Possible to buy used Matrix/Vibe for $8k?

Local newspaper had a Ford dealer advertising new 2006 Focus ZX3 hatchback base model cars for $9988 (5 at this price).

There is also the Yaris hatchback.

wow

not a bad deal huh!

agree

A Focus at any price is a bad deal.

The Chevy Aveo was advertised in the paper over the weekend for $9K or so. It's some sort of hatchback, built by Daewoo of South Korea.

I would not necessarily recommend the Aveo. However, if I were you, I'd consider what else is available new. The Kia and/or Hyundais offer low prices and impressive warranties. You could consider a loan over a longer period of time, if the car is backed by a solid warranty. If you're cash-strapped and expect to be so for a while, I'd prefer not to face unexpected expenses. A good warranty might help you there. You can probably expect a Kia or Hyundai to still hold some value 6 years from now. If you have $8-9K in cash for a car, now, consider putting $4K down and financing the rest over a few years. This would be low payments, which you could meet out of your cash reserve, if necessary, for a couple of years. You might get low-interest financing from the manufacturer.

You could also consider the new Toyota Yaris. It starts at $12K or so. Again, you might need a loan, but at the end of a few years, chances are good that the car will be worth something and still reliable. Also consider the Scions (a little more) and the Honda Fit (even more).

Is a new car right for you? I don't know. However, if you're thinking of $8-9K, for a little more money, you have a variety of new-car choices. Buying used, you could be buying trouble. A new car comes with some protection that a used car does not have. Can you get credit? That will be an important question. A car loan could also help establish credit.

Watch out for interest rates, hidden fees, etc. Be prepared to walk at any time, if there's fees or dollars on the deal you didn't expect. Check with BBB before going to a dealer.

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replies:

Look at Hyundai's and Kia's Web sites!

Take a gander at autotrader.com or cars.com and look at listings for used examples of these (and other) manu- facturers' respective models, to get an idea of which ones might suit your needs and how much you can expect to spend on them.

Then, once you've narrowed your solections down a bit, look for newsgroups (like this one) and Web fora that are devoted to the various makes, and ask people who own these cars what they think of them, what their strong and weak points are, etc.

Geoff

Why do you say that? I've read good things about them (expecially the ZX3 hatchback) in the car magazines. I rented one several months ago and thought it was a kick in the ass to drive: great acceleration and sharp handling.

The only downside I recall hearing about is that because the Focus has a low final-drive ratio (one reason for the quick acceleration), they're a bit noisy at freeway speeds. But since I didn't drive my rental on the freeway, I can't comment on that one way or the other.

Have there been long-term reliability problems with the Focus?

Incidentally, another small American car I rented that impressed me is the new Chevrolet Cobalt. It seemed well put together, was fun to drive, and is a damned sight better than the car it replaces, the Cavalier. But there's no hatchback version...

Geoff

Actually the Aveo is a Suzuki, that is built in plants that were formally owned by Daewoo and now owned by GM.

mike hunt

As well as Toyota dealers infamous add-on pricing ;)

mike hunt

You are entitled to you own opinion, no mater how convoluted it may be. ;)

mike hunt

You are demonstrating that you do not know the difference between the selling price and the total drive home price. Dealers love buyer that do not know the difference. ;)

mike hunt

Don't you realize in this NG EVERY vehicle is inferior to ANY Toyota, just ask them. LOL

mike hunt

Gee, "edmunds says you're wrong," doesn't strike me as particularly convoluted. I guess, in addition to being wrong, you're also fairly stupid.

*** Posted via a free Usenet account from ***

When comparing the value of two alternative assets you don't use their 'out the door' prices or include finance costs, In this example you use the contract price of the car net of any trade-in, taxes, or fees and compare that to the resale value of the used vehicle.

Introduction: Chevrolet and General Motors as a whole have long known they do not have a credible offering in the low-priced subcompact segment. Enter the Chevrolet Aveo. The Aveo is the result of GM's acquisition of Daewoo Motor Company and is essentially a rebadged Daewoo Kalos, a car already on sale in other markets around the world.

No mention of Suzuki there.

*** Posted via a free Usenet account from ***

Guess they didn't want to waste the verbiage.

(It) began life as a Daewoo product but when GM bought the company the Swift+/Aveo was updated mechanically by Suzuki, given a style refresher by Italy's Giugiaro/ItalDesign, had its development overseen by General Motors engineers in Detroit. A global product if there ever was one! Suzuki, in case, you're not aware, is also a GM subsidiary, which explains the Aveo connection.

Don't talk so stupid, of course the total amount one spends to drive the vehicle home, is its cost. What if the difference in fees that one Toyota dealer charges is $300 more than charged by another? What if the difference in the interest rates charged by the two on $30,000 is 1/4% lower. What if the one dealers trade allowance is $500 less? From which Toyota will you buy YOUR Toyota? The fact nationwide more buyers are buying the Vibe, than its similarly equipped Toyota twin. The reason is because the total drive home price of the Vibe is much less, regardless of what the MSRP happens to be. Like I said dealers love buyer that do not know the difference between the selling price and the actual cost of driving home their vehicle. LOL

When you learn not to top post I'll grant you a bit of credibility. Until then,

*plonk*.