Well... I need to replace my GT... snow tires are gonna run 800 bucks, as well as maintenance costs that are gonna eat me alive... I love the car, but since I stopped being single, and living at my job, I just can't afford it anymore.

That and the fact that well... this isn't sports car weather up here... it's not like Arizona.

Soooo... I was going to buy a truck...

Asshat salesman shows me the three used trucks on the lot...

Two Ford Rangers and a Toyota Tacoma...

So, I test drive this battered Tacoma, figuring it was within my price range. Figured this thing was MAYBE $9,000.00. Salesman says he'll have a price for it when I get back... he says the tranny will probably need service sometime soon, but probably not immediately...

I got back from my test drive, tossed him the key and told him it needed a new tranny NOW (never driven a car that had a tranny that was that bad and still drove at all... this thing kicked like a mule gear-to-gear and you had to hit the gas for awhile before it went anywhere.

Guy gives me a quote of $15,000.00. I just laughed.

Two trucks later, I'm pretty well soured on trucks. Suspension sucks, too damn long, and they don't sell single-cab trucks anymore according to the salesman. They sell this cab-and-a-half crap. I don't need anything that long.

I figured it'd be good to move with, and I've always thought it'd be cool to drive a pick-up for a little while... re-evaluating that one.

Anyway... looking at going Subaru (AWD), or a Honda Accord... I'm leaning more towards the Honda for the amazing amount of parts available, but due to the theft rate, insurance will probably suck... even out here.

Hell, maybe I will take Akita's suggestion and go with a Dodge Stratus, and just trick it out.

Not sure yet... still looking for the right car... I love cars, but I sure as hell hate shoppin' for 'em!

WOW - I got an impossible to aquire vehicle then. 2005 Regular cab Shivy Colorado 4x4. Regular cabs are the only true trucks.

If you wanted good ride and short, you've selected the vehicle style on the other end of the spectrum to look for. Remember - long wheel bases will save your @$$ on ice.

I'm totally 100% happy with my Jeep...even if I'm living in Indiana (formerly of Minnesota).

Rob

Hell, I got my 2002 Chevy Silverado 4x4 for $16,000

hey man honda accords are rediculously good cars, its worth a look

If you get a truck make sure you get a 4x4. If you plan on getting a car, get the Accord over the Dodge if your concerned about reliability and resale value. Also make sure you buy a car that you are comfortable driving in. Since you claim you are short on funds, you shouldn't be thinking about modifying a car before purchasing it. Save your money for a nice wedding ring and (or) baby diapers.

Don't forget to check out kbb.com before purchasing a car from a dealer.

yeah as far as sheer drivability, the honda accord is tops, its won every award there is to win. from my own experience it offers an extremley smoothe ride, and everything just feels like i would want to. i dont know how to explain it other than it just feels right to me. plus honda is legendary for its reliability and its resale value is very good. the american companies cant claim either of those (dodge isnt nearly as bad as the others cause its managment is in germany now but still its not a honda in terms of reliability)

Quote: Originally Posted by 4rm4g3dd0n yeah as far as sheer drivability, the honda accord is tops, its won every award there is to win. from my own experience it offers an extremley smoothe ride, and everything just feels like i would want to. i dont know how to explain it other than it just feels right to me. plus honda is legendary for its reliability and its resale value is very good. the american companies cant claim either of those (dodge isnt nearly as bad as the others cause its managment is in germany now but still its not a honda in terms of reliability)

Bah............get yourself a Cadillac............

haha no thanks but recently i have a thing for audis ill take an a4...

Quote: Originally Posted by 4rm4g3dd0n haha no thanks but recently i have a thing for audis ill take an a4...

Heh......Last month when I spent a week with my parents up in Michigan, my dad let me use his brand new STS............That's a classy ride..........voice recognition phone dialing and everything............I was pimpin while driving that ride........

i just bought a new 2001 saturn sc2 its a pretty sweet ride much nicer then my 93 sl2

Quote: Originally Posted by Highperf15 Heh......Last month when I spent a week with my parents up in Michigan, my dad let me use his brand new STS............That's a classy ride..........voice recognition phone dialing and everything............I was pimpin while driving that ride........

dont get me wrong i think cadillac gets better with every passing year... but me and the american car companies dont exactly get along. their reliability sucks, their trade in value has been lower, and they generally tend to not be as good of automobiles as the forein ones. theres always exceptions of course (the corvette, and surprizingly the new mustang is also quite decent, its about time they upgraded that 30 year old chasis) but on average the quailty isnt as good. even with cadillacs improvements that they have made over the last few years, they still constantly get last or second to last place in car magazine comparo tests (usually the one they manage to beat is jaguar, a ford company) and bmw, audi, and mercedes always win. bmw's cars are legendarily excellent cars, and audi is getting there, so even with the incentives (gm has to sell their cars at the employee discount to move the number that they need for goodness sake!!!) ill still pay the extra dollars for a german luxo car.

of course i odnt blame the managment of gm and ford soleley, id say 60% of the problem is the horrendus UAW, they are slowly killing off the companies that they depend on. gm looses money on pretty much every car they make recently becasue of the rediculously high compensation they have to pay their employees. gay unions, way to kill the free market economy. many things the uaw does should be illegal IMO

Now this is my kinda vehicle...

Yeah I just recently bought a 2001 Hyundai Tiburon, I dunno how well its gonna do this winter tho. We'll see.

I personally don't like trucks, and have no use for one, so I'd second the suggestion on a jeep of some sort

The reason car dealers piss me off is all of the advertising. The parent company (that actually makes the cars) advertises like crazy, and then the local dealership advertises even more than that. Sometimes I wonder how much cars would cost if the consumer wasn't footing that huuuge marketing bill...

I recommend a mid-90's Dakota. Common truck up there and can be had for a decent price. Make sure you check the NADA value along with the Kelley Blue Book before dealing seriously.

It may be true, a truck valued at 5K in AZ may be valued at 7 or 8K up North.

Quote: Originally Posted by BigAkita I recommend a mid-90's Dakota. Common truck up there and can be had for a decent price. Make sure you check the NADA value along with the Kelley Blue Book before dealing seriously. It may be true, a truck valued at 5K in AZ may be valued at 7 or 8K up North.

BA........it is true about vehicles being cheaper in the south, at least in Georgia here. But it's not by much though.............usually a $1,000 - $2,000 price diference.......

Quote: Originally Posted by Highperf15 BA........it is true about vehicles being cheaper in the south, at least in Georgia here. But it's not by much though.............usually a $1,000 - $2,000 price diference.......

That's a big difference when your 17 looking for a truck on a budget for $4-5k...

Quote: Originally Posted by Spectrum That's a big difference when your 17 looking for a truck on a budget for $4-5k...

LOL..................Must be gettin old............now a $1,000 isn't that much to me (considering that's my mortgage payment........heh)

I have to say you'll get a better deal with a privet party. But you always have to wonder, why are they selling this car??