New car ideas?

[autumnbaby9]

I am looking into buying a new car. The max I would want to spend would be $15-16K. I have looked into the KIA's and I like the looks of the cars and I really like the idea of the warranty.

Does anyone own a KIA? Have you had any major problems with them?

Any other ideas on a good car I could get for this price?

Thanks

 

[autumnbaby9]

anyone?

 

[Hedy]

I feel like I've heard nothing but bad things about Kia's, but a family friend was in an accident in one and her Kia did well.
What sort of car are you looking for (van, truck, sedan)?

 

[Miss Jasmine]

Personally I would stay away from the Korean car manufacturers. You could get a Honda Civic or a couple different Toyota models with that budget.

 

[Christine]

I don't know what size you want, but the Toyota Scion XA is in the $13,000 range. It is very small (maybe not as small as a Yaris though) and supposedly very well-rated.

 

[sk8ingmom]

I had one and hated it!
My Saturn died about 3 weeks after I started grad school, so I bought a 2-year-old used 2000 Kia Sephia just to use until I went back to work. My commute was 1 hour each way, so I spent a lot of time in the ol' Kia. It had no pick up, it was loud, it was drafty, seats were not comfortable, windshield wipers didn't work on snow (it wasn't the blades - I tried every brand known to man during those 2 years). My driving mantra became - This will all be worth it when I graduate and get my Mustang. Repeat.

Having said that - no mechanical problems, & I totally knew what I was getting into when I bought a $4,500 used car! I put a TON of miles on it in 2 years (I don't do math: 120 miles/day X 3-4 days a week + some around town driving every week = A LOT of miles in 2 years!). It was, umm, fine in a pinch.

 

[Sinderelli]

Personally I would stay away from the Korean car manufacturers. You could get a Honda Civic or a couple different Toyota models with that budget.

I love Hondas, although I don't have one now. My previous car was a Honda Accord and that thing ran like a champ! Never went in the shop, good gas mileage, nice looking. I LOVE the Civics. The price is evry reasonable.

 

[EthansMom]

I got my Toyota Corolla about 8 years ago for ~14,000. It has been a great car... low gas mileage and pretty inexpensive to maintain.

Also, Honda Civic's are good automobiles for reliability and cost.

 

[loisg1]

Also agree with the Honda's!! That's all we've had since '82 when we started with the Prelude. Currently, we have three... two Accords and one Civic.

Good luck.

 

[HugsForEeyore]

I was in the exact same situation as the OP back in April. I needed a more reliable car, as my beloved 12 year old Accord started burning oil. My absolute upper price was about $15,000, could not go any higher. I only owned Hondas, so I considered the new Civic, but all that I saw would have been much closer to $19,000-20,000 once you include taxes and fees, and it's very hard to find these "base" models and trimlines. So instead I found and bought a wonderful used 2 year old Civic and I love it, as it's perfect for my needs.

 

[kelleigh1]

I have a Hyundai Tucson which I bought last year and I love it. It is so much roomier than my Explorer. (Hard to believe, but true.) And the savings on gas is huge too. The back seats fold flat and it gives me a ton of room in the back for transporting all of my Pampered Chef shows. (Being a consultant, I need a vehicle with room for everything.

I love my little Tucson!

 

[taylor1293]

I don't have a Kia, but I have a Hyundai Sonata (in that price range) and I LOVE it! It was cheaper than an Accord, with more options and it looks almost identical! Plus the warranty was much better.

I've driven Honda's and Toyota's in the past (and I am a big fan of those manufacturers) but I believe Hyundai's quality is just as good. I think when they first appeared on the market, there were issues, but they've worked hard to greatly improve their quality.

Good luck!

Teresa

 

[MAH4546]

Personally I would stay away from the Korean car manufacturers. You could get a Honda Civic or a couple different Toyota models with that budget.

You can get a Honda or Toyota for that price, but not comparably equipped. A Toyota or Honda similary equipped to the equivalent Kia model will run $3,000 to $4,000 more.

I don't have a Kia, but I have a Hyundai Sonata (in that price range) and I LOVE it! It was cheaper than an Accord, with more options and it looks almost identical! Plus the warranty was much better.

Hyundai and Kia are actually the same company. The Hyundai Sonata is the same thing, underneath, as the Kia Optima.

In the $13-$16k price range, I would look at the Dodge Caliber, Honda Fit, Kia Spectra/Spectra5, and Hyundai Elantra. They provide the best value in the segment, and all were brand new in 2005/2006, which means they aren't going to be redesigned soon (which will significantly hurt resale value, if that is something you care about) and they have the latest in safety features for their class. With the exception of the Elantra, which just went on sale, they have all been in production for at least a year (in the case of the Honda Fit, three years, as it has been sold in Europe and Japan for a while now), so the first-year jitters aren't something to worry about. Hyundai and Kia offer excellent warranties, and Hyundai consistently scores near the top of J.D. Power's initial quality rankings. Kia vehicles are, mechanically, identical to Hyundai cars, even though only the Entourage/Sedona are clear rebadges.

 

[Aurora63]

My old car was a Chevy Prism, if anyone remembers that car you know it was the carbon copy of the Toyota Corolla. It was a wonderful car. I would not hesitate to get a new Corolla one day.

 

[Dismom+two]

After renting one in Florida back in April, I have decided that a Pontiac Vibe is gonig to be MY next car!!! Check them out.........

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Go for the Honda Civic Coupe....starts at 14,810.
http://automobiles.honda.com/models/model_overview.asp?ModelName=Civic+Coupe

 

[ZPT1022]

another vote for a Honda of some sort- either a few years old or a new one with less options. We love our Hondas. We currently have a 2003 CR-V bought new in 2003 and a 1995 Odyssey with nearly 140,000 miles on it that still runs pretty well. Also, I was in a really bad accident in our Accord and while the car didn't make it, I did, which is the important part. That car saved my life. Good luck with your decision

 

[F1Julie]

I had a Kia (a Rio I think) for a rental car for about a week and a half last summer. That thing felt like a death trap. It was really cheaply built and felt like I was driving around in a tin can. It ran just fine, but I never felt safe in it.