Not happy with new car choices

[Jamison]

Wife and I are looking for something to replace her crappy '97 Chevy Blazer. Nothing brand new, but a lower mileage used car. My love for smaller cars has rubbed off on her thankfully, but we can't really find a car quite small enough for our liking. Right now it's between a Mazda Miata or a Mini Cooper. It just sucks we don't have the choice for a smaller car here in America like they do in Europe.

Any other suggestions besides the Mini and the Miata?

[onehandle]

1. Those are pretty darn small cars.

Especially coming from a SUV.

I'd get a Honda Civic myself.

[JVS]

19. I agree. It's a good idea to make sure you don't make too extreme a change

Honda Civics are good on gas and much more practical than a Miata

[SeveneightyWhoa]

30. And the new Civics are really, really nice!

I'd love to trade my 2002 Civic in for a 2006.

[wakeme2008]

2. If you want small

http://www.smart.com/

[The Flaming Red Head]

3. I like my Mustang

a lot

[mazzarro]

4. What about the new VW Beetle? n/t

[tammywammy]

27. That's what I drive

an 06 TDI (diesel).

I give it two enthusiastic thumbs up!!

[ncrainbowgrrl]

5. Scion xA- small and well liked.

Also-Is the Mazda 3 too large for you? We love ours.

[proud2BlibKansan]

6. I love my new Scion Xa

[JohnyCanuck]

7. Can't get much smaller than a Smart Car

http://www.smartcarofamerica.com/

[mwooldri]

8. Go for the mini! Otherwise.... (VW Beetle TDi my other suggestion)

You're right, there's not a lot in the subcompact range lately - the poster above recommended the Honda Civic. I recommend the Mini because it's more practical than a Miata (it has four seats though yes the back can be a bit squashed) and yes it is fun to drive.

If you're looking for pure mileage then I could mention a VW Beetle, diesel with automatic transmission (diesel for the mileage, auto for the ease of driving it). You can then have a fun drive, low fuel economy, and a convertible - if you're going new. Chances of finding a convertible vw beetle diesel used is about as possible as finding ducks teeth in my back garden so you might want to settle for a non-convertible VW Beetle TDi.

[tammywammy]

29. Well, you won't find a used Convertible Diesel

here in the states at least. VW doesn't offer them in this market. Canada gets them (I think), so you might be able to import one from there.

Any used TDI is going to be hard to find. I'd suggest looking on Ebay.

I personally drive an 06 Auto Beetle TDI. I love it. :loveya:

[MichiganVote]

9. I love my Sonata

[Sanity Claws]

10. Make sure you really want something that small

or that you have access to something bigger when necessary.
After having your SUV for so long, you probably take it for granted that you can pick up and haul almost anything. Some of these small cars have very little carrying space. An acquaintance got rid of a Miata because it couldn't hold his golf clubs.
Otherwise, congratulations on downsizing! Also remember public transit!

[hamerfan]

11. Subaru Justy?

Not sure where you live, but the all-wheel drive is nice to have. Subaru's are very reliable and don't drink much (gas). Whatever you buy, used or new, I would suggest strongly that you check prices/values at:



Their service is free, and they have saved me some bucks in the past when car shopping. Good luck,
dumpbush

[CatholicEdHead]

13. How about the new Honda Fit?

http://automobiles.honda.com/fit/index.aspx

As the Civic gets bigger this new mini will fill Honda's former ultra-small segment.

[Harper_is_Bush]

12. Yaris. n/t

[salin]

14. not quite so small - but tons of fun an 01-03 Prius.

They are keepers.

[Pavulon]

15. Toyota and Honda

have hybrids. Civics and corollas are great in 5 speed. S2000 is small too :>

Very reliable. Mini cooper I would not buy.

[carolinalady]

16. I love my Chrysler Sebring-drives great and a convertible too! n/t

[petgoat]

17. The CarTalk guys said within the last couple of years that the

1980 Toyota Corolla was the best car ever made.



These people seem to endorse that view:

http://www.carsurvey.org/modelyear_Toyota_Corolla_1980.html

[Sanity Claws]

32. One of them loves his old Dodge Dart

[0007]

18. I'm enthralled with my 06 Saturn

[catnhatnh]

20. You might consider....

...the Suzuki Sidekick/Geo Tracker series....Small, but still an suv,Available with a convertible top for the Miata lover in you, reasonably priced and a heck of a lot of old fashioned fun to drive....also available in hard top and two wheel drive if desired...best of luck...

[we can do it]

21. I Love My New Mazda 3s Hatchback

Small with a lot of storage options.

[Jamison]

22. Good suggestions!

I think I'll expand my list & look for a '97-'99 Civic hatchback. Mazda 3 seems like a good car also. A Prius would be nice, if only I could find a used one under $15K.

[catmother]

23. i have a 2005 miata. i absolutely love it. but i'm 5'3" and on the

slim side. my husband is 6' and about 215. he says he feels like a sausage in it, but he does admit that it's a fun drive. he drives a toyota tundra so if we need to buy something big we use his vehicle.

before my miata i had a 97 toyota corolla. bought it in 97 -- used with 14,000 miles on it. drove it for 7 years -- great car -- i paid $12,000 and sold it for $4500 with 75,000 miles. oh and the gas mileage was 28.

[Warpy]

24. Heh, since I drive so little that I generally use $20 of gas every

3-4 months (yes, at THESE prices), I'm anticipating a real glut of cushy SUVs and momvans on the market. One of those behemoths would make perfect sense for me, since I haul fibre and building materials and other junk, but I never haul it far.

People I feel sorriest for are the ones who bought houses way out in the exurbs so their kids could have a swing set in the back yard and then got locked into high payments and and upside down loan on a gas hog. The fact that they couldn't see gas gouging coming is nothing against them. It's here, and they're getting hurt very badly.

I'm sure when my truck is old enough to vote (2 more years), I'll trade it in for someone else's expensive lesson in conservation. It'll work out well for me.

[politicat]

25. Are you looking for good mileage or sporty power?

Because neither the Miata nor the Mini have all that stellar mileage. The Mini gets 28 to the gallon, and the Miata is about the same.

We have a Hyundai Accent, and other than being a bit of a maintenance queen of a car, it's pretty damn good - excellent mileage, low emissions, decent power (we have a stick shift), good features and enough space to haul crap. We get 40-44 mpg.

My sister has a Kia Sephia that gets 38-40 and is perfect for her needs. My mother drives a Ford Focus that gets 37. The other sister has a small honda that has decent power and gets decent mileage.

But it depends on what you're looking for....

[cyberpj]

26. Smaller?! Do they still make Hot Wheels? Lose the ego, get a Prius. nt.

[lonestarnot]

28. Big rebates this year on hybrids.

[petgoat]

31. According to Mike Ruppert manufacture of a car takes 12% of all

the 20,000 gals of fuel it will burn in its lifetime.

Thus to manufacture 250 million cars to replace those we've
already got in America will consume 585 billion gallons
of gasoline.

http://www.lifeaftertheoilcrash.net/Research.html

We burn 142 billion gallons of gas a year in our cars.

http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/34255/story.htm

Gee, that 1980 Toyota Corolla is looking better and better. Especially
when you consider that in keeping it alive you are generating homeland jobs
in auto parts manufacture, in auto dismantling yards, and in repair shops.