I dislike buying cars

Get a one-month subscription to Consumer Reports. For the past 30 years they have given good advice on cars.
If you can afford an EV, getting the home charger and all that, if I were you I'd consider one. They are the wave of the future. With an EV you never need an oil change, never need a tune-up, rarely need new brakes.

This is why EVs were stalled for so many years (See film: "Who Killed the Electric Car"). They don't need oil. That fact enrages the oil industry.
 

I just bought a 2024 Nissan Kicks. This is the 10th Nissan I (we) have had and I wouldn't buy any other make. We've also owned (2) Dodge Ram dually's to pull our 40' fifth-wheel when we first retired in 2001. We had (2) Chevy Equinox's and a Chrysler 300M during the years.

My experience at my local dealership when I bought the Kicks was not stressful. If you know what my circumstances were at the time (it's on other postings), I expected it to be an ordeal. Not so at all. They were very kind and helpful. No pressure at all and they let me tell them what I wanted and needed (or didn't need). I will always deal with them, which we had for many years before this situation occurred.
 
I have a 2002 Honda Civic with 140K+ miles. It still gets me from Point A to Point B. New cars are so expensive and not owner serviceable. I'd be paying for a lot of bells and whistles I wouldn't even use. The Civic has cruise control that I never used. Basically I just need it to go grocery shopping, to church and delivering meals-on-wheels about 1 day a week.


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Gardenlover said:
My cars are getting old.... 2004 Camry, 2010 F150 truck and a 2017 Honda CRV.

Researching new cars is like reading the reviews on Amazon. Just when you think you've found something decent, someone raises a concern that casts suspicion on the positive information you've recently read.

I can't even use the data from my first sentence as a guideline as the manufacturing of cars has changed so much over the years.

What car do you drive? Do you love it or hate it and why?
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I would keep that Camry until something major breaks on it, like the catalytic converter. As long as you don't need to put more than 10,000 to 15,000 a miles a year on it, why replace it?
 
One of several buyer advocates out there now:

CarEdge | Buy, Sell, and Protect New & Used Cars

Inequality abounds. Structures and systems exist within our society that explicitly take advantage of groups of people. As the son of a car salesperson, I witnessed this firsthand.

There is a reason “car salesperson” ranks last on the annual Gallup trustworthiness poll of professions — odds are either you, or someone you know has had a negative experience buying a car. This is not to say all car people are shady or nefarious (far from it), however it does speak to a system and structure that is designed for inefficiency and inequality.
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hollydolly said:
250,000 miles ?...really, ?..I think that's the most I've ever heard of...at the average of 10 k a year, which is the average a Brit drives. doesn't sound like your Golf gets much rest... :D
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It's 25 years old now, so it has averaged ten thousand miles per year. The longest any previous car lasted before the big bills sent it on it's way, was a lovely, series two BMW, had that for eight years.
 
Traveled hither and yon and bounced around the dark space of the internet attempting to make sense of the car reviews. I then visited several dealerships and with many struggles decided to purchased a Subaru Ascent. It seems very solid, the biggest factor was the Zen like salesman. He truly love the brand. It almost seemed like a religious experience. My wife and I were sold and brought into the family, yes we drunk the coolaid, actually it was wine on a beach while skinny dipping. Feel free to fill in the blanks for yourself.

I'm happy and really that is all that matters. Peace out.✌️
 
262k on a 2007 Forester. For this person utility vehicles have always been a means to outdoor activities including sleeping in overnight. Like the OP, at least now with used car prices inflation high, I don't want to be bothered with automobile issues including replacing what already works. Last Friday on my first Sierra Nevada ski day this winter drove 390 miles up 8,000 feet to and then back down to the San Jose at sea level with plenty of snow on roads above 4k. New vehicle electronic features, mostly for my purposes a yawn.
 
Colleen said:
I just bought a 2024 Nissan Kicks. This is the 10th Nissan I (we) have had and I wouldn't buy any other make. We've also owned (2) Dodge Ram dually's to pull our 40' fifth-wheel when we first retired in 2001. We had (2) Chevy Equinox's and a Chrysler 300M during the years.

My experience at my local dealership when I bought the Kicks was not stressful. If you know what my circumstances were at the time (it's on other postings), I expected it to be an ordeal. Not so at all. They were very kind and helpful. No pressure at all and they let me tell them what I wanted and needed (or didn't need). I will always deal with them, which we had for many years before this situation occurred.
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I remember your situation with your husband passing and you having to take over the lease payments. I'm so glad to hear you were able to sort things out and that you have a brand new vehicle. (y)
 
Gardenlover said:
My cars are getting old.... 2004 Camry, 2010 F150 truck and a 2017 Honda CRV.

Researching new cars is like reading the reviews on Amazon. Just when you think you've found something decent, someone raises a concern that casts suspicion on the positive information you've recently read.

I can't even use the data from my first sentence as a guideline as the manufacturing of cars has changed so much over the years.

What car do you drive? Do you love it or hate it and why?
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What about Consumer Reports and Kelly's Blue Book? I haven't had to buy a car in a very long time (last and only new car 1994 Camry), but I remember going to the library and reading the car issue of Consumer Reports. I think it helped some. Then I saw a red one on the highway and said...that's what I want. I haven't driven since 2005 due to eye issues.
 
OneEyedDiva said:
What about Consumer Reports and Kelly's Blue Book? I haven't had to buy a car in a very long time (last and only new car 1994 Camry), but I remember going to the library and reading the car issue of Consumer Reports. I think it helped some. Then I saw a red one on the highway and said...that's what I want. I haven't driven since 2005 due to eye issues.
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I love your new Avatar, Diva. You making music. Very fitting!
 
I have a 1987 Mazda truck which I bought from my daughter when she bought a new car. I fell in love with Smart Cars when I visited Italy - they were all over the place. I have always had a thing for small cars. Finally they came to the USA and in 2014 I bought mine. I love it! And still love it tho I don't put too miles on it anymore.
 
My 2012 Chrysler has 41000 miles on it. I expect it will outlast me. I will be 90 next month. I had the convertible top replaced last year so it looks respectable.

Consumer Reports is interesting but they assume that everyone lives in their climate. It is 50 years since I last drove in snow.

I have owned 3 SUVs, all were 2WD. They were bought since station wagons have disappeared. They did an excellent job of towing our small travel trailer, down into Mexico, up into Canada, coast to coast.
 
Teacher Terry said:
I have a 2008 Toyota Corolla that has 70k miles. I only drive 2700 miles a year since retiring. I have a friend that is driving one that’s 32 years old. If this car dies I would buy another.
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I love Toyota Corollas. I am on my fourth one now. The previous ones lasted over 100,000 miles each before I traded them in. The one I have now is 2022, so I think this will be my last car, given the track record and my age. We'll see.
 
I don’t think I would buy a brand new car unless I intended to trade in while still under warranty. Besides the crazy high prices, so many brand new cars have serious issues like excessive oil consumption or transmission failure.
 
I'm amused by the vehicle choices people make, crowing the virtues of notoriously unreliable "second tier" makes. I assumed that somebody has been buying those crapboxes but scratched my head over why unless they buy on price rather than value.

It clearly isn't a common failing though, as seen by the surplus stock figures ("days to sell") published each month for years. Highly reliable makes are always in much lower supply due to high demand.
 
I found Honda salespeople difficult to deal with. They make you feel they are giving you a bargain for selling at the sticker price. I tried to negotiate with one, but he was inflexible. I walked out of his cubicle and looked back and he was sitting with his feet up on the desk and hands interlocked behind his head and grinning. I tried another dealership and although he was less arrogant, wouldn't budge on the sticker price.
 
debodun said:
I found Honda salespeople difficult to deal with. They make you feel they are giving you a bargain for selling at the sticker price. I tried to negotiate with one, but he was inflexible. I walked out of his cubicle and looked back and he was sitting with his feet up on the desk and hands interlocked behind his head and grinning. I tried another dealership and although he was less arrogant, wouldn't budge on the sticker price.
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It's been a difficult time for buyers over the last year. High demand makes have also been in short supply making dealers complacent since they can move every piece of metal that comes onto their lots.
 
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