I am starting to look around for either a new or second car. The cars that I am looking at right now are:
- Mazda 5 GT
- Toyota Matrix XR FWD
- Hyundai Elantra GT 5-door
The Matrix and the Mazda are both about $24,000 before taxes and the Hyundai is like $20,000. I am looking to lease, because I already own a car. My lease payments for a 48 month period would be:
- Mazda $420.24
- Toyota $417.79
- Hyundai $308.20
Likes about the Mazda:
- Great room (6 seats)
- Ample power 157 HP
- It’s a van, but it’s actually cool looking
Dislikes about the Mazda:
- Sucks on gas!
Likes about the Toyota:
- Reliable trademark
- Good room
- Good reviews from owners
- Great on gas
Dislikes about the Toyota:
- Pay through the nose for extras
Likes about the Hyundai:
- Get a lot for your money
- I have owned 3 Hyundai vehicles and have never had any major issues except for a 10 year old Excel that had engine issues after my oil filter cracked on the highway and I lost all my engine oil! I consider that a fluke more than a defect of the car.
- Great on gas
Dislikes about the Hyundai:
- History of low re-sale value
Resale won’t matter on a lease. Go for the Hyundai.
If its just gonna be a leaser though that you’ll run the piss out of have you though about domestic? You could probably get equal payments on a 36 month lease instead.
Those monthly payments seem kinda high to me for a 48 month term. Guess thats usual for imports though.
I’m looking at an ’89 Bronco myself for $500. Get me around town in the winter and slogging in the spring.
Bill
Obviously, I like the Hyundai price the best.
Domestics don’t impress me. For rental cars I have had Cavaliers, Sunfires, both have sucked ass! I have also had a Grand Am, fucking thing had 18,000 KM on it and it rattled! Had a Ford Freestar and that was nice. Leather interior, power sliding doors, heated seats, probably $30,000+. And last week I drove a Ford Escape, XLS or something like that. That was ok and didn’t seem to be too hard on gas for an SUV.
I am always impressed when I get into smaller economy cars by foreign manufactures and the things are usually quiet and have a tight ride. The other thing is, they don’t feel cheap.
i would go with hyundai. especially for a lease. i hate my chev. having it leased it nice i suppose, but when you have to take it to get fixed 3 times as much as my old corolla, it’s still pretty gay.
What have you had to fix on the Chev?
brakelights stuck on, air conditioner broke, 3 different times the engine light came on and they did some stupid fix to turn it off, transmission needed adjusting because it didn’t shift right, etc…
it’s been just over 2 years now… in the 4 years i had the corolla, i had to replace the tires once, and get the transmission replaced. that’s it.
Transmission replaced? You drive automatics. How do you fuck that up?
I have to replace the compressor on my AC. In the winter, when it gets too cold, my speedometer makes a crazy sound and then stops after about a minute or when the car has warmed up. I could fix it but its only a problem on cold days. I have had to replace the tires. My previous Accent, the timing was fucked but I traded it in with bald tires and got something new. Oh, and I replaced the steering and AC belt. Just precaution.
>I am always impressed when I get into smaller economy cars by foreign manufactures and the things are usually quiet and have a tight ride. The other thing is, they don’t feel cheap.
I always find foriegn cars feel like freakin’ tin cans, like someone hits your car and you’re DEAD. My mustang is solid and is thick. I get into a honda civic and I’m afraid for my life. Yours felt like a tin can too, not that I didn’t appreciate the lift home, but it was scary.
I don’t understand why you’re looking to lease something for a SECOND car. Just buy something for $4000 and deal with repairs a bit. It’d take 30 years before you manage to rack up 20k in car-costs + repairs and by that time it’ll cost 50k a year just to drive it anyhow.
My parents used to own a grand am and we liked it (until my sister rammed into someone going 80km/h). My sister recently bought another grand am, and she really likes that one too (until she rams it into someone going 80km/h again, cause she just doesn’t learn). Get something with 4wd so you can drive it in the winter without dying.
I’m gonna look for a second car as well and just use the rustang as my summer car. I’ll probably pay $3000 for a used car and use it as a winter beater. The stupid thing just has to get me to the gym, grocery store and bus station, so it doesn’t have to be fancy with fancy things like a floor or seats. I know, maybe i’ll get a chevette!
Your the first person that I know that has admitted liking the Grand Am. Have you driven a Civic? The new SI models have freakin 200 HP. I bet their 4 cylinder blows the doors off the6 cylinder rustang
Hyundai.
a slight windy day will topple your Madza over in a sec.
I bet if I stripped about 2000kg of protective metal off my car and they both weighed the same, my car would whip the shit out of this mystical civic.
What metal does the Rustang have that the next car doesn’t have? When I took my car into the body shop last week, the metal in my car looked like the metal in the other cars.
I like the look and space the Mazda 5 has to offer. However, it’s a new model. I just wouldn’t trust buying something that hasn’t really been tested for at least a couple of years. I have a 2001 Corolla (120 000km) with engine trouble but I know Toyota cars have a good reputation and resale value. I don’t know much about Hyundai’s. All I know is that this company does not spend the same amounts for advertising as their competition. Therefore, we have a tendacy to think that they are not as reliable. Between the three I would opt for the Matrix. Good luck with your purchase!
I have a 2001 Elantra GT. we have not had a single problem with the car. ONlY complaint I have is I can only get it going about 180 – 190
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180-190! I am always worried about doing speeds like that in 4 cylinders. Just because the front end is too light and they don’t have the handling for that speed.
My wife is getting gun ho for the Mazda 5 though.