Reliable New Car

[jason952]

would look at 08 crv's

[herbivor]

CRV's are dreadfully boring cars. Subaru BRZ would be the only new car I'd consider buying, but if you're under a tight budget and need something more roomy, get a Honda Fit or Mazda 2. Plenty of room for a family of 3 and still just a little sporty and fun to drive. But really, a 2 to 3 year old used car is financially the best thing to do, according to Consumer Reports.

[Threehz]

LOL then Consumer Reports is wrong.. I thought that a car that was 2 to 3 years old would be a nice option because it would have lower mileage, but be cheaper. They are no cheaper than buying one new and in many cases are more expensive than the same model new, it makes no sense to me?

[BrooklynMW]

Versas are more dangerous than your think. Sightlines. They're terrible. I rented one for a day when my e30 was getting work done. Damnnear sideswiped like 18 other cars on the highway. Can't see over the bloated trunk and unnecessarily fat C-pillars.

That being said, my suggestions for reasonably priced new or low mileage c.p.o. cars that are safe, reliable, efficient and just a little bit of fun:

-Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen TDI
-Golf TDI
-05-09 Subaru Outback 2.5xt
-05-09 Subaru Legacy GT
-Audi Allroad

That's what I would get if I had kids.....and the money for a new car.

[nando]

Nando, what do you need so much space for? Five seats + a trunk fits a car-seat, baby, baby bag(s), and still has lots of room.

I'm very against new cars in general and the cost will end up being a lot, because there is title, registration, insurance, it all adds up quickly.

What do you dislike about the Versa Holland? My girlfriend's mom has the sedan and it seems pretty straight-forward and simple. Obviously not going to be a joy to drive.

Well what are some suggestions for good used cars?

Rav4 (1st gen) and Civic have been on my radar.

Anyone have experience with Camry's, Corolla's, or Accord's?

baby seats take up way more room than you think. so does all the "stuff" that goes along them. where are you going to put the stroller? what if you have a passenger? where will the groceries go?

we had a Sentra with the first kid. it didn't last too long. then they start thinking they want a 2nd to play with the 1st, and now you double all the "stuff". but you're stuck with a $13k car payment that's going to be worth maybe $4k in a few years.

[immajackuup]

OP mentions spending 11-13k on a Versa and you suggest two cars that are double that?

used pilot 15k crv 10k

[lylefk]

Id avoid new, you take a huge hit driving it off the lot.

Id look at a Subaru legacy wagon, 05-09. Non Turbo version (non gt). Super reliable, great awd, solid gas mileage and plenty of space. And in your range

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[KenC]

The main reason to buy a new car is for a warranty. (Or if it's a brand new model).
If you're OK with not having a warranty (or a short one with a certified used vehicle), then buy used for sure; you'll get a much better deal.
I basically bought my new car for the warranty.

[trackjunkie21]

I know you said new vehicle but you are much better off finding something used. In that price range all you will find are bottom of the barrel cars that you will hate even looking at after a few months. Trust me on this one, I had a yaris for a few months and I dreaded driving the damn thing. Look into a used Honda Element, while they aren't pretty, they have a ton of room and are very baby friendly. everything can be hosed down with a hose when accidents occur, which they will, let's face it, it's a baby. They have the bulletproof k24 up front and are pretty damn good on gas. Don't be so dead set on a new car when in reality you are just making a big financial mistake.

[evandael]

if you're willing to stretch your budget to around $8-10K, take a look at the 04-07 mazda 6 wagon. my mom had one for around 60K miles. it came with the sport pack, 3.0 V6 and 6AT and it did 28mpg on the highway, was a pretty fun drive with plenty of power, and never ever let her down.





we took numerous 20hr roadtrips with it, towed with it (motorcycle trailers, small camper, etc), threw bikes and kayaks in it, hit on ramps with aplomb, and worked on it all ourselves.

with the hatch and rear seat legroom, baby stuff should be well accommodated. it has a great stereo, excellent a/c, good road manners, and like 8 airbags. maintenance and parts were cheap and easily done. plus with the sport package i thought it looked pretty sharp, the interior wasn't nearly as cheap as other offerings (honda or nissan equivalents), and it was different from a lot of cars on the road.


kbb, cars, and autotrader seem to show a good number of examples with under 100K miles for anywhere between $7000 to $10000.


safety ratings: http://www.nadaguides.com/Cars/2005/...Safety-Ratings
reliability/impressions: http://www.edmunds.com/mazda/mazda6/...r-reviews.html
C&D review: http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...agon-road-test


check it out!

EDIT: you know what, i got so enthusiastic about this, i searched and found this example. out of your price range, but i swear, i would actually pick this up if i was in the market and a bit older and more flush with cash. a few slight upgrades and i think it looks great!

[Fleksta]

I test drove a Versa, within 5 minutes I couldn't wait to get it back in the dealer's lot.

Seems like with an 11k budget you'd be in CPO Honda Fit territory.

[CrusherCurtis]

New versa is a good choice, plus its huge for a small car.

[5Toes]

Detailed a honda fit once, it was really nice! My buddy drove it, but he said the 5 speed was super fun

[Threehz]

I really like the mid 2k Subaru's but AWD is completely useless out here, just a drain on fuel economy and extra cost of repair...

The Mazda6 seems pretty cool, ugly interior though, and the wagons aren't very abundant.

Hmmmm

[Threehz]

Wait, why are used cars selling for more than a new one? I always thought that people buy new cars for the peace of mind/paranoia, etc, but it's almost never financially worth it. Is this mainly true?

You know, it could be that I was just looking on Cars.com and sites like AutoTrader. Even then it makes no sense to me..