JThw8
JThw8 UberDork
7/18/12 6:53 a.m.

Yet Another What Car Thread - never done one myself, so I guess it was a matter of time.

Due to financial troubles and an Elantra that blew its 2nd motor at 200,000 miles my dad has been daily driving a 69 VW bug, in DC traffic, for 2 years now. All that time he has slowly squirreled away some money and he's finally ready to purchase something newer.

He is absolutely in love with the 2002-2003 Mazda Protoge5. However he has now looked at every one listed on CL, Cars.com, Autotrader, etc within his area and hasn't found one where everything just lines up for him. So he asked me what other good candidates are out there in the same vein.

Below is the list I gave him but are we missing out on any hidden gems out there? Criteria is $4000-$7500, known reputation for reliability, auto or manual is ok, wagon/5 door hatch highly preferred. Nothing that needs excessive care and feeding (he loves my 325iT but lacks the DIY skills to keep one happy) Mileage around 100k is fine, MPGs should hit high 20s highway at a minimum, 30+ is better. Functional AC is a must. And for the unquantifiable, must be "interesting" What interesting means to a 67 year old man is beyond me, but he likes the Protoge5 especially in red or yellow so bright colors seem to work for him.

Suggestions which were made and found acceptable:

Scion xA

Toyota Matrix

Mazda 3 hatchback

Nissan Versa Hatchback

Suggestions rejected (or at least not met with enthusiasm)

SAAB wagons

Volvo wagons (trying to talk him into reconsidering this one)

Subaru's

What else ya got for me to suggest.

integraguy
integraguy UltraDork
7/18/12 7:14 a.m.

I would add the CR-V to that list, EXCEPT it doesn't come in bright colors (that I remember, anyway) and it sure won't be easy to find a low mileage one in that price range. But I have to think that after driving one, or something similar, like a RAV4, your father might like the slightly elevated driving position.

I also looked at a xA recently. For me, what puts the brakes on that choice is that there is no cruise as a factory option. Otherwise, it seemed pretty decent for what it is. The xB is also a choice, though your father may think it's too boxy, and it did occasionally come in bright colors.

JThw8
JThw8 UberDork
7/18/12 7:19 a.m.
integraguy wrote: I would add the CR-V to that list, EXCEPT it doesn't come in bright colors (that I remember, anyway) and it sure won't be easy to find a low mileage one in that price range. But I have to think that after driving one, or something similar, like a RAV4, your father might like the slightly elevated driving position. I also looked at a xA recently. For me, what puts the brakes on that choice is that there is no cruise as a factory option. Otherwise, it seemed pretty decent for what it is. The xB is also a choice, though your father may think it's too boxy, and it did occasionally come in bright colors.

Sorry I didn't include it on his list because it wasn't on his written list but I know he and I had discussed it, no SUV's/cute utes/etc.

Mom has a dodge minivan and he doesn't mind the elevated driving position but it doesnt effect him either way. He is particular about seat quality, back issues like I have, but I keep telling him, all things being equal if he finds a car he loves I'll swap a seat.

Cruise is not critical to him, he's DD'd a VW bug for 2 years now, he's no too picky about amenities.

Mom nixed the xB....yep, too boxy. Hates the cube too (not that it's in their price range) Both love my wife's Kia Soul though (but not gonna find that for their price)

Bright colors seem to be catching his eye but dont let that sway a recommendation on an otherwise good car, he's a reasonable adult and knows that sometimes you have to take what you can get when shopping in the used market.

The Fit would also be high on his list but anything that dips even to the top of his price range has got to be beat.

JThw8
JThw8 UberDork
7/18/12 7:21 a.m.

Some other thoughts, car's he'd own if he could afford it (and financing is not an option)

Honda Fit

Chevy Sonic

Kia Soul

Hyundai Elantra Touring

bastomatic
bastomatic Dork
7/18/12 8:33 a.m.

I'm surprised given his luck with his last Elantra that he'd consider another. But if he thinks it's a decent car, the Elantra GT of the last generation should be pretty inexpensive, and was available in a bright red.

GameboyRMH
GameboyRMH GRM+ Memberand UberDork
7/18/12 8:44 a.m.

A Mazda2 would be a good choice for someone who saved up for 2 years to buy a $7.5k car, but I don't know if any have depreciated into that range yet. A Yaris is another good econobox but the damn things don't depreciate.

Matt B
Matt B Dork
7/18/12 9:06 a.m.

What about a Focus? They came in "5" door hatches and traditional wagon shapes. Plenty of bright colors. I hear they're decent drivers. My biggest contention with them is the interior design, but that's subjective. The SVT interior is quite a bit more tolerable though. Most examples should be at the bottom of his price range too.

JThw8
JThw8 UberDork
7/18/12 9:18 a.m.
bastomatic wrote: I'm surprised given his luck with his last Elantra that he'd consider another. But if he thinks it's a decent car, the Elantra GT of the last generation should be pretty inexpensive, and was available in a bright red.

He has a thing for the touring but is gunshy of the earlier gen Elantras due to his experience. FWIW, his first one wasn't terrible, it went 120k until a screw up by the dealer cost it the first motor (which they denied) so I bought a junkyard motor with 40k on it and swapped it in, he took that motor another 80k for 100k total on an unknown junkyard motor.

GameboyRMH wrote: A Mazda2 would be a good choice for someone who saved up for 2 years to buy a $7.5k car, but I don't know if any have depreciated into that range yet. A Yaris is another good econobox but the damn things don't depreciate.

Yeah, sadly no Mazda2s in his price range. The Yaris is under consideration if he can find one, but again, not many in that price range.

Matt B wrote: What about a Focus? They came in "5" door hatches and traditional wagon shapes. Plenty of bright colors. I hear they're decent drivers. My biggest contention with them is the interior design, but that's subjective. The SVT interior is quite a bit more tolerable though. Most examples should be at the bottom of his price range too.

I don't know what his particular reasoning is for not wanting a Focus, but I had one, and perhaps they've gotten better since then but I was appalled at the terrible mileage it got for an econobox. I had an all highway commute and could never get above 26mpg out of it.

Jaynen
Jaynen Reader
7/18/12 9:30 a.m.

Hmm I got 26 out of my SVT focus but that was because it was tuned up or whatever over stock. I was able to bring home a friends huge TV in it so a very usable hatch and I liked the SVT interior.

My opinion. Sounds like the Protege5 is really up his alley, if hes been driving the bug for 2 years either A) increase your search radius or B) keep waiting for one to show up?

Rusted_Busted_Spit
Rusted_Busted_Spit GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
7/18/12 9:39 a.m.

I think an xR matrix would be right up his alley.

JThw8
JThw8 UberDork
7/18/12 9:45 a.m.
Jaynen wrote: Hmm I got 26 out of my SVT focus but that was because it was tuned up or whatever over stock. I was able to bring home a friends huge TV in it so a very usable hatch and I liked the SVT interior. My opinion. Sounds like the Protege5 is really up his alley, if hes been driving the bug for 2 years either A) increase your search radius or B) keep waiting for one to show up?

Yeah, I've been trying to tell him he's going to have to go outside his local area for this one. There's a few up this way but he won't buy sight unseen and no matter how many times I say its ok he doesn't want to "inconvenience" me to pre-check a car for him. Meh. I did find another one down his way this morning so he's going to check that out.

He's also a bit gunshy of MD inspection so he'd like to find a MD car with a good certificate already. He's had some bad experiences with it I guess but I keep telling him he just has to deal with it.

Rusted_Busted_Spit wrote: I think an xR matrix would be right up his alley.

Matrix is definitely on the list. Tried to get him to look at the Pontiac Vibe too but he swears a few of his co-workers have them and they are nothing but trouble...yeah, I know....I stopped trying to argue long ago :)

clutchsmoke
clutchsmoke Reader
7/18/12 10:17 a.m.

My vote goes for Mazda3. It'll be the easiest to find in that price range with a stick. And be the best handling compared to the others.

Jaynen
Jaynen Reader
7/18/12 10:20 a.m.

We have an 05 Matrix base model for the wifes car and it has been 0 issues. The motor is even a timing chain so no belts to worry about.

Only complaints with her car is a) automatic b) no cruise control because its a base model

And her car has like 130k on it so far.

JThw8
JThw8 UberDork
7/18/12 1:41 p.m.

Well that was quick. We've been doing this hunt for about 3 months now so he was giving up on finding a Protege 5 which is why I started the thread to begin with. But this morning I found one local to him using an alternate spelling search (Protoge) that was just what he was looking for (color aside) and he struck a good deal on his lunch break for it.

116,000 miles, loaded with recent and documented maintenance. Asking $4500, bought it for $4000. He's a happy camper again.

Anyone wanna buy a very reliable 69 VW bug?

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