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If the name Dave Ramsey means anything to you, follow what he says: You buy used, pay cash.
This is one and only feasible way of buying cars.
From that on, you will have as many opinions, as posters that will post here.
If I were you, I'd have stayed away from anything that is Swedish or German or British.
Buy a Camry or Avalon, if you want more cheaper luxury or, if you can efford, buy a Lexus equivalent. Very good, reliable cars. No matter what will follow about Fusions or other domestics, none of them has ever topped ten best cars lists for decades.
If the name Dave Ramsey means anything to you, follow what he says: You buy used, pay cash.
This is one and only feasible way of buying cars.
From that on, you will have as many opinions, as posters that will post here.
If I were you, I'd have stayed away from anything that is Swedish or German or British.
Buy a Camry or Avalon, if you want more cheaper luxury or, if you can efford, buy a Lexus equivalent. Very good, reliable cars. No matter what will follow about Fusions or other domestics, none of them has ever topped ten best cars lists for decades.
He's spot on. Buy a Toyota, if you can find a clean used one, and don't look back. You might skip Lexus due to their higher maintenance costs but, they are fine cars. Skip German (especially any used BMW or Mercedes over 100K in miles).
Honda is a second but, you have to really, really watch out what model you buy....their transmissions in the last 5-8 years blow. Stick to Toyota. You won't be disappointed.
He's spot on. Buy a Toyota, if you can find a clean used one, and don't look back. You might skip Lexus due to their higher maintenance costs but, they are fine cars. Skip German (especially any used BMW or Mercedes over 100K in miles).
Honda is a second but, you have to really, really watch out what model you buy....their transmissions in the last 5-8 years blow. Stick to Toyota. You won't be disappointed.
Certified Pre-Owned 2012-13 Camry. It is an amazing car. It will live longer than you. If you want new--wait a month or 2 as the 2015 Camry is coming out--it is getting a complete facelift. But buy the 2014 Camry because the dealers will be looking to clear lots and you'll get great discounts. They are already giving very good discounts in preparation for the 2015 model with 0.0 APR.
Honda has good discounts now too on the Accord because the 2015 will be out 1-2 months, but I wouldn't trust the CVT transmission for longevity. Better off with the Camry.
If keeping for long term
New Toyota (very little discount off used Toyotas, even older ones)
Used Volvo (depreciates much faster, much better value buying used)
If keeping shorter term, and you don't drive very much at all
Used Toyota, buy with high miles for the biggest discount
Lease Volvo
If keeping shorter term, and you drive a lot
New Toyota (you'll get a very linear amount back when selling)
Probably wouldn't buy a Volvo, you'll take a bath on the depreciation
Toyotas/Hondas tend to depreciate linearly, that is say a car generally is "used up" its useful life at 200,000 miles. At 100,000 miles a Toyota/Honda will sell for almost exactly half what it was new. This doesn't make sense financially because the first 100,000 miles are problem free, where as the new owner buying the second half of the cars life is taking on considerable risk for the last 100,000 miles.
Used to be a one or two year old $20,000 car with 20k on it was $12-$14,000, a substantial discount, nowadays it's $18,000-$20,000 (yes sometimes used cars sell for more than the new one off the lot would! Insane!). No real benefit to buying used unless you get a smoking deal on a higher mileage new car and don't drive very much.
Luxury cars tend to do the opposite. New BMW 750, $85,000 car off the lot, 3 years later it's $35,000, 2 more years later it's $20,000, another two years later later it's $12,000. Etc. etc. All luxury cars exhibit this except for Lexus (wonder why). BMW, Cadillac, Mercedes, Range Rover, etc.
Buy what you like in the budget you can afford, everything else is theory.
I've had Japanese cars with reliability issues (Toyota & Honda included) and German & USA cars with no issues, so it is all perception.
Life is too short to not make your own decisions based on your budget and likes.
I've never owned a brand new car in all my 20 years on the road, however, that may change in the next few years. I'm getting kind of tired of buying used cars only to find so many little things wrong with them AFTER I have them a couple weeks. Little oil leaks, rust in areas I didn't see during inspection, etc.
So I think if you have the money and plan on keeping the car a long time it's better to buy new, pay it off and drive it a long time. At least you know the entire history of the car.
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