another car for the son topic
 

Our youngest son visited us for a week at Christmas from Orlando and informed me his car is basically dead ( Olds Intrigue ) . It runs just enough to limp it to a dealer for trade in :( . So he has to start the search for a replacement . He is NOT a car guy , his idea of maintenance is putting oil in when the red light comes on :rolleyes: so he needs an appliance . He also doesn't drive a stick so automatic it is .

I suggested Honda , Toyota and Mazda as good reliable appliances . I had previously suggested a Ford Focus but he said he went on some " ask the mechanic " website and some mechanic ( ??? ) stated that model has a lot of problems with their auto transmissions so my son is soured on that . Am I missing any other good suggestions ?

In a perfect world he'd like a hatchback so the Mazda 3 four door sedan/hatchback looks promising . His budget is in the 10 - 14 range and it looks like 2014 models with less than 30-40K on them are available . Also had SIL visit for Christmas in her new Chevy Cruze , I know nothing about it but she has 3K on this new car and loves it . Is that a GM product or overseas model rebadged ? Any good ? I'm trying to guide him in the right direction as much as I can .

Honda/Toyota/mazda is all you need to say IMO. beyond that it's just personal taste for which type (suv, sedan, etc)

Just did this with my oldest son after he totaled his Corolla. Honda CR-V. It was very interesting participating in the process because he also views cars as an appliance. I had to basically drag him down to the dealerships to test drive vehicles which he really couldn’t tell the difference. What ultimately mattered and convinced him to go with the Honda was that his cousin and best friend both had CR-V’s.

Japanese, or something recent from America. We’ve taken to making good appliances too in the last few years.

Mazda is updating the Mazda6 model for 2018 and it has been heavily discounting its new 2017 models. We were shopping for a car for our son in October and with the factory incentive (I think it was $3,500 cash back) the new cars were cheaper than the CPOs on the used car lot They were comfortably under $20,000. The sales manager grimaced and admitted that the used car prices were going to have to be adjusted. You might be able to snag a great deal on a new or late model used Mazda6. It doesn't have a lot of power, but it's a great mid sized car with known reliability and it's a little bit fun to drive for an appliance car.

The Mazda3 is a fantastic option too. In my experience Mazda is every bit as good as Toyota and Honda but is usually quite a bit cheaper and has a little more personality.

Edit: It looks like Mazda is offering $2,000 cash back on the 2017 Mazda3 and $2,500 cash back on the Mazda6. You might be able to get a new Mazda3 within his budget range.

Mazda gets my vote.

The 3 is a fun little sedan, gets great mileage, and for me personally the ergonomics are perfect.

Spent a week behind the wheel of a new Camry over the summer. Not a bad car, hated the ergonomics.

That said any of the three, it'll come down to, like shoes, which he's most comfortable in.

I have found the same to be true.

There have been a rash of transmission issues in recents small fords. I've seen a few software updates but also know more than 1 that got a new trans from ford. A friend has a fiesta. joke all you want about it being cheap and small but its a damn nice little commuter for the $$. hard to top hyundai or kia for cheap, reliable transportation too.

olds intrigue? whoa.

at least ANYTHING is a step in the right direction :)

Honda Fit
New cost is less than 20K...which makes a used one very affordable.
Peppy, fun driving and they get around 38 MPG
With Honda's unique stowaway seats...there is enough room for a 7 footer to sleep comfortably

Ford Focus hatchback. Ford Fusion is a decent car but no hatchback.

Concur with the Mazda comments, they are at least equally nice as a Honda or Toyota but better to drive and cheaper. Also not mentioned is Subaru or Nissan. Kia and Hyundai are also putting out Japanese quality as well.

Mazda at least makes their cars look attractive.

If you can get a good deal on a "new" 2017 right now it seems like a great choice.

You can get a mid 2000s BMW for that money, make it an automatic as well.
Reliable!! ;)

rjp

Bought our daughter a Mazda 5 last year. No regrets.

This. My daughter has one. 5 star safety rating too. I'm 6' and am comfortable in the front seat & driving position.

In typical PPOT fashion I’ll suggest a Unimog or a Fiat X19.;)

I want to make a joke about these kids who are not into cars and cannot. They will save so much money in the long run.

My older son seems to have learned his lesson by the ripe age of 24 that screwing with cars is fun but only if you have the means.

The younger guy is close to a learners permit and does not seem to care about cars at all.


I keep making stupid decisions. Do as I say sons, not as I do......

i thought the answer was to always get a mazda miata? :D