I'm getting a new car...help me make my decision

Have you looked at Tahoes at all?

Everyone I know that's owned an Explorer has had problems with them. Which included my brother, who was a Ford-or-nothing guy until his "Exploder."

I have an older Tahoe (2001) and I love it. (And before anyone screams at me about gas mileage and all that, where I live I NEED 4WD and smaller SUVs just don't have enough room for my family).

 

I parked cars at a top county club for three years during my undergrad, and these are few observations jumping in and out of cars in the early 90s.

1. Never buy a Jag
2. Never by a Chrysler
3. Never buy a Range Rover

I just changed the oil on my Honda Civic (commuting car) this weekend. The next time I change it the odometer will read over 189,000 miles. My wife has a Pathfinder (dogs car) that is at 126,000 miles and a Volvo (work car for her) with over 150,000 miles. I also have a loaded F150 with 60,000 (town car) miles. Everything is paid for.

I subscribe to Consumer Reports magazine, and if you look at their black dots (bad) and red dots (good), Ford cars are solid. Ford and Chevy trucks are solid.

Hondas, Toyotas and Nissans are bullet proof. You are rolling the dice if you venture away from those auto makers.

I would suggest getting to a CarMax if you are able. Get a 2005 Honda, Toyota or Nissan.

 

Must be more than one plan, then? X-plan takes $5000 off the price of an XKR convertible... which would still cost me roughly two years' salary. Um. Yeah. I'll take two.

 

I have an 01 Chevy Impala. I love my car good MPG and I have not had any trouble with it, other than the fact that I have gottoen three sppeding tickets in 15 months of driving it.

 

I'm 6'4" - I had a used Nissan Maxima and bought a new Nissan Altima about a year and a half ago. The leg room Nissan offers drove a lot of the decision both times. The Altima is a great car but I do sometimes wish I had gotten a Maxima.

I would also discourage you from leasing. if you can't afford new, look for a 2-3 year old used.

And I bought the Altima though Costco, very painless. The fleet guy I dealt with was in the back, they wouldn't even let him have an office in the showroom.

 

I've driven a Ford Explorer for the last 3-4 years with no issues. I currently have a 2006 Eddie Bauer edition and I love it, although the door handles are weird and have been redesigned for the 2007's The newer models have plenty of head room. And the back seat holds 2 car seats and an adult comfortably in the middle--the same cannot be said for my sister's Volvo SUV (head room and space).

Oh, and I'm a big proponent of leasing--I love having a new car every 3 years and it always being under warranty.