Glad to hear you walked away from your wreck unscathed.

Quote Originally Posted by kevinb View Post
Honestly I would love to get a 2008 Subaru WRX, but they aren't made auto and my fiance doesn't know how to drive stick nor do I think it would be easy for her to learn....(Don't tell her I said that :p ) Plus they aren't the roomiest either.
Kevin
I drive a 2007 WRX, and although sporty and fun, is not the greatest on mileage due to the turbo. I also have a pretty heavy foot so that doesn't help They do come in automatics that are rated at 27mpg highway and 20mpg city, FYI. Also, you must remember that the manufacturer recommends premium fuel for the turbocharged engine, so that would be an extra expense. The 5 door WRX's have more room than the sedans, but you are right, they are not overly roomy.

I am all about Japanese manufacturers. In my opinion, they have been manufacturing the best cars for 20+ years: early to mid 90's Mazda FD3S RX-7, Nissan Skyline, Nissan Silvia, Toyota Supra, Subaru WRX/STI just to name a few. Some may say that is a long list of 'rice', but when it comes down to it, most of them were extremely well performing sports cars from that era, and many, with a few minor tweaks, can still challenge some of the higher priced sports cars today.The 'rice' fad of today's generation is more in the looks of the car: a giant useless wing on the back, florescent colour schemes, decals and cartoon stickers, etc. Thanks Paul Walker..

Anyways, I digress. I could talk cars until the wee hours of the morning, one of the reasons I got myself educated with an automotive engineering degree I guess. When it boils down to it, you can get all the recommendations you want, but I would suggest always taking your potential purchase for a test drive. Ask the owner plenty of questions, if he/she doesn't seem able/willing to answer, walk away. It is extremely easy to purchase a lemon when it comes to used vehicles, because as was said, you can never trust them unless they have documentation regarding services and upkeep.

When I purchased my WRX, the previous and only owner of the vehicle handed me a folder with receipts from every oil change, every scheduled maintenance at the dealership, the one insurance claim form from hail damage, etc, and was completely up front with me with all my questions. It made me feel extremely comfortable purchasing the vehicle.

At the end of the day, purchase a vehicle that fits in your budget that you feel comfortable driving.