Which Car to Buy?

99-2000 Civic Si.

Spend the remaining $5k on suspension and bolt on goodies.

Datsun1500 wrote:

Josh wrote: Open up the price or mileage requirements just slightly and go for a Mini Cooper S. I'd bet the improved resale makes it cheaper to own over time than the non-S anyway.

I would bet not. I just looked and the base MSRP of the S is $3500 more than the non-s. I looked at KBB and put in a 2006 with 40K miles. S was $17180 and Non S was $14500, so $2680 difference, Non S wins.

KBB and real sale price may be quite different. I spent a -year- trying to sell my 06' Mini Cooper S for KBB, finally sold it two weeks ago for 14.5K. Total steal for the buyer. At least in Maryland, real MCS prices may be much lower than what KBB states.

Datsun1500, it looks to me like even in your example the MCS is depreciating at a slower rate than the MC. Not enough to close the gap on cost of ownership, but it shows that the real cost over 3 years is not the $3500 difference in the MSRP, but a much more manageable $800 difference in total depreciation. A difference which would nearly vanish if the MC were originally optioned with some of the non-drivetrain equipment that comes standard on the MCS ($500 sport suspension, $300 sport seats).

I think the gap between the s and non-s models may widen as the models approach the bottom of their respective depreciation curves, much as happens with BMW M cars (the price floor on a good running M3 of either the E30 or E36 body has ended up somewhere around $8k, while the values of normal 3-series depreciate to practically nothing).

2000+ Toyota Celica GTS

All the economy and reliability of a Corolla wrapped in a better looking package, a bigger engine and a functional hatchback

The wife has a 2002 Celica - not the GTS, but still a great car.

I don't know if I'm going to get a different car now. The guy coming to buy the Lancer couldn't get the money he thought he could.

I was really leaning towards the Cobalt SS.

So, the Celica as a fun commuter is just a "key swiping" away and you leave the wife stuck with the Lancer

jrw1621 wrote: 2000+ Toyota Celica GTS All the economy and reliability of a Corolla wrapped in a better looking package, a bigger engine and a functional hatchback

How the EFF did i not mention this?

I feel like i have disappointed someone, somewhere.

Not to mention the fact that it's light, tossable, and handles like CRAZY.

Of the modern offers, I see the 2000+ Celica as a great choice for a commuter vehicle. It does not have to be a GTS either, even the GT. I do not own one, but have considered one.

Even the older Celicas still fit the same bill.

jrw1621 wrote: So, the Celica as a fun commuter is just a "key swiping" away and you leave the wife stuck with the Lancer

I wish - she hates my Lancer. She would probably call into work instead of driving my car, lol.

What would she rather have and how can you turn that to your advantage?

jrw1621 wrote: Of the modern offers, I see the 2000+ Celica as a great choice for a commuter vehicle. It does not have to be a GTS either, even the GT. I do not own one, but have considered one. Even the older Celicas still fit the same bill.

Yeah... even the 90s ones can be had for relative peanuts in great shape, and while not fast in a straight line, they're highly entertaining, comfy, get GREAT gas mileage, and have a timeless body. The good handling is always fun, too. GRM's project Celica showed what you could do for really not much money with one, and that car STILL gets mentioned in the magazine from time to time. Must have left some sort of impression, yes?

I love mine, i just can't stand to DD it anymore. I would probably quit my job before i would drive this thing 100 miles a day like the OP.

I would absolutely buy another one as a daily though.

93celicaGT2 wrote: I love mine, i just can't stand to DD it anymore. I would probably quit my job before i would drive this thing 100 miles a day like the OP. I would absolutely buy another one as a daily though.

Is this dissatisfaction as a DD based on mods to the vehicle or have you just mentally (maybe physically) grown past this?

NVHEngr wrote:

jrw1621 wrote: So, the Celica as a fun commuter is just a "key swiping" away and you leave the wife stuck with the Lancer

I wish - she hates my Lancer. She would probably call into work instead of driving my car, lol.

Sell the Lancer for whatever you can get and get something else.... your budget is something i can only dream of, and i can think of SEVERAL cars that would fit every requirement on your list for under $4k, other than mileage. But mileage isn't something i personally ever worry about. If the car has been well-maintained, it's been well-maintained.

I would trust my Celica to drive 500 miles a day 7 days a week if my back could take it, and it's got 233k miles on it these days. And to be quite honest, i don't maintain it (drivetrain-wise) the way that i should.

jrw1621 wrote:

93celicaGT2 wrote: I love mine, i just can't stand to DD it anymore. I would probably quit my job before i would drive this thing 100 miles a day like the OP. I would absolutely buy another one as a daily though.

Is this dissatisfaction as a DD based on mods to the vehicle or have you just mentally (maybe physically) grown past this?

Mods to the vehicle. Reliability and MPG-wise, it makes a GREAT dd. Still returns 34mpg over a tank of mixed driving.

I am thinking about a similar purchase. Right now I am between a 2002-05 EP3 Civic Si or a 2.3L Focus. Buy a 2003 or 2004 2.3L Focus and throw on SVT suspension and brakes or get a 2005+ Focus ST with the 2.3L. The ST already has the susp/brake goodies from the factory. I drove an SVT and I did not like the lack of torque off the line or the throttle response. I have not driven the 2.3L yet though. Look for a "Z" in the vin for the Focus for the Duratec.

GTwannaB wrote: I am thinking about a similar purchase. Right now I am between a 2002-05 EP3 Civic Si or a 2.3L Focus. Buy a 2003 or 2004 2.3L Focus and throw on SVT suspension and brakes or get a 2005+ Focus ST with the 2.3L. The ST already has the susp/brake goodies from the factory. I drove an SVT and I did not like the lack of torque off the line or the throttle response. I have not driven the 2.3L yet though. Look for a "Z" in the vin for the Focus for the Duratec.

After having owned a Focus, while they are great cars, they (to me) are much better at being a car as an appliance then for fun. My 2 cents.

The SVT Focus is a lot of fun. I still miss mine some days. In my opinion the suspension is nearly as good a balance between handling and comfort as the E36 M3, and I've owned both.

If my commute were more than 3.5 miles, I'd still have my SVT.

I don't find the lack of torque relative to the 2.3 to be that significant. The difference is only about 10 lb-ft, although I've never compared the difference in gearing between the Getrag and the MTX-75.

GTwannaB wrote: I am thinking about a similar purchase. Right now I am between a 2002-05 EP3 Civic Si or a 2.3L Focus. Buy a 2003 or 2004 2.3L Focus and throw on SVT suspension and brakes or get a 2005+ Focus ST with the 2.3L. The ST already has the susp/brake goodies from the factory. I drove an SVT and I did not like the lack of torque off the line or the throttle response. I have not driven the 2.3L yet though. Look for a "Z" in the vin for the Focus for the Duratec.

I have a feeling that the Focus will be more rewarding.

billy3esq wrote: I don't find the lack of torque relative to the 2.3 to be that significant. The difference is only about 10 lb-ft, although I've never compared the difference in gearing between the Getrag and the MTX-75.

Maybe it wasn't the torque per se... the gearing on the SVT combined with the emissions throttle hang kind of bogged the 1-2 shift on the SVT which made it feel slow around town. I live on the top of a hill in San Francisco I need low end.