Buying a car... what do you think...

[Texas Proud]

OK.... I am a cash for clunker buyer... taking a look at what is out there with cash back etc.... I have narrowed it down to 4 cars..

I decided to get the groups opinions on what you think...

The 4 choices are (price is with all rebates including the clunker rebatw):

Pontiac G6 with sport package (6 speed 4 cyl, plus power options) $14,700

Hyundai Sonata GLS with power options (5 sp, 4 cyl) $13,700

Pontiac Vibe (1.8 4 cyl with 4 speed, also power option) $12,000

Hyundai Elantra GLS with power options(4 speed, 4 cyl) $11,000


The Vibe is just like a Toyota Matrix...

I can not see buying a Honda or Toyota as they do not seem to be discounting them... I am talking to the credit union people, so not a normal salesman.. I will not buy a Ford as I have had major problems with them and just dropped $1700 on our Exporer on a known defect that Ford does not care to fix... plus the bad experience with my 85 Cougar...

 

[ProspectiveBum]

I voted for the Sonata. It's a legit competitor to the Camry/Accord, and is arguably the nicest and most spacious of the cars you mentioned. Hyundai also has a great warranty. I'd be a little leery of Pontiac, personally, just because that nameplate is reportedly going away. That will probably affect the future resale of those cars (if you care about resale).

 

[Purron]

I like the Hundai Sonata best of the choices you presented. Nice car at a good price. I must confess I would buy another Subaru Forrester if I was in the market. I love my Suby!

 

[aaronc879]

If it's just you or you and one other person in the car 90%+ of the time then i'd go with the Elantra. If you need seating for 3 or 4 then go with the larger Sonata.

 

[Texas Proud]

If it's just you or you and one other person in the car 90%+ of the time then i'd go with the Elantra. If you need seating for 3 or 4 then go with the larger Sonata.

I will probably be the only one in the car most of the time... this will become my 'beater' car... until my 11 yo gets old enough to drive and then I think I will lose it...


I am not worried about Pontiac going away... GM is backing the car, not Pontiac... the dealer I buy the car from is also a Buick and GMC dealer so he is not going away... resale is not an issue except if it gets totaled... I am trading in a 95 on it...


OHHH forgot to say all are 2009 models...

 

[Rambler]

Others in my family have had trouble with Hyundai (broken crankshaft, just how does that happen). I think overall the quality of Detroit is still not there, so I voted for the Vibe. Being the same as the Toyota Matrix, built on a Corolla platform (one of the most successful and reliable cars in the world), at a plant (NUMMI) that Toyota pretty much supervises, at that price, I don't know how you'd go wrong.

R

 

[Midpack]

I wouldn't buy any of them even at half price, but YMMV.

 

[FIREd]

I'd go with the G6 with sport package myself but only because of my preference for sporty cars...

 

[TromboneAl]

From Consumer Reports (Car, Reliability, Satisfaction)

Pontiac G6 - Worse than average, worse than averate
Hyundai Sonata - better than avg. Average. Recommended
Pontiac Vibe - Much better than avg, Better than average. Recommended
Hyundai Elantra - Much better than average, average. Recommended

 

[Purron]

From Consumer Reports (Car, Reliability, Satisfaction)

Pontiac G6 - Worse than average, worse than averate
Hyundai Sonata - better than avg. Average. Recommended
Pontiac Vibe - Much better than avg, Better than average. Recommended
Hyundai Elantra - Much better than average, average. Recommended

I've always looked at Consumer Reports for car purchases T-Al. Haven't led me wrong yet...

 

[Bimmerbill]

They just rated the Elantra best small car. The Sonata is much bigger than the elantra, sort of like an Accord vs a Civic.

 

[Mr Gadget]

Parents just traded in a 99 F150 for an Elantra 3 months ago, my father is a frugal man, and he shopped around for a while before deciding. He likes what he's got (the surprise was they really liked the bluetooth interface, but I had to set it up for them). I've driven a few G6 and G5 rental cars, they have the sports car feel, but don't think they are worth it, and my favorite car will always be a 70 Pontiac GTO.

 

[saluki9]

Go with a Hyundai if for no other reason than the warranty

 

[FinanceDude]

Get the Sonata, in the end, it has good room and is almost as fuel efficient as the Elantra. My neighbor has a Vibe and loves it, no problems...........

 

[ziggy29]

I'm happy with my Matrix, so I'd pick the Vibe since it's mostly the same thing. Pontiac may be going away but they'll have plenty of parts and service available for a long time. Plus, if you can find a good closeout deal on Pontiac models you may be able to drive (no pun intended) a decent deal in the process.

 

[Texas Proud]

Go with a Hyundai if for no other reason than the warranty

The Pontiac warranty is not bad... it has a 5 yr, 100K miles powertrain also..

 

[FinanceDude]

The Pontiac warranty is not bad... it has a 5 yr, 100K miles powertrain also..

Hyundai is 10 year, 100,000 miles. At this point in time, Hyundai has better reliability than Pontiac. I have a lot of experience with Pontiac, most of it not good..........

 

[ziggy29]

Hyundai is 10 year, 100,000 miles. At this point in time, Hyundai has better reliability than Pontiac. I have a lot of experience with Pontiac, most of it not good..........

Remember, though, that the Vibe is more Toyota than Pontiac for practical "under the hood" purposes.

 

[HFWR]

I'd pick the Vibe, since it would more useful for my purposes. I'd pick the Sonata if I wanted a sedan...

 

[FinanceDude]

Remember, though, that the Vibe is more Toyota than Pontiac for practical "under the hood" purposes.

I was referring to the G6, STAY AWAY!! Anyone remember the Geo Prizm? Those cars had Toyota engines, and run forever. I have no problem with Toyota and GM join ventures, particularly if the powertrain is by Toyota.......

 

[quietman]

We are still struggling through the end of a recession - and you are planning to use a US program to get "cash for clunkers" money to help make this purchase. Why would you consider a non-American car company?

 

[FinanceDude]

We are still struggling through the end of a recession - and you are planning to use a US program to get "cash for clunkers" money to help make this purchase. Why would you consider a non-American car company?

A LOT of "import" cars are made in the US today, while more and more "domestic" cars are being made OUTSIDE of the US, in places like Mexico and Brazil.

Sounds like you are a protectionist.......

 

[ProspectiveBum]

We are still struggling through the end of a recession - and you are planning to use a US program to get "cash for clunkers" money to help make this purchase. Why would you consider a non-American car company?

For what it's worth, the Sonata is built at a Hyundai plant in Montgomery, AL. Some "American" cars aren't built in America at all, such as the new Chevy Camaro (Oshawa, Canada), and the Ford Fusion (Hermosillo, Mexico).

My Nissan was built by Americans in Tennessee.

 

[ziggy29]

We are still struggling through the end of a recession - and you are planning to use a US program to get "cash for clunkers" money to help make this purchase. Why would you consider a non-American car company?

Very few vehicles are "imported" fully assembled. Most are built by U.S. labor. And my bank accounts are not social programs.

 

[Texas Proud]

We are still struggling through the end of a recession - and you are planning to use a US program to get "cash for clunkers" money to help make this purchase. Why would you consider a non-American car company?

What is 'American' and what is not?

Is the Pontiac Vibe an American car? It IS a GM sold car...

If you say 'yes', then the Toyota Matrix is also an American car because they are built on the same assembly line and have basically the same componets...

I did not check out the American content of any of these cars...