True, the cheapest car to drive is usually the one you already own, regardless of who makes it.
My Geo Prizm is right at $0.13/mile to drive after 91K miles, including the $2500 purchase price and is weeks away from 200K miles on the clock.
I believe probably the best value for a car is either the 2-3 year old used domestic with under 50K miles on it that you can pick up for close to 1/2 of it's new price, or $2K-3K 100K mile beaters you can buy and drive for another 100K+ miles.
Since I drive about 40K miles/year, I like to have a couple of cars.
I forgot to mention my T-Bird, a 1995 with 50K fewer miles than the Geo Prizm. Even as a RWD car, it too had an independent rear suspension like the Prizm, but with many more creaks and groans compared to the creak and groan free older, more used Prizm.
So, given my experience, the Toyota based products have been far less troublesome than the Ford and GM products I've owned.
I don't expect your arguments to convince me, and I could really care less if my experiences sway you.
But I am sending the message loud and clear that I've compared my personal experiences with GM, Ford, Mazda and Toyota, and Toyota and Mazda has been much better for me than has GM and Ford. I've had new and used offerings from all except for Mazda, where I've only owned new, and until I'm firmly convinced that I'll have a different experience with GM or Ford, or if my experience with Toyota should drastically change, I believe I'll keep going with what appears to be working the best for me.
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Combine that with the depreciation hits "domestic" makes take when compared with a Honda or Toyota and it just doesn't seem to make financial sense to buy a NEW domestic car today.
Depreciation is a loser's game regardless of make or model. It doesnt make financial sense to sell ANY car with less than 10 years or 200k miles on it, and it makes even less sense to buy a used toyota or honda, to save $2-3000 for a 3+ year old car with over 36k miles on it.
JMH