Within about a year (or less) I'll be in the market for a new car. I normally don't buy new cars and I typically opt for American vehicles, but I'm thinking outside the box on this one, so bear with me.
Jetta TDI - roughly $25,000
Pros: Awesome fuel economy (36/42) combined with the historically lower cost of diesel; nice interior; intriguing thought of long-life with the diesel engine; and excellent crash-test ratings.
Cons: I've never owned a diesel (or a VW for that matter) and I'm somewhat fearful of the cost to maintain/repair the thing; higher cost of purchase than the two alternatives (esp. compared to the Civic); likely higher insurance.
Honda Civic - roughly $18,000
Pros: Near-Jetta fuel economy (30/40) at a much lower initial purchase price, excellent reliability & driveability of Honda 4 cylinders; I've owned several Hondas (including Civics) in the past and always loved them; nice that it has all of the airbags/curtains but still a bit small.
Cons: Probably a "bit" small for my needs (but could work when needed).
Honda Accord - roughly $23,000
Pros: Decent fuel economy, plus the reliability of Honda's 4 banger as mentioned above; relatively cheap insurance; awesome safety features (similar to the Jetta - with side air bags/curtains).
Cons: Almost as expensive as the Jetta but with the drawback of lower fuel economy (26/34 I think?).
I will probably drive the car for 6 years and then pass it down to my oldest daughter. Therefore, it has to be something I would like to drive and yet something she won't kill herself in. (This is difficult to accomplish, trust me!)
The car will probably get 15,000 to 20,000 miles of commuting per year while I drive it, so gas mileage is a huge concern - as is safety, reliabilty, insurance premiums, and the ability to accommodate me (6'02" & 275 lbs.) and my wife/three daughters on relatively short trips. I live in Texas, so "short trips" are usually anything up to 250 miles. (We have the Yukon XL for the really "heavy-duty" family stuff.)
Any thoughts/comments/suggestions/ideas are welcome!
Jetta TDI - roughly $25,000
Pros: Awesome fuel economy (36/42) combined with the historically lower cost of diesel; nice interior; intriguing thought of long-life with the diesel engine; and excellent crash-test ratings.
Cons: I've never owned a diesel (or a VW for that matter) and I'm somewhat fearful of the cost to maintain/repair the thing; higher cost of purchase than the two alternatives (esp. compared to the Civic); likely higher insurance.
Honda Civic - roughly $18,000
Pros: Near-Jetta fuel economy (30/40) at a much lower initial purchase price, excellent reliability & driveability of Honda 4 cylinders; I've owned several Hondas (including Civics) in the past and always loved them; nice that it has all of the airbags/curtains but still a bit small.
Cons: Probably a "bit" small for my needs (but could work when needed).
Honda Accord - roughly $23,000
Pros: Decent fuel economy, plus the reliability of Honda's 4 banger as mentioned above; relatively cheap insurance; awesome safety features (similar to the Jetta - with side air bags/curtains).
Cons: Almost as expensive as the Jetta but with the drawback of lower fuel economy (26/34 I think?).
I will probably drive the car for 6 years and then pass it down to my oldest daughter. Therefore, it has to be something I would like to drive and yet something she won't kill herself in. (This is difficult to accomplish, trust me!)
The car will probably get 15,000 to 20,000 miles of commuting per year while I drive it, so gas mileage is a huge concern - as is safety, reliabilty, insurance premiums, and the ability to accommodate me (6'02" & 275 lbs.) and my wife/three daughters on relatively short trips. I live in Texas, so "short trips" are usually anything up to 250 miles. (We have the Yukon XL for the really "heavy-duty" family stuff.)
Any thoughts/comments/suggestions/ideas are welcome!