Please Help Me Buy My Graduation Gift for 2009! (rental, windshield, best)

[southernnaturelover]

Originally Posted by Bydand

I like the Focus and the Mazda myself.
Personally, I would let somebody else take the big ding in depreciation and get a used one that is a year or two old. Don't start trying to keep up with others now (especially if it is Mommy and Daddy's dollars they are playing with) because it will be a never ending race. Get one you like, and that fills your needs.

Ditto to this post. I couldn't agree more.

[gallowsCalibrator]

Originally Posted by EdJones

I don't mean to burst your bubble, but 40K is not enough miles to say "my car performs the same as the day I picked it up for the first time." It should for heaven's sake!!!! Let's have this conversation at the 250K and 300K miles mark

With my track record for driving (only about 13K miles/year or so) - I might be able to put antique tags on the car before I hit 250K.

[skoro]

Go with the Civic or Corolla. Both are rather vanilla, but they have lots of redeeming qualities: economy, reliability, comfortable, and good resale.

[DowntownJerseyCity]

+1 with the Civic, Fit, and Corolla. American cars are just fine as well, but that depreciation trend they have is a killer.

[JacobMAX]

I would go with the Civic, Fit and Corolla too.

I would also add the Saturn Astra and the new Toyota Matrix to that list.

[EdJones]

Originally Posted by Kuharai

With my track record for driving (only about 13K miles/year or so) - I might be able to put antique tags on the car before I hit 250K.

good one

[bbguy05]

Personally I would get a car that is a couple of years old. New cars depreciate dramatically within the first few years. Plus insurance on brand new cars are outrageous. Half of those cars on your list, you can buy two years old MUCH cheaper, and still have the same design and features.

I would personally go with the Honda Civic or the Sentra.

[pennquaker09]

I'd get a Corolla.

[GregW]

I just read the OP. FORGET ABOUT USING A NEW CAR TO GET YOUR ASSOCIATES RESPECT. IF THEY GOT THEIR CARS FROM THEIR RICH PARENTS AND YOU ARE NOT RICH YOU WILL NEVER GET THEIR RESPECT. FORGET IT.

Now to stop yelling. Keep the contour until it stops casting a shadow due to the rust in PA. Take the money you would pay in loans, insurance and taxes on a new car and put the money in a credit union. When the Contour dies (probably 20 yrs/200k miles) you will have enough to buy a three-year-old car coming off lease for cash. Over all this will save you a bundle that can be applied to college loans or even a down payment on a regular mortgage. The first step to getting rich yourself is to acquire some capital to invest. This is one way to do it.

[FightinPhils]

Go with the Corolla or Civic. You can't go wrong with either one.