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What Car is Right For Me? Help Me Choose!

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  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 32,891
    Current: Benz, Ford, Chrysler, Volvo, Nissan.

    Past:
    AMC
    Alfa
    BMW
    Dodge
    Honda
    Inifiniti
    Mazda
    Mercury
    Land Rover
    Lincoln
    Saab
    Subaru
    Toyota
    VW

    Grew to hate my Honda, the Land Rover never made it on the road (project vehicle that never took off), we weren't terribly fond of the Subaru, and my 135i was a problem child. Other than that, all good stuff.

    '11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S

  • jagyossarianjagyossarian Member Posts: 13
    Hey all,

    I am coming off a lease on a 2010 Nissan Altima 2.5S Sedan. I just hit 31K miles on it and it's in pretty good condition. I am considering purchasing it since the set purchase price is decent (around 12.5K, KBB value is around 13.3K), the mileage is low, and I know where it's been the whole time :).

    What are your thoughts? How does the Altima hold up over time? What are the maintenance costs like as the car ages? I'd plan on keeping it for the next 4-5 years. I have a longer commute nowadays so I am probably looking at 12-15K miles a year of usage. To be truthful, the car has been great but I am not particularly attached to it and would rather get into something like a small SUV (Rogue, Forrester, CR-V, Escape). But of course, I don't want to lose out on what seems like a good value on this car.

    Thoughts, opinions, reality-checks are much appreciated.

    Best,
    JG
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Unless you really need an SUV, keep the Altima. I've driven the Rogue. It's based on the old Sentra. I think you'll find it a come-down from the Altima. The others are nicer, but will cost a lot more than $12.5k if you buy new.

    One thing you might do is check with Nissan re special deals as you come off lease. I had a Sentra that came off lease this past summer, and Nissan was offering me 4 months waived payments, money towards wear & tear, and cash incentives to buy or lease a new Nissan. Leases are really good on the new Altima, or you could see what they would do on a Rogue or even a Murano if you want to go the SUV route.
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 32,891
    Its definitely a fair purchase price. Seems they hit the nail on the head with the residual. That would probably get you right around $10k as a trade-in, $11k dealer auction, and $13k-14k retail.

    If you like it, I'd say keep it. At 31k miles, its just broken in.

    '11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S

  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,146
    I'm going to echo the other 2 members who've said to buy it.
    Even if you're not totally in love with it, it hasn't made you despise it. If you've got your eye on an SUV, your best bet would be to buy this (since it's at a lower price than you could likely find the same vehicle for on a dealer's lot), pay it off as quickly as you can, and then trade it in on an SUV. It'll make a nice downpayment.

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  • jagyossarianjagyossarian Member Posts: 13
    Thanks all. I appreciate the perspective.

    Backy - I wasn't a fan of the Rogue when I test drove it and chose the Altima over it so I think you're right that it would feel like a step down.

    Qbrozen and Kirstie, it does seem like buying it is the way to go. My other option would be to try to find a used CRV or Forester but it seems that those cars are a few K above the price my Altima, have higher mileage, and have the uncertainty of unknown previous owners. Does anyone know what the avg. yearly depreciation on a vehicle like the Altima is past year 3? 10%?15%?

    Thanks
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,146
    Q might be able to answer more directly, but you can check our True Cost to Own tool. It lists all of the costs, but breaks them out so you can see depreciation. Since your vehicle isn't at the 5-year mark, years 4 & 5 are estimated. If you want to look at more historical data, you can choose an earlier model year, though the depreciation is going to change based on other factors present for that particular model year (desirability, body style, etc.)
    http://www.edmunds.com/tco.html

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  • evolk1evolk1 Member Posts: 11
    edited October 2013
    I just sent my always reliable 1997 CV to the junkyard, a victim of underbody rust. Got 280,000 miles out of the 'ol girl.

    I use it for getting to sales calls only....no entertaining or clients or prospects ever are in the car.

    I now have a choice to make

    1.) A 1999 CV with 106k miles on it. A friend of a friend inherited it from her recently deceased Dad, who bought it new and most likely was garaged all the time. Lived in Florida until 2010 until he moved in with her family here in Indiana. No body damage, base pkg, white with grey cloth interior. No idea if the plastic intake manifold top was replaced during the recall, but I'd guess it was since seniors usually jump on that stuff right away. No idea on the transmission. Probably get it for around $2,200.

    -or-.

    2.) A 2004 Crown Vic with all leather interior and 139,000 miles on it. Some nicks and scratches, mainly cosmetic. Had a mild collision that popped the air bag sensor but not the airbag itself. Airbag sensor has been replaced. Rear rotors are warped, as the car surges straight when braking. Mild smoker smell, but not bad and doesn't cause any residual odor in one's clothes. Has a non-oem stereo replacement that doesn't quite fill in the space left my the original. I can get it for $3,000 from a friend who has a wholesale license and bought it at the auction here in Indy. He says he can get $4,500 for it at retail, but I'm helping him out work wise with some extra training, so he'll let me have it for $3k. I trust him btw.
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    I'd take the '99. Known history, lower miles, and no significant changes from '99 to '04 that would be a "gotta have" in my book. I sold one recently that belonged to a deceased relative and it was in pretty poor condition with 140k miles. Got $2k for it the day it was listed so I think that one sounds like a great deal.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    A reporter is interested in speaking with a car buyer who recently purchased a new sedan, but did not consider any of the German brands (such as Volkswagen) during the shopping process. If you can assist, please contact pr@edmunds.com by Wednesday, October 23 2013.
  • gmurugesangmurugesan Member Posts: 1
    Am planning to buy Nissan Maxima 04 SL Automatic fully loaded car crossed 80000 miles ,Asking price is 8900$ , I found out Nissan Maxima 04 is having transmission problems , is it worth to buy this car for the money ? and also i would like to know the resale value of the car after 15 months ?
  • suydamsuydam Member Posts: 4,676
    Where do you get info as to transmission problems? When I look at reliability data on various sites I only see "infrequent" or "minimal" transmission problems. It's generally a reliable car. Before you buy have a mechanic check it out.

    Are you planning to own the car for only 15 months? In that case I'd get an old car for the smallest amount of money.

    Our '01 Maxima had over 130,000 miles when we sold it in good condition. I am sure it will go another 100k.
    '14 Buick Encore Convenience
    '17 Chevy Volt Premiere
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,146
    I agree. If you only plan to own a vehicle for 15 months, your best bet is to choose one that has already hit a low point in depreciation. For example, my son bought an older Honda Accord last year for $3700. 13 months later, it's still worth about $3700, maybe a couple hundred less. As a bonus, it's pretty good on gas and his insurance costs are low.

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  • mrswittersmrswitters Member Posts: 4
    We drive very few miles a year (probably about 6-7,000 total). Our primary vehicle is a 2011 Jetta Sportwagon TDI, which we own outright. It has 10k miles on it after 2 years. Our other car is a 2006 Saab 9-3. We purchased this about 1.5 years ago for about $9.5k. We've put 1.5k miles on it during that time.

    Unfortunately, the Saab has been a huge headache. We've probably put $2k into it in repairs, and it's been in the shop on multiple occasions. This is extremely inconvenient, both because I have a busy work schedule and hate taking time out for this kind of thing, and because although we don't drive much, there are specific times during the week where we need two cars.

    The Saab is in the shop again for a $700 repair, and I'm fed up. I'm considering selling the Saab (only worth $6.5k now to private party) and leasing a Nissan Leaf. This could be an ideal second car for us, since the vast majority of our trips are <75 miles, and for those few times where we take a longer car trip, we can use the Jetta TDI. I've always read that leasing is the worst financial decision (when compared to buying new and buying used), but I came across this article (http://evworld.com/news.cfm?newsid=31045) about leasing a Leaf that makes it sound like a pretty good deal because of the Federal tax credit. And to be honest, I'm so tired of dealing with maintenance with the Saab that I don't think I can bring myself to buy another used car. The Jetta has been so nice in that respect; we've taken it in for the annual service and that's it.

    I realize that even if we spent $1k on repairing the Saab each year, it would probably be cheaper financially to do that than to lease a new Leaf. But as I wrote above, money is only one consideration. I suppose another option would be to sell the Saab to a private party, and apply that to the outright purchase of the Leaf. With the Federal tax credit, and the money from the Saab, we'd only have to shell out $15k which is not bad.

    I'd love to hear your opinions and advice! Thanks.
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    Well of all the vehicles you could buy and put such few miles on....the Saab is most likely to cost you the most per mile. To get the most benefit out of a lease, you really need to utilize it for the stated miles. Basically you're paying for those miles whether you use them or not.

    Personally I think this is a great opportunity for a newer high mileage car. You can pick up a couple year old Camry/Accord with 60k-80k miles for $10k-$12k which means you're out of pocket $6k max. Most anything besides a Saab (or anything European for that matter) will need next to nothing for many years with such little use. I'd look for a private party car with great maintenance history and mainly used for highway driving. These cars usually go 100k-150k miles with almost no repairs.

    Buying a new car and putting very few miles on it will hurt the most because it's going to depreciate a huge chunk of money whether you drive it or not. A used car with high miles has already lost 50% or better and if anything after a few more years it will have average miles.
  • suydamsuydam Member Posts: 4,676
    There are a number of different possibilities for you to consider. I have also thought about leasing a Leaf as an around town car. Advice now is to lease because it is hard to say what the value will be in 3 years. Nissan recently cut the price rather dramatically.

    The other choice would be to sell private party and get a new subcompact the size of the Leaf, like a Honda Fit. You could still have a new car and something like the Fit holds its value well.
    '14 Buick Encore Convenience
    '17 Chevy Volt Premiere
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,146
    Yes, my experience has shown that owning a used Saab can be an expensive proposition. Before we got rid of ours, it was costing about $800/month in repairs... always something different. So, I can certainly understand the feeling of being worn out & burned by a "needy" used vehicle. However, as mentioned, pretty much any used vehicle is going to be better.

    And yes, leasing the Leaf would entail giving away miles.

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  • mrswittersmrswitters Member Posts: 4
    This would certainly be a sensible choice, as would buying a used car like a Camry. I'll need to look into options further, but to be perfectly honest at this point I may be willing to pay a little more for something nicer to drive. I test drove a Fit twice and it just felt like a tin can, especially compared to our current vehicles (Jetta Sportwagon TDI and Saab 9-3).
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    I would have a hard time believing there's a big difference in "tin can" feel between a Fit and a Leaf. I don't like small cars at all so they all feel like that to me. You could pick up a lot of very nice used vehicles for the price of a new Fit and get far more for the money. Again, outside of Euro cars you should be able to own the thing for many years without spending much in repairs.
  • suydamsuydam Member Posts: 4,676
    That was my thinking too. The Leaf and Fit seem pretty comparable to me. Why even consider the Leaf, then? Just get a used Camry and it will probably run forever.
    '14 Buick Encore Convenience
    '17 Chevy Volt Premiere
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,146
    A reporter would like to speak to a new Ford Fusion buyer. If you have purchased a Fusion in October, please send your daytime contact information to pr@edmunds.com no later than 8 a.m. PT/11 a.m. ET Friday, 11/1/13. Bonus points if you traded out of a Toyota Camry or a Honda Accord!

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  • daktula1daktula1 Member Posts: 11
    Hello:
    On the lookout for an Audi with <15K (preferably < 10K) mileage. What is the best place to look? I understand (word has it) that you can get a "good" used Audi for a substantial price drop but when I look online I don't see a huge drop between new and used.
    Please provide some insight.

    Thank you.
  • biker4biker4 Member Posts: 746
    You'll have to look at a private party sale (Craigslist, Autotrader) to get any sizable discount. Car dealers make more money on used cars than new ones and you are unlikely to find a bargain there.
  • Sandman6472Sandman6472 Member Posts: 6,953
    Saw a gorgeous one in white over brown at the local Carmax but they wanted megabucks for it. Nice vehicle though!!!

    The Sandman

    2023 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD (wife) / 2015 Golf TSI (me) / 2019 Chevrolet Cruze Premier RS (daughter #1) / 2020 Hyundai Accent SE (daughter #2) / 2023 Subaru Impreza Base (son)

  • kanstrupkanstrup Member Posts: 4
    Hi,
    So I wanted to ask everyone their opinions or thoughts on the reliability of Audi's and the maintenance costs of them. I am looking to buy a used Audi, undecided on model, produced from 2000-2005. I have heard a lot of negative things about Audi's reliability and their extremely high maintenance costs. I really just do love the look of Audi's and so I am still exploring purchasing one. However, I was wondering if members of the forum had opinions if certain models from 2000-2005 were considered more reliable and had lower maintenance costs. Any and all opinions would be much appreciated.

    Cheers,
    Chris
  • mah52mah52 Member Posts: 7
    Well, I am just one data point, but I had a 2002 Audi TT and after 4 years, just when warranty was up, I started having electrical issues. Basically, dashboard dials would wave wildly and then just shut down completely. Was more prevalent in cold weather. My mechanic told me to wait until the weather warmed up and then trade it. He said Audis are known for electrical problems, and once they show up, it is very hard to find the origin and fix them. That April, I traded it for a 2006 Lexus IS250 and never looked back. That car was perfect for 7 years, and this July I bought a new 2014 Lexus IS250. Consumer Reports only seems to cover from 2004 on, so no data there, though I will say, lots of black circles or missing data in their charts for Audis.
  • suydamsuydam Member Posts: 4,676
    You might look on Autotrader or KBB as well as Edmunds as they have reviews of used cars and data about known problems.
    '14 Buick Encore Convenience
    '17 Chevy Volt Premiere
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    I love Audi's as long as they're under warranty. I drive too much to have one as a daily driver though.
  • orlemorlem Member Posts: 2
    I'm about to buy/lease a new car or compact SUV... preferably with good gas mileage. But for some reason I want to look for a vehicle which offers a lighter color dashboard and interior. I'm tired of those dark black or slate colored dashboard and interiors that most of the vehicles come in. Light cream, beige, tan would be a welcome change.

    Are there any such vehicles which are not in the premium category?
  • jagyossarianjagyossarian Member Posts: 13
    The Ford Focus, Hyundai Elantra, and Chevy Cruze all come to mind as they have some softer interior colors available. The Toyota Rav4 has a nice beige interior color available as well.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    The Kia Rio has a light beige/black interior available that's mostly beige on the dash, with black accents, and beige seats, with beige + black on the door panels. A bright interior. I have a Rio5 with that interior, in red, and I love that color combo.

    I think the Altima has a (mostly) beige dash/interior combo available also. Gets good FE for a mid-sized car.
  • dooberguydooberguy Member Posts: 9

    Hello, I am looking for advice for my personal situation. Any advice would be much appreciated!

    I am currently driving a 2006 Pontiac G6 GT Coupe with about 117,000 miles on it. I found out about a month ago that my fiance is pregnant with our first child. I like my car and it has no mechanical issues, but it is old and I'm not sure if I can get a car seat in it. My fiance has an SUV so I wouldn't have to drive the kid much, but I want to have the ability to do so.

    So my question boils down to this, should I keep the car or sell it when the baby comes? The next obvious question is if I sell it what should I buy? I would not feel comfortable spending more than $20,000 on a new or used car.

    Value of my car in a trade in is probably around $5,000.

  • MichaellMichaell Moderator Posts: 240,145

    @dooberguy said:

    >

    So my question boils down to this, should I keep the car or sell it when the baby comes? The next obvious question is if I sell it what should I buy? I would not feel comfortable spending more than $20,000 on a new or used car.

    Value of my car in a trade in is probably around $5,000.

    First off, congratulations on the new arrival! Very exciting times for you and the fiance.

    Second, you shouldn't rush into any rash decisions, especially one as large as this. When the time comes, see if you can get a baby seat into the back of the G6. If so, then there is no reason to do anything, since the fiance has an SUV to use for family duty.

    If not, then there are lots and lots of choices for you, both new and used. Poke around the site here at Edmunds and see what appeals to you. Sedan? Wagon? Small SUV? Sporty? AWD? Where do you live? How long is your commute? What's important to you? Use the answer to these questions to guide you to a particular type of car.

    Most of all, keep us posted. We're all here to help.

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  • thebeanthebean Member Posts: 1,216

    I need some help in selecting a new sedan, for purchase in the next 12 months. Currently, I drive a 2002 Honda Civic EX 4 dr (bought new), with around 85K miles. It has been my "drive to work" car and has filled that role very well. But, I want something a bit bigger and more comfortable that can be used on vacations as well as normal everyday driving. The Civic has a pretty rough ride on the road, and as I get older, I want more comfort and a better ride. My wife has a 2001 ES300 that has been great, but I need something for me. Here are the criteria I am working with:

    • Will buy new, and will keep the car for probably 15 or more years

    • Out the door price should be under $32K

    • Good mileage (22-25 in town, 30 on highway), so probably a big 4 cyl would be best engine choice; no turbo - I don't trust the long-term reliability of turbo engines

    • Cloth interior, not leather

    • No sunroof, although this is not a deal breaker; I live in Texas, and the days you can open a sunroof here are few; this is money wasted for me

    • Long term proven dependability/reliability history from the brand; no Hyundai's or Kia's need apply (just don't trust the engineering from them as yet)

    • Auto transmission, no CVT (I don't know why the auto makers are pushing CVTs so much; I have driven automatics for 44 years and have never had a failure in one; CVTs seem to be a bit unproven for my taste; they must be cheaper than conventional automatics, hence why they are so widespread?)

    • No touchscreen stuff on the dash - to me this is just another thing to fail; I don't care about Bluetooth and answering a phone through the steering wheel or anything like that; simple is better for me

    I know this is a lot of criteria, which is why I have been struggling to find anything I like. Any help you can provide will be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

    Bean

    2015 Honda Accord EX, 2019 Honda HR-V EX
  • texasestexases Member Posts: 10,685

    A Camry SE 4 cyl. would match most of your needs. I'd also say an Accord S, but it has a CVT. You might try it out, just to see how you like it.

  • suydamsuydam Member Posts: 4,676

    CVTs are widespread because of their fuel economy, not their cheapness. The Altima has had one for several years now and they are extremely reliable. I would check out the Altima and I think you owe the Accord a try. If you hate the 4cyl CVT they make a pretty efficient V6. Just took my 4cyl accord on a road trip and it is extremely comfortable.

    '14 Buick Encore Convenience
    '17 Chevy Volt Premiere
  • benjaminhbenjaminh Member Posts: 6,311
    edited January 2014

    @thebean said:
    I need some help in selecting a new sedan, for purchase in the next 12 months. Currently, I drive a 2002 Honda Civic EX 4 dr (bought new), with around 85K miles. It has been my "drive to work" car and has filled that role very well. But, I want something a bit bigger and more comfortable that can be used on vacations as well as normal everyday driving...
    Bean

    Hi Bean,
    I think you owe it to yourself to try the Accord with the CVT. The car magazines have called it the best CVT made, because it feels somewhat similar to a regular auto. The reason people are switching to the CVT is because it gets c. 2-3 more mpg than a regular auto.

    I have a 2013 Accord EXL navi, and I love it. Best car I've ever owned. I previously owned a 2002 Accord LX, and we still own our 2008 Accord EXL navi. As you can see, I love Honda Accords. They give you good reliability and very good engineering at a fair price. Built in the USA at a huge factory in Ohio, and the team members there do a very good job.

    What's impressive is that the "base" Honda Accord LX has lots of stuff that were only on the high end models just a few years ago, such as dual zone climate control, bluetooth, advanced engine, etc. The new Accord has great interior room, excellent visibility, the best safety and crash ratings of any midsize car (check out the video from the insurance institute on youtube), plus the mpg will probably be about the same as your little Civic. Seriously, I don't know what kind of hwy mpg you get in your Civic, but I've been getting 34-38 in our 2013 Accord.

    Since you don't want a sunroof, the LX model probably has everything you need, including an ok stereo, and it lists for $23,545. The discounts aren't quite as big on the Accord as some other midsizers like the Camry, but you should still be able to get c. $2000 off of list. Even with tax and fees, you should be c. 8000 below your budget. If you need to finance, Honda has 0.9 financing for 5 years. In other words, it's a buyer's market.

    Clearly I love Hondas, but I have to say that your feelings about KIA and Hyundai are misplaced at this point. Their reliability is very close to Honda, and imho probably a little better than Ford.

    For reasons of design/features/performance/safety/quality I still would go with the Honda, but there are a lot of good other choices, including the Ford Fusion, Mazda6, etc.

    Good luck with your search! Hope you'll let us know if you test drive something....

    Ben

    2018 Acura TLX 2.4 Tech 4WS (mine), 2018 Honda CR-V EX AWD (wife's)
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949

    Another one to check out is the Mazda6, which has a conventional 6 speed AT. I am not sure if the base model (no nav) has a touch screen, but I don't think so. You could get one of the lower-end trims with cloth and have a very nice car for under $25k.

    @thebean said:
    I need some help in selecting a new sedan, for purchase in the next 12 months. Currently, I drive a 2002 Honda Civic EX 4 dr (bought new), with around 85K miles. It has been my "drive to work" car and has filled that role very well. But, I want something a bit bigger and more comfortable that can be used on vacations as well as normal everyday driving. The Civic has a pretty rough ride on the road, and as I get older, I want more comfort and a better ride. My wife has a 2001 ES300 that has been great, but I need something for me. Here are the criteria I am working with:

    • Will buy new, and will keep the car for probably 15 or more years

    • Out the door price should be under $32K

    • Good mileage (22-25 in town, 30 on highway), so probably a big 4 cyl would be best engine choice; no turbo - I don't trust the long-term reliability of turbo engines

    • Cloth interior, not leather

    • No sunroof, although this is not a deal breaker; I live in Texas, and the days you can open a sunroof here are few; this is money wasted for me

    • Long term proven dependability/reliability history from the brand; no Hyundai's or Kia's need apply (just don't trust the engineering from them as yet)

    • Auto transmission, no CVT (I don't know why the auto makers are pushing CVTs so much; I have driven automatics for 44 years and have never had a failure in one; CVTs seem to be a bit unproven for my taste; they must be cheaper than conventional automatics, hence why they are so widespread?)

    • No touchscreen stuff on the dash - to me this is just another thing to fail; I don't care about Bluetooth and answering a phone through the steering wheel or anything like that; simple is better for me

    I know this is a lot of criteria, which is why I have been struggling to find anything I like. Any help you can provide will be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

    Bean

  • thebeanthebean Member Posts: 1,216

    Thanks for the suggestions. Yesterday, I went to a Toyota dealer and looked at the Camry SE. It had a touchscreen for the audio stuff, and the salesman said all Camrys have touchscreens. I went ahead and drove the SE, and the ride was better than my Civic, but still seemed a bit rough. I briefly drove an XLE and that ride was better, but not enough to make me write a check. The headroom in the XLE seemed a little tight, probably due to the sunroof, which I think can be deleted from a LE model. I guess a lot more people want the touchscreen than not. But, I'm not going to buy a car with one unless I absolutely have to.

    The Mazda 6 also has a touchscreen that is standard, even on the Sport (base) model. It's discouraging to not be able to find what you want in a car, but I understand the reasoning behind putting something in either all or none of the cars built. It doesn't make me ready to buy, however

    Thanks again for the suggestions, and it anyone has any more, they will be greatly appreciated.

    Bean

    2015 Honda Accord EX, 2019 Honda HR-V EX
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949

    Since you don't want a touch screen and almost all new mid-sized sedans have one these days (except some you won't consider, e.g. Sonata and Optima), one option is to buy a CPO car with low miles and extended warranty. An older design is less likely to have a touch screen, and you'll save the upfront depreciation on a new car. And it will look and drive like new with a warranty that might be longer than the new car warranty.

  • texasestexases Member Posts: 10,685

    You might reconsider the touch screen, if it comes with a backup camera. Rear visibility of recent cars is TERRIBLE, I find the backup camera extremely useful.

  • benjaminhbenjaminh Member Posts: 6,311

    @thebean said:
    Thanks for the suggestions. Yesterday, I went to a Toyota dealer and looked at the Camry SE. It had a touchscreen for the audio stuff, and the salesman said all Camrys have touchscreens...The Mazda 6 also has a touchscreen that is standard, even on the Sport (base) model. It's discouraging to not be able to find what you want in a car, but I understand the reasoning behind putting something in either all or none of the cars built. It doesn't make me ready to buy, however

    Thanks again for the suggestions, and it anyone has any more, they will be greatly appreciated.

    Bean

    Bean: The Accord LX and Sport do not have a touch screen, at least as far as I know. Also, since those models don't have a sunroof, they will have a bit more headroom. You might give them a try.
    Best, Ben

    2018 Acura TLX 2.4 Tech 4WS (mine), 2018 Honda CR-V EX AWD (wife's)
  • thebeanthebean Member Posts: 1,216

    Good suggestion - thanks. That did cross my mind when I started the process. I guess I also need to go look at a Sonata at a Hyundai dealer. I really shouldn't rule it out without looking at them and researching the reliability more. One of the reasons I really don't want to buy a Kia Optima is that my local Kia dealer (who I visited with a friend who test drove a Soul) doesn't give off a good vibe. Lots of emphasis on financing with them (even before a deal is close to final), and the service department is small and cramped. There are a couple of Hyundai dealers within a reasonable drive, and I bet they are much more customer friendly.

    I do appreciate everyone's help.

    @backy said:
    ...one option is to buy a CPO car with low miles and extended warranty.

    2015 Honda Accord EX, 2019 Honda HR-V EX
  • benjaminhbenjaminh Member Posts: 6,311

    Bean: A Hyundai Sonata should be very reliable, and offer very good performance and value. It has only one big drawback, as far as I know, which are large blind spots in the rear. You may not realize it, but you've been spoiled by your current Civic as far as visibility goes. The midsize car with the best visibility is the Accord, with the Mazda6 and Camry next, and the others fairly far down the list after that. The Optima, otherwise an excellent car, doesn't have good rear visibility because of the thick rear roof pillars. Ben

    2018 Acura TLX 2.4 Tech 4WS (mine), 2018 Honda CR-V EX AWD (wife's)
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949

    The greenhouses of the Accord and Legacy are pretty similar IMO. The Camry has a pretty thick C pillar, and the Mazda6 isn't much different from the Sonata in rear visibility. Besides the Accord and Legacy, the Passat has a pretty tall greenhouse with a thin C pillar.

  • johnvantinejohnvantine Member Posts: 5

    I've had a 2006 Dodge Stratus since I graduated college. It's nothing special, but it has treated me well and I've always been happy with it. I recently became aware of some expensive repairs that will need to be made (possibly costing over $1000) and I'm wondering if it makes sense to start looking into getting a new car rather than sinking more money into this one, as it has over 100k miles on it.

    I don't have a budget yet, as I really haven't done much research, but I am totally open to buying a used older model sedan. I want something practical, reliable, and relatively fuel efficient. What kind of budget should I be looking at here?

  • suydamsuydam Member Posts: 4,676

    @johnvantine said:
    I've had a 2006 Dodge Stratus since I graduated college. It's nothing special, but it has treated me well and I've always been happy with it. I recently became aware of some expensive repairs that will need to be made (possibly costing over $1000) and I'm wondering if it makes sense to start looking into getting a new car rather than sinking more money into this one, as it has over 100k miles on it.

    I don't have a budget yet, as I really haven't done much research, but I am totally open to buying a used older model sedan. I want something practical, reliable, and relatively fuel efficient. What kind of budget should I be looking at here?

    We need to know some parameters. Budget, size (compact, sedan, hatch?), preferences if any as to make (Chrysler, Toyota, Hyundai?).

    '14 Buick Encore Convenience
    '17 Chevy Volt Premiere
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,146

    @thebean said:
    One of the reasons I really don't want to buy a Kia Optima is that my local Kia dealer (who I visited with a friend who test drove a Soul) doesn't give off a good vibe. Lots of emphasis on financing with them (even before a deal is close to final), and the service department is small and cramped.

    Good call. What we've seen across most brand is that, if you have a good dealership, with a good service department, you are probably OK. However, if the dealership isn't giving off a good vibe, and you have an issue that should be covered under warranty, you're not going to get the support you'd like on making a claim under warranty instead of out-of-pocket. A good dealership will look at the history, other complaints, etc., and back you up. If the dealership isn't making you feel like a valued customer before you've even purchased, there are many options.

    MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR
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  • benjaminhbenjaminh Member Posts: 6,311
    edited January 2014

    @johnvantine said:
    I've had a 2006 Dodge Stratus since I graduated college. It's nothing special, but it has treated me well and I've always been happy with it. I recently became aware of some expensive repairs that will need to be made (possibly costing over $1000) and I'm wondering if it makes sense to start looking into getting a new car rather than sinking more money into this one, as it has over 100k miles on it.

    I don't have a budget yet, as I really haven't done much research, but I am totally open to buying a used older model sedan. I want something practical, reliable, and relatively fuel efficient. What kind of budget should I be looking at here?

    My guess is that it takes about $5000 to get an OK used midsize car these days. And even at that budget, you'll have to make compromises. Cars at that price might not be any better than your Stratus.

    But maybe a low mile Buick Century or similar from a decade ago might work. Or a maybe a Pontiac G6 sedan. Maybe an older Ford Fusion would work.

    You're probably not going to like my recommend, but maybe see if you can skip used and go all the way to new. You might be happier in the long run. An old used car you buy now will likely need major repairs or even replacement in a few years. If you go new, knock on wood, you're probably set for about ten years.

    And new cars are significantly safer, more fuel efficient, and just better in every way than old used cars.

    For instance, a 2013 Honda Fit with Auto trans can be had for c. $16,000, with 0.9% financing available for 5 years.

    The epa says the Fit should save you about $600 in gas each year over a 2006 Stratus, which obviously adds up to c. $6000 over a decade.

    Just a thought.

    2018 Acura TLX 2.4 Tech 4WS (mine), 2018 Honda CR-V EX AWD (wife's)
  • benjaminhbenjaminh Member Posts: 6,311
    edited January 2014

    I just earned an "Ancient Membership Badge"! No kidding. Now doesn't that make me feel old. It says: "Ancient Membership. Nobody remembers a time when this person wasn’t a member here.benjaminhYou earned this badge 6:10PM39 people have earned this badge."

    Well, hello to my 39 ancient brothers and sisters....lol.

    Anyway, with all my annoying age (49, actually) and wisdom, I'm going to try to make the case yet again for why a new car can sometimes be even cheaper than used in the long run.

    johnvantine, as we know, is looking for a car. Say he buys a low mile (c. 80k) 2004 Buick Century owned by a little old lady from Pasadena. Just say that he buys it for $5000, and then drives it for 5 years with maintenance and repair costs of about $1000 a year for 5 years. At the end of that, at c. 140k (assuming it lives that long), the car is dying and he has to get another one.

    Take inflation out of the equation, and say that in 5 years John is able to get another low mile beater for $5k, with another 5 years of life and $5k in maintenance and repairs.

    Over ten years, in this scenario, he's spent. c. $20k on buying and repairing and maintaining his used cars.

    What if instead he walked into his local Mazda dealer and got a brand-new 2014 Mazda3 sedan with an auto trans for what CarsDirect says it can be had for: c. $17,500. He finances it with Mazda for 1.9% over 5 years, and so interest costs are minimal, and in fact probably less than inflation.

    Good new cars these days, like Mazdas, require very little in maintenance and repair in their first 10 years if they are well cared for. For instance, back in 2002 I bought a new Accord LX, which I kept for 8 years and drove about 95,000 miles. That whole time I had no repairs whatsoever. Maintenance mainly consisted of lots of oil changes (at c. $35 a pop at the dealer), one set of tires (nicer than the original tires, they were something like $900 with a puncture warranty), and one set of brake pads (a couple of hundred iirc).

    In other words, and some may dispute me on this, there's a chance someone could take a new car today, drive it ten years at c. 10,000 miles a year and have maintenance costs of c. $2500. Perhaps that's optimistic, but I'm not sure. I've now owned my 2008 Accord for more than 6 years, and the story has been exactly the same so far--lots of oil changes, one set of tires for c. $1000, and a set of brake pads that actually Honda gave us under warranty because the originals squeaked a little.

    Anyway, for now I'm going to stick with my story that the new route also leads to spending about $20,000 over ten years for purchase and maintenance.

    So it seems like a tie, right? Wrong.

    A 2004 Buick Century gets an epa rated 21 mpg combined and has an estimated annual fuel cost of c. $2400

    A 2014 Mazda3 gets an epa rated 34 mpg combined and has an estimated annual fuel costs of c. $1450.

    In other words, you save about $950 a year in gas with the Mazda3. Over ten years, obviously, that's more than 9000 bucks.

    But hold on, there's more: resale. In 5 years, as the 2004 Century dies, you'll be lucky if it has resale of c. $1000, and let's just say that when the next beater dies in 10 years it's the same. So total resale value with the used route might be c. $2000.

    A ten year old Mazda3, however, which is well maintained and cared for, is likely to have pretty good resale value even in the year 2024. Just for comparison, the Edmunds used vehicle estimator says that a 2004 Civic EX in Clean condition with 100k miles is today worth about $5000 in a private party sale. The 2014 Mazda3 is a larger, safer, more powerful, and really much more impressive car than the Civics of old, and it might be worth as much as 7 or 8 thousand in 10 years.

    Anyway, that's what this Ancient member wants to do to waste time tonight and avoid work: tilt at windmills trying to prove again that new cars can sometimes be cheaper than used in the long run.

    Total savings going for a new car and using these numbers is, I think, c. $14,000....

    2018 Acura TLX 2.4 Tech 4WS (mine), 2018 Honda CR-V EX AWD (wife's)
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