Best vehicle (station wagon) for under $30K

[kathyet]

Good luck with the Ford...............unfortunately they STILL haven't figured the quality control thing out..............

But there's always hope.........

I heard Honda is bringing back the Accord wagon...........that would be sweet..........

Also, Hyundai has an intriguing new minivan, 11 airbags and under $28000 loaded......................

Honda Accord wagon hadn't heard that, were at the dealer all the time for oil changes on our Accord, interesting.

What about cars that have some sort of dual gas system or able to be retrofitted for it, were about a year away from a small economical car and are still looking at the Honda Fit but were really watching the type of fuel that can be used in them as well as price.

I think the hybrids are too expensive.  Has any one checked on resale for any of them. I hear Prius's are really hard to get let alone buy a used one. You would think auto makers would make more models of hybrids that would probably make things too easy and leave a glut of vehicles on the lots.

I have heard that in California there is some sort of change in the type of vehicles that can be sold there coming in a few years they need to be dual alternative fuel type cars only how true that is I don't know.

Kathyet

 

[Texas Proud]

Honda Accord wagon hadn't heard that, were at the dealer all the time for oil changes on our Accord, interesting.

What about cars that have some sort of dual gas system or able to be retrofitted for it, were about a year away from a small economical car and are still looking at the Honda Fit but were really watching the type of fuel that can be used in them as well as price.

I think the hybrids are too expensive.  Has any one checked on resale for any of them. I hear Prius's are really hard to get let alone buy a used one. You would think auto makers would make more models of hybrids that would probably make things too easy and leave a glut of vehicles on the lots.

I have heard that in California there is some sort of change in the type of vehicles that can be sold there coming in a few years they need to be dual alternative fuel type cars only how true that is I don't know.

Kathyet

I think most people have said something about this before... but Hybrids are snake oil IMO.. they cost a lot more for what you get.. do not get the gas mileage they advertise (unless you live in Manhattan... need a LOT of stop and go).. and they need a major battery replacement sometime in the future... if you get a Civic or 4cyl Accord, you get in the 30s or close to it... the marginal 'real' gas mileage of the hybrid is just not there..

I like others just do not see the benefit of the Fit... I saw one the other day in a parking lot and it is small... like the size of my Mazda GLC I had a couple of decades ago... I think the Civic or Corolla is a better buy when you consider the space you get for the small decrease in mileage..

Remember, the difference between 32 and 35 (if that is what it is..) is only 32 gallons for a year if you drive 12K miles.. I think I will pay the extra $100 and have the bigger car..

BUT, in truth I am thinking the CRV or RAV-4 looks like the better deal when it comes to space and economy... thoughts??

 

[jeff2006]

Texas -- I went through the same analysis and reached the same conclusion, given how many miles I drive.  Gas would need to be far higher than $3 per gallon to break even over the expected lifetime of the battery.

Two of my friends have the Prius Toyota.  One really likes it.  But the other thinks that it is more or less a piece of junk.  She said something about a "beer can with a battery."  So I don't know what to conclude.  Also, I am afraid that the behavior of the hybrid power train would seem "quirky" to me (semi-geezer here, resistant to change I guess).

(Edited to add) -- the battery takes up a significant part of the trunk in most hybrids. So this could be a consideration for some people.

Another friend has a Civic hybrid, which he likes. But he says that he has to drive like Granny Grizwold to get the mileage up to expected levels.

 

[LOL!]

Good luck with the Ford...............unfortunately they STILL haven't figured the quality control thing out..............

But there's always hope.........

Yep, I am hoping.  One can see the Ford quality is not so hot especially in the bodywork.  That was part of the negotiating process to get a lower price.  You expect to pay about invoice price for a Toyota. You expect to pay well-under invoice price for a Ford.

I am amazed that my spouse paid less for the Freestyle than she did for her brand-new Camry in 1995.  Does that mean we have had 11 years of deflation with respect to car prices?

The Freestyle is bigger than her Camry wagon and will get the same gas mileage for the kind of driving that she soes.

 

[Scrooge]

I am amazed that my spouse paid less for the Freestyle than she did for her brand-new Camry in 1995.  Does that mean we have had 11 years of deflation with respect to car prices?

Yes, in some segments of the new car market. See this post, to use just one example.

 

[Bimmerbill]

I just bought a Honda Pilot for a tad over 25K. Not exactly a station wagon, but close to it. Seats 8, but you need to be very small to sit in the 3rd row seating.

Other car is the economy/commutting car. Jetta TDI diesel. A blast to drive and I get 40mpg or so. Worst tank was 38, best 42mgp. I expect it to go up with the new job and longer highway commute.

If you are looking for economy, don't pass over the diesel cars. A whole new bunch of them will be hitting our market in 2008 (or so they say).

 

[FinanceDude]

Get a hybrid SUV that gets 35 on the highway, and I'll buy it..........

 

[MasterBlaster]

The Honda Fit seats 4, it is 4 doors as well, and the back seat goes down flat and it's great for our 2 dogs it will be our second car, we have the accord 6 EX  and are real happy with that. Haven't checked on the insurance yet it is about $15000 not 17 sorry about that, and it is a standard not a shift....this will replace our Miata so were going from small to a little bigger getting into a fender bender with an SUV would hurt most cars were in the looking stage so far were also looking at the Chevy HHR but leaning towards the fit there is a 3 month waiting list for the fit....
Kathyet

Well it looks like the Fit is the latest new car in short supply. Looking at the long list of hot new cars that everyone must have I have some advice for you....

Don't buy it.

1) The price will be at least MSRP or better. From a value standpoint this vehicle won't cut it. Wait a few years before you even think about this car. For the actual transaction price that you'll pay for a Fit you could probably buy two PT cruisers.

2) Reliability of new models is almost always way below older models. Honda usually has it's act together on reliability but buyer beware on new models. Ditto on waiting a few years.

3) New models have a habit of going stale fast. Does anyone remember when VW New Beetles were so cool and sold for $5-10 k over list. Ditto for PT Cruisers.

4) Depreciation of these cars once the cool factor wears off can be really really big. If you ever intend to sell your car, that premium you paid will not be recognized in the used car market.

- However having said all that. You only live once so if you just have to have a Fit and it will make you happy then go for it. You only live once.

 

[Texas Proud]

2) Reliability of new models is almost always way below older models.  Honda usually has it's act together on reliability but buyer beware on new models. Ditto on waiting a few years.

I agree with most of what you say... but I do disagree with this one... from what I have read, this is a wife's tale... newer models are almost always better than the ones they replace... but you might be right that the first year of a new model might be the worst for that model... but even then, most new cars are not really 'new'... take the Fit, it has been out for awhile, but just not in the US... and they take pieces from the old ones... The GM 3.8 liter has been there for many years.. they just keep making it a bit better..

 

[MasterBlaster]

Don't believe everything that you read TexasP.

You are confusing a couple of things. Yes, perhaps a new model can be designed to be less problematic that the model it replaces.

The main point though, which I didn't evidently make clear enough, is that there are almost always manufacturing issues and new parts in new models that just don't work as designed. In the worst case(s) they put out a vehicle recall to fix these issues. After a year or two with real-world experience parts and processes can be modified for better performance/longevity. This almost always happens with each new model. And that's why some people suggest that you not buy any model the first year or two out.

So the Fit has been out in Japan. But still it's not the same exact vehicle. We have left hand drive cars here (cause we drive on the wrong side). Also emissions are different and just maybe they have put bigger/more powerful engines in for American tastes. I wouldn't be surprised if the American version has other changes also.

 

[FinanceDude]

There are about 25-40 manufacturing "tweaks" between a first year and second year model.............so i was told by a lead engineer for Chrysler..............

 

[Texas Proud]

There are about 25-40 manufacturing "tweaks" between a first year and second year model.............so i was told by a lead engineer for Chrysler..............

If you can still ask... how many between any year I would not be surprised if every car has this many year over year...

Master...

Yes, I agree with what you said after my reply.. but I do not see the same level of 'first year bugs' like it was back in the 70s or even 80s... back then a first year car was an experiment on the buyers... now, there are few truly NEW components or cars.. they do add things to a new vehicle and then tweek them when they find they did not perform as needed.. but, don't they do that with third year cars also

 

[FinanceDude]

If you can still ask... how many between any year  I would not be surprised if every car has this many year over year...

It depends on the car, and feedback from service departments, along with long-term test results the manufacturer does..........could be the same, or more. He said mostly there's less, unless they're trying to lower cost of production or trying to reduce the balance of weight between front and rear..........

 

[bow-tie]

..........could unless they're trying to lower cost of production or trying to reduce the balance of weight between front and rear..........

I could definitely see that being a matter of personal taste

 

[youbet]

There are about 25-40 manufacturing "tweaks" between a first year and second year model.............so i was told by a lead engineer for Chrysler..............

This is true of most complicated, manufactured products.  The first and dominant reason is cost reductions.  The second is to correct quality and reliability issues.

Product life cycles are becoming so short, even in the automobile industry, that "tweaks" are frequently incorporated into successive reiterations of the product.