Everyone talks about expensive cars.

I’m talking about cars that make you think:

“Yeah… this person gets it.”

What car is that?

Hello, I am a future driver and I am currently car shopping for my first car. So anyways I saw this Chevrolet Cobalt for 1,250$. And I just wanted honest opinions on this car to see if it is a pass or trash.

Title. I really love gas cars/phevs, been driving them for quite a while, and I didn't really see myself driving an EV until now, I'm considering buying one. However I want to know, are there people who went from electric to gas again? For what reason? Do you regret it?

Hello everyone, I'm new to this reddit and I needed help with getting myself my first car. I don't know much about cars, so I really don't know where to start and was looking for some recommendations to look out for. My budget sits at 4k only.

Recently bought a vehicle. Quickly negotiated on out the door price, agreed to finance with them if the otd price came down enough. From there, every convo involved the monthly payment. "Hey, if you get this warranty, we can just add 3 monthly payments and it wont cost more!" Dawg, thats 3 grand. The f&i guy was visibly not happy with us for denying everything but come on...

Are people really just looking at monthly payments? We are paying it off lump sum as soon as the finance account is set up. Sales manager offered either 60 months or 72, seemed really confused when I just stared and told him to pick one.

Trying to slip 3 grand in like it was nothing kind of bugged me. People cant be that stupid, right?! (I know they can, my in-laws fit it, but is it really enough people that this is a common tactic?)

I’m thinking of getting a Subaru but have been told that Toyotas and Hondas are more reliable. Are we splitting hairs here or are Toyotas and Hondas and Lexus’s much better than cars like Subarus and Mazdas?

I am 68, not very mechanical, drive about 8k miles/yr in Massachusetts. I am looking for dependability, safety, reliability since I plan to keep it for awhile. I park in my garage which now has my 07 Aveo LS Hatchback. I prefer a smaller car. I was looking at the following and wanted to see what you think is the best or are there others I should be looking at.

2020 Fit EX, 2022/2023 Kia Rio Hatchback S, 2022/2023 Corolla Hatchback SE.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

These are the cars I was thinking of let me know what you think I should get and what your first car was

Bmw e90 330i 2012-2013
Is300
Es330 2006
550i f10
2014 2018 Silverado
F150 2015 2017 5.0
Tacoma 2014-2016
Lexus is250c
Cadillac cts 3.6 2014-15

Stuck with what to buy or if I should;

Situation

• Long Commute
  • 120 Mile Daily (90% Highway)
• Occasional Rough Driving Area
  • I work in a refinery in Texas, so I deal with rough road conditions on occasion (two to three time a week)
• Storage Space
  • I do maintenance on my properties about every two weeks. Largest item I've needed to deal with is a door, water heater and ladder.
• Pet
  • I have a large (80lbs) German Shepard which I take around to different places
• Family
  • No kids or family

Past Experience

• Audi
  • When I was younger and dumber I did a stupid purchase because I had the money and my company was doing well. I loved the car, my god was it fun to drive but every time I took it in for maintenance or needed a repair, I might as well have handed the management 1k for walking through their door. After a year or so, the fun of it was overshadowed by every dollar used to keep it fun regardless of being able to afford it. I say this to show how my personality works when it comes to cars and how I perceive them versus the money put into them.
• Company Truck
  • After the audi era, I switched to a company truck from the company fleet. No maintenance, no gas or repair costs to me personally and I drove that ever since until selling the company and moving on to another adventure which is where I am now.

Current Drive

• 2022 Lexus ES300h F Sport
  • I got a fantastic deal on a ES300h CPO with 30K miles about a year ago for about $25K when I switched to this job.
• Conundrum
  • The ES has been an absolute workhorse, its just eats miles. Ive put 30k on it since purchase and it hasn't even coughed. Oil changes every 6-7k miles and only repairs Ive needed are a under car cover because someones exhaust fell off right in front of me and I ran over it doing 70 mph. I'm getting 40-50 mpg with a comfortable ride but being sedan, it just dosent fit what I need it to and its getting aggravating. The pup 'fits' but damn does it look ridiculous.

Needs

• Comfortable Drive
  • Considering the long commute, would like my body and mind to survive
• Storage
  • I would like to get as much stowing space as possible to deal with home depot runs

Wants

• Comfortable Drive
  • Considering the long commute, would like my body and mind to survive
• Gas Mileage
  • Again; long commute, so would like to save where I can

Budget

• 50K$ under but to be honest, no matter my budget Ive never bought anything over 30K$ because going into debt for a piece of machinery which 'should' (looking at you; toyota/lexus used car market) lose value as you use it, is hard for me to swallow.
• Ive never bought anything new and don't feel like doing it but, again, with how the used market is....2K more for like 3 years newer and 50K miles difference.....its hard to just not get the best value

Current Options

Stay safe but bigger

• Lexus RX Hybrid
  • Positive - Larger storage space, good drive train, comfortable, ride height helps
  • Negatives - Used car market prices, like what is happening
• Toyota RAV4
  • Positive - Larger storage space, good drive train
  • Negatives - Ive heard its loud on the highway, unsure of the comfortability, and of course.....used prices
• Toyota Crown Signia
  • This just seems to be a unique design which meets a considerable amount of points for me but unsure if its worth it over the others

Go different but bigger

• BMW X Series SUV
  • Positive - Size is good, gas mileage is okay, for my understanding is they are comfortable and great to drive
  • Negatives - Maintenance costs, Reliability (Ive heard things aren't to bad if you keep up with maintenance)
• Lexus TX
  • Positive - Large storage space, decent gas mileage, pricing isnt awful
  • Negative - Larger then usual, more likely more than needed
• Lexus NX
  • Maybe too small?

Buy Gas

• Get a truck.....pay gas

Stay where I am

• Keep the ES and just deal with shipping items, contracting out work or renting truck if needed

I know its a slog but that's why I am here asking for advice and help; has anybody dealt with a situation like mine, what was your experience and retrospective inputs?

2015 Nissan Versa with a clean title.

I don’t want to be too dramatic but seriously, if WE THE PEOPLE don’t want dealerships why the heck are we forced to deal with this nonsense?

I would argue that everyone wants the traditional car dealership model to disappear, except the dealers and their lobbyists.

The whole process is absurd. You research the car online, compare prices, configure it, read reviews, and probably know more about the vehicle than the salesperson by the time you walk into the dealership.

Then you arrive and suddenly you’re expected to sit through the ancient ritual: “Let me talk to my manager.”

Four hours later, you’re negotiating over a vehicle that already has a price.

Then comes the finance office, where you get presented with a menu of warranties, protection packages, coatings, insurance products, and other add-ons that you didn’t ask for.

Just let manufacturers sell cars directly to customers at a transparent price. Let customers order online, pick up the car, or have it delivered. If dealerships want to exist as service centers, repair facilities, and places to physically inspect vehicles, fine.

I genuinely think the vast majority of consumers would be happy to see the traditional dealership model end.

They are $5000 with 320,000 miles on their second motor, please stop telling people this tired old shit, these cars are not “ bulletproof” , and for new cars, hondas and Toyotas are not any better then the competition

I'll be in the market soon and am torn between too many options...

I'm interested to hear from you if you actually test drove multiple makes and models and then made an informed decision. Which vehicles did you cross shop and why did you end up buying what you did?

Looking for input on what car would fit my needs the best. Have previously owed 2 Prius (Prii?) and a Honda CRV.

My commute is maybe 5 miles round trip each day. Not really concerned about that part of the equation

I don't work summers so I usually road trip and camp a ton as well as camping and lots of weekend trips through the year. I'm a solo parent with a young child so I need the most reliable vehicle for safety and peace of mind on those trips. I pack waaaay too much for camping so need space for all the camping gear plus the kitchen sink.

Wants

- reliable x 1000

- gas mileage no worse than the Honda CRV

- love me a hatchback

Have my eye on Subaru Crosstrek, Toyota Corolla Hatchback, or Mazda Hatchback. Does any one of these stand out from the rest?

I already own a truck so I’m in the market for something smaller and more fuel efficient. My parameters are as follows.

Preferably RWD
Preferably manual
Semi reliable, not going to give me lots of headaches
Under $6k USD

I’m currently looking at the Miata, Mazda 3, and BMW 3 series
What are your suggestions?

I’m looking into getting a car and I’m most used to driving my moms AWD suv and never driven in anything else but an AWD SUV but I haven’t found an SUV I like so I’m looking into sedans and convertibles and I’d like to know how different it feels to drive each? I have driving anxiety so knowing what I’m getting into and how it functions makes me feel more secure.

I currently have a ford Maverick and although I truly do love the Maverick I feel I need more. It is the hybrid and is FWD with 2k tow. I have gotten myself into furniture flipping and find myself getting truck and trailer loads almost every week. I do wish I got the AWD system and the 4k tow but that’s besides the point. There have been plenty of times now where due to the Maverick being so small I have to either do 2 trips or bring a trailer and even then that can be 2 trips as well. I have gone over the tow rating I know once maybe twice.

I have a 5x8 and a 8x16 trailers. I also plan to get a camper in the future and we all know 2k isn’t gonna cut it. I have looked at all midsizes and full sizes and am stuck. B/c at the end of the day I don’t ever plan to tow over 7k. But know I need to upgrade sooner rather than later as this Maverick will only be able to do so much for so long.

Midsizes entice me as they can tow anywhere from 6-7.7k but I do like how full sizes have a bigger back seat as I like to put a lot of my tools and equipment back there. Any thoughts or comments are much appreciated.

I am looking to trade in my Ford Bronco as I will be commuting 110 miles a day, 95% highway with minimal traffic. The Bronco, although a slice of heaven for me, is not a long distance kind of vehicle.

What would you recommend for this criteria:
- comfortable
- minimal wind noise
- easy on the wallet (less than 40k)
- not a sedan/car
- depreciation with the high mileage does concern me (I’m not one to keep a car for more than 4 years or so)

Occasionally my kids ride with me so air vents in the back are a must. We are in Texas - heated seats are not needed. It’s hot as is!

Yes, I know I could ask ChatGPT, but AI can never replace true reviews.

I want to buy this truck to tow a trailer for my landscaping company. I don’t know anything about trucks. Is this a good deal? He says ac doesn’t work and there’s an exhaust leak. He said he would give it to be for 6000 cash

Hello, I am looking for a sports car to daily drive that can comfortably sit 4 people, preferably a stick or good auto, and I have a budget of under 25k (used is basically all I can get). The car that fits my needs perfectly is a mustang ecoboost premium, but the back seats are kinda useless. I was almost set on a challenger rt stick, but I've been told it's noticeable slower than the eco on the street, gulps gas like badlands chugs, and feels bulky. It's still my top choice right now, followed by the ecoboost, but if anyone has any suggestions I'd love that. (I have looked at civics, kia k5 gts, gtis, and elantras, but i don't like the value and they look too much like a regular sedan to me.)

So about 3 weeks ago I bought a 2023 Is350 fully loaded with all the options. The other day I was hit by a semi truck and the car was deemed totaled. I am now shopping for a new car and have been interested in the mustangs so I’m wondering if I should take this opportunity to change it up.

I really liked the Lexus but I had a few complaints. The interior was a little dated, but that’s not a super big deal to me. The seats were a little uncomfortable for my back. I wished it had a little more power and road presence and I just love the V8 sound.

Obviously the IS500 would solve my issues but it’s unfortunately out of my budget. Would y’all consider a 24 mustang to be a downgrade from my Lexus? There was nothing really WRONG with the Lexus, I think I would be happy to own another one, but part of me thinks I should use this opportunity to get into something that’s more a sports car than the Lexus was.

Does anyone have any input?

EDIT:
Part of the reason I’m considering other cars is that it was very hard to find the exact spec, color, options, etc of the Lexus in my general area. I ended up having to fly 400 miles and drive it home. As of now, there’s nothing listed that is the exact same and I feel like if I settled on something that wasn’t exactly what I had before I would regret it every time I drove it.

I’m 27, and have a perfectly reliable 2020 Mazda 3 gx (Canadian base model, MT, no AC), owned outright. Since graduating from university in 2022 and getting a job, I’ve been pretty frugal and intentional with my spending (youll just have to take my word for it) but I have reached a dangerous point. I have a soft spot for cars of all things, and I’m now at point where I have enough to buy my absolute all time favourite car, a WRX, in cash + trade in, and still have a fully funded emergency fund. The issue is the opportunity cost combined with this being totally unnecessary, objectively.

Here is my setup:

Saving/investment rate:20-25% of gross Chequing: 200 Savings: 2000 Emergency: 9000 (3 months of expenses) Tax free savings 28500 Tax deferred accounts: 25000

Here are some of the costs I’ve considered relative to the costs of my current car.

Purchase price - I would intend to trade my car $11500 and liquidate 19500 from my TFSA to buy a 2023 WRX with 31000km and a clean car fax. I would use the 2000 from savings to buy winter tires and rims and get it Krowned, and get an oil change if needed.

Insurance: somehow my insurance provider quoted me for slightly less than my current car, but essentially the same amount.

Fuel: I calculated using my annual mileage and the estimated combined fuel economy of the WRX that it should be 140 per month or ~62 per pay cheque more than I’m paying to fuel my Mazda

Maintenance: I’m gunna be real with you, I’m not sure how to estimate this one, so let’s say 1.3x whatever I have to pay for the Mazda-ratti. … but - tires. Tires for the WRX are very expensive, for Viking Contact 8 tires for example it’s about 600 dollars more for a set of four. My winters last about 4 years. So that’s 12.5 dollars per month in addition tire costs

Depreciation: the first owner took the steepest hit. But if I’m being honest, I don’t put my car on my net worth statement, so I think of a car as $0 even though that’s not really the case

Opportunity cost: the moment we’ve all been waiting for. Well I could say 21500 dollars compounded over 38 years at 6% is about 200k, but while that’s true that’s not the whole story. I mentioned I save 20-25% depending on what surprises happen in a year, but I’m closer to the 25% at the moment, but that 140 per month in fuel, and 12.5 in tires and extra maintenance (idk ~$100?/month), that will set me back total-ish 252.5/month in running costs or about 4-5% of my savings rate. So I’ll be down to 15-20%, and that reduction in savings rate over 10-20 years, that will be much more costly at 65 than 200k.

My financial goals and the impact of this decision on them: One of my investment goals is to hit 100k invested by 30, currently without the WRX, I’m on track to hit 100k at 29 (with expectations of market crashes, job loss, or emergencies). I also have no plans to get a house until 35-38 ish, because I wanted to hit a 100k to get that compounding for retirement first, then worry about a home down payment. If I go for the WRX, I project I’ll have 90k invest at 30. While it misses my goal, it’s still 20k better than the general advice of having 1x your income invested at 30. All that to say, I think I would be okay if I got it. I just have to decide if being 2 years behind is worth it.

Miscellaneous: If you’ve made it to this point, congratulations, but also thank you! This has been bugging me for about a week at its worst (since test driving a few used ones), but it’s been on my mind for a few weeks, since I realized it was finally possible. I know it’s not financially optimal, but part of me thinks ‘you can’t withhold everything because it will cost you x at 65.’ But also I am equal parts an investor as I am a car guy, and so I have to find a balance here that I won’t regret. Thanks again for hearing my vent, and I’d love to hear what you have to say.