Dazed just bought a new car, and I was curious about what she bought and asked. That made me think....my favorite car is no longer manufactured in the U.S. (but Buick sells them in China and it's number 1 there! - which should tell Buick something!) - the LeSabre. So when I get a new car, I will have to do some major car shopping. So, that brings me to this thread. Do we buy for comfort, ease of transporting our spouses, gas consumption, looks, tradition, bargain, etc.? I don't really have time to see what the latest cars are, or what is thought of them. So help me out here...if you don't mind, tell us what you drive and why....
I have a 2000 tan Buick LeSabre that only has 68,000 miles on it and looks like new, and I plan to keep it for a while, hoping Buick changes their minds. (I also have my husband's white 2003 Chrysler Sebring Convertible which I can't seem to part with.) My car is for comfort and the "toy" is for fun.
Mary, we decided to trade cars back a few months. Had a Buick Rendezvous and loved it - but DH was having trouble getting in and out and they aren't making them anymore, so thought it was time. Wanted to get a 4-door sedan, better gas mileage,etc. Looked and drove a few......then our sales guy (whom we've bought cars from forever), brought around a 2006 Cadillac Deville and DH fell in love! We've had them before - years ago and they are wonderful cars. Anyway, we ended up buying it BECAUSE: I figured this is the last car he will ever have (even though he doesn't drive), so if wants a caddy, he can have one! He can get in and out of it much better. We don't travel much anymore - so not really concerned with price of gas right now. Actually, I love it too!
Right now we buy for energy efficiency - not for what saves us money on gas, but what is best for the environment - and for reliability. After our last American made car (in the 1970s), DH swore he'd never buy another. It's a long story about what happened, but suffice it to say I was in premature labor (3 months early) and it was 30 miles to a hospital with an at-risk neonatal nursery!
We have a 2002 Prius with 75,000 miles. We'll keep it as long as we can and replace it with another Prius. We love it!
i drive a mercury suv with low miles and almost 9yrs old. i am in the market for a new one as well next yr probably. i like the smaller suv due to carrying the transport chair at all times and room for groceries.:) since we arent doing much traveling either gas isnt an issue either. i have been looking at the Cadillac suv's. they are nice too. i may check other models with 100k warranty now i need the security of a longtime warranty. divvi
I drive a 2003 Subaru Legacy sedan with 105,000 miles on it. I got the Subaru for the all-wheel drive - usefull in snow. Gas mileage is not great. My wife has no trouble getting in and out, the car runs beautifully - so, I am not in the market for a new car at this point. If I had to get a new car I would probably go for a Subaru again due to its ability in snow.
For as long as Honda made Preludes I drove one. Had three total. Beautiful hi performance car. Fast forward to now. First car I bought all by myself. A Honda Element. It sort of looks like a toaster on wheels. It is so funny looking that I still laugh at myself every time I climb into it. When they were still new on the market I would have people beep their horns and wave. People would stop me in parking lots to ask about the car. Before I bought mine I followed a woman into a parking lot to ask her how she liked hers. One day I came out of our club house to find a man just waiting to see who would drive such a car. OK-why did I buy it-now that I'm on my own I have to haul heavy stuff like mulch, cat chow and 40lb buckets of litter. My back is very tricky. The Element loads beautifully at hip height. No bending to lug stuff out of the trunk. Another plus-very easy to find in a parking lot. How'd I do Mary?
We have a 2000 Subaru Outback with about 90,000 miles on it. I love it; it's been the only car that I have done almost all of the driving in. It gets about 21+ mpg, I can load up the walker and transport chair easily, and it's been a really good car for me. I hate to think of turning it in and probably won't until after...
Like Marsh, I really like having the AWD in snow or ice.
I always liked the Element but my kids made fun of me. I saw a bumper sticker on an Element that said "hummer escape pod". Thought that was cute.
Oh, by the way, we have a 96 Mercury Mystique. Our last car was a 99 Ford Escort Wagon that died with 150,000 miles on it just a couple of months ago. My grandmother (96) gave up driving last year and gave us her car. It only had 42,000 miles on it. I'm very grateful to her for the help.
I drive a 2009 Ford Escape which is probably similar in features to the small Mercury suv divi describes and I like it for the same reasons she describes. In addition I live in the cold north and have 4WD. Last winter was the snowiest I remember and I drove thousands of miles watching people spin out on the highways and never even had a scare with my 4WD and traction contol.
My favorite thing about it though is the Ford SYNC. My cell phone is in my purse and rings through the car, then my dashboard displays who is calling and if I want to answer it I push a button on my steering wheel and then I just talk, no need to do anything else. In addition, the SYNC plays my IPOD (i didn't have an IPOD until I got SYNC!!!). I have many hours worth of music on the IPOD and again I just push a button on my steering wheel and tell my car what to play and it plays it. Very cool and easy to use!!! Simple pleasures, my car is the most peaceful part of my life.
If I lived in the south....I would drive a Mustang (with SYNC)!
Last May I traded in my 17 year old Ford Escort with 76,000 original miles for a 2008 Kia Spectra. My son did alot of reserarch and we decided that a Kia was the best car for me. I was planning on a Kia Rio but didn't like it after driving it. They brought out the Spectra and I fell in love :-).
I should have waited two months and traded my "clunker" in!!!!
Mary
P.S. My daughter has a 2008 Ford Escape and loves it.
I have an Infiniti, m35x,2006 and I love it!!I had an infiniti,Q45, 1997, before this one and never had to have any repairs. I sold it to a friend and she still has had no repairs. I primarily wanted a car with several safety features because as I grow older, I need extra help. I have a backup camera which shows what is in back of me, have brakes that keep me from skidding, have a device that buzzes if I go over the yellow line on either side of the road, have a gadget for snow and rain condions that keeps me from sliding, have automatic device that when I turn on the cruise control my car will keep a certain distance behind the one in front. I have phone device on my steering wheel so I can just talk to the other party on the phone. Also built in navigation system etc. I probably will not have another car as these cars have excellent records of longevity. Also I ONly have 20,000 miles on the car and they aren't broken in until 100,000. These cars are wonderful . Look them up on the internet.
Dh has a Toyota Prius which he fortunately almost never drives any more. It gets marvelous milage (hybrid) but I'm not tall and I don't feel that I have a good view out the back window. I have a Toyota Starlet hatchback that I love. It looks small but has surprising amount of leg room -- can seat four people pretty comfortably (for short distances). In this car I feel at home and completely in charge.
Mary - an option of when it comes time is to just drop a new engine in your car.
In 2003 we were looking for another car. I didn't want new (let someone else pay depreciation) but it had to get minimum 40-mpg, comfortable seats including the back seat, four doors, and A/C (never had it before that worked). Mu sister had a 2001 Prius and we loved it. The Toyota dealer in Vancouver, wA had one in the paper. It was a 2001 with only 1100 miles on it (fleet car). We got a $2000 discount for being an internet sale. We now have 78,000+ miles on it with no problems. We love it and it is paid for. I hope it will last for 200,000 miles or more because I do not want to buy another car. The only drawback is we have to tow it on a car dolly vs on all 4, but we love the car.
Not knowing anything about what to look for in a car, I read and studied Consumer Reports car issue and did research on internet, bluebook, etc. I bought a Toyota Camry which was recommended for safety, low maintenance, good gas mileage, comfortable ride and low road noise. BUT.....I never thought about walkers and transport chairs until I read Divvi's post just now. I'm not sure they would fit in the trunk but the back seats do lay down. Looking at our dismal future, I Hope I didn't make a mistake.
It does have the features Catherine talked about with a button on the steering wheel I can push and talk on my cell phone and also plays my ipod. I can load 5 CD's in at the same time. Don't know why anyone would want a sun roof but it has one. Also keyless entry. My teenage grandchildren really think it's cool. We've saved on gas already but would have to save a WHOLE lot to pay for the car.
Oh, and although it has a foreign name, they said it is manufactured in Kentucky.
I have a 2006 Mercury Montego with less than 16,000 miles on it. We have always had Ford, Mercury or Lincoln cars and never had any problems. We had the Town Car for 10 years before trading it in. I don't know when I will trade this one in but it will be like the last trade ins, I handled them, so buying a car is not a problem for me.
Walkers fold up. So do transport chairs, and the cheap ones you get at the drugstore even have their wheels and feet rests easily detatchable (too easily!) So they almost certainly will fit in a Camry.
I drive a 2001 Blue and Silver Dodge Dakota which I just put a new motor and tranmission in at 130,000 miles. I really like it and I will keep it until the wheels fall off and can't be replace. It rides great and handles everything I need it to. Kathryn's car is a 2003 Buick Rendezvous which we still have and drive whenever I need to take both her and my father both out, such as out to dinner or to see a doctor or something. I don't leave kathryn at home alone because she needs to be able to get out and see the world as best she can. We take drives to look at gardens and houses. I take her to yard sales which she dearly loves going to. When I talk about the Buick Rendezvous I always refer to it as her car. I let her know when I get something done to her car or that I washed her car for her. She can no longer drive, but I just want her to know that she counts and the only way I know how to is to include her. When I open the door for her and I know we are heading home I always say "your car awaits my dear" and she always laughs, gets in and says "home James" And I love to hear her laugh.
Like Catherine, I have a Ford Escape, which I love for a lot of reasons. Of major importance is that it's good for transporting the dogs. The liftback is convenient for loading/unloading big containers of dog food, kitty litter, cat carriers, whatever. I love the navigation system and satellite radio. When DH was still mobile I drove a Mercury minivan, which had plenty of room for everything we needed to carry including walker, wheelchair.
We've had no trouble getting a transport chair in the trunk or back seat of our 2002 Prius. It's the old model, not the hatchback. Jeanette, you concerned me about being able to see about the back window of the hatchbacks if I have to buy a new one.
Janet - that is my complaint about the new Prius vs the classic we have. They put the fin in the lower part of the hatchback window and for me, being short, it is in my line of vision. My brother has a 2009 and he has not problem with it. The only plus to the newer ones are: the a/c works off the electric instead of gas so when you are stopped you don't get warm air out of it (so I am told), and they have a higher console in the middle so it can be used for an arm rest. Tow truck drivers have had to learn a whole new way with these keyless starting cars because the engine could start anytime. From what one driver told me when they get to an accident they throw the keys far away to eliminate or cut down the chance of this.
I bought a 2006 Toyota Solara for the 2-dr. wider opening door and bigger door opening, so I could get DW in and out more safely and easier for me. Also still have '99 4-dr Camry with 54,000 miles on it, and the V6 engine. Love 'em both.
I have a 2002 Mercedes E-320 and LOVE IT! It has 48,000 miles on it and so far, not a single maintenance problem. I recently had the tires replaced, although they looked fine and had good deep treads. Son convinced me that the material in tires that are 7+ years old break down an if I insisted on driving 1,000 miles to Sarasota, I had to have new tires. (Bossy kid!) Foster had a 2005 Mercedes SUV and our son drives it now. Also been maintenance free. I appreciate the extra steel in the side doors and roof. Side collisions are more frequent than head on, and many cars do not even have side air bags. Our car has TEN airbags for safety. The trunk is very deep and very easy to put the transportable wheel chair in and out..with much room to spare. It's called Desert Sand, which is a champagne tan color. Get 27 mph on highway..about 21 in town.
Just got back from the vet. Two very large cats in very large kennels fit easily on the flat floor between the front and back seats of my Element. The boys serenaded each other the whole trip.
I drive a 2007 VW Jetta. Not sure why, I just liked it when I saw it. 2 things that are a must for me, heated seats (I know, I live in So Cal, but it's cold at 5:45 am when I'm going to work!) and the other thing is sun/moon roof. First thing my grandson Dylan says when he gets in the car is "open the lid, grandma!" Bluedaze, I think of you every time a see an Element! Now I'll picture serenading cats! :))
GMC Envoy, 2007 with about 38,000 miles on it. It has the heavy duty tow package and I can pull a lightweight two horse trailer with it. Then, I have my 1997 Dodge Ram V10 pick up with an 8' bed for heavyduty hauling of stuff. The original idea behind buying the Envoy was that it was a perfect vehicle for me to use for hauling my artwork to exhibits when necessary, it could pull a trailer and it is the perfect height (or was) for John to be able to step up and into easily. John had an old 1997 Oldsmobile that I had hauled away. I couldn't GIVE the thing away! We ran the wheels off of it!
I'm laughing at all of the above..come on..new cars? I drive a 1991 BMW 750i with 190,000 miles on it. We have always kept our cars in pristine condition inside and out, and they just keep on going. My Black Beauty is still perfect ,and I'm always getting offers to buy her from the shop I take her to for routine maintenance...mind you, her insides have been replaced along the way :-)My husband had a 1987 Mercedes Turbo that just kept cranking along until he destroyed it a few months ago, and we had to sell it for parts..:-(. Then he wrecked our Monster Dodge truck, but that got fixed and our son bought it..so..I'm in the market for an AWD something before next winter, as I love my car, but when ice and snow arrive she doesn't leave the garage..basically turns into a sled! I'm not sure what I can afford..my son thnks I should ge a Acura TL, but think it is out of my price range now. Fun and games for sure.
I drive a 2001 Crown Victoria. It has 72,000 miles on it. I'm so disappointed that Ford has quit making them. Guess we'll go to a Grand Marquis next time. I like the bigger cars.
I drive a 2003 Buick Le Sabre. It is the third one I have ad and I love it. I did not realize they were not making them any more. It does not make sense. It is a most comfortable, easy to drive, efficient car. I guess I will have to get a Toyota if I ever need another car. This one should last for 9 or 10 years.
I have a 2008 Buick Enclave, which I purchased last August. I wanted something that I could haul mulch, flowers, shrubs or whatever & still have a nice vehicle...which I do with plastic & old waterbed sheets covering the back. Also, like sitting up high. Being a SUV it doesn't get very good gas mileage, it only has a little over 6,000 miles on it, still smells new & since we hardly go out of town, I only fill up every 2 weeks. I love it, plan on keeping it for a very long time. I never thought I would ever say this, but, I don't see me buying another GM vehicle in the future though, not a happy camper with GM/Delphi since they took away our insurance & sent my husband's pension to the government after he worked for them for 36.5 years. Can't see why I should support them when they threw us out. Sorry, Vent about GM over.
Like Joyfull I have an Infinity M35 2006. I've always driven big cars like Lincolns or Mercury Gran Marquis. Four years ago I was in the market for a new car and my then teenage son talked me out of the "gramma" cars that I had been driving. Of course he is now the one driving my old Mercury which he calls "Big Bertha"!
If I had know at the time my husband would get AD I'm not sure I would have splurged on the Infinity. But it's a fun car to drive and I hope to keep it for another 10 years. The first few months of owning it I got my first ever speeding ticket! It has been my "mid-life" crisis car.
I have a BMW SUV that I dearly love....I was having sciatic nerve problems while driving my old 4 door car and someone suggested a SUV....made all the difference in the world....plus I love sitting up higher. I would buy another SUV....not necessarily a BMW...a little pricey for this widow...LOL!
So far, no one has mentioned a situation like mine. DH was always a "car guy". Loved luxury cars--traded them in every few years--never had a car with high mileage. We had mostly Mercedes', my favorite was a Jaguar. Lo and behold, in 2001, DH bought a Hyundai! At the time, I thought he was finally getting sensible about spending on cars--but in retrospect, now I think it may have been the AD kicking in! Anyway, after dx I got rid of the Mercedes SUV and kept the Hyundai, since it was newer. It is now 8 years old, has over 100,000 mis., and I'm treading water because I'm afraid if I buy a new car, the driving issue may rear its ugly head. I'm putting lots of money out for maintenance and repairs, but if it keeps the peace, I figure it's worth it. I was salivating during the Cash for Clunkers, though.
I drive a 2008 Toyoto Scion XB, which looks even more like a toaster than the Honda Element. I wanted an Element, which holds more bicycles, but it only has two seatbelts in the back and with two kids still spending vacations at home that didn't seem like a good idea. Before that I had a Ford Escort stationwagon going strong with 150,000 miles, but I hit a deer.
2007 Toyota Matrix - I like it a lot. Chose it for the high ratings on consumer reports and elsewhere, good mileage, and wonderful fold flat storage for a small car. Before I had a Toyota Camry and DH had a Honda Accord. I would have loved a Mini Cooper just cuz I think they're so darned cute but by the time it came to buy the new car it was clear I had to be the responsible voice and couldn't count on DH to save me from myself.
Well, I USED to drive a 2004 Toyota Tundra, V-8, extended cab. Gave it to son last week. Now we just have the 2004 Toyota Avalon. Tundra had about 55k miles and Avalon has a little more. It's a V6 so probably gets a little better gas mileage. I had "truck envy" for years so finally bought myself one in 04 -- hated to give it up but thought having only one vehicle would ease the driving issue a little bit -- boy was I wrong. Now he's just ranting more and badmouthing son for agreeing to take it. (In 30 years of marriage we've not sold our cars, just passed them off to whichever son could use one.)
I drive a 2006 Ford Taurus. It was the first car I bought by myself in almost 25 years. It gets good gas mileage. I'd love to get a new car, but since this one is very dependable and is paid for I'll keep it. I don't have a car payment or house payment and want to keep it that way.
I drive a 2008 Toyota Prius. It is a GREAT car. We traded in an Acura MDX for it and have not looked back. We average 46 MPG and the ride is very comfortable. The hatchback holds much more than we thought it would. It will easily hold several suitcases plus a full size plug-in cooler. The back seat is very roomy with lots of leg room. What's not to like? Did I mention that it is lots of fun to drive? (especially in the hill country of TX)
Two subarus - Marsh and mine; we realized it when we got to the same restaurant for lunch in Maine!
I THINK, but am not sure, that most of the American cars (the bigger ones) were from the south and midwest. Around here you just don't see many Caddies or Mercuries. This isn't anti-American, it's that the streets of the older cities were laid down more narrowly than in the new ones; the wider cars just don't FIT. In my suburban town, though, there are lotsa SUVs.
In the name of RESEARCH acurracy, I have edited my post and spelled Subaru correctly. I drove Cadillacs and Lincolns when I was selling real estate for the space they provided in the back. My mid-size Mercedes turns on a dime, and I can reach the passenger side front door from the driver's seat. It's a better fit now. I'm amazed at the size of the trunk, too. As I said earlier, his transportable wheel chair fits back there with two small suitcases. The back seat has minimal leg room, but no one rides back there..just our little dog. Mostly, he wants to be in the front seat so he can "see" better.
OK FayeBay, I added yours! Math never was my strong suit. Neither are CARS! I don't know "first names" of cars, I know HONDA's but never know what families Accords or Civics belong to. This is an interesting thread though..because we now buy cars our LO's can get in and out of, and cars the equpment fits into easiest. A friend here had to get rid of his beloved Dodge Ram 250 ( think it was) because they coujldn't climb up into it (very high off the ground) and the bed was too high to lift his wife's wheelchair into. Guess what they bought??? A TOYOTA van..and they love it.
I drive a big Black 2006 Jeep Commander. Love it, clear view, easy to load from the back....BESIDES....IT LOOKS SO TOUGH. On the bad days I feel like I am in charge of SOMETHING, and not ruled by AD. ;-)
Again Trish we have a car underappreciated by most people....our m35x INFINITI IS Not known or advertised for the reliability and quality that it is. I would not want to drive another car and I appreciate mine for the many features that I have for a lot less money than the Lexus, Mercedes , or other cars of comparable worth.
Okay must admit...had my senior life crisis and bought a BMW hard top convertible last year which sits in garage next to DH's 1995 Volvo station wagon. (BMW came after a much loved Acura had piled on the miles.) BMW totally impractical love it, my husband loves to ride in it as do my grandchildren! Rationalize that the wagon will be there for transportation issues later in our "journey".