I've been car shopping and I saw this review section on the site. I generally don't post but for anyone who may be in the small car market I thought I had some good info to share.
First car: Olds Alero - Sticker price as drove: 14,990
This is the first car I drove. I swung by the Olds dealer figuring there'd be some heavy incentives to move them since they're out of production. I dunno if this is everywhere but the dealer I went to (an Olds/Cadillac dealer in Ohio) they had $4200 marked off sticker. I drove a GX (base) model. It had power locks, manual windows, the 2.2 engine, and automatic trans. Had other things but I didn't really pay much attention I was more concerned with the feel of the ride. Obviously it was very close to my Grand Am (well in its younger days), but that is a good thing. It was smooth and fairly responsive for a mid-size car w/ a 4cyl engine. The interior was pretty refined and had plenty of room for me and the back seat would be suitable for others. What I would have been interested in is the GX sport package (2 door coupe w/ 5-speed) but they only had 2 Aleros on the lot and both were automatic. I would most definitly suggest checking it out as part of research if you're in the market for a new car. $4200 off sticker was HUGE and brought a car that would have been out of my price range into it. The salesguy woudln't figure out a price for me w/ tax, tags, title, and options I want and wanted me to do the math myself which pissed me off espeicaly at a CADILLAC DEALER but maybe that is the problem I was shopping a low end car at a premium dealer and the guy felt I was wasting his time I dunno. I do know that the way I wanted the car it'd come out to about $16,500ish with all costs figured in and the $4200 off. But you have to move fast because once they're sold they're sold.....
Second car: Mazda3 - Sticker price as drove 18,000ish
Option for option this car blew the other 2 away. It had several options one doesn't generally find on compact cars (such as auto-stick, side repeating blinker lights, in steering wheel stereo controls, and telescopting steering column). The interior was fantastic in my opinion except there were some cheesey LED effects on the stereo when you changed things. The one I drove had a 160 HP 2.3 Liter 4cyl engine. In the stick mode i was driving 50mph in second gear and still had about 1500RPM till redline. It has a good ride (4 wheel independed suspension double wishbone up front) and was very quick - especialy in stick mode. I drove the 5 door version and despite the fact it was a hatchback even with the seats folded down cargo room was kind of weak. Although not a concern of mine may be to others. I would also suggest checking it out, however (at least in Ohio) they have virtualy no incentives (3.9 financing is their offer) on it making it the highest priced car by far. The backseat is criminaly small (surely and issue w/ all compacts though) but that doesn't matter to me cause I'd never be sitting in it. Again though at this price option for option I think you get the most from this car which hurts because I hate to have to give the japanese companies credit (and one owned by FORD no less). Price for it the way I would want it with costs figured in comes out to 19,000 w/ no incentive pricing which sucks.
Third car: Saturn ION - Sticker price drove 17,000ish i think... maybe more..
Here I finaly drove a 5-speed. It's been a while since I drove stick and have never owned a stick car of my own so I'm not fantastic at it, but that isn't to say I don't know how becuase I've done it several times. It was a very easy manual to drive, but it felt like I was throwing a yardstick when shifting. The shifter was also kind of 'loose' I guess and I hit 5th a couple times going for 3rd but I'm sure its something you'd get used to. This is the car that has that rediculous gauge cluster in the middle of the dash which made me completely forget to look at the speedometer. This particular one had leather interior, mood roof, power options, and a hideous green exterior. It had a funny smell (like burning electronics) while we were driving which the salesman told me is something that the exhaust is coated with that is burning off and happens w/ all of these cars at first. It wasn't as tight on turns as the Mazda3. The salesman also tried to tell me it has the highest horsepower in its class at 140HP which I didn't call him out on but isn't true especialy since I had just drove the 160HP Mazda3 two days earlier. The interior is so-so mostly because of the rediculous gauge cluster and also looked much cheaper in comparison to the Alero and Mazda3 and the back seat is not a place anyone but a small child would wish to sit. Priced out the way I wanted it however it was also the cheapest car (the car had some pretty heavy incentives on it as well $2500 cashback and these 'coupon' things he was telling me about each worth $250 and the ION comes w/ 3 for some reason) The way I'd want this car figured out to be around $13,500 after the $3250 in incentive pricing.
Overall it's kind of a toss up. The Mazda was most definitly the nicest but also the most expensive. The ION the cheapest but would fall in 3rd definitly but does its cheap price and heavy incentives make up for it? With the Olds time is of the essence which I have several other cars I wish to drive before I make any desicions and would like to save over the summer for a downpayment which could be too late. Also the Olds and ION both have the quad-four which has a bad reputation for quality and my best friend who is a mechanic says "I recomend against the Alero." I dont nessicarily subscribe to these ideas of an engine being bad and if you take care of it, it should be OK, but is something to be taken into consideration. The Mazda3 had a 50,000 mile warrenty where the two GM had the standard 36/36,000. To close off I'm not particularly sold on any of these cars and have much more work to do, but by driving them they didn't make me NOT want them which I'm sure will happen with some of the other cars I plan on looking at. If anyone found this helpful let me know and I'll write about the other cars I look at over the next few weeks.
First car: Olds Alero - Sticker price as drove: 14,990
This is the first car I drove. I swung by the Olds dealer figuring there'd be some heavy incentives to move them since they're out of production. I dunno if this is everywhere but the dealer I went to (an Olds/Cadillac dealer in Ohio) they had $4200 marked off sticker. I drove a GX (base) model. It had power locks, manual windows, the 2.2 engine, and automatic trans. Had other things but I didn't really pay much attention I was more concerned with the feel of the ride. Obviously it was very close to my Grand Am (well in its younger days), but that is a good thing. It was smooth and fairly responsive for a mid-size car w/ a 4cyl engine. The interior was pretty refined and had plenty of room for me and the back seat would be suitable for others. What I would have been interested in is the GX sport package (2 door coupe w/ 5-speed) but they only had 2 Aleros on the lot and both were automatic. I would most definitly suggest checking it out as part of research if you're in the market for a new car. $4200 off sticker was HUGE and brought a car that would have been out of my price range into it. The salesguy woudln't figure out a price for me w/ tax, tags, title, and options I want and wanted me to do the math myself which pissed me off espeicaly at a CADILLAC DEALER but maybe that is the problem I was shopping a low end car at a premium dealer and the guy felt I was wasting his time I dunno. I do know that the way I wanted the car it'd come out to about $16,500ish with all costs figured in and the $4200 off. But you have to move fast because once they're sold they're sold.....
Second car: Mazda3 - Sticker price as drove 18,000ish
Option for option this car blew the other 2 away. It had several options one doesn't generally find on compact cars (such as auto-stick, side repeating blinker lights, in steering wheel stereo controls, and telescopting steering column). The interior was fantastic in my opinion except there were some cheesey LED effects on the stereo when you changed things. The one I drove had a 160 HP 2.3 Liter 4cyl engine. In the stick mode i was driving 50mph in second gear and still had about 1500RPM till redline. It has a good ride (4 wheel independed suspension double wishbone up front) and was very quick - especialy in stick mode. I drove the 5 door version and despite the fact it was a hatchback even with the seats folded down cargo room was kind of weak. Although not a concern of mine may be to others. I would also suggest checking it out, however (at least in Ohio) they have virtualy no incentives (3.9 financing is their offer) on it making it the highest priced car by far. The backseat is criminaly small (surely and issue w/ all compacts though) but that doesn't matter to me cause I'd never be sitting in it. Again though at this price option for option I think you get the most from this car which hurts because I hate to have to give the japanese companies credit (and one owned by FORD no less). Price for it the way I would want it with costs figured in comes out to 19,000 w/ no incentive pricing which sucks.
Third car: Saturn ION - Sticker price drove 17,000ish i think... maybe more..
Here I finaly drove a 5-speed. It's been a while since I drove stick and have never owned a stick car of my own so I'm not fantastic at it, but that isn't to say I don't know how becuase I've done it several times. It was a very easy manual to drive, but it felt like I was throwing a yardstick when shifting. The shifter was also kind of 'loose' I guess and I hit 5th a couple times going for 3rd but I'm sure its something you'd get used to. This is the car that has that rediculous gauge cluster in the middle of the dash which made me completely forget to look at the speedometer. This particular one had leather interior, mood roof, power options, and a hideous green exterior. It had a funny smell (like burning electronics) while we were driving which the salesman told me is something that the exhaust is coated with that is burning off and happens w/ all of these cars at first. It wasn't as tight on turns as the Mazda3. The salesman also tried to tell me it has the highest horsepower in its class at 140HP which I didn't call him out on but isn't true especialy since I had just drove the 160HP Mazda3 two days earlier. The interior is so-so mostly because of the rediculous gauge cluster and also looked much cheaper in comparison to the Alero and Mazda3 and the back seat is not a place anyone but a small child would wish to sit. Priced out the way I wanted it however it was also the cheapest car (the car had some pretty heavy incentives on it as well $2500 cashback and these 'coupon' things he was telling me about each worth $250 and the ION comes w/ 3 for some reason) The way I'd want this car figured out to be around $13,500 after the $3250 in incentive pricing.
Overall it's kind of a toss up. The Mazda was most definitly the nicest but also the most expensive. The ION the cheapest but would fall in 3rd definitly but does its cheap price and heavy incentives make up for it? With the Olds time is of the essence which I have several other cars I wish to drive before I make any desicions and would like to save over the summer for a downpayment which could be too late. Also the Olds and ION both have the quad-four which has a bad reputation for quality and my best friend who is a mechanic says "I recomend against the Alero." I dont nessicarily subscribe to these ideas of an engine being bad and if you take care of it, it should be OK, but is something to be taken into consideration. The Mazda3 had a 50,000 mile warrenty where the two GM had the standard 36/36,000. To close off I'm not particularly sold on any of these cars and have much more work to do, but by driving them they didn't make me NOT want them which I'm sure will happen with some of the other cars I plan on looking at. If anyone found this helpful let me know and I'll write about the other cars I look at over the next few weeks.
