New Car Contemplation
Posted on November 23, 2006
Filed Under Uncategorized |
I’m not sure why, but lately I’ve been thinking about new cars a lot. A friend of mine thinks I’ve been brainwashed by all of the deals and car ads that one tends to see at this time of year. This might be true, but I like to think I’m not so easily influenced. Instead, I like to attribute it to other factors–both practical and not-so-practical. I’m going to list a few of those reasons, but let me clarify a few things first.
I’m not necessarily looking for a new 2006/2007 model. In fact, I’m not looking at new cars at all. Sure, it would be nice to have a brand spanking new, untouched, virgin auto, but I don’t have that kind of money. What I’m looking at, then, are used vehicles. However, I’m looking for vehicles that are newer than my current car. But why? Let’s take a look, in list form.
- Newer cars tend to be more fuel efficient. My current car, while not terrible on gas, doesn’t get the best mileage. Luckily, the tank is small and, as a result, relatively inexpensive to fill-up.
- Newer cars are safer. My Integra doesn’t even have airbags.
- Newer cars are just plain newer. This sounds trite, but what I mean is that newer cars, due to the fact that they are, you know, less old, are generally in better condition than older cars. This isn’t to say that my current car is in bad shape. It isn’t. Considering it’s age, it’s actually in damn good shape. But, I would like a car that’s in better shape, and I’m only willing to invest so much in repair costs on the Integra. And, by “so much” I mean “very little.”
Those are the more practical reasons. There are also other reasons, however, that aren’t so practical. Here are a few of them:
- I’m bored. As much as I like the little Integra, I want something new. I want something shiny and zippy.
- I want more power. Yes, the Intgera is pretty sporty. And, yeah, I can beat a lot of other cars off the line (not that I’m racing, but I find that, in regular traffic, I tend to accelerate quicker than a lot of other vehicles). But, I want something more powerful. The way cars are made these days, even small cars–which I tend to prefer–are (usually) more powerful than my car.
There are other reasons, but I suppose these are the main ones. I’ve been looking at a lot of different types of cars, and I find that I like a lot of vehicles that I never thought I would (like the Dodge Caliber, for example). However, what I’ve listed below are the top five cars that I am likely to purchase as my next vehicle. I haven’t mentioned specific years or models (i.e.: base models vs. luxury models), because those things are somewhat secondary to the overall cost of the vehicle, and what I’ll be able to afford when I actually make a serious effort to shop for a new vehicle. In no particular order, my five most likely candidates are:
I’ve listed the Jetta and Golf together because they’re essentially the same vehicle, expect that one is the sedan and one is the hatchback. The Yaris and Echo are together because the Yaris is essentially a newer, revamped version of the Echo. Due to the fact that it’s a brand new model, the Caliber is the least likely of those listed to be purchased.
I’ve come to realize that I like smaller cars for a lot of reasons. They’re fuel efficient (I’m a cheap bugger, plus I kind of like this planet), and they’re usually really fun to drive. They also suit my lifestyle. I’m an urbanite who rarely leaves the city. Furthermore, I live downtown, and hope to live downtown (or very close to the core) for at least a few more years. In my opinion, a smaller car is ideal for my situation.
Besides, while it’s entirely possible that I might have a kid or two in the next few years (not too soon, I hope, but you never know), it’ll be a while still before they’d be big enough to necessitate the dreaded “family car.” Until that day comes, I see no need to invest in a mid-size or larger vehicle.
Comments
4 Responses to “New Car Contemplation”
Go for they Toyota! I love my camry. It’s a bigger small vehicle and I don’t regret having that extra space for hauling people or stuff around. The 4.0 engine is fantastic on gas so don’t write off a camry just yet.
I haven’t written off a Camry. I’m just saying that, at this point in my life, there is no reason to spend that kind of money. Unless I’m looking at something from the ’80s or early ’90s, even a used Camry is pretty expensive. Ideally, I’d like something from the late ’90s or early ’00s.
Also, it’s a “bigger small” vehicle because it’s a mid-size. Perhaps in future days of Adam the Dad, I will look for something like a Camry, but not right now.
In my opinion you should go with a Toyota vehicle, but I am pretty bias towards them
Having driven in both a Yaris and a Corolla I can say they both have pretty defining features. The Yaris looks tiny, but is pretty room in the inside, while the Corolla looks rather normal and the interior is alright, but doesn’t seem as roomy as the Yaris
I hate how the Yaris has the dashboard setup, in the center and all, not a fan of that. The Corolla seems to have a bit more kick to it, and the Yaris will heat up slightly if you are going a constant 120km/h for a good 30 minutes or more .. haven’t had that happen to my Corolla though, it can go at high speeds for a long long time and show no signs of heat problems
They are both nice cars though, and are awesome on mileage and reliabiltiy (Can’t say too much abouthe Yaris yet though). My Corolla had some strap in the engine becoming loose in its third year, but that costed like 50 bucks to fix, and the Yaris had some initial problems with wheel/light adjustment, but that’s covered under warranty.
I’m basing my comments off pretty much base models though!
Thanks for the tips Bart–very useful.