Help me buy a new (or used) car? (see details)
I drive a 18 year old Rav4 that I love but it’s falling apart around me, literally. In our recent set of rain storms we found that it leaks badly. I’m trying to find the source of the leak but it’s proving a bit difficult. The car is only worth about $3500 so I’m not going to pour a lot of money into it.
I wasn’t planning on getting a new vehicle but my hand may be forced. I’m looking for advice from people who have personal experience with their cars—I know of all the options and can look through websites as well as anybody.
Here are my requirements:
1) Decent fuel economy. Ideally I’d like 35 mpg or better
2) Hatchback or small SUV or crossover. Not a sedan.
3) Good pickup. I was looking at a Prius prime, but my experience with Toyota hybrids are that when you step on the gas they think for a little while before deciding to go. I’m not talking Tesla Model S supercharger 0–60 in 3 seconds, but I’d like it to have some giddyup.
4) Oh, no Teslas. I’ve driven in several and the only one I like is the Model S and I’m not spending that kind of money.
I’ve been looking at EV, but they’re all still quite expensive and hard to get (except for Teslas, and I’m not getting a Tesla). A plug in hybrid would be okay IF it has decent pickup.
Okay, go.
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26 Answers
We bought a new Mitsubishi Outlander in 2018 and we have no complaints. It has survived five Wisconsin winters.
We bought a 2015 Ford Edge and we love it.
How much do you want to spend on a new car?
I have a Honda CRV. I love it. It’s roomy enough that I can put three passengers in the back, or put the back seat flat and put some cargo in it. I even bought two doors once, for my house reno, and they fit in the back (from the front of the car to the back).
Gas mileage is decent, handles well in bad weather, and the Honda dealer said it would probably last until about 250k miles. I currently have about 194k miles on it and have had no major issues, other than maintenance (oil, brakes, batteries, tires).
Your 18 year old car is worth 3,500! That’s fantastic.
I would go with the Honda CRV. That will be my next vehicle after I retire. They run about 32k to 35k unless you get the hybrid which runs a bit more.
Have you looked at Rivian?
You’re kind of looking for competing ideas. You’re looking for an inherently inefficient body style with good pickup which is generally only achieved via larger, less efficient engines. EVs can solve this problem, but you’re not interested in the Model Y. I don’t have my finger on the pulse of the upcoming EVs lately, but I know the Rivian might work? There’s that Mustang EV SUV thing too, though I haven’t read much about it.
Another CRV person here. I only got rid of my 11 year old first one because of a bent frame issue (I think it was hit in a parking lot). I am almost 8 years in to my second one, it still runs like a champ, although, to be fair, I didn’t put a lot of miles on during the pandemic.
So no Tesla, I take it? 0 – 60 in 3 seconds, damn! You’re looking for a rocket-ship!
Reconsider sedans. Mid-full size sedans actually have more trunk/backseat space than smaller hatchbacks do. I’m constantly amazed how much we easily pack into an old Camry. Pre 2007 Camry with the V6 engine is a great general vehicle that is inexpensive and checks all those boxes. I will say though, if you can wait 6 months, wait. Prices on vehicles are about to deflate. Certainly don’t buy a new or newer used car. A “COVID” car, one that is one manufactured 2020-present. That’s not likely to be a reliable vehicle. Resist the urge, used cars pre-2020 are the only option that won’t end in serious regret.
You specified “not a sedan.” If you’re in any place where there’s potential for bad weather, an SUV is your way to go.
When I bought my CRV in 2015, at the time it was the best selling SUV on the market. Not sure if that’s still the case but it has proven itself to be a very reliable and efficient workhorse.
@gorillapaws Funny you should mention Rivian. My nephew is a mechanical engineer and works for them. Rivians are just too big. If they made a small footprint version I’d consider it.
@RayaHope No, I don’t need the 0–60 in 3 seconds. Just want something that will easily pass people in traffic and accelerate onto highways
@Blackwater_Park I don’t have anything against sedans per se, but I carry a lot of equipment when we have gigs and music festivals, and I need room for backpacks and other equipment on backpacking trips. Also I need room for my telescope gear.
@jca2 I’m no longer skiing but my brother in law has a house in the mountains so I would prefer an AWD with some clearance. I’d just get another Rav4, but they’ve grown in size since my model.
Hyundai Kona Electrics cost a lot less than many EVs, are hatchbacks, have good pickup, good range for an EV (250+ miles), and seem to be pretty available where I am.
Take a look at the Ford Mach-E Mustang SUV. The whole concept is weird to me (an SUV Mustang?) but I think it might actually fit your needs pretty well.
@gorillapaws I drove a Mach E and absolutely loved it—WAAAY better than the Tesla. I’m just not into the idea of paying that much money right now.
I just did the search and bought a “certified pre-owned” car from a dealer. I was into getting a small SUV but on looking for them, even the small ones were too big for me. I love Volvos and ended up getting a 2018 S60 XC sedan for what I considered a reasonable price. The back seats do fold down for more storage and the cross country in AWD and higher clearance. But it only comes in gasoline only. I think the price was more reasonable because it is a sedan.
You might look at a Honda HRV which is a smaller SUV than the CRV..
A good friend has a new HRV and it’s just like the CRV except a touch smaller. I never drove one so I don’t know what the pickup is like.
I was looking for a new car and was looking at Toyotas. This was in 2018. I went to a Used Car lot near the dealership (not affiliated) and found a 2017 Toyota Corolla LE with only 2000 miles on it. I picked it up for about $15,000 which was about $6000–8000 less than a new one at the dealership. I got all the benefits of the new car without having to eat the immediate depreciation when you drive it off the lot. Overall it gets only about 32.5 mph (city and highway) but if I go on a long highway trip it gets up closer to 40 mph.
I have a 1991 Nissan pick-up that has about 300,000 miles on it. It has a 2400 cc engine and a five speed manual transmission. It has power steering and A/C that still works. I installed a AM/FM stereo CD player. The truck runs good and uses very little oil. The paint is faded and looks like charcoal primer. There are a few minor dents. I figure it’s worth about $1500. Maybe you could find one for yourself.
@kritiper I wish new cars nowadays still had CD players but they don’t.
^^ The 2018 one I just bought does!
@janbb That’s just about the last year they included them
@seawulf575 Corolla is a possibility. It’s a sedan which I’m not excited about.
This all depends on whether I can get my trusty Rav 4 fixed.
A few years ago Honda CRV and Toyota RAV4 were almost identical in good features, decent MPG, and high-ish price. Now there are hybrid versions that save gas too. Subaru Outback drove more like a car but had >25 MPG. Their Outback had better MPG but was really tall inside. Both were expensive due to AWD and market demand.
If I had won the PowerBall I would have bid up a Hyundai Ioniq 5. It’s a nice electric CUV-ish car like the Mach E with better charging system.
Silicon Valley Auto show Feb 17–19, 2023
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