I Got a New Car!!!

[Steven Holzinger]

Those of you who know me know I've been driving some aging cars since I had my license and have been pushing my luck with every trip I've taken with them (RI, VA, Ohio, Canada, to name a few). I've driven a 1986 Chevrolet Blazer and a 1994 Buick Regal, both previously owned by my parents. The Buick needed some MAJOR repairs and I just wasn't about to justify putting several thousand down on repairs knowing something else was going to break.

Now, I've been thinking of a new car for a while... test drove six cars: Chevrolet Cruze, Ford Fusion, Honda Civic, Mazda 3, Nissan Sentra, and the Toyota Corolla. It came down to looks, fuel economy, and reliability (and reputation). I tossed the Cruze, Focus, and the Sentra out immediately, had a hard time tossing out the Civic because of its reliability, and narrowed it down to the Mazda 3 and the Corolla. The Corolla gets better fuel economy than the Mazda 3 and also is slightly shorter and like 200 pounds lighter. The gas tank is smaller on the Corolla, but that's alright. And nine days ago I took the plunge and I bought a Corolla...

http://www.stevesairshow.com/newcar.jpg

More photos can be found here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2823154&id=8812382&l=90b3d9aacd

[Derf]

Outstanding!!! Congrats!

[moose135]

Congratulations, Steve! Just watch out for phone poles...:wink:

[Derf]

Congratulations, Steve! Just watch out for phone poles...:wink:

HEY!

[gonzalu]

Love the new garden state incognito plates :tongue:

[NIKV69]

Congrats Steve! Glad you chose the Toyota, def reliable and yes going on a long trip in a Chevy blazer? Pushing your luck for sure. Best of luck with your new car and yes those poles can be a problem.

[PhilDernerJr]

Nice car! Last year when I was shopping for cars in the same class, it came down to the Civic and the Mazda 3, but I ended up going Civic just because of the price and my personal comfort and reputation for reliability of Honda. But I was VERY impressed with the Mazda...the dash and seat arrange had a very cockpit-style feel to it. Congrats!

[T-Bird76]

Congrats.

[Steven Holzinger]

Thanks guys! I don't need to worry about poles... my worry is deer... went deer hunting on the PA Turnpike with the Regal...

[NIKV69]

OMG what is happening in PA? It sure looks like they have slashed their highway budget because I have never seen so many dead deer on my way back. It was sad actually. You can tell many have been sitting there for days or weeks.

[Mateo]

I was also shopping in the same class, and will get a Civic once I eventually decide to purchase (in grad school, and don't need a car to get to either class or work). The runners-up were the 3 and the Corolla; I've rented a 3 a bunch of times, and it feels very cheap - all of the R&D effort went into the engine at the expense of the interior and the fit and finish. The Corolla is a great car, but it doesn't hold its resale value as well as the Civic, and in case my life path takes me somewhere that a car isn't necessary, I'd like to at least get something back.

[Steven Holzinger]

If you guys know about the budget woes New Jersey is having, Pennsylvania is just as bad. Don't need to say much more than that...