Which car is the best family car ...

[LakerGod]

A MAXIMA has the best combination of performance, comfort, luxury, and class. Go for it, you won't regret it.

 

[StattlichPassat]

I'm in love with the A4, but my vote is going to the Passat (which I also love) since you mentioned value and space. I would shy away from the Camry for the first time because of late-coming crash results. Maxima is excellent, as are the Subaru and Volvos... you'd be happy with any of them, but probably most happy with the Passat. The hot setup is a V6 4MOTION all around, but I'd go the 1.8T route, or definitly the W8 if I could afford it. The wagon version is way sexy too! :Q

An edit to comment on your good taste, btw.

 

[geno]

What about a used car? You could get something really nice and with really low milage, a Acura TL, Infiniti I30 (I love these cars for some reason), Chrysler 300M... but if you don't want to go so high end, if you can afford top-of-the-line, go with the Maxima, the leather interior and strong engine are great, but if you have to go with a decently optioned car, the Camry is tried and true

 

[Thegonagle]

Yo, if your dad wants an automatic and an almost fully loaded car (loaded except for power leather seats and V-6 engine), the 2002 Accord SE has got to be the value to beat right now when it can be had for under $17,300.

Does he need a V-6, or is he a right lane and/or economy minded driver? The 4 offers excellent fuel economy, and I promise, the VTEC 4 won't be that slow when you want to borrow it. Honda easily builds the best fours in the business.

 

[freebee]

Don't buy a Subaru..too many people driving subarus these days. My car is losing its novelty value.

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: freebee
Don't buy a Subaru..too many people driving subarus these days. My car is losing its novelty value.

That, and they only count as a "family" car if everyone in your family is under 5'5" tall. The backseat space, even in the larger legacy wagons is pathetic.

 

[hergehen]

Originally posted by: Garfang
Yo, if your dad wants an automatic and an almost fully loaded car (loaded except for power leather seats and V-6 engine), the 2002 Accord SE has got to be the value to beat right now when it can be had for under $17,300.

Does he need a V-6, or is he a right lane and/or economy minded driver? The 4 offers excellent fuel economy, and I promise, the VTEC 4 won't be that slow when you want to borrow it. Honda easily builds the best fours in the business.

he wants a manual

and he is absolutely not right laner

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

I have a Passat wagon (newer one with better cup holders) It is a manual. Comfortable, reliable; handles well.. Kind of an entry level luxury car. Cant say enough good about it.

 

[aircooled]

You ruled out Hyundai in your original post. But I will go ahead and throw my 2 cents in...

When buying our family car, my criteria was: 4 doors, V6, good gas mileage, value, warranty, reliability & ride. After test driving everthing, I found the Hyundai Sonata to be the best value with basically the same features as a Honda Accord (for WAY less). It drives as good as an Accord (hell, it's like riding on a rail). My largest concern was the "reputation" of Hyundai. Turns out that this "reputation" is mostly a myth based on there first generation cars introduced in the US.

Modern Hyundia's are as relable as any other brand name car, and sell for thousands cheaper than most others, and the new Sonota's look great, they are billy bad-ass!!!


OK I've touted the hyundai in the "value/quality" range, bur if money were no object, I'd have a new VW, BMW, Mercedes's or Porsche ;-)


In all reality, it may also be worth looking into pre=owned vehicles like mercedes, etc.

They have good warranties and great cars (considering they are used).

 

[Thegonagle]

Originally posted by: hergehen

Originally posted by: Garfang
Yo, if your dad wants an automatic and an almost fully loaded car (loaded except for power leather seats and V-6 engine), the 2002 Accord SE has got to be the value to beat right now when it can be had for under $17,300.

Does he need a V-6, or is he a right lane and/or economy minded driver? The 4 offers excellent fuel economy, and I promise, the VTEC 4 won't be that slow when you want to borrow it. Honda easily builds the best fours in the business.

he wants a manual

and he is absolutely not right laner

Then I say Maxima! They have a good amount of standard equipment, and you can get good deals on them. Nearly EVERYONE with 6 cylinders or less repects the Maxima, and you know the kids in non-modded, non-Cobra Stangs won't even know what hit em. Very nice cars to boot!

 

[ElFenix]

the maxima should be at the top of the list.

all of them come with alloys now. frog eyes too.

if you need more trunk space go for the camry.

the nissan dealer tried to impress me with the trunk in the altima and the maxima... both far smaller than my taurus's trunk. heck, they really aren't that much bigger than the current 'vette's trunk.

 

[RossMAN]

Nissan Maxima

Here's what last week's loss leader ad has:
2002 Nissan Maxima SE V6 automatic (bummer no manual!)
255 horsepower
V6 Engine
AM/FM/Casette/CD
Air Conditioning
Power Steering
Power Windows
Power Door Locks
Tilt Wheel
Cruise Control
Alloys Wheels
Remote Keyless Entry
Power Seat
Ant-Lock Brakes
Floor Mats

MSRP $26,068

The dealership has 2 on loss leader ad special for $21,788 after $1,000 factory rebate.

Damn that's a nice price.

 

[hergehen]

Originally posted by: RossMAN
Nissan Maxima

Here's what last week's loss leader ad has:
2002 Nissan Maxima SE V6 automatic (bummer no manual!)
255 horsepower
V6 Engine
AM/FM/Casette/CD
Air Conditioning
Power Steering
Power Windows
Power Door Locks
Tilt Wheel
Cruise Control
Alloys Wheels
Remote Keyless Entry
Power Seat
Ant-Lock Brakes
Floor Mats

MSRP $26,068

The dealership has 2 on loss leader ad special for $21,788 after $1,000 factory rebate.

Damn that's a nice price.

that's a very nice deal ... even carsdirect.com has it like fro $25


what's a loss leader ?

 

[Thegonagle]

Nice one, RossMAN!

Did I mention you can get good deals on Maximae?

 

[RossMAN]

Originally posted by: hergehen

Originally posted by: RossMAN
Nissan Maxima

Here's what last week's loss leader ad has:
2002 Nissan Maxima SE V6 automatic (bummer no manual!)
255 horsepower
V6 Engine
AM/FM/Casette/CD
Air Conditioning
Power Steering
Power Windows
Power Door Locks
Tilt Wheel
Cruise Control
Alloys Wheels
Remote Keyless Entry
Power Seat
Ant-Lock Brakes
Floor Mats

MSRP $26,068

The dealership has 2 on loss leader ad special for $21,788 after $1,000 factory rebate.

Damn that's a nice price.

that's a very nice deal ... even carsdirect.com has it like fro $25


what's a loss leader ?

Assuming you live in a medium or large city, this Saturday buy your local newspaper, flip to the classifieds ads which has new car ads everywhere. You should see deals similiar to this one, the catch is there are only 1-4 cars per dealership at this "loss leader" price, so you have no choice on transmission, color or options, what you see is what you get. I got a loaded 2002 Honda Accord SE automatic (with EVERYTHING except for leather/ABS) for $17,244 which is $2,000 under invoice simply by buying my Saturday newspaper and getting there before the 7 Accord's sold out, I got #6.

If you want a loss leader ad, I can mail you one, PM me your name and mailing address.

 

[Amused]

My choice is the Passat. I have a 99 GLX and it's been flawless.

 

[Scipionix]

Originally posted by: AmusedOne
My choice is the Passat. I have a 99 GLX and it's been flawless.

So is "Amused One" kinda like the "Nameless One" from Planescape: Torment?

 

[toant103]

Maxima.



Power yes,

value, not really

 

[chiwawa626]

Originally posted by: Yield
Nissan Maxima.

Without a doubt.

 

[Zebo]

2003 F-350 crew cab short bed 4x4 lariet.

8000lbs of confortable safty which gets 20 mpg with the diesel engine and can four wheel decently after a few modifications.

 

[Jejunum]

subaru outback!

heh minus my bias id say the toyota camry

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: Scipionix

Originally posted by: AmusedOne
My choice is the Passat. I have a 99 GLX and it's been flawless.

So is "Amused One" kinda like the "Nameless One" from Planescape: Torment?

Huh?

My gaming name is "Amused." But that was taken here so I became "AmusedOne."

I've never seen this "Amused" person, and I'm thinking of begging the mods to kill that account and change my name.

 

[zengeos]

Originally posted by: hergehen

Originally posted by: brtspears2
Toyota Camry - good, reliable car, top seller, rear seats feel a bit stiff to me, but I got a large arse
Nissan Maxima - Not bad, just make sure to get alloys, wheel covers are terrible on maximas
Honda Accord - Not a bad choice too, decent performance, reliable
Passat , Jetta - cant say, never driven one, though, Jetta feels like a girl's car
anything that costs more than $28k- I dont want kids spilling their happy meal in this $28k+ car... get something semi-disposable

And since you dont seem to want an American made car or korean....jokes on you, alot of these cars arent even built in their mother country...

in our family everybody is over 19, so no happy meals ... though won't spent 28k anyway

I don't like american cars, b/c :
fords - don't like designs
chevy - don't think very reliable and cheap looking car

Don't like these cars, b/c we (and most ppl around us) think that they are very unreliable and simple suck and cheap, and we don't base our opinion on public opinion of american ppl : saturn/hyindai/kia

I've had 2 Hyundai's and my mom just bought the 2003 Tiburon for herself. My 2001 Elantra has been very reliable. Not a problem in 15,000 miles no rattles, no shakes, no shimmies and, for it's class, it's a very quiet car. Mom's had 2 problems with her Tiburon (that's what you get when you buy the new model a month after it starts selling in US) the moonroof motor was defective and the rear wiper motor is defective (waiting on part for rear wiper) Otherwise, her car runs perfectly..no blemishes, excellent fit n finish, etc.. Certainly, I find Hyundai's quality and overall comfort and design better than that of Kia where the interior of the Kia equivalent to the Elantra has rough plastic edges on the doors and seams (where the mold splits) running up the A pillars. I was going to sugest the Hyundai Sonata as an option...can't hurt to check it out and it fits in the family car size range for under 20k...with full acoutrements.

Mark-