In the market for a new car/1st ever car purchase (trucks, buying)
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The Benz dealership I went to was trying to sell me on leasing after I had told them I wouldn't be financing and would be making an all cash purchase. The idea sounded really tempting but at the end of the day, I felt like I'd just be renting a car for 3 years. At least if I bought a car and decided to trade it in, I'd have some collateral. We're probably thinking children within the next 3 years or so. I could always drive it more, I've got a free parking spot at my job so that's an incentive to drive more. But the traffic here is so terrible I'd just be hating life.
I guess in a way I've been trying to talk myself into getting a C class or something similar. They just look so nice and the ride is so smooth, but dropping 40K+ like that, I'd be trying to justify it to myself forever.
Any benz is going to be a nice car. With the german cars its not just about the looks but you're paying for the quality of the drive; higher speeds, better handling, better braking, quicker acceleration. If you're not an aggressive driver its probably not worth it.
If youre paying cash, once you decide what you want, if youre not going new, check out ebay "completed listings". You will see what used cars are actually being sold for dictated by what people are actually paying for them. If you're going new, the 2017 models should be coming in next month. Some time over the next couple months is when dealerships are going to be having some great deals on 2016 models buying and leasing to make room. You may just have to be flexible on an option or the color since its basically the leftovers.
You need to get out more. The Lincoln of today is not yer grand fathers Lincoln at all. The new Conti is one sexy vehicle. With a 400HP 3.0 Ecoboost and a 6 speed automatic, its' hardly old folks material.
I'm not a fan of used entry level sports cars because it's a pretty big gamble on previous owners- you could be getting a well cared for midlife crisis vehicle; you could get something that was driven stupidly because the owner had always planned on trading it in after 3-4 years. If you were serious about that kind of vehicle, there are a number of fun new vehicles in your price range that you'd know where they had been.
Manual or automatic/CVT transmission? How much city/highway driving are you planning on doing?
The Mazda is a nice and well-made car that is not going to look like all the other cars in the parking lot, and probably has more reasonable maintenance and insurance costs.
The majority of Accords being stolen are ones 1997 and earlier. This is before modern anti theft technology made it hard for everyday criminals to steal cars. New Accords are not stolen at a higher rate than other new cars. I certainly wouldn't shy away from an accord because of worries about it gotten stolen, car theft is rare with new cars now.
The fact that 20+ year old accords are still being stolen at such high rates shows how reliable those accords are, they are still rolling around and valuable despite their age.
If I was you i'd get the Accord Sport SE, it has leather seating, a fairly low price, and a sporty suspension. The Mazda 6 is also a great option. Honestly everyday cars like Accords and Camry's deprecate so little that buying new makes financial sense. Accords drop in value is much lower than German or even Japanese luxury cars that seem to depreciate like crazy. Remember depreciation is what you will end up spending on the car, not the initial purchase price.
The older accords are stolen more because of engine swap capabilities... Easy to make a street racer..
I've never owned a car before, thanks to an awesome public transit system I've never felt the need to own one. And if I did need a ride, I had Zip car and other car sharing services at my disposal. BUT, I'm getting married and it'd be really awkward if the future wife were driving us around all the time.
My budget is anywhere from 20-40K and it's a wide range b/c I've been looking at everything from a Mazda 6 and a Prius to a C Class/Lexus/Audi. Basically what I'm looking for in a car is this: a sporty look with good reliability and good gas mileage. I love the Prius because of the mileage but I don't like the way it looks, if that makes sense? I've read good reports on the Mazda 6, I'm a huge fan of the Honda Accord Sport and that's my front runner. However, I took a drive in a C class and enjoyed the hell out of it but the maintenance costs are probably going to be big. I haven't test driven an Audi or a Lexus but in the case of an Audi, things like leather seating and a roof are their standard options rather than add ons like the C class.
Any tips/advice is greatly appreciated.
Any car you get will desensitize you to its appearance within a month or so. It'll just be "your car".
It sounds as though a car isn't that important to you and you don't have strong preferences. This is actually a good thing, because it takes your emotions out of it and frees you to think rationally about what your needs are.
The factors I look for are:
Reliability
Durability
Economy--acquisition and operating costs
Comfort
If you won't be driving a lot it may not be worth getting a hybrid, but if you will I would start with a Prius, also considering a Camry, Accord, Civic, or Corolla. Some car guys around here ridicule those cars as "appliances", but they do exactly what you need out of a car: get you there every time without a lot of worry or expense, and keep doing it for a long time.
Any benz is going to be a nice car. With the german cars its not just about the looks but you're paying for the quality of the drive; higher speeds, better handling, better braking, quicker acceleration. If you're not an aggressive driver its probably not worth it.
as much as I love german cars, you sound like a commercial
[quote=adriver;45170693]Any benz is going to be a nice car. With the german cars its not just about the looks but you're paying for the quality of the drive; higher speeds, better handling, better braking, quicker acceleration. If you're not an aggressive driver its probably not worth it. /QUOTE]
Not the CLA -- I would not call that a nice car at all, more like driving purgatory if you are unfortunate enough to get one as a service loaner. I'd never buy one, not even the AMG variant, since there are many better Mercedes to purchase for not too much more. You do not have to drive one aggressively at all to get the benefit of the handling dynamics, as I have a great aunt who drives an E63 like the stereotypical older lady.
Even in the Mid-Atlantic, I would look at a 4Matic variant if I were the OP and looking at Mercedes because there are enough wet days and icy days where it can make a big difference in the handling over a regular RWD Mercedes.
The Accord is a decent car, and people do like them, but it's not very sporty, even in Sport trim. I would also look at the Acura TLX before deciding, since I find the Acura to handle better, and you can get it with SH-AWD. You could even find a CPO TL SH-AWD for the same price, or less, than the Accord, which might not be a bad consideration.
If considering a C-Class, also look at the Audi and BMW. The 3-Series is a good car, not quite as dynamic as older BMWs were, but still engaging. The Audi has a very nice interior, and newer Audi are pretty reliable, and the Quattro system makes winter weather or wet weather a breeze, though the FWD Audi do not have too much trouble in inclement weather, either.
The Jaguar XE is new, but gets good reviews, and my brief drive in one made it seem like it could be compelling in the segment. The Volvo S60 is another niche premium vehicle that might be an option to consider, depending upon how you like it. I am not sold on the 4-cylinder engines, since the 2.5T engine in the older models was a very reliable engine.
Audi, BMW, and Mercedes are the top in the compact premium segment, so I would test all and see which one you prefer. Reliability is not a factor with the regular production models of any of them, though the special versions, AMG and M can be a bit more expensive to maintain. Compared to Honda, parts are not terribly expensive either, since Honda parts and labor are not at the low end, when dealing with a vehicle out of warranty.
If you do think you will trade in a few years, an Accord, Acura or Lexus will have higher retained value, and can be less expensive than a comparable Audi, BMW, or Mercedes. However, I'd guess the Wrangler would be the car to go when you have children, not a sedan.
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All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.
~William Shakespeare (As You Like It Act II, Scene VII)
Some car guys around here ridicule those cars as "appliances", but they do exactly what you need out of a car: get you there every time without a lot of worry or expense, and keep doing it for a long time.
I hate when fellow auto enthusiasts pull that nonsense. I've generally owned an "appliance" to commute in while keeping my "toy" in the garage. My 03 jetta TDI was a fantastic car, although not very "fun". Comfortable, reliable, 50mpg...What more do I need in a commuter?
I also hate staunch brand loyalists. People that claim everything one brand makes is great and everything else is terrible. They all make good and bad cars. 2 people with the same year make and model could have completely different experiences, it's the nature of complex machines...
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