New car shopping.. it's been 16 years

New forester base or premium around 26k-28k
is a pretty good value a rolling greenhouse easy to see out of.
30mpg.
Something about Subaru not sure I'd want to buy one. They've had alot of issues over the years, and I'd hate to replace all the tires if one dies. But I'll take a look.
 
Something about Subaru not sure I'd want to buy one. They've had alot of issues over the years, and I'd hate to replace all the tires if one dies. But I'll take a look.
I looked in 2019, but not only do they not even have space to put a full size spare, if you get a flat on the front your supposed to put the small diameter donut on the back and put the back tire on the front. Seemed poorly thought out IMHO. From then on I checked everything I looked at to ensure it would fit a full size spare. The sales people all thought I was crazy "but it has apple car play, who cares about the spare" o_O
 
I would go with the Honda CRV from your possibility's list. I admire your ability to keep a vehicle for so many years. Now is a terrible time to buy however it appears you will keep the vehicle for many years therefore it's a non issue. I read something about a Honda CRV hybrid that's pretty cool but they are not in our Honda dealership yet and probably wont be for a long time. All of the dealerships in my area look about half full. I still cannot believe this weird and long lived automobile market. It used to be fun to find a used vehicle bargain but those days are gone for a while anyway.
 
Yeah I drive the new Explorers at work sometimes. It feels like a cocoon compared to older cars. Guess I'll have to get used to our cars won't keep going forever.
My friend had a Toyota Tercel wagon back in high school. The door would flex if you leaned on it. I always wondered how it ever passed any crashed standards.
 
Alternately, may I ask if you I have considered using a new car buying service? I believe many credit unions offer this as a service to their members and AAA may also have something similar.
From my observation, all of these services are based on Truecar and the prices you get through anyone else than Truecar itself are going to be higher. Been there, done that. I would love to know if there is any other such service.

@Eric Smith I have been window shopping and Carmax prices are higher than other places that I am looking at. Have a coworker that has a car salesman (or whatever that is) license. He goes to car auctions, suggesting I wait as the car prices have started to drop, but have not dropped enough to reflect on the road.
 
From my observation, all of these services are based on Truecar and the prices you get through anyone else than Truecar itself are going to be higher. Been there, done that. I would love to know if there is any other such service.

@Eric Smith I have been window shopping and Carmax prices are higher than other places that I am looking at. Have a coworker that has a car salesman (or whatever that is) license. He goes to car auctions, suggesting I wait as the car prices have started to drop, but have not dropped enough to reflect on the road.
There's alot of auctions around KC but I don't know anyone.
 
I would go with the Honda CRV from your possibility's list. I admire your ability to keep a vehicle for so many years. Now is a terrible time to buy however it appears you will keep the vehicle for many years therefore it's a non issue. I read something about a Honda CRV hybrid that's pretty cool but they are not in our Honda dealership yet and probably wont be for a long time. All of the dealerships in my area look about half full. I still cannot believe this weird and long lived automobile market. It used to be fun to find a used vehicle bargain but those days are gone for a while anyway.
Think my wife has already changed her mind so may not be car shopping this weekend after all. We don't drive alot which helps with longevity. But still with rust and my poor part choices don't help. The Escape has some rust but I fixed the rear tire well's, can't seem to outrun the misfire issues or the oil leaking. She likes the Focus because she don't have to care, she can eat in there and not worry about stains etc. My parents have a CRV and my mom loves it.
 
Good thing she changed her mind. Let someone else buy these over-priced vehicles. Home mortgages are over 7% and I have to believe many people will be upside down when this car market makes a correction. Four years from now they will say " I paid too much for my car or truck and now I owe more than I can sell it for."
 
Only do it if you actually NEED to. I bet when this recession really kicks in you’ll see the deals. Maybe wait until January, which is traditionally the best time to buy a car due to Christmas debt and people not buying.

Sadly, I needed to and the pickings were slim. I couldn’t wait for a brand new car and ended up paying $5000 less than new for the same car with 15,000 miles.

The lots here are full of beat up cars and cars from Canada. You’ll be hard pressed to find a local car when checking out the Carfax on the dealer website.
 
I looked in 2019, but not only do they not even have space to put a full size spare, if you get a flat on the front your supposed to put the small diameter donut on the back and put the back tire on the front. Seemed poorly thought out IMHO. From then on I checked everything I looked at to ensure it would fit a full size spare. The sales people all thought I was crazy "but it has apple car play, who cares about the spare" o_O
not to crap on your crap on subaru parade(I get it subaru is beat like a dog here) but many fwd cars have the same procedure to put the spare on the rear.
and your Rav4 since those have the same full size spare tire limitation.


for example Jeep cherokee dont have room for a full size spare and they recommend putting the donut on the rear.

there is always exceptions my subaru has full size spare.

There is no perfect car. Subaru checked off most of the boxes quite well for me.. including ones that like you I didnt know initially.

For example there is amazing visibility and you dont feel like you are sitting in a bathtub.
 
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and your Rav4 since those have the same full size spare tire limitation.
Perfect example of why not to trust Youtube I guess.

Here is my factory 19 in the spare tire well - it fits fine and the lid closes completely on the high level. I put it in face up so it doesn't get scratched, and the only time it would be in here would be with a flat so I don't worry too much about it not being bolted down, but I am sure it would fit inverted as well.

IMG_2844.jpg


Here is my full size spare. I went with a 225/75/16 on a old factory steely. Its 0.1 inches larger diameter than the OEM and it works great. Mine is FWD. The OEM 19 inch rims are 500 bucks, so I went this way, but as you can see the factory one fits fine as well if your weren't a titewad like me. If it was AWD I most likely would have gotten an exact tire match. I actually would like to ditch the 19's for 16's anyway, so maybe I will go that route soon.

IMG_3102.jpg


Here it is on the car. I have had to run it a couple times for a couple hundred miles when I had a flat, works great.

I do have a question for Subaru however. Assuming you get your flat tire off and donut on in the correct location -where are you supposed to put the flat, given it won't fit in the spare well? Honestly what do people do - lash the flat to the roof?

IMG_3092.jpg

there is always exceptions my subaru has full size spare.
Which do you have - seriosly interested. That was one of the primary reasons I did not buy one.
 
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I have operated a car buying service '48 Hours And A Used Car' for nearly seven years now. I used to own part of an auto auction, was a remarketing manager for Capital One, and have owned a dealership here in Atlanta for well over 20 years.

Long story short, unless you have rust or some other terminal issue it's better to invest in what you have. The long-term reliability of late model used cars has become far worse over the past decade. CVT's, direct injection engines, small turbos, cheaper interior materials, and the ever dwindling number of vehicles available have turned a lot of today's market into a no-no nadir.

If you decide to invest about $2000 on your current vehicle with the goal of keeping it another three to five years you will be way better off. By then Tesla will have released their Model 2, Toyota will begin mass production of their solid state batteries, and most other automakers will have a large amount of options when it comes to the heavily subsidized EV market.

That will be the next pot at the end of the automotive rainbow. As TLC said, "Don't go chasing waterfalls!"

All the best

Steven Lang
 
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Seriously, the spare tire is just about the last thing I would be concerned about when buying a new car. The reason is driving experience. In a total of 55 years of driving, I've had exactly 2 flat tires. One in a parking lot when I came out of apprentice school in 1971.

And one in 2011, 11 years ago, when I was on my way to purchase new tires anyway. If that average continues, my next flat will be sometime around 2062, when I'm 110 years old.
 
I have operated a car buying service '48 Hours And A Used Car' for nearly seven years now. I used to own part of an auto auction, was a remarketing manager for Capital One, and have owned a dealership here in Atlanta for well over 20 years.

Long story short, unless you have rust or some other terminal issue it's better to invest in what you have. The long-term reliability of late model used cars has become far worse over the past decade. CVT's, direct injection engines, small turbos, cheaper interior materials, and the ever dwindling number of vehicles available have turned a lot of today's market into a no-no nadir.

If you decide to invest about $2000 on your current vehicle with the goal of keeping it another three to five years you will be way better off. By then Tesla will have released their Model 2, Toyota will begin mass production of their solid state batteries, and most other automakers will have a large amount of options when it comes to the heavily subsidized EV market.

That will be the next pot at the end of the automotive rainbow. As TLC said, "Don't go chasing waterfalls!"

All the best

Steven Lang
Actually a electric car would fit our needs 100% so interesting view on it. We have the RV for all the long travel all other would be around KC or under 100 miles one way. The Escape only needs couple hundred the rest are good... so yeah your right. Unless a motor or trans goes would be only reason. She told me last night she'd rather buy a bigger RV and that car she only drives to work and errands.
 
Seriously, the spare tire is just about the last thing I would be concerned about when buying a new car. The reason is driving experience. In a total of 55 years of driving, I've had exactly 2 flat tires. One in a parking lot when I came out of apprentice school in 1971.

And one in 2011, 11 years ago, when I was on my way to purchase new tires anyway. If that average continues, my next flat will be sometime around 2062, when I'm 110 years old.
You're more lucky than I.. I've needed a spare at least 3 times since I started driving in 96. Last time was both passenger duals on the RV and I only had one. I know my luck as soon as I don't have one..
 
I do have a question for Subaru however. Assuming you get your flat tire off and donut on in the correct location -where are you supposed to put the flat, given it won't fit in the spare well? Honestly what do people do - lash the flat to the roof?
I read a flat full size tire will fit into the spare well on my car, and that's how some people squeeze a full size spare in the 2019 and earlier Outbacks, just a let most of the air out. For 2020 and on, they made the spare well big enough for a full size spare, even if the lower trims of Outback come with a space saver.
I've only had two flats in my 30 years of driving, so the next flat taking a few more minutes to change didn't really worry me much.
 
If you decide to invest about $2000 on your current vehicle with the goal of keeping it another three to five years
2k is a small repair these days, and on an older car, those repairs can come frequently.
 
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