What car for a 25-year-old Chicago gal?

by philg

A friend of mine is moving to Chicago and needs a new car.  She is 25 years old, of medium height, and conservative in her tastes.  She wants a four-seat sedan with back seats large enough to carry passengers but very seldom will she have anyone in the back seat.  Cost is not an issue but she doesn’t want something that screams “I am a rich bastard”.  We test-drove the Acura RL sedan yesterday afternoon.  It seemed like it did just about everything that you’d want a car to do.  The RL is big but not huge.  It has great acceleration and reasonable mileage (18 city, 26 highway–not quite as good as the latest minivans!).  All four wheels are driven for better handling, especially in slippery conditions.  The seats are perfectly comfortable and heated (but sadly not air-conditioned; right now with global warming we really need liquid coolant flowing through the seats themselves).  A good navigation system is standard, complete with real-time traffic data for various cities, delivered via the XM radio.  Onstar is also standard.  Operating all of the electronics via the big control stalk/wheel/button/thingy seemed challenging but not impossible to learn.  The RL won Car and Driver’s “Best Luxury Sedan” award (I think they limit this to cars costing less than $70,000). The car lists for $49,000 but right now they are try to get rid of the 2005s at “employee” prices (on the radio in Alaska this proved to be around $43,000 but somehow the dealer in Boston wants $44,000+).


Are there any other cars she should consider?  I liked the Chrysler 300 that I rented in Yellowknife but I think they are selling for list price due to high demand, which would make an all-wheel-drive version almost as expensive as the RL.

43 thoughts on “What car for a 25-year-old Chicago gal?”

  1. I like the Passat…get it totally loaded and it’s pretty sweet, also comes with 4motion. But no one thinks “rich bastard,” because after all it’s a VW! Was the comment about coolant in the seats meant as a remark about the effects of coolant on the ozone, or because it’s so damn hot?

  2. A 25 year old driving an Acura RL screams, “I’m a rich bastard.”

  3. Nissan Maxima. Still enjoy mine every time I get in it, and as much as when I bought it (gently used). Absolutely awesome car and it doesn’t draw a lot of attention.

  4. Two radically different choices, both much cheaper than you are looking at. Toyota Scion tc (yes, only 2 door, but rear seats recline) and Chevrolet Malibu Maxx (rear seats recline and move fore/aft; hatchback).

  5. Unless the cabin is already comfortably air conditioned (which largely defeats the purpose), I think you’d run into problems with water in the air condensing onto cooled seats.

  6. I have always owned Honda Accords; they are not sexy cars but they have been reliable to a fault, get good gas mileage, and handle transparently.

  8. I sold my car when I moved to Chicago, and I’m really glad. Whatever she gets, it should be easy to parallel park and she can’t care that it gets scraped up. My wife has scrapes and dings all over her car from just one year of parking in Chicago, and we have a parking spot at our place.

    I think the accord is probably a good suggestion, as is a nissan maxima or equivalent. I certainly wouldn’t park a 40,000+ plus car in this town. (Of course, I’ve seen ferarris and lotuses parked on the street)

  9. With the Passat you may also be able to get the diesel version (called “TDI” by VW). It gets at least 35mpg (don’t know exactly since I’m Canadian and think in litres and kilomenters).

    You could always get a VW Golf or Jetta as well–it’s a bit tighter, but people of 6 feet can fit fine if you’re not driving cross country. I own a VW Golf TDI (four door) and have a couple of large and tall friends that are in the back (I tend to be the chauffer in my group of friends).

  10. With the Passat you may also be able to get the diesel version (called “TDI” by VW). It gets at least 35mpg (don’t know exactly since I’m Canadian and think in litres and kilomenters).

    You could always get a VW Golf or Jetta as well–it’s a bit tighter, but people of 6 feet can fit fine if you’re not driving cross country. I own a VW Golf TDI (four door) and have a couple of large and tall friends that are in the back (I tend to be the chauffer in my group of friends).

  11. Seriously, one does not need all wheel drive in Chicago. It only unnecessarily increases fuel consumption, which seems to be quite bad already with the Acura (I know this is something that doesn’t seem to concern people in the US as gasoline prices there are still ridiculously low compared to the rest of the civilized world). Instead, a sane person would be looking for a front wheel drive car with a stingy but powerful turbo diesel engine.

    I mean, even a big luxury car like the Audi A8 with all wheel drive and a way-too-powerful 4-liter V8 diesel engine gets better mileage than the Acura, and with smaller emissions. If I were her, I would definitely go for a smaller Audi (or VW if you don’t want to pay extra for the brand) with the 2-liter TDI engine and the DSG gearbox (assuming they are available in the US). That would get her easily 40mpg with plenty of power.

  12. I’ve had the same Acura RL since 1996, and it’s never failed me. Great car even without the AWD and nav system. Another plus is no one knows it’s expensive. Drive a lexus and you look like a jerk; drive the RL and you look responsible.

  13. Good grief. An Acura RL for a 25-year old is a little over the top. She’s going to look like daddy’s little girl, even if she did pay for it herself. Leave something to enjoy later in life; start with a Golf.

  14. Suggestions… run away from the VW dealership… Let the reliability horrors begin.

    Anything from Acura is really nice….
    If fuel costs were no concern : Audi S4
    How about a Mercedes Benz E320 CDI 27 city/37 hwy?

  15. Can’t overlook the BMW 330ci. 26 mpg mixed city/hwy. Excellent handling. Rear-wheel drive isn’t bad in the winter with the right tires and traction control.

  18. What about a Mini Cooper? They’re sizable inside for their outside dimensions, get good gas mileage, and fit into tight spots. I think they’re a great city car. And probably half the price of the RL.

  19. I agree with the no car/cheep car scenario. After moving back into the beautiful city that works, I ditched my BMW after continually having to repair the thing. I live in Lincoln Park, and if I need to get a car, it’s going to be a Jeep or something indestructible. YMMV!

  20. Nissan Altima:
    1. very comfy back seat
    2. fully decked-out, much cheaper than the Acura
    3. Bose sound package is actually pretty sweet
    4. Trunk large enough for most uses
    5. Great gas mileage

  23. Honda Element? Toyota Scion xB? Maybe those are “guy” choices … and too low-end. Does she care about how quiet the car is?

  25. What about the Acura TL. Lots cheaper, somewhat smaller, but still big enough for 4, and still has all the electronic gadgets. And better fuel economy.

  26. Audi A4 2.0 in manual 3.0 if you want automatic. Semi fuel efficient, sharp, and fast. Allwheel drive rocks in the snow.

  27. Philip and Frank,

    Saab has offered air-conditioned seats on the 9-5 since 1999 (not that anyone noticed). The 9-3 has an air-conditioned glove compartment.

  29. It’s tough to beat the reliability of Acuras (Hondas) so that gives the RL an instant advantage over something like the 300. I can’t comment on what it’s like to have a car in Chicago, but the comments above seem reasonable and considering something smaller like the TL or TSX from Acura might make sense.

  30. I agree with frank. If she is living in the city itself, she is really just wasting money buying a nice car. I would say have her buy a 2000-2003 Accord or Camry. Seriously not worth the hassle buying something nice. The car will get scuffed up, have the mirrors knocked around, etc. If she is going to live in any of the nice suburbs surrounding Chicago, then an RL would be a very nice choice. Stay away from anything VW, including Audi unless she wants to spend all her time here at a dealer waiting for her car to get fixed.

  31. Not stictly on topic, but the comments re Chicago remind me of the rental agent’s comments when I rented a car to drive around Dublin, Ireland last summer:

    Dings (shrug); knocked off side-mirrors (don’t count).

  32. I recently test drove the RL, and REALLY liked it. The nav system is the best there is, in my opinion.

    I ended up going with the new BMW 330i (which has the option to get the worst nav system, IMHO). The fun-to-drive factor ended up winning out. I didn’t get the nav system and bought a GPSMap 296 instead since it is also good in the airplane.

  33. I can attest to mirrors being knocked off. One day we found the mirror knocked off with part of it that landed on the car in front of ours. It’s now in the trunk till we stop being lazy and get it repaired.

    I sold my truck when we moved to Chicago, and we were about to sell my wife’s car when she got promoted and start managing another office in the south suburbs.

  34. A FULLY loaded 2005 Ford Focus SES ZX4 sedan would be the ideal city car for her. It comes with leather seats, moon roof, a Sony in-dash 6-CD changer radio that plays MP3’s and includes a sub-woofer in the trunk. It’s also equipped with side airbags, ABS brakes, and traction control. The front leather seats and side view mirrors are heated. The Focus drives and handles great. The back seats are comfortable enough for two full-size six-foot passengers. The Focus is small and nimble enough to fit into tight parking spaces. Its exterior styling is understated conservative, with clean attractive lines. Best of all, is its price. With the current employee discount pricing and rebates, one can purchase this fully loaded Focus for about $16,000 plus change. It’s a great deal.

  36. Consider a test drive in a Ford Five Hundred. The seats and the car are raised a bit compared to most cars so it is much easier to see – important for many people of medium height. The trunk is also enormous, so things can stay locked out of sight instead of visible on the back seats. All wheel drive versions are availible. Reasonably priced (30k or so), so fewer tears when it gets banged up by the wonderful Chicago drivers.

    The Acuras RL, TL are hard to beat.

    Does see want to avoid looking rich, looking like a target, or just doesn’t want to be noticed ?

  37. I’ve lived here in Chicago for the past 23 years, been a driver here the past 15 (I’m 31 and male).

    I’ve owned two Acura Integras (loved them) and one Honda Accord Coupe (loved it too) but since 2004 I have not owned a car here at all, and I only miss having one about 1 or 2 days a month.

    So, here are some suggestions for her as she moves here to Chicago.

    1. The suggestions about a car you don’t mind getting dinged up a bit are very true – Chicago streets, weather (salts) etc all conspire to for most people who have to park on the street or outside uncovered to have cars that show age and will get scratched and dinged up.

    2. Smaller is better when looking for parking in Chicago – the smaller, more maneuverable you are, the easier it is to park – but also the easier it is to quickly turn around on a narrow city street, to navigate narrow alley ways, to get out of garages or parking lots, etc.

    If I were to buy another car here in Chicago, or if a friend were to need to buy one, here are what I would suggest:

    – Mini Cooper – small, practical and the convertible option might be worth looking at (Chicago though we get a lot of cold weather actually has one of the highest numbers of convertibles)

    – a Saab – extremely good cars for Chicago weather and they last a very long time (my parents are still driving 12+ year old saabs which they love). I would encourage her to buy a few year old used Saab over a new one (though get one with Onstar so not too old) to make the transition into dings and scrapes a bit easier to handle.

    – Honda Element – the rubber floors in particular will be very practicle come Chicago’s winters and general messy rainy periods – easy to clean.

    – A smaller Acura. The large acura’s may be too large for Chicago streets, but one of the smaller coupes (my two were both hatchback models) are great machines

    A few key things to keep in mind about driving in and around Chicago.

    1. Chicago is VERY flat, and in the city you will be starting and stoping a lot whether on highways, major or minor streets between traffic, lights, and stop signs plus turning vehicles and pedestrians you will stop a lot – get an automatic and give yourself a break

    2. While Diesel may be nice on the environment and gas milage, only a very small number of gas stations within the city carry diesel. I wouldn’t consider that as an option in the city unless you are very careful and willing to spend more time on filling the tank (mostly diesel is only sold at stations near the highways, which tend to be busy, near a lot of conjestion and priced higher than other stations)

    3. Parking is hell. You will become an expert at fitting into a space just inches bigger than your car – and smaller, more nimble wins hands down. Plus you’ll find other Chicago obstacles easier to navigate (narrow alleys, odd garage doors, parking lots with tight turns etc)

    4. Winters are harsh on your car – but also realize that Chicago streets do get plowed VERY quickly (which means if you are parked on them expect salt and snow to pile up on the sides of your car… be prepared, get your car washed a lot, but realize that rust will happen, live with it.

    5. For the most part, if you live in the city, walking or taking the bus or El will be often easier and even faster than driving for everyday events and commuting to work (if you work downtown). So buy a car which will help with those times that the bus or el won’t – i.e. shopping, golfing, vacations, etc. Don’t neglect storage needs and a vehicle with a flexible layout (seats that fold, a hatchback, etc can be very handy indeed.

    Also don’t expect top dollar when thinking about the used price of the car (see above about rust) Chicago ages cars.

    And above all, do not even think about a lease in Chicago – you get hit by double taxes and other penalties (the lease builds in tax on the price of the car, then the city of Chicago ads a PER MONTH tax on leases for very nasty and high addition to the cost of your vehicle (effectly something approaching 20+% I think).

    (and while we are on financial considerations, plan on having one or more parking tickets each month if you park on the steet – investing in a garage spot or space in a lot can be well worth it, not to mention the 30+ minutes a day it will save you in many parts of the city. More than once I literally took 30 minutes to an hour finding a parking space at home or when visiting friends via a car, there are entire very large, fun sections of the city where other than for a few minutes each day, finding a parking space will take over 30 minutes of circling)

    Shannon

  38. Pretty ladies should drive convertibles. Very pretty ladies should drive *fast* convertibles. Ian Fleming says so.

  39. In the entry above you state that one of your favorite cars is the Chrysler 300 yet you push the Acura for gobs more money and “don’t want to look like a rich bastard” Do I detect a bias against American cars here?

  40. J. Braun: “Do you detect a bias?” In the comment section of http://philip.greenspun.com/blog/2005/07/16#a9106 the readers can’t figure out if I’m straight or gay. Yet you think that you can detect a subtle bias based on a two-paragraph blog entry?

    I only mentioned one other car in the blog entry besides the RL and it is American (though actually I think the 300 draws a lot of its design from the Mercedes side of DaimlerChrysler). Someone who was biased against American cars might have listed a Lexus or Infiniti as an alternative instead (or a German car if he/she had the patience for their poor reliability).

    The Chrysler 300 is a nice car as I noted but I think it is more of a macho guy kind of car, esp. in the fancier versions. It uses more gas. The styling is rather aggressive. I don’t think it is as refined or luxurious as the RL. If the 300 with AWD and all of the options is cheaper than the RL it isn’t enough cheaper to make a difference to my friend (she had the good sense to avoid computer programming in college and consequently will be earning a dignified wage).

    Bill: I think the Ford Five Hundred is too large for a single gal. To answer your question I think it makes sense for her to drive a car that costs less than $70,000 to avoid making acquaintances envious. If she meets a middle aged person whose financial achievements have been mediocre why rub the fact in by showing up in a $130,000 Mercedes? Maybe the $130k car would be a little nicer than the Acura RL but it doesn’t seem worth the social friction.

    Prius-lovers: I’m with you on this one but aren’t they still really hard to buy? We live in a consumer society; we shouldn’t have to wait for our purchases. I think the Prius is too large a step down in luxury from what my friend is accustomed to.

  41. So why didn’t you just say you wanted a car that Paris Hilton can drive without getting mugged by the mean, poor and ugly? I mean, why even mention fuel consumption like it would matter? Anyway, I suggest buying the most expensive S-class Mercedes fully loaded with the biggest engine they have. If she cannot tolerate the poor people being jealous of her, why not just move somewhere where there aren’t any? Problem solved.

  43. Hi,

    I think it would be most beneficial if she would try the A6, from Audi. It is ver comfortable, sells for around the same price as the RL and has a lot more creature comforts. I highly doubt Audi would be giving her employee pricing, but it never hurts to ask.

    Mike

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