Matrix is a tall Corolla wagon. They feel carlike in their chassis dynamics. No they aren't super fast but neither are Corollas. I've seen people autocrossing them and apparently enjoying themselves so they aren't spiteboxes.
Matrix is a tall Corolla wagon. They feel carlike in their chassis dynamics. No they aren't super fast but neither are Corollas. I've seen people autocrossing them and apparently enjoying themselves so they aren't spiteboxes.
I know you said you aren't a Chevy fan but my 1.4t 6speed Cruze at 175k has very relaible, fun enough to drive and returns about 35mpg mixed. They are getting cheap. Something to consider.
Any interest in a Volvo V50 T5 AWD that needs a motor? 166k miles, manual transmission and in good condition, other than the engine 
Had another out of the box idea since you mentioned the 500, what about a 500L? TONS of room, turbo motor from the Abarth and more fun than a really goofy car should be. Except for specific (not normal) issues with my wife's, they're great cars. Just stay away from the lighter colored interior as it gets dirty really easy. It would be at the top of your price range, but could be found. For Example
-Rob
Run as far away from the FIat as you can as fast as you can. Dumpster fires from reliability standpoint....though that's an insult to dumpsters.
Appliance such as Corolla (Matrix/Vibe), Fit type cars are your answer here. The Fit is crazy fun to drive, but slow as molasses.
Wild card I'd throw out, because I own one, is the HHR. I love the room and versatility, and I also love its' styling.
If you look long enough, you may be able to find a decent 8th gen Civic Si sedan in your price range. We have two of them in the family. We bought #2 a couple of months ago for $4600 with 160K miles and inop AC but otherwise perfect. We've had the other one for 5 years and it's at 240K with no issues except one AC repair and its first clutch at 220K. They're hard to find in nice shape and not poorly modified, but once you find one, they're great cars.
Nissan se-r b15 or b16. Not super easy to find the newer ones. Lancer gt or gts with 2.4 got decent reviews.
The more I am thinking about it. The more I am leaning towards a 9-3.
A Rav4 or CRV. Volvo C30 if 2 door ok, V50 if you need 4 (with T5). If you want something looks cool lowered. ;)
In reply to 93EXCivic :
I opened up your local CL (and surrounding) and sorted by manual trans. Not a lot came up that wasn't truck or classic car.
Of the few, I was intrigued by this 07 Sentra. Manuals in these are pretty rare. Most were sold with the cvt auto.
https://nashville.craigslist.org/cto/d/nashville-2007-nissan-sentra-6spd-183k/7040971448.html
This one needs an engine but there are many Sentras with failed cvts to donate an engine. You should be able to get a JY motor with less than 125k for $500.
Sort of a build your own. $500 car, $500 engine. Even if you pay to have the engine installed, I see less than $2k. If you do the work then I see suspension refresh (lowered) with new tires for $2k.
TSX would be my choice. Friend has one with two car seats in the back for his wife and they love it. With a third one in the way though they are going minivan.
wearymicrobe said:TSX would be my choice. Friend has one with two car seats in the back for his wife and they love it. With a third one in the way though they are going minivan.
Yup fantastic. We moved from gen 1 MT to gen 2 AT wagon
If you can find a TSX in that price range, congratulations.
I had these same requirements for my search, and I narrowed it down to the Mazda 3, Matrix XRS, 1st gen Focus ST, and Fit, with the 3 being the easiest to find in that price range.I have no trust in Saabs. You might be able to find a Mazda 2 in that range. Excellent cars that are fun to drive, more so than the Fit IMO.
Fit gets the best MPGs but are hard to find without a billion miles. I also found the a-pillar to be really hard to see around but YMMV.
The 3 was easy to find in that range with low miles especially in the sedan with the 2.0 which doesn’t give up much to the 2.3
I ended up with a Camry a friend basically gave me.
In reply to John Welsh :
I don't want a project. I have too many to do before the baby arrives. I am putting in a new floor downstairs, finishing off a 8×10 bonus room into a library and rebuilding the suspension on my Civic. I am also in no hurry. I just want to find something by the end of April.
I am trying not to touch my savings for the car so that is in reserve in case of any unexpected medical expenses and hopefully a new garage this fall.
In reply to 93EXCivic :
Good plan.
You might also benefit from my recent chatter in this other thread including words about car seat choices.
Congrats on the pending arrival...
Have you yet figured out who's the father? 
wearymicrobe said:TSX would be my choice. Friend has one with two car seats in the back for his wife and they love it. With a third one in the way though they are going minivan.
Wouldnt it be easier to have her sit in front in one of the adult seats?
Not sure about your budget, but an excellent car to consider is the Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart from the mid-2000s
The ergonomics are excellent. Very nice driving position, steering feel, and shifter action. Strong brakes. Handling and performance are very, very similar to the Mazda 3 and Sentra SE-R from that era. But it's been almost completely forgotten ... and I'm sure you can find one cheaply these days.
They weigh about 2800 lbs, which is pretty light for a modern sedan. About 165 hp and 160 lbs/ft from a 2.4L SOHC four with "MIVEC" variable valve timing/lift. Good for a 0-60 time in the low-7-seconds.
A buddy of mine had one and we flung it around some local tracks in Quebec: Sanair and Tremblant. It was a lot of fun with good rotation in the corners and minimal understeer.
93EXCivic said:Tyler H said:If you like Hondas, why not look at Accords? I had a 94 Accord EX with a manual and it was a lot of fun. After I sold it on to my friend, he drove it to ~450k before someone blew a light and killed it. TSX is my choice from your list.
I like the TSX better then Accord and from what I have seen they are about the same price.
TSX is based on the European Accord, which is somewhere between a Civic and a North American Accord in size. Ours fit a family of 4 even after they were adults, but nobody was still in a car seat when we bought it. Check child seat rear fit.
In reply to LanEvo :
Are those reliable? I am not so sure about Mitsubishi.
Couple of thoughts. Re: car seats, the middle rear is safest (take that, team driver's side AND team passenger side) but as mentioned, rear-facing seats take up a LOT of room. When my first was born we had an '04 Corolla, I'm 6' tall and so kid had to go behind the passenger seat otherwise I literally could not operate the steering wheel. If using the middle seat, *both* front seats have to get pushed forward. We switched over to front-facing seats slightly ahead of recommendation just to make our lives easier. (Recommendation, I'm pretty sure, is to keep them in a rear-facing seat until they go off to college.)
That said, driving is statistically the most dangerous thing you will do with baby by a factor of about a gajillion. We take all this care to baby-proof the house and then, I think, are a little too cavalier about putting them in a tin can and rocketing around at 80 miles an hour. Therefore my recommendation is to get the newest car you can afford, within reason, in order to take advantage of the constantly improving safety tech, materials, and engineering. Based on your budget and wishes, that would be this bomb 2013 Kia Soul with just over 100k on the clock and a dope shade of brown.
Nissan Versa Notes are getting down in that price range. I have a 15 and there is tons of room in the back for passengers and the rear doors open damn near 90 degrees. Not bad to drive with the stick shift and decent on gas (35ish mpg). Versa Sedan is a solid option as well.
93EXCivic said:In reply to LanEvo :
Are those reliable? I am not so sure about Mitsubishi.
No less reliable than a Sentra, Focus, etc. from that era.
You'll need to log in to post.
