Make and model vehicle

[cobright]

If you never want to wonder, "Will it fit or do we need to get it delivered?", get a Ford Transit Connect. Can put a sheet of plywood in the thing.

 

[mumto3girls]

I have to laugh because my adult daughter needed a new car but didn't think my Highlander was stylish enough for her. She ended up having to borrow my car for a few months and when she bought her car, she bought the RAV4! I do like that car, too.

The Highlander is a really nice car/SUV. I think it's great if you have kids or if you need to haul or move stuff, but it still gives you a nice ride. It's the right height for me to get in and out of and probably saved me from back surgery.

I'm glad to know the newer Highlanders are still lovable!

Yes. We have 3 kids—one in college and 2 teens at home. The Highlander works for carpooling, most vacations and moving into college. I may look at the RAV4 for my next vehicle (I plan to keep this at least another 5 years) when I may not need as much space.

My husband drives a Toyota Tacoma. I hate getting in and out of it. The running boards put me up too high, but the step up is also awkward. One of my DD’s drives a VW Passat and the other a Toyota Corolla and although both handle nicely, I don’t like getting in and out of them either. I really just like my vehicle.

 

[3boymthr]

It really depends on what you want in a car. I love my Jeep Cherokee but it suits my needs now. Running to work and doing errands with a few beach days thrown in. My kids are mostly grown so no need to transport. My previous car was a Ford freestyle. It was awesome, hardly any mechanical issues. Plenty of room to run the kids and their friends and their gear wherever they needed to go. An accident did it in (the frame bent) or we’d still own it. If looking for luxury consider a Buick. My son has one it’s 17 years old, very few problems, mostly maintenance type stuff. The ride is amazing - sooooo comfortable. It was my moms car. Her third Buick. Each lasted her a decade before she traded it in for a newer model. She bought a Honda Accord to replace the Buick because it was smaller, more practical and slightly less expensive. She hates it. Compared to the Buick it rides hard and it’s so low, she has to sit down into it and climb out of it.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

Nissan Altima = Not Impressed

From what I have heard transmission failure is to be expected, thankfully mine was under warranty when it did.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Our Chevy Equinox has served us well for 8 years and counting. There was a known issue with the 2012 model burning oil, which they did fix, but besides that, it's great. Good family crossover type car (where you need storage room for various reasons). I do wish it had better gas mileage, though.

Our daughter loves her Subaru Impreza hatchback.

But if I were to buy a new car just for me, it would be a Tesla Model 3.

 

[antmaril]

I drive a 2019 Buick Encore. This is my third one (I lease them). It’s perfect for me.

 

[Southernmiss]

Toyota and Honda are the ones we gravitate towards.

Now we have 3 Toyotas 1 Hyundai and a Mitsubishi

The Hyundai has been good and the Mitsubishi is very nice, but it's too new to know reliability.

 

[tink20]

What do you all think of Nissan Rogue Sport?

 

[sam_gordon]

We have three Toyotas... '13 Sienna, 07 Prius, and 15 Camry, and one Hyundai 06 Sonata. All of them have been very reliable. Sienna has the "stow and go" seats so is great for hauling things or passengers.

As far as what you should get... do you need to haul things? People? Both? Do you want/need to sit high?

 

[tvguy]

My avoid list:
Any Chrysler product. (Dodge, Chrysler and Jeep. Jeeps were good when they were AMC, but those Jeeps models are all gone)
Any VW product. ( VW, Audi, Porsche)
Any Nissan Product. The CVT transmissions are a mess.

We just bought a Toyota Camry Hybrid (2 months ago). My mechanic is a big Toyota fan, but NOT a fan of hybrids. But every part of the hybrid that he has concerns about has a 10 year 150,000 mile factory warranty, so we will see since we tend to keep cars 20-30 years.

Two years ago we bought a Ford Flex. An amazing vehicle, too bad Ford discontinued it. If we avoid accidents the Flex and the Camry may be the last cars we buy.

Hyundai and Kia have a great reputation. And if you buy new you have a 10 year 100,000 mile warranty. My only concern locally is lack of dealers and high turnover among dealers. And I am not talking about fly by night dealers, big dealer groups here that sell Toyota and Lexus picked up Hyundai and Kia dealerships then dropped them. I have no idea why.

 

[lovin'fl]

My fave of the cars we have had in past 10 years...and there are 5 of us with cars....has been the Nissan Rogue. Love it. Gave it to DD and really miss it.

 

[NannyBeBe]

Almost anything Honda. They run forever.

 

[John VN]

It really depends on what you want in a car. I love my Jeep Cherokee but it suits my needs now. Running to work and doing errands with a few beach days thrown in. My kids are mostly grown so no need to transport. My previous car was a Ford freestyle. It was awesome, hardly any mechanical issues. Plenty of room to run the kids and their friends and their gear wherever they needed to go. An accident did it in (the frame bent) or we’d still own it. If looking for luxury consider a Buick. My son has one it’s 17 years old, very few problems, mostly maintenance type stuff. The ride is amazing - sooooo comfortable. It was my moms car. Her third Buick. Each lasted her a decade before she traded it in for a newer model. She bought a Honda Accord to replace the Buick because it was smaller, more practical and slightly less expensive. She hates it. Compared to the Buick it rides hard and it’s so low, she has to sit down into it and climb out of it.

DW had to order her 2017 Jeep Cherokee Overland to have the options wanted. When delivered the Build Info. Sticker on the window had her name on it and so far almost 60,000 miles of enjoyment. Yesterday we had to return a UHaul 5'x8' trailer, rains were torrential and while others were slowing we had no issues in handling.

 

[lovin'fl]

My fave of the cars we have had in past 10 years...and there are 5 of us with cars....has been the Nissan Rogue. Love it. Gave it to DD and really miss it.

Hate DS's Nissan Versa due to vision out of windshield. Oddly arranged windshield and side windows. Awkward viewing. But great great great gas mileage. He also had issues with constant flat tires. And locking nuts and no key. Had to get locking nuts cut off.

DH has a Honda Civic and its okay. It is 10 year old with loads of mileage and still going. But makes lots of noise and backseat has always popped off as does front bumper corner. Its an ugly brown gold color and very dirty and even stinky. He had Toyota Corolla before the Civic and liked that one a tad better. That one also was one we ran to the ground. Was old with high mileage when I wrecked it or we would have kept it even longer. When we replace the Civic it will probably be a Corolla.

Other DD is driving our 8 year old Subaru Outback, that we drove for 5 years. It also has tons of miles on it. I loved that car at first. Loved the trunk space. We put a lot of miles on it with DDs in travel ball when we had it. The trunk space was great for all their gear. But then we had breaks replaced and tires and some flush. And the car kept overheating after. Was air bubbles in whatever line from flush. They finally fixed that and then it started stalling out at stoplights. Found out some known gasket issue and we had to replace as was just out of warranty and even though it was a known issue they didn't do recall. So I soured to that car.

Had a dodge grand caravan before the Subaru. Gave it to my brother But that thing is still going. Is like a 2005. It is all kinds of a hot mess now though. But still kicking. Wish we had kept it a tad longer. To avoid having the Subaru loan payments for a couple years.

We have a Ford Explorer now. Another loan payment we could do without. Should have gotten another cheaper small sedan I guess. Dont like the Explorer either. Tough to maneuver and park. For us anyway. And we had the Grand Caravan and Outback. But just is very clunky. It has keypad entry and that went up on it after only owning for like a month. Had warranty but they had car for like a week. It also barely fits in our garage. Well, it fits but with the Civic too it is a tight squeeze together. Civic stays in driveway and barely fits lengthwise (we have back alley garages and tiny little driveway). Keep Explorer in garage at and angle to maneuver out. But its tight and tough not to go in neighbor behind us grass. I have to be super slow and careful; too, to not swipe the Civic or garage wall. Wish I still had the Rogue. It would be perfect. Tried to swap with DD and even she didn't want to give up 2016 Rogue for 2018 Explorer.

 

[fla4fun]

I have a 2017 Toyota Prius v which I love, but it has been discontinued. I always try to have a choice on the back burner, in case of an accident or something, and right now that would be a Rav4 hybrid. I drove Fords prior to the Prius, and loved them, but since they got out of the car business, and I am not a truck person, I switched to Toyota.

 

[adkkev]

Nissan has a lower “recall rate” than Toyota and Honda. And the CVT transmission has been improved in the last couple of years; they were really bad prior to 2010.
Please keep in mind the quality of the dealer’s service department, that can make all the difference with your car. We were Ford people until our local dealer‘s service department really went downhill. Poor workmanship, repeated visits to fix what they had supposedly fixed before. Failure to properly torque lug nuts after a tire rotation, cheap poor quality brake parts at high costs, and so on.

 

[MillauFr]

Not sure why you picked those 3 brands to stay away from, they are all very good in general. Heck, Kia has the Motor Trend truck of the year.

Agreed. I thought Hyundai and Kia had vastly improved and now are almost as good as the Japanese cars and sell for less.

Does Dodge even make any cars now?

 

[MillauFr]

Please keep in mind the quality of the dealer’s service department, that can make all the difference with your car. We were Ford people until our local dealer‘s service department really went downhill. Poor workmanship, repeated visits to fix what they had supposedly fixed before. Failure to properly torque lug nuts after a tire rotation, cheap poor quality brake parts at high costs, and so on.

Other than recalls, why wouldn't you take your car to an independent service station? They do just as good or better work for less money.

 

[MillauFr]

Tesla - model 3 or Y - talk about great gas mileage...I haven’t been to a gas station in nearly 2 years!

Seems like everyone around me is buying one. They just seem way too expensive to me. I'll consider it when they improve the batteries enough that I can make it from Seattle to Walla Walla with the A/C blasting on one charge.

 

[Hikergirl]

Other than recalls, why wouldn't you take your car to an independent service station? They do just as good or better work for less money.

The only reason to ever take your car into the dealer shop is to do recall work or if you got a period of free maintenance when you purchased the car from them. Never go for repairs you need and have to pay for.
And that is coming from several people who actually work in dealer shops