Best Car to Get Under $13,500

3646 Views 44 Replies 28 Participants Last post by MichaelXi, May 13, 2003

Red_Willy_Focus

Discussion Starter · May 7, 2003

Hey people I have a question to ask all of you. My Girlfriend is in search of a car for around $13,500 and my question is what is the most dependable, good car out there that she should look for. She won't take a corolla, she doesn't know about a honda either. SO what in your opinions is the best car she should get that will last for about three or four years. Thanks in Advance!

21 - 40 of 45 Posts

AnythingButAFocus

· #21 · May 7, 2003

In the newspaper. A dealership called "Lou Sobh Ford" does the big bad discounts in town. Lousobhford.com.

Search for "2003...$8988" as the topic, it has a picture I took of the ad.

Andrew

AnythingButAFocus

· #22 · May 7, 2003

Originally posted by Scottybob:
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Originally posted by AnythingButAFocus:
Well, lets see.

There is also the Honda Civic. If she wants / needs ABS, she'll have to get the EX, and those run about $14,500 around here, with ads, that is. Superb build quality, 5-star crash ratings, and a peppy VTEC-equipped motor make it an overall nice vehicle.

Andrew

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">You sure about that price for an EX? Invoice is like $15,800 and no rebates at least in my area. I just bought my wife a DX auto for $13,000 and put the A/C in myself for $820. I thought I ended up with a hell of a deal on some well built, reliable transportation.</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Yes, an EX Coupe. I have ad's that say $15,500 for an EX, then there is an ad by another dealership saying "$500 off any ad," but I have spoken with the latter dealership, and they said they have taken $1k off to make a deal. That all equals $14,500.

Andrew

aaron_zx3

· #23 · May 7, 2003

Mitsu Lancer w/ rebate is about $13,000

ferrethouse

· #24 · May 7, 2003

Originally posted by Red_Willy_Focus:
I love my car but hate the mileage it gets and she knows that but she doesn't want one as well. Also her dad is a big consumer reports man and since they hate the focus he won't invest in one.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Consumer reports hates the Focus???

They rate the reliability as suspect but have high praise for the car. In fact, the Canadian version of Consumer Reports called the Focus the best small car they've ever tested.

hatched

· #25 · May 8, 2003

Originally posted by aha:
New or used ? Tons on both...

But if Toyota Scion (Bb) is really going to be that cheap, I'd go for that. It's an awesome car

=dRe=

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">I love the xB, but base price is $14,100 (manual). The xA is cheaper. www.edmunds.com has a full review of the xB and xA.

I was talking used cars when I posted. Are we talking only new?

02SVTFOCUS

· #26 · May 8, 2003

if no focus, probably a civic. if those are too high, looks like all thats left is a kia, hyundai or something..

lynx

· #27 · May 8, 2003

what about a ford zx2? escort, those are pretty reliable, get good gas mileage, don't look half bad and it's cheap

MichaelXi

· #28 · May 8, 2003

Originally posted by Red_Willy_Focus:
I love my car but hate the mileage it gets and she knows that but she doesn't want one as well. Also her dad is a big consumer reports man and since they hate the focus he won't invest in one.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">I get 33HWY, and 26 if I TRY to run the fuel down before an Auto-X.
The Ergonomics and seats can't be beaten in the price-range. Most "Competitors" are either Cramped, have Crappy Seats, EXTRA-Cheap Construction, or so little power you'll get rear-ended pulling out onto ANY Busy Street. Not to mention the Focus' "Accident-Avoidability" due to its Handling.
Tell her Dad that CR reports on the 5MPH Repair-Cost, NOT on "Accident Survivability".
MANY Foci have Been DESTROYED with the Occupants walking away Unscathed. I was in One of them.
I saw one on the news where a 70-something year old man drifted out of his lane at 60-ish MPH on the Interstate, Rearending a parked Patrol car. Pieces of car were EVERYWHERE! The Man and his 30-something daughter were unhurt.
Problems happen with ANY car. Mine has been Relatively trouble-free, with only 2 minor sensor-nuisances which were Easily handled under Warranty.
In that price range, you CAN'T BEAT the Focus. I Know, I looked Long and Hard when we were car-shopping for my wife. We settled on an '02 ZX-5.
EVERYTHING but the Sunroof for $13,600.
NOT buying a Focus, if that's your price-range, would be Ridiculous!

[ 05-08-2003, 01:37 AM: Message edited by: MichaelXi ]

See less See more

sk8fool

· #29 · May 8, 2003

Originally posted by Red_Willy_Focus:
I love my car but hate the mileage it gets and she knows that but she doesn't want one as well. Also her dad is a big consumer reports man and since they hate the focus he won't invest in one.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Tell her dad to see what the highest ranking small sedan is for consumer reports and then have him tell you that they hate the focus. for 2002 the only bad score the focus recieved was average reliability, and almost perfect body integrety and hardware. 00, and 01 didnt however get as great of responses so get an 02 or newer.

396WHP2.3LFocusSwap

· #30 · May 8, 2003

chevy S10 pickup

Ford5pointoh

· #31 · May 8, 2003

Here dad's a lawyer? Tell the cheap bastard to get her anything she wants!

EludeR

· #32 · May 8, 2003

Originally posted by Scottybob:
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Originally posted by AnythingButAFocus:
Well, lets see.

There is also the Honda Civic. If she wants / needs ABS, she'll have to get the EX, and those run about $14,500 around here, with ads, that is. Superb build quality, 5-star crash ratings, and a peppy VTEC-equipped motor make it an overall nice vehicle.

Andrew

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">You sure about that price for an EX? Invoice is like $15,800 and no rebates at least in my area. I just bought my wife a DX auto for $13,000 and put the A/C in myself for $820. I thought I ended up with a hell of a deal on some well built, reliable transportation.</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">well built reliable transportation my a$$ my mom's civic had to go in twice , once for map replacement and 2nd time at only 20k miles the transmission had to be replaced , and she drives slow as hell! their pieces of crap. my dads car is having all kinds of problems as well too many to list both 98 civic bought new , im not too fond of hondas or japenese cars , i had a 89 mitsu starion with 34k miles on it that was a complete piece of crap. windows would go up and down by themselves alarm would go off for no reason 3 and 5 in the morning i junked it after it started smoking. also had a 90 300zx that was a complete piece of crap as well japenese build quality =

you guys should know by now that almost all hondas are built here now, so none of that becuase its made in japan its superior crap. even if it was built in japan ala mitsu starion= ready for the junkyard from the factory. and a bunch of toyotas that where prone to blowing headgaskets e.t.c. this plus the expensive prices for parts make me hate japenese cars.

See less See more

EludeR

· #33 · May 8, 2003

i agree if her dads a lawyer she should be driving a new 3series bmw or something similar LOL

Red_Willy_Focus

Discussion Starter · #34 · May 8, 2003

She can't get any car she wants as her dad pays almost 60G a year for her schooling. Lets see 4 years of college at 60G without housing and the living needs. That is a Bentley right there

She is thinking of getting a 01 Ultima with 26,000 miles for 13G's as of right now. I don't know what she should get at this point!

nicknaz

· #35 · May 8, 2003

tell her to get a 2nd gen MR2.. you can find good unmodified examples for under $10,000. the motors in those cars are really solid, and you can get rear clips for around $3500 usd if you need a spare.

or a later model S14 bodystyle 240SX..

or a GSR

the list of reliable and fun to drive cars goes on and on. good god don't get a focus

MichaelXi

· #36 · May 9, 2003

4

"good god don't get a focus"

No, she might get a good car that will actually hold 4 or 5 people AND be fun to drive.

If you dislike them so much, why the heck are you posting here?

See less See more

Red_Willy_Focus

Discussion Starter · #37 · May 9, 2003

Well if you would open your eyes and shut your mouth before you type you would read that I love my FOCUS, damn some people. I just said she wouldn't get one because of the problems I have had with mine and because her family dislikes them. So please read more carefully in the future before you go a typin' some bo bo!!

MichaelXi

· #38 · May 9, 2003

2

I was talking to Nickaz...

BTW,
Let her Daddy read THIS!
http://www.focaljet.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=017261#000001

See less See more

Red_Willy_Focus

Discussion Starter · #39 · May 9, 2003

Right on then my Bad. Sorry it was aimed at you, K?

MichaelXi

· #40 · May 9, 2003

2

Originally posted by Red_Willy_Focus:
Right on then my Bad. Sorry it was aimed at you, K?

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">K.
Cool 'Nuff.

I Still think the Focus Makes a Pretty darn good case for itself....

See less See more

21 - 40 of 45 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.