Kia Spectra - the best econobox???

[JohnBrowning]

I have never purchased based on crash rateing either! I have never put much stock in it! Just today I was looking at a Corvair for my son as his first car! Now I am sure some you guys rember Ralph Nater(sp) and his "Unsafe at Any Speed" report/book!!!! An origanal VW bug would also be nice. My mother in law use's the hood length and gross tonage method of determining auto saftey!

P.S. The Carolla in my opion is the best econo car on the market! It combines durability,reliability,usable space and is easy to live with! It is not the cheapest and does not offer as much content for the money as it's competitor's.

 

[Doc8404]

well, we are looking at trading in (or outright selling) the civic to get a Hyundai....want the Fusion, but too much cash right now....weird how as you get older, you have the money to spend, but you tend to spend it less.

 

[JHZR2]

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I'll bet a few year-old Honda is worth $5000 more than a same year KIA.

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Why would that matter??? A few years old car, regardles of make, has plenty of life left. Frankly, any vehicle with the right PM should be able to go 200k miles or more. So, trading in a car with just a few years, and thus likely just 30-40k miles is a ripoff regardless of make. What's the point?

We make a big discussion about safety being an important point in a car purchase, and others saying they dont buy cars planning to crash. Good point. IMO, I won't buy a car based upon resale, because if I sell it 2-5 years in without a LOT of mileage on it, Im loosing money one way or another. Does not matter is I loose $1000 or $10000, Im loosing money, and thus I screwed up and am a failure in my purchase. I dont like to give away money, so won't sell a car.

I find it funny how so many give up perfectly usable cars at 2 or 3 years, thinking they are making 'smart' decisions...

JMH

 

[SrDriver]

The KIA will serve you well. Good price - plenty of standard options. Checkout their web site.

Neighbor has had good luck with their vehicles and we own two of them (Hyundai) which is the same company.

 

[unDummy]

Resale value is for those of you who wreck your cars regularly and for those that trade in every couple of years.
Ford/GM/Chrysler sell plenty of cars with mediocre resale value also.
Concerning Honda/Toyota, its where the entry price, dealer discounts, rebates, dealer arrogance, and financing for the Kia/Hyundai, come into play. Sorry, but many working people can't justify paying an extra $3k-$5k+ for the same sized car. They look at cars as transportation, not as a status symbol or neighborhood driveway ornament. This could be the reason why Ford sold so many of those high depreciation boring bland Taurus's. That car worked well for many. I also find that Kia/Hyundai work well for many buyers also. With some preventive maintenance, they are also long lived vehicles.

Looking at Sundays paper:
At the same price, what would you buy, a 3-5 year old Honda/Toyota or brand new Kia/Hyundai?
What would you buy, a Civic for $15k or Hyundai/Kia for $10K?
$35k for a new Honda minivan or $22k for Sedona?

Not everyone in this country is well employed. Many shop on price alone. Booming evilmart is proof of that!

I think that many automakers have lost touch with the consumer. The US census has some eye opening income tables.

I think Toyota was a little surprised by the statistics of the Scion buyers. They catered to young people, but sold many to those looking for basic cheap no frills econominal transportation. Fit/Yaris/Versa is proof of that and possible a little late to the game.

I also feel that Mazda, Mitsubishi, and Suzuki, seem to exist simple cause many models are not bloated or priced out of the typical consumers budget.

 

[ThirdeYe]

I'd take the Civic, but that's just my personal preference, and perhaps bias

I'm a huge fan of the newer 06+ Civics. They come with a lot of features for the price, imo. I love the refined look of the car, the engine is amazing as well. Then again, I keep cars long enough to not worry about resale value, so i'd be keeping it for a long time. I don't think i'd pay that much more for an '05 or older, though.

 

[Drew99GT]

Why would you get a Spectra when a Corolla of equal trim and options is the exact same price? Spectra LX with optional air conditioning (standard on the Corolla CE) is $14,395. Corolla CE is $14,305. At least you can get cruise with the lowest trim Corolla as well.

That's no contest IMO, and resale DOES matter, especially if someone wrecks the #@$%! out of your car.

 

[Doc8404]

I went to the Hyundai site and fully loaded a Elantra (vice the Civic, which IMHO they made ugly!) and it's under $18k....

 

[Auto-Union]

My Acura was $18,600 plus freight. Sunroof, CD, 16" alloys, 160hp, remote locks, side airbags, int wipers, rear wiper, 4 discs, etal. 3yr/50k warranty. With my Acura financing, the gap between what I owe and what it's worth will WIDEN. After 1yr/30k, I could sell for $3000 more than I owe, a lil more than I put down. Getting 30+mpg. Looks like new Base Civic is $15k.


Worst Residual Value (as % of value retained after 5 years)-

2006 Kia Rio — 20.7%

2006 Hyundai Accent — 23.0%

2006 Kia Spectra — 24.0%

2006 Dodge Stratus — 26.0%

2006 Hyundai Elantra — 26.3%

2006 Ford Taurus — 26.5%

2006 Kia Optima — 27.4%

2006 Suzuki Reno — 28.6%

2006 Ford Crown Victoria — 28.7%

2006 Suzuki Forenza — 29.2%


Best Residule Value-

2006 Honda S2000 — 51.7%

2006 Mini Cooper — 51.5%

2006 Acura TSX — 47.7%

2006 BMW M3 — 47.6%

2006 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class — 47.0%

2006 Mercedes-Benz SLK55 AMG — 47.0%

2006 Infiniti G35 — 46.9%

2006 Acura RSX — 46.5%

2006 Lexus SC 430 — 46.5%

2006 Subaru Impreza WRX STI — 46.4%



2004-Worst

Hyundai Accent — 19%

Kia Rio — 21%
Kia Spectra

Buick Century — 22%
Dodge Neon
Oldsmobile Alero


Chevrolet Cavalier — 23%


Ford Taurus — 24%
Pontiac Sunfire


Chevrolet Aveo — 25%
Mercury Sable
Pontiac Grand Am


Chevrolet Malibu — 26%
Dodge Stratus
Ford Focus


Buick Park Avenue — 27%
Chrysler Sebring
Kia Optima

Buick Regal — 28%
Chevrolet Impala
Dodge Neon SRT-4
Ford Crown Victoria
Mitsubishi Lancer

Saturn Ion
Saturn L300


Chevrolet Malibu Maxx — 29%
Dodge Intrepid
Kia Amanti

Mercury Grand Marquis
Pontiac Bonneville
Suzuki Aerio
Suzuki Verona



2004 Best-

Porsche 911 — 57%


Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class — 53%


Acura NSX — 52%
Dodge Viper
Honda S2000
Mini Cooper


BMW Z4 — 51%
Nissan 350Z


BMW M3 — 50%


BMW 3 Series — 49%
Honda Accord
Honda Civic

Volkswagen Jetta
Volkswagen New Beetle


Acura RSX — 48%

Chevrolet Corvette
Lexus ES 330
Lexus GS 300
Lexus GS 430
Lexus SC 430
Mercedes-Benz CLK55 AMG
Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class
Mercedes-Benz SLK32 AMG
Toyota Camry Solara
Toyota Celica
Toyota MR2 Spyder


Audi TT — 47%
Infiniti G35
Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
Mercedes-Benz E-Class
Toyota Matrix
Volkswagen GTI
Volkswagen Passat


Acura TL — 46%
Acura TSX
BMW 5 Series
Mazda RX-8
Mercedes-Benz CL55 AMG
Porsche Boxster
Subaru Outback
Toyota Camry
Volkswagen Golf


Jaguar S-Type R — 45%
Lexus IS 300
Lexus LS 430
Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG
Nissan Altima
Toyota Avalon
Volvo XC70

"A quick scan of our list shows that import nameplates rule when it comes to retaining their value, Viper and Corvette excepted. Beyond that, it's clear that luxury nameplates hold an edge as well, though the lineups of non-luxury brands like Honda, Toyota and Volkswagen are also well represented"

 

[Drew99GT]

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With my Acura financing, the gap between what I owe and what it's worth will WIDEN. After 1yr/30k, I could sell for $3000 more than I owe, a lil more than I put down.

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That can be a HUGE factor when financing a car. Too many people get upside down in cars that depreciate too fast and where they pay too much.

 

[Auto-Union]

4.9% is nothing outrageous.

 

[FrozenPilot]

I've driven many rentals over the past two years..

2006 Hyundai Elantra
-Excellent value, good driving vehicle, engine noisier than the competition, transmission slow to shift, comfortable interior, build quality good. Fuel economy less than expected. Overall: enjoyable

2006 Kia Spectra
-Stripped model of the Hyundai, exact driving dynamics, better stereo however. Build quality feels cheaper, yet still solid. Noisier car overall, still better than my '95 Saturn SL1. Still annoyed by the Hyundai/Kia automatics slow/soft shifting, even over-revs on some shifts. Overall: just a stripped Hyundai.

2006 Toyota Corolla LE
-PDL, PW, no cruise??, smooth & strong engine though very touchy at low speeds, transmission shifts quick and smooth, though again hates low speeds - gets jerky, seats built for a short-legged long-armed person, otherwise build quality very good except for a couple rattles. Good fuel economy. Overall: decent

2007 Hyundai Sonata
-Good 4 cylinder, awesome V6, again with the slow transmission, seats have soft thigh support- yet comfortable, excellent value compared to Toyota/Honda- more features (ABS/EBD, trac, ESC, active head restraints, heated mirrors, etc), less price. Doors shut with solidity, interior plastics need work. Overall: Good/great family sedan, best value.

2007 Chevy Malibu LT V6
-Great engine/transmission, though could use an extra gear. Seats have odd back/head ergonomics, otherwise comfortable, interior quality above Hyundai, not at Toyota levels. Electric steering very good on the road and very light in the parking lot, though cuts out during maneuvers like the three point turn- annoying. Better drivers car than the Hyundai. Odd styling, look to the '08 to fix. Fuel economy good for its class. Overall quality seems very good. Overall: Underrated family sedan.

Pontiac G6 (all years, all sedan models)
-Impressive interior for GM though some doors have a sheet-metal rattle when closing, drives slightly better than the Malibu. Engines range from the smooth and slightly noisy 4 to the very good 3.5L V6 and just plain powerful 3900 V6 - watch the torque steer! Same seat problem as the Malibu. Great exterior styling, though makes harder to see out the back. Fuel economy worse than expected on the 2.2, good on 3.5, thirsty 3900. Rear seat legroom AMAZING! Overall: Great alternative that stands out against Camry/Accord.

2007 Toyota Camry (not driven)
-Excellent interior quality, though not the most appealing design. Functionally well laid out. Seems overall like a very quality vehicle and if it drives anything like the Corolla, no wonder its the most popular midsize (sic) sedan in America. Premium price for this class, most will feel its worth it.

2007 Honda Accord (not driven)
-Hardest drivers seat with a lot (too much IMO) of lumbar support dialed in (this seat didn't have the optional lumbar adjustment). Small climate controls, flimsy plastic used for control stalks. Interior though appears well put together, didn't seem to have the quality look Toyota had. Bland exterior styling. Probably still a good car... it is a Honda.

2006 Mazda6i (owner)
-Great deal with rebate, lots of standard features and little things like illuminated visor mirrors, well placed steering wheel audio/cruise controls, and auto up & down front windows that create value. Sportiest handling midsize sedan of the class- not for everyone. Needs low end torque, made up by mid-top end power. No stability control except on the Speed6. Great manual transmission, comfortable seats (06+), controls laid out well with good function and feel. Interior quality just below Toyota in most areas. Fuel economy on par with EPA numbers. Overall: The enthusiasts family sedan.

 

[JHZR2]

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That's no contest IMO, and resale DOES matter, especially if someone wrecks the #@$%! out of your car.

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Have you ever had a car wrecked and be not your fault?

Have you ever actually gotten decent value for the car?

The problem is that insurance is a total rip off, and for the CEOs to give themselves multi-million dollar bonuses, they minimize how much they pay out - so it does not matter if you have a hyundai or a honda - you WILL be ripped off out of a large sum of money... And again, it does not matter if it is $1000 or $10000, loss of a dime is failure.

JMH

 

[Drew99GT]

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That's no contest IMO, and resale DOES matter, especially if someone wrecks the #@$%! out of your car.

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Have you ever had a car wrecked and be not your fault?

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Not me personally, but it's happened twice in my family in the past 10 years. Both times on vehicles that were about 3 years old, both GMs. And yes, we received the value of the vehicles from the insurance company, albeit the totally depreciated value of GM vehicles.

 

[Max_Wander]

i totally agree Toyota and Honda are severely overrated these days, and have been for quite some time. Clever marketing from the past has certainly sold a lot of people chattin around the watercooler. Not bad cars, but poor values IMO.

 

[surfstar]

I buy used and let someone else take the depreciation hit. It doesn't matter how long you keep your new car, it still won't be as cheap as buying used.

 

[Anduril]

For basic "beater" use, pretty much anything will do. In that case, who wouldn't make the decision based on price? This is the market Hyundai/Kia small cars are aimed for, remember.

 

[FrozenPilot]

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I buy used and let someone else take the depreciation hit. It doesn't matter how long you keep your new car, it still won't be as cheap as buying used.

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I don't know how old or what used car you're buying, but my '06 Mazda6i was less than a used '05 Mazda3s hatch that had 23k miles. Depreciation is just a way of saying, you paid too much! Even so, what is knowing what your car has been through since it was new worth to you?

 

[Auto-Union]

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I buy used and let someone else take the depreciation hit. It doesn't matter how long you keep your new car, it still won't be as cheap as buying used.

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Unless it turns out the used vehicle has some major issue from abuse, water damage, or fails to live out it's expected service life from neglect or whatever.

Hello??? I'll take my chances with a pristine ~new~ car with the minor premium that comes with new car ownership. Frankly, some of the used cars my friends bring home, the inside smells like the men's room at the UN.

 

[JHZR2]

[quoteNot me personally, but it's happened twice in my family in the past 10 years. Both times on vehicles that were about 3 years old, both GMs. And yes, we received the value of the vehicles from the insurance company, albeit the totally depreciated value of GM vehicles.

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But guess what happens if it is a Honda, acura, BMW, etc.???

They pull the same schnanegans, to try to severely lowball you on value - way below what replacement or a reasonable used one would cost. You're just not saving money thinking that resale value is going to save you, IMO... There still is depreciation, there still is wear and tear, and there still are multimillion dollar insurance company CEO bonuses and dividends. Guess where all that comes from?

As a beater car, the car that cost the least in the front end is the car that is the best value, provided it has reasonable longevity. $3-6000 in intial purchase price (especially if there is financing going on) will never be recouped by resale value or accident payout value. Even on mileage and longevity, an $18k car will have to go 150k miles for every 100k that a $12k car has to last, just to have the same per mile acquisition cost. I know hondas are highly regarded, and for accords and whatnot it may be true, but every civic Ive been in that has over 90k miles has been a rattletrap no better than any other old beater car, with rattles, creaks, vibration, and more civics leave an oil-burn poof than any other make Ive seen.

So, not trying to make an argument, but IMHO, as a commuter car/true econobox, the spectra is pretty hard to beat, IMO. YMMV.

JMH