Ok... you are all going to probably think this solution is crazy.... but my Bonnie is getting too old for a daily driver, and too many things keep breaking on her. I don't want to drag her thru another winter, so I'm going to get another car. Just a simple A->B car.

I'm looking at a few options... but mainly I'm looking for cheap, and economical.
I've decided to go new, because at least that way I know what my monthly payments. I'm planning on leasing for 36 to 48 months... that way I can just walk away from the car.

I'm looking at two cars mainly...

2003 Sunfire GT
2003 ION Quad Coupe

and maybe 2003 Vibe AWD.... this one I'd be purchasing over 60 months.... I figure AWD will hold it'* value, and I can see it being useful to have.

I just wanted some input on these 3 vehicles.... I know they aren't Bonnies... but they are still Pontiacs. Also, would anyone recommend any other cars I should be looking at?
I'm trying to stay around $400 Cdn per month for the lease.

If anything, and styling aside (it just depends on what you prefer), the Toyota Matrix AWD would hold value better - only my guess, as it'* a Toyota, and Toyotas hold value pretty well. Same car, same chassis, same motor, but different plant. I hear that the Matrixes are built better (they're built in Cambridge, Ontario) than the American-built Vibes.

The 2.2 Ecotec in the Sunfire is okay in terms of performance and refinement, and it'* reliability hasn't yet been proven. The old 2.2 OHV and 2.4 DOHC were not so good... with the 2.4 being the better of the two. I'm not exactly sure, but I reckon people have had problems with new Cavy'* and Sunfires right off the bat... these cars are more of leasers, if you're getting one for keeps, you'll lose money, not save.

GM is offering almost all of there cars for 0 down 0% financing for 60 months.

Not bad....lots of choices, or go Japanese...but I have seen Hondas rates, 4.8% for 2 years....burn in hell Honda, you over priced fools.

And Toyota, hire a desinger for god sakes

Go North American or German, at least the German cars hold some resale value

Yea I'd like a Volkswagon or something like that... but the interest rates are high... like %4.0 to 6.9% .... ouch.

And yea... if I went Sunfire/Cav... it'd definately be a lease... not a purchase.

A VW wouldn't be bad...

A 2.0L, 115hp, 122lb-ft Jetta/Golf is not fast, however... a 5-speed model gets to 60mph in about 10.5 seconds... but it'* a reasonable economical engine and is really bulletproof. It does, however, have low-end torque, so city driving won't feel so sluggish. It'* a great highway cruiser, as well, thanks to autobahn gearing. The interior is very high-quality, no squeaks or rattles, with the highest quality materials (unlike my car, lol). It'* pricier than most, but it'* a good car.

Hondas and Toyotas hold resale value very well, eh... but some leave much to be desired in the styling department

As far as the styling dept. (I will probably get flamed for this :P ) I have liked the Nissan Altimas for a while now. Kind of classy...and that 245 hp V6 is nothing to sneeze at! http://www.nissanusa.com/vehicles/Me...,20700,00.html They look best with a spoiler though.

Edit: I just looked at pricing though..they're pretty up there ($23,000 new). I wouldn't reccomend going German though unless you want to pay through the nose for repairs. Japanese cars are probably the best cars out there to maintain if you're just looking for a puddle jumper (you won't find too many horses, but a gerbil and two hamsters aint bad ). It'* up to you....I haven't heard many bad things about Sunfires if you really want to go American.

Why not some 98 or so SSEi!?!?!? It'* better then a cheap cav/sunfire, funner (it'* a word damnit) and such. Then you could use the old bonnie as an a>b and the newone could be the nice summer car?

Well if it where me, and I didnt know much about cars i just needed one to drive and it had to be new for no brake downs... Id go with a saturn- they have 'partys' at the dealership with pop and pizza and they show you how to repair a flat and basicly how to drive your new saturn. With a lease you get a new vehicle ever 3 or 4 years and you will be paying them 300-400 a month for the rest of your life, but thats mice nuts.
-if you want a good car that will last a few years longer then the warrenty buy a malibu. v6 engine (i think)-but thats the way to go if you want to be able to atleast get out of your own way. the 2.2doch in the sunfire/saturn/cav. is bascily disgned to last maybe 15km after warrenty, but if you buy a new car ever 3 years... who cares?
imo- the sunfire is best looking/then malibu/then saturn/then cav.
-and if you buy the 'ricer' package on the neon or the cav. id have to shoot you- :P have a nice day

Nadda.... first off if I'm going newer Bonnie... I'll be going SSEi 00+, and nothing less.

I've got too much time/effort and espically money in my 91. I was offered $10,000 for her a few months ago, I thought seriously about it, and then decided not to sell her.

I looked into Nissans and Mazdas... again the interest rates were high... I'll probably be going Pontiac Sunfire... unless I can get a smoking deal on a AWD Vibe.

I'll probably also look into the Matrix..... I did take a brief look at a Civic... by the time I was getting all the options I wanted w/ the Sunfire... I was like $5000 more... blah... evil Civics... and then the interest was higher too.....

I know your car doesnt look that bad.. but 10k? i would took it and ran!
-but i cant sell the trofeo- i love it too much- its really funn pulling 4k rpm last gear OD without the speedometre(+rest of gauges-but tach) working... heh but its ok- I found out my car gets .84Gs on the 600ft slolom. There were few times that I almost missed my turn off by inchs. I hate the fact that my speedo doesnt work, because I want to know how fast I pull out of off ramps...