it were in my Stealth TT; it's better than I can shift manually. It'll even do engine braking on downhills after you touch the brakes. Then touch the gas pedal and you're back to free coasting.

Things are just the way they are, and they're only going to get worse.

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Toyota: It's not just a car, it's an adventure.

 

http://www.gilroydispatch.com/content/img/f99648/Moderate-wreck.jpg

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NiTytq6Uaiw/Rmb8g59yjXI/AAAAAAAAANg/-z3UXjej2po/s320/1-7-07-toyota-tacoma-2.gifhttp://www.hometownannapolis.com/photos/0627wreck.jpg

Push the button Frank.
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The Bear Jew's Nissan.....

 

I would have expected that he would drive a Monster Truck.

 

I'm an urban Jew, not a redneck bumpkin. Monster trucks are anathema to my people. You should know better, Mista C.

 

I did, however, own a series of semi-frightening, paint-peeling, windowless Ford panel vans for band excursions. Man, those are fun to customize... but they're common rides for us Jewfolk, I must say.

 

Those had to go when The Small Bear arrived, and I opted for a more responsible mode of transport.

\m/

Erik

"To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting."

--Sun Tzu

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Well, we all have two personas (or should I use the Latin correctly and say personae). The one that is known to people we know in person and the one that is known to people we know on the web.

 

Having met numerous forum members in person, I have seen some drastic differences between the two.

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Indeed. I was sure that Madball would be a totally sedate, non-confrontational sort of dude, and man... I was wayyyy wrong. You wouldn't believe how many fights he started in the crack house we visited on the way to the brothel.

\m/

Erik

"To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting."

--Sun Tzu

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Well, we all have two personas (or should I use the Latin correctly and say personae). The one that is known to people we know in person and the one that is known to people we know on the web.

 

Having met numerous forum members in person, I have seen some drastic differences between the two.

Uh-oh...

Queen of the Quarter Note

"Think like a drummer, not like a singer, and play much less." -- Michele C.

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Yes, some of you guys are real ba$%@ on the forum...and even worse in person :D

 

Back on topic, I did a ton of test driving today, and if I decide to go pickup, it will most likely be the Nissan Frontier in night armor:

 

http://images.mjmi.com/new/NISSAN/2010_FRONTIER_NIGHT%20ARMOR.jpg

 

I also drove the murano and rogue while I was there. I liked the murano better, but the one I test drove was a little out of my price range. I'll be driving some more suv's this week, I'll keep you posted.

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I have been a toyota fan for years but last year I purchased a Hyundai Santa Fe SE. It's a midsize but very roomy. It holds my SWR 6x10 with ease and everything else. Plus a 10yr/100k mile warranty is hard to beat. Their quality standards have improved dramaically. If you want a CRV size, check out the new Tucson.You may be very surprised when you check them out.Good luck and have fun.
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Indeed. I was sure that Madball would be a totally sedate, non-confrontational sort of dude, and man... I was wayyyy wrong. You wouldn't believe how many fights he started in the crack house we visited on the way to the brothel.

Let's review. You drove me there in one of the aforementioned vans, which certainly got me worked up.

Then you got an "early start" on the brothel activities. I had to fight my way through all the women who wanted the dead sexxaayyy Bare Jew!!

 

Use of the term "Small Bear" implies that a "Sister Bear" may be planned for the future.

 

Tom

www.stoneflyrocks.com

Acoustic Color

 

Be practical as well as generous in your ideals. Keep your eyes on the stars and keep your feet on the ground. - Theodore Roosevelt

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