Time for a new car....

[Kennyredline]

It's time to treat myself to my first brand-new car, and I'm looking for some feedback.
My likes are:
1) Subaru Impreza (AWD, looks, horsepower, reputation:thumbsup: ) (Warranty:thumbsdow )

2) Mitsubishi Lancer (Looks, warranty, features-for-price:thumbsup: )(Horsepower:thumbsdow )

3)Honda Civic SI (Reputation, horsepower, warranty:thumbsup: ) (Dashboard:thumbsdow :thumbsdow )

4)Ford Focus (Fuel economy, features, price:thumbsup: )(Quality?:thumbsdow )

5)Kia Forte (Fuel economy, looks, features:thumbsup: )(Read some negative reviews:thumbsdow )

6)Mazda 3 (Looks, reputation (thumdss up)) (Price, warranty, cost of repairs later(thumbs Down))
So I'm looking for comments from owners of these cars about how they like them, how the dealership was, and in the case of the Impreza, did anyone get an additional warranty with the car?
I haven't test-driven anything yet, but I think it will come down to the first two.
Thanks for your feedback!:

[sputnik]

I have driven the new Focus.

I wouldn't say that the quality is that bad compared to the other options in your list. Sure it is a typical plastic interior but I didn't notice anything particularly flimsy and didn't hear any rattles.

[Twin_Cam_Turbo]

Focus.

[benyl]

Focus Titanium. It looks like a space craft at night inside (at least looking over from my F150 the other night) haha

[jdmXSI]

Originally posted by Kennyredline
It's time to treat myself to my first brand-new car, and I'm looking for some feedback.
My likes are:
1) Subaru Impreza (AWD, looks, horsepower, reputation:thumbsup: ) (Warranty:thumbsdow )

2) Mitsubishi Lancer (Looks, warranty, features-for-price:thumbsup: )(Horsepower:thumbsdow )

3)Honda Civic SI (Reputation, horsepower, warranty:thumbsup: ) (Dashboard:thumbsdow :thumbsdow )

4)Ford Focus (Fuel economy, features, price:thumbsup: )(Quality?:thumbsdow )

5)Kia Forte (Fuel economy, looks, features:thumbsup: )(Read some negative reviews:thumbsdow )

So I'm looking for comments from woners of these cars about how they like them, how the dealership was, and in the case of the Impreza, did anyone get an additional warranty with the car?
I haven't test-driven anything yet, but I think it will come down to the first two.
Thanks for your feedback!

Just out of curiosity, what is wrong with Subaru's warranty?

After owning a Subaru, its going to be hard for me to go to a different brand afterwards... But i do like the looks of the new Ford, they have done a real great job with thier new cars :thumbsup:

[supe]

My vote is:

1. Imprezza - AWD
2. Focus/Civic - I really think Ford has turned it around, I dont know anything particular about the Focus, but I know owners of an Edge and a Fusion and they both love their cars. And you just cant go wrong with the Civic, the dash is preference.
4. Lancer - I have a friend who owns one and she seems to like it, lots of upgrade/enhancement options but unless you get a higher end model you'll be very underwhelmed with the performance.
5. Forte - Dont know anything about it, but I dont trust the KIA name yet

[Kennyredline]

Originally posted by jdmXSI


Just out of curiosity, what is wrong with Subaru's warranty?

After owning a Subaru, its going to be hard for me to go to a different brand afterwards... But i do like the looks of the new Ford, they have done a real great job with thier new cars :thumbsup:

It's just not as good as Mitsubishi or Honda, but I understand there is some kind of protection plan available, did you get any of that? I really love the look of the Impreza, and the AWD is a bonus.

[waypastfast]

You should also add the Hyundai Veloster to your list. Saw one in person and I have to say its a great looking car!! Just saying....

http://www.hyundaicanada.com/Pages/showroom/showroom.aspx?model=Veloster

[Rat Fink]

.

[n1zm0]

Originally posted by waypastfast
You should also add the Hyundai Veloster to your list. Saw one in person and I have to say its a great looking car!! Just saying....

http://www.hyundaicanada.com/Pages/showroom/showroom.aspx?model=Veloster

that 7 inch media center standard for all is pretty cool, maybe wait till the 2013 one with the 1.6T, now that would be interesting for low 20k price

[jdmXSI]

Originally posted by Kennyredline


It's just not as good as Mitsubishi or Honda, but I understand there is some kind of protection plan available, did you get any of that? I really love the look of the Impreza, and the AWD is a bonus.

You are right, Mitsu has the 10yr/ 160,000kms power train warranty (which is pretty crazy). Isnt Honda's the same as Subaru's 3yr/60,000kms Comprehensive warranty and the 5yr/100,000 powertrain? I didnt get extended warranty because i leased my car and i normally dont keep anything for longer than 2 years. I've always had the intention to but it never happens... lol

[Tomaz]

Out of all the cars you listed, my order of preference would be:

1) Imprezza
2) Focus
3) Mazda 3 (a bit biased lol)
4) Forte
5) Lancer
6) Civic

I own a Mazda 3, so I can tell you my story with her.

Out of all the new cars I tested in this same segment ($20K or less), my Mazda 3 came out in top. This was 2009, so before the whale-smile Mazdas started showing up. I bought the 2.0L Sport 5-speed manual. It came with auto lights, power sunroof, rain-sensing wipers, tint, spoiler, under carriage spray, extended paint protection, and steering wheel controls.

Luckily for me, I have a friend who was the Sales Manager at Kramer Mazda (now at north hill) which helped me through the process. I have to admit, the sales guys that I worked with were great. They asked questions and respond with appropriate answers instead of trying to continually push an upsell.

Unfortunately, my service/warranty experiences have been less pleasant. Most recalls and minor things at time of possession were taken care of with no issues. Just this past year has been a bit strange. My first incident involved hesitant power, check engine light, and stalls. When I took it in, I was informed that because of my Short Ram intake, any diagnosis would be not covered under warranty and would I would be charged for the work as this seemed to be an engine-related issue. The issue was wire leads being pulled out of the ECU harnesses from being too tight. Fixed it myself for $10 instead of the $2200 estimate provided by Kramer to me for engine harness replacement. :rolleyes:

My second incident was ongoing the first year i owned my car. The plastic body panels (bumpers and trim) were turning yellow when the rest of my car was white. I made numerous appointments over 10 months to see the old service manager with no success. When the new manager came in, I was able to get an appointment the same week. when I brought my car in, he claimed that the paint on my car was "the shittiest after-market paintjob he has ever seen" and "my car was modified with an intake and HIDs" which would void my warranty (paint somehow included). After debating him on it for 15 minutes, he just told me I had too many kilometers at this point (72,000kms) and denied my claim, despite my previous attempts to make appointment since 20,000kms. Not bloody happy with that, but I have dealt with the paint and any maintenance myself since then.

The car Is very well put together IMO. 2 years and 112,000kms later I still have no rattles, no engine issues, all systems are working flawlessly. She can get hairy when winter driving, but winter tires solved that in day-to-day driving. I love the fact I bought her fully loaded within my budget. Even though she has the smaller engine, I still enjoy it because of the added options I got. I find that she is underpowered for my liking, but she can still get around to boot. The handling was by far the best out of all the similarly priced cars I drove. Fuel consumption is what I call "better than most" for a 4-cyl: $50 to fill, 600-700kms/tank average.

[Kennyredline]

^^ Well, it's hard to ignore the Mazda 3, they're everywhere I've noticed. It sucks they wouldn't honor your warranty issues, but it seems once you're off the lot with it, they don't want to see you after that.
I'm going to take a closer look at the Focus; I'm surprised how many it's getting here...worth a look.

[94boosted]

Originally posted by Tomaz
Out of all the cars you listed, my order of preference would be:

1) Imprezza
2) Focus
3) Mazda 3 (a bit biased lol)
4) Forte
5) Lancer
6) Civic



I second this exact order :thumbsup:

[Rat Fink]

.

[max_boost]

Subaru Fan boy checking in. Go with the Impreza. :thumbsup:

I was debating the same thing a month ago and had that same ranking.

Impreza
Lancer
Civic

But then I opted for a Tribeca SUV. Came out of left field. :nut:

[rookie b]

Well it all boils down to whats important to you? Impreza is awd and makes winter driving a blast but the other fwd vehicles will get you through the winter as well. Best overall car would for sure be the Focus. Dual clutch 6 speed transmission, direct injection, electronic steering and variable cam timing while still maintaining 50+ mpg on the highway. I may be a little biased considering i work at ford haha but seems to be one of the top choices on a mainly import forum. PM me if you want to drive one, we have about 15 on our lot right now at maclin ford.

[sr20s14zenki]

MazdaSPEED 3?


:burnout:

[xnvy]

A friend of mine just bought a brand new Mazda 3 sedan and said it's a great daily driver. I've also heard good stuff about the Mazdaspeed 3.

[Augury]

I drive a civic Si and ive grown to love the dash.. but I guess its all preference.

[PureDeXteritY]

Impreza.
I Bought an Impreza last year and I can say winter driving is truly a pleasure. It's only been a year but no problems so far, I've heard some pretty nightmare stories about dealing with the dealership but they're been pretty friendly so far with my experience.
I can say that Subaru has a pretty soft paint, so it's quite prone to rock chips and surface scratches.
I had a cardboard box sitting on the car's roof and my girlfriend pulled it off (instead of lifting it off) and it left quite a few scratches :cry:

Civic SI.
My friend bought a Civic SI two years ago and he's really liking the car. It's a really smooth ride and it's actually pretty decent for performance. reliability wise I mean, it's Honda so you'll have that goin for you. On the downside he's kind of bored of it. At the end of the day it's a Civic and you're going to see them everywhere.

Ford Focus.
I rented a car when I was traveling and it was a focus. I must say I was VERY impressed. the thing was loaded with features, there are a lot of features you don't think you'll need but once you have them you won't want to be without them. the fuel economy was great as I didn't have to fill it once on my trip and I drove quite a bit.


But at the end of the day it really comes down to what feel's best for you. Go out and test drive all of them and see which fits you best. Also take a look at your lifestyle (sports, hiking, skiing, children ect) and imagine which car works best with your lifestyle.

For me I play hockey and I go snowboarding throughout the winter. So I wanted the AWD for the mountains, Utility of a Hatchback for hockey gear, and I enjoy a little performance for the fun factor so I went with the impreza.

[speeed]

My experience with Honda has been quite good as far as warranty work.

I've had everything fixed under warranty without a problem, even with modifications that was probably related to the issue.

For example, I am lowered about 3 inches on coilovers and still had my torn cv boot replaced when the coilover strut body was sitting about 0.5cm away from it.

After the winter there was a bit of moisture building up in my headlight. Service manager took a glance at it and ordered the a brand new headlight unit and replaced it with no hassle of HID's or swapped bulbs.

I noticed after a recent carwash, a little bit of paint was peeling off the edge of my factory rear lip right where it meets the bumper. Again, the service manager looked at it and sent me straight to my preferred body shop to get a estimate. So screamin paintworks is painting my lip as we speak under my Honda warranty.

There's a whole list of other minor things fixed under warranty also, and again no hassles whatsoever.

so overall, a big :thumbsup: for T&T Honda and their service.

[heavyD]

Don't listen to the fanboys, drive the cars and buy the car on it own merits and it you do that the two two best cars are pretty clear and it's up to you to choose if you prefer the Focus or Civic. If you have to have AWD get the Impreza or maybe new Lancer with AWD but I would stay clear of the Impreza it's nowhere near as good as the other cars outside of AWD.

1) Focus - Style, Handling, Reliability
2) Civic - Reliability, dependability and only thing that keeps it from being #1 is conservative styling and cheaper materials than last gen. Focus interior and exterior are much superior.
3) Mazda 3 - Not spectacular at anything but competent and decent handling
4) Lancer - Best warranty, reliable
5) Impreza - AWD but probably the most mundane car of the bunch and worst paint in the business
6) Forte - Not bad but nothing particularily special

[eblend]

How about something like a matrix awd? Toyota so you know it is reliable (mostly), with AWD can get you through the winter nicely.

I was too thinking of buying brand new, but ended up going used, just isn't worth it, as the price drops immediately as you leave the lot.

Two weeks ago I got a pontiac vibe awd, 2009 with 26k on it for $11,500, original retail value of the car was $25k (have the window sticker). Thats a freaking 13.5K off in 3 years, and a great little car, drives fast enough (if you are not looking for racing or the cool factor), and a Toyota through and through, with a toyota powertrain, identical interior to the matrix besides the Pontiac logo on the steering wheel.

Just saying.

I was thinking of going with the new Imprezza myself, but quickly realized that I rather buy with the cash I had and be done with it, than to finance if over x amount of years.

Test drove the new ford focus hatch, really liked it myself, great car and lots of features, also the Chevy Cruze was a good ride.

[Sugarphreak]

...

[Kennyredline]

Well, I definatley don't want anything used, it's time for a brand-new car with no hassles, and a warranty. Since I'm so hooked on the Impreza, I'll probably test drive that last. I would love to get a WRX, but it's a little out of the budget for me. If I have to order my car, if a dealer doesn't have what I want on the lot, how long does it take to get a car to a dealer?

[max_boost]

It depends where the vehicle is located.

In the province it would be 2-3 days and if in Vancouver, usually about a week. For a car like the Impreza which doesn't come with a lot of customizing, you should be able to have your choice.

PM sent. I dealt with Terry from Subaru Calgary and he was terrific in the whole process.

[Gibson]

Wait a year and buy the Focus ST.

[eblend]

Originally posted by Kennyredline
Well, I definatley don't want anything used, it's time for a brand-new car with no hassles, and a warranty. Since I'm so hooked on the Impreza, I'll probably test drive that last. I would love to get a WRX, but it's a little out of the budget for me. If I have to order my car, if a dealer doesn't have what I want on the lot, how long does it take to get a car to a dealer?

Are you talking about the 2012 impreza or the current one? New ones are out in november, so would make more sense to buy the new one with awesome gas milage and the redesign, which would mean your car might still look like current generation when you finish paying it off.

[heavyD]

Originally posted by eblend


Are you talking about the 2012 impreza or the current one? New ones are out in november, so would make more sense to buy the new one with awesome gas milage and the redesign, which would mean your car might still look like current generation when you finish paying it off.

Yeah. The all-new 2012 Impreza looks promising but the outgoing Impreza sucks. If you have to go that route get a 2012 for sure.