I Tried and Failed to Not Buy a New Car

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Jun 8, 2006
Messages
5,440
Location
KC
I had made a few threads on this board as I researched my potential next car purchase. My Escape had 170k miles on it and ran as good or better than new with good tires, no other maintenance needed until 200k but the AC was weak so I was planning on picking a vehicle now and then watching for a good deal and hopefully buy something next summer. I was going to buy used and save some $$.

My requirements were no DI, no CVT and hoped to find good MPGs and maybe AWD if the opportunity presented itself. Of course the late model Foresters immediately popped up on my list but they had the CVT. So I ruled it out. I looked at Elantras, Cherokees, Escapes, Rav4, CRV, Camrys, Chrysler 200, Fiesta, etc. I initially thought I wanted a commuter car with great MPGs. I really liked the Fiesta and Elantra but my wife talked me out of it.

A few months ago I think I had dialed in on a Cherokee with the 2.4L and AWD. It was nice and drive great with decent MPGs. Then at the end of the test drive I popped the lift gate and the cargo area was just a no go for me. No way would golf clubs fit unless a seat was laid down and I have 3 kids. I always have 2 car seats in the back. Just not going to work.

Then a few weeks ago the t-stat went on my escape. The heater core plugged and needed flushed out. Then a random compressor casing crack dumped compressor oil in a big puddle on my garage floor. On top of that, the windshield randomly cracked and I don't know where or why it started. I always got chips sealed so they wouldn't spread and there was no sign of a chip along the crack. My brother laughed and said "the escape really wants you to find it a new home."

Five days later I went to the Subaru dealership I had emailed a few times with over the summer to give them a chance to sell me. I came home with the last brand new 2018 Forester they had on the lot.

I really wanted to wait and go used but waiting was becoming less of an option. I compared the 2017 and 2018 Foresters and the updates for the 2018 (especially colored gauge clusters) made me rule out a 2017. Waiting for a used 2018 to get to the price range I wanted might take a couple years. If i was going to buy used 2018 any time soon, they were hardly any cheaper than the new 2018 that was left. Then on top of that, the used car rates are high enough that getting 0% interest loan on a new was actually worth something significant. It really didn't make much sense for me to go used anymore at this point and finding a new 2018 was clearly going to be difficult. I pulled the trigger.

I really like the Fozzie. It is a dark gray metallic 2.5I premium with cold weather package, sunroof and eyesight. I would never have paid for a sunroof or eyesight if I had my choice but I didn't. I gotta say, though, that I really do like the adaptive cruise control that comes with the eyesight. I absolutely love driving this thing. I'm constantly looking for reasons to get out of the house and drive, even if just to the grocery store. So far I'm averaging right at 32 MPGs in winter with winter gas. I can't wait to see what summer brings.

Now I just hope I didn't get an oil burner and all my joy disappears!
 
Congrats. I am in a somewhat similar position with my Prius - it is at 179K and I am due for a 180K service soon. Luckily, mine does not burn any oil and has not experienced any HG or Battery Issues, but I know the day will come soon.

Out of curiosity, how much of a savings was the 2018 vs the redesigned 2019 model?
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by The Critic
Out of curiosity, how much of a savings was the 2018 vs the redesigned 2019 model?


I apologize but I am ignorant when it comes to answering your question. I never looked at a 2019 because of the direct injection engine. It gets 1 MPG better than the port injection version and I didn't want to mess with it. I think they were only running financing specials on the 2018s, too. I ended up paying invoice and getting the financing deal for 72 months while also getting $1500 for the Escape. I'm pretty sure the best I could do on the private side selling the escape would have been $2k. This saved me on sales tax a bit because in Kansas, you have to sell your old car and buy your new car on the same bill of sale to subtract the sale price from the amount you pay sales tax on. It is a dumb law.
 
Last edited:
Good choice! Oil burning seems to be rare these days, and mostly confined to manual transmission Foresters: I'm assuming yours is a CVT if it has Eyesight.
 
Originally Posted by Quattro Pete
I take it you got the manual trans then?

Congrats!


No. After driving a murano and not hating the CVT, I was open minded and test drive the CVT Forester. It really is a nice transmission. MTX wasn't an option since wife needs to drive this too.

I do greatly miss my 2012 Mazda3 MTX. So much fun to drive.
 
Wasnt the boot of the new cherokees widened for the very exact reason of fitting golf clubs in the back
 
Originally Posted by DaRider34
Wasnt the boot of the new cherokees widened for the very exact reason of fitting golf clubs in the back


If so it wasn't enough. Maybe if you don't carry a driver. I also have a push-cart because I prefer to walk when playing. There was zero chance of fitting a bag and cart back there.
 
The forester is much bigger in the hatch area than the cherokee. I have owned several examples of both
smile.gif


The outback rear hatch area dwarfs the forester though.
 
Originally Posted by badtlc
This saved me on sales tax a bit because in Kansas, you have to sell your old car and buy your new car on the same bill of sale to subtract the sale price from the amount you pay sales tax on. It is a dumb law.


It's actually pretty common in many states. Just an extra incentive to trade the car in instead of finding a buyer for it separately. One reason you don't find too many used 30-40k cars being sold by a private party, it was cheaper for them to trade it in to save on the taxes and it's harder to sell as many people don't have 30-40k sitting around and need financing help at a dealer.
 
Break those rings in *now*. Fully warmed engine, short *full throttle* bursts (2 seconds) followed by closed throttle to get lube at top of cylinder.

Been doing this to all my vehicles since the 1970's, and never had an oil burner. Includes an Impreza and two Outbacks.

My Imp was in the group famous for oil burning...
 
Its no longer like the old days when the lightly used one year old cars that someone got tired of driving go on the market with a sizeable discount from the price when sold new.

Often the asking price of these used vehicles is a big enough discount from the MSRP, but not much of a discount from the out the door price paid by the prior owner.

Today's vehicles are built better, last longer and a one year old vehicle today with an average amount of miles is virtually as good as new in the scheme of things. We expect vehicles to last 200K or better. 12K miles in the first year represents 6% of the life of a vehicle, or $2K of the price of a $35K new vehicle.

When financing the purchase, many folks will opt for a new vehicle if the additional cost is only $2K more.
 
Originally Posted by SeaJay
Its no longer like the old days when the lightly used one year old cars that someone got tired of driving go on the market with a sizeable discount from the price when sold new.

Often the asking price of these used vehicles is a big enough discount from the MSRP, but not much of a discount from the out the door price paid by the prior owner.

Today's vehicles are built better, last longer and a one year old vehicle today with an average amount of miles is virtually as good as new in the scheme of things. We expect vehicles to last 200K or better. 12K miles in the first year represents 6% of the life of a vehicle, or $2K of the price of a $35K new vehicle.

When financing the purchase, many folks will opt for a new vehicle if the additional cost is only $2K more.


I traded in a Subaru Outback (it was just over a year old) to a Toyota dealer and they put it out on the lot for more than I paid new.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top