Car Shopping Advice

[panther4life]

4 minutes ago, ARSEN said:

I’m looking to buy new car in next few months with 4th kid on the way.  I need crossover with 3rd row...  currently looking into Audi Q7, Infiniti QX60 and Volvo.  Any recommendations? Looking at:

1. Safety

2. Performance 

3. Deal

1. Just look up the crash ratings and see which ones offer the best technological safety (like blind spot monitoring)features that would benefit you the most.

2. Perfomance Audi would top all of those. Infiniti is like a beginner brand to luxury. 

3. If looking at new, please use sites I told the other guy to use, truecar.comm and edmunds.com, takes all the guesswork out of it for you and you will not negotiate a lower price than the lowest quote you find on those sites. This is from a seasoned sales manager in the biz  ( now I work from home as a pre-owned buyer to fill used car lots for several dealerships under the same ownership group). 

Otherwise id try to find a pre-owned with low miles from a reputable dealer. 

Also if you’re constantly finding life circumstances constantly changing on you and insist on new, leasing can be a good option for you.

 

[LinvilleGorge]

I drive a Lexus IS 350 F Sport and the wife drives a Yukon Denali (since I average about 75 miles a day and she has a 5 mile round trip commute). 

We've had a Tahoe or Yukon in the household since 2004 and I love the damn things but now that the wife is primarily driving the Yukon I'm getting tired of hearing her bitch about wanting something smaller. She loves my car and wants an RX 350 because of it. I guess I'm going to to have to drag her, the kiddo, the car seat, the 120# Rottweiler and a couple of suitcases down to the stealership to prove to her that it's just too damn small to replace the Yukon. She had a 4-Runner previously but we got rod of it to add my car because we both agreed that it was basically just a smaller, shittier version of the Yukon. We liked ever facet of the Yukon better and she even agreed that even though it was a significantly larger it truly drove smaller than the 4-Runner. I think she's just bored of the Tahoe/Yukon platform but she'd immediatetly regret it on our first family roadtrip if we traded it on something smaller.

[tarheelpride]

49 minutes ago, ARSEN said:

I’m looking to buy new car in next few months with 4th kid on the way.  I need crossover with 3rd row...  currently looking into Audi Q7, Infiniti QX60 and Volvo.  Any recommendations? Looking at:

1. Safety

2. Performance 

3. Deal

One of the ladies I work with said she has had nothing but problems with the transmission in her Infiniti QX60. Something to think about

[LinvilleGorge]

In terms of Audi and Volvo, the maintenance costs are crippling. Don't do it.

Subaru? Ugh. Go test drive them. Awful fit and finish and just overall feel cheap as poo. Pay attention to the throttle delay. Try to pull out into fast  moving traffic. Those CVT transmissions are atrocious and most Subarus outside of the WRX are underpowered to the point of being near dangerous. I had an Outback as a company vehicle for a couple of years and I hated that POS with a passion. I honestly wouldn't take an Outback new off the lot if they'd give it to me for free if I had to keep it as part of the deal. If a company tried to provide me one as a company vehicle, I'd go find a new job.

[TbTeRRoR]

I made a real nice post about my buying strategy that worked well back in 2012.  I'd rather find it and copy than type it all out again, but one quick point.  Save the trade in drop for as long as possible. Work them down and down and down and then say well yeah we're getting closer I could do a trade in maybe but I don't want to I think I'd get better private value....the salesman may let you name your price on the trade..and trust me that's the only way you will get trade in value that is any good at all usually.

[Crixtala]

10 hours ago, LinvilleGorge said:

In terms of Audi and Volvo, the maintenance costs are crippling. Don't do it.

Subaru? Ugh. Go test drive them. Awful fit and finish and just overall feel cheap as poo. Pay attention to the throttle delay. Try to pull out into fast  moving traffic. Those CVT transmissions are atrocious and most Subarus outside of the WRX are underpowered to the point of being near dangerous. I had an Outback as a company vehicle for a couple of years and I hated that POS with a passion. I honestly wouldn't take an Outback new off the lot if they'd give it to me for free if I had to keep it as part of the deal. If a company tried to provide me one as a company vehicle, I'd go find a new job.

this is the craziest post i've read in this whole thread... opinions are opinions, but this is the exact opposite feeling i have on subaru's, and living in asheville (land of subaru's), there's not this many of them around town - at every age range imaginable, mind you - and all of us be wrong

my wife and i purchased a CPO 2011 Outback Limited with ~30k miles in 2014.  the only problem we have EVER had with the vehicle is the automatic lock actuators going bad on both front doors (only replaced driver's side to this point, passenger still works majority of the time unless it's real cold). of all the honda's (and acura's), mazda's, toyota's, hyundai's and mercedes' i've driven over the years, that CVT transmission is a revelation. easily the best transmission i've ever had the experience of driving, and going back to a regular 5/6/7 speed automatic in any other car makes you realize exactly how nice that CVT is. only complaint with the fit and finish is the cloth seats - they show water spots like crazy for some reason and leather would have probably been the better option, but this is our dog hauler.  everything else interior-wise is as nearly new-looking as the day we bought it with ~30k miles, and when you really want to shine her up, cleans up with the best of them

and again - subaru's might as well be the city bird up here in asheville, but there's good reason - for the moderate conditions that can be expected up here in the mountains with poo roads and a semblance of real winter every once in a while - these things will not let you down or leave you stranded

i picked up a mercedes ml350 back in july, and kick myself everyday by not going with my initial plan of just buying another Outback in Premium trim

[LinvilleGorge]

4 minutes ago, Crixtala said:

this is the craziest post i've read in this whole thread... opinions are opinions, but this is the exact opposite feeling i have on subaru's, and living in asheville (land of subaru's), there's not this many of them around town - at every age range imaginable, mind you - and all of us be wrong

my wife and i purchased a CPO 2011 Outback Limited with ~30k miles in 2014.  the only problem we have EVER had with the vehicle is the automatic lock actuators going bad on both front doors (only replaced driver's side to this point, passenger still works majority of the time unless it's real cold). of all the honda's (and acura's), mazda's, toyota's, hyundai's and mercedes' i've driven over the years, that CVT transmission is a revelation. easily the best transmission i've ever had the experience of driving, and going back to a regular 5/6/7 speed automatic in any other car makes you realize exactly how nice that CVT is. only complaint with the fit and finish is the cloth seats - they show water spots like crazy for some reason and leather would have probably been the better option, but this is our dog hauler.  everything else interior-wise is as nearly new-looking as the day we bought it with ~30k miles, and when you really want to shine her up, cleans up with the best of them

and again - subaru's might as well be the city bird up here in asheville, but there's good reason - for the moderate conditions that can be expected up here in the mountains with poo roads and a semblance of real winter every once in a while - these things will not let you down or leave you stranded

i picked up a mercedes ml350 back in july, and kick myself everyday by not going with my initial plan of just buying another Outback in Premium trim

I live in Colorado where there's a poo ton more Subarus than in Asheville and yes, all of you are wrong. They're cheap AWD vehicles with decent gas mileage and some models have good reliability (other models eat head gaskets like potato chips). They dent easier than beer cans and the paint chips like it came out of a rattle can too. They're trash.

 

[Snake]

11 hours ago, LinvilleGorge said:

I drive a Lexus IS 350 F Sport and the wife drives a Yukon Denali (since I average about 75 miles a day and she has a 5 mile round trip commute). 

We've had a Tahoe or Yukon in the household since 2004 and I love the damn things but now that the wife is primarily driving the Yukon I'm getting tired of hearing her bitch about wanting something smaller. She loves my car and wants an RX 350 because of it. I guess I'm going to to have to drag her, the kiddo, the car seat, the 120# Rottweiler and a couple of suitcases down to the stealership to prove to her that it's just too damn small to replace the Yukon. She had a 4-Runner previously but we got rod of it to add my car because we both agreed that it was basically just a smaller, shittier version of the Yukon. We liked ever facet of the Yukon better and she even agreed that even though it was a significantly larger it truly drove smaller than the 4-Runner. I think she's just bored of the Tahoe/Yukon platform but she'd immediatetly regret it on our first family roadtrip if we traded it on something smaller.

That's the same reason we pulled the trigger on the navigator we got back in 12. My wife has been the opposite. She bitched at first because it was so big and now she likes it for its safety. My only regret was not getting the XL version. I also like the IS 350 but I heard the infotainment system is wonky in them.

[LinvilleGorge]

34 minutes ago, Snake said:

That's the same reason we pulled the trigger on the navigator we got back in 12. My wife has been the opposite. She bitched at first because it was so big and now she likes it for its safety. My only regret was not getting the XL version. I also like the IS 350 but I heard the infotainment system is wonky in them.

The infotainment controls are kinda weird but you get used to it quickly and once you do it just seems normal.

At least the Bluetooth stays reliably connected and works well unlikely the Outback. I truly cannot put into words how badly I detest those pieces of poo. Seriously, not even for free. Nope.

[tarheelpride]

6 hours ago, TbTeRRoR said:

I made a real nice post about my buying strategy that worked well back in 2012.  I'd rather find it and copy than type it all out again, but one quick point.  Save the trade in drop for as long as possible. Work them down and down and down and then say well yeah we're getting closer I could do a trade in maybe but I don't want to I think I'd get better private value....the salesman may let you name your price on the trade..and trust me that's the only way you will get trade in value that is any good at all usually.

The dealers have been pressing me on a trade in on the front end almost as soon as I turn into the lot. I keep telling them that I want to discuss the total price of the car first before deciding if I should trade in. And I definitely don’t tell them I have all of the paperwork for a trade in right then. I’ll try that next time to see if I could name my price. 

[thefuzz]

20 minutes ago, tarheelpride said:

The dealers have been pressing me on a trade in on the front end almost as soon as I turn into the lot. I keep telling them that I want to discuss the total price of the car first before deciding if I should trade in. And I definitely don’t tell them I have all of the paperwork for a trade in right then. I’ll try that next time to see if I could name my price. 

Of course they are.  The devil is in the details...the more moving parts, the more likely you get confused.

[TbTeRRoR]

I had an old car that was KBR around 600-800 dollars I got 1500 off for it, but that was on my ex-wifes car and she went in wanting it way to bad and we got a bad deal that day.  Whey I bought my truck I acted indifferent to buying. Worked on them.  Told them I had to talk to my wife about it and maybe bring her back ( I went alone at first obviously)  I got him to talking prices.   I got him down some and still said I'd come back later to let her look.   We did then I dropped the iffy on my trade and still I held out afterwards saying I wanted to wait on my tax return so I could make a better down payment for lower  monthly payments.  I ended up getting a truck they had marked for 16K for  11k  total after I paid it all off. My trade in value was around 3.5k  so I felt pretty darn good about that deal.  The KBV on the truck I bought was 15k-17k.  You never really win in these situations but you do the best you can.  It also helps that gas prices were sky high at the time and I was purchasing a V8 and it was the last week of the month( I've heard that helps)

[Snake]

9 hours ago, LinvilleGorge said:

The infotainment controls are kinda weird but you get used to it quickly and once you do it just seems normal.

At least the Bluetooth stays reliably connected and works well unlikely the Outback. I truly cannot put into words how badly I detest those pieces of poo. Seriously, not even for free. Nope.

Sorry I'm not liberal enough to own a outback. I like Lexus 350 because it's reliable and I like a Sierra because it hauls and it's got all the nice features. I've been in the market for a new vehicle for 6 months now and I've yet to pick between the two. 

[OneBadCat]

If you're looking for a sedan have you considered a second generation Acura TSX? They are essentially dressed up Honda Accords. But with depreciation I'm sure they are pretty reasonably priced now. Whats your budget? I have a 2008 first gen I bought cash and its held up wonderfully. Leather still looks brand new and the honda 4 cylinder is pretty much bullet proof.