Car people--help, please?

[1GoldenSun]

I know many of you have considerable knowledge regarding automobiles, and I hope you don't mind yet another car thread. I read what already exists because mine is a situation that has been discussed many times, but I feel like things have changed recently regarding new vs. used vehicles.

Like many previous posters, I am in the market for a car for my teen daughter. She'll be going across the country to college this fall and a vehicle will be a necessity. She is currently driving my old Lexus SUV (and when I say "old" I mean OLD with over 250,000 miles on it), which was fine for high school and work but I simply don't trust it for a cross-country drive, and do not feel comfortable with her driving an unreliable vehicle while she is so far away from us. It overheats a LOT and nothing seems to fix it more than temporarily.

My brother has some knowledge of vehicles and he recommends a Honda Fit (2009 or later year) or a Mazda 3 (2014 or later). Does anyone have any advice about these models? My biggest issue is comparing year/mileage/price, for example, is it worth spending $2000 more for a vehicle that is 4 years newer or has 20,000 fewer miles on it? Is it better to choose an older vehicle with fewer miles over a newer vehicle with more miles? I guess what I'd like to know is how much more is it worth paying for every year a vehicle is newer or for every fewer 10,000 miles.

And my biggest question: would we be better off just buying her a brand new car? The difference between new and used seems so much smaller these days. My budget was initially around $15k until I started seriously looking, and I've been mentally adjusting it upward ever since. It looks like I could get a brand-new Mazda 3 for under $30k, which is WAY more than I want to spend but may be a better deal long-term than paying 18K for an older one with 50,000 miles on it.

I keep on delving in thinking "we've got to get something figured out soon" and then I get overwhelmed and back away again and put it off until later. I can't keep doing this much longer!

 

[morgan98]

Is there a reason it has to be a Honda Fit or a Mazda 3. How about Honda Civics, Toyota Corollas, a Camry with fewer options or any car along those lines? (For the record, we are a Honda/Acura family)

It seems to be that spending $12k more for new vs. used is a decent amount of cash. Buying a reliable model, like a Civic, Fit, Corolla, etc. with 50,000 is nothing provided it was not in an accident and well maintained.

Sorry I don't have more to add to the conversation. Just wondering mostly why it is only those two models that are being considered?

 

[Moliphino]

My parents have a 2009 Honda Fit that they bought new when it first came out. It's never been my favorite car to drive, it's not very comfortable and drives like the Little Engine That Could. It's had some AC issues over the years and an axle randomly broke a few years ago while my dad was driving to work. It's still going, though. It must have around 200k miles on it by now.

 

[momz]

Will she be living on campus? Does she absolutely need a car? I'm sure you've been through this already, but do you mind sharing why a car is needed?

I drove a 2012 Mazda 3 for years and had good luck with it. I would still be driving it except it was totaled in January when an oncoming car crossed the center line and hit me head-on. The important thing for you to know about that is that my injuries were minimal. I had a broken rib and a concussion. But considering the impact, that's not bad, the car responded like it should and it protected me from more serious injuries. The other driver's insurance company totaled the car and gave me just over $11k for it. Not bad for a 10 year old car that I originally paid $20K for.

I ended up buying a 2015 Hyundai Tucson limited that had only 13,000 miles on it for $21K. I was thrilled with finding it. I don't mind that it's a little older because the mileage is so low... as is the price tag.

 

[tvguy]

From a financial perspective, this is probably the worst time ever in the history of the car to be buying a new or used car. New cars here are selling for $10,000 over sticker price. My daughter bought a used 2017 Ford Fusion Hybrid from Hertz in 2018 for $16,250. It had 16,000 miles on it, still under factory warranty. Blue book today with 50,000 miles on it is $20,000!
I would say the number of miles and condition are more important than model year. All your choices seem good. Only car I would avoid is anything from Nissan with an automatic transmission (CVT). Those have had horrible reliability. I would also consider the Ford Fusion and Toyota Corolla or Camry, or anything Hyundai or Kia.

 

[leahgoogle]

From a financial perspective, this is probably the worst time ever in the history of the car to be buying a new or used car. New cars here are selling for $10,000 over sticker price. My daughter bought a used 2017 Ford Fusion Hybrid from Hertz in 2018 for $16,250. It had 16,000 miles on it, still under factory warranty. Blue book today with 50,000 miles on it is $20,000!
I would say the number of miles and condition are more important than model year. All your choices seem good. Only car I would avoid is anything from Nissan with an automatic transmission (CVT). Those have had horrible reliability. I would also consider the Ford Fusion and Toyota Corolla or Camry.

Yikes on the Nissan! We are a Toyota family, but DH's coworker had a 2017 Nissan Altima with low miles for a tremendous price in this market for our son. DH is worried about the transmission, but I said it was a deal we couldn't pass up. Hopefully I am correct!!!

 

[mrodgers]

I would recommend against the Mazda 3. I just got rid of mine, 75,000 miles. I typically drive them into the ground with our salty winters between 150-200,000 but this car I couldn't wait to get rid of.

The car itself, problem free. Ran great but massively underpowered (they don't make the 2.0 any more, the 180 hp probably runs nice, but 155 hp the thing was a dog accelerating in a mass of Hulk Smash The Gas Pedal From The Redlight style driving.

If your daughter drives with her face buried in her phone like everyone else, the problem won't reveal itself. The issue, along with most of the smallest cars as I look at them, is visibility. I was blind at night, couldn't see a thing sitting at eye level with every blinding LED driven SUV and truck out there. Just simply complete blackness in front of me. If a person was standing in the middle of the road waving their arms, I would run them over because I'd only have about 20 feet to react.

I could only look straight ahead or directly to the side. The a-pillars (pillar between the windshield and the door window) is huge and the way they rake the windshields down now, on small cars there isn't any roof line any more. Use to be the windshields angled up and met at the front of the door. Now everything is curved to the back of the door window so if you look off of straight ahead or 90° to the side, your view is blocked.

Glance to the right of center and because the roofline is so high and close to you with that flattened down windshield, the mirror has to be mounted further down the windshield which also puts it at eye level.

This all meant I was moving and dodging around trying to see to drive more than a Cessna pilot does to look around for other aircraft traffic. I couldn't wait to get rid of this car. I would not recommend anything of that size in a modern car because of the visibility. Mazda 3, Civic, Corolla, Focus, etc, they are all going to be like this. Camry size car, those are big enough that the car itself doesn't block 90% of your view while you are driving.

You can get a '14ish year Camry with 80,000 miles for around $14-15,000. Just helped my ex buy one (helped in being the negotiator, not financially.) That's what I would look for. That car would be a better choice over anything Ford, GM, or Chrysler will get you brand new no matter the cost.

 

[Moliphino]

Yikes on the Nissan! We are a Toyota family, but DH's coworker had a 2017 Nissan Altima with low miles for a tremendous price in this market for our son. DH is worried about the transmission, but I said it was a deal we couldn't pass up. Hopefully I am correct!!!

My family has three Nissans with CVT (a 2009, 2010 and 2014) and we've had no issues with the transmissions. The two older ones had repeated issues with the mufflers rusting out. My parents' '09 Cube has around 180k miles.

 

[mikehn]

The interest rate to finance a new car is vastly different than interest rate for used cars.

 

[Sinder]

If it were me I wouldn't take on 30K of new car debt for a teen, but that is just me. Cars last 100's of thousands of miles nowadays, 50K miles is nothing so I would definitely try to save $15K, plus avoid any loans by buying used.
I would also go with a Honda over a Mazda, but would look for a newer than 2009 within your budget.
Not telling you what you should do, just saying what I would do in your situation.
We are currently shopping for a car for my ds. We are definitely going used and our budget is about half of yours and specifically looking for a Honda. They are out there, and we don't even mind a little bit higher mileage on them because we know they have plenty of life left.
Good luck OP!

 

[tvguy]

My family has three Nissans with CVT (a 2009, 2010 and 2014) and we've had no issues with the transmissions. The two older ones had repeated issues with the mufflers rusting out. My parents' '09 Cube has around 180k miles.

At one point the Nissan dealer here was so backed up doing warranty CVT replacements that they had to sublet the repairs to independent transmission shops. Stay far far far away from them.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

My neighbor's son is using the old family Lexus for college. That car has so many dings and scratches on it. My daughter will be driving my Mom's Honda CRV. About 50,000 miles on it, it's a 2007 and in excellent condition. Do you someone (friend/family) who may be looking to sell a nice, used car? Maybe someone looking to get rid of an old one and buy a new one? I wouldn't send my daughter to college with a new car. I wouldn't want to take on that amount of debt and with inflation and the latest interest rate hike...Yikes! Does it have to be a Mazda or Honda Fit? We ae a Toyota family. Between my husband and I, before and during marriage, we've had 9 Toyotas. My minivan had 175,000 miles on it and husband Tundra had nearly 200,000 miles on it.

 

[Southernmiss]

I echo looking at Corollas or Accords.

Dh's altima' transmission went at 150,000 miles.

Our kids have driven accords and Corollas to college 5 hours away for years.

Safe, reliable long lasting autos.

We had a Toyota camry make it to 298,000 miles. My Sienna has 187,000 miles.

 

[adkkev]

At one point the Nissan dealer here was so backed up doing warranty CVT replacements that they had to sublet the repairs to independent transmission shops. Stay far far far away from them.

The Nissan CVT issue was primarily with models built prior to 2017. Nissan has pretty much corrected the issue since then.

CVTs are in more cars than one might imagine. Including Toyotas.

 

[Moliphino]

At one point the Nissan dealer here was so backed up doing warranty CVT replacements that they had to sublet the repairs to independent transmission shops. Stay far far far away from them.

I drive one every day. It's 8 years old with almost 80k miles, no plans to replace it anytime soon. My only issue has been mice getting into my air vents.

 

[LYSE]

If you can negotiate an at sticker or below price on a new car then leasing or buying it might be the best option overall. (There are sub $200 lease deals to be had still)

I just ordered a car for under sticker...had to order it because everything in stock has a markup, I plan to lease it...and at the end if there's equity I'll sell it rather then turn in and in the shorter term I can always sell if I want out (considering I'll have equity off the lot)

I just couldn't bring myself to pay an inflated price on a used car, I would rather pay sticker for new.

 

[cvjw]

We bought my son a Mazda 6 when started driving. Had lots of issues with that car. It was always something. I would never buy another one. We also owned a Honda, Toyota and Subaru at the same time. Nothing ever went wrong with them, it was always the mazda!

And we had to lemon out a Nissan Pathfinder for the CVT Issue. I have no idea if they finally fixed the problem, but I would never own another Nissan based on how they treated the customers affected by their defective CVTs. It wasn’t good

 

[tvguy]

I drive one every day. It's 8 years old with almost 80k miles, no plans to replace it anytime soon. My only issue has been mice getting into my air vents.

Don't jinx it. https://www.calilemonlawyers.com/nissan-cvt-transmission-problems/

 

[Praying Colonel]

I know many of you have considerable knowledge regarding automobiles, and I hope you don't mind yet another car thread. I read what already exists because mine is a situation that has been discussed many times, but I feel like things have changed recently regarding new vs. used vehicles.

Like many previous posters, I am in the market for a car for my teen daughter. She'll be going across the country to college this fall and a vehicle will be a necessity. She is currently driving my old Lexus SUV (and when I say "old" I mean OLD with over 250,000 miles on it), which was fine for high school and work but I simply don't trust it for a cross-country drive, and do not feel comfortable with her driving an unreliable vehicle while she is so far away from us. It overheats a LOT and nothing seems to fix it more than temporarily.

My brother has some knowledge of vehicles and he recommends a Honda Fit (2009 or later year) or a Mazda 3 (2014 or later). Does anyone have any advice about these models? My biggest issue is comparing year/mileage/price, for example, is it worth spending $2000 more for a vehicle that is 4 years newer or has 20,000 fewer miles on it? Is it better to choose an older vehicle with fewer miles over a newer vehicle with more miles? I guess what I'd like to know is how much more is it worth paying for every year a vehicle is newer or for every fewer 10,000 miles.

And my biggest question: would we be better off just buying her a brand new car? The difference between new and used seems so much smaller these days. My budget was initially around $15k until I started seriously looking, and I've been mentally adjusting it upward ever since. It looks like I could get a brand-new Mazda 3 for under $30k, which is WAY more than I want to spend but may be a better deal long-term than paying 18K for an older one with 50,000 miles on it.

I keep on delving in thinking "we've got to get something figured out soon" and then I get overwhelmed and back away again and put it off until later. I can't keep doing this much longer!

My perhaps unpopular opinion:

--I wouldn't assume a Lexus with 250K is less reliable than an 09-later Honda Fit or 14-later Mazda 3. There are a lot of other factors that can go into the decision and ultimately keeping the Lexus may be the better option. Lexus falls under the Toyota umbrella, and Toyotas are known for their longevity. My last Camry had 265K on it and was going strong before being totaled in an accident. DS is still driving the 07 Camry we bought for him in 2010, and DW is still driving the 11 Camry Hybrid we bought in 2014.

--I also wouldn't assume that you have to drive the vehicle cross country. Paying for a plane ticket and having the vehicle shipped may be a better option than buying a new (to you) vehicle.

--Finally, not sure based on the info you provided, but depending on where she's going to college and where she'll be living she may not need a vehicle where she'll be located.

 

[1GoldenSun]

Unfortunately, my daughter will absolutely have to have a vehicle with what she is doing and where she is going. There is practically no public transportation and she will need to be able to get to two different parts of town on a regular basis, and is unable to live on campus and will have to drive there from her apartment as well.

I REALLY wish she could just take the old Lexus. I just don't trust it anymore. It continuously overheats, and every time it is supposedly fixed it's fine for a while and then something happens again. Anyway, my son will be driving soon and it makes more sense for him to drive it since he'll be local, and for her to have something more dependable. Although I would love to put off a vehicle purchase, it would just be kicking the can down the road for less than a year.

We're not at all sold on the Honda Fit or the Mazda 3, they're just vehicles that my brother (who knows more about cars than my husband or me) recommended as reliable, safe, and fairly inexpensive.

I hate that we have to purchase a car NOW but sometimes things don't go your way, haha.