UlrikeDG
Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
My husband and I are trying to reduce our car payments when we return to the US. We looked at trading in the Pilot for a Sienna, but the version that has the features we want (especially the 8 passenger version), is so expensive that it would actually raise our payments. It's a great vehicle - has all the features we want and more - but it really doesn't make sense to get something that expensive when we'll be taking a pay cut in June.
This leaves us looking at cars. I've already narrowed it down to the safest models of the ones available to us:
From there, things get sticky. For example, the Camry looks like a better choice than the Accord, but I can only get the LE (plus Anti lock brakes & Front side impact and head curtain airbag as options). The Accord is available in 6 different versions! As far as I can tell, rear curtain airbags aren't options on any of those models, however. The Audi is a lot more expensive, but the rear airbags are available.
The Taurus is much less expensive ($4000 rebate), but Ford doesn't have the reputation for reliability that some of these other companies have.
It just seems like there are soooo many factors to compare. Heck, at this point, I don't even know if all my kids' car seats will fit in the back seat of any of these vehicles! If the Sienna had been an option 18 months ago, we'd have gotten that originally, but at the time, the only vehicle that would meet our needs was the Pilot. I never really LIKED the Pilot (it's uncomfortable!), and I really don't want to settle for "ok" again. So, what factors do you consider when looking at a vehicle? What features will make-it-or-break-it for you? How do you weigh price versus features?
Can't someone just do all the work for me? I'll show you what my options are, and you can go through and do all the research, and then come back and tell me what the pros and cons are for each vehicle, and then evaluate what the best choices are for my family, so all I have to do is test drive them and choose one. OK?
This leaves us looking at cars. I've already narrowed it down to the safest models of the ones available to us:
- Audi A4
- Ford Taurus
- Honda Accord
- Toyota Camry
- Volkswagen Passat
From there, things get sticky. For example, the Camry looks like a better choice than the Accord, but I can only get the LE (plus Anti lock brakes & Front side impact and head curtain airbag as options). The Accord is available in 6 different versions! As far as I can tell, rear curtain airbags aren't options on any of those models, however. The Audi is a lot more expensive, but the rear airbags are available.
The Taurus is much less expensive ($4000 rebate), but Ford doesn't have the reputation for reliability that some of these other companies have.
It just seems like there are soooo many factors to compare. Heck, at this point, I don't even know if all my kids' car seats will fit in the back seat of any of these vehicles! If the Sienna had been an option 18 months ago, we'd have gotten that originally, but at the time, the only vehicle that would meet our needs was the Pilot. I never really LIKED the Pilot (it's uncomfortable!), and I really don't want to settle for "ok" again. So, what factors do you consider when looking at a vehicle? What features will make-it-or-break-it for you? How do you weigh price versus features?
Can't someone just do all the work for me? I'll show you what my options are, and you can go through and do all the research, and then come back and tell me what the pros and cons are for each vehicle, and then evaluate what the best choices are for my family, so all I have to do is test drive them and choose one. OK?
