advise on car

[alchemy]

Sooner than I'd like, i'm going to have to replace my car. My 87 hunk of iron has served me well, but it's starting to fall apart and drinks gas. Also, the stupid car inspection places give me shit about it every year. I'm looking to get a used car about 1 or 3 years old that's under 15 thou and is reliable, but is still an "Alchemy" car (kicks ass and exudes metal!). Also, I don't want to have to pay ridiculous amounts of money for simple repairs. I also can't get a car too tiny either...have to haul around music gear.

So far, my top 3 are these:

1. 06 or 07 6cyl Dodge Charger
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/qOBpmGlDMKE&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/qOBpmGlDMKE&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

2. 05 or 06 6cyl Hyundai Sonata
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_XkGlDT0tW0&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_XkGlDT0tW0&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

3. Toyota Matrix
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/CbBbTSvq1yE&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/CbBbTSvq1yE&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>


any suggestions would be helpful.

 

[-Hari-]

I dont have mucg in the way of a suggestion, but im a VW man and after 6 years of driving various VWs ide push you towards german cars, they dont break much,

i DO like that dodge tho 😀 😀 😀

 

[evilwomanhehe]

The Charger. 'Nuff said. 2-door coming out in '09.

I have been really eyeing the Challengers, though. Red with black racing stripes. Oh my.

Victoria

 

[sadira]

It's not as snazzy looking as the Charger, but I own a Saturn Ion. It's great on gas (32-35 mpg) and has decent trunk space. I'm not sure HOW much equipment you're talking, you should be able to find one to fit your price range.

 

[Deleted member 66627]

The Hyundai and the Toyota are going to run well, but when they do start to break-- cost's can get expensive.

The Dodge is a relatively reliable vehicle, but it's not a 300,000 mile vehicle by any sense, but the costs are a little easier to take then the other two.

It's easier to fix a Dodge then a Hyundai or Toyota.

Gas wise? The Hyundai and Toyota are going to be better economically, then the Dodge. Although, the Dodge's are getting about 23-24 MPG. You're possibly looking at a 6-8 MPG difference. Which isn't bad, but isn't great.

The Hyundai Element's not that bad, the CRV is another beneficial with plenty of dry cargo space. They are smaller vehicles, but you can pack a lot of shit in them.

 

[xionking]

You want my advice, pplz?

Walk.

Excersise is good. Especially when you can spell it properly, which I don't think I have.

It's 2:30am and I hafta drop a mate off at work in 4 hours...kill me.

 

[BellaRisa]

For looks, I have to say the Charger. Now having said that, my friends with Hyundai Elantras and Sonatas are very happy with them, gas and size-wise.

 

[Saeria]

honestly i'd go with the dodge. I've always driven dodge vehicles, okay so they're always older dodge vehicles, all the same they put up with alot of hell and keep on going. I have a dodge neon now, not exactly the most metal car on the road by any means, but i know i'm saving assloads in gas mileage and for an 11 year old car, it's in damn good working condition still.

Surely it's going to be strange for you to not drive a boat though... you've ALWAYS driven boats. I say, buy the charger, put the engine in the ol' shit mobile and there you go, a very metal car. 😀

 

[manic971]

For looks, the Charger hands down. But you won't be getting great MPG with it.

Toyotas run forever and get great gas mileage so out of those three choices I'd be leaning towards the Matrix.

On a side note I've got an '06 Chevy Impala that I absolutely love, its stock and I get 30 MPG highway and its fast enough to burn all these Civics and Lancers that seem to be around me, off the line.

 

[Bizkit]

Anything but the Dodge.From my experience most Chrysler products are junk.🙂

 

[MrMacphisto]

If you can find one, get a MazdaSpeed 3. You can mod the heck out of them, and they're both cheap and reliable.

 

[ticklebear2]

I would go with the Dodge Charger. That Charger looks like you Alchemy.

 

[BrightEyes1082]

My mom has the Honda CRV, and it gets about 26 mpg in town. She loves it, and got it used (it's a 2003), and hasn't had any issues other than routine maintenance.

 

[KrazieDog]

None of my friends that have Dodge's, have had very good luck with them. If you were looking at the R/T or SRT-8, I'd have to over look my first sentence out of shear badassedness, but since you are comparing it to the other two, I'm assuming not. 😉

I've never driven a Matrix but it looks like it's roomy enough for equipment, and I traded in a 10 year old Camry with 276,000 miles on it on my current SUV, and that bugger was still kicking after two accidents, so my hat is off to the Toyo's.

 

[Deleted member 66627]

Anything but the Dodge.From my experience most Chrysler products are junk.🙂

How so? What are some of your experiences?

 

[locker669]

All three were recommended by Consumer Reports. I think space wise the Matrix is best but I'd get the AWD because I live in New England.

I don't like Dodges except for the Carol Shelby Turbo ones from the 80s and the old 70s V8s.

 

[Bizkit]

How so? What are some of your experiences?

Unfortunately I work on cars every day.Any Chrysler,Pontiac as well, are great looking cars but tend to fall apart with time.I will say this though,the Dodge Cummins Turbo Diesel is one of the best truck motors ever built. 🙂

 

[Deleted member 66627]

All cars are bound to fall apart over time. The thing that matters is if the maintanence is easy and/or cheap, which Dodge is.

 

[EcEu]

Matrix

you will not be disappointed with the toyota matrix. My uncle has one and it's beyond impressive. The cargo space potential is amazing, you can have 5 full grown adults in the car and still have plenty of trunk space. I helped my uncle move with his matrix and we were able to fit nearly a dozen of those standard size storage boxes among some other stuff, it was niiice.

The mpg is pretty nice too, the engine is still small despite being a near cross over. (the matrix is pretty much the scion xA's bigger brother)

 

[Bizkit]

All cars are bound to fall apart over time. The thing that matters is if the maintanence is easy and/or cheap, which Dodge is.

Dodge car motors are a b**ch to work on.Prime example is the 3.5 found in Intrepids.Major b**ch.I could go on and on about Chrysler products.

 

[falcon]

alchemy,
you could always look into a dodge magnum. good room and looks like a hearse. exudes death metal lol

 

[BellaRisa]

All cars are bound to fall apart over time. The thing that matters is if the maintanence is easy and/or cheap, which Dodge is.

Let me say, I've had three different experienced transmission mechanics, in whole different states, tell me to stay away from Dodges and Chryslers. I've never even owned one, just making conversation while they worked on my car for whatever reason over the years. If that many mechanics tell me to avoid something I'm gonna listen

My fave non-fancy car will always be the Chevy Lumina, 1997-2001. Love 'em

 

[J.Apolo654]

I love my matrix !, Reasonably priced.
Excellent gas mileage, Roomy for legs and head, and fits lots of stuff
in a small space.
Turns and corners nicely, decent acceleration, and handling.
Just little bit noisy, though; But, it is a great car!
(Oh yeah, the Scion and the Matrix have the same engine.)

J

 

[Deleted member 66627]

If you want a hard Chrysler motor to work on, work on the V10 Viper motor. Intrepid 3.5's are one of the easiest motors to work on. Timing belts are cake, water belts, head gaskets. It's all basic shit. They are a north south motor, so they are in front to back, so they aren't shoe horned in. There's plenty of room. The steering rack is a hella lot harder to work on then the engine itself.

3500 Series Ram Pickup with the Cummins turbo diesal is a lot harder to work on then a 3.5. Or one of the new Cherokees with the 5.7 Hemi motor. Those are sonofabitches.

Yeah, a Cummins is a decent engine, but you'll never be able to go wrong with the series 60 Detroit.

Chrysler had transmission issues with the differential pins coming out in the 90's. Other then that, it's academic.

I, personally, prefer Fords-- but Dodge's are not junk cars.

 

[falcon]

i think any car will do a person well if it is taken care of properly. i had a dodge dakota, a 2001, and had 7000 miles on it when i bought it used. i babied the hell out of this truck and i had to. my commute to work was 100 miles round trip per day. and because i did so, it never gave me a single bit of problems. the only thing i ever had to replace on it was the battery when it died on me. other than that it was fine for a little 4 cyl pick up. i'm driving a nissan frontier now and i love it. still a 4 cyl but i baby it like i did my dakota. food for thought.