How fussy are you when buying a new vehicle?

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A lot depends on the car but my absolute must haves are:

1. Adaptive cruise control
2. Comfortable seats
3. Apple CarPlay
 
Absolute minimum of 280HP, longitudinal engine, RWD/AWD, comfortable seats, good stereo system. Preferably 8 speed transmission, absolutely no CVT's.
 
By the time I'm ready to pull the trigger on a purchase I've already run the possible candidates through the internet wringer. At that point qualifiers are:
1) Looks. If I can't stand to look at it, I can't buy it.
2) Reliability reputation
3) comfortable ride and interior
4) ease of maintenance- fully packed engine compartments take a hit as well as timing belts
5) cost of ownership which includes gas consumption, insurance costs and licensing fees which go up with the vehicle price.
6) financing: prefer 0% if possible, as the interest rate rises, the chance of being bought goes down.

I'm not beyond buying last years leftovers because they usually come with some pretty good spiffs.
 
Can I get to the spark plugs
No turbo
Leg room for a human
No CVT
Can get out of it's own way.
This is what I used when I bought my Escape. My Jeep serves another purpose and has different guidelines.
 
Bought my 2016 Sorento without test driving it, or any Sorento.
I had zero questions for the sales person, all my questions were answered on the internet.
It was solely a price discussion.

So far, one of the best cars I've owned, and oil change is easy, done in 15 minutes.
 
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I don't think there's a new vehicle being built I'd buy. I'd look for used between 2015 and 2017. But that's just me and the Corolla is running just fine and not consuming any oil. I'm just in a place where I don't figure I'll likely have more than one more car. Don't have a need for that new shiny car every three years. Most of the newer cars unless you're a dealership tech you are going to do very little DIY on a new car.
 
Nothing Ford. I prefer VW's in cars and Mopars in trucks and minivans. I do 99% of my own maintenance and repairs and for family and friends. I won't even utilize the dealer for free maintenance or for warranty work unless we are talking something catastrophic, which hasn't happened to me since abandoning Fords almost 3 decades ago. I have recently been working on a spate of Toyota 4 liter problems. Head gaskets and water pumps, all between 140-190k miles and a nightmare to repair because of the intake manifold. No 4.0 liters for me. Otherwise every brand has their good and bad.
 
Originally Posted by Triple_Se7en


What must-haves did you insist on, when buying your vehicle?



1. RWD
2. 0-60 under 4.5 seconds
3. Top speed over 150 mph
4. Manual gearbox or ZF 8HP
5. Track capable braking/handling
6. Summer tires
7. Xenon/LED headlamps
8. Well-bolstered, heated seats
9. Decent audio
 
Getting the vehicle I want for the price I want is all I care about.
 
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1 comfort
2 power
3 smooth and quiet
4 reliable
5 pleasing to look at
6 good visibility
7 highest safety ratings
8 good mpg
9 all the safety whistles and bells
10 current technology
If any of those are missing I am not interested.

And oh...all under $42,000
 
Originally Posted by MCompact
Originally Posted by Triple_Se7en


What must-haves did you insist on, when buying your vehicle?



1. RWD
2. 0-60 under 4.5 seconds
3. Top speed over 150 mph
4. Manual gearbox or ZF 8HP
5. Track capable braking/handling
6. Summer tires
7. Xenon/LED headlamps
8. Well-bolstered, heated seats
9. Decent audio



Nice list of parameters. Porsche of some (sport) sort would likely do this...? Did you ever look and see how DEEP the front trunk is in a Porsche 911? Good utility (and factory-made roof racks, too
smile.gif
)
 
Originally Posted by Cdn17Sport6MT
Originally Posted by MCompact
1. RWD
2. 0-60 under 4.5 seconds
3. Top speed over 150 mph
4. Manual gearbox or ZF 8HP
5. Track capable braking/handling
6. Summer tires
7. Xenon/LED headlamps
8. Well-bolstered, heated seats
9. Decent audio



Nice list of parameters. Porsche of some (sport) sort would likely do this...?
The 2014 M235i in his sig does all the above, I think.
 
I only have 2: it should last 250k with little to no rebuild of transmission, engine, or anything costing more than 1500, and it should be at least 30mpg.
 
Originally Posted by Quattro Pete
Originally Posted by Cdn17Sport6MT
Originally Posted by MCompact
1. RWD
2. 0-60 under 4.5 seconds
3. Top speed over 150 mph
4. Manual gearbox or ZF 8HP
5. Track capable braking/handling
6. Summer tires
7. Xenon/LED headlamps
8. Well-bolstered, heated seats
9. Decent audio



Nice list of parameters. Porsche of some (sport) sort would likely do this...?
The 2014 M235i in his sig does all the above, I think.




Likely right...
 
It'd be great if one single vehicle would do it all...or perhaps with a light utility trailer added. You could have it all in one vehicle, say a high perf 4 dr sport sedan with receptacle-type trailer hitch + high qual. roof rack with adapter fittings.
 
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Glad not to see people demanding timing chains, not belts, and rear discs, not drums.

Because they don't know how to fix drums and the half-dozen supporting parts or change a rubber belt.
 
Originally Posted by Cdn17Sport6MT
Originally Posted by Quattro Pete
Originally Posted by Cdn17Sport6MT
Originally Posted by MCompact
1. RWD
2. 0-60 under 4.5 seconds
3. Top speed over 150 mph
4. Manual gearbox or ZF 8HP
5. Track capable braking/handling
6. Summer tires
7. Xenon/LED headlamps
8. Well-bolstered, heated seats
9. Decent audio



Nice list of parameters. Porsche of some (sport) sort would likely do this...?
The 2014 M235i in his sig does all the above, I think.




Likely right...


Correct!
 
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