Nervous on Used Car Purchase (luxury, vehicles, 2012, hybrid)

[Ashton887]

Hi everyone!

First off, I want to say thank you to everyone who posts in this forum - you guys are so knowledgeable and smart! I'm spent a ton of hours pouring over this forum and Edmunds and you guys are great! With that said, I was wondering if you could help me out. My current car (04 Civic Hybrid) was declared totalled this weekend after I was rear-ended, and I need to buy a new car ASAP. Here's what I'm looking for in no particular order (and have come up short):

* Good on gas - at least 25 mpg, because I drive a LOT for work
* Fun to drive: please nothing boring! - again, I drive a ton for work, and want to have a little fun behind the wheel, Plus, I love speed.
* Luxury-esque; I am not looking for a car with huge repair bills, but I am also in a client-facing role and will be taking clients to lunch from time to time in my personal vehicle.
* Affordable (less than $10k)

I keep coming back to the Saab 93 or Altima. In my local market (New England), I could definitely find a newer Saab - but am I crazy, given the brand's bankruptcy? I'd like something with lower mileage, so that I can drive it into the ground. The Altima's I've seen are older with more mileage, but my first car was a 2000 Maxima and the repair bills were reasonable and I drove that thing for 250k miles until the old girl finally gave it up. As I will be making payments on it, I'd like to have something I'm crazy about.

Does anyone have other suggestions or thoughts on the Saab idea? I want to be able to present my dad with a strong case, since even though I'm buying, he's coming with me to go on the test drives, etc, and he's a hard man to keep happy when it comes to cars!

[HEATHER72]

Volvo S60? Darn I could have hooked you up with a low mile one a couple of weeks ago.

[Hemlock140]

The Nissan availability of parts will be better and repair cost lower. I would consider a few others, such as the Ford Fusion, Toyota Camry, and Subaru
Outback.

[jambo101]

I`ve heard good things about the Mazda 3 and 6 models particularly the tuned up Mazda Speed versions that come with all the upgraded suspension goodies and a turbo..producing 263hp



oops just noticed you looking for a used one, well look for a well maintained older version..

[Puttmossman]

I would look at something like a 2005 Scion tC. It would be similar in age and size to the car that you are replacing, and fit all of your criteria.

Good gas mileage
Sporty and fun to drive
Fancier then the standard Camry, Corolla, Civic, Accord, etc.
Affordable (less than $10k)

And it's reliability is excellent!

Good Luck in your search.

[whiteboyslo]

Mazda/Ford would be my vote if you're looking for something a wee bit sportier. The Fusion or Mazda 6 would be a great choice that should suit all your needs, plus they have/had manual options, which always makes the driving experience a bit more engaging. If you're looking for something in the compact range, the 3 would be a good choice. The Focus isn't bad, either, but the 3 really is the nicer Focus and should be within your price range if you shop around.

If you like sportiness and speed, that Civic Hybrid must have been a torture test. Sounds like someone did you a favor!

Mike

[PokerMunkee]

$10k doesn't buy much these days in the used market.

If you find a Saab that you like, go for it. Buying a used 6 year old one doesn't have anything to do if the company doesn't exist tomorrow.

You can find a 2004 Pontiac GTO (5.7 350HP) with 70-80k miles for $10k. The 6 speed can get over 25mpg on the highway.

Example: http://denver.craigslist.org/cto/2788313654.html (broken link)

[jaypee]

I would try to nab this one: 2006 Acura TSX Luxury Sport Sedan. (http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/cto/2870541624.html - broken link)
2006 Acura TSX with only 66kmi. nimble, fun to drive, gets good gas mileage, reliable as heck, and very presentable to clients

[jlawrence01]

Originally Posted by Ashton887

I keep coming back to the Saab 93 or Altima. In my local market (New England), I could definitely find a newer Saab - but am I crazy, given the brand's bankruptcy? I'd like something with lower mileage, so that I can drive it into the ground. !

Please save yourself the hassles of the Saab 9-3. I had one in my fleet and that car was in the shop with electrical problems more than the other 15 vehicles in the fleet. And THOSE repairs were all under warranty.

It is never a good sign when your MECHANIC sends you Christmas cards!

[minibrings]

Originally Posted by jlawrence01

Please save yourself the hassles of the Saab 9-3. I had one in my fleet and that car was in the shop with electrical problems more than the other 15 vehicles in the fleet. And THOSE repairs were all under warranty.

It is never a good sign when your MECHANIC sends you Christmas cards!

What year was this Saab 9-3? the first 2 years (03 and 04) were not the best. I have an 08 9-5 AERO and had an 03 9-5 ARC. Nice, reliable cars.

If the OP can find a 9-5 (2004 or newer) you'd be good to go.

PS within the week they will announce the future owner of Saab. 7-8 compnies are bidding, including BMW. also GM is standing by its warranty on 2009 (or older) Saabs. The 08s were covered by a 5 year, 100,000 mile GM wrranty. bhyt 2009, they lowered it to 50,000 miles.