Brand New Vehicle

[Evia]

Curious if anyone here as bought a brand new vehicle?
I’ve only had 3 vehicles in my life and all of them I bought used.
I’m looking at buying a new vehicle soon and have been browsing a few new models and am seeking input from other people who have purchased new vs used in the past. Did you regret it? Do you still own it?

Also I’d be open to discuss any and all car buying advice!
I’m looking for a reliable sedan or suv to haul around my family of 5 with a 25kish budget. I live in a 4 season state so AWD and/or 4WD are pretty high on list. I’ve been browsing the accord, legacy and camrys the most. I’ve been really digging the 2020 Legacy especially...

I will never sell this car and plan on trying to get 250k+ miles out of the thing. So if you know of any car that has a history of hitting high miles with standard/minimal maintenance I’d love to hear em.

I’m not against buying used again either. I definitely get a lot of bang for my buck that route...

Idk I wanna make a good move for my family here. Not find myself in upside down contract with a car in the shop all the time.

[Danth]

Between the wife and I we've bought a bunch of cars over the years ranging from new to 20+ year old classics. The most pleasant experiences were when I knew in advance what specific vehicle I wanted and what I wanted to pay, lined up everything in advance on the phone, and only had to show up to sign the paperwork pick up the vehicle and leave. Never buy new if being efficient with your money is top priority. It's always a bad deal in that sense. If you simply want something new, or want to have something for perhaps a little longer without having to fuss with replacement/etc, that's a better reason.

I trust car dealers about as much as I trust snakes except snakes are more straightforward about their intent. Over-prepare. If at all possible show up with your own financing (or better yet, straight up cash in the bank) in advance. They'll inevitably try to rake you over the coals if you use dealer financing regardless of whether you buy new or used. Be ready--and more importantly, willing--to walk out if you can't get a deal you find acceptable. A customer being pressured into a questionable sale because he/she doesn't want to walk out is the number one reason people end up with bad deals.

You can't outright expect any vehicle to last 250K without stuff breaking along the way, especially if you're talking about stop-and-start daily driving (not all miles are alike) and the car getting beat up in the manner that family cars usually do. Winter and children beat cars to hell and it sounds like you have both of those things. A reasonable number of vehicles reach that these days, but that's still a bit of reach as a straight-up expectation. You want longevity with low maintenance, then what you want is simplicity for the best chance of success. Avoid turbos or CVTs. Definitely avoid any model that's in the first year of a new revision. Watch out for small little engines that demand 20 weight synthetic oil. We live in the era of 100 dollar oil changes, and it's dumb.

I'm not enthralled with all-wheel-drive. All cars are AWD for braking and it quite often gives drivers a false sense of security in poor conditions. It can be nice to have for crawling a steep icy driveway or some such but it doesn't replace proper driving technique for the road conditions. If you can fit it in your budget, good, but I'd rather have a nicer 2WD car than an AWD sardine can. Subaru has good AWD setups and a lot of experience with manufacturing them.

If you aren't already familiar with a car, try to get familiar with it before you buy. A lot of modern cars are built with a bunch of gee-whiz features to try to win people over at first glance on a showroom but which aren't always necessary or well-thought-out in actual use. Navigation systems with poor button layouts or excessively complicated menus are a common culprit these days. If you're regularly hauling around a bunch of kids and doing normal family-type chores a minivan might be worth a look in addition to the classes you mentioned above. Maybe they aren't "cool" but that's the job they're meant for and they do it exceptionally well.


Danth

[solleks]

I bought a new car once, i regret it because the high registration costs (was a big truck) I've owned over 20 cars/trucks. If you buy a Subaru with like near 100k it'll be less than half cost new and registration will be cheaper. It will go to 250+ with good maintenance (even a disastrous repair won't be the end of the world). If you like to be fancy then it's going to cost you basically. It's likely you don't suffer the government gouging i do though due to location . get your own financing from your bank for sure

[solleks]

I forgot to say i sold that truck because of high registration costs and i didn't need it. If you can finance yourself buying from a private party might be the best deal. In my experience a dealership will give you a big middle finger if you have any problems with a used car anyways. I personally don't ever plan on buying a car with a loan again. But i love to tinker with cars. I should say you have good taste Japanese cars are the best imo i personally love Toyotas but Subarus seem like a great deal

[BlackBellamy]

Curious if anyone here as bought a brand new vehicle?


No but I worked in a dealership. My best advice is figure out exactly what you want to pay for the car total with all the bullshit and if they go a dollar over that just walk the fuck out. I mean tell them first, that's the whole point :)

I always buy used myself. I can get a two year old car with low miles and avoid that new car smell premium.

[Mblake81]

Curious if anyone here as bought a brand new vehicle?
I’ve only had 3 vehicles in my life and all of them I bought used.
I’m looking at buying a new vehicle soon and have been browsing a few new models and am seeking input from other people who have purchased new vs used in the past. Did you regret it? Do you still own it?

The nice thing about new is you are not buying someone else's abuse. Some models turn out to be good and some lemons. That is one benefit of buying used as the vehicle has been out for a few years so you can check the reliability.

Also I’d be open to discuss any and all car buying advice!
I’m looking for a reliable sedan or suv to haul around my family of 5 with a 25kish budget. I live in a 4 season state so AWD and/or 4WD are pretty high on list. I’ve been browsing the accord, legacy and camrys the most. I’ve been really digging the 2020 Legacy especially...

Subaru has one of the best AWD systems on the market as it was developed for rally racing (https://youtu.be/t09ExAUgtyE?t=487). I have more trust in something that comes from a racing pedigree as the bugs have been worked out.

Audi also has a developed AWD system (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyYT-YHk5ZY) know as the Quattro.

[Bigsham]

Buy american

[Gatorsmash]

Buy end of cycle model or else is all I'm going to say. Bought a new Highlander in 16' when the 2017's were on the floor with the new amazing engine and transmission set up.

They were recalled this year.... and buy an electric car if your buying new. They are fantastic now and will be my next car, even in 16' they were "ok" but now are pretty nice with good AWD (I'm in a 4 season state as well)

[Smellybuttface]

I’ve bought new and used. Even though the car I own now was bought new, I would in all likelihood only by certified used cars in the future. Avoid the immediate new car depreciation (all cars have an immediate depreciation, but new ones most of all) and you get a great warranty on certified.

[Muggens]

Never buy a new car

[Bigsham]

Only poor people say that

[Evia]

Now after researching a bunch more, I’m starting to feel like I don’t want anything with a cvt transmission. Looks like it’s more or less expected for them to fail at or around 150-200k. I don’t like the idea of having to drop 5kish a few years down the road.

With that said I am keeping an open mind and am
test driving the 2020 Legacy,Accord and Camry tomorrow.

[Fawqueue]

Many financial experts will suggest you either never buy a new vehicle, or you only buy new when your net worth exceeds a million dollars. That being said, we did buy new in 2012. There IS something very enjoyable about driving a vehicle in pristine condition right off the lot. However, it's mostly downhill from there. Before long the car feels 'used' because of your own contributions to the wear and tear, and rather than a few thousand dollars spent on an upside-down purchase, your a few dozens of thousands in the hole.

[Mblake81]

Many financial experts will suggest you either never buy a new vehicle, or you only buy new when your net worth exceeds a million dollars.

Bought a brand new truck at the end of 2002, net worth of about 1k and some old clothes.

Used it for 17 years. Knew the entire history of it. It was only in the shop the last two years I had it. One of the radiator hoses (original) had a leak and it ran hot once, warped the head. Original clutch, transmission. Only two brake jobs and 4 batteries.

If you plan on keeping it for a long time and treating it well then I don't see the problem. The car I have now is used and it looks like I am going to be spending a few K soon to fix another guys abuse.

[Danth]

Now after researching a bunch more, I’m starting to feel like I don’t want anything with a cvt transmission. Looks like it’s more or less expected for them to fail at or around 150-200k. I don’t like the idea of having to drop 5kish a few years down the road.

With that said I am keeping an open mind and am
test driving the 2020 Legacy,Accord and Camry tomorrow.

Are you some sort of traveling sales rep or someone else who does an unusually large amount of driving? In normal use you're not making 200K in a "few years." Most folks rack up about 10-15K a year or so, with the length of work commute being the major variable. Hence if you're buying a new car with the expectation of using it for 200-250K then you may well be expecting to be driving it into the 2040's. That's a long time, longer than I've ever owned a car at least. If that's your timeframe, then in addition to the considerations above you want to look at things like the durability of the seats, interior materials, buttons, etc--all the little things that can be expected to start to wear out over time. Nobody wants to be driving a 180K car with a perfect engine but ratty interior with torn seats and falling headliner.

What kind of use are you subjecting the car to? If you ARE that traveling rep doing a lot of cross country freeway driving then 250K with normal maintenance is common enough. On the other hand a normal family car contending with children, stop-and-start suburban or city driving, brine salt in winter, and the general mishaps of daily living are doing good if they make it to 150K before being ready to be sent to the ferro-knacker.

You suggested you have children. If so--How old are they? It's hugely likely that even if YOU don't trash your car, one of THEM will once they're old enough to drive. When I was a teenager I utterly thrashed my dad's car before getting my own, and so did all my friends drive their own no less hard. Going airborne at 80 MPH, banging over railroad tracks at full speed, frequent full-throttle starts or hard stops, teenagers are as a class not known for prudent road behavior. Dad's car was left with failing suspension, a cracked leaking oil pan, out-of-camber tires, and crabby transmission before I completely wrecked it in a rollover when I was 18. It was four years old. He always bought new--he hadn't bought a used car since the 1940's, but in that case it did him no good because of factors (namely me) outside himself.

Danth

[Lojik]

Previous cars were used. Last car i bought was new, its lasted me 5 years and 170k miles so far. Just had to have the turbo replaced, probably pretty surprising it lasted that long. Hindsight I wish I bought a used accord or civic or something, but even used with 50k miles or something they're still I don't know, 14k or 15k in decent condition? Who knows what the person(s) before me did to the car though, or how good they were at maintaining it.

[azeth]

Buy a new Toyota camry, pay probably $300/month financed for 5 and never again have a concern about your vehicle til it turns ~175k miles.

[Mblake81]

Hindsight I wish I bought a used accord or civic or something, but even used with 50k miles or something they're still I don't know, 14k or 15k in decent condition? Who knows what the person(s) before me did to the car though, or how good they were at maintaining it.

Currently rolling a 2013 civic SI (last year for the black interior before it got 2 fast 2 furious with colors). Specifically sought after that year.

The issue you run into with these cars is they are popular with young guys to mod and race. Currently having issues with the throwout bearing and probably the clutch.. I know for a fact it's not driver error on my part. Plus it looks like he might've tinkered with the engine, this is something I usually approve of but some guys are total hacks who don't give a fuck. At this point in my life I don't want any mods for my commuter car, less possibility of break down or going out on a cold morning and it not start.

It has 200hp, gets 32mpg which is poor mileage for a honda. It's due to the 6-speed manual transmission. The ratio is such that it will pull in any gear. 1-70mph is fun but highway cruises at 3k rpm.

I would've got the V6 2 door accord but I could not locate one with a manual, seem rare as hen teeth.

looks like this.
https://i.imgur.com/3uEyTLw.jpg

Edit: I dislike fly-by-wire throttle. There is a slight lag and it fucked with my shift timing.

[nyclin]

Never buy a new car

buy something certified pre-owned if you're really concerned about 'used' cars, they generally come with a 1-2 year full warranty with the option to purchase a longer one. on top of the cushy warranty, you don't get the 15%+ depreciation hit in the first year.

real talk though, if you're looking at utilitarian cars like the Camry just buy a 10+ year old Accord, Camry, Corolla etc for cash and maintain it. regular oil changes and fluid checks are basically all you need to keep a Honda/Toyota running for 250k+ assuming important things like timing belt/water pump are changed at the correct times.

[Sibelia1]

Bought a brand new truck at the end of 2002, net worth of about 1k and some old clothes.

Used it for 17 years. Knew the entire history of it. It was only in the shop the last two years I had it. One of the radiator hoses (original) had a leak and it ran hot once, warped the head. Original clutch, transmission. Only two brake jobs and 4 batteries.

If you plan on keeping it for a long time and treating it well then I don't see the problem. The car I have now is used and it looks like I am going to be spending a few K soon to fix another guys abuse.

blake has a point in terms of control, but the truth is it's an odds/maths game and the maths favor those who buy used. buy used. the markup on new is a joke and new is for suckers.

-t. 1996 ford contour with 50k miles that hasn't seen a shop for years, $1200 after some flirtations

[Mblake81]

blake has a point in terms of control, but the truth is it's an odds/maths game and the maths favor those who buy used. buy used. the markup on new is a joke and new is for suckers.

-t. 1996 ford contour with 50k miles that hasn't seen a shop for years, $1200 after some flirtations

I got it for half off the sticker price though.

Nice miles on the contour, old couple?

[Jibartik]

My golden rule is:

Find a model that I like, that is about to get a new design (that happens like every 4 years for a model?)

Then find a car that is 1 year or less old of that last year for that model.

You get like 20k off! It's amazing. That's my secret, Ive done it twice! It really works!

Click this link you'll never believe what you see! :o

[Sibelia1]

I got it for half off the sticker price though.

Nice miles on the contour, old couple?

old dead lady :p

[magnetaress]

buy a car that you will want to fix and maintain even if it is a 1981 model

[Evia]

So I bought a 2020 Subaru Legacy today!

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/797280788/overview/

[Danth]

So I bought a 2020 Subaru Legacy today!

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/797280788/overview/

Congrats. What caught your eye with the Subaru specifically?

[Gozuk]

Surprised you skipped the Ferrari F40

[Evia]

Congrats. What caught your eye with the Subaru specifically?

It felt the most upscale in the interior and was the smoothest/best drive of the three. They also had a promotion where I got 1.9% interest rate vs a 3.9% if I went with the Honda or Toyota. Its 9 dollars more than I wanted to spend a month but considering the interest rate and the car having all the key features I wanted, it was an easy decision. I'll try and post my own pics of the beast if I get a chance.

[choppedandglued]

buy used. I hear people say that your getting damaged goods, but not so. Say for example you want to buy a new car, the same model/year car will sell for about 2000 less just because somebody used it for one week, and brought it back.... as it's not new. So, in any case, try to find the car you want if new with like less than 1000 miles on it or something. Buying new is strictly for rich people who just want the new thing. People on any type of budget should never consider wasting such money.

Now, I would never buy a sports car used however. Common sense.

[solleks]

So I bought a 2020 Subaru Legacy today!

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/797280788/overview/

grats, hope you get tons of use out of it.

[Visual]

Can't wait to get that new 2020 land cruiser during the apocalypse. Will only cost 1 bullet, which is actually pretty pricey under those circumstances

[Tenderizer]

best mechanic for advice.

for cars
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FN30KqBl6HA

for suv
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsUPlNlNhi8