New Car - What Should I Get?

[Japher]

Here's my criteria:

Around or less than $25k

AWD or 4WD

Decent gas milage, I live 5 miles from work so it's not uber important. Yet, I can't plan on that always being the case

Able to fit to car seats and at least 3 adults

Good 36 or 60 mos APR

Good warrenty

Not look like sheit


Thanks,

[Dinner]

http://www.subaru.com/vehicles/impreza-wrx/index.html

[Dinner]

I found this list of cars with AWD on the net. Asterisks are for cars avalable with manual transmission:

Audi A3, A4*, A6, A8, TT* (quattro models)
All Subaru Models*
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution *
Suzuki Aerio SX AWD*
Toyota Sienna AWD
Infiniti G35x, M35x
BMW 325xi*, 330xi*, 530xi*
Acura RL
Cadillac STS AWD
Dodge Caliber AWD
Dodge Magnum AWD
Chrysler 300 AWD
Ford Five Hundred AWD
Volvo S40*, V50*,S60*, V70*, XC70, S80 (AWD models)
Mazdaspeed 6*
Mercedes 4Matic models (C280, C350, E350, E500)
Toyota Matrix XR AWD*
Pontiac Vibe AWD*

[Asher]

Here's my criteria:

Around or less than $25k

AWD or 4WD

Decent gas milage, I live 5 miles from work so it's not uber important. Yet, I can't plan on that always being the case

Able to fit to car seats and at least 3 adults

Good 36 or 60 mos APR

Good warrenty

Not look like sheit


Thanks,

I'd probably go Matrix.

Subarus have awful interiors, not so great reliability.

WTF do you need 4 wheel drive? I live in Canada and get by without it.

[Dinner]

Subaru always gets ranked very high in reliability on just about every ranking system. I'll agree with the plasticy interiors though I have yet to see the all new redesigned 2010 Subaru Legacy. Supposedly they payed special attention to the interior during the make over.

http://www.leftlanenews.com/subaru-legacy.html

As an added bonus the car looks more adult then most of the other option and has more space which is nice. It's more in the 25k-35k price range though you could likely get rebates and special financing deals right now due to automakers dying for sales.

[Asher]

If you ****ing give me that **** about JD Power & Associates I'm going to blow my lid. it's a bull**** study.

I know many people who own Subarus (I'm gay, Subarus are gay cars -- look it up!). I know for a fact they have questionable reliability.

[DanS]

As I recall vaguely, it may have been the Impreza specifically that is getting all of the poor reviews on reliability.

[self biased]

Jeep wrangler rubicon. okay, it fails at gas mileage, but it's hella fun to drive.

[Asher]

Some quick googling will let you know Subarus tend to have significant reliability issues with their engines, which are ****ing EXPENSIVE to fix.

http://autos.msn.com/research/vip/reliability.aspx?year=2003&make=Subaru&model=Impreza

Part of the problem with the JDPower and Associates studies are the weightings they give to issues. $5000 engine repairs and $20 interior repairs are each given similar weightings.

[Dinner]

Consumer Reports also rates Subaru well. Oh, and J.D. Powers is great as a source of information and when buying a car I always look at all the ratings agencies. It really doesn't matter if Asher doesn't like it.

[Dinner]

As I recall vaguely, it may have been the Impreza specifically that is getting all of the poor reviews on reliability.

They didn't like the turbo models as I recall which is great since they now have 3.5L nonturbo option.

[SlowwHand]

http://www.edmunds.com/toyota/4runner/review.html

[Asher]

They didn't like the turbo models as I recall which is great since they now have 3.5L nonturbo option.

The turbo models weren't too reliable, the nonturbo models were even worse due to head gasket failures. It was an EXTREMELY common problem with the Imprezas.

[Dinner]

If I recall correctly it was the turbo models which had head gasket issues because the turbo pressure was to high.

[Dinner]

It's funny how consumer reports ranked the Subaru Forester as the best small SUV (well, technically it tied for first) and it has the exact same engine the other Subarus have made in the exact same engine plant.