How about a slightly used Volvo? They've got some cool little wagons. My sister has one, a V60 I think. It's a nice size. Volvo is a wagon company at heart, Mazda never has been.
How about a slightly used Volvo? They've got some cool little wagons. My sister has one, a V60 I think. It's a nice size. Volvo is a wagon company at heart, Mazda never has been.
The current Mazda 3 is probably the best "driver's car" out of your original choices. I haven't heard any real issues with the Skyactiv cars either, so reliability should be fine. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend one.
Some other Mazda notes:
-The CX-3 is actually built on the Mazda 2 platform, and can only be had with the 2.0L. This is why it's smaller, and the AWD,ride height, and added weight probably play into the MPG loss.
-We just bought a 2018 CX-5 in April. I love the thing. We got a AWD Touring, and it handles like a sports sedan and returns better MPG than my 2012 Mazda 3 2.5L with a stick. We regularly knock out above 30mpg in the thing. With "spirited driving", we still get in the high 20's. That one is based on the 3, but has more room inside than my car.
I too do not trust VW after having a terrible ownership experience with a 2002 Jetta. I know that was a long time ago, but it was bad enough that I will likely steer clear of them forever. No one makes a small wagon like they do these days, which is a shame.
Is manual required for this exercise? Next question: Why? I mean can you actually enjoy a manual on your lengthy daily commute or is it just cruising? Final question: Why not buy a used 1st gen Volt, or a fleet of used Priuseseseses that will last you pretty much indefinitely?
In reply to Keith Tanner :
Reliability on the Volvo is a ? for me. Honestly, I just turned 41 and I kindof just want to buy a new car at this point. I've never had a new car, other than some company Chevrolet minivans I drove for a while back in the mid-2000's. And those were always 100% reliable.
Also, in the state I live in, 2 year emissions inspections are required so I can't have anything that's going to throw some goofy code on me, 'cuz I can't just ignore it.
In reply to STM317 :
I am fortunately able to tailor my hours such that what could be a 2 hour commute ends up being about 1 hour, or a little less. That is to say, traffic usually doesn't suck, and there's enough back roads between work and home that I can enjoy the manual. My 240 is an automatic, but I have an '83 Mercedes 240D that's a 4M/T that I drive occasionally. I'd daily _that_ if it had A/C and about double the power and, well, wasn't falling to bits on the inside.
As for the Volt/Prius, yeah, yeah, used ones should be reliable...but they're not new, and won't have a warranty. And, again in IMO, are....not good looking cars. And at least on the Prius, I've had them as rentals and....yeah, I'm not spending my money on one to keep.
Is the Buick Regal wagon outrageously priced?
Good looking in my opinion. The Regal sedan was offered with a manual trans but reports have been that the auto is better paired with the engine.
I'd go for the 3, but then I have a thing for Mazda's.
My ex-wife owned a 2010 Mazda 3 until she traded it for a 2015 Mazda 6. Both were completely trouble free cars and drove well. The 6 especially as it was the top trim level, very nice place to spend time.
I like my '15 manual sportwagen. at 45k it's had 1 recall, an alignment (cause I put gti springs on it), a waterpump done under warrenty and a few keyfob batteries. The S is the only model with the 5MT which started out pretty notchy and broke in pretty well. Stock is without fogs or heated seats which are difficult to ad if you want. The S came in leatherette in 15 and cloth after that but any VW MK7 seat will bolt right in. Oil comes out the top so there is never a reason to jack it up anyway. +16 came with the nicer MiB2 head unit which does android play and apple carplay but you have to buy the access (one time cost I think) to use it.
If you look at the manual CPO wagens you can get them in teh mid high teens.
scanning quick, but I saw the Niro mentioned. Did you look at the hybrid one?
I'm down with Mazda3
yeah you know me
In 2014 I went looking for a fuel efficient manual transmission DD to replace my Mustang as a family car and work hauler that gets driven 25-30k per year. I was pretty set on the Mazda3... until I got an insurance quote. It would have cost me more to insure a 2014 3 than a 2012 Mustang.
A Mazda6 on the other hand was significantly less on insurance, nearly as good on gas mileage, and had a ton more room inside. The trunk is huge too, and difference in insurance costs made up for the difference in the payment. I'd find myself a manual trans Touring model if they're still around, or just get the base model 6, or find an Accord Sport with the 6MT and either the 1.5L Turbo or 2.0 Turbo, and like you said get a roof rack and/or a hitch for when you need to carry things that won't fit.
In a period of poverty in the early '80's I bought a VW Rabbit. They could never get it aligned properly front to rear so it crabbed down the road. Top speed was 85 mph. It used to shake apart the the A/C rubber mounts every 10,000 miles which also ruined the compressor.
My ex-wife, in what I saw as a reasonable assumption, allowed a person to jump start off the Rabbit while it was running. It blew out the alternator. $200. In 1983 dollars. I will never buy another VW.
A couple of thoughts here:
1: Is the mt a requirement? Would a Prius or a CT200h work?
2: Why do you care about rear seat headroom? Are you going to sit back there ever? You literally said its just you and a bunch of air 90% of the time
Didnt the 1.8t just have a lawsuit about faulty timing gears or such?
The 2.5 is considered a very reliable long running engine, not the turbos
Antihero said:Didnt the 1.8t justy have a lawsuit about faulty timing gears or such?
The 2.5 is considered a very reliable long running engine, not the turbos
Bwaaa haaa haaa! If Ottawa chimes in here, he'll tell you about the two 1999 Legacy GTs that killed at least three or four 2.5s between them.
In reply to Keith Tanner :
I think he's talking about the VW 2.5
Ah. I saw Justy, my brain said Subaru. Of course it would be a typo, I don't think there was ever a turbo Justy. And of course, I don't think Subaru ever offered a 1.8T in this country. Maybe anywhere. I'm in the middle of a Subaru 2.5 build right now, so they're on the brain.
Carry on. Nothing to see here.
In reply to Keith Tanner :
Yeah it was typo lol fixed it
And yes it was the I5 2.5l vw engine i was talking about
John Welsh said:Is the Buick Regal wagon outrageously priced?
Good looking in my opinion. The Regal sedan was offered with a manual trans but reports have been that the auto is better paired with the engine.
A low option Buick Regal Wagon has an msrp of $29,999 and is standard w/ awd
A low option VW Sportwagon w/ awd has a msrp of $24.800.
In typical GM fashion, is it easy to get $5k off their msrp?
Since we're talking hatchbacks,I'm actually digging the new 2019 Corolla Hatchback 6-spd. I think they bumped the hp by 30 from last generations:
http://www.autoblog.com/2018/03/28/2019-toyota-corolla-hatchback-fun-facts/
Life is short get the fun car and worry about what might happen 6.1 years from now 6 years from now.
In reply to volvoclearinghouse :
Do yourself a favor. Certain options are considered safety options and including them decreases your insurance costs a lot.
So much so that my new truck with them is cheaper to insure than my 20 year old truck was!
Items like adaptive cruise control and blind spot warning system. Save enough on insurance that they effectively are free after the first year or so.
If you can wait, maybe the Corolla hatch is an option. I’ve heard the dealers are not really dealing much on the Regal TourX. Seems like they just aren’t interested in stocking or selling them.
If I was to decide between a Sportwagon or a 3 hatch as a long distance commuter, I’d grudgingly go with the 3. My wife has a Mk7 GTI that is wonderful to drive, but at 60K miles, she’s about to take it in for the fourth or fifth problem with the AC system in the last few months.
You would have been a good candidate for a Acura Ts x wagon if it were 2014. They discontinued them after that. I'd go for the Mazda between the two.
skierd said:A Mazda6 on the other hand was significantly less on insurance, nearly as good on gas mileage, and had a ton more room inside. The trunk is huge too, and difference in insurance costs made up for the difference in the payment. I'd find myself a manual trans Touring model if they're still around, or just get the base model 6, or find an Accord Sport with the 6MT and either the 1.5L Turbo or 2.0 Turbo, and like you said get a roof rack and/or a hitch for when you need to carry things that won't fit.
Yep, plus 6 base motor is an upsell in a 3.
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