Everyone talks about expensive cars.

I’m talking about cars that make you think:

“Yeah… this person gets it.”

What car is that?

Title. I really love gas cars/phevs, been driving them for quite a while, and I didn't really see myself driving an EV until now, I'm considering buying one. However I want to know, are there people who went from electric to gas again? For what reason? Do you regret it?

Recently bought a vehicle. Quickly negotiated on out the door price, agreed to finance with them if the otd price came down enough. From there, every convo involved the monthly payment. "Hey, if you get this warranty, we can just add 3 monthly payments and it wont cost more!" Dawg, thats 3 grand. The f&i guy was visibly not happy with us for denying everything but come on...

Are people really just looking at monthly payments? We are paying it off lump sum as soon as the finance account is set up. Sales manager offered either 60 months or 72, seemed really confused when I just stared and told him to pick one.

Trying to slip 3 grand in like it was nothing kind of bugged me. People cant be that stupid, right?! (I know they can, my in-laws fit it, but is it really enough people that this is a common tactic?)

I’m thinking of getting a Subaru but have been told that Toyotas and Hondas are more reliable. Are we splitting hairs here or are Toyotas and Hondas and Lexus’s much better than cars like Subarus and Mazdas?

These are the cars I was thinking of let me know what you think I should get and what your first car was

Bmw e90 330i 2012-2013
Is300
Es330 2006
550i f10
2014 2018 Silverado
F150 2015 2017 5.0
Tacoma 2014-2016
Lexus is250c
Cadillac cts 3.6 2014-15

Stuck with what to buy or if I should;

Situation

• Long Commute
  • 120 Mile Daily (90% Highway)
• Occasional Rough Driving Area
  • I work in a refinery in Texas, so I deal with rough road conditions on occasion (two to three time a week)
• Storage Space
  • I do maintenance on my properties about every two weeks. Largest item I've needed to deal with is a door, water heater and ladder.
• Pet
  • I have a large (80lbs) German Shepard which I take around to different places
• Family
  • No kids or family

Past Experience

• Audi
  • When I was younger and dumber I did a stupid purchase because I had the money and my company was doing well. I loved the car, my god was it fun to drive but every time I took it in for maintenance or needed a repair, I might as well have handed the management 1k for walking through their door. After a year or so, the fun of it was overshadowed by every dollar used to keep it fun regardless of being able to afford it. I say this to show how my personality works when it comes to cars and how I perceive them versus the money put into them.
• Company Truck
  • After the audi era, I switched to a company truck from the company fleet. No maintenance, no gas or repair costs to me personally and I drove that ever since until selling the company and moving on to another adventure which is where I am now.

Current Drive

• 2022 Lexus ES300h F Sport
  • I got a fantastic deal on a ES300h CPO with 30K miles about a year ago for about $25K when I switched to this job.
• Conundrum
  • The ES has been an absolute workhorse, its just eats miles. Ive put 30k on it since purchase and it hasn't even coughed. Oil changes every 6-7k miles and only repairs Ive needed are a under car cover because someones exhaust fell off right in front of me and I ran over it doing 70 mph. I'm getting 40-50 mpg with a comfortable ride but being sedan, it just dosent fit what I need it to and its getting aggravating. The pup 'fits' but damn does it look ridiculous.

Needs

• Comfortable Drive
  • Considering the long commute, would like my body and mind to survive
• Storage
  • I would like to get as much stowing space as possible to deal with home depot runs

Wants

• Comfortable Drive
  • Considering the long commute, would like my body and mind to survive
• Gas Mileage
  • Again; long commute, so would like to save where I can

Budget

• 50K$ under but to be honest, no matter my budget Ive never bought anything over 30K$ because going into debt for a piece of machinery which 'should' (looking at you; toyota/lexus used car market) lose value as you use it, is hard for me to swallow.
• Ive never bought anything new and don't feel like doing it but, again, with how the used market is....2K more for like 3 years newer and 50K miles difference.....its hard to just not get the best value

Current Options

Stay safe but bigger

• Lexus RX Hybrid
  • Positive - Larger storage space, good drive train, comfortable, ride height helps
  • Negatives - Used car market prices, like what is happening
• Toyota RAV4
  • Positive - Larger storage space, good drive train
  • Negatives - Ive heard its loud on the highway, unsure of the comfortability, and of course.....used prices
• Toyota Crown Signia
  • This just seems to be a unique design which meets a considerable amount of points for me but unsure if its worth it over the others

Go different but bigger

• BMW X Series SUV
  • Positive - Size is good, gas mileage is okay, for my understanding is they are comfortable and great to drive
  • Negatives - Maintenance costs, Reliability (Ive heard things aren't to bad if you keep up with maintenance)
• Lexus TX
  • Positive - Large storage space, decent gas mileage, pricing isnt awful
  • Negative - Larger then usual, more likely more than needed
• Lexus NX
  • Maybe too small?

Buy Gas

• Get a truck.....pay gas

Stay where I am

• Keep the ES and just deal with shipping items, contracting out work or renting truck if needed

I know its a slog but that's why I am here asking for advice and help; has anybody dealt with a situation like mine, what was your experience and retrospective inputs?

I don’t want to be too dramatic but seriously, if WE THE PEOPLE don’t want dealerships why the heck are we forced to deal with this nonsense?

I would argue that everyone wants the traditional car dealership model to disappear, except the dealers and their lobbyists.

The whole process is absurd. You research the car online, compare prices, configure it, read reviews, and probably know more about the vehicle than the salesperson by the time you walk into the dealership.

Then you arrive and suddenly you’re expected to sit through the ancient ritual: “Let me talk to my manager.”

Four hours later, you’re negotiating over a vehicle that already has a price.

Then comes the finance office, where you get presented with a menu of warranties, protection packages, coatings, insurance products, and other add-ons that you didn’t ask for.

Just let manufacturers sell cars directly to customers at a transparent price. Let customers order online, pick up the car, or have it delivered. If dealerships want to exist as service centers, repair facilities, and places to physically inspect vehicles, fine.

I genuinely think the vast majority of consumers would be happy to see the traditional dealership model end.

They are $5000 with 320,000 miles on their second motor, please stop telling people this tired old shit, these cars are not “ bulletproof” , and for new cars, hondas and Toyotas are not any better then the competition

I already own a truck so I’m in the market for something smaller and more fuel efficient. My parameters are as follows.

Preferably RWD
Preferably manual
Semi reliable, not going to give me lots of headaches
Under $6k USD

I’m currently looking at the Miata, Mazda 3, and BMW 3 series
What are your suggestions?

2015 Nissan Versa with a clean title.

So about 3 weeks ago I bought a 2023 Is350 fully loaded with all the options. The other day I was hit by a semi truck and the car was deemed totaled. I am now shopping for a new car and have been interested in the mustangs so I’m wondering if I should take this opportunity to change it up.

I really liked the Lexus but I had a few complaints. The interior was a little dated, but that’s not a super big deal to me. The seats were a little uncomfortable for my back. I wished it had a little more power and road presence and I just love the V8 sound.

Obviously the IS500 would solve my issues but it’s unfortunately out of my budget. Would y’all consider a 24 mustang to be a downgrade from my Lexus? There was nothing really WRONG with the Lexus, I think I would be happy to own another one, but part of me thinks I should use this opportunity to get into something that’s more a sports car than the Lexus was.

Does anyone have any input?

EDIT:
Part of the reason I’m considering other cars is that it was very hard to find the exact spec, color, options, etc of the Lexus in my general area. I ended up having to fly 400 miles and drive it home. As of now, there’s nothing listed that is the exact same and I feel like if I settled on something that wasn’t exactly what I had before I would regret it every time I drove it.

No matter what its gotta have a V8, either the ford 5.0, Chevy 5.3 or ram 5.7, what would you recommend?

I'm leaning more towards Chevy, but what are your thoughts? I'm looking to own it for 10-15 years (I'm very skeptical of the Toyota tundra V6's)

I recently got a 2019 Toyota CHR (Limited)
I got it from a friend. only has about less than 60k miles.
Firstly it has a bit of a knocking sound. Waterpump.
Im getting that fixed because that was the important knocking noise. I need new brakes. Its also due for its full transmission fluid service and tune up etc. (60kmileservice).
And I didnt check the tires but I think I might need new tires too. this all even when I will do somethings myself. will be quite costly.$800 for the tires. Brakes and tune up will be extra. the waterpump part is probably costing me around $300. Now it is a toyota and theyre known to be reliable. should I get all these done and keep it.? and will all these factors drive down the trade in or selling value if i intend to sell it.
should I sell/trade it for a more spacious interior car.
its also a bit cramped.
My other favorites are
2017s and above
Camrys Civics and accords. I love the 2017 Accord the most.

I am looking to trade in my Ford Bronco as I will be commuting 110 miles a day, 95% highway with minimal traffic. The Bronco, although a slice of heaven for me, is not a long distance kind of vehicle.

What would you recommend for this criteria:
- comfortable
- minimal wind noise
- easy on the wallet (less than 40k)
- not a sedan/car
- depreciation with the high mileage does concern me (I’m not one to keep a car for more than 4 years or so)

Occasionally my kids ride with me so air vents in the back are a must. We are in Texas - heated seats are not needed. It’s hot as is!

Yes, I know I could ask ChatGPT, but AI can never replace true reviews.

Hey everyone I don’t really know that much about cars but I’m looking to get one next year and would like to see what my options are.

I have a 50k budget but definitely would prefer if it’s on the lower side 20-40k. I’m looking for a reliable hybrid (not a plug in one as I wouldn’t have any place to charge it frequently) mainly because of fuel economy since I’ve seen that some hybrids can be as good as 5liters/100kms.

I prefer a sedan purely because of how they look and I’ve only driven sedans so far, but I don’t mind a larger car if it has more than 5 seats.

I want a car that’s quiet inside I hate when it feels so noisy, I don’t really care about a car having a ‘sporty’ feel.

I’d like some nice features in the car like heads up display, cooling ventilated seats, a big screen with wireless apple car play, wireless phone charger, auto hold, and is it maybe a stretch to ask for remote start so the car can cool down before I get in? If you can’t tell it’s really hot where I live haha 🥲

I’ve heard it’s better to have a naturally aspirated engine cuz turbos wear down faster and I want the car to last me 7-10+ years.

The newest Hyundai sonata pretty much satisfies all my requirements and its exterior is also really nice but I’ve heard that Hyundai isn’t as reliable as Japanese cars like Toyota or Honda.

Thanks in Advance!

Hey everyone, I’m in the market for a used car and wanted some advice before I start test driving. I’m really interested in a Mazda3 Gen 4 (preferably a 2019) since they seem to fall right into my budget and I’ve heard they’re reliable but still fun to drive.
Budget: $15k–$16k
Location: Michiana area (Northern Indiana / Michigan border lots of snow, salt, and rust)
Current car (trade-in):
2013 Chevy Cruze, ~190k miles
Runs and drives
No dashboard warning lights
Has quite a few issues overall (age/wear)
Carvana estimate is about $500, so I’m basically expecting nothing
About me:
24 years old
Work in healthcare
No credit history yet (may need to finance or go through a credit union)
What I’m looking for:
Reliable daily driver (most important)
Handles winter/snow well
Something a little fun to drive (not boring)
Reasonable maintenance and long-term ownership
Questions:
Is a 2019 Mazda3 a good choice for Midwest winters and long term reliability?
Is AWD worth it, or is FWD + good winter tires enough?
Any trims/engines to avoid or look for?
Are there better alternatives in this price range? (Civic, Corolla, Accord, Camry, Subaru, etc.)
Any advice for buying with no credit history?
I’m planning to start test driving soon, so if there’s anything specific I should watch for (especially with rust or suspension from Midwest cars), I’d appreciate it.
Thanks!

Looking to replace 1 of 2 Toyota Tacomas in our family car fleet. The replacement car is meant to be under $20k, AWD/4x4, 5 seats, 20+ mpg, and reliable for the next 2-5 years. I reserved a Scout but that’s a few years out and who knows how expensive it will be when we’re able to order/pick-up.

2019 Toyota Tacoma is paid off and worth about $30k. I’m looking to save money and drive more economically in the next few years until the Scout is a viable option. I’ll be commuting to and from work soon (2 hrs/day) so I need something reliable, comfortable, and off-road/mountain capable for camping or road trips.

Found two (very different) Volvo’s for sale locally. Help me pick them apart?

My favorite (but may feel too big and be too costly to maintain): https://www.dlrnordic.com/vehicle-details/used-2018-volvo-v90-cross-country-lux-t6-awd-bowers-and-wilkins-pilot-assist-massage-seats-head-up-display-4-heated-seats-and-wheel-portland-or-id-60661336

Next runner up: https://www.mminvestmentcars.com/vehicle-details/2008-volvo-xc70-6-cyl-3-2-cross-country-awd-leathers-sunroof-90k----all-wheel-drive---heated-seats---parking-sensors---very-low-miles-wagon-30c2ddddd5f3488892d3db611554a737

If it doesn’t make sense to you to trade in the Taco and just eat the poor gas mileage, that’s good feedback too! Thank you!!!

I’m looking to get rid of my 2016 Colorado that’s been great to me for a mid 2000s f150 for the power to size ratio… (same size as my Colorado but higher tow and payload capacity for camping etc)

Seems like everyone else had the same idea too. My truck is probably worth 12-15k but a 20 year old truck is worth 10k+

I'm a young, almost 22 year old person looking to get a new car within the next year or two.

My first, and current, car is a 2006 Honda CRV, which works wonders, but I'd like something more modern. I don't do much off-road activities, so most of my driving will be city and highway.

I LOVE the aesthetics of Jeep Wranglers, but am well aware of their typical transmission issues and how costly that can be.

I also adore the Ford Bronco Heritage, but am wary of the price tag and how much higher it is than other options.

Hummers are another car I also adore aesthetically, though I've heard they drive clunky, and there's the issue that replacement parts are costly due to no longer being in production.

Looking for advice or potential alternatives.

Edit; I don't exclusively like the Bronco Heritage. Most Broncos catch my eye, I just enjoy the additional little aesthetic tweaks the heritage has specifically.

Hi everyone, I just saw a 2015 Nissan Pulsar ST B17 Series 2 Auto with 140,000km on the odometer for $2,500 Australian dollars and was wondering if this may be too good of a deal, I am not really familiar with cars just wondering if there are any notable issues with Nissan, or at least with this particular car for how much its been driven?

Context: Actually my first car that I mostly bought with my own money was a 12 BMW 328i(N20 engine) regret. So it’s currently going to one of my family friend’s shops to be fixed so that I can drive it and enjoy it for a while(only performance mod is a cold air intake), but it soon will be sold cause maintenance costs are just too much for me. So essentially I’m buying my first car again🥲

I’m told it won’t sell for a lot so my budget is $10k and I want something fun, sporty, and most importantly reliable. I also like cool techy features in cars.

My dad can do some maintenance stuff like brakes, spark plugs, etc. so I don’t really have to worry about going to a shop to get those things done.

I was looking at getting a Lexus IS250(probably 2nd gen) but they all have pretty highish miles. Is 130-140 miles necessary bad or too high?

Any other cars that I should look at?

hello!
i am looking to purchase my first car, student on tight budget. i have two options that stand out to me the most.
1. 2002 camry, 160k miles, well cared for, 3500 dollars and within my budget. cons are it’s the gold/champagne color. i’d be confident in the drivetrain and it getting me where i need to go but it’s just so ugly.

1. 2001 lincoln town car, 153k miles, also well cared for and asking 3500.
   cons, my family used to have a 2011 mercury grand marquis i remember needed a good amount of maintaining. but i love panther platform cars more than anything and its closest to the type of look id want in a vehicle.

i know both are older cars and both will need maintenance. as far as i know they should both have cheap and easy to find parts. i’m not super knowledgeable on cars but i do some other types of repair work and im willing to work on my own car. i am really scarce with money and need the least amount of expensive surprises. that being said, i unfortunately value aesthetics a lot but if it comes down to it i dont really care what the car is. these just so happen to be my two best options

let me know what the better pick would be.