[Amaru]

My friend was recently hit by an old lady who ran a red light, and his 2003 Civic DX was totaled.

By some miracle he's receiving $8500 from ICBC, and he has a secure well-paying job so he's looking to buy a car in the $15,000 to $20,000 range. $20k before tax is probably a very firm ceiling, so he won't be interested in cars with asking prices over ~$22k. Cheaper is better, though (he's Jewish... :D).

His criteria for this car:

- Preferably, should have 4 doors. Large, practical coupes (ie. Accord Coupe) would be considered.

- Will be daily driven, and will drive at least 25,000km each year. Will not be tracked or driven aggressively.

- Must be completely stock. (Minor mods, such as aftermarket audio, might be acceptable.)

- Car will not be modded at all, aside from maybe aftermarket audio, so "potential" is irrelevant.

- Must be relatively reliable and dependable, as he'll likely be keeping it for at least 3-4 years.

- Preferably it will be a 2004 or newer model vehicle although anything after ~2000 would be considered.

- Preferably an import, either Japanese or German, and luxury brands are preferred but certainly not crucial.

- Performance is not a major concern, as everything will be faster than his Civic was, but cars with decent performance (>150bhp) and driving pleasure are preferred.

So, based on the above, what are your top 3-5 picks?

So far we are looking at:
- Acura TSX
- Acura TL
- Audi A4
- Honda Accord Coupe
- Honda Civic Coupe/Sedan
- Infiniti G35 Sedan
- Lexus IS250

Thanks for any & all reasonable input!

[1exotic]

I think he should get a honda s2000, it will be good for tracking and driving a lot.

also since it's only a two seater he will be able to create a better bond with the one person he is sitting with.

[Leopold Stotch]

^ lol you're a dick


i'd get an accord. with a v6 or a TL.

wouldn't get the is or g35. just more trouble during the months of dec jan and feb.

[LiquidTurbo]

All good choices. Can't go wrong with either. He should test drive and decide.

I like IS250, & TSX. Should be a nice upgrade from his Civic..

[TRDood]

you can't buy a IS250 at that price range. Maybe a US import with rebuilt title.

2004-2006 TSX or Accord Coupe would be my choice which fits the price range.

[kokanee_vtec]

TSX, or 06+ Civic Si sedan

[jing]

Lexus GS or LS

[keifun]

go AWD turbo yo!


Impreza WRX.:D

[Purely]

WRX, S2k

[AndM]

I think he should get a honda s2000, it will be good for tracking and driving a lot.

also since it's only a two seater he will be able to create a better bond with the one person he is sitting with.

LOL

Actually that would be my choice. Honda s2000= fun:thumbsup:

As for OP, TSX sounds good.

[ilvtofu]

Have to suggest the 07/08 gti. Fun, practical, fuel efficient and recommended by consumer reports. Although I know there are buyers who just won't be seen in a hatchback for no reason I can understand
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[Anjew]

cant go wrong with acura, honda, subaru

[busdriverman]

does he care about the maintenance costs of the car? if he is very concerned about maintenance costs, then the A4 may not be a viable option.

my vote goes for the TSX

[Amaru]

i'd get an accord. with a v6 or a TL.

wouldn't get the is or g35. just more trouble during the months of dec jan and feb.

Really? Is the G35 very dodgy in the rain? Granted, I have 40 fewer bhp than a G35 does, but my 330ci has zero issues in the rain (unless I fully turn off the DSC nanny).

Anyway, point taken... RWD is not the most ideal all-season setup.

Have to suggest the 07/08 gti. Fun, practical, fuel efficient and recommended by consumer reports. Although I know there are buyers who just won't be seen in a hatchback for no reason I can understand
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Thanks for the suggestion, it's good to hear some new ideas. Might be a bit too performance-oriented for him, although it's definitely solid value.

I'm not a big VW person, so I don't really know much about the GTI's reliability and ownership costs...?

[Amaru]

does he care about the maintenance costs of the car? if he is very concerned about maintenance costs, then the A4 may not be a viable option.

my vote goes for the TSX

He absolutely does care about maintenance costs, and I agree completely that the A4 is not the best choice. It just happens to be one of the better overall cars available in the price range, but it's biggest weakness is reliability (and that's quite a big issue for someone who goes to the dealer for servicing).

So far, TSX & Accord Coupe seem to be favourites. I tend to agree, particularly with the TSX. The only minor problem is finding a nice one with reasonable km's for under $20k. It can be done, but it's not as easy as it is with an Accord.

[tofu1413]

subaru legacy GT.


trust me. he'd love it.

[Amaru]

subaru legacy GT.


trust me. he'd love it.

I'm sure he would, but good luck convincing him to buy one when the TSX and IS250 are potential alternatives.

Sorry dudes, I like Subaru too... but to someone who isn't particularly interested in performance/driving experience, it's simply not going to be a popular choice. Nonetheless, interesting to hear all the Subaru love, thanks for the suggestions.

[tofu1413]

or a legacy GT wagon.. haha..

most of them on sale are AT... so price isnt too bad actually. theyre reliable too.


another good sedan would be a mazdaspeed 6... or even a regular 6 is fine.

i was gonna say camry.. but.. its a camry.

try looking for an altima SE-R? or even a maxima SE?

[boss604]

TSX ftw

[rawr]

My vote's on the TSX too! Fun to drive, very economical, comfortable AND Japanese reliability. Make sure you get one with a manual tranny though.

[ilvtofu]

Really? Is the G35 very dodgy in the rain? Granted, I have 40 fewer bhp than a G35 does, but my 330ci has zero issues in the rain (unless I fully turn off the DSC nanny).

Anyway, point taken... RWD is not the most ideal all-season setup.



Thanks for the suggestion, it's good to hear some new ideas. Might be a bit too performance-oriented for him, although it's definitely solid value.

I'm not a big VW person, so I don't really know much about the GTI's reliability and ownership costs...?

Dealer will be charging an arm and a leg for simple maintenance, if he's the type that will only go to dealership for work than expect to be paying a bit more than average. Reliability isn't bad based on consumer reports rating, in fact a little better than average. A test drive is probably important, the ride in the gti although solid is a little harsh but car is plenty of fun stock.

[rk604]

i'd go tsx, tl or fit...if your willing to import, then maybe sti :D

[roastpuff]

Try the new Jetta when it's out in September. Nice car, starts at $15k, and has full warranty because it's a 2011.

Or, used Acura TL/TSX gets my vote.

[mmmk]

Accord or TSX sounds the most reasonable out of the list.

No to civic, my gf has a civic coupe and although I like driving it, I'm a bit embarrassed sometimes...lol
The others are going to have higher maintenance costs and going to guzzle more gas.

[skylinergtr]

i would say the top three of the car's you listed for me are:

1) Infiniti G35(x)
2) Acura TL
3) Acura TSX

I've seen many of these cars come into the shop i work at for nothing but basic maintenance like oil changes and brakes. Some of them have over 200,000kms and run so good and have no leaks underneath. The audi A4 is a great car (i am currently driving one), but it lacks power sometimes, the turbo is constantly working and gets very hot so after drives i decide to let the turbo cool which is time consuming, and also it gets it's regular things go wrong, like I have to replace the harmonic balancer last week and it was $400.

The honda civic is a great car, but its much less of a car compared to the top three i picked. Never really been a fan of the Honda accord coupe styling, and The lexus IS250 is nice car but dull in my books.

Based on experience, this is my opinion.

Good Luck in car searching.

[1BADMR2]

My vote would be for the 2004 and up Acura TL's. Nice ride, looks great, easy maintenance schedule, great powertrain, good options, etc.

[Presto]

I'm going to suggest the Prius. A used one should be within his price range, and they are reliable and low maintenance. I'm at 160K, and still on original brakes. It sips regular fuel. Off-the-line performance is decent, due to the low-end power of the electric motor. It's only got 100 or so ponies, but it can still walk civics.

[Mugen EvOlutioN]

i dont think many ppl will enjoy driving a 100hp car around town

[tiger_handheld]

keep going guys. i will post a similar thread next april. I also drive a civic - and looking for the same price range/criteria :)

OP -- how about a CSX? I'm thinking of a CSX..

[roastpuff]

keep going guys. i will post a similar thread next april. I also drive a civic - and looking for the same price range/criteria :)

OP -- how about a CSX? I'm thinking of a CSX..

A CSX is the same as a Civic. Seriously. It's a tarted-up Civic... I'm not too impressed by my parents'.

Try a used Toyota Avalon. :rofl:

[shenmecar]

I would not choose the A4. Maybe a TL or TSX. There are used 2004 Mercedes E320 4Matic for around that price range as well, I just don't know about the reliability. But I bet those are comfortable!

[Z3guy]

04-08 Acura TL....best combo of reliability, styling, power, and performance.....

[freakshow]

I agree with the 04-08 TL. A friend of mine just picked up an A-Spec, it's a great car.

[q0192837465]

TSX gets good mileage from the 4 banger. U dun need a V6 for a DD

[Z3guy]

actually better to have a V6 for DD, especially when you need to change lanes...nothing is worse than not having enough low grunt torque when changing lanes

[Mugen EvOlutioN]

^

amen to that

once you gone to the powerhouse side u will never look back. not able to accelerate properly and all you hear is the stupid engine noise while ur car is stuck beside a camery

[gilly]

lol @ audi a4 for reliability.

[Mugen EvOlutioN]

supaaaaa reliable yo

[Qmx323]

6th Gen Maxima (Comes with VQ35DE)
3rd Gen Altima SE-R (Also VQ35DE)

And of course the Acura TL, and what about a IS300?

[Mugen EvOlutioN]

IS300 is dated, slow, heavy on gas

[AWDTurboLuvr]

supaaaaa reliable yo

Depends what year, mileage and how the previous owner has taken care of it. Other than regular fluid changes and replacing the coilpacks, the only other thing I've paid for is getting a new PCV valve and replace the rear diff seal.

Another car to look at is a Ford Fusion. Not the most sporty, but you can pick up an SEL model for under $20K and relatively new (2008). It's not the most exciting car, but for a DD, it's reliable, powerful and not that expensive to maintain.

Other than that, look at the TL as others have suggested or the Altima SE-R.

[Cman333]

Lexus GS 300/400

[Energy]

TSX is a good car that meets all his criteria.

[d1]

TSX, but only in manual. The auto can feel a bit sluggish and while a manual one may not be much faster, the shifter was so incredibly smooth that it made the car that much more enjoyable to drive.

[ilvtofu]

If your buddy is used to driving/owning a civic the TL's fuel economy might be a shocker to him. The steering feel in the civic is also better. Not sure about the type-s/a spec models though. Car is very comfortable however and I managed to fit a 13000btu ac unit in the rear seat. A lot of the used ones have gps and bluetooth and both are fairly user friendly
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[alwaysideways]

As said before TEST DRIVE them! I hated the IS250 when I took one out. I loved the G and the TL.....all your list though are nice :)

[Leopold Stotch]

Really? Is the G35 very dodgy in the rain? Granted, I have 40 fewer bhp than a G35 does, but my 330ci has zero issues in the rain (unless I fully turn off the DSC nanny).

Anyway, point taken... RWD is not the most ideal all-season setup.




nah it's not bad at all in the rain, and the traction control steps in quick.

but when the snow comes down, what two cars do you see stuck the most? 3series' and G35's.

and imo since your friend is asking you for advice, it doesn't seem like they know as much or care as much about drivetrains so a FWD would just be safer.

[mmmk]

Really? Is the G35 very dodgy in the rain? Granted, I have 40 fewer bhp than a G35 does, but my 330ci has zero issues in the rain (unless I fully turn off the DSC nanny).

Anyway, point taken... RWD is not the most ideal all-season setup.


G35 drives fine in the rain, with or without VDC.
In the snow however, I'd leave it in the garage. But this goes for ur 3 series and the IS as well.

[bcrdukes]

You guys make it seem like RWD is a death trap or something...

[Amaru]

IS300 is dated, slow, heavy on gas

Agreed. I thought about suggesting the IS300 to him, but for a lot of reasons I left it off my list. It just doesn't really suit his needs very well and the styling is getting a bit dated.

Another car to look at is a Ford Fusion. Not the most sporty, but you can pick up an SEL model for under $20K and relatively new (2008). It's not the most exciting car, but for a DD, it's reliable, powerful and not that expensive to maintain.

Other than that, look at the TL as others have suggested or the Altima SE-R.

Thanks for the Fusion suggestion, definitely not a bad idea. Same goes for the Altima. I think both cars are a bit too big for him though - he's 23 and doesn't have any family to haul around, so he just wants something big enough to be practical (ie. Civic, TSX, 3-series, etc). Nonetheless I'll show him some pics of the Fusion and see what he says.

At this point I think the TL is out of his price range. He wants something in good condition with low mileage, and all the TL's in the sub-$20k range are pretty dodgy.

G35 drives fine in the rain, with or without VDC.
In the snow however, I'd leave it in the garage. But this goes for ur 3 series and the IS as well.

It snows what, 3-5 days a year at most? I live in Vic and there's even less snow here than there is in Van. And less hills, too.

During that month of snow in Dec '08, I only got stuck once and it was because the snow was too deep for my low-clearance BMW... not because of the RWD. Thankfully I was stuck in the middle of the road, blocking two lanes of traffic, so there were plenty of volunteers to help push me out of the ditch.

Anyway, I digress... my point is that I think RWD is just fine for daily driving here, as long as you're willing to take the bus (or the girlfriend's AWD car) the few days a year it snows.

Plus, those of us with RWD cars have more fun in the snow anyway if we can make it to a large abandoned parking lot... :joy

[Amaru]

Lexus GS 300/400

Kind of expensive, no? Which years?

[Blinky]

The Ford Fusion is the same thing as a Mazda6, which is the same class/type/size of car as the Accord(TL for size)/Camry. Had a fusion as a rental a while ago. It's a good drive... and I'll probably get stoned or failed :p for this, but the latest Chevy Impala is a very good drive, especially on the highway. I wouldn't expect it to hold up too well beyond 5-7 years though.

[mmmk]

It snows what, 3-5 days a year at most? I live in Vic and there's even less snow here than there is in Van. And less hills, too.

During that month of snow in Dec '08, I only got stuck once and it was because the snow was too deep for my low-clearance BMW... not because of the RWD. Thankfully I was stuck in the middle of the road, blocking two lanes of traffic, so there were plenty of volunteers to help push me out of the ditch.


you guys are lucky over on the island! lol

[q0192837465]

Speaking of Fusion. I had it as a loaner and it's not half bad. If u just need a car to go from A to B, u should definitely give it some consideration.

[2damaxmr2]

95 mustang gt.

[Amaru]

you guys are lucky over on the island! lol

Haha,well... The weather is identical to Vancouver's most of the time, with slightly less precipitation (and thus slightly less snow).

The more "lucky" part about living on the island is house prices... :thumbsup:

[hk20000]

At 22k you can drive away a brand spanking new Cube from the dealership :P

For the guy coming from a Civic this works :D

[Gee.Tee.Ar]

WRX, S2k

lol why would u pick s2k for him did u even read the criteria? he wants a 4 dr practical reliable car and doenst care about performance. i'd say TL or TSX or g35 i guess.

[SilverT]

I've owned a 2004 TSX since new. A few things you should be aware of.

Door actuators will break down ($270 to fix), transmission broke down at 85000 km ($5000 to replace), temperature gauge broke down ($1100 to replace w/ a new one or about $480 to replace with a used one). On top of these prices, you'll also have to pay the dealership a $140 diagnostic fee to have them find out what the problem is. I'm on schedule with my car maintenance but guess these may be common problems with the TSX.

When it comes to mileage I'll be lucky to get 400 kms per tank.

[Amaru]

I've owned a 2004 TSX since new. A few things you should be aware of.

Door actuators will break down ($270 to fix), transmission broke down at 85000 km ($5000 to replace), temperature gauge broke down ($1100 to replace w/ a new one or about $480 to replace with a used one). On top of these prices, you'll also have to pay the dealership a $140 diagnostic fee to have them find out what the problem is. I'm on schedule with my car maintenance but guess these may be common problems with the TSX.

When it comes to mileage I'll be lucky to get 400 kms per tank.

Ouch, sorry to hear about your tranny breaking down. I've read the door actuators are a common problem on the TSX. Still, at least it's a cheap fix (comparatively).

Thanks to all for the responses!

[Amaru]

At 22k you can drive away a brand spanking new Cube from the dealership :P

For the guy coming from a Civic this works :D

I don't think he really wants to fork over the cash for a brand new car... he'd rather pick up a better car with 50-100k kilometers already on the clock. Thanks for the suggestion tho.

[TomBox_N]

I've owned a 2004 TSX since new. A few things you should be aware of.

Door actuators will break down ($270 to fix), transmission broke down at 85000 km ($5000 to replace), temperature gauge broke down ($1100 to replace w/ a new one or about $480 to replace with a used one). On top of these prices, you'll also have to pay the dealership a $140 diagnostic fee to have them find out what the problem is. I'm on schedule with my car maintenance but guess these may be common problems with the TSX.

When it comes to mileage I'll be lucky to get 400 kms per tank.

400km per tank for a 4 banger, that's pretty bad
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[Mugen EvOlutioN]

I've owned a 2004 TSX since new. A few things you should be aware of.

Door actuators will break down ($270 to fix), transmission broke down at 85000 km ($5000 to replace), temperature gauge broke down ($1100 to replace w/ a new one or about $480 to replace with a used one). On top of these prices, you'll also have to pay the dealership a $140 diagnostic fee to have them find out what the problem is. I'm on schedule with my car maintenance but guess these may be common problems with the TSX.

When it comes to mileage I'll be lucky to get 400 kms per tank.

damn seems a little bit steep


just for ur info

i'd recommand flushing ur tranny every 20k-30k

not 50-60k

if that was the case, u cant blame anyone ur tranny went
remember, tranny costs thouands, flush costs $100

[J-Chow]

2004-2005 Nissan Altima SE-R

[underscore]

My parents just picked up a G35 and they love it (albeit it's a coupe). Another option might be the Toyota Matrix?

You guys make it seem like RWD is a death trap or something...

Agreed, unless you're an idiot, you should be able to drive RWD all year round no problem.