it is time...

[chhotii]

Apparently the exhaust system on the VW is on the verge of falling off. We've been given the estimate that it would take $2200 to fix this. Seems like throwing good money after bad, at this point, considering everything...

So, sooner than expected, I am very much in the market for a new car. Parameters: 4-door, preferably hatchback, reliable, good gas mileage (but NOT a Prius, uh-uh, no way).

Opinions (and test drives!) of cars fitting these parameters welcome.

Comments

[lyonesse.livejournal.com]

i liked the specs of the new subaru impreza, and my '96 is still going strong.

[deguspice.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately, "past history is no indication of future performance", but the new Subaru Impreza is one of the cars at the top of Ann's list. We test drove it last week and liked it. If you want an Impreza be prepared for a wait to get the model you want. They're very popular in New England and they "fly off the shelves" at the dealers.

[whitebird.livejournal.com]

Get the one you want in a different state and road trip back...

[quietann.livejournal.com]

I don't think it's quite that bad, as long as you don't care about stuff like color. The dealers' inventory shows they have two of the particular kind I want (hatchback with CVT and lowest level "Premium" trim level, with all-weather package.)

But do not expect to be able to do much negotiating as they are so much in demand!

[totient]

5-door hatches are getting popular again, which is lovely. My current favorites are the Toyota Yaris and the Ford Focus. For the Yaris I only like the hatchback (sold internationally as the Vitz) and not the sedan/coupe (aka Platz/Belta). For the Focus I only like the European models, which were imported into the US for the first and third (current) generations, but not the second (2008-2011). I have not driven a Mazda2 but it might be worth trying. I want to like the Honda Fit, but I just don't.

ETA: Oops, posted this in the wrong place; moving to top.

[feste-sylvain.livejournal.com]

I have the Yaris coupe, and I like it. It's as reliable as you expect from a Toyota, which is something that disappointed me greatly when I had a Volkswagen (VW/Audi really doesn't expect their vehicles to last much past 100,000 miles).

I get 40-44 mpg.

[tb]

Are there specific things you don't like about the Fit or is it more of an overall "meh"? I ask because I'm wondering if there's overlap with the things I don't like now that I have one. (It's still been a large net win for me over the aging Old Blue, though I still wish I could have just bought a new version of same.)

[totient]

I just didn't think it was comfortable.

Suggestion

[sweetmmeblue.livejournal.com]

Go talk to Lou's Custom Exhaust. We were given a very expensive estimate by Subaru to fix hubby's exhaust system and someone sent us there. $250 later the problem was fixed. They are worth the time to just have a look and are really honest about what HAS to be done.

[deguspice.livejournal.com]

I second the recommendation for Lou's. The shop in North Reading (on Rt 28) is good.

[perspicuity.livejournal.com]

the one in nashua did a neat job on my prior car for cheap, and fast. a LITTLE rough with the sawzall, but well :> instead of two new cats with flexible couples, they custom made the couplers and put on stock flexibles. cheap. i was delighted.

i THOUGHT modern cars with stainless exhausts were covered by warranty per federal law to some ridiculous extent? course, my prior car exceeded all expectations... i'd have kept it except for certain antics that all occurred at once... $4000+ to pass inspection, let alone what it would cost to be GOOD again.

#

[deguspice.livejournal.com]

One of the things I like about Lou's is that they custom bend all of the pipes. That means you don't have to wait two-days for Midas to ship the missing part from their warehouse from New Jersey so they can replace the exhaust system on your seven year-old car (I went to Lou's and had them do the same repair work that afternoon).

[perspicuity.livejournal.com]

bend AND expand... they needed a weird sized pipe like 1/8+a-smidge as a sleeve. well, they have a machine that can stretch thick walled stainless pipe smoothly and still keep the circle true. "yeah, we like this machine, it's expensive, but so worth it"...

and they weld stainless pretty darn well.

you might not LIKE it, but one can see a lot of their work on those "tuned" cars :)

#

[quietann.livejournal.com]

And I third it. Before you ditch the current car, get a quote from Lou's. My guess is that they will come in at about half what the dealer would charge (if your quote is from the dealer, that is...)

[sensesurfer.livejournal.com]

Rachel is liking her new Ford Fiesta.

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

I would say definitely test drive the Mazda 3. We liked the Honda Fit in theory, but the hatch is pretty small. That may work for you, though.

[quietann.livejournal.com]

I also test drove a Mazda 3 recently. Liked the Subaru slightly better, but the Mazda was nice.

[perspicuity.livejournal.com]

well, what kind of car do you want next?

i assume must haul at least an adult, and a 'spring. perhaps two adults and same.

fun? haul stuff? fuel efficient? yar. so many choices.

course, these days, i'm liking volvo :)

#

[tb]

Since you've seen and driven my Fit, you've gotten my opinion and experienced the stiff ride yourself. It's an improvement over what Old Blue aged into, works pretty well for my car needs these days, and holds an astonishing amount of stuff in cargo mode. I wouldn't want it to be my default road-trip vehicle.

I just don't like the centered instrument console on the Yaris et al, though with the Box you're likely used to that. Our friend Bobbie loves her Focus, though the two-door version is definitely a no-go for me.

[quietann.livejournal.com]

You and I are looking for similar things, except I like the Prius (the V, the new, larger one with MUCH better visibility, if that is your Prius issue.)

The Mazda 3 hatchback with CVT was a nice drive, slightly underpowered I thought, though. (But I am used to having a lot of engine for the car I'm driving.) It was priced at about $21K (pre tax etc.) for what I wanted.

I'm currently torn between the Prius V and the new Subaru Impreza. I really liked both. The V has better gas mileage and is actually bigger than what I really want. The version I was looking at is $26.5K. The Subaru has the all wheel drive of course, and was pretty zippy (important to me, because drivers around here are NUTS and I want to be able to get out of the way in a hurry!) Price was around $23.5K