Car Buying Research Help

Another car buying resource that is good once you have narrowed down what you are looking at is cars.com.

You can plug in the kind of car, the year and the options and get a msrp, invoice price and a target price of what people are actually paying in your area.

You also can search for the make of car in local lots and see what inventory is out there. So if you are searching for a 2008 Camry with a moonroof, 4 cylinder and cloth seats or what have you, you can see if there are any on the lots.

 

As screwed as Chrysler is, under no circumstances would I buy a Jeep. Period.

Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV-4, Ford Escape, even a Hyundai. Not a Jeep, though.

 

Problem is, the only thing the Big 3 have going for them is pricing. I simply cannot afford a Toyota anything. They are out of my price range. Period. I want a Toyota [insert any model here] more than anything, but I can't afford the difference in price up front.

 

Pete:

I'd go with the 4-cyl engine. 172 horsepower is plenty. For perspective, in 1972 my parents bought a giant Ford Country Sedan station wagon with a 400 cubic inch (think 6.5 liter) engine. Horsepower rating: About 175. 10 years ago the big V-6s were putting out about 175 horsepower.

I would stay far, far away from the Chryslers though.

 

The Patriot is a steaming pile. I'd buy a used Honda/Toyota/etc. over a brand-new Patriot. And don't overlook Hyundais. They might provide the combination of price and non-crappiness you're looking for.

Horsepower isn't the number you should care about; it's torque. That '72 Ford big block had a low horsepower rating but made a ton of torque.

 

Mercury Mariner Hybrid is the way to go. 27 mpg

 

No way I would endure the time, trouble and expense of buying a hybrid that gets 27 mpg.

 

You're right, but I stand by my statement that 172 hp is plenty, especially these days. And I'm in total agreement on the Patriot. Same chassis as a Dodge whateverthehellitis . . . it will be a rusted piece of junk in four years.

 

If you cannot go Toyota/Honda, I think looking at the Koreans might be the way to go. The Hyndais and Kias are getting pretty good reviews and probably where the Japanese cars were a few years ago, great value for the buck and more reliable than the American cars. Their mini-vans are getting decent reviews.

As for the HP, you're really not going to notice it over 95% of the time. We drove a 4 banger Camry for 5 years and it was fine with the 4 of us in the car. At the time, I was weighing newer 4 banger vs. older 6 and my buddy in the industry said go 4 and he was right.

 

I'm stunned how far Hyundai has come as far as reliability. Definitely worth considering to bridge the gap between crap American and more pricey Japanese.

 

The $6,500 price difference between a base Mariner and the hybrid will buy a lot of gas.

 

Look at a Hyundai Santa Fe - $2,500 factory rebates, plus deep dealer discounts these days. You will like it better, longer than a Jeep.