jmood

jmood

I don't get it. Please explain.
Limp wrist??

MMcD

That's funny, isn't it
Interesting - a majority of the ones on that web site are owned by Angelenos.
Wouldn't want a Moonbeam or an Isetta on the freeway...but for toodling around town, bringing a few smiles to grumpy faces...I'll have one (preferably Isetta)

Sally Redux

Bob

Maintenance as a factor?

Depends if you're getting new or not. Local market could affect cost quite a bit. If it's a US car, most garages will work on it no problem, if it's an import you might find some issues with anything that's not exhaust/brake type work.

Down my way, Honda is very popular, you can find a garage that'll work on it cheaply all over, but up in Maine, not so much. Then again, can find loads of places up there that'll work on a Saab dirt cheap and it costs a fortune down my way. That's also taking the $60 hr difference in average labour cost from up there to down here.

Definitely avoid Dodge lower end cars, Kalibre etc are a bag of pants.

jmood

So I had to rent a car today and out of the choices I had, I picked a Toyota Corolla. I don't know which year and what specs it has.

My impressions:
-I didn't like the way it looks (but I think that is unimportant because (a)I don't have the financial luxury to be that picky (b)most cheap/mid range cars these days look like each other.) I thought it looked clunky with lots of wasted space.

-It drives OK/good. It was't sluggish like the Dodge was but it wasn't as responsive as the Alfa Romeo I used to have.

-Not too lound

-Comfortable. The seat belt height is adjustable - although that is feature I discovered recently so it might have existed in other cars I used but I never noticed

-A/C was more effective than the Dodge but today was much cooler than the day I rented the Dodge. However, the options as to where it blows were limited. E.g. it will not blow only to windscreen. Also it is impossible to turn off the vents in the front middle, so no matter what you will have air blowing on you. Even if you turn OFF the A/C, air still blows through those front middle vents. OK, I am a car idiot, but I think I am correct about this. They could not be turned off. Though I know that makes no sense..

-Seats were comfortable

-I didn't get to see the trunk. It was 9pm by the time I needed to open it, I tried pushing the buttons on the key, it didn't work, I was tired and didn't try further.

I think I drove about 150 miles today. I will still have the car for an hour or two tomorrow so if there is anything particular you suggest I pay attention to, that'll be helpful. Thanks.

Next week either Mon, Tue or Wed I need to rent again and will try to get hold of a Honda Civic.

Any thoughts?

jmood

So I returned the car and a few other observations:

-It was an SE
-Trunk space was good
-It seems to use less fuel than the Dodge I used. I drove 1 hour less than I drove with the Dodge (not sure of mile difference) but in similar conditions (highway) and the Dodge needed about $13 to fill up. This Toyota Corolla SE needed just under $10 even though it was driven 1 hour more.
I don't follow gas prices but both times I bought in the same town so I'm assuming the difference isn't due to gas price fluctuations. Is the Toyota more fuel efficient than a Dart Dart for sure?

jmood

I need some feed back please.

Thoughts on my above experience with the Corolla? (Btw, I talked with a dealer and he confirmed the A/C front middle vents don't shut off, so there'll always be air blowing in your face)

Today I tried renting a Honda or Mazda but none was available. So instead of the Nissan, Hyundai or Chevvy that was on offer I took a VW Jetta.

I liked the Jetta pretty much from the beginning of the drive, but wondered whether it was my Euro bias. It is a car that "handles". I had said the Toyota was not sluggish like the Dodge, but it's all on a relative scale. The Jetta has a more responsive gas and brake.
The radio system is much simpler than the Corolla but the sound quality was better.
I'm not sure of the comfort (i.e. seats). Today I might have been a bit more tired than on the day I drove the Corolla so I'm not sure I can compare comfort.
The A/C was very noisy. However today was hotter than when I drove the Corolla so again it may have been because I had the A/C on low in the Corolla and high on the Jetta.
There was a vibration on both the gas and the brake pedal irrespective of speed. It was very slight but it was definitely there. Some people may not notice it but it was noticeable to me. I don't know if it is bad for your legs long term but that worried me. Is vibration expected with some cars or does it mean there is a malfunction?

Please let me know your thoughts on the above.

Also, I kept hearing above summer sales and labor day sales current and coming up. Is this an especially good time to buy or a sale just like those every other weekend sales that Macy's has?

Tomorrow and/or day after I will try get hold of a Honda/Mazda.

Bob

Depending on location...VW can be a lot more costly to maintain if anything were to go wrong. Saying that, if you're buying new and the warranty is good, it becomes less of a issue..

There is always a sale going on for whatever holiday period is going on that month.

Best time to make the buy is the last couple of days in the month. Can always string them along with interest and then walk away till the end of the month if you're in no hurry.

Owen778

If good handling is important to you, I'd definitely try out a Ford, either a Focus or Fusion, depending on what size car you're after. They had the best handling of the cars I test drove.

Pulaski

That would be my tip too, and then the Honda and the Mazda. Toyotas seem to have been tweaked most (softened) for the American market. I'm not surprised about the Dodge being bad, though taking a car from Europe with a reputation for sharp handling and turning it into the Dodge Dart takes a special sort of stupidity. ... And I heard they spent $1billion reengineering destroying the Alfa Giulietta to create the Dart.

jmood

Wow. Silly.

Honestly, I don't know what is/should be most important to me. The comment on handling was more of an observation.

I had first an 18 month period and then a 2 year period in my life when I had a car and drove to work. In between (and it has been 18 years in between) I haven't had a car. Been using public transport to get to work (living in major metropolitan areas) and renting occasionally when needing a car. So this and the fact that I've never been interested/knowledgeable about cars anyway is part of the reason why I said I don't even know where to start looking for a car. I knew I would soonish/eventually get a job that would require me to drive and so I asked you guys.

The thing is, it's (my need for a car) all suddenly accelerated. A headhunter calls me on Thursday pm and says can you go in for an interview Friday am (the next day). I say OK, but at least pm then. I have the interview. A few hours later I get the call saying they want you, but they want you to start Monday. i.e the phone call at 6pm Friday and they want me to be there 9 am monday, 2 days later, or else they will give the job to someone else. Well, I managed to get a weeks allowance and will start Sept 2. They know I need to take time to find an adult day care for my dad. That's what I've been working on yesterday and today. Anyway, not to digress too much.

My options now are I either buy something between now and Sept 2 or continue renting. 5 days rental at the moment works out at $162 for the smallest (class A) car. And the other options are whether to buy new or old, or whether to lease.

Regarding what I want: I don't think I have the luxury of being too picky. I am financially in a bad situation presently, though I have excellent credit so theoretically I could get anything, I shouldn't. The Toyota Corolla will constantly blow air into my face, that is a deal breaker, and is unfortunate as otherwise it was really comfortable. I will be driving quite a bit. It's 90 mins each way to work (w/o traffic 60mins but will probably never happen) and I have a weak upper body anyway. My arms and hands yesterday were already achy from holding the steering wheel. So I guess comfort overall is important. Handling? Yes, I enjoy a car with good handling, afterall I drove a very flashy AR at a tender young age for 18 months and that was my very first car. But so what. I am now mature and priorities (should) change (I am beginning to feel I am writing this to myself - like a self analysis now )

The 90mins x 2 in the Jetta was $15 fuel, in the Corolla it was $10. I suppose fuel economy is important-ish.

Size, yes, important-ish. The smallest cars feel a bit squished in and dangerous, but then again, that should be secondary to my current situation.

And noise level. I think noise level contributes to my tiredness level so I would probably prioritize a car that drives quietly. Same for the A/C. The Jetta's A/C was super noisy. The Nissan Altima's not so much. The Dodge I don't remember and the Corolla it wasn't such a hot day so it was on low.

http://elevatingsound.com/the-top-30...-by-auto-bild/
But all the cars in the above list of 30 (research by Auto Bild magazine) are really expensive cars

And today I have a Nissan Altima rental. It is comfy/smooth. The center middle air vents do not turn off (the jetta's did, the Corolla 's didn't) but they turn upward in a way that the air can be directed to not come to your face. Funnily the seat belt position does not adjust (it did in the Corolla and the Jetta) and so it was biting into my neck.

Tonight and tomorrow morning I'll see if any Honda's or Mazda's come in so I can swap but they (the rental agency) told me these are the brands they have the least cars of.

In summary, I don't feel anywhere closer to knowing what to do.
Comments, suggestions much appreciated.

Tired....

Pulaski

Go to a dealer and take a test drive. It's near the end of the month, they'll be more than happy to see you.

Nutmegger

Are you sure about this? I have a Nissan truck and a friend has an Altima -- the seat belt anchor does slide up and down on the wall, even though it is not apparent that it does so, and the vents do close (I hate being blown on, too!). See this manual, p. 38:

https://owners.nissanusa.com/content...ner-manual.pdf

I happen to like Nissans -- but I don't honestly think anyone can really advise you what to buy-- you have to drive the vehicles you are interested in and see what you feel comfortable in. Good luck!

jmood

I don't know if I can take the pressure of a car salesman in my current condition , i.e. knowing near nothing about cars and what I want. Yes, it's weird, but I am apprehensive about it.