Another "What should I buy?" thread.

[burtonxbordr94]

So my car (03 2.0 Jetta) is starting to show its age, and it may be time to get into something new and reliable before I ship off to school. I really like the new Golf, but I'm cross-shopping a little bit and was pleasantly surprised with the 2012 Civic. Manual transmission is a must, 2-door strongly preferred. Suggestions?

My car:


Rule #1:

[MCTB]

I know you said 2 door but when I was in college, everyone who had a 2 door wished they had a 4 door for the extra room. Youre going to be moving in and out of places for the next two or four years. If it has to be 2 door, a hatch like the Golf is desirable.

[AIRider]

2 door golf tdi.

/thread

[burtonxbordr94]

I know you said 2 door but when I was in college, everyone who had a 2 door wished they had a 4 door for the extra room. Youre going to be moving in and out of places for the next two or four years. If it has to be 2 door, a hatch like the Golf is desirable.

Good thought, I REALLY want a two door, but I'm used to a four door and it is more practical...

2 door golf tdi.

/thread

I cant afford a new tdi, but a mk5 rabbit tdi has crossed my mind, impossible to find though.

[veedubbin]

I cant afford a new tdi, but a mk5 rabbit tdi has crossed my mind, impossible to find though.

Thats because they were never produced

[romanl]

Thats because they were never produced

OP you can always get MKV 2.5 if money is tight, those are great cars/engines
my g/f has 07 Rabbit 2.5 and she loves it

[Ross1013]

Civic Si sedan if you can swing it.

What's your budget?

[zaYG]

I'm guessing you're born in 94 by your username and are about to go away to school.

Take my advice.

If you're paying for it, you won't be able to afford it. Take care of whatever needs to be done on the Jetta.

[burtonxbordr94]

Thats because they were never produced

legit?! wow... derp.

[elementpb]

Are you in college? This is an automatic Doctorate in Poonology.

[McHensley12]

...WRX

[burtonxbordr94]

...WRX

nice...

[mike02467]

8th generation Honda Civic SI.

Type R (not available in the USA )



2.5 Rabbit is a great suggestion also.

[S0RRY]

Consider that $300+ a month car payment, it pays for repairs pretty quickly. How much work does the Jetta really need?

[BattleRabbit]

As someone currently doing the exact same thing, just trust me. Maintaining a 2.0l VW is cheaper than a car payment.

Heck, my car is older and more broken than yours and it's STILL cheaper than a payment on average*. I don't come anywhere near $300/month in repairs. Last month cost me less than $20. I needed a rear wheel bearing and a rear wheel cylinder.

*once or twice it has eclipsed that, but if I need more than something like a relay or ignition coil in a month that's kind of unusual.

[deagle]

winters must be tough in maine, do u need AWD ? (thnking subie)

[x1000rpms]

Are you in college? This is an automatic Doctorate in Poonology.

I've actually found it near impossible to get laid in one of those... Just too small and cramped. Literally I think it is logistically impossible. A car with a useful back seat comes in handy, especially if you can't get laid in your dorm room because your lottery style, exchange student, room mate never ****ing leaves. On the other hand it is does lead to lots of other locations that are fun to tell your buddies about over too many beers.. or a camp fire when no mixed company is about.

The jetta is not a bad car. It's safe and useable for lots of things.. and if it is running and reliable then I would think about sticking with it. the cars you are listing just seem like more of the same. the main reason to get a different car when you don't have a lot of money is to get something totally different or to replace something that just doesn't work anymore at all - usually because of an accident.

I had a manual v6 stang through part of college and before that a really ****ty ford taurus.. and both cars were kind of crap in different ways.. but they worked and they were useful. The taurus was utilitarian for holding people and stuff .. and having a nice back seat... the mustang was manual and I learned manual on it.. and also learned a bit about rear wheel driving dynamics without having practically any real power. Fold down back seats made it semi useful for hauling stuff still..

I'd say if you're going to get something else get something that is more different.

[BattleRabbit]

There's an Eagle Talon TSi powered 1957 Volvo Duett on Bring A Trailer right now, get that. It'll be awesome.

[burtonxbordr94]

Consider that $300+ a month car payment, it pays for repairs pretty quickly. How much work does the Jetta really need?

Well, its misfiring and I can't tell whether it's plugs/wires or the coil pack (already had the whole ignition system replaced), and burning oil (as in like 1/2 quart a week)...

As someone currently doing the exact same thing, just trust me. Maintaining a 2.0l VW is cheaper than a car payment.

Heck, my car is older and more broken than yours and it's STILL cheaper than a payment on average*. I don't come anywhere near $300/month in repairs. Last month cost me less than $20. I needed a rear wheel bearing and a rear wheel cylinder.

*once or twice it has eclipsed that, but if I need more than something like a relay or ignition coil in a month that's kind of unusual.

I see where you're coming from but with the trade in on my car I'm looking at a 3 year 15k/y lease on the Golf. Give or take 185/ month and that includes no charge scheduled maintenance and warranty, which isn't bad because I had a 100/ month payment on the Jetta + repair costs. I'm still considering keeping the Jetta, I've just put more money into it than I ever planned to. I'm looking at used Subaru Imprezas and 2.5 Rabbits/ Jettas as well... who knows. I put it up on my local craigslist and I've had a lot of offers. And yeah... no effing way I can do 300+/ month on a car, no matter how many hours I work haha

[burtonxbordr94]

winters must be tough in maine, do u need AWD ? (thnking subie)

Nah, fwd with blazzaks has served me well so far.

[mike02467]

As someone currently doing the exact same thing, just trust me. Maintaining a 2.0l VW is cheaper than a car payment.

Heck, my car is older and more broken than yours and it's STILL cheaper than a payment on average*. I don't come anywhere near $300/month in repairs. Last month cost me less than $20. I needed a rear wheel bearing and a rear wheel cylinder.

*once or twice it has eclipsed that, but if I need more than something like a relay or ignition coil in a month that's kind of unusual.

Yeah but nobody wants to drive a car that's falling apart, when they can afford to drive one that isn't. He's clearly having lots of problems with it, and the question really is, when does all the repairs end? In the end you're just pissing away cash at a junky car.

[burtonxbordr94]

Yeah but nobody wants to drive a car that's falling apart, when they can afford to drive one that isn't. He's clearly having lots of problems with it, and the question really is, when does all the repairs end? In the end you're just pissing away cash at a junky car.

Exactly. The car is absolutely IMMACULATE body and interior wise... I baby it. It's not a junker yet I've just had enough with putting money into it.

[FlyingTurtle]

Get professional opinions as to how much the fixes will cost on your Jetta first, then look into second hand clean Civics or even an MK5 Rabbit.

[powdercrazy]

get the CIVIC, anyone who has to decide between a honda and a VW should just get a Honda. Doesn't sound like your a VW enthusiast.

[dunhamjr]

So my car (03 2.0 Jetta) is starting to show its age, and it may be time to get into something new and reliable before I ship off to school. I really like the new Golf, but I'm cross-shopping a little bit and was pleasantly surprised with the 2012 Civic. Manual transmission is a must, 2-door strongly preferred. Suggestions?

^^important info bolded ^^

do not buy anything!

having a car payment at school sucks ass. just spend $500 and get the maintenance up to date on your current car.

[Rex_WRX]

I see where you're coming from but with the trade in on my car I'm looking at a 3 year 15k/y lease on the Golf. Give or take 185/ month and that includes no charge scheduled maintenance and warranty, which isn't bad because I had a 100/ month payment on the Jetta + repair costs. I'm still considering keeping the Jetta, I've just put more money into it than I ever planned to. I'm looking at used Subaru Imprezas and 2.5 Rabbits/ Jettas as well... who knows. I put it up on my local craigslist and I've had a lot of offers. And yeah... no effing way I can do 300+/ month on a car, no matter how many hours I work haha

I don't really have much advice, but you seem to have your head on fairly straight for someone just out of high school. Most people I knew stretched themselves way thin buying the coolest cars they could 'afford' and became car-poor. Just don't forget about your insurance premiums.

I don't know what your living arrangements will be, but many college kids have to move all their stuff from place to place fairly often. I'd opt for something with fold down seats, or a hatch/wagon. I had an Integra my first year of college, and even though I had my own place, the hatchback (although small) and folding seats made it hugely useful more often than not for various 'activities'. My Subaru (sedan, no folding seats and a relatively small trunk opening), however, has been mostly useless for hauling anything other than people and small boxes.

But the bottom line is, it's college. Don't spend too much money, and just get something you like.

[DMACK]

Brz or FRS didnt you know its the best car in the world according to the forum..

[Son]

2-door for the impracticality?

[Venom6]

I vote civic Si. If you like coupe styling but want a hatch practicallity maybe try the tC, although civic Si is more sporty of a drive. Oh a used RSX would combine the best of both, and its a fun drive

Also if you get 4door, you are more likely to be used by lazy and/or cheap friends saying they cant fit people or stuff in their cars... it gets old fast youll end up burning more gas and racking up unnecessary miles. Buy the car to please your self first and foremost!

[vdub10golf]

My last car was a '10 Golf 2-dr. Absolutely loved it and it never had an issue. Definitely recommend it

[GTiTOM]

I see where you're coming from but with the trade in on my car I'm looking at a 3 year 15k/y lease on the Golf. Give or take 185/ month and that includes no charge scheduled maintenance and warranty, which isn't bad because I had a 100/ month payment on the Jetta + repair costs. I'm still considering keeping the Jetta, I've just put more money into it than I ever planned to. I'm looking at used Subaru Imprezas and 2.5 Rabbits/ Jettas as well... who knows. I put it up on my local craigslist and I've had a lot of offers. And yeah... no effing way I can do 300+/ month on a car, no matter how many hours I work haha

Point 1: Trading a car in on a lease is a terrible idea. Go to the car purchasing forum for more info why (basically, you never want to put money down on a lease, and that's what you're doing with a trade).

Point 2: You don't want to be leasing a car in college. People will puke in it. People will spill stuff in it. You'll scrape up the interior loading it with crap. People will back in to you. You'll let someone borrow it and they'll let someone smoke in it and a cigarette will get burned in the back seat. You don't want to have to be worrying about these things. You don't want to have to not be able to take a road trip to Montreal or Sunday River because you'll go over your mileage for the month.

Point 3: Just because your jetta is in tough shape, doesn't mean all used cars in that price range are. For example, I've had my 03 civic si hatch since 03 and I haven't been able to justify getting rid of it for nearly 10 years. After warranty ended, it's needed tires, brakes, a tie rod end, and headlights. I change the oil with synthetic every 5000-7500. The only major repair is the AC compressor going, but I haven't even bothered to fix it yet.

Point 4: You're in college. SUV or hatchback is the way to go. I had a mk2 gti in college --- with the seats down, I could fit all of my stuff into it.

Point 4: So what do you do at the end of your 3 year lease? You're going into senior year, you'll probably have some credit card debt or student loan debt. Hopefully you won't have missed a payment or been late on one. You'll have no job and no income and zero cash to put towards a car. If your credit isn't perfect by then, you might have a tough time getting another lease. So what do you do?

My advice: Sell your jetta, buy a used civic (Si hatch like mine will run you probably $4k-$7k), don't worry about car payments, don't worry about voiding a lease, don't worry about what you'll be doing for a car your senior year when you're flat broke. At the very least, if you do lease, wait at least 3 months after you get to college --- see what it's like, see how tight money is, see how little time you have to work extra jobs, see how your car gets treated up there, etc, etc, etc. But don't get into a new lease before you go

[burtonxbordr94]

Point 1: Trading a car in on a lease is a terrible idea. Go to the car purchasing forum for more info why (basically, you never want to put money down on a lease, and that's what you're doing with a trade).

Point 2: You don't want to be leasing a car in college. People will puke in it. People will spill stuff in it. You'll scrape up the interior loading it with crap. People will back in to you. You'll let someone borrow it and they'll let someone smoke in it and a cigarette will get burned in the back seat. You don't want to have to be worrying about these things. You don't want to have to not be able to take a road trip to Montreal or Sunday River because you'll go over your mileage for the month.

Point 3: Just because your jetta is in tough shape, doesn't mean all used cars in that price range are. For example, I've had my 03 civic si hatch since 03 and I haven't been able to justify getting rid of it for nearly 10 years. After warranty ended, it's needed tires, brakes, a tie rod end, and headlights. I change the oil with synthetic every 5000-7500. The only major repair is the AC compressor going, but I haven't even bothered to fix it yet.

Point 4: You're in college. SUV or hatchback is the way to go. I had a mk2 gti in college --- with the seats down, I could fit all of my stuff into it.

Point 4: So what do you do at the end of your 3 year lease? You're going into senior year, you'll probably have some credit card debt or student loan debt. Hopefully you won't have missed a payment or been late on one. You'll have no job and no income and zero cash to put towards a car. If your credit isn't perfect by then, you might have a tough time getting another lease. So what do you do?

My advice: Sell your jetta, buy a used civic (Si hatch like mine will run you probably $4k-$7k), don't worry about car payments, don't worry about voiding a lease, don't worry about what you'll be doing for a car your senior year when you're flat broke. At the very least, if you do lease, wait at least 3 months after you get to college --- see what it's like, see how tight money is, see how little time you have to work extra jobs, see how your car gets treated up there, etc, etc, etc. But don't get into a new lease before you go

I know trading for a lease is a bad idea, and the dealer lowballed me. My car was only in "good" condition and they had to take money away for a "safety check" and "detail." No accidents on the record and I keep my car spotless...

But anyway, you do have some fine points, and since I posted this about a week ago I have moved towards looking at newer used cars rather than leasing a new one.

As much as I'd LOVE an older Civic Si like yours, I can't find them around here... But I have found an 08 Outback Sport and an 09 Rabbit that I'm gonna check out this week. I've now had 5 offers on the Jetta so it's time to figure something out.

Thanks for the good constructive advice everyone!

[burtonxbordr94]

My last car was a '10 Golf 2-dr. Absolutely loved it and it never had an issue. Definitely recommend it

I REALLY love the Golf. I drove both a '12 Golf and a '12 Jetta and the Golf felt seriously upscale and refined, especially compared to its sedan counterpart. Finding a used mk6 Golf around here is damn near impossible, even finding a new one with a 2.5 and a manual is proving somewhat tricky.

I vote civic Si. If you like coupe styling but want a hatch practicallity maybe try the tC, although civic Si is more sporty of a drive. Oh a used RSX would combine the best of both, and its a fun drive

Also if you get 4door, you are more likely to be used by lazy and/or cheap friends saying they cant fit people or stuff in their cars... it gets old fast youll end up burning more gas and racking up unnecessary miles. Buy the car to please your self first and foremost!

Exactly... I know I want a 2-door if at all possible this time around.

[GTiTOM]

I know trading for a lease is a bad idea, and the dealer lowballed me. My car was only in "good" condition and they had to take money away for a "safety check" and "detail." No accidents on the record and I keep my car spotless...

But anyway, you do have some fine points, and since I posted this about a week ago I have moved towards looking at newer used cars rather than leasing a new one.

As much as I'd LOVE an older Civic Si like yours, I can't find them around here... But I have found an 08 Outback Sport and an 09 Rabbit that I'm gonna check out this week. I've now had 5 offers on the Jetta so it's time to figure something out.

Thanks for the good constructive advice everyone!

Make me an offer original owner, 90k miles, some dings and dents, needs an AC compressor

Honestly, I'd just get the nicest car you can afford to buy with cash, even if you're talking 10 year old subies or mk3 golfs.

[BattleRabbit]

Yeah but nobody wants to drive a car that's falling apart, when they can afford to drive one that isn't. He's clearly having lots of problems with it, and the question really is, when does all the repairs end? In the end you're just pissing away cash at a junky car.

People paying tuition generally. Repairs are a PITA, but they do occasionally give you the option of ignoring them until you have the money. "HVAC backlights don't work, can't swing $25 to fix them," is doable. "I'm unexpectadly broke, and I've got a payment," really isn't.

If he wasn't about to head to school, I'd absolutely be behind getting a Mk V 2.5l. They're very good cars. Heading off to school changes the equation, however. As a want based decision, new car makes sense. Knowing he's heading off to school and not knowing anything else about his financial situation, I'd say no new car is a better idea.

Just FYI, an oil pan gasket, V/C Gasket, and a couple oil cooler o-rings will run you $40 or less and should fix your oil issue. As for the ignition issue, let me check and see if I have MkIV 2.0l plug wires laying around. Shoot me a PM and maybe I can help you solve that issue.