OT: Car buying comparison tool?

[Ranger Dan]

My wife is looking at buying a new car. She had her heart set on a certain car (Xterra), but now wants to open up to just about anything. She has specific options that she wants (built in navigation, heated seats) that are typically found only on higher end cars. She's willing to drive a non prestige brand (Mazda or Nissan, etc.) but other than searching each car companies site specifically, we don't know how to find out what mid level cars might come with our desired options. Of course, it would also be great if the tool could include gas mileage, and other basic information. Is there a comparison tool out there that will help us? Do you personally now of any cars that have heated seats and built in navigation options for less than 30k?


BTW, I turned down the Colorado offer... It was a great opportunity, but we just aren't in a position to move.

 

[PSU Mike]

MMII***

;-)

 

[Lion78]

www.edmunds.com

probably the most popular with a decent search capability

 

[mal-sr]

I`ve used cars.com a few times, then trucar.com for pricing.

 

[Ranger Dan]

I've used cars.com as well

but it doesn't let you search for a specific option. I guess you could use keywords though... It's still not the "filter" solution that I was hoping for.

 

[vader_psu]

....

http://www.darcarschryslerjeeprockville.com/new/Je

 

[JoeLion]

Just curious, has anyone ever used a car buying service? Costco and AAA offers these services. Are the deals any better than someone could get by doing their homework and with a little leg work and is it worth the cost?

Thanks for any insight-

 

[JR4PSU]

www.edmunds.com

On the top menu bar select "Car Research" and then "New Cars".

You can then select the type of car ... say "Sedan". You will be directed to a new page that will have features listed that you can select. Then you will be directed to a new page where you can narrow your search by a multitude of possibilities.

Have fun.



This post was edited on 3/19 9:21 AM by JR4PSU

 

[massimoManca II]

Nissan Xterra is a TRUCK

it's an old one at that (in fact - Nissan is no longer producing them) ... it's a true "SUV" and ride, handling, and economy will be much much different than a "CUV" (car-based Crossover)...

you'll be able to get heated seats in just about anything these days - so long as you're willing to get bent-over at the options-table (not many "options" anymore... everything is thought-out for you by the marketing folks today in the form of "upscale versions" nee packages that will add thousands of dollars)

I, for one, can't understand why one would desire a factory-Nav package... Factory NAV is not much different than where factory sound-systems were back in the early eighties... much better more advanced/friendly systems available aftermarket for much much less IMHO....

My usual recommendations (without knowing what you wife needs/wants beyond what you've mentioned): Mazda CX-5 (FWD, of course... the $$$ you save skipping AWD you can option-up into a FWD Touring AND buy a great set of snows for superior winter sledding)... will be inrteresting to see the forthcoming Mazda CX-3 (sourced from the wonderful Mazda3 platform) and Honda's similar sized HR-V (based off the Fit)... I also think the Nissan Rogue is nice in its current guise... I think the ubiquitous CR-V is simply that (it's the Camry of "small" CUVs... an appliance) ... the RAV4 is also a bloated mess of Toyota stylist wrongdoings
This post was edited on 3/19 9:24 AM by massimoManca II

 

[PennStJeff]

FYI if you don't mind buying a car that is close to a big redesign year, the Nissan Maxima is a great deal...loaded for under 30k, ~10k under sticker. Check out truecar.com for pricing.

 

[massimoManca II]

thank y-HEY! **


nicely played

 

[Victor E. Bell]

I think he called you a tool*

.

 

[Ranger Dan]

Thanks for your input... you are the recognized guru of car recommendations

My wife had a jeep wrangler back before we were married and loved it. She hardly ever left pavement and only put the top down once when I goaded her into it. She hates the Subaru Forester that she has now because its to "station-wagony". She liked the Xterra because it was very jeep like, including the ride etc. She's since thought that she could get a car for a little less money and keep the Subaru as a utility beater. She would like to be around (or less) $20k, and get 30 plus mpg and have heated seats and navigation. She actually mentioned the Mazda 3 as something she wanted to look at. I saw that the Ford Fusion offered heated seats and navigation with the SE model and with the 1.5 ecoboost the mileage was averaging in the 30 range.

She wants a built in navigation system. One of the drawbacks of a non factory navigation system is that you lose steering wheel control of audio, correct? She also doesn't like to do any customization... she wants to buy is ready to go as is.

 

[Ranger Dan]

Thanks, edmunds was exactly what I was looking for! nfmq

nfm

 

[bxle]

I too use Edmunds. Find it easy to navigate and contains the basic info. I started out looking for a CR-V and ended up with a Pilot. Big difference in the interior room of a mid-sized v large SUV.

 

[rudedude]

A friend of mine used True Car, and he is a value-based guy. He felt it allowed him to find the right vehicle at the right price with the desired options. I believe you can also compare vehicles. For my $ you can't beat either a Honda CR-V or Toyota RAV4.

This post was edited on 3/19 9:51 AM by rudedude

 

[massimoManca II]

Re: Thanks for your input... you are the recognized guru of car recommendations

if she was driving around in a Wrangler then an Xterra would be like a Oldsmobile Ninety Eight

you mention Mazda3, Fusion, and Xterra in the same paragraph - your old lady is all over the map with regard to cars

IMHO "station wagony" is a great thing.... looks like I won't be recommending the new VW Jetta Sportswagon


BTW - I have a '14 Subaru Legacy without factory Nav (company car) and I have steering wheel mounted audio / cruise buttons.... the bigger problem with many factory nav-packages is that it often relegates other critical HVAC functions to a dreadful touchscreen - something I want no part of...

gimme real goddamned buttons, levers, and switches....

Jeep Renegade

 

[NewEra 2014]

Dan, you may want to look into a Subaru Outback as well. Very reliable, good ride and well-designed. Also, if you are looking to buy new, it turns out that a "special order" can usually be had for about 95% of invoice.

 

[PSUinMICH]

Re: Nissan Xterra is a TRUCK

My daughter (in her late 30s) just got her first all wheel drive car She drives in MI winters. She recently told me that she will never buy another car that is not all wheel drive. To her, definitely worth the money. This was also her first Cadillac (ATS) and again in her words....the nicest car I have ever owned (leased). She liked her other car a larger SUV but now makes her husband drive it and always takes the ATS.

This post was edited on 3/19 10:02 AM by PSUinMICH

 

[CF LION]

Your thoughts on your Subaru?.

Looking for a late model for my daughter who will be graduating college in May. She has a job lined up but doesn't know where they may send her - it's a rotational program. She'll almost likely be in a cold weather location to start. Was looking at low mileage Subarus coming in off of a lease.

 

[thecoolestfish]

No, the actual "bigger" problem with factory nav is the....

...ridiculous price they charge for it. Those things are usually a $1000-$2500 upcharge. WTF??

The last two cars I wanted/bought, I told the salesman, "I want everything but nav." Of course, I don't even use the nav system on my phone -- So not wanting a $$ nav system in my car is an easy call.

 

[thecoolestfish]

There is no more practical vehicles in cold climates than Subarus....

...I wish I could bring myself to want one (I'm kinda turned off to them because it seems like literally half the cars here in Boulder are Subarus), because I probably could have saved some money. Lol.

They do just make so much sense. Well, other than that "SUV" Subaru -- whatever it's called -- that may literally be the ugliest car on the road.

 

[Ranger Dan]

She hates her Subaru Forester, so I doubt an Outback would be

a viable option.

 

[CappyToCJF]

+1. Xtrera = junk. Bad mileage, poor ride, high freq of repair,.......

Spend $10 and get consumer reports auto edition and you can prioritize your wants within their recommendations and go test drive a few cars, and then decide.....

There is a reason that CRV's are the best sellers and hold their value!

 

[ClarkstonMark]

Re: She hates her Subaru Forester, so I doubt an Outback would be

I was just thinking that if you end up in Colorado that a Subaru would be the perfect vehicle. But if she hates it she hates it. Been there for sure!

 

[massimoManca II]

Re: +1. Xtrera = junk. Bad mileage, poor ride, high freq of repair,.......


ummmm... you also described Tahoe, Suburban, Wrangler... and that's fine if that's what one needs / looking for

CRV is a fine appliance for driving... but it's butt-ugly and over-priced... unfortunately Honda dealers can sell every one of them they are allocated

CR should be among several tools one uses when evaluating cars - but it would no way be my primary source of information

 

[NewEra 2014]

An Outback is car (Legacy) based; I believe the Forester is Impreza-based.

It is a totally different ride.

 

[Ranger Dan]

I think my wife got the Mazda 3 idea from consumer reports...

She is all over the place. She doesn't think logically/pragmatically, but buys based upon what is "cute" or appeals to other emotions.

 

[CF LION]

Those are my thoughts on them as well....

My neighbor who spends every weekend driving up to the Poconos to ski has owned nothing but Subarus. He swears by them.

My daughter will probably be working at a plant her first two years. The possible locations are all at least 30 miles from any sort of metro that offer any sort of lifestyle necessities for someone in their 20's, so she'll be driving a good bit. She could end up in Houston, but the other locations are Illinois, Wisconsin and West Virginia.

 

[lionroar88]

Never driven a CX-5? About $6,000 - $10,000 less than a CRV or RAV4


with more standard options.

My wife was in the market for a SUV last September, she test drove a Pilot and Highlander, then she drove the Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring and never looked back. Saved $10,000 not buying the overpriced/hyped Honda or Toyota. She has put nearly 10,000 miles on it since September and has had zero issues with it, and it plowed through our heavy snowfalls and ice this winter like a champ.

 

[lionroar88]

Love my in dash nav... nothing hanging off my windshield


I was in a collision 1.5 months ago where I rear-ended another car. My Garmin flew off the windshield like it was fired from a cannon (ended up in the back seat) - thank God my kids weren't in the car, it could well have killed one of them.

 

[massimoManca II]

Re: Your thoughts on your Subaru?.


My Subaru is a fleet-grade Legacy sedan... I've just crossed the 60K mark in less than 2yrs of driving...

showroom-fresh this model would sticker close to $23K which is almost criminal IMHO... I speculate that the higher-trim models feature enhanced soundproofing because mine allows unacceptable levels of road noise for such a large car. Shutting the door - particularly when a window lowered or another door open , creates a clamor that is so cheap-sounding that a garbage can lid hitting a kid on a bike comes to mind.... my colleagues all have the same model and we laugh about it evey time we get out of the car

The seating and upholstery is very bird-like... cheep cheep cheep... both driver and F Passenger seats are slightly mis-shapen with wear... Zero lumbar support w/o adjustability in this model - I go with some aftermarket lumbar system that I took out of my motorhome... glad I do not own this car.

This is my first CVT and it's annoying as hell... but probably better than most CVTs as I understand it... resigned to getting used to the rubber-band transmissions as they are much cheaper to produce than gearboxes and are more economical as far as mpg... I have had issues with misc. issues as far as airbag-waring lights appearing randomly... likewise other guys have had oil-consumption issues. My mileage ranges from 27 mpg in summer to 21 in winter (warm ups and I've got a Thule ski box on mine right now )

AWD traction in snow/slop with lowly all season tires is poor (granted - the Goodyear Eagle Sports I have on right now have 30K on them so the sipes are not all there.. not worn enough for the fleet-company to replace) two weeks ago I slid turning onto an untreated parking-lot access road and plowed up into a snowbank.... got stuck... hadta use my hands to clear snow away from the front tires and disengage the stability control to free myself / back off the pile of snow (AWD no helpie here)...

Sound system is an absolute pile of man-ass... horrible horrible quality befitting a car costing $8k less

Sheetmetal is lightweight.... dings very easily... again, efforts to keep weight down - I get it

overall a Subaru is a great choice for a college car / 1st ownership experience... particularly a used Subie... resale is very high, hard to find one with low miles on the clock

This post was edited on 3/19 11:41 AM by massimoManca II

 

[massimoManca II]

Re: Love my in dash nav... nothing hanging off my windshield


did you have the Garmin on the back window?

 

[massimoManca II]

not much differentiates Legacy and Impreza platforms


I've spent a total of 170k combined between the two models...

chassis dynamics very similar...

 

[lionroar88]

nope... but thanks for the tip!

nfm

 

[SATlionman]

Dan, sounds like you found a good comparison tool in edmunds. As for a new car, I am on my second Subaru Outback, a 2005 and 2013. The '13 is loaded with nav. and I love it. Easy to use and works very well. The car is well built and drives solid. Just bought my wife a 2015 Mazda CX-5, again loaded. This is a great car also, maybe not as solid feel as the outback but rides great none the less. Just had it on a trip to Williamsburg and liked everything about it. The Tom-Tom nav system worked well, even picked out the traffic backups with accuracy. I was at the Mazda dealer yesterday looking at a Mazda 6 and notice they had a 2016 CX-5 in the showroom, basically the same exterior but has an upgraded interior. Outback or CX-5, both are winners in my estimation.

 

[CappyToCJF]

Appearance is an individual taste thing.

not sure you can project your bias onto what was being asked for in this thread.

Obviously I believe those here get the point to focus on their individual priorities, and that didn't sound like Tahoe, Suburban, Wrangler... I don't remember CR promoting any Jeep's, but then again I didn't memorize the edition as i'm not buying soon.

For a single tool to use without making a PHD project out of buying a car, CR is the best.

 

[CappyToCJF]

Re: I think my wife got the Mazda 3 idea from consumer reports...

If she is happy with a more economical car to won, and you both get the utility from it that you need, you both win.....

 

[NewEra 2014]

MM, I am interested in how you find the ride between the two.

I test drove a new Forester and a new Outback two weeks ago. I found them to be totally different in terms of how they drove, with the Outback being much more like a car, and the Forester more like a light-duty truck.

 

[massimoManca II]

and most individuals agree that the CR-V is no prom queen**


and no, CR is certainly not the best tool for car-shopping...

CR is best for evaluating snow-shovels and giving you a two page dissertation about they recommend those featuring the "D" shaped handle

CR is in some ways the NCAA of consumer-goods - generates revenue under the guise of looking out for consumer well-being.... (granted it's not chartered by the companies that produce the products it tests/evaluates)... perceived value is high - but when you look closer you wonder what the hell it is they actually do

while CR conducts testing (much of which confirms that most products are pretty decent, most are not substantially better than others), makes alot of money without giving consumers much more than specs... and fodder for laughter