Cars: Lease or Buy

can you get yr hands on a skoda over there? highway mileage nearer 60 than 35 from my 02 diesel octavial

i like the mazda 3 or impreza. i don't think i will ever not have a hatchback. also there is toyota matrix, it has 4WD, which i would want in western PA

Toyota seems to want me to use a car to have 'Antics' with dodgy indie bands

http://www.uptheantics.com/

I need to think about this 4WD thing. I think I've been lulled into a false sense of security by the mild winter. On the one hand driving a FWD car can be a bit dicey in the Snow; on the other, do I want to lug all that extra weight around for the 10 days a year where I have to drive in the Snow?

I don't need a new car and I'm not going to buy a new car, but I want that new Fiat 500 pretty bad

in my fantasy world where I am still a teenage boy racer and I drive a lot and don't worry about peak oil, I would buy a subaru brz/toyota 86 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_86

vroom vroom

bought a ford fiesta last year, no problems, get about 37-38 MPG on avg. it's small, but I prefer that. I liked the hyundai elantra when I test drove it, if you are looking for a little more room + generous warranty.

I need to think about this 4WD thing. I think I've been lulled into a false sense of security by the mild winter. On the one hand driving a FWD car can be a bit dicey in the Snow; on the other, do I want to lug all that extra weight around for the 10 days a year where I have to drive in the Snow?

obv FWD is better than RWD re: snow driving (my folks had FWD cars in MN up until I was in high school) but AWD really will make a difference when you have an actual winter; I would not take this year as any indication whatsoever of what NE winter weather is like as it basically felt like we'd magically turned into Tennessee

This is typical SWPA winter idiocy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6249iHSJsKo

I had my taste of proper winter driving the previous winter and it has convinced me that people are fucking idiots when it comes to winter driving.

Are Chevy and Dodge still the most unreliable cars? It's been ten years since I've looked into buying a new car, but those two brands were given the kiss of death from Consumer Reports back in the day (along with a few others I can't remember).

Every Dodge that's been in my family over the last ten years has had issues, except the one I drove which went along just fine until the timing belt snapped at about 140k miles (because, oops! I'd forgotten to go in and have it replaced at about 100k). By that point, it was as much to fix as the car itself was worth. But I don't think there is a single Dodge made now that meets Ed's wishlist.

140k miles ain't too bad! You were pretty lucky I guess. My Honda Civic's transmission went out @ 65k miles (and I took great care of that car; no neglect!) so you never know what you're getting.

fwd vs. awd. i grew up on the frozen steppes of western canada, where 90% of cars are fwd (the remaining 10% are aging early-90s econobox awds, eagle wagons, dodge shadows, a very few subarus thrown in) and driven with all-season tires. i've found it very hard to get a fwd car stuck in the snow. add in winter tires + abs + modern traction control, i don't think awd should be top of your list but.

i've owned a string of awd cars and they're FUN. when i moved to the west coast, i bought an impreza wrx and nearly killed myself in it countless times on muddy backroads trying out sega rally championship shit.

we had a Focus when our car was in the shop and I couldn't stand it. Is my 2 cents.

that Dodge Dart looks like a thing I would want

we have a 4 year-old CRV and I like the room but it has no guts and I'm growing less enamored of it with every passing year

that was exactly how I felt about my Rav4... which led me to buy a BMW, lol

oo er

we kept our 96 Acura, and while roomwise it's a clowncar, I cannot overstate how delightful it is to drive something that responds with a VROOM rather than a delayed SCREEE when you floor the accelerator. I appreciate the Acrua much more now after driving the CRV every day.

I have a '12 hyundai accent hatchback & think it's great, zero issues after 6k miles, 35-38 mpg even with snow tires in the winter (though tbf much of that is highway).

we kept our 96 Acura, and while roomwise it's a clowncar, I cannot overstate how delightful it is to drive something that responds with a VROOM rather than a delayed SCREEE when you floor the accelerator.

^^^

we have a Prius. You have to gas it on Monday if you want it to pick up speed on Wednesday

I love that Dodge "Dart" too, but it's giving me cognitive dissonance. This is a Dodge Dart!

http://images03.olx.com/ui/6/83/51/1274686516_95708251_1-1972-Dodge-Dart-Swinger-2-Door-Coupe-Oc-Area-1274686516.jpg

(hope that's not too big)

true. love the old Darts <3

One of the best made American cars, I still see early 70s ones around.

my friend has a 67 Dart that I adore

I like the curved rear screen.

Does anyone have any views on the Lease vs Buy question? I'm tempted by leasing, getting to work is just an expense I need to cover, but given I will need to commute ~80 miles a day/20000 a year, lease costs may be prohibitive.

I'd say buy a 2-3 yr old car. How long will you be commuting?

Leasing is OK if you don't drive much and your financials are good enough that you assume that you'll always be making a car payment for the rest of your life.

FWIW, I know a couple people who have had excellent CarMax experiences and recommend them highly.

^ good advice. Everyone I know who's ever bought something at Carmax has relayed positive information.

I did a double take when I first drove by a Carmax dealership. I had no idea they had physical locations.

I like the idea of Carmax but the nearest locations are Columbus and DC.

i'd lean toward buying and buying new. 0% financing, 5 or 6 years on the loan, not bad....

yeah, if you can get that kind of deal, snap it up
leasing really sucks in my opinion

If you're in a credit union you can probably 3-4% financing. That and a 2-3 year old car is probably a better deal.

I have to see what I can qualify for, finance wise, I have a good job and nominally good credit rating but my history in the US only goes back 3 years. PNC has some good deals on loans, I have to see what I can get.

The key is to see it as an expense not an asset and make sure the loan payments stay ahead of the depreciation. used values are pretty good right now but who know how long that can last.

"but I want that new Fiat 500 pretty bad"

I know, right? I don't often do a double take when I see a car but I did when I saw this the first time

but then I saw a non two-tone one and thought it looked like a PT Cruiser so I'm not sure.

You guys do remember why Fiat didn't sell cars in the US for about three decades, right? They're shit.

The only reason I can forsee buying new is its the only way I'll ever get the color/option package I want. Pretty happy with my oft rain-soaked 14 yr old Miata that refuses to die, but yellow manual trans glass-roofed Veloster, I'm looking at you.

Leasing new is for those who willing to absorb first 3 years of depreciation (which ranges from 32-68%) and have nothing at the end. Possibly makes sense on some cars that don't depreciate as much.

New Fiat is hugely different from old Fiat. My parents had one of those pea green old Fiats in the late 70s and it was such a steaming pile. Wouldn't start above 80 or below 40. The former was no big deal but the latter was a problem in northern New England.

My wife wants the new 500. I'm up to try it but I'm not sure I'll fit in one comfortably. I have issues with little cars; my knees often hit the sides of the steering wheel or my head hits the roof. Can't comfortably drive a Prius, for example. Leg cramp city.

I used to drive an Austin 1800; my tall friends loved it, they never had to put the seat back. Acres of room!

I never notice new cars and even I noticed the Fiat 500. I'm actually going to be buying my first ever car in the next few months if things go to plan. Not sure what I'm after but I'm in the UK and want an automatic so my options are a bit more limited than for a manual. Toyota Yaris seems p good.

If the Fiat X1/9 came back (and was affordable, as it used to be), I'd jump on that.