Anyone do recent car research to purchase a new one?

[ComputerRepairTech]

I'm aiming for safety, reliability, and a price of under 32k.

The way I see it is if you guys are anything like me some of you have done extensive research prior to making the purchase which can help narrow things down in this sea of pathetic manufacturing.

I mean seriously have you guys seen some of this stuff? I like the ones where you see people complaining about something dangerous and then you look at the next years model and people complaining about the same thing!

The extend of the problems on my 2003 lancer are annoying things like...stuck/hard to turn climate knob, o2 sensor going bad, crap like that.

You flip through some of these newer car problems holy crap, car accelerating out of the blue, airbags deployed by themselves, airbags didnt deploy, seatbelt didnt work, car shut off out of the blue, brake failure, etc etc.

 

[SilverLeaf]

Despite the fact that I'm not really in the market for a new car, I have thought about this a lot lately. My only research is based on experience, but if I was in the market for a new car, I'd buy another one (newer model) of the Ford Crown Victoria/Mercury Grand Marquis just like I have now.

Here's why;

• Rock solid reliability and longevity (think police cruisers and taxis)
• Full size V8 power
• Comfortable
• Huge trunk
• 22 MPG real-world results (city/highway combined)
• Reasonably priced

Unfortunately, Ford discontinued theses is 2011, but there are still some "almost new" units out there.

Mine is a 97 Grand Marquis, and I just washed and waxed it yesterday. She cleans up nice.

The 2nd pic really tells the story though!

Anyway, thats my $.02. Of course YMMV

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Help us make suggestions to you based on what type of car you're looking for.
Commuter econobox?
Family sedan?
Family minivan?
Truck?
Full size SUV?
Sport SUV?
Need AWD?

Past 5 years we've gotten 3 new vehicles. Spent a lot of time researching what to get my wife. Under 30k...and safe.

Surprisingly ended up going with a Kia Sportage. At the time...highest accident safety of all in its category. Might still hold that title. For vehicles in teh 25-30k range, it seemed to be of higher quality than others in its class as far as fit, finish, materials, etc.

I'm sure many of you have heard me say I believe in buying American (if not local) to help our economy...so why did I get a Kia? Made in Atlanta Georgia...by US labor. Heck...my Dodge RAM pickup was made in Mexico. Buying my wifes Kia put more money in American households than my truck did.

3 years after we bought that Kia Sportage....last year we traded that in on another one for her. So 2x Kias in a row for her...we love them.

For a brand that started out associated with Hyundai and 20 years ago they were pieces of crap that barely lasted 50k miles....now they're one of, if not THE best brand...made in the US. Oh..and the 10 year 100k mile warranty is hard to beat too! Try finding that on other brands.....

 

[ComputerRepairTech]

all options open right now....still doing research.

The car with the least amount of complaints to sales ratio seems to be the 2011 and 2012 nissan altima however the safety ratings arent as good and dont improve until the 2013 model which has tons of complaints.

 

[ComputerRepairTech]

Mazda3 looks good on all counts including pricing. Anyone here own a mazda3?

 

[Vicenarian]

The Mazda 3 is a great car; get the hatchback for sure (way more practical, and looks better IMO). I've got a 2006, and I really like it. Not sure if Mazda still has the two engine choices for the 3, but if they do, go for the larger engine (2.3/2.4 L)

In the same vein, also check out the Subaru Impreza (amazing car; great reliability, lots of character, fun to drive, etc. etc. etc.) and/or other Subaru vehicles (Forester, etc.). Once you've driven a Subaru for any length of time, you'll never want to go back to a regular engine if possible (Subarus are famous for their boxer engines). They have this awesome 'gurgly' rumble, lots of power/torque, and they have a really low center of gravity (good handling/balance). Plus the AWD is great if you get a lot of snow.

The new Corolla (looks) like a nice car, but haven't had a chance to really check it out much.

 

[GeeksInKhakis]

My brother just bought a Mazda 3 and loves it. My in-laws got a new KIA Sportage, great deal since it was the last of this years model. Really nice! Myself, I've been looking at the new Fiat 500L, new 4-door competitor Mini Countryman. First impressions are pretty solid. I'm also looking head at the new KIA Soul coming out in October. Kia's are pretty solid IMHO. That's all I have.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

I'll second the Subaru also....I've had 3 of them. All took a beating and kept going strong.

 

[PCSComputerGuy]

I have an infiniti sedan and a Chevy Tahoe... I would recommend both for the respective sizes...

 

[Larry Sabo]

Kia's are pretty solid IMHO.

I thought they were amongst the worst in the recent 1/4-on impact tests? My next-door neighbours have a Kia Soul and just leased another one after the first lease ended so it can't be too bad. Said they really like it.

On the other hand, it may have been that they didn't want to surrender their vanity plate: "Soulm8s".

Edit: Forgot to mention, we have a Corolla 2010 and absolutely love it. Had a '96 Corolla we gave to the daughter before that, and never had to do a thing to either one, just gas and oil.

 

[Paul Rodgers]

I'll second the Subaru also....I've had 3 of them. All took a beating and kept going strong.

I bought a new 13 Outback back in April and I love it. 26 mpg and I'm hard on the gas so I think it could do better.

 

[acscva]

I just went through this process last week. Spent quite a bit of time researching and driving a lot of cars.

It came down to the Toyota Prius and Ford Fusion Titanium Hybrid. Needless to say I chose the Ford Fusion and am so happy with my choice.

I went from having a luxury SUV Acura MDX but only averaged 16-17MPG.

I now have all of the same safety features (Blind Spot Monitoring, Cross Traffic Alert, Adaptive Cruise Control, Driver Assist Package, Lane Keeping System) and it also has Active Park Assist which will parallel park itself although I haven't tried this yet.

I have been averaging 45-55MPG. I did a trip that I do every thursday which is on the highway at 70MPH+ for 35 miles each way. I averaged 50MPG on this trip. Around town I have been getting up to 60MPG. In just a few days have learned to drive more efficient.

Also Ford has some very good rebates going on now and saved $2000 and also got $3000 discount in addition to above average tradein price. I have purchased a lot of new vehicles over the past 25 years and have learned on how to get the right price.

Good website for research on cars are kbb.com, truecar.com and of course google.

 

[ComputerRepairTech]

What I do is I look at the TSBs, recalls, and complaints vs number sold. Its bad right now, really really bad like seriously do not read the information if you arent car shopping because you don't want to know some of the stuff i read.

I read one which I thought was kind of funny...scary but funny. The brakes wherent working for this lady so she pushed her foot down harder and the brake pedal went through the floor.

 

[angry_geek]

I bought a Subaru Impreza last January. I've put 38k miles on it so far, and the only problem it's given me was a bad tire pressure sensor. Dealer fixed it for me when I took it for oil change. Oh, and while my wife was out for a run, we had a monsoon. I found her and picked her up, and she shorted out the airbag/seatbelt sensor. Subaru replaced the entire seat. It's definitely not a race car, but it has plenty of power. I can pass on a 2-lane highway with confidence. I got the hatchback, plenty of cargo room. Awd is simply amazing; it loves the snow and muck. Just this weekend, I went to fort worth and back (1,500 miles round trip), and it averaged 33 mpg at 78 mph all the way there and back. The awd does suck a little more gas than other cars in its class, but it's worth it. The cvt is incredibly smooth, takes a bit to get used to. And it doesn't require any maintenance til 100k miles. The best part is I got it for right around $20k with the all-weather package. Think they call it the premium or something. Heated seats, set of rubber floor mats and regular mats, cargo liner in the back, heated side mirrors, some other stuff. If you want a bit more room and ground clearance, you can look at the crosstek. Same engine as mine, but 500 lbs heavier, so it has some performance issues. However, I believe they're coming out with a 2.5 liter option (same as the forester), which will take care of that. Safety? It's a Subaru 'nuff said.

 

[SilverLeaf]

........snip...............
The cvt is incredibly smooth, takes a bit to get used to. And it doesn't require any maintenance til 100k miles.

I've always been intrigued by CVT's, but never owned one. I don't know if I could get used to it though. Although I wouldn't likely miss the unexpected downshifting I sometime get using cruise control when climbing a steep hill on the interstate....usually the result of a crappy tank of gas. Friggin ethanol anyway....

 

[angry_geek]

The best part is the consistent power band. Same available horsepower at 20 mph and 50 mph. It's weird not feeling the car shift though. What cracks me up is they put flappy paddles in the car. They can hold a given ratio, but that's about it. By the way, if you go the Nissan route with cvt, make sure it's 2010 or later. Nissan had some issues there for a while.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Yeah CVTs are odd...take some getting used to. If you ever rode the old Peugeot mopeds of the 70's and 80's you'd know what they're like.

Give it some gas....noise level goes up...tach holds at a certain point...and car slowly gains speed. For cars with adequate nut...like a Subaru...not bad. For underpowered cars...like those Dodge Calibers....holy cow it's a bad joke...turns them into something a school bus can beat in a 0-60 contest.

 

[brandonkick]

I haven't done a lot of research (as mostly I can't afford squat at the moment) but I have found a lot of what those on here have already posted.

That Grand Marquis is sweet at 364K! At the rate I drive now that thing would out last me!

My 99 monte carlo is still going strong after 14 years (7 of which it spent with me). It needs a new driver seat and at about 200K miles it'll probably need new intake gaskets which is no big deal. I've paid $4,000 for the car 7 years ago and put 70K miles on it in that time. I figure I'll have it at least another two or three years. $400 a year for a vehicle is gravy! And who knows... I may even get more use then that out of it.

I've also found that the new KIA / Subaru's are impressive. Where I live AWD is a must for a year round daily driver.

 

[mr m]

I'm aiming for safety, reliability, and a price of under 32k.

Check put Consumers Reports for unbiased safety and reliability info. There yearly buying guide gleans reliability data from thousands of subscribers. Car & Driver, mag or online, is great for performance data from an enthusiasts point of view.

Check out vehicle recalls form this site:

http://www.recalls.gov/nhtsa.html

 

[acscva]

Also do a fuel mileage comparison here.

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/savemoney.shtml

I will be saving between $300-340 per month on gas alone. Today did a trip that was only a few miles away to a client and got 68.2mpg.....amazing!