I have decided to get a new car soon. My truck is going to need some serious work soon and I would rather not continue to spend a lot of money on a 336,000 mile vehicle. I won't be getting rid of it, but it will serve as a backup vehicle and be used when I need to haul things. As many of you know, I deliver pizza as my one and only job, so fuel economy and maintenance costs figure heavily on my choice of a work vehicle. ( I drive 2-3,000 miles a month) My criteria are that it has to be new, get 28+ EPA rated city fuel economy, have a good reliability rating, have decent resale, a manual transmission, hatchback, white paint, and air conditioning. I have figured out that if I get 30 mpg city out of the new car, it will save me $130+ per month over the fuel cost of operating my truck and that will help me to offset the payment. Why new? Well, cheap, small cars tend to be treated poorly as many people see them as disposable. I want to do proper break in and service from the moment the car is new to achieve maximum reliability. Plus, this lets me see the full term of the factory warranty as I will likely graduate college within the next 3 years and I do not want to have to pay for any expensive repairs. Also, I want to be sure the clutch is properly broken in and has not been driven by some half wit that has no idea how to properly drive a manual transmission. Now for the candidates! None of these cars are what I would call cool, but they all bring something unique to the table.
The Toyota Yaris to me is a VERY ugly car if for no other reason than the front end looks like the face of a bull terrier. However, it is about $3,000 cheaper than the other two and has an excellent reputation for reliability. It also comes with a full compliment of electronic nannys and air conditioning as standard equipment. The base model starts at $12,200 before tax, destination, etc. It also comes without a factory radio in it's most basic form, so I can get a nice deck with the savings. Fuel economy was originally rated at 34 city, but has been knocked back to 29 mpg city (36 highway) in the new rating system. As an aside, I used to better the old rating system routinely with my truck when it was new as it was rated at 21 and I got 24.
Next up is the Honda Fit. It starts at $14,900, so it is quite a bit more expensive than the Yaris. I tend to think it is ugly too, but more in a minivan sort of way. However, it does have a very clever interior which makes excellent use of space. The dash is my favorite of the three as it uses blue lighting which is very soothing to look at. Fuel economy is rated at 28 city/ 33 highway, and is the worst of the three. However it does have a very good reputation for reliability and is rated near the top by Consumer Reports, as is the Yaris (They are rated #2 and #3 in small car reliability.). My biggest gripe though is that it uses a timing belt. This is an expensive and time consuming maintenance item that the Yaris does not have as it uses a chain. Supposedly it drives much nicer than the Yaris as well, but then it is more expensive. It does come with more standard equipment though, and includes things like a CD player and Power windows than the Yaris does not. Do I need those things? Not really, but they do explain some of the cost difference. However, it does not have stability control, which the Yaris comes with standard. To get it, you are forced to get the top of the line model which can top $18k.
Finally we have the Ford Fiesta. This is a European Ford that is coming to the US market within the next 6 months. I have read nothing but good things about it and the reviewers have praised it's fuel economy, driving dynamics and the quality and comfort of the interior. Of the three, it is the best looking, and gets the best fuel economy with 29 city/38 highway. However, the red radio screen on the top of the dash is a bit glaring to me, and the radio layout also means it will be nigh unto impossible to ever fit a standard DIN deck in the dash should it ever fail. Also, it is a new product to this market and as such is very much an unknown quantity. I have yet to see one in person and have no idea how I will like it in reality. I do not know if it uses a timing belt or chain, but I do know that it comes with all those electronic nannys that the Yaris has. It is the most expenisve of the three, with a price of $15,300 for the cheapest hatchback. Like the Fit, it does have a lot of extras included at that price, and a basic model is not available.
So.. that is my dilemma. I am selling my AMC project car to help raise the money for a substantial down payment, and because I simply have grown tired of it. I tend to think the Yaris makes the most sense, but then again I am not in love with it either. However, I don't love any of them and see whatever I get as an appliance to get me through this part of my life as I get ready to move on from this occupation.
The Toyota Yaris to me is a VERY ugly car if for no other reason than the front end looks like the face of a bull terrier. However, it is about $3,000 cheaper than the other two and has an excellent reputation for reliability. It also comes with a full compliment of electronic nannys and air conditioning as standard equipment. The base model starts at $12,200 before tax, destination, etc. It also comes without a factory radio in it's most basic form, so I can get a nice deck with the savings. Fuel economy was originally rated at 34 city, but has been knocked back to 29 mpg city (36 highway) in the new rating system. As an aside, I used to better the old rating system routinely with my truck when it was new as it was rated at 21 and I got 24.
Next up is the Honda Fit. It starts at $14,900, so it is quite a bit more expensive than the Yaris. I tend to think it is ugly too, but more in a minivan sort of way. However, it does have a very clever interior which makes excellent use of space. The dash is my favorite of the three as it uses blue lighting which is very soothing to look at. Fuel economy is rated at 28 city/ 33 highway, and is the worst of the three. However it does have a very good reputation for reliability and is rated near the top by Consumer Reports, as is the Yaris (They are rated #2 and #3 in small car reliability.). My biggest gripe though is that it uses a timing belt. This is an expensive and time consuming maintenance item that the Yaris does not have as it uses a chain. Supposedly it drives much nicer than the Yaris as well, but then it is more expensive. It does come with more standard equipment though, and includes things like a CD player and Power windows than the Yaris does not. Do I need those things? Not really, but they do explain some of the cost difference. However, it does not have stability control, which the Yaris comes with standard. To get it, you are forced to get the top of the line model which can top $18k.
Finally we have the Ford Fiesta. This is a European Ford that is coming to the US market within the next 6 months. I have read nothing but good things about it and the reviewers have praised it's fuel economy, driving dynamics and the quality and comfort of the interior. Of the three, it is the best looking, and gets the best fuel economy with 29 city/38 highway. However, the red radio screen on the top of the dash is a bit glaring to me, and the radio layout also means it will be nigh unto impossible to ever fit a standard DIN deck in the dash should it ever fail. Also, it is a new product to this market and as such is very much an unknown quantity. I have yet to see one in person and have no idea how I will like it in reality. I do not know if it uses a timing belt or chain, but I do know that it comes with all those electronic nannys that the Yaris has. It is the most expenisve of the three, with a price of $15,300 for the cheapest hatchback. Like the Fit, it does have a lot of extras included at that price, and a basic model is not available.
So.. that is my dilemma. I am selling my AMC project car to help raise the money for a substantial down payment, and because I simply have grown tired of it. I tend to think the Yaris makes the most sense, but then again I am not in love with it either. However, I don't love any of them and see whatever I get as an appliance to get me through this part of my life as I get ready to move on from this occupation.
....i knew a dude who had a 90s model and we called it the roller skate ( cuz it looked like one ) Id just go with the cheapest one. About the jetta thing..arent vw's kinda expensive to fix? Just curious, not trying to talk sh*t or anything, but do u make enough $ delivering pizza to afford a brand new car?
