Yet another "what should I buy?" thread

[GranTurNismo]

Welp, it's almost that time. In roughly two months, I'll finally be able to acquire my license, and that'll also mean I can get my very own car. Here are the parameters:

• $10,000 or less (though $10.5k could work if the car is that good)
• Must be 2010 or newer.
• Must be in good condition.
• 75k miles or less
• Cannot be an SUV, CUV, truck, hatchback or compact car (mom won't let me get these types of cars). Only mid-size sedan/coupe, full-size, or wagon allowed.
• AWD recommended, but not required.
• Can be somewhat sporty, but not a true sports/performance car.
• Must be at least decent on gas (20mpg or above)
• Must be reliable, easy to fix and easy to find parts for.
• For sale by dealer preferred over for sale by owner (mom says so).
• No manual or CVT.
• No base trim, should be well-equipped.

I know, that seems like a lot. Here are a few cars I've found that fit these requirements, all of which that I've found on AutoTrader, Craigslist, Ebay Motors, etc.

• Acura TSX SportWagon
• Buick LaCrosse
  
• Cadillac CTS Sedan
• Cadillac DTS
• Cadillac STS
• Chevrolet Impala
• Chrysler 300C
• Ford Fusion Sport AWD
  
• Honda Accord Coupe
• Lexus ES
• Lincoln MKZ
• Nissan Maxima
• Pontiac G6
• Subaru Legacy
• Suzuki Kizashi AWD
• Volkswagen Passat CC

Out of these cars, which would you recommend the most? Of course, there are many cars that fit these parameters that are missing from this list, so feel free to include those.

Thanks.

 

[Tornado]

Acura TSX SportWagon

Honda automatic. Good luck finding one that isn't pushing 100,000 miles for ten grand.

Cadillac DTS

Arguably worse version of a car that was only sorta competitive in 2000. Get an Avalon.

Cadillac STS

By 2010 Cadillac had already given up on the STS, doing fairly extensive cost cutting starting the year prior. The second gen CTS was a nicer car anyway.

Chevrolet Impala

Unless you can swing the current generation, even the nicest equipped of these is a crappy base trim with "stuff" badly shoehorned into them.

Chrysler 300C

Used Chrysler

Honda Accord Coupe

Honda automatic.

Volkswagen Passat CC

Other than the 300, you could set most of the other cars on fire and they would be more reliable than one of these.

 

[GranTurNismo]

Honda automatic. Good luck finding one that isn't pushing 100,000 miles for ten grand.

Found one for $9,500 with 75k miles.

Arguably worse version of a car that was only sorta competitive in 2000. Get an Avalon.

You're probably right, though I couldn't find an Avalon in my area that fits my parameters.

By 2010 Cadillac had already given up on the STS, doing fairly extensive cost cutting starting the year prior. The second gen CTS was a nicer car anyway.

Could only find one 2nd-gen CTS near me that fits my guidelines, it was the earliest model year possible and at the top end of my budget. I had assumed a 2010 STS for the same price would've been the better choice since it's bigger, nicer looking, and more expensive new.

Unless you can swing the current generation, even the nicest equipped of these is a crappy base trim with "stuff" badly shoehorned into them.

Couldn't find a current-gen Impala in my budget, but you're right. Found an '11 LTZ (most expensive trim) and looked pretty average in the interior, didn't even have a touch-screen. Though the price was very low, at $7,500.

Used Chrysler

My 78 year old great-grandma owns an '05 one with the 5.7L V8, which she bought new, she still drives it today and it's never given her any issues. I've gotten to drive it once and it's everything I'd want in a car; smooth ride, comfy, nice looking, and somewhat fast; even the interior was really nice for the dreadful Daimler-Chrysler era. I assumed that since this car (my great-grandma's has 154k miles) hasn't caused her any problems, that the '05-'10 300C was a reliable car.

Honda automatic.

Is that a bad thing? Found plenty of those in my budget which fit all of my requirements. Always thought that these were reliable, well-built cars.

Other than the 300, you could set most of the other cars on fire and they would be more reliable than one of these.

They're that awful?

 

[Danoff]

Welp, it's almost that time. In roughly two months, I'll finally be able to acquire my license, and that'll also mean I can get my very own car. Here are the parameters:

• $10,000 or less (though $10.5k could work if the car is that good)
• Must be 2010 or newer.
• Must be in good condition.
• 75k miles or less
• Cannot be an SUV, CUV, truck, hatchback or compact car (mom won't let me get these types of cars). Only mid-size sedan/coupe, full-size, or wagon allowed.
• AWD recommended, but not required.
• Can be somewhat sporty, but not a true sports/performance car.
• Must be at least decent on gas (20mpg or above)
• Must be reliable, easy to fix and easy to find parts for.
• For sale by dealer preferred over for sale by owner (mom says so).
• No manual or CVT.
• No base trim, should be well-equipped.

I know, that seems like a lot. Here are a few cars I've found that fit these requirements, all of which that I've found on AutoTrader, Craigslist, Ebay Motors, etc.

• Acura TSX SportWagon
• Buick LaCrosse
  
• Cadillac CTS Sedan
• Cadillac DTS
• Cadillac STS
• Chevrolet Impala
• Chrysler 300C
• Ford Fusion Sport AWD
  
• Honda Accord Coupe
• Lexus ES
• Lincoln MKZ
• Nissan Maxima
• Pontiac G6
• Subaru Legacy
• Suzuki Kizashi AWD
• Volkswagen Passat CC

Out of these cars, which would you recommend the most? Of course, there are many cars that fit these parameters that are missing from this list, so feel free to include those.

Thanks.

Push back on some of those requirements. Your list is terrible. The Hondas are the only ones I'd consider. Why do you want 2010 or newer?

 

[GranTurNismo]

Push back on some of those requirements. Your list is terrible. The Hondas are the only ones I'd consider. Why do you want 2010 or newer?

Mom says so. I tried to negotiate her to 2008 or newer but she wouldn’t budge. Her reasoning is, it’ll be the car I own until I get out of college, so if it’s a 2009 or older it’ll be at least a 16 year old car by that point. I can push back on the mileage requirement a little, but not the price. Keep in mind my mom defined all those requirements except for “No CVT”.

 

[Danoff]

Mom says so. I tried to negotiate her to 2008 or newer but she wouldn’t budge. Her reasoning is, it’ll be the car I own until I get out of college, so if it’s a 2009 or older it’ll be at least a 16 year old car by that point. I can push back on the mileage requirement a little, but not the price. Keep in mind my mom defined all those requirements except for “No CVT”.

Your mom would rather that you had a newer piece of junk than an older gem, apparently. That is the requirement more than any other that I would push on. It's ok to have a 16 year old car. I have 2 cars that are 26 years old. They're both great.

 

[Tornado]

You're probably right, though I couldn't find an Avalon in my area that fits my parameters.

Lexus ES is basically the same thing; or a Lincoln MKS, or a Hyundai Azera, or what have you. If you want a fully loaded barge they are all fairly interchangeable, and most of them are better than the DTS.

I had assumed a 2010 STS for the same price would've been the better choice since it's bigger, nicer looking, and more expensive new.

As soon as the second CTS came out it was the car that got all of the development money. It's on a newer version of the same platform, it got better engines, it was only a little smaller. It also always had a far nicer interior even in lower spec, since the STS never got the nicer one that the SRX or SLS got when they were refreshed. As it was a lower priced car finding a top tier one may be more difficult compared to an STS; but again by 2010 Cadillac had already started decontenting the STS anyway and you won't easily find a fully loaded STS either like you could the previous Seville and Deville.

My 78 year old great-grandma owns an '05 one with the 5.7L V8, which she bought new, she still drives it today and it's never given her any issues. I've gotten to drive it once and it's everything I'd want in a car; smooth ride, comfy, nice looking, and somewhat fast; even the interior was really nice for the dreadful Daimler-Chrysler era. I assumed that since this car (my great-grandma's has 154k miles) hasn't caused her any problems, that the '05-'10 300C was a reliable car.

It's not any more reliable than any other Daimler-Chrysler car, but it has much more expensive pieces to fix than something like a Sebring.

Is that a bad thing? Found plenty of those in my budget which fit all of my requirements. Always thought that these were reliable, well-built cars.

If it's the same H5 automatic that was in the previous Accord and Odyssey, I personally wouldn't touch one.

They're that awful?

It's a used VAG product. The only thing I can say that tempers what should be the fear of god being put into you is that at least it isn't the Eos or New Beetle.

 

[Danoff]

In roughly two months, I'll finally be able to acquire my license

There's no guarantee that your car is going to survive. I hope that it does, but honestly there are often a lot of mistakes in the early years of driving. Most of those mistakes come right around when you start getting confident in your abilities.

I'd recommend something very cheap that you can destroy. Preferably an early 2000s accord or civic. Hyundai is also a good place to be looking.

https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?listingId=522406022


Edit:

https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?listingId=521340604


Edit:

Aw Dangit... I accidentally satisfied your requirements.

https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?listingId=523397559

 

[Aerocoupe]

Those requirements pretty much rule out every Toyota within your budget. My mom had fairly similar parameters (<$10k, <100k miles, <10 years old) and had to search high and low before she ended up with a base 2010 Corolla for $10,000.

Another thing to keep in mind is factoring in sales tax, registration fees (new plates here in Wisconsin are $200 alone), and dealer 'service fees'. When negotiating with a dealer the price will always be higher than the sticker says. I suggest having an out-the-door price set in your head, and if they can't meet it then walk away.

 

[GranTurNismo]

Your mom would rather that you had a newer piece of junk than an older gem, apparently. That is the requirement more than any other that I would push on. It's ok to have a 16 year old car. I have 2 cars that are 26 years old. They're both great.

Yes, sadly. She prioritizes the year of the car over all other factors. Yet I should be grateful that it's 2010 or newer, because she originally said 2013 or newer until we found that there were virtually zero results that fit the other parameter. The irony is, my mom drives a car from 2001 (a Dodge Intrepid) and it hasn't once broken down on her! She really is something else.

There's no guarantee that your car is going to survive. I hope that it does, but honestly there are often a lot of mistakes in the early years of driving. Most of those mistakes come right around when you start getting confident in your abilities.

I'd recommend something very cheap that you can destroy. Preferably an early 2000s accord or civic. Hyundai is also a good place to be looking.

https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?listingId=522406022


Edit:

https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?listingId=521340604


Edit:

Aw Dangit... I accidentally satisfied your requirements.

https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?listingId=523397559

The Leaf still doesn't satisfy them. She said no compact cars or hatchbacks. By compact cars, she means "Civic and Corolla size".

Another thing to keep in mind is factoring in sales tax, registration fees (new plates here in Wisconsin are $200 alone), and dealer 'service fees'. When negotiating with a dealer the price will always be higher than the sticker says. I suggest having an out-the-door price set in your head, and if they can't meet it then walk away.

I'm totally aware, which is why I wanted to buy for-sale-by-owner. My mom is against for-sale-by-owner because she claims many Craigslist sellers are either sketchy or lie about the condition of the car as opposed to dealers. Yet my mom literally bought her 2001 Intrepid for-sale-by-owner. Her hypocrisy and closed-mindedness about this whole situation makes me quite annoyed.

 

[Danoff]

Yes, sadly. She prioritizes the year of the car over all other factors. Yet I should be grateful that it's 2010 or newer, because she originally said 2013 or newer until we found that there were virtually zero results that fit the other parameter. The irony is, my mom drives a car from 2001 (a Dodge Intrepid) and it hasn't once broken down on her! She really is something else.



The Leaf still doesn't satisfy them. She said no compact cars or hatchbacks. By compact cars, she means "Civic and Corolla size".


I'm totally aware, which is why I wanted to buy for-sale-by-owner. My mom is against for-sale-by-owner because she claims many Craigslist sellers are either sketchy or lie about the condition of the car as opposed to dealers. Yet my mom literally bought her 2001 Intrepid for-sale-by-owner. Her hypocrisy and closed-mindedness about this whole situation makes me quite annoyed.

It's not a great idea to spend $10k on a car for a first time driver. You should be driving a beater. Tell your mom I'd be happy to chat with her about it. As credentials, you can tell her that I'm 38 years old, have 3 kids, and think she's advocating spending way too much on her kid. At least for now.

 

[GranTurNismo]

It's not a great idea to spend $10k on a car for a first time driver. You should be driving a beater. Tell your mom I'd be happy to chat with her about it. As credentials, you can tell her that I'm 38 years old, have 3 kids, and think she's advocating spending way too much on her kid. At least for now.

Told my mom about this post. She's also 38 and said that you're anecdotal account isn't accurate, she says that I shouldn't buy a car for less than $7k because anything below that is either "too small" or "too old".

 

[Danoff]

Told my mom about this post. She's also 38 and said that you're anecdotal account isn't accurate, she says that I shouldn't buy a car for less than $7k because anything below that is either "too small" or "too old".

It's not an anecdote to recognize that you're in the most dangerous group. That's the opposite of an anecdote, that's factually statistically accurate.

"Old" is sometimes a euphemism for other things. Unreliable, unsafe, not fuel efficient. Those are more meaningful limitations than "age". The Honda Accord or TSX that I posted earlier are not unreliable, unsafe, or inefficient.

"Too small" is another euphemism for something like "unsafe", which is a more meaningful requirement. The leaf I suggested earlier is not unsafe. In fact it's a 5-star crash rated vehicle. I'll give you my phone number if you want me to argue with her.

 

[GranTurNismo]

It's not an anecdote to recognize that you're in the most dangerous group. That's the opposite of an anecdote, that's factually statistically accurate.

"Old" is sometimes a euphemism for other things. Unreliable, unsafe, not fuel efficient. Those are more meaningful limitations than "age". The Honda Accord or TSX that I posted earlier are not unreliable, unsafe, or inefficient.

"Too small" is another euphemism for something like "unsafe", which is a more meaningful requirement. The leaf I suggested earlier is not unsafe. In fact it's a 5-star crash rated vehicle. I'll give you my phone number if you want me to argue with her.

The unfortunate reality is, unlike us she's not a "car person" and therefore does not look at cars objectively, going by common stereotypes rather than facts. I just told her that the Leaf is a 5-star crash rated vehicle yet she still insists that the bigger a car is the safer it generally is. My mom learned to drive in a 2000 Plymouth Neon and says that because she felt unsafe "driving a car as small as that" she does not recommend me driving anything compact. She doesn't realize that she probably felt unsafe because it was a crappy Daimler-Chrysler product (and she STILL drives a crappy Daimler-Chrysler product now, just a larger one) not because of it's size. If her first car was a Civic then I doubt she would feel the way she feels.

 

[Danoff]

The unfortunate reality is, unlike us she's not a "car person" and therefore does not look at cars objectively, going by common stereotypes rather than facts. I just told her that the Leaf is a 5-star crash rated vehicle yet she still insists that the bigger a car is the safer it generally is.

https://autowise.com/top-25-deadliest-cars-and-trucks-on-american-road/

These are rated by driver deaths normalized by vehicle registrants. It includes a lot of trucks (also the Buick Lacrosse, which is on your list). Safe is a tough thing to determine, partly because of how cars are driven. The camaro is on that list, and it's probably because it's driven partly by maniacs.

The biggest safety risk to you right now is you. And that comes in the form of you exploring how much fun it is to drive. A leaf will suck all of the fun out of driving, and leave you completely unable to show off to your friends. It also leaves you unable to go far from home (due to limited range) and unable to get held up at a gas station while pumping gas late at night. Even if she thinks a leaf would get crushed in an accident (actually crushed is good in an accident because it absorbs energy as it crushes), it's less likely to be involved in one because it's boring and slow.

You should probably not pass this along to your mom because you should not want her to agree with me and have you end up driving a leaf.

 

[Aerocoupe]

Give it time. There's going to have to be some sort of compromise on one or more of those factors, because there more than likely isn't anything that ticks all the boxes. To expand on what I said earlier, my mother was dead set on finding a 2015 or newer Camry, and nothing she found worked for her. If it was in her price range, it had too many miles, or a sketchy past, or was too old. If it had low enough miles, it was too expensive. I went through a similar thing when I was looking for a car a few months ago, and saw a lot of garbage before I finally settled on my Aurora.

I think seeing what's out there for yourselves will eventually bring her to compromise a little. Perhaps narrowing it down to a few models will make the search easier. Or, alternatively, you take a part time job and save up your own money for a while and get something that a) is something you want and b) makes sense for a teen driver.

Also:

It's not a great idea to spend $10k on a car for a first time driver. You should be driving a beater.

So much this.

 

[SlipZtrEm]

https://autowise.com/top-25-deadliest-cars-and-trucks-on-american-road/

Slightly off-topic: I remember reading about someone trying to get a better idea on car accidents based on the real-world statistics of the accidents that actually happen with each model. Things like driver age, sex, stuff like that, to better get an idea of which cars are safer for whichever demographic. Unfortunately I can't seem to find it, but this reminded me.

Also in that quoted link, this:

Being so close to the ground, the Nissan 350Z was a recipe for rollovers.

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

Toyota Camry

 

[Joey D]

I can agree with wanting a newer car. Safety features alone make something newer a better investment for someone just getting their license. You will crash the car, just how serious though is anyone's guess. It could be a fender bender or, hopefully not, it could be much worse.

With that said, your list reads like an unfortunate roster of an airport rental car lot. But looking on Auto Trader, you can probably get a Mazda 6, which might be worth a look. Also, any TDI Volkswagen. I mean, you're going to murder the environment and what not but due to VW being unable to tell the truth the resale on those tanked. A guy at work with just bought his daughter a 2013 Beetle with less than 50,000 miles on it for something like $9,000 just because it was a TDI.

 

[GTV0819]

It's not a great idea to spend $10k on a car for a first time driver. You should be driving a beater. Tell your mom I'd be happy to chat with her about it. As credentials, you can tell her that I'm 38 years old, have 3 kids, and think she's advocating spending way too much on her kid. At least for now.

I concur. For first time drivers, I think a decent compact car like a Corolla or Civic should get the job done.

Moving on, if not for its average fuel economy and power, I would have recommended a 2010 V6 Mustang and maybe a 5-year old or lesser GL/GJ Mazda6 as well if they're a lot more common on your roads. However, both of these may be a little well above the $10k mark if you're going to consider them.

 

[05XR8]

I agree with the Camry. I had a '95 Camry manual. Loads of passenger space, big trunk, nothing broke, fast enough for a 4-cylinder on the freeway. Also an '01 Accord manual, same deal as the Camry, just switch badges. One could see why these two cars battle for ages in the USA.

Unless they're getting stolen where you live, I can't see a reason why an early 2000s Accord or Camry auto, would be out of the question.

 

[SVX]

Here's my own advice from someone who's around your age, and also didn't have much of a say on what his first car was:

Grab whatever your mum reckons will be the best car for you, as ultimately it looks like she has the final say (whether they're for rational reasons or not). Though I'd recommend anything Toyota or Honda just for reliability and parts reasons (if you plan to also learn how to work on cars with this first car of yours as well). While it seems like you're tying your own hands, it's your first car. You'll end up loving it regardless of what it is, because it's your first car. It's what enables your first big step of independence as a teenager. Any car you buy with these parameters won't be exhilarating to drive, and with limited experience behind the wheel, the dynamic difference between each chassis will be unrecognisable.

It's a shame you're not allowed a manual, as that's a further bonus of getting whatever, because you learn to drive a slow car fast and really learn how to drive a car than pussyfooting around in something with extremely high capabilities. It's also a shame that it can't be older so it can prepare you a bit more for any future project car you'll get, but after seeing how people drive in America, I don't blame your mum.

If it's comfy and pretty economical then get it. Worry about decisions later, especially when you don't have someone putting so much jurisdiction over your choice.

 

[Danoff]

I agree with the Camry. I had a '95 Camry manual. Loads of passenger space, big trunk, nothing broke, fast enough for a 4-cylinder on the freeway. Also an '01 Accord manual, same deal as the Camry, just switch badges. One could see why these two cars battle for ages in the USA.

Unless they're getting stolen where you live, I can't see a reason why an early 2000s Accord or Camry auto, would be out of the question.

Also the Sonata.

 

[Beeblebrox237]

What about a Hyundai Genesis? Fairly reliable and not too pricey to run, but still a luxury car and can be had for quite reasonable prices. They're nice to drive and quite safe, and fit all your restrictions.

 

[CyborgGT]

Your mom doesn't know what she's talking about. Sorry. Best to just let her pick something out, drive it carefully, and wait it out until you can buy something of your own choice. To be perfectly honest, this is really saddening to hear if your mom is at all representative of the average driver. Maybe it explains why crossovers are killing off production of small cars in this country; people mistakenly assume that size is safer. Even if it was, for the passenger, you're throwing more weight at whoever you hit, making the accident itself a more dangerous situation. Safety is in the design of the unibody and not in the amount of air inside the vehicle.

 

[GranTurNismo]

Here's my own advice from someone who's around your age, and also didn't have much of a say on what his first car was:

Grab whatever your mum reckons will be the best car for you, as ultimately it looks like she has the final say (whether they're for rational reasons or not). Though I'd recommend anything Toyota or Honda just for reliability and parts reasons (if you plan to also learn how to work on cars with this first car of yours as well). While it seems like you're tying your own hands, it's your first car. You'll end up loving it regardless of what it is, because it's your first car. It's what enables your first big step of independence as a teenager. Any car you buy with these parameters won't be exhilarating to drive, and with limited experience behind the wheel, the dynamic difference between each chassis will be unrecognisable.

It's a shame you're not allowed a manual, as that's a further bonus of getting whatever, because you learn to drive a slow car fast and really learn how to drive a car than pussyfooting around in something with extremely high capabilities. It's also a shame that it can't be older so it can prepare you a bit more for any future project car you'll get, but after seeing how people drive in America, I don't blame your mum.

If it's comfy and pretty economical then get it. Worry about decisions later, especially when you don't have someone putting so much jurisdiction over your choice.

Luckily, my mom really likes this 2011 Acura TSX SportWagon for sale only a few miles away for $9,500 (same as Accord wagon in other nations). It's a very reliable car as well as good looking and well-equipped, plus it's cooler for being a wagon, so hopefully I end up with that. Of course, I would be happy with any car since it's my first. But yeah, I know full well I should have a beater car, that I myself should learn how to fix rather than a $10k newer car. My plan is after college, 6 years from now, to sell my first car and buy a beater commuter car for $1,500 or so, and then save up for a nicer car to use on the weekends.

What about a Hyundai Genesis? Fairly reliable and not too pricey to run, but still a luxury car and can be had for quite reasonable prices. They're nice to drive and quite safe, and fit all your restrictions.

The coupe would fall under "too sporty". The sedan is far over budget.

Your mom doesn't know what she's talking about. Sorry. Best to just let her pick something out, drive it carefully, and wait it out until you can buy something of your own choice. To be perfectly honest, this is really saddening to hear if your mom is at all representative of the average driver. Maybe it explains why crossovers are killing off production of small cars in this country; people mistakenly assume that size is safer. Even if it was, for the passenger, you're throwing more weight at whoever you hit, making the accident itself a more dangerous situation. Safety is in the design of the unibody and not in the amount of air inside the vehicle.

I reluctantly agree. In her mind, she'll pay so much for my first car "to make sure I'll never break down". Ironically, she hates SUVs and crossovers too, mainly because of the high riding position which she's not used to, refusing to drive my grandpa's '18 Durango. She drives an '01 Dodge Intrepid as her beater, commuter car and a '17 BMW 230i Convertible with XDrive for the weekends, rejecting the thought of getting an X3 or X4.

 

[Beeblebrox237]

The coupe would fall under "too sporty". The sedan is far over budget.

Not the classifieds I'm looking at, but perhaps they're too far away to consider.

 

[Danoff]

Luckily, my mom really likes this 2011 Acura TSX SportWagon for sale only a few miles away for $9,500 (same as Accord wagon in other nations).

Not a bad car.

It's a very reliable car as well as good looking and well-equipped, plus it's cooler for being a wagon, so hopefully I end up with that. Of course, I would be happy with any car since it's my first. But yeah, I know full well I should have a beater car, that I myself should learn how to fix rather than a $10k newer car. My plan is after college, 6 years from now, to sell my first car and buy a beater commuter car for $1,500 or so, and then save up for a nicer car to use on the weekends.

If your TSX (assuming that's what you get) survives the next 6 years, it'll be a beater for your commute.


Edit:

The main thing that bugs me about the TSX choice is that you could have one just as good for $2k less if you went with a 2008 (based on my link). $2k buys a lot of repairs. in CO, your registration (and I'm guessing insurance) would be lower as well.

 

[GranTurNismo]

Not a bad car.



If your TSX (assuming that's what you get) survives the next 6 years, it'll be a beater for your commute.


Edit:

The main thing that bugs me about the TSX choice is that you could have one just as good for $2k less if you went with a 2008 (based on my link). $2k buys a lot of repairs. in CO, your registration (and I'm guessing insurance) would be lower as well.

Of course, 2008 is "too old". But anyway, I'd still pick the '11 Sportwagon because wagon life brah.

 

[Danoff]

Of course, 2008 is "too old". But anyway, I'd still pick the '11 Sportwagon because wagon life brah.

It'll be more useful for moving, which tends to happen a lot around the college years. Trunks have their advantages over wagon space though. They're more secure (lockable, can't be seen), they keep things from rolling around a bit more (like groceries), and it's a safer place for cargo than an area which is exposed to your head. For example, a golf ball in the trunk won't kill you, but a golf ball in the wagon might. Just something to think about.