The new car stigma..

As some of you may know, i'm in the hunt for an Escort Wagon as portrayed in the lively classifieds thread. While scouring around on Autotrader, I found an 09 Yaris hatch in the area at a pretty damn good price. Admitting that I have auto add and go through a car every couple years, this is really the one car i've had my eye on for awhile. I travel for work everyday and put on a few miles each month and need something reliable and comfortable. Am I crazy for wanting a low mileage new/pre owned car?

No. I've bought about half of my cars new, half used.

Some of the grassroots fascists here will make fun of you. That shouldn't be too hard to live with.

Now, understand that having auto ADD makes for the least-value new car ownership experience. You're taking the depreciation hit and getting rid of it in a few years just when it's getting truly cost-effective to own. If you're buying new, you're better off keeping it for many years.

But in the end it is your car and your money.

nope, ive been looking a Yaris's too, always wanted to slap some Exige wheels on one

I dont' blame you, I had used cars and I mean used cars up until my truck, it's still used, but was only 1 year old/still under factory warranty and I've enjoyed knowing it, it's not near as 'nice' as my older used cars I used to run, but then again, besides oil and gas and filter cleanings I don't have to do anything to it or worry about it, you'll find working on cars to be much more pleasurable when it's not your DD...

I am guilty of this as well, actually the last two cars I have purchased have been like this. The 06 Legacy GT (I don't fit well in the wrx) and my wife's new Fit (didn't like the previous gen as well). I wanted AWD and a turbo, and 4 doors, she wanted a car that had things like an iPod interface and got really good gas milage that we would not have to worry about for awhile. She was getting tired of the "time to fix something else on the miata" thing.

As a student I had a suzuki swift that I spent lots of time fixing. My dad and I once figured out that if we spent the same amount of hours working instead of fixing the 12 year old swift we could have bought a brand new car that would have been reliable and worth something two years later when I was done with it. Sometimes the new(ish) car makes more sense.

I did learn a lot working on that swift though and I'm not sorry I did it.

I want a Yaris hatchy so badly. I would slam that sucker to the ground, put a big nasty rear sway bar on it, and some nice wheels/rubber and call it a day.

Yep any model Yaris has a lot of potential. They're basically new late 80s/early 90s cars.

I have to admit that a newer car with a warranty is sounding more and more appealing to me. I am working 9-5 and taking a differential equations class on top of that. My E30 is down right now (still hunting the problem with it) and I have NO time to work on it, the exploder is having its own problems (driveline shimmy, evap system leak, probly needs a new balancer on the crank or something) and I am fighting to find time to fix that, and I need to swap exhausts and de-tint my mustang to get it inspected and cant find the time to do that...

yeah, even if i burn more money a newer cheap beater with a warranty is sounding better and better because i wouldnt have to mess with it and worry about it. now, if i only had some money (9-5 is a research internship that isnt paid hourly, I get about enough to cover gas and food)

of course you miss out on driving something neater every day, but I am missing on that because im driving the exploder right now (dont want to park the mustang on campus)

hell, a smart car or upcoming fiat 500 sounds lovely right about now..

It's your money and your car. Buy what makes you happy.

GameboyRMH wrote: Yep any model Yaris has a lot of potential. They're basically new late 80s/early 90s cars.

Really? What are they based on? Perhaps something cool like an old Celica?

As an aside, my aunt in Greece has had a Yaris for what seems like close to ten years now - I think those cars have been in production for a bit longer than they've been for sale here in the US.

A Yaris wouldn't even make my top ten for cheap new cars-a miserable, ugly little device-no thanks.

we have a local guy that did last years on Lap race in a Yaris. He also has done coil overs and sway bars, At the local auto X events he beats about 1/2 the Porsches.

I rode along with a buddy driving a stock yaris on r-comps at a local autocross last year. It was the scariest thing I've ever done.....felt like it was going to land on its roof around every turn :)

Somewhat of a little update: The Yaris I was eying down sold earlier today. Also, I checked out a 98 Escort Wagon at a local dealer that was a new trade in but it was an automatic and needed way too much work for the $2700 they were asking. My search has now opened up to include 06+ Accent hatches and Focus hatches..

Don't forget the Mercury Tracer, as well.

I will be bringing home an 09 Yaris hatch tomorrow. That is all.

Get it set up right and here is what it can do..

see.. http://blip.tv/file/2351613

'Gratz, let us know how it is

M030 wrote:

GameboyRMH wrote: Yep any model Yaris has a lot of potential. They're basically new late 80s/early 90s cars.

Really? What are they based on? Perhaps something cool like an old Celica?

i think he's referring to the fact that they're actually light (~200lbs...much better than, say, the porky ~2500lb Fit) and aren't burdened by a lot of the crap that most other new cars are. i would hop into one if it had an engine worth a damn (so basically, if it was a new version of the FX16).

M030 wrote:

GameboyRMH wrote: Yep any model Yaris has a lot of potential. They're basically new late 80s/early 90s cars.

Really? What are they based on? Perhaps something cool like an old Celica?

i think he's referring to the fact that they're actually light (~200lbs...much better than, say, the porky ~2500lb Fit) and aren't burdened by a lot of the crap that most other new cars are. i would hop into one if it had an engine worth a damn (so basically, if it was a new version of the FX16).

i THOUGHT he was referring to them using the old Echo (tercel) drivetrains/platforms..... don't those date back to the late 80's, early 90's?

I'm a firm believer in taking advantage of someone else's new car ADD. Bought a two year old Subaru Outback for my wife w/18k miles for almost half what it was going for new. I also have a '99 Honda Civic as my DD and those things are almost completely indestructible.

Right now, I'm looking for a 1st Gen Prius with car pool lane access stickers and a dead battery pack so I can do a V6 turbo swap on it and "legally" drive it in the HOV lane!