Need car recommendations

[Mr.Pinchy]

Originally Posted by JayJay

RWD is actually fine in snow with proper tires.

Well from what I've been told up here is that you have to weigh down the back with sandbags but otherwise it is fine.

 

[JayJay]

Originally Posted by chrisjustinparr

Well from what I've been told up here is that you have to weigh down the back with sandbags but otherwise it is fine.
Sure, it would help, but it's not always needed.

 

[suitedcboy]

The Hyundai/Kia offerings that have debuted in the last 5-6 years are good reliable units. I have a good friend that is a service director over all lines at a multi-line dealer with BMW/Jag/VW/ Hyundai and he says the Hyundais don't break and need little repairs. Best of the lines he deals with. Their styling is getting pretty mainstream too. Ford's Fusion and Edge are good units too.
LOTS of good cars out there, tough decision to make.

 

[ratboycom]

Originally Posted by svelten

Definitely a well-maintained, secondhand Fit or Civic. Both affordable, easy to maintain and youthful for your age. The Matrix is worse looking IMO and is basically the Pontiac Vibe rebadged.

You should not be dishing out advice if you really do not know anything about cars. The Vibe is a rebadged Toyota Matrix, just like the 80s Nova and 90-2000s Prism was just a rebadged Corolla. This was due to an agreement between GM and Toyota in which Toyota would take over the NUMMI plant in SoCal to domestically produce a portion of Corollas starting in the early 80s. The only hand Chevy had to play in the creation of any of these cars was the washer pumps, starters and alternators on some models and interiors on all of their branded ones. The Vibrator was way way uglier than the Matrix since they slapped on that hideous Pontiac front end and all that matte gray plastic.
As an interesting aside, the early 2000s Chevy Cavalier was sold in Japan as the Toyota Cavalier, but it was entirely Chevy bumper to bumper. It flopped really really bad here, mostly due to horrendous reliability.

I say Fit, Mazda 3, 03+ Toyota corolla (that body was very reliable, though the 00-02 models had a sludge issue), Scion tC, Civic, Toyota Yaris/Vitz Hatch, Imprezza WRX, etc would be a good car either new or cert used.

 

[pokey07]

Originally Posted by suitedcboy

The Hyundai/Kia offerings that have debuted in the last 5-6 years are good reliable units. I have a good friend that is a service director over all lines at a multi-line dealer with BMW/Jag/VW/ Hyundai and he says the Hyundais don't break and need little repairs. Best of the lines he deals with. Their styling is getting pretty mainstream too. Ford's Fusion and Edge are good units too.
LOTS of good cars out there, tough decision to make.

Yeah I'm actually waiting on the 2011 Sonata to hit showrooms. Looking at some pictures, I love it... others, not so much. But the interior looks great for any branding of car. Unfortunately, I don't think the Genesis is a good option for daily driver.

I actually like the Suzuki Kiyashi that just came out, but I don't know if buying a Suzuki is such a good idea... Between exterior and interior stying and standard features, this would be my number 1 choice if I knew more about Suzuki.

My other picks right now are Subaru Impreza and Mazda 3. I find the new 3 hideous, but I keep hearing it's a fun drive, pretty reliable, etc. I like the Lancer GTS too, but the inside looks gross.

 

[pokey07]

Ended up getting a 2010 Ford Fusion. Overall I'm really happy with the purchase, do wish I went with a different color though.

 

[supafly]

Interested in used? if you can get a lot of different cars. i really like to co to edmonds of cars .com they both have good info.