Shopping for a car

debodun

debodun

SF VIP
Location
way upstate in New York, USA
With all the problems my 2002 car has had, I was looking at cars online. There's no rule that says I have to stay with Honda. There's a Ford dealer about 6 miles away. I looked at their online inventory and was disappointed there were no compact sedans available - only pickup trucks and SUVs. This is what AI had to say about that:

Ford stopped producing sedans in North America (including the Fiesta, Focus, Fusion, and Taurus) around 2018–2020 because they were not profitable, and consumer demand shifted heavily toward SUVs, trucks, and crossovers. The company decided to focus on higher-margin vehicles, reallocating resources to develop SUVs, trucks, and electric vehicles.
:(
 
debodun said:
With all the problems my 2002 car has had, I was looking at cars online. There's no rule that says I have to stay with Honda. There's a Ford dealer about 6 miles away. I looked at their online inventory and was disappointed there were no compact sedans available - only pickup trucks and SUVs. This is what AI had to say about that:

Ford stopped producing sedans in North America (including the Fiesta, Focus, Fusion, and Taurus) around 2018–2020 because they were not profitable, and consumer demand shifted heavily toward SUVs, trucks, and crossovers. The company decided to focus on higher-margin vehicles, reallocating resources to develop SUVs, trucks, and electric vehicles.
:(
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My car which was written off in July was a Ford fusion...I liked it. it was the best car I ever had .... but as you say they don't make them any more..

I went with a kia in the end ......

Would you not prefer to buy used ?....then their maybe something reltively young in the model you're looking for...
 
Used cars are almost as expensive as new. I am just in a quandary - why buy a new car at my age (I'll turn 74 next month). Also, I am teetering on the edge of bad vision - hardly any in left eye and right is extremely nearsighted. If I get a retinal detachment in the right eye, I will be legally blind and not be able to drive at all. Then I'll have a 30K paperweight in the garage.

Yet my old friend is requiring more and more repairs and becoming a money pit.

I am just not good at making important decisions. 🤔
 
debodun said:
Used cars are almost as expensive as new. I am just in a quandary - why buy a new car at my age (I'll turn 74 next month). Also, I am teetering on the edge of bad vision - hardly any in left eye and right is extremely nearsighted. If I get a retinal detachment in the right eye, I will be legally blind and not be able to drive at all. Then I'll have a 30K paperweight in the garage.

Yet my old friend is requiring more and more repairs and becoming a money pit.

I am not good at making important decisions. 🤔
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well the Kia I bought is 3 years old... it had just 29k on the clock... it cost me 9K..... so altho' much higher than in the recent past ,nowhere near the price of new... which would have been £18,775
 
I chose a basic Hyundai Kona, it was a good choice for the money. Gray but colors were available for an up charge of around $500.00. For an extra $500.00 gray became my favorite color. 😉🤭😂

I also looked at a Subaru Crosstrek and was impressed with the quality and reputation.

In the end I went cheap because I don’t drive enough to warrant the extra money and the dealership is close to my home.

Shopping and comparing will drive you crazy if you let it.

IMO any new vehicle with a full warranty can be a good choice, buy something that you can have serviced close to home as well as something that you will enjoy.
 
That's a problem here. The only nearby dealerships are the Ford place I mentioned and a Totoya dealer a little farther away. Any other would be 20 miles or more. Not convenient to travel to have serviced. Even the Honda place is about 15 miles away. It was different when I was working and had to be in the "big city". Even my current car I bought at a dealer which is not where I now have it serviced.
 
I have a 08 hyundai elantra. I bought from my husband's aunt when she died. It had 20M on it. Today, it has only 40M. Keep in mind that my job was only 2 miles from home. I had grocery, pharmacy, doctors all within a couple of miles.

It has been a very good car. I am proactive, take it in for regular service, keep up on tires and have things replaced before they create a problem. This includes belts and things that degrade with time. I live in Texas and the heat is very hard on these things.

I do like the toyota, ford, honda and acura brands. My family has all owned these brands used and had good luck. At this point, I drive little and just need a dependable vehicle with AC. I only have to put gas in the car every 3 or 4 or months. I am a homebody!
 
I would love to have a pickup. I always felt so safe when I drove my husbands. After he passed, I kept it not only to have a vehicle to haul things but I could also go and sit in there just to smell his scent.

Well the engine blew, still do not know why, donated to Kids for cars. I still miss that truck. Even looking used the prices are ridiculous, looks like no truck for me.
 
debodun said:
Another thing is the bland colors of today's cars. It seems the dealers only carry black, white or silver/gray exterior colors.
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this is mine... .not a bland colour

IMG-8609.jpg
. when my car was written off ..I had no car, so I had to quickly find another car. Bear in mind I was in hospital for 2 weeks of that...

When I came out I just spent a couple of hours every day looking at cars for sale in my area.. and reading the reviews of the various showroom and garages....and then reading the reviews on the cars themselves...cost of Insurance , common causes of faults etc..and I boght my car within 3 weeks of the accident

I paid cash for my car..

I did this all by myself..I had no-one to help me do it.. just like you deb.. and I did it at age 70...

My point is, if I can do it.. I'm a senior like you.. no-one to give me advice on what to buy.. .. and I managed to do it while recovering from a serious crash and plastic surgery......

You can find all sort of reasons to talk yourself out of it... but I think that throwing good money afer bad on the car you have now is not sensible..
 
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Blessed said:
I would love to have a pickup. I always felt so safe when I drove my husbands. After he passed, I kept it not only to have a vehicle to haul things but I could also go and sit in there just to smell his scent.

Well the engine blew, still do not know why, donated to Kids for cars. I still miss that truck. Even looking used the prices are ridiculous, looks like no truck for me.
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trucks hold their prices so much more than cars tbh... some of the prices of used trucks would keep you in furs for years..
 
I'm a Ford fan, they've been very good to me. Had no idea they stopped making some cars though. I wouldn't know as I haven't needed to buy something in a while.

Most of my family drives Fords, well all did but one does have a Jeep SUV now. They've been very reliable for all of us, and that includes cars, SUVs and trucks, over many years.

If I had to purchase again, I'd look for a Ford. I don't know that I believe in buying new any longer. I'm not paying more for a vehicle than I paid for my first home lol.
 
AutumnGal said:
I'm a Ford fan, they've been very good to me. Had no idea they stopped making some cars though. I wouldn't know as I haven't needed to buy something in a while.

Most of my family drives Fords, well all did but one does have a Jeep SUV now. They've been very reliable for all of us, and that includes cars, SUVs and trucks, over many years.

If I had to purchase again, I'd look for a Ford. I don't know that I believe in buying new any longer. I'm not paying more for a vehicle than I paid for my first home lol.
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very sensible

When my ford was written off..I didn't look for another ford...because Ford no longer have a good reputation... unlike with my fusion which they no longer make... and all my previous fords.. so I then had to research what makes and model of cars would be suitable for me..

My daughter drives a Rav 4 which cost more than you want to think about.. she buys her cars new..always... and she tried to get me to buy a Toyota... but I found Toyota to be way more than I was willing to pay... and further to that the Insurance was higher than I wanted to pay on a car.. ..
 
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