Cars....ugh

[hawkster]

I understand wanting to put the wife and child in a nice safe reliable car. Don't let your quest for savings and budgeting stop that. It's my opinion that it is worth every penny.

That said, I certainly steer very clear of SUV's. When we did the car shuffle (my car was crapping the bed so I got the wifes car and she got a new one, LOL) we considered the Nissan Pathfinder. I am so glad we did not do that.

I ended up getting a really nice deal on a Mazda 6. A car I am very happy with, has the V-6 Motor and all the ammenities I wanted her to have and gets nice milage with great performance


Let us know what you do

[tagrims]

Thanks for all the insight!

I shopped around (paid for multiple inspections) and found one that only charged a smaller than expected amount in repairs for a different problem, not the cat converter (which I know needs replaced). Maybe it's the libertarian streak in me, but I hate the whole idea of an inspection for a car, each mechanic tells me something completely different, to me it just helps subsidize the auto industry...but I digress.

So while I know I need a new cat converter, if this $300 repair buys me another year without a car payment it is worth it. (Call me selfish, but I can still sleep well even though my car may pollute more than it should, it's still uses less gasoline than an SUV)

Went to pick up the car and couldn't open the door, the door latch broke. They are going to fix it, but said it was probably a fluke thing (since the latch has broken before I tend to believe them).

So for now the car purchase has been put off for a few more months. My wife is due in July and her last car payment is in July. Meaning if all goes according to plan (which it never does) we will avoid two car payments at the same time.

In the meantime, anyone know someone who has owned a 01-05 Hyundai Sonata or Santa Fe? It looks to be a cheap alternative to the Honda and Toyota, but is the quality and reliability similar? We like Subaru's but they cost more than a Honda or Toyota.

Thanks again!

[maat55]

You could patch it up for now and start saving a car fund, then with one years savings + sell of old, move up and do this again in two years. We are currently paying off a car and will start a 500 a month car fund to replace cars every 2.5 to 3 years with cash. I don"t advocate borrowing for cars anymore but in a pinch you might buy what you can afford financing 2 years then continue to save for future cars.

[sully1980]

hi, i drive a 96 primera..i bought it one year ago for £800, its never let me down,very reliable...i commute 60 miles to work but fortunately i car-pool with 3 others,recently i decided to upgrade , maybe 06 avensis.. i want to keep away from finance or loans..i heard i could buy cheap in england and return to ireland with it... i could save a lot of money!! anyone got any info on vrt tax in ireland?? from personal experience! is it worth the hassle??

[lovcom]

Originally Posted by disneysteve

First thought is not to junk your current car just because of a repair. Blue book may be $1,000 but what is it worth to you? Probably more than that.

Next, just because you are expecting doesn't mean you need to get sucked into the SUV craze. Babies fit just fine in sedans.

As for Honda and Toyota, I don't think you are paying a premium for the name. I think you are paying a premium for a well-made car with an excellent reputation and maintenance history.

Alternatives? I think Hyundai has made great strides in recent years. They sell for a few thousand less than comparably equipped Toyotas or Hondas, are stylish and seem to have good maintenance records in recent years.

I wouldn't consider domestic, so I can't answer that question.

I agree with DisneySteve!

I might add though, stay clear and far away from anything VW....they are the worst and lowest car maker in ConsumerReports...even the Korean models score much higher....

Go Japanese and refrain from the SUV thing....they're a money pit....your new family will find plenty of room in a Corolla, Civic, or Honda Fit...the Yaris might be fine too.

[lovcom]

Originally Posted by bjl584

In all reality, most car brands are about equal in quality at present time. There is still a stigma in the minds' of consumers that Japanese cars are better than American cars for quality and longevity, but this isn't necessarily the case today. If you are buying a car that is say 2000 or newer, you can expect that it will be a good quality car no matter the brand so long as you stay on top of the maintanence. I have a Hyundai Elantra that I bought brand new in 2005. There is currently 60,000 miles on it, and I have not had one problem with it to date. You may want to consider keeping your Jetta. But before I can recommend that, can you tell me what's wrong with it?

Having two mechanics in the family, I would have to strongly disagree with you. Cars are not commodities yet. There are real, and often big differences between the late model makes. The differences are not small. And you cannot take just one example "your one single Hyundai" and draw a conclusion....one has to look across thousands of models, research the many car forums and harmonize the data so that they can make an informed decision.

[vinnieg24]

I would go with the Honda IMO, you may be paying slightly more but I think you will believe it's worth it in the end. They are known to be safe and last a long time. If you are set on an suv the Crvs are great a friend of mine has one. but new civics and accords are great too. I wouldnt bother putting anymore money in to your jetta