car shopping

[daisyx3]

My 2009 Honda Accord lease is up soon. I like my Honda and buying it (for the right price) will be one option. It's a coupe and is the bright red I love. What I don't like about Hondas is the option pricing. You can get an LE, SE, or SEL. If you want an option for the SEL, buy the SEL. I have an LE, but had to buy an aftermarket XM radio because I didn't want to spend the thousands more for an SEL (I don't need leather seats or a moonroof thanks).
I have my eye on two cars if I decide to buy one or get another lease: the 2012 Ford Fusion SE or the 2012 Hyundai Sonata SE. They are very comparable and both come in nice reds. (I like having a bright red car--not a maroon one, or a wine one. I love coming out of work at the end of the day to a sea of gray, silver, tan and white cars and seeing my red one in the middle of it). Both have great safety features and are reasonably priced. Both have satellite radio standard.
Yes, I've seen the 2013 that is coming out, but I don't like the new design.
I spend an hour in the car every work day, minimum, so I have to enjoy the ride and the amenities. Next car I am getting one I can plug my ipod into as well.
The ford is, of course, an american brand....my union would like that, although a lot of the teachers in my building drive hondas. I also like the look of the sync technology. The hyundai is korean, but built in Alabama.
Any opinions?
Daisyx3

 

[DebbieB]

My 2009 Honda Accord lease is up soon. I like my Honda and buying it (for the right price) will be one option. It's a coupe and is the bright red I love. What I don't like about Hondas is the option pricing. You can get an LE, SE, or SEL. If you want an option for the SEL, buy the SEL. I have an LE, but had to buy an aftermarket XM radio because I didn't want to spend the thousands more for an SEL (I don't need leather seats or a moonroof thanks).
I have my eye on two cars if I decide to buy one or get another lease: the 2012 Ford Fusion SE or the 2012 Hyundai Sonata SE. They are very comparable and both come in nice reds. (I like having a bright red car--not a maroon one, or a wine one. I love coming out of work at the end of the day to a sea of gray, silver, tan and white cars and seeing my red one in the middle of it). Both have great safety features and are reasonably priced. Both have satellite radio standard.
Yes, I've seen the 2013 that is coming out, but I don't like the new design.
I spend an hour in the car every work day, minimum, so I have to enjoy the ride and the amenities. Next car I am getting one I can plug my ipod into as well.
The ford is, of course, an american brand....my union would like that, although a lot of the teachers in my building drive hondas. I also like the look of the sync technology. The hyundai is korean, but built in Alabama.
Any opinions?
Daisyx3

I just bought a Sonata SE at the end of December. Love it! You can get a cable to plug your IPOD in (didn't come with it). You can also stream your IPOD through the bluelink but I think the sound is better with the cable.

I was thinking of red but what turned me off is the beige/gray two tone interior that came with it. I didn't like it on the website and it didn't like in person. I ended up with silver with a gray interior.

I was originally thinking of a Limited but ended up with the SE because it had the features I wanted and saved $3,000. I love the keyless entry & start. Just leave the remote in my purse, don't have to fumble around for keys. The only thing it doesn't have that I wish I had is the premium sound system.

I sometimes listen to the XM but don't think it's worth $14.49 a month. It expires at the end of next month, I'm going to wait to see if they offer me a "deal", otherwise I'll just let it cancel.

 

[daisyx3]

OH, I love my XM. I've been a subscriber since 2004! Even though I'd rather have it built in, my aftermarket receiver has a feature where I get a notification when my favorite bands are on any channel, and I can switch right to it. Actually that is one point in Hyundai's favor. I like XM because I sometimes listen to Opie and Anthony, and don't like Howard Stern. It used to be that if you had a Sirius radio you needed to pay $2 a month for the "best of XM package" to get Opie and Anthony. I don't think they are worth the extra, but I would miss them.
I will have to check out that interior! I'm not really a tan/beige interior fan.
Daisyx3

 

[Squirlz]

I got free XM in our new Cadillac for 3 months. It expired last December and they called to offer me a half-price deal. I told them the car would be garaged for the Winter and I wouldn't be needing it. They said if I took the deal now I could call them in April or whatever to activate it. Then when I store it again next Winter I can have it paused again.

Seemed like a good deal to me!

 

[DebbieB]

I got free XM in our new Cadillac for 3 months. It expired last December and they called to offer me a half-price deal. I told them the car would be garaged for the Winter and I wouldn't be needing it. They said if I took the deal now I could call them in April or whatever to activate it. Then when I store it again next Winter I can have it paused again.

Seemed like a good deal to me!

That's what I'm hoping for. I would pay $7.25 a month.

 

[daisyx3]

So besides the satellite radio....anyone have opinions on Sonata vs. Fusion?
Daisyx3

 

[schmitty]

Any reason those two cars. Look at the KIA optima with turbo or Hyundai volster

 

[disneymom2evie]

I normally drive a Chevy, but someone ran into it a week ago and it's in the shop. Their insurance is paying for my rental which is a Hyundai Santa Fe. I have to admit, I really like it. I find the seats are way more comfortable and I LOVE the XM radio. Not even going to lie. I like the blue lights on the radio screen and various buttons on the dash, as opposed to the bright green on my car. I like how the rental handles! I can make a sharp u-turn without having to do a 3point turn. It has great pick up, too. Good on gas.
My mother in law has a Kia Optima. She used to have a Benz. She LOVES her car. If I drove it every day, I might be able to give an opinion on it. All I know is that it's pretty easy to drive it AFTER your mother in law accidentally drives over your foot with it. That was nice. I remember in her Benz, you had to press the gas pedal pretty hard to get it to move. The optima is closer to my car and it starts to move as soon as your foot makes contact with the pedal. Made my drive to instant care much nicer than I expected =)
So, to summarize. I like my Equinox and I like the Santa Fe. I like the optima, and HATE the Benz (mostly because she destroyed it. Spilled turkey juice in the truck on the way to New Orleans for Thanksgiving and the smell was TERRIBLE after a few weeks. I couldn't go anywhere in her car. HAD to take my car). And I'm a little spoiled and like the steering mounted audio controls. I don't think (if I had the option) I could go to a base-line vehicle. I'd LIKE to have heated/cooled leather seats, but that'll come after my husband is working long enough to allow us to afford it =)

 

[daisyx3]

Any reason those two cars. Look at the KIA optima with turbo or Hyundai volster

Well, that is what I have narrowed it down to. I don't like the look of either of those cars, especially the Veloster. I do still need a little room in my car because once in a blue moon I have all three kids in it (they will be 20, 17 and 14 this year, so it is a rare occurrence) or I have to take one of my two big dogs to the vet. Also, I want something a little off of the ground...I notice that getting out of my Accord Coupe can be tougher than it used to be when I had a CRV. I need to go a little bigger/higher.
Daisyx3

 

[DVC-Don]

My wife has a 11 Hyundai Sonata Limited and she loves it. The Limited has a softer suspension than the SE. I drove it to Florida once by myself and really liked it myself.

 

[tinatark]

I'm a huge fan of the keypad entry on Ford products. Seriously - we'll probably replace our Denali XL with a Navigator L.

I've heard great things about the Fusion. Also see the Hyundai everywhere.

Have you driven both?

Are you leasing again? Which has the higher residual % (= lower payments)? If you like them equally then I would let the $$ make the decision.