What's new
Fantasy Football - Footballguys Forums

Welcome to Our Forums. Once you've registered and logged in, you're primed to talk football, among other topics, with the sharpest and most experienced fantasy players on the internet.

Please help me choose a new vehicle (1 Viewer)

T

Tom Skerritt

Footballguy
My son turns 16 in a few weeks. I am handing down my 2013 vehicle to him, and therefore I am in the market for a replacement. I am certainly open to buying used, but I tend to feel safer going with new. My main concern is fuel efficiency. I have about a 100-120 mile  (mostly 70-75 mph highway driving) round-trip commute each day. This will primarily be a commuter car, but I'm sure that there will be times that it will need to carry a family of four. I think that I can comfortably afford a $30K sedan, but I just don't think it is necessary. I have been looking at vehicles in the $15-25K range.

Cars that have been considered:
 

Honda Civic

Honda Insight Hybrid

Hyundai Elantra

Ford Focus

Subaru Imprezza

Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid (test drove a used one of these, and briefly attempted to negotiate a deal but walked away)

VW Jetta

Am I missing anything? And what are your thoughts?

 
No recommendations on the vehicle but we just bought one and went through Carvana - whole process went better than I expected.  I’ll probably never step foot in a car dealership again.

 
last April (so 16 months ago) - I traded in my 2003 Accord for a used 2016 Civic (EX model - 8000k miles on it).   I have ~ 100-110 mile commute total.  So we will say 50 one way.  3/4 of it is probably highway.        

I love it.  Great commuter car.  I did buy it off a dealer lot.  I do not have leather.  The only thing I do miss is my model does not have a power seat.  For you the change might not be that great since you were already in a newer vehicle.

For me it was a huge difference.   

I'm currently between 34-35 mpg   computer reads 34.3.  And I don't baby it - meaning I'm driving 85+ mph, accelerate when I need too etc

 
Last edited by a moderator:
wilked said:
Keep the 2013. Spend $3-4K on used car for son 
Click to expand...
Then I'd buy your kid a 3-4K car and trade yours in on a new one.  A 16 year old will just trash it...  Trust me, I've been through this 3 times.  

Since you have a longer drive, I'd sit in each and see which "fits" you best.  

 
Last edited by a moderator:
We have had great success with two Toyota Camry’s. We have the ones with the 4 cylinder engine. 35+mpg on the highway. Keep the oil changed regularly and scheduled maintenance and you should have a car that last a decade. We bought our first one in 2007 (it was three years old but only had 9,000 miles) and it’s still running great (260,000 miles now). No major repairs. 

 
notoriousbill said:
Then I'd buy your kid a 3-4K car and trade yours in on a new one.  A 16 year old will just trash it...  Trust me, I've been through this 3 times.  

Since you have a longer drive, I'd sit in each and see which "fits" you best.  
Click to expand...
I like this idea too. Only rebuttal would be that my 2013 is a truck. I am emotionally attached to it. And it's a truck. I like having a truck when I need a truck.

 
I have a 2016 WRX, this is my 2nd Subaru, I like the car very much and would recommend it to anyone but if you don't need AWD, I would cross Subaru off your list.  I would throw the Mazda 3 out there and my wife's had a 2008 Honda Accord EX-L V6 for about 10 years now, it's a great car but it is loud as hell on the highway, I have no idea why that is, I've tried to get the quietest tires possible, etc.  It did leave her stranded about 4-5 years ago with a dead alternator, that happens I guess but Toyota's seem a bit more reliable to me based on my anecdotal evidence of having owned 3 different Toyota's over a 10 or 15 year span.  She never had this issue when she drove Camry's.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Sullie said:
I have a 2016 WRX, this is my 2nd Subaru, I like the car very much and would recommend it to anyone but if you don't need AWD, I would cross Subaru off your list.  I would throw the Mazda 3 out there and my wife's had a 2008 Honda Accord EX-L V6 for about 10 years now, it's a great car but it is loud as hell on the highway, I have no idea why that is, I've tried to get the quietest tires possible, etc.  She never had this issue when she drove Camry's.
Click to expand...
I do like the style of the Mazda3 hatchback. Not sure why I just can't get on board with Mazda.

 
mr roboto said:
Why no Hyundai?  I love my Santa Fe. 
Click to expand...
Junk. I bought a Genesis Coupe new in 2010 & it's the only car I regret buying (Out of over 30 so far). Interior panels rattled from day one, stereo was LOL bad, lost all lights, inside & out, one night except for headlights. Took to dealer & was told a fuse was missing. How the hell does a fuse just work itself out?! Trans was junk as well.

I was beater shopping last year & gave a new Elantra a try, but still junk. Felt like I was in an empty tin can. Car handled like it was falling apart & the 80s Nintendo screen was just smh...

 
NeverEnough said:
Junk. I bought a Genesis Coupe new in 2010 & it's the only car I regret buying (Out of over 30 so far). Interior panels rattled from day one, stereo was LOL bad, lost all lights, inside & out, one night except for headlights. Took to dealer & was told a fuse was missing. How the hell does a fuse just work itself out?! Trans was junk as well.

I was beater shopping last year & gave a new Elantra a try, but still junk. Felt like I was in an empty tin can. Car handled like it was falling apart & the 80s Nintendo screen was just smh...
Click to expand...
Ok. I’ve had a totally different experience. 

 
If you lease a Jetta, don't come in here and complain about it.  :P

All of these cars have pretty small back seats. The kids are going to need to be occasional passengers. You should check out the Mazda, probably the most fun to drive.

 
The Focus has too much road noise.  On a long commute, it will drive you nuts.  If you're looking at Fords, go Fusion instead.  Less noise, more room, more comfortable and almost the same mpg for not much more money.

 
Go to the convenience store and get you a coke, a bag of chips, a donut, and a sandwich.

Start test driving cars with the above items with you. Also bring a phone charger. 

See how all of the above interacts with you, the cup holders, the console between the front seats, and the seat next to you. If you are spending that much time in the car, you gotta be able to function with all of the above in the car with you. 

 
Jaysus said:
me too.  My Sonata has be "fine" in every way.  No better and no worse, but I am good with fine. 
Click to expand...
I've had similar commutes to the OP and I put 225k miles on an '03 Sonata before wrecking it avoiding a deer, and have put 130k on my replacement '12 Sonata so far, with nothing but routine maintenance. 

 
Tom Skerritt said:
I do like the style of the Mazda3 hatchback. Not sure why I just can't get on board with Mazda.
Click to expand...
Wife has a couple year old Mazda3 that just topped 100k miles.  It's a manual, and still on the original clutch (and she learned to drive a manual on it).  Just like the Toyotas and the Hondas, they're built to last.  I wouldn't overlook it. 

 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

belljr
Auto repair vs purchase
2
Replies
56
Views
1K
belljr
belljr
Lehigh98
Any Dealership Guys? Question about buying a trade-in.
Replies
39
Views
1K
pollardsvision
pollardsvision
Judge Smails
Need a new car - which one?
2
Replies
77
Views
2K
Judge Smails
Judge Smails

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Top