A little advice please

[mwilson]

OK, I need guidance and advice.



I am going to buy a commuting car, hate to but I simply must.



I tried a 2012 Jetta TDI last night, a little small but a nice piece of machinery.



Today my local Mopar Dealer (good folks) called me and offered a sweet deal on a 2012 Chrysler 200 Touring S model with the V-6 power.

The local Mopar dealer has treated me well over the years so I feel I must at least try the car out tonight. My wife is on her way to pick it up right now.



30 mpg versus the 42 mpg of the TDI.



What would you do????



Mike.

 

[GCroyle]

Mike,



I think a nice lightly used Yugo might do you well, you can claim it as a foreign cousin to this new Fiat resurgance, get ahead of the curve.



Go for it, start a trend in your circle of friends. Y U G O !

 

[mwilson]

YUGO, they were slightly ahead of the times. What times I don't know... . :-laf



I should wait and see what the Dart will be, but am deathly afraid of a new, unproven, first year of production car if you know what I mean...



Mike.

 

[jgillott]

You are really comparing apples and oranges. The Chrysler 200 is not a bad little car, especially compared to where their offerings were just a few years ago.



The TDI is in a different league all together in my opinion. We all know what they can do MPG wise, resale value, etc. Only you can determine if that car will pay for itself in the way you are going to use it. If price were not an object, I'd own a TDI.

 

[HBarlow]

Personally, I would not purchase a MOPAR product other than a Ram w/Cummins power. Reliability is unknown on many of their models because they are new or relatively new. They are generally ranked moderate to low by Consumers Union objective testing. Resale values are similar to the proverbial object in the punchbowl.

Having said that, I think the Chrysler PT Cruiser available now only in the used car market is a pretty good, reliable car based on the Neon platform. I drove a rental PT Cruiser once. They are cute, practical, and BORING spelled with capital letters. No personality whatsoever. As sexy as a refrigerator but for basic transportation I think they are pretty good little cars.

My choice would be a VW TDI. If you've tried and rejected a VW, I would consider a used Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, or Nissan Sentra. Any of those three, particularly the Honda and Toyota, can be purchased cheaply and run 250k miles with only minor maintenance.

I have been in lust for a VW TDI for several months and from time to time the urge becomes very strong. It's hard to justify spending close to $30k to save fuel costs when I think how much diesel fuel the same $30k will buy for my Dodge.

Besides that, my primary transportation for the past year and several months has been my bright yellow Goldwing. It gets around 40 mpg and is a hell of a lot more fun to drive than a VW TDI, Honda/Toyota/Nissan or big Dodge-Cummins.

 

[mwilson]

Yes, the resale value will be an issue. I plan on pounding 200,000 miles plus on whatever I buy and the TDI will be worth more at that time for sure.



The Jetta is quite a car, I have not given up on the idea yet. I am working with four dealers in the state and am now getting e-mails with the words "Under Invoice" in them so it is getting interesting.



Just had one come in right now stating "0% financing on ANY new 2012 Jetta, Passat or Beetle!"



Then you read the fine print below the tag line which states gas models only for 48 month term.

Car shopping sucks... .



I will look at the 200 tonight but it will have to be quite a car to be considered.



Mike.

 

[jgillott]

Mike, will a front wheel drive car do well for you in your area? One of the main reasons we don't have something similar is the amount of snow we have do deal with half of the year (well, except for last year). Not to complicate your car search, but there are a few pretty nice AWD cars out there now that would be in the same price range with similar MPG ratings of the Chrysler.

 

[mwilson]

A front wheel drive does fairly well, the '97 Eldorado that I used for a couple of years was hands down the best winter car that I have ever owned.



When I started here 14 years ago on the night shift I was running mid '80s Honda Accords. They did well but the wheel track was too narrow to stay in the truck tracks on an un-plowed I-95 on a snowy night. 50 miles of rut jumping in the dark was not fun and the Jetta might do the same thing.....



Mike.

 

[mainer29]

Before I purchase a new car, I check the true costs to own the car over the years I am going to have the vehicle.
True Cost to Own: Reveal the Hidden Costs of Car Ownership
By Phillip Reed
You've narrowed your choices to two new cars, but you can't seem to decide which one is really the better deal.

The purchase price of each car is nearly the same. The features are similar, and you like the way they both look. Still, a nagging feeling tells you that there must be a meaningful difference between them, even if it's not readily apparent during the purchase process.

Your intuition is right on the money. And now there is a new tool that reveals the hidden costs -- all the costs -- associated with buying, owning and operating a car over a five-year-period. It's called True Cost to OwnSM (TCO for short), and it is a revolutionary new consumer service provided by Edmunds Inc.

True Cost to Own (TCO) Calculator on Edmunds.com

 

[AClayton]

Don't laugh at me, but I bought a KIA Soul last summer to help keep the miles off of my Dodge. Very cheap transportation and it gets between 26 and 30 mpg on the highway. It has got the best stereo, the A/C works well and when compared to many of the econo cars that I have driven, it is very peppy and even torquey. Going up 5 and 6% percent grades it will remain in OD and pull the hill without hunting. Plus it has a 10yr 100k mile warranty!!

 

[mwilson]

Not laughing at all, some of these cars have come a long ways.



I still think of the rapping hamsters commerical though everytime that I see a Kia Soul.



Mike.

 

[mwilson]

200 is not a bad car, good power and road manners. More room in front than the Jetta but less rear seat and trunk space.

Funky, funky headlights but they were pretty good after dark.

Nice climate control, LED dome and tail lights.



Link here... .

2012 Chrysler 200 Touring For Sale | Lincoln ME .



Pictures don't do it justice, it is a good looking car.



Window Sticker here... .

http://www.chrysler.com/hostc/getWindowStickerPdf.do?vin=1C3CCBBG3CN283225



Mike.

 

[JMDancoe]

I am probably going to get into trouble here, but here are my thoughts based on limitted experience with "cars" of the last few years. I only own my signature truck (20 to 24 mpg).

Yeah, when diesel is up, it hurts to fill the tanks (2). My brother and his wife own a Prius which I have had the pleasure of driving (cross country - last year) (46 mpg) cruising 65 to 70 mph (Colorado to Mississippi & back). If, I had the extra money and I don't, I would own one. This is their second one. Both have done more than expected of them.

That said, I have been looking around for a 95 Mazda Protege'. Why? My son-in-law, who I live with during the winter, has a used one he bought for $200. 00. It has 302,000 miles on it and gets 36 mpg (with me driving it). He has had it approximately 3 years and has put the last 100,000 miles on it at virtually no expense (tires and one strut).

My problem with buying new is not the cost of the vehicle, but the excessive license fees and full coverage insurance needed. By the time you add those alone into the cost of operation, you have to save a lot of fuel cost to make up for it. But then we all have our own ideas and that's what makes us individuals. This from a guy who swore that he would never own a "Jap" car.

 

[WCPoe]

The only downside to the 200 might be if you decide it's not for you in the first few years of ownership. The first few years depreciation on most American sedans has always been bad. That being said, the TDIs are in relatively high demand and don't have the extreme first few years depreciation hit and would allow you to transition to something else if you decided.



I have a friend with a Jetta Sportwagon TDI with the 6 speed auto which I think is a great vehicle with a lot of practical features. It drives and handles well and is comfortable for me at about 6 foot and 230lbs. Yeah it's a smaller vehicle but the wagon version will carry a heck of a lot. It's a couple of years old now, delivered great service and overall mileage in the high 30's and he drives the wheels off it. Good luck on your quest.

 

[jgillott]

That 200 is a pretty nice looking car. I can't imagine 280+ HP in that thing. Heck, I've got an '80's Corvette sitting here that is 245 or something. It's amazing how far gasoline engine technology has come.

 

[mwilson]

That 200 is a pretty nice looking car. I can't imagine 280+ HP in that thing. Heck, I've got an '80's Corvette sitting here that is 245 or something. It's amazing how far gasoline engine technology has come.

It torque steers to the right when you tromp on it, better be hanging on... .



I warned the wife when she tramped on it but we still were close to the ditch when she got with the program... . :-laf



Mike.

 

[mwilson]

I am probably going to get into trouble here, but here are my thoughts based on limitted experience with "cars" of the last few years. I only own my signature truck (20 to 24 mpg).

Yeah, when diesel is up, it hurts to fill the tanks (2). My brother and his wife own a Prius which I have had the pleasure of driving (cross country - last year) (46 mpg) cruising 65 to 70 mph (Colorado to Mississippi & back). If, I had the extra money and I don't, I would own one. This is their second one. Both have done more than expected of them.

That said, I have been looking around for a 95 Mazda Protege'. Why? My son-in-law, who I live with during the winter, has a used one he bought for $200. 00. It has 302,000 miles on it and gets 36 mpg (with me driving it). He has had it approximately 3 years and has put the last 100,000 miles on it at virtually no expense (tires and one strut).

My problem with buying new is not the cost of the vehicle, but the excessive license fees and full coverage insurance needed. By the time you add those alone into the cost of operation, you have to save a lot of fuel cost to make up for it. But then we all have our own ideas and that's what makes us individuals. This from a guy who swore that he would never own a "Jap" car.

Not going to get in trouble with me...



I want to go new because with the exception of the two years that I ran the '06 to work I have run that old 200. 00 to 2,000. 00 junk for 14 years now.



Spent many evenings fixing them up and keeping them on the road.

I have paid my dues in this case and want something new to start with.

I take very good care if my stuff and have discovered when I start with new, it lasts... ... .



Mike.

 

[JMDancoe]

Great points and the best of luck with whatever you decide. I am at that point that "new" just isn't in the picture but I know how you feel. The only new cars I have owned (I'm 67), are 1964 Chevelle S/S Convertable, 1973 VW Super Beetle, 1985 Dodge Caravan and a 2006 Dodge 3500 Dually. First Chrysler product was a 1957 Desoto with the "Firedome" Hemi purchased used. Great car but couldn't pass a gas station. But then who cared, as gas was 39 cents a gallon.

 

[jgillott]

Not going to get in trouble with me...



I want to go new because with the exception of the two years that I ran the '06 to work I have run that old 200. 00 to 2,000. 00 junk for 14 years now.



Spent many evenings fixing them up and keeping them on the road.

I have paid my dues in this case and want something new to start with.

I take very good care if my stuff and have discovered when I start with new, it lasts... ... .



Mike.

I have had ZERO luck with used vehicles no matter what I have paid for them. I have spent a lot on new vehicles the last dozen years or so, but have been (with the exception of a Chevy Silverado Nightmare) much better off.

 

[BIGNASTY]

FIL told me long ago that NUMBERS ARE YOUR BEST FREIND 30 vs 42 Ya vole el captain JMO