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Totaled my '03 Honda Accord (190k), which was a great car that gave me little trouble. I had purchased the Accord in March of 2003 after leasing a Civic for three years. Haven't sniffed a car lot since.
I really have to do something in the next two weeks before all the deals expire.
Thinking midsize sedan or small SUV/Crossover. Another Accord is the obvious starting point. Mazda 6 and Mazda CX-5 will get a look. Am thinking about checking out Ford Fusion and Hyundai Sonata and Tuscon. But, the last time I bought a car, Ford was not in a good position and known for a lot of crap (at least for cars, if not trucks), and Hyundai was at best just starting its emergence as something other than bargain basement transportation. So, I have a little bias against those brands, even though I know they've come a long way. I know plenty of people who own Hyundais and love them. I've seen plenty of positive reviews. I don't know a ton of Ford owners, but do know one guy with a Fusion, who really likes it (though it is fairly new).
I don't want to reduce my options by being "bigoted" towards certain brands.
Really just venting as I nervously prepare to buy a car in the coming weeks.
Wisdom says - do not change horses in the middle of the stream.
Same goes for cars.
Nothing changed in Ford camp. Yes, people will tell you - good looking, has good reviews, short term reliability, blahh, blahhh... Long term - it's still same POC it was before. Unless you buy that hybrid sedan, that's about it.
So stick to what you KNOW from personal experience as a good, reliable vehicle. Honda. Toyota. Lexus. They top all reliability charts anyway for years.
So why change horses?
I have always had a preference for one particular brand. Growing up in the Detroit area it is an American brand. That's all I've ever driven and I grew up in a household that was the same way.
I work in the auto industry. A year ago I started a new job for one of the Detroit OEMs, the biggest rival of my previously preferred brand. I'm still trying to train myself to like my employers products better. My wife and I still have our old cars, so I park a rival car in the parking deck every morning. I'm sure I will eventually come around...
Wisdom says - do not change horses in the middle of the stream.
Same goes for cars.
Nothing changed in Ford camp. Yes, people will tell you - good looking, has good reviews, short term reliability, blahh, blahhh... Long term - it's still same POC it was before. Unless you buy that hybrid sedan, that's about it.
So stick to what you KNOW from personal experience as a good, reliable vehicle. Honda. Toyota. Lexus. They top all reliability charts anyway for years.
So why change horses?
True. My instant reaction to my insurance company totaling out the car was just to get another Accord. I have this unexpected burden, and opportunity, of getting a new car. So, naturally, I've thought about branching out. I'm just curious as to what else is out there. At the very least Mazda should be fairly reliable and worth checking out. But, yes, you have a good point. I always try to ask myself about future negative regret. Any new car that I've done the research on and test drove, I'll love at first. But, sitting in a Honda, will I ever regret not getting a Ford if I don't. Probably not. But, would I ever regret not getting a Honda (for example) sitting in a Ford? There's a much better chance.
But see, that's my entire point. My biases are coming into play.
Look, you got an itch. Understood. I had mine. Some I managed to tame, some not. Some I regretted, some not.
You are neither my family nor friend. You are pixels on the display. I could care less but, it is against my nature. I believe in good deeds. That's why I do my best to help others.
So my advice to you is coming from a person that wants to leave with some good deeds in his passbook.
Hence - do not buy domestic. Period. No matter how good looking it is, how much horse power or gizmos in it.
Listen to me or not - but do not buy Mazda. Mazda was in bed with Ford for way too long to not get soaked in its corporate meme. I keep saying this - you marry looks, you live with a person. Same goes for cars. You fall for looks - you deal with reliability down the road.
There are MANY GOOD cars in the three I mentioned to chose from. Personally, I became, reluctantly, a Toyota guy. I believe they are simply better cars. better made, more reliable. Lexus is world wide staple of reliability and quality.
What is that you want? You want whoomp? Buy V6Accord with manual transmission. Plenty fast and it's a Honda. You want great gas mileage - no one beats Toyota hybrids. You want both and AWD and SUV - buy Highlander Hybrid. Grand car.
But do NOT fall for looks or marketing bull. Be SMART.
Tame the itch. Compulsive buying ALWAYS ends in disaster.
I wouldn't call it a deep itch since I'm hedging towards the known and safe choice. It's not like I think the Ford Fusion, for example, is an imminently sex car that I can't resist. I'm just curious if there's cars that are good looking, run well, and are reliable that aren't Accords or Camrys, that deserve some attention despite historic reputations.
I have a Hyundai Elantra rental right now and I like it. A little small, but that's why the Sonata was on my list. But, yeah, anything will seem great when new.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,585 posts, read 81,186,228 times
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I have never been pr justices toward one brand or another, nor am I one of those that sticks to what my father always drove, as many are. I have actually had bad luck with the one Toyota in my car history. I have had Chevys, Jeeps, Fords, a Mazda and even a BuIck. The only other bad one was a Jeep. Currently I have a Ford Ranger and a Dodge Challenger, both trouble free so far. My I've has a newer Escape and other than 3 recalls it too has been just fine. I will read professional and driver reviews, then go with what I like that suits the purpose I have for it. When it comes to reliability, I have never known anyone to have problems with a
Honda, and if a new one suits your needs and you like the look and how it handles on the test drive, you may as well stick to it. Maybe drive the Fusion if only for fun and comparison. The few people I know with them have been very happy, including one with the hybrid version.
like hemlock, i too have had a variety of cars over the years, i tend to prefer fords because they have always served me well over the years. but i have also had good chevys, chrysler products, pontiacs, buicks, and oldsmobiles. i have only owned one datsun, and my brother had one datsun, mine i bought in a non running condition to help out a friend, i sold it for what i bought i for and i assume the guy got it running. my brothers datsun was a solid car also, as have my friends toyotas.
these days car are all pretty good, so pick what you like and dont care what anyone else says. for instance a lot of people hate the fairmont, but i have owned four of them, and all were good cars.
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