|
Ugh. I hate these questions where "my wife irrationally hates [car]" is the primary deciding factor. You ever think maybe your wife is just Wrong About Cars and you just need to explain this to her?  Also, a "spacious back seat" is important and yet all these cars you are looking at are basically smaller than a Corolla? You have some strange standard for what a spacious back seat should be. Anyway a Buick Regal would fit the bill, supposing you think that the back seat on an A3 counts as spacious, now that they offer AWD on the 2014. A Lacrosse would too, it's very luxurious with a lot of gadgets but at the upper end of what you want to spend esp. with AWD. The Volvo S60 is quite nice but again at the top of your budget if you want AWD. The Accord Crosstour can be had with AWD but boy it's pretty funny looking. Both the Ford Fusion and the Taurus are availible with AWD too, out of the two I kind of like the Taurus but its fuel economy with the V6 is a little worse than what you want. Throatwarbler fucked around with this message at 14:14 on Dec 29, 2013 |
#
?
Dec 29, 2013 14:11
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 19, 2024 16:35 |
|
|
There is no world where spacious and new audi a3 should go together. The new sedan makes the old hatch look cavernous.
|
|
#
?
Dec 29, 2013 20:45
|
|
|
itskage posted:Proposed Budget: $35,000 upper limit Maybe look at the Infiniti G25. I'd suggest the G37, but the MPG aren't quite up to your standards. Edit: Actually I think they discontinued it because people were still buying the G37, so you may have to look at used ones. They also have the new Q50 which might be at your top end, but it gets 30 highway. rockcity fucked around with this message at 21:30 on Dec 29, 2013 |
|
#
?
Dec 29, 2013 21:25
|
|
|
I know you want new right now, but maybe consider a Certified Pre-Owned used luxury car. The extended warranty is great and you'll be able to get a larger car. I don't think you can afford a spacious luxury car with gadgets and gizmos for $35,000 these days, unless you're willing to buy an option-loaded large sedan from a company with a less prestige name.
|
|
#
?
Dec 29, 2013 21:47
|
|
|
Throatwarbler posted:Ugh. I hate these questions where "my wife irrationally hates [car]" is the primary deciding factor. You ever think maybe your wife is just Wrong About Cars and you just need to explain this to her? To be fair, she knows enough to shoot down a Chrysler 300.
|
|
#
?
Dec 29, 2013 23:16
|
|
|
So 2 weeks ago, my '99 Plymouth Breeze finally shat the bed. The power steering, water pump, and timing belt all decided to go, and the quoted cost for repair was $700 on a car that I paid $6000 for and put $600 into over the previous year. RIP, you old poo poo bucket. Since then, I've narrowed down my choices to either a 2010 Toyota Corolla, or a 2010 Honda Civic. I love the way the Civic looks, and it has better gas mileage, but I feel like the Corolla has better handling and acceleration, despite its somewhat dated appearance. Between the two, which car is generally more reliable/has a lower cost of ownership? Is there anything that either car is known for breaking on a regular basis? Which car would you pick, if given the option?
|
|
#
?
Dec 29, 2013 23:30
|
|
|
General question/whine for super cheap subcompacts car hunting. Is there a reason why almost no asks for a price even relatively close to KBB/Edmunds? It's insane how many cars I've seen that have major mechanical issues where the owner asks for above retail price. Or is Texas just full of special, unique snowflakes?
|
|
#
?
Dec 29, 2013 23:31
|
|
|
neogeo0823 posted:So 2 weeks ago, my '99 Plymouth Breeze finally shat the bed. The power steering, water pump, and timing belt all decided to go, and the quoted cost for repair was $700 on a car that I paid $6000 for and put $600 into over the previous year. RIP, you old poo poo bucket. Reliability between the two is going to be so close it basically comes down to luck. Both are very likely to run for years with nothing more than basic maintenance. I'd go for the Civic, on the basis of looks and handling, I'm not a fan of how newer Corollas look. But that's up to you.' Ultimately it's hard to go wrong with either, just remember to get an inspection!
|
|
#
?
Dec 30, 2013 00:41
|
|
|
Proposed Budget: Sub 15k New or Used: either Body Style: (e.g. 2 door? 4 door? Compact/Midsize/Fullsize Sedan? Truck? SUV?)4 door sedan or hatchback How will you be using the car?: (Do you tow things? Haul more than 5 people on a regular basis? Have a super long commute? How are you going to use this vehicle? Do you prefer a luxury vehicle with all the gizmos?) 30 min commute, just me and my dog. What aspects are most important to you? (e.g. reliability, cost of ownership/maintenance, import/domestic, MPG, size, style) Reliability, MPG I was looking at the 2014 Nissan Versa Sedan because of price and the MPG is nice too. The reviews are pretty mixed, most knocking the lack of options and style in the cabin. Some say the safety ratings are poor, but my internet research hasn't found anything solid regarding safety. I need a different car because my 97 Mitsu Galant is showing signs of transmission problems among other things and I'm pretty sick of pouring money into it at this point because it's just become this horrible unreliable mess. Am I gonna regret this purchase if I go with the Versa? I also looked at the 2014 Chevy Spark, but was concerned about the reviews saying it feels like a feather when on the highway and the cabin noise is loud. Ford Fiesta and Kia Rio also seemed promising, but they're out of my price range (barely). I'm a poor nursing student right now.
|
|
#
?
Dec 30, 2013 00:51
|
|
|
Lava Lamp posted:Proposed Budget: Sub 15k You say you're looking new or used but only mentioned new cars, are you really looking used? Because there are hoards of used Civic, Corollas, Sentra, Foci, Fits and etc that fit your criteria. If reliability is and cost of ownership is important, consider certified used. Near me (I live in Oregon) there are numerous Certified Used Corollas, Civics and Focus for $12-$15k. These generally have a 7 year/100,000 mile powertrain warranty (from original purchase date). Also, I recommend buying something in the mid-size class (Corolla, Civic, Focus) rather than compact (Fiesta, Fit, Versa). Compact cars have only marginally better gas mileage, aren't much cheaper to buy used, and are less enjoyable to live with. I'd only recommend compact if you're specifically into very small cars.
|
|
#
?
Dec 30, 2013 01:30
|
|
|
The US is not a good market to be looking at the cheapest, bottom of the barrel poo poo cars, because you can get a much nicer used car for less than what it would cost the car makers to build those poo poo cars. For $15k you can have your pick of 1 or 2 year old Ford Focuses, Hyundai Elantras and Chevy Cruzes all day.
|
|
#
?
Dec 30, 2013 01:37
|
|
|
Motronic posted:To be fair, she knows enough to shoot down a Chrysler 300. With all due respect the new 300 is a great car for a family. You can get an AWD 300, its very reliable(I have one), the 2011+ models get 31MPG in the highway and like 25 city, my brother can sit behind me and he is 6'4" and I am 6'5". I have the 2011 300 with the 5 speed and it 'only' gets 28mpg highway which is great for such a heavy car. For 35k you can get a fully loaded limited model. I got the limited with the luxury package for $28.5k so I know you can load it up for a bit more. We recently went on a 2k mile trip with 4 adults and a child...
|
|
#
?
Dec 30, 2013 04:23
|
|
|
Thanks for all of the advice. I think we'll add those Buicks the the list of what we'll look at. I should clarify that by spacious back seat I mean "something that isn't the 06 WRX back seat", so even the Civic's back seat is fairly acceptable in this case. I just need something that 4 adults can take a road trip in without too much whining like I get when I shove them in the back of my car. In regards to the A3, I have no idea how big the back seat in that thing is, I just saw it as a potential option so I was asking about it. Is it smaller than the 07 Civic's? What I don't get about the A4 right now is that the main site says starting at $33,800 (http://www.audiusa.com/models) but then when I was at the dealer, and on the dealer page, there is nothing listed under $39,000 (http://www.audiusa.com/dealers-webapp/inventory/model/allModels/zip/17055). That's a pretty big gap. Is that normal for these? I think I will email them about it tomorrow. If I saw them that high on the main site, I would have never gone to the dealer to look at them in the first place. Throatwarbler posted:Ugh. I hate these questions where "my wife irrationally hates [car]" is the primary deciding factor. I get it. It mainly just comes down to styling and nobody wants to spend thousands of dollars and commit it years of payments to something they don't like to look at. Even if it does check a lot of boxes. Faceless Clock posted:I know you want new right now, but maybe consider a Certified Pre-Owned used luxury car. The extended warranty is great and you'll be able to get a larger car. I don't think you can afford a spacious luxury car with gadgets and gizmos for $35,000 these days, unless you're willing to buy an option-loaded large sedan from a company with a less prestige name. New is my priority but I'm open to used if I see a good deal. Neither of us have a lot of exposure to cars above 20-25k, so we are just exploring what's available. If we settle on a specific make and model, then I will see what's out there used and weigh the price of new vs used before we purchase. And yeah loading up the Legacy with options puts it less than the the luxury brands' anchor cars while still offering some more features that wouldn't be available with their base trims, which is why we're learning towards that the most right now.
|
|
#
?
Dec 30, 2013 06:39
|
|
|
itskage posted:What I don't get about the A4 right now is that the main site says starting at $33,800 (http://www.audiusa.com/models) but then when I was at the dealer, and on the dealer page, there is nothing listed under $39,000 (http://www.audiusa.com/dealers-webapp/inventory/model/allModels/zip/17055). That's a pretty big gap. Is that normal for these? I think I will email them about it tomorrow. If I saw them that high on the main site, I would have never gone to the dealer to look at them in the first place. The 'starting at' price is just the base bare bones price for the car, rarely are they shipped from the factory with no options at all. Most cars are equipped with common packages that drives the price up. Much like the Mercedes CLA that 'starts' at 29,900 it's mostly marketing fluff. Sure if you want a CLA with NO options you can order one, but you probably won't find one sitting on the lot. I would venture you would be hard pressed to find a CLA under 35K MSRP to be honest. Most are going to have the Sport package and probably the Moonroof package installed. A guy I know has a wife that works at a MB dealer and they're selling the CLA's for full sticker as fast as they get them on the lot.
|
|
#
?
Dec 30, 2013 17:34
|
|
|
Proposed Budget: ~$17k, not a hard number it's more based on how I want to treat the car vs. what I can spend, should have all financing options available too. New or Used: Leaning toward new, but starting to rethink that idea Body Style: The 2 cars I have driven for prolonged periods are a '92 mustang and '99 Taurus and would like something in between, this seems like an under-served niche. How will you be using the car?: I don't know. Currently doing time in contractor hell, so right now most of my time is spent in horrible Austin traffic, but last year had mostly driving jobs where I drove all over Texas living out of the car and hotels and rarely dropping below 70mph, I think it ended up being 13,000 miles in a 4 month period. What aspects are most important to you? Value(cost of ownership), MPG but would like some sportiness. I like the geekiness but rarely get along with built in versions and am used to being able to do things people don't think cars can do. My shortlist so far: Ford Focus: Had by far the best cab experience, small rear window was annoying and missed ways to beat utility into it, also on the top end of what I want to spend. Dodge Dart: Drove better then expected, tried the nerdy version and a sports package not a fan of touchscreens in cars especially with no GPS while the touring package was nice I could see it getting tiring on hour 3 of long drives. Honda Civic: Would like to do a revisit since the salesman went on too much about the green button, but drove nice and had a lot of utility. Nissan Sentra: On the big side but enjoyed the drive but have to think there's a reason I've never seen it suggested here. The Versa however, was just so weak, don't think I would want to drive it anywhere with hills. Other thoughts: The Jetta I drove had an extremely annoying lag time between gas and acceleration, don't think I could used to it. I just plain couldn't sit comfortably in the Corolla and Camry is more car then I want. The Mazdas drove way too much like the Taurus to spend lots of money on. Didn't see any Chevy or Volvo cars that fit the MPG/value I want.
|
|
#
?
Dec 31, 2013 00:24
|
|
|
keeper posted:Proposed Budget: ~$17k, not a hard number it's more based on how I want to treat the car vs. what I can spend, should have all financing options available too. Well the default choice for people who want a sporty econo car has always been the Mazda 3, but you think it drives like a Taurus (which seems odd...) so the Focus is probably your best bet. Although it's worth mentioning you could get a used 2011-2012 Mustang V6 for 17k.
|
|
#
?
Dec 31, 2013 02:07
|
|
|
Proposed Budget: No more than $30,000, I'd prefer something closer to $20,000. New or Used: I was looking at getting something lightly used (<30k miles), but I've looked at new cars that are within my budget. Body Style: 4 door compact How will you be using the car? 25 mile daily commute (one-way), occasional interstate trips, city driving. What aspects are most important to you? The thing I usually notice first when driving a car is its visibility, because I'm super paranoid and don't trust my side mirrors at all. My previous car was a base 2000 Toyota Echo, and my current is a base 2003 Chevy Cavalier, both of which have large rear windows and small structural elements obscuring rear view. I feel like this might just be something I have to get over, however. I really liked my Echo because of its small size and sturdiness. I've been drawn to the new compact Prius, the Prius C. It doesn't handle like the Echo at all (which I expected), but I was shocked at how small the turning radius was, and the projected gas mileage is better than anything I've ever driven by a huge margin, even running entirely on gasoline. I'm also not one to require bells and whistles (I'm still rolling my windows down manually in my cloth seats), but I've lived my whole life with the bare minimum, and the top trim level of the Prius C is only around $25k new, so I'd definitely consider it at that price. Any other cars I should look at? I don't think anything will touch the Prius C on gas mileage (100% electrical vehicles are not an option for me), but I'm not stuck on a hybrid, it's just the only car I've test driven so far.
|
|
#
?
Dec 31, 2013 03:47
|
|
|
keeper posted:Proposed Budget: ~$17k, not a hard number it's more based on how I want to treat the car vs. what I can spend, should have all financing options available too. You didn't specifically mention driving the Mazda 3, but I am going to assume that is what you drove? I'd be really hard pressed not to buy a Mazda 3 hatchback at that price, and they come with quite a nice array of gadgets.
|
|
#
?
Dec 31, 2013 04:34
|
|
|
keeper posted:The Mazdas drove way too much like the Taurus to spend lots of money on. Unless it was an older Mazda 6, you must be driving a hell of a Taurus. Oaks posted:Proposed Budget: No more than $30,000, I'd prefer something closer to $20,000. If you're purchasing time frame is far, Mazdas probably going to be releasing some diesels mid-year which might get close (as the gassers they make are already pretty good, but by no means Prius level). nm fucked around with this message at 05:54 on Dec 31, 2013 |
|
#
?
Dec 31, 2013 05:50
|
|
|
Forgive me if this has already been answered - what's a good way of determining a good upper budget number? I'll give my situation: Currently have assets of $30,000 immediate liquidity (savings), $10,000 of which I'd like to keep as a rainy-day fund, as well as another $15,000 in liquid investments (stock accounts and whatnot that I don't really plan on touching excepting emergency). I put away about $1,000 per month after all costs (rent / food / insurance & gas) and planned savings (401k) although I expect my costs to increase by $500-750 in June. By my math, that means I have up to $20,000 as down payment and some available amount as a monthly payment, although I'm far more concerned with total cost of ownership than the payment structure. I've been looking at getting a used Mercedes GLK350 or Audi Q5 - there are some $25k - $30k 2010 / 2009 models available within the closest 200 miles. I currently drive a 1999 Honda CRV which has been reliable and easy on maintenance. I suppose I'm caught in wondering a few things: (1) Can I really justify the cost of purchasing a used luxury SUV considering my functional Honda CRV? (2) Assuming the answer is yes to the above, what's a reasonable budget number? (3) How much should I plan to pay as down payment? (Obviously contingent on financing)
|
|
#
?
Dec 31, 2013 05:55
|
|
|
nm posted:I'm not sure what this means. Mazda is basically the brand for fun, cheap, and fairly reliable with decent (or great for skyactiv) fuel economy. The Mazda diesel is going to be the best kind of Mazda engine - a sequential twin turbo, except it will be more complex than the RX-7 because in this case the turbos are also compound boost(one turbo blowing into the other). I don't think they've announced pricing on it yet but since you can be sure that it will only be available at the upper-level trim I strongly suspect it will not be cheap. Also the BMW diesels that use this same setup are reliability nightmares because the various electronic valves and what not get stuck open/shut when they're not supposed to and boost goes everywhere. Ruggan posted:
What is it about these vehicles that attracts you? To me they are the epitome of trying too hard. They're not particularly fast or sporty, will be much less reliable and costly to service, and no one is going to think you are some high roller because you drive a GLK.
|
|
#
?
Dec 31, 2013 06:10
|
|
|
Throatwarbler posted:The Mazda diesel is going to be the best kind of Mazda engine - a sequential twin turbo, except it will be more complex than the RX-7 because in this case the turbos are also compound boost(one turbo blowing into the other). I don't think they've announced pricing on it yet but since you can be sure that it will only be available at the upper-level trim I strongly suspect it will not be cheap. Also the BMW diesels that use this same setup are reliability nightmares because the various electronic valves and what not get stuck open/shut when they're not supposed to and boost goes everywhere. Where can I read more about these new Mazda diesels and which cars will they be offered in?
|
|
#
?
Dec 31, 2013 06:12
|
|
|
Rhyno posted:Where can I read more about these new Mazda diesels and which cars will they be offered in? Try mazda.com?
|
|
#
?
Dec 31, 2013 06:16
|
|
|
Proposed Budget: as of right now ~$3,000 New or Used: used Body Style: 4 door Sedan How will you be using the car?: Drive to work on weekends, snowboarding trips. Occasionally drive to/with friends during summer/winter. What aspects are most important to you? reliability, cost of ownership/maintenance, 25+ combined MPG. I'm 20. This is the first car I will ever buy. If it can last me a solid 5-6 years without making me pay out the rear end to maintain it that'd be great. That's also why my budget is only $3k - I know I'll still need to pay for insurance. I'm willing to go higher but I really don't want to. Cars I've seen recommended are 2000 and 2005 Honda Civic, a Honda Accord, 00-03 Camry, a Corolla, 91-96 Acura Integra, Toyota Celica, and Ford Taurus. I checked autotrader.com and it seems like to get anything good I would need $6k. Thoughts? Faded Sloth fucked around with this message at 06:31 on Dec 31, 2013 |
|
#
?
Dec 31, 2013 06:17
|
|
|
Throatwarbler posted:What is it about these vehicles that attracts you? To me they are the epitome of trying too hard. They're not particularly fast or sporty, will be much less reliable and costly to service, and no one is going to think you are some high roller because you drive a GLK. I'd tend to agree, though I think the Q5 is definitely a very nice looking SUV. I've never liked the GLK as far as looks go. For my money, if I wanted a entry level luxury SUV, I'd look at the Infiniti FX37. It's going to be considerably more reliable than either of the other vehicles you're looking at and can be had for less money.
|
|
#
?
Dec 31, 2013 06:23
|
|
|
I've read most of that, I was hoping you were aware of something like a new Speed model using this tech.
|
|
#
?
Dec 31, 2013 06:28
|
|
|
So far it's out on the CX-5 and Mazda 6 in other markets. The Mazda 6 will be coming next April. Bringing the CX-5 would make a lot of sense too but no word on that last I checked. There are two variants, a 147hp and a 175 hp. The final US version should not need any DEF injection. http://www.autoblog.com/2013/09/13/mazda6-diesel-delayed-until-april/ By all accounts it's the best thing since sliced bread.  http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/21/2014-mazda6-skyactiv-d-wagon/
|
|
#
?
Dec 31, 2013 07:00
|
|
|
Throatwarbler posted:What is it about these vehicles that attracts you? To me they are the epitome of trying too hard. They're not particularly fast or sporty, will be much less reliable and costly to service, and no one is going to think you are some high roller because you drive a GLK. I guess it's just a combination of my perception of them as nice luxury SUVs and reviews I've read on that class of car. I'm not trying to come across as a try-hard, and honestly I see Mercedes and Audi as less flashy than BMW but still nice. That said, I'm still open to other suggestions - I'll look up the Infinity FX37, but first glance and it appears to be right in the same price range.
|
|
#
?
Dec 31, 2013 07:11
|
|
|
rockcity posted:I'd tend to agree, though I think the Q5 is definitely a very nice looking SUV. I've never liked the GLK as far as looks go. For my money, if I wanted a entry level luxury SUV, I'd look at the Infiniti FX37. It's going to be considerably more reliable than either of the other vehicles you're looking at and can be had for less money. poo poo, for $20-25k you can get a very nice 2012 Grand Cherokee that is objectively better than any of those in every category, including interior quality, will go pretty much anywhere in any weather, handle on-road like it was based on a Mercedes M-class platform, and without any of the pretentious baggage of a MB or Audi. For the first time in in your adult life you can be proud of your country.
|
|
#
?
Dec 31, 2013 07:15
|
|
|
nm posted:I'm not sure what this means. Mazda is basically the brand for fun, cheap, and fairly reliable with decent (or great for skyactiv) fuel economy. It was one of the first places I visited so having a hard time remembering specifics, but let slip $20k as a max  so he went straight to the $22k line, which I guess was the mazda6, did like a lot of parts about it but felt bigger then I wanted. Then he had me drive a little hatch which I didn't enjoy at all. But from this sounds like it would be worth a more educated 2nd visit.
|
|
#
?
Dec 31, 2013 11:41
|
|
|
So first up, disclaimer I am living in New Zealand Proposed Budget: something in the ballpark of $6000 New or Used: used Body Style: coupe ideally How will you be using the car?: joyrides and intercity trips What aspects are most important to you?: A fun drive So I've finally finished uni and have gotten my job and I have somewhat of a disposable income at this point. I currently drive a serviceable but unremarkable ten year old honda civic sedan right now and am looking to get something a little more exciting. I have some money saved up and I do have a disposable income to spend in my current financial state. I've been browsing and have seen a 96 celica GT four in pretty decent condition that have made it this many years without a ton of terrible modifications. I'm not afraid to spend a little money maintaining things in the future, and I don't need something utterly infallible, since I live walking distance to both shops and work. I'd love for it to be an car for me to start learning on working on as my own properly rather than a mysterious econobox for commuting, and maybe be an entry point into getting involved with motorsport events. I'd like to know if this is a good/terrible idea or if there are any angles I am missing here. Trambopaline fucked around with this message at 12:16 on Dec 31, 2013 |
|
#
?
Dec 31, 2013 12:00
|
|
|
Faded Sloth posted:Proposed Budget: as of right now ~$3,000 I'm not sure you can find something that will last that long without serious maintenance. Maybe like 3-4 years if you keep it up and get lucky.
|
|
#
?
Dec 31, 2013 12:44
|
|
|
rockcity posted:Maybe look at the Infiniti G25. I'd suggest the G37, but the MPG aren't quite up to your standards. The VQ37 engine, which is used in both the Q50 and the G37 is not economical on gas in the least. Quite the opposite. It is very average on the highway and absolutely abysmal in the city. I know because I drive one. That is the price you pay for driving 330 horsepower like you stole it, which the G/Q will bring out in anyone who is even vaguely interested in going fast. The G25 was not better with gas enough to justify how lovely the performance was. Infiniti totally missed the point with the 25, which is people buy G's for performance and reliability. The G25 was missing one of those. Saltin fucked around with this message at 15:10 on Dec 31, 2013 |
|
#
?
Dec 31, 2013 15:07
|
|
|
Faded Sloth posted:Proposed Budget: as of right now ~$3,000 You're going to need to do work on any car in that price range, but it's doable. I have a DOHC engine Ford Focus that I bought for 3k 3 years ago. I've spent about $1k/yr on it for maintenance, but that includes a motor swap (not the car's fault, engine got flooded due to user error) and minorish body work from when I hit a deer. That's doing my own work though. Parts for the Focus are super cheap (a 55k mile used engine cost me $333), the car is pretty reliable, and because they're domestic, they don't come with the import tax. I'd definitely add a Focus to the list, but those other cars you mention are fine too. Make sure you get a DOHC engine though. I'd highly recommend a manual, since at the age of car we're dealing with, transmission work is a real possibility and can be a pain. Having owned both, I'd personally recommend a hatchback, since it's your only car. You can stuff a bunch more stuff in the back of a hatch, but that's a matter of preference. Also, cheap cars = craigslist. Don't bother with autotrader at this range. Grumpwagon fucked around with this message at 15:34 on Dec 31, 2013 |
|
#
?
Dec 31, 2013 15:32
|
|
|
Throatwarbler posted:poo poo, for $20-25k you can get a very nice 2012 Grand Cherokee that is objectively better than any of those in every category, including interior quality, will go pretty much anywhere in any weather, handle on-road like it was based on a Mercedes M-class platform, and without any of the pretentious baggage of a MB or Audi. For the first time in in your adult life you can be proud of your country. Is he Italian?
|
|
#
?
Dec 31, 2013 16:03
|
|
|
I'm being a gigantic baby right now and can't decide between ram, cherokee or outback. All would be about the same price.
|
|
#
?
Dec 31, 2013 19:00
|
|
|
Ruggan posted:I guess it's just a combination of my perception of them as nice luxury SUVs and reviews I've read on that class of car. I'm not trying to come across as a try-hard, and honestly I see Mercedes and Audi as less flashy than BMW but still nice. That said, I'm still open to other suggestions - I'll look up the Infinity FX37, but first glance and it appears to be right in the same price range. I too am going to point you in the direction of some domestic models. Honestly I don't particularly care for many of the luxury imports at the lower price ranges. I will say the Q5 is a sharp looking car, but I personally would never own an out of warranty Audi. Audi's to me are for leasing, not buying. The GLK is for someone that just has to have a 3 pointed star on their car. Some of the more recent domestics have been getting very good at interior cabin quality and they're easy to maintain as there's nothing terribly fancy about the drive train. Now if your primary goal is the status of driving an Audi or Benz, go ahead and buy one. If you're looking for a good value while meeting certain wants/needs, consider the following: Ford Edge / Lincoln MKX - The Edge in Limited or even Sport trim has a ton of feature, rides pretty well and is easy on the maintenance. Ford's Limited trim isn't going to beat out a German cockpit for fit/finish quality but I think you would find them very nice especially comparing pricing. At least go take one for a spin. Cadillac SRX - 2010+ are supposedly pretty nice. You can also consider an uplevel trim of the Equinox or Terrain. They're built on similar platforms. Volvo XC60 - Not everyone's cup of tea, but worth checking out if you like shopping around. \ Acura RDX - I've heard good things about these, I've always wanted to drive the turbo model. In the 5 passenger CUV/SUV segment though I usually recommend the Ford Edge/Lincoln MKX to folks. Mr. Crow posted:I'm being a gigantic baby right now and can't decide between ram, cherokee or outback. All would be about the same price. These are 3 totally different vehicles. What are you having trouble deciding about? I would lean Cherokee personally. Do you need a Truck? If No - disqualify the RAM. skipdogg fucked around with this message at 19:31 on Dec 31, 2013 |
|
#
?
Dec 31, 2013 19:29
|
|
|
Grumpwagon posted:You're going to need to do work on any car in that price range, but it's doable. I have a DOHC engine Ford Focus that I bought for 3k 3 years ago. I've spent about $1k/yr on it for maintenance, but that includes a motor swap (not the car's fault, engine got flooded due to user error) and minorish body work from when I hit a deer. That's doing my own work though. Parts for the Focus are super cheap (a 55k mile used engine cost me $333), the car is pretty reliable, and because they're domestic, they don't come with the import tax. I'd definitely add a Focus to the list, but those other cars you mention are fine too. I second the Focus recommendation. They're economical, cheap to keep running, reasonably reliable and actually not bad to drive. I'd also give the Sentra a look, it's usually a bit cheaper than a Corolla and not that hard to find. You can find a Honda or Toyota on your budget, but it's going to take some looking.
|
|
#
?
Dec 31, 2013 20:06
|
|
|
Mr. Crow posted:I'm being a gigantic baby right now and can't decide between ram, cherokee or outback. All would be about the same price. Those are so different that it's basically impossible to say which is better unless we can get a better idea of what you like from each one.
|
|
#
?
Dec 31, 2013 21:52
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 19, 2024 16:35 |
|
|
Ruggan posted:(3) How much should I plan to pay as down payment? (Obviously contingent on financing) I didn't see anyone respond to this so I'll take a stab at it. I think you should down as little as necessary to obtain the payment you feel comfortable with. Considering your savings, I'm going to assume you have excellent credit, which means a 2%-2.5% APR loan should be possible. At such low rates I don't think laying down a bunch of money makes much sense. You'd be better off investing it if it's burning a hole in your pocket.
|
|
#
?
Dec 31, 2013 22:10
|
|