need new car

[tinnitus]

Originally Posted by Skarsaune

Slightly contrarian view -
We just recently went through the new car experience. Really thought we'd end up with a Subaru. Really didn't like the info-tainment display. Talk about distracted driving. Also didn't like the big-brother safety devices and the fact that turning them off was a menu pick on a touchscreen - and you had to turn them off everytime you started up.

Ended up with another Ford Escape. Put 254,000 miles on the last one (2013) and it's going to my new-driver daughter.

Agreed. I own a 2015 Outback. I love the sturdy vehicle for its usefulness, comfort and performance. But I scratch my head wondering who thought that so many electronic dashboard gimmicks might be useful. More like distracting, stubborn and annoying IMHO. I have no use whatsoever for aha! and Pandora, but there they are whenever I start the engine. But I have to find and press 3 different touchscreen controls just to turn off the annoying lighted dashboard display at night. Every single time!

Anyhow, I drove a 2020 (hybrid) loaner for a day last summer. Far worse! Multiple scrolling screens (the size of a laptop) for every imaginable group of functions and more. I sat in front of my house for awhile, just experimenting with the touchscreens. The only thing I noticed missing was a self-serve Taco Bell screen for soft-drink choices.

I still only have a rudimentary feel for what all those oddly grouped icons control. What I do remember, though, is that it required some attention and precise finger pointing to get to the screens and controls I was looking for. I sat and explored for 20+ minutes, never looking up once. My takeaway? It almost makes holding a cell phone up to your ear ($250 first-time ticket where I live) seem safer by comparison.

Is it only one particular brand? I doubt it. I'm guessing they're all doing it, especially in the fancier models. So more and more people every day are "driving" around in rolling, scrolling info-tainment centers.

Probably time to sell the motorcycle.

Rant over.

[David Eastwood]

Originally Posted by tinnitus

Is it only one particular brand? I doubt it. I'm guessing they're all doing it, especially in the fancier models. So more and more people every day are "driving" around in rolling, scrolling info-tainment centers.

I think touchscreens in cars for controls which are intended to be used while driving are a dangerous abomination.

Give me well-placed, tactile, knobs, switches and levers any time.

[tinnitus]

Originally Posted by eatswodo

I think touchscreens in cars for controls which are intended to be used while driving are a dangerous abomination.

Give me well-placed, tactile, knobs, switches and levers any time.

+1

Scant few manufacturers, if any, might ever take a financial chance on manufacturing/selling a new vehicle equipped with physical knobs and switches. But I'd still be willing to bet a bunch of people would buy them if they were available.

[1neeto]

Originally Posted by AmericanEagle

I am with you on this one.
I have a 2010 Ford Escape and I absolutely love it.

2010 is pre-EcoBoost generation and those are not too bad to work on and are more reliable. Newer escapes are a pain to work on. Evap cores leak at around 3-7 years which is unacceptable for any vehicle. The job requires removing the dashboard, and to remove the dashboard, the doors need to come off. I wouldn’t recommend one of those to anyone. Even a battery replacement is a bit of a pain, heater hoses with those crappy quick disconnect connectors leak and are a pain to get to.

If you want a reliable car, you can’t beat Asian cars. Even Hyundai and Kia are building much better vehicles than anything coming from Detroit.

[reeve21]

I had 2 Subaru wagons in the 90's. One was a Legacy, I forgot what the other one was called. This was before they got a fancy as they are now. Great cars, extremely reliable.

When I needed something bigger I went to Honda Pilots, have driven 2 of them for nearly 20 years now. Great cars, extremely reliable.

As a guy who used to spend a lot of free time trying to work on older cars I really appreciate how well they run these days. Not cheap, but worth it.

[Pura Vida]

Do you have a Carmax nearby? The cars are clean, you save on buying used vs. new, and it gets you out of the price negotiation game (which I can't stand; just give me the price). I just traded in my 2013 Lexus RX 350 for a 2017 Acura MDX, and I would highly recommend both cars for reliability and comfort. The Acura is newer and has a few more creature comforts, so I plan to keep it for a while, and since it was used, I saved about $20k on the purchase price.

[tinnitus]

Speaking of Carmax, yes, they have nicely detailed, recent cars and fixed prices (I also despise negotiating with sales people). Just check first and know what a new one would cost. I was considering a 2-3 year old Outback with 30k+ miles on it, super clean and very appealing. Went to the Subaru dealer just out of curiosity, and for $5k more, I drove away in a brand new one with 0 miles.

[1neeto]

I personally like to negotiate prices. I’m that guy that salesmen hate because I show up with my scan tool, and do thorough test drives. Never paid sticker price, I’ve always negotiated to well below blue book.

[AmericanEagle]

Originally Posted by 1neeto

2010 is pre-EcoBoost generation and those are not too bad to work on and are more reliable. Newer escapes are a pain to work on. Evap cores leak at around 3-7 years which is unacceptable for any vehicle. The job requires removing the dashboard, and to remove the dashboard, the doors need to come off. I wouldn’t recommend one of those to anyone. Even a battery replacement is a bit of a pain, heater hoses with those crappy quick disconnect connectors leak and are a pain to get to.

I agree. If my car would, say, get stolen or wrecked, I’d buy another Escape, but a used one, up to and including the 2012 model. The 2013 complete redesign totally ruined the Escape.

[1neeto]

Originally Posted by AmericanEagle

I agree. If my car would, say, get stolen or wrecked, I’d buy another Escape, but a used one, up to and including the 2012 model. The 2013 complete redesign totally ruined the Escape.

Oh and I didn’t get into what it takes to service the transmission. Ford claims that Mercon LV is good for the life of the vehicle. That’s a load of crap. If life of the vehicle is 5 years, then yes, don’t change the fluid and let that trans self-destruct at less than 100k miles. The trans filter is INSIDE the trans, and it’s “non serviceable”. So you either drop the trans, open it, and change the filter, or do periodic (every 30k miles at most) drain and refill. Oh and dipstick? Nope! There’s a little 10mm bolt on the side of the transmission that’s used to verify the fluid level. Run the engine to temperature, unscrew the bolt and if no fluid comes out, then add fluid until it does. Simple right? Not! It’s a Ford! The transmission temperature must be at around 198-205 degrees, a full moon, and the planets perfectly aligned in order to get an accurate transmission fluid reading. Oh I forgot to mention that to be able to get a good shot at that transmission fluid level bolt, you have to remove the tire and fender splash shield. And of course the car must be level, not on a jack stand and so you must have a vehicle lift or prop all four corners on jack stands.

Have you driven a Ford lately? I hope not. [emoji23]

[rokdog49]

Originally Posted by RoyBoy

My daughter's first real car that she chose was a CRV of that vintage. It's shocking how much cargo space that car has when you lay down the seats. I've heard several stories of Hondas going 250K without a major repair if you maintain them.

I owned six Honda’s over a period of years. Five were Accords and one CRV. The Accords were all used for my job and I drove a lot of miles.
None of the Accords had less than 150K miles on them when I traded them in for new and none of them ever needed anything but maintenance. A couple had around 180K.
My third one had around 150,000. The dealer took it in and gave it to his daughter. She drove it until it had well over 250K
We sold the CRV to our son when he he needed a vehicle (he got a great deal).
It had 60K on it and now has over 90 and he’s done nothing to that but normal maintenance.
A CRV would be an excellent choice. Properly maintained you will likely tire of it before you wear it out.