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Need a new car - which one? (1 Viewer)

Judge Smails

Footballguy
So I’m not a huge car guy. Tried to be smart and have always bought cars that are about 2 years old with very low miles. Pay cash. I am still driving a 2005 Cadillac CTS that I bought in 2007 with 7K miles on it for 19K out the door. Has maybe 130K on it now. Wife has a 2005 GMC Suburban. Same thing. About 140K miles. We don’t drive much. I try to take Ubers or a car service to airports so it’s mostly local driving. 

We want to both get new cars but start with me. Starting a new job next month where I’ll have to drive a good distance to HQ once a week, and I’ll be meeting/entertaining our physician customers. Can’t be taking them to lunch in that CTS. And it’s starting to have some issues  need reliability. 

So - which one? I want a sedan that’s comfortable and elegant. First thought was a Tesla or at least a high end hybrid. I want sporty but comfortable. Was thinking Tesla, BMW, Audi, Mercedes or something like that. With gas prices really thinking some electric option but I know some of my friends are holding out on electric as they will evolve. But everything evolves and you can’t wait forever.  Note - I did own a BMW 540 before this car and the maintenance costs as they age was a turn off. Thought I’d never own a BMW again because I’d that. Another consideration. Want something that holds some semblance of value as well.

Any FBG’s go through similar decisions recently? I know it’s a terrible time to buy a car with dealer sticker above MSRP but I may not have a choice. 

 
 very similar circumstance for me.... 05 M3 convertible with about 130K.  no issues though.  I have been pretty brand loyal to BMW since 99. They have been very reliable for me. Feel as if i need to wait a bit based on current pricing (everything is inflated).

 
I hate taking cars to mechanics which is why I will never own a German made vehicle. Impressive machines, unfortunately they require way too much maintenance and tuning. it’s not even the cash, it’s dealing with mechanics/dealerships. 
 

The only car I’m looking at is the new Nissan Z. I keep driving past the dealer hoping to see it in the showroom. 

 

 
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So I’m not a huge car guy. Tried to be smart and have always bought cars that are about 2 years old with very low miles. Pay cash. I am still driving a 2005 Cadillac CTS that I bought in 2007 with 7K miles on it for 19K out the door. Has maybe 130K on it now. Wife has a 2005 GMC Suburban. Same thing. About 140K miles. We don’t drive much. I try to take Ubers or a car service to airports so it’s mostly local driving. 

We want to both get new cars but start with me. Starting a new job next month where I’ll have to drive a good distance to HQ once a week, and I’ll be meeting/entertaining our physician customers. Can’t be taking them to lunch in that CTS. And it’s starting to have some issues  need reliability. 

So - which one? I want a sedan that’s comfortable and elegant. First thought was a Tesla or at least a high end hybrid. I want sporty but comfortable. Was thinking Tesla, BMW, Audi, Mercedes or something like that. With gas prices really thinking some electric option but I know some of my friends are holding out on electric as they will evolve. But everything evolves and you can’t wait forever.  Note - I did own a BMW 540 before this car and the maintenance costs as they age was a turn off. Thought I’d never own a BMW again because I’d that. Another consideration. Want something that holds some semblance of value as well.

Any FBG’s go through similar decisions recently? I know it’s a terrible time to buy a car with dealer sticker above MSRP but I may not have a choice. 


Just based on your post above I would recommend the below two vehicles, 1 if you want an SUV and the other if you want a sedan. There are many other good cars out there that I would consider in the entry level luxury line although Lexus and Genesis would be my first two choices for brand followed by Acura, BMW, and Audi.

Lexus RX450H

https://www.lexus.com/models/RX-hybrid

Genesis G70

https://www.genesis.com/us/en/2022/genesis-g70.html?&chid=sem&fb=g70_bnd_gusa&CID=10955965&PID=146202853&CRID=0&SID=3265056&AID=317767215&ds_query=genesis+g70&gclid=CjwKCAjwve2TBhByEiwAaktM1KrI6Ibjz6zYmR9qDprsPxwGIHmat7Vso9wy0chX552kk3Y_oxJ_ChoCKIUQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 
I just bought a 2016 Lexus RX350 and it is amazing. Not great on gas but I don't care. It's not that much different from the Infiniti G37x I was driving.

I thought I wanted an Acura RDX until I drive one. It's not at all like the MDX we have.

I was surprisingly impressed by the Mazda CX9 SUV.

 
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Get yourself a Toyota Avalon Hybrid. Toyotas hold their value, are crazy reliable and are incredibly comfortable. I am a big guy (6'2" and 300) and fit great. I have a 2016 and the thing is rock solid. Sure it might not have the flashy name of a Mercedes or BMW, but you will be happy with the purchase price and get great mileage for a full size sedan. I get about 35 MPG.

 
The only car I’m looking at is the new Nissan Z. I keep driving past the dealer hoping to see it in the showroom. 
I bought my 350Z new in 2005. Still drive it almost everyday. Gem of a car. 104K miles and the only problem that is not worth fixing is the passenger side window won't go down. Nothing major over the years and it is very snappy getting around town.

I also had a '78 280Z that I totally restored that I lost in a divorce. But that's another Z story.

 
Life long car guy.  (The 993 in my name is a car model number). Love them.  

For my daily driver I own a ‘16 Lexus GS450h for many of the same reasons you state.  Love it.  It’s a midsize (CTS size) sedan, upscale enough for clients but not bragging, extremely reliable (my last Lexus ran to over 200k with no issues at all) and best of all I get 30+ mpg.  The downside? They’re rare and hard to find.  The GS350 is the same car but just not hybrid, so all of the above still applies with the exception of the mpg’s.   I cross shopped all the competition (all the BMW 5 series, MB’s, etc etc) all were good cars in their own rights but none combined all of the things like the Lexus.  

 
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The only car I’m looking at is the new Nissan Z. I keep driving past the dealer hoping to see it in the showroom. 
I bought my 350Z new in 2005. Still drive it almost everyday. Gem of a car. 104K miles and the only problem that is not worth fixing is the passenger side window won't go down. Nothing major over the years and it is very snappy getting around town.

I also had a '78 280Z that I totally restored that I lost in a divorce. But that's another Z story.
Had a ‘72 240 for a couple years.  One of those I lived in Mammoth and it snowed 30ft that yr!  Drove it everywhere.  
Miss that car and still have dreams of buying another one and dropping a V8 in it.  

 
Get yourself a Toyota Avalon Hybrid. Toyotas hold their value, are crazy reliable and are incredibly comfortable. I am a big guy (6'2" and 300) and fit great. I have a 2016 and the thing is rock solid. Sure it might not have the flashy name of a Mercedes or BMW, but you will be happy with the purchase price and get great mileage for a full size sedan. I get about 35 MPG.
Came in to suggest this so I could not possibly agree more. However, it is damn near impossible to find a new Hybrid Avalon right now, you can still find V6 Avalon's but the Hybrid's are rare as hens teeth near me here. 

For God's sake,  no matter what you do, please don't be an idiot and pay full MSRP or above.  If you can't find a car, whatever it is you decide to get, stick to your guns and fall in love with the deal as much as the car. Years and years ago, before all this madness, I paid full boat MSRP for a stupid car because I fell in love with the car.  I convinced myself it was unique/special/blah/blah/blah, it wasn't.  I'm a stupid car guy, I love the hell out of cars but the older I get, the better deal I get, the more I love whatever vehicle I've bought.

I don't know about anyone else but I am very, very concerned about the irresponsible spending habits I see going on right now.  People paying way, way too much for housing, people paying MSRP plus for vehicles, please don't fall into that trap.  EFF keeping up with Jones', EFF trying to impress your neighbors/friends/co-workers.  Spend your hard earned money wisely!

Don't contribute to the mass hysteria and pay full sticker or more plus those worthless add ons plus, plus, plus, just wait it out if you can't find a good deal.  I'm convinced this stupid car bubble is going to burst, hopefully soon, but I'm concerned when it bursts a HELL of a lot of people are going to be upside down on their vehicles.  Don't be one of those people!

** so, I re-read what I wrote and I thought "man, calm down dude, you sound like a madman. . . however, those worthless add on things from some less reputable dealerships piss me off, junk like the fabric protection, dent removal, lifetime tire warranty, window etching, life insurance and on and on and on.  Those things are all scams, don't fall for that garbage.  When you see the finance person, your answer to everything is NO to all that nonsense.

 
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I have been driving Nissan Maxima's since 1990.

Best 4 door sports car ever made.

I currently own my 2018 SR Midnight Edition with 66K paid for. I bought it off my lease in 2021 for 17K and slapped a 5 year 100K warranty on it for $1500. Got a 2% car loan at the time and paid her off this past December. What's insane is all in I paid 37K for this beast. Today a new Maxima like this runs you close to 50K.

God I love this car. We will be driving her for at least another 5 years easy.
 
I have been driving Nissan Maxima's since 1990.

Best 4 door sports car ever made.

I currently own my 2018 SR Midnight Edition with 66K paid for. I bought it off my lease in 2021 for 17K and slapped a 5 year 100K warranty on it for $1500. Got a 2% car loan at the time and paid her off this past December. What's insane is all in I paid 37K for this beast. Today a new Maxima like this runs you close to 50K.

God I love this car. We will be driving her for at least another 5 years easy.
I've had a Maxima. Liked it, didn't love it. A6 >>>> Maxima.
And not sure you can get a new Maxima like this for $50K. Nissan has discontinued the Maxima.
 
I have been driving Nissan Maxima's since 1990.

Best 4 door sports car ever made.

I currently own my 2018 SR Midnight Edition with 66K paid for. I bought it off my lease in 2021 for 17K and slapped a 5 year 100K warranty on it for $1500. Got a 2% car loan at the time and paid her off this past December. What's insane is all in I paid 37K for this beast. Today a new Maxima like this runs you close to 50K.

God I love this car. We will be driving her for at least another 5 years easy.
I've had a Maxima. Liked it, didn't love it. A6 >>>> Maxima.
And not sure you can get a new Maxima like this for $50K. Nissan has discontinued the Maxima.
There are 2023 Maxima SR's around for 50K.

Anyway A6 is a nice car....but I prefer Japanese to German.

I love the new Z.....gorgeous.
 
I have been driving Nissan Maxima's since 1990.

Best 4 door sports car ever made.

I currently own my 2018 SR Midnight Edition with 66K paid for. I bought it off my lease in 2021 for 17K and slapped a 5 year 100K warranty on it for $1500. Got a 2% car loan at the time and paid her off this past December. What's insane is all in I paid 37K for this beast. Today a new Maxima like this runs you close to 50K.

God I love this car. We will be driving her for at least another 5 years easy.
I've had a Maxima. Liked it, didn't love it. A6 >>>> Maxima.
And not sure you can get a new Maxima like this for $50K. Nissan has discontinued the Maxima.
There are 2023 Maxima SR's around for 50K.

Anyway A6 is a nice car....but I prefer Japanese to German.

I love the new Z.....gorgeous.

I have only seen one (New Z) in the wild.
 
I have been driving Nissan Maxima's since 1990.

Best 4 door sports car ever made.

I currently own my 2018 SR Midnight Edition with 66K paid for. I bought it off my lease in 2021 for 17K and slapped a 5 year 100K warranty on it for $1500. Got a 2% car loan at the time and paid her off this past December. What's insane is all in I paid 37K for this beast. Today a new Maxima like this runs you close to 50K.

God I love this car. We will be driving her for at least another 5 years easy.
I've had a Volvo S60 that i wouldn't call a sports car but it does have a lot of pick up in it and when you get them off lease with the comfy seats, hard to beat
I've always wanted a Maxima, pretty sure that car would make mine look like it was in neutral off the line.

Other brand we buy a lot is Subaru, incredibly reliable
 
I have been driving Nissan Maxima's since 1990.

Best 4 door sports car ever made.

I currently own my 2018 SR Midnight Edition with 66K paid for. I bought it off my lease in 2021 for 17K and slapped a 5 year 100K warranty on it for $1500. Got a 2% car loan at the time and paid her off this past December. What's insane is all in I paid 37K for this beast. Today a new Maxima like this runs you close to 50K.

God I love this car. We will be driving her for at least another 5 years easy.
I've had a Maxima. Liked it, didn't love it. A6 >>>> Maxima.
And not sure you can get a new Maxima like this for $50K. Nissan has discontinued the Maxima.
There are 2023 Maxima SR's around for 50K.

Anyway A6 is a nice car....but I prefer Japanese to German.

I love the new Z.....gorgeous.


No sure if yellow is my color, what do you think they will run in about 2-3 years? Lot less than $52k
 
I have been driving Nissan Maxima's since 1990.

Best 4 door sports car ever made.

I currently own my 2018 SR Midnight Edition with 66K paid for. I bought it off my lease in 2021 for 17K and slapped a 5 year 100K warranty on it for $1500. Got a 2% car loan at the time and paid her off this past December. What's insane is all in I paid 37K for this beast. Today a new Maxima like this runs you close to 50K.

God I love this car. We will be driving her for at least another 5 years easy.
Have a 2017 SV which I got used after I was in an accident that I thought might have been avoided if my car had enough power to get out of the way. Great comfort and power, with decent handling too. A keeper for sure.

FWIW - bought an 810 when they 1st came out. Quite the sleeper at the time.
 
I have been driving Nissan Maxima's since 1990.

Best 4 door sports car ever made.

I currently own my 2018 SR Midnight Edition with 66K paid for. I bought it off my lease in 2021 for 17K and slapped a 5 year 100K warranty on it for $1500. Got a 2% car loan at the time and paid her off this past December. What's insane is all in I paid 37K for this beast. Today a new Maxima like this runs you close to 50K.

God I love this car. We will be driving her for at least another 5 years easy.
I've had a Maxima. Liked it, didn't love it. A6 >>>> Maxima.
And not sure you can get a new Maxima like this for $50K. Nissan has discontinued the Maxima.
There are 2023 Maxima SR's around for 50K.

Anyway A6 is a nice car....but I prefer Japanese to German.

I love the new Z.....gorgeous.


No sure if yellow is my color, what do you think they will run in about 2-3 years? Lot less than $52k
Hard to say these days with this move to EV's

But I would imagine less.
 
Every once in a while, we get a bot like we had here. Instead of giving them oxygen, please click the report button and help us keep the forums good. Thanks.
 
FWIW, Teslas are probably the most common luxury brand in the physician lot at my hospital. They’re a dime a dozen.

If I were in your shoes, I’d really make a first impression with a new Aptera - sporty and definitely comfortable, especially if you get the optional tent.
 
I have been driving Nissan Maxima's since 1990.

Best 4 door sports car ever made.

I currently own my 2018 SR Midnight Edition with 66K paid for. I bought it off my lease in 2021 for 17K and slapped a 5 year 100K warranty on it for $1500. Got a 2% car loan at the time and paid her off this past December. What's insane is all in I paid 37K for this beast. Today a new Maxima like this runs you close to 50K.

God I love this car. We will be driving her for at least another 5 years easy.
I've had a Maxima. Liked it, didn't love it. A6 >>>> Maxima.
And not sure you can get a new Maxima like this for $50K. Nissan has discontinued the Maxima.
There are 2023 Maxima SR's around for 50K.

Anyway A6 is a nice car....but I prefer Japanese to German.

I love the new Z.....gorgeous.


No sure if yellow is my color, what do you think they will run in about 2-3 years? Lot less than $52k
Other than the color, that's gorgeous.
 
I have been driving Nissan Maxima's since 1990.

Best 4 door sports car ever made.

I currently own my 2018 SR Midnight Edition with 66K paid for. I bought it off my lease in 2021 for 17K and slapped a 5 year 100K warranty on it for $1500. Got a 2% car loan at the time and paid her off this past December. What's insane is all in I paid 37K for this beast. Today a new Maxima like this runs you close to 50K.

God I love this car. We will be driving her for at least another 5 years easy.
I've had a Maxima. Liked it, didn't love it. A6 >>>> Maxima.
And not sure you can get a new Maxima like this for $50K. Nissan has discontinued the Maxima.
There are 2023 Maxima SR's around for 50K.

Anyway A6 is a nice car....but I prefer Japanese to German.

I love the new Z.....gorgeous.


No sure if yellow is my color, what do you think they will run in about 2-3 years? Lot less than $52k
Other than the color, that's gorgeous.
Pearl white on racing red leather with black trim is my dream.
 
I can't answer your question. I don't even know what most of the cars mentioned in here are, and hope to make at least another 20 years without having to drive a car with a key fob or touchscreen (dig your 2005 style, BTW).

I'm just curious though, why not a newer Cadillac?

Your '05 has served you well, and you want sporty, yet comfortable. Isn't that what Cadillac specializes in?

Here's DeMuro gushing over the 2022 CT5 Blackwing

I promise, the docs won't be riding in another supercharged V8 manual with almost 700HP.
 
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I have been driving Nissan Maxima's since 1990.

Best 4 door sports car ever made.

I currently own my 2018 SR Midnight Edition with 66K paid for. I bought it off my lease in 2021 for 17K and slapped a 5 year 100K warranty on it for $1500. Got a 2% car loan at the time and paid her off this past December. What's insane is all in I paid 37K for this beast. Today a new Maxima like this runs you close to 50K.

God I love this car. We will be driving her for at least another 5 years easy.
I've had a Volvo S60 that i wouldn't call a sports car but it does have a lot of pick up in it and when you get them off lease with the comfy seats, hard to beat
I've always wanted a Maxima, pretty sure that car would make mine look like it was in neutral off the line.

Other brand we buy a lot is Subaru, incredibly reliable
those 2 brands are what my wife and I have drove for ages but her Volvo XC 60 has been nothing but trouble.Now she wants a Tesla Y. The Subaru’s have been bulletproof, only problem was a battery issue. Really like the current XT turbos
 
So I’m not a huge car guy. Tried to be smart and have always bought cars that are about 2 years old with very low miles. Pay cash. I am still driving a 2005 Cadillac CTS that I bought in 2007 with 7K miles on it for 19K out the door. Has maybe 130K on it now. Wife has a 2005 GMC Suburban. Same thing. About 140K miles. We don’t drive much. I try to take Ubers or a car service to airports so it’s mostly local driving.

We want to both get new cars but start with me. Starting a new job next month where I’ll have to drive a good distance to HQ once a week, and I’ll be meeting/entertaining our physician customers. Can’t be taking them to lunch in that CTS. And it’s starting to have some issues need reliability.

So - which one? I want a sedan that’s comfortable and elegant. First thought was a Tesla or at least a high end hybrid. I want sporty but comfortable. Was thinking Tesla, BMW, Audi, Mercedes or something like that. With gas prices really thinking some electric option but I know some of my friends are holding out on electric as they will evolve. But everything evolves and you can’t wait forever. Note - I did own a BMW 540 before this car and the maintenance costs as they age was a turn off. Thought I’d never own a BMW again because I’d that. Another consideration. Want something that holds some semblance of value as well.

Any FBG’s go through similar decisions recently? I know it’s a terrible time to buy a car with dealer sticker above MSRP but I may not have a choice.
@Judge Smails what did you end up getting?
 
Life long car guy. (The 993 in my name is a car model number). Love them.

For my daily driver I own a ‘16 Lexus GS450h for many of the same reasons you state. Love it. It’s a midsize (CTS size) sedan, upscale enough for clients but not bragging, extremely reliable (my last Lexus ran to over 200k with no issues at all) and best of all I get 30+ mpg. The downside? They’re rare and hard to find. The GS350 is the same car but just not hybrid, so all of the above still applies with the exception of the mpg’s. I cross shopped all the competition (all the BMW 5 series, MB’s, etc etc) all were good cars in their own rights but none combined all of the things like the Lexus.
Been a Lexus guy for 15 years. Just bought new LS 500. 4WD, twin turbo, gas. Black on black. My ultimate dream car & it rides like one.
cheers.
 
Wife & I have bought 1 new car in our lives - in Dec 2015 we bought a 2016 Honda Pilot. Just took it in for servicing this AM; 62K miles and never had an issue. I don't regret the purchase since it's been rock solid, road trips are worry free, etc. But in retrospect I wonder if such an investment was truly wise considering the limited amount of driving over 8 years. Probably would have been better off buying something 4-6 years old. When we were car shopping in 2016, the "buy 2 years old" theory was already overpriced.
 
I have been driving Nissan Maxima's since 1990.

Best 4 door sports car ever made.

I currently own my 2018 SR Midnight Edition with 66K paid for. I bought it off my lease in 2021 for 17K and slapped a 5 year 100K warranty on it for $1500. Got a 2% car loan at the time and paid her off this past December. What's insane is all in I paid 37K for this beast. Today a new Maxima like this runs you close to 50K.

God I love this car. We will be driving her for at least another 5 years easy.
I've had a Maxima. Liked it, didn't love it. A6 >>>> Maxima.
And not sure you can get a new Maxima like this for $50K. Nissan has discontinued the Maxima.
I had a 2014 A6 3.0. Great car but in classic Audi fashion I dumped it at a 120k. Audi’s get expensive over 100k.
 
I have been driving Nissan Maxima's since 1990.

Best 4 door sports car ever made.

I currently own my 2018 SR Midnight Edition with 66K paid for. I bought it off my lease in 2021 for 17K and slapped a 5 year 100K warranty on it for $1500. Got a 2% car loan at the time and paid her off this past December. What's insane is all in I paid 37K for this beast. Today a new Maxima like this runs you close to 50K.

God I love this car. We will be driving her for at least another 5 years easy.
I've had a Volvo S60 that i wouldn't call a sports car but it does have a lot of pick up in it and when you get them off lease with the comfy seats, hard to beat
I've always wanted a Maxima, pretty sure that car would make mine look like it was in neutral off the line.

Other brand we buy a lot is Subaru, incredibly reliable
those 2 brands are what my wife and I have drove for ages but her Volvo XC 60 has been nothing but trouble.Now she wants a Tesla Y. The Subaru’s have been bulletproof, only problem was a battery issue. Really like the current XT turbos
That’s the problem with Volvos. Over the last 10 years or so their SUVs and sedans are some of the best looking interior and exterior cars on the road in in my opinion. But their reliability is atrocious and as a reason why I didn’t buy one when I was shopping. The Swedes have not figured out reliability yet.
 
Wife & I have bought 1 new car in our lives - in Dec 2015 we bought a 2016 Honda Pilot. Just took it in for servicing this AM; 62K miles and never had an issue. I don't regret the purchase since it's been rock solid, road trips are worry free, etc. But in retrospect I wonder if such an investment was truly wise considering the limited amount of driving over 8 years. Probably would have been better off buying something 4-6 years old. When we were car shopping in 2016, the "buy 2 years old" theory was already overpriced.
What do you mean overpriced in 2016? I bought my current car (RX 350) in 2017 and it was 2 years old with 19k miles. I paid 37k for it and brand new was 55k for my model/options. I’ve driven it for 6 years now and added 90k miles. I basically paid the same price (my cost minus its current worth) as the person who bought it new and I’ve driven it twice as long. It’s barely over 100k so I plan to drive it 2-3 more years and then give it to my oldest as his car will be close to end of life.

Anyway, I don’t think the buy it two years old scenario was overpriced until post-pandemic. It certainly wasn’t in 2017.
 
I have been driving Nissan Maxima's since 1990.

Best 4 door sports car ever made.

I currently own my 2018 SR Midnight Edition with 66K paid for. I bought it off my lease in 2021 for 17K and slapped a 5 year 100K warranty on it for $1500. Got a 2% car loan at the time and paid her off this past December. What's insane is all in I paid 37K for this beast. Today a new Maxima like this runs you close to 50K.

God I love this car. We will be driving her for at least another 5 years easy.
I've had a Maxima. Liked it, didn't love it. A6 >>>> Maxima.
And not sure you can get a new Maxima like this for $50K. Nissan has discontinued the Maxima.
There are 2023 Maxima SR's around for 50K.

Anyway A6 is a nice car....but I prefer Japanese to German.

I love the new Z.....gorgeous.


No sure if yellow is my color, what do you think they will run in about 2-3 years? Lot less than $52k
Other than the color, that's gorgeous.
Pearl white on racing red leather with black trim is my dream.

For half the price you could just buy one of these.

I was considering the new Z but I’m not dropping 50k on anything first off. Secondly, I’m a Nissan fan but I understand what they are now, a budget car company.
 
Wife & I have bought 1 new car in our lives - in Dec 2015 we bought a 2016 Honda Pilot. Just took it in for servicing this AM; 62K miles and never had an issue. I don't regret the purchase since it's been rock solid, road trips are worry free, etc. But in retrospect I wonder if such an investment was truly wise considering the limited amount of driving over 8 years. Probably would have been better off buying something 4-6 years old. When we were car shopping in 2016, the "buy 2 years old" theory was already overpriced.
What do you mean overpriced in 2016? I bought my current car (RX 350) in 2017 and it was 2 years old with 19k miles. I paid 37k for it and brand new was 55k for my model/options. I’ve driven it for 6 years now and added 90k miles. I basically paid the same price (my cost minus its current worth) as the person who bought it new and I’ve driven it twice as long. It’s barely over 100k so I plan to drive it 2-3 more years and then give it to my oldest as his car will be close to end of life.

Anyway, I don’t think the buy it two years old scenario was overpriced until post-pandemic. It certainly wasn’t in 2017.
It probably depends/depended on the type of car. When I was shopping for a Pilot right before the pandemic, the discount on slightly used cars of that and similar models wasn't worth it.
 
I hate taking cars to mechanics which is why I will never own a German made vehicle. Impressive machines, unfortunately they require way too much maintenance and tuning. it’s not even the cash, it’s dealing with mechanics/dealerships.


The only car I’m looking at is the new Nissan Z. I keep driving past the dealer hoping to see it in the showroom.

BMW service is without a doubt, the finest dealer service department I've ever taken my car to.
 
Wife & I have bought 1 new car in our lives - in Dec 2015 we bought a 2016 Honda Pilot. Just took it in for servicing this AM; 62K miles and never had an issue. I don't regret the purchase since it's been rock solid, road trips are worry free, etc. But in retrospect I wonder if such an investment was truly wise considering the limited amount of driving over 8 years. Probably would have been better off buying something 4-6 years old. When we were car shopping in 2016, the "buy 2 years old" theory was already overpriced.
What do you mean overpriced in 2016? I bought my current car (RX 350) in 2017 and it was 2 years old with 19k miles. I paid 37k for it and brand new was 55k for my model/options. I’ve driven it for 6 years now and added 90k miles. I basically paid the same price (my cost minus its current worth) as the person who bought it new and I’ve driven it twice as long. It’s barely over 100k so I plan to drive it 2-3 more years and then give it to my oldest as his car will be close to end of life.

Anyway, I don’t think the buy it two years old scenario was overpriced until post-pandemic. It certainly wasn’t in 2017.
It probably depends/depended on the type of car. When I was shopping for a Pilot right before the pandemic, the discount on slightly used cars of that and similar models wasn't worth it.
I’d think Honda and Lexus (Toyota too) would be very similar. I don’t know about right before the pandemic, but back in 2016/2017, two year old SUVs that I was looking at definitely weren’t at a point where buying two year old cars wasn’t a decent deal. I looked at a lot of models. The pandemic changed that completely around.

Also, were you looking at certified used Hondas? I absolutely didn’t think the Lexus certified used RXs were worth the price. Carmax, others and private parties were much better deals especially for two year old cars with healthy chunks of their manufacturer warranties. I’m talking thousands of dollars difference. When the pandemic hit, that’s when inventories of all used cars dried up completely.
 
Wife & I have bought 1 new car in our lives - in Dec 2015 we bought a 2016 Honda Pilot. Just took it in for servicing this AM; 62K miles and never had an issue. I don't regret the purchase since it's been rock solid, road trips are worry free, etc. But in retrospect I wonder if such an investment was truly wise considering the limited amount of driving over 8 years. Probably would have been better off buying something 4-6 years old. When we were car shopping in 2016, the "buy 2 years old" theory was already overpriced.
What do you mean overpriced in 2016? I bought my current car (RX 350) in 2017 and it was 2 years old with 19k miles. I paid 37k for it and brand new was 55k for my model/options. I’ve driven it for 6 years now and added 90k miles. I basically paid the same price (my cost minus its current worth) as the person who bought it new and I’ve driven it twice as long. It’s barely over 100k so I plan to drive it 2-3 more years and then give it to my oldest as his car will be close to end of life.

Anyway, I don’t think the buy it two years old scenario was overpriced until post-pandemic. It certainly wasn’t in 2017.
It probably depends/depended on the type of car. When I was shopping for a Pilot right before the pandemic, the discount on slightly used cars of that and similar models wasn't worth it.
I’d think Honda and Lexus (Toyota too) would be very similar. I don’t know about right before the pandemic, but back in 2016/2017, two year old SUVs that I was looking at definitely weren’t at a point where buying two year old cars wasn’t a decent deal. I looked at a lot of models. The pandemic changed that completely around.

Also, were you looking at certified used Hondas? I absolutely didn’t think the Lexus certified used RXs were worth the price. Carmax, others and private parties were much better deals especially for two year old cars with healthy chunks of their manufacturer warranties. I’m talking thousands of dollars difference. When the pandemic hit, that’s when inventories of all used cars dried up completely.
IIRC slightly used Pilots at the time I was looking were only selling at a ~$3k discount. I was not only looking at certified cars. At that price point it was just easier to get a new one because then I got a full warranty and wasn’t at the mercy of used car inventory to get color/options I wanted.

A few years earlier when I was Subaru shopping the differences were even smaller. Those things hold their value extremely well.
 
I have been driving Nissan Maxima's since 1990.

Best 4 door sports car ever made.

I currently own my 2018 SR Midnight Edition with 66K paid for. I bought it off my lease in 2021 for 17K and slapped a 5 year 100K warranty on it for $1500. Got a 2% car loan at the time and paid her off this past December. What's insane is all in I paid 37K for this beast. Today a new Maxima like this runs you close to 50K.

God I love this car. We will be driving her for at least another 5 years easy.
I've had a Volvo S60 that i wouldn't call a sports car but it does have a lot of pick up in it and when you get them off lease with the comfy seats, hard to beat
I've always wanted a Maxima, pretty sure that car would make mine look like it was in neutral off the line.

Other brand we buy a lot is Subaru, incredibly reliable
those 2 brands are what my wife and I have drove for ages but her Volvo XC 60 has been nothing but trouble.Now she wants a Tesla Y. The Subaru’s have been bulletproof, only problem was a battery issue. Really like the current XT turbos
That’s the problem with Volvos. Over the last 10 years or so their SUVs and sedans are some of the best looking interior and exterior cars on the road in in my opinion. But their reliability is atrocious and as a reason why I didn’t buy one when I was shopping. The Swedes have not figured out reliability yet.
Eek. Just bought a new XC60 last week. My wife and I both liked the interior and exterior, as you said — better than the other cars in that class. I guess will see how lucky I get on the reliability front.
 
I hate taking cars to mechanics which is why I will never own a German made vehicle. Impressive machines, unfortunately they require way too much maintenance and tuning. it’s not even the cash, it’s dealing with mechanics/dealerships.


The only car I’m looking at is the new Nissan Z. I keep driving past the dealer hoping to see it in the showroom.

BMW service is without a doubt, the finest dealer service department I've ever taken my car to.

I’m sure they are, german everything requires constant maintenance.

I’m not knocking their performance - they just tend to over think things.
 
Wife & I have bought 1 new car in our lives - in Dec 2015 we bought a 2016 Honda Pilot. Just took it in for servicing this AM; 62K miles and never had an issue. I don't regret the purchase since it's been rock solid, road trips are worry free, etc. But in retrospect I wonder if such an investment was truly wise considering the limited amount of driving over 8 years. Probably would have been better off buying something 4-6 years old. When we were car shopping in 2016, the "buy 2 years old" theory was already overpriced.
What do you mean overpriced in 2016? I bought my current car (RX 350) in 2017 and it was 2 years old with 19k miles. I paid 37k for it and brand new was 55k for my model/options. I’ve driven it for 6 years now and added 90k miles. I basically paid the same price (my cost minus its current worth) as the person who bought it new and I’ve driven it twice as long. It’s barely over 100k so I plan to drive it 2-3 more years and then give it to my oldest as his car will be close to end of life.

Anyway, I don’t think the buy it two years old scenario was overpriced until post-pandemic. It certainly wasn’t in 2017.
It probably depends/depended on the type of car. When I was shopping for a Pilot right before the pandemic, the discount on slightly used cars of that and similar models wasn't worth it.
I’d think Honda and Lexus (Toyota too) would be very similar. I don’t know about right before the pandemic, but back in 2016/2017, two year old SUVs that I was looking at definitely weren’t at a point where buying two year old cars wasn’t a decent deal. I looked at a lot of models. The pandemic changed that completely around.

Also, were you looking at certified used Hondas? I absolutely didn’t think the Lexus certified used RXs were worth the price. Carmax, others and private parties were much better deals especially for two year old cars with healthy chunks of their manufacturer warranties. I’m talking thousands of dollars difference. When the pandemic hit, that’s when inventories of all used cars dried up completely.
IIRC slightly used Pilots at the time I was looking were only selling at a ~$3k discount. I was not only looking at certified cars. At that price point it was just easier to get a new one because then I got a full warranty and wasn’t at the mercy of used car inventory to get color/options I wanted.

A few years earlier when I was Subaru shopping the differences were even smaller. Those things hold their value extremely well.
I bought my 2-year old Subaru in 2008 for $20K, ~$10K off new MSRP. 16 years later, it’s worth about half what I paid, still pretty good for a vehicle that’s nearly 20 years old.

I told myself I’d never pay more than $20K for a car, but that will certainly be a challenge moving forward.
 
Wife & I have bought 1 new car in our lives - in Dec 2015 we bought a 2016 Honda Pilot. Just took it in for servicing this AM; 62K miles and never had an issue. I don't regret the purchase since it's been rock solid, road trips are worry free, etc. But in retrospect I wonder if such an investment was truly wise considering the limited amount of driving over 8 years. Probably would have been better off buying something 4-6 years old. When we were car shopping in 2016, the "buy 2 years old" theory was already overpriced.
What do you mean overpriced in 2016? I bought my current car (RX 350) in 2017 and it was 2 years old with 19k miles. I paid 37k for it and brand new was 55k for my model/options. I’ve driven it for 6 years now and added 90k miles. I basically paid the same price (my cost minus its current worth) as the person who bought it new and I’ve driven it twice as long. It’s barely over 100k so I plan to drive it 2-3 more years and then give it to my oldest as his car will be close to end of life.

Anyway, I don’t think the buy it two years old scenario was overpriced until post-pandemic. It certainly wasn’t in 2017.
It probably depends/depended on the type of car. When I was shopping for a Pilot right before the pandemic, the discount on slightly used cars of that and similar models wasn't worth it.
I’d think Honda and Lexus (Toyota too) would be very similar. I don’t know about right before the pandemic, but back in 2016/2017, two year old SUVs that I was looking at definitely weren’t at a point where buying two year old cars wasn’t a decent deal. I looked at a lot of models. The pandemic changed that completely around.

Also, were you looking at certified used Hondas? I absolutely didn’t think the Lexus certified used RXs were worth the price. Carmax, others and private parties were much better deals especially for two year old cars with healthy chunks of their manufacturer warranties. I’m talking thousands of dollars difference. When the pandemic hit, that’s when inventories of all used cars dried up completely.
IIRC slightly used Pilots at the time I was looking were only selling at a ~$3k discount. I was not only looking at certified cars. At that price point it was just easier to get a new one because then I got a full warranty and wasn’t at the mercy of used car inventory to get color/options I wanted.

A few years earlier when I was Subaru shopping the differences were even smaller. Those things hold their value extremely well.
I bought my 2-year old Subaru in 2008 for $20K, ~$10K off new MSRP. 16 years later, it’s worth about half what I paid, still pretty good for a vehicle that’s nearly 20 years old.

I told myself I’d never pay more than $20K for a car, but that will certainly be a challenge moving forward.
Nice. Mine is 8 years old and appears to still be worth 55-60% of what I paid for it, which I’m impressed and surprised by. Certainly it is holding its value better than my old BMW, though man do I miss the BMW driving experience.
 
I hate taking cars to mechanics which is why I will never own a German made vehicle. Impressive machines, unfortunately they require way too much maintenance and tuning. it’s not even the cash, it’s dealing with mechanics/dealerships.


The only car I’m looking at is the new Nissan Z. I keep driving past the dealer hoping to see it in the showroom.

BMW service is without a doubt, the finest dealer service department I've ever taken my car to.

I’m sure they are, german everything requires constant maintenance.

I’m not knocking their performance - they just tend to over think things.
How many have you owned?

That has not been our experience. I have had BMWs since 99.

We did have persistent issues with our A6 wagon
 

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