best car under 26K?

MizzouSnives

MizzouSnives

500+ Posts
i must preface this by saying i have been very lucky in life, and my parents decided to continue on this luck in telling me that they'd like to get me a car for graduation in may. i know i can't break the bank but my dream car at this point is a Saab 9-3. i can get a linear model with everything i want for around 26-27K (gm discount). so at that price range i'd just get that. anything less than that (or a better car) may change my mind.

basically, i'm looking for anything (coupe, sedan, suv) with a sunroof, leather, and nice pep to the engine. i'll go used, but the main thing is that i want it to be reliable and pretty free on maintenance.
suggestions? help with warranty? this is gonna be the first car i really have to take care of, so i want to make it pretty simple. thanks in advance.
 
last november i got a 2005 Honda Accord Coupe EX (top trim with sunroof, leather and all options) with the gps navigation system for $25,700. the sedan is the same price. i haven't had a problem and everyone i ever talk to say they never have a problem with hondas. and while the navi was a toy, the thing is badass. type in an address anywhere and it will take you there. you want fast food? it will show you the 50+ fast food restaurants closest to you. you want the closest thai food? it will tell you. you want to find an airport, and i'm not talking austin, dfw, sfo or oakland, it will find any regional city airport. you want the nearest gas station. its all over it.

all in all, badass
 
and that was the v-6, 240 hp. not a bad engine. you can get the hybrid now that bumps it up to 255, but its about 3 grand more and only in the sedan
 
Honda accord. My mom recently went car shopping. Honda accord, Toyota camry, nissan altima. The accord was impressive enough to the point that i think i might get one if the maxima doesnt floor me. She ended up with teh camry but for different reasons.
 
Ask them for the Cash instead. Invest in Pawn Shops as they are going to do gangbusters for at least another 3 years.

Then buy yourself whatever you want.

Or take the money and insist on traveling around the worl as CHEAPLY as you can figure out how to. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity. You can alwasy but a car later.

Unless of coures you can't get laid without a nice ride... then buy a used NSX....
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Buy a Honda Civic. Put the extra ten grand in long term stocks or bonds. Drive the Civic for 10 years with no problems. Cash out the stocks/bonds and buy another Civic. Drive it for 10 years with no problems. Now you are over 40 years old and are effectively still driving your graduation car while having it be reliable and maintenance free the whole time.
 
The Mazda RX8 and the Nissan 350z are both in your price range and both were car and driver/road and track top 10s. I like the Acura as well but they are front wheel drive (IMHO a negative) but you have to drive it hard to feel the understeer.
 
thanks for the suggestions.

DMLonghorn--right now i drive an accord v-6 ex coupe. you're right, it is badass. i don't have nav but i love the car. it's a 98 and i think i may be ready to move on, however.

there seems to be all kinds of acura love on the board, how are they for maintenance and repairs?
 
I would go for a certified preowned Lexus IS300. It'll have a warranty, sports & luxury touches, and industry best reliability. It's also RWD, so it's less complex than all the FWD acuras/hondas out there, quieter, and designed to actually take advantage of the car's weight transfer upon acceleration.

The RX-8 is a good car (I have a 04), but you do need to know things about how it works in order to have a good experience with the rotary engine. For me, the Z felt like it had a cheap interior.

I'd also look at a mini cooper S. I know it's small, but go drive one - they are a shitload of fun to drive. You just have to give it a chance.
 
I got a 9-3 a few months ago....great ride...

Ask your parents for the money and then lease the car....do the math....you'll be very surprised at what the difference is if you plan like myself for never having a care more than 3-5 years...
 
Has FWD sent this world topsy-turvy?!? Why is it appealing to have CV joints on a car? Why do you want to power the wheels that are actively losing traction when accelerating? Why do you want more weight in the front of the car? Why do people like wider turning radii? Do some people like torque steer?

WHY? WHY? WHY?

Free your mind - follow the way of the RWD.


...and yes, I know the Mini is FWD - there are exceptions...
 
Most of the suggested cars are FWD because they're all Japanese. Japanese rarely make RWD cars for fuel efficiency reasons, although the competion with BMW is changing that.

After saying that, get a preowned G35. It's RWD with a good torque curve unlike all those Hondas. It's also a hell of a lot more liveable than the 350z.
 
I've been looking. It's difficult/impossible to get a TSX under $26K. It's an awesome car though.

Sounds like you have great parents. Mine were pretty generous as well and gave me some money towards a new car when I graduated. But (and sorry to sound preachy) you should ask yourself if you could afford a $26K car on your current income. In a few years when you trade it in, will you be so attached to the amenities and quality of a $26K car that you won't consider something lower?

Personally I'm struggling with the choice of whether to spend an extra $6000 on a TSX over a "base" Accord EX. Yeah, I could afford the more expensive car, but knowing me, I'd have a hard time "trading down" if/when in the future I have kids and expenses start piling up. Or maybe I just like having more toys, and don't want to tie up all my money in a car.
 
superhero--you are totally right, i would have a hard time trading down. i'm looking at these cars because the one i drive right now is so nice. it's an accord ex with leather and a sunroof. that's pretty much all i need (and to be fair, i really don't NEED them, i just like them). i may go with a quality used car so that a)it can be nicer without being too pricey and b) i can still get a new car later in life and appreciate that i worked for it. not that college wasn't work, but my parents are way too nice to me and i am definitely spoiled. at least i can admit it, right?
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I recommend enjoying whatever you can take advantage of now - no sense later in life saying "damn that was stupid, I could have had a _____!"
 
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