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Help Me Choose!

3283 messages,  Last post on May 20, 2013 at 1:42 PM

You are in the Sedans Forum.

What is this discussion about? Chevrolet Malibu, Nissan Maxima, Mazda MAZDA3, Nissan Altima, Honda Accord, Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, Lexus IS 250, Acura TSX, Car Comparisons, Sedan

Messages Page 292 of 329

#2906 of 3283 Re: Help me find my new commuter [backy] by mr_gone

Nov 06, 2012 (5:43 am)

Replying to: backy (Oct 30, 2012 7:52 pm)
I don't know where you're getting your information about the Fusion. First, you realize that there's a 2013 model that is a complete redesign, don't you? And that new model has more room in the back than the previous model? And Consumer Reports rates the Fusion's reliability as above average. The only reliability issues were a few areas in the 2010 model.
 
The problems Ford has had with reliability have been with its complicated MyFord system and the transmission on the new Focus.

#2907 of 3283 Re: Helping mom choose a new car/SUV... [igozoomzoom] by sebring95

Nov 06, 2012 (6:38 am)

Replying to: igozoomzoom (Nov 05, 2012 9:07 pm)
I would go Altima out of that batch. You already said she likes the looks and honestly they're a very good car particularly with that V6. Performance to back up the good looks. The CVT can have questionable reliability but the warranty should cover you for five years anyway. Remember those warranties are from when placed in service...so 7 years/100k miles CPO on the Nissan is from when it was built. Obviously best to find one as new as possible from a date standpoint when you only drive 10k miles a year.

#2908 of 3283 Re: Help me find my new commuter [mr_gone] by backy

Nov 06, 2012 (8:36 am)

Replying to: mr_gone (Nov 06, 2012 5:43 am)
CR has not rated the 2013 Fusion for reliability yet. I would expect it would pass on that until there's real world data, since it is a redesign with new powertrains.
 
I've read two different reviews on the Fusion that complained about the relatively tight back seat compared to its competitors. I believe they were C/D and Motor Trend.

#2909 of 3283 Re: Helping mom choose a new car/SUV... [igozoomzoom] by backy

Nov 06, 2012 (8:44 am)

Replying to: igozoomzoom (Nov 05, 2012 9:07 pm)
Since your mom is interested in fuel economy, and doesn't need the hauling ability of an SUV, I'd strike all the SUVs off the list. The Santa Fe in particular is a new model, so reliability is questionable.
 
Since your mom is OK with the Altima, and also is OK with a 4 cylinder (cf. Optima EX, and Sorento and Santa fe with 2.4L), why not the new 2013 Altima 2.5? Doesn't she like how it looks? It's power is up from 2013 (2.5L) and it has exceptional fuel economy--better than the Optima EX. You said YOU don't like the looks of the 2013 Altima... but how about your mom?
 
If I were her I'd drive ALL the latest mid-sized 4-cylinder cars including the Altima, Accord, Passat, Fusion, Optima, and Sonata before plopping down nearly $30k. (Personally I'd skip the Malibu, but go ahead and drive that too if she wants, it's pretty good looking.) It's fun driving the cars, and then she'll know which one she likes to DRIVE the best. Also she'll know what they look like up close and inside. But cars aren't just for looking at and pumping gas into.
 
P.S. If I had to choose one on the list I'd take the Optima EX, I think it fits your mom's criteria the best of those 5 vehicles.

#2910 of 3283 Re: Helping mom choose a new car/SUV... [igozoomzoom] by ahossa1

Nov 06, 2012 (1:27 pm)

Replying to: igozoomzoom (Nov 05, 2012 9:07 pm)
Is there a reason u left off the 13 Honda Accord? I'd suggest a sedan cuz she drives a huge bus everyday.The Optima is a great choice but it's a above average with road noise. The 13 Fusion is a great car, European styled, and rides like a German Car. The Mytouch Ford Sync is a problem for mature folks cuz of the tiny buttons on the Sync. Now as you ask to choose 1 of the 5 listed I'd recommend Nissan Altima, great car and very reliable. I had an Altima for 10 years and few problems.

#2911 of 3283 The MOM list contined- why certain models didn't make the list! by igozoomzoom

Nov 06, 2012 (7:07 pm)

I originally planned to include the 2013 Honda Accord on the list. I had the pleasure of spending a weekend driving a 2013 Accord Sport a few weeks ago (my bro-in-law runs the body shop at a Honda dealer and the General Manager lets him take home anything he wants). So he brought the new Accord for me and I really enjoyed it. I hated the a2008-2012 Accord, but the 2013 feels, sounds and looks like a real Honda!
 
BUT my step-dad has currently has a 2006 Accord SE 4-door. He is planning to trade it in on a 2013 Accord in a few months when dealers become more willing to discount them. So that’s dad’s car.
 
I personally love the new Ford Fusion, but after the experience they’ve had with her current 2007 Explorer, my step-dad will never allow a Ford vehicle in their garage again! Their experience with all three of the local Ford dealers in buying and servicing her previous 2004 Explorer and her current nightmare-from-hell 2007 Explorer further sour the idea of buying another Ford, no matter how good it actually may be! The warranty coverage isn’t
 
The 2012 Altima 3.5SR has a sport look and aggressive stance that the 2013 models lack, especially the 2.5SL (and other 2.5 versions). I showed mom the photos just to put the possibility on the table and she shot down the 2013 instantly.
 
The 2013 Fusion and Altima have a 3yr/36k Basic Warranty and 6yr/60k Powertrain Coverage. The CPO Nissan and new KIA/Hyundai models all have 100k of Powertrain Coverage. I have located four 2012 CPO 3.5SR models so far and all are less than 10-months in service and under 15k miles. So they have over six years and 85k miles of coverage provided by the 7yr/100k warranty form original in-service date.
 
A new development today is that the budget has been reduced a bit! My step-dad was/is somehow convinced that mom’s 2007 Explorer is worth $11-12k trade-in and someone will pay that for it! So the $30k budget is actually $18k cash plus whatever the hell we can for the Explorer!? Even though it is in Very Good to Excellent physical condition inside and out, the high mileage and history as a corporate fleet vehicle (even if it was my best friend’s company car) in conjunction with it being 2WD/V6 = $8k trade-in is the best I’m expecting. Which translates to a budget of around $26k, not $30k.
 
I’m sure we could sell the Explorer privately for at least $12k, but knowing that the transmission is acting wonky sometimes and a few other minor issues, I can’t sell it to an individual….at least not without telling them all the details about what has gone wrong, is going wrong and will almost certainly go wrong again…and that tends to scare off buyers off and/or kill the selling price! I’d much rather it go to the big Carmax auction far away and hope that it doesn’t end up being sold to some poor soul before it all the problems are repaired….

#2912 of 3283 Re: Helping mom choose a new car/SUV... [backy] by igozoomzoom

Nov 06, 2012 (8:26 pm)

Replying to: backy (Nov 06, 2012 8:44 am)
"P.S. If I had to choose one on the list I'd take the Optima EX, I think it fits your mom's criteria the best of those 5 vehicles."
 
If I was choosing a car for myself from the list, it would be the 2012 Altima 3.5SR- hands down!
 
But I spent some time test driving the Sonata and Santa Fe yesterday and the Optima EX today. Even though I've read all the reviews and raves about the Optima, I still wasn't prepared to be as impressed as I was by the Optima EX! It also amazed me just how differently two cars built on the same platform and sharing the same powertrain can feel. The Sonata Limited is undeniably a very good car with interior materials and design that could pass for an entry-level luxury car. But the Optima feels more like a German car- taught, firm ride without being harsh, quick reflexes, and a more no-nonsense exterior design.
 
If I had to choose one least favorite thing about the Sonata, it would be the design and layout of the dashboard! Conversely, the dashboard design is one of my favorite things about the Optima. It is simpler looking with buttons and controls spaced out a bit more and in more logical arrangement. I also love the way that the center stack is canted toward the driver!
 
If you're wondering why I am test driving these cars on my own first, I'm actually test driving the dealership and sales team. They will probably never know it, but it's more for their benefit than anything!
 
Back in December 1994, mom and I were shopping for a new Jeep Grand Cherokee. She knew that was what she wanted, the colors, option packages, and everything else. It was just a matter of actually finding ones that met her specs then trying to get the best deal at a time when they sold Grand Cherokees as fast as they could build them!
 
We found one at a dealership almost 100 miles away that was exactly what she wanted. They quoted a price on the phone that was good enough to make the drive over there worthwhile, so we went. The moment we walked in the showroom, I had a bad feeling about the place. The salesman who gave the phone quote was off, so we ended up with a sleazy, slicked-back-hair, condescending douchebag instead! He immediately asked why mom had came to buy a car without her husband (he had already checked the wedding ring, I suppose). Her response, verbatim, “Because I’m the one buying the car, not him!”
 
We went for a test drive and he insisted that I sit in the back seat so he could demonstrate all the controls and features up front for her. A few minutes into the test drive, mom gunned it when a traffic light turned green to see how much kick it had off the line. Dude actually scolded her for doing it and said the engine wasn’t broken in and blah, blah….so she floored it and didn’t let off for a good 30 seconds- doing 80mph or so in a 45 zone to show him who was boss in that car!
 
Then he actually said “You need to calm down!” to her and patted her knee with his left hand!!! She locked it down in the middle for four lanes of traffic and went carnival-freak crazy on him screaming for him to get out! Doing what any protective son would do in the situation (and being 19, hot-heated, and 6’2” 230#), I jumped out, opened the passenger door and pulled him out of the car and threw him onto the ground (or road surface, to be particular). I got back in the car and she took off like a bat out of hell going back to the dealership (leaving him a few miles away). She skidded across the lawn of the dealership and almost created a drive-thru right in the front of the showroom! She left the door open, engine running and tore off to find the sales manager…and I went to the receptionist desk and called 911!
 
We didn’t wait for the cops, but I didn’t want them to come after us because they reported us for assaulting the salesman and trying to steal the car or some similar nonsense. We never heard another word about….but I learned that it’s best to pre-screen dealerships and select a suitable salesperson (I usually try to find a female or gay male salesperson if possible before some ‘go-getter’ nabs me instead)!
 
It would be a far worse fate for a sleazy perv if it they pulled that crap on her today. Now there’s always a loaded firearm in that big ol’ Coach purse she lugs around….
 
I couldn’t make this sh!t up if I tried!

#2913 of 3283 Re: Helping mom choose a new car/SUV... [igozoomzoom] by qbrozen

Nov 07, 2012 (10:45 am)

Replying to: igozoomzoom (Nov 06, 2012 8:26 pm)
It would be a far worse fate for a sleazy perv if it they pulled that crap on her today. Now there’s always a loaded firearm in that big ol’ Coach purse she lugs around….
 
ummm... with that temper, I'm not sure that's such a good idea.

#2914 of 3283 Prius C two vs Honda Civic LX by linkin06

Nov 14, 2012 (8:40 am)

i'm shooting for around 16k for a civic lx 2012 and shooting for prius c two for 19k. the difference i feel like would take about 4 years of driving to make up. i liked how the civic handled. the prius handles ok, but obviously the pick up isn't as nice as the civic.
 
i've never bought a car before, but i'm emergently having to because my old 92 camry died on me (it was at 230k+ and strong! for awhile...)
 
anyone able to share more insight?

#2915 of 3283 Re: Prius C two vs Honda Civic LX [linkin06] by graphicguy

Nov 14, 2012 (9:03 am)

Replying to: linkin06 (Nov 14, 2012 8:40 am)
Civic and Prius are sort of different cars, although about the same size.
 
If you prize MPG above everything else, then the Prius is the way to go.
 
If you want more of a traditional driving vehicle, with slightly less fuel efficiency, the Civic will serve you well, and for a very long time.
 
That said, I've only been in a Prius once. Like you, I found it painfully slow, and not very comfortable.

Messages Page 292 of 329

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