What Would You Buy For 20k

[benalexe]

I am still looking around a lot. I decided my budget will be $25K. In the time I originally posted this question, my bosses 2001 audi a6 needed $3,500 worth of work. THe car had 60,000 miles on it. Now I realize this is not a lexus but I am sure easily that can happen. I was leaning to the avalon limited for a while and I still somewhat am. It is disappointing to learn that the avalon does not have bluetooth. I looked at a bunch of es330's but quite honestly, I was disappointed in the equipment that these cars have. Little things surprised me like no auto headlights.... And the car just seems to not have that many bells and whistles which I really want. So.... having said that latley I have been looking at a new loaded Nissan Altima. THey are fairly inexpensive and seem to come loaded.

DECISIONS DECISIONS....... My mind will probably change 100 times between now and March when my SAAB 9-3 lease is up.

[smooth1]

We are looking for the wife a new car. She really liked how the Nissan Altima looked. So we test drove one, it was the 3.5 S. The interior felt cheap and the dash seemed like cheesy plastic. After driving it, I wasn't impressed with the steering feel also. ( Front wheel drive, seemed like you felt you had to constantly adjust the steering to control drift.)

Is the IS 300 out for some reason?

[nc211]

We are looking for the wife a new car. She really liked how the Nissan Altima looked. So we test drove one, it was the 3.5 S. The interior felt cheap and the dash seemed like cheesy plastic. After driving it, I wasn't impressed with the steering feel also. ( Front wheel drive, seemed like you felt you had to constantly adjust the steering to control drift.)

Is the IS 300 out for some reason?

Smooth1, have you looked at the Mazda 3's yet? Went through this with my wife a few months ago, took forever too.... ended up with a new Mazda 3, fully loaded, and I mean LOADED, for under $20k. Couldn't be happier...

[smooth1]

Yeah, been there, she doesn't like how they look. But she is interested in the Mazda 6.

We are waiting on the 2008 models to come out, Hyundai is supposed to come out with a 300 HP sport sedan that rivals the Lexus line.( We'll see.) I still don't know if I can wrap my head around owning a Hyundai, but if it is as good as they say and can save me a few bucks while making the wife happy, hey, I'm all for it.

She has a 2000 Volvo S40 now. It has 72,000 miles on it. It really has been a great car. A few things along the way, like ball joints, and bushings, also we had to replace the motor mounts, and a few odds and end stuff, but nothing over the top. She really loves her car. ( Which is good for me.) So, I'm thinking when the 2008's come out, maybe we can swing a deal on the 2007 S60 for her. We took her car in for service and they gave her one for a loaner, and now that's all I hear about. So, I think she has made up her mind. So we are on hold for now.

It's funny how different she is from me in buying a car. I don't know if it is a character trait across the board or not. For awhile there I was just hoping every car we got into was "the one", but then nooooooo, I just had to stay quite, and be understanding and supportive.LOL!!!!

[Rya]

but then nooooooo, I just had to stay quite, and be understanding and supportive.LOL!!!!

Awwww... you GET it!!!

We are looking for the wife

OMG... did you lose her???

(Have you missed my smart a$$ comments for the last day & a half??)

[benalexe]

I too will look at the MAZDA. The is seems too small. I need a family size car i.e. Camry, altima etc.

[Cory]

SC300 = $6000

Modifications = $14000

[smooth1]

the IS 300 interior is bigger than the Mazda 3. In fact, the IS 300 back seat is bigger than the Volvo S60's! And the IS is silk smoooooooth. I just sold a 2003 IS 300 with 30,000 miles on it for 22K. And to me, I know, it's just an opinion, but I offer it up freely,,, , If you took a tape measure and measured door to door, and dash to deck, from a full size car such as the Caddy STS, ( we are talking 4 door sedans here), to the say Mazda 3, or an IS 300, etc. etc., I wonder what the real size differences are. I didn't think the Altima had a bigger interior than the IS did. Sure the dash is a mile longer to the windshield which made it seem bigger, but that is useless space anyway. I felt you sit lower in the IS than the Altima, come to think of it, I think you sit lower in the IS than in all the cars we test drove, but in the "mid-size" sedan, the seating and shoulder space all felt pretty close in size to me. Even though the car itself was much larger than the IS. But bigger trunk, and bigger hood seemed the real difference to me. Correct me if I'm wrong here. I'm open to debate. I have been wrong in the past. But I think that the "cabin cubic inch" method is misleading.

[nc211]

The IS300 and the other cars you mention certainly offer more in terms HP and certain areas of refinement, and even space. But don't be fooled by the Mazda's size on the outside, we're capable of fitting 4 in it quite comforably, and we have the sedan version, not the wagon. It fooled me too. The 3 or 4 times we've gone to the beach "3 hours" this summer, we've taken the Mazda instead of the Lexus, and it's been excellent. The 5th gear really makes it cruise quite nicely. But, it is buzzier than the IS300, and doesn't pack the same punch. I would compare the Mazda's driving style to that of an older british pocket rocket, with a Japan touch on refinement. It comes with things like automatic rain sensing wipers, traction control, heated seats, ipod hook up, satelite radio, adjustable hid lights, 8 airbags, leather, triptronic automatic tranny, alarm, 18 inch sport wheels, computer, automatic tire pressure sensors, etc.... really has a full list of options that you wouldn't expect to see in such a car. But, it is noisy on concrete highways, very smooth and quiet on blacktop. Handles like it's on rails, and truly a blast to drive on twisty roads, easy to manuvuer in city traffic. I think it has 170hp, or in that area. Also pulls down 35mpg on midgrade gas, 38 on premium, 32 on regular. It's a "practical" version of the Miata. Not as refined as the Lexus though, not as roomy as the altima, and certainly not as "perfect" as the camry. But, it gets better mileage than those cars, doesn't have the throttle lag the IS300 has, more features. The Mazda is also built on the new Volvo s40 frame too, which takes the "mazda bang bang" ride out of the car, very nice.

But, I know where you are with this....trust me! It's her car, and she'll tell you what she likes, and you WILL like it! Hahaaa. It sounds like you wife and mine might of been looking for different cars. Mine wanted something small, fun, safe and economical. Now that we have the 3, she couldn't care about any of that....what sold her on the car was the ipod input...go figure.

[SW03ES]

I looked at a bunch of es330's but quite honestly, I was disappointed in the equipment that these cars have. Little things surprised me like no auto headlights.... And the car just seems to not have that many bells and whistles which I really want.

ALL ES330s have auto headlights, and the ES has pretty much every bell and whistle the Avalon has...

[smooth1]

The IS300 and the other cars you mention certainly offer more in terms HP and certain areas of refinement, and even space. But don't be fooled by the Mazda's size on the outside, we're capable of fitting 4 in it quite comforably, and we have the sedan version, not the wagon. It fooled me too. The 3 or 4 times we've gone to the beach "3 hours" this summer, we've taken the Mazda instead of the Lexus, and it's been excellent. The 5th gear really makes it cruise quite nicely. But, it is buzzier than the IS300, and doesn't pack the same punch. I would compare the Mazda's driving style to that of an older british pocket rocket, with a Japan touch on refinement. It comes with things like automatic rain sensing wipers, traction control, heated seats, ipod hook up, satelite radio, adjustable hid lights, 8 airbags, leather, triptronic automatic tranny, alarm, 18 inch sport wheels, computer, automatic tire pressure sensors, etc.... really has a full list of options that you wouldn't expect to see in such a car. But, it is noisy on concrete highways, very smooth and quiet on blacktop. Handles like it's on rails, and truly a blast to drive on twisty roads, easy to manuvuer in city traffic. I think it has 170hp, or in that area. Also pulls down 35mpg on midgrade gas, 38 on premium, 32 on regular. It's a "practical" version of the Miata. Not as refined as the Lexus though, not as roomy as the altima, and certainly not as "perfect" as the camry. But, it gets better mileage than those cars, doesn't have the throttle lag the IS300 has, more features. The Mazda is also built on the new Volvo s40 frame too, which takes the "mazda bang bang" ride out of the car, very nice.

But, I know where you are with this....trust me! It's her car, and she'll tell you what she likes, and you WILL like it! Hahaaa. It sounds like you wife and mine might of been looking for different cars. Mine wanted something small, fun, safe and economical. Now that we have the 3, she couldn't care about any of that....what sold her on the car was the ipod input...go figure.

I have allways been a Mazda fan. I of course love the 95 RX-7, and I allways liked the look of the Millenia. The previous generation Mazda 3 hatchback was, I allways thought a great looking car. The Protoge was good looking, quick, and lasted as long as anything else on the road.( I don't like front wheel drive though.) My wife however likes it. So, I test drive front wheel drive cars for her and either reinforce her opinion, while coloring in a few of my own to help her with her choices.

[smooth1]

but then nooooooo, I just had to stay quite, and be understanding and supportive.LOL!!!!

Awwww... you GET it!!!

We are looking for the wife

OMG... did you lose her???

(Have you missed my smart a$$ comments for the last day & a half??)

Who is this???? Do I know you?? HHHmmmmmm,,,,,,,

[benalexe]

I looked at a bunch of es330's but quite honestly, I was disappointed in the equipment that these cars have. Little things surprised me like no auto headlights.... And the car just seems to not have that many bells and whistles which I really want.

ALL ES330s have auto headlights, and the ES has pretty much every bell and whistle the Avalon has...

Really???? It looked somewhat spartan to me... Does it have rain sensing wipers?

[Rya]

Who is this???? Do I know you?? HHHmmmmmm,,,,,,,

You loooove me & you miss me

Ok - done hijacking the post...

[smooth1]

Who is this???? Do I know you?? HHHmmmmmm,,,,,,,

You loooove me & you miss me

,,, ,,,yeah,,,,,,,,,,,

[Rya]

You loooove me & you miss me

,,, ,,,yeah,,,,,,,,,,,

Awww

[SW03ES]

Really???? It looked somewhat spartan to me... Does it have rain sensing wipers?

Yep, auto headlights, rain sensing wipers. I can't think of anything the Avalon has that it lacks.

[kivettlexuslover]

There are some awesome vehicles for 20K available, as my husband and I had this chat the other day. What if that is all we could afford, then what would we purchase? If we were to purchase something 1-2 yrs old, or brand new, this is what we came up with for the family fleet:

1) Toyota Camry XLE, or Hybrid

2) Honda Accord

3) VW Jetta Diesel (gets 40mpg)

4) Mini Cooper S

5) Chevy Malibu Sport

6) Toyota Highlander Base

7) Honda Pilot

8) Honda CRV

Good Luck!

[jcrome04]

I'd buy a used LS, GS, M45 or Q45.

[SOMEONE ELSE'S GOT MY NAME]

With the end of cheep oil, if someone threw $20K at me, I'd convert our RX400h to a plug in version. I figure by the time fuel hits $12/gallon in 2 years, it'll have paid for itself.

[Lexusfreak]

I think I'll just buy oil stock with that......should see a healthy return the way things are going in about a week lol.

[nc211]

With the end of cheep oil, if someone threw $20K at me, I'd convert our RX400h to a plug in version. I figure by the time fuel hits $12/gallon in 2 years, it'll have paid for itself.

If that happens, the entire world will be in a depression so great, that it'll make the Great Depression look like a ride at Disney Land, and WWIII would start as tanks would roll into the middle east to take over the oil fields. That'll never happen, not in today's electronic world. Governments will put "caps" on the price of gasoline, as was done in the 70's during that energy crunch. Granted, that means the price will always be at that cap and never come down until the cap is removed and time is given for the market to adjust, but you see the point. It's a free market, until free becomes too expensive, then it's a nationalized market..