Automotive Forums

I have not bought myself a vehicle since 1994 (Jeep Cherokee SE). I want a car. Two or three choices are fine. Not the seemingly infinite number of choices available today. That's why I need your help. I am not a big fan of consumerism. I do not enjoy spending money. I do work in marketing and I am all for segmenting the market. So Detroit, Germany, Japan, Korea: what's the car for a forty-year old man (okay my wife reminds me I am 41) with a lovely accurate wife, and three kids: 11, 9, and 6. I need a car to get to work (25 minutes each way per day), maybe a date once or twice a year (something in need of improvement according to the accurate wife ), and room in the trunk for a golf bag. I would like to be able to fit the kids in the back. Other than that my criteria are simple:

* New or gently used (I would rather not buy another car until after 2017)
* Good gas mileage (I am cheap)
* 4 doors (kids in the back when necessary)
* Reliable (remember cheap)

I am not looking for a car that can get through a snow bank. Nor is safety a huge concern. (I think all cars are pretty much safe enough.) I don't value the bells and whistles. I have never cursed the absense of power windows or locks in the Jeep. I don't even think of air conditioning as a must have where I live. Now I know it will be virtually impossible to buy a car without these, but you get the point. But there is one amenity that I do value at this stage of my life - leather interior. I am looking to spend between $10,000 and $20,000.

So what do you think? For more information, see the sell-tim-a-car web page: http://sell-tim-a-car.blogspot.com  

To be honest, the leather interior thing throws a big wrench into the works. This is becuase most "basic transportation" cars large enough to comfortably fit kids in the back seat are priced in the high-teens to low 20's BEFORE options such as leather interiors are considered.  Also, many cars come with packages that combine leather with various other luxury items that you don't appear interested in.

Here are a few options.  

New car:

The Hyundai Elandtra is an all-new design for 2007, and features a nice interior, and modern saftery/luxury options.  The "limited" model starts at $17K, and comes pretty darn well equipped with all the stuff you said you didn't want, plust leather seats. Because it's a "new" compact car, it's not exactly compact, and is roughly the same size as midsize cars were about 10 years ago.  Hyundai also offers a standard warranty of 5 years/60K miles, and 10 years/100K miles for the powertrain.  Hyundais have had an excellent reputation for reliability for the past few years, despite their aweful reputation in the early 90's.  

The Hyundai Sonata offers leather in the low $20's.  It's bigger than the Elantra, and offers the same warranty.  Both the Elantra and Sonata come with a long list of saftety items, especially the Sonata.  Although you're not concerned with such things, Side airbags, head airbags int he front and rear, and traction/stability control really do make a difference when unexpected emergencies happen, and you may very well be glad you had them when carting around your kids.  

Used:  If reliability and simplicity are your key concerns, consider  Honda Accords, Toyota Camrys, Nissan Altimas, and Mazda6's of the 2002-2004 vintage. They should be priced at or under $20K, and all, especially the Hondas and Toyotas will deliver trouble-free performance.  Also not that all of these manufacturers offer some sort of "certified used" program.  Certain used cars, with low mileage and no obvious defects are often qualified as "certified used," which makes them slightly more expensive, but gaurantees less than 50% wear on brakes/clutch and all other wearable items, and offers a warranty very much like a new-car warranty. Finding one with an option package that includes leather seats, but excludes other luxury items may be difficult, you may have to settle for a "loaded" one.  Still, you may find the options agreeable to live with, especially if you get a good deal on a low-mileage toyota or Honda.  

It's really that simple.  Avoid anything American, not because I dislike American cars, but because their reliability reputation is inferior to Honda and Toyota.  Avoid anything German, especially VW, and again, not because I dislike those brands, but because they often demand a bit more patience and service to deliver their arguably superior driving dynamics, which you don't seem interested in anyway.

One more slightly less obvious choice: the Subaru Legacy/Outback.  The Legacy and the Outback are essentially the same car, but marketed differently.  The legacy is a standard 4dr sedan and wagon, and the Outback is the same with a slightly raised suspension and larger tires for mild off-road ability.

All Subarus come standard with All Wheel Drive, and the basic convenience items like power windows.  6 months ago, my parents were in the market for a "basic transport" car for my young sister who just got her license.  I helped them find a number of Subaru Legacies, several of which were 15-25K mile 2005s in perfect condition for $15-18K in the Chicago Area.  In my opinion, these cars were superior options to the Toyotas and Hondas of the same size/class because Subarus are traditionally extremely reliable, and because they offer superior driving dynamics.  They did not, however, have leather interiors, as that option was bundled with many other expensive luxury options that pushed used models into the $25K range.  

Most of the cars suggested above are good ones, but the rear seat is too small for those growing kids.

I'd look for a used 2006 Ford Five Hundred or, if you're okay with a wagon, the Freestyle. Tons of room inside, cheap as a used car, efficient for its size, and reliable (in the second year at least).

My site's latest reliability stats for this car here:

TrueDelta Vehicle Reliability Survey results

Note the improvement over the 2005. I'll have updated results in May. The stat for the 2006 will be higher in May--it was suspiciously low in February--but still in line with competing Hondas and Toyotas.  

Don't buy a car for 2 inches more of rear leg room. Buy a car for it's value. And by value I mean Safety, Reliability, Engineering, Fuel Economy, Resale Value.

I'd hate to be blunt but 2 inches of leg room won't save your life in an accident but side curtain airbags will.

1. Honda Accord
2. Toyota Camry
3. Nissan Altima

stop.


-Anthony Jr.  

The Sonata with leather would be far less than $20K. That may be the list price but they sell way under list price. And that car fits your criteria. My family has 3 of them and I have an Optima and we really like them. We have a 2001, 2004, 2006 and a 2007.  

Being that I had this as my first car when I was 16, and it lasted me a few years before I traded it out for a Mitsubishi Eclipse, I may be alittle biased.

But, personally, I believe that the Nissan Altima is amazing. I paid about 6 grand for mine when it was still fairly new and had a leather interior, plus all of the bells and whistles... I had a 2000, but the newer (2002-2004) ones are still nice, and not too pricey. The room is comfortable (we took it on a family vacation and when I wasn't driving I sat in the back and had plenty of room (Im a pretty big guy).

That's my 2 cents...