What Are Your Car Recommendations After a Total Loss?

[gravenewworld]

And do you like it? After getting into a car accident on Fri. my '01 Galant is totaled and I am in the market for new car. I definitely don't want a brand new car, but something that is used. I was looking into possibly getting a Volvo S40 or S60. So what kind of cars do you guys drive and would you recommend it?

 

[Cyrus]

98' honda accord.

Its way underpowered as a 4 cylinder.

But it has never broken down on me. The transmission keeps going bad but honda changes it for free because its been recalled. I only get charged the labor.

It drives very well, but I would not recommend buying the same year as I have. A later year would be better.

If I had my choice, I would look into a used 3-series BMW.

 

[hypatia]

I drive a my Ford F150 or my Saturn for the winter months, just because they handle the weather/salt very well. I have several vintage cars I use in the summer. And one older Lincoln I use if I half to do a lot of inner city x-way driving.
You should test drive many cars, befor you decide to buy. And of course we know all about high pressure sales people, so its best to take someone with you, that will be honest with you.
I would avoid new model years, and plan on haveing/owning it for at least 3 years. Imports keep there value better, but may cost more to fix down the road.
My taste in cars is domestic, and fast. Plus all my cars use regular gas, which has saved me some money.
Of course you'll half to keep us updated on your selection prosses. Have fun! And Glad to know you wern't hurt in the accident.

 

[0TheSwerve0]

2006 Honda Civic Hybrid

I love it and would only prefer the Prius if it weren't so ugly.

 

[gravenewworld]

I drive a my Ford F150 or my Saturn for the winter months, just because they handle the weather/salt very well. I have several vintage cars I use in the summer. And one older Lincoln I use if I half to do a lot of inner city x-way driving.
You should test drive many cars, befor you decide to buy. And of course we know all about high pressure sales people, so its best to take someone with you, that will be honest with you.
I would avoid new model years, and plan on haveing/owning it for at least 3 years. Imports keep there value better, but may cost more to fix down the road.
My taste in cars is domestic, and fast. Plus all my cars use regular gas, which has saved me some money.
Of course you'll half to keep us updated on your selection prosses. Have fun! And Glad to know you wern't hurt in the accident.

LOL this was actually my 2nd car accident in less than 1 week. The other time I was in a taxi cab and it stalled out on 676 in Philly (which is a super highway) with no where to pull off the road. People were whizzing by us at 80 mph, it only took about 2 minutes before the cab got rear ended. I walked away from that accident too with just a minor concussion. I am like Bruce Willis from that movie Unbreakable. 2 car accidents+2 totaled cars+me walking away with some scrapes=priceless.


I am definitely taking my dad with me to buy a new car. He is always very slick with the sales people and always seems to get a few grand knocked off the price of the car before buying it. I was hoping to buy a car off an individual so I wouldn't have to deal with a salesman. I will keep everyone updated on my car selection. I need to buy one asap so I don't miss too many days of work, so this shouldn't take long.

 

[Cyrus]

Find someone who can take you to a dealers auction. You will buy the car for the best price.

 

[Janus]

I have a '04 Toyota Matrix. If you want something with a little more cargo space, but still gets 30+ mpg highway, it's a good car.

We also have a '91 Honda Civic; still going and passing DEQ emissions standards after 260,000+ miles.

 

[scorpa]

I drive a jeep liberty and I absolutely love it. I used to have an olds 2dr alero which was a beautiful car, great power and great on gas (unlike the jeep haha)

 

[Moonbear]

I currently have a new Subaru Impreza, which I love, but you compromise some mileage for the AWD. I need the AWD for winter on the mountains here.

Before that, I had a 2001 Ford Focus. Underpowered if you wanted to go uphill with the A/C on, but great mileage, and incredibly dent resistant (with your track record, that might be a plus). It was still running great when I got rid of it, and I thought it was an excellent city car. If it weren't for the bad handling on snowy mountains, I'd have had no reason to get rid of it. It ought to be a good buy on the used market, since a lot of people buy them as a cheap first car and then upgrade. However, like Cyrus recommends on his car, I'd recommend one a few years later than mine...I got it when it was still a fairly new model, and more recent model years have worked out more of the issues that were recalls on my year.

A good question is what is your use. Since you mention Philly, is that primarily where you'll be driving it? If so, something like the Focus is excellent for those conditions...small, easy to find parking spaces to fit it, good mileage even in city conditions, good dent resistance so you won't look all dented and dinged from parking in lots, and doesn't stand out as a big target for theft or break-ins, also doesn't stand out as overly flashy to attract cops. You'd have no need for something like the Impreza in those conditions, so it's not worth the extra expense or loss in mileage.

Hondas, as others have mentioned, are also good for those types of driving conditions. I think they're more of a theft target in the Philly area though, but I could be wrong.

 

[Integral]

I drive a '94 Ford Probe GT. I find it a very nice commuter and a joy to drive. It does well on the freeway, but the manual transmission would get to be a pain on crowed city streets.

 

[scorpa]

Hondas, as others have mentioned, are also good for those types of driving conditions. I think they're more of a theft target in the Philly area though, but I could be wrong.

The Honda Civic is one of the most popular theft targets out there. I think they are usually the number one most stolen car each year, or somewhere near there anyway. The F350 is the truck that is stolen the most (in my area anyway) not that you really need to worry about that anyway...just a random bit of info

It would be helpful to know your budget...

 

[gravenewworld]

It would be helpful to know your budget...

I could probably swing about $12-13K. Like I said, I don't want anything new.
I will be driving it mostly around the Philly area. Not to much in the city (I live in the burbs of Philly). Hondas are nice, I have had one before with no problems, but I do worry about the fact that they are stolen a lot. I have read consumer reports and they definitely like the Focus for its reliability.

 

[scorpa]

I could probably swing about $12-13K. Like I said, I don't want anything new.



I will be driving it mostly around the Philly area. Not to much in the city (I live in the burbs of Philly). Hondas are nice, I have had one before with no problems, but I do worry about the fact that they are stolen a lot. I have read consumer reports and they definitely like the Focus for its reliability.

I know a few people with diesel VW Jettas and they sure do like them. Very nice cars and a 1000km to the tank!

I have not personally driven a Subaru legacy but it looks like quite a nice vehicle, and a lot of people sure do seem to like them.

Do you prefer domestic or imports or do you really care?

I need to find out how much 12-13K is in CDN dollars so I can be a bit more helpful here

 

[Moonbear]

I know a few people with diesel VW Jettas and they sure do like them. Very nice cars and a 1000km to the tank!

You'll want to avoid diesel in the US. It has gotten pretty expensive now, and a lot harder to find stations that sell it if you get away from the ones right at exits on interstates (the stations that cater to tractor trailer drivers).

 

[Cyrus]

Omg this is funny...

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Our last four cars have been Toyotas. Total miles...~700,000 so far. We should get another 100K each on the two that we have. I think Tsu had another Toyota before we met.

Currently we also have an old '68 Chevy pick-up, with a 396 [huah!], as a farm/utility truck. It only sees about fifty miles a year though. The coolest cars that I have ever owned were a 240Z, and an MG Midget. Had some fast bikes too.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

You'll want to avoid diesel in the US. It has gotten pretty expensive now, and a lot harder to find stations that sell it if you get away from the ones right at exits on interstates (the stations that cater to tractor trailer drivers).

Although, depending on the location, one might consider biodiesel as an option.
http://www.nearbio.com/nearbio/index.shtml

 

[scorpa]

Omg this is funny...

That was HILARIOUS!

 

[scorpa]

You'll want to avoid diesel in the US. It has gotten pretty expensive now, and a lot harder to find stations that sell it if you get away from the ones right at exits on interstates (the stations that cater to tractor trailer drivers).

Your right Moonbear I always forget that in the city getting diesel can be a bit of a hassle. Maybe avoid the diesel.

 

[BobG]

I bought an '05 Jeep Wrangler about 3 weeks ago. It's the Unlimited Rubicon version with Dana 44 axles, both front and back lockers, a 4.10:1 gear ratio, and 4.0 L 6-cylinder engine.

It has a soft top, so I can't wait for warm weather (literally, if it's sunny and pretty close to 60 ... then it must be sunny and at least 40 in the mountains, eh ... well, I've at least had the top off in the city a couple days).

http://img483.imageshack.us/img483/2293/spring018yr0.jpg

 

[ziad1985]

I used to have BMW Z3, bought it for almost nothing, the last owner was leaving the country in less then a week, and wanted fast cash, paid him 3000$ for the car...
last year some drunk was driving fast near my place and crashed into the car, well you couldn't recognize it as a car after that crash..
so without any wheels for now.
That's a lesson for you kids, easy come easy go!

 

[humanino]

I ride a bike

 

[brewnog]

I drive a Saxo VTR and a Caterham type jobbie.

With work, I get Volvo S40s and S60s quite a lot, I'd definitely consider buying one if I was in that market. The D5 engine is a peach.

 

[Kurdt]

Renault megane. One of the best engines in production and very much under-rated. Lovely drive. Unavailable in the american market though.

 

[JasonRox]

I drive a scooter and a Dodge Neon. I want to get rid of the Neon, but it's running fine. I just have nowhere to put it once I take it off the road.

 

[larkspur]

2007 Mazda Miata. LOVE IT!

 

[Anttech]

Renault megane. One of the best engines in production and very much under-rated. Lovely drive. Unavailable in the american market though.

I know the guy who helps design the gear boxes on those things. It is good (read not bad) for a French car

Mines a VW Golf right now.. I want the Alfa Romeo Spider :!)

http://www.spider.alfaromeo.com/

 

[Kurdt]

I know the guy who helps design the gear boxes on those things. It is good (read not bad) for a French car

Well i know who to contact if it ever goes wrong

 

[Andy]

I would reccomend that you stick to japanese cars, all other countries are making ridiculously unreliable cars at the moment.

 

[rocketboy]

I would reccomend that you stick to japanese cars, all other countries are making ridiculously unreliable cars at the moment.

I'll second that. Take a look here: http://www.topgear.com/content/carsurvey/2006/

 

[berkeman]

I commute year-round on my sportbike. Right now my primary ride is a 2005 Buell Firebolt XB-12R. The Buell is the American sportbike built with a variation of a Harley V-twin engine.

 

[gravenewworld]

I did some looking and driving today, and I have to say I was really impressed with the Toyota Corolla S. The new body makes it have a sportier look and the Corolla is famous for its gas mileage and reliability.

 

[edward]

I did some looking and driving today, and I have to say I was really impressed with the Toyota Corolla S. The new body makes it have a sportier look and the Corolla is famous for its gas mileage and reliability.

http://www.enterprisecarsales.com/carsales/home.do

Will beat the price at any dealership or car used lot.

 

[mathwonk]

i drive a honda accord 1996, bought used with 35,000 mikles, it now has 135,000. my previous car was a honda 1985 civic hatchback. note the large gap in years between cars with a honda.

the only reason i abandoned the the other one with 325,000 miles was some idiot in a ford truck totaled it.

even though the discrepancy in size was so great his truck was undamaged, i was not injured because honda is so well designed.

i bought my wife a new 2003 BMW 5 series because Consumer reports said it was the ebst car they ever rated. well it is luxurious, but it has been in the shop about 5-10 times, as opposed to basically never for the hondas.

it majes me conjecture that if you really want a luxury car that also works, you should probably buy a lexus or some other japanese version.

also, i know you are poor, but unless you are a psychic, or very very lucky, the best investment you can make on a car is to buy NEW.

there is a reason 99% of all used cars are for sale, THEY STINK!

 

[Stingray]

even though the discrepancy in size was so great his truck was undamaged, i was not injured because honda is so well designed.

You weren't injured because you were lucky/the crash wasn't bad. Statistics show that an 85 Civic is one of the least safe vehicles you can find.

also, i know you are poor, but unless you are a psychic, or very very lucky, the best investment you can make on a car is to buy NEW.

there is a reason 99% of all used cars are for sale, THEY STINK!

I'd say a new car is a terrible investment. It's only good if you're impatient (want a new model) or lazy (don't want the hassle of finding a mechanic and rental if something goes wrong). You lose a huge amount of money to depreciation for very little gain.

People don't only sell cars because there's something major that's wrong with them. They just get bored with what they're driving, want new features, a new look, get a raise, etc. Even if there is an issue with a used car, there are very few things that can go wrong that cost much to fix compared to the cost of buying new. I've been completely satisfied with my very used cars. Buying used also allows me to afford cars that are very enjoyable to drive. That's far more important to me than any other characteristics.

 

[scorpa]

Actually a good idea is to wait and buy a vehicle that was traded in with extremely low km on it, and save a bundle on a basically new vehicle in the process because it has already depreciated substanstially. That being said it is even better if you buy privately and not at a dealer, you will save a lot of money that way as well. Oftentimes you can find a vehicle that was well taken care of and is in new condition, has no km on it, and is a year old at most, it just might take a little looking.

 

[JasonRox]

You weren't injured because you were lucky/the crash wasn't bad. Statistics show that an 85 Civic is one of the least safe vehicles you can find.

Where does it say that?

Companies in North America, are in my opinion freaking stupid. Car makers around the world make their vehicles safe to drive, and Honda has been known to make their vehicles do unique things to keep the driver safe. For example, look at this report (although not a Honda, but they do have their own way to protect you in these situations):

http://www.bridger.us/2002/12/16/CrashTestingMINICooperVsFordF150

Own a F-150, bye bye legs and possibly die a painful death. Own a Mini Cooper, thank God you didn't buy American junk. American cars are lower quality, less safe, and guzzle more gas. Yes, I own Dodge Neon, but I bought that was when I was young and stupid.

Anyways, you can also find articles on GM and most likely Ford on how they got caught cheating on the safety tests so they get better ratings. Instead of making the car actually safer, they cheat. (This is not a conspiracy. I remember having seen GM with an apology on the attempt, and a denial of course. The video and the explanation in design how they planned the cheat was all there. Boy did they look stupid.)

Is an American car really the kind of car you want to buy?

 

[Danger]

This is a cut-and-paste from a previous thread, since I'm too lazy to explain it again. The gas mileage actually isn't too bad (about 25 mpg).
Since a few people have expressed curiosity when I mentioned a couple of things about my El Camino,
I figured that I might as well get the details out of the way all in one shot.
Here she be:











Volkswagon's-eye view


http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/1336/danpics0330mz.jpg




side view showing built-in step so my 4'6" mother can get in (with help)

http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/1470/danpics0362ry.jpg



proof of the above warning

http://img465.imageshack.us/img465/9219/danpics0352td.jpg


It's a '76 El Camino frame-stacked on a '74 Jimmy chassis. The motor, as you can see, is a '76 Olds 455. A custom bell-housing mates it to a Chevy 350 Turbo tranny with manual valve body for driver-controlled shifting. A second custom plate attaches the GMC transfer case to the tranny. The transfer case has a differential built into it, so I don't have a 2-wheel-drive option; the shift lever either sends 70% to the back and 30% to the front, or splits it 50/50. The tires are 33" Trailblazers, and it'll chirp them going into 2nd gear in low-range.

 

[Stingray]

Where does it say that?

Look at this: http://www.crashtest.com/honda/ie.htm"

While mid-80's Civics apparently did well on government crash tests, they were horrible in the real world. The death rate has the worst possible rating, and the Folksam rating isn't much better. Sorry, but Honda made a lot of (reliable) tin cans until 10-15 years ago.

With respect to the rest of your post, every manufacturer makes a range of cars. Some are better than others, and that's true in every country. American cars have improved tremendously in the last decade. Many are very safe. Yeah, corners are usually cut with trucks, but that doesn't necessarily translate to the cars. Look up specific information about the model you're interested in instead of making ridiculous generalizations about the country of origin.

How exactly have manufacturers cheated? Do you mean that they design only to do well on the tests instead of designing for overall safety? Most of them do that.

 

[mathwonk]

in regARD TO NOT BEING INJURED IN MY ACCIDENT, it was of cousre lucky, but it was also entriely due to the design of the honda. as you say, honda civics are very "unsafe", as reported for example by the highway loss data institute, which records numbers and amounts of claims per vehicle model and year, and which can be searched on the web.

everyone should do this homework when buying a car they wish to survive in.

however most of this data is due to the weight of the vehicle. hondas being light suffer more than ford trucks in this measure.

that being said, the accordion design iof my honda caused it to collapse when hit directly from behind, absorbing allk the energy from the crash in the car itself, not the driver.

note in those studies that a saab for instance scores poorly in vehicle damage and well in passenger safety, precisely for this reason.as to new cars, you have to live long enoguh to actually have some experience to realize that almost ALL used cars are sold because there is something wriong with them. I am not lazy at all in doing my hw, but I am also not foolsih at ignoring thw words of experience.

if you do not want to spend the money that's your affair, but after 50 years of car ownership, that's my advice.

 

[gravenewworld]

Well I bought it just about 2 hours ago. A brand new Mazda 3 S. This thing is awesome. It gets really good consumer and safety reviews and gets good gas mileage. It definitely has a sporty look to it and it feels like I am driving a race car when I ever I am in the front seat because it is really light. The brakes are crazy, when you brake hard you feel the same you don't feel like you are moving forward. The 3 also has the exact same suspension and chasis as the Volvo S40 (which i originally wanted) but has a smaller engine. The interior is great with ipod hookups available and radio control on the steering wheel. The handling is amazing, I just worry I don't become over confident and start taking turns and back roads much faster then I should. The warranty is pretty good bumper to bumper for 48 mo. or 60k miles and roadside assistance anytime anywhere forever. Mazda also had a loan special for 48 mo. at 4.9% which is much better than the 7% at every bank I went to. The car is also famous for keeping its value. I was looking at some ads in the used car sections in the paper for the past couple of days. 05 and 06 Mazda 3's with roughly 30k miles still go for about $14-16K.

 

[Stingray]

however most of this data is due to the weight of the vehicle. hondas being light suffer more than ford trucks in this measure.

that being said, the accordion design iof my honda caused it to collapse when hit directly from behind, absorbing allk the energy from the crash in the car itself, not the driver.

Weight is an issue in the real world, so it shouldn't be ignored. But more than that, most small cars are also cheap. As a consequence, manufacturers don't spend as much time optimizing their safety. Luckily, modern regulations (along with competition) have improved the situation a lot since the 80's.

Also, all cars have crumple zones. That's hardly a Honda specialty. The problem is when a car crumples into its occupants. A well-designed vehicle should have an extremely rigid cage around the passenger compartment. There are some very interesting videos floating around with crashed Smart cars which illustrates this nicely with a small car.

 

[G01]

Omg this is funny...

HAHAHA Wow...wow

 

[turbo]

And do you like it? After getting into a car accident on Fri. my '01 Galant is totaled and I am in the market for new car. I definitely don't want a brand new car, but something that is used. I was looking into possibly getting a Volvo S40 or S60. So what kind of cars do you guys drive and would you recommend it?

I drive a 4-cyl 4x4 Nissan pickup because we have a garden, woodlot, and stuff to haul. My wife drives a WONDERFUL Subaru Legacy Sedan with a 5-speed manual transmission. The AWD is great and that car handles way better in snow/slush/mud than my truck. Also the power-to-weight ratio is very nice. That car is very zippy and you cannot make it slip a tire on dry pavement. We paid $11,000 for the car with 3 months left on the 3 year warranty and low mileage, and if it's like the other Japanese vehicles we've owned, we should expect to get close to 200,000 miles before it's time to look for another one.

 

[JasonRox]

Somebody shrink that giant picture.

 

[Danger]

Sorry, Jason. I deleted it. It was bothering me too.

 

[brewnog]

Weight is an issue in the real world, so it shouldn't be ignored. But more than that, most small cars are also cheap. As a consequence, manufacturers don't spend as much time optimizing their safety. Luckily, modern regulations (along with competition) have improved the situation a lot since the 80's.

This just isn't true any more. Manufacturers have realized that cars sell on safety far more than they did ten years ago.

Example:
Peugeot 207. NCAP 5 stars adult occupancy, 3 stars pedestrian, 4 stars child protection. Priced from £8995.

Jeep Grand Cherokee. 4 stars adult occupancy, zero stars pedestrian, and three star child protection. Priced from £24,500.


These days, size is most definitely not everything.

 

[BobG]

This just isn't true any more. Manufacturers have realized that cars sell on safety far more than they did ten years ago.

Example:
Peugeot 207. NCAP 5 stars adult occupancy, 3 stars pedestrian, 4 stars child protection. Priced from £8995.

Jeep Grand Cherokee. 4 stars adult occupancy, zero stars pedestrian, and three star child protection. Priced from £24,500.


These days, size is most definitely not everything.

The Cherokee is downgraded because of the chance of rolling it. In a collision with another car ... well, you still have a good chance of rolling it. Better protection in a serious accident (provided you're wearing seatbelts), but a better chance of getting in a serious accident in the first place.

That's probably the part that's left out of most people's equation. They don't buy a car that lessens the chance of them causing an accident. They buy a car that lessens the chance of somebody else injuring them.

 

[Stingray]

These days, size is most definitely not everything.

Isn't that what I said?

Regardless, weight and height are still very relevant. NCAP even states on their site that ratings should not be compared across size categories (questions 20 and 21 in their FAQ).

 

[mathwonk]

of course weight is a crucial factor, but if your car is light it should be well designed and not all cars are.

also not all heavy cars are safe. mazda 929 for example was one of the deadliest cars regardless of size.

all small cars are not designed alike, as you see if you consult the highway loss data institute charts.

saabs are far superior to other small cars. ford trucks apparently do not have crumple zones but rely on being larger than the competition. so if you are in a large car that hits another large car, you would be well advised to be in a well designed one.

a few years ago chevy blazers, although large, had a 35% chance of serious head injury in accidents.

i never meant to advise anyone to buy a honda civic for safety. i myself did not know about the safety data when i bought mine. it was just all i could afford. but for a cheap light car, it saved my life in a collison with a Ford F150.

after i learned more i began to upgrade.

there are several factors in buying a car: safety, economy, reliability, looks, resale, theft likelihood, cost. ideally i want a reliable, economical, safe car, which thieves hate.

volvos maximize safety but are unreliable, hondas maximize reliability and economy but small ones are unsafe. Big American cars are large and maximize safety as long as they only hit smaller cars, but are unreliable.

to get reliability, safety, economy, all in one car is hard to do. i recommend going for reliability and safety. you may learn the price of the car will pay for itself.

a new good car that lasts 300,000 miles is a better deal than a cheap used one that lasts only 90,000.

you will notice that because of my experience with hondas in terms of reliability i recommened a lexus (toyota - honda not much difference) to anyone who could afford such a car.

mazda is also a very good deal in a car. body integrity is less than honda, but engines are wonderful, price is low, reliability is good. safety depends on size. good luck! drive safely. and maintain good tires. invest in some michelins if you can afford them.