What compact car to buy?

[Reggaemon]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: Reggaemon
4. Must be less than 70 inches wide...the narrower the better

By the way, is this with or without mirrors? I know some manufacturers list their car widths without mirrors, which is kind of stupid, IMO.


Without mirrors of course.
Ford is the only company I've seen that listed cars width with mirrors and without.

 

[TechnoLoGs]

Are Nissan Sentras still any good? They were comparably sporty in the 90s.+

?

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: TechnoLoGs
Are Nissan Sentras still any good? They were comparably sporty in the 90s.+

?

Drum brakes.

 

[surfstar]

Mazda3 hatchback

 

[dja4260]

You can get a new Elantra with 4 wheel disc, auto, cruise, power everything for around 16,500-17,000 in the Chicago area.

I feel that's ALOT of car for the money.

 

[97tbird]

Mazda 3 or Focus hatch.
Everything else is either totally blah or totally goofy.

 

[Bandito440]

Originally Posted By: Reggaemon
Originally Posted By: Bandito440
Hyundai Elantra for sure - ours has been great.

2014 Kia Forte looks even nicer.


What year is your Elantra?
I've only seen pictures of the new Forte, don't know if it is at a dealer yet.

2013. Oil changes are easy!

I really like the way the 2014 Forte hatchback looks, but I don't think it's at dealers yet. The Koreans are doing well for themselves.

Have a look at the J.D. Power reliability ratings before you buy a Chrysler product.

 

[Mykl]

I'd probably start with the Chevy Cruze and test drive a Sonic while I was there.

 

[Reggaemon]

Originally Posted By: Mykl
I'd probably start with the Chevy Cruze and test drive a Sonic while I was there.


Cruze is more of a mid size and 71 inches wide.
The Sonic misses the mark with the rear drums.

 

[SatinSilver]

Toyota Matrix, width is 69.5 and comes standard with 4 wheel disc brakes. Although the sticker is probably over 20k you should be able to get one for around 18k plus tt&l.

http://www.cars.com/toyota/matrix/2013/specifications/?acode=USC30TOC171A0

 

[Reggaemon]

Right now the cars I feel meet my original specs and I would check out are.

1. Honda Civic EX
2. Mazda 3
3. Hyundai Elantra
4. Subaru Impreza.... I can't believe no one mentioned it.

 

[itguy08]

Originally Posted By: Reggaemon

If drums are so good why don't they put them on there better cars? No they put them on their cheap cars to keep them cheap.


If drums are so bad why does practically every 18 wheeler and the majority of busses use them?

I've had disk and drums and none has been different than the other. Use your parking brake and drums will stay in adjustment.

 

[Reggaemon]

Originally Posted By: itguy08
Originally Posted By: Reggaemon

If drums are so good why don't they put them on there better cars? No they put them on their cheap cars to keep them cheap.


If drums are so bad why does practically every 18 wheeler and the majority of busses use them?

I've had disk and drums and none has been different than the other. Use your parking brake and drums will stay in adjustment.



Yeah,and air brakes are so good thats why all cars have them!!

Audi, Mercedes, ferrari, Porsche...I could go on and on, good cars use disc brakes. Drum brakes are used on cheap cars.

If drum brakes are so good why isn't BMW using them?


I don't care if people want to buy cars with drum brake, go ahead be my guest, but no one can say that drum brakes are superior for cars.

 

[Spazdog]

Cruze is overwide by .4 inch and LS is the only way to get non-turbo. LS has rear drum brakes.

Sonic has to have RS trim to get 4 wheel disc brakes

Civic has 4 wheel disc brakes in EX or Si trim. It comes in just under 70 inches wide. Coupe or Sedan. Non-turbo. I think the Civic meets all the criteria. Just EXes and Si-s are pricey for what they are. Might just squeak the $20,000 mark on a manual EX depending on your market.

 

[Reggaemon]

Originally Posted By: Spazdog
Cruze is overwide by .4 inch and LS is the only way to get non-turbo. LS has rear drum brakes.

Sonic has to have RS trim to get 4 wheel disc brakes

Civic has 4 wheel disc brakes in EX or Si trim. It comes in just under 70 inches wide. Coupe or Sedan. Non-turbo. I think the Civic meets all the criteria. Just EXes and Si-s are pricey for what they are. Might just squeak the $20,000 mark on a manual EX depending on your market.



I'm not sure if the Sonic RS only comes with a Turbo or not.
I've heard a few bad things about the Sonic automatic, I thought it was the same as the Cruze since they use the same engines but it is a smaller size.

The $20,000 mark is just a target, I'd go a little over that for the right car.

 

[SLCraig]

Originally Posted By: Reggaemon
Right now the cars I feel meet my original specs and I would check out are.

1. Honda Civic EX
2. Mazda 3
3. Hyundai Elantra
4. Subaru Impreza.... I can't believe no one mentioned it.


I, for one did not mention anything in that class because you said Sub Compact preferred. Those are all just compacts, heck some people even consider those midsize this day and age.

 

[donnyj08]

Why does the car have to be so narrow?? Will the difference on 1-2" make a difference?


Have you considered a Mitsubishi eclipse? Scion tc?

 

[Reggaemon]

Originally Posted By: SLCraig
Originally Posted By: Reggaemon
Right now the cars I feel meet my original specs and I would check out are.

1. Honda Civic EX
2. Mazda 3
3. Hyundai Elantra
4. Subaru Impreza.... I can't believe no one mentioned it.


I, for one did not mention anything in that class because you said Sub Compact preferred. Those are all just compacts, heck some people even consider those midsize this day and age.


Isn't that the truth. All of these cars are larger than the original Accords and Camrys. todays compacts are yesterdays mid size.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: SLCraig
I, for one did not mention anything in that class because you said Sub Compact preferred.

Yet when I mentioned a sub-compact (Fiat 500), the OP immediately said it's too small.

Personally, having sat in one of them at an auto show, the driver and passenger space is actually not bad. Back seats and trunk are another story though...

 

[SLCraig]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: SLCraig
I, for one did not mention anything in that class because you said Sub Compact preferred.

Yet when I mentioned a sub-compact (Fiat 500), the OP immediately said it's too small.

Personally, having sat in one of them at an auto show, the driver and passenger space is actually not bad. Back seats and trunk are another story though...


I really liked the 500 myself. Saw it at NAIAS in Detroit. I would love an Abarth for myself!

I also really do like the Yaris SE hatch.. They improved that car a ton since the previous version of the Yaris hatch. AND it has 4 wheel disc brakes (something I prefer as well)