Cheap New Car

[boomhower]

I am thinking of getting an new, not used, for around 15k. With that limited budget it looks like the Elantra has the best feature for the money. Thoughts?

 

[Jumpem]

I liked my Honda Fit as an economical commuter. I would also look at the new Kia Forte and Elantra Touring. The Kia Soul looks interesting too.

 

[boomhower]

I thought about the fit but all the ones around here are optioned out to 17k.

 

[Dr. Detroit]

I would also take a look at the Corolla LE - DEealers should be giving about $2K off MSRP.

The Kia Frte looks really nice too.

Suzuki SX4 Sport did really well in its review too, worth a look!

 

[boomhower]

The Forte does look nice, I'll have t put it on the shopping list.

 

[adlep]

Heads up:
For around 13k you can have a decent midsize, low millage sedan like 07-08 Ford Fusion, 07-08 Mazda 6, or 07 Accord.

 

[boomhower]

I know, but I want new. I have an old truck I want t try and squeeze in the CARS deal. I am trying to stay as close to 10k after all rebates as possible.

 

[Dean]

About two weeks ago, I test drove and Elantra, Forte, Corolla, Civic and Focus SES 4dr.

I kept gravitating back to the Focus and ended up buying it this week. Why did I choose it? It was the only car that felt truly complete to me. It is hard to explain till you drive one I guess. The other cars other than the Elantra were nice also, but they still felt like something was missing and I cannot quite put my finger on it. The Focus is a blast to drive, has decent pep and just feels glued to the road.

 

[ElFenix]

i saw a kia forte on the road a couple weeks ago and though 'wtf, that's a kia?'

 

[Dean]

Going back to the Elantra. It is the cheapest car price wise of the bunch but also feels like it. It shifts hard, feels cheap inside and passes too much road noise into the cabin for my liking. I liked the Automatic Shifter but that is about it. I never did try the Touring one as it looked put together a bit better than the sedan.

 

[sindows]

I believe the Elantra Touring is tuned completely differently from the sedan so the driving experience is a bit different. Personally I would go for a Ford Focus or Mazda3. Both of them are fun cars which are very tossable. On the other hand, I'm sure Hyundai is clearing out the Sonatas for the impending arrival of the new '10 model coming out in a few months. You may be able to get a base model for ~15k which is tremendous value IMO.

 

[marvdmartian]

Originally posted by: boomhower
I am thinking of getting an new, not used, for around 15k. With that limited budget it looks like the Elantra has the best feature for the money. Thoughts?

Not sure about where you live, but here in Texas, they're clearing '09 Elantra GLS sedans starting at $13998, Sonata GLS starting at $14998, and Accent GS 3-doors starting at $9875. If you have a trade that qualifies for the CARS (cash for clunkers), you can take them down at least another $3500 each, AND get your first year's gas for $1.49/gallon (the quantity depends on the model, as I believe they based it on 15K miles usage).

Personally, I'm looking at the Sonata GLS models. My truck (98 Nissan Frontier 4x4) qualifies for CARS, it's not worth the $3500 I'd get under that program, and with $1K down payment, I'd be buying the car for $11K + TT&L. Even an upper end Sonata would probably only run me $20K, but I've got simple tastes, and even the low end models come with a shitload of features.

 

[boomhower]

If I am reading it right my truck should get me the $4500. Combines with the $2000 Hyundai is offering that is a pretty hard deal to beat. It isn't my first choice, I like the Focus, Mazda3, and Forte much better on just looks alone. But for a well equiped new car with a 5 year warranty and 10 year power train for around 9-10k out of pocket is a hard deal to beat.

 

[Arkaign]

Originally posted by: boomhower
If I am reading it right my truck should get me the $4500. Combines with the $2000 Hyundai is offering that is a pretty hard deal to beat. It isn't my first choice, I like the Focus, Mazda3, and Forte much better on just looks alone. But for a well equiped new car with a 5 year warranty and 10 year power train for around 9-10k out of pocket is a hard deal to beat.

You should be able to easily get an '09 Focus for ~$15k or less + your $4500 CFC.

<--- happy current-gen Focus owner ('08 S Coupe 5spd). It's been better than I expected, other than the atrocious stock tires (same crap Hankook that Kia and Hyundai put on a lot of craps).

 

[boomhower]

The more I look at the fit the better it seems. Its dirt cheap, reliable, and has a good resale value. I dont care for the looks but the body style would make giving up the SUV a lot easier.

 

[thedarkwolf]

I wouldn't want to drive a dodge caliber but they are matching up to $3500 the cash for clunkers things. That puts a caliber at a $9k base price if your clunker is worth $4500. Worth looking at if you just want a cheap beater.

 

[chin311]

looks arent great but the nissan versa is a nice car for the price, i bought an 07 new for like 14k over 2 years ago, 45k on it so far and no problems other than routine maintenance. interior is nicer IMO than most "cheap" new cars

 

[Gibson486]

Originally posted by: Fmr12B
I would also take a look at the Corolla LE - DEealers should be giving about $2K off MSRP.

The Kia Frte looks really nice too.

Suzuki SX4 Sport did really well in its review too, worth a look!

yeah...my gf got a fully loaded S with a sunroof for 14.7K....

 

[adlep]

If you want to qualify for the CARS program, then go for the Sonata. Although you are right - there is nothing wrong with Elantra.

 

[MiataNC]

Hit up a couple of your local credit unions and see what they have fore re-sale.

1. Auto-Loans are the bread and butter of CU's
2. Defaults on cars only a few months old are at a record high
3. You won't find a better deal (auction pricing) at a dealer
4. Why pay depreciation of a new car if you don't have to?

 

[Gibson486]

Originally posted by: MiataNC
Hit up a couple of your local credit unions and see what they have fore re-sale.

1. Auto-Loans are the bread and butter of CU's
2. Defaults on cars only a few months old are at a record high
3. You won't find a better deal (auction pricing) at a dealer
4. Why pay depreciation of a new car if you don't have to?

DO people just spew out what they read on ther internet? Are you even aware of the current market conditions? Seriously...the whole new car depreciation stuff is not really applicable to todays market, especially in the economy car segment.

 

[MiataNC]

Originally posted by: Gibson486

Originally posted by: MiataNC
Hit up a couple of your local credit unions and see what they have fore re-sale.

1. Auto-Loans are the bread and butter of CU's
2. Defaults on cars only a few months old are at a record high
3. You won't find a better deal (auction pricing) at a dealer
4. Why pay depreciation of a new car if you don't have to?

DO people just spew out what they read on ther internet? Are you even aware of the current market conditions? Seriously...the whole new car depreciation stuff is not really applicable to todays market, especially in the economy car segment.

I work for a credit union. Do you?

Used cars are going for well below what Kelly Blue Book and NADA had them at 12-18 months ago, because the auction houses are flooded with incoming repos.

New car depreciation is tied directly to what is happening at the wholesale level. More cars are leased than sold, and leasing is all about residual value, because most lease vehicles are flipped at auction after the term is up.

My CU just sold a 2008 Civic with 11,000 miles for $13K to a local resident, because it was more than they would have got at auction. Think you or anyone else could do better at a new/used lot?

 

[MixMasterTang]

Originally posted by: MiataNC

Originally posted by: Gibson486

Originally posted by: MiataNC
Hit up a couple of your local credit unions and see what they have fore re-sale.

1. Auto-Loans are the bread and butter of CU's
2. Defaults on cars only a few months old are at a record high
3. You won't find a better deal (auction pricing) at a dealer
4. Why pay depreciation of a new car if you don't have to?

DO people just spew out what they read on ther internet? Are you even aware of the current market conditions? Seriously...the whole new car depreciation stuff is not really applicable to todays market, especially in the economy car segment.

I work for a credit union. Do you?

Used cars are going for well below what Kelly Blue Book and NADA had them at 12-18 months ago, because the auction houses are flooded with incoming repos.

New car depreciation is tied directly to what is happening at the wholesale level. More cars are leased than sold, and leasing is all about residual value, because most lease vehicles are flipped at auction after the term is up.

My CU just sold a 2008 Civic with 11,000 miles for $13K to a local resident, because it was more than they would have got at auction. Think you or anyone else could do better at a new/used lot?

When you couple in current rebates, clearances for end of model year cars and Cash for Clunkers, the gap between a slightly used car and a brand new one is very small and I think that is the point Gibson was trying to make.

 

[LeetViet]

Toyota Yaris!

 

[kalrith]

From my thread here, with the CARS rebate "plus the current promotions, I can get a base 1.8L Pontiac Vibe with MT, A/C, cruise, and keyless entry for $11k OTD." That might be worth looking into.