Stereo Nacht
Called the credit union this morning: financing will be even easier than thought: I don't need a car loan; my mortgage has a "multi-project" option that allows me to "re-borrow" part the amount paid back.
GarlicMyfi
Excellent! Happy hunting to you!
Stereo Nacht
3% interest rate vs. 6.75%; I don't have a minimum amount to borrow... So I'll just transfer some money from my savings, re-borrow the rest, pay back as soon as I can.
Jaelle
What type of car you looking at?
Stereo Nacht
My main choices were Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris and Toyota Prius, but the latter was taken off the list for it would be $8k-9k more. Not worth it when driving less than 12,000km per year. So I'll go with a
Stereo Nacht
"cheap" car for another 6-8 years (hopefully!), and then, I may have enough money aside to consider more "luxury" cars.
dkronfeld
I don't know that much about the Yaris, but the Fit really does not "feel" like a cheap car. It's small, but it's well equipped and quite fun to drive.
dkronfeld
Of late, there has been much competition in the compact and sub-compact categories and carmakers are working hard to make their models stand out.
Stereo Nacht
Oh, the Yaris drives very smoothly - a lot more than my 3-cylinders diesel smart car. It's the salesperson who really made the difference so far. The Honda guy gave me a good rebate right away, told me the
Stereo Nacht
oil change price, didn't try to hide anything. Toyota? "compare, make me an offer, and I'll see what I can do"... Erm... No, thank you. And when I told her what the Fit was priced at, then she went to see her
Stereo Nacht
boss. And then she came up at about what the Fit would cost me if I take A/C (which isn't even available on the lowest Yaris model.)
dkronfeld
FYI as far as oil changes go: I had mine done in October (along with the winter tire installation) and it's still at 60% (on my Civic). The oil changes aren't cheap, but we have them done less than twice yearly
Stereo Nacht
I will probably take the A/C, still hesitating with the transmission. (The guy told me the oil change would cost me $40... Then perhaps more with inspection and stuff, but since I change my own tires...)
Stereo Nacht
Right. I have to take an appointment for tonight, too. Better do it right away!
dkronfeld
A/C is something that I will never (willingly) go without in a car.
Stereo Nacht
Appointment taken. Special VIP event with even lower price than what he quoted me Saturday (said the salesman). Now to call for another appointment (for the financing), and the insurances.
Stereo Nacht
Hey... I just seem to remember some "driving with a stick" technique for starting from a hill stop: one can use the hand brake while getting in gear, and releasing it once engaged, right or wrong?
dkronfeld
Stereo Nacht
Does that mean I got it right? 
Since it's really the only thing that really worries me—I am only nervous about driving again with a manual—I would probably save a bit of money and go with stick.
Since it's really the only thing that really worries me—I am only nervous about driving again with a manual—I would probably save a bit of money and go with stick.
dkronfeld
No, I didn't see the question when I posted that dancing banana. I have never done what you describe. My advice: take a manual transmission out for a drive and decide if you're comfortable with it.
Jaelle
I didn't like the yaris
dkronfeld
On a hill, I keep my foot on the brake until it's time to move and then I touch the gas and let the clutch slip a little. You get a feel for it pretty quickly and you get to the point where you can balance the
dkronfeld
backward roll with slipping the clutch (though you don't actually do that, 'cause it wears out the clutch, of course).
Stereo Nacht
Well, I called the insurance. On a yearly base, the Honda would cost me $50 more to insure. Over a 8-years ownership (hoped for!), it makes a $400 difference. It's the final information I needed.
Stereo Nacht
So if really I get an even better price tonight, I'll go with the Fit.
dkronfeld
Liam makes a good point; when I drive in heavy traffic, I find the stop and go less than fun with a manual. On the highway it's a non-issue.
Stereo Nacht
I hardly ever drive in traffic. I take the bus to work. Well, that's not quite true; when I go to my parents', I usually find some traffic, but it's not too bad. What I found bothered me with a real auto
Stereo Nacht
(the smart has a "continuous clutch" or something: I signal the change, but it actually shifts electronically) was the fact that the car moved even when I didn't have the foot on the gas pedal. I knew about it,
Stereo Nacht
but I found out I might get worried I'll accidentally advance if I am distracted. Which is potentially a lot worse than choking at start.
Stereo Nacht
Smart Fortwo - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia What is Smart's automated manual transmission? - Ask.cars.com As for the "rough gear change"... I guess a lot of people forget it's neither fully a manual nor an automatic. It can get rough if you change
Manateehugs
Oh that's good news!
Stereo Nacht
gears as you would in a manual; you have to "listen for" the best time to change. I have hardly ever got the "rock-chair" effect some people complain about.
Stereo Nacht
Oh, I must have said it wrong, then. I mean, when the light change, for example, and there are cars in front of me; currently, I will sometimes let go of the break early (on a flat road, of course), expecting
Stereo Nacht
the car in front will move so I have the foot on the gas pedal already. But I don't want to rear-end them cause my car starts to move "without me," so to speak.
Stereo Nacht
Erm... A manual car won't move (on flat) unless you press the gas pedal...
dkronfeld
Yeah, autos do tend to creep a bit when you let go of the brake. On the other hand, if you're on a slope, so do manuals 
Stereo Nacht
dkronfeld
: 
dkronfeld
Yup, but an auto has the "feeling" of straining to go forward when you're in drive. It bothers me not at all, but it's there.
Stereo Nacht
An automatic does advance on its own even when I don't put the foot on the gas. At least the Yaris does, and I seem to remember others doing the same. Not fast; perhaps only 5km/h, but it does.
Stereo Nacht
And... Yes. I was just surprised, I guess. (And should someone "gently" rear-end me, I'd have time to push the break before rear-ending the one in front of me, cause I always leave plenty of space.
Stereo Nacht
The trick my driving instructor gave me is: "if you can't see the tires of the car in front of you touching the ground, you are too close."
Stereo Nacht
Oh, sure. But it would make me nervous. Hey, I know it's not a big deal. I'll have to adapt to a new way of driving anyway, since pretty much only the smart has that kind of "semi-automatic" transmission.
dkronfeld
Not sure what you mean by semi-automatic, but there are lots of automatic transmissions that have a manual "shift" option. I'd guess that they're in the majority these days.
dkronfeld
(I dislike them; they still have an awful sluggish feel)
dkronfeld
There are also dual-clutch electronically shifted semi-automatics. They are pretty cool and were mostly on really high end cars until recently. Now you can get them on some VWs and Fords (at least).
Stereo Nacht
Yeah, that's pretty much what I have on my smart. Wikipedia actually tells me it's the same, really. So it is available on a $16k, very basic car! 
I like it, but as mentioned, some don't.
I like it, but as mentioned, some don't.
Stereo Nacht
Now... I just got thinking of driving uphill... It will be nice to have a bit more power, so I won't have to shift back cause my poor 0.8L engine can't get all the way up at a too low RPM...
Stereo Nacht
(The 50% more gas usage I don't look forward to, though.)
dkronfeld
Having a bit more space to transport things will be nice too.
Stereo Nacht
Yes, definitely. And being able to seat up to four passengers. It wouldn't be needed often, but at least, I would have the option!
Stereo Nacht
(It really would be nice if I can have it by Friday or Saturday morning!)
dkronfeld
Have you chosen a colour?
Stereo Nacht
Yes. I have the choice between black, blue or red. I'll go with the blue. (I would have liked the turquoise one, but it's only offered on the higher models.)
Stereo Nacht
Fit DX-A, black, manual, air-conditioning, with extended warranty and rust-proofed, minus smart car, total: $17,145
Stereo Nacht
(They had it in stock, so I'll be able to show it off at Mother's Day! 
)
)
dkronfeld
Ooo! Black! When I got my Civic last year, I had to have them place an order for a black manual EX and wait a couple of months Yay for a cool new car!!
Yay for a cool new car!!
Stereo Nacht
Thanks!