Help me think about how to think about buying a new car.
March 13, 2016 1:41 PM Subscribe
We need to buy a new car. We haven't even thought about buying a car for 24 years. When I start to think about researching what's available I don't even know what questions to ask. Any advice and/or opinions that would help me think about this more clearly are very welcome.
It's not an urgent need, our beloved Saturn runs just as well as it ever did. But the interior is getting very old; and the thoughts of air conditioning and windows that work with a button are very appealing. The only feature that's non-negotiable: Mr K wants a hatchback. We don't have to go Cheapest, we don't want to go Show Off Spendy.
How do you compare? American or foreign? Does it make a difference? What do you think are the most important qualities to think about? Are there resources to compare cars that you think are trustworthy? Also, we're right on the Canadian border. Would it make sense to buy a car in Canada with their dollar so low? Or is that totally silly? Every time I try to think about this my mind slides into overdrive and mostly there's just a high whine of anxiety.
Even if all you have is "I wish I'd known xxx before I bought my car" would be helpful. Thanks!
It's not an urgent need, our beloved Saturn runs just as well as it ever did. But the interior is getting very old; and the thoughts of air conditioning and windows that work with a button are very appealing. The only feature that's non-negotiable: Mr K wants a hatchback. We don't have to go Cheapest, we don't want to go Show Off Spendy.
How do you compare? American or foreign? Does it make a difference? What do you think are the most important qualities to think about? Are there resources to compare cars that you think are trustworthy? Also, we're right on the Canadian border. Would it make sense to buy a car in Canada with their dollar so low? Or is that totally silly? Every time I try to think about this my mind slides into overdrive and mostly there's just a high whine of anxiety.
Even if all you have is "I wish I'd known xxx before I bought my car" would be helpful. Thanks!
Best answer: I absolutely rely on the comparison tests, as well as long-term drives, from Car and Driver to winnow my choices down before I go test drive any vehicles of interest. If you want to look at a specific car without being bothered by a salesman, go on Sunday or other times when the dealership is closed. You won't be alone. We've had very good luck in our last few car purchases going through the brand's website to "build our own" then request a quote from dealers in the area. It seems like a weird approach, but your quote request goes to their internet person who will give you a no-haggle price that is better than you can get by negotiating at the dealership. (Plus, as a bonus: No need to take a shower afterwards to get the "ick" off.)
Don't purposefully avoid checking out the bells and whistles: Like Ruthless Bunny, seat heaters are awesome! So too are back-up cameras, blind spot warnings, and automatic headlights. There are so many appealing features available besides power windows and air conditioning!
posted by DrGail at 2:11 PM on March 13, 2016 [2 favorites]
Don't purposefully avoid checking out the bells and whistles: Like Ruthless Bunny, seat heaters are awesome! So too are back-up cameras, blind spot warnings, and automatic headlights. There are so many appealing features available besides power windows and air conditioning!
posted by DrGail at 2:11 PM on March 13, 2016 [2 favorites]
This is one of those situations where renting a car for a day with all those unknown features would really help you. I was just on a trip with a ridiculously loaded rental car; the idea of a backup camera and parking sensors went from "Pssht, who would ever need those?" to "Life is amazingly better with these things!". Using / not using the features is going to tell you alot more than a salesman's memorized pitch, or even a short test drive.
I think generally, if you buy from a top-tier competitive manufacturer (like not failing one like Mitsubishi or a super-hyped one like Tesla) all the cars in a specific category should be pretty similar and you can't really go by reviews so much.
posted by meowzilla at 2:17 PM on March 13, 2016 [3 favorites]
I think generally, if you buy from a top-tier competitive manufacturer (like not failing one like Mitsubishi or a super-hyped one like Tesla) all the cars in a specific category should be pretty similar and you can't really go by reviews so much.
posted by meowzilla at 2:17 PM on March 13, 2016 [3 favorites]
Best answer: I bought my first car a couple years ago and it was so stressful because I was not only worried about choosing the wrong car, but I was worried about getting a horrible deal at the dealership because I am not a haggler. But I feel good about the car I chose.
What I did was first decide, broadly, on the sort of car I wanted (for me it was a small hatchback), features that I must have, and a price range. I also decided I wanted a new car, because with this being my first car I wanted that warranty and also to know where it's been, so to speak. I thought of car brands I seemed to feel good about and looked at their options in the category of what I was looking for. I read reviews, looked at what comes standard with the cars and possible add-ons. You will be amazed with what comes standard now if you haven't paid attention to this for the last 24 years.
I made a list of three cars I wanted to try, and then I went to dealerships and test drove them. My mind was made up pretty quickly after that because I ended up with one clear favorite out of the ones I tried. None of them were awful cars, I just felt better in one over the others. I think if I had chosen one of the others, they are fine cars by reputable manufacturers too, so knowing that made the choice easier - I didn't think I was likely to make a terrible mistake, so I just went with what felt the best for me.
Note: despite all the fancy bells and whistles that come standard now, a lot of new cars don't come with a spare tire anymore. The dealer might not alert you to that. I bought a spare tire kit for my car separately. A back-up camera is also pretty important because the way a lot of cars are being designed currently, the rear windshield is way smaller than it used to be. The smaller rear windshield took some getting used to when I was shopping for a new car.
Also pay attention to whether or not the car comes with cruise control, if that is important to you. Some people just assume all newer cars have it, but I know someone who bought a car in recent years and didn't realize until afterwards that it didn't have cruise control.
posted by wondermouse at 3:19 PM on March 13, 2016 [2 favorites]
What I did was first decide, broadly, on the sort of car I wanted (for me it was a small hatchback), features that I must have, and a price range. I also decided I wanted a new car, because with this being my first car I wanted that warranty and also to know where it's been, so to speak. I thought of car brands I seemed to feel good about and looked at their options in the category of what I was looking for. I read reviews, looked at what comes standard with the cars and possible add-ons. You will be amazed with what comes standard now if you haven't paid attention to this for the last 24 years.
I made a list of three cars I wanted to try, and then I went to dealerships and test drove them. My mind was made up pretty quickly after that because I ended up with one clear favorite out of the ones I tried. None of them were awful cars, I just felt better in one over the others. I think if I had chosen one of the others, they are fine cars by reputable manufacturers too, so knowing that made the choice easier - I didn't think I was likely to make a terrible mistake, so I just went with what felt the best for me.
Note: despite all the fancy bells and whistles that come standard now, a lot of new cars don't come with a spare tire anymore. The dealer might not alert you to that. I bought a spare tire kit for my car separately. A back-up camera is also pretty important because the way a lot of cars are being designed currently, the rear windshield is way smaller than it used to be. The smaller rear windshield took some getting used to when I was shopping for a new car.
Also pay attention to whether or not the car comes with cruise control, if that is important to you. Some people just assume all newer cars have it, but I know someone who bought a car in recent years and didn't realize until afterwards that it didn't have cruise control.
posted by wondermouse at 3:19 PM on March 13, 2016 [2 favorites]
Best answer: My mechanic always tells me Toyotas are the toughest, longest lasting cars. Also, I used to do lights for trade shows, and once I was working near the Toyota booth and someone set an open box of Toyota's bolts and nuts and screws on top of a road case. One of the electricians moved the road case and the bolts and stuff fell and spilled out on the floor. We apologized, picked everything up, and tried to give the parts to the Toyota rep. "Oh we have to toss those now," she said, "if anything hits the floor before it's assembled for any reason, we have to toss it, company policy." Now thats attention to detail.
posted by WalkerWestridge at 3:24 PM on March 13, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by WalkerWestridge at 3:24 PM on March 13, 2016 [2 favorites]
Best answer: I was after a reliable hatchback that would fit a double pram in the boot (most can't) and not cost much to repair. First I started looking at the industry 'car of the year' awards, where they're ranked for reliability, comfort, handling etc and went from there.
If you're looking secondhand, I'd Google 'SUV of the year 2012' or whatever criteria you're after. This will give you three or four cars as a starting point where you can then compare feature against feature. As it turned out, the one voted car of the year that we actually ended up getting, the Hyundai i30, had heaps of features as standard that I never would have paid extra for but now can't do without (rear camera that stops me mowing down my toddler, I'm looking at you.) Plus it was also one of the cheapest on the market.
In short, narrow it down via reviews, features and a few test drives.
posted by Jubey at 3:31 PM on March 13, 2016
If you're looking secondhand, I'd Google 'SUV of the year 2012' or whatever criteria you're after. This will give you three or four cars as a starting point where you can then compare feature against feature. As it turned out, the one voted car of the year that we actually ended up getting, the Hyundai i30, had heaps of features as standard that I never would have paid extra for but now can't do without (rear camera that stops me mowing down my toddler, I'm looking at you.) Plus it was also one of the cheapest on the market.
In short, narrow it down via reviews, features and a few test drives.
posted by Jubey at 3:31 PM on March 13, 2016
Best answer: You need to begin by narrowing your field a little bit. Price, the size of car you want, how important good mileage is, etc. This will help you limit your options, which will make deciding easier. Since you're near the Canadian border you might want to consider getting something with AWD, which will limit your options considerably.
You can do a lot of armchair shopping at Edmunds.com. I'd recommend subscribing to Consumer Reports' website for at least a month so you can research how they've rated cars.
Then there's nothing for it but test driving. That will help you get a better sense of what you like and what you don't. I can tell you that cars are a lot better than they were 24 years ago (in terms of power, efficiency, crashworthiness, amenities), so almost anything you pick will seem like a huge win.
posted by adamrice at 7:37 PM on March 13, 2016
You can do a lot of armchair shopping at Edmunds.com. I'd recommend subscribing to Consumer Reports' website for at least a month so you can research how they've rated cars.
Then there's nothing for it but test driving. That will help you get a better sense of what you like and what you don't. I can tell you that cars are a lot better than they were 24 years ago (in terms of power, efficiency, crashworthiness, amenities), so almost anything you pick will seem like a huge win.
posted by adamrice at 7:37 PM on March 13, 2016
Best answer: In the end, I went with safety as my most important criteria. I have zero desire to die in my car. This lead me to look at some makes that I hadn't previously considered (Hyundai) and I have been very pleasantly surprised by it. As I'd formerly owned very old cars, any additional swanky features are nice and you'll enjoy them.
posted by AnnaRat at 9:05 PM on March 13, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by AnnaRat at 9:05 PM on March 13, 2016 [1 favorite]
Best answer: You might also go to your local library and look up the last Cars issue of Consumer Reports, they do a bang up job, or if you have friends with a subscription. It is well thought out, they are beholden to no one, and they keep tabs on cars for the long run in order to understand reliability.
By all means go test drive the different cars, dealers are there to oblige.
But if you do not like negotiation tactics or the pressure involved with the "deal", your bank, your credit card, or some memberships like AAA, AARP, Costco all have brokers that will for a fixed fee get you their best deal that you want. You just go to them with a list and they try to get it.
Currently I am looking for a small hatchback and have this impression:
Mazda3: Reliable, simple front wheel drive, not as many features as the Fit /Yaris
Honda Fit: Well engineered, nimble, reliable, but someone pricey due to brand name
Toyota Yaris: Same as Fit
Subaru Impreza: Nice interior, great 4wd, comfortable and good gas mileage
Ford Focus: Pretty nicely done, but for the price I could get a honda
Ford Fiesta: Pretty fun little car, don't know about long term reliability.
posted by nickggully at 9:35 PM on March 13, 2016
By all means go test drive the different cars, dealers are there to oblige.
But if you do not like negotiation tactics or the pressure involved with the "deal", your bank, your credit card, or some memberships like AAA, AARP, Costco all have brokers that will for a fixed fee get you their best deal that you want. You just go to them with a list and they try to get it.
Currently I am looking for a small hatchback and have this impression:
Mazda3: Reliable, simple front wheel drive, not as many features as the Fit /Yaris
Honda Fit: Well engineered, nimble, reliable, but someone pricey due to brand name
Toyota Yaris: Same as Fit
Subaru Impreza: Nice interior, great 4wd, comfortable and good gas mileage
Ford Focus: Pretty nicely done, but for the price I could get a honda
Ford Fiesta: Pretty fun little car, don't know about long term reliability.
posted by nickggully at 9:35 PM on March 13, 2016
You will be well served by signing up for a month or two's subscription to Consumer Reports. They have the best, most thorough data and reviews of new and used cars on the US market. Absolutely worth it.
posted by yellowcandy at 10:02 PM on March 13, 2016
posted by yellowcandy at 10:02 PM on March 13, 2016
Best answer: This is the website I recommend to all car searchers: TrueDelta. I have my cars on it, but you don't have to be a member to get the main data, though members get access to the most recent data. It will give you reliability statistics from actual car owners.
posted by birdsquared at 11:28 PM on March 13, 2016
posted by birdsquared at 11:28 PM on March 13, 2016
If you're looking at small hatchbacks like the Honda Fit, I'm surprised no one has mentioned the Toyota Prius yet. The hybrid price premium isn't that bad when you consider how well it holds resale value. My partner's mother has been driving a second-gen Prius in Montana for years so it can handle cold weather contrary to stereotype.
That said, it's not a car to drive on unplowed snow. But top notch reliability and amazing cargo room (the front passenger seat also folds down) given the small car feel.
posted by serelliya at 11:51 PM on March 13, 2016
That said, it's not a car to drive on unplowed snow. But top notch reliability and amazing cargo room (the front passenger seat also folds down) given the small car feel.
posted by serelliya at 11:51 PM on March 13, 2016
My answer for a very similar scenario was purchasing a new Subaru Outback. The learning curve from 1999 - 2016 was much more forgiving in this vehicle than other modern/electronics/"omg all the buttons" interiors. Good safety, good reliability, AWD, ridiculous 1.9% financing, well deserving of its cult car dealer status (although the base model is underpowered -- we got a V6)
posted by LadyJuggernaut at 10:54 AM on March 14, 2016
posted by LadyJuggernaut at 10:54 AM on March 14, 2016
« Older Making the perfect breakfast scramble | How to make a custom map of interesting places in... Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
Find out who has a hatchback and start thinking about features. I don't live near the Canadian boarder and I LOVE my seat warmers (in my Civic.)
Hatchbacks tend to skew to a more low end car, Honda Fit, Mazda 3, etc. I favor Japanese cars, they're very well built and hold value really well. I'm partial to Honda because I love the road feel/steering and the internal luxury is pretty great. (Leather, moon roof, sat nav. I went luxurious this time.) I honestly don't think it really matters, so long as you're not getting a Renault. Chevy and Ford both make a cromulent hatchback. I can't tell you where I get my information, but Honda and Toyota are historically the least to repair and require repairs less frequently. (Hint: although they come to pretty much the same conclusion, this information doesn't come from Consumer Reports.)
So you're going to end up with a short list. Then go drive them. See which ones you want to scratch off the list, for whatever reason. See which ones you like. Then compare the deals you get.
I get a bit hosed because I'm brand loyal. I don't really care. I love me my Hondas.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 2:01 PM on March 13, 2016 [1 favorite]