What Are Your Car Recommendations After a Total Loss?

[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.

 

[mathwonk]

oh and the reason new cars cost more, is they are the only cars whose history is completely known. that is worth the price alone.

of course they drop in value as soon as drive off the lot because then the next owner no longer knows how well you kept the car. so keep records.

mainly, change the oil every 3,000 miles. so what if some study says it isn't needed? are you trying to save $20?

its cheap and it works, and its your money ($20,000) if you need another new one sooner than planned.

as the old saying goes: oil changes are lots cheaper than engine rebuilds.

also keep a record of all maintenance as done and as will be needed in future and when.

i.e.

brakes- every so many miles (30,000? 60,000?)

timing belts- every 90,000?

clutches, 60,000?

tires, 50,000?

belts check them regularly,

change water pumps when changing timing belts i think they say.

and don't freak out when one of these things needs replacing, that's part of owning a car. so anticipate it. even valves, rings, engines can be rebuilt, but most people want a new car at that time. but only novices think a car is worn out when it needs a clutch or brakes, or a CV joint.

and always carry a cell phone in the car for when the idiot hits you in a Ford truck and you need to call for help. If you don't have one and cannot call the police, take down not just his license and insurance policy number, but the description of his vehicle, license number , color, make model, and of him, so you can make a case if he decides to deny hitting you the next day, like my guy did.

Not being able to prove he hit me cost me $13,000 for another (used) car. It looked good even when my mechanic checked it out, but later it turned out to have a damaged wheel that could have cost my wife's life by causing the tire to fail.

 

[mathwonk]

One more thing: ask around before your warranty runs out for a good reliable mechanic, and go to him/her for regular services. Thats why my honda lasted 325,000 miles.

and be very wary of going to the dealer for help. i have sent my wife to our dealer for an oil change and had them sell her literally $800 worth of unnecessarys tuff.

 

[J77]

Had a corsa in England -- it was standing off the road for a few years when I moved over to Holland -- sold it for a few hundred the other week.

Definitely don't need a car where I live now -- bikes rule the road -- plus a parking permit requires a 6 year wait in my neighbourhood.

 

[mathwonk]

Holland is a wonderful place in that regard. I recall the bike lanes off the side of every road in Leiden.

 

[J77]

Holland is a wonderful place in that regard. I recall the bike lanes off the side of every road in Leiden.

Yeah -- the flatness is perfect for bikes. Plus, it really is the only way to get around in the old towns. I love being able to cycle to work, through a major international city, without having to constantly dodge traffic -- every capital should be like that. Plus, I'm much fitter now I've ditched the car

 

[Artman]

I drive a Kia Rio. It is my third Kia. I had a Sportage 4x4 for 6 years never had a major problem with it. Bought my wife a Sorento a couple of years ago, it still rides like a luxury car (my neighbor calls it "The Limo").

I calculated driving costs and first costs for my Rio and it beat the Prius for my driving conditions in value (gas would have to cost $8.00 a gallon to come close to overall cost of ownership for 10 years). Very happy so far, but it does seem somewhat underpowered. The Sporatage and Sorento are not at all underpowered.

Kia has a 10 year/100,000 mile warranty on all their cars. Definitely worth a look. I love mine.