[aah78]

Originally Posted by maddy42

Any opinions?

Is this regarding the 2012 Hyundai Genesis Coupe that you have a thread about? ( (Trials and Tribulations of a first time buyer - Hyundai Genesis Coupe)Trials and Tribulations of a first time buyer - Hyundai Genesis Coupe)

A few concerns.

You bought the car for @ $28k & You've paid off 1/2 the amount.
If you sell the car, you're not going to make any money.
If you trade it in, you're going to take up monthly payments on another car.

If your loan interest rate is high, you should have refinanced it.
It isn't late even now but the loan company will only issue a loan at the current value of the car - it might save you some interest though.

Have you been only making the minimum monthly payments? If it's within financial ability, always pay off as much premium as you can monthly.



You know your car - is it mechanically reliable? How many miles on it now?

I'd suggest if you know the car is reliable don't go in for an unknown used 50-60,000mile car.

[ariendj]

After a ton lot of thinking, I have decided to go for the 2015 Subaru Outback with Eye Sight system. Got a real good deal with the price and also a good number of free accessories.

Will be getting it by this time, next week.

[amitoj]

Originally Posted by maddy42

I agree with you but meant its like pouring the cash down the drain while your friends end up using the same amount to put for downpayment of a house :P

Yeah I know what you mean.
Some time back i was seriously considering selling my car and getting a cheaper used car. I had flooded this thread around that time and pestered everyone here
But in the end I gave up because it didnt make financial sense, unless i seriously downgraded, and I was not willing to give up on the driving pleasure quotient. So, i gave up on that line of thought, refinanced my car loan to a lower interest rate and also got the loan term extended. I know financially it is not the best move, but it has reduced my monthly payments enough to make the home loan payments easier. And i still get to keep the Charger I do have my eyes on a set of coilovers to lower it in the spring. But that seems so far away when i look out the window right now.

Originally Posted by ariendj

After a ton lot of thinking, I have decided to go for the 2015 Subaru Outback with Eye Sight system. Got a real good deal with the price and also a good number of free accessories.

Will be getting it by this time, next week.

Congratulations! Thats a good buy.

[vineethvazhayil]

Anyone here planning to goto the Chicago auto show? I wish I could have gone to Detroit, but Chicago is my second best bet.

Originally Posted by ariendj

After a ton lot of thinking, I have decided to go for the 2015 Subaru Outback with Eye Sight system. Got a real good deal with the price and also a good number of free accessories.

Will be getting it by this time, next week.

Congratulations, it is an excellent car - The wagon name is a misnomer. It is a really big, spacious and comfortable crossover . Post some pics and an ownership review.

[aah78]

Originally Posted by ariendj

Eye Sight system.

Congratulations on the car!
What's this Eye Sight system? Some sort of Adaptive Cruise Control?

[ariendj]

Originally Posted by amitoj

Congratulations! Thats a good buy.

Thanks.Its the second Subaru in the house.

Originally Posted by vineethvazhayil

Congratulations, it is an excellent car - The wagon name is a misnomer. It is a really big, spacious and comfortable crossover . Post some pics and an ownership review.

Thanks. I sure will be posting some snaps soon.

Originally Posted by aah78

Congratulations on the car!
What's this Eye Sight system? Some sort of Adaptive Cruise Control?

Thanks.
The eyesight system is basically a 4 component package:

1. Pre-collision braking system
2. Pre-collision throttle management system
3. Lane departure warning and lane sway warning
4. Adaptive cruise control

http://www.subaru.com/engineering/eyesight.html

[maddy42]

Originally Posted by aah78

Is this regarding the 2012 Hyundai Genesis Coupe

If your loan interest rate is high, you should have refinanced it.

You know your car - is it mechanically reliable? How many miles on it now?

I'd suggest if you know the car is reliable don't go in for an unknown used 50-60,000mile car.

Aah: Thanks that was some very good insight and its nice folks here remember each others ride.

Done all the points you mentioned. I will not be changing this any time soon. Atleast hope to keep it for the next couple of years. No point selling.

Its a very reliable car and serves me very well. I get a smile every time i drive it. I am a satisfied customer.

Originally Posted by amitoj

I had flooded this thread around that time and pestered everyone here
And i still get to keep the Charger

Thanks Amit. I am/was in the same boat. This would serve as eye opener to alot of folks while looking at this decision.

Finally its a head vs heart decision. One looses over the other most of the time.

The only part i got ripped on was the first loan i took was at a ridiculously higher roi. 10% to be exact. This would have changed my experience. Also i could have bargained more.

Maddy

[ninjatalli]

Hello folks!
Landed up here in Chicago last September, after many deliberations and see-saws between the choices of a new car (2014 stock) and used cars, I finally went for a Nissan Altima 2.5S Sports edition - a 2012 model with 38k miles on the odometer. No accident history, clean carfax report, no rental history, one user.

Have done some 500+ miles over two weeks, am thinking of getting a complete check done at a Nissan/3rd party workshop to validate everything is in good shape. The dealer has offered a 3 month, 3000 miles warranty; so want to make use of it.

Not very clear on what and how to proceed - any suggestions on how to go about it?

[maddy42]

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

Hello folks!
Landed up here in Chicago last September, after many deliberations and see-saws between the choices of a new car (2014 stock) and used cars, I finally went for a Nissan Altima 2.5S Sports edition - a 2012 model with 38k miles on the odometer. No accident history, clean carfax report, no rental history, one user.

Have done some 500+ miles over two weeks, am thinking of getting a complete check done at a Nissan/3rd party workshop to validate everything is in good shape. The dealer has offered a 3 month, 3000 miles warranty; so want to make use of it.

Not very clear on what and how to proceed - any suggestions on how to go about it?

Congrats! How much did you get this for? I would suggest to go to a good mechanic and have it checked. Check all the fluids and the wheel allignment, rotation balancing once. Get the liquids changed if they need to be and that should be fine for you.

Check the tire for life. Rest should be good. You could get coat of wax done on the car to get the car looking sparkling new.

Good luck and drive safe.

Maddy

[Technocrat]

Actually, go to any Nissan dealer & ask for a full free check up. They will do it as usually its beneficial for them if they find anything wrong or even if nothing's wrong they win a customer due to a free offering

I had done this for my Accord, also asked them if there was any recall on my car. Thye gave me a nice 3-4 page report.

Just note that dont take any action based on the report immediately, take the report home & validate the recommendations or urgent actions on Nissan forums. Quite a few of these things a simple DIYs e.g. changing cabin air filter on Honda/Acura is a 5 minute job for which they charge $99 while I bought the filter itself for around $12 off amazon.

[ninjatalli]

Originally Posted by maddy42

Congrats! How much did you get this for?

This was just below $13.5 net inclusive of everything.

Originally Posted by Technocrat

Actually, go to any Nissan dealer & ask for a full free check up. They will do it as usually its beneficial for them if they find anything wrong or even if nothing's wrong they win a customer due to a free offering

I had done this for my Accord, also asked them if there was any recall on my car. Thye gave me a nice 3-4 page report.

Just note that dont take any action based on the report immediately, take the report home & validate the recommendations or urgent actions on Nissan forums. Quite a few of these things a simple DIYs e.g. changing cabin air filter on Honda/Acura is a 5 minute job for which they charge $99 while I bought the filter itself for around $12 off amazon.

Thanks. Guess I will have to get used to the DIY option than getting it done at the workshop.

I felt that the coolant level was low; I presume I can get the appropriate coolant type on my own and get it filled.

Also I need to get a GPS unit for the car - any affordable ones that are plug and play (using the DC port).

[rohanjf]

My brother recently moved to US. Now that he has obtained his driving licence, he is looking for a car. He is not able to get much help from people around him, because all they suggest is Corolla, Civic, Camry or Accord. His requirements are:
- fun to drive
- sedan
- front wheel drive
- maximum price 25,000 USD

So far he has shortlisted VW Jetta, Ford Fusion, Chevrolet Malibu and Nissan Altima. How is Dodge Dart? Are there any other FWD cars by Chrysler?

[rajushank84]

Originally Posted by rohanjf

My brother recently moved to US. Now that he has obtained his driving licence, he is looking for a car. He is not able to get much help from people around him, because all they suggest is Corolla, Civic, Camry or Accord. His requirements are:
- fun to drive
- sedan
- front wheel drive
- maximum price 25,000 USD

So far he has shortlisted VW Jetta, Ford Fusion, Chevrolet Malibu and Nissan Altima. How is Dodge Dart? Are there any other FWD cars by Chrysler?

My suggestions would be:
- VW GTI - what a fun little hatch! That 200hp turbo engine makes the little car go, and it handles great too.
- If he is into manual transmissions, then the Fiesta ST
- Something from Subaru -Legacy / WRX / STI
- If he is willing to go for a slightly used car, an Audi A3 or A4 would fit into the budget
- Civic Si (again manual transmission)

I wouldn't recommend anything from Chrysler or Dodge (you did mention fun to drive). Jetta, Fusion, Malibu aren't very fun to drive. Of those three the Fusion is ok if you get the turbo one but its still less fun than the GTI. The Jetta GLI is somewhat fun I guess. The Altima is the opposite of fun and always reminds me of the Ambassador.

Other suggestions in the economy segment are Mazda 3, Mazda 6 and Accord. Those are slightly more fun than Corolla/Camry/Sentra/Altima/Passat/Jetta but I wouldn't say its a night and day difference.

Ask him to check out the GTI!

EDIT: Just noticed you mentioned sedan only. I guess in that case Jetta GLI (only GLI) comes close to the GTI feel, and Subaru Impreza/Legacy/WRX (I'm not sure if they make WRX with auto tranny anymore, I think they don't). Civic Si if he is fine with stick shift.

[rohanjf]

Originally Posted by rajushank84

- If he is into manual transmissions, then the Fiesta ST

Only automatic (restriction by wife, I guess)

- Something from Subaru -Legacy / WRX / STI

I hadn't thought of this. Thanks! I will ask him to check Subaru website

- If he is willing to go for a slightly used car, an Audi A3 or A4 would fit into the budget

He prefers new car. He said the base variant of A3 comes in his budget. He has test driven only the Jetta so far (I don't know which engine though). He plans to test drive the A3 soon.

I wouldn't recommend anything from Chrysler or Dodge (you did mention fun to drive).

I assumed Dart would be fun to drive, because it is built on a Fiat platform. No?

[Technocrat]

Why a FWD if he wants fun to drive? Altima is no different than a Camry or Accord, in fact of the three the Accord is sportiest.

25k is a decent budget if he looks at used car market. Any reason why only new? He can get certified cars with less mileage & full warranty.