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Best down-market mid-size


greg1647545532

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Due to an unfortunate turn of events, my wife is finally letting me get rid of the much-maligned Corolla. The only requirements for the new car are that it sport a manual transmission and be able to fit 3 car seats in the back. So keep your GTIs and Civic Sis, because we're entering Camry land.

 

Actually, this is M5 territory. A6, CTS, TL-S, or what have you. Except those who know me know that I despise luxury cars. I like light, and I like simple. I don't care about gutless. Leather annoys me, but I suppose I could deal with it. A sunroof is a dealbreaker. Do not want.

 

I haven't picked a price yet, but I'm not paying a premium for shit I don't need. Figure 02 or newer because LATCH anchors are must. Purchase time will be in the Jan-April time frame. I like wagons/hatchbacks, but I've got a van so it's not crucial. Fuel economy isn't a big deal, but I'd rather it be fast or efficient, not neither.

 

Leading the charge right now is a base model '07 Fusion. Simple, 5-speed, slow, and wide enough for the family. Only 3100 lbs. Altimas and Maximas also fit the bill, but I'm not much of a Nissan fan, and if I'm getting something dull like this I'd like to stay away from a V6.

 

Kinda depressing, though. Surely a Fusion isn't the sportiest cloth-seat no-sunroof mid-size on the market. The unusually wide '08 WRX seemed promising, but looking at the back seat quickly put that to rest. It's not 3-seat friendly.

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I know. I wasn't all that fun to begin with, and the reality of 3 kids sucked even that little bit out of me.

 

If there was something awesome that fit the bill, like an M5 that wasn't too heavy, expensive, or complicated, I'd get rid of the Integra and just have 1 car that did it all, but I don't think that's realistic. Performance is tied to luxury, which means the world is awash in bloated "sport sedans."

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i never understand why people look to buy cars, give descriptions of what they are looking for and requirements, but then want to buy like months later. Most used cars on the market will be sold by the time your ready to buy.

 

Unless you can pull the trigger.

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i never understand why people look to buy cars, give descriptions of what they are looking for and requirements, but then want to buy like months later. Most used cars on the market will be sold by the time your ready to buy.

 

Unless you can pull the trigger.

 

QFMFT

 

Every time someone comes into the dealership saying "wellllllll I've been searching for a car for 5 months and I'm waiting for the right thing to appear and I'm really picky and basically I just want the car I currently drive" all I hear is "I hope you've got some time I can waste"

 

EDIT: If 5-speed manual is ABSOLUTELY required I can't help you right now. If thats flexible, I can almost certainly help you. PM me.

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@CarWhore - I'm selling the old car this month, but then I'm going TDY for 4 months and it makes no sense to have a car sitting around while I'm gone. Otherwise I'd be buying within weeks. The decision being made now has more to do with how much I decide to save over the next 5 months.

 

@Panduh - I'm thinking I really need to bring some seats somewhere and do a test-fit. The back seat seems really big and that would handily be the most fun/useful car that could fit the bill.

 

@Gas, Grass or Ass - My wife said I can finally get a DD with a manual and I'm not going to miss this opportunity.

 

@Jones & @lmfaoryan - Sonata, interesting. It definitely fits the bill, so it goes on the list. Thanks! eta - hot damn, less than 3200 lbs and sporting a 200hp 4-banger, while still having the biggest back seat of anything I've looked at. Not bad! The turbo model doesn't come with a manual, unfortunately.

 

@El Karacho - Sorry, I'm definitely the kind of guy to pick out a specific year/make/model/trim/color and then wait around for the perfect specimen. I know it's annoying for salesman, but I likes what I likes.

 

@Got-Busa? - Kids are 4, 2, and fetal. Will be doing booster + forwards + infant at first. I asked around and my sisters both said they got 3 across in a Camry/Maxima, which is what prompted this new line of thinking. Fallback plan is/was a Mazda5.

Edited by greg
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The 2011 Sonata is a really impressive car, but the exterior styling is doo-doo. Wait for the new Kia Optima.

 

I have a Passat, and it's a love/hate relationship. Great car overall, and 101k one-owner miles should tell you that we're running it into the ground.

 

I miss my Maxima. 5-speed with a beefy V6, and a lot of interior room. Weld the hood shut because it won't need fixin'

 

I'm with others here in that I'd be surprised if you can fit 3 seats abreast...I could barely fit the ejection seat-styled infant chair in the Passat for the first few months...

 

I've been - and still am - a huge fan of the Cadillac CTS-V. For the prices you're looking at, you can get a serious performance car with a lot of kit for less than $22k.

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@Got-Busa? - Kids are 4, 2, and fetal. Will be doing booster + forwards + infant at first. I asked around and my sisters both said they got 3 across in a Camry/Maxima, which is what prompted this new line of thinking. Fallback plan is/was a Mazda5.

 

Can you post pics of this?

 

I don't know what car seats/booster you use but I don't see it. Even if you can get them in side-by-side (which I don't think you can), the driver/passenger better be short or you have minimal seat adjustment if any. We use the Recaro's and there is NO WAY...

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Can you post pics of this?

 

I don't know what car seats/booster you use but I don't see it. Even if you can get them in side-by-side (which I don't think you can), the driver/passenger better be short or you have minimal seat adjustment if any. We use the Recaro's and there is NO WAY...

 

I was skeptical myself but my sisters were insistent. When my car gets back from the shop I'll line 'em all up and get pictures/measurements.

 

@jeffro - you know, it might. According to edmunds the back seat is just as wide as a Mazda 6. I'm not sure I buy it but it's definitely worth checking out.

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STI, Mazda 3 will not work. I have 3 booster seats and took them to carmax as they had the widest selection of cars/truck. there wasn't one car there the seats fit in comfortably. They fit well in the newer Explorers, Grand Cherokees or anything that had a 3rd row (Mazda 5 Pacifica and the like).
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Due to an unfortunate turn of events, my wife is finally letting me get rid of the much-maligned Corolla. The only requirements for the new car are that it sport a manual transmission and be able to fit 3 car seats in the back. So keep your GTIs and Civic Sis, because we're entering Camry land.

 

Actually, this is M5 territory. A6, CTS, TL-S, or what have you. Except those who know me know that I despise luxury cars. I like light, and I like simple. I don't care about gutless. Leather annoys me, but I suppose I could deal with it. A sunroof is a dealbreaker. Do not want.

 

I haven't picked a price yet, but I'm not paying a premium for shit I don't need. Figure 02 or newer because LATCH anchors are must. Purchase time will be in the Jan-April time frame. I like wagons/hatchbacks, but I've got a van so it's not crucial. Fuel economy isn't a big deal, but I'd rather it be fast or efficient, not neither.

 

Leading the charge right now is a base model '07 Fusion. Simple, 5-speed, slow, and wide enough for the family. Only 3100 lbs. Altimas and Maximas also fit the bill, but I'm not much of a Nissan fan, and if I'm getting something dull like this I'd like to stay away from a V6.

 

Kinda depressing, though. Surely a Fusion isn't the sportiest cloth-seat no-sunroof mid-size on the market. The unusually wide '08 WRX seemed promising, but looking at the back seat quickly put that to rest. It's not 3-seat friendly.

 

Sent you a PM. Let me know if I can help.

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I was skeptical myself but my sisters were insistent. When my car gets back from the shop I'll line 'em all up and get pictures/measurements.

 

Pics would be great....

 

STI, Mazda 3 will not work. I have 3 booster seats and took them to carmax as they had the widest selection of cars/truck. there wasn't one car there the seats fit in comfortably. They fit well in the newer Explorers, Grand Cherokees or anything that had a 3rd row (Mazda 5 Pacifica and the like).

 

Not to mention most cars don't have enough anchor points for 3 across unless you are doubling them up...

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