[MrA]

Originally Posted by DaPilot

Oh and DONT FORGET you'll be buying insurance and that's a killer in most states I duno about texas (never lived there) but the north east is really bad when it comes to insurance...
for an example I use to pay 4500 per year when i bought my first car (lot of factors involved like the made/model of the car, age of the driver, number of drivers, how old is your US license, etc...) So also look for insurance quotes before making a deal...

$4500/yr? Seems a lot. I got a CPO BMW 328ix as my first car with just a year old driving licence, no credit history, no driving history, fresh out of school and my monthly was about $160 ($1920/yr), dropped to $70 per month after 6 months. Now after switching to 435ix after a year, it's back up to $100 per month. I do recall that Geico was quoting me about $350/month, they are crazy expensive and equally good/better companies are much cheaper, I ended up with Progressive, another reputed insurance company and now I'm with AAA.

[aah78]

Originally Posted by rajushank84

Insurance seems to be driven by class of bike (sports bike the highest), displacement (a 1000cc bike typically costing twice as much as a 600 class), and brand and model. For example, the quotes I got were like this (per year) when I was shopping in 2016:

Wow, I have never been quoted so high for a motorcycle, ever!
When I tried getting quotes for a 1000cc sports motorcycle (out of curiosity), the highest I got to was about $1500-ish with all limits set to maximum.

Originally Posted by GutsyGibbon

I dont even have full insurance, just liability of $90 per year. Such is my confidence in my ugly duckling.

Yeah, that's more realistic. Even with comprehensive added, you would probably be in the $350-$400 range.

Originally Posted by Dhiwakar92

I'll be relocating to the U.S. for a 1 year assignment and I'll be living in New Jersey.

Hey, whereabouts in NJ will you be? Just asking because depending on your location, you might not need a car.

[landcruiser123]

Originally Posted by hema4saran

Also you need to store it safely as bikes are very easy to flick.....

Originally Posted by rajushank84

....
Some bikes you can almost assume they will get stolen. Any GSXR or CBR in an apartment parking, for example. Or a Bonneville in SF. Be surprised if you find your bike still there everyday...

With your advice, I'm pushing the motorcycle idea to the back burner as it is easy to get into my apartments parking. I'm getting my license though. When my housing situation changes, I'll start doing my riding.

In the meanwhile, I'm looking to buy a car probably in the next 3-4 weeks. How reliable is a 35,000 mile Jetta? I'm offered an MT version for about $ 12,000- title and tax excluded. Is it worth it if the car is in good condition? (It is $300 more than the KBB, but I think I can negotiate)

Or would you recommend sticking to Japs? I love doing my DIYs too.

Thanks.

[rajushank84]

Originally Posted by landcruiser123

With your advice, I'm pushing the motorcycle idea to the back burner as it is easy to get into my apartments parking. I'm getting my license though. When my housing situation changes, I'll start doing my riding.

I wouldn't give up on riding just for that reason. I was just saying, insurance plays into the cost of ownership as much as the cost of the bike does, in terms of choosing a model. A lot of people still own motorcycles in apartments despite all of that. I would just pick a model & year for which you can afford insurance that covers theft, and that's it. Let the insurance company worry about it. My Yamaha Warrior (used) for example, cost me around $50 per month with everything covered. Just factor that into the cost of ownership and enjoy the ride! My two cents.

[hema4saran]

Originally Posted by landcruiser123

In the meanwhile, I'm looking to buy a car probably in the next 3-4 weeks. How reliable is a 35,000 mile Jetta? I'm offered an MT version for about $ 12,000- title and tax excluded. Is it worth it if the car is in good condition? (It is $300 more than the KBB, but I think I can negotiate)

While I love the idea of buying a Manual transmission, don't go for Jetta. What model year and trim is it? Last year, base model brand new Jetta was offered to us for $14k + tax and title (TTL) here in Texas during year end sale for automatic trim.

Try to find a Subaru BRZ or Scion FRS with 4 or 5 year vintage. For little more money, it will be lot more fun. Trust me RWD + MT will make a great combo.

[landcruiser123]

Originally Posted by hema4saran

While I love the idea of buying a Manual transmission, don't go for Jetta. What model year and trim is it?

It's an SE. Going to see the car next week.

Try to find a Subaru BRZ or Scion FRS with 4 or 5 year vintage. For little more money, it will be lot more fun. Trust me RWD + MT will make a great combo.

My dream first car. But those are in the >$20,000 range. I'm not willing to spend that money as I have a lot of commitments with students loans and some saving goals too.

[GutsyGibbon]

Originally Posted by landcruiser123

In the meanwhile, I'm looking to buy a car probably in the next 3-4 weeks. How reliable is a 35,000 mile Jetta? I'm offered an MT version for about $ 12,000- title and tax excluded. Is it worth it if the car is in good condition? (It is $300 more than the KBB, but I think I can negotiate)
Or would you recommend sticking to Japs? I love doing my DIYs too.
Thanks.

Instead, I would look at Hyundai/Kia with 100k miles warranty. There are tons of them available for a lot less.

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/cto...895040184.html

Buy a few lunches/dinners to a dear friend, and have him drive long distances in the ay area to do test drives. Lots of great deals (for sale by owner) out there in the Bay Area.

[mohit]

Originally Posted by GutsyGibbon

Instead, I would look at Hyundai/Kia with 100k miles warranty. There are tons of them available for a lot less.

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/cto...895040184.html

Buy a few lunches/dinners to a dear friend, and have him drive long distances in the ay area to do test drives. Lots of great deals (for sale by owner) out there in the Bay Area.

Exceptions: Hyundai and Kia
Although Hyundai and Kia are well known for offering the best powertrain warranties in the industry -- 10 years or 100,000 miles -- these legendary warranties aren't transferable to a new owner. Fortunately, the warranty doesn't become completely invalid when a new owner buys the car; it just changes to 5 years or 60,000 miles of powertrain coverage.

From https://www.autotrader.com/car-tips/...ferable-228454

[GutsyGibbon]

Originally Posted by mohit

From https://www.autotrader.com/car-tips/...ferable-228454

Sure, for powertrain. I should have said better warranty. Absolute numbers are always at the risk of being incorrect. I still feel Hyundai/Kia offer a better warranty compared to others. Anti perforation, CA emission etc. And best to check manufacturer website for what one is getting into.
https://www.hyundaiusa.com/assurance...arranty.aspx#1

[Dhiwakar92]

Originally Posted by aah78

Wow, I have never been quoted so high for a motorcycle, ever!

Tinton Falls in NJ. It's a pretty rural area so a car is needed I guess.

[landcruiser123]

Originally Posted by rajushank84

I wouldn't give up on riding just for that reason...

Yes, getting a car first. After that, I'll surely get a motorcycle. I've finished my safety training course and should get the DL-389 anytime soon.

Originally Posted by landcruiser123

In the meanwhile, I'm looking to buy a car probably in the next 3-4 weeks....

Just bumping this up again. I'm looking to seal the deal in the next 10-14 days. I saw a $8,500 2012 Ford Fusion Hybrid which has about 95k miles.
Any inputs on the reliability of the car(Hybrid power-train in particular)?
Also, how do I get an independent inspection from outside done when the car has been "inspected" by the dealer? Should I book an appointment with a car garage?

I don't want to buy the car and end up spending a few thousands on a battery. I don't particularly need a big car, but a Hybrid and the FE make the deal seem worth the stretch. I've a friend who has a Fusion V6 with 170k on the ODO and says that the car is very reliable. The only difference is that we're talking about a different powertrain.

Please advice.

[Cesc]

So with a house purchase looming somewhere on the horizon my quest for a nice sports car seems to be getting pushed out further. We have a Q5 right now which is a very nice people mover but thats about it.

With less money to spend and the desire to get something FTD getting stronger by the day, my thoughts have turned towards a Golf R. I cant stand the current gen's all digital interiors though. As silly as it sounds the 2017 model year appeals well to me because of the analog dash. So much so that I am willing to forgo the excellent warranty on the 2018s and 2019s!

Looks like there won't be a 2020 Golf R and the 2021 looks like a disaster inside out. So now does seem like a good time to get a R. I do want some peace of mind though so am looking for a CPO 2017 with under 30k miles. I am able to find a few around $32k (2018s are around 36k and new ones are selling for around $40k)

Idea is to drive it in stock form for 5-7k miles and then mod it a bit. A few straightforward mods should bump up the power and torque by ~30% and that should be plenty to keep me engaged for a few years.

Does that sound like a good plan?

On a separate note - amazing that this thread has seen no action in the last 5 weeks!

[naveenroy]

Thought I would never post in this thread but here I am.

My wife and I managed with one car for more than 3 years now. And the motorcycle helped too. But we're moving a little further away from her work so we are thinking of getting a second car.

I was thinking of the Mazda CX-9. I looked at the CX-5 and thought it was a little too small. What are your thoughts?

[hema4saran]

Originally Posted by Cesc

Idea is to drive it in stock form for 5-7k miles and then mod it a bit. A few straightforward mods should bump up the power and torque by ~30% and that should be plenty to keep me engaged for a few years.

Does that sound like a good plan?

On a separate note - amazing that this thread has seen no action in the last 5 weeks!

I would definitely consider the 2018 Golf R if you have one in unsold inventory. That warranty is one of the best and you will have lot of fun.

Why don't you consider a WRX? For 32k you might get a new one itself with AWD and a Stick. Honestly it is much more fun than Golf. I will not consider STI though because of that bone jarring ride and also it is pricey.

Originally Posted by naveenroy

I was thinking of the Mazda CX-9. I looked at the CX-5 and thought it was a little too small. What are your thoughts?

CX-9 is very good car. But most of the Japanese competition in that segment is having very good v6 engines (Highlander, Pilot and Pathfinder) and my personal preference is V6 engines in that segment. With all the extra weight, the turbo charged engine will be strained. My local Honda dealer is throwing in lot of deals on the Pilots and last I heard was there were unsold inventories all over the country and new model is imminent now.

CX-5 looks comparatively smaller to others in the segment except the Ford Escape. But it is the most fun car. Also the interiors of Mazda are one notch above the competition. My colleague recently took delivery of a Mazda CX5 Touring trim through lease with $270 per month without any down payment.

Since you are in a bigger metro (Atlanta), shop around and do test drives of multiple cars. Patience is the key to get great offers.

[Cesc]

Originally Posted by hema4saran

I would definitely consider the 2018 Golf R if you have one in unsold inventory. That warranty is one of the best and you will have lot of fun.

Why don't you consider a WRX? For 32k you might get a new one itself with AWD and a Stick. Honestly it is much more fun than Golf. I will not consider STI though because of that bone jarring ride and also it is pricey.

Test drove a 2018 R with manual tranny and checked out a 2017 CPO over the weekend. I still like the 2017 better than the 2018 largely down to the interiors. The warranty is a huge factor but I cant get over the screen behind the steering.