Sell Me A Car-What Should I Buy

[SmootSmack]

I've had a 93 Accord since well 93. And it's given me 150K solid miles. But lately it's just problem after problem with that car

So I want, actually I need, to buy a new car. Actually I have no preference, new or certified pre-owned. I don't want it too old though. I want a navigation system, and AWD, and would prefer not to go over 30K, would rather not go over 25K if possible

So sell me a car. Convince me on what kind to buy

[SmootSmack]

I had to change my thread title because hooskins hijacked it for his own thread...stupid Indian. <<statement made purely in jest>>

[hooskins]

Originally Posted by TAFKAS

I had to change my thread title because hooskins hijacked it for his own thread...stupid Indian. <<statement made purely in jest>>

haha its all love

[BigSKINBauer]

Originally Posted by TAFKAS

<<statement made purely in jest>>

LIES, LIES!!!!! I am going to have to pull a ?3 maker and call you a racist... against blacks.



Its good to see with all the $$$ your making now you are going to pimp out. You could get the best camry or accord models available and they are as nice as the lexus and acuras. They are really, really nice if you get the best model available and with you negotiate under 25,000

[Schneed10]

Certified pre-owned makes the most financial sense. Getting a car coming off a two-year lease is ideal (20-30 thousand miles). You probably know this, but cars depreciate like sons of bitches the second you drive a new one off the lot. Catching a pre-owned allows you to take advantage of that initial depreciation, buying at a lower price but still getting the car at a relatively young age.

I'm assuming that since you liked the Accord before, you're comfortable in that class of car again. So I'd say the best bet is Toyota Camry, second best bet is the Honda Accord, third best bet is the Hyundai Sonata.

Hondas hold their value the longest of the 3, meaning if you got in a wreck and totaled it a few years after buying it, your insurance company would cut you the biggest check for the Honda.

Toyotas are a bit cheaper to maintain. Parts are a bit less expensive. I think Hyundais are pretty good on maintenance cost. Plus Hyundai offers that peace of mind with the 10-year power train warrantee.

If you're buying a car with 15-30 thousand miles on it, you're probably talking about 2004 models. That year, the Honda Accord won the car of the year from JD Power. The Camry owned that title for a long time before that.

But the Camry is cheaper, and hence a better value, in my opinion. All three are solid in crash ratings. If safety is really important to you, get the side curtain air bags, adding them takes the vehicles up to 5-star crash ratings.

I have a 1999 Camry, and my mom has a 2002 Camry which I've driven. I can attest to their handling, it's very smooth and the braking is excellent. I've test driven the Honda Accords too, and they have a stiffer feel to the handling and don't brake quite as easily, but I think the engine has more pep (comparing 4 cylinder to 4 cylinder). It comes down to what you like, but in the end, I think the Camry is the #1 car in the country (in terms of units sold) for a reason. I've never had a problem with mine, not one, I've had it for four years.

If you want something sportier but still reliable and sensible, the Toyota Solara looks like a sweet choice to me.

[Schneed10]

Just noticed that you're looking for the AWD and navigation system options. Not sure about the availability of AWD on the sedans I mentioned. You may need to go up in class to get the AWD option on a sedan (Lexus, BMW 3 series, or a small SUV. or consider Subarus, which aren't half bad).

I personally advise against AWD because it guzzles more gas. But if you're living in Connecticut and working at ESPN, I can see why you might want the AWD for those snowy days.

[SmootSmack]

Just about everyone I've talked to in Connecticut is telling me I need to get an SUV for the Connecticut winters. EEich can confirm this, but they tell me that while it doesn't snow often there when it snows it snows hard. So I need a car that can handle that.

I'm definitely leaning toward staying in the Honda family or going with a Toyota. I've always liked the Honda ride. I rented a Highlander last weekend and that was very smooth

[Redskins8588]

TAFKAS, I do not claim to be a car expert by no means, but if I was in the market for a new or slightly used AWD car with a navagation system, I would seriously look at the Hyundai Tucson http://www.hyundaiusa.com/vehicle/tu...m/limited.aspx
It is a smaller SUV type with 4wd. If you look at the link and see what it comes with stock it is a pretty good price for what you get. Or if you want a bigger SUv, but no a gas hog, you could go with Hyundai's Santa Fe. http://www.hyundaiusa.com/vehicle/sa...m/limited.aspx

I currently have a Hyundai Santa Fe and I love it, I get about 30mpg on the highway and about 25 around town. And the best is that it fits all three of my kids car seats in the rear seat, how cool is that. Also, Hyundai offers a pretty damn good warrenty 10 years, or 100,000 miles on the power train, http://www.hyundaiusa.com/global/warranty/warranty.aspx The warrenty is so good that they termed it Americas best warrenty. I like the Hyundai class of vehicles because of how they look, there excellent quality, and excelent warrenty, but thats just me.

If you would like to stay with honda and want an awd type vehicle then I suggest Honda's CRV. http://automobiles.honda.com/models/...egory=4WD%20EX When I bought my Santa Fe, it was down to the CR-V or the Santa Fe, I went with the Santa Fe pretty much because of the warrenty.

All in all, I am a big consumer reports guy and in there last car issue the cars that I mentioned all got good reviews. If there is a certain car that you would like to know what consumer reports has to say about it let me know and I will look it up and give you a run down as to what they say about the car...

[SmootSmack]

The Honda CR-V is probably my top choice right now. But I've been hearing good things about the Subaru Forester. I know Consumer Reports gave them both good reviews

Canthetuna, any thoughts on the Toyota SUVs? I know that's your area of expertise.

[FRPLG]

I can personally vouch for a BMW 3 series. They are certainly the best value for luxury cars and I think in the top three of all luxury cars. You can get a decent used 04 with not bad mileage for under 30. They also retain a good bit of their value. Especially if you are getting a used one. As far as SUVs go there are tons but with gas prices you may want to stick with the more efficient models. This puts you in the Honda CRV and Subaru Forrester area. These two are consistently rated above like models(Escape, Liberty, etc..). The Forrester generally is regarded as having the better AWD system and I have seen it mostly rated slightly better than the CRV but it definitely doesn't give much of an SUV feel. Feels a lot like a station wagon honestly. The CRV I can say is a very good car and just as solid as any other Honda model. I had a CRV and would get another before getting a Forrester. New CRVs run about 25 and retain a good bit of value too. Used with low mileage will still cost you 21 or so.

[FRPLG]

Originally Posted by TAFKAS

The Honda CR-V is probably my top choice right now. But I've been hearing good things about the Subaru Forester. I know Consumer Reports gave them both good reviews

Canthetuna, any thoughts on the Toyota SUVs? I know that's your area of expertise.

Missed this before my last post. I had a CRV and am planning on buying a new one soon. I have test driven the Forrester and just didn't like it nearly as much. The one thing about the CRV that is killer though: road noise. It is a loud car on the highways. The Forrester really is a SUW (sports utility wagon). You can't go wrong with the CRV. The others in this class are really down a level in terms of value for durability, safety, efficiency and overall ammenity.

Seriously though. find a BMW dealer and test a 3 series. You will love it. especially if it is a 325 or 8. Probably more than you want to spend but you'll get a good return on it when you get rid of it later on. It wont cost much more in the long run than an Accord.

[Redskins8588]

For you CR-V guys, I am not sure if you are aware of this or not, but Honda is going to release an Accord version of the CR-V. Currently where I work we are making the bearing caps for the motor. It is going to have a 6 cyl. that will be pumping out like 270 horsepower. Also, we make a transmission carrier that will go in this all new Accord CR-V. I am not sure when it will come out yet, I think 2007. It also has some kind of new drive system where the car will read the terrain that you are driving on and apply different amount of pressure on each indiviual tire to avoid spin outs and what not. It sounds pretty sweet...

[SmootSmack]

Could you guys explain to me the difference between 4WD and AWD. And the advantages of each?

[Redskins8588]

AWD - All wheel drive, meaning that all 4 wheels have power distributed to each one all the time in theory. For example if you were to lift an AWD in the air and press the gas pedal all 4 tires should spin. But you have to be carefull because newer cars that claim to be AWD are in fact not. The motor industry uses this term to market a car that will switch from two wheel drive to AWD automaticly as needed to prevent spinouts and what not.

4WD or 4x4 - Four wheel drive, is where power is distributed to the tires at your command. The driver can select when to put the vehicle into 4WD. In side the car there will be a button or another shifter which the driver will push or pull to put the car in 4WD. Also, 4WD does not automaticly mean that once the car is in 4WD that all tires will have power to them individually. Usually it is only the 2 opposite tires that get power to them. For example, if you have a Ford f-150 that is 4WD, when you put the truck into 4wd the driver side front tire and the passenger side rear tire are the only tires that would get power to them, thus not making it a true 4 wheel drive vehicle.

I hope this helps...

[Redskins8588]

Where I work about 60% to 70% of the parts we make go inside a transfer case. All 4wd or newer awd cars have transfer cases. The transfer case is what "transfers" power to the wheels. The transfer case is needed to to engage the front or rear tires for the the awd or 4wd system to work.