whats the best designed car right now that is affordable on an architects salary?
what car would you buy that is economical, has a nice design? can't afford it yet, but i'm considering financing a second hand car or maybe new, but not too expensive, but something with an enduring design / functional value that would last... something reliable, economical, and well designed, useful for an architect... that you could take on roadtrips, not gonna give you grief? second hand, or new with value? or what car do you drive? (post pics!)
i am kindof thinking of the mazda 3, test drive was sweeet:
or the new civic coup... or a new civic hybrid...
does this count as "affordable on an architect's salary?" my wife is getting one of these and i personally think it's an extremely well-designed car. if you go to sweden and pick it up it's $30K.
i dunno about used cars...there's just something about new-car smell. yeah, yeah, i know...it's offgassing and it's toxic but hey, so is chicken-fried steak.
Now this man down at the used car lot
Tried to sell me four wheels and a trunk.
I said, man, there is no engine!,
He said, the engine’s just a bunch of junk.
You don’t need no engine to go downhill
And I could plainly see, that that’s the direction
You’re headed in, and he handed me the keys.
(I said) no deal; you can’t sell this stuff to me
No deal, I’m going back to tennesee
Well, I went to a doctor of the highest order,
He said I couldn’t have a drink for a year.
One glass of wine on my birthday
If my birthday wasn’t too very near.
Lord, he must have put me in a state of shock
’cause I made it for about two weeks;
Then he sent me a bill
That knocked me flat off the wagon
And back down on my feet.
(I said) no deal; you can’t sell this stuff to me
No deal, I’m going back to tennesee
When true love knocked upon my door
She’d just barely turned fifteen
And I was a little bit nervous
If you know just what I mean.
But I’ve heard somewhere
That true love conquers all
And I figured that was that
Then I started having dreams ’bout
Being chased out of town
Wearing nothing but my cowboy hat.
(I said) no deal; you can’t sell this stuff to me
No deal, I’m going back to tennesee
Well, I come through this life a stumbler, my friends
I expect to die that way
It could be twenty years from now
It could be most any day.
But if there is no whiskey and women, lord,
Behind them heavenly doors
I’m gonna take my chances down below,
And of that you can be sure.
the v50 is pretty sweet... guess affordable is relative, i shoulda said young architect out of school salary but ya, any cool car designs... the s40 is another:
I like the new Mazdas on style and fun to drive aspects but I don't like how they share so many components with Ford. I balked at buying a Mazda 6 when I learned the motor was an enhanced Taurus V6.
The new Civic couple is really eye catching and pretty rock solid on the reliability. I like the hybrid too but be sure to fully research how many years it will take you to recoup the higher cost. For most people it isn't worth it.
If Ford were to bring over the more modern Focus from Europe I'd suggest you consider that, but that won't happen for a while since American car companies aren't interested in selling well designed cars to Americans.
I'd steer clear of European cars since they are generally more expensive and less reliable than the Japanese cars. At least for a fresh outta school person. I do like those new Volvo's though.
Hey, I hear the China cars are hitting showrooms within a year. Those should be good and cheep.
german interiors are awesome, much better than any japanese or american interior. and while it is a hatchback, it is surprisingly big, great trunk and you can fit 4...its snug, but not painful
i drive a black 2006 civic sedan LX (everything but alloy wheels and sunroof)...i bought it new for $16.5k...couldn't be happier...it feels like a real car (not an economy or compact) i am getting about 29mpg city and 38mpg highway...
speechless - good points about the tax break on the hybrid. Haven't heard of the lower insurance cost thing, but that's a nice bonus.
Still, there are other things to think about. Know a few people with them - both Civic and Prius and neither of them have said they have acheived the advertised fuel economy. Hybrids don't operate as well in colder climates. Something to strongly think about. Also, while the hybrid is great for city driving, it doesn't really have the huge mpg gains if most of your driving is on the highway. Another thing to consider. Lastly, if buying used, like most people on limited income, the batteries in hybrids have a life of +/- 10 years and could be very costly to replace. All things to consider and why I wouldn't reccomend a hybrid to a young buyer.
If it's all about the environment and ethics nothing beats living in the city and walking or riding a bicycle to work. That's what I'm making a move to do very soon.
i highly recommend the mazda 3... specifically the 5-door (hatchback) version... i prefer the lines of the 5-door to the 4-door...
my wife traded in her mini cooper for one shortly after they were released... and we just traded in our first mazda 3 for a newer and nicer one a few months ago...
it's really fun to drive and has a lot more room than the mini... we had some friends in town this weekend and could easily fit 3 people in the back seat, which is simply not physically possible in the mini...
I rented a Hyundai Sonata the other weekend to go to my parents' house. I actually rented a Focus, but they were out so I got a free upgrade. I must say, it was a really nice car. I was really surprised. Power everything, leather, great sound system, Tip-tronic transmission, V6. Nice. Also, look at end of the model year deals. My dad got his SAAB 9-3 for like $24000 because it was a 2003 and the 2004s were just about to come out. It's black with tan leather interior.
For me, I plan on living in the city for a while, so I will probably get a Honda or Scion or something like that. Reliable, but not too expensive. When I lived in Boston, it was easy to get around 95% of the time, but sometimes you just wanted to get out of the city which could be hard without a car. Or go grocery shopping once a week rather than 5 times. Or pick up something a little bigger at the store or what have you. I guess zipcar is good for that too. I'll have to weigh the options when the time comes.
the mazda3 is nice. had the sportier one for two years now.. but i have two reservations so far: the "zoom zoom" is almost old now. that stiffer sporty feel is grating on me the more i drive it. yeah, i love being able to scratch up to third gear (have the standard) but the ride sometimes. oh, the rims are powder coated (i believe) vs. alloy. so, in ohio here where the roads are salted, the coating is starting to blister.
a guy i work with has that new civic, though. so jealous. it's just shy of the interior room of my 2000 accord, AND, getting 38mpg now that it's broken in...
I have a mazda3 coupe (which I prefer to the 5-door, but it really just is preference). I researched extensively when time came for this my first major purchase, and the 3 walked far and away clear favorite. I got a newly used '04, not sure if the prices on them have stayed down but it was a few thousand cheaper than similarly equipped corolla's, jetta's and such.
make sure you get the additional safety feature package, otherwise you WON'T have anti-lock brakes, which is absurd on a newish car nowadays. It also means full side curtain airbags, which is pretty sweet.
I too have always had problems with the 6's, they've always seemed very underpowered. That taurus engine could be it I guess.
the Mark II is sweet - the ads alone make you want to own one
Mini Coopers are also a fantastic buy - not that pricy but I'm sure you'll save down the road, and it is priceless
Smarts are also cool
I got a 2003 Mini Cooper a year and a half ago for $16,000. Manual trans, not too many extras. It is the best car you could buy, and short of a hybrid, the smartest. It is just so distinctive...haven't you said to yourself, "I wish I could have a car that feels like it was designed before all cars became the same, but had contemporary ammeties?" If you want it, go for it!
Just did a google search on chinese cars and found this:chinese cars Is it just me or is the idea of a billion more cars on the roads a bit scary? I realize that hybrids aren't really cheap... but maybe if more people drive em, they will become cheaper to maintain, and there will actually be cooler, more fun hybrids on the market.
pontiac definitely stepped it up with this convertible...they must have replaced a few designers from the sunbird/ aztec days.
check out the new saturn convertible that is coming out later this year. i think it is great looking, and they are coming out with a redline version that is pretty beefy under the hood.
ARe you sure you wanna buy a new car? I know with most vehicles the value drops right after you leave the car lot, so in 5-6 years when you sell your lucky to get half the price of what you originally paid for the car.
+ new car insurance is a lot higher and considering the age factor the payment is considerably more.
+ Leasing is a lot better of an option with repairs and various help from the dealer, depending on who you go to.
If you choose to buy new stay away from saturns or mazda's....a personal preference of automobiles. and foriegn cars unless you can manage with repairs and foriegn parts.
Several people i know swear by Volvo's, they love em and wouldn't drive anything else. I drive a Honda, possibly the best choice for a car. Two things about honda's,,,,;asdfasdfkljk watch the engine for overheating and the timing belt.
have fun
I have had two Saturns ('95 SL2 4-door and '01 SC2 3-door coupe) and they both held up pretty well. My SC2 currently has 85,000 miles on it and I haven't had any major problems with it yet; my biggest gripe is the cheap interior materials and fit, which can be expected from most US cars. I used to swear by Saturns, but since their design philosophy changed and they just became another division of GM (they used to have quite a bit of autonomy), I don't think I'd buy another one. Right now, the new VW GTI looks mighty good if I were in the market (preferrably united gray in color)...
i hate to be this guy but I have to say it.... having a car just sucks. I love my no car car which costs $0 on my salary. driving is fun but owning a car blows. I love that for the first time in 9 years of driving I don't have a one.
i kindof agree that owning a car can suck... but i think its all about how you let the car affect your lifestyle. i think so long as you own your car and dont let it own you, it can offer alot of freedom... on te other hand, if you become dependent on your car, then it can create troubles...
i want to own a car to be able to go places, but i still want to maintain a pedestrian / transit lifestyle... is this possible? for one thing, i am not going to commute with my car, save on parking, save on gas, see more of the city in everyday life... but use the car when i need it, take the car on road trips, get to places that i wouldnt otherwise be able to get to... there is so much of our world that is made for cars.
Get a MINI! I love my MINI! Best car ever-great design, 30+ miles to the gallon, first oil change at 10,000 miles-yes, 10,000 miles and its free under warranty! Love my MINI-highly recommend to everyone! I upgraded mine a lot and still paid less than 24k, and now a year later it is worth more than when I bought it. The only car on the market that goes UP in value!
is that a trabi under that ice. i wonder how many of those have survived since the gdr tanked.
i rode in one once and was stunned that you could feel the inner face of the plastic body from inside the car. just reach right up under that dash. no over-the-top safety equipment for those east germans. and it smelled like gasoline.
still, it felt exotic and i was excited to have the experience. i have wonderful photos of trabies, like ten trabis all lined up at a stoplight, almost identical except for the stickers, painting, and other things people did to distinguish their car from the others.
new cars are a rip off. Buy one with 2-5k on it and you'll save about 25%, still have the warranty, etc. The only reason to buy a new one (or if you just have tons of cash) is to get specific options/colors that you can't find.
Good deals:
350z - my bud just picked a '05 with 5k miles for 25k (Touring Ed., the best they make)
M3 - for about 35k you can get one with 35k miles
S4 - for about 30-35k you can get one with less than 30k miles
Mercedes CLK500[img] - for about $30k-37 you can get one with 30k miles, if you are lucky, you can get the AMG version for that price too
The CLK is definitely a steal. Just make sure you get the newer design.
Those last three cars were $60-75k new. There is a HUGE difference in quality when you buy one in the $40k plus market (for the orig price).
I like deals and getting things that are far beyond my means, but within my means. Most of those last 3 will still have warranty coverage (many have 100k mile). The quality and performance of each is literally awesome.
Gas mileage? The best solution, and my solution, is drive less, simple as that.
the saturn sky looks nice too. i believe that its pretty similar too the pontiac solstice but from what i have read it's supposed to cost more (which surprised me a bit). GM should have thrown a cadillac badge on it and charged another $10k but i guess that would be to smart for their money losing sorry asses ($10 billion dollars lost last year...how does anybody lose $10 billion dollars?)
as for the last post which includes a dodge neon, i have to admit that i have a soft spot in my heart for those guys since i used to have one myself. sad to see them go. a co-worker of mine (a young kid straight out of school and obviously from a wealthy family) used to think i was a bit silly for talking up the neon (he drove a bmw m-series coupe) and then he visited a fancy-pants driving school in connecticut (skip barber?) and then came home telling me how he had to admit his error since they were actually racing neon around the course down there. they still weren't as good as the fancy bmw's and whatnot but i have to admire the kid for admitting the error of his quick/flippant judgement of my ride. that was a nice feeling...maybe i should have added this post to the subtle sensations thread.
the saturn sky looks nice too. i believe that its pretty similar too the pontiac solstice but from what i have read it's supposed to cost more (which surprised me a bit). GM should have thrown a cadillac badge on it and charged another $10k but i guess that would be to smart for their money losing sorry asses ($10 billion dollars lost last year...how does anybody lose $10 billion dollars?)
as for the last post which includes a dodge neon, i have to admit that i have a soft spot in my heart for those guys since i used to have one myself. sad to see them go. a co-worker of mine (a young kid straight out of school and obviously from a wealthy family) used to think i was a bit silly for talking up the neon (he drove a bmw m-series coupe) and then he visited a fancy-pants driving school in connecticut (skip barber?) and then came home telling me how he had to admit his error since they were actually racing neon around the course down there. they still weren't as good as the fancy bmw's and whatnot but i have to admire the kid for admitting the error of his quick/flippant judgement of my ride. that was a nice feeling...maybe i should have added this post to the subtle sensations thread.
best new car design you can afford on an architects salary?
whats the best designed car right now that is affordable on an architects salary?
what car would you buy that is economical, has a nice design? can't afford it yet, but i'm considering financing a second hand car or maybe new, but not too expensive, but something with an enduring design / functional value that would last... something reliable, economical, and well designed, useful for an architect... that you could take on roadtrips, not gonna give you grief? second hand, or new with value? or what car do you drive? (post pics!)
i am kindof thinking of the mazda 3, test drive was sweeet:
or the new civic coup... or a new civic hybrid...
or my dream car, the mini cooper...
does this count as "affordable on an architect's salary?" my wife is getting one of these and i personally think it's an extremely well-designed car. if you go to sweden and pick it up it's $30K.
i dunno about used cars...there's just something about new-car smell. yeah, yeah, i know...it's offgassing and it's toxic but hey, so is chicken-fried steak.
No Deal
By townes van zandt
Now this man down at the used car lot
Tried to sell me four wheels and a trunk.
I said, man, there is no engine!,
He said, the engine’s just a bunch of junk.
You don’t need no engine to go downhill
And I could plainly see, that that’s the direction
You’re headed in, and he handed me the keys.
(I said) no deal; you can’t sell this stuff to me
No deal, I’m going back to tennesee
Well, I went to a doctor of the highest order,
He said I couldn’t have a drink for a year.
One glass of wine on my birthday
If my birthday wasn’t too very near.
Lord, he must have put me in a state of shock
’cause I made it for about two weeks;
Then he sent me a bill
That knocked me flat off the wagon
And back down on my feet.
(I said) no deal; you can’t sell this stuff to me
No deal, I’m going back to tennesee
When true love knocked upon my door
She’d just barely turned fifteen
And I was a little bit nervous
If you know just what I mean.
But I’ve heard somewhere
That true love conquers all
And I figured that was that
Then I started having dreams ’bout
Being chased out of town
Wearing nothing but my cowboy hat.
(I said) no deal; you can’t sell this stuff to me
No deal, I’m going back to tennesee
Well, I come through this life a stumbler, my friends
I expect to die that way
It could be twenty years from now
It could be most any day.
But if there is no whiskey and women, lord,
Behind them heavenly doors
I’m gonna take my chances down below,
And of that you can be sure.
These are less than 20k on ebay.
i drive a 20th anniversary gti, they don't get more fun or affordable than that and you can't beat a german car. period.
the v50 is pretty sweet... guess affordable is relative, i shoulda said young architect out of school salary but ya, any cool car designs... the s40 is another:
gti + 200hp = $24k
nice march... design is cool... how about the interior tho? is it comfortable, good for everyday stuff, backseat legroom for an occassional passenger?
Vado ... go to sleep !!
Acura RSX it's a nice ride if you can pay for the insurance
Subaru WRX is another competitor
I like the new Mazdas on style and fun to drive aspects but I don't like how they share so many components with Ford. I balked at buying a Mazda 6 when I learned the motor was an enhanced Taurus V6.
The new Civic couple is really eye catching and pretty rock solid on the reliability. I like the hybrid too but be sure to fully research how many years it will take you to recoup the higher cost. For most people it isn't worth it.
If Ford were to bring over the more modern Focus from Europe I'd suggest you consider that, but that won't happen for a while since American car companies aren't interested in selling well designed cars to Americans.
I'd steer clear of European cars since they are generally more expensive and less reliable than the Japanese cars. At least for a fresh outta school person. I do like those new Volvo's though.
Hey, I hear the China cars are hitting showrooms within a year. Those should be good and cheep.
german interiors are awesome, much better than any japanese or american interior. and while it is a hatchback, it is surprisingly big, great trunk and you can fit 4...its snug, but not painful
re: hybrids & For most people it isn't worth it., be sure to take into account some less obvious 'values':
-there is still a sizable tax exemption the year you purchase a hybrid. i think it was $3,000 when i bought mine.
-some insurance cos give a discount for hybrid owners.
-there is not a monetary value, but still some karmic value to driving a car with near-zero emissions.
-if you've got any kind of commute, it works out pretty nicely. i've got 60k on my '03 and i'm very pleased.
*
i drive a black 2006 civic sedan LX (everything but alloy wheels and sunroof)...i bought it new for $16.5k...couldn't be happier...it feels like a real car (not an economy or compact) i am getting about 29mpg city and 38mpg highway...
speechless - good points about the tax break on the hybrid. Haven't heard of the lower insurance cost thing, but that's a nice bonus.
Still, there are other things to think about. Know a few people with them - both Civic and Prius and neither of them have said they have acheived the advertised fuel economy. Hybrids don't operate as well in colder climates. Something to strongly think about. Also, while the hybrid is great for city driving, it doesn't really have the huge mpg gains if most of your driving is on the highway. Another thing to consider. Lastly, if buying used, like most people on limited income, the batteries in hybrids have a life of +/- 10 years and could be very costly to replace. All things to consider and why I wouldn't reccomend a hybrid to a young buyer.
If it's all about the environment and ethics nothing beats living in the city and walking or riding a bicycle to work. That's what I'm making a move to do very soon.
i highly recommend the mazda 3... specifically the 5-door (hatchback) version... i prefer the lines of the 5-door to the 4-door...
my wife traded in her mini cooper for one shortly after they were released... and we just traded in our first mazda 3 for a newer and nicer one a few months ago...
it's really fun to drive and has a lot more room than the mini... we had some friends in town this weekend and could easily fit 3 people in the back seat, which is simply not physically possible in the mini...
1970 german vw bettle and just half a set of new tires
You don't need no stinking new car with no stinking new car smell...
I rented a Hyundai Sonata the other weekend to go to my parents' house. I actually rented a Focus, but they were out so I got a free upgrade. I must say, it was a really nice car. I was really surprised. Power everything, leather, great sound system, Tip-tronic transmission, V6. Nice. Also, look at end of the model year deals. My dad got his SAAB 9-3 for like $24000 because it was a 2003 and the 2004s were just about to come out. It's black with tan leather interior.
For me, I plan on living in the city for a while, so I will probably get a Honda or Scion or something like that. Reliable, but not too expensive. When I lived in Boston, it was easy to get around 95% of the time, but sometimes you just wanted to get out of the city which could be hard without a car. Or go grocery shopping once a week rather than 5 times. Or pick up something a little bigger at the store or what have you. I guess zipcar is good for that too. I'll have to weigh the options when the time comes.
"Money can't buy happiness --
but somehow it's more comfortable
to cry in a Porsche than a Kia."
the mazda3 is nice. had the sportier one for two years now.. but i have two reservations so far: the "zoom zoom" is almost old now. that stiffer sporty feel is grating on me the more i drive it. yeah, i love being able to scratch up to third gear (have the standard) but the ride sometimes. oh, the rims are powder coated (i believe) vs. alloy. so, in ohio here where the roads are salted, the coating is starting to blister.
a guy i work with has that new civic, though. so jealous. it's just shy of the interior room of my 2000 accord, AND, getting 38mpg now that it's broken in...
I have a mazda3 coupe (which I prefer to the 5-door, but it really just is preference). I researched extensively when time came for this my first major purchase, and the 3 walked far and away clear favorite. I got a newly used '04, not sure if the prices on them have stayed down but it was a few thousand cheaper than similarly equipped corolla's, jetta's and such.
make sure you get the additional safety feature package, otherwise you WON'T have anti-lock brakes, which is absurd on a newish car nowadays. It also means full side curtain airbags, which is pretty sweet.
I too have always had problems with the 6's, they've always seemed very underpowered. That taurus engine could be it I guess.
zoom zoom
the Mark II is sweet - the ads alone make you want to own one
Mini Coopers are also a fantastic buy - not that pricy but I'm sure you'll save down the road, and it is priceless
Smarts are also cool
I got a 2003 Mini Cooper a year and a half ago for $16,000. Manual trans, not too many extras. It is the best car you could buy, and short of a hybrid, the smartest. It is just so distinctive...haven't you said to yourself, "I wish I could have a car that feels like it was designed before all cars became the same, but had contemporary ammeties?" If you want it, go for it!
those Volvo wagons are sweet..same platform as Mazda 3
are saturn's shit? anyone have one?
Just did a google search on chinese cars and found this:chinese cars Is it just me or is the idea of a billion more cars on the roads a bit scary? I realize that hybrids aren't really cheap... but maybe if more people drive em, they will become cheaper to maintain, and there will actually be cooler, more fun hybrids on the market.
top ten states with most hybrids
My old office had a toyota prius, drives well, its motor is super quiet, but it looks kindof nerdy...
why can't all hybrids look like: sport hybrid built by highschool kids[
is it me or does sustainable usually mean dorky looking?
I can't fucking wait till the Smarts come out in the USA. If they ever actually do. I want one of those coupés!
i can't believe that i'm actually looking at cars...and a pontiac of all things
so much for resistance
pontiac definitely stepped it up with this convertible...they must have replaced a few designers from the sunbird/ aztec days.
check out the new saturn convertible that is coming out later this year. i think it is great looking, and they are coming out with a redline version that is pretty beefy under the hood.
www.saturn.com/saturn/vehicles/ futurevehicles/sky_hi/index.jsp
ARe you sure you wanna buy a new car? I know with most vehicles the value drops right after you leave the car lot, so in 5-6 years when you sell your lucky to get half the price of what you originally paid for the car.
+ new car insurance is a lot higher and considering the age factor the payment is considerably more.
+ Leasing is a lot better of an option with repairs and various help from the dealer, depending on who you go to.
If you choose to buy new stay away from saturns or mazda's....a personal preference of automobiles. and foriegn cars unless you can manage with repairs and foriegn parts.
Several people i know swear by Volvo's, they love em and wouldn't drive anything else. I drive a Honda, possibly the best choice for a car. Two things about honda's,,,,;asdfasdfkljk watch the engine for overheating and the timing belt.
have fun
Anyone drive a honda element? Smart buy, yes, no?
any honda is a smart buy as they are nearly maintenance free and retain their value. yes i drive a honda...
I have had two Saturns ('95 SL2 4-door and '01 SC2 3-door coupe) and they both held up pretty well. My SC2 currently has 85,000 miles on it and I haven't had any major problems with it yet; my biggest gripe is the cheap interior materials and fit, which can be expected from most US cars. I used to swear by Saturns, but since their design philosophy changed and they just became another division of GM (they used to have quite a bit of autonomy), I don't think I'd buy another one. Right now, the new VW GTI looks mighty good if I were in the market (preferrably united gray in color)...
i hate to be this guy but I have to say it.... having a car just sucks. I love my no car car which costs $0 on my salary. driving is fun but owning a car blows. I love that for the first time in 9 years of driving I don't have a one.
i kindof agree that owning a car can suck... but i think its all about how you let the car affect your lifestyle. i think so long as you own your car and dont let it own you, it can offer alot of freedom... on te other hand, if you become dependent on your car, then it can create troubles...
i want to own a car to be able to go places, but i still want to maintain a pedestrian / transit lifestyle... is this possible? for one thing, i am not going to commute with my car, save on parking, save on gas, see more of the city in everyday life... but use the car when i need it, take the car on road trips, get to places that i wouldnt otherwise be able to get to... there is so much of our world that is made for cars.
Get a MINI! I love my MINI! Best car ever-great design, 30+ miles to the gallon, first oil change at 10,000 miles-yes, 10,000 miles and its free under warranty! Love my MINI-highly recommend to everyone! I upgraded mine a lot and still paid less than 24k, and now a year later it is worth more than when I bought it. The only car on the market that goes UP in value!
is that a trabi under that ice. i wonder how many of those have survived since the gdr tanked.
i rode in one once and was stunned that you could feel the inner face of the plastic body from inside the car. just reach right up under that dash. no over-the-top safety equipment for those east germans. and it smelled like gasoline.
still, it felt exotic and i was excited to have the experience. i have wonderful photos of trabies, like ten trabis all lined up at a stoplight, almost identical except for the stickers, painting, and other things people did to distinguish their car from the others.
yes it's a trabi or paper jaguar how we do call it here. Many trabis are on the streets here, a smoky experience if one runs in front of you.
new cars are a rip off. Buy one with 2-5k on it and you'll save about 25%, still have the warranty, etc. The only reason to buy a new one (or if you just have tons of cash) is to get specific options/colors that you can't find.
Good deals:
350z - my bud just picked a '05 with 5k miles for 25k (Touring Ed., the best they make)
M3 - for about 35k you can get one with 35k miles
S4 - for about 30-35k you can get one with less than 30k miles
Mercedes CLK500[img] - for about $30k-37 you can get one with 30k miles, if you are lucky, you can get the AMG version for that price too
The CLK is definitely a steal. Just make sure you get the newer design.
Those last three cars were $60-75k new. There is a HUGE difference in quality when you buy one in the $40k plus market (for the orig price).
I like deals and getting things that are far beyond my means, but within my means. Most of those last 3 will still have warranty coverage (many have 100k mile). The quality and performance of each is literally awesome.
Gas mileage? The best solution, and my solution, is drive less, simple as that.
Them are what I am eyein', anyway.
how about an atom
awesome new car
cheap speed
crazy deals right now
the saturn sky looks nice too. i believe that its pretty similar too the pontiac solstice but from what i have read it's supposed to cost more (which surprised me a bit). GM should have thrown a cadillac badge on it and charged another $10k but i guess that would be to smart for their money losing sorry asses ($10 billion dollars lost last year...how does anybody lose $10 billion dollars?)
as for the last post which includes a dodge neon, i have to admit that i have a soft spot in my heart for those guys since i used to have one myself. sad to see them go. a co-worker of mine (a young kid straight out of school and obviously from a wealthy family) used to think i was a bit silly for talking up the neon (he drove a bmw m-series coupe) and then he visited a fancy-pants driving school in connecticut (skip barber?) and then came home telling me how he had to admit his error since they were actually racing neon around the course down there. they still weren't as good as the fancy bmw's and whatnot but i have to admire the kid for admitting the error of his quick/flippant judgement of my ride. that was a nice feeling...maybe i should have added this post to the subtle sensations thread.
the saturn sky looks nice too. i believe that its pretty similar too the pontiac solstice but from what i have read it's supposed to cost more (which surprised me a bit). GM should have thrown a cadillac badge on it and charged another $10k but i guess that would be to smart for their money losing sorry asses ($10 billion dollars lost last year...how does anybody lose $10 billion dollars?)
as for the last post which includes a dodge neon, i have to admit that i have a soft spot in my heart for those guys since i used to have one myself. sad to see them go. a co-worker of mine (a young kid straight out of school and obviously from a wealthy family) used to think i was a bit silly for talking up the neon (he drove a bmw m-series coupe) and then he visited a fancy-pants driving school in connecticut (skip barber?) and then came home telling me how he had to admit his error since they were actually racing neon around the course down there. they still weren't as good as the fancy bmw's and whatnot but i have to admire the kid for admitting the error of his quick/flippant judgement of my ride. that was a nice feeling...maybe i should have added this post to the subtle sensations thread.
the saturn sky is 30k which personally i would not pay for a saturn.
the solstice i saw was 28k
a mini worth having is at least 26k
these are sweet...
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