Which car would you buy if given the choice?

[Fountain79]

Toyota Corrola 06
Honda Civic 06
Ford Focus 07

Trying to decide between those three. Any suggestions?

[lizziegrace]

1. I've owned Hondas since 1978

I'm a bit partial to the Civic :hi:

[BelleCarolinaPeridot]

2. Honda Civic 2006

[Nicole]

3. The Honda Civic n/t

[auntAgonist]

4. Honda Civic n/t

[asthmaticeog]

5. Civic.

I'm a bit of a Honda partisan, so grain of salt on what I say, but I think you'll find that the mechanical excellence you get at such a low price point will blow your freakin' mind.

[Nicole]

6. This might help you decide on the Civic

2006 Honda Civic Achieves 'Top Safety Pick - Gold' Award From the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

TORRANCE, Calif., Dec. 5, 2005 -- The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) announced yesterday that the 2006 Honda Civic has achieved the Institute's new "Top Safety Pick -- Gold" award, after earning "Good" ratings in frontal, side impact and rear impact tests and measurements. The 2006 Civic is the only small car and one of only five vehicles to earn this designation from the IIHS.

A "Top Safety Pick -- Gold" award combines crash results achieved from frontal offset 40 mph, side impact and rear crash tests with static seat measurements for the head restraints. A result of "Good" in all three categories is required to earn "Top Safety Pick -- Gold" status. The 2006 Honda Civic is the only small car to have ever earned a "good" rating in the IIHS Side Impact and frontal offset test. Due to a combination of "Good" results in the six categories comprising the frontal offset test, it was also awarded a "Good -- Best Pick" rating for that category.



http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2005/12/05/158994.html

[NJ Democrats]

7. Civic

My dad bought one in 2000. It still works great and he has gone 200,000 miles.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

8. Civic.

I've never owned one but everyone I know who has has been thrilled.

[Deja Q]

9. Boycott Ford.

Everyone else I know is.

I'd say the Honda too.

[Fountain79]

10. Why boycott Ford?n/t

[jmowreader]

18. Selling F-350s as fun family vehicles isn't enough?

When I win the Powerball tonight, one of the businesses I'm going to open is called Death To Poseurs!. For the low, low fee of only $149.95, a guy I pay $17.50 per hour to will use a Bobcat to dump a yard of crush & run in the back of your F-350 then shovel it out so no one who notices that your year-old F-350 has neither a hitch nor any scratches in the bed will think you're a poseur who bought a pickup that weighs four tons, empty, as a penis extension.

But I mean, seriously guys. Ford sells cars almost as an afterthought--they've got what, five models of car (GT 40, Focus, Fusion, Five Hundred and Mustang) and three hundred different trucks? And except for the Mustang and the GT 40, Ford doesn't make a car that truly excites. I like the Fusion, but it's "good reliable family transportation," not something a guy with no kids would buy. The Five Hundred screams "fleet car!" The Focus is fairly ordinary as an econobox.

But they got a truck for every purpose.

Oh yeah: they also sell the Crown Victoria. Does anyone except police and fire departments buy these?

[outofbounds]

25. my 97 F 150's engine blew after 97k mi.

Water was getting into the cylinders. You couldn't tell when you change the oil because it blew it out the exhaust when I started it. Then one day it cranked up and sounded like someone was beating the block with a steel pipe. I changed oil every 5k mi. POS. I will never buy another Ford unless its an old one, 67 stang.

As for the 3 cars mentioned the Honda will have a better resale value after five years.

[CatholicEdHead]

11. Civic first, Corrola second, and Focus third

Civcs go and go and go......

[hippywife]

12. Civic but only if it were a hybrid. n/t

[taught_me_patience]

13. Toyota

I've had 2 Hondas and 2 Toyotas. No problem with any Toyota, but I did have a Honda that fell apart way too premature.

[Flaxbee]

14. Honda or Toyota. No Fords.

Haven't had good experience with Fords, but had a FANTASTIC Toyota, and my family has had Hondas forever.

Just to throw something else into the mix, check out Hyundais. They're great cars now.

[NV Whino]

15. I bought a Honda Fit, but

among those choices, I would buy the Civic.

[Rabrrrrrr]

16. Civic. Then the Toyota. Then the Ford.

But I'd never buy a Ford Focus. If I go Ford (and I do) I'd go Mustang (and I do :-) ).

The Civic is a damn sturdy, fine, long-running solid safe car; and not very expensive considering what you get. A good deal indeed!

[LeftyMom]

17. The Civic would normally hold value best

but it's the last of it's body style, and a bit dated. I'd go with either the civic or corolla, whichever one is packaged with side impact airbags.

[graywarrior]

19. I gotta go with Toyota

I have a 95 Camry LE 4 door with 60,000 miles on it and I get 34 mpg on the roads here in northern New Hampshire.

[salin]

20. I love my Prius!

got it last December. Between a Miata (which I had wanted for ten years) and the Prius - and got snagged by the cool electronics, along with the great economy.

Though - its a bit pricier than the corolla and the civic (don't know about the focus). I have had two corollas in the past - a great one, and a lemon. And several cars between the old Toyotas and this one. Point being, don't judge the new models based on the past perfomance of older models (that is how I got my corolla lemon.) Read Consumer Reports, drive, and go with your gut.

Hope that you love your choice, as much as I love mine (it is my first "new" car - always bought used in the past - hence my enthusiasm and little sales pitch in the beginning of the post - forgive me for that ;-) )

[Cannikin]

21. RX-8

[Fountain79]

29. Did I mention I am a teacher?

Trying to stay realistic here...

[jobycom]

22. Toyota--I used to be a Honda guy, but

my opinion and the opinion of the mechanic I work with is that Toyotas are more solid and a better price for the quality over the last few years. I've never had a Corolla, but I love my Prius (though my wife took it :( ).

But they are all good buys.

[valerief]

23. Toyota Corolla. First one lasted 15 years. This one is now 6. n/t

[billyskank]

24. Can you get the Type-R version of the Civic?

:7

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

26. Honda Civic.

I think fords are evil pieces of shit. Corollas are good, but I prefer the looks of the civic.

[Fountain79]

31. My Ford Explorer has lasted quite a while...

but it's ready to retire, plus 17 miles a gallon isn't cutting it.

[Mutley]

27. I like the car I have.

A Jetta that's only a few years old. She's good to me, most of the time. :D

[Skittles]

28. forget that Honda Civic if you live anywhere hot

the AC SUCKS

[seemunkee]

30. As in real life or ultimate fantasy car

Real car - I already got it. Mini Cooper S
Fantasy car - 427 Cobra, 246 Dino, or Lotus Super 7

[Hissyspit]

32. Not the Ford!

You're kidding, right?

[Fountain79]

33. Jesus...ya'll don't like fords...

I drive a ford now, an explorer and it has treated me fine.

[Hissyspit]

34. That's an Explorer.

American sedans tend to do well for awhile and then wear out quickly. This is a generalization. Any car can be a lemon, but, yes, I would advise people to stay away from Ford sedans.

Maybe the 2007's are different, and the OPer should google online reviews.

[Fountain79]

35. I am the original poster...n/t

[Hissyspit]

38. Oops, sorry. I'm in multiple threads, right now, going back and forth!

Definitely google online reviews, although, they may be scarce for a 2007 model and you may get the faux reviews which are really advertisements. Leftymom's post below is also what I am talking about.

[LeftyMom]

36. They don't generally do small engines well

They make good trucks and large cars. Small cars? Thier record is spotty at best, though the new Focuses are much improved. Admittedly, in a case where "much improved" means all the wheels stay on now, I'd definitely go with an import. And I say that as somebody who has and loves an american car.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

37. Ideally, none. I wish I didn't need one

Cars are expensive, polluting, and dangerous. I loved NOT driving in Portland and during my times in Japan. I look forward to NOT driving in England next month.

Unfortunately, I currently live in Minneapolis, where it's impossible to have any kind of a life without driving occasionally.

As such, I want something small, cheap, and reliable. I don't really care what.

[barb162]

39. Between the Toy and Honda, I'd go with the Toy; smoother ride

and better seats, I can'tsay anything about the Ford; never been in it