car purchase advice forum?

[daft]

Is there a forum for giving advice on what car model might fit some particular needs? I mean of the whole range of the new and used market, not what this or that dealer has. I haven't kept up because every year seems to be less and less inspiring.

For example, in my case I look for the increasingly rare compact hatchback. Not some freakish hunchback, but just a sleek unobtrusive body where the rear window comes up with the trunk, so I have no artificial bottleneck to loading ungainly objects (like 1'x2'x6'). I assume gasoline is still best.

I may have to park for days or weeks, which can give no end of starter-battery failures... so can I get a simple electrical system? Something that doesn't drain much when still, and can survive going essentially dead but still jumpable without electronic reset. Battery should be easily accessible for possible wire detachment or complete removal without exotic tools. Yes I know about various restart batteries and solar trickle, but not always up to snuff.

About the only candidate I know is a Scion model, although may have to get an old one to get simple electrics. They feel cheesy to drive at least the non-sporty models, but it can be good to look like a humble empty commuter car, when in fact it may be loaded with goodies under tarp at an unguarded location.

 

[Sailingeric]

Sounds like you are more looking for a small sports coupe. Scion like you said, or try a two door Civic. One of our friend's wife has a Civic Si coupe. Blast to drive. Other options are the Mazda 3 hatchback, the newer body style is more sleek looking and does come with 4 doors, a tad smaller is the CX3 from Mazda, and it has AWD. My wife and I are a bit partial to Mazda, we both drive one and her's is going on 8 years old and other than regular maintenance, the only thing that has had to be done was replace the alternator and I was able to do that with common tools. Also the Impreza is another option. Sad to say, hatchbacks are not that common.

 

[Zuljin]

Do you want a hatchback where the hatch is really just a trunk lid with the rear glass attached or one where the hatch opens to make the trunk like a truck bed with the tailgate open?

We've a Prius 3. That's the kind of hatchback I think of as a hatchback. The hatch opens to make the trunk like an open bed.

No model Prius would fit your simple electronic system criteria, but we've been very happy with ours. It had a fowled plug and injector issue that was blamed on really bad gas. Toyota fixed it under warranty. That's some outstanding service. It gets slightly better than advertised mpg. Has plenty enough power to drive on any road. Lots of hatchback room. The rear seats fold down. It has a built in cover to hide your cargo. It's comfortable on the road.

 

[Zuljin]

Oh, yeah. Edmunds, Consumer Reports, KBB and NADA. There are people with beefs against them all, but that's with anything.

 

[daft]

Thanks guys for more choices than I thought I had. I will have to review them for ability to angle 6 foot containers inside, with even the front right seat flat or pushed forward. I show a picture of a large inflatable catamaran that stores in a couple such containers. Too fragile to hang out the back, like I have done to haul furniture.

I seem to get a lot of battery drain even when parked still in my last 2 hatchbacks, and the darn battery isn't that accessible. My new plan is multiple lithium booster batteries, which can feed or recharge thru the cig lighter alone. I found cheap clones of the Stanley simple start depicted below, not strong enough by itself.

 

[afro_lou]

Well, what's your budget? That should either narrow things down or open things up! I mean, a 20 year old hatchback would fit your needs, as would a Tesla Model S P85D.

In terms of battery drain, I can't imagine a relatively modern vehicle would have any problems being parked for a month... But I drive a 2004 VW, for whatever that's worth, and I've never had a battery discharge issue. If your current vehicle has problems with dead batteries, I'd say you've got an electrical system problem. Although, I'm in a pretty temperate area... Maybe our lack of sub-freezing temps is better for our batteries...

Anyway, I love my 2004 VW Passat Wagon! I'd highly recommend one. The 1.8 turbo is a great motor, the v6 is ok, and the 1.9 turbo-diesel is amazing (and pre-fiasco!).

 

[Onkel_Udo]

Thanks guys for more choices than I thought I had. I will have to review them for ability to angle 6 foot containers inside, with even the front right seat flat or pushed forward. I show a picture of a large inflatable catamaran that stores in a couple such containers. Too fragile to hang out the back, like I have done to haul furniture.

I seem to get a lot of battery drain even when parked still in my last 2 hatchbacks, and the darn battery isn't that accessible. My new plan is multiple lithium booster batteries, which can feed or recharge thru the cig lighter alone. I found cheap clones of the Stanley simple start depicted below, not strong enough by itself.

This changes the game a lot...not many small vehicles can fit multiple 6' x 2 x 1' containers.

Believe it or not, the last generation Honda Fit might do what you need with the fold down front seat (not many cars offer it...folds into the footwell).

I think you need a budget, age limit and minimum fuel economy for us to help further but off the top of my head:

Toyota Matrix/Pontiac Vibe
Any of the Subaru wagons but particularly the Forster
Mazda3
Nissan Versa hatch (most boring car in the world but cheap and reliable).
Volvo V70, XC70, V60.
Jetta Sport Wagon
Toyota Venza

I can go on and on.

 

[Baja_Brewer]

Subaru Impreza Wagon
Audi A3 (pre-2014 or '15 when they went sedan)
Perhaps a VW Golf

Edit: and if you don't get the advice you want here, I'd check out thecarlounge (I access it through VWVortex, but its tied to a bunch of sites) - many of the guys over there love hatches/wagons.

 

[dkwolf]

Subaru Impreza Wagon
Audi A3 (pre-2014 or '15 when they went sedan)
Perhaps a VW Golf

Edit: and if you don't get the advice you want here, I'd check out thecarlounge (I access it through VWVortex, but its tied to a bunch of sites) - many of the guys over there love hatches/wagons.

I was thinking Subaru Outback would fit the bill nicely.

 

[Kharnynb]

I really like the citroen xsara picasso, it's a bit bigger maybe, more small mpv than hatchback, but still nowhere near a real mpv size.

The c4 picasso is it's newer follow-up, but not quite as nice in my opinion.

Not sure if these are sold in the US though.

 

[Onkel_Udo]

I really like the citroen xsara picasso, it's a bit bigger maybe, more small mpv than hatchback, but still nowhere near a real mpv size.

The c4 picasso is it's newer follow-up, but not quite as nice in my opinion.

Not sure if these are sold in the US though.

Citroen has not been in the US is over 20 years...no real sign of it coming back either. They are entertaining having the new "DS" line sold in the US but odds of that are low...very, very low.

 

[daft]

My dad used to visit Canada to buy compact French cars, but I don't know how he got them serviced in the US. Anyway, thanks again for the advice. I will answer a few questions, but now think I will just have to tour local dealers when the time comes to see exact blockage of right front seat for example.

Price: twentysomething. Size: short and narrow best because people scrape by my assigned parking space in a U-turn along all 3 sides. Many don't know their rear wheels cut the corner and don't turn wide. My gut tells me to favor a low fastback instead of a high profile cargo area, just to look inconspicuous in high break-in areas.

I don't know why my current and past hatchbacks (not made anymore) lost ability to hold charge. This was after several OK years with long stretches between starting. Not just sulfiting, because I would frequently replace the battery. Now even my AGM glass matrix battery goes flat in one week. The generator has voltage, so there must be a short? There are active accessories when the car is off - too fancy. My multi lithium booster battery approach may be workable tho.

 

[Mismost]

+1 for Subaru....we have had 3 Foresters and the Impresa. Just about bullet proof go anywhere haul almost anything kinda car that really holds it's value.

 

[Onkel_Udo]

I don't know why my current and past hatchbacks (not made anymore) lost ability to hold charge. This was after several OK years with long stretches between starting. Not just sulfiting, because I would frequently replace the battery. Now even my AGM glass matrix battery goes flat in one week. The generator has voltage, so there must be a short? There are active accessories when the car is off - too fancy. My multi lithium booster battery approach may be workable tho.

This is relatively easy to narrow down. You disconnect the ground cable from the battery and put a cheap ammeter between the clamp and the battery terminal. Now, start pulling fuses...one with make the meter almost drop to 0 milliamps...this is your circuit with the drain. Find out what is on that circuit and you almost guaranteed find a glovebox or underhood light that can be illuminated and not be noticed. Second most common is aftermarket alarms/stereos/remote start kits.

This phantom load will be relatively significant if it is draining the battery every time all the time.

If you have $20K to spent check out the newest (hideaously ugly) scion wagon that should be in dealers about now. It is either the Im or Ia...can't remember.