r/cars • u/AutoModerator • Jul 08 '24
What Car Should I Buy? - A Weekly Megathread
Any posts pertaining to car buying suggestions or advice belong in this weekly megathread; do not post car-choosing questions in the main queue. A fresh thread will be posted every Monday and posts auto sorted by new. A few other subreddits worth checking out that will help your car buying experience are /r/WhatCarShouldIBuy, /r/UsedCars and /r/AskCarSales. www.everydaydriver.com may also be helpful.
Make/Model-specific questions should be asked on Make/Model-specific subreddits. Check the AutosNetwork for a complete list of those subreddits. Also check out our community-sourced Ultimate car buying wiki.
For those posting:
Please use the following template in your post.
Location: (Specify your country or region)
Price range: (Minimum-Maximum in your local currency)
Lease or Buy:
New or used:
Type of vehicle: (Truck, Car, Sports Car, Sedan, Crossover, SUV, Racecar, Luxury etc.)
Must haves: (4x4, AWD, Fuel efficient, Navigation, Turbo, V8, V6, Trunk space, Smooth ride, Leather etc.)
Desired transmission (auto/manual, etc):
Intended use: (Daily Driver, Family Car, Weekend Car, Track Toy, Project Car, Work Truck, Off-roading etc.)
Vehicles you've already considered:
Is this your 1st vehicle:
Do you need a Warranty:
Can you do Minor work on your own vehicle: (fluids, alternator, battery, brake pads etc)
Can you do Major work on your own vehicle: (engine and transmission, timing belt/chains, body work, suspension etc )
Additional Notes:
For those providing suggestions: Facts are ideal in this thread, especially when trying to help out a new car buyer. Please help out buyers with sources and reasoning for your suggestions.
For those asking for help, be sure to thank those who take the time to offer you advice (especially those who lead you to a purchase.) A follow up thank you and the knowledge that their advice led to a purchase is a very warm fuzzy feeling.
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u/ChurchOfNewcomb Jul 08 '24
Location: Eastern U.S.
Price range: $5,000-$10,000
Lease or Buy: Buy
New or used: Used
Type of vehicle: Any
Must haves: Reliable, fun to drive, a sound system.
Desired transmission (auto/manual, etc): Either
Intended use: Daily Driver
Vehicles you've already considered: Honda fit, Honda civic, Toyota corolla, Accord
Is this your 1st vehicle: Yes!
Do you need a Warranty: No
Can you do Minor work on your own vehicle: Don't know how to, but certainly willing to learn.
Can you do Major work on your own vehicle: Probably not
Additional Notes: Pretty classic high schooler with a bit of money looking to buy my first car. I'd prefer something with Bluetooth audio, but I can always install that. I really like the Honda fit, but just wanted to see if people who actually know about cars have any recommendations before I go for it. Thanks!
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u/_TheFudger_ Jul 08 '24
If you're looking for sound and a car you like doesn't cut it, I'd highly recommend a Sony dsx head unit and some aftermarket speakers. If you like the Honda fit, get one with a manual transmission and it'll be plenty of fun to drive. I've had a 2001 Ford focus(auto), a 2000 civic (manual), and a 1990 Miata (manual). If you have the desire for a rwd roadster an nb/NC Miata would be great for you. The popups on an na are great fun but probably not worth the markup. Convertible roofs are just spectacular. If you don't want a convertible and don't care about rwd, Honda fit with some audio equipment is the way to go. If you want pure driving experience at the cost of space for people and cargo, Miata.
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u/ChurchOfNewcomb 11d ago
The car I ended up buying actually did have a Sony DSX head unit coincidentally! I ended up buying a 2004 impreza for 4k with around 60k miles. Great deal. Still do regret not getting a manual; wish I read this comment earlier lol.
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u/casual_skeptic VA WRX Jul 08 '24
consider a second gen mazda 3, or third gen if thats within your price range. You would prefer the stronger 2.5 L engine. I Love mazdas because they’re fun to drive, you really just have to get in one to understand
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u/Meb2x Jul 09 '24
I don’t know anything about cars, so could use some advice.
My 2000 Honda CRV finally gave out after 220,000 miles. I had it for 8 years and honestly don’t drive much, so most of those miles were on there when I bought it. I went to a dealership today and found a 2020 Chevy Equinox with 32,000 miles for about $24K. No major accidents on the CarFax and it’s a Chevy certified pre-owned so some extra maintenance included.
Is this a good deal or are there problems with Equinox cars? I really don’t know anything about car shopping, but it drove nice and has way more features than my old car
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u/bullzFromAT Jul 09 '24
Any new car will have way more features compared to your old CRV. Do you know what trim the car is? Looking online I see lot of equinoxes that have 25k miles under $20k. So I think that car is overpriced.
For a $24k budget, look for 2021 or later Mazda CX5. It's reliable and roomy. You should find one with 25k miles or lower. Even base trim has blind spot monitor.
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u/josiah_dw Jul 09 '24
Minneapolis
$5k-12k
Looking to buy used
Sedan or hatchback
No must-haves
Manual transmission
Daily driver with occasional road trips
Currently own an 09 Jetta with almost 200k miles
Not capable of doing any minor work on a car
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u/josiah_dw Jul 09 '24
Good speakers are fairly important to me too
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u/IKnowNewCars I know new cars! Jul 09 '24
In this price range, you're probably not gonna be able to be picky with a great sound system, I'm guessing. I would focus on finding the car you want, then you can work with a local in-car audio shop to upgrade speakers as your budget allows.
Any Honda manual in this price range could be a good starting point (Fit, Civic, Accord), or a Mazda 3 manual. Should be reliable enough, even if you're looking at 10-15 year old cars with decent miles. Plugging your Jetta into KBB gives me an estimated value of $3000-3500, so it's just the reality of current pricing, if you end up with a reliable car in your price range, it's not gonna be that much newer than your Jetta. Hopefully lower miles, though.
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u/josiah_dw Jul 09 '24
Seems like someone is selling a 2020 Fit with 43k miles nearby for 9.9k. That’s probably the move
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u/IKnowNewCars I know new cars! Jul 10 '24
$9900 is VERY low for a 2020 Fit. It could just be a great deal, but I would definitely check CarFax and/or get a pre-purchase inspection from a local shop before buying. According to KBB, I wouldn't expect to pay less than $14k unless it has mechanical issues, or a bad title, etc.
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u/josiah_dw Jul 10 '24
Yeah it turns out it’s a rebuilt title that was totaled from a front end collision
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u/SirPuzzleheaded5284 Jul 10 '24
Location: Texas
Price range: $20k-30k
Lease or Buy: Buy
New or used: No preference (if used, should be under 15k miles)
Type of vehicle: Sedan/SUV/Hatchback
Must haves: Android Auto and good fuel efficiency
Desired transmission (auto/manual, etc): Any
Intended use: Daily Driver
Is this your 1st vehicle: Used to drive Volkswagen Golf Manual (in a different country)
Can you do Minor work on your own vehicle: Yes
Can you do Major work on your own vehicle: No
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u/TemporalAntiAssening 2021 Mazda 3 Turbo Sedan Jul 11 '24
Current generation civic with either the turbo or hybrid is a good bet, solid fuel efficiency without sacrificing power, standard android auto across the range.
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Jul 09 '24
Location: Canada a
Price range: $100k-500k
Lease or Buy: buy
New or used: either
Type of vehicle: any
Must haves: AWD
Desired transmission auto
Intended use: to show the jerks from High school I am better then ten
Vehicles you've already considered: Bentley Flying Spur Audi R8 BMW 7 MB S560 ford F750 custom
Is this your 1st vehicle: yes
Do you need a Warranty: no
Can you do Minor work on your own vehicle: now
Can you do Major work on your own vehicle: no Additional Notes:
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u/Ok-Pepper-1272 Jul 09 '24
R8 if you want a seasonal only car otherwise S560, I've been so impressed with the Mercs I've driven the C63 AMG is called the Corvette killer for a reason. even just the E550 puts down some great power, is quite inside and is smooth on the road
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u/audi27tt 958 GTS Jul 08 '24
Location: USA/midwest but willing to travel
Price range: $15-20k
Lease or Buy: Buy
New or used: Used
Type of vehicle: Sports coupe/sedan
Must haves: RWD, fun to drive, relatively light weight, track capable, mostly reliable
Desired transmission (auto/manual, etc): Auto
Intended use: Daily plus occasional weekend track toy. I want a track capable automatic transmission so I can bring friends/family who aren’t manual proficient to track days to try it out
Vehicles you've already considered: F22 230i, BRZ
Is this your 1st vehicle: No
Do you need a Warranty: No
Can you do Minor work on your own vehicle: Yes
Can you do Major work on your own vehicle: No
Additional Notes: Looking for a fun dual duty car, that’s mostly track capable for an advanced driver out of the box but also comfortable enough to daily on crappy roads. Don’t care as much about horsepower, just fun. I already have a race car so doesn’t need to be a track weapon, just solid enough for 2-3 casual track days a year. Leaning toward a ~2018 230i with track handling package for the adaptive suspension but well optioned 230s are hard to find.
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u/IS-2-OP 2018 BMW 440xi Jul 08 '24
You could probably get an E46 330ci but it may be a little old for you.
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u/audi27tt 958 GTS Jul 08 '24
Interesting idea, e46 is one of my favorite cars of all time. Any idea how the automatic is?
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u/IS-2-OP 2018 BMW 440xi Jul 08 '24
No idea tbh. One guy I know that had one had the manual. Theyre apparently really fun to drive, his had the ZHP package too or whatnot.
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u/verdegrrl Axles of Evil - German & Italian junk Jul 08 '24
Avoid the semi-auto SMG transmissions - clunky and trouble prone. The other autos are ZF and GM. Def an old school feel to them that you should test drive or rent on Turo before making the plunge.
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u/audi27tt 958 GTS Jul 08 '24
Yea I’ll probably go a bit newer. My cayenne has the ZF8 and on track I don’t think I’d want anything significantly worse than that. Which is why I was looking at the F22 2 series
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Jul 08 '24
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/verdegrrl Axles of Evil - German & Italian junk Jul 08 '24
Have you driven a Corolla? It is a decent car, but "fun" is not something that comes to mind.
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u/IKnowNewCars I know new cars! Jul 08 '24 edited Jul 08 '24
A Honda Fit with a manual transmission could have a fun factor due to being a small tossable car with a stick shift, and they're reliable. Mazda 3 is another option and it would be more fun than the Corolla. Maybe consider a Honda Accord as well, if you go back to 2012-ish you may be able to find a manual one still, or find one with a V6, they're impressively quick (Edit quick for the price and practicality, I should say). Those are about as reliable as you'll get in this price range, and while none of them are sports cars, you can have fun in them.
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u/DramedyWar Jul 08 '24
I need a cheap, reliable car. I live in Minnesota, US. I am looking to buy something in the 1000-3400$ range. I am looking for something with up to 170k miles max. It needs to be fuel efficient and automatic. I need something that won't break on me and leave me bankrupt. It will be used for college, going to work and maybe some long distance trips in the future. I was really close to buying a ford 2012 but I read that they are horrible. I know nothing about fixing cars up so it needs to be a cheap car to maintain. As a side question, are hyundais good for my purposes? Also, is buying an older car a horrible idea? College is starting soon and I am scavenging fb marketplace like crazy, please help!
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u/scycron Jul 08 '24
A car you can add to your search is a Lexus LS400 as they run forever and tend to be forgotten about on the used market. You are probably going to struggle on finding a good car because of rust issues in your state.
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u/DarthRaider559 Jul 08 '24
Looking to buy a 2016+ Tesla Model S 100d or a 2013+ Mercedes Benz sl550. Which would you choose between these 2?
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u/Ok-Pepper-1272 Jul 09 '24
merc everytime, Tesla's build quality is absolutely dog shit. merc is so comfortable and quite on the road with excellent fit and finish. We've had 4 E550s over the years and I love the ride, currently shopping for E class wagon
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u/No_Cattle_7474 Jul 09 '24
Location: Northern Vermont
Price Range: $10-15k
Lease or Buy: Buy
New or Used: USED
Type of vehicle: Any
Must haves: Fuel efficient, comfortable seats with good back support, prefer hybrids
Desired Transmission: Auto
Intended Use: Daily Driver
Vehicles you’ve already considered: Prius, Corolla, Civic
Is this your first vehicle: No
Can you do minor work on your own vehicle: no
Additional notes: I live in rural Vermont and need a fuel efficient reliable vehicle. I don’t drive much besides a 10 minute commute to work. Back support and comfort is a must. I’d prefer to stay at the lower end of my price range. I’d prefer a hybrid, especially one that’s decent on the interstate.
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u/Boombastikahhh Jul 09 '24
Lexus CT200h is a luxury version of the Prius. Better seats than the Toyotas. You can also add Lexus RX hybrids to the list. Comfortable, relatively economical and reliable.
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u/whodreamsofcats Jul 09 '24
2019 Toyota Camry Hybrid
LE Sedan 4D with 54k miles for $24k on Carvana.
Planning to trade in my current car for $10k, so the Camry would run me ~$15k.
Any concerns or reasons I should second-guess this deal?
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u/IKnowNewCars I know new cars! Jul 09 '24
So when you plug that car into KBB, the value comes out to just over $20k. If you're paying $4k over that on Carvana, the only thing you're really getting extra is a 100-day limited warranty and a 7-day money back guarantee. Personally I would talk them down closer to the KBB value. But a place like Carvana is always gonna charge more than private party value, at least by a little.
As far as the car itself, the 2018+ Camry has been one of the best Camry redesigns in a while. It drives well, the interior is well designed, it's as reliable as ever, and Toyota hybrids are pretty much the best out there. Excellent choice for a reliable, comfy daily driver.
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u/muccamadboymike Jul 09 '24
Location: USA/Arizona
Price range: 20-$38k
Lease or Buy: Buy
New or used: Either
Type of vehicle: Truck/SUV
Must haves: 4x4, V6 or better for towing (towing up to 3500lbs)
Desired transmission : N/A
Intended use: Adventure/Off-Road/Daily (though I work from home so no "daily" work miles)
Vehicles you've already considered: Tacoma/Tundra/Land Cruiser, Colorado/Silverado, Ranger/F-150
Is this your 1st vehicle: No
Do you need a Warranty: Not necessarily
Can you do Minor work on your own vehicle: Yes
Can you do Major work on your own vehicle: Nope
Additional Notes: Reliability is a big want for me, this will only be the second vehicle I've purchased that was above $2.5k cash. I have had my current car for 10 years, I'd like my next vehicle to do the same.
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u/SGBN Jul 09 '24
Location: NY suburbs
Price Range: up to 85k
Lease or Buy: Buy
New or Used: new
Type of vehicle: SUV
Must haves: awd, car like ride, ability to add roof/ski rack, seats 6+, air conditioned seats, easy to use tech package and a car that will easily last for 8- 10 years
Desired transmission: automatic
Intended use: family car
Vehicles already considered: Kia Sorento, Volvo XC90, Mazda CX 90, Acura MDX, Lincoln Aviator, Jeep Grand Cherokee L, Toyota Highlander, Audi Q7
Is this your first vehicle: no
Do you need a warranty: not necessarily
Can you do minor work on your vehicle: no
Can you do major work on your vehicle: no
Additional notes: Would prefer hybrid 3 row but mostly looking for a work horse of a family car, that can tote kids, all their crap and I won’t want to replace for a decade. Front runner so far are the Volvo CX 90 or the Jeep Grand Cherokee L. We do have a height restriction with our garage so the Pilot, new Lexus and Tulleride are out.
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u/bullzFromAT Jul 09 '24
Will the third row be used by adults ? None of your options have a roomy third row. If you're okay with a minivan, checkout sienna. It has all the options you're looking for and it's a hybrid. Grand Highlander also has standard hybrid
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u/SGBN Jul 10 '24
Probably no adults in the 3rd row anytime soon and the teen years aren’t quite here yet with the kids. The third row is really for more occasional use (extra carpool kid or driving grandparents around with the kids) and the extra trunk space. If we weren’t in the carpool years I would probably move to a larger two row SUV that can hold all of our stuff. The Grand Highlander is quite nice just too big for me and I’m definitely not a minivan gal.
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u/bullzFromAT Jul 10 '24
Makes sense. Test drive the highland hybrid. Other than the gas savings, it rides better than the base engine. And it's reliable
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u/IKnowNewCars I know new cars! Jul 09 '24
If you're looking for a trouble-free 8-10 years of ownership, I would count out the Volvo and Jeep. According to Consumer Reports data as well as anecdotes and conventional wisdom, I wouldn't predict great long-term reliability from either vehicle.
For three-rows SUVs, reliable options (according to CR) include the Hyundai Palisade (basically a Telluride), Toyota Highlander, Grand Highlander and Sequoia, Mazda CX-90, and the Lexus GX and TX. There are others they consider average reliability, but the Volvo and Jeep options are decidedly below average these days.
Reliability is funky right now -- it's not like back in the day where unreliable cars would leave you stranded. The real problem is that when you plan to keep a car for a decade, if it's unreliable, repair costs add up fast because vehicles are more complicated than they used to be. So that's what you want to weigh out.
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u/fuckthis_job Jul 09 '24
If I were to purchase a car from somewhere very far away (from a dealership) and have it shipped to me, how do I go about getting it inspected? Should I try to contact a 3rd party mechanic close to the dealer and pay him to inspect the car?
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Jul 09 '24
[deleted]
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u/bullzFromAT Jul 09 '24
2015 or later Mazda 3. It's cute and reliable. Older minis were not reliable
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u/I_Am_Very_Busy_7 ‘25 MINI Cooper S Jul 10 '24
You might be able to get a base 1.5 Countryman for $20k, but you’ll definitely want to stick to the 2017+ with the BMW B3x engines, the previous gen with the 1.6 Prince motors were horrendously unreliable.
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u/mrhoopers Jul 10 '24
Location: Atlanta, GA (US)
Price range: Undefined
Lease or Buy: Buy
New or used: New
Type of vehicle: Full Sized SUV
Must haves: Lots of room (don't need 3rd row), luxury touches, comfortable
Desired transmission (auto/manual, etc): Auto
Intended use: Daily Driver
Vehicles you've already considered: X5, QX80, GLS, GV80, GX, XC90, MDX : BMW, Infinity, Mercedes, Genesis, Lexus, Volvo, Acura
Is this your 1st vehicle: No. Will be our ONLY vehicle
Do you need a Warranty: Yes, as good as possible.
Can you do Minor work on your own vehicle: No.
Can you do Major work on your own vehicle: No.
Currently have a 2013 RDX...the new MDX is too compact. We LOVED the Armada for that feeling of room/openness in the front seats but the new QX80 is so expensive. X5 was sporty and fun but didn't feel "bigger", GLS is our current favorite...but we've never owned a Mercedes. Genesis dealerships nearby are hot garbage (small, dirty, bad service), Lexus drove like a station wagon and had a horrific sound system. Volvo was really nice but it's on an old body (2016) and there's literally no place for your phone (except for the drink holder) which seems like a nit but it's annoying, also, not wireless CarPlay.) Need some thoughts on ways we may reconsider the list or options we may have not considered. Currently waiting on 2025 Armada, Mercedes, QX80 to give them a better look. Not trying to be picky but it's a lot of money to spend so we're being fussy. (obviously no one platform is perfect so it comes down to which compromise to make). We aren't considering American cars (GMC/Ford/Jeep/Etc.) as we've had bad luck with them.
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u/n00bmax 2019 BMW X3 M40i Jul 10 '24
Consider Mazda CX-70 or 90 top trims. They are MDX beating, Japanese reliability with top warranty but not quite German car level.
If you are considering GLS, how about X7? X5 has a much sportier drive and nothing beats the efficiency + power of the new 50e hybrid trim. The driving assist is second to none.
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u/somechob Jul 12 '24
I'm in roughly the same boat as this guy. All roads seem to lead to X5, but would prefer something smaller but still larger than our current Q5. Alternatively onsidering just going budget for the "beater" car with a top trim Outback.
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u/n00bmax 2019 BMW X3 M40i Jul 12 '24
Did you consider X3? Smaller than X5, same power train in M40/50 trims, better handling. It has more interior room than a Q5.
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u/Honey-Badger-42 Jul 12 '24
Have you seen the 2025 GV80? Got rid of the ugly steering wheel and is sharp. I prefer the cars with knob for controlling infotainment, so I genesis and mazda are my faves.
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u/mrhoopers Jul 12 '24
I really liked the GV. It's a really good pack of features, nice car and decent price. Everyone says it's great. The only problem is that the dealerships around here are all Hyundai and are sketchy AF. We did go to the lot anyway but the sales people then ignored us. It was a little surreal. There was maybe a 30% chance we'd have ended up with one but, honestly, if someone competent had engaged us they could have made it a much more difficult choice.
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u/Sryzon 2015 Ford Fiesta ST Jul 10 '24
Location: Michigan
Price range: $30k-$40k
Lease or Buy: Buy
New or used: New or lightly used
Type of vehicle: CUV
Must haves: Good highway MPG, 3,500lbs tow
Desired transmission (auto/manual, etc): Auto
Intended use: Daily 70 mile highway commute w/ snowy winters, transporting young family of 4 and large dog, flat towing camper and trailer
Vehicles you've already considered: Rav4 Adventure, Escape ST Elite, CX-50, Outback, XT4, Cherokee
Is this your 1st vehicle: No; I currently daily a 2015 Fiesta ST
Do you need a Warranty: No
Can you do Minor work on your own vehicle: Yes
Can you do Major work on your own vehicle: No
Additional Notes: I'm torn between the Rav4 and Escape. I like the hard-lined cargo area and reliability of the Rav4. I like the acceleration, familiarity, screen, and availability of the Escape. Both get similar highway MPG according to Car and Driver's 75mph test. The Escape has good reliability by most accounts, other than the trans needing a rebuild after about 100k miles. The Escape's payload capacity is almost 4,000lbs, but I couldn't find the Rav4's rating. The Escape has significantly better acceleration at the expense of its city MPG. I'm leaning escape, but it might come down to who has a better incentive deal first. My time frame is 1 year, so I can wait.
I considered the Escape Platinum as well, but I prefer the black headliner of the ST Elite.
I didn't like the MPG of the other vehicles I considered. Additionally, the CX-50's interior is small relative to its size, the Outback has a CVT, the luxury of the XT4 would be wasted, and the Cherokee is a Chrysler vehicle.
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u/Free-Scar5060 Jul 11 '24
If you can wait they’re going to put the Rav-4 hybrid powertrain into the Mazda cx-50 for I believe 2025 MY.
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u/Honey-Badger-42 Jul 11 '24 edited Jul 11 '24
Family of 4 + Occasional Large Dog <> CUV. You'll sacrifice MPG, but I would consider a used midsize SUV like the CX-9, CX-90, CX-70 or the Telluride. If those are too big, then you could look at something like the Santa Fe or Passport, which are bigger than a typical CUV but smaller than a typical midsize.
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u/Sryzon 2015 Ford Fiesta ST Jul 13 '24
Thanks for the insight. I am considering the Passport as our weekend/winter vehicle and just keeping my Fiesta to daily.
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u/BlackJack407 Jul 10 '24
Location: East TN - USA
Price range: $20,000-50,000$
Lease or Buy: Buy
New or used: Used
Type of vehicle: Coupe, Sedan, crossover(would consider automatic transmission if crossover)
Must haves: v8, non-cloth seats, or v6 turbo
Desired transmission (auto/manual, etc): Manual
Intended use: Weekend Car(possibly daily driver if needed. Use to daily an MR2 though so there really is no limit on size haha)
Vehicles you've already considered: I have looked at the Poniac G8s, and I can only find a GXP with the manual option, of which there are NOT many
Is this your 1st vehicle: No
Do you need a Warranty: No
Can you do Minor work on your own vehicle: Yes
Can you do Major work on your own vehicle: No
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u/metalmelts Jul 11 '24
Retired automotive person here, cars are nothing more than a consumable commodity. Cars fall into categories, fast, safe, economic, reliable, work horses, even stylish. If you think safety you think Volvo these things are tanks. Reliable leads you two obvious choices Honda or Toyota. Work horse is a divided segment that relies on brand loyalty more than all else. Economy you look at a world of cars that are not allowed in America, and of course style is highly subjective, to me there are no "styled cars anymore" like the late 60s Buick Rivieras all I see today are cars that are all grill. Just plain FUGLY
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u/Unhappy_Lemon6374 Jul 11 '24
Location: Canada (Alberta)
Price range: $28,000 to $56,000 CAD
Lease or Buy: buy (financing)
New or used: Used (2018-2024)
Type of vehicle: Sports Sedan
Must haves: Leather. I would rather not drive a 4-cylinder.
Desired Transmission: Automatic
Intended use: Fun Daily Driver
Vehicles you’ve already considered: 2018 BMW M550i xDrive, Audi S5, 2018 QS5, 2021 Acura TLX Platinum Elite
Is this your 1st vehicle: It’s my first vehicle purchase.
Do you need a Warranty: I’d prefer it
Can you do Minor work on your own vehicle: No but I can learn.
Can you do Major work on your own vehicle: No.
Thank you for your help!! I’m considering the m550i because it’s decent sized, has a twin turbo v8 I can tune and get work done on, and it’ll be a good daily driver.
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u/SchoolPrestigious304 Jul 11 '24 edited Jul 11 '24
Location; Germany
Price Range: under 12k
Lease or Buy: Buy
New or used; Used
Type of vehicle; Anything but a suv
Must haves: has to be sporty
Desired Transmission: manual
Intended use: Daily, towing a small caravan, twisty roads (fun)
Vehicles considered; mazdaspeed 3, bmw 330d e9x
Is this 1st vehicle; No, had a mx5 nc and now a gt86 wich i will sell to get a car that can tow a trailer
Warranty: no
Can I do minor work; YES
Can you do major work; yes
Additional notes; gas is expensive wehre i live, so no v10 audi s5 or simmilar -_-
I realy dont like the 4 zylinder disels i have driven, maybe i can arrange with a 6 zylinder, fuel consumption and power with a tune looks pretty thempting.
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u/VioletDragon_SWCO Jul 11 '24 edited Jul 11 '24
Location: Colorado
Price Range: under $50k
Lease or buy: Buy
New or used: New. Would be open to trading in for slightly used coming off a lease (4 years old or less)
Type of vehicle: SUV or wagon, something like a Subaru Forester, Outback, or Hyundai Kona. An EV would be the first choice, followed by an EV hybrid, then regular hybrid. A conventional ICE car would work if it got decent mileage
Must haves: Decent clearance, all wheel drive capability (it snows where I live), multiple USB ports for multiple devices (or at least a USB port + aux port), good visibility
Desired transmission: Automatic
Intended use: Commuting to work (10 miles 1 way on a highway), occasional trips on main roads through Colorado and New Mexico
Vehicles you've already considered: Hyundai Kona EV. Toyota 4 Runner, Rav 4, and Highlander. Honda Crv
Is this your 1st vehicle: No
Do you need a warranty: no
Can you do minor work on your own vehicle: Yes
Can you do major work on your own vehicle: no
Additional Notes: My partner and I own a Toyota Tacoma for hauling, camping, and other outdoor activities. We can also use the Tacoma for going places where EV charging options are limited. We're looking to replace our 2015 Subaru Forester XT sometime within the next few years with something ideally more efficient.
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u/bluebonnethtx Jul 12 '24
Location: DFW
Price range: Maximum of 25K
Lease or Buy: Buy
New or used: Used, I assume.
Type of vehicle: Small SUV
Must haves: Decent trunk, good visibility, decent MPG
Desired transmission: automatic
Intended use:Daily Driver
Vehicles you've already considered: Hyundai Tucson, Chevy Bolt EUV, Volkswagen Taos, Toyota Rav4, Mazda CX-30, Honda HR-V, and any/all other small SUVs.
Is this your 1st vehicle: No
Do you need a Warranty: No
Can you do Minor work on your own vehicle: (fluids, alternator, battery, brake pads etc): Ideally, no.
Can you do Major work on your own vehicle: (engine and transmission, timing belt/chains, body work, suspension etc ): No.
Additional Notes: Thanks for any/all help I'm buying something in the next 7 days.
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u/Honey-Badger-42 Jul 12 '24
You'll probably get better visibility if you cross off the sub compact. CUV like the CX-5 should have better visibility than the CX-30, and you can get CPO in your budget. Rav4 may have more teunk space, but not as fun as cx5
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u/GunsAmpersandMoney Jul 12 '24
Location: Atlanta area
Price range: $15,000 - $50,000
Lease or Buy: whatever makes sense
New or used: open
Type of vehicle: Sedan, crossover, SUV, luxury, coupe
Must haves: smooth ride, dependable, not likely to be stolen because the car is easy to steal. Cannot be an EV.
Desired transmission automatic
Intended use: “daily” driver… I drive approximately 2,500 miles a year. I drive approximately 1x a week.
Vehicles you’ve already considered: Basically anything outside of a minivan… I’m pretty open. Want the model to be newer than 2020.
Is this your 1st vehicle: no.
Do you need a Warranty: no idea. Probably not?
Can you do Minor work on your own vehicle: I have about as much chance of doing open heart surgery on myself as I do doing anything outside of filling my tires with air.
Can you do Major work on your own vehicle: see above
My old beater is getting near the end of its life and it’s time to explore a new vehicle. I’m inclined to look at nicer cars as I feel like I “deserve it” given some recent successes. That being said, I’m having trouble justifying the cost given the fact that I don’t drive very much. The main thing I’m looking for is that it will be reliable for years to come if I continue to only drive maybe 10k miles per year (to be extremely generous). The last thing I want to do is have to worry about maintenance.
The naturally a frugal person in me thinks to get a pre owned Corolla for $14k and get the minimum insurance coverage. However there’s a part of me that wants to finally get a “nicer” car. I am looking to thread the needle to find a car that is reliable, and somewhat cool or luxurious. I guess, can anyone talk me out of buying a used BMW 8 series or Porsche 718?
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u/bullzFromAT Jul 12 '24
I'm going to suggest something in the middle. 2021 or 22 Mazda CX5. Looks and feels nice. Reliable. Should cost around $22k.
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u/jakedobson Jul 12 '24
Location: UK
Price range: max £10k
Lease or Buy: buy
New or used: used
Type of vehicle: crossover or SUV
Must haves: reliability is a big one, smooth ride on bad roads, modern interior preferably with carplay, plenty of room for a 6'4" geezer
Desired transmission: either but preferably auto
Intended use: daily driver, 20 miles a day
Vehicles you've already considered: Nissan Qashqai, Toyota C-HR, Honda HR-V, Audi Q3
Is this your 1st vehicle: no but wiill be my first car bigger than a Civic
Do you need a Warranty: probably not
Can you do Minor work on your own vehicle: no
Can you do Major work on your own vehicle: no
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u/WanderingWeasel 4 Blackwing, Lotus Elise SC 300, Q5 PHEV, Cayenne VR6 Jul 12 '24
Location: USA, Southwest
Price range: 40k Max
Lease or Buy: Buy
New or used: New/used
Type of vehicle: Autocross Killer
Must haves: Stupidly Light
Desired transmission (auto/manual, etc): Manual
Intended use: Track Toy
Vehicles you've already considered: Exobusa, Goblin, Lotus Elise, Lotus Evora, V8 Miata, Big Turbo Fiata, Salvage 4C
Is this your 1st vehicle: No
Do you need a Warranty: No
Can you do Minor work on your own vehicle: Yes
Can you do Major work on your own vehicle: Yes
Additional Notes:
Got the autocross bug bad. My Blackwing has been a lot of fun for the last few seasons. The F-Type never stayed on the road long enough to make it and has since been sold. Previously ran a 986 and TT-S for track events. Those were fun but not quite what I'm looking for. Now looking more towards the kit cars. Maybe buy someone else's or build something. The Exobusa is currently leading the pack at just under 1k lbs with an easy to add supercharger down the line. Elise has always been a dream car and the path to a supercharger on that car is also "relatively" straight forward. I'm over 5,000 ft elevation so some sort of forced induction really helps here.
Really light also has the advantage that the Q5 and Cayenne can tow it easily in the event I need to haul it home from a failure. Appreciate the thoughts and maybe something I haven't considered?
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Jul 13 '24
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u/Hektuhel Jul 14 '24
Location: USA, Indiana
Price range: MAX 17k prefer 15k
Lease or Buy: BUY
New or used: USED
Type of vehicle: Sedan
Must haves: Good MPG (so like hybrid) Recentish model 2015+, less than 80k miles
Desired transmission (auto/manual, etc): Auto
Intended use: Daily/weekend, kinda in between, idk how much I'll need it since I heard ill need a car at the uni but I will also live on campus
Vehicles you've already considered: Civic, Camry, Prius
Is this your 1st vehicle: Yes
Do you need a Warranty: No? (Shouldn't insurance take care of this?)
Can you do Minor work on your own vehicle: Don't know how but want to learn
Can you do Major work on your own vehicle: probably not, I want to learn how to work on a car but if I can't use it for an extended period of time that's a problem
Additional Notes:
My mom suggested I just find a car 2018 with less than 80k miles as the minimum requirements but I want to get into modding cars so I'm looking for a sedan, small car that I can use to get around on college campus but also learn how to mod cars. I've heard a lot but haven't looked into modding a car, most of the time it seems like for modding a car the common ones are 2-3 decades old which is too much. I'm trying to see if ill get more value out of my car by buying a car on the cheaper and and a bit older but then working on it to make it last longer.
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u/saeed-knight Jul 14 '24
if you dont need backseat you can go for miata. if yest then some older hot hatch maybe ? if you want a boring car then go for any toyota honda product in price range
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u/Antioch24 Jul 14 '24
Looking at a $4000 car as first car, 124k miles, everything seems good except he claims that there is a freon leak so weak AC, and will be fixing soon or negotiate price to take as is, how much does a freon leak cost to repair? Should I cut this car off my list? Should I have someone look at the car and if everything else is good buy and just pay to get it fixed myself?
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u/slamd64 Jul 15 '24
Location: Eastern Europe
Price range: €15-20k
Lease or Buy: Buy
New or used: Used (but also open to New)
Type of vehicle: SUV (small, urban)
Must haves: FWD or AWD, moderate to low consumption, diesel or hybrid, Android Auto/CarPlay multimedia, simple interior
Desired transmission: Auto, but open to manual
Intended use: daily, driving long distances, around city (jams are frequent, so automatic transmission and low consumption is nice to have), hilly/mountain driving (I drive between two towns every weekend that have hilly/mountain road, and can be dangerous under certain conditions, hence that's why I am looking for SUV)
Vehicles already considered: Skoda Karoq 1.6 TDI or 1.5 TSI (diesel is more popular in Europe, better service options), Seat Ateca (similar car somewhat), Audi Q3 (now this one is more like Kamiq, but I will get year 2013 for that price or such), Suzuki Vitara 1.4 Hybrid (this one is really interesting car, but seems cheap inside, love its simplicity, can almost get a new one for the price)
Is this your 1st vehicle: No
Do you need a Warranty: No (however with Suzuki Vitara as new option I will get one)
Can you do Minor work on your own vehicle: Yes
Can you do Major work on your own vehicle: No
Additional Notes: Looking for an upgrade for sportswagon car (Audi A4 B8 Avant 2.0 TDI 2011 year). This car is really pleasant and lovely to drive, however, I would want a more robust car (not necessarily comfortable to drive as this one, SUVs are not that soft anyway). Services are not expensive here and I have almost zero issues. However, it is a manual car, it has start/stop and e-brake, but it is a long vehicle, I bought it because I wanted to learn how to handle a long car. However, in city I usually drive in narrow roads and with not much space to park car and when you need to get out of the tight space I find it sometimes hard to do with this car even I am experienced driver. I also have a garage, which might become useless when I get SUV as it is taller in height than this car. What I want is newer car that is safe on roads (here crashes and accidents are usual thing because of crazy drivers looking at mobile phones when driving), less consumption (currently I get 5.5-6.0l/100km in combined driving mode), and durable car because roads here are full of holes and usually damaged. Another thing is I am travelling almost every weekend between two towns (2-3h of driving), however road is not the safest one, it is a mountain/hilly road with a lot of edges and bumps. I guess it is a perfect case to get a SUV, however, german (VW based) cars here have the most popularity and the best resale value, I will loose definitely money with Suzuki, but its the one that I like the most for some reason (and its the cheapest SUV to buy). Going from Audi to some budget SUV might feel like a downgrade though.
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u/Wooden_Can_5457 Jul 15 '24
Location: Eastern Europe
Price range: around 30k €
Lease or Buy: buy
New or used: No preference (if used, should be under 20k km)
Must haves: reliability is a big one, smooth ride on bad roads, modern interior preferably, plenty of leg room (i am 6'5' / 1.96m)
Type of vehicle: hatchback, hot hatchback would be a lovely if possible
Desired transmission: automatic
Intended use: Daily driving car
Vehicles you've already considered: been looking around at Merc A-class, Hyundai i30 N line, VW Golf, Cupra Leon, Audi A3 and a few others
Is this your 1st vehicle: yes, just finished my school and this will be my first car
Can you do Minor work on your own vehicle: probably not in the first few years, no
Can you do Major work on your own vehicle: probably not in the first few years, no
Additional Notes: I appreciate reliability and i really like hatchbacks, especially the ones that look like hot ones
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u/Content-Panda-3841 Jul 09 '24
Location: Netherlands
Price range: $40-120
Lease or Buy: buy
New or used: either
Type of vehicle: mid-size luxury suv (Q5 kind) or mid-size luxury sedan (5-series kind).
Must haves: No diesel, preferably hybrid and good boot capacity.
Desired transmission: auto
Intended use: Daily driver that is also good on the autobahn and long drives within Europe
Vehicles you've already considered: Q5, A6, 5-series, (GL)C class, (GL)E class, lexus RX and ES, XC60/90,
Is this your 1st vehicle: no
Do you need a Warranty: preferred
Can you do Minor work on your own vehicle: no
Can you do Major work on your own vehicle: no
Additional Notes: Very important to me is quality, serviceability and reliability. I’m mostly looking for advice on that front and specifically in terms of what year and engine. Thanks in advance
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u/SquallyZ06 2009 Toyota Mark X 250G Jul 09 '24
Location: Arizona
Price range: $30-40K, lower end preferred
Lease or Buy: Buy
New or used: New
Type of vehicle: Crossover or compact SUV
Must haves: Good MPG, sunroof
Desired transmission: auto
Intended use: Family car/daily
Vehicles you've already considered: CX5, CX50, CRV
Is this your 1st vehicle: no
Do you need a Warranty: nothing outside of standard warranty
Can you do Minor work on your own vehicle: some basic maintenance
Can you do Major work on your own vehicle: no
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u/IKnowNewCars I know new cars! Jul 09 '24
Hybrid crossovers have become pretty mainstream and I think they're the way to go for anyone who drives a decent amount of miles per year. The CR-V Hybrid just does everything well. The CX-50 is coming out with a hybrid powertrain in the next year or so (sourced from Toyota, an excellent choice), so it's worth keeping an eye on.
If you opt for a standard gas engine model, the CX-50, CX-5, and CR-V are all great in their own ways. The Mazda models both drive really well and have excellent interior design, though the CX-5 is a bit short on backseat legroom and cargo space compared to others in its class, while the CX-50 is a bit small on front seat headroom for taller drivers. Definitely test them out in person. Otherwise, very few complaints for either. The Honda also drives well, and you'll want to see how you feel about the 1.5T compared to the Mazda 2.5L. The interior on the Honda doesn't feel as fancy as the Mazdas, but the Honda is great on space and ergonomics.
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u/SquallyZ06 2009 Toyota Mark X 250G Jul 10 '24
Thanks for the reply. I know they've been around for a bit, but what's the battery life on a modern hybrid look like? What about replacement costs?
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u/IKnowNewCars I know new cars! Jul 10 '24
So the latest estimates on hybrid battery replacements are that you should expect to need to replace them after 10-15 years (though some vehicles go longer), and the current cost is about $2000-4000 all in. The key is that as battery production gets cheaper, that cost could go down over time, and as more and more hybrids are being produced, the cost of refurbished battery replacement options may also get cheaper.
To top it off, even with the potential battery replacement cost down the road, it's still cheaper to buy a hybrid and save on gas if you drive a decent amount per year (maybe 10k+ miles). And that doesn't include that the best modern hybrids, like the CR-V Hybrid, actually drive better than their gas engine counterparts. So overall, it seems like a win, unless you drive your car less than the average person.
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u/SquallyZ06 2009 Toyota Mark X 250G Jul 11 '24
Thanks for the info. I was leaning towards a CRV hybrid and now I am even more.
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u/anotherRedditor2020 Jul 10 '24
Which car according to you is more influential - Honda nsx, Nissan GTR Godzilla or Lexus LFA? Also give your ranking . Influential might mean how cars are designed , how it effected automotive market , how company image and fortune changed etc.
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u/motorik Jul 08 '24
Location: San Diego North County
Price range: $40k ~ $55k
Lease or Buy: Buy
New or used: New or recent used. I originally thought we'd be buying something at least a year back to avoid cars where everything is a screen widget, but the 2024 Lexus models we looked at had a decent amount of physical controls left. Still looking into issues around tracking by the vendor and their "partners," superficially it seems we'll be ok if we stick to CarPlay over the vendor nav and whatnot (Apple is the devil we know.)
Type of vehicle: Sedan, some mix of luxury / sport. We may consider a crossover / smaller SUV, we had a loaner in that category, a QX55, that we liked quite a bit, at least for the 4 days we had it.
Must haves: V6, CarPlay, decent stereo.
Desired transmission (auto/manual, etc): Wife needs to drive it, manual is out, unfortunately. I don't find paddle-shifting particularly satisfying, however, it's a nice alternative to riding the brakes while doing intensive hill driving.
Intended use: Daily driver, trips. We both work from home, our current 17 year-old car just recent went over 100k, we don't drive that much. We like the idea of getting a hybrid, but it may make more economic sense for us to get an ICE.
Vehicles you've already considered: We currently drive a 2007 Infiniti G35S, which I still love driving. I looked at what Infiniti's current offerings are the last time I had to take the G35 in to the shop, not impressed, they've really dropped the ball. We've been to a Lexus dealership and liked a lot of what we saw. Last time I looked at cars, BMW seemed high-maintenance, we may check them out, they seem to have improved. also, Mercedes. I'm guessing there may be higher-end Toyotas / Hondas that would work for us.
Is this your 1st vehicle: No
Do you need a Warranty: Yes
Can you do Minor work on your own vehicle: Nope
Can you do Major work on your own vehicle: Good lord no
Additional Notes: We're looking for something that would be an up-to-date replacement for our G35, potentially willing to sacrifice a bit of sport for a bit more comfort and fuel-efficiency. The G35 was doing great until we moved to Phoenix for 3 years and everything rubber or plastic was subjected to accelerated aging. I've spent enough time and money on repairs the last few years that reliability and maintenance ease are important, which is a plus for Lexus / Toyota.