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Choosing a car? (1 Viewer)

one time

one time

Footballguy
How did you decide what car you were going to buy ie make and model?

I have always had hand me down cars, and am looking for the first time at buying/leasing a new car. I am leaning towards buying as I don't mind owning a car for 5-7 years.

I never realized how closely priced all similar cars are.

Ford Fusion, Toyota Camry, Hyundai Sonata, Chevrolet Malibu, Kia Optima, Honda Accord, & Nissan Altima are all priced aroud 22.5k MSRP base price. All look similar as far as looks and specs. Not sure how to narrow it down, but prefer to not go to 7 different places to test drive 7 different cars and get 7 different speeches.

:confused:  

 
Range Rover or Mercedes.   If you are race inspired then BMW.  Thank me later

Eta: I get 10 mpg in both so I hope gas is cheap where you live.  

 
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You need to decide what is important.  Reliability, gas mileage, performance, styling, and price.  Depending on your priorities, the answer will be different. 

 
one time said:
How did you decide what car you were going to buy ie make and model?

I have always had hand me down cars, and am looking for the first time at buying/leasing a new car. I am leaning towards buying as I don't mind owning a car for 5-7 years.

I never realized how closely priced all similar cars are.

Ford Fusion, Toyota Camry, Hyundai Sonata, Chevrolet Malibu, Kia Optima, Honda Accord, & Nissan Altima are all priced aroud 22.5k MSRP base price. All look similar as far as looks and specs. Not sure how to narrow it down, but prefer to not go to 7 different places to test drive 7 different cars and get 7 different speeches.

:confused:  
Click to expand...
I glanced around at new vehicles a couple years ago and noticed this too. I've only bought one new vehicle in my life (a Toyota 16 years ago which has been a great experience). 

If I ever buy new again, it'll almost certainly be another Toyota. I'm sure other car makers make great cars too, but I can't see any reason not to get a Toyota with their track record and the comparable prices with others on so many models. 

I'm far from an expert on buying new vehicles though.

 
For my vehicle I'm going to keep buying used so it comes down to deciding the type I want then looking for deals and test driving. 

For my wife's?  She gets what she wants, thankfully what she wants is practical, reliable and functional for the family. 

But then we haven't bought a vehicle in 6 years for her, 9 for me.  I probably will be shopping in the next year or so.  

 
bananafish said:
Consumer Reports had never steered me wrong. Narrow it down to three and then drive those (and play them off each other). 
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:goodposting:

The CR iPhone app is fantastic. Tons of good articles on the car buying process, full rating report of every car they've testing, video reviews, buying guide, used car pricing, loan calculator, et al. Best $2.99 you'll spend this month. 

 
Read reviews online, not for the CAR, but for the DEALER.  If it comes down to a few cars that you like equally, keep in mind that sometimes you have to deal with service departments, etc.  Dealer interactions can play a bigger role than some realize.

I've found that the actual buying experience can vary so much depending on the dealer.  The last two  cars I've bought I was in-and-out of the dealership from first visit, to test drive, to agreement in less than 2 hours and got a great price on both.  For my wife's car, we started with the local place - they were the usual haggle, let me talk to the GM, wait...wait...wait...haggle some more place.  On a whim, I read reviews for another place online.  I e-mailed them what I wanted, and got a response lower than what the other place would agree to.  Took all of 15 minutes to ask and agree on price.  Similar thing with my last car - I just read reviews online and one smaller dealer about 20 minutes further away had great reviews.  Stopped in, got a great price, and had a great buying experience.  I think there really are "good" and "bad" dealers out there.  Let someone else be the guinea pig and read about their experiences.

 
Test driving cars has always made my decision easier when it comes time to buy a vehicle.  While many cars are similar, certain cars just fit me or my wife better.  A few times, my wife and I have test driven cars that we liked on paper but realized a few minutes into the test drive that the car was not for us.  Test drive the cars that interest you and you will know which car you want to purchase. 

 
DocHolliday said:
Test driving cars has always made my decision easier when it comes time to buy a vehicle.  While many cars are similar, certain cars just fit me or my wife better.  A few times, my wife and I have test driven cars that we liked on paper but realized a few minutes into the test drive that the car was not for us.  Test drive the cars that interest you and you will know which car you want to purchase. 
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If you can, find a place that rents the model you are looking to buy. Spend a weekend or a week driving the vehicle and THEN decide if its what you really want.

 
My suggestion is to do all negotiating online.  Find a model you like and test drive it. Tell dealership you are not interested and then deal with them online.  Do not set foot on the lot again until you have a deal to be signed and financing in place.  Tell them upfront anything you are not interested in and tell them if they try to get you to buy/add that on the deal is off.  If they try, walk away.  Never get in a position where they can attempt to keep you at the dealership.  Any breach/change of the agreed upon deal is an instant deal breaker. 

 
Determine the features you want. Push button start, built-in nav, keyless entry, etc >>>>> an extra few miles per gallon or a point or two on some reliability rating.

 
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one time said:
How did you decide what car you were going to buy ie make and model?

I have always had hand me down cars, and am looking for the first time at buying/leasing a new car. I am leaning towards buying as I don't mind owning a car for 5-7 years.

I never realized how closely priced all similar cars are.

Ford Fusion, Toyota Camry, Hyundai Sonata, Chevrolet Malibu, Kia Optima, Honda Accord, & Nissan Altima are all priced aroud 22.5k MSRP base price. All look similar as far as looks and specs. Not sure how to narrow it down, but prefer to not go to 7 different places to test drive 7 different cars and get 7 different speeches.
Click to expand...
@jon_mx was correct in saying it's all about your priorities. You need to decide the most important requirements and from there start narrowing it down. I was in your shoes last year and after deciding what was important I read of ton of reviews/rankings (Edmunds, TrueCar, Car & Driver) and documented my findings in a spreadsheet. I was looking for a full size sedan in the mid $20s so the ones you have listed above were all on my list. I narrowed it to the Honda Accord, Mazda 6 and Ford Fusion and test drove each and ended up with the Mazda 6 Touring.

 
I don't buy new, so I find my price range I'm comfortable in (usually around $15k give or take a couple grand) and then shop around (auto trader and other sites) for options in that price range. When buying a car to drive daily after 8 years in the jeep, I wanted something kinda plush with great acceleration and a good sound system.

Drove a couple different options and for the money, the hyundai genesis 4.6 simply destroyed other options in the same price class. One I narrowed to the model I increased the radius of my search to 300mi or so and got to work. I looked at about 4-5 cars before I found the one I bought, which was not only a cherry, but was $1500-2000 cheaper than anything else comparable.... two years later KBB retail price is finally approaching what I paid. 

 
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one time said:
How did you decide what car you were going to buy ie make and model?

I have always had hand me down cars, and am looking for the first time at buying/leasing a new car. I am leaning towards buying as I don't mind owning a car for 5-7 years.

I never realized how closely priced all similar cars are.

Ford Fusion, Toyota Camry, Hyundai Sonata, Chevrolet Malibu, Kia Optima, Honda Accord, & Nissan Altima are all priced aroud 22.5k MSRP base price. All look similar as far as looks and specs. Not sure how to narrow it down, but prefer to not go to 7 different places to test drive 7 different cars and get 7 different speeches.

:confused:  
Click to expand...
Check Consumer Reports. Check edmunds.com; they usually have solid ratings. And if that's the line cars you're looking at, don't overlook the Subaru Legacy. AWD standard, fun to drive with great gas mileage. 

 
I picked mine because I was commuting  far to work and wanted a car with great mileage.  I ended up with a Prius. 

 
Altima is too unreliable.

The rest are all good choices and worth looking into.

Avoid the silly Mercedes/BMW/Audi/Range Rover vehicles as they are ridiculously overpriced and expensive to maintain.

 
Mr. Mojo said:
Altima is too unreliable.

The rest are all good choices and worth looking into.

Avoid the silly Mercedes/BMW/Audi/Range Rover vehicles as they are ridiculously overpriced and expensive to maintain.
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For ####s and giggles, when I was checking out some SUVs at Carmax, I got in a Range Rover sport and I couldn't stand it. The seats were so uncomfortable. I'm not a small guy, but I was not impressed at all on the inside. No chance I'd ever get one, because I wouldn't enjoy driving it.

That said, to the OP, you have to test drive/check out as many cars as you can. I would suggest a Carmax if you have one close. My son and I went recently and all their cars are unlocked, so you can hop in and get the feel for any car you want. Before even test driving, I would suggest that. There were SUVs like the Range Rover (no chance I'd waste the $$$ on it either) and smaller SUVs that I just didn't like sitting in so instantly off the list. I like the interior of the Volvo, but those headrests felt like they pushed my head forward, so crossed that off as well. The one I liked the best was the Lexus RX, so I test drove that and really liked it. I've got my target and know my current one isn't getting any better so I am looking for the right one/price now.

 
Mr. Mojo said:
Altima is too unreliable.

The rest are all good choices and worth looking into.

Avoid the silly Mercedes/BMW/Audi/Range Rover vehicles as they are ridiculously overpriced and expensive to maintain.
Click to expand...
I don't know that I'd agree that they are overpriced but absolutely agree they are usually a pain to maintain. Before my current car (Mazda 6) I had an Audi 6. I bought it used and for all it had to offer (twin turbo V6, awesome interior, etc) I never felt like it was over priced. Loved driving that car! :thumbup: Now maintaining it was another story.  :loco:

 
Buzzbait said:
I don't know that I'd agree that they are overpriced but absolutely agree they are usually a pain to maintain. Before my current car (Mazda 6) I had an Audi 6. I bought it used and for all it had to offer (twin turbo V6, awesome interior, etc) I never felt like it was over priced. Loved driving that car! :thumbup: Now maintaining it was another story.  :loco:
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I drove a used A6 quattro wagon until the repair parts got too expensive (i do my own repairs/maintenance). I never drove a German car before, but I absolutely loved it.  Now I'm driving a 1990 Volvo 240 DL. I replaced the headpipe & cat for about $200. Same parts for the audi were closer to $2000. Nuff said.

 
BowieMercs said:
I drove a used A6 quattro wagon until the repair parts got too expensive (i do my own repairs/maintenance). I never drove a German car before, but I absolutely loved it.  Now I'm driving a 1990 Volvo 240 DL. I replaced the headpipe & cat for about $200. Same parts for the audi were closer to $2000. Nuff said.
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I believe it. The brake sensor in my Audi went bad and the dealer wanted $1,100 to replace and fix. I did a little investigating and found that two shops in the US would furbrish a brake sensor for $100. Labor to get it out was pretty simple (jack up driver side wheel, a few screws from under, a few from on top). Got it refurbrished and worked like new and never had another issue.

So yeah, maintaining it was a huge PITA but man was it fun to drive. Don't regret getting it but won't do it again unless I win the lottery.

 
Planning on checking out a car or 3 today. We'll see how it goes. Thanks for the suggestions so far. Seems like it's about 8$ a month to sign up for the consumer reports to read more into the cars which i'll probably sign up for soon.

 
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BowieMercs said:
I drove a used A6 quattro wagon until the repair parts got too expensive (i do my own repairs/maintenance). I never drove a German car before, but I absolutely loved it.  Now I'm driving a 1990 Volvo 240 DL. I replaced the headpipe & cat for about $200. Same parts for the audi were closer to $2000. Nuff said.
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The 1990s era of Volvo was a simpler more reliable breed of vehicles.

I had a 2004 Volvo S-80 a couple of years after they started going high tech. It was the worst car experience of my life. To get anything repaired was so expensive. Right when it was out of warranty the ABs system failed and the dealer could not find the cause. Finally after 3 grand it was repaired then the electrical system failed when I was on a trip..no headlights or interior lights. Another grand..a month later the trans blew. I was to the point I hated looking at that car and wanted to torch it in a fire. Now I hate every Volvo I see on the road.

 
Buzzbait said:
I don't know that I'd agree that they are overpriced but absolutely agree they are usually a pain to maintain. Before my current car (Mazda 6) I had an Audi 6. I bought it used and for all it had to offer (twin turbo V6, awesome interior, etc) I never felt like it was over priced. Loved driving that car! :thumbup: Now maintaining it was another story.  :loco:
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I think that you made a good choice with the Mazda 6. Fun to drive, reliable and good looks.

 
worrierking said:
My suggestion is to do all negotiating online.  Find a model you like and test drive it. Tell dealership you are not interested and then deal with them online.  Do not set foot on the lot again until you have a deal to be signed and financing in place.  Tell them upfront anything you are not interested in and tell them if they try to get you to buy/add that on the deal is off.  If they try, walk away.  Never get in a position where they can attempt to keep you at the dealership.  Any breach/change of the agreed upon deal is an instant deal breaker. 
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This  x 1000

 
Mr. Mojo said:
Altima is too unreliable.

The rest are all good choices and worth looking into.

Avoid the silly Mercedes/BMW/Audi/Range Rover vehicles as they are ridiculously overpriced and expensive to maintain.
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Except BMWs are actually free to maintain for quite a while.

 
2010 Jetta, or Civic?

Side note, Carfax is a scam........ I purchased the unlimited for 60 days package, only come to find out in the fine print, only License plates are unlimited, not VIN's. Who the hell runs plates nowadays? Maybe a couple, but more people buy from dealers...... Pissed off I got taken. 

Most reliable dealers do give you the Carfax, but smaller dealers don't. Still pissed about this.

 
I start off by seeing how much I can afford per month.. and don't worry about maintenance, insurance, gas, or taxes.. those things will take care of themselves.   Then I see how long of loan I can take out..   you can get 7 years these days!  Unreal!   Leasing also can make vehicles cheaper and get you into a nicer car to impress your friends.  Heck you might even get a sweeter ride than your basspole dentist!

Then when you are ready to buy, just go to the car dealership and let them know you are ready to purchase.  See if you can get a couple bucks off the sticker price, I've seen people save dozens of dollars this way.. some even $100!

Make sure to protect your car with extended warranty and the undercoating.

Have fun driving your new luxury auto!  Your friends and co-workers are going to be so impressed!  

If you get sick of the car in the first year or two, no worries, they probably have a good trade-in package.. make sure to take advantage of these great deals!

 
Dentist said:
I start off by seeing how much I can afford per month.. and don't worry about maintenance, insurance, gas, or taxes.. those things will take care of themselves.   Then I see how long of loan I can take out..   you can get 7 years these days!  Unreal!   Leasing also can make vehicles cheaper and get you into a nicer car to impress your friends.  Heck you might even get a sweeter ride than your basspole dentist!

Then when you are ready to buy, just go to the car dealership and let them know you are ready to purchase.  See if you can get a couple bucks off the sticker price, I've seen people save dozens of dollars this way.. some even $100!

Make sure to protect your car with extended warranty and the undercoating.

Have fun driving your new luxury auto!  Your friends and co-workers are going to be so impressed!  

If you get sick of the car in the first year or two, no worries, they probably have a good trade-in package.. make sure to take advantage of these great deals!
Click to expand...
:goodposting:  

 
Dentist said:
I start off by seeing how much I can afford per month.. and don't worry about maintenance, insurance, gas, or taxes.. those things will take care of themselves.   Then I see how long of loan I can take out..   you can get 7 years these days!  Unreal!   Leasing also can make vehicles cheaper and get you into a nicer car to impress your friends.  Heck you might even get a sweeter ride than your basspole dentist!

Then when you are ready to buy, just go to the car dealership and let them know you are ready to purchase.  See if you can get a couple bucks off the sticker price, I've seen people save dozens of dollars this way.. some even $100!

Make sure to protect your car with extended warranty and the undercoating.

Have fun driving your new luxury auto!  Your friends and co-workers are going to be so impressed!  

If you get sick of the car in the first year or two, no worries, they probably have a good trade-in package.. make sure to take advantage of these great deals!
Click to expand...
I'm sensing sarcasm here

 
one time said:
How did you decide what car you were going to buy ie make and model?

I have always had hand me down cars, and am looking for the first time at buying/leasing a new car. I am leaning towards buying as I don't mind owning a car for 5-7 years.

I never realized how closely priced all similar cars are.

Ford Fusion, Toyota Camry, Hyundai Sonata, Chevrolet Malibu, Kia Optima, Honda Accord, & Nissan Altima are all priced aroud 22.5k MSRP base price. All look similar as far as looks and specs. Not sure how to narrow it down, but prefer to not go to 7 different places to test drive 7 different cars and get 7 different speeches.

:confused:  
Click to expand...
Huge, huge Honda fan here.

What I look for in a vehicle is durability/longevity/low maintenance.  I'm the type who wants to buy it and then have it for 20 years/200k+ miles.  If that sounds good to you, Honda's are a great thing to look at.

Feel free to PM me if you want more info.

 
one time said:
Ford Fusion, Toyota Camry, Hyundai Sonata, Chevrolet Malibu, Kia Optima, Honda Accord, & Nissan Altima are all priced aroud 22.5k MSRP base price.
Click to expand...
If this is your category, I too would recommend looking at the Mazda6. The reviews and comparisons from leading car publications have it rated very highly.

 
Spike said:
Huge, huge Honda fan here.

What I look for in a vehicle is durability/longevity/low maintenance.  I'm the type who wants to buy it and then have it for 20 years/200k+ miles.  If that sounds good to you, Honda's are a great thing to look at.

Feel free to PM me if you want more info.
Click to expand...
My '03 Accord V6 just hit 200K  - starting to hit the nickel and dime phase.  I just put brakes on it, I had to replace the alternator. My motor mounts just went.

Still runs great but am starting to look around.

I'll probably get a 1 to 2 year old used Civic this time around since I have a long commute now and need some better gasmileage. Logging ~ 18K a year and I'm no longer looking for a luxury vehicle.  Just a reliable commuter

 
belljr said:
My '03 Accord V6 just hit 200K  - starting to hit the nickel and dime phase.  I just put brakes on it, I had to replace the alternator. My motor mounts just went.

Still runs great but am starting to look around.

I'll probably get a 1 to 2 year old used Civic this time around since I have a long commute now and need some better gasmileage. Logging ~ 18K a year and I'm no longer looking for a luxury vehicle.  Just a reliable commuter
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Almost time for the timing belt/water pump change. Good time to move.

 
bananafish said:
That's funny, I bought a Mazda 6 Touring as well and am very happy with it. I also looked seriously at the Subaru Legacy which was also highly rated but it felt underpowered and we don't get enough inclement weather down here to make the AWD a big selling point. May still be a good car for the OP though. 
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Non turbo 4 cylinder Subarus are notoriously anemic. With a manual transmission they are more fun, but they are not peppy. That being said, my old 5 speed manual outback would run through mud & snow that left other awd & 4x4 vehicles spinning their wheels & was rock solid in the rain. 

 
Have not read the entire thread yet but thought I would add my pet peeve. If already covered, I apologize.

Every time I have shopped for a car, the salesperson asks me what do I want to pay a month. Find your overall price of the car and stick to it! 

The salesman acts like he's going to work with you on your budget but they are just adding months onto your financing. 

 
bananafish said:
That's funny, I bought a Mazda 6 Touring as well and am very happy with it. I also looked seriously at the Subaru Legacy which was also highly rated but it felt underpowered and we don't get enough inclement weather down here to make the AWD a big selling point. May still be a good car for the OP though. 
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Does Subaru still offer the Legacy with a turbo? If so,  definitely add it to the list for consideration. 

 
In April, I bought a new Kia Optima. The Mazda 6 was a close second.

Consumer Reports has rated the Optima at the top of mid sized cars recently, but you have to try them out for yourself to see if you agree.

The Mazda 6 was sportier to drive, but the Optima just threw in so many features (safety, technology, comfortable leather seats, HK stereo, longer warranty, etc) that it was too good to pass up. It's been a great car, so far.

 
Buzzbait said:
@jon_mx was correct in saying it's all about your priorities. You need to decide the most important requirements and from there start narrowing it down. I was in your shoes last year and after deciding what was important I read of ton of reviews/rankings (Edmunds, TrueCar, Car & Driver) and documented my findings in a spreadsheet. I was looking for a full size sedan in the mid $20s so the ones you have listed above were all on my list. I narrowed it to the Honda Accord, Mazda 6 and Ford Fusion and test drove each and ended up with the Mazda 6 Touring.
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Just got rid of my 2nd consecutive 05 Mazda 6 V6.  Bought first one new and got 252k out of it.  Got a used one 4 1/2 years ago with 66k miles on it and ran that to 230k.  Loved em both (the hatch-1st one- was a litter nicer as I got a ton of options).  

Today I bought an '01 accord EX with 135k miles for like $2500 (put about $2k more in for timing belt tiress tune up etc).  I have a short commute so it may last a decade I think.  Has all the options even a tape deck and 6cd changer which old man me likes).  Bummed it's not another uaw-made car though it does have a 1 vin number.

Good luck to OP in your search - lots of good advice in here.  Forums for owners of the make/models you are looking at can be good too - you can find out the common problems and experiences if drivers.  That was what led to me to the 6 back in 05.

-QG

 
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