[sdilley14]

Ok, so I'm going to be getting a new car in a month or two. Looking to keep it around $20k or below. I'm going to be buying it outright-no payments. With that being said, I'm considering the following.

2003 or 2006-2007 Honda Accord
2006-2007 Scion TC
2004-2007 Honda Civic
Whatever year Acura RSX
2005 Cadillac SRX
2004 Infiniti G35
Current gen. or last gen. Eclipse

I know it's a pretty sporadic list. I like all of em. I'm leaning towards the Accord. I really like the tail lights and rear end on the 2-door 03 Accord and I like the interior, the way it rides, the dash and center console, front end, etc. but the 06-07 Accords are sweet too (I HATE the tail lights on the 04-05 Accords). I like the styling on each of the other cars for different reasons as well.

Like I said, I'm trying to keep it around $20k or below. I plan on buying used with low mileage and have found all of the above vehicles at local dealerships with good mileage and the desired price.

Gas mileage is relatively important. Resale value is important. I want something stylish and relatively unique (notice I didn't list anything like Grand Am or Mustang or every other dime a dozen boring car...though I realize Civics, Accords, and Eclipses are pretty common). I spend a lot of time in my car so a stylish and comfortable interior would be nice. It doesn't need to be easily modded as I only plan on tinting it and putting in a decent stereo (and maybe a spoiler if it doesn't come with one).

So what do you guys think? Suggestions? Other nice vehicles I might be over looking? Right now I'm thinking . . .

Accord
Scion TC
G35

What do you guys think?

[mdc]

You could buy a brand new Scion tC for under $20,000. Very nice car. I like how the roof is mostly glass. The head unit on a tC is one of the nicest I've found for interfacing with an iPod. You have an up down left right dial you can use to scroll through songs on the head unit. It pulls playlists and full track names, etc from your iPod. I miss that with my new car.

There's my opinion.

[Gossamer]

I've always been partial to the G35 coupes, but I don't like the sedan.

[Dakarʒ]

We really need an automotive subsection to this forum.

[zerostar]

G35 all the way, must be a Coupe 6MT though.... the autos are a bit dissapointing.

Or an Accord V6 model, decked out... don't get that in a 4cyl

If it NEEDS to be auto I would do a RSX as it probably has very good retail and a decent ride.

[Railroader]

Originally Posted by Dakarʒ 

We really need an automotive subsection to this forum.

Maybe you should start a thread in the feedback forum.

[alligator]

I've owned an Acura and Infiniti, and both are very similar. Each one pushes for technology, yet both cars will perform well. I'd say that between these two cars, it is a tie.

[nonhuman]

I like how you have a Civic and a Cadillac on the same list.

If it were me, I'd go with the Eclipse. I love the new ones.

[Gossamer]

Stay away from the last generation of Eclipse, they're just plain ugly. The new ones with the 3.8 are quite quick though, if you don't mind the huge blind spots.

[sek929]

The tC is a sexy beast, but pretty much all the cars you listed are good picks.

Cept the SRX, the rear end on that thing is fugly.

[Railroader]

Originally Posted by sek929 

Cept the SRX, the rear end on that thing is fugly.

Looks like a typical wagon to me.

[sek929]

You don't buy a Cadillac for 'typical'

IMO most caravans have better ass ends than that thing.

[Gossamer]

Anyone else think the backup sensors mess up the rear ends of a lot of otherwise nice cars?

[sdilley14]

You're right, the thing that turned me off of the SRX was the read end. Very bland.

I should have mentioned that it has to be an automatic. I'm not ruling out hybrids either, but the only hybrid I've really considered is the V6 Accord...BUT it's pretty damn expensive. The Civic hybrids just seem too weak and most all come with pretty fugly wheels (I know, they can be replaced).

I really really like the tC, but I hate the gauge color. All the guages and stereo are lit up orange - UGLY! (though I'd have a different stereo installed). But I've seen a LOT of good reviews for it, looks like it has a strong engine for it's class and has uniquie styling (and I really like the glass roof!) and the iPod integration is a plus.

The G35 I'm looking at is silver, 2-door, but has like 36k on it (which isn't terrible). No spoiler though so I'll prolly have one put on. I don't really like the side molding either so I'd have to have that stripped.

The way I'm seeing it now, I'll prolly go for the Scion. Seems to be the most bang for the buck (I basicly like everything it comes with except the gauge lights!) I've found two tC's with 15k on each for like $15k, both pretty decked out. White and flint mica. Unless I can get a great deal on a V6 Accord. An '03 V6 Accord with low low miles would be pretty perfect...though I feel a little foolish buying an '03. The G35 is in a close third. I like the unique styling, but I really don't know much about them. If the new Eclipse had a differet rear end it'd prolly be in first but I can't get over the bubbly, fugly ass rear end on it. If I could find an 06-07 Civic SI that'd be sweet too. Ahhhh decisions decisions.

I appreciate the feedback a lot! Keep it coming if you have anything! I want to do as much research and get as much input before I decide.

[Gossamer]

If you want to look like a teenager that thinks they're buying a ready-made street racer, by all means go for the Scion. I'd say 36k on the G35 is nothing, those things are amazing, pretty much a luxury version of the 350z. Any specific reason you have to go with the automatic?

[sdilley14]

That's exactly how I thought of the G35...as a luxury version of the 350z...which is another car I REALLY like but can't find one for a decent price (and do they come with an option for a sunroof?). I just don't drive manual...I can but not very well. I drive a lot in the city and just don't want to mess with it. Personal preference I guess. There's another reason sort of but I feel pretty bad saying it so I'm going to keep it to myself.

[imitchellg5]

Originally Posted by zerostar 

G35 all the way, must be a Coupe 6MT though.... the autos are a bit dissapointing.

Or an Accord V6 model, decked out... don't get that in a 4cyl

If it NEEDS to be auto I would do a RSX as it probably has very good retail and a decent ride.

Although only the base RSX has an auto- the Type S is 6MT only.

[Sage]

Ever consider a Mazda 3 s? Got mine for under $18k, and I couldn’t be happier with it.

[Rumor]

Originally Posted by sdilley14 

There's another reason sort of but I feel pretty bad saying it so I'm going to keep it to myself.

A bit harder to get road h**d with a manual.

[sdilley14]

I've actually considered a Mazda 6. I don't know a whole lot about them though. At this point I won't rule anything out as long as it's stylish, practical for every day use, doesn't get terrible gas mileage, and is in that $20k range.

[Rumor]

Looks like you are in Wisconsin. If it snows a lot where you live, you might want to stay away from a rwd vehicle.

[Rumor]

Nothing says stylish like one of these.

[Dakarʒ]

If you're going to go to the future, why not do it in style.

[sdilley14]

FLYIN DELOREAN?!! I haven't seen one of those things in....30 years.

Yeah I'm from Wisconsin. Driving in snow and crappy weather is definately an issue. Somewhat of the reason why I was considering the SRX. I definately have some reservation against a RWD vehicle, however I wouldn't rule it out completely.

Manuals definately make it hard to get road h**d, but my crappy excuse is more along the lines of driving "right at the legal limit of intoxication for very short periods of time". Stupid, I know. But it's just another small reason along with my personal preference to just get an automatic.

[Railroader]

Originally Posted by Gossamer 

Anyone else think the backup sensors mess up the rear ends of a lot of otherwise nice cars?

Me. I have them on my van and as nice as they are to have, they are ugly. Not that my van is any looker.

But I did see some on the chrome of a truck bumper a couple days ago and they blended in nicely.

[Gossamer]

Originally Posted by sdilley14 

That's exactly how I thought of the G35...as a luxury version of the 350z...which is another car I REALLY like but can't find one for a decent price (and do they come with an option for a sunroof?). I just don't drive manual...I can but not very well. I drive a lot in the city and just don't want to mess with it. Personal preference I guess. There's another reason sort of but I feel pretty bad saying it so I'm going to keep it to myself.

I can understand with a lot of in town driving that your left leg would get a bit tired. If you wanted something nice I'd suggest the Mazdaspeed 6, as it's 274hp, awd (great in the snow), but it's not available with an automatic.

[sek929]

The tC has a sweet exhaust note too. Loud enough to turn heads but it won't make people like me laugh with a fart-pipe sound seen on riced Hondas.

[idyll]

interesting list.. if you have the money, then definitely get either the Acura RSX, Cadillac SRX, or Infiniti G35. It depends on your lifestyle, but the Infiniti would be my pick.. as far as driving is concerned it handles better than any other car on your list. the acura would come second, and then the glorified minivan cadillac the g35 comes fairly close to a 3 series bmw, but has even more horsepower.. and that exhaust note is dreamy

If it's out of the other three. Honda Accord is far better than the Scion TC and Honda Civic in terms of luxury, handling, power, etc.. the scion is good but does not handle that well and is a bit heavy for its engine. mostly teenagers drive this car so if street cred is important i'd avoid it. the civic is the most practical - good gas mileage, great resale value, will last long, etc. handling is good and it's fast enough

so for me, if i had to choose from that list:
if money was no object: infiniti g35
if money is an object and i want the best gas saver, most practical, etc.: honda civic

[idyll]

and i had a mazda3 hatch and that thing handled much better than both the civic and scion tc. it was a dream to drive for a fwd vehicle.. guzzled gas though, probably because i drove it a bit hard. if you haven't considered a mazda, you definitely should. truly the best bang for your buck, and it's been awarded as car of the year a few times... go read some reviews, especially sites like automotive.com and the like. i personally liked the interior and exterior more than that of the scion tc as well

[iREZ]

new altimas are pretty swanky, and are the inbetweeners of luxury and reg sedans as it could get inho.

[awaspaas]

Originally Posted by sdilley14 

I've actually considered a Mazda 6. I don't know a whole lot about them though. At this point I won't rule anything out as long as it's stylish, practical for every day use, doesn't get terrible gas mileage, and is in that $20k range.

I own a Mazda6s, it has a duratec V6 that gets around 25mpg on a mix of city and highway. Very comfortable and sporty - couldn't be happier with it. It's a 2006 that I got new for under $20k.

[sdilley14]

Originally Posted by awaspaas 

I own a Mazda6s, it has a duratec V6 that gets around 25mpg on a mix of city and highway. Very comfortable and sporty - couldn't be happier with it. It's a 2006 that I got new for under $20k.

I saw a new Mazda 6 yesterday and it looked tight as hell. I might have to look into them a little more. Looks like most people prefer the G35. I'll definately consider it a bit more than I was before. The whole 35k miles on the one I'm looking at is what bothers me the most. I'd really really like an RSX but I'm having a hard time finding a decent one, automatic, under $20k.

[sdilley14]

The new Altimas are sweet as hell too but I don't know if I could find one in my price range.

[awaspaas]

I would obviously love a G35 too but I prefer a new car over a used car, just a personal preference.

[sdilley14]

If you got a Mazda 6 NEW for under $20k, I might seriously have to consider it. Sunroof or any other options or barebones?

[awaspaas]

Just a V6 automatic (6-speed). No sunroof or spoiler or anything but that's how I wanted it. It was right before the 07's came out and there were all kinds of incentives. Not sure what the situation would be today but I would definitely look into it if I were you! It's a sweet car.

[awaspaas]

It's essentially this one:

[cjrivera]

My vote is for the G35. That is an awesome car. Great handling with good looks.

A friend of mine has a Caddy SRX and he loves it. No reliability problems and doesn't handle too bad for a a crossover. He has converted 2 self-proclaimed "Honda/Toyota lovers who never, ever would buy a domestic car" to the Cadillac brand.

[centerchannel68]

Eclipse: Bad resale value, mediocre quality overall, not really good at anything... it's not fast, nor does it handle amazingly well. I don't see the point of that car at all.

G35: Great design, but they dropped hte ball on the interior. Silver painted plastic looks like crap in just a few short years, because it isn't an honest use of materials. Had they used real metal I'd feel differently.

One of my friends has a Mazda 6, with all the options. The ride is very choppy, and the interior, while not GM bad, isn't really very good. She's also had a lot of brake problems, and front suspension problems. Lots of things have been replaced already. I think there's a reason why Honda's resale value is better than Mazda's. She also hates driving it now, after she drove a Subaru WRX wagon 5spd.

From your list, I'd suggest either a new civic sedan, or a Scion TC. Both are decent performers, sip gas, have great build quality, and are a little bit 'fun', while still being pretty pratical.

[sdilley14]

Ok, it's getting down to it. I'm looking to get it in the next week to 10 days. I have it down to this . . .

2006 Scion tC - Flint Mica, 12k miles, standard options, $14,000...might be able to get them down to $13,500
2004 Honda Civic Coupe EX - Black, 45k miles, moonroof, spoiler, aluminum wheels, $15,000, hoping to get them down to $14,000 or maybe lower on it
2004 Acura RSX - Silver, 46k miles, standard options, $16,000 should be able to get them down to $14500 maybe because my family has done a lot of business with them lately

I'm pretty torn here. I love the styling of each, but I'd give the nod to the RSX barely. I've done extensive research online on all of them, and I've seen nothing but great reviews for the Scion but the gas mileage isn't quite where I'd like it to be. But it is two years newer and has about 30k fewer miles than the other two and seems to be the overall best bang for the buck.

I really like the looks of the RSX, but it seems to be a little overvalued. With the mileage, being a 2004, and having the highest price, I don't know if it's the direction I want to go in. Also, I take a lot of hour-2-3 hour trips and I've read MANY reviews online from people saying the RSX isn't very comfortable at all on long trips

I'd say I like the looks of the Civic the least, but I still like it. I really like the headlights of the 2004 Civic, and it's a couple so that's a styling plus for me. IMO it gets the best gas mileage overall, which is nice with the terrible gas prices now and the fact that I take a lot of extended drives. However, again it's a 2004 and has 45k miles...but I know Civics can go for another 100k plus.

It's getting down to it and I'm trying to find that sweet spot between style, value, practicality, and economics. My gut tells me the RSX just isn't a practical every day car for the next 3-4 years making the trips I'm going to be making. I've been leaning towards the Scion because of the styling and miles on it, but I really really don't like the bland orange lighting on the dash and gauges...I spend a lot of time in the car so those little things are important, and I've read a lot of reviews about the car making a lot of squeaking over time, mediocre gas mileage, etc. The Civic seems to be a good fit but the miles on it and being a couple years older seems for the same price as the Scion seems like I shouldn't go for it. Aggghhhh!!

What would you guys do?

[centerchannel68]

I'd get the RSX, outta that bunch. IT'd be a LOT more fun than the other two. Wait..... do they all have manual transmissions?

Anyway:

TC: Good car.... I'm just not sure I'd want to be 'that guy'. It just seems like it's trying a bit to hard to be cool and trendy. >shrug<

Civic: Great car. Hence why there are 591,932,842 other civics on the road. Course.... then you have a car like everybody else. That's the only real con.

RSX: Not as cool as the integra, but still decent. I wouldn't worry about the mileage. It's a honda. If maintained it will run forever.

Get the RSX man. You only live once. If you get the civic, it will be a 'good' car, but nothing that's super fun and different to drive. The TC is .... meh. I dunno, I'd just get an RSX instead. It's a honda so reliability won't be an issue, the build quality on the interior is stronger than the other two, and it'd probably be the most fun to drive.

Then again, if this were my choice with my money, I'd get none of them, and get something older and cooler for less money. Any of the cars you buy will need maintenence, so there's really no reason to buy a newer car unless you WANT a newer car, but rationally speaking there is no reason whatsoever to do so. Something like this:

[IceEnclosure]

they're all automatics dude.

[Laminar]

The SVT Contours? No, they are ALL 5 speeds, not a single automatic. I'm currently looking for one to replace my current car. If you know where you look you can pick one up for under $4000, and they're quite loaded...leather, sunroof, keyless, etc.

[centerchannel68]

Originally Posted by Laminar 

The SVT Contours? No, they are ALL 5 speeds, not a single automatic. I'm currently looking for one to replace my current car. If you know where you look you can pick one up for under $4000, and they're quite loaded...leather, sunroof, keyless, etc.

Yep. Screaming deal, really. Factory recaro leather seats, 200hp v6, fantastic shifter, and absolutely amazing suspension. It drives like a BMW. I'm very impressed with this car, and this is the ONLY car that seemed to get 100% positively glowing reviews. Every person who's tested it and written an article walked away a fan, and I think that says a LOT.

[Laminar]

And if you want a little more power the Taurus/Sable/Escape DOHC 3.0 V6 is pretty much a direct swap. Drop that in and you're instantly running mid to low 14s.

[G4ME]

never mind

[IceEnclosure]

Originally Posted by centerchannel68 

I'd get the RSX, outta that bunch. IT'd be a LOT more fun than the other two. Wait..... do they all have manual transmissions?

I was telling Rob that the OP was choosing from automatic transmission cars.

Not referring to the Contour being only automatic. I love me some Contour SVT, sans automatic.

[sdilley14]

Yes, I'm choosing from automatic vehicles.

I really don't see myself getting a domestic vehicle...especially something as bland and ugly as that souped up Taurus or whatever that thing is. In this case, looks DO matter a lot. And I'm absolutely not interested in anything for racing. I want a nice, stylish car that gets decent mileage, has a nice looking interior and will be comfortable on long drives.

I dunno, I'll keep thinking on it.

[Laminar]

It's a stock SVT Contour. And it's not bland and ugly, you are.

[sek929]

I respect the SVT Contour's abilities, but it is DAMN ugly.