[ChrIsChriS221]

Type of car (sporty, luxury, economy, SUV): Economy/Sporty
Price range: Preferably below 20k, a little bit over is alright
New or used: New
Manual or automatic: Manual
Years of driving: 3
Cars currently suggesting: Civic Si, Civic EX, Fit, tC
Needs and other info (do you need passenger room, cargo space, AWD, etc):
Reliability - going to keep this car for the next 10 or so years (I'm currently age 20),
Low costs in the next 10 years - Reasonable maintenence with no breakdowns is a must, Cheaper insurance, this is my first car I'm hoping to pay for with minimal parental support so the cheaper the better
Reasonable Cargo/Passenger - going with a friend to Costco and back but not moving my whole apartment
USB/Ipod - Plays and charges my ipod
Sport-like - I like seating that's low (kinda like a cockpit feel). Not sure how to describe this but in the driving position, my knees should be bent closer to a 135 degree angle rather than 90 degree angle.

Something that is fun to drive that doesn't disconnect you from the road (like a luxury car does) is a must. In terms of enjoyability, I go by "It's funner to drive a slow car fast, than a fast car fast". Ride comfort is not a priority, something with a stiffer suspension is preferable (without going into a sports car catergory).

Something with a moonroof would be nice too!
I really like the Si but I don’t like how it uses premium gas. Also, I’m unsure whether I should get a 2 dr or 4 dr. I like the 4 dr convenience but I like the slightly smaller size of a 2 dr. The fact that it has 2 drs also gives the illusion it looks smaller even though the exterior dimensions are about the same.


Any suggetions or thoughts are much appreciated!

This post has been edited by ZiGeNX77: 29 July 2009 - 11:11 PM

[90th.degree]

Mazda3 fits that category, it's a relatively solid car, but I don't really like the style for the current generation. However, people are going to mention after me that the Civic has more reliability and history, and will suggest that to you. Only problem is, to me Civics are too common, and would probably be boring to drive.

[KaiLien]

I think the tC would suit you with what you said in your topic post. It's not exactly a sports car but it is a 2dr so the insurance shouldn't be too expensive; maybe you should check with your insurance provider with the different cars you want and see which is cheaper. It has a nice dual moonroof, usb/ipod capability, and the manual one would be cheaper in price! The only thing is I don't like how there is no options for automatic seat adjustment and the interior is kind of ugly. Maybe you can haggle the price of an Altima 2.5S to make it in your price range. It seems like it would suit you too. Try test driving them all and see how you like each one.

[Clix]

Mazda3 fits that category, it's a relatively solid car, but I don't really like the style for the current generation. However, people are going to mention after me that the Civic has more reliability and history, and will suggest that to you. Only problem is, to me Civics are too common, and would probably be boring to drive.

+1. I think the Mazda3 perfectly fits what you're looking for. I've personally driven my friends and it's everything you're looking for. It's nimble, comfortable, and quiet. It gets decent gas mileage. The insurance will be alot cheaper on the Mazda3 than both Civic SI and EX.

But it doesn't have a usb port, but that can be easily fixed with an aftermarket stereo.

[ChingGoo]

Civic Si my two friends both got it around 23k out the door. Test drive it, see if you like it.