GTP Member's cars directory. What do you drive?

[blue night]

If I go used I can buy a nice MB even for 15 grand! I want new because of the warranty and what not. I was looking at Fusion, nice car. But pricey

I am not buying one this year, within 12 months from now, just looking at different options, brand new with good warranty, cheap to maintain, also not too big because I might move out to Mexico within 2 years to stay and live there. Unless I go there and save up money on buying a car there. But lets see some options in USA for now.

So far

Ford Fiesta
Automated Price and 5 door version starts at 16.1K
+Best looking
+Best Transmission
+Nice looking interior
+Loaded for cheap
-Would have to buy nicer rims, or get an upgrade from Ford

I think thats about it, help me fill out good and bad about each car.


Honda fit Automated Starts at 16.4K
+Most Specious
+Honda Reliability
+Nice interior
-Very weired sitting position (yes I set in one)
-Ugliest out of the bunch
Thats all I know about it..

Mazda 2 starts at 14.7k'
+Cheapest
+Nice interior just like the other ones
+Should be zoom zoom on twists and turns
-20 year old technology in a transmission



All 3 cars have great fuel economy, so no need to talk about that.

You can get a Mitsubishi Lancer DE, that starts at 14995. I hear they're fun to drive. I was actually considering getting one when I went out car shopping recently but decided against it because their base models are too bare. HP is only 148 and the Lancers don't have standard awd. I'm also a bit turned off by the overly aggressive front with the evil eye head lights, a bit immature. So I decided to go used and got a 07 Subaru Impreza 2.5 for 13995 from carmax, standard awd and 173hp pretty good imo.

 

[Kryz11]

Funny how you dont like that Mitsubishi and you tell me i can get one. LOL but i see your point. I too dont like the front and rear design of it, too small of enigne for big car, as well Impreza sounds nice also, i love their cars, but I think its bit too expensive for 4 gear Auto Trans.

Also how is the Nissan Versa?
How is the Jeep Compass? 4x4 starts at 16.8 K!!!

 

[Turbo-Kai]

data: see signature... (picture was shot on a camping site during the last 24h race at the nürburgring...)

 

[Kryz11]

That Fiat looks pretty nice, Yeah fast. Never knew a they come with a Turbo. If you ask me, it kinda reminds me of a Ferrari.

What if I go from 18 K to 22 K for a brand new car? What are the new options?

 

[SuperShouden]

I'll post more soon, but I own my grandmother's ol' 1994 Pontiac Sunbird SE. It's FF, the gear indictator is messed up, and I think either the fuel lines are clogged or the fuel pump is dyin'...or the starter's dyin' but It still works for now. I might even slowly get her all fixed up and maybe even dressed up. I've got some ideas that'd look good on her.

 

[eSZee]

If I go used I can buy a nice MB even for 15 grand! I want new because of the warranty and what not. I was looking at Fusion, nice car. But pricey

I am not buying one this year, within 12 months from now, just looking at different options, brand new with good warranty, cheap to maintain, also not too big because I might move out to Mexico within 2 years to stay and live there. Unless I go there and save up money on buying a car there. But lets see some options in USA for now.

So far

Ford Fiesta
Automated Price and 5 door version starts at 16.1K
+Best looking
+Best Transmission
+Nice looking interior
+Loaded for cheap
-Would have to buy nicer rims, or get an upgrade from Ford

I think thats about it, help me fill out good and bad about each car.


Honda fit Automated Starts at 16.4K
+Most Specious
+Honda Reliability
+Nice interior
-Very weired sitting position (yes I set in one)
-Ugliest out of the bunch
Thats all I know about it..

Mazda 2 starts at 14.7k'
+Cheapest
+Nice interior just like the other ones
+Should be zoom zoom on twists and turns
-20 year old technology in a transmission



All 3 cars have great fuel economy, so no need to talk about that.

Waited for the Fiesta and waited, had my mind set on it for months and after driving it for a week, we got the FIT. 6spd on the fiesta I thought would be a huge plus over the fit, but the way the ratios are spread out, the fit in 5th gear at 60mph is at 2000rpm where the fiesta is sitting at 2400 in 6th. They spaced the gears more for acceleration than fuel economy that's why you get upshifts and downshifts for no apparent reason. The fuel economy is right around 35-36mpg with a 60/40 highway/city split. I noticed that Honda vehicles have accurate or underestimated EPA numbers. Not sure how it's possible since the EPA does the testing. I also prefer the harder edges of the fit, it grew on me. Other than that, not much difference. The only negative thing I have heard of the FIT is a stiff suspension which in my book, is no negative.
As for the Mazda2, wit the small motor and the power, the 5spd is almost perfect for it and the auto works better than the fiesta.

 

[ND4SPD]

Pic of the car's stance after the Steeda lowering springs got put on! 1.5 inch drop all way around gives her a nice stance, now to find a nice wheel/tire combo if I keep this car!




And an older pic showing how high it was riding before!

 

[eSZee]

nice! I had a 1988 burgundy 5.0 in high school.

 

[Kryz11]

Back in HS, maybe 10-20 people had cars, and rest of us were looking at them. HAHA

Waited for the Fiesta and waited, had my mind set on it for months and after driving it for a week, we got the FIT. 6spd on the fiesta I thought would be a huge plus over the fit, but the way the ratios are spread out, the fit in 5th gear at 60mph is at 2000rpm where the fiesta is sitting at 2400 in 6th. They spaced the gears more for acceleration than fuel economy that's why you get upshifts and downshifts for no apparent reason. The fuel economy is right around 35-36mpg with a 60/40 highway/city split. I noticed that Honda vehicles have accurate or underestimated EPA numbers. Not sure how it's possible since the EPA does the testing. I also prefer the harder edges of the fit, it grew on me. Other than that, not much difference. The only negative thing I have heard of the FIT is a stiff suspension which in my book, is no negative.
As for the Mazda2, wit the small motor and the power, the 5spd is almost perfect for it and the auto works better than the fiesta.

Nicely put. I only dont like that FIT looks, but I will test drive it out, as well Fiesta, Mazda 2, and even a Nissan Sentra.

 

[eSZee]

Nicely put. I only dont like that FIT looks, but I will test drive it out, as well Fiesta, Mazda 2, and even a Nissan Sentra.

After an all around tint install and window vent visors, it looks pretty nice.
You mentioned the seating position being weird, I'm 6'3" and at first I had the same opinion, it was a bit high. I have to tilt the back of the seat further back than in other cars to be in my normal driving position. However, having taken it on a few 3-7hr trips, I have yet to find it uncomfortable.
Skip the sentra, I beg you. It is a pathetic car and this is coming from a nissan guy.

 

[Kryz11]

Haha, my causin told me add few more thousnads and get a Medium sized car like the Altima, VW Golf, or someting or even wait for 2012 Focus.

Hmm Nissan fan? What do you think about this one?

By the way other then the Fiesta and Gears, what else did you not like about it?

 

[mike46and2]

2004 mitsubishi lancer "Ralliart"
2.4 cold air intake with magnaflow exhaust

 

[ND4SPD]

Don't tell me they still currently make the B13 sentra somewhere, as that seems to be a modernized grill!

 

[Northstar]

Don't tell me they still currently make the B13 sentra somewhere, as that seems to be a modernized grill!

It is still made in Mexico, they are extremely cheap and stripped down.

 

[Paulie]

Haha, my causin told me add few more thousnads and get a Medium sized car like the Altima, VW Golf, or someting or even wait for 2012 Focus.

What about a Chevy Cruze Eco model?

 

[Kryz11]

No Chevy. GM cant run their company right, I do not trust their cars. With Eco cars, I think I would Prefer a Diesel, same mileage as the ECO cars yet more power and longer lasting engines. I think the VW TDI is 22k? Hows that car?

 

[Paulie]

Your loss.

 

[eSZee]

Haha, my causin told me add few more thousnads and get a Medium sized car like the Altima, VW Golf, or someting or even wait for 2012 Focus.

Hmm Nissan fan? What do you think about this one?


By the way other then the Fiesta and Gears, what else did you not like about it?

When I was getting into cars, the b13 were all the craze. A few friends had them, many different setups. Fun cars. No surprise mexico still sells them new.

Your loss.

I agree. The Cruze, especially that performance model they're supposed to make, could be fun.

 

[Kryz11]

I dont like some of their reviews, but that guy is convincing me to get one. But I have to wait for 2012 Focus, and maybe something new from Nissan. Or in the end I end up with a Toyota Corolla

And next one seems good too


You said the Fista has the Dual Clutch set up for acceleration, I wont complain, also can you change gears yourself as well? Like a sequential?

So if sitting position in the Fit is an issue I wont get it. If I was not too comfy just sitting standing still, why would i be comfy driving it every day?


Also that Cruze..
Hmm looks OK.
Starts from 17 k


Any specs? Eco model? performance models?
But for 17k and up I rather go with 5 door 2012 focus. I think it looks twice as good. (Everyone has their own likings)

And it has a 5th door. I like that.

 

[eSZee]

You're obviously set on the Fiesta so go with that.

 

[Kryz11]

Yeah, out of the choices so far. Either that or Focus 2012, or a VW in 2012

 

[niky]

The Mazda2 is the best to drive, is quicker than the Fiesta and only a shade slower than the Fit which has 20 hp more, and has the best steering in the subcompact market today. It's buzzy and rorty and always wants to play. It's like a baby Protege, or a tiny front-wheel drive MX-5.

If you ever get a test drive, it has to be on some pretty tasty roads... that's the only way you'll see the difference.

On-paper power and economy specs mean nothing. In real world use, economy's as good (or better) than the Fit and the Yaris, and the lack of power doesn't matter one whit with the absolute lack of mass the car has. Even with a four-speed auto, it can keep up with a five-speed Fit AT on the highway. It only loses out in terms of acceleration because the Fit has that ultra-low 1st gear ratio.

Cons:

-The back seat sucks... but you're not buying a car like this for the back seat, right?

-Understeer is still the final answer, just like in any car (but oversteer is available if you get wiggy with it).

-Light rear end and rear drum brakes cause rear end lift and brake lock too easily on the race track, triggering ABS. There are companies looking at an ABS kill switch right now for track use.

Mazda is still waffling on a Mazdaspeed variant. Methinks it'd cannibalize sales of the Mazdaspeed3, so they won't do it. But it would be schweet.

-

The current Focus is fantastic, the next one will be better... but are you willing to wait that long?

(This should probably go into a separate thread until you buy...)

 

[Kryz11]

Yes, I am not buying the car soon, about 12 months from now. Mazda sounds good and I think it looks nice.
Yeah it should have separate thread, but I did not wanted to start a new one right now. There should be one for all the people with questions about buying cars.

 

[Paulie]

Even the Fiesta looks better than the forthcoming Focus, so if it's between those 2 get the Fiesta.
I would personally take the new Aveo over the Fiesta, since the propotions aren't whack like the Fiesta.

 

[niky]

I would wait and see about the new Aveo, but I would never in a million, million, million, million, million, million, million, million, million, million, kajillion, quintrillion, bazillion, infinillion, septillion, sasaparillion, silmarillion years pick the current Aveo over anything. Not even a Yugo. The basic Daewoo 1.5 in the Aveo is one of the few fuel injected motors available that manages to be both turgidly slow and uneconomical at the same time. And Chevwoo's small cars somehow manage to drive like trucks, despite their size (no mean feat, mind you). Now the Cruze, that's something else... but as the new Aveo is still based on the old Aveo, my hopes are not set too high.

 

[Paulie]

Yeah, not the current Aveo, but the difference between the current one and the new one is that they're actually putting effort into the new one.

 

[niky]

Yeah, not the current Aveo, but the difference between the current one and the new one is that they're actually putting effort into the new one.

We can only hope. I was impressed by the new Spark at a recent motorshow... but the proof will be in the driving.

 

[djKyoto]

Currently have a EP91 Starlet (which was in a old GT), and a AE86 Trueno in storage overseas (which has pretty much been in every GT).

Only other In-GT car I've had is a AW11 S/C & EG6 Civic SiR. =)

 

[rb240tuner]

I drive a 96 Honda Accord LX, a 2000 Ford Expedition Triton Eddie Bauer, and a 91 Nissan 240SX with an RB25DET swap

 

[SK360]

Daily drive a 2005 Pontiac GTO, Phantom Black Metallic with Black interior.

Mods:
Pacesetter Longtube Headers
Catless midpipes
Corsa Sport Catback exhaust
Ported throttle body
LS3/L92 heads milled 0.030
LS3 intake manifold
LS3 Injectors
Custom grind VA Speed camshaft
Built 4L60E Auto
3200 Vigilante Torque Converter
25% Underdrive Pulley
90mm HSW Nitrous Plate Kit Jetted for a 150rwhp shot.

Car dyno'd 450rwhp/419rwtq N/A, had some spray issues on the dyno so no good numbers on the nitrous for now. The car has been 11.88@119mph when it was exhaust only with a 100rwhp shot of nitrous. So far I have run 12.2@114mph N/A on the new build with street tires. Hoping for Mid-High 11's N/A and high 10's on the bottle once I can get some tire under it.

Have pics and video but can't get to photobucket or youtube at work, will update when I get home.