Thinking about getting a new car

Danny Tse

cnh wrote: »

Here's one for you. I noticed in the mid-80s when I had my Ford that European versions of the Escort model, seemed 'far' superior in manufacture and reliability. People in Europe who I knew swore by them. You probably know more about this than I. I've always assumed that these models were made in Europe for that market and were, in fact superior to what Ford produced for the U.S. market.

You're also describing what VW is doing to its new Jetta. The Euro version, according to all the car magazines, is much nicer. The US version was designed to meet a certain price point....heck, even VW itself made a self-mocking TV commercial about that. But the Jetta is currently a big success for VW.

I'm just throwing this out....back in 2008, when I was looking for a new car, Consumer Reports, in its annual car issue (April of each year, I think), mentioned that the quality/reliability of a 3 year old Hyundai is about the same as a 5 year old Toyota.

Being an owner of a 2005 Toyota Highlander, 2008 Toyota Corolla, and a 2010 Toyota RAV4, I have to say that the quality of Toyota has really fallen off. This is besides all the recalls and such. My RAV4, at less than 11,000 miles, creaks and rattles like a car with 150,000 miles. The Highlander feels like a new car in comparison and it has close to 100,000 miles on it.

Due to changing family situations, the RAV4 will be the only car I am keeping. For now. However, I think those who are in the market for a small, fuel efficient car now will see some interesting and innovative designs. I hope Hyundai continues to improve since I am very interested in its Elantra (maybe about 2 years down the line). Same with the new Civic and the upcoming Subaru Impreza (36 mpg highway with AWD!!). As for Toyota, I think its recent downfall is a good lesson for the company. It will come back, but it is no longer one of my top choices for cars.

ryanjoachim

One thing I forgot to take into account in looking for a car is my gross annual wages. I have a great job, but because I only work 180 (or so) days out of the year, I only bring home around $13k a year.

Pretty much throws out any possibility of getting any truck

Joe08867

Actually Danny, the new Jetta comes in two forms. The basic model that they advertise and a loaded model much like the euro version. With the better interior and gizmos. So we aren't getting short changed really.

exalted512

$13k/yr?

I wouldn't be looking at anything new...
-Cody

bobman1235

I wouldn't be looking at anything with doors if i made 13k a year.

ryanjoachim

bobman1235 wrote: »

I wouldn't be looking at anything with doors if i made 13k a year.

lol...with my current living situation, I have around $500 extra per month that I can play with. Granted, it's not a lot...but if I ever want to be able to take my kids out anywhere without begging my ex for her van, I have to take some risks.

exalted512

I personally wouldn't buy anything over 5-6k if you're only making $13k/yr.

In this area, you can get a nice 4-door civic, ~2004 models with ~100k miles for 5k.
-Cody

cnh

Not to be intrusive...but if you're working in the school system. 13K is a little low? So does this reflect 'child-support' or settlement payments to the ex-wife--because that would make more sense.

Good Luck.

cnh

ryanjoachim

No, you're right cnh...
I said the net, and not the gross. I gross around $22k a year.

cnh

That's still a tad low? I remember when I was in Grad School in NYC in the Mid-eighties...I took a night job teaching ESL in Chinatown to immigrants, in order to do that I had to pass some temporary certification exams and receive a Temporary Teaching certificate from the city of NY. Those were hard times for the city's school system....teacher shortages.

After teaching for a few months from 6-9PM at the Sun Yatsen Intermediate School in Chinatown the City offered me a full time position as a Science teacher at a Junior High on the East side of Manhattan if I would continue to update my teaching credentials--the starting salary in '86 was 18,500 with full benefits. I turned it down because I was preparing to leave for mainland China for a year of research as part of my studies. But that was 25 years ago? What's up? Can salaries still be that low?

cnh

ryanjoachim

cnh wrote: »

That's still a tad low? I remember when I was in Grad School in NYC in the Mid-eighties...I took a night job teaching ESL in Chinatown to immigrants, in order to do that I had to pass some temporary certification exams and receive a Temporary Teaching certificate from the city of NY. Those were hard times for the city's school system....teacher shortages.

After teaching for a few months from 6-9PM at the Sun Yatsen Intermediate School in Chinatown the City offered me a full time position as a Science teacher at a Junior High on the East side of Manhattan if I would continue to update my teaching credentials--the starting salary in '86 was 18,500 with full benefits. I turned it down because I was preparing to leave for mainland China for a year of research as part of my studies. But that was 25 years ago? What's up? Can salaries still be that low?

cnh

I make around $15.75 an hour. 8 hours a day, 180 (give or take a few) days.

madmax

There are a lot of nice beaters out there for 3K to 6K, good price with that income.

cnh

I see. So you don't get paid over the summer? In which case you'd be making a bit less than 33K a year which would be a bit more reasonable. Is that just your position or do teachers also receive 180 day school year salary. Because I know that's not how it used to be? And that's what has every conservative's panties on fire in Wisconsin, Indiana, oh and Ohio among others.

Enough said on political economy because some 'radio' voice will be along soon to bad mouth what should be the MOST respected profession in this land!

I would imagine that in this economy, it's probably hard for you to find regular temp work over the summer to supplement that income? I really feel for your situation.

cnh

ryanjoachim

I have no idea what teachers get paid here. I'm a classified employee, not licensed.

And yeah, finding temp work is a **** around here.

Jstas

cnh wrote: »

Here's one for you. I noticed in the mid-80s when I had my Ford that European versions of the Escort model, seemed 'far' superior in manufacture and reliability. People in Europe who I knew swore by them. You probably know more about this than I. I've always assumed that these models were made in Europe for that market and were, in fact superior to what Ford produced for the U.S. market. Your thoughts.

cnh

Different cars.

Mid-80's Escorts in the U.S. were built on the Ford CE14 platform that underpinned the Tempo, Topaz, Escort, Lynx, EXP and LN7. It wasn't a bad platform, just not very durable.

In 1991, the U.S. Escort was moved to the new shared/jointly developed Mazda B platform which underpinned the Escort (Laser in Can-a-duh), Mercury Tracer and Mazda Protege and 323. It remained on the Mazda B platform until they canned it in 96 in favor of the Focus which was a U.S. version similar to the European version but vastly inferior in all respects from driving dynamics to build materials/quality. Even the junk Focus was still an excellent car compared to the competition here at the time. Imagine how good the better European one was. The U.S. did not get a European chassied Focus until this year and now, everyone is raving about it from the magazines to the owners.

The European Escort was built by Ford of Europe in all kinds of places but mostly Germany. It was built on Ford of Europe's Erika platform and the Ford Escort RS Cosworth was a legendary WRC car and built on that platform. It was sold everywhere else but the U.S. We got the CE14 car.

Prices weren't any different. Thank the U.S. Government for it's CAFE standards, crash standards and the EPA emission standards that kept the Erika based Escort out of our market and the anemic CE14 car in our market. It was so much a price point as it was that it would not only ruin the Erika based Escort but also make it cost prohibitive to federalize it. The nanny government legislated the CE14 platform in to existence as well as many other Malaise Era cars which had to be built as cheap as possible to meet insane federal regulations and still be profitable.

Then again, in Europe, gas is insanely priced and taxed so a premium is put on small cars because that's all anyone can afford. So in Europe, where they don't have a bigger is better/more important mentality, they have no problem with an Escort being outfitted as well as a Lincoln Town Car or if that same Escort will had the flagship Mustang it's **** on a silver platter. Here, the Escort was for kids and financially disadvantaged. So it was outfitted, built and marketed cheaply and poorly because only loser had them and who cares about the losers? With gas prices being insane right now, we're seeing that change because people are buying small cars and demanding the same amenities that their previously owned large cars had.

The two companies leading the change to well-equipped compacts are Volkswagen and your hated Ford. You should head over to a Ford dealer and ask to plant your **** in a loaded Fiesta. You will be surprised what Ford crammed in to a sharp looking car that has some balls in a plucky little package that still gets 40+ MPG and costs less than $20K fully equipped. Then again, take a look at what VW stuffs in to Golfs and Jettas too. If they ever deemed us worth of the Polo, that is even more impressive. Although, in Europe, the Fiesta trumps all comers and is the sales leader.

obieone

For about $7k, you can prolly get a good used 2002-03 S10/ Blazer, w/4WD. I don't know how much snow y'all get up in the NW, but that 4.3 Vortec is pretty much bullet proof.

ryanjoachim

Snow is pretty much non-existent around here.

The truck I want is $20,000 ( http://autos.yahoo.com/nissan-truck/frontier-crew-cab/2009/se-4x4/ ). Room for my kids now, and in the future. I've heard good things about this model so far, and I really like the features it offers.

I checked out several other offerings from Nissan, both SUV and cars...I don't know if they're getting smaller or I'm just too damn big now, but I was really uncomfortable in everything except for the mid-size pickup. After this weekend (i've got my kids all weekend!), I'm going to go look at what Toyota, Mazda, Ford and Chevy have to offer around town.

Then I'll go out of town and try to find some other dealers (like Hyundai).