suggestions for a "new" used car

[Huston55]

My previous car was a 2003 Subaru WRX turbo charged white hatchback (a wolf in sheep's clothing). I ran that for 196000 miles and other than regular maintenance, I had to install a new radiator for about $50..

I so miss my bugeye - i had a white wagon too. yeah the stock radiators are crappy

+2

Had a 2003 silver WRX SW; great car but, a bit of turbo lag.

 

[Montecfo]

Reliability is an issue on those VW's. As several have said I think you can't go wrong with a CRV and it is a top safety pick. A Prius has very low total cost of ownership.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

I am not going to make a specific car recommendation, but I do recommend this website for looking at actual repairs for a specific car/year. Depending on the car, there can be A LOT of data available to indicate reliability. I have also seen that often, real world experience IS NOT what is reported by the likes of CR.

Car Reliability Comparisons

 

[Huston55]

Reliability is an issue on those VW's. As several have said I think you can't go wrong with a CRV and it is a top safety pick. A Prius has very low total cost of ownership.

According to the link below, the 2015 & 2013 CRV & GTI are essentially equivalent in reliability. You have to be careful to review the correct VW "Golf" model. The CRV has more room inside but, the (Golf) GTI has (a lot) more acceleration. Both have excellent safety ratings.

I am not going to make a specific car recommendation, but I do recommend this website for looking at actual repairs for a specific car/year. Depending on the car, there can be A LOT of data available to indicate reliability. I have also seen that often, real world experience IS NOT what is reported by the likes of CR.

Car Reliability Comparisons

 

[ProspectiveBum]

According to the link below, the 2015 & 2013 CRV & GTI are essentially equivalent in reliability. You have to be careful to review the correct VW "Golf" model. The CRV has more room inside but, the (Golf) GTI has (a lot) more acceleration. Both have excellent safety ratings.

I'd hope most all 1-3 year old vehicles would be relatively problem-free. I've owned both VW and Honda vehicles. Both did great up to 60-80K miles. By 120K miles, the Honda was still chugging along with only minor issues, while the VW had become a money pit. Anecdotal, for sure, but my experience is that VWs don't age as well as Hondas do.

 

[simple girl]

Great information and advice - thank you all so much!

 

[capjak]

One criteria I would add would be safety data. Go to the government test results and pick one that has a top safety rating.

Any that are not at the top of safety/crash rating should be disqualified.

In an accident it only needs to save your life 1 time to be worth it.

 

[brett]

Toyota or Honda product. Cannot go wrong.

 

[Montecfo]

I'd hope most all 1-3 year old vehicles would be relatively problem-free. I've owned both VW and Honda vehicles. Both did great up to 60-80K miles. By 120K miles, the Honda was still chugging along with only minor issues, while the VW had become a money pit. Anecdotal, for sure, but my experience is that VWs don't age as well as Hondas do.

Ditto. In fact, I loved my VW's but my wallet did not.

 

[simple girl]

Ok I have an update on what I am narrowing in on.

I decided safety should be a much bigger consideration, especially since I need a very small car, which automatically makes it less safe to start with.

So I went to IIHS-HLDI: Crash Testing & Highway Safety and looked at the safest cars in the minicars section. I used this page and went back though the years up til 2010:

Current IIHS TOP SAFETY PICKs

I decided, after reading the ratings, that I only wanted a car that is TSP+. In the minicar section there are only two that have met that qualification:

- 2016 Mini Cooper
- 2016 Scion iA


I would LOVE a Mini Cooper. However, I don't want to spend more than $12 or $13K on my "new" used car. So, it looks like the Scion iA is going to be my best bet for the most narrow width car with the best safety rating.

We've decided it doesn't have to have the best rear seat room or luggage space as we have decided we can't handle sharing one car in early retirement (planned for 2018, hopefully). We will keep our minivan as our second vehicle. It will be parked in the driveway whereas the minicar will have to go in our tiny garage.


I like what I have read about the Scion iA so far, minus the front grill. But, aside from that, it seems to have pretty good reviews. We might go for the manual as that appears to have more "pep"...but we'll see - I learned to drive on a stickshift and drove one all through my teen years, but haven't done so in ~25 years! Will need to test drive and see if it comes back to me.

Any input on this selection?

I appreciated the other ideas but they were all either too wide or not high enough in safety ratings for my liking.

 

[Bestwifeever]

I see new models of the car you like, the Scion 1A, will be kept by Toyota and renamed as a Yaris now: Scion Landing

 

[simple girl]

I see new models of the car you like, the Scion 1A, will be kept by Toyota and renamed as a Yaris now: Scion Landing

Thanks! I know, I read that. I would rather buy a used car, for the depreciation savings. However I will keep an eye on the 2017 Yaris, just in case!

Also, what is interesting is the Scion iA was built on a Mazda base, and I loved my old Mazda Millenia...so it feels like a good sign to me!

 

[braumeister]

Current IIHS TOP SAFETY PICKs

Thanks for that link. Very useful.

 

[Bestwifeever]

Thanks! I know, I read that. I would rather buy a used car, for the depreciation savings. However I will keep an eye on the 2017 Yaris, just in case!

Also, what is interesting is the Scion iA was built on a Mazda base, and I loved my old Mazda Millenia...so it feels like a good sign to me!

I figured you knew that re Toyota -- could be a good negotiating point for getting the price down on the 2016. Looks like a great little car and did I mention cute?

We 've only had one Mazda and loved it but went to Hondas after that (because of design features--cute is important to me ).

 

[Breedlove]

For a good little car , check out the Ford Fiesta . Nothing wrong with a Toyota . And don't pass up on KIA or Hyundai . Good cars real good pricing.

 

[simple girl]

For a good little car , check out the Ford Fiesta . Nothing wrong with a Toyota . And don't pass up on KIA or Hyundai . Good cars real good pricing.

Unfortunately the Fiesta did not rank at the TSP+ level on the safety ratings I've been using, nor any of the Kia's nor Hyundai's.

 

[travelover]

Unfortunately the Fiesta did not rank at the TSP+ level on the safety ratings I've been using, nor any of the Kia's nor Hyundai's.

Do you need to have a car that small? I believe that the safety ratings are relative, so a larger car with a poorer rating may keep you safer in the real world.

 

[REWahoo]

Those of you suggesting other vehicles, please note the OP's requirements

Hello all!

I'm in the market for a "new" used car. I thought perhaps I might get some useful leads here on cars to research that would fit the following parameters (or perhaps great sites that help me narrow my focus based upon these parameters):

• 
  narrow (our new place has a very narrow one car garage)
  good cargo space for luggage (we expect to pick visitors up at the airport a fair amount)
  smooth ride
  good acceleration on highways
  luxury features would be nice - like leather interior, sun roof, automatic seats
  good safety rating

 

[Hermit]

You may be better off maintenance wise with the Toyota also. The Mini Cooper didn't have a very good maintenance record in years past.

 

[aja8888]

Narrow? Anything with lots of luggage space and seating for picking up visitors at the airport don't equate.

 

[simple girl]

Narrow? Anything with lots of luggage space and seating for picking up visitors at the airport don't equate.

Yeah, I gave up on combining those two requirements, LOL!!!

We thought we might make it on one car once FIRE'd. However, we have had a "trial" period now of about 2 months with only one car. We discovered it does NOT work well when hubby is home (he travels a lot for work). Hubby does not like to work his schedule around anyone else, so we have decided we will have two cars.

So my updated requirements are:

1) as small as possible so I don't have to stress as much when parking it in our small garage
2) as safe as possible

Nix all the other requirements! (His vehicle will be large enough for transporting guests and luggage to/from the airport.)

 

[simple girl]

Do you need to have a car that small? I believe that the safety ratings are relative, so a larger car with a poorer rating may keep you safer in the real world.

Agreed, but in our new townhouse development the rules are:

1) one car allowed inside garage
2) one car allowed in driveway space

You may not park in guest parking indefinitely (and yes they will tow!)

So, one of us has to have a small car.

 

[meierlde]

Yeah, I gave up on combining those two requirements, LOL!!!

We thought we might make it on one car once FIRE'd. However, we have had a "trial" period now of about 2 months with only one car. We discovered it does NOT work well when hubby is home (he travels a lot for work). Hubby does not like to work his schedule around anyone else, so we have decided we will have two cars.

So my updated requirements are:

1) as small as possible so I don't have to stress as much when parking it in our small garage
2) as safe as possible

Nix all the other requirements! (His vehicle will be large enough for transporting guests and luggage to/from the airport.)

Are you including things like blind spot warnings and rear view cameras and forward collision detection in your definition of safety? In that case in you might look at vehicles with such systems as well.

 

[Hermit]

Get a small 2-seat sports car and have some fun!

 

[simple girl]

Are you including things like blind spot warnings and rear view cameras and forward collision detection in your definition of safety? In that case in you might look at vehicles with such systems as well.

The forward collision detection feature is part of the rating system I linked to earlier, but not sure about the other two features. I know the Scion iA has a rear view camera feature. Not sure about the blind spot warning. Will check. Going to see first one tomorrow. Thanks!