OT Priorities when buying a new car?

[Fendercaster]

I'm in the market for a new car. Aside from the safety options, my main concern is the car must have a decent stereo system. The hell with leather, 16 way heated seats, 4 zone temperature control and all that stuff, give me decent sound!

I rode in a friend's Acura TL yesterday, with the DVD-audio surround system, now that's SWEET! A bit out of my price range, but the best car audio I've ever heard.

So, what do you kook for when buying a new car?

[doug osborne]

#1: Never buy new! Buy late-model used - let the first owner take the biggest depreciation hit (although if you want to know how to buy a new car off the lot with the lowest markup, I'll tell you).

 

#2: The Acura ELS (stands for Eliot L. Scheiner...) has a great audio system, but IMO you can always do better with an aftermarket audio system than factory installed.

[Lee Knight]

The VW Monsoon sound system is great. 200w. I've got one in my '03 Passat and it's become my new listening room. I can't drive by a Tower Records without wanting to pick something up and crank it while driving around.

 

Don't forget good cup holders!

[Bill Roberts]

Hard to beat a 2004 Camry. They have nice factory systems and you can score one for around 15K

[Billster]

I really don't give a rat's ass about the stereo in a car, other than "does it work". An automobile is not a great listening environment.

 

I agree with the don't buy new - look at factory certified used.

 

Look ahead. You will probably have the car at least four years, or the life of the loan, so what do you need in four years? The Corvette looks cool now, but are you recently married and planning a family?

 

Do you do long hauls, or just putter around the city?

 

What I want is the smallest car that will accomplish the largest task I anticipate.

[mdlestat]

If all you are worried about is the stereo, then the LAST thing you should choose your new car on is the quality of its stereo.

 

 

Let me explain:

 

The BEST factory speakers/player combo's come in at the lower-middle of the scale of aftermerket audio quality.

 

If you want a truly mind-blowing (and I DON't just mean loud-- that's a whole different issue) good stereo, buy the car you want with the CAR features you want, and only THEN pay the money to put in a REAL enthusiasts stereo system--

 

There are a few great choices, from JL Audio to Eclipse to Kenwood, Sony, Infinity, and on and on...in all price ranges-- just don't buy the cheap stuff or you'll end up with the same quality crap that they put in at the factory.

 

Oh--and the "Bose" system found in C5 Corvettes sounds about the same as the paper speakers in a '95 Olds Ciera-- don't let that name-branding fool you. The quality and fidelity is NOT the same.

 

Remember-- the car makers have only the bottom-line in mind-- it's mass-produced stuff-- and usually goes to the lowest bidder.

[dman]

And do yourself a favor if you buy used. Do a VIN number search,it's not foolproof but it will show the owners of the car,odometer readings from the different titles and insurance claims from accidents.

[Slowly]

The BEST factory speakers/player combo's come in at the lower-middle of the scale of aftermerket audio quality.

That used to be the norm, its easy to beat the factory stuff in power, but not fidelty. These things are actually designed with that specific vehicle in mind. Try plugging an Explorer head unit into a F150 pickup and you will see what I'm talking about. There is this one song where the bass guitar is coupled to a busted bass drum. In the high end systems you can't hear it without a lot of EQ. My factory system makes it very apparent. Slowly

[Bill Roberts]

FC, I answered your PM

[Lee Flier]

I would never buy a new car. I find used ones in great shape, it's such a better value!

 

I also would not choose a car based on the stereo, I'd buy a good stereo to fit the car.

 

My current vehicle is our Ford Econoline band van and I enjoy the heck out of it, except for the gas mileage. Luckily I don't have a commute, I work from home and rarely have to drive far except on road trips when everybody's sharing gas money.

[Blue Strat]

I'm also looking for a new ride. I want good gas mileage, performance, good looks, and a great sound system. As far as having to roll the windows up or down, I actually prefer a hand crank. I'd like to get a Civic SI, but it's too expensive with all the standard features Honda put on it, and it's a stick-shift. Not that I can't get used to one. I had a stick-shifter in my Ford F-150, but the gears are a lot closer together in a car. I'd prefer an automatic.

[KenElevenShadows]

You can get a good stereo for just about any car, can't you?

 

Doug said it very well: "#1: Never buy new! Buy late-model used - let the first owner take the biggest depreciation hit (although if you want to know how to buy a new car off the lot with the lowest markup, I'll tell you)."

 

I bought a three year old car with 20,000 miles on it and have had it for three years, and could not be happier with it or the price I paid for it. It was like getting a practically brand-new car, just barely broken in, and much cheaper.

 

Safety, reliability, comfort....all that is important to me.

[deanmass]

I'd never buy based on a stereo either. That is like buyng a house for the pool.

 

Used Camry/Used accord if you are a commuter. Maybe a corolla or civic, but th first two are not much more on the used market and MUCH nicer.

 

I think you need to rethink your shoppig priorities based on;

 

What can you afford top price

Cost of ownership (mileage/reliabilty record/insurance cost)

Style (sedan/hatch back/SUV/van)

[Dak Lander]

I just purchased, for the family and replace the totaled Durango, the very first NEW car I've ever owned and most of you know how long in the tooth I am.

I went with:

#1 Safety! This unit is 5 star rated in all the main safety government safety ratings.

#2 Useability/driveability! Drives very will and handles like a dream. Plenty of room for Wifey's things in the back.

#3 Economy! Decent for a v-6 at 20-26. Looks like it will beat that once we get some miles on it.

#4 Warranty! 10 years and great road side assistance included for a decent amount of time.

#5 Looks! If it don't look good W & DF would never drive it.

#6 Price! We decided to pay the freight for a new vehicle vs used. About $20K. I'll eat the depreciation to keep wifey happy, wouldn't you???

 

What we ended up with is a Hyundai Tucson, V-6 Auto. Black, light grey interior. All the normal power stuff, except seats. Cruise, Tilt Wheel, Cruise. Full size spare, though it's a doughnut. Sun/Moon roof with tilt. Roof Rack. Alloy Wheels. Decent stereo with single cd and cassette. All types of combinations of interior space with fold flat seats. Rear seats recline. On and on....

 

With all that, when I get ready to turn my POS Pontiac over it'll be for a used vehicle.

[Dave The Rave]

I gotta agree with mdlestrat - the Bose system that came in my C5 'vette is crap. Coincidentally, I'm putting a Pioneer AVIC N2 system in, this weekend! Bought it from www.crutchfield.com - gonna do the work myself and save a bunch.

 

When looking for a new/used vehicle, I agree with some of the others above - forget about the stereo system, concentrate on the utility/functionality/ergonomics/what matters about the basic vehicle to you. You can always fit a decent stereo later.

 

:DTR

[Joe Cole]

OT- Just my opinion.... I could never figure out why a person would want a pick-up if they did not need it for work.

 

Is it for the one time a year you move something big? You can rent one by the hour at Home Depot. Plus, who wants to scratch the bed lining.

 

As an everyday vehicle, it is just not as good as a car. They have horrible brakes, have a lumpy ride, handle...like a truck and guzzle gas.

 

Any mid-size car shames a pickup for the task of driving to work and back...

 

To each, his own.

[coyote]

I bought my first (and probably last) new car 4 years ago. The paymens just recently finished, so now I own it.

 

My priorities:

- 5 speed manual. Keps me more involved in driving than an automatic. And it's just MORE FUN.

- Mileage. The way I use the 5 speed allows me fantastic mileage even though I sometimes drive a bit fast. On the highway I average just under 40mpg, using 87 octane.

- 4 doors. 2-door coupes essentially cede 30% of your interior to dead space. You can't put anything big in the car. A compact 4-door can hold an entire double bass drumset, or an entire Marshall stack or bass stack.

 

High-grade sound??? NO WAY. Road noise overrides the subtleties anyway, so I'd just go for a good inexpensive system. A car is no place for a $2K sound system.

[hard truth]

Perhaps a good factory sound system isn't crucual to a music lover selecting a car, but it seems to me that it is important to get a car that is quiet in the passenger compartment which would be a combination of factors such as build quality (less rattles), materials used, amount of insulation, type of engine etc.

 

Does anyone know where to get figures indicating which cars are quietest in the passenger compartment?

[mdlestat]

I believe that most car mags (Car & Driver and Autoweek being my favorite, absolutely necessary subscriptions) have the noise rated in db both at cruise on the highway and at WOT (wide open throttle for the non-gearheads) in their reviews of most cars-- check their respective websites and you'll likely find that info...

 

[Lee Knight]

I keep hearing how a car isn't a good place for a good stereo. Man, I disagree. Granted, I'm not going to try and listen to Debussy orchestral works where an almost silent oboe carries the show for 5 minutes... but, a good clean, powerful system is a godsend in a new automobile. The new interiors sound great! My VW upgraded system rocks. A little bass heavy but really good sounding.

 

Don't forget about the cupholders!

[Bill Roberts]

The car is one of the most anechoic environments we have. The early reflections are so fast as to not mess with phase in a negative way and quite frankly, when my SUV gets out of the shop, I will put my Yamaha NS200Ma's back in the rear area with the McIntosh Poweramp and Nakamich CD player...back on line.

 

That thing sounds very close to my mastering system..and I have a pair of dual voice coil subs for duty from 16hz to 45hz as well.

 

It is a monitoring system on wheels.

 

It really helps me when I travel to one of the many studios I travel to for mixdown purposes...so the car system can be a key for us studio cats.

[KenElevenShadows]

I don't know about all cars sounding bad, but my car sure sounds bad!!

 

One thing that I don't know about is that if I am sitting on one side of the car, how much does that skew my perspective of the stereo soundfield?

[Lee Knight]

Originally posted by Ken/Eleven Shadows:

I don't know about all cars sounding bad, but my car sure sounds bad!!

 

One thing that I don't know about is that if I am sitting on one side of the car, how much does that skew my perspective of the stereo soundfield?

In my car, a '03 Passat, you don't want to sit in the passenger seat for great listening, but the driver's side? Yesiree!

[Bill Roberts]

Mine is voiced to image from the drivers seat. I suppose Lees is as well.

 

The vocal comes right over the steering wheel. Sounds like between the monitors (no easy feat)

 

No proper imaging at all from the passenger seat...but the rear seat center sounds decent as well (again, how it is voiced and balanced, using the balancing networks)

 

fendercaster must be on a long gig. He asked me a Q and I PM'ed, no response yet.

 

(may be buying a car!..or making the money to do so..)

[ryst]

Make sure you buy a car that the chicks dig. That way you know you are going to "score". And that is the sole purpose to buying anything expensive, right? To impress others.

[Fendercaster]

fendercaster must be on a long gig. He asked me a Q and I PM'ed, no response yet.

Sorry, Bill, didn't get a chance to respond last night. Thanks for your advice about the Camry, the more I read and hear about it, the closer I am to making the deal. (If I can talk my wife into it! )

When I said a decent sound system is a priority for me, I'm not looking to put a $2000 system in my car, I just want a better than factory average system. I know that a car's interior isn't the best acoustical environment, but some of the factory upgrade systems I've heard sound pretty good. I certainly don't want a system that distorts at medium volume!

As to buying new or used, I'm kinda torn. I used to drive 30000+ miles per year, with a one hour commute each way every day. I always bought used, because the car would be worn out before it was paid for. Now I live four miles from work, and only drive about 1k miles per month, including band jobs, shopping, etc., so it may pay to buy a new car. I keep them 'til they drop usually, so a new Camry should last me many years.

[Billster]

Originally posted by Bill Roberts:

The car is one of the most anechoic environments we have. The early reflections are so fast as to not mess with phase in a negative way and quite frankly, when my SUV gets out of the shop, I will put my Yamaha NS200Ma's back in the rear area with the McIntosh Poweramp and Nakamich CD player...back on line.

 

That thing sounds very close to my mastering system..and I have a pair of dual voice coil subs for duty from 16hz to 45hz as well.

 

It is a monitoring system on wheels.

 

It really helps me when I travel to one of the many studios I travel to for mixdown purposes...so the car system can be a key for us studio cats.

We used to check mixes in the car because the sound system was shit. Nothing like blasting it through a single 6x9 in the middle of the dash to see if your stereo imaging gets into phase cancellations.

 

Originally posted by mdlestrat:

WOT (wide open throttle for the non-gearheads)

I believe you mean "WFO" : Wide ____ Open