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Not necessarily more tickets. But it is easier to find a red car in a crowded mall parking lot, even from 100 yards away. That's definitely an advantage.
With a projected ownership period of 10-15 years, I'd skip the Audi, since it is already 5-years-old. No Audi when it ages is going to be an inexpensive proposition to keep running, though I would hedge bets with a new/newer A4/A5/A6 as the cars have been generally more reliable recently, and the current generation is better than that generation. The A6 from that era, circa 2011, was more reliable than the A4.
However, with a longer ownership period, for an upscale car, I would look to an Acura TSX, Lexus IS, Acura TL, Lexus ES, or Mercedes E-Class for a generally reliable vehicle, with the Lexus and Acura tending to cost less than the Mercedes to own.
A RAV4 is basically a station wagon, so it's not terribly sporty in feel, but is a good vehicle. The Lexus RX is an excellent vehicle for the length of time you want to own one, but they are vanilla in terms of handling, and are tuned for more luxurious rides than sport. The Acura RDX used to be better in that regard, but the current generation is more closely related to the CR-V than the MDX as it no longer has the SH-AWD from the MDX. Mercedes and BMW are better in terms of performance, as are some Audis, but options are expensive, and can easily cost double the RAV4 new, as well as have much higher ownership costs and varying degrees of reliability as they age.
Considering future children and strollers, baby seats, etc., I would definitely look more toward a hatchback or crossover than most sedans, owing to the ease of stowing baby gear, when the time comes, though perhaps you would want a different vehicle then, more to the minivan than the sporty sedan/crossover.
Mazda has some crossovers, such as the CX-5, that combines a good price, decent reliability, and better driver feel, but for resale value, the CR-V and RAV4 are tops in the class, as is the Lexus RX. However, you'd be looking at a CPO RX to be at the same price point as a new RAV4, so it would be at least a couple of model years old, and the body style just changed on the RX.
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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)
Green is also easy to find in a parking lot because it's a less common color. Since we got a black sedan a few weeks back, it's definitely harder to spot from a distance.
As far as Audis go, German cars are fun to drive and even a modest Golf has nice lines and a very comfortable cabin space for its vehicle class. But even a well-maintained German car is prone to having issues well before 100K miles. (And diesel vs. gasoline doesn't matter if it's the electrical system that is fubar as the VW/Audi family of vehicles has a tendency for) Here's a recent thread where it seems like a strong majority fell into the camp of 'the perfect car to lease because it will be under warranty while you have it and someone else gets to pay for the repairs that follow a few years later'
Obviously when shopping, cost is on top of the list. But once one narrows down on cost, what's the next question I should ask myself?
Well, you'll have to factor in cost up front in paying for the car and the price it costs to maintain it. You must also consider reliability. Will your car need to be in the shop constantly? Will the battery die out at the most inconvenient time? Will you see the 'check engine' light once a week?
These are things you'll have to consider, which factors into the cost of maintaining a car. G'luck!
I thought this was a basic question and easy to answer. I need it for everyday drive: to and from work. Maybe few trips to mall with hubby & once a year long drive to other side of state. But then I stopped to think because of all the options you mentioned & I realize that's not my entire answer.
I plan on keeping the car for next 10-15 years. By then I hope to have 2 kids, I don't have any now. So the car has to meet my needs now (fun and reliable) and my future needs (suitable family car).
Based on everything I read, few cars I been eyeing are 2013:
Subaru Impreza - I never tried this but my friend has one and she loves loves her car. Not sure, probably not worth it because it is smaller car won't work in future.
Mazda 6 - I never tried this either but I scanned my work parking lot to see what type of cars people driving & this Mazda 6 caught my eye. Not sure if it was because of color or style but I thought its worth a look. Maybe even Mazda 3
2011 Audi A4 - I am surprise how cheap these things are once they are used for while. Never thought of luxury car but I saw some in my budget. Peaked my interest but I doubt I will end up with one. Still doesn't hurt test driving one.
Sadly, the Subaru Legacy is only made as a sedan right now. If you want a bigger wagon, they send you to the Outback. Also no Legacy GT in their current product line.
Sadly, the Subaru Legacy is only made as a sedan right now. If you want a bigger wagon, they send you to the Outback. Also no Legacy GT in their current product line.
She's looking for a used car so she could find either one pretty easy.
I start with size. Do you want the smallest sedan, the one step up, an SUV, etc? That pretty much gives you one car per company. I cut out the most expensive companies Saab, BMW). Then I test drove all of them (there aren't that many car manufacturers). There should be at least one other requirement you can narrow down. For me it was room in the back seat and handling. I was left with three models, compared safety ratings, fuel economy and price, re-test drove and compared extras like AWD.
Once you really write them all out in a table it's a surprisingly easy decision. Took me two weeks.
I thought this was a basic question and easy to answer. I need it for everyday drive: to and from work. Maybe few trips to mall with hubby & once a year long drive to other side of state. But then I stopped to think because of all the options you mentioned & I realize that's not my entire answer.
I plan on keeping the car for next 10-15 years. By then I hope to have 2 kids, I don't have any now. So the car has to meet my needs now (fun and reliable) and my future needs (suitable family car).
Based on everything I read, few cars I been eyeing are 2013:
Toyota Camry - I rented it once for 6 hour drive and loved the ride. But I hate the look and it makes me feel old. The Camry SE model seems most interesting to me
Toyota RAV4 - I loved the ride equally when I rented it for 4 hr drive. I think it looks "cooler" than Camry but not sure if the extra price is worth it.
Subaru Impreza - I never tried this but my friend has one and she loves loves her car. Not sure, probably not worth it because it is smaller car won't work in future.
Mazda 6 - I never tried this either but I scanned my work parking lot to see what type of cars people driving & this Mazda 6 caught my eye. Not sure if it was because of color or style but I thought its worth a look. Maybe even Mazda 3
2011 Audi A4 - I am surprise how cheap these things are once they are used for while. Never thought of luxury car but I saw some in my budget. Peaked my interest but I doubt I will end up with one. Still doesn't hurt test driving.
Most likely I will end up with a Camry. I did not want to look at American car because my last 2 were American. I loved those cars but I wanted to give foreign car a try now.
Camry and Impreza are two different levels. The Legacy and Camry are the equivalent cars, or Corolla and Impreza. RAV4s and similar are suprisingly tiny in the back seat for the increase gas mileage. Check on repair costs for the Audi.
Do you have any friends with kids? Would they be willing to show you how much room those seats take up in the back? For example, in a RAV4, once two kid seats are in there is no room for a person to sit in between, and kids spend at least eight years in seats these days, which means no car pools, no taking Grandma with you when she visits, that sort of thing. I wanted one of these (I think the Mazda one), but ended up with a sedan that's one step up from the small ones (think Camry or Legacy or Passat size)
I would really go with a Rav or CRV, you are going to have the car for 15 years. The Rav is easier to put kids into carseats in and has more storage space in the back. If you can afford it, just do it.
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