Which new CAR & why?

[decodelighted]

So ... as I previously mentioned in the Diamond Goal thread ... me car go "poop" over the holidays. I''ll need to trade it in before the warranty is over in May. I think I''ve narrowed my choices down to three so I''m curious if anyone HAS any of my "top three" & can offer guidence ... or just what you gals think! (Mara''s "future Mini" post made me think of posting the ? here)

I''m replacing a small SUV with AWD, bad gas mileage but pretty plush. My fiance has a 2WD Jeep (which he may sell) & a Mazda Miata (deathtrap but is his "baby"). Now I''m the only super snow-friendly car in our snow-heavy Northeast location.

 

[decodelighted]

HONDA CIVIC HYBRID

PROS
Motor Trend Car of the year
50 mpg city/ 50 mpg hway
new
can get navigation system
3 yr /36,000 mile warranty
pretty cheap ($22 ish)


CONS
only cloth seats (pet hair problems)
NO AWD or 4WD

 

[decodelighted]

TOYOTA FJ CRUISER

PROS
my current "dream" car
is 4WD/AWD
duplicates current ride pretty well size-wise
comes in Black Cherry or Stainless colors
retro

CONS
terrible gas mileage
more expensive than other choices
have to wait til it comes out in Spring 2006
first model year (always problems with new cars)

 

[lilyinct]

I just got an Audi A6 All Wheel drive and I love it! Does great in the snow...has heated seats, sunroof, Bose stereo, satellite radio, the navigator system and tons of other perks...

 

[decodelighted]

TOYOTA RAV4

PROS
all wheel drive or 4WD
a little sportier than the Honda CRV
redesigned for 2006
good Consumer Reports ratings

CONS
so-so gas mileage (vs hybrid)
not as plush as current SUV
no navigation system

 

[decodelighted]

Other contenders:

Honda CRV (boxy, don''t "love" but is very reliable)
Honda Pilot (plush like I like, but too big & $$)


I''m trying to stay pretty cheap ... I''m a freelancer & it''s good for me to keep payments down during leaner times. I''d go Certified Pre-Owned on something plusher like the LEXUS 330 but I really want a long warranty period to avoid "oops" random $1500-$2000 repair bills.

 

[decodelighted]

Date: 1/6/2006 2:39:54 PM
Author: lilyinct
I just got an Audi A6 All Wheel drive and I love it! Does great in the snow...has heated seats, sunroof, Bose stereo, satellite radio, the navigator system and tons of other perks...

UMMMMM! I''d LOVE that! Maybe next time ... too $$ for me this go ''round. My friend had the A6 until recently and it really is a creampuff ride.

 

[Blue824]

my good friend got the civic hybrid last year maybe? loves it. it was comfy to drive around in...but hello, i hear you on the only cloth seats...i actually prefer them, and in my jetta i have cloth but I just picked up our friends dog from the kennels and my entire beige back seat is black and stinky now! so if I had a dog that'd be a major consideration for me!

if you're interested in the better gas mileage and an suv have you considered the upcoming toyota highlander hybrid? one of my coworkers got the prius last year (well many of them did actually) but this particular one his wife was jealous and loved it and immediately put her name down on a list for the highlander. I think the deposit for being on the list is pretty cheap, like $100 and refundable if you changed your mind. but then the con would be the wait.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Hi,

Quick question. . .do you plan to have kids (or do you already have kids?) while owning this vehicle? Before picking out my current vehicle, my husband and I researched safety with back seats/car seats to help us narrow down our choices. I can''t remember which Honda it is (or which year), but it *may* have been the RAV4 that didn''t have a very good track record with toddler car seats at that time, so we crossed this one off our list.

Something to consider.

Good luck!

 

[eks6426]

I have a HONDA CRV and I love it. But I didn''t love the cloth seats that were standard. So, I found an after market company who installed heated leather seats and now my basic, reliable CRV is much "plusher." The local car dealer actually worked with the after market leather people directly so my new car was delivered with the heated, leather seats. Anyway, just an idea if you are liking the Civic.

What about the Ford Escape Hybrid? Too "truck-like?"

 

[ame]

Ok...I work with cars and manufacturers--my two "professional" cents--

Stick to Honda, Toyota or Subaru. Period. Don't even waste your time outside of those. Not only are they the most reliable and best built, they also retain their value.

Of your options--I vote either CR-V or Civic-BUT not the Hybrid. Those mileages are grossly overrecorded. You do get decent mileage but if you do a lot of highway driving or driving over 40MPG you aren't using the features that use less gas and there's no point in paying more for something like that. The sedan is a better choice.

Since you need 4WD, the CR-V (the Special Edition is nice) is a great choice because you can get 4WD and you won't go nuts on your gas usage.

If you are looking elsewhere from Honda, Subaru is a great option for 4x4 as almost all of theirvehicles if not all come standard with it. They retain their value well and will run forever.

FOr Toyota options--the new Rav4 is sweet. Its been redesigned well.

 

[WTNLVR]

Also, you can call your insurance company and have them tell you how much it costs to insure each of those vehicles. Toyota rates blow. I traded my 5 yo solara in and my premium on a new SUV was the same as the 5 yo car. Won''t make that mistake again!

 

[decodelighted]

Thanks guys for the quick responses!

Blue824
The pet thing is the worst! I have black cloth nubby seats now and a posse of white bellied pets! AIIGGH! Did consider the Highlander hybrid but I think it''s too big for me (like the Honda Pilot or any full sized SUV)

MC
Probably no kids for us - but I can see how that would really be an issue. Never even knew there were specific car seat saftey issues. Thanks!

IslandDreams
That is a GREAT tip about the aftermarket leather/heated! The Honda salesperson said the new Civic Hybrid doesn''t allow aftermarket seats, but the CRV may still!! Good news! My Dad mentioned the Ford Escape Hybrid too -- tempting cause the dealership is 1 mile from my house. Maybe will testdrive that too -- though my current (Land Rover) is now owned by Ford & I''m furious w/them.

Ame
Sticking to the three you mentioned is high on my TO DO list. I''m so stung after venturing away from my usual Honda. (I''ve had a Civic & an Accord before & loved em). Thanks for the scoop - wasn''t sure whether to believe the Civic mileage hype or not - so tempting!

WTNLVR
Ooof. Can''t see how the insurance can be worse than the Land Rover, but maybe so! I couldn''t even get a quote now on that Toyota 2007 future car -bet that will be a TON!

Anybody else have a great car to share? New rides from the holidays? Those holiday commercials make ya think EVERYONE''s getting a giant bow on X-mas (though we all know better!)

 

[ecf8503]

Having been through many different brands, both domestic and foreign, I definitely recommend Honda or Toyota. I''ve had both, currently my husband drives an Accord with 80k miles on it (previous Honda had 120k before we traded it in toward our Toyota), and I love my Toyota Highlander (since I got mine they have come out with a more fuel efficient hybrid model). Extremely reliable (NO major problems at all), and very comfortable (both of them!).

My 2c...

 

[ame]

Date: 1/6/2006 7:26:52 PM
Author: decodelighted
Thanks guys for the quick responses!


Ame

Sticking to the three you mentioned is high on my TO DO list. I''m so stung after venturing away from my usual Honda. (I''ve had a Civic & an Accord before & loved em). Thanks for the scoop - wasn''t sure whether to believe the Civic mileage hype or not - so tempting!

Yea it''s a lot of hype. I was disappointed bec I wanted one...but then I studied it more...and realized it''s overpaying but a LOT.

 

[VegasAngel]

How about an Infiniti Fx or Infiniti M? Can you tell I l kind of like Infiniti? Or, how about a Lexus is250?

 

[VegasAngel]

I should try reading the entire post before I make suggestions shouldnt I? I got all excited & hit reply too quick. From your choices I would go with Honda.

 

[moremoremore]

Deco...if you're thinking about an SUV, I'd look at the Volvo CX-70....It's not as well appointed or flashy as the CX-90 but better priced than the CX-90 and still got A+++ in design andf safety. I'm told it's a nice ride.... I'm an SUV gal myself. i don't do small cars...I don't do small anything b/c I'm an amazon
I'm going to start looking in August myself...

OOPS!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's the XC90....the 70 is a station wagon! Sorry!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

My mom had a Maxima that was really nice. She ended up traded it in for a Volvo but she never had to do any major repairs and it was high milege when she got rid of it. I used to have a Madza 626 (now Madza 6) and it was a great car. Both were also good on gas. Just thought I would throw a couple more choices for you.

ETA: Though Mazda is now owned my Ford so maybe that is out of the running.

 

[ame]

Yep Ford owns both Mazda and Volvo as well as LIncoln, Mercury, Jaguar, Land Rover and Aston Martin.

Luckily they only build Ford, Lincoln and Mercury. I believe they might have a hand in assembling the american Mazdas, Rovers and Volvos but the "important parts" are not Ford produced in those vehicles.

 

[moremoremore]

Interesting...do you think that a friend who owns a ford dealership can give me a deal on a volvo? The car is so cute and safe despite not being as pimped out as I had in mind LOL

 

[ame]

Potentially...though more than likely if he isn't part of a dealership chain that sells volvo it's not going to be as easy because he would probably have to bring it in through a local volvo retailer, a possible competitive chain to his dealership, and that won't make the deal as good anymore

Buy owning the dealership, he would have a MUCH better chance of getting one in than if he was just a random salesguy.

 

[moremoremore]

interesting! i''ll have to ask him....

 

[aljdewey]

Date: 1/6/2006 7:26:52 PM
Author: decodelighted

The pet thing is the worst! I have black cloth nubby seats now and a posse of white bellied pets! AIIGGH! Did consider the Highlander hybrid but I think it''s too big for me (like the Honda Pilot or any full sized SUV)

Well, I just bought a used (2002) Toyota Highlander Limited with 26K miles, and I cannot say enough good things about it. My parents bought one new last year, and they rave about it too.

I know this is different from your situ, but I went used for 2 reasons: 1) it''s pretty widely known that cars lose most of their value after the first 2 years (so WAY more reasonably priced), and yet still TONS of life for reliable names like Honda/toyota, etc. and 2) I could get the amenities I wanted without paying the enormous premium for a new car.

I live in Massachusetts, so AWD or FWD and heated seats were MUST haves for me (first time getting heated seats! lol). Also, with a sheltie that sheds like mad, I wanted leather seats (which you need for heated seats anyway). So I hear you on the "pets/no cloth seats" mantra.

Honestly, it''s really not much "bigger" than a 6-cylinder sedan....in fact, it''s built on a Camry frame. The thing I like about it: it rides like a CAR and not a bouncy pick-up truck. It gets about the same gas mileage my 6-cylinder sedan did. Of course, you can get better mileage with the 4cyl, but are the trade-off''s in aftermarket stuff worth your time? maybe,....maybe not.

Most of the reputable sources will agree - stick to Toyota, Honda, and Subaru for cars that hold their value and are reliable.

I''d stay away from hybrids....I''ve seen 3 reports in the last 2 months that confirm as above. If you''re choosing them for "green" reasons, fine, but they aren''t the "gas-savers" everyone thought, and the mark-up on the front end more than offsets any minute savings in gas.

Also, how big an issue is gas mileage to you? How long is your average daily commute? Gas mileage has less real impact if you''re a public transit rider during hte week or if your commute is a reasonable short distance.

One of the women I work with bought a loaded Honda CR-V 2 years ago, and she''s extremely pleased with it. Also, a close friend of mine bought her 2002 RAV new and positively loves it. I would have actually gotten a RAV or CRV if it wouldn''t be such a pain to do aftermarket. I don''t have a lot of faith in aftermarket electronic products.....went that route once with a rear defroster, and it NEVER worked right.

Incidentally, the 2006 RAV has been redesigned and is a bit longer, and I think the redesign was intended to rectify/nullify the toddler seat thing.

Honestly, I''m not a Civic fan, so I''d go with one of the other two.....but nothing could drag me out of my Highlander now. Best car I''ve ever owned.

 

[MissAva]

Date: 1/6/2006 2:48:01 PM
Author: decodelighted
Other contenders:

Honda CRV (boxy, don''t ''love'' but is very reliable)
Honda Pilot (plush like I like, but too big & $$)


I''m trying to stay pretty cheap ... I''m a freelancer & it''s good for me to keep payments down during leaner times. I''d go Certified Pre-Owned on something plusher like the LEXUS 330 but I really want a long warranty period to avoid ''oops'' random $1500-$2000 repair bills.

Try calling the dealers and asking about the loaner cars, a friend of ours did that for his daughter after she totaled her first, it was a year old had less then 500 miles was fully loaded and just over half the original sticker price. I adore my 330 and I know it saved my life this summer. Then you still get the original warranty and when it runs out you can have it repaired by Toyota.

 

[monarch64]

We just bought a 2005 Chevy Trailblazer with EVERYTHING in September of ''05...we love it. We live right outside Chicago, which means we needed something besides my old ''99 Corolla that would get us around in any knd of weather and be kid-worthy in the next couple of years when we finally start a family. As far as your top three, though, I have to vote for the hybrid...it will hold so much more value than an SUV (Rav-4, etc.) Whoever posted the thing about having an independent install the leather heated seats was right on the money--that would make it so much more user-friendly, IMO. Our Trailblazer, while we are quite happy with it, doesn''t get great gas mileage (only about 16 mpg hwy), but it''s only used by me most of the time to drive back and forth to work which is only 5 blocks away during inclimate weather. Otherwise it''s reserved for road trips and emergencies.

 

[momothree]

Hi Deco. I have some thoughts about your upcoming car purchase that you may find helpful. I have not read through the whole thread so pardon me if I am being repetitive. One of my cars is a Honda Odyssey minivan (yup, that goes with being a momothree) and when I purchased it, it was not available with leather seats (that has since changed, so I understand). Leather seats were very important to me so my Honda dealer was able to get the leather seats put on using an after-market supplier before I even took possession of the car. They did a great job, the price was reasonable and there was no hassle at all for me. Check with your Honda dealer, they can probably do the same. I would imagine you are far from alone in not wanting leather seats on that car...
Our other car is a Lexus 300RX, which I see you might be interested in buying used (or pre-owned as they like to say). Mine is 5 years old and has NEVER needed a single repair. It is a wonderful car, handles nicely in snow, and if you did decide to go the pre-owned route, would be a great choice.
Good luck to you!

 

[ame]

Something none of us has mentioned yet and something you SHOULD hear before buying a Toyota/Honda/Subaru:

Scheduled Maintenance.

I know most of the "heavies" have that as a stipulation of your warranty...etc, meaning if you opt not to do the scheduled maintenance, anything that breaks that might have been checked or corrected during the maintenance appointments will not be covered by your warranty, regardless of whether it occurs during your warranty period.

It''s an expense to get done every so many months, but the expense of repairing something major that your warranty might have covered otherwise...could be catastrophic. I know of one person who didn''t bother doing that, she really had a NIGHTMARE when she noticed something leaking from her tire. Somehow she managed to puncture her strut and all of her fluid ran out...cost her MANY hundreds of dollars because she didn''t bother to read her warranty which plainly stated (did, don''t know if it still does) that if you forgo the scheduled maintenance (a service which checks for these things regularly) you voided the warranty.

 

[ChargerGrrl]

I''m on my second Acura. The first was an integra I kept for 7 years, and the (kinda) new ride is an ''05 TSX. Acura hasn''t steered me wrong!

 

[littlelysser]

I have a RAV4 that I absolutely love. It is a fantastic car. Great in the snow, very easy to drive and park. It rocks!!