Need help choosing make/model

I'm looking to buy a car. My budget is ~$10k, give or take $1-2k.

Ideally I'd like:
1. good gas mileage
2. car with some sex appeal
3. very low maintenance
4. Parts are available and not crazy expensive
5. car that can be expected to have a very long life, say, over 200k miles

I don't need a 4-seater, but I do need some cargo capacity to haul around a bicycle (I'd rather not rack it).

Seems with my budget, used cars are the way to go. Any suggestions?

The Kia Soul Base
-$13,900
-Seats up to 5
-Fits Bike

So this car might be a little over your budget, but I think this is a great car.
Also you might be interested by the 100,000mile drivetrain warranty.

Pros:
-Some sex appeal (the car is a little cute looking haha)
-Big cargo capacity with seats folded
-6 speed transmission
-35MPG!!!
-Being KIA, maintenance is predicatably cheap

Cons:
-Manual (though it does give you better MPG)



Alternative choice:
-try a used one...

Also a suggestion, check out the following websites. I think they provide helpful information:
Product Advisor : http://www.myproductadvisor.com
Used Car finder : http://www.autotrader.com

Seems with my budget, used cars are the way to go. Any suggestions?


G'day, and welcome to AF! :icon16:


Kia and Hyundai have been making some great cars in the last 5 years, and second hand one wouldn't be a problem.

Also don't over look the well established cars like the Honda Civic etc.


I'm not totally familar with the US used car market, so I did a quick search on e-bay.
USD $8-11,000, 4 cylinder manual, puts you right into a nice sweet spot for cars like the Mini Cooper, Scion XB as well as more particle options like Audi and Subaru station wagons.

Kia and Hyundai have been making some great cars in the last 5 years, and second hand one wouldn't be a problem.

Also don't over look the well established cars like the Honda Civic etc.


I'm not totally familar with the US used car market, so I did a quick search on e-bay.
USD $8-11,000, 4 cylinder manual, puts you right into a nice sweet spot for cars like the Mini Cooper, Scion XB as well as more particle options like Audi and Subaru station wagons.
Are Kias and Hyundais as low maintenance as Hondas?

Definitely not overlooking the Civic. Or the Acura RSX.

Mini and Audi are out because, although I think they are great looking cars, they're not low maintenance as near as I can tell. Dunno about Subarus. Are they up there with Honda and Toyota?

Define low Maintenance?

Any of the above should give years of trouble free motoring IF properly maintained.

Where cars like the Civic and Corolla have an advantage is they are quite simple designs, and simplicity is always a good thing for longevity.

Define low Maintenance?

Any of the above should give years of trouble free motoring IF properly maintained.

Where cars like the Civic and Corolla have an advantage is they are quite simple designs, and simplicity is always a good thing for longevity.I mean low maintenance by Honda standards. Like hitting 100k miles and the only issue aside from regular maintenance is a new timing belt.

Consumer reviews at Edmunds show that the Mini, for example, is a far cry from that kind of standard. And from the reviews there seem to be exactly zero American cars anywhere near my budget that can meet that standard, which is a shame because I would LOVE to get a used Mustang.

Consumer reviews at Edmunds show that the Mini, for example, is a far cry from that kind of standard. And from the reviews there seem to be exactly zero American cars anywhere near my budget that can meet that standard, which is a shame because I would LOVE to get a used Mustang.



I started a thread in this forum the other day on just that, and has not been well received :grinyes:


That said, the Japanese sports cars are no more, or less prone to problems.
An S2000 will not have the same level of reliability as a base model Civic, and from what I've heard, is not even as reliable as a Mustang.

SOME American branded cars are quite good. Namely those designed and built in Europe. Cars like the Ford Focus etc.

I started a thread in this forum the other day on just that, and has not been well received :grinyes:LOL. I wasn't trying to piss people off. Just compare the number of reviews where owners of American cars swear they will never buy another American car vs number of of reviews where owners of Hondas/Toyotas swear they will never buy another Japanese car. It wouldn't surprise me if that ratio was 10:1.


That said, the Japanese sports cars are no more, or less prone to problems.
An S2000 will not have the same level of reliability as a base model Civic, and from what I've heard, is not even as reliable as a Mustang.

SOME American branded cars are quite good. Namely those designed and built in Europe. Cars like the Ford Focus etc.Good points.

A Honda civic is a good choice minus the sex apeal lol

A Honda civic is a good choice minus the sex apeal lolYup, meets all my requirements except that one. RSX might be a better choice. Not as great on gas mileage, but definitely better looking. But even that doesn't compare, IMO to the retro look Mustang, the Camaro or the Challenger.

Yea I always feel like the rsx is over looked. It's def much better looking then the civic

Yup, meets all my requirements except that one. RSX might be a better choice. Not as great on gas mileage, but definitely better looking. But even that doesn't compare, IMO to the retro look Mustang, the Camaro or the Challenger.


I think the RSX is a much better looking, more modern design.

As cool as the Camaro, Mustang and Challenger are, I still keep coming back to thinking they also look dated, and show a lack of imagination.