My dad's looking to replace his 2003 Camry with something a little more exciting. He's eyed our neighbor's E30 BMW, but would probably want something newer, larger, etc./more practical. Suggestions? Needs 4 seats, acceptable MPG, preferably 4 door. Hatch/wagon a slight bonus. Let's say $15k limit, can be bent if something like a 40MPG BMW 3 series TDI exists.
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Honda Fit Sport
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Mazdaspeed3 or Speed6
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Would the fit be an upgrade over the Camry? Seems like a smaller equivalent.
Mazdaspeed sounds along the lines of what he'd want.
BTW, any decision is probably a couple years off. Unless my sister decides she wants the Camry in a few months.Comment
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If you're a few years off, this is a pointless question.
Who know what the automotive landscape will look like in a few years. Does he want new, does he want used, what's his budget, etc, etc.
Something that would be a perfect fit today may be less so 2-3 years from now.Comment
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Originally posted by kinguin7 View Post
Just an idea.
I thought the mazdaspeed i drove back in 08 was cheaply made IMO. Fast tho. And 29mpg highway isnt to good eather.
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Budget's included in the original post. New, used, refurbed, etc. And yes, this question is only relevant if the economy doesn't tank, the gov doesn't mandate electric cars, etc. While he plans to keep the Camry 2 more years, things are apt to move sooner if the sister decides she doesn't want to drop ~$17k on a Fit.Comment
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a cb7 of course, find one thats 1st or 2nd owner, not molested and well taken care of
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x2Originally posted by illinois_erik View Posta cb7 of course, find one thats 1st or 2nd owner, not molested and well taken care of
At first i was going to suggest that (this is CB7tuner) but i didnt. Oh well...
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I've heard good things about the Mazdaspeed6, but I've never been in one.
The price range limits the sportiness, and the fuel economy requirements rule out some of the sportier options. Anything truly sporty will likely be rather inefficient, and anything at that price will likely be beat on.
Pontiac G8 wouldn't be a bad idea. The V6 models would give the fuel economy, but the V8 models will give the sportiness.
A G35 sedan (maybe even a G37 if there are any that cheap yet) wouldn't be a bad idea.
A Chrysler 300C could be had for that price. It's a boat, but a fairly sporty boat, being based on an older E-class. It's the only modern Chrysler I'd ever consider, to be honest.
Cadillac CTS isn't a bad choice (I paid $16,000 for my 06 CTS-V... a 3.5L V6 model would likely come in better condition, with fewer miles, and be better on gas... still respectable in terms of performance.)
A German car could be asking for trouble. I had similar requirements myself, and I shied away from German, simply because the cost to repair an affordable older model might make it very impractical to own. ESPECIALLY if it's M, AMG, or S/RS.
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Originally posted by SWMO View Post Just an idea.
I thought the mazdaspeed i drove back in 08 was cheaply made IMO. Fast tho. And 29mpg highway isnt to good eather. Appreciated, but it looks to be just another economy car afaik
Hmmm, cheap feel prob takes it out of the running, the "experience" is more important than raw performance.
And remix, I hadn't realized M series were that cheap already. Good call.
Edit: Deev, what year is your CTS?Comment
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D'oh!Comment
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Any BMW M car less than 10 years old for $15,000 is going to have REALLY high mileage. It'll end up being a $25,000 car by the time you're done fixing it.
The CTS is nice, but the interior is kinda cheapie. I don't care, because it does what i want it to do... but for a Cadillac, I expected fewer hard surfaces! Still, a good 3.5L would be a solid ride, and somewhat sporty.
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