Time for the 2nd Vehicle...Any Recommendations?

# re: Time for the 2nd Vehicle...Any Recommendations?

I thought you had to own a Red River Cart when you lived in Winnipeg? 10/31/2007 4:57 AM | Donald Belcham

# re: Time for the 2nd Vehicle...Any Recommendations?

Buy used and pay with cash. Look for a car that's about 5-7 years older and buy it from a private party.

Never buy from a dealership.

Best advice I can give. I'll never buy from a dealership again. 10/31/2007 5:10 AM | George Clingerman

# re: Time for the 2nd Vehicle...Any Recommendations?

Donald: such...an...ass... :P

George: The problem I have with buying used is that there's no warranty. I'm one of those people that is NOT mechanically inclined, and especially since we're buying before the start of winter I need to know whatever we're going to get is reliable. With that said, I know of services where you can submit a vehicle spec and have them tell you what the actual cost was to the dealership, so I may look at doing that...but we'll see. Since I'm not married to any one model I'm going to definately play up the shopping-around angle and see what shakes.

Plus I used to work for a company that did software for dealerships, so I know what sort of salesperson-things to watch out for.

D 10/31/2007 6:03 AM | D'Arcy from Winnipeg

# re: Time for the 2nd Vehicle...Any Recommendations?

At least according to Consumer Reports for whatever it's worth, your best bets for reliability would be the Toyota RAV4 and the Honda CR-V. My wife was very partial to the Saturn because of her good experience with her previous car, but after looking at them and reading about their reliability today, we just couldn't do it.

Both are not available in hybrids to my knowledge, but they do get excellent gas mileage for an SUV.

About buying used and a lack of warranty, check out dealer certified used cars. I know for example Honda certified used cars actually come with a *better* warranty than new ones, and I believe Toyota. New Hondas are warrantied up to 36,000 miles, while certified used are up to 100,000 miles.

My wife decided on the RAV4, and we've been very happy with it. It offered the most room for the smaller SUV's, and to be honest, it doesn't have much less room than the Highlander. This was before Honda released the newly designed CR-V, so that's definitely worth checking out, too.

If you go used on a RAV4 and room is important for you, make sure you get a 2006 version or newer. The 05's and prior are smaller and believe it or not still have slightly worse gas mileage than the newer ones.

Good luck! 10/31/2007 6:38 AM | heropsycho

# re: Time for the 2nd Vehicle...Any Recommendations?

My wife drives a 2004 Saturn VUE and doesn't like it - heck I don't like it that much either...we bought it used and in a hurry during a really crazy time when our son was in the hospital after being born premature 1 week after the car wreck my wife was in that destroyed our truck...it was our only mode of transport after the rental car time was up.

Our Saturn VUE has a "toy-like" feel to the way it handles, etc. and makes weird noise when you turn corners....but it's been reliable....I guess that's the major plus. I just personally don't like it that much.
11/1/2007 4:04 AM | Lou

# re: Time for the 2nd Vehicle...Any Recommendations?

I'm also adding the Mitsubishi Outlander and Hyundai Sante Fe to the list.

Geeze...gonna be a busy Saturday of test drives!

D 11/1/2007 5:01 AM | D'Arcy from Winnipeg

# re: Time for the 2nd Vehicle...Any Recommendations?

I know two people with the Santa Fe and both of them like it...especially for the price (wasn't real expensive).
11/2/2007 3:03 AM | Lou