The car report

I love love LOVE reading reviews before I buy anything of any real value. It is almost an incessant need. I have to compare, and re-compare until I feel like I get the best deal for the best product (or at least the best product deal notwithstanding). The same goes for cars, except a car purchase has a lot to do with feel and personal style as well (I have never purchased a toaster or a DVD player based on that). With that said, as much as I loathe dealing with car salesman as a whole (and that is not a blanket statement..........here in Portland I have found 3 dealerships that I would not hesitate to recommend to anyone: Wentworth Subaru, Wilsonville Toyota, and, so-far, Herzog-Meier Volkswagen/Mazda), I genuinely enjoy test driving the cars. As much as you can possibly read about a car or look at pictures online, nothing replaces the experience of sitting behind the wheel, fiddling with all the knobs, opening all the compartments, cranking up the stereo, and taking it out for a test drive.

I thought it would be kind of fun to rank the cars I have test driven. Let me say first off that there are lots of professional review sites around and I would be the first to warn anyone from taking my opinions as though their author held a modicum of automotive expertise. I don't know a camshaft from valve train and I have no idea what torque has to do with the driving experience, but I know what I like.

I had a few criteria when looking:
1. It could not cost more than $20K. I know this seems like an arbitrary number, and thats because it absolutely is. It is just the line in the sand that I cannot make myself cross.

2. It could not cost less than $17K. Also a completely arbitrary number, but it seems a very clear dividing line within this affordable class of cars. According to most sites there are about two dozen cars under $20K, but most under $17K dont have the creature comforts that I want in a car.

3. I crossed out any car that did not receive at least marginal reviews (sorry Chevy Aveo, Cobalt, and Saturns).

Without further ado:

8. 2009 Toyota Corolla LE ($17,500): There is not much to say about this car other than it is like Vanilla ice cream or plain cheese pizza (can you tell I am hungry): it gets the job done, but there are far more appealing options. The steering was vague the driving experience solid if utterly ordinary. The interior was cheap in look and feel. The only upside was the refreshed exterior styling (which was nothing extraordinary, but seemed so in comparison to the interior) and the stellar gas mileage.

7. 2008 Hyundai Elantra SE ($17,300): The Elantra aims at the Corolla according to reviews and, according to me, they should aim higher. I rank this only slightly ahead numerically, but in reality it was far superior. The interior was pleasant if not overwhelming. The exterior was about as exciting as watching an infomercial. The feature list was lengthy and the gas mileage rivaled the Civic with a far superior warranty. Still, it is missing a fun factor, both in drive and look.

6. 2008 Honda Fit Sport ($17,200): This is a much smaller car than the others, and you can feel it when driving at any highway speed. However, for popping around the city while sipping gas you cant go wrong. Funky styling and a utilitarian interior would put it on the short list if I wasn't going to be spending so much time on the highway.

5. Mini Cooper ($23,500): This car completely broke my price barrier, but I had to give it a whirl. It was fun, but not $23,500 fun. Maybe the S model would be more so, but for another $4K, I am not planning on finding out. The interior is a lot more industrial than I had expected as well, with far less BMW and far more rally car feel. Still, it has a certain flair and I can definitely see the appeal.

4. honda Civic EX coupe ($20,000): Wow, Hondas went and got very expensive since I purchased my 2003 LX for under $13,500. Plus they are now the #1 car in the land. Unfortunately, this makes the dealers awfully smug and reluctant to deal very much on the price. This time I wanted to go up the ladder a bit and get one with more gadgets and the creature comforts I crave. The driving is steady and responsive, if not especially thrilling. The car feels very solid, with a resounding thunk when you shut the doors. The interior looks futuristic compared to most other cars I drove, though the speedometer is a bit disorienting. The dashboard seems to extend for miles (a whole bottle of armor-all and then some) and the stock stereo was by far the best. Still, for this much money I keep thinking more should be standard and they REALLY ought to do something about the tacky-ass velour seats that look like they were upholstered sometime in the 70s for this price point. Tacking on leather will add another grand.

2 (tie). Mazda 3i Touring ($17,800): Very well put together, responsive and still fairly fuel economical. More fun to drive than the Civic and, personally, I think the styling comparable. Lots of options and trims and can get pricey. Interior a lot nicer than you would expect and fits together exceedingly well. Fun Knight-rider lights. Would have liked it a lot more had I not driven my favorite car just before it.

2. Scion TC ($18,400): So many options that I wont bother to list them. The key word for this car is fun......in an economical sort of way. If you took the Honda Civic and the Mazda 3 and made a hybrid of sorts, you might end up about here. A standard moon roof doesn't hurt either. It is peppy and sporty and has a killer audio system. The downside is that it feels sports-car sized inside (don't even consider this if you stand above 6 feet tall). I felt like my head was just about scraping the ceiling. The backseats also feel like planks of wood with some cotton ticking atop it. Still, it was a compelling driving experience and would be genuinely enjoyable on errands or for a fun drive to the coast (if you can afford to drive that far anymore).

1. Volkswagen Rabbit S 4dr ($19,200): I cannot believe that I am typing that I liked a Volkswagen above the other vehicles. I had genuinely expected to want the Civic.......not have it fall to the mid-point of my list. The Rabbit just has a little bit of everything I like and want. Heated seats, mirrors, and spray nozzles - check. Cruise control, lumbar support, and telescoping steering wheel -check. Every safety feature you could imagine - check. Also, MP3 capable 10-speaker stock stereo, 170hp (the most of any of these cars), roomy back seats, hatchback utility, and a fun look that won't be copied by every other driver on the road (ala the Civic). The only drawbacks seem to be the gas mileage (tied with the Scion at just 22/29) and what has until recently been a lackluster repair record (although that seems to be improving with the thumbs up Consumers Report gave it). But, you can't get fun and great gas mileage from my test drives and they do at least offer a standard 4yr/50K warranty.

Next up is the actual purchasing part.......which I haven't gotten to as yet. No hurry really, though I am anxious to have my own car again (even with all the associated expenses). I can't complain since my wonderful mother-in-law (anyone who would willingly fly across the country and help pack, drive, and unpack deserves superlatives), is letting me borrow her new Rogue for running about in the meantime (a fun crossover that compares very favorably with my old Forester, only with less visibility). But, still, there is something about having your own car, and it would at least be one thing to check off the list (now to just figure out the other dozen).

Stay tuned til next time kids, when will find out whether the mystery of my fingerprints will ever be solved by the state of Oregon.