Guess you don't know about the deals you can get on cars through Costco. They don't sell the cars. They have agrements with certain dealers that give you very big discounts. You get the biggest discounts on cars that the dealers aren't moving a lot of. The RA, as nice of a car as it is, isn't selling like hotcakes (I blame it on bad advertising), so I can see how you can get a big cut on the sticker price if you go through Costco.

 

Ahh, thanks for clarification. No Costcos around here though, even though I still have my membership.

 

I wanted to replace my 1991 Nissan Sentra SE-R with a similar sort of car: something small and nimble, practical and fun to drive.....and costing under $20,000 OTD. I looked at the current Sentra SE-R (near end of model life and poor option packages), Mazda 3 (too "soft" to be driver's car and no deals available since then in short supply), Ford Focus (no outstanding performance variant available since demise of SVT....and ugly), and the Ralliart (good performance, excellent driver's controls and great deal).

My only complaints about the RA: could use a taller 5th gear (or possibly a 6th gear), and the paintwork appears a bit thin and vulnerable. Overall, however, I think the RA is a great combination of virtues and I plan on driving mine for years.

 

I bought the RA because I drove a Mazda 3 the same day. One word...torque. That's what did it. And I love the price. Hate the front-end, but love everything else!

 

I bought my RA cuz it gave me everything I needed. I have a daughter so the back seat has plenty of room for her. I drive to Philly a lot and the trunk, while not huge, is just right for my trips. Insurance and payments are cheap. All the other cars that would be feasible for my everyday driving weren't as sporty, their engines weren't as good, and the aftermarket modibility could not come close to what I could get from a RA.

For all you guys that keep saying you woulda got an EVO cuz it's better, well duh. I'd like to have a Ferrari too. I'ts better, but most people in this world live within their means. It's called common sense.

 

I bought mine because I couldn't arfford an EVO, but still loved the way the car looked. The Ralliart had a lot to offer and is more practical for my needs, wich is driving for an hour and a half back and forth to work in Dallas traffic.(I got the automatic) If I could ever afford an EVO though the Ralliart is getting traded in with the quickness.

 

It looks like I'm the exception here, but I had enough money to buy an Evolution (with a very small loan if not in cash), and I bought a Ralliart instead.

My thoughts almost exactly! (Not quite exactly only because I didn't have a Sentra SE-R to replace ) I set a budget of under $20k OTD for myself, and I wanted something likely to be reliable, small enough to be fun to toss around, yet big enough to transport a decent amount of cargo (folding rear seats were a must!) or four people without too much squishing, and that was just plain fun to drive. I'm not too concerned if my car is a little faster, a little slower, or even a lot slower than the car next to me, so long as I enjoy driving it.

The Ralliart is much better than my old car in every way, I love its steering (for power steering) & shifter, and I felt the price was right for what I got. My only real complaint too is the lack of a 6th gear.

I'm still suprised at how many people spend all or most of their money (savings and/or monthly income) on a car these days. Would so many of you really trade in your Ralliart for an Evolution as soon as you could possibly squeeze it into your budget? I just don't see how any new car can be worth that...

 

You're not the only one. I could afford a EVO if I wanted to. I just didn't want to shell out the extra cash every month for payments, plus I like my insurance right where it is ($650 a year). I drove the RA and loved what I saw. I didn't even test drive the EVO because I knew it was a better car and if I drove it I woulda ended up wanting that instead.

 

$650/year I pay significantly more than that every 6 months!

Haha, same with me. I think I'd better avoid driving an Evolution unless/until I feel ready to pony up for one.

 

And I even got a check in the mail from them a few weeks ago for 60 bucks. USAA is awesome. I've never paid a lot with them and I've had them since I was 20. If you are in military or are prior military I highly recommend you have insurance through them. The deals are unbeatable. They send you a rebate check at the end of every year too.

 

Needed a practical 4 door car (see sig for first mod!) for a new arrival. It was between the RA and a Mazda 3, and the RA won hands down. And you can fit 2 bodies in the trunk eeasily .

 

This is why:


First of all the driving experience, it makes driving to work more fun!
4 cil. ----> 160 hp
4 doors.
$4k cheaper than my other option
The looks ( I love her sexy behind)
The package is more than you can get for the buck$ in here
MIVEC
Its an unseen car over here, so it makes everyone turn to look at it.
and... I made myself a deal I couldnt refuse

 

Because is Japannese, better engines!!! and is more than you can get for da $

 

Honestly, I think the RA is one of the best looking cars for $20K. I thought they were going to style the EVO IX like the RA.