My first car

[camochick]

Hey everyone, just thought I would throw this out here. I am looking for a car, something used, reliable and good on gas. I have been to alot of dealerships and I am doing alot of research. So far my number one choice is a Toyota Echo, they seem to be safe, reliable and good on gas. Has anyone here ever have one, or has one now. It would be great to get some input on the car. I was looking at cavaliers and sunfires but I found a site with customer reviews and they seem to be pieces of junk. Any advice would be great.  >

 

[LordVagabond]

Echo = slow, not much torque, but very good on gas. If we knew what your budget was, it would be easier to pick cars within the budget  :warstory: ;D

 

[q_1966]

You must have alot of money to spend, if you can go out and buy that new of a car those echos are like what 7,000 - 10,000?

my cars worth about a grand, in good condition

 

[camochick]

My budget isnt that high. I would like something under 15k. I would buy a beater for cheap but soon I will be travelling about a half our to the city and back, and with the winter conditions here in Alberta, not to mention the drivers here in Edmonton I would prefer to buy something newer and hopefully safer.

 

[Scratch_043]

well, I have a Hyundai Accent, it's been beaten to shit, and still runs great. it is great on gas (about 7.6l/100km), but it is also smaller than the echo, but, it is alot cheaper too. I will be driving about 700kms a week next year, and I am driving around 300 a week now, and I haven't had any problems with it (it's a 98)

for a first car, I would reccomend it, very economical, and comfortable. Just don't be like me and get into a few accidents, or else it will look like the crayolamobile, as body parts for the front end are hard to find used, 'cause in a front end collision, the car takes the abuse, so that you can walk away (**Safety**)

I think that about covers it,
Nic

 

[LordVagabond]

For an Alberta beater, an older (early to mid 90's) Subaru is the perfect car. With all season radials, and very VERY good all wheel drive, you can't go wrong in a subaru. If AWD isn't your cup of tea, then the venerable Honda Civic is cheaply available, cheap to insure and maintain, and does mid-decent gas mileage (30 mpg on a broken in engine). These are, of course, my opinions as I live in Calgary, Alberta and have driven all the cars I've listed so far in both sun and snow.  8)

 

[Korus]

not to mention the drivers here in Edmonton I would prefer to buy something newer and hopefully safer.

Sorry.... my bad.

 

[Zombie]

I bought a 1999 Sunfire GT last December and it has been great so far...was good throughout the winter here in TO and is also really good on insurance...I would recommend it but if you've read otherwise, then I dunno!

 

[TCBF]

I have 366,000 km on my 1992 Honda Civic.  Headgasket at 340,000 (Stale coolant eats head gaskets!  Watch out!), Alternator/voltage regulator, shocks, brakes , mufflers.  Electric door locks N/S.  Needs a bit of body work (was bought in Fredericton).  This is car 4.  Car 5 (my wife's) is a second hand 99 Civic, bought with 76,000 km a year ago, now with 100,000.
Cars 1 - 3: 1973 Mazda RX2, 1978 Accord Hatchback, 1984 Accord Hatchback.

 

[camochick]

Thanks for all the advice. I am still looking and hopefully i will find something within my budget and that is safe and reliable. Then I have to learn how to drive in Edmonton. That thought scares me more than the loan i am going to have to pay for my car hehe >

 

[Gunner]

I have 366,000 km on my 1992 Honda Civic.  Headgasket at 340,000 (Stale coolant eats head gaskets!  Watch out!), Alternator/voltage regulator, shocks, brakes , mufflers.  Electric door locks N/S.  Needs a bit of body work (was bought in Fredericton).  This is car 4.  Car 5 (my wife's) is a second hand 99 Civic, bought with 76,000 km a year ago, now with 100,000. Cars 1 - 3: 1973 Mazda RX2, 1978 Accord Hatchback, 1984 Accord Hatchback.

TCBF, I think you are my Honda soul brother.  I would have to think long and hard before I purchased a car that was NOT a Honda.

 

[Teddy Ruxpin]

TCBF, I think you are my Honda soul brother.   I would have to think long and hard before I purchased a car that was NOT a Honda.

Yeah right...  :  All I'd have to say is three letters... B...M...W...  You'd dump Honda in a heartbeat!

 

[Gunner]

  All I'd have to say is three letters... B...M...W...  You'd dump Honda in a heartbeat!

Ah TR, you and I both know that if Gunner wants to drive a B..M..W.., he could.  Oops, started referring to myself in the third person (too much Rome: Total War).

 

[Teddy Ruxpin]

Ah Gunner, you and I both know why you don't!  :-X

 

[Slim]

I currently drive a '97 Chev Blazer (black of course) Great SUV (my third) lots of room inside.

But with gas prices the way they are not so great on the pocketbook...On the other hand I can still get home during snowstorms and will have a lower chance of getting killed by some yoyo who doesn't look before they lane-change (in Toronto its every third driver!)

Slim

 

[NiTz]

hi!

I just bought a Honda civic 2001 2 dr LX .. and I love it a lot. Very.. very good gas/mileage too. I work in a Honda dealer as a mechanic so that helps I recommend Honda to everyone and it's not because I work there, I work there because Hondas are good products and are very reliable. I also love BMW's but then again, be prepared for lots of $$$ ... replacement parts for BMW's aren't cheap...

For the echo, those are great cars also, but a friend of mine got one and his car takes more gas than mine but i don't know why. He also says that you need to keep your massage therapist's number handy with this car, as the suspension is very hard. I drove it and I loved it, but my friend don't...

My girlfriend's got a Hyundai Accent 2001, wich is also a good car but way cheaper than the two others. Remember, you pay for what you get, and this statement takes all of it's sense with hyundais. My girlfriend's car's now worth like 5000$ and mine still worth 13500$ , and both of our cars are 2001's. So if you wanna sell it someday then you might want to consider this point.

Subarus are great also, and I like mazdas a lot too. Especially the mazda 6 hmm... Remember to stay away from cavaliers, sunfires, and any Ford of Chrysler product. Not that I don't like them, but they're not reliable and you'll hate it as you'll always be at the garage. I got 2 chryslers, 1 ford, and I say : NEVER AGAIN!

if you got questions PM me, i'll be pleased to answer!

Cheers ! good luck!

 

[condor888000]

Honda CRV with winter tires is damn near impossible to lose traction in. I drove in some pretty heavy stuff(for Ottawa anyways) and didn't slip once. There are plently of them for sale, out here at least. Not that expensive either. AWD, all the good stuff, insurace is good, gas is good, I love it!

And I agree with NiTz, Honda's are bloody amazing!

 

[onecat]

I have to go with Nissan.  I have 95 200sx-r and its awesome.

I had two fords before that they were okay.  I would buy one again, if only they made something I like.

 

[TCBF]

"Then I have to learn how to drive in Edmonton. That thought scares me more than the loan i am going to have to pay for my car hehe"

My wife drives 400km in Edmonton every week, and I drive about 500 - 600 a week - most of it on Hwy 14 between Wainwright and Lancaster Park.

When we moved here from St. Jean, Quebec, my car insurance went UP.  Same company, and they steal more cars in Quebec, so you can figure on degraded driving skills in Alberta.

Reasons: 

1.  Young offenders are too busy shooting out the car windows to drive properly.

2.  Hayseed driving tests (Drive North 1 mile on Range Road 211, West 1 mile on Township Road 241, South 1 mile on Range Road 212, East 1 mile on Township Road 240 - well done, you pass) , then they drink a sixpack of PBR, and decide to visit the big city in a pick-up truck.  They jam up the Whitemud during rush hour by doing 70 kmh when traffic wants to do 110, and they can't see out of their back window because of the copper water pipes in the "Easy Rider" rifle rack.....  I could go on.

 

[civvy3840]

My older Brother just bought a 2003 Toyota corolla for about 11 grand. He loves it he went to a toyota dealership and picked it up the next week. Here's a review on the 2003 corolla:http://www.familycar.com/RoadTests/ToyotaCorolla/

It says 13,000-20,000 but it was used so...