- :
- 92 & 16 Meyatas
what he said!
NEMOC Random BS Thread
- Thread starter NETC_Redd
- Start date
- :
- 92 & 16 Meyatas
nice win by freedom today!
We went to drive some cars today. I'm still not crazy about ditching the Nitro...it's a pretty cool looking truck and we do get use out of it. Here's what we looked at...
Kia Soul - Not bad for the price...but the shifter was pretty blah and it didn't have much pickup on the highway. handling was sporty but cheap. Looked at a 2010 with 20k and the seat stitching was already starting to pull apart. Leather seats were nicer, but not available with a manual transmission. Seats fold flat with the addition of a cargo tray in the back...which makes the vertical space a little tight for our dog.
Ford Focus Hatch - Quiet interior, effortless shifting and clutch work, great fit/finish, smooth but firm handling. 2nd gear is a bit tall for stop-and-go traffic but that's probably because I'm used to having a 6-spd where I can basically idle in 2nd. The overall feel reminded me of my friend's Audi A4...the european tuning definitely stands out. Fold flat seats offered good cargo capacity. Vertical space was sufficient but not great.
Honda Fit - Too small in comparison to the Focus. Rev-happy engine was typical of every honda I've driven. No power down low for cruising. Suspension was very tight, stiffer than the lowered Protege5. Folding seats were the best of the bunch. bottom cushions fold up and rear doors open at 90 degrees for those times you need to toss something in the back. They also folded flat and offered the most vertical space for the dog (should he decide to stand while we drive -- something he usually does since greyhounds don't sit)
We both like the new Focus the best, but it will have to be a special order since there are virtually no 5-speed manual hatchbacks in N.H. Didn't search Mass because of the sales tax. Need to decide whether down sizing is the right thing to do. Current gas prices say yes...and with the Focus it would save Amanda a solid $25/week.
Stay tuned....I think we should drive the Mazda3 too...but Amanda isn't feeling the smiley face. Maybe she'll smile if she drives it. However it is more expensive than the comparably equiped Focus.
Kia Soul - Not bad for the price...but the shifter was pretty blah and it didn't have much pickup on the highway. handling was sporty but cheap. Looked at a 2010 with 20k and the seat stitching was already starting to pull apart. Leather seats were nicer, but not available with a manual transmission. Seats fold flat with the addition of a cargo tray in the back...which makes the vertical space a little tight for our dog.
Ford Focus Hatch - Quiet interior, effortless shifting and clutch work, great fit/finish, smooth but firm handling. 2nd gear is a bit tall for stop-and-go traffic but that's probably because I'm used to having a 6-spd where I can basically idle in 2nd. The overall feel reminded me of my friend's Audi A4...the european tuning definitely stands out. Fold flat seats offered good cargo capacity. Vertical space was sufficient but not great.
Honda Fit - Too small in comparison to the Focus. Rev-happy engine was typical of every honda I've driven. No power down low for cruising. Suspension was very tight, stiffer than the lowered Protege5. Folding seats were the best of the bunch. bottom cushions fold up and rear doors open at 90 degrees for those times you need to toss something in the back. They also folded flat and offered the most vertical space for the dog (should he decide to stand while we drive -- something he usually does since greyhounds don't sit)
We both like the new Focus the best, but it will have to be a special order since there are virtually no 5-speed manual hatchbacks in N.H. Didn't search Mass because of the sales tax. Need to decide whether down sizing is the right thing to do. Current gas prices say yes...and with the Focus it would save Amanda a solid $25/week.
Stay tuned....I think we should drive the Mazda3 too...but Amanda isn't feeling the smiley face. Maybe she'll smile if she drives it. However it is more expensive than the comparably equiped Focus.
- :
- 92 & 16 Meyatas
Happy mon to all! 
sderrickson
Member
- :
- 2002 protege es
i keep track of my mileage and i normally run between 26.5 and 27.3 (it has almost 123k miles and i prob drive it harder than i should)
on the first full tank of gas after seafoaming it, i got 28.2
on the first full tank of gas after seafoaming it, i got 28.2
sderrickson
Member
- :
- 2002 protege es
jetta tdi wagon? seems like it would fit your needs imo
What about a slighty used Mazda3 hatch? say... 2008-2009 model? Mazda6 Wagon? Maybe even a P5 again? Heck even the new WRX is wagon-like.... You can always keep your options open.
I can think of a lot of wagon style cars I have driven lately that are just great to drive if you have some questions.
Edit: I've driven the new Focus hatch and I LOVE IT!
I can think of a lot of wagon style cars I have driven lately that are just great to drive if you have some questions.
Edit: I've driven the new Focus hatch and I LOVE IT!
Warranty is a big issue. She freaks out any time the littlest thing happens...so going used again isn't something I am comfortable with because I hate hearing about this or that breaking.
Gas mileage is also a big issue. The older 3's don't get great mileage. It will be better than her SUV, but not as good as a new Fit or Focus.
We also drove the Mazda5, the Mazda2, and the Fiesta a while back. She didn't like the seats in the 5 or 2 and complained about instant back pain.
Back to the Focus though, I'm not sure how to negotiate when you have to special order a car. I'm guessing they won't budge on the sticker price but they may be able to work with trade in value. There are two Ford dealerships near us so I might be able to pit one against the other. We laughed at the one in Manchester when they offered 9,000 for the truck. I was like...um, try like 17,000. It is an R/T with NAV. They still only want to do 15,000 but I may push for 17 if they won't adjust the price of the new car.
Also, there is the issue of the A/C. When they look over the car it needs to be working. Someone on the Nitro forum mentioned you can buy refrigerant at Autozone. How difficult would it be for me to recharge the system. It'll work fine for a few months.
Gas mileage is also a big issue. The older 3's don't get great mileage. It will be better than her SUV, but not as good as a new Fit or Focus.
We also drove the Mazda5, the Mazda2, and the Fiesta a while back. She didn't like the seats in the 5 or 2 and complained about instant back pain.
Back to the Focus though, I'm not sure how to negotiate when you have to special order a car. I'm guessing they won't budge on the sticker price but they may be able to work with trade in value. There are two Ford dealerships near us so I might be able to pit one against the other. We laughed at the one in Manchester when they offered 9,000 for the truck. I was like...um, try like 17,000. It is an R/T with NAV. They still only want to do 15,000 but I may push for 17 if they won't adjust the price of the new car.
Also, there is the issue of the A/C. When they look over the car it needs to be working. Someone on the Nitro forum mentioned you can buy refrigerant at Autozone. How difficult would it be for me to recharge the system. It'll work fine for a few months.
Perro del Sol
Member
- :
- 2003 MSP, Spicy Orange, 2004 Mazda 6 Hatch, 2004 Mazda 6 Wagon
Oh yeah, 1-2 baby......
It's not bad...but the Focus will get 40+
Looked at some more Foci last night. Think we're gonna go with the SE Sport Hatch. The 16" alloy wheels are much nicer than the steelies and I like having disc brakes all around. Amanda didn't like the 17" wheels, and for the added cost we can just buy some nicer ones later. She wants the MyFord&Sync feature despite all the horrible reviews about it in Car & Driver and Road & Track. Gotta clean up the truck today or tomorrow so it appears nice for the appraiser. Also recharged the A/C with a kit from Autozone since the dealership discharged it when they found the small leak. It should last a year...and that's how long it lasted when we were swindled into buying it. We'll probably make a deal this weekend if they give us what we want for trade. I'm going to have the car spotless and show them the NADA printout. If they don't give me the "excellent" value, I'll go to another dealership and see what they'll do for me. I told Amanda we will walk away if they refuse to negotiate. I know we can't get anything off the sticker price this early in the car's run (especially when we'll have to have the car special ordered or shipped from god knows where) so the trade-in is our only bargaining chip.
Oh, btw, I forgot to mention something about the Honda Fit. Because of the Tsunami, the sticker price was marked up $2,500 for "market value". we could have bought the same car earlier this year for 17k and its now listed at almost 20k.
Oh, btw, I forgot to mention something about the Honda Fit. Because of the Tsunami, the sticker price was marked up $2,500 for "market value". we could have bought the same car earlier this year for 17k and its now listed at almost 20k.
Last edited:
- :
- 92 & 16 Meyatas
whats the price range ash?
- :
- 92 & 16 Meyatas
good luck chris/amanda....i'm hoping for a new car for you, but my guess is you're going to have a tough time getting nada...although the used car market is extrememly hot and has been for some time...
I think I'll settle for $1,000 under NADA excellent (which is NADA "good") but if we go lower, we might as well just sell it private party.
