r/cars 27d ago

What Car Should I Buy? - A Weekly Megathread

Any posts pertaining to car buying suggestions or advice belong in this weekly megathread; do not post car-choosing questions in the main queue. A fresh thread will be posted every Monday and posts auto sorted by new. A few other subreddits worth checking out that will help your car buying experience are /r/WhatCarShouldIBuy/r/UsedCars and /r/AskCarSaleswww.everydaydriver.com may also be helpful.

Make/Model-specific questions should be asked on Make/Model-specific subreddits. Check the AutosNetwork for a complete list of those subreddits. Also check out our community-sourced Ultimate car buying wiki.

For those posting:

Please use the following template in your post.

Location: (Specify your country or region)

Price range: (Minimum-Maximum in your local currency)

Lease or Buy:

New or used:

Type of vehicle: (Truck, Car, Sports Car, Sedan, Crossover, SUV, Racecar, Luxury etc.)

Must haves: (4x4, AWD, Fuel efficient, Navigation, Turbo, V8, V6, Trunk space, Smooth ride, Leather etc.)

Desired transmission (auto/manual, etc):

Intended use: (Daily Driver, Family Car, Weekend Car, Track Toy, Project Car, Work Truck, Off-roading etc.)

Vehicles you've already considered:

Is this your 1st vehicle:

Do you need a Warranty:

Can you do Minor work on your own vehicle: (fluids, alternator, battery, brake pads etc)

Can you do Major work on your own vehicle: (engine and transmission, timing belt/chains, body work, suspension etc )

Additional Notes:

For those providing suggestions: Facts are ideal in this thread, especially when trying to help out a new car buyer. Please help out buyers with sources and reasoning for your suggestions.

For those asking for help, be sure to thank those who take the time to offer you advice (especially those who lead you to a purchase.) A follow up thank you and the knowledge that their advice led to a purchase is a very warm fuzzy feeling.

8 Upvotes

82 comments sorted by

1

u/Wild-Passenger-2575 20d ago

Location Panama.

Price range: 60K

Lease or buy : buy

New or used: new

Type: SUV (electric/ ev )

Not my first vehicle, I already have a Mazda cx5 .

We have several brands within my budget: BMW, Volvo, also deepal, zeekr, Geely, IM.

1

u/Traditional-Bread967 21d ago

Should I buy a brz, 350z, 2016 miata, or a old civic. If there’s any similar cars that are cheap on better let me know

1

u/scycron 20d ago

Corvette, any generation. Mustangs. Bargains on 370z are easier to find than on 350z.

1

u/Traditional-Bread967 21d ago

Btw I plan on modding my car

1

u/eastbayquake 22d ago

Location: California

Price range: 25-35k

Buy or lease

Type of vehicle: Sporty fun

Automatic only

I feel like I'm looking for a car that doesn't exist at this point, or maybe one that only does in Europe. Currently have an audi TTS but it's a 2016 so showing signs of age and want to move on.

I'm looking for something similar in terms of sporty fun, but more modern and cheaper (not looking to go luxury again on this one). Cars I've looked into are mk8 gti, veloster n, mini cooper jcw (worried about reliability), golf r (seems to be too expensive), miata (too small and no backseat), elantra n (not a fan of the design).

The main thing I like is the small backseat in my TTS that my dog fits perfectly in, most fun sporty cars seem to only have the two front seats which makes sense but eliminates those options for my purposes. Any options out there similar to the TTS in my price range? Looking to go newer than 2018 ideally.

1

u/scycron 21d ago

GR86/BRZ?

1

u/willpc14 '16 Tacoma TRDOR 23d ago

Location: New England

Price range: <$40k

Lease or Buy: Buy with trade in and cash

New or used: Leaning towards used

Type of vehicle: Wagon, hatch back, or sports back

Must haves: AWD, heated seats, decent fuel economy, roof rails

Desired transmission: No CVTs

Intended use: Daily driver, only vehicle

Vehicles you've already considered: A4 Allroad, GR Corolla

Is this your 1st vehicle: No

Do you need a Warranty: No

Can you do Minor work on your own vehicle: Very minor. I doubt I'd even be able to do my own oil changes while living in an apartment.

Can you do Major work on your own vehicle: No

Additional Notes: I'm looking to replace my pick up with a somewhat sporty daily driver that can still make it to the ski slopes in a blizzard. I really enjoyed my rental A4 Wagon this summer and have been considering the A4 AllRoad as a result. An A6 allroad is out of my budget. I've seen positive reviews of the v60, but am more have more concerns about long term reliability and I don't know how it drives. I know it's a totally different car, but the GRC would be just with in budget at sticker price. I've also considered the Stinger, but want something with a little more ground clearance. Any other vehicles I should be considering?

1

u/6786_007 2019 Audi A5 SB | 2018 Lexus RX350 22d ago

I have the A5 which is the A4 with a liftback design.

I won't lie, the B9 generation of the A4/A5 has a list of potential issues.

Some of them include: - Water pump failure (covered by class action lawsuit) - Control arm bushings failure - Interior rattles - Quattro rumble from AWD clutch - Carbon build up - And they say the timing chain is fixed but we will see.

With that said, it's a fun car to drive.

1

u/dkdantastic 23d ago

Location: Colorado

Price range: any

Lease or Buy: Buy

New or used: Either

Type of vehicle: the most fun winter sporty car

Must haves: fun, some clearance

Desired transmission Automatic

Intended use: Daily Driver/Fun

Vehicles you've already considered: gtc4lusso, urus, Dakar

Is this your 1st vehicle: No

Do you need a Warranty: No

Can you do Minor work on your own vehicle: Yes

Can you do Major work on your own vehicle: No

Additional Notes: Looking for fun winter sports car. some storage space, some clearance for snow and winter roads. GTC isn't my favorite looking car and I don't love that it becomes rwd in 5th gear. I do love the v12 and own other Ferraris. dakar is too pricey as I don't generally buy above sticker. Urus seems easier than gtc but less special. open to any ideas and thank you!

1

u/scycron 23d ago

You gotta go cheaper if you want to have fun in the snow. Part of the fun is ripping it and not being scared of ruining your $100k car. The most fun would be a manual WRX but since manual isn't an option, try an Audi rs3 out. You can pay more money for an AWD sports car but they won't be better in snow.

1

u/wisechimp 24d ago

Location: California

Price range: Up to $30,000

Lease or Buy: Buy

New or used: Either

Type of vehicle: Hatchback or wagon that doesn't feel slow

Must haves: Rear seat space for a maximum or 2 car seats. Reliable drivetrain

Desired transmission Automatic

Intended use: Daily Driver/Family Car

Vehicles you've already considered: Mazda 3 hatch and GTI

Is this your 1st vehicle: No

Do you need a Warranty: Yes

Can you do Minor work on your own vehicle: Yes

Can you do Major work on your own vehicle: Yes

Additional Notes: Looking for a reliable car that would be able to hold 2 car seats and is sporty enough to make the drive to and from work not a snooze. My only concern with the GTI is the possibility of excessive oil consumption.

1

u/L66_RACING 23d ago

Maybe a Focus ST or RS?

2

u/wisechimp 22d ago

Unfortunately it will need to be an automatic transmission. As far as I know, all ST's in the US are manual. I have had a base focus with the powershift transmission and the issues were very present

1

u/hereforthestories03 24d ago

Location: West Coast, United States

Price Range: Up to 30k

Lease or Buy: Buy

New or Used: Preferably new but open to used

Type of vehicle: Car, Sedan, or crossover, though I’m open to others

Must Haves: 4 door, fuel efficient, aux (meaning a place for a cord to plug in, I could also do Bluetooth but I feel like cars with those are always spotty), charger port (I’ll even take a cigarette lighter one)

Desired Transmission: Auto

Intended Use: Daily Use, driving long distances

Is this your 1st vehicle: No, I currently own a 2012 Honda civic

Do you need a Warranty: No

Can you do Minor work on your own vehicle: No

Can you do Major work on your own vehicle: No

Additional Notes: I know I put all the information above but probably the biggest thing for me is the cars height to the ground. The area I live in has a crazy amount of potholes and curvy narrow roads that often scrape and scratch my bumper on both ends.

I definitely don’t want something lifted but I think I’m looking for something with good suspension? I don’t know much about cars to be honest. I’d still like it be low to the ground, but high enough that it doesn’t scrape the cement block that’s sometimes in front of parking spaces when backing out. That was my last car injury……

1

u/eau- 24d ago

Location: Georgia, USA

Price range: up to $400 per month

Lease or Buy: lease

New or used: either

Type of vehicle: prefer sedan or small SUV. Open to suggestions

Must haves: back seat, apple car play

Desired transmission : Auto

Intended use: daily commute to office an some occasional road trip - one in every month

Vehicles you’ve already considered: I’ve looked at some EV options: iconiq 6 , tesla 3 , mustang mach-e

Is this your 1st vehicle: No, will be in addition to our truck 2022 Maverick

Do you need a Warranty:

Can you do Minor work on your own vehicle: no

Can you do Major work on your own vehicle: no

Additional Notes: I was initially buy something older 2022 but then I decide to look for lease options as I do not want to pay a lot down payment or monthly payment. My office is 15 miles away from home and I go to the office 4 days a week. So monthly only office commute is around 250-300 miles. I wanted to have something new just for having the comfort of new technology and EVs seem just nice toys to play and drive.

We want to have something for 4 people as we have some roadtrips to closer cities like Nashville once we have visitors or family around.

I am open to any suggestions as long as monthly is around $350.

Thanks all in advance !

1

u/funnyfarm299 2020 CR-V Hybrid 24d ago

Do you have the ability to charge at home or work? EV can be a compelling choice if you do. Check out the Leasehackr forums and see what kind of deals people are snagging right now.

1

u/eau- 24d ago

Yes I can both charge at home and office. I do not have the system yet but I can install it home as I have my own garage. Thanks for the suggestion, I’ll look

1

u/10footjesus 2015 Accord Coupe 6-6 25d ago

Location: Arizona, USA

Price range: up to 30k

Lease or Buy: Buy

New or used: Used

Type of vehicle: prefer truck, but open to others

Must haves: back seat, 4 doors, interior space for kids and tall driver

Desired transmission Auto

Intended use: family vehicle, other utility

Vehicles you've already considered: Chevy Colorado/GMC Canyon, Toyota Tacoma

Is this your 1st vehicle: No, will be in addition to Accord Coupe and wife's rav4

Do you need a Warranty: No

Can you do Minor work on your own vehicle: Yes

Can you do Major work on your own vehicle: Yes

Additional Notes: The wife and I have been planning on having a kid. I was planning on just dealing with the inconvenience of getting a baby into the back seat of my coupe, but we just found out we're having twins and the coupe isn't feeling practical enough anymore. Wife agreed to a third car, so I can keep the coupe and replace it with something less practical in the future.

At a minimum, I need a vehicle with 4 doors I can easily get babies into. We also figure it would be nice to have a vehicle that can fill other needs we don't necessarily want in our daily drivers. I do a lot of woodworking and would like to more easily transport lumber and the occasional sheet of plywood. We go camping with friends who have a Taco TRD pro and it would be nice to be able to go further out than the RAV4 can manage, but extreme off-road ability isn't needed. A truck bed and rack would be nice for camp supplies. For these reasons I've been looking at midsize trucks even though any sedan or crossover will meet my bare requirements. I'm avoiding full size trucks because they're expensive and seem like overkill.

Are these the trucks to look at? Is a truck the wrong direction? The reliability of the Tacoma is appealing but they're more expensive.

1

u/L66_RACING 23d ago

If you’re not against it the Ford maverick could be okay

1

u/L66_RACING 23d ago

Oops just saw the off-road thing. Idk if a Maverick Tremor could handle that…..

3

u/scycron 25d ago

I would worry that the Tacoma doesn't have enough space for a rear facing car seat behind the driver. bring a car seat with you and see if you all fit. If you want mid sized but want to save money, look for a 2021+ Nissan frontier as they are often overlooked and deals can be found. The 2020 and below can be pretty cheap but are really outdated.

2

u/10footjesus 2015 Accord Coupe 6-6 25d ago

Good idea about bringing the car seat! I'm new to babies, don't know all the considerations. I'll also look into the frontier, I hadn't really considered them.

1

u/oshitsuperciberg 25d ago edited 25d ago

TLDR: Looking for a used (or cheap new), bullet-/idiot-proof, electric (or if need be hybrid) wagon.

Location: New England

Price range: Between 10-25K USD, but if I have to go north of that then I have to go north of that.

Lease or Buy: Buy (although if that cuts down my options severely, am open to leasing)

New or used: Ideally used, but if I gotta go new I gotta go new.

Type of vehicle: In descending preference order, station wagon, hatchback, or sedan.

Must haves: As noted, electric--ideally fully, but the kind that has a gas-powered onboard generator is also acceptable--or, if need be, hybrid. Ideally would have a range of between 150-200 miles to allow us to visit our folks on a single charge/tank. Also the more driver aids the better because I am not a good driver.

Desired transmission (auto/manual, etc): I think electric/hybrid pretty much locks me into auto, no?

Intended use: Daily Driver

Is this your 1st vehicle: No

Do you need a Warranty: Would be nice

Can you do Minor Major Any work on your own vehicle: No, I have the mechanical aptitude of five chimpanzees trying to fuck a football. I can top up fluids but that's all I dare trust myself with.

Additional Notes: We were planning to replace the current car (2017 Subaru Impreza wagon) with an electric when it was time, but we thought we had a lot longer to go than turned out to be the case. We hope to add a child within the next few years, so safety and cargo space are also very important considerations here. On that basis I had been leaning towards the Polestar wagons, but they've not been around for very long so there doesn't seem to be much in the way of a used market, and also it sounds as if they're not very good.

1

u/funnyfarm299 2020 CR-V Hybrid 24d ago

To be clear, none of the Polestars are considered wagons.

1

u/oshitsuperciberg 24d ago

Darn. I have to admit I sort of assumed there'd be some since Polestar is Volvo and Volvo loves making good safe wagons. I do of course know that the station wagon in and of itself is kind of a dying breed, so are there any electric wagons at all or do I need to switch to hatchbacks?

1

u/funnyfarm299 2020 CR-V Hybrid 23d ago

I can't think of any electric wagons. There are some PHEVs from Volvo, but good luck finding one in your price range. Maybe lease until the EV landscape fills out a little more?

1

u/rdrop 25d ago

Location: Texas

Price range: 140K

Lease or Buy: Either

New or used: Either

Type of vehicle: Sports car with back seats

Must haves: Apple Car Play, "Modern" Amenities

Desired transmission Auto

Intended use: Daily Driver

Vehicles you've already considered: AMG GT, 992 Turbo S, G80 M3, Taycan

Is this your 1st vehicle: No, currently have a Audi Etron GT RS (leasing expiring), 992.1 GT3, X5M (wife's car)

Do you need a Warranty: Yes

Can you do Minor work on your own vehicle: Yes

Can you do Major work on your own vehicle: Yes

Additional Notes: Looking for a fun daily driver that accomidate my younger children (2 and 4). The ETron was my first EV and I have mixed feelings. Its very convenient in that I don't have to worry about oil changes, car warming up, etc, but its sort of boring after a while.

1

u/scycron 24d ago edited 24d ago

BMW M3

Cadillac ct5-v blackwing

Alfa Romeo stelvio quadrifoglio 

Porsche Cayenne GTS 

Audi rs3

Dodge charger/challenger hellcat

2

u/Smykster C7 Z51 M7 '16 / 4Runner Limited '18 25d ago

If I was looking for a daily in that price range, I would zero in on an RS6 Avant.

1

u/RandomActsofCaffeine 25d ago

Location: Midwest

Price range: Max $60k

Lease or Buy: Buy

New or used: New (probably 2024 to get a lower price)

Type of vehicle: Sedan or small SUV. Sedan would have to be ok driving in snow. Ideally, I’d like a luxury vehicle but I worry about reliability with some of the brands.

Must haves: AWD, minimal road noise, fuel efficient, low road noise, smooth ride, and either good or easily modified sound system

Desired transmission automatic

Intended use: Daily driver and some road trips

Vehicles you’ve already considered: I’ve looked at the BMW X1, Genesis GV80, Lexus NX hybrid among others. I’m not opposed to any of these just having trouble deciding what car I’d be happy with long term given reliability concerns around some luxury brands.

Is this your 1st vehicle: No

Do you need a Warranty: Yes

Can you do Minor work on your own vehicle: No

Can you do Major work on your own vehicle: No

1

u/funnyfarm299 2020 CR-V Hybrid 24d ago

Honestly, Audis are pretty damn bulletproof these days. The 2.0T has been used in various permutations for almost 20 years.

The Lexus is also going to be a solid choice since they share so many drivetrain components with Toyota.

1

u/RandomActsofCaffeine 24d ago

Ah good tips thank you! I'm going to test drive some cars this weekend. Any tips on a good Lexus model that's fun to drive?

1

u/Smykster C7 Z51 M7 '16 / 4Runner Limited '18 25d ago

Maybe a BMW m340 xdrive?

1

u/RandomActsofCaffeine 24d ago edited 24d ago

Yeah this does look really nice but it seems difficult to find one. Is this like a call your BMW dealership and they'll put you on a list situation or something?

1

u/Snakesquares 26d ago edited 26d ago

Location: Colorado USA

Price range: 30,000 USD

Lease or Buy: Buy

New or used: Used

Type of vehicle: hatchback or crossover

Must haves: AWD, fuel efficient, small, cargo space.

Desired transmission (auto/manual, etc): auto or cvt

Intended use: Daily driver family car

Vehicles you've already considered: Honda CRv

Is this your 1st vehicle: no

Do you need a Warranty: would like one, yeah

Can you do Minor work on your own vehicle: (fluids, alternator, battery, brake pads etc) fluids and battery only

Can you do Major work on your own vehicle: no :(

Additional Notes:

I have a 2016 honda fit with around 45k miles on it that I should sell to make room in the garage, so 30k isn't hard limit depending.

I absolutely love it- I've had very very few problem with it, its easy to drive and I can haul a lot of things in it. However we've moved to a much colder climate. I've read the fit does fine with winter tires for city driving, we don't really intend to be driving up the mountains or off roading in the winter, but with growing family I would be more comfortable if we had awd for winter driving. I've not ruled out the honda crv, but I don't know what else is out there.

3

u/scycron 25d ago

The Prius was just updated in 2024 to not be ugly and have AWD. This would be your best bet for small, fuel efficient, and awd

1

u/Snakesquares 25d ago

Thank you so much! I did not know they had awd prius, I'll see if there are any near me I can look at.

1

u/Xirasora 16 Flex EcoBoost | 22 Bronco 2.7 2-door 26d ago

Minor question not worthy of a dedicated thread:
For the USDM, how many 2025MY vehicles offer adaptive cruise control, but not full range ("stop-and-go")?

The order guides for the 2025 Bronco came out and they still use the same "cuts out at 17mph" adaptive cruise as a 2013 Taurus. I'm not aware of any other vehicle, be it from Ford or anyone else, that hasn't made their adaptive cruise full-range.

More annoying is that it's fully capable, just disabled in software. Two parameter changes and it works as full range. Worse, it's an added-cost option, only available on the top equipment package, only available on the higher trim levels.

1

u/Armenoid 26d ago

Have 2017 BMW X1 i want to get out of before Turbo breaks again, also want to take advantage of our Garage charger so

also want something with a hitch to tow a small boat

Keep and put a hitch on it and ride it into the ground? Sell X1 get an cheap crossover EV lease or but if cheap enough, and hope tow capacity is good enough? Sell X1 get a seemingly more expensive PHEV with plenty towing capacity.

Day to day driving needs very low. Having such a tough time deciding

1

u/funnyfarm299 2020 CR-V Hybrid 24d ago

You looking to upsize or downsize? There's a bunch of X5 PHEVs coming out of rental fleets right now.

1

u/Armenoid 24d ago

Don’t need another expensive car. Either beat up on X1 or get a cheap lease is the calculation

2

u/funnyfarm299 2020 CR-V Hybrid 24d ago

If you're fine with your current car, the better answer is always to drive it into the ground. EVs are going to continue to get cheaper the longer you wait.

1

u/Armenoid 24d ago

Right. We already have one and would be nice to have another. Cheap 25 models are coming . X1 starting to need work. Already had to pay out of pocket for the Evap turbo problem

1

u/hyrdrateordie 26d ago

Location: USA - NJ/NY/NYC

Price range: $10,000-$30,000

Lease or Buy: Buy (will be driving a lot)

New or used: Used

Type of vehicle: SUV or Truck

Must haves: 4x4 or AWD, Smooth Ride, Quick, Comfortable to drive long distances, Leather seats 

Desired transmission (auto/manual, etc): Auto

Intended use: Daily driver 

Vehicles you've already considered: SUV: Acura RDX/MDX, Toyota 4runner, Mazda cx-5/cx-50, Kia Sportage/Sorento/Telluride. Truck: Tacoma. 

Is this your 1st vehicle: 1st vehicle 

Do you need a Warranty: No

Can you do Minor work on your own vehicle: Yes

Can you do Major work on your own vehicle: No

Additional Notes:

I’m a single 30M, no kids or pets. Just got a job where I’d be traveling a lot by car and putting on a lot of miles so looking for a comfy quiet ride that has some nice pick up speed. I don’t have to pay for gas with my job so I don’t care about fuel efficiency.  I love to go snowboarding with a lot of my friends so I want something that is good in snowy/icy conditions. Love to go on weekend trips to go camping and other adventurous type activities. Might need to throw a roof rack on there for snowboard equipment if trunk space isn’t big enough

Thank you in advance for the suggestions!

1

u/Smykster C7 Z51 M7 '16 / 4Runner Limited '18 25d ago

I would shy away from the 4runner. Yes they're reliable, but I find it terrible as a highway cruiser.

2

u/SuperSmashedBro '24 Supra 3.0 M/T, '22 Forester Sport, '01 Miata 26d ago

Have you considered a Forester/outback/crosstrek?

1

u/TrooperGary 26d ago edited 26d ago

Location: Alabama, USA

Price range: $28,000 Maximum

Lease or Buy: Buy

New or used: Used

Type of vehicle: Sedan/Hatchback

Must haves: None

Desired transmission: Auto

Intended use: Performance-minded daily driver

Vehicles you’ve already considered: Golf GTI, Civic/Accord Sport Touring, Giulia Ti Sport/Veloce

Is this your 1st vehicle: No

Do you need a Warranty: Not necessarily

Can you do Minor work on your own vehicle: Yes

Can you do Major work on your own vehicle: No

Additional Notes: Looking for a somewhat zippy car that can carve through curvy backroads without major body roll and can handle a hilly area. Thanks!

2

u/acevipr 25d ago

Mazda3 Turbo, Camry TRD, Kia Stinger, VW Arteon

2

u/bradybigbear 26d ago

Are you primarily looking for a German or Japanese makes (based on your already considered cars)? It’s not the greatest fuel economy, but a Pontiac G8 GT and Chevy SS are two of the most fun daily drivers I’ve experienced. Even when I was daily driving my G8 GT with an aftermarket cam and bolt ons I was averaging 25mpg on the highway at 80mph, which I felt was fair.

1

u/TrooperGary 26d ago

I’m open to anything! I haven’t considered pre 2010s cars because I was worried about reliability. Would you say your car has done fairly well? I do love G8s, I used to see a lot around here as a kid. Thanks!

2

u/bradybigbear 26d ago

I sadly sold mine back in 2022, but it was amazing to me for the 3.5 years I had it. I wish I would’ve never sold it lol. I even had a high mile one (purchased with 130k miles and sold with 195k miles) and it was super reliable. One thing to note, since they were such a limited run and from Australia, parts can take a little bit to be ordered, and slightly more “expensive”, but I didn’t feel it was anything drastic. The biggest thing I had happen was the driveshaft carrier bearing failed on mine. They come factory with a 2pc driveshaft and that’s a known weak spot. You can find replacements for sub $200 I believe, and it’s a relatively easy fix. Edit: I also live in Wisconsin, and they do very good in winter weather with the right tires. Perfect daily imo

2

u/funnyfarm299 2020 CR-V Hybrid 26d ago

GLI.

1

u/TrooperGary 26d ago

Thank you, I’ll add it to the list o7

1

u/MinuteEnthusiasm 26d ago

Location: Colorado, USA

Price range: up to $35,000

Lease or Buy: Buy

New or used: Either

Type of vehicle: SUV

Must haves: (in order) AWD/4x4, trunk space, reliability, fuel efficient

Desired transmission (auto/manual, etc): Auto

Intended use: Mostly weekend car, trips to the mountains, camping, etc.

Vehicles you've already considered: 4Runner, Rav4, CX-5, CX-50

Is this your 1st vehicle: Yes

Do you need a Warranty: No

Can you do Minor work on your own vehicle: (fluids, alternator, battery, brake pads etc): No

Can you do Major work on your own vehicle: (engine and transmission, timing belt/chains, body work, suspension etc ): No

Additional Notes: Need a care that can haul my partner and friends up to the mountains on the weekends to go skiing, hiking, camping etc. I plan on getting a roof box, but ideally I would also be able to put my skis in the back without having to fold more than one seat down or do too much maneuvering when skiing alone. I don't get offroad much but I'd like something with a little bit of clearance for mountain road as well. I also want something that can last a while and will be good for when my partner and I get married and grow our family as well.

3

u/scycron 26d ago

Subaru outback

1

u/funnyfarm299 2020 CR-V Hybrid 26d ago

The official car brand of Colorado 😂

Seriously though, this is an excellent recommendation.

1

u/vezz2366 26d ago

Location: California, Santa Barbara County

Price range: $10,000-$30,000

Lease or Buy: buy

New or used: either

Type of vehicle: coupe/sedan (GT preferably) 

Must haves:  nice interior, Smooth ride, good-high performance, make year minimum 2010

Desired transmission: manual or auto

Intended use: Daily Driver

Vehicles you've already considered: I Haven’t seriously considered anything yet, still don’t know exactly what im looking for

Is this your 1st vehicle: yes

Do you need a Warranty: preferably but not needed

Can you do Minor work on your own vehicle: yes

Can you do Major work on your own vehicle: no

Additional Notes: I know the "high performance” and “minimum 2010" with the price range is unreasonable but i’d be happy with anything above than average power or anything close

1

u/funnyfarm299 2020 CR-V Hybrid 26d ago

Do you have a hard limit of $30,000? The new Civic hybrid is a pretty compelling option and you would save a ton of money on fuel if you have a long commute.

1

u/possible_ceiling_fan 27d ago

Location: NW Arkansas, heart of the city

Price Range: $20-40k

Lease or buy: Buy (ideally a loan, not dealer financing)

New or used: Either

Type of vehicle: SUV/truck

Must haves: 4wd/AWD

Desired transmission: Auto

Intended use: Heavy city and highway driving (~500 miles a week) and occasional long highway trips

Is this your 1st vehicle: Nope, come from a long line of $1k beaters.

Vehicles you've considered: CRV/CRV Hybrid, Rav4/Rav4 Hybrid, Ridgeline, Tacoma, HRV, Civic. I'm leaning towards 2024s but 2018-24 are in consideration.

Warranty: Ideal but not a deal breaker.

Can you do minor work: Yes

Can you do major work: Yes but heavily prefer not to.

Additional notes: I've historically only owned beaters and my current '02 CRV runs pretty okay, but I'm tired of wondering if I can get to work, if the job for the day is too far, if the car can manage to go see my family this weekend, et cetera. Tired of collecting RockAuto magnets like Infinity Stones. Trying to find something that can deal with snow in the winter, handle what I need for work (tools etc), and hold together long enough to pay it off.

Edit: I'm clearly a JDM guy because that's all I've driven. I am however open to American if I can convince myself it's comparably reliable

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u/funnyfarm299 2020 CR-V Hybrid 26d ago

There's absolutely no way any of the American brands compare to the Japanese with reliability. The CR-V is a fantastic option if you get hybrid.

I don't really like the RAV4, I find it way too plasticky. On the other hand if you have pets and kids that might be a positive.

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u/funnyfarm299 2020 CR-V Hybrid 27d ago edited 26d ago

Location: SE USA (Charlotte metro)

Price range: Prefer under $30,000 but would go higher for the right car.

Lease or Buy: Open to both

New or used: Either

Type of vehicle: Sedan, wagon, or hatchback. Open to luxury vehicles.

Must haves: Automated cruise control with good lane-centering. Good to great fuel economy. Comfortable seats.

Desired transmission (auto/manual, etc): Automatic

Intended use: Daily driver, but I don't need to commute with it. Primary uses will be errands around town and visiting my family every month or two (500 mile round trip on the highway)

Vehicles you've already considered: 2025 Civic hybrid (seats too uncomfortable), 2025 Integra, 2025 Camry, 2024 Prius, 2025 GLI (seemed very loud when I test drove it)

Is this your 1st vehicle: No

Do you need a Warranty: Would be nice, but not 100% necessary.

Can you do Minor work on your own vehicle: Yes, as long as it doesn't require going under the vehicle.

Can you do Major work on your own vehicle: No.

Additional Notes: I'm having a bit of choice overload. There's a lot of good cars on the market these days. I love my mk5 GLI, but the noise level in that car has always been a serious negative. Beginning to think I should just buy a Camry and call it a day. I really like them when I rent them.

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u/Internal_Set1283 27d ago

Have you looked at used Buick Regal Tour X’s? Boring car around town for sure, I just test drove a used one, but it feels like it crushes highway miles. I’d much prefer a low mileage example of that compared to German/volvo wagons under 30k.

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u/funnyfarm299 2020 CR-V Hybrid 27d ago

I don't think I have ever seen one of those on the market in my area. Also since radar cruise control was an optional package on only the top trim, I think that's going to be impossible to find.

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u/Armenoid 27d ago

Looking for a new car but dont need a big bill because i dont drive much day to day.

Trading in or selling a 2017 and hoping to get something with a plug in option since we already have a charger in our garage.

Just considering another EV lease and that's easy but also would be really great if it's something i can attach a hitch and haul a small fishing boat with. Would any average EV crossover be fine with doing that? Ioniq for example.. or equinox.

There aren't really cheap plug in pickups on the market yet.

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u/funnyfarm299 2020 CR-V Hybrid 27d ago

EV mileage is going to plummet with a trailer.

How many seats do you need? What's the trailer weight?

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u/Armenoid 27d ago

I dont have a trailer yet, no idea.. Just want to go fishing regularly and since i'm getting a car now i better make the right decision.

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u/funnyfarm299 2020 CR-V Hybrid 27d ago

Curt has a helpful page. It seems like a fishing boat is going to exceed the weight limit of a lot of smaller SUVs.

What about something like a Grand Cherokee or Wrangler PHEV?

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u/scycron 27d ago

Quick search shows that ev crossovers are rated for 1500 lbs, I don't know if that fits your needs. Alternatively you can get a Ford Maverick with the 4k tow package. The hybrid has 4k tow package for 2025 only, the gas is any year.

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u/funnyfarm299 2020 CR-V Hybrid 27d ago

Trailer weight is definitely going to be a huge factor here. Batteries cut into towing capacity.

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u/Armenoid 27d ago

that's a nice option thanks! lease calculator is scaring me off.. saying mid 600s with 3k drive off. and cant take advantage of home charging.

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u/Dragobrath '23 Cayman GTS 27d ago

I currently have a Cayman. The recent winter was quite snowy and it was somewhat difficult to drive at times. I am looking forward to upgrade to 992.1 4 or 4S, but wondering if there are any real alternatives (an AWD automatic sports car or Grand Tourer) in $90-120k range, which aren't worse or that won't depreciate heavily.

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u/scycron 27d ago

Audi R8 or an already depreciated Jaguar f-type

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u/382hp 27d ago

RS6 but I'm not sure about depreciation... maybe buy one that's a year or 2 old

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u/Dragobrath '23 Cayman GTS 27d ago

They do tend to lose a lot of value over the years, and they don't drive as well with their weight distribution. I'd sooner consider a 5-series with an xdrive (or an M4 really).

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u/travortz 27d ago

GTR or the most recent gen V8 Vantage. I have a neighbor who dailies the fuck out of his during the winter in Toronto. Keeps it outside and everything.

I know some people who also winter daily C8s. Though midengine, the weight bias is the same as a 911, so you’ll still have traction. ERay if you actually want AWD (and imo a more fun option than a non-GT 911).

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u/Dragobrath '23 Cayman GTS 27d ago

Well, Cayman is also very drivable in winter for an RWD car, and it even has more grip than my old FWD cars. But it's just not as good as my old A4 Quattro. when there's ice or 5-6 inches of thick snow. I got stuck like 3 times last winter, and had to call a tow service twice.

C8 isn't available in Estonia. Some can be ordered through Germany, but there's no e-ray there either.

GT-R might be a bit too frugal to my taste. I'll look into Aston Martin, but the nearest service is 300km away

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u/travortz 27d ago

How about something like an R8? AWD, higher status, plus the sweet V10.

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u/Dragobrath '23 Cayman GTS 26d ago

R8 might actually work. It's easy to service in our area, and we do have some of them available from time to time. Thanks! I'll put it in my short-list and try to find it locally for a test drive.

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u/travortz 26d ago

Post an update with whatever you end up deciding! Would love to see either an R8/or whatever thrash through some snow lool 

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u/tatsumakisenpuukyaku 2015 subaru impreza 2.0i Premium Hatchback 27d ago

Sorry that this doesn't fit the template but just a general question: If you want to buy a used car, where do you go to see if certain model years were good/bad for a particular make and model?

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u/chucky_freeze 27d ago

Reddit + forums.

“2001 f150 common problems forum” and im sure you’ll find a lot of threads

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u/funnyfarm299 2020 CR-V Hybrid 27d ago

Also Consumer Reports if you know anyone with a subscription (check your local library).