NPC - My son needs a reliable car <$5k, UPDATE: buying a 2010 Mazda3 S Gran Touring Hatch 2.5 6-speed Options

[cali914]

So while we both like the MX-5, common sense and a limited budget prevailed and we found a great deal on a 2010 Mazda 3s Grand Touring with a six speed manual transmission and 132k for only $4200

Great car for the price. Mazda is very underated I think. But let your son pick the car otherwise you will never here the end of it no matter what happens. my 2 cents.

[NS914]

Well, some P content - after the semi-fiasco of his 944 experience, he has been carless, but could walk to work and pay his roommate to use his car as needed.

But now he has taken a sales job with a micro-brewery and while it is local and he won't be a road warrior, he really needs something bulletproof, but hopefully still offers some fun.

He will only drive a stick (taught him well), hates FWD (me too, but he may have to suck it up).

We started looking at E46 BMW's but the more I read, the more I think it will be another mistake like his 944 (maintenance and reliability wise).

So what is out there that is cheap, reliable and fun? What do you or your poor car enthusiast 20 something kids drive daily?

How about a Mk VI VW GTI....2010-2012...don't know what prices are like down your way but quick fun car, crazy comfortable interior...great mileage... and at least in my experience....I have owned a bunch of GTI's over the years...reliable as well.

Hope this helps! Grant

[scott_in_nh]

So while we both like the MX-5, common sense and a limited budget prevailed and we found a great deal on a 2010 Mazda 3s Grand Touring with a six speed manual transmission and 132k for only $4200

Great car for the price. Mazda is very underated I think. But let your son pick the car otherwise you will never here the end of it no matter what happens. my 2 cents.

Thanks, and I agree that HE had to pick it and he did pick it, but not before it (me) got heated.

To his credit a few weeks ago he had mentioned a Mazda 3 hatch as a possibility. He had a friend buy one and liked it.

I did not go with him to see the car, he had to make peace with not getting a RWD sports car and decide on his own if he could live with this choice.

While I was not 100% against a nice Miata we found, it would have required a real car loan which also means full insurance.

I was hoping he would do the research/math and realize with a new job now and needing a new apartment in the fall that now was not a good time to get financially extravagant on a car that isn't the best choice for what he is currently doing....

But he didn't and wasn't even looking at the other options I found/sent to him, including this car.

So when I finally had enough and lost my cool a bit with him, he changed his plans and went and looked at this car (which to our benefit was hard to find because it was under "Mazda3" rather than "Mazda 3" on Craigslist so I don't think they had much interest).

More good news - it has a timing chain, the current owners have the maintenance records which was all done on time, and it was mostly driven by the wife.

[scott_in_nh]

How about a Mk VI VW GTI....2010-2012...don't know what prices are like down your way but quick fun car, crazy comfortable interior...great mileage... and at least in my experience....I have owned a bunch of GTI's over the years...reliable as well.

Hope this helps! Grant

I've heard good and bad about GTI's, but personally like them.

This time around I think Japanese was the way to go.

We don't have the Mazda yet as I have to transfer the funds - we committed to buy, but he did not have a cash deposit on him, hopefully they do not sell it out from under us!

[Andyrew]

3's are great cars. That hatch is actually decently sporty from the factory. Underpowered yes, but sporty.

My cousin has one and I could almost keep up with him driving my Fiesta ST on an back canyon road.. Granted I am a significantly more aggressive driver.

It carries its weight well and has enough brakes to do the job.

[ThePaintedMan]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) great purchase. My wife has a Mazda 6 from a similar era, and it's been great. The 3 is still a lot of fun to drive and he could do quite well at local autocrosses if he wants to have some "fun.".

If the 3 has some of the same small quirks/issues as the 6, you may wish to immediately inspect the condition of the plastic water elbows and tees in the engine bay. They last a long time, but with that kind of mileage, they are likely getting very brittle. On my wife's, they have been literally the only real issue we've dealt with. Small, cheap repairs, but if one does crack on the highway you can be out of water REAL quick. When one broke, my wife noticed real quick and shut it off before any damage was done and I had it fixed in less than an hour.

The other thing I should mention - if you ever have something that needs to be replaced, don't bother going to the FLAPS. More than likely the Mazda dealership in town has what you need, is fantastic OEM quality and for the same price, if not LESS than an aftermarket part. I love my local dealer and the guy at the parts desk knows me by name now.

[scott_in_nh]

Thanks for the feedback on Mazdas guys!

We will be checking the plastic fittings and using the dealership for parts (which is almost close enough for him to walk to).

We are aware that the 3 has a "sporty nature" that most people don't know about, and the "tuner boys" that he loathes don't go for it (but he is already thinking about black rims lol).

[flippa]

I think he needs a small SUV, perhaps a nice one owner silver and black Honda CR-V EX, leather interior with a 5 speed.

I might know someone selling one (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

[scott_in_nh]

So we got the car home last night.

It was the first time I had seen it, though I was the one to find it on Craigslist.

Owned by a 30ish professional couple and it was her first new car.

They sold it because she inherited a very low mileage Rav4 from her grandmother.

Other than needing tires this car is exceptionally clean for the year (2010), mileage (132k) and options (fully loaded S Grand Touring).

IMO we literally stole it at their asking price of $4200!

the boy is very happy as is his dad!

Sorry for the crappy cell phone picture, meant to bring my real camera.

Thanks for the support and advise! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[Shadowfax]

Awesome! Glad you found one that you both like. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif)
Do I see an E30 vert in the background?