User Panel
Posted: 1/13/2015 8:12:13 PM EDT
|
|
[#1]
I bought a 2014 Dart Limited a few months ago. It's been a good car so far. I looked at the 200, but all the ones that I saw were way more $$$ than a Dart. Other than the fact that the 200 can be had with a V6, I didn't see enough difference in the two to justify the difference in price.
|
|
[#2]
I'm replacing a Cruze that I bought just for cheap transportation. My kids are getting bigger and taller. They ride in my car more the older they get so I really need to move up to a midsize. Rear seat leg room is a must as my six year old son is off the charts in height, I'm 6'6" and my wife is 5'10" and he got all the tall stuff.
|
|
[#3]
Yeah, if you're 6'6", I don't think a Dart would make you happy. A 6'4" 250 lb. co-worker rode to lunch with me one day. While he didn't complain, he looked kind of cramped to me.
The 200 is roomy enough for you? I thought the 200 and Dart were basically the same car, but maybe I'm mistaken... |
|
[#4]
I may be forced to jump back into new car ownership. Wife is looking for something like a crossover or SUV. May be looking at a Jeep Patriot. We will buy what she thinks is comfortable. Almost ten years without a car payment--not looking forward to one.
|
|
[#5]
Quoted:
Yeah, if you're 6'6", I don't think a Dart would make you happy. A 6'4" 250 lb. co-worker rode to lunch with me one day. While he didn't complain, he looked kind of cramped to me. The 200 is roomy enough for you? I thought the 200 and Dart were basically the same car, but maybe I'm mistaken... View Quote Dart is a compact, similar in size to the Cruze and the Focus. The 2015 200 is a completely new car from the previous generations and is closer in size to the Malibu and Fusion. I actually was never cramped in the Cruze but no way would an adult be able to ride behind me. In the midsize class I sit in the back seat after adjusting the drivers seat to where I like it just to see how "roomy" it is. In all three I mentioned I fit just fine, not that I would want to be there for hours on end. The Malibu is the most affordable but feels like my grandfathers car, it is just simply transportation. I like the exterior styling of the Fusion and the inside is a notch above the Malibu. The new 200 is my favorite in the styling both inside and out. The only two options I really want are the S trim level and the 19" wheels. I can get it at the EP price through my mom so that with the current rebates would net me about 5k off of sticker. I have been looking at used as well but that market sucks I this area. For $15k you get 50,000 + miles and a 1 year warranty. Hell, I saw a 2011 Cruze today with 50,000 miles for $15k. . That's what I paid for mine when it was new with zero miles. Further limiting my choices is the fact that I will only buy an American car. |
|
[#6]
Quoted:
Further limiting my choices is the fact that I will only buy an American car. View Quote I know where you're coming from. I wanted a domestic brand too. You might like this video if you haven't seen it already: link |
|
[#7]
Please read up on the reliability and issues with the Dart.
http://www.carcomplaints.com/Dodge/Dart/2013/ http://www.dodge-dart.org/forum/dodge-dart-mechanical-problems/ |
|
[#8]
Quoted:
I may be forced to jump back into new car ownership. Wife is looking for something like a crossover or SUV. May be looking at a Jeep Patriot. We will buy what she thinks is comfortable. Almost ten years without a car payment--not looking forward to one. View Quote This. Consider Dave Ramsey's advice and pay cash. This is my plan. Never another new car, ever. |
|
[#9]
If you're ok with payin for diesel the Passat tdi is a good option. I'm 6'4 250 and can sit comfortably in the back with the front seat all the way back. Was surprised how roomy it is, my grandpa got one. My only complaint is the weird two tone interior it has its black leather on the bottom and seats then changes to a light gray or offwhite at the windows. For under 30k 46mpg and roomy as all hell I don't think he coulda got better. Just a thought if you end up not likin the 200.
|
|
[#10]
Quoted: I thought the 200 and Dart were basically the same car, but maybe I'm mistaken... View Quote ETA: Working at a used car dealer who specializes in >10 year old models, I see the 200s come through about daily for evaluation and repair. Powertrains are typically very good, however the electrical systems can have gremlins. My advice is to buy the biggest bumper-to-bumper extended warranty you can that specifically covers electrical components. |
|
[#11]
Unfortunately, reliability data for the 2015 200 just doesn't exist. It has absolutely NOTHING in common with any of the previous "generations" or the midsized models that came before it. I think Chrysler messed up by using the same 200 moniker as the previous car because people always associate past issues with a name or model.
I have had excellent luck with my vehicles and have never had any issue until well into the life of the car. My wife has an 2008 Ford Edge and not a single thing needed to be repaired untill we hit 114,000 miles. The only time I had to repair anything on the three Jeeps I have owned was at 125,000 miles for a clutch on a 1992 Wrangler and 155,000 miles for new plastic windows on a 2001 Wrangler. My wife had a Jetta when we started dating and were married. That thing constantly had something going wrong with it and what made it worse was that it was incredibly expensive to fix even a minor issue with it. I'd love to just get a used car to save some coin but for the limited model acceptability I have, I wouldn't actually be saving much. I had always believed that buying a new car can't save you money. I was wrong. At one point I was spending close to $400 on gas with my last Wrangler. I ran the numbers over and over on used cars vs. the Cruze I ended up buying. Insurance was a wash, I had a $200 payment at .09% after putting a good chunk of money down, and I spent less than half on gas as what I previously was. I have no choice but to buy something as I have to have a car, but I am not interested in spending $10k on an 60-70k mile car. There is also a new on the showroom 2013 Buick Regal near me that I may try to negotiate an absurd deal on. I know they want to get rid of it. The style doesn't do much for me but it may be the best deal option for a new midsized car that fits my family. |
|
[#12]
Quoted:
This. Consider Dave Ramsey's advice and pay cash. This is my plan. Never another new car, ever. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
Quoted:
I may be forced to jump back into new car ownership. Wife is looking for something like a crossover or SUV. May be looking at a Jeep Patriot. We will buy what she thinks is comfortable. Almost ten years without a car payment--not looking forward to one. This. Consider Dave Ramsey's advice and pay cash. This is my plan. Never another new car, ever. I agree. That's why I haven't had a car payment for almost ten years. Other issues are involved now and my wife needs to be able to travel for longer than 45 minutes in a car, and not all cars feel the same. |
|
[#13]
Quoted:
Please read up on the reliability and issues with the Dart. http://www.carcomplaints.com/Dodge/Dart/2013/ http://www.dodge-dart.org/forum/dodge-dart-mechanical-problems/ View Quote Meh....every brand/model has their issues. Rarely do you hear about happy customers. Show me a car with zero complaints. |
|
[#14]
I just got a Volvo S80 for a daily driver, the AWD model, and I'm very happy with it. With the winters trending to be more harsh it's been great since I bought it last month.
Another option if you want something more fuel efficient (and also more friendly to the wallet) might be the 2.5L Altima. Fuel economy is really good and there's a tremendous amount of room compared to a Chrysler 200 which is probably in the same price range. My experience with "Domestic" brands has been less than favorable, but it's funny because some of the "Domestic" label cars are built out of country. I have a hard time supporting any of the companies that took TARP money instead of restructuring within the bounds of the law as we would ourselves be forced to do. I find it appalling that Ford managed to run their operation in the black and paid taxes that in turn went to poorly run companies to keep them going which takes sales away from Ford. For the rest of my life I don't expect to purchase any Chrysler or GM products. I don't begrudge anyone else for doing so, but my moral compass doesn't lend itself to moving in that direction. |
|
[#15]
Quoted:
I know where you're coming from. I wanted a domestic brand too. You might like this video if you haven't seen it already: link View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
Quoted:
Further limiting my choices is the fact that I will only buy an American car. I know where you're coming from. I wanted a domestic brand too. You might like this video if you haven't seen it already: link you know the funny thing is that more "imported" cars are made in the US than US manifactures. IIRC in 2012 Toyota paid more in taxes than GM and Ford combined. Just saying Now this is coming from a guy that has always owned GM cars (mostly Pontiacs or GMC). if I can swing it I do want a Subaru for my next car though, WRX wagon |
|
[#16]
Quoted:
I may be forced to jump back into new car ownership. Wife is looking for something like a crossover or SUV. May be looking at a Jeep Patriot. We will buy what she thinks is comfortable. Almost ten years without a car payment--not looking forward to one. View Quote it is a little smaller but have you looked at the newer Subaru VX crossover. awd and they seem to be good cars |
|
[#19]
The car you seek is the Honda Accord. LOTS of room, built solid and Honda dependable with parts available anywhere. Made in the USA (not Canada or Mexico). Holds it's value extremely well, (unlike any Dodge / Chrysler vehicles (except Jeep) Extremely safe and very low cost of ownership... BIGGER_HAMMER |
|
[#20]
Quoted: The car you seek is the Honda Accord. LOTS of room, built solid and Honda dependable with parts available anywhere. Made in the USA (not Canada or Mexico). Holds it's value extremely well, (unlike any Dodge / Chrysler vehicles (except Jeep) Extremely safe and very low cost of ownership... BIGGER_HAMMER View Quote |
|
[#21]
Quoted:
And Honduhs are initially priced higher so I would expect them to retain more value. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
Quoted:
The car you seek is the Honda Accord. LOTS of room, built solid and Honda dependable with parts available anywhere. Made in the USA (not Canada or Mexico). Holds it's value extremely well, (unlike any Dodge / Chrysler vehicles (except Jeep) Extremely safe and very low cost of ownership... BIGGER_HAMMER Math ... How duz datt wurk agan??? Retained Value is a determined by Percentages, which are not determined just by the initial price of the vehicle... It is comes from the difference between what you paid for it new, and what you can sell it for in a certain number of years. Hondas hold their value better than just about any other brand, and the Accord better than most any other sedan. You pay a little more going in, and you retain a lot move resale value (both as real $ and as a % of what you paid) coming out - which is the smart way to purchase a new car if you want to maximize your value of the transaction with your money. Dodges are much cheaper vehicles to buy used after only a year or two because the value plunges down so fast (about like falling off a cliff...) Of course, having made the mistake of actually purchasing & owning three DCP (Dodge Chrysler Plymouth) vehicles, I sadly know first hand many of the reasons why those values drop so quickly... Having a number of vehicles from both brands, I can summarize with this about Honda as "buy once, cry once" and then enjoy the quality of a much better experience (less mechanical or quality issues, with better financial value) for the long haul... BIGGER_HAMMER |
|
[#22]
I have two words for your Honda Accord argument; Toyota Camry.
|
|
[#23]
While the numbers on the interior space if the Honda do look good, for me, the styling is an also ran. IF I am going to pay what it takes to get a new car, I am going to get one I actually think looks good. If I decide to go the used car route, styling won't be as much of an consideration. I find the inside and the outside of the Accord to be meh at best and it is no more appealing to me than the Malibu.
Retained value would be a heavier weighed variable if we were the type to change cars every few years. As for the Toyota, I may have some gray hair, but I'm not a corpse yet. |
|
[#25]
Quoted:
Just Say NO To The UAW View Quote I am almost to this point. I had a 2000 Pontiac ws6 transam (bought new). pretty much had the stock suspension on it and had quite a few raddles within 2 yrs. also had some interior trim fitment issues traded in that car for a 2004 GTO (also new). replaced every bushing on the suspension with hard poly and full coilovers/spings all the way around (it is setup for road course racing). with 45k on the clock now and a lot of that track time there are no real raddles in the car!! the GTO was made in Australia by Holden with is a non-union plant. the build quality rivals my friend's BMW's |
|
[#26]
Quoted:
I have two words for your Honda Accord argument; Toyota Camry. View Quote Maybe Missouri math works differently.... Honda Accord Vs. Toyota Camry ALG Value 36 months 53% Vs. 50% ALG Value 60 months 39% Vs. 37% Fuel Economy combined 31 vs. 28 Horse Power 187 vs. 178 Torque 181 vs. 170 As I see the important numbers, I do detect a definite trend to the "right" vehicle... If the O.P. doesn't like the look of the Accord, so be it, but from a driving standpoint the Accord is great fun to drive - (Record 29 times Car & Driver 10 best pick) Best of Luck and hope you enjoy whatever you purchase! BIGGER_HAMMER |
|
[#27]
You needed SLP Level II springs and Bilstein shocks on that Ws6. Makes it ride like a totally different car. Had that setup on my Firehawk and SS. Both rode better than my 04 GTO but the GTO was a softer more luxury car type ride.
|
|
[#28]
Quoted:
You needed SLP Level II springs and Bilstein shocks on that Ws6. Makes it ride like a totally different car. Had that setup on my Firehawk and SS. Both rode better than my 04 GTO but the GTO was a softer more luxury car type ride. View Quote hmm, thought about it but then traded it. On the GTO I am running a hodkis front bar full still, no rear bar (BMW setup that works really well on the IRS), full pedders bushing, coilovers, etc. Ya, it rides hard but a lot of fun to drive. |
|
[#30]
|
|
[#32]
Well, I just sent an offer to purchase on a used car, in Springfield. I live in the St. Louis area. .
If all goes well, I'll be heading down to pick it up this Wednesday. |
|
[#33]
|
|
[#34]
|
|
[#35]
|
|
[#36]
Quoted:
You know the rules. Pics or it didn't happen. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
Quoted:
Well, I just sent an offer to purchase on a used car, in Springfield. Ohhh no. I know how ARFCOM operates. I post a good deal then the hive swoops in and it's out of stock before my order is finalized. Lol... I currently only have some crappy cell phone pics but my offer is contingent on the car being pristine. I can only imagine how pissed I would be if I drove all that way and the car had been misrepresented. You would be able to hear me yell across the state. Details to follow once I am finished with the song and dance. I also had a very interesting encounter on a used car lot in St. Louis I'll share. |
|
[#37]
I hate looking for a new vehicle.. I only owe like 700 bucks or so on my 2005 Trail Blazer.. I would not say its a POS, but its had a few issues..
Not even sure what to get... I want a car for the mileage as driving back in fourth from St. Louis to Fredericktown here and there adds up... But, I also like an SUV or truck to have room for my range gear, camping gear (anything else I want to too in) and to have the ability to pull my utility trailer a few times a year or when I want too... Also, hate the thought of starting over on another vehicle loan, Sales tax, new plates, Higher taxes and insurance.... But, not being mechanically inclined, its nice having a newer ride, that I'm confident I can hop in and drive to whereever and not worry about it leaving me stuck somewhere... I want to put the money I am making on payments now in the back to save for a decent down payment, but I know I'll just put it on current Credt Cards or spend it on gun shit; Likely the later... |
|
[#38]
Quoted:
I hate looking for a new vehicle.. I only owe like 700 bucks or so on my 2005 Trail Blazer.. I would not say its a POS, but its had a few issues.. Not even sure what to get... I want a car for the mileage as driving back in fourth from St. Louis to Fredericktown here and there adds up... But, I also like an SUV or truck to have room for my range gear, camping gear (anything else I want to too in) and to have the ability to pull my utility trailer a few times a year or when I want too... Also, hate the thought of starting over on another vehicle loan, Sales tax, new plates, Higher taxes and insurance.... But, not being mechanically inclined, its nice having a newer ride, that I'm confident I can hop in and drive to whereever and not worry about it leaving me stuck somewhere... I want to put the money I am making on payments now in the back to save for a decent down payment, but I know I'll just put it on current Credt Cards or spend it on gun shit; Likely the later... View Quote I wanna diesel swap a suburban for that purpose. Plenty of room and can still knock down 20-30 mpg. |
|
[#39]
|
|
[#40]
Quoted: We have a lot of those come through our shop. OY VAY! What utter pieces of sheet they are! View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: I hate looking for a new vehicle.. I only owe like 700 bucks or so on my 2005 Trail Blazer.. I would not say its a POS, but its had a few issues.. OY VAY! What utter pieces of sheet they are! Another one of my friends that runs a Service Dept, told me the same thing... |
|
[#41]
O my way to Springfield right now.
Snagged a used 2014 Buick Regal Premium 1 Turbo with 7,000 miles for about $14k off the sticker. All those models in my area are going for $5k+ more. |
|
[#42]
we love our Subaru Forester (214) had it a year 25K mile no issues yet.
also the adaptive cruise control is freaking sweet, I can get on 55 at festus and not touch the brake or gas until i get to my exit in STL, even if traffic is stop and go, after car stops for 3 seconds i put foot on brake and hit the "resume" when the traffic moves again. it will follow the traffic and really lets you pay attention to the other cars and takes away a lot of fatigue in driving !! also it will go up my driveway without me having to plow it, it has ice than 10-inches of snow on top last year, no issues !! hell I couldn't even walk up it and I thought there was no way, but it went up easily !!! its rated at 32 MPG hwy i get about 28 the wife gets about 30 lol we have got 38 before though !! |
|
[#45]
|
|
[#47]
Quoted: O my way to Springfield right now. Snagged a used 2014 Buick Regal Premium 1 Turbo with 7,000 miles for about $14k off the sticker. All those models in my area are going for $5k+ more. View Quote I didn't even know they still made Regals, or Buicks.... My friends and I loved the 78-85ish Regals and Cutlasses growing up... I think every kid I went to school with had one or the other some several of both... |
|
[#48]
Quoted:
I didn't even know they still made Regals, or Buicks.... My friends and I loved the 78-85ish Regals and Cutlasses growing up... I think every kid I went to school with had one or the other some several of both... View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
Quoted:
O my way to Springfield right now. Snagged a used 2014 Buick Regal Premium 1 Turbo with 7,000 miles for about $14k off the sticker. All those models in my area are going for $5k+ more. I didn't even know they still made Regals, or Buicks.... My friends and I loved the 78-85ish Regals and Cutlasses growing up... I think every kid I went to school with had one or the other some several of both... I would have never even thought of looking at Buick but my wrecked car was towed to a Buick GMC dealer. While there I walked into the showroom and said, is this really a Buick? Four year bumper to bumper, and so many standard items the entry level is comparable to many others optioned out. Needless to say, were impressed. ETA: I have so far been averaging 29 mpg. But this little four cylinder has some balls. 259 hp and 296 lb-ft of torque. With an app on my phone I clocked a single 0-60 run yesterday in a remote area and it did it in 6.3 seconds with wheel spin. |
|
[#49]
|
|
[#50]
My first car was an 85 regal lol. Sold it to fund the Truck. Lookin at a gbody Buick wagon to put a 5.3 or 4.8 in for a DD. Sounds like yours would be a helluva lot of fun with another turbo strapped on lol
|
|
Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. One new winner* is announced every week!
You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers.
AR15.COM is the world's largest firearm community and is a gathering place for firearm enthusiasts of all types.
From hunters and military members, to competition shooters and general firearm enthusiasts, we welcome anyone who values and respects the way of the firearm.
Subscribe to our monthly Newsletter to receive firearm news, product discounts from your favorite Industry Partners, and more.
Copyright © 1996-2024 AR15.COM LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Any use of this content without express written consent is prohibited.
AR15.Com reserves the right to overwrite or replace any affiliate, commercial, or monetizable links, posted by users, with our own.