AI meets BFC: Car Buying Thread: No Rentals and No Salvage Titles

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > AI meets BFC: Car Buying Thread: No Rentals and No Salvage Titles

Maksimus54: Jan 5, 2011

Proposed Budget $23k + or - a few K
New or Used New or Used within 3 years and 35k miles
Body Style Sedan or Wagon
Use Commuting to work with the wife and dropping the kid off at daycare
Important Aspects of Car Safety, Fun to drive, Reliability, automatic
Location Seattle, WA

We just had a kid and I need to dump some toys and pick up something made this decade with 4 doors and an automatic so the wife has something to drive and we have something to put the kiddo in. I'm sacrificing some toys to finance a newer car and as such thought if I'm buying it I might as well have some fun with it.

I have not made it out to drive anything yet, but have done some market research(CL) into what seems affordable in my area.

Cars that pique my interest in no particular order:

Acura TSX/TSX Wagon
Audi A3/A4 Sedan or Wagon
BMW 328i
Mercedes C300 4matic
Honda Civic 1.5T
Honda Accord Sport
Subaru Impreza Sport Premium
???

Looking for feedback mostly on expected reliability (lol audi) and models/years/options that are must haves or best to avoid

# ¿ Aug 24, 2016 18:44

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# ¿ May 21, 2024 15:58

Maksimus54: Jan 5, 2011

Phone posted:

Subaru Outback with the H6.

Could just be me but I've never heard a good thing said about the H6

# ¿ Aug 24, 2016 18:55

Maksimus54: Jan 5, 2011

Guinness posted:

I thought the H6 was all-around considered a better motor than the 4-bangers (especially vs. the EJ25), just at the obvious expense of weight and efficiency. Fewer headgasket issues and no oil consumption class action lawsuits. The EZ36 in the 3.6R actually has pretty respectable output and gas mileage for a car the size/weight of an Outback, and has is derived from a motor that's been around for a while so there are fewer unknowns than the newer FA/FB motors which are showing a number of problems.

Good to know, I must admit I have not paid much attention to them at all. I'll be adding that and the Mazda 6 which inexplicably got left out to the list

# ¿ Aug 24, 2016 21:19

Maksimus54: Jan 5, 2011

Go drive a GTI, it ticks all the boxes you requested.

My experience driving CUV's:

Forester: Safest most boring car of the group. I bought one purely for safety equipment. Infotainment system sucks for 2017

CX-5: Pleasant to drive but small quirks when not fully optioned turned me off to it. Infotainment system sucks

CRV: Second most boring car of the group. It's a Honda. The CR-V I've driven is a couple years old so no experience with the infotainment system.

Not a CUV but because you asked,

GTI: The car I wanted but without front collision avoidance and AWD was knocked out of the running. Fun, practical, fuel efficient. Android Auto equipped.

# ¿ Oct 19, 2017 00:00

Maksimus54: Jan 5, 2011

Woof Blitzer posted:

My uncle used to let me ride in his firebird, and I've never had enough money to get one until now (I DD a Prius, exciting). I wanted to make it into a ~400hp GT car with modern niceties like apple CarPlay, heated seats, etc.

With a $45k budget you could buy a new SS Camaro which would have 400+ HP, Apply Carplay, leather heated seats and a warranty.

# ¿ Oct 26, 2017 17:05

Maksimus54: Jan 5, 2011

Throatwarbler posted:

I don't think that's the point. His cool uncle didn't take him for rides as a kid in a new Camaro.

Someone has to mention some automotive sanity. The initial search for the firebird is fine, and if the nostalgia is all that matters I certainly wouldn't want to dissuade him. However after mentioning a rather large budget to build a 400HP GT car I think a new car recommendation isn't out of line.

# ¿ Oct 26, 2017 17:25

Maksimus54: Jan 5, 2011

Saint Celestine posted:

Should I buy a 2018 Toyota Tacoma 4x4 TRD Off-road with crew cab?

MSRP comes out to ~$38k, i can put up to 10k down. No dealer financing cause its a tacoma, so I can probably get a good rate from a bank because of good credit.

Looking for something that can sometimes offroad and haul stuff for camping adventures.

Its either that or a mazda CX 5 @ $30k with 0% for 60 months.

Thoughts?

I'm a fan of the Tacoma. They hold resale value better than just about anything else available. They are capable enough as trucks go. If you want to do much towing I'd look at a full size domestic, but if you just want to drive dirt roads and go camping I can't imagine a much better vehicle.

# ¿ Jan 16, 2018 18:52

Maksimus54: Jan 5, 2011

Deteriorata posted:

I will take bad data over no data.

This is why everybody is telling you to shut the gently caress up about Edmunds TCO figures

# ¿ Jun 19, 2018 21:16

Maksimus54: Jan 5, 2011

Forget the Subaru's if you care about fuel economy and repair bills.

# ¿ May 28, 2019 18:08

Maksimus54: Jan 5, 2011

The obvious answer is a Tesla. That way if(when) he kills the next person he can blame the self driving car instead of himself!

# ¿ Jun 6, 2019 23:58

Maksimus54: Jan 5, 2011

plester1 posted:

A Subaru Forester or Outback might be worth test driving too. I'm not super familiar with them though, so I'm not sure how competitive they are compared to your other options.

Foresters and Outbacks are very safe but not very good on gas or particularly reliable. The layout in them provides adequate but not great storage, then again two 65lb dogs eat up a lot of space regardless how big the car is.

I have a Forester and enjoy it, but am well aware it's shortcomings as well.

# ¿ Jun 7, 2019 19:49

Maksimus54: Jan 5, 2011

Spite posted:

Proposed Budget: < 35k
New or Used: Either
Body Style: sedan
How will you be using the car?: 45min commute with 20-30min bumper-to-bumper. Also have a kid so there will be a carseat.

What aspects are most important to you?
Need navigation as the wife has no sense of direction. I think CarPlay will also work. Want a decent sound system.

Is there a hybrid that isn't totally crap to drive?

If I don't get a hybrid I'll almost definitely get a manual.
Otherwise I'm looking at the mazda 3 or civic si.

Or should I get the hybrid and talk my wife into a miata next year?

Prius now and Miata next year is a very good solution.

# ¿ Jun 25, 2019 16:59

Maksimus54: Jan 5, 2011

Han Nehi posted:

Proposed Budget: I can afford up to $30k. Less is better obviously.
New or Used: Used
Body Style: Sedan, van/minivan, or compact SUV.
How will you be using the car?:
- Minimal daily driving. I work from home so I drive very little during the week.
- Trips. We take a 6 hour round trip a couple of times a month, and longer trips every couple of months (18 hour round trip).
- Occasionally hauling home improvement stuff. I own an older house so I will need to haul plywood, sacks of concrete, etc. Life pro tip: don't buy an old house.
- I need some legroom in the 2nd row. One of us is 6'3"ish.
- I'd like to sit up higher, like in a compact SUV or van, but I'd take a sedan if the MPG is much better.
What aspects are most important to you?
- Safety. I'd also like to have auto-braking and auto-cruise-control if possible.
- Reliability. When I'm 9 hours from home I don't want to worry about a breakdown.
- Cargo capacity, either in the car or in a trailer.
- MPG.

I live in the U.S., in the northern California valley. 99% of my driving is on flat land. Summers are hot but the winters are mild. No snow ever.

Ideally I want a car that gets great mileage (and is therefore probably small) but can also tow a small trailer for the times that I need to haul building supplies.

Your budget allows for new, which sometimes is easiest when trying to find the right safety package. Each brand has a different threshold for which models/trims could have adaptive cruise and collision avoidance.

Sounds to me like you are a perfect candidate for a Rav4/CR-V/Forester/Outback. Any kids or other passengers we should know about? If children are in the mix now isn't a bad idea to consider a mini-van.

# ¿ Aug 30, 2019 21:40

Maksimus54: Jan 5, 2011

limp_cheese posted:

I know I asked a few months ago for help but I put more thought into it and I want to ask for advice again.

Proposed Budget: 20k
New or Used: I'm assuming its going to be used.
Body Style: Something that doesn't run low to the ground. I'm thinking small SUV since I don't like large vehicles.
How will you be using the car?: Just getting around in general. I sometimes have to drive to see family a few hours away.
What aspects are most important to you?: I need something that has some kind of sonar around it that gives audible warnings. I don't care about backup cameras. Something that I can perform basic maintenance on with some good gas mileage. Pot holes and speed bumps are bad in this area and without depth perception I can't see them sometimes so a good suspension would also be nice. Not sure how exact to get but I would also like a lot of windows and as few things blocking my vision.

The current line of Subaru Forester actually fits that pretty well. They have lane keep assist and collision avoidance as well as class leading visibility.

# ¿ Sep 30, 2019 01:17

Maksimus54: Jan 5, 2011

tminz posted:

I'm assuming this is something they wouldn't pre-emptively fix -- sounds like I'll be running the risk of them making GBS threads the bed at some point in the future but impossible to really know?

It's a subaru, they are a wear item

# ¿ Oct 21, 2019 19:51

Maksimus54: Jan 5, 2011

DoctorDelaware posted:

I feel like this is the right place to post this question. (Didn't read the forum rules originally; sorry about that.)

I'm about to buy a car from a reputable dealership for the first time. How much should I try talking them down on the price?

My options:

2015 Subaru Impreza sedan, less than 80K miles; sticker price $12500
2017 Toyota Camry, less than 70K miles; sticker price $14000

I'm getting a really good trade-in on my rolling dumpster with a leaky rack & pinion from either place ($1000 and $1500, respectively.) Both cars have clean Carfax histories.

Additionally, I'm checking out a 2013 Impreza hatchback with less than 50K, but that one's got a salvage title from collision damage. Seems to run OK; I'm having it checked out today, though. $10000 for that one, less a $500 trade-in for my aforementioned shitbox. (This place isn't a dealership; more a fix-n-flip operation.)

Any advice will be welcome.

See thread title RE: salvage titled car. Invest no more time/money into the thought.

The impreza would be interesting if it were a hatch, but as a sedan it's uglier, thirstier, and requires more diligent maintenance than the Toyota.

# ¿ Feb 11, 2020 19:24

Maksimus54: Jan 5, 2011

Space Racist posted:

Hey everyone, been mulling this over the weekend and needing to bounce it off of someone else to tell me if I�m crazy or not.
A couple months ago I poked in here asking about used car choices and mentioned a Miata as a �comedy option�, only to get told that should be my main option (per the famous phrase). Anyway, I shopped around, keeping an eye on early ND and late NC model Miatas, but ultimately wound up going with a �19 Civic Sport sedan with very low miles and 6MT.

The problem? I like it... but I don�t love it. It�s fun-ish to drive, but with Covid-19 lockdowns in place, a lot of my recent weekends have spent just going on aimless backroad drives and I can�t help but regret not picking up a Miata. This is maybe a case where I should have listened to my gut instead of my brain.

So, I�m toying with (at least once lockdowns are a little more eased in a month-ish) trading in my Civic for a late-model NC Miata with PRHT (don�t currently have a garage, so a hardtop is a must-have). Based on KBB, I�m about $3500-$4000 above water on the Civic, but accept that I won�t get exactly out of it what I put into it a couple months ago. But, from what I�ve seen, I could hopefully do a lateral move to a late model, nicely-optioned NC without having to put much if any extra money down.

The NC would also be a step back technologically, but the flipside is I could easily get a CarPlay-capable head unit installed. The rest of the technology in the Civic (i.e. Honda Sensing) I�m kinda meh about.

So, should I talk myself out of this and just hang onto the Civic for a few years?

Find a beater NA Miata for $2500. Beater Miata best Miata.

# ¿ Apr 27, 2020 15:24

Maksimus54: Jan 5, 2011

Subaru Forester ticks your boxes well. AWD, best in class visibility and a good safety suite. New is at the fringe of your price but close enough.

# ¿ Jul 6, 2020 19:23

Maksimus54: Jan 5, 2011

feelix posted:

The Subaru will be pretty much Honda reliable no? Other than the head gasket issues they had for a short time.on certain engines, I literally can't think of a single notorious Subaru problem

E:looking it up, I guess they have a lot of really annoying problems with infotainment nowadays?

Look up subaru ring issues. They killed enough engines my local dealership had a whole shop dedicated to rebuilds.

# ¿ Feb 5, 2021 17:59

Maksimus54: Jan 5, 2011

Just buy an Impreza or Crosstrek. You should be able to buy new or nearly new for $20k.

# ¿ Apr 8, 2021 16:22

Maksimus54: Jan 5, 2011

The only vehicles on that list I'd consider owning are the Toyotas. The Toyota tax is worth it

# ¿ Apr 29, 2021 23:53

Maksimus54: Jan 5, 2011

I'm the minivan suggester. Sure you could fit two car seats in a CUV but a van will be way easier and have far more storage. Kids do not travel light and you'll fill up a CRV or RAV4 in a hurry. There are some decent hybrid options on vans as well, the Pacifica even offers a plug-in hybrid with something like 30 miles of electric range.

# ¿ May 5, 2021 22:51

Maksimus54: Jan 5, 2011

LionArcher posted:

Other issue is a biohazard leak of the back (no further description) that is also deemed (minor) by Carfax from three months ago.

Dafuq?

I wouldn't trust Carfax to deem what is minor or not, in particular to front end collisions and "bio hazard leaks"

# ¿ May 12, 2021 03:16

Maksimus54: Jan 5, 2011

I love the Tacoma as a great driving truck but in my experience it really was not cut out for towing. It's still a "midsize" and gets the same poo poo(or worse) MPG's the fullsize trucks get with lesser utility. Get an F150 like everyone else and their brother.

# ¿ Dec 29, 2021 18:44

Maksimus54: Jan 5, 2011

Vinz Clortho posted:

I�m in Seattle too, just moved here from Australia. Currently driving a rented Corolla that my company paid for as part of my relocation, but we need to buy a car. We�re looking for something small, reliable and cheap to run, so a Prius sounds like the way to go. Any general tips or things to look out for?

Potholes, the roads are poo poo here.

RE: Prius, the climate is pretty mild and we don't salt roads so rust isn't a big problem and batteries don't tend to die premature deaths like other climates. The Prius is probably the #1 car on the road here so finding independent mechanics should be simple.

# ¿ Nov 19, 2022 19:14

Maksimus54: Jan 5, 2011

phosdex posted:

Proposed Budget: 50k
New or Used: either
Body Style: suv or truck
How will you be using the car?: offroad, hauling stuff, driving mom.

I got 2 cars. Have an X3 that I want to replace with something more offroad capable. Also needs to do my grocery/target errand runs, and be somewhat comfortable enough to drive my mom around when she visits. My other car is a miata.

I live in northern New Mexico, and want to drive around more offroad. I don't really know what that entails though. Big tires and ground clearance probably?

First thought was a Wrangler Rubicon. I don't think this fits needs other than offroad capability though.

Then a Bronco, one of the lower trims. Availability is difficult here. Had a Ford dealership tell me $4500 adm to order one recently. Haven't bothered to check out used market.

Cherokee Trailhawk. '22 is v6, '23 is i4. Kinda seems like the '22 is the better choice. New '22s are still on lots, usually marked down.

Grand Cherokee Trailhawk. New design is '22, would look at the '21 and older. This has a v8 avail, air suspension, nicest of everything so far.

That's kinda where my rough knowledge ends. Not sure what else I should think of. Like 4runner? I don't think I want a truck but I'm open to hearing. I guess the budget is open, talk me into a defender.

Buy a 30yo 4runner with lockers and send it. You don't need a 4x4 daily

# ¿ May 23, 2023 15:49

Maksimus54: Jan 5, 2011

What's the thread title and why does it not apply to you?

# ¿ Feb 27, 2024 02:57

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# ¿ May 21, 2024 15:58

Maksimus54: Jan 5, 2011

priznat posted:

Believe me I tried selling the minivan idea Would probably go for the Carnival, they have a new hybrid coming out. But my wife is extremely stubborn.

We just got back from a family trip we rented a Pacifica on, it's an incredible amount of vehicle. Tons of space, easy access, stow and go seats, electric everything. Surprisingly good ride and pretty quiet. Had no issues hearing everyone in the cabin.

You should rent one for a weekend to show her how awesome van life is. If I didn't have a paid for car made in the last decade I'd be running to the dealership for an upgrade

# ¿ Apr 7, 2024 16:39

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