What car would you buy?

Carrie_R

Ambassador - CPS Technician
Title mostly says it all. I have a Honda Pilot right now (2006,) and while I love it, it's starting to give me problems. It has 203k on it and I got it to about 190k with nothing but routine maintenance. Since then it's spent a ton of time in the shop - last night I got home from work and the alternator went out. Since it's got the ($$$) water pump/timing belt service coming up very soon, I'm thinking it might be time to stop dumping money into the thing and get something new.

Car would be used primarily for communiting; it's ten or twelve miles from here to work but often in rush hour traffic (slow and go, can take up to 30 minutes.) Might also be used for road trips with friends. If/when I would need a kid hauler I'd replace the vehicle, but for now it's just me. (All I do with the extra space of my Pilot is clutter it up, ha ha!!)

My first instinct is to look at a Civic, since I've been so pleased with my Pilot. I bought the Pilot with 86k and it's been a great plan. I'd love to get something a couple of years old (maybe like 2014ish) and stay in the 10-12k range but it can be flexible. The only real "requirement" I have outside of something safe (obviously) is cruise control... I'm not a terribly picky driver. A USB plugin would be nice. Good belt fit on me (I'm not terribly tall, and am on the fluffy side) is crucial.

Ideas?
 
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jwilliams

New member
Well...I love my Accord, if you'd like a little more room than the Civic! It's great for road trips, two adults are very comfy in back and the trunk is decently large.


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NVMBR02

New member
I loved my Accord. It was my first car that I bought brand new. I still miss it, even though I do love my Pilot.

My sister recently bought a 2015 Civic and she is loving it. It is juts her and her two kids, 13 and 11 and a small terrier that ride it in.
 

rosey2007

Active member
I have never owed a Honda but I hear they are great. You might take a look at a Hyundai. I've owned 2 Hyundai Elantras and they were good cars. Plus you get a great warranty with them even if you buy a used one (at least there used to be).
 

Keeks64

New member
I just bought a 2016 Elantra & love it!!! Has a USB port ;)

It's fun to drive, smooth & great fuel economy! It's my daily driver/kid hauler & so far no issues with seats & lots of room on the passenger side even with a RF seat!

Drivers seat can be adjusted up/down ... I'm 5'4 with no torso & need it raised up a bit with room to sit comfortably
 

Dillipop

Well-known member
My mom has an 07 accord. The seatbelts in the rear are awful. I hate sitting in her backseat. Not sure if that has changed since then but definitely sit in the back of the vehicle to check on comfort.


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2BunniesMommy

Well-known member
I never had a Honda until 3 years ago when we got our 2010 Insight. We love it so much we just bought a 2012 because we were sharing the one and it was getting too hard to use just one car for a family of 4.

The two thing I didn't like about the 2010 were the plain, boring grey color of it and the lack of cruise control. Esp. because we didn't realize it didn't have cruise control until we were about to drive off the lot after purchase. there were buttons on the steering wheel that we had assumed were for cruise control, then as we were getting ready to go the salesman was showing us how to scroll through the menu and what the different things meant and that is when we found out that was what those buttons were really.

The 2012 is the higher end model, has all the bells and whistles except navigation. It has covered the downsides of the 2010, and also has somethings I didn't realize I was missing. Those being radio controls on the steering wheel and bluetooth. It also has a usb as well as a reg. aux jack. The funny thing about the cruise control is it is the buttons in the location that I thought was cruise in the other car and the info buttons are somewhere else.

I can't say enough good things about Insights. I looked a quite a few different cars (online anyway) and just kept going back to it because nothing else in our price range gets as good MPG. Our 2010 has not needed anything other than maintainance in the 3 years we have had it.

Our kids were one in a booster and one in a FFing harness when we got it, so I have no idea how it is for rearfacing, but I suspect it isn't easy, but do able. Since you have plans to get something larger when kids are in the picture, this likely doesn't matter.

It was a little hard to go from a van to this small car with 2 kids, but while we sometimes miss the space, there is no regret. We even took it on a long for us road trip and we were getting really awesome gas mileage and while not super comfy, we were all comfortable enough for the long ride. We have taken many short out of town trips and maybe 5 or so that were more than 200 miles each way along with the most recent I previously mentioned that was...I don't remember, 400-500 each way.

Our 2010 cost $10,888 at the end of 2012 and our 2012 was $9,675 at the end of 2015. Both were in the 75k range for miles. Honda has discontinued them, the last MY is 2014. Those seem to be in the $14k range for 20-40k miles.

I think one of them or the Civic you have in mind would be a great option for you. My co-worker bought one a few months ago, 2015 or 16, new for sure, and she and her husband are both really loving it and went to it from a Pilot.

ETA: The front seat belts fit me well. The height is adjustable and I have to slide them down. I'm 5'5" and also...how'd you put it...fluffy. I have not sat in the back seat, so no clue on comfort there. Not a ton of leg room, esp behind my husband when he drives. There is actually quite a bit of front passenger leg room, so that seat is able to be up high enough that the rear person there has an ok amount, but for my youngest daughter on the driver side, I have to ask DH not go to all the way back so that she has more room for head excursion if needed.
 
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jwilliams

New member
I can't say enough good things about Insights.

Ditto! We had one for three years, a 2011 EX. Such a great car and the gas mileage [emoji76]. We just needed more car since there are 5 of us, hence the Accord.

Belt fit is good for me up front in the Accord. I'm 5'8" and a big chested sort of fluffy [emoji57]. I think it would be good for a more petite person as well. My driver's seat is super adjustable...12 way or something? I think that helps a lot, in any vehicle.


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Carrie_R

Ambassador - CPS Technician
Thanks!! Insights weren't on my list, but they sure are now!

I just drove a Hyundai over Christmas break - 8 hour road trip solo, around town, and then another two hours. I didn't love it, but now I'm trying to decide how much of that was because it didn't have cruise, how much was legitimate, and how much was because our local Hyundai dealer have THE MOST annoying ads on the radio and it makes me want to never ever shop there. Lol!!
 

Mags462

New member
I'll go rouge and say Toyota! :p I just prefer the way they drive over a Honda drive train but YMMV.

My parents have driven Camry's for years (did you see the latest safety crash results - Camry was #1) and we currently own two Toyota's both 2005's - a Tundra and a Sienna respectively. I love the look of the Venza but they are being discontinued and i hear the interiors don't hold up well compared to other models.

My in laws all drive hondas/acuras and while i like them I still prefer the Toyota. And well you can't get more reliable in a hybrid than the Prius.... I love the Prius V but it's just a tad too small for us right now... but i do love it.

The only toyota product I'm really "meh" on is the Rav4.... toyota is just totally missing the mark there in terms of design and usability. It blows my mind that they think their second row seat design is a good one :rolleyes:

So here's a vote for a Toyota of your choosing :)
 

aeormsby

New member
We have a 2014 Mazda3 and it's been a great vehicle with amazing mileage. It has top safety reviews and consumer reports ratings for maintenance.
 

2BunniesMommy

Well-known member
Thanks!! Insights weren't on my list, but they sure are now!

I just drove a Hyundai over Christmas break - 8 hour road trip solo, around town, and then another two hours. I didn't love it, but now I'm trying to decide how much of that was because it didn't have cruise, how much was legitimate, and how much was because our local Hyundai dealer have THE MOST annoying ads on the radio and it makes me want to never ever shop there. Lol!!

LOL! The Honda dealership closest to us (90miles) also has very annoying ads and we did say we would never go there. Then they had that deal on the Insight 3 years ago and now we go there regularly for maintenance and will continue to do so for both cars and wish we'd been able to buy the 2nd from them also. So, if a Hyundai with cruise might work for you, don't let an annoying radio ad run you off! BTW, the annoying Honda jingle is now stuck in my head.
 

msg221

Well-known member
I have never owed a Honda but I hear they are great. You might take a look at a Hyundai. I've owned 2 Hyundai Elantras and they were good cars. Plus you get a great warranty with them even if you buy a used one (at least there used to be).

I agree. DH had a 2014 Accord which we did love, even more so as it saved his life after his accident back in April, but we did replace it with a 2015 Hyundai Sonata Sport. Well, I have to say, I like it much better than the Accord. Seats are more comfortable, I find the ride smoother, the gas mileage is amazing, and of course it fared well in the IIHS ratings, and you can't beat what you get in it for the price. For about $23k, his has navigation, USB ports, rear view camera, and all sorts of fancy safety features, like the blind spot detection and alarms that sound if something is behind you when you are trying to back up. I love it!
 

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