New car suggestions?

[GilaMinumBeer]

FYI most Fords are not really American cars these days. The parts come from all over the world and they are assembled in Mexico. At least my new Hyundai is assembled here in the US.

Yup. Same goes for Chevies too. My neighbors Cobalt, IIRC, is built on the same identical chassis as my wifes Volvo.

 

[motobrewer]

Depends on the car. When we bought my wife's Civic (2005), it was about $13k to buy an '02, and about $16k to buy a brand-new 2005 (equipped virtually the same).

d*mn. in 2006 i bought a '03 mitsu galant for the wife for $7k. crashed my e36, wife got a newer suv and now i'm driving it. still runs fine.

 

[Misfit]

Just worked on a 2011 KIA optima se t gdi and wow KIA produced a really great car. Dunno how much they are though

 

[TheMan]

I mean, it always depends. I've always driven smallish, reliable Japanese cars, a couple Mazdas, my wife had a Corolla, we've got the Honda, so that's kind of my frame of reference. If I'm looking at those manufacturers and spending ~$9,000 on a used car today, I'm looking at things like '03 Civics, saw an '04 Nissan Sentra listed, an '03 Camry. These are good cars that still have some life to them, but still... those are cars with seven or eight years and 80k or 90k miles on them. Even the reliable ones start needing things like brake jobs and new clutches and new exhausts systems at some point.

I figure, with the Civic, I've had it since it was brand-new. We'll probably end up owning it for ten years, I don't see us trading it in until the_Wife is screaming and crying to get a minivan.

If instead of the new Civic, I'd bought an $8k or $9k car back in 2005, I'd probably have driven it into the ground by now and I'd be be buying ANOTHER $8k or $9k car. So, I figure I spent $16k on a car that I'll end up driving for 10 years. instead of spending $8k or $9k *twice over that same period (and having twice as many maintenance issues).

But, it all depends on the particulars of what you're looking at. I'm also perfectly happy driving the same car for ten years, which I know not everyone wants to do (despite my love of Top Gear, I'm not really that much of a car guy).

And, I know the quality of some of the American cars has gone up recently, so maybe you can get a decent Ford that's a little newer for than same $8k or $9k.

I think you're correct on the particular's. I fully expect every car I own to hit 200k. Regardless of it's "region". Growing up, my father and grandfather always had American cars, Mustangs, Trans Am's, Buicks, Safari Vans, etc. Every one of them hit 200k. I think they are a bit cheaper in the used market than the "Foreign" cars due to their supposed lack of durability.

 

[JonK331]

Just worked on a 2011 KIA optima se t gdi and wow KIA produced a really great car. Dunno how much they are though

Pretty much the same exact car as the Sonata.

 

[clamflats]

my last subaru did over 300K

 

[jonmohno]

Subura legacy 200,000+ still a runner.95.Screw car payments. Used cars are currently gaining value.People arnt playing the buy this ditch this game so much.Which is a fools market.Never was that guy.

 

[Hang Glider]

I think you're correct on the particular's. I fully expect every car I own to hit 200k. Regardless of it's "region". Growing up, my father and grandfather always had American cars, Mustangs, Trans Am's, Buicks, Safari Vans, etc. Every one of them hit 200k. I think they are a bit cheaper in the used market than the "Foreign" cars due to their supposed lack of durability.

Dodge (yes Dodge!) Stratus, 97 - 250K miles before I gave it to a niece. It's still running. It comes down to taking care of the vehicle. Regular oil changes (Mobil One), air filters, tires, brakes. And anything that is breaking - fix it! Don't ride around and let it cause worse damage. Expect external parts to wear. Starters, alternators, water pumps - they may go, but they're replaceable and cost less than another car payment or two.

All that said - I used Consumer Reports for the next purchase. Wanted an SUV with reasonable MPG. Even though it's got a 'plain-jane' look, it has served me well...Toyota Highlander. First oil change? Mobil One.

 

[chask31]

I love my Subaru!

 

[wildwest450]

Mobil One.

All I ever put in my truck, 315,000 miles and it doesn't burn a drop, and runs like a raped ape.


_

 

[KC10Chief]

Here's what I would do if I were you. Instead of buying a new car, you will need three things. A new radiator ($150), new head unit with FM radio, CD player, USB port, etc ($90-200), and some man skills. If you don't have man skills, find a friend that does and that can show you how to replace that radiator. It's very easy. So is installing a new radio. Any vehicle will run forever as long as you take care of it.

I have a 1996 Chevy S-10 that I've had for about a decade now. It currently has 240,000 miles on it and runs like a champ. I paid $1,200 for it when I bought it. If something wears out on it or breaks, I fix it. I don't let things go. Everything still works on my truck. It sure beats buying a new car and making payments. My wife has a car that we bought new. I wouldn't do it again. Also, I only use Mobil 1 oil in all of my vehicles. I recently drove my S-10 from Oklahoma City to Anchorage, AK. It was over 4,000 miles and the truck didn't miss a beat.

 

[KC10Chief]

You could also buy an old Chevy Astro van. They're pretty sweet. They make an all wheel drive version that would be great on the Ann Arbor roads in the winter. They seat 7 or 8 people, but you can remove the back seats for activities. You could even have yourself a mobile brewery!

 

[wildwest450]

Ha, Astro vans rule. Plus a V-6 that will last as long as any engine on the road.


_

 

[ReverseApacheMaster]

I am definitely a fan of buying used. I wouldn't buy a new car unless I planned on keeping it for a very, very long time.

For $25-30k you can find pretty much anything either new or used, depending on how old or how much mileage is on the vehicle. Lots of factors come in: how long do you plan on keeping it, how long do you expect to go between working on it, will the cost of repairs be an issue, how much is the insurance, what kind of car you want, will gas consumption be an issue, how high end, etc.

I would say if you are looking to get another sedan, a camry or accord would probably fit your needs. You could find used audi a6 or bmw 5 series in the same price range but that's more insurance and more on repairs. Camrys and Accords are generally well made and have low insurance. I have driven a camry in the past and I currently own an accord. I like both. I like the look of the new sonatas but I'm still skeptical about the quality of hyundai and kia. Even though they have been around for more than ten years I don't see a lot of older of either still on the road. I still see plenty of early 90s accords and camrys.

If you want something more sporty, the Camaro, Challenger or Charger would be good options but they are all going to be serious gas guzzlers. Probably fairly high insurance as well.

If you want to go high end, there are plenty of Lexus, Infiniti and Acura models floating around that are all good vehicles. Most of them seem to be gas guzzlers as well and no doubt are more expensive to repair and will have higher insurance.

 

[Hammy71]

Just bought a 2011 Chevy Cruze ECO. Went with the 6 speed manual. I get a boner every time I drive past the gas station now. Used to commute 50 miles each day back and forth to work in my truck that got around 15 miles a gallon. With the Cruze I'm averaging 36. Over 45 average if just on the interstate. It's the 'biggest' of the small cars. For under 20K, and made in Ohio, I couldn't resist.

 

[wildwest450]

Just bought a 2011 Chevy Cruze ECO. Went with the 6 speed manual. I get a boner every time I drive past the gas station now. Used to commute 50 miles each day back and forth to work in my truck that got around 15 miles a gallon. With the Cruze I'm averaging 36. Over 45 average if just on the interstate. It's the 'biggest' of the small cars. For under 20K, and made in Ohio, I couldn't resist.

I seriously looked at that car (not the eco), my wife really liked it. Very nice on the inside and super quiet for a small car, I was seriously impressed. But with 3500 cash back the Malibu was nearly the same price, so I grabbed it.

_

 

[motobrewer]

i will never buy a car that gets less than 30mpg ever again.