General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWhat's the best car/vehicle on the market today, dollar to value?
Here are my candidates:
Hyundai Elantra
Chevrolet Equinox
Ford Focus
Chevrolet Cruze
What would you add to the list of candidates?
What's your winner!?
nanabugg
(2,198 posts)My family has two and a van.
HuckleB
(35,773 posts)Alas, they need to do some work on the dealership front. Too many possible customers are driven away by dealerships using 1970s sales techniques.
OffWithTheirHeads
(10,337 posts)Hey, you didn't say cheapest just best.
Dollar for dollar, Porsche is the best car in the world.
EvolveOrConvolve
(6,452 posts)Mopar151
(9,965 posts)I can't even FIND the sparkplugs on my friend's Carerra S, or the battery on another friend's 928. The Boxster requires you to unbolt the engine cover to check the oil!
Service accesability issues alone make them expensive, and a pain in the ass to own, as do fast-wearing ex$pensive tires and fragile wheels.
The drive beautifully, and go like the hammers, but it ain't magic that does it.
OffWithTheirHeads
(10,337 posts)I've owned seven of them. Best car in the world!
NotThisTime
(3,657 posts)cantbeserious
(13,039 posts)eom
HuckleB
(35,773 posts)doc03
(35,148 posts)have zero complaints. For a small car it rides good, handles good and has solid feel. Consumer Reports showed the Cruze much better than average or better than average in every category except one and it was average. But yet even though it had no reported trouble spots they gave it a much worse than average reliability score. As always their prejudice against American made products continues. Consumers Digest gave it a Best Buy rating, go figure.
I've found that when consumer reports says something is the best you can bet that is not what you want to be spend your hard earned money on. Very biased and I suspect they take gifts under the table IMO
Personally I'd go with a ford product such as a focus. Focus EV is what I want
doc03
(35,148 posts)the auto show a couple years ago. It finally came on the market and I waited months until one showed up at a local dealer. In the mean time I took a test drive with the Cruze and was very impressed but not being a Chevy fan I waited for a chance with the Focus. Finally I got a test drive on the Focus and the first thing I noticed it had a lot of road noise compared to the Cruze and the auto transmission was a disappointment. The next week I took the Cruze out again and I was sold. Another thing the Focus has a much higher price than the comparably equipped Cruze. My number one choice was the Mustang V-6 but being in Ohio I didn't want to go back to a rear wheel drive car.
renate
(13,776 posts)But it's new enough that it's probably too early to say anything about dependability, etc.
HuckleB
(35,773 posts)It is dependable, but it's quite small for the mileage it gets. it boggles my mind to realize that my first 1992 Saturn was bigger and got better mileage than the Fit. Yes, it had slightly lower horsepower. But that was 20 years ago!
Thus, I'm not a fan of the Fit.
renate
(13,776 posts)I meant her own car is too new to have built up a repair record (which would be purely anecdotal, of course), not that the model is new or old, which I would have no idea about. All I know about cars is that they tend to have four wheels. I only remember that she has a Fit because we're looking at getting a new car, too.
I've read good things about Hyundais for sure, but (in reference to another post on this thread) it looks like the Fit is about the same price as the Elantra:
http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/Honda_Fit/
taught_me_patience
(5,477 posts)My #1 bang for the buck is Honda Fit. No other small car is even close.
Mazda 5 has a complete monopoly on the mini mini-van. Great value.
Hyundai Genesis competes with cars $20,000 more. Looks great too.
Ford Focus looks great and seems to be a good value.
HuckleB
(35,773 posts)It's tiny. Gas mileage is weak. And it's not cheap. Thus, I'm not a fan of it.
taught_me_patience
(5,477 posts)Excellence comes in many sizes, but when the Fit first earned its way onto our 10Best list in 2007, it alone offered that quality in the B-segment, a size class that was largely an afterthought in the go-go Aughts. Now, the class is bursting with legitimate pint-sized threats from Hyundai, Mazda, Ford, and Chevy, but Honda still wins with best-in-class passenger space and cargo capacity. It also offers the most flingable chassis and a five-speed manual that is among the great ambassadors to the stick. That transmission would no doubt sway even more converts if it had a sixth gear to calm the engine on the highway. Overall, though, the Fit is not just a triumph over other small cars, its a triumph of engineering. It makes the minds behind other cars seem lazy. There are so few intrusions into the capacious interior that youd think the structure consists of a thin layer of aluminum foil stretched over some toothpicks, even though this body shell is astoundingly rigid. All hatchbacks offer folding seats, but the Fits create a completely flat load floor and open up 57 cubic feet of cargo volume13 more than youll get if you flop the back row in a Ford Explorer. In other markets, this tiny Honda is sold as the Jazz, which is appropriate: It exudes all the unflappable cool and versatility of a session drummer.
http://www.caranddriver.com/features/2012-10best-cars-feature-2012-honda-fit-page-8
HuckleB
(35,773 posts)... and the mileage should be much better than it is.
NV Whino
(20,886 posts)It holds five people. Six footers are astounded at the head room. Rear seats fold flat for an amazing amount of carrying space. I've carried 12' 2 x4s (stocking out the passenger window). Mieage is 33 to 38 mpg. My cost out the door was $16,750. What's not to like?
HuckleB
(35,773 posts)It's the most overrated vehicle on the market, IMO.
NV Whino
(20,886 posts)rog
(647 posts)re: "Tiny," ... not really. I'm a musician and I can get all my stuff in there with room left over. Drove to a gig not too long ago with all my guitar gear (full sized jazz guitar, amp, stool, music stand, etc.), plus the bass player's gear (full sized upright bass, no less, plus amp, etc.). The bass player rode with me, about 6'4" tall, comfy in the passenger seat. We rode in style. Gas mileage over the last year is 43.5mpg, combined city and highway ... I'd say I do about 65-70% on the freeway, the rest in town.
Price: less than 17,000 out the door, brand new.
It's an '09 model ... NO mechanical issues, other than routine maintenance.
Mine is the Sport model ... has all the features except the GPS. Manual transmission, which I LOVE. I didn't realize how hard it was to get a stick shift these days. USB port in the glove box ... just bring a USB drive w/ your tunes, talking books, etc. on it. Sweet.
.rog.
Arctic Dave
(13,812 posts)She is in looooove with it.
I finally talked her into buying American. Union made in America and shipped and handled by union labor.
Hassin Bin Sober
(26,272 posts)Arctic Dave
(13,812 posts)Tonight is like Christmas eve for her
Mopar151
(9,965 posts)Give Hyundai good marks. And they are the same ones who told me about how Toyota has hidden recalls for 25 years.
HuckleB
(35,773 posts)Why does every mechanic I consult tell me to buy Honda or Toyota?
Oh, wait.
Hmmm.
Mopar151
(9,965 posts)Sometimes without an owner's knowledge or consent. Toyota's are notorious "rust buckets" (they bought back a LOT of pickups for rotten frames a couple years ago), and older Honda's have rust issues too.
meaculpa2011
(918 posts)is not a recall. Recalls have strict rules, even to the point of tracking down and notifying second and third owners.
Mopar151
(9,965 posts)Toyota managed to duck those rules for a long time, to A) save money and B)maintain their hyper-reliable image.
meaculpa2011
(918 posts)hide a government-mandated recall?
I've administered more than few recalls. It's not like I can just toss the notifications in the waste basket.
I don't know anything about the inner workings of Toyota, but if you have evidence of corruption involving NHTSA, let us in on the secret.
It's after 4PM. You can stop being snotty.
Mopar151
(9,965 posts)By managing the reporting of defects to NHTSA - like buying back all of those pickups at 125% of book, with no mileage deduction, so that owners were eager to turn them in.
Ford's big mistake in the notorious Pinto fires was stonewalling the acknowledgement of a problem until there were plenty of horrendous examples in public view.
doc03
(35,148 posts)going to the crusher and still do. I own a 2006 Tacoma and so far it has been flawless mechanically but I am keeping my fingers crossed on the rust, so far the Tacoma has been OK from 2005 on. The first generation of the Tundra were rust buckets too.
cherokeeprogressive
(24,853 posts)Bought it in November in Salt Lake City for $7,000. Factory tilt, factory air.
Plus, it's convertible.
I'm in the process of rebuilding the suspension.
Pictures when I get finished with it.
Edweird
(8,570 posts)I wish my '97 Suburban had it. It had the fiberglass top which, while removable, was a heavy and unwieldy thing that I had no place to put. So it stayed on during my ownership. My only problem was the lack of A/C in the humid South Florida summer - the windows fogged up and it was hot as hell....
cherokeeprogressive
(24,853 posts)73's and later had a hard-top that reached to a point behind the front seats. So when the top's off, it's exactly like a convertible. I found a K5 website where a guy has plans for a block n tackle setup that lifts the top all the way to the top of the garage.
It runs like a top, with a recently rebuilt 350 and a new transfer case.
The only issue is rust. I'm going to have to buy new door shells, ($500+), and body panels ($750-1000+). The labor cost for the body panels will probably cost somewhere near a grand or more, but I have a paint guy who'll do the primer/paint for cost + 2oz of good weed.
When I'm done with the rust, paint, carpeting, and sound... it'll sell on Ebay for upward of $18,000 but I plan on this being the last vehicle I'm ever going to buy. It even has the uncut holes for the stereo, and I've found a place that makes "vintage" radios that'll accept my XM radio and iPod Nano.
It's almost exactly like the one my Grandpa had when I was a kid. When I'm done with it it'll be a vehicle he would have been proud to drive, and totally appropriate for the place where I live which is 7,000 above Los Angeles.
All in all, it's a nod to to the UAW men and women who dreamed it, designed it, tooled the plants in Michigan, and built it.
KeepItReal
(7,769 posts)Nice looks, good interior and nice to drive.
No idea on its longevity, though.
flvegan
(64,389 posts)Kurmudgeon
(1,751 posts)flvegan
(64,389 posts)"like an import" is kind of subjective, yes? No, hold on...I'm going to rewind to where this idiot drops in. Have at it.
Initech
(99,912 posts)I didn't like the last model - I rented one and it felt like driving a boat, but I hear the new one is a huge, dramatic improvement. Car & Driver liked it better than the Hyundai Genesis in some tests.
Fla_Democrat
(2,545 posts)but, that's just my personal preference.
flvegan
(64,389 posts)Value for money? Egads, what a horrible group to decide from. Short the Focus. The Focus is good. Dreadful, but from the group can be quite good.
HuckleB
(35,773 posts)Atman
(31,464 posts)...he made no recommendations of his own, just shat upon others. Although, I tend to agree with the Chrysler facepalm. I've never driven one that wasn't a total turd, including the Dodge Avenger I rented two weeks ago in Florida.
HuckleB
(35,773 posts)But, yeah, I'm still a little wary of Chrysler. I hope the reported quality improvements are true.
And, yes, you're right about the posts in question.
lumberjack_jeff
(33,224 posts)tammywammy
(26,582 posts)Well, at least on the outside, I haven't seen the inside personally.
Heywood J
(2,515 posts)I can tell you that the Equinox is union-built in Ingersoll. If the Cruze is built in Lordstown, it should be union-made as well.
I have no idea about the other two. The 2012 Focus is a new design that I don't know much about.
phylny
(8,353 posts)I like the GMC Terrain, Chevy Equinox, and the Ford Escape. The problem with the GMC is it's not made in the US. My current car is a 2005 Honda, which has been extremely reliable. My only issue is with the finish - inside and out. The paint near the door handles is scratched, and I do not have long nails and the interior is scratched (daughters' soccer cleats) and the seat material is impossible to get clean.
No matter, I'll be keeping my CR-V for quite some time.
The Terrain is built in Canada but it's also union-made while the Honda is not.
phylny
(8,353 posts)I won't be doing that again.
GoCubsGo
(32,061 posts)At least those sold in North America. I believe that is a union plant.
MattBaggins
(7,894 posts)but I live near Lake Ontario and lake effect snow and horrible winters are a figure in my TCO where as others might not consider those issues.
HuckleB
(35,773 posts)mucifer
(23,373 posts)I get an average of 42mpg. I've had very few problems. The fuel pump and the regular battery have been replaced. (Not the $3,000 battery) That is all besides tires of course.
bemildred
(90,061 posts)Motown_Johnny
(22,308 posts)I would say that the Leaf might be the best because of the savings in fuel costs from a pure electric. If you can get by with driving 100 miles a day, or less, they this might be the best car for you. The Prius is also an option and there are many versions to choose from so I don't want to start down that road but you should look at them.
A similar argument can be made for the natural gas version of The Civic.
For an gasoline powered internal combustion vehicle I could make the case for the Chevy Sonic (because it is being built in Lake Orion Michigan).
The Sonic starts at less than $14,000 and has fuel efficiency ratings as high as 40 MPG. I sat in one at the auto show last year and it is a pretty nice little car.
http://www.chevrolet.com/sonic-small-car/
If you compare the Sonic to something like the Elantra, the Elantra starts at over $15,000 in a 2 door while the Sonic is a 4 door. The gas mileage is very similar, depending on exactly which model you choose. You would also need to take into account that American made cars tend to be less expensive to maintain than foreign makes but this is a generalization. The last thing is the cost of insuring the vehicle and you will need to check that yourself since this tends to vary. Also the Elantra is being manufactured in right to work states, not in union factories, if that matters to you.
The Focus is similar but starts at over $18,000 so I'm not sure how to make an argument for this vehicle, even though by brother sells Fords. Maybe I should call him about it.
The Equinox is a crossover SUV, so if you need a larger vehicle then you really shouldn't be comparing things like the Elantra or Focus. You can't get one for less than $23,500 and the MPG is only 32 highway.
The Cruze stars at $16,800 and has mileage only slightly better than The Sonic. If you are serious about looking for a vehicle you might want to start looking at both the Cruze and the Sonic and then base the rest of your choices on these two options. I might go with the Sonic but I don't need a very big car and the thing is being built "in the neighborhood" relatively speaking. I also like the 4 door models of smaller cars. I am to old to climb in and out of the back seat of small vehicles with only 2 doors and I can't expect anyone else to do it either.
Atman
(31,464 posts)My Elantra is older, 2006 5-door that everyone thought was a Saab when it was new. Love that car. Never had any repair issues, it has lots of room, a very solid feel. But I recently drove a Cruze as a rental...very impressive car. I would consider purchasing one, but they're kind of pricey. I'd probably go with the new Elantra if I were in the market, just because of the excellent experience I've had with the two we currently own.
The Equinox was also very nice, but not nearly as roomy as my Santa Fe. Still giving my recs to Hyundai.
Also have a 2002 Saturn...has had some ac problems, but it's not a bad car.
HuckleB
(35,773 posts)The Hyundai Tucson is what competes with the Equinox. The Tucson is a very nice vehicle, but much smaller than the Equinox and it also gets worse gas mileage than the Equinox.
Motown_Johnny
(22,308 posts)I loved that car and it was still getting anywhere from 28 to 32 MPG for me.
Have you looked at the Sonic? It is similar to the Cruze but a bit smaller and much less expensive.
HuckleB
(35,773 posts)It is impossible to beat it at its price point.
Motown_Johnny
(22,308 posts)You seem to have your answer
HuckleB
(35,773 posts)Motown_Johnny
(22,308 posts)at it's price point. I was inferring that you then accepted The Sonic as the best deal. Since it's price is so low I don't see how you are going to argue that another vehicle is a better deal.
HuckleB
(35,773 posts)Motown_Johnny
(22,308 posts)how can you make an argument that any other vehicle is a better deal?
Why pay more when the Sonic is "a sweet little car"?
Atman
(31,464 posts)...we paid off the Elantra last year and it's still like new (except for a couple little dings here and there). We decided it was nice having the "extra" income rather than perpetual car payments!
HuckleB
(35,773 posts)We haven't had car payments for five years. We had a zero percent loan our 2002 Saturn, so that wasn't so bad. Still, we try to keep our vehicles 10 plus years. I'd rather use the money for other things.
Fawke Em
(11,366 posts)The Hyundai should be tariffed out of existence on American soil. The Focus is being brought home and Americans will have jobs.
Hassin Bin Sober
(26,272 posts)DonRedwood
(4,359 posts)I've never been able to buy a new car but, when the day comes, I'll buy the best American car that I can.
Corgigal
(9,291 posts)everytime we take it to the mazada shop, it triggers the sales floor and someone always comes out to try to buy it from us. We can give you 20,000 dollars right now. We also get letters from mazda telling us they want to buy it. She is 2007 and just paid it off. The cx-9 is number 1 right now on U.S. News for it's size. The answer is NO im not selling her.
http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/Mazda_CX-9/
HuckleB
(35,773 posts)It's bigger than what we were looking to purchase. On the other hand, I remember having Saturn trying to buy our vehicles throughout the '90s. We were happy with them, but they weren't the best vehicles around. Still, perception led them to have value at the time. My current suspicion is that similar perceptions are keeping Honda and Toyota moving forward. Not that they don't offer fine vehicle, but that they can charge more for an equivalent vehicle compared to other makes, which have equaled and sometimes surpassed them in quality.
JNelson6563
(28,151 posts)If I were in the market I'd be in the Chevy dealership today.
Julie
HuckleB
(35,773 posts)We did go with the Equinox, and we're quite happy.
JNelson6563
(28,151 posts)And most importantly, THANK YOU! Enjoy!
Julie
B Calm
(28,762 posts)AlinPA
(15,071 posts)cthulu2016
(10,960 posts)I would guess that the only full-sized car you can pay under $2000 for that has a real chance of making it another 100K miles without huge repairs is probably the 1992-1995 Camry.
Look around any parking lot and there's an eeire number of those 20 year old cars on the road.
bvar22
(39,909 posts)Almost anything over 10 years old with low mileage and no rust.
HuckleB
(35,773 posts)It's not a concern here in the northwest, so I forget about it. But, yes, a good 10-year-old vehicle is the cheapest one around. We have a 25-year-old Toyota pick up, and it seems ready to go another 25 years.
bvar22
(39,909 posts)...but prefer to buy American iron,
though it doesn't really matter in the "used" market.
Thankfully, my wife prefers to drive a "stick",
so we don't have to fool with automatics.
We live way out in The Woods at the end of some brutal dirt roads.
4WD is a must, also the ability to carry firewood and the occasional hay bale, and pull a light trailer.
EZ maintenance and access to cheap parts are a prime consideration.
A 99 Ford Ranger 4X Stick Off Road is our primary transportation,
and we are pleased with it.
We also own a 2002 GMC Jimmy 2dr 4WD Stick.
It is nice, but not a "tough" as the Ford which handles these rough, poorly maintained backroads better.
We bought both with over 100K miles, and both have proved to be more than a good deal.
They easily paid for themselves in the first 18 months, and now we are driving on Lagniappe.
We only carry Liability since the Book Value isn't worth carrying Collision.
If we damage one beyond my ability to repair....Oh Well.
meaculpa2011
(918 posts)for the past ten months. So far so good. My wife used a 2003 Elantra to commute. She retired last year and my daughter is using it. 120,000 miles and it's about ready to give up the ghost. We got our money's worth, though.
I have 1995 BMW 525i. 150,000 miles and still going strong. Dollar for dollar it's the best car I've ever owned. I hope to get another 150,000 out of it.
HuckleB
(35,773 posts)We came close to purchasing one ourselves.
Warren DeMontague
(80,708 posts)Hyundai is great.
etherealtruth
(22,165 posts)My current vehicle is is a 2010 Ford Focus.
The 2005 Hyundai .... sadly was a lemon (it happens), but when it wasn't experiencing major mechanical problems it was comfortable and got very good gas mileage (manual 5-speed transmission)
My experience with the Focus ... 40 miles a gallon on the freeway ... no major issues. Its been in the collision shop for a month ... not the fault of the Focus but an other driver that decided it would be wise to occupy himself with other activities when driving on a major metro freeway during rush hour
HuckleB
(35,773 posts)Nice mileage on your Focus! Sweet!
hunter
(38,264 posts)... but if I ever have to buy a new car, I will be very, very, very unhappy.
If somebody gave me a new car I would give it away to someone who could appreciate it.
I hate cars. Vile things, all cars are.
My cars are old and I will keep them as long as I can. They hate me, I hate them, I loathe them, and they know it. I think they live long, mileage to the moon and going back, just to spite me.
LeftyMom
(49,212 posts)I wouldn't buy any of those, not because there's anything wrong with them but because they wouldn't meet my needs especially well. I have a very reliable Subaru Forester with tons of cargo room, the sport package and a manual, which is exactly what I need. If what you need is a compact vehicle for a long commute it would be an awful car for you, no matter how much I love mine.
There's no one best deal out there, you have to narrow it way down to what you actually need and go from there. Your list has vehicles that don't really have anything in common except four tires and internal combustion, so I can't really suggest anything without a better idea of what you need and want in a car.
HuckleB
(35,773 posts)However, one of the bigger problems with Subarus is the cargo space. They are very reliable, but one can get much more cargo space and leg room with the Equinox, for example, compared to the Forester, for a few grand less. The question on longevity of the Equinox remains, but early assessments indicate it will be a vehicle for the long haul.
Yes, it is about what one needs, but there are "best deals" dollar for dollar out there. Too many of us put too much stake in emotion, advertising, and the fact that one had good luck or bad luck with a single vehicle of a certain make.
LeftyMom
(49,212 posts)Not bad considering I bought it used for slightly more money than can be found under the cushions of the average sofa.
My point is that no car is perfect, and that the best deal is the one that's closest to perfect for you, knowing how long you'll keep it and what you plan on doing with it. For example if you're going to trade in after a few years you probably don't want a Hyundai anything, because their resale is perfectly awful. If you drive your car until the wheels fall off resale matters nothing but long-term reliability is paramount. I don't really care about leg room because I'm 5'2", for me adjustable pedals would be a bigger selling point, maybe for you that's different.
Which car is the best compromise between what you need, what you want and what you can afford is different for everybody. Picking out a few models as unusually good values with no other criteria is like picking out a few houses somewhere as unusually good deals: sure, that enormous $5K fixer in Detroit might be a hell of a deal, but the $100K starter house near your job is probably a better choice for you.
HuckleB
(35,773 posts)Most car purchases are made with too little objectivity. If it were otherwise, we would all have better options as consumers.
tabbycat31
(6,336 posts)Mine's pushing 200K and I love everything about it. When it comes time to replace it, I will get another Forester.
we can do it
(12,118 posts)HuckleB
(35,773 posts)we can do it
(12,118 posts)we can do it
(12,118 posts)Stability and exceptional safety features, great in winter. Pretty good on gas. Lots of room for plants, tools & whatever in back (I like the wagon). My big & not very flexible dad fits nicely without complaining in front seat, he never fit in my cavaliers.
HuckleB
(35,773 posts)I like Subarus. Their reliability is fantastic. I was a bit surprised to find them to be so small on the inside, however.
Nonetheless, a vehicle is what it is to its owner. For me, if the vehicle gets decent mileage, keeps going and fits what I need inside it, then I'm good.
Cheers!
we can do it
(12,118 posts)I'm more into functionality and guts than style anyway.
Tikki
(14,537 posts)truck. The 4cylinder, I believe. That is for all aspects of car ownership.
Only problem is that in reality even the extended cab is a two-seater.
And now I hear FORD is discontinuing the Ranger, to work on a passenger car
that can meet the same goal, I hope.
We own a 10 year old Ranger with under 40,000 miles on it..at this rate we are
betting it will last the rest of our (seniors) lives.
The Tikkis
HuckleB
(35,773 posts)The Ranger and other larger trucks (well, as well as the older small Toyotas) have been the kings of longevity.
Hassin Bin Sober
(26,272 posts)At least that was the consensus among my co-workers when I was in the biz.
HuckleB
(35,773 posts)Hassin Bin Sober
(26,272 posts)HuckleB
(35,773 posts)bluestate10
(10,942 posts)I just like the live feel of air blowing through my hair.
HuckleB
(35,773 posts)Hassin Bin Sober
(26,272 posts)Hassin Bin Sober
(26,272 posts)I'm mostly kidding. Obviously the '88 escorts are just about all dead by now. I was in the buiz. in the mid to late '90s.
Still, I nver thought new cars were a good idea. But the focus always seemed like a good value. The boyfriend looked at them. I helped put a friend in one a few years ago. The boyfriend ended up with a 1 year old Mercury Milan. He wanted that sync gadget stuff. He was looking at the Fusion and Milan and we found a good deal on a Milan. We tease him because after he bought the car one of the write-ups on it was how it was popular with the ladies. We all refer to his car as the lady Fusion. LOL
Hassin Bin Sober
(26,272 posts)The idea was it was a bare bones car that no one wanted but would run for ever.
Last time my boyfriend was looking I spotted a gran marquis (used) with 40k miles on it and said now this is the car for you! He almost threw up (he was trading a mini convert).
HuckleB
(35,773 posts)We've had one for the last 16 years, but it's not so bad in the Willamette Valley.
Hassin Bin Sober
(26,272 posts)Now THAT'S a good value. That 3800 engine is bullet-proof. I put my dad in one years back before he passed.
The in-laws are getting rid of th '95 Riviera with 200k miles and going with something a little less flashy as they ARE 68 and 78. They still have the Miata convert with 200k miles for funning around. FIL is a retired commercial pilot and FBO operator who believes in maintaining his machines.
I would by an older used Buick in a heart beat. I worked in a Buick dealer for ten years.
Hassin Bin Sober
(26,272 posts)I know I know they cleaned up their act and have a good warranty. They're sharp too. His friends have one and love it. The value seems good too.
When I was in the business, we couldn't get our new Kias financed because of what Hyundai did to all the lenders. The banks all loaned money on them to people with marginal credit with $100 dollars down. I mean why not? A new car for $6k and a warranty? The trouble was when the warranty was up and the cars took a shit, people stopped paying for the car. It damn near crippled a several banks.
When Kia came to town, the lenders were like no more Korean cars. Things have changed and Hyundai rehabbed their image.
But still.
The Kia was crap too. Half the new cars came back on the hook in 2 or 3 days. Electrical problems. But I hear they cleaned up their act (owned by Hyundai).
Now come to find out our LG washer/dryer combo is actually LUCKY GOLDSTAR maker of shitty crappy electronics in the '80s. Rebranded to Life Is Good. I just had to replace the drum on 5 year old dryer.
cyglet
(529 posts)HuckleB
(35,773 posts)PowerToThePeople
(9,610 posts)justabob
(3,069 posts)I love the 240s. I had a wagon in college, and a slightly newer 240 sedan later. Both were still running when I got rid of them at 175K and 150K miles.
CRK7376
(2,187 posts)Toyotas! My wife has an '06 Sienna minivan with 142,000plus on the odometer. I am in an '05 Tacoma with over 167,000k. No major/minor problems with either vehicle other than kids spilling drinks, dropping fries and burger crumbs on the seats/floor....
HuckleB
(35,773 posts)Wow!
flamingdem
(39,303 posts)are worth the most due to the fun value factor with handling
zoechen
(93 posts)He owns, or rather owned a Porshe Carrara and a Mercedes AMG.
The AMG wins hands down, with him anyways.
Beats me, I drive a 99 Dodge Diesel truck.
Ohio Joe
(21,655 posts)[IMG][/IMG]
Ten years with basic maintenance and it still runs like a dream.
Iwasthere
(3,138 posts)I personally drive a 2001 Ford Excursion Deisel for free. Been doing it for 3 1/2 years now. Paid itself off in no time. Easy to convert most deisels to run straight veggie (buy an old mercedes for $500.00 and convert yourself for another $500.00). Plenty of restartants are willing to help out the little guy and give us oil fro free (they have to pay to have it taken). If it isn't avaiable that way then you can buy oil for 1 to 2 bucks on craigslist in most cities. Side benefit, my exsaust actually helps the plant life, I am NOT spewing junk into the air. We have to do what we have to do.... We don't have the money for a new car... upside down on mortgage (almost $2000.00 a month too) and they won't refi us cause we have a PMI