Have you ever been made an offer you couldn’t refuse? You never know when it might happen, so a little practice can’t hurt. Here’s the scenario: thanks to one of my old friends from New Jersey who has an amazing collection of Louisville Sluggers, 200 thousand dollars has been allocated to TTAC’s writers. $20,000 each. You’re welcome.
There is one catch.
The writers at TTAC have to buy a new car. That’s right. One new car (no BOGO free deals for a leftover Aveo). It can be anything they like. Hyundai, Toyota, Chevy… Jaguar? Fat chance! These fellows can go a little over the $20k mark on the MSRP. But the real world price before tax, title, bullshit fees etc. has to be no more than $20k.
So what car will they get? Will they follow the bleating herd of Billy Joel fans and buy something more milquetoast than a Milan? Perhaps a beige Camcord with an off-creme interior? Or maybe a Jetta that’s been as thoroughly decontented as Christina Aguilera’s last album? Or will it be something a bit more in your face? Like a… well… let me get to that later. I have to go move some mink coats. Just remember, when you’re taking favors from guys in a certain line of work, every decision has consequences…
Ronnie Schrieber: Twenty grand for a car? I wish the rules didn’t specify a new car as I’d use the 20Gs to restore my Elan. Does anyone make anything with more than 200HP and AWD in that price range? If not I’ll take a Honda Fit with a K20 retrofit. Or maybe find a 2010 Ford Ranger 4cyl 5-speed for about $14K and put the rest into the Elan.
Note: Ronnie received the Billy Batts treatment soon after I forwarded this to one of the Goombas.
Murilee Martin: I would go for a 2011 Hindustan Ambassador Classic, which retails in Mumbai for 482,000 rupees (about $10,700). The remaining $9,300 should cover shipping, baksheesh to customs officials, and the money I’ll spend trying to get it registered in Colorado. The Ambassador is essentially a 1948 Morris Oxford with an Isuzu 1800cc engine, so I’d be combining pre-British-Leyland Morris styling with late-20th-century crypto-GM drivetrain technology.
The guys appreciated Murilee’s attempt to bring in some ‘new culture’. Unfortunately they didn’t know what the hell he was talking about. So Bugsy & Co. delivered to him a non-running, island hopper Suzuki X-90. The rest of the money is in the mail.
Jack Baruth: I would put my money on a stick-shift Mazda5. Plenty of room for my son, my guitars, and the occasional rebuilt Neon racing motor. Yeah, it’s slow by today’s standards, but so is a Miura. The rest of the $20K would go to tint the windows. Don’t laugh: your wife might be in here.
More like more kids from multiple mistresses. ‘Comare’ in Mafia speak. In fact, legend has it that the name Mafia comes from “me fighia,” the Sicilian word for “my daughter,” as in “call those guys with guns because Jack Baruth is after “me fighia” [Ed: this is factually incorrect, but fuhgeddaboutit]. We kid Jackie, we envy you. And we know a guy who can guarantee his tint will conceal 98.7% of all indiscretions.
Marcelo De Vasconcellos:
Since it’s a present and provided I already had my family’s transportation needs covered, it’s pretty easy. If I had 20,000 USD to spend now, on a brand new car, I’d head on over to my friendly Nissan dealer. I’d get a Juke. The S model starts at just under 19 000. So, I don’t really know if it’d fit into the criteria (after tax etc.). If not, I’d get a Cube. I like it. At 14 000 it easily fits the bill. And I’d have a roomy, economic, funky car to roll.
If my family was in need of a better car, I’d stay at Nissan, too. I like the Tiida. Hatch or sedan. Roomy and economic, though not at all funky. But that’s ok for a family (commute) car.
The guys were looking at their gen-u-ine Rolexes by the time Marcelo got to his 2nd sentence. After a while they just figured that he was speaking in Portuguese (possibly because he called the Versa by its non-US-market name). They bought him a Cube and gave it a landau-style opera top.
Edward Niedermeyer: I’ve got fun covered when it comes to cars, so what I need is practical. I hear the call of the box-on-wheels. A stripped Transit Connect would put me about two grand over budget (before a $500 cash-back incentive), but I could work that off in short order by starting a weekend delivery/drunk bus service (in all my spare time). If the judges don’t take kindly to this kind of rule-bending, I’ll take a Kia Soul with a manual transmission and that some of that natty houndstooth upholstery.
Ed always has the best ideas. Unfortunately, he also has expensive taste, and at $22k, a lot of other options open up. Luckily the family already has a small fleet of Transit Connects we bought when it got too expensive to regularly transport bodies (for medical research only, of course) in Suburbans. We’ll give him one of our used models (low miles, minimal bloodstains) and throw in the houndstooth upholstery to make up for it.
Sajeev Mehta: I’ve personally considered driving something with less than 6-figure mileage, less than a decade old but with cheap/honest construction. I’ve caught myself using the “Build & Price” feature on Ford’s website for the last real compact truck: a regular cab XL, four-banger, 5-speed, dark shadow grey Ranger. Don’t be too surprised, especially when MSRP minus rebates is a tick under 18-large. Which leaves money in the kitty for a junker 1999 Mercury Mountaineer with soft bucket seats, intact front clip and fancy wheels in which to do a complete Mercury truck conversion: M-2300 pick-em up, here I come!
Sajeev always has an angle. It’s a good thing in our line of work. After further commiseration, the family decided that we would throw in some mud tires on the Ranger so that Sajeev can visit some of the more remote regions of our travels. And it should go without saying that the world’s first Mercury pickup would be incomplete without (you guessed it) an opera top.
Alex Dykes: I’d go for the new 2012 Ford Focus. Long the desire of Euro-wannabes, the new 2012 Focus is finally about the same car as Europeans snap up like candy. In SEL trim it eeks over the $20K mark but haggling can cut that back by a grand. Decent interior, SYNC and competitive mileage make this my ideal commuter.
The good thing about Alex is that he always makes sense. Then again, the bad thing about Alex is that he always picks bad fights for mere cents. Alex also happens to corner the market on gumball machines in his neck of the woods. He had a blood fight with the ‘I want my $2’ gang also known as Better Off Dead. Alex recently got pummeled and ran over multiple times with a Schwinn. So the boys will pretty much always give in to what he wants these days.
Bertel Schmitt:
Also known as ‘Vinny Blue Eyes’ was not immediately available for the offer. Our accountant has decided to keep the money in a 999 year CD with a -1% interest rate for Bertel’s own good (he probably would have tried to buy BYD with the $20k).
Michael Karesh: I haven’t driven the Focus yet, and the Fiesta suggests I’ll be disappointed in its handling. Not sure I could live with the styling of the Mazda3. So make mine a Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback GTS. Fun to drive, practical, and a very long warranty.
A Mitsubishi for Mr Karesh? Did anybody see that one coming? It’s not often that a Goodfella finds himself speechless, but there you have it. And since the majority of Mitsubishi dealers are actually fronts for our organization (hey, a guy’s gotta make a buck somehow), a Sportback should be no problem.
Steven Lang: I’m addicted to small cars. Call it a penchant for efficiency or a deep yearning for a car/driver experience. When I drive I want to be ‘involved’. A base Mini Cooper would be my #1 choice. But you can’t find them in a base model. Anywhere. So it won’t pass the 20k test.
Since that’s the case I’ll take…welll… In my world, the 6-Speed CR-Z is absolutely the most under-appreciated car of the modern day. Plenty of sport and comfort with 40+ MPG’s to boot in the real world. Along with great potential for add-on’s that will come directly from the hardcore enthusiast community. The CR-Z in EX trim is far better than the EPA/CRX numbers and standards suggest.
The real reason Steve wanted a small car is that he hates transporting our former clientele. Fine then. We’re going to give Steve a pink Geo Metro with pink elephants on either side of the hood. The rest of the money goes to the same unique financial instrument that Bertel has at the moment. Oh one more thing. The only air the Metro comes from the bone crushing bumps of the nearby railroad tracks. Andiamo Stefano!
I can’t think of a single $20k new car I’d buy. The photo, however, is what I’d get — a used 2005 Jaguar Vanden Plas for the same price. An offer I can’t refuse.
+1, but I would look for the Vanden Plas with the XJR engine; I believe they call that the Super Vanden Plas (?)
I recall reading that the average price of a new car (truck?) in the US is $29,000.00, so 1/3 less than that would be slim pickings.
Now, if the challenge were something like “a used German sports sedan for $20k” or “a used mid-engined supercar for $30” or “a used British luxury sedan for $20k”, then things would be interesting.
For $20k you can get a very nice 6-cyl ponton mercedes. No air conditioning, though.
I’m waiting for the post ’08 Boxsters (hopefully the engine kaboom problem is resolved) to drop to the ~$20k level.
I can’t think of anything new either. There are tons of possibilities out there used, but new, nothing interests me at all. They should have made it 30K for a new car out the door, and had them draw straws on who got to pick.
Fiat 500 Lounge for $19,500.
I wonder about the 500. I just read a review in the latest CAR Magazine (UK) where they slammed a 500 Abarth for poor ride and handling as well as mediocre quality. They rated it two starts out of five. Maybe a Civic EX with stick for $19K and change would be a better choice.
Softest leather and most attractive interior I’ve ever seen. Very very satisfying to sit in.
Ford Focus is the only new car I’d buy under $20k. MAYBE a Chevy Cruze.
New?? Damn. Fit Sport looks like. Otherwise you’re looking at poverty editions of the usual subjects. $25k? Then the world is your oyster.
I asked for an extra two grand, because then you could get a Mustang, Miata, or Gen Coupe. Steve threatened to send the guys with baseball bats.
Buy a base, rental-level Malibu and turn it, via badging, into a “Chevelle 300” sedan. Nice!
You could buy a base Fusion, Altima or Optima in the 17’s. Even with tax and summer tires, you are still under $20K. You could do a lot worse in this world.
I am also experiencing CR-z love. City driving + hybrid + manual is bizarrely attractive.
An Ambassador? Crikes, are you insane? I repaired one last year with some fishing line instead of a throttle cable.
Sonata GLS – base model, 6 speed manaul, 16 in rims so tires will be cheap, interior volume qualifies it as a “midsize.” Make mine Venitian Red with the Camel colored interior. That’s acutally a really classy combo. I get 198 – hp, a manual trans, tilt AND telescope wheel, room for four adults no problem, a trunk big enough to fit my golf clubs, a 10 year warranty on the powertrain, and before BS fees it squeeks under the $20,000 mark. Plus the bonus of 24/35 fuel economy in a time of rising gas prices.
And you can haggle it down a bit and swap the steelies for a real set of rims and rubber. Skip the red/tan combo, it’s a stick!! Get the Phantom Black/gray combo instead. (I have the red on mine, but it’s an SE).
I like the color contrast on the camel/charcoal interior it reminds me of when car interiors were more colorful. How bout iridecent silver blue pearl with a camel interior? Tint the windows to NM legal limits and I have this feeling the sucker will be practically invisible to cops.
If it had to be new then I would also have to vote for the Focus hatch. Great looking, practical and maybe even fun to drive.
Base Chrysler 200 with absolutely no options — not even a dealer clean. Then I could rag all over it like Burgess
I could have some real fun with that, too! I would look at it as a blank canvas, thinking about turning it in to a Plymouth Fury! Sure sounds inviting!
If I had $20K, I’d end up choosing between a Ranger, much like Sajeev, or the Jeep Patriot, but only if I could order the Patriot as a Sport 4×4 with FDII, air conditioning and side curtain airbags. Everything else crank windows and no other comforts in sight.
According to Jeep’s website that comes out to $20,640. In Albuquerque you can’t do without A/C, so unless I could get a rebate to bring price below $20K I’d go with the Ranger.
I’d also probably go for Ranger since I’ve already decided I wouldn’t consider the Patriot or any other four-cyl Chrysler vehicle until they bring in MultiAir, because if I’m to get an earlier model I’d want to negotiate for better rebates due to the new drivetrain technology, and if I get a brand new model I’d want the increased power and mileage.
Fiat 500, CR-Z, Juke, and Ranger…all good choices. I’d also consider picking up a Veloster if it comes in under $20K.
These are the good old days.
Dang. I guess it’s the Kia Soul. Somehow I thought there would be more options…
Definitely a tough price point these days. Given my preferences for a vehicle, wanting a good all-around vehicle for any conditions I’d go with a Subaru Impreza 5-speed 5-door. Comes in at about $18,500 before TTL, don’t really need any options.
A Mazda3 5-door comes in right at $20,045 so a stripper goes on my list (hey, you said I could get close)
Kia Soul Sport with sunroof and auto-dimming mirror/compass – with change to spare.
Chevy Cruze Eco with the Connectivity Package, Driver Convienience Package, and fog lamps – with change to spare.
2011 Toyota Matrix S – OK, I’ll put it on my list, I think bang for the buck the Kia Soul is better
2011 Nissan Juke base – with money to spare
2011 Suzuki Kizashi – did I spell that right – A LOT of car for $19K
A very carefully optioned MINI Cooper S?
Since the invoice of a MINI Cooper S with no options is around $21,500, it would have to be VERY carefully optioned to get the car under twenty…
Good luck on finding a strippo Mini.
Since the overwhelming majority of Mini’s are special ordered, you don’t need to “find” one, they will cheerfully make one any way you want it.
Papa BMW is going the same way, at my local dealership, over 60% of thier sales are ordered cars, they hardly even keep any inventory at all. Cars do not have to be impulse buys. BMW can deliver a Mini or a BMW to you in less than 4 weeks, even faster for the US-built SUVs and Z4.
I’m waiting 5 months for my 328iT, as I am picking it up during an already planned trip to Europe. You get a nice discount if you do Euro-delivery, and get a tour of the factory.
Steven,
You authored this article therefore you could have cheated and said no to any new car. What’s happened to you, my fellow penny pincher?
My vote – $20k for a used car buys you virtually anything you want! I’d go for this guy and budget $3k/yr in regular maintenance. Damn, this is beautiful:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-7-Series-740i-2001-BMW-740i-82k-Miles-Factory-M-Sport-Package-E38-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem43a5d40b4bQQitemZ290544945995QQptZUSQ5fCarsQ5fTrucks#ht_1336wt_1167
I vote for a new 2011 Elantra GLS 6 speed stick. At $16,900 with a/c, stereo, power windows locks and mirrors, ESC, ABS, etc. , it’s a steal, then you can pay someone to swap out the wimpy 1.8L for the 2.0L turbo motor with the difference!
A base Mini Cooper would be my #1 choice. But you can’t find them in a base model. Anywhere.
⊙_☉
uh. what about just ordering one from the dealer with no options…?
Mazda 2 Sport with the 5-speed (of course). Starts at $14k, which means PLENTY of money left over for some serious suspension and sticky tires. Maybe even a cheap turbo. Hell yes.
Let’s see… $1000 for a good, cheap wheel/tire package. Let’s say $2000 for a complete high-quality suspension. $300 for some good brake pads, which leaves me with $1700 for engine upgrades and paint. Of course I’m just making these numbers up off the top of my head, but you get the picture. Seriously fun track toy that doubles as a streetable, practical grocery-getter for less than 20 large.
Good choices all for sure.
Now, Steve asked us to keep our answers down to 5 lines. So I really couldn’t fit it the reason why I’d choose the Tiida, or Versa to most of you. I’d choose it ’cause I think it’d be fun to go around saying I was driving a French car (as, in reality the Tiida is, based as it is on the Renault Clio platform, which s derived from the Logan platform). Anyway, it’d be funny to drive around in America in a Frech/Romanian car in Japanese drag.
If it were not for that, for 20 grand I’d get the Focus. But in this case, only the hatch. The sedan leaves me cold.
BTW, when will the Cube be arriving at my door? I’d ride in it for a while and when I thought it safe, I’d just get rid of the Landau treatment!
Mustang V6. Sticker is 23. You could find 20.
2WD single cab Ram with the Hemi. There’s $4000 on the hood before you even start haggling.
Good luck finding that Mustang for 20. There’s not much dealer margin on the base car.
Edit: My bad–hadn’t realized that Ford had a $2,000 rebate on the Mustang. That’s a pretty sizable chunk of change on a car that’s supposedly selling well. Might have to switch my choice to a Mustang, if Steve’s “friends” will let me .
There are a couple listed in the 19s on Autotrader. Maybe they’re demos?
As in 3 in 50 miles which I figured would mean lots in a wider net. But nope, just those 3 within 250 too.
See above. I’ve got to learn to never assume. In this case I’d assumed there wasn’t a big rebate on the Mustang.
Assuming I couldn’t get in on Steven’s pink Geo Metro, I’d go for a new Honda Fit Sport in Milano Red, manual transmission of course.
Ford Fusion S I4 w/ stick… Seats you and 3 of your goombahs w/ a couple or three bodies in the trunk… 33mpg highway means you can dump the bodies in south Jersey, and return to the hideout to clean up any residual evidence before refueling… Appears union friendly (though mexico built) w/o being a Gov. Motors vehicle…
There are leftover 2010 Saab 9-3s out there for under $20K new. That includes 3yrs of free maintenance too. If you can find a base car with a stick you could get one for ~$18K with the current incentives.
My ’08 has been more reliable than the ’08 Accord that a friend bought at the same time. And he paid $3K more for the Accord than I paid for a Saab Combi. :-)
2011 Elantra Touring SE, with a five speed manual it just barely squeaks in under $20K at $19,745.
+1 excellent choice
A Commodore, provided a new 2010 plate leftover Series I can be found.
I don’t mind it having a single exhaust, steelies.
While I was out picking up my kids I decided to stop by my local Mazda dealership in Jax FL. 2010 Mazda 5 GT with NAV $20,120. Thats with all of the incentives. So that would be my choice.
Stripper Fiat 500, then blow the rest on a motorcycle.
1. Golf
2. Mini Cooper
2. Fiat 500
thats it. I love small cars too.
I’d take a Fiat 500 or a Mazda 3 hatch. Preferably the 3. I think it’s lines or rather curves are quite sexy. Especially with some gunmetal wheels and all-red taillights (like the concept Mazdaspeed made a while back).
I suppose this is a nice way to pretend to talk about what you would buy with $20 grand. But if you were talking to your readers you’d tell them to do a kitchen remodel, start a college fund, save for retirement, take a vacation with the family, or any number of other things that do NOT involve buying a car . . .
I was really hoping Sajeev and Steven would at least mention that their first choice (per their own advice) would be not to buy a new car.
No, I prefer to not be on the losing end of a baseball bat. New cars are just fine.
Kia Optima LX in black. 6spd MT, 200hp, 3200lbs, stereo, a/c, pw, pl, room for pasta fed “comares”. Monroney says $19,690…but if you can’t drive off the lot with a full tank of push-water, for 20 large all-in, then you deserve to be sleepin’ wit da fishes…
I was very close to picking this, but in dark brown. VERY close. What a stunning sedan for so little money!
Impreza 5-door wagon with a manual gearbox. Failing that, a base Fusion ($19.8k MSRP) with a manual gearbox. Maybe a Civic as well.
There aren’t many pickings under $20k that aren’t rolling penalty boxes.
Note: Ronnie received the Billy Batts treatment soon after I forwarded this to one of the Goombas.
WTF? Billy Batts? I wasn’t even busting your balls and you want me stomped to death. What’d I ever do to you. You got somthin against Lotus Elans? I was only keeping a small taste for myself. Plenty of room in the back of a Ranger to help you move those mink coats and cases of merch from busted out businesses.
Picking nits and completely off topic, but can we please stop pluralizing “MPG”? It’s right up there with “VIN number.”
Anyway, I’d try to haggle my way into a 6 speed Juke SV, I like it too.
Don’t forget “RPMs”….gotta love it!
I’m disappointed in you, Sajeev. Can’t you get a leftover Crown Victoria for $20,000 or less? Who knows, there might even be a “new” Grand Marquis at some lonely Lincoln, but not Mercury dealer.
Don’t want a beancounted Panther, and I don’t have the time/energy to go to the yards and “re-content” it with parts from the better Panthers. Plus, they quit making Foxes years ago.
The (Ranger) M-2300 is a nice addition to the fleet, it’ll be a great parts hauler and city runabout. Plus, new and reliable.
You don’t have time to “recontent” a Panther, but you do have time to Mercurize a POS Ranger? Makes sense to me…….
Kia Forte SX Coup, 6MT, all options but Nav – under $20k. Great car.
Existing cars CRZ 6 speed , Matrix 5 speed base , Mazda 2 , Fiesta , Civic LX coupe . Cars not on the market yet but will be soon Focus hatch , Hyundai Veloster , Civic HX coupe – all cars must have a manual trans , get good fuel economy , be reasonably comfortable for my 6′ 2″ and be decently equipped .
Props to Marcello and Sajeev for their choices. As owners of both the Cube and Ranger, the Banger household applauds wise men such as these. We bought both the Ranger and, more recently, the Cube because we got an offer we couldn’t refuse. So I really like this thread.
FWIW, I’d probably buy a base Ranger with $20,000, too. My ’06 is getting some age but running great…but the 2011s all have the 8.8-inch rear end (tougher than my 7.5-incher), four-wheel disc brakes with ventilated front discs (!), side airbags, and traction/roll stability control.
I think you could talk the dealer down to $16K (because honestly now, who buys Rangers for private use anymore?) and then use the $4K leftover to fit the M50D-HD transmission and a Traction-Lok limited slip diff from a 4×4 V6 model.
Jack Baruth is an absolute genius – of course the “correct” answer is a stick-shift Mazda5. I am in no way biased in this view, despite the fact that I bought a stick-shift Mazda5 last week. Even with Canadian taxes, the total was about $2 less than the $20,000 guideline! (And I thought GM was the only manufacturer offering $5000 incentives.)
On a more serious note, I believe this is the only 6-passenger vehicle now offered with a stick shift. (With the possible exception of some pick ups.)
I would have picked a Mazda5 myself, but Mr. Lang said this one was for my personal needs, as I had a Taurus X for the family.
If I could have only one car for the family, and it had to be a new one for under $20k, then it absolutely would be a Mazda5.
Hmmmm
When ya sit down and think about.. what ya can get.. for 20k… not a lot comes to mind. I mean.. ya really dont have a lot of choice.
Buying a minivan that isnt mini is just plain stupid. If ya cheap and a Ford Windstar doesnt snap its rear axle than thats decent. The Honda Ody has its 6cycl issues.. and pushes the size and weight towards Jenny Craig. Chrysler only survives by making them cheap.. while Kia can only make them cheaper! Gm vans… no.
For the bastard who is really afraid of driving and thinks awd / 4×4 is the means to the end, boy have you got another damn thing coming. The suv/cuv segment is one stupid bunch of mess. Ya got comparos in engine, in seating, in ability and in CLASS… most of which isnt worth it and the rest ya wont ever use anyway.
Ya cant even get a decent midsize sedan now… because they’ve all turned to PORKERS = qualify for the Large segment as noted by the EPA = Accord/Camry/Taurus/Legacy/6/Malibu/Sonata… right in compao against Avalon and or 300.
Honda has the Fit, which was brought in while Civic and Accord got larger… to Focus against Yaris.. but yet no 5dr Hatch from Honda, with NO AWD. I’m sorry.. having awd gives you PEACE OF MIND, wont save your ass when you got bald all-season tires in 2″ of snow.
Mazda3hatch and or the 5 is the only half decent cars on the market that I see, with the Focus hatch coming in behind. The Tiida / Sentra-with-a-hatch Versa is a dirtbox that I wish they did right. The Juke doesnt get more pointless. Hyundai has the Elantra as a hatch = touring. GM had the chance to make the CRUZE a winner… by selling the hatch for the U.S….
There really isnt much choice…