I need help in choosing a spare vehicle

[ragingclue]

Originally Posted by josh06lau

fiesta's at invoice? Where you live? Even the S fiesta are at invoice? Wow that is a really good deal then

No I haven't looked into the S at all, just the SES. However, I've been told that they've had success selling the optioned out models so if any were subject to markup, I would imagine they'd be first. I guess it just depends though; they don't seem to be too popular here in Chicago, but apparently they have popularity "hot spots" where dealers can get away with shenanigans.

[kidmoua]

Honda.. will last you twice as long as the other two.

Plus, 10 years down the road, those other two will at the junk yard and an Asian guy like me will leave you a note on your windshield, "Call me if you want to sell this car."

I've done that to other Civics, esp. the hatchback, haven't got a call back yet. Still waiting patiently by the phone.

[ragingclue]

Originally Posted by kidmoua

Honda.. will last you twice as long as the other two.

Please tell me what you are basing this on.

[hipnotic]

I am going to test drive both the fiesta and elantra this weekend. I have already test driven the civic and the pick up wasn't bad at all, but the ride is a little rough and the interior seems cheap and plastic. However, the rear seats aren't bad and the trunk isn't bad either. We will see how the other two cars compare.

[kidmoua]

Originally Posted by ragingclue

Please tell me what you are basing this on.

Not bashing anything. Was just stating that the Civic will outlast the other two vehcicles. The Civic is and will be more reliable than the Hyundai and Ford.

[hipnotic]

all comments are welcomed. I just want to hear other people's opinion. Keep this going please

[ragingclue]

Originally Posted by kidmoua

Not bashing anything. Was just stating that the Civic will outlast the other two vehcicles. The Civic is and will be more reliable than the Hyundai and Ford.

I asked what you were basing (verb root "base") your statement on, e.g. personal experience, actual reliability ratings, stats from cars manufactured 10-20 years ago, stereotypes, etc...

[kidmoua]

I'm looking for a little beater myself. Something cheap and reliable, like a little Civic hatchback.

[kidmoua]

Originally Posted by ragingclue

I asked what you were basing (verb root "base") your statement on, e.g. personal experience, actual reliability ratings, stats from cars manufactured 10-20 years ago, stereotypes, etc...

oops, misunderstood..

I've owned a few Honda/Acuras and wrenched for 13 years and just the stuff I've seen come in day in and day out. So basically, it's from persional experience

[ragingclue]

Originally Posted by kidmoua

oops, misunderstood..

I've owned a few Honda/Acuras and wrenched for 13 years and just the stuff I've seen come in day in and day out. So basically, it's from persional experience

Well I think a lot has changed in the quality and reliability of cars produced by both Ford and especially Hyundai over the last decade+... There just aren't a whole lot of 13-year-old cars from those automakers left compared to Honda because back then, Honda was leaps and bounds above both of those automakers at making cars that stayed on the road. We won't know what kind of staying power the cars rolling off the line will have until we're another 10+ years down the line, but if quality and dependability ratings are any indication, both Hyundai and Ford are perfectly keeping pace with Honda, with Hyundai actually rated one spot above Honda, and Ford rated in the spot directly behind Honda.

Also, with the amazing factory warranty Hyundai offers, it's going to make it less likely that people put off crucial service or maintenance. This is a huge factor in lengthening a car's life.

[kidmoua]

Originally Posted by ragingclue

Well I think a lot has changed in the quality and reliability of cars produced by both Ford and especially Hyundai over the last decade+...

yes.. but 5 or 10 years from now, the Civic will have a higher resale value than the other two.

[kidmoua]

Here's a quick example of a pair of vehicles I found why browsing craigslist in my area. Basically, the Elantra has all the bells and whistle for that type of car while the Civic is just a bare shell DX (black handles and mirrors) model. The Civic probably has twice as much on the odometer going for the same price as the Elantra eventhough the the Civic is 10 years older.

95 Civic $5900
http://fresno.craigslist.org/ctd/2266842918.html

05 Elantra $5995
http://fresno.craigslist.org/ctd/2271435482.html

[Year's_End]

2011 fords and hondas are literally neck and neck. i can't stand this honda/toyota reliability stereotype bullshit, and trust me i'm not biased. i owned a civic for a good while. hated the shit out of what it was as a car, but respected it as a car lover and owner.

2011 Nameplate Ranking (Problems per 100 vehicles)

Lincoln:101
Lexus: 109
Jaguar: 112
Porsche: 114
Toyota: 122
Acura: 123
Buick: 125
Mercedes-Benz: 128
Cadillac: 130
Hyundai: 132
Honda: 139
Ford: 140
Saab: 146
Infiniti: 151
Industry Average: 151
Smart: 152
Chevrolet: 156
Volvo: 156
Subaru: 157
Kia: 160
Audi: 161
BMW: 164
Scion: 166
Ram: 173
Mazda: 181
Nissan: 183
GMC: 184
Mitsubishi: 186
Suzuki: 190
Volkswagen: 191
Chrysler: 202
Dodge: 206
Land Rover: 212
Jeep: 214
Mini: 221

[Year's_End]

Originally Posted by josh06lau

I am going to test drive both the fiesta and elantra this weekend. I have already test driven the civic and the pick up wasn't bad at all, but the ride is a little rough and the interior seems cheap and plastic. However, the rear seats aren't bad and the trunk isn't bad either. We will see how the other two cars compare.

the door panels were terrible in my '06 civic coupe. the entire interior door panels were basically a single piece and you could almost pull the handles off with a medium grasp. it was moderately fun to drive, but dead in a straightline. i still haven't warmed up to the weird exterior egg-like proportions or the weird spaceship interior styling.

[hipnotic]

wow all three vehicles: hyundai, ford, and honda are right next to each other. lol. Do any of you guys have the fiesta or elantra?

[blue2fire]

I don't think you will learn anything from this discussion. A car is a personal purchase that depends on what you want from it. I like the Civic the most, we bought a EX Coupé last year for my sister and even with all the abuse a 17 year old could throw at it, it is still extremely functional. But to be honest, i would like it because i (we) like Honda/Acura as a brand and have had good experience with what they make.

Is a Hyundai/Ford good or slightly better in some areas?

Yes, but i personally wont rush to buy them. Both are companies that made (real) rubbish for an awfully long time before 2009-2010. Let them show that they can keep it up.

[hipnotic]

well from this thread it is good to hear reviews about other car owners and their opinions or experiences they have had with these types of cars. I have never bought one of those three brands before. I only had european cars all my life. So thats why I need some advice and some comments to help me narrow my decision.

[Year's_End]

Test drive all of them.

Their reliability is neck-and-neck with each other at this point. Whichever one catches your interest the most within those first 30 minutes would be the one to go with imo. Test everything out when you go for a drive. Imagine what it would be like to drive it years from now, once you've gotten over the initial driving experience. Could you live with a big, fat blue digital speedo day in and day out? I couldn't, which is why I rushed to sell my Civic. Besides the glaringly annoying instrument cluster and cheap interior construction, it was a solid car. No mechanical problems within the 40k miles I put on it.

[hipnotic]

yesterday I went to the dealer to test drive and look at the elantra and the fiesta and seemed to like the space and drive of the elantra better than the fiesta. The fiesta was way smaller in the rear seats compared to the elantra and mpg was about the same. The interior of the elantra wasn't so bad looking and the civic was just cheap and plastic in the interior. So far I am leaning heavily on the elantra.

[ragingclue]

Originally Posted by josh06lau

yesterday I went to the dealer to test drive and look at the elantra and the fiesta and seemed to like the space and drive of the elantra better than the fiesta. The fiesta was way smaller in the rear seats compared to the elantra and mpg was about the same. The interior of the elantra wasn't so bad looking and the civic was just cheap and plastic in the interior. So far I am leaning heavily on the elantra.

Yeah the Fiesta has some rear seat room issues, but the Elantra's technically one class up anyway, which would put it up against the Focus instead of the Fiesta, size-wise. Also, I believe the Elantra was able to make 40MPG hwy without any sort of special (SFE in Ford's case) optional packaging. Add the great factory warranty to the discussion, and the Elantra isn't bad at all. Hyundai is doing some great things lately. If you had told me back in the '90s and at the turn of the century that they were going to be where they're at now, I would have laughed my ass off and told you to GTFO.

[hipnotic]

thanks for your help. But now it comes down to price to get the elantra for.