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Post by doctork on Sept 10, 2011 10:47:22 GMT -5
Along with a new place to live, I need new wheels to drive, though not necessarily brand new, as 2 - 3 year old "lightly used" could be fine.
I have been reading that good 2 - 3 year old used cars are in short supply though, so better deals are to be had on new new cars. And since I drive my cars for decades and don't get a new one until the old one breaks, I am not troubled by the fact that the car depreciates 20% the minute I drive it off the lot.
Since we are seriously thinking Flag not Winslow, I am looking for high miles per gallon, and a reliable "value vehicle" (not expensive since I will put on 25,000+ miles annually). Some candidates:
Ford Focus (already have one, a 2007, how nerdy is it to own two of the same car?)
Ford Fusion - which is the rental car I am driving now, like it, a little pricier than the Focus, but definitely proven to get 38 mpg on the commute.
Hyundai Elantra - also in the "under $20,000, over 35 mpg" group, and I drove one of those rentals for 3 months, like it OK though I preferred the next one up, the Sonata, rented one of those also.
Subaru Impreza (possibly WRX) - have one of those also but it has been taken over by my son, so if I am gonna drive that - and I love that car - will have to get another one. The AWD is great for mountains, desert, snow, but the mpg price for that is steep Like the Subaru Forester too.
That Buick LaCrosse I rented for months was a wonderful ride, so comfy, but it's much pricier and I was getting only 26 mpg (28 max if I would remove the lead from my foot, but geez the speed limit is 75 mph here, meaning the 52 mile commute is 40 minutes not 60).
The Buick Regal is similar smooth ride, a little sportier, smaller so it might be a little better on the mileage, haven't tested it.
Chevy Cruze is also <$20K, >35 mpg and I rented one in NC, thought it was pretty nice, but it is a new model, don't know if it will stand the Test of Time.
Whaddaya'all all think?
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Post by BoatBabe on Sept 10, 2011 11:33:25 GMT -5
I love my new Subaru Forester, but the gas mileage around town is NOTHING like they said it would be.
Of course, highway driving is an entirely different mileage thingy.
I like sitting up higher so I can see. I like stepping into, not crawling down into the car. I like the big windows, and I will NEVER live without a buns warmer again. The movable lumbar support is another "Can't Live Without" for me.
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Post by jspnrvr on Sept 10, 2011 13:52:22 GMT -5
We're in the car market down here, as well. We have my wife's 2002 Honda CRV which has lower mileage than my 2006 Chevy truck, both paid for, and we're going to keep both. I figure on using the Honda for my work car, getting all the Trans-Florida miles we can out of it before things start falling off of it. We've been saving money for a good-size down payment for a wife vehicle. Narrowed down to Ford Escape, Toyota Rav 4, a couple others. I'm not real sure what, since this isn't my project. One of the Subarus, maybe a Taurus. It needs to fit my wife, who's vertically challenged, and be safe and roomy enough for little ones when she's on Grandma detail.
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Post by BoatBabe on Sept 10, 2011 19:01:35 GMT -5
How tall is "vertically challenged?"
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Post by liriodendron on Sept 10, 2011 19:04:35 GMT -5
Oh, Boatbabe, you own my dream car! I've been coveting a Subaru Forester for a couple of years now, ever since they revamped it in 2009. We've had two other Subarus (the one I drive now is a 1996 Legacy) and I've loved them both. It's one of the few smallish SUVs that can be had with a manual transmission (which I prefer - especially when driving in snow and ice). Can you drive a stick, K? That would save you $ on the purchase price and get better gas mileage!
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Post by doctork on Sept 10, 2011 22:13:00 GMT -5
Yes I actually prefer a manual transmission. They are easier to find and bargain over price, since most people can't even drive a stick any more. I do not use ASC either - I like to drive the car.
But my friend just bought a new Subaru Forester with a stick, and she said it was really hard to find, one of just two in the state - apparently because the tsunami/earthquake in Japan disrupted the supply chain. And maybe she said they were not going to make that Subaru Forester anymore? Also Consumer Reports lists it at only 22 mpg.
OTOH - I was amazed at the Cruze. It has a 1.4 liter engine with turbo charge, and you can get the "Eco pak" that puts the mileage up to 50 mpg on the highway. It was fast and quiet, small cars are often NOT quiet on the highway. I had already liked the Cruze I rented recently, but this one was even better. Still - I have never owned a GM car, it's always been Fords or Japanese cars (Mazda or Subaru) for me.
But I need to look at the Hyundai, and I will go over and look at the Subarus but I am thinking the mileage just isn't good enough when the commute is 100 miles daily. And I do not want to spend a lot of money on a car I will run into the ground pretty quickly.
Jay, I have driven both the Escape and the Edge (though the Edge was re-designed this year) and even though the Escape is a "small SUV" it still felt like a big truck to me. Neither is my cup of tea. The Forester somehow felt less truck-like though.
If Grandma duty is a concern for you, why not a minivan? Toyota Sienna is quite nice. I drove a Mazda mom-mobile for years and tolerated it quite well.
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Post by jspnrvr on Sept 11, 2011 6:10:24 GMT -5
"Vertically challenged" means about 5'1", Babe.
Thanks for the info, doc. She'd like something more crossover or car based, rather than truck based; the bouncing and little rumblings of the SUV school don't sit well. I haven't heard a mini-van mentioned, though; it might be a little "long" for her these days. We had the "Mommy Van" also, a Mercury Villager for a number of years, hauling Girl Scouts, etc. We'll find something.
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Post by doctork on Sept 12, 2011 9:56:20 GMT -5
If she is not crazy about the SUV school, I wouldn't recommend the RAV4 or the Edge.
I don't do well with anything I have to step UP into; slide DOWN into works better for me. Good thing they make all different kinds of cars.
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Post by BoatBabe on Sept 12, 2011 20:22:08 GMT -5
That's one reason I really love my Forester. I don't step UP into it. I simply step right into it.
And getting out, it's the right size, too. I don't have to slide down, nor kill my knees by trying to crawl out and up.
It's perfectly sized. But I'm not 5' 1" either. I'm 5" 5'.
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Post by doctork on Sept 12, 2011 21:31:02 GMT -5
I'm 5'7" so I think all but a truck will work for me, and that's only because I don't like trucks. If I loved them, I'd figure out a way.
For decades I drove a Mazda RX7, a very low-slung sports car. Easy in and out, except one winter in Denver when melting snow on the roof froze the door locks when I was about 8 months pregnant. The car is a hatchback - and I had to crawl in through the hatchback, roll over to the front seat, wedge myself in, then start the car.
By the time I got home, the locks had thawed and I did not have to repeat the same process in reverse.
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Post by gailkate on Sept 17, 2011 9:30:14 GMT -5
Just caught up with this thread. I want to ask - and please, please, don't anyone take offense - what you think about buying American. We've always bought American (except for my early VWs) but been sorely tempted by some of the more customer-conscious Japanese cars. Fords have been very reliable for us. Our current car (age 13) is a Taurus wagon that accomodates 2 dogs++ and rides fairly quietly. The seat is too low, though, and if they haven't fixed that to a comfy step-straight-in like BB's, I'm going to look hard at other options. The old back isn't up to it (and when I broke my hand, Jerry had to gie me an unceremonious push to heave me out the passenger side ). I've shrunk some from 5'7" and think all vehicles should be custom-fit to me. Like, really, why not? But I feel as if we should support American cars (all American business, actually). How are you all dealing with that? I know that some foreign cars are manufactured here, which is good for jobs, but don't the profits go back to Japan or wherever? OTOH, Jerry adamantly refuses to forgive GM for taking the bail-out. Since I grew up in MI and know lots of auto workers, I don't feel like punishing them for the poor strategy of company and union hotshots, but I guess i won't wage familial war over GM. I adore the Kia ads with the dancing rats or guinea pigs or whatever. Is that a good reason to buy a car?
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Post by Jane on Sept 17, 2011 10:18:23 GMT -5
We have always bought American. Always. We lived in Detroit and Lansing too long to feel good about doing anything else. I know that parts and such are made here, there and everywhere, but we always buy American makes. I have an Impala. I don't know if that is a ford or a gm. But it's American, dagnabit! And Bill drives a Ford. I think. It's green.
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Post by Jane on Sept 17, 2011 10:19:30 GMT -5
However, my s-i-l drives a Prius, which is acceptable as it is environmentally friendly. But I don't think it's American, is it? It's sort of blue.
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Post by doctork on Sept 17, 2011 10:29:01 GMT -5
I've mostly bought and driven Japanese cars in my adult life, dating back to the days when American vehicles were poorly made, pricier, and less reliable. However, since Ford made "Quality - Job #1," we've owned 4 Fords - a Taurus, a Windstar, an Explorer (1998) and a Focus (2007). We still have the latter two.
I give Ford a slight preference due to my personal history, as well as the fact that they didn't take a bail-out. The reality though is that the bail-out monies have been repaid with interest (I think), so that is not a big factor. Mostly that Ford just makes better cars.
That said, I really liked the Buick LaCrosse, though because of its size and lower mpg, probably won't buy it, though I have considered the smaller Regal. That would be a big change for me to buy a Buick - I don't think I had ever driven one until that recent rental.
I also love the Chevy Cruze, the version with the 1.4 liter, turbo-boosted engine. Great mpg, snazzy and fun to drive, yet reasonably priced. I have often rented Chevys and Pontiacs (miss the Grand Am), but I am just a little more hesitant about buying a GM car, as they don't have the quality history of Ford.
All the companies are truly global now, so aside for the jobs for American auto workers, I don't make a big issue of ownership and where the profits go. Americans are free to "own" foreign auto companies that are publicly traded - just buy the relevant mutual fund, or use that acronym that I forget that means "buy the auto stock on the Tokyo exchange." If you own the stock, you are a part-owner of the company, and the related profits will go back to you.
The world benefits from having multiple strong stock markets; it's not all about NYSE, AMEX, and NASDAQ exclusively. If it were, there would have been a huge international financial collapse after 9/11/01.
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Post by brutus on Sept 17, 2011 12:05:19 GMT -5
Ohio, I believe, hosts a Toyota plant. Honda builds cars in the US, AFAK. So, buying Amerian take a whole new connotation. With the way GM and others have farmed operations out to non-US soil, "Buying American" might take you in the direction of a Prius or a Civic. Food for thought. ~B~
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Post by BoatBabe on Oct 1, 2011 21:30:39 GMT -5
What car did you buy, doc?
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Post by doctork on Oct 2, 2011 16:54:11 GMT -5
No new car yet, as it has been time-consuming with finding a rental property and starting another move, plus my trip back east tomorrow for medical stuff, house issues, and then Storytelling.
I am having difficulty arranging to get the dog from CLT to PHX, so it may turn out I have to buy the car in NC and drive us to AZ. Life is complicated.
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Post by gailkate on Oct 2, 2011 17:06:28 GMT -5
Heck, I've bought houses just for a dog, what's a car?
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Post by BoatBabe on Oct 2, 2011 19:33:40 GMT -5
No new car yet, as it has been time-consuming with finding a rental property and starting another move, plus my trip back east tomorrow for medical stuff, house issues, and then Storytelling. I am having difficulty arranging to get the dog from CLT to PHX, so it may turn out I have to buy the car in NC and drive us to AZ. Life is complicated. Oh, so you DID change your plane reservations from today to tomorrow. Good move! I don't think you mentioned "medical stuff, house issues, and the Storytelling." I could be mistaken. Are you meeting up with Jay for Storytelling? "Medical stuff" sounds like personal medical stuff. Be safe and Get Corky! ;D
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Post by doctork on Oct 2, 2011 20:37:21 GMT -5
Heck, I've bought houses just for a dog, what's a car? I need a new car anyway, and I am thinking if I buy it in NC, I can get those cool "Blue Ridge Parkway" license plates. I have to sort through the business of which cars must be registered where; I think once car can "live" in NC, one car can "live" in AZ, and two cars can live in WA until Son and Daughter take them elsewhere. NC house business - I need to talk with the realtor about whether I want to rent the house as a vacation rental or if I want a "permanent" (as in year-long lease) renter. I need to make ongoing arrangements for snowplowing, yard care, heating/propane/kerosene if it is not rented out. I am realizing that as much as I love it here, my heart is in the Blue Ridge and I will not give up totally on living there (at some point anyway). Medical issues, yes personal stuff. The specialist I see in NC is excellent and I really like him; it has taken decades for me to find someone like him, so I am not about to let a minor matter like a 3 - 4 hour plane trip force a change. US Airways has 8 non-stops daily between PHX and CLT. I also need some routine surgery which can be done in Flag, but for the longer term I will probably stick with NC. And yes, Jay and I will meet up in Jonesborough, which is the center of the (storytelling) universe next weekend. We'll report in on the proceedings as time allows, as there is sometimes a break around suppertime on Saturday evenings.
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Post by joew on Oct 3, 2011 12:24:27 GMT -5
Best wishes for dealing successfully with the medical stuff.
If NC will be your retirement home rather than your vacation home, it would seem to make sense to have a "permanent" renter who will be responsible for normal maintenance and his own utillities etc.
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Post by jspnrvr on Oct 29, 2011 19:27:42 GMT -5
OK, the search is over. My wife pulled the trigger, we have a 2011 Hyundai Sonata sitting in the drive. 21.6K mi, a Manager's car. But since it's never been sold we have the full 100K/10 yr warranty. A long search, weighing and driving lot of different vehicles. The Subarus were the best, but there were no used ones, people don't trade them in. And the hatch on the back lifts up, rather than swinging sideways and it was just too difficult and painful to reach. The Rav4 was a strong contender, 'specially after it was the rental car for a week. But again, not a lot of used ones and we're trying to keep the payments down and be able to put them on an accelerated schedule. We weren't trading anything, we're keeping the old Honda for my work vehicle, and the Hyundai folks gave us a very good rate. Safety is important since there are car seats in the back on occasion and the Hyundai has the best overall safety rating for it's type, along with a BMW! And it's more comfortable for her to sit in and to drive, than the old CRV, which always sort of bothered her back, or my truck which is too large. So there we are. Now I can use the Honda for my job, which will be easier to maneuver in some of the places I go, and save the Silverado a bit.
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Post by gailkate on Oct 29, 2011 23:39:46 GMT -5
I searched all over till I found the post about your flying turtle accident in July. That was a Silverado - which is also a Honda? What is the truck, or are they the same thing? The pic has disappeared (probably because I deleted it from my photobkt. file) but it didn't look like a truck. So you have 2 or 3 vehicles now?
Anyway, if you look back on this thread, you'll see that Jane brought up the critical information in any description of a car. We're glad your wife is more comfortable and the car is safe, but - WHAT COLOR IS IT?!!!
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Post by jspnrvr on Oct 30, 2011 6:40:10 GMT -5
Hey, gail. The Silverado is a Chevy pickup, the kind of vehicle I look best in. The old Honda is a 2002 CRV, and we're keeping it, so now we're a three car family. The new sled in the driveway is a light tan, sort of. A good color for not showing dirt! Also, if the police "dragnet" is out for you it's a difficult color to describe in the APB.
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Post by brutus on Oct 30, 2011 20:34:52 GMT -5
Hey, gail. The Silverado is a Chevy pickup, the kind of vehicle I look best in. And about the only thing this old fat f*art can get into and out of with any sort of ease. Same thing as a GMC Sierra. ;D ~B~
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Post by doctork on Jun 1, 2013 21:39:29 GMT -5
I am OK but I was in a car accident today on the way to Phoenix. I was driving my 2003 Subaru Impreza WRX, which is now in the shop in Phoenix, and I am driving a rented Hyundai Sonata. So I never did get a new car as was discussed in this old thread - instead I got my old Subaru back when my son graduated college and got himself a new car.
I am hoping my Subaru can be repaired, but you never know with older cars. Sometimes the insurance company just pays you for the car if repairs are too expensive.
But here is something Very Cool. We have discussed trucks elsewhere, I think when planning what I would need to haul my Tiny House, even though I have said I do not like trucks. Brutus said I should consider the RAM with the Cummins Turbo Diesel as his recommendation.
So today after getting a bunch of the paperwork and logistics out of the way at the car shop, Travis (the owner) gave me a ride to AVIS to pick up my rental - in his own RAM truck with the Cummins Turbo Diesel. I really liked it!
Some stupid little truck made an illegal lane change and nearly hit us in the RAM. Travis leaned on his horn and got the guy back in his own lane. Then told me if he hadn't had me in there as a passenger, he'd have just let that little truck hit him. The RAM would have had a tiny dent, the other vehicle would have been crushed - literally and figuratively (Travis ragging on him for being so stupid).
The nature of my accident was a stupid little truck hauling a horse trailer (no horse inside) ran me off the road. If I had been driving that RAM, the truck and its trailer would have been crushed, not my car.
I was planning on keeping the Subaru "permanently" and acquiring the truck later on down the line when I actually have a Tiny House, but this may need rearranging.
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Post by brutus on Jun 2, 2013 5:44:39 GMT -5
Doc, I recommend, also, that you NOT replace your car with the Ram, rather make the truck an addition to your fleet. The reason is that puttering about town, short trips, etc. are not good for a diesel engine. Newer Cummins have what is called an exhaust filter which can carbon shut if the engine is excessively idled or not used hard enough. Diesels don't get overly hot unless they'r worked. Taking the Cummins to a shop to have the filter cleaned is very expensive. The Ram is a great engine for road trips though. Get 'er on the road and let 'er buck! For example, your trips to Flag, or the other places in your area would be fine. If all you do is drive around town, leave it parked and drive your Subarooooo! ;D ~B~
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Post by doctork on Jun 2, 2013 7:19:24 GMT -5
Doc, I recommend, also, that you NOT replace your car with the Ram, rather make the truck an addition to your fleet. The reason is that puttering about town, short trips, etc. are not good for a diesel engine. Newer Cummins have what is called an exhaust filter which can carbon shut if the engine is excessively idled or not used hard enough. Diesels don't get overly hot unless they'r worked. Taking the Cummins to a shop to have the filter cleaned is very expensive. The Ram is a great engine for road trips though. Get 'er on the road and let 'er buck! For example, your trips to Flag, or the other places in your area would be fine. If all you do is drive around town, leave it parked and drive your Subarooooo! ;D ~B~ GMTA. As in Great Minds Think Alike! And you always have good information and advice for me ~B~. It really is not safe driving a small car on long trips on the roads around here - too many bad drivers hauling things and causing trouble. Those trips to Flag (50 miles) or Phoenix (175 miles) would be a lot safer in a truck. That accident yesterday was very scary for me. And I suspect Jay's Flying Turtle would have been more problematic for an Impreza than for a Silverado or RAM, though we don't seem to have flying turtles in Arizona. You would not believe how many huge RV's are towing SUV's and boats behind them, often rented ones at that, and the driver has never driven an RV or truck before. But they want to vacation at the Grand Canyon. Driving around town, yeah I'll still use my Zasu the New Blue Subaru. I also will want the truck to haul my tiny house to its proper location, in the back yard or if I take a 3 or 6 month assignment some place and would rather have my own house than a hotel. Then there are those "living in the country tasks" of cleaning up after a tornado/hurricane or big snowstorm.
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Post by Jane on Jun 2, 2013 8:19:20 GMT -5
Never mind, dock, I just didn't scroll down far enough to see the info about your accident.
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Post by gailkate on Jun 2, 2013 10:06:47 GMT -5
I missed this, too, K. So sorry about your accident! I'm glad it was "only" the car, though that's a significant hassle to add to the upsetting experience. I've had only one crash and that was at 30 mph - kids ran thru a stop sign and smashed the front left of my car. I smacked my head a bit but was ok. But I felt really shaken for a while, very leery of driving.
For running around town, Jerry just bought a little VW bug. They seem to get pretty good ratings for rollovers and most crashes, and he loves zipping around in it. Since we both had ancient VWs as our first car, it feels like 2nd childhood. I think he should get it rigged to play "Born to be Wild" whenever he starts the engine.
Now, ~B~, please don't tell me VWs are toys. We wanted to buy American, but there were problems with all of the small cars. Now we have the bug and the Tiguan and are quite pleased.
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