For a girl who loves to shop for just about anything, it surprises me sometimes how uninterested I am in cars. I like to drive, and look cool when I do, but I have never been bothered to think too hard about what kind of wheel I sit behind. So long as the windows work and there are tunes in the tape deck (did I really say tape deck?!), I’m generally a happy girl.
Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t lack imagination. In my wildest dreams, I would be driving a vintage Mustang convertible (in biodiesel, of course). The top would be down, the seats would be back, and the wind would be whipping through my hair. There would be no trash pile in the back seat, no toys floating freely on the floor, and snow tires would not be necessary at all.
Alas, real life requires a more practical approach, and I’m currently in the market for a new car. This means I must take time away from more pleasurable pursuits to compare features, count beans, and test drive. Yuck.
The heap I drive now was acquired when I wasn’t sure what the future held, and when the lowest price was my law. They were tricky times, and I chose cheap. I know better now, because I’ve spent more time at the gas pump than any one person should, and because the car’s maker narrowly escaped a bitter end earlier this year. Lucky for me it’s a low-interest lease, so back to the lot it goes…
This time around, I would like to do better. This time around, fuel efficiency comes first and quality counts, despite my deep-seated resentment regarding the expense. Such careful assessment is onerous though, because I am also considering the personal statement a car makes. Rightly or wrongly, I realize now assumptions are made, and this girlaboutOtown want to make sure she’s saying something as smart as it is sassy.
Having tried a few cars in the compact category in an effort to find the right fit, nothing so far has met my not-so-crazy criteria. Am I asking too much to be in the market for:
- extremely good gas mileage,
- reliability & longevity,
- value retention,
- attractive design,
- sufficient space for found furniture,
- fun to drive; and
- a reasonable price?
Oh, and don’t forget the tunes, of course!
November 30th, 2009 at 2:26 am
I’m a big fan of the Subaru Impreza. It’s lots of fun to drive and the all wheel drive makes it great to drive in the winter.
My wife has a 2004 with 250,000 km on it and it hasn’t had any serious problems, although it isn’t qyite as good on gas as my mazda protege.
Hatchback would probably fit small furniture. Chairs and dressers, but not a sofa.
November 30th, 2009 at 2:47 am
Hmm, tough criteria. Myself I’m partial to a cherry red El Camino with some chrome finishing.. But in real life I drive a Toyota Matrix. Love this car. Lots of room in it – rear seats fold down flat as does the passenger seat, good on gas, some snazzy colors, and it is a Toyota so it only gets better with age.
December 1st, 2009 at 8:12 am
We belong to a car sharing club that owns Volkswagen Golf hatchbacks exclusively. It’s a zippy little thing and what we would buy if we were in the market for a car. I think it’s previously been called the Rabbit in Canada but the new 2010 model is going back to the name Golf.
December 1st, 2009 at 1:58 pm
The Honda Fit is an excellent car, with great mileage, and, being a Honda, is a ton of fun to drive. It may be a little small for what you’re looking for, though, it’s hard to tell… either way, I’d recommend checking it out just in case.
Oh, and I’m not a big fan of the Matrix, personally. I had one as a rental once, and I found it drove like a minivan and had some really weird blind spots forward left and right.
December 1st, 2009 at 10:12 pm
Thanks for all the ideas! I haven’t tried an Impreza, nor have I even considered the Golf. I’m not sure why not really, although I wonder if it might not be a bit too small. Who knows though. Maybe I’ll have to look into it, and I’m sure the fella will have views too. I did check out the Matrix and was also a bit worried about the wierd blind spot. As for the Honda Fit, I really like it a lot, but they haven’t released the 2010’s yet and my lease is up very soon. Not sure I can wait, but it really is good on gas (which is at the very top of my list), and I’m still figuring out the finances. Honda rates are far from great.
Fun times.
So, thanks again for all the input, and stay tuned! The saga is sure to continue…
December 2nd, 2009 at 9:44 am
We looked at all the import hatchbacks and none were in our price range. We bought a Dodge Calibre and love it! We were hesitant about a Dodge but they didn’t make the transmission. It is much more affordable than the imports. We bought one with less than 20k on it and 6 months old that a rental company had and sold back to the dealer. Great deal, and we still received the 4.5 years left on the warranty.
Good luck! Car shopping = huge challenge.
December 3rd, 2009 at 6:37 am
Haha, who knew I enjoyed talking about cars so much – I’m back to check out the other comments!
By the way, I don’t think size would be an issue with the Golf. It’s pretty roomy – definitely bigger than the Fit. Best of luck in the search!
December 3rd, 2009 at 2:53 pm
Per my personal experience, I vote for Honda all the way! Reliable, easy on gas, comfortable, stylish, good reputation, good value retention. I have the Civic and looove it!
December 3rd, 2009 at 10:50 pm
So I’m back now from trying out a few more cars tonight. I drove the Golf (thanks to Hilary’s suggestion) and a Hyundai Elantra Touring. Phew.
The Golf drove really, really well and was quite nice on the inside. Who knew?! Plus, financing options just turned over for the month, and they’re pretty good right now.
As for the Elantra, you really can’t beat the price- and the mileage is slightly better. It drove well, but just didn’t feel as zippy as the Golf. Despite the attractive styling and lots of bling, the Elantra didn’t have quite the same feeling of substance either.
I’ve drove the Honda Fit in the spring and loved the ride. Can’t beat the fuel efficiency either. Just waiting to see what happens with their 2010’s…
Ugh. Big decisions…stay tuned for more!
January 24th, 2010 at 11:58 pm
Sooo? Did you make a choice? Of course I’m biased, but I love the VW Rabbit (now back to Golf for the 2010 model year). Here’s a recommendation I made on ThisNext: http://www.thisnext.com/item/B6FEF316/Volkswagen-Rabbit (Do you know this website? Great source of unique and original finds, recommended by everyday people.) Let us know what you picked!
January 25th, 2010 at 12:43 am
I did indeed make a choice. Proud owner of a VW Jetta TDI, and still smiling!