Comments | jigglykat: I don't have a car icon.

jigglykat

I don't have a car icon.

Feb 09, 2011 19:01

On top of apartment hunting, I'm also possibly going car shopping. It's partly fun because it's something different when I don't want to hunt through Craigslist listings.

I'm narrowing down my choices to the following:

1. Honda Fit
2. Mazda 3 Five-door Hatchback
3. Volkswagen GolfTo be honest, it's sort of between the first two, and really ( Read more... )

real life

Comments 29

redstapler February 10 2011, 00:03:16 UTC

My co-worker has a Mazda3 Hatchback and it's rad. I'll see if he has any further info, tho.

jigglykat February 10 2011, 00:07:57 UTC

At Gallifrey last year, I had rented the normal sedan version of a Mazda 3 and I really liked it. I'm not against the sedans, but for some reason, the hatchbacks are calling to me this time.

redstapler February 10 2011, 01:36:17 UTC

Another friend of mine recently bought that (the sedan), and he damn near got pornographic in his descriptions of it. (He's a car guy.)

(The comment has been removed)

jigglykat February 10 2011, 01:07:58 UTC

You're the first person who hasn't liked the Fit! I've been in one many time (my friend has one), but I haven't driven it, so I could very well change my mind when I take it for a test spin.

I really liked the Mazda a lot when I drove it, but yeah. The price is a little intimidating.

neadods February 10 2011, 00:50:56 UTC

I'd normally go with Toyotas, but their hatchback model (Matrix) that compares with the above has been getting meh reviews.

I had a choice between a Honda fit and the Toyota Yaris hatchback, and I went Yaris. Love it like pie, and the Yaris has not been subject to bad reviews or any of the recalls.

The Matrix is more car than you want to handle if you're looking at the others, but do at least look at a Yaris.

jigglykat February 10 2011, 01:06:08 UTC

I've looked at the Yaris (online) and the thing I really don't like about it is the dash stuff is all in the middle and I don't want to be something that I would just have to "get used to", you know? I think it'd keep me too uncomfortable for much longer than a car with everything in front of you. PLUS, since it doesn't offer GPS, I'd have to purchase an external one and where the controls/speedometer/etc. are is the prime location I'd like to put the GPS.

neadods February 10 2011, 02:16:53 UTC

I did adjust, but yeah - that's the one big drawback of a Yaris, I'll admit it. And yeah, the GPS lives right in front of me because I can't put it where I normally would. (Actually, if you brace it right, GPSes live rather tidily in the glove box right behind the wheel, and you can see the display through the wheel.)

macbeemer February 10 2011, 05:21:48 UTC

The Yaris is my Echo's replacement, and I have to say, I love the dash in the middle. It's so much easier to glance at all the dials when there's no steering wheel in the way. But I totally get your thinking.

demonruri February 10 2011, 01:25:08 UTC

Honda Fit, many of my family members own one and have been pretty happy with the choice.

jigglykat February 10 2011, 01:49:20 UTC

Awesome.

renn February 10 2011, 01:28:55 UTC

I have owned Hondas since 1992, and have loved every one of them. Our first Civic we had for 11 years; our current Civic we've had for 14 years. Our Odyssey has lasted 7 1/2 years and is still going strong. You won't find a more reliable brand of car.

Having said that, the proof of the pudding will be in the test drive. We chose our first Civic on the basis of extensive test drives, and we chose the Odyssey over the Pilot on the test drive (and the fact that our then-six-year-old was almost too big for the 3rd row of the Pilot, and we knew we'd be transporting a lot of growing kids in the vehicle.)

If you can put the buying decision off a few weeks, the April issue of Consumer Reports will be out, and that's ALWAYS devoted to cars, both new and old. It's the gold standard in determining what cars (new or used) are worth considering. (We just got the March issue in the mail; so the April issue will be out this time next month.)

jigglykat February 10 2011, 01:49:00 UTC

I won't be doing any purchasing until at least March. My mom is coming out to help me shop because I *know* the second I put my foot on the lot, they'd be like "OOOOOO FRESH MEAT."

I know we had a couple of Hondas, but one of them was when we were living in Hong Kong, so we would only have had it at the most three years. I have a friend who has had the same Civic since high school and it's still going strong.

Thanks!