Why ask? (luxury, vehicles, German, traction)

[charlygal]

Is it me or does it seem fairly useless to ask recommendations for used cars here on CD? Don't we already know that most people will follow the "party line" and say "stick with a Toyota or Honda?"

I've seen people ask about a Nissan or other brand and folks will ignore the question and tell them the comparable Honda/Toyota model.

So, really, why ask?

[easy62]

Originally Posted by charlygal

Is it me or does it seem fairly useless to ask recommendations for used cars here on CD? Don't we already know that most people will follow the "party line" and say "stick with a Toyota or Honda?"

I've seen people ask about a Nissan or other brand and folks will ignore the question and tell them the comparable Honda/Toyota model.

So, really, why ask?

Correct do your own research everyone is going to have their own opinions on what to buy some even try to degrade everything except what they drive. It’s your money buy what you want.

[GTOlover]

Originally Posted by charlygal

Is it me or does it seem fairly useless to ask recommendations for used cars here on CD? Don't we already know that most people will follow the "party line" and say "stick with a Toyota or Honda?"

I've seen people ask about a Nissan or other brand and folks will ignore the question and tell them the comparable Honda/Toyota model.

So, really, why ask?

That is bad for Toyota and Honda it means they can just coast off their brand name instead of innovating or making the best cars possible people just assume they are better than other brands but today most cars are pretty even over all.

[Quietude]

The questions are quite often some variation of "what's the best car for longevity" or "what high-mileage car can I expect to give continuing dependability" - and the answer to that whole slate of questions is "Toyota or Honda."

Different questions get different answers. The answer to "AWD?", for example, is "Subaru."

[johnd393]

When buying a used car, what happened to it in the years after it left the factory is way more important than what factory it left.

[eaton53]

Originally Posted by johnd393

When buying a used car, what happened to it in the years after it left the factory is way more important than what factory it left.

That's why I tell people to buy this car using this criteria if possible:

1. Low miles.
2. Well kept.
3. Well heeled owner.
4. Older owner.

Never failed to get a good used car using these criteria.
And none of them were Toyotas or Hondas.

[easy62]

Originally Posted by Quietude

The questions are quite often some variation of "what's the best car for longevity" or "what high-mileage car can I expect to give continuing dependability" - and the answer to that whole slate of questions is "Toyota or Honda."

Different questions get different answers. The answer to "AWD?", for example, is "Subaru."

Ok if you say so because you’re the expert in AWD

[EckyX]

Originally Posted by GTOlover

That is bad for Toyota and Honda it means they can just coast off their brand name instead of innovating or making the best cars possible people just assume they are better than other brands but today most cars are pretty even over all.

I don't buy it one bit. Certainly it's possible Toyota and Honda could coast on their names, but here are some of my thoughts:

Q: I'm looking for good fuel economy but worry the AWD system in a Subaru/large engine in a Charger is going to reduce it.

A: Naa most cars are pretty even overall. The Charger will do just as well on the highway as any Corolla.


Q: I'm looking for reliable but worry that downsizing with turbos/direct injection/CVTs/hybrid technology/rotaries add complexity and may have more and more expensive points of failure when compared with tried and simple technologies companies converged on for those reasons.

A: Don't worry about it! Fiat makes cars just as reliable as anyone else.


Q: I'm looking for a really comfortable ride. Do I really need to buy a Lexus/Mercedes/Cadillac?

A: Cars are really quite even overall, just get an Aveo.


What are some qualities that make manufacturers different?

-Subaru has AWD in all of their vehicles. This has a real weight, complexity and fuel economy penalty, and a real traction benefit in extreme scenarios.

-Mercedes/BMW (and some others) really do put a larger portion of the vehicles cost into refinement, at the expense of other things at the same price. You get a heck of a lot more engine from a Corvette at the same price as its European competitors, but regardless of how you look at its interior subjectively, German Luxury will have put more money into theirs.

-Toyota is probably the *most* conservative when it comes to pulling technologies into their cars, and it shows in both reliability data and in their lack of modern features. Toyota was late to the direct injection party, which increases torque and fuel economy. They solved (supposedly) its issues by going dual injection. They resisted CVTs for a long time, and now that they're using them, some of their CVTs are having problems. They are not downsizing with turbos, which are known to provide a more powerful engine with a better torque curve at a lower weight and more compact packaging.


Toyotas aren't more reliable (on average) because they're Toyotas, they're more reliable because in most models Toyota still uses a conventional transmission, does not have turbos, and does not have direct injection.

Honda may well be riding on their name, but the direct injection turbo CVT Accord certainly is nice to drive. And who knows? Maybe rather than relying on a known good engine design, their new one will be an even better choice.

[LKJ1988]

The heck with the boring 4 bangers. Get a used C6 Vette and mod it.

[easy62]

Get what you want don’t listen to these people who you don’t know it’s your money.