first car

i'd vote for the civic... the coupes are pretty cute.

get the mazda6!!!

The first car I paid for was my 95 Honda Civic. I had it until last year and I never had a problem with it. I only had to do typically maintanence like oil changes, tire changes, etc. It was a great first car. I will say that with the evolution of the SUV I wanted something larger b/c I felt unsafe on the road in my little car. Maybe I'm just a little paranoid, but some people drive like crazy maniacs! I would've kept my car but since I'm having a baby I wanted something larger and safer.

I have a silver Camry and I love it. I'd vote for the Camry or the Civic because they tend to hold their value, and have good reliability and hold up well across the board (if that's what you're interested in). I didn't look at the Civic, I looked at the Accord, but decided that I liked the Camry better. I just thought it looked a little nicer on the inside. My Camry has a lot of room, I have tall people that ride with me quite a bit, and there's a lot of leg room in the front and back seat. My previous car was a Chevy Blazer (the big one), so I was worried that I would miss the space but I really don't. Big trunk, lots of room. I got the V6 and it has a lot of power. I've been really pleased with it.

the civic is as generic as the toyota - both are pretty much everywhere you look but the camry is definitely a better car than the civic. camry is more like the accord I think, and corolla is more like civic.
I'm not familiar with the mazdas though, so won't comment on them.

the camry and the civic are both great cars, but i'd choose the civi over the camry (2005 car of the year), personally i like miata for their more sporty look though. My 1st car was an integra pretty sick

i just got an 06 Mazda3 Sport GT. [in artic white]

I love it!!! The car drives nicely, and just all around looks great.

It even still beats out the new Civic, according to this review:

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...1/pageId=67680

But, I am pretty sure, the civic will be better on gas.. those damn civics. I used to have (well actually still have, currently selling), and I am so damn glad to get rid of it.

I don't know where you are, but there's a huge market for civics in Toronto. They are constantly stolen or broken into, and insurance never goes down for the car.

I wouldn't get a Mazda6, those cars are way too big for someone that doesn't have a family (my cousin has one). It's also worse on gas and not as good resale value, and not as much aftermarket parts compared to a mazda3 or civic.

Don't worry about what's unsafe, and safe. Pretty much all cars are safe nowadays. It's not going to make a difference what car you're driving when or if you hit a wall at 100 km/h. You'll be dead either way.

So there are some considerations to take into picking these cars, and what will be best suited for you in the long run.

1. Which car will get you the best insurance rate

2. What car will have the best resale value (and don't think you'll be keeping the car for ever and ever)

3. Fuel economy

4. Repair costs. (after warranty)

Hondas are pretty damn reliable cars when taken care of, but the Mazda3 has proven itself to be just as reliable. The 3 should be cheaper in parts right now since the car is in its 3rd of the same design.

The fact that this is your first car, have you considered getting a used car instead (unless this is a gift)... Older civics are decent, Mazda Protege.

Typo, I meant 3rd Year in the same design.

what's your budget?

you should probably go with the TOYOTA camry (judging from the list)

what about the vw golf?

I kinda wish I would've got a hybrid after that news report that if we don't do something in the next 50 years we are going kill the planet.

Repair costs are much higher for german cars compared to japanese ones.

Also, from the list that vintagelace created, I think she's looking for sedans. So a Jetta would be better suited.

What about an Accord? They look way nicer (IMO) than the Camry. I don't like Civics. I have seen way too many ghetto people riding their Civics low with stupid music playing loud.

Accords and Camrys hold their value REALLY well if you're concerned about that. I have an Accord and it is just the most reliable car ever. NEVER had any real trouble with it and I've had it for a really long time!

Oh and the Accord Hybrid looks awesome and seems like an excellent car (although more expensive).

Supposedly, Camry is coming out with a new model later this Spring..a 2007 model. It's a lot better looking than the current one, but you probably can score a good deal on the '06 when the '07 comes out.

man, i really want a car. i have to drive my parent's car. hopefully i get a car during seinor year..i want a saab or a range rover...hehe

yes they are... they've showed it already... it has a more aggressive look.


i like the new civics, and thats despite the fact that i used to hate them because everyone has them and puts dumb crap all over them. by dumb crap, i mean blinking lights and exhausts that make the thing sound like a lawnmower.

I agree, YES to new Civic, NO to rice rockets!!

Are you considering the new Civic Si coupe? Man, they look hott! The performance on those thing isn't like a normal civic. It looks sportier and its fun to drive because of its great performance. I say civic, I think accords and camry are more for older folks. Thats my opinion of course.

197hp and 139lb of torque with a 8k redline. those things are fun cars. it's just like my rsx, but with the limited slip and well... cheaper.

i'm considering trading mine in for the si sedan that was just announced today at the chicago auto show in the fall. we'll see though.

i highly suggest buying a si coupe... if you can find one. the demand is way high and people are paying above msrp for one.

Oh my! The fun I can have with this car. I can Imagine redlining the shit out of it and hearing the vtec go of. Hondas.... drools....

go for Mazda, Camry's are meant for FAMILY which are totally not cool.

you don't need to redline... that's kinda bad. the rev limited stops you at 8300 i think. vtec engages at 5500rpm.

learn how to lauch it and it's one quick car.

My impressions:

I'd run a search down at http://autos.yahoo.com/ and http://www.epinions.com/auto?tab=1, http://www.fueleconomy.gov/, plus any forums specific for each vehicle. So long as you "look or act" interested in a vehicle, dress professionally, and have your driver's license on hand, then dealers' should have no problem convincing you to take a test drive. Believe it or not, but they actually want you to test drive their vehicles.


Vehicles listed in NO SPECIFIC ORDER (...or better yet, maybe looks)


(1) Mazda6: Speechless, Breath-taking, one of the better looking vehicles on the lists as well as on the road, Flaming hot, Sex appeal, unfortunately questionable reliability based on track record. Interior quite compact but definitely more to my liking in relationship to either a Honda or Camry. Dashboard lights are sporty red.

160 horsepower (HP) with a V4
215 HP with a V6



in terms of speed,
horsepower gives you 'speed' when you're in motion
torque gives you 'speed' and propels you in "go-mode" from a complete stop at a red light

(2) Mazda3: Same as the '6'...Speechless, one of the better looking vehicles on the lists as well as on the road, Sweet, fabulous, gorgeous, again, unfortunately questionable reliabilty based on track record. Dashboard lights are soothing white. A tad more spacious than the Mazda 6 but definitely less than either a Camry or Honda sedan.

150 HP with a 2.0 L V4
160 HP with a 2.3 L V4



(3) Camry: Tops the list in terms of reliability; NEW model out in a few months (i.e. mid to late 2006), better styling overall versus the current generation. I would NOT tag a "wow factor" to the brand Camry as far as visual effects are concerned. The new release on the horizon, however, I will congratulate Toyota for bringing something a little bit more tasteful and yes I will add, finally some sex appeal. Current generation out on Toyota dealership lots, extremely quiet, smooth riding vehicle regardless of pavement. Interior extremely spacious, semi-luxurious interior. A warm interior. A desirable product for the latter generation especially for the quiet and reliability factor. Bottom line: look at it this way: a Camry is either a female or male with average looks at best, but personality puts it over the edge.

154 HP with a 2.4 L V4
190 HP with a 3.0 L V6
210 HP with a 3.3 L V6



(4) Honda: Comparably louder than a camry when vehicle is 'on,' parked at dealership. No comment on ride quality; no first hand experience but likely on par with a Camry. A tad less spacious than a Camry. Interior materials seems "artificially plastic" but still sufficient. Overall appearance, sexier than a Camry by a factor of only one. Difference between current 2006 Honda versus 2005 Honda in terms of body exterior predominantly are tail-lights, newer version sporting a more luxurious and defined look while earlier models sported tail-lights that seemingly spanned the entire rear. Better than average looks, but personality is lacking versus a Camry.

166 HP with a 2.4 L V4
245 HP with a 3.0 L V6




I'd actually see it differently...

I actually like the sedan definitely better than the coupe. No question, hands down. The sedan has better heart stopping abilities than the coupe. The coupe seems extremely disproportionate, especially the rear end when viewed at a profile. Artistically speaking, the coupe is terribly bland and outdated. Just my two cents. To each their own. Everybody has their own opinion and I just thought I put mines on the table as well. Not trying to be rude. Cute...maybe...but sexy...definitely not my cup of tea.

(5) Corolla: one word: MILEAGE. An individual concerned with miles per gallon (mpg) should highly consider the Corolla (averaging 30-40 mpg), top of the line compared to all those vehicles you mentioned. Hybrids does it best, but it's because of the addition of a battery. If you substract the battery from a hybrid vehicle, the best it'll probably do on a normal gallon would be roughly equivalent to that achieved by a Corolla. Mileage would be the only reason why I'd consider a Corolla. Looks are above average. Reliability likely there given that it's a Toyota; Toyota's are known for the top of the line reliability (the following are Toyota vehicles: Scion, Lexus, Camry, Corolla to name a few)

126 HP with a 1.8 L V4
164 HP with a 1.8 L V4



But most importantly, I beg of you not to get any vehicle in charcoal color. Charcoal seems extremely outdated even when slattered on a totally brand new and luxurious vehicle.