When assessing things to buy (especially with your own money) people have different priorities. For instance, when buying a TV, some choose a bigger screen over feature (“I’m never going to use ALL 4 HDMI sockets!”). Likewise, when choosing a holiday, most people think destination is the most important criterion. But some people think the destination isn’t important as long as it’s family friendly, or the food is good, etc. Can you guess what this weekend’s “Weekend Head Scratcher” is going to be…?
That’s right. What is your number one priority when choosing a car? Is driving performance important to you? Maybe you couldn’t give a flying NFSW about driving dynamics and care only about fuel economy? Maybe build quality is what you consider important? Or maybe it’s value for money? So come on, let us know and give your reasons.
#1 priority has to be wife acceptance factor. Without that, there is no hope of acquiring a new vehicle.
Dang me. For the love dog, why won’t me spouse understand when I explain that transmissions were not meant to shift themselves?
Fun to drive (for its segment) is most important and fortunately the wife is on board with that, too!! We don’t typically have the need for high passenger/high load capacity (we rent when we do) so the “Utility” category is not that critical for us. After dynamics, reliability/economy are about tie for second place. All modern vehicles are pretty damn safe, so we consider that a given, even of there are those that are better than others.
Driving dynamics without a doubt. This is why I purchased a Mazda 3 after driving a Corolla and Civic.
After having been burned too many times, I think my car buying protocol has become well rounded. My requirements:
Stickshift
Good enough mechanical shape that any problems are easy + trivial fixes
Quick acceleration (<15 sec quarter mile) w/emphasis on midrange
Good exhaust note (V6 or better)
Good aftermarket (<$1000 coilovers, <$400 headers)
Preferably a good stock stereo w/Ipod connectivity
Decent gas mileage (>20 MPG overall)
If any one of those things is out, I’m not interested, at least for right now. Surprisingly though there are a lot of cars that fit the bill over a wide range of budgets/classes (Maximas/Altimas/Mazda6s/Accords on the low end, old M3s/G35s/M5 on the upper end) so they’re not too stringent.
Good format, I’ll go with
Automatic
4 cyl or hybrid
just enough horsepower (or a fully electric air conditioning system) so that I don’t notice a loss in acceleration if the AC is manually turned on during a steep onramp on to a highway where I need to merge at >55 mph
4 door w trunk and fold down rear seats or 4dr + hatchback. Must be able to get an adult in the back seat without them complaining.
Good enough mechanical shape that any problems are easy + trivial fixes
Preferably a good stock stereo w/Ipod connectivity
Very good gas mileage (>30 MPG overall)
fwiw on the air conditioning vs HP issue here are some data points from cars I’ve recently driven
mid 90s Nissan pickup 4 cyl 2WD AC works strong never been recharged or worked on, more HP than needed assuming the bed is unloaded. Still amazed at how well the factory AC has lasted. Probably underpowered if you used it as a true work truck.
2004 Nissan Sentra 1.8L 4 cyl sluggish not enough HP with AC, very noticeable during AC test scenario.
Late 90s Saturn SL2 1.9L 4 cyl fast enough to be responsive when I want it to be. Only slightly noticeable when the AC is triggered in test scenario, way better than the Nissan Sentra 1.8 due to much lower body weight.
2005 Prius not as peppy is the Saturn SL2 (fly by wire is slower to react than a traditional throttle) but the AC has no interaction with the gas motor. Passes the AC test better than any traditional car or truck I’ve ever tested.
For me, #1 is “fun to drive” on the way to work. Also needs to be appropriate for an autocross. Also has to be easy to work on. Also needs to get good gas mileage.
My current car meets those (mostly): 1998 Z28 with six speed. My previous failed miserably: 1991 BMW 750iL.
With two VW Buses and a 4 cylinder Mazda Tribute, I guess my priorities are utility, good ground clearance and economy over sportiness.
Manual transmission is a must have and if it’s an option a 4 cylinder in an engine bay designed to hold a V6.
Since I live in a Hurricane area, it has to be big enough to hold my family, dogs, cats, teenage hitchhikers, supplies for several weeks, plus have a tow rating big enough to haul my house behind me. In case Armegeddon hits, I want it to have 4WD, plus enough horsepower to outrun everyone else heading to my favorite fishing hole. It has to sit up high, since I need it to double as a hunting blind and fire tower. With leather seats. Heated.
Needless to say, I’ll use it as a single person commuter which will never leaved paved surface.
“In case Armegeddon hits, I want it to have 4WD, plus enough horsepower to outrun everyone…”
Especially gangs of gruff voice, crossbow-wielding, hockey mask and leather jacket wearing scary men driving souped up dune buggies. Just in case. :)
Well I’m usually conflicted about what I want. For practical purposes I need a sedan with good passenger room and decent fuel economy. But my enthusiast side wants and old Corvette or Mustang GT. What I’ve realized is that I’m someone who keeps vehicles for a long time and buys used. I’ve also realized that from a sheer money/bank account standpoint, there are cheaper paths to performance. A motorcycle is a much better buy for just having a blast riding than a car, you know if I’m just trying to have fun.
So my priorities in car buying? #1 Something with good depreciation, I’m buying used and I’m going to drive it until it’s used up, so I don’t care about resale. I’m looking for a good deal. #2 Good aftermarket support so I can potentially make changes in the suspension for handling or if something like an exhaust system goes bad I can think about replacing it with a Flowmaster system ect. #3 Decent fuel economy for the class. I judge vehicles by the fuel economy of their competitors vs the ride under consideration vs is there enough power that I’m not going to be flooring it all the time. #4 Is it something an independent mechanic can easily handle? I don’t want to be beholden to the “stealership” for everything. #5 Will my lady be seen in it? (Sorry she has an irrational hate of station wagons and minivans.)
Thats my Saturn SL2
Dan, you’re so right about the motorcycle. I bought a Mini Cooper cause the wife likes the looks and I wanted to play with it in the twisties. But every time I push it even a little the wife freaks out. Shoulda bought her a loaded Versa and used the savings for a sport bike, and still had change left over.
Live and learn, I figure I’ll have life just about figured out right before I’m dead.
Ahhh…an 80’s Chrysler Fifth Avenue fan!
Well… for something more modern I was thinking Ford Fivehundred (got the handling/fuel econmy covered but a bit slow) or a 200X Impala with a 3800 or 3.9 and Bilstein shocks. And they both fulfill the massive depreciation (ie: really cheap) component.
But your in the right neighborhood. I was actually drooling over a mid 80s Plymouth Gran Fury (loaded) I caught a look at online sitting at a classic car dealer. It sure looked out of place with all the Riveras, 70s Cadillacs, and old Muscle cars. But, dang it, right up my alley.
As long as my wife is happy with her ride – then I am free to choose anything I want for me. But it MUST have an automatic. (Am I going get banned for uttering such heresy on this site?) My wife can’t drive a manual and so I haven’t owned one in 10+ years. With that in mind:
performance and good acceleration
fun to drive (yes a car can be fun with an auto)
quality radio
high quality interior
I don’t really care as much about:
Fuel economy. If its fun – I’ll foot the gas bill.
DIY repairs – Not gonna happen.
Versatility and space (as long as it can seat 2 adults and 2 small kids on occassion). This is my car….not the regular family hauler.
If your woman can’t drive a manual, you need a new woman, not a new car.
Priorities change. The car just has to speak to me. Here’s why I bought my rides:
1994 Acura Integra GSR – 8000rpm redline!
1998 Ford Contour SVT – 4 doors, V6 exhaust note
2002 Acura RSX-s – it was shiny black – hot! 8000rpms again!
2006 Honda Element – needed something to haul construction supplies, didn’t want a van or pickup
2006 Ariel Atom – midlife crisis? worth every penny BTW
2008 Ford Fusion – couldn’t take the heckling for the Element – cheap lease pmt and equity cash back from the Element
2011 Sonata SE – Fusion lease up, hot style, sexy
Looking in the garage door and seeing a Mazda RX-8 (mine), MazdaSpeed Protege (hers) and 2nd gen Mazda RX-7 track car, I’ll join the chorus of “fun to drive” as my primary criteria. Life is too short to drive boring cars.
Even my winter beater is at least interesting (first gen Subaru Impreza).
I keep an old beater truck around to act as tow-vehicle/practical hauler when required and all my bases are covered.
In order:
1) Reliability
2) Durability
3) Reliability
4) Durability
5) Reliability
etc.
I currently own two Toyotas. I know I’ll probably get pilloried for that on here, but I have just cause. Vehicle #1 is a 2003 Matrix which was purchased new and has 172,000+ trouble-free miles on it. Only repair? Catalytic converter went bad at 3 months and was warrantied. Other than that, just regular maintenance. Yes, it’s an appliance. It is ho-hum to drive and has a middle-quality interior bolted together with Toyota’s classic gnat-sphincter tolerances. However, it always starts, gets fantastic mileage, and with the rear seats folded flat it can fit almost as much shit as a pickup by volume, if not by weight. As a DD/every day use vehicle, I haven’t met something I’ve liked as much yet.
The other is a 2009 Tacoma, purchased new. It’s a double cab 4×4 with the TRD Offroad package. In addition to the 5 reasons listed above, there were two other major factors in the purchase decision:
– I mountaineer, climb, and backpack a lot. I needed something with major offroad prowess, roads are often horribly maintained where I go.
– I wanted a pickup for the utility. Beds and towing capacity are useful.
So far, a little over 7000 miles and no problems.
My goal for both vehicles is 300,000+ miles on the original motors/transmissions.
I generally buy used, but here are some desireable considerations for me.
About the vehicle/design itself:
– Serviceability, especially frequent maintenance items
– Simple, robust design
– Minimal frills/electronics to break
– Good aftermarket support for both replacement parts and modifications
– Proven components with a good history, even if they are considered “low tech”
– Preferably with a manual transmission
About the used vehicle in consideration and it’s current owner:
– As low of miles as possible to minimize chance of wear or damage
– Rust free, if that means traveling to buy a car from a rust free state, so be it
– Abosultely no accidents or major body/paint repairs
– Well maintained with records to prove it
– Any modifications are tasteful, with quality parts and something I would have done anyway
– Adult ownership, especially when buying somthing with a manual trans or prone to hoonery
– Enthusiast or fastidiuous prior owner who seems to really care about the vehicle
I recognize I’ll generally never hit 100% of the above, so there is some flexibility here. Believe it or not, I got really lucky with my last purchase (2006 Wrangler Rubicon Unlimted) and it basically met 100% of the above criteria…the only thing the guy was missing was oil change records, but then it only had 9,000 miles on it and the oil was clean. Plus, based on the condition of the rest of the vehicle I felt confident he had done the maintenance he said he had. I swear the guy probably waxed it more than he drove it!
Value. All the reasons previously mentioned are those which increase a car’s desirability and, by default, its value. Even during the ‘bad old days’, outrageous POS like British Leyland and Fiat sportscars were still worth something to somone because they were good-looking and, at least when they were running, they were fun to drive.
Likewise, on the opposite end, even a lowly minivan is worth something to someone if it’s packaged well and reliable.
Another example would be the Jeep Wrangler. It still retains its value remarkably well, considering it’s dead last in virtually every category, save one. And that one category (off-road capability) is enough. Just the fact that it has that ‘go anywhere’ ability (even if 90% of owners are never going to use or need it), keeps the Wrangler high in desirability.
If a car has little or no inherent value (we’re talking the majority of GM and Chrysler’s model lineup, which are mediocre, at best, in all categories), well, no one is going to want it. I mean, c’mon, did anyone buy a Caliber, Sebring, Cobalt, or Impala because that was what they really wanted, or because that was what they could afford?
For me, it’s balance. In no particular order:
fun to drive
practical (sedan)
reliable
quality design and engineering
RWD
stick shift
affordable on the used market
availability of local independent specialists
decent gas mileage
and finally — might help getting me laid (or at least, not prevent me from doing so)
end result — BMW 3 series sedan
Twotone
I want my car to have some of everything, I’m willing to forgo a little bit of everything too. I got an E34 525i. Its got poor Mpgs, reliability is ok, its steering is a little numb and its old. On the plus side its comfortable, got all the options I need, sporty, good hp, 4 doors, It looks good, its affordable, Manual, fixable, and fun to drive, oh and no car payments. God willing my next whip is an e39, something everybody here in Providence seems to have or want, I wonder why?
Well, goodness of fit is important.I’m 6’2″ and very long in the torso but not so long in the limbs. These odd proportions mean I dislike cars with sunroofs (lowers the ceiling a couple inches), dislike cars with extreme rake to the windshield (the visor rubs my forehead), and like cars that have very adjustable seats. To complicate matters, my wife is an even 5′ tall when the gravity index is low, so she has to fit in the car comfortably as well. These criteria rule out a large majority of the cars in the marketplace. Over the years we’ve biased heavily toward Volvos, but the S60 put an end to that relationship (on design, comfort, reliability, and every other possible measure).
From a performance perspective, we both have a strong preference for cars with clutch pedals. We prefer tight suspension to gobs of power (rally or autox mentality over drag racing), dislike particularly flashy cars, and are insistent about leather seats. I am utterly unimpressed with cars that go really fast because we don’t track our cars and are extremely unlikely to ever drive over about 80 mph–give me a vehicle that is a lot of fun around town and at legal speeds. We either buy new and keep for 10-15 years, or buy 3-4 year-old cars and keep them until they are 7-8 years old.
The current fleet is a Honda Odyssey (no clutch pedal, but good for family road trips, soccer games, etc.), a Honda Accord sedan with manual transmission (which will soon benefit from an aftermarket suspension upgrade), and a MINI Cooper S with the sport suspension package and LSD.
Most recently* it was a high nerd factor. Utilitarian little hatch plumped up with AWD and two LSD’s and an intercooled turbocharger… The most complicated car you could buy for the money. The only trouble has been the color, which was wildly inappropriate for the climate. The radio was the nice version but it wouldn’t have been a deal breaker if it weren’t, and the AC was cold, which was crucial. Never gave much thought to the interior quality.
I think next time it will have to be a convertible. I’ve lived in southern and central CA for nearly ten years now and never had a convertible.
*this is relative, I bought the car new 8 years ago and it just rolled over 101,000 miles
Practical considerations outweigh most other factors when I look for a car. My top priorities are:
– Manual transmission (no stick / no sale)
– Good seating position (upright and elevated)
– Excellent outward visibility (big greenhouse) with minimal blind spots
– Comfortable / natural location and feel of all primary controls and instrumentation (I like the car to feel like it fits around me rather than me having to conform to it)
– Good fuel economy (I’m a cheap b*stard – I can’t stand paying more than necessary on go juice)
– Established record of reliability and durability (While I’d love to own a VW I choose to stay out of relationships with high maintenance, mechanical drama queens)
– Pleasing interior and exterior design (with the emphasis on the interior as this is where I’ll be spending most of my time)
If I was to buy a second vehicle for irregular or seasonal use I’d be far less clinical in my approach.
Reliability.
I’m what you might call a former enthusiast. I no longer really look at cars as something that might provide fun – though I’ll come back to that.
Most of my driving is city/suburban commuting. There is no fun possible. Too much traffic, too many lights, roads too straight. It would be more fun to step into a Star-Trek transporter. Driving is nothing but a chore 99% of the time. Were it possible, I’d just as soon not have a car.
Additionally, I learned to drive in the early ’70s, and of economic necessity drove ”50s and ’60s cars for several years. I came up driving Belveders, Biscaynes, Fairlanes, etc. Just about everything made these days seems fun to drive, comparatively. I know the comparison is unfair in some ways, but when you’re used to a numb-nutz ’70s car from Detroit, a car like a Jetta seems like an F1 racer. Mom’s Impala seems kinda fun compared to the old Vista Cruiser. My wife’s CR-V has considerably more road feel than (almost) anything I drove the first 20 years I had a driver’s license.
IOWs, since it’s impossible to have any real fun 99% of the time, and all cars today are “fun” compared to what I had to drive in the past, why bother about a car’s fun to drive quotient? It will be there, and it won’t get used.
In the future, I’ll never have another manual tranny. I like them, but my wife can’t move my truck out of her way, or take it if her car is in for service, etc. My feeling is manual transmission is only appropriate if everyone in the household can drive a manual. Also in stop and go city traffic, manuals are just a PITA.
I don’t care about acceleration because I don’t need to get to the next red light faster than anyone else.
I do care about braking, but again I tend to compare to cars of old. Damn near everything today has 4 wheel disks with anti-lock. There is virtually nothing on the market that would not have adequate braking.
So, reliability is the only thing that matters any more. I don’t want any surprises.
However, it’s just about mid-life crisis time; Lives of quiet desperation, and all that sort of thing. I’m thinking about drop-top sports cars. Also thinking about a motorcycle. IOWs I’m asking myself if there isn’t some way to have a small amount of fun before I die.
“Driving is nothing but a chore 99% of the time.”
+1.
<b>”Also thinking about a motorcycle. IOWs I’m asking myself if there isn’t some way to have a small amount of fun before I die.”</b>
A motorcycle will shorten the “fun before I die” timeframe. Nothing wrong with motorcycles (I’ve owned several) but the other idiots on the road not paying attention.
Twotone
Low initial purchase price (bang for the buck)
Reliability.
Room to live within the vehicle if homelessness rears its ugly head again.
Blend-in-ness-ness. So as not to stand out too much from the crowd if I am dwelling within.
Would likely seek a used long-wheel-base cargo-type van next vehicle purchased, such as a Ford E-250
Unless I win the Lottery and become the possessor of wealth ensuring no chance for homelessness so reliability and “basicness” would guide me.
Nothing ostentatious. Maybe a bumper sticker displaying “Hang up and drive”
And a few of those decals that give the appearance of the conveyance having been impacted by multiple high-velocity large-caliber slugs.
Those would allow me to fit in more readily with the trashy neighbors.
The acquired wealth would also allow attaining a new-found status that comes with placing a spare vehicle in the front yard perched upon concrete blocks, a high-falutin’ yard ornament.
Maybe a Pinto? A Vega would likely cause too much jealousy.
1. Exhaust note
2. Exterior styling
3. Kitsch value
4. Availability of either hood scoops and decals or chrome
#1 Safety – When you’ve worked at a major trauma center and see the kind of hororrs that roll into the ED on an average day – you think safety. Also, as the Tom Brady incident illustrated, when 21 year olds with 6 pages RMV rap sheets and 5 license suspensions are still on the road – you need to be as safe as possible. (stability control, seatbelt pretensioners, side curtain airbags, etc)
#2 – 6-speed manual
#3 – Decent power and milage
#4 – Available in the configuration I want – if I want leather a sunroof and manual, please sell me one. Don’t tell me only the stripper is available with a manual.
Interesting question… mine would be…
1) Comfort – A seat that is durable and well-designed is vital due to the amount of driving I do.
2) Fuel Economy – I’m a frugal fellow. The way I look at it, a conservative driving style with a compact vehicle can yield an awful lot of long-term saving and investing.
3) Safety – The structural rigidity and safety of the vehicle need to be reasonable. I admire the Metros and early-90’s subcompacts of days gone by but I will never drive them regularly.
4) Utility – I don’t like wasted space. A hatchback/wagon is preferable to a sedan or coupe.
5) Depreciation – Mine is actually the opposite. I like to buy em’ low and sell them for nearly the same price when the marketplace offers a better alternative.
Daily Drivers:
2001 Honda Insight : bought for $4000 w/ 145k in Summer 2009 (55 mpg)
2003 Honda Insight : bought for $6500 w/ 102k. New tranny and new engine within the last 5k miles before I bought it… an insane level of maintenance and repair before I got it in 11/08 (42.5 mpg)
65k miles between the two and less than $500 in maintenance so far. I believe we’ve saved a bit over $3k in gas costs.
1. Safe
2. Reliable
3. Cheap (to insure, I’m 18 after all)
4. Maintained (if used)
5. Aftermarket parts availability/ability to be modified
Now if you’ll excuse me I have to go look at a P71 Crown Vic.
Looks.
All I look for in a car is the following:
fun car/cruiser:
manual
8 cylinder
4 door
decent reliability
fun to drive
my 99 540 6speed is pretty much the only car I can think of
my daily:
reliable
fun to drive
That would be my 98 Honda Prelude then. Stone dead reliable, and fun to drive at 8k RPMS.
Americanness (globalism is killing the middle class, so no foreign brands)
value/price
reliability (nearly all cars are good now)
After having been badly burned several times by vehicles that were supposed to be fun to drive,
but turned out to be money pits, my priorities are: 1. reliability 2. relatively good fuel economy
(25 mph) 3. Good handling 4. Comfort 5. A large usable interior space (for hauling my dog and all the related gear for water and draft work) 6. Relatively cheap to insure.
I guess if it’s not going to appeal to me 5 or more years down the road, it’s a poor investment. I can’t picture myself in 2017, being bored with a 2011 Raptor F-150 Crew.
Sorry about that whole ‘footprint’ thing but I just converted my 2 bedroom house to solar and LED lighting.
I have a Jaguar, Mini Clubman, and an Element, much as hate to admit it I’d say styling is number one. Yes, the Element isn’t pretty, but there’s no denying it’s distinctive. Considering that 95% of the Camcordias and SUVs on the road seem to be designed by lemmings, that’s a plus in my book.
After that reliability–Mini isn’t as bad as it’s reputation, and as for the Jag, I was 10 years younger and priorities change.
Fuel economy next, I hate giving the oil companies and sheiks my money.
Utility. Gotta have a hatch. Clubman is actually a pretty good little hauler.
Fun to drive. The Element has a low cente of gravity for a CUV and is pretty tossable, and Honda makes a great 5-speed stick. But as Dan noted, can’t beat motorcycle for driving fun.
All of a sudden this place turned into a car forum, LOL.
I have a son. Safety. I get the safest car I can afford. If it happens to be fun to drive, great. But if the most boring, ugliest vehicle around will give my guy a 1% greater chance of avoiding injury or death, I’ll get it.
If something happens, I don’t need to be wondering whether the slightly-less-fun-to-drive option would have saved my child pain or death. At all. Even the tiniest bit. It’s not worth it.
Most attributes are continua, where, for example, good driving dynamics for one person may not be for another. My car has to have a stick shift. Beyond that, for me, anyway, my ’99 Accord 2.4 liter 4 door sedan is a terrific compromise of the following attributes which I require, in no particular order
1. driving dynamics
2. economy
3. reliability
4. safety
5. practicality
A large surplus of money might alter my priorities towards a Boxster or Cayman. But I do thoroughly enjoy my Accord every time I drive it.
Previous car, a ’93 Saturn SL2. I had the same priorities. The car did not come through so well on reliability.
https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/the-truth-about-saturn/
The number one is the driving feel and feedback. I spend a lot of time driving–even my daily commute is a little over 80 miles round trip–and live in a place where it can snow from late October until mid April. For me, having a car with good feedback makes it far more fun, engaging and even safer, particularly in poor weather conditions. With the amount of drive by wire systems, finding cars with that feel is getting tougher.
The most important feature for me is the interior, specifically the dashboard. It’s what I have to look at for 100K miles. Next is ergonomics, are the radio knobs, ventilation, lights, door handles, window controls and other accessories easy to reach and can I work them by feel without having to read what they are set to for 10 seconds.
Headroom is another biggie since I am taller than most focus group members and the placement of the control pedals relative to footrests or each other is important.
The outside styling is not nearly that important as long as it doesn’t look like a flying vagina or a melted candy bar.
This is pretty much how I came to purchase my 06 elantra. I looked for hatchback with fold flat capability. By that I mean being able to lift up the rear seats to create a nearly flat loading area, think Honda Fit. Second I look for reasonably priced so, do not think Honda Fit, at least for what you get. This got me looking towards Hyundai, the previous generation Elantra came in hatchback and surprisingly came with fold flat rear seats, pretty cool! Add in the depreciation on Hyundai especially a few years ago before their whole lineup was refreshed and it became much more affordable than the Fit. Third I look for manual and I think if I had to do it all over again I might put this up top with the hatchback because all auto’s are not created equal, I was used to driving my friends 06′ corolla auto with the vvti engine and it really moves! Hyundai is totally the opposite and so slow, although it keeps the speeding tickets down too so its not a complete loss. So I guess for the right auto trans its not that big a deal but with a slow transmission focusing on ride comfort it seems not really what I was looking for. To sum it up, doesn’t matter auto or manual as long as it is quick, accurate and well mated to the engine. Finally, the deal breaker is styling, if it looks like a total dog then I’m probably not going to buy it unless the previous considerations are well met.
1. Headroom. At 6’6″ with short legs and a long torso, that is number 1. That ruled out the Vette, Genesis Coupe, 370z from my choices.
2. Ipod connection.
3 Wish. I wish I could say #3 was telescopic steering, but hardly any car has it.
3. Fun.
4. Reliability. No Chryslers.
Headroom. I’m 6’7″ tall. A minimum front headroom of 39-40″ is required, which rules out most of the beautiful cars. My Gen-1 xB has 46″, which is unbeatable except maybe in a Transit Connect.
Utility. We have a large family that camps. Hence, a minivan works here, but I don’t want or need bells & whistles. My kids will have in-car DVD over my dead body.
Reliability. I’ve had some good Chryslers and one bad Honda. You never know for sure, but it helps to research. I don’t mind fixing cars, but not every month.
Resale: Worse is better since I often buy used and intend to keep a long time.
Fun-to-drive: Maybe some day. I’ve never really owned such a car.
Easy-to-drive: Some cars just aren’t. They’re noisy, rough, balky, or poorly laid out. As Dynamic88 says, with most driving being a chore, there is no need to make it harder. My friend’s 06 Corvette comes to mind as a bad example. It has a heavy clutch and poor visibility, and it’s tight inside.
Ingress/egress: I’m not old, but as I age I’m not interested in climbing uphill to get out of a car.
Fuel consumption, driving dynamics, has to be capable of towing my trailer when necessary. The last couple have been VW TDI diesels with manual transmission, and the next one will probably be one of those, too.
Reliability
Fuel Mileage
Ergonomics
Quality
Drivability
I’m a fatass that needs steady, reliable transport. Can I get in it? Will it cost a lot to run? How does it feel? Am I being penalized for getting this?
I’m driving a 2004 Jetta TDI and am loving it. Yeah, yeah, yeah, all you VW haters will be chiming in on how bad it’s going to be, well, I’ve put on 165,000 km on a used car (40k on the clock) without major work needed to be done. And this is my second. I’ll match this car with anything else out there. My old Ford Mustang was used up at this point and this thing is just barely broken in.
I’m happy.
My priorities have been reliability, prestige, and design.
We’re a Lexus family, only because I can’t count on European or American luxury brands to provide dependable service over the 10-15 years I plan on keeping one.
Prestige is my second criteria. My ego depends on social comparison, and I consistently win, which only makes me want to do it more. This conflicts with my cheapskate tendency to keep cars for a long time, so I prefer full size flagship luxury sedans. My theory is that I outrank 99% of other cars on the road, and the 0.5% of the ones I don’t, I beat them on reliability anyway.
And I like attractive cars. There isn’t an ugly flagship on the market IMO, so that makes it easier for me to stay in this market.
1. Flat 6, flatplane crank v8, v10, or v12
2. Two seats or 2+2
3. Two doors
4. Able to drive to the track, driven hard on the track, and then driven home
5. Car club to join with individuals wanting to do point four
6. Manual, dual clutch, or similar
7. Under 40k and preferably used
8. Will start every time, its fine to have the windows not go up and down reliably, but it d*** well better start.
Good steering.
Won’t explode.
That’s about it.
For me:
1. Driving position, seat comfort. If a car can’t get this right, I’m not interested. If the headrest juts forward, or the arm rests are poorly positioned, or I can’t get get the steering wheel in a good position, forget it.
2. Properly weighted steering with at least decent feedback, and precise on-center feel. So many cars just blow this completely. I’m not sure what’s so difficult about it. I’m not expecting Porsche 911 levels of road feel, but the steering in 90% of cars is just awful. It’s either set in concrete or full of jelly, and completely numb either way. Nothing drives me crazy more than a huge on-center deadspot that requires constant corrections just to maintain a straight line. Uggh.
3. Interior deign and quality. A lot of cars have one or the other, but not both. I want both.
4. Good visibility. No gun slit windows please, I want to be able to actually see around me.
5. Power. I’m not Jeremy Clarkson, but I want a car that can pass a slow moving rig on a two-lane, or hit 70 on an entrance ramp when entering a highway with heavy traffic. 250hp minimum.
6. Safety. Full complement of airbags, and at least decent scores from the IIHS.
7. Decent handling. I’m not interested in a club racer, but I don’t want something that’s going to roll on its door handles in a turn.
8. Reliability. I don’t want a shop queen, but I’m willing to make some sacrifices here to better achieve 1, 2, and 3.
The cars I like are the Audi A6 and Infiniti M. The new BMW 5 series also isn’t bad.
Stick
Reliable (ie, new)
Comparatively fast
Can be driven all day
Sunroof or convertible
Can hold two mountain bikes inside
I find it interesting how on several comments people have said they want something practical (sedan)!
Out of the 3 main family car body styles sedan, hackback & wagon, the sedan is more often than not the least practical. Overcome you fears good people – buy a wagon!
Sorry bro, can’t do it. A 4door pick-up with a camper shell is as much “wagon” as a man can take. I’ll take friggin VanUp before I’ll drive a wagon, or an SUV (modern day station wagons) for that matter.
Mike
Are you telling me that a CTS-V sports wagon
http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2011-cadillac-cts-v-sportwagon/#2826999
or a 3 series touring
http://www.carpages.co.uk/bmw/bmw-3-series-touring-03-08-05.asp
are not good looking cars?
How about (the not available in US) Alfa 159 Sports Wagon
http://thebestcarimagegallery.blogspot.com/2009/05/alfa-romeo-sportwagon.html
Even our own Editor-in-Chief has filled his car void with one of the coolest wagons ever – BMW M Coupe
Colin,
The sports wagons you’ve mentioned are more like cross-overs and are definitely good looking, don’t get me wrong but they don’t add much in the way of praticality. Can put ppl back there? A 4×8 sheet of plywood/drywall? A pallet of sod?
Seems like they are exactly for ppl that fear wagons. Traditional wagons like the Wagon Queen Family Truckster. OK, maybe not that exact one.
It’s amazing how practical the choices are, yet how impractical the criticisms in reviews. I’m in a buying dilemma right now. Two things are a given, safety (all modern cars) and an automatic (wife factor, but I hated driving my last stick in Boston traffic). Here’s what I’m worried about:
1. Right sized: family capable sizing that isn’t a barge like an Avalon, or too tight like an IS.
2. Comfort and convenience. If you don’t like being in it, what’s the point? Heated, comfortable, power leather seats required. Cupholders required. Other stuff is nice to have.
3. Power – MPG efficiency. Examples. Looking at Lexus GS350 (07) which has good mileage for 303 HP and AWD and also Acura TSX (09) which has great mileage and adequate power for a 4 (200). Infiniti routinely flunks this test as do most Mercedes.
4. Reliability. Considering an 09 Audi A4 vs an 07 GS350. The Audi makes me nervous. I keep cars long after the warranty.
5. AWD or front wheel drive. In New England, with my driveway, RWD is a non-starter. But I give an edge to an AWD that is RWD based, like the GS350, BMW, MB.
6. Handling. Here’s where the reviews are harsh. Criticisms of cars like the new TSX or the GS350 I’m considering, always focus on BMW. I’ll never use the level of handling in a 3 series. But I can use the difference between a GS and an ES or between a TSX and a Camcord.
Price depends on all the above, and is another trade-off. Is the $5k difference in an 07 GS350 worth the difference over an 08 TL? I hear a lot about character and have come to think that it mostly reflects learning to live with flaws.
Colin, and so I did! I love wagons…bought a used (won’t buy new anymore) 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback Ralliart. My goals/needs were: wagon (I have two dogs that travel with us)…didn’t want a big ol’ SUV, inexpenive to purchase (or relatively so…car sat on a lot for a long, long time…nobody here in ‘Mericuh seemed to want a small wagon), distinct (or at least a bubble or two off from the norm…how many Ralliart Sportbacks does one see on the road, anyway). While I prefer manual trannys (my Fusion is a stick), the Ralliart Sportback only came in AT for the year they imported them here in the States. While my wife prefers AT, and the car is used for alot of commuting, I guess it made more sense that it was an AT…but dang it, that car would be so much more fun if I could shift the gears myself. Oh, well…but I do like the exhaust note of the little bugger…
At 23 years of age and in my last year of school for my degree (with a job already lined up) I will soon be bidding adieu to my current ride (a 2004 Sebring Limited). It has given me a great few years with very little problems and is alright to drive.
Ideally, I want a daily driver and a weekender in the future so my priorities would be different for each of those but since I’ll be getting the DD first I’ll go with my prioroties on that one.
#1 (but might as well be #s 2 and 3 as well) – Fun to Drive!
#2 Exterior Styling
#3 Seats 4-5
#4 Interior Room (both passenger and cargo)
#5 Domestic Make
#6 Price
Looking at used only. So far I am considering two vehicles.
>> 2007-2008 Jeep Wrangler Sahara Unlimited
>> 2006-2008 Dodge Magnum R/T
Character. My car has to be interesting to me, otherwise I get bored. It could be the engine, the looks, whatever, but something about it has to speak to me. Everything else is just a “nice to have”. For example, I prefer a manual transmission, but I’ve owned some automatic equipped cars that were great fun for other reasons.
Let’s see…A genuine Chevrolet Impala 2 door PILLARLESS hardtop or convertible with appropriate chrome (“bright”) trim, THREE tail lights on each side, a full-width grille – oh, wait – wrong century. Excuse me!
Probably the next-generation Impala. Once an Impala guy, always an Impala guy, what can I say?
Well, I’m fortunate in that my drive to work takes all of 10 minutes. The rest of my driving is going somewhere, usually pleasant. So, I don’t need a rolling dining room/entertainment center.
Price, obviously, is a factor.
What does the car feel like when I’m inside? Does it feel nice; or does it feel like shit? I got “upgraded” to Lincoln MKZ on a recent rental and was appalled at the interior. This is a luxury car? Aside from the obviously nice — Lexus, BMW — there are certain interiors that have an “integrity” to them, even if they’re not all glove leather: my ’08 Honda Pilot EX-L, the ’92 SHO that I owned. The seats have to be comfortable over a long haul and there has to be enough room for my 6′ 4″ height. Long-term, leather seats stay nicer than cloth, which gets nasty over time.
What does the car feel like when you drive it — just normally, not hooning around? Does it respond predictably and smartly to control inputs: brakes, steering, acceleration? Is the ride appropriate to the car’s intended purpose? What’s acceptable in my Z3 is not acceptable, say, in an MKZ (which had a surprisingly bad ride, despite average handling). For my taste, the Germans — Benz, BMW — get it right. I don’t need a car that will hit 60 mph in less than 6.5 seconds. A manual is my choice, but an automatic that doesn’t stumble is ok, too.
Since my annual mileage isn’t that high, fuel economy is not a particular priority. I would not live long enough for a hybrid to be cost effective.
I live in a dense suburban part of Washington, DC. So, size matters. Frankly, the Pilot we own (and that my wife wanted) seems too big. If you’re going to have a car with 4 seats, the rear seats should not be a joke, which leaves out BMW 1-series, Mustang, MINI Cooper. The perfect sized car for me would be a BMW 5-series, or Ford’s Fusion. A 3-series is borderline. All of my kids are grown and out of the house, so I’m out of the minivan business.
Reliability is nice. VW makes some nice cars, that meet all of the criteria, but the stories of the cars’ reliability would scare me away. Ditto for Audi, which I once owned.
If it had to be just one factor, its ability to drive in snow. That does not mandate 4×4, AWD or even FWD, just the ability to mount snow chains or cables, per California law. The BMW 325i did fine in snow with all season tires, cables when necessary and limited slip diff.
We had to veto the Fiesta and buy a Fit instead over that one important issue.
I know this is not the typical answer and there are many other factors but the vehicle has to fit the mission.
#2 Reliability
#3 Total cost of ownership
I’m married with 2 young kids and at the moment my prioirties are as follows:
(This is for my personal car…not familtywifes car)
#1 Priority
Manual Transmission
#2 Priority
It can make the 3 mile drive to the train station and stay in the parking spot for 12 hours without catching fire or disolving into a pool of goo
#3 Priority
Whatever wife says 3rd priority needs to be.
Current car: 2002 Camry LE 2.4 5spd
Wifes car: Mazda6 Sportwagon 3.0 with slushbox
My motorcycle is my “fun” vehicle
My current priorities are reliability, prestige, and design.
We’re a recent Lexus family, only because I can’t count on European or American luxury brands to provide dependable service over the 10-15 years I plan on keeping one.
My ego depends on social comparison, so prestige is my second criteria. This conflicts with my cheapskate tendency to keep cars for a long time, so I prefer full size flagship luxury sedans. My theory is that I outrank 99% of other cars on the road, and the 0.5% of the ones I don’t, I beat them on reliability anyway.
And I like attractive cars. There isn’t an ugly flagship on the market IMO, so that makes it easier for me to stay in this market.
1. rwd
2. easy to work on (4 cyl turbo fox mustang fits that bill quite nicely)
3. non-european (just for maintenance & parts costs)
don’t really care about amenities, my current car’s AC doesn’t work (in california), and i drive a 5-speed as my commuter. radio sucks, so i just always have the windows down.
I always ask myself “how easy is it to wash blood off the hood?”, ever since the incident.
For me styling/design is number one. As an Architect, I need to be seen as putting my money where my mouth is. How can I convince a client to spend the extra bucks on design niceties if I am not willing to do so myself. The interior as well as exterior must be attractive.
That being said, practicality is also important, so that I do not appear to have my head in the clouds [and of course so that I can make good use of the car myself]. Of course, everyone’s definition of this differs. I need a seat for myself, and one for my wife, and a hatchback to take home those occasional buys from Loews or Best Buy.
Third is fun to drive. Life is too short to do otherwise. Into this category falls reasonable horsepower, manual transmission, good brakes, good handling etc.
All wheel drive; I have had more than one rear driver, and more than one front driver, and AWD is just better – but, it is less fun, which does go against the item listed above. Driving a high powered rear wheel drive in the wet or snow takes a certain amount of skill. An AWD car, not so much, but it will get you there.
Reasonable cost, as measured over a ten year ownership period. I tend to buy a one to three year old car to miss the biggest drop in depreciation, and then keep it for about ten years, and hopefully sell it before the big repair bills come in.
Size matters, but for me, smaller is better, so that I can grab that inner city parking space.
Fuel economy, as the most common car in my neighborhood seems to be the Prius, and what the neighbors’ think does matter at least a bit. But mostly, I need to feel that I am not hurting the ecology more so than need be given the ownership of any car. On most days, I take public transportation to work.
This led me to an Audi TT ten years ago, which is still meeting my needs. For my wife, practicality is higher on the list, and styling and design is much lower, so we chose a WRX wagon.