Need some input. These are the choices that I'm presented with. Not able to add options. Appreciate your thoughts. All 2010 models

1. Volvo S40 T5 R AWD
2. Volkswagen CC
3. Toyota Prius
4. Toyota Camry
5. Mini Cooper 2dr
6. Lexus IS 250 Sedan
7. Honda Accord
8. Audi A4

Saab!


Actually Volvo is great!

You're a good guy Fish. Please don't buy a Prius.

I own a Volvo. Nice car . . . would never get another for various reasons. Depreciation was the most severe I have ever dealt with.

Volkwagen CC is very nice looking. Very confusing marketing. They are marketing a relatively gorgeous CC next to a fairly staid and tired looking Passat. Both the same price. I had originally thought that the CC was the Passat replacement, but it isn't. I have owned my share of VW and Audi products. Would NEVER buy one for the long run. I would never want one out of warranty, either. Same goes for my Volvo.

Prius. Neighbor has one. Nice. But if you're buying it save $$ on gas . . . the added expense of the car over a similarly equipped small car will never allow you see those savings. Buy it to be green. Not to save money.

Camry. Meh. Like driving a sewing machine. Nothing wrong with that especially if you plan to keep it for 10 years. Same with the Accord. Though I like the Accord's styling much more.

Audi A4 grew . . . literally . . . into an ugly car, IMO. We owned one of the first ones that came out in '95ish. Was a good looking car. Now, it is as big as an A6 and, again . . . IMO, benign looking. Not a car to hold for the long run. And I know you have had one before.

Mini is a great car. Not a great car for 4 people. We use ours primarily to run errands and is rarely occupied by more than 1 or 2 people. If every woman in GE pined away for a $23K car like Parker did . . . we'd all be better off.

I really like the Lexus. Never driven one of the new ones but almost bought the sportwagon version when they made one.

Buy the Accord. Will last forever and the kids can drive it in a few years.

BTW, if you haven't sold that All-Road . . . put it on Craig's List in Denver/Breckenridge. They are all over the place. Given their relative rareness, someone might ship it out from Florida.

Volvo if you like boring.
Saab if you like exciting plus decent mileage.
"once you drive a Saab, you buy a Saab"

I chose the 2010 Prius over the Mini and the Honda. Getting ~50mpg, even with mostly city use. The cargo room is huge.

Camry. Blah car. I've rented a couple and failed to impress on any level.

Don't know enough about the Volvo, Lexis, Audi or VW to render an opinion.

Would any of your opinions change if the car was offered gratis for 3 years (including insurance)? I just maintain it and then have the option to purchase it after three years at the average market price at that time.

It's not an easy decision....the Prius is a little intriguing under those circumstances, though I'd like a nicer car like Lexus or the A4 (which I don't find as ugly as Clam)(btw it's up to you to decide my intent in that parenthetical).

quote:

Originally posted by GE Fan:
E350 - Great Car.

The new 5 series looks pretty great as well.

Agreed...but sadly, not on the list.

Stay far far away from VW- Worst car I ever owned for reliability (mine was a jetta) and my honest friend owners admit the same. Sucks you in as comfortable and sporty but by 50k miles your wallet hurts.

I have several friends who own audis, great cars, but expensive to maintain.

Based on what I have read, the Honda Hybrids are a much better choice over the prius. Although I hear it drives real fast

To me the mini cooper is something you put in the back of a suv for a backup car.

Isnt the Lexus an overpriced Toyota?

Me. I have always been a sucker for the Accord.

Given this new info . . . go for the CC. If I didn't have to pay for it after the warranty went away, I'd choose that. Good looking car.

But, I like the Lexus more. Just seems the CC may be a little bigger.

3 years gratis? The wife's job is paying well.

Get the VW.

Why are you referring people to Fan? You know he expects them to pay. Me, on the other hand...

I assume this is for your wife as most of your choices are 'chick' cars?

LOL if you want to catch a cougar, go for the bug.

Seriously though all VW's suck big time on reliability in the ratings.

I'd get the Lexus IS 250, but only if you get the AWD version.

Otherwise I'd say get the Audi A4, it's AWD and has decent performance.

get the mini. fun, reliable, great milage. (i'd go convertible.)

LEXUS

Do you plan on buying it after the 3 years and, if so, for what purpose? If you want to keep it as a cheap, reliable back-up car or for kids, etc, get the Camry or Accord. If it is simply for you and the missus to enjoy for 3 years, knock those off your list.

Another consideration, what else is in your stable? Do you want to go with something you already know and enjoy, or do you want to expand your range of driving options? Final determinant would be convenience of dealers/service, and predicted cost of 3-year maintainence.

When my dad got company cars they were only midrange American full- and mid-sizeds, but I remember his starting line was to compare them all to the most expensive option.

I'm a Lexus / Toyota nut. Have had two Lexus cars (LS400 and current GS430), and one Toyota (current 05 4runner v8). Love them all! Won't give up our 4runner for anything else except maybe a land cruiser. HOWEVER, I'm trading my GS now for a BMW X3, for the main reason of awd ability and driver fun. Lexus cars are beyond smooth, they're like driving a glider. They're about as bullet proof of a car as you're going to ever buy. But, they do have a throttle lag problem in the new ones, and hunt around the gear box quite a bit. They're very expensive to repair, and don't buy the hype, they're close to bullet proof, but not bullet proof. Rare will you ever have a problem under the hood, but rare will not not have a problem in the suspension area for vibrations. The most frustrating thing about a Lexus, is after you've driven one that was "right", you notice the slightest "wrong" right away. The slightest shimmy or vibration is felt right away, and will drive you mad.

If you buy the IS, do as yoss suggests and get the awd. All the traction control buttons on earth doesn't matter around here. My GS430 slips and slides in the rain, and doesn't leave the driveway when it even hints of snow. Unless you're willing to put snow tires on your lexus, then get the awd model.

I've looked and looked and looked at cars over the past several months. I've even bugged the heck out of Clam over BMW's! I'm ready to pull the trigger on the X3, just looking for the right one. I looked at the Volvos, and at the end of the day, passed on them for one simple reason - who owns them? After this year, they will no longer be selling the V70 wagons in the states anymore. That was a big concern to me. I looked at the VW brand (Passat wagons 4motion). I read more and more bad reviews on them from edmunds.com, consumer reports, etc., than I care to report. People all over the place complaining about engine bolts breaking off of the oil pumps, rattles, electrical problems, etc.. scared me away. I'm too gun shy to take on a Mercedes Benz, especially since many owners are upset that MB won't allow them to buy an extended warranty for their current car(s) that are coming out of their normal warranty. That doesn't exactly give a person confidence in the car, if those who built it won't back it anymore either.

The Lexus is a good buy, but get the awd, or you'll be sitting at the bottom of the hill in a few months wondering why the dash board is buzzing at you, but you can't seem to move forward worth a darn!

I don't think he'll need a set of Blizzaks on the non-AWD Lexus. We did, though.

Monthly Averages

If this car is for Mrs. Fish, I think she would look very sporty in the Lexus.