Buying new car mabye...need help

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xThunderbirdSCx

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Im looking into buying a new car soon as my scholarship payments are beginning this semester and ill be coming into some freed up money until i graduate and commission into the Army.

I was shopping around and considered some different kinds of cars. Just looking for opinions.

I want sporty, decent gas mileage, RELIABLE, practical, some good power to the ground and a manual tranny. I also want something in the 20k range.

I considered something like an 03/04 WRX STI
Mabye a Honda S2000
Mabye a Saturn Sky Turbo
im not sure. Just probing your minds.

Dont be biased towards domestics, or imports, just looking for opinions.
 
xThunderbirdSCx said:
Im looking into buying a new car soon as my scholarship payments are beginning this semester and ill be coming into some freed up money until i graduate and commission into the Army.

I was shopping around and considered some different kinds of cars. Just looking for opinions.

I want sporty, decent gas mileage, RELIABLE, practical, some good power to the ground and a manual tranny. I also want something in the 20k range.

I considered something like an 03/04 WRX STI
Mabye a Honda S2000
Mabye a Saturn Sky Turbo
im not sure. Just probing your minds.

Dont be biased towards domestics, or imports, just looking for opinions.
Click to expand...

i've only been in an STI and it was fairly quick, would be fun to drive.

Never been in an S2000, but they sound pretty nice. I hear they're kinda slow down low and you have to rev them to get any power out of them. Don't froget they're only a 2 seater....kinda a drawback IMO.

The Saturn Sky definitely grabs your attention, looks different than most cars out there. Again though....only a 2 seater.

...not too much else to add to this
 
id like to stick with a 4 cyl for personal reasons...


...but i really have no idea whats out on the market right now (2002-2005) and are good cars. Foreign AND domestic.


I checked out the new milan, its a nice car, but far from anything fun at all. Plus the mercury salesmen seemed a bit shady.

Im considering an evo or an sti at the moment, but im not sure, im going to go look for a couple to drive tomorrow.
 
The s2000 in my opinion isnt to fun to drive unles syou are revving teh pee outta it...

I liked a focus svt I drove..Then a gain I;m a ford guy...But you should try one out
 
i love WRX'S .... i would deffaintly get one of them over any car ,,,,, i know many people that have them and i havent heard of any problems yet
 
xThunderbirdSCx said:
Im looking into buying a new car soon as my scholarship payments are beginning this semester and ill be coming into some freed up money until i graduate and commission into the Army.

I was shopping around and considered some different kinds of cars. Just looking for opinions.

I want sporty, decent gas mileage, RELIABLE, practical, some good power to the ground and a manual tranny. I also want something in the 20k range.

I considered something like an 03/04 WRX STI
Mabye a Honda S2000
Mabye a Saturn Sky Turbo
im not sure. Just probing your minds.

Dont be biased towards domestics, or imports, just looking for opinions.
Click to expand...

I think you would be happier with a used Mustang Cobra than any of the stuff you listed. An LS1 GTO could probably be had in your price range too.

David
 
if ur gonna get a cobra, get a 2001 or a 2003 or 2004, dont go for any other year.... i am currently looking at those new SCION TC's with the TRD SUPERCHARGERS :D or a WRX STI if i can find one in my price range!
 
1990tbirdsc said:
i love WRX'S .... i would deffaintly get one of them over any car ,,,,, i know many people that have them and i havent heard of any problems yet
Click to expand...

my good buddy bought a 2002 wrx w/ 50k on it, he put on big downpipe + BOV, $30 boost controler and sti IC...was runnin like 17psi i belive... very fast...Until he spun a bearing a found a mound of metal shavings in his oilpan.. Suburu dosent recomend rebuilding those motors, so he now has a fresh block that hes in the process of putting back 2gether.......He was going to get a STi shortblock, but it woulda cost him $6k for it......:eek:
 
Why not just fix up the SC instead of selling/parting it out. That way you wont have a car payment to deal with.

Shane
 
I suggest you lower your budget to $10k and save some money for paying back your student loans after college. The Army makes a lot of promises, but from a few friends that have gone into the armed forces, they sure as hell are good about not keeping them when it comes to tuition reimbursement, etc.

Look at your list or wants and list of cars you listed again:

I want sporty, decent gas mileage, RELIABLE, practical, some good power to the ground and a manual tranny. I also want something in the 20k range.

I considered something like an 03/04 WRX STI
Mabye a Honda S2000
Mabye a Saturn Sky Turbo
Click to expand...

Those you listed are sports cars and not practical. If you want a sports car, buy a sports car.

That said, I'd say get an Contour SVT. Practical, decent power and handling, good gas mileage, 4 door, and a 5-spd. It's a V6, but meh...
 
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Pablo94SC said:
That said, I'd say get an Contour SVT. Practical, decent power and handling, good gas mileage, 4 door, and a 5-spd. It's a V6, but meh...
Click to expand...

I agree with the Contour SVT if you insist on getting a new car. My ex has one and its a real blast to drive. Its deffinately not nearly as fast as an SC but its handles and rides very nice.

Shane
 
I have no student loans, because im now on scholarship.

I wanted to stay away from ford products for general reliablilty issues.

The GTO and Cobra would be nice, but the gas MPG doesnt even break into the low 20s i believe. No good.

I dont want the SC for a daily driver anymore. Im sick of fixing one thing and in the process breaking another. People take things like windsheild wipers for granted until they are driving in the middle of a torential downpour and their wiper motor kicks out. I no longer have the time nor energy to put up with fixing the bird anymore. I got close, and i love the car, but i really need something with an aftermarket and that pretty warantee.

Plus....an STi would be bad@ss would it not? ;)

If i do end up selling the SC, its going to be only to someone on these boards who i will know will take care of it. End of story.

P.S.......about the contour.............bleh is right. Ive seen those things, no thanks
 
But have you driven the Contour SVT? It's really a cool little car and definitely would have gotten one for a daily driver if my funding at the time permitted it. It's definitely not your average Contour.

Another car to look at is the New Edge Cougars. The V6 isn't as peppy as the Contours, but it runs on 87, gets good mileage, and comes in a 5spd. Plus it's snazy looking and a hatchback.

Otherwise, spend your money on a VW Rabbit, GTI, Golf, or Jetta.
 
or a scion... i herd those contours are really expensive to work on.. is that true? this guy that used to go to work in one, his black svt contour, gave it up cuz it was too expensive to work on... same as an SC
 
xThunderbirdSCx said:
I have no student loans, because im now on scholarship.

I wanted to stay away from ford products for general reliablilty issues.

The GTO and Cobra would be nice, but the gas MPG doesnt even break into the low 20s i believe. No good.

I dont want the SC for a daily driver anymore. Im sick of fixing one thing and in the process breaking another. People take things like windsheild wipers for granted until they are driving in the middle of a torential downpour and their wiper motor kicks out. I no longer have the time nor energy to put up with fixing the bird anymore. I got close, and i love the car, but i really need something with an aftermarket and that pretty warantee.

Plus....an STi would be bad@ss would it not? ;)

If i do end up selling the SC, its going to be only to someone on these boards who i will know will take care of it. End of story.

P.S.......about the contour.............bleh is right. Ive seen those things, no thanks
Click to expand...

Good luck getting Subaru to warranty anything.

David
 
xThunderbirdSCx said:
I have no student loans, because im now on scholarship.

I wanted to stay away from ford products for general reliablilty issues.

The GTO and Cobra would be nice, but the gas MPG doesnt even break into the low 20s i believe. No good.

I dont want the SC for a daily driver anymore. Im sick of fixing one thing and in the process breaking another. People take things like windsheild wipers for granted until they are driving in the middle of a torential downpour and their wiper motor kicks out. I no longer have the time nor energy to put up with fixing the bird anymore. I got close, and i love the car, but i really need something with an aftermarket and that pretty warantee.

Plus....an STi would be bad@ss would it not? ;)

If i do end up selling the SC, its going to be only to someone on these boards who i will know will take care of it. End of story.

P.S.......about the contour.............bleh is right. Ive seen those things, no thanks
Click to expand...

Bill you are dumb to be looking at any of those cars. Didn't you go through all of this about a year or so ago when you were washing cars for the Honda dealer? Spending even $10K on a car right now is just stupid. Spending scholarship money on a car that you can't otherwise afford is disgusting IMO. You should either continue to drive your SC, or after you sell it you should be looking at a reliable used car in the $5000 range. After you've graduated and have a real paycheck then would be a good time to look at cars you really want and can afford rather than letting your hormones make your decisions for you.

Get real and stop acting like the rich kid that you are not. I *believe* your parents worked for their money, its about time you did too.
 
Ford reliability issues?....Maybe people just shouldnt buy 15yo cars beat the living daylight out of them and expect no problems. I really have a distaste for statemenst such as that. I personally think the svt focus fits the bill of what your looking for. But you have your mind set. If you want a car that will never give you a problem is sporty, has good power to the ground, a 4cyl with good gas miliage and under 20,000 good luck...Seriously Then again all of those are subjective except for the under 20,000 and 4cyl.

But then again what do I know.
 
And Davids being a little harsh but he knows you better then me. However before you were selling SC because you wanted a transam or a cobra...Then you needed money...Now you want to buy a 20,000 car with unrealistic expectations? Dave is right to an extent.

I think the reality is taht you feel an SC just isnt cool to drive. The girls dig Hondas and subarus and anything import that buzzes. Since I can remeber you have been making excuses to get rid of the SC. Just do it already.

But then again what do I know.
 
Heres a few pics of Lyndsay's (quick35thlady) '98 SVT Contour. I took these in a park last saturday.

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Shane
 
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