By accessing this website, you acknowledge that Edmunds and its third party business partners may use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to collect information about you and your interactions with the website as described in our
Privacy Statement, and you agree that your use of the website is subject to our
Visitor Agreement.
Comments
I think that is code for.......if you want it buy it, but it isn't what I would buy.
If you get tired of it......it's your problem, I got my Caddie.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
I drove one for a day and have to agree, it rides like a car
with a bed on back. Road grip is what I remember.
Seemed like you couldn't make it lose traction if you tried.
It is big and the 1 1/2 inch squeeze into the garage made me cringe.
Here's a 2006 in my locale. 2006 Ridgeline
Ridgeline is the correct size. Garages should be made larger.
2013 Mustang GT, 2001 GMC Yukon Denali
One truck type vehicle I always liked was the Explorer Sport Trac. A neighbor has one and it looks really nice. I think it could work for you, you would be getting another Explorer, which you liked, a full interior to carry extra passengers or goods, plus the carrying capacity of a pickup. It also has nice boxy lines and it should fit nicely in your garage.
I am not sure when they stopped making them-I think 2010, , but used ones should be pretty reasonably priced.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Now, that's true of the Lexus dealers in and around Cincinnati. They're both owned by the same guy. One of the stores was built a couple of years ago. It has a marble entry way and a big fountain out front. It would make many luxury hotel entry ways look shabby by comparison. Somebody's paying for that.
I dunno....if I were really stuck on an RX350, I'd probably make that 200 mile drive to save ~$2K (via TruCar). Personally, I like TruCar. It's a pretty easy way to get to a deal on a car, fairly quickly. Just one word of caution, TruCar takes into consideration most (if not all) current dealer and customer incentives.
I'd at least call a few Lexus dealers say within 100 miles of you and see if they're more amenable to your "price".
Also, the RX350, while indeed in short supply because of the tragedies in Japan, is also getting pretty long in the tooth. I just read an article in one of the trade rags stating that the Cadillac SRX is a much better CUV than the RX350.
Heck, if I was going to spend that kind of money, the Acura MDX would probably be high on my shopping list, too.
But, that's just me.
I was just telling one of my son's friends last night about looking to buy one. He was trying to decide which of the small cars he should buy....Ford Focus, Chevy Cruze, Corolla, or Civic.
I told him I'd march on over to the Honda store and try to strike a deal since the main proponent for Civics for many years (CR) had dissed them. While I have no respect for CR's car reviews and recommendations, a lot of people do.
Now would be the time to try to strike a skinny deal on one with that kind of bad press.
Why aren't Sonatas, Fortes and Optimas on the list? Just curious :confuse: .
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Icon I6L Golf Cart
While basically front wheel drive, the all wheel drive will kick in as needed. No switches to activate, and if you're driving in patchy ice conditions, you just drive, and the system does it's thing. It does have a switch that basically locks the rear differential, in real low traction conditions, that works up to 18 miles an hour. I'd love to hear from Bolivar on how that works for him. Have you used the locking diff, and did it seem to work well?
I had considered the Explorer Sport Trac also, but they did quit making them in 2010. This next vehicle will probably be with me for 7 to 10 years, so I'm going with new. Used ones are pretty reasonable price-wise. I think the last two years had independent rear suspension, and are a bit more comfortable.
I do find myself thinking about the F150 Supercrew more and more though...
Now we're talking!
Cutting me right out of the deal....
Richard...I consider the F-150 to be the best pickup truck on the planet right now. $10K discount? On a very nice pickup?
I'd be there with checkbook in hand.
If you really want to put the deal on paper, this is how I've done it....
-Vehicle/model description
-VIN# (if you can get it)
-MSRP
-your offer (if you want, you can include how you came to that number)
Then subtract...
-less what you expect for your trade
Subtotal
Add in....
-tax (on the difference if your state allows it)
-doc fee (if you want to offer something...I usually add in $75-$100)
-tag and title fees (check with your locale/BMV for this)
Total bottom line price.
For dramatic affect, if you want, have a cashier's check for the total already made out to hand to the dealer and the title to your Sebring with your one sheet offer.
Exactly. No one does the math; for example, if I traded my 2007 Mazdaspeed3(27 mpg average) for a new Jetta TDI(35 mpg average) I'd save $684 per year(based on driving 20,000 miles per year and assuming $4 per gallon gas). If I could buy the Jetta for my MS3 + $5,000 cash -fat chance- I'd still have to drive it for over seven years just to break even.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
You're getting 27 MPG with a Speed 3?
I thought the EPA estimates were 18/25.
I thought the EPA estimates were 18/25."
Yeah RB, I'm curious too--although I realize that the Spreed3 has a taller sixth gear for highway cruising. My 07 Mazda3 hatch is consistently getting 27-28 in mixed (85% city) driving. I do get almost 31 mpg on the interstate. I'm in OK like Bolivar so I often am driving 75+, which is our speed limit on many of the interstates and toll roads. Obviously, that is not helpful to overall fuel efficiency. I never get close to what I consistently got with our Civic.
Bolivar--I'm happy you are enjoying the Ridgeline. I really like them and if I was in the market for a truck it would be at the top of my list along with the Tacoma.
My best friend has a Tacoma (bought new in 02) with 190+K on the clock and his only maintenance thus far has been scheduled stuff and new tires. He's still on the original brakes and he frequently pulls a trailer loaded with a four wheeler and other stuff to his property in Texas (300 miles each way). If it has rear drums and they are a weakness it hasn't been a problem for his truck thus far. My wife's 02 Rav4 had rear drums as well. Not sure why Toyota "economized" and installed the drums.
Gogiboy
Get the Red Ford. Leave it in the driveway. In the summer tape some clumps of ground cover to any chrome pieces and place a couple of potted small trees in the bed (remember to water occasionally). In the winter hang Christmas lights from the hood and roof and get a few fake reindeer that you place in front of the truck. Attach some reins to the reindeer that you hold onto inside the cab while parked. Make sure that you rent a Santa suit for a couple of weeks just before the holidays. That should make your truck harmonize well with your current landscaping. Besides, you should only worry about "curb appeal" when you get ready to sell. You know that for any red-blooded, redneck American male that "truck appeal" always supersedes curb appeal. Face it, no guy who visits is going to give one lick about what your gardening or landscaping says about you, but they will immediately assume that the big truck is compensating for other inadequacies which will create plenty of opportunity for chit-chat and commiseration.
Gogiboy
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Richard
Not sure if you have the same ads in your newspapers that we have for the Hyundai Equus. Under the elegant looking new Equus it says;
"Some People Inherit Money - Others Work For It. Live Smart"
Maybe, at this rate, you should consider an Equus.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Hmmm, cool.
I'm hoping the Equus depreciates like isell would comment Korean cars doing. Then I could buy a three year old one for like 20 bucks.....
Downside? We're not budging off MSRP, many stores are over, and the lease isn't as cheap as a Civic or Corolla.
That being said, it's a MUCH better car than a Corolla and IMO nicer than a Civic. Resale is showing to be better too.
At $1.75/Gallon I'll drive my 60 Lincoln daily. At $3.99/Gal I'll drive my 60 Lincoln daily.
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
They have certainly come a LONG way and Honda and Toyota better be paying attention. Not all people have a memory as long as mine.
Speaking of depreciation, I just finished watching last night's episode of "The Car Show" on Speed.
There was a segment where they pulled up some ads of luxury vehicles around LA and compared them to the original MSRP.
One was a 2005 Range Rover HSE with 121K on the clock. Original MSRP was $79K. Asking price in the ad was $13,988.
Another was a Rolls Royce Ghost. I think it was an '05 or '06 with 11K. Original MSRP was $358K .. asking price was $155K.
I remember back when I started posting on here.. what, 12 years ago or so? Kias, Hyundais... lousy cars, atrocious resale, etc. I remember that ilovemysephia guy and me going back and forth, and the fact was, that while maybe a Kia was $3k less than a Corolla/Civic, the resale value was so horrific that the more expensive cars were thousands cheaper to own.
I used to watch 3 year old Sephias doing $3k-3500 at auction.
Nowadays? HA! Whole different ballgame. I'm paying $16500-17k for 11 Sonata GLSs with miles in the 20s that need $$ spent to be CPO cars.. retailing em for in the $19900ish range and making little on them.
10 Sonatas are still pulling in the 13s at the auctions, with miles pushing 40k, and 10 Elantras are doing darn near the same numbers.
As a percentage of what they actually sold for when new, Elantras are stronger than Civics or Corollas! And that's the OLD Elantra!
And I gotta say, as the guy who deals with the 1-5 year old cars when they go through the shop, they have less issues than the Toyotas did when I worked for Toyota.
And nobody is more surprised than me.
This was late spring 09. MSRP was almost $68k, coulda had a new one for $1500 over invoice less incentives, or about $62k if memory serves.
Eventually the rubber band has to snap no matter how elastic. I think that happened today with oil down nearly $6.
Now who was it that predicted a major slide in gas prices---yesterday? :shades:
Wholesale gas is @ $2.74 and going lower.
Richard had better buy that truck before they go for MSRP.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Around here they still do poorly at the auctions and people avoid them when shopping for used but I can see this changing.
According to CR, which we all know and love, the Elantra is their #1 choice.
Some comments;
Small car
Hyundai Elantra
Last reviewed: April 2011
April issue cover This article appeared in
April 2011 Consumer Reports Magazine.
Redesigned for 2011, the Elantra delivers a lot for the money. With its makeover, this well-rounded sedan is now more stylish and engaging to drive. The Elantra provides fairly nimble handling; a decent ride, a smooth, responsive powertrain; a well-finished interior; and a relatively roomy rear seat. It's also miserly on gas, achieving 29 mpg overall in our tests and 39 mpg on the highway. We expect this new model to be as reliable as the previous one.
Price: $18,445.
Watch the video;
CR review of the Elantra video
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Richard
Richard
Richard
Richard
You know me too well. It IS dangerous to turn me loose on my own. :shades:
I did look at the Chevy trucks. They,too, have always served the public well. Though similar in design to the F150, I still prefer the Ford.
Richard
Not when you have spent $7,000 on your landscaping within the last year.
"...they will immediately assume that the big truck is compensating for other inadequacies..."
Strange that you should mention that. I had this same type conversation with a good friend about a year ago. We discussed the following:
1. Convertible purchases to regain your youth
2. Luxury car purchases to confirm that you are financially secure
3. Truck purchases to prove you are a real man
4. Small economy car purchases to prove that you are frugal
5. Sports car purchases to give yourself a false sense of adventure
6. Motorcycle purchases to thumb your nose at society
7. Bicycle purchases to indicate that you are a health nut
8. SUV purchases to prove that you arrived at middle class status
9. Sedan purchases to show your conservative bent
10. Hummer type purchases to prove that you could kill if necessary
Who knows why people buy the cars that they do? I've often thought that it would be an interesting study for the APA to undertake. At the very least, it would make a unique dissertation topic for a student's PhD.
One thing is for sure. At my age, I don't have to compensate for any inadequacies. The old ones finally disappeared, and only my wife and my urologist know about the new ones.
Richard
Actually, I think this thing works rather strangely. When I've tried to test it in snow by 'getting on it', the traction control light appears and the fuel is cut. Brakes might also be engaged. So, it's difficult to know how much the rear wheels are being engaged.
Since I'm retired, when the roads get bad, most of the time I just don't go out. Especially in our ice storms and last winters back to back 12 inch+ snows. The first one melted down a little, then the second hit. I measured 23 inches in my yard and stayed home. But I have had the truck out many times in snow up to about 10 inches. On flat ground or smaller hills, the truck just 'goes' in this much snow. I think a lot of the credit is the tires, they are seem to handle the snow very well.
I did volunteer to take a couple of of my wife's church people somewhere in about 8/10 inches of snow. Into a neighborhood with steep streets and some very steep driveways. Where they wanted dropped was one of the steepest drives in the area. I rather slowly turned into the drive and the truck did not go up it. I rolled back to the street edge and engaged the lock switch and went to 1st gear. It would not go up the drive. I think I should have also dis-engaged the traction control so the tires could spin. But I didn't and even with the supposed locked rear diff, it would not go up the drive. I did not want to back across the street to 'get a run at it', I just told my passengers it was the end of the ride and they were going to get to walk up the drive.
I'm posting a follow up message about this....
But, a guy has built a test ramp to test all wheel drive. This thing looked to be excellent construction. It's a rather steep ramp with a flat portion at the top. The ramp is constructed of about 2 inch diameter bars across each of the two tire tracks. These bars will roll. But the guy built it so he can lock several areas of the ramps, while leaving other areas to rotate.
He did not test any car with a supposed locked diff, he only tested the supposed auto locking capability of these selective all wheel drive cars.
He tested about 8 vehicles. He starts the car up the ramp with the bars locked, then allows a section to start to roll. This allows him to test how the car functions when the front slips or when the rear slips or when all 4 wheels are slipping.
He tested a Pilot, which I think has same system as a Ridgeline.
The only cars to make it up the ramp were, I think, something like an Audi and a Jeep or maybe a Subie. Everything else failed. When the front wheels were allowed to slip, the rear wheels, even though they were on the locked bars, would not engage and pull the car up the ramp. Cars with primary rear drive would also not lock up the front drive when the rear slipped. Very, very surprising to me. And it showed that most of the all wheel drive cars are not going to do the job they are advertized as being able to do.
Well that would depend on the condition of the truck. A two or three year old truck in very good condition yes, a truck on a raised chassie and oversized tires definatly, a year old truck that has its dents and dings and looks like it has been used as a truck no.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
1. Convertible purchases to regain your youth
Very interesting observations. I tend to think that for the most part they are true. I think when we buy a car we are really stating our preference to the world, making a statement so to speak.
All of a sudden women want pick-up trucks and large SUVs. Is that to show equality with men? I think a Hummer buyer is saying, I don't need to take crap from any one - I'll do what I want. Sonata buyers who could afford a more expensive car are saying, I have excellent taste but I am careful with my money. Honda buyers do all the research....look up articles on reliability and trade in value, then buy a Honda.
And on it goes. But, I wonder how many people think about that consciously when they go out to buy a car. I wonder how often people think "What will the neighbors or my friends think...if I buy a .....................?
My wife wants me to get a 535X because it is bigger and safer, but I like my 328 convertible, it makes me feel 10 years younger.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Well, IMHO the answer here is simple. Buy or lease a new 535 and then keep the convertible for the nice days (or when you feel old) :P
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Icon I6L Golf Cart
And nobody is more surprised than me.
You weren’t posting here in ’09 when I bought my ’09 Genny V8 in March of ’09. I posted that I was trading in Mrs. jmonroe’s ’06 Sonata LX that wouldn’t even have 13,300 miles on it by the time I got to the Hyundai store in Ohio (I live in the Pittsburgh area). I found (really it was Son #1) what I thought was a pretty good price at a Hyundai store in Ohio via their web site. I called the store and talked to the internet manager and yes they still had the car I wanted (V8, Cabernet Red Pearl with tech package). I told him the Sonata was as perfect as you could get for a 3 year old car but the passenger side mirror was whacked and would need replaced (guess who did that). He said the price on the Genny was firm, he was all in on his car; believe me, I tried. I think his price was $38,170 ish. Way better than I could do in the Burgh area and he said if my Sonata was as good as I said it was he’d give me 9K for it. I said 9K wasn’t going to get it done but it was a good start. So, I made a CC deposit to hold the Genny on Thursday night.
Saturday morning I call to be sure the car is still there and he said, “I’m waiting for ya”. On the drive over, I said to Mrs. j and Son #1 that if his price doesn’t come up on the Sonata we’ll be driving home in the same car we’re in now. I distinctly remember Son #1 saying, “HEY, lets not screw up this deal over a couple hundred bucks, OK. :mad: I said I’m not taking a penny less than $9300 and he was free to chip in the rest if he felt that strongly about it. We agree that if I had to get $9300 I had to ask for $9600.
Long story short, I test drove the Genny and agree to buy it at his price but I said I wanted $9600 for the Sonata. He gets up and goes to the desk. In less than 2 minutes he comes back and says (his exact words), “will 9600 do the deal”? I said yes and he congratulates me on buying the car and then gets up to get the paperwork. I look over at Mrs. j and Son #1, both had a weird look on their face. I said to Son #1, “well, I guess I left some money on the table, huh”? He said, “yeah, but it couldn’t have been much”.
I said all along that the money that was made on that deal wasn’t on the Genny but on the Sonata LX that was in great condition. A fellow poster here (‘imid’) gave me a link to the DMV in Ohio and I followed the sale of that car just for grins and IIRC it went for just under $13K.
I WAS taken advantage of, wasn’t I? :sick:
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
Well, this weekend I should finally reach 3,000 miles after 6 months. Headed to St. Louis, which is a 400 mile round-trip for me. In fact, St. Louis trips will have accounted for 1200 of the miles. Heck, the 30-mile drive back from the dealership where I purchased accounts for 1%!
Still happy with my decision, and this time I'm doing my best to take care of the vehicle (not my usual M.O.). Even checked the fluids and tire pressure last night. I'm a changed woman.
MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR
Find me at kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name.
2015 Kia Soul, 2021 Subaru Forester (kirstie_h), 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 (mr. kirstie_h)
Review your vehicle
(from the room) "Hi Kirstie!"
K-".....it all started when I joined Edmunds............"
Now I never have to eat in the car, or really transport much except groceries. This could be the start of a new approach to vehicle care. This one even has a spot in the garage.
MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR
Find me at kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name.
2015 Kia Soul, 2021 Subaru Forester (kirstie_h), 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 (mr. kirstie_h)
Review your vehicle
Right now I'd be about 10800-11k on a 3 year old Sonata GLS with 13k and a busted mirror. Prices are a lot higher now on used cars than they were.
Under $13k? Yup, that's about right. Trade it for $9600, spend probably $500 on it, sell it for $12995. We usually make $3k or so on used cars.
So it seems. I've noticed more and more of that in our area. Even my wife agreed that she would drive a truck if I purchased one. That attitude would have never existed even five years ago. I was really surprised.
Richard