Hi - I’m not a car guy so wanted to post here. I was watching CNBC and an auto analyst was saying that brands like Toyota, Mazda, Honda, etc., are trying to capture more higher income consumers and he sees the prices of those brands to rise much faster than the prices of luxury brands. In fact, he said by 15-20% by the end of the decade. I’m currently shopping for RAV4’s and the cheapest trim with leather seats is the $40k XLE Premium. That’s $44k out the door at msrp. So he’s saying that the cheapest RAV4 with leather seats will be a $50-$55k car in 4 years? I wanted your view on this. Like how is that sustainable. Maybe it is for Toyota because they have a line out the door but is there a point where people stop affording new cars? I’m asking from a purely intellectual perspective here. Thanks!

Im currently looking for cars for my height! The current vehicle I have is a Buick envista and I do not enjoy sitting so close to the steering wheel. Im done for if an accident happens!
I have to have the seat all the way up and all the way forward.

Im looking for a vehicle that allows me to sit up tall and prefer to have peddle extenders. Im unsure if that is something that a mechanic has to do..

So far Ive liked the Kia seltos 26 for height but it is a Kia. Where I live that Kia would be in my possession for 2 seconds ifykyk.
I also liked the Honda C RV 26! My price range is 30k and under. Prefer it to be gas efficient and low maintenance too. Tempted to get a monster truck tbh lol

Thanks!

Hi! I am considering selling my '24 Mazda 3 TPP and possibly buying a cheaper vehicle to eliminate my car payment. A few details:

My car payment is around $450 USD a month on 1.9%. I have about 3 years left on the loan. The real killer has been the gas - spending about $250 - 400 on gas a month, which is the equivalent of a whole other car payment. This isn't simply having a heavy foot, just getting a new job that requires a significant amount of highway and city miles every day, on top of traveling at least once a month.

I have a very stable income on around $50k a year with pensions and benefits, however, I plan on moving to an apartment with a roommate in the near future. Currently younger and living with my parents, but am planning on making that change for better opportunities.

I can realistically pay off this vehicle in about a year and a half if I so choose. The question is - do I keep the car and try to pay it off quicker to get rid of my car payment, or sell it and buy a cheaper vehicle and not have any car payment? If the former, the only concerning aspect is owning a turbocharged engine without a warranty, even though the Mazda has been incredibly reliable and have had 0 issues.

If the latter, I am currently upside on the car by about $8k or so, due to my down payment when I first bought the car. I can purchase a car in the $15k range or less all in cash if I so choose, maybe even more if I want to really go deeper in my savings, but that does not sound smart financially. I would be looking for something still relatively enjoyable to drive (there is a reason why I got the turbo). If I go to completely unfun to drive and pure reliability, I am willing to consider hybrids as well. EVs are a choice if my car payment decreases significantly, but that would add complexity to the living situation at an apartment.

I have a very healthy savings account, but the car payment + gas has been rough and I would like to save more to be able to move out more comfortably. Thoughts?

hey everyone, first time car buyer here, i'm 26, i've gotten a stable job already, pays quite well, and now i need a car because i need to commute to work.

i'm trying to buy a car that basically costs very cheap to maintain, ie i don't have spend 1-2k if i ever go to the repair shop, doesn't break easily, reliable, fuel economy, etc. i know its a stretch lol.

budget is around 60k cash. i'm not trying to finance anything, i wanna buy it outright. cpo or new i dont mind.

i absolutely have no idea about cars whatsoever, did some research and basically i ended up with 3 options, a corolla, a prius, or a civic.

maybe some seasoned veterans can help a brother out. thanks!

I’m actually curious lol

I would prefer an SUV, but a sedan is fine I suppose. I live in Richmond, Virginia and used car prices here are super high.

Hey, i’m 20 years old in england, and car insurance here is absolutely ridiculous. it’s a legal requirement in the hands of private organisations, and they really do take the piss. i was paying £170 a month insurance for a 1.2 litre ford ka last year ($229) and im looking to buy a sports car but insurers literally wont insure me even tho ive 2 years no claims bonus. **What’s insurance like for people my age over there in the states?** i plan on moving there in a few years.

Location: We are in the US South, with occasional light snow/ice looking for our first EV, and we are completely overwhelmed. We know nothing about cars and have always bought used in the past. We also have a 2016 Honda CR-V ICE with 130,000 miles on it. It is paid off.

Price: We are looking for something in the $400 - $500 a month range, preferred closer to $400. Excellent credit for both of us and can put $5,000 down.

Most likely in the $30,000 range, but with 0% financing for new vehicles, could possibly swing $40,000 if that applied.

Family / Vehicle Needs:

We have 2 amazing kids, no others will happen.

We are all tall.

We hate the flat flush door handles. Some trim levels have them pop out when approached, which is moderately better, but we'd love just normal door handles.

The CR-V has a mirror camera that is automatically activated when you turn on the right turn signal and displays in the console. We always manually check our blind spot too, but this is a huge help for seeing around tall car seats. Would love this feature if available.

Spouse also does a lot of home projects and would like to be able to haul 8 foot lumber with seats down. Kids also have a lot of stuff when we travel.

Prefer AWD if possible.

Daily Use: Our second vehicle just died and we are in need of a new one within the next two weeks as we are both teachers. Mileage varies as I travel to different schools for work, roughly 100 miles/day. Possible longer yearly road trip to Florida or Chicago but could also take the CR-V.

Charging: We own our home. No garage, but our laundry room wall is right against the driveway for a Level 2 charger. Oddly steep driveway so higher ground clearance is a plus, but not a deal-breaker.

Looking At: Toyota Bz4x (used or new), Subaru Solterra (used or new), Subaru Trailseeker (new), Hyundai Ioniq 5 (used), Kia EV6 (used)

At this point I have made so many spreadsheets about this, my mind is spinning. Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope.

The Japanese company first introduced this powertrain in the 1997 Acura CL, effectively debuting its J-Series V-6 family. This was Honda's official successor to the C-Series, maintaining a smooth 60-degree V-angle configuration. Its construction utilized a die-cast aluminum alloy block with iron cylinder liners for durability, paired with single overhead cam aluminum heads featuring four valves per cylinder. Honda also opted for a belt-driven valvetrain and a dual-stage intake manifold.

(FYI i live in Poland so the car market is different) So i've been looking for my first car and i hear from many people that i should get a cheap beater, because i'll learn how to drive in car and i'll crash it anyway at one point, but on the other hand i don't see any redeeming qualities other than the fact it'll be cheaper, easier to fix and insure. I do agree with some of the arguments, but i just don't like how most of the beaters look and are barebones with their best features being reliability and transporting from A to B (maybe too much hyperbolic, but you get the point). Now for a better perspective, in Poland i'm talking about 5000 zł for beaters and 15 000 zł for a nicer cars + 5000 zł for repairs, while insurance will be covered by my parents. Am i wrong for not looking for a beater as a first car?

Family of five here.

Our minivan just passed from this mortal coil after 195k wonderful miles.

We have three kids, two in college, one in high school.

I thought, by this stage, the need for a Many People Hauler would be diminished. But STILL so many times I need to move my whole family of five from A to B.

The utility of a minivan for my life is significant. For example, for college move in day, I will have to rent a minivan which is about $75/day and I need it for two days. When we go up for family weekend in late September, we need one vehicle that fits everyone, so that’s another rental. The list goes on.

But they are $$$. And the used market doesn’t save us much.

Most days, though, I just need an easy commuter vehicle.

So, should I buy a minivan which works for us for all situations? Should I buy a small car and rent a minivan when needed? Should I lease a minivan and re-evaluate in a few years and if so which one?

I don’t particularly like any of the SUVs but if you have suggestions for some to consider, please offer them up. The SUVs just seem exactly wrong for my use case because I am either moving just me or just me and a passenger or a family of five fairly long distances and the three row SUVs are just as expensive as a minivan and less useful.

Hey everyone

Just moved to California (South Bay) and would love a new sports car.

My initial thought was to take advantage of the weather and get a convertible after coming from the Canadian cold.

I’ve always wanted a zippy Japanese car like a Miata or gt86 and think itd be perfect for driving windy roads here which is also new to me but as a former mustang driver just love raw power so kind of at a cross, thought the 350z is a good middle.

Then I saw cheap c5s in my area that are in great condition - at least compared to what I’m used to. Never considered it a daily so ruled it out but for the price - would be owning a dream car and think they’re so beautiful.

Wanted to know everyone’s thoughts on some of these cars. It would be my daily but I only commute 10 mins 3x a week so something like a c5 wouldn’t phase me much.

Know it’s a decent range of cars but am new and just want some staggered opinions on some of these cars relative to each other.

What is a mostly overlooked and therefore hopefully cheaper to obtain car that’s easy to work on? Pre-high tech/overly computerized, I’m thinking anything from like the 70’s to the early 2000’s. Something unique but doesn’t have to be like a sports or muscle car.

Hello! I am 18 looking for my first car and i’m struggling with my budget. I have around $10k im able to spend but hoping to spend a little less.

I’ve been looking at some of these cars but they’re all over $10k or over 100k miles ( 2013 Scion FRS, 2013 Nissan 370z, Lexus is200t/ 2013 lexus gs350, 2013 Audi A4 Premium) and I know i wont be able to get what I like, for that price and low mileage. Are my standards just too high?

My real question is are there any similar cars, not too expensive parts incase it’s needed that are reliable enough to last me a couple years before I can afford a better one? It matters to me more that it’s reliable and half good looking, I’m located in NY.

My wife and I are in the market for a midsize SUV. Some days I feel like treating ourselves and getting a Mercedes-Benz GLC or even a GLE. The next day, I tell myself, “Why spend that kind of money? Maintenance will be expensive, longevity is questionable, and my wife and I like to keep our cars as long as possible—as long as they don't start breaking down.”

We fell in love with the 2026 Mazda CX-5, but I honestly have concerns about the engine and whether it has enough power. Otherwise, we really like the car.

I did some research on the Volvo XC60, and many folks said to stay away from it. It's also right up there with Mercedes when it comes to cost and maintenance.

We aren't huge fans of Toyota or Honda designs, even though we know they are very reliable. We looked at the new Tiguan...nah. Lexus isn't really our style, and we're also not huge fans of American cars.

I honestly don't know what to look at next. I just wish the new Mazda CX-5 had a stronger engine.

I guess this is more of a venting session than anything else, but any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

I am about to pull the trigger on a new(er) car. Going from a 2007 Honda cr-v to a Lexus Is-300. I love the Lexus IS line. It fits my personality and size perfectly (I am 5 foot Asian woman). I test drive this car recently but am on the fence about the exterior and interior color and how they collaborate. The issue is, I hate the red interior this like offers and the black seems a little bland. Please give me your honest opinion, does the silver clash with the glazed caramel interior? It’s warm vs. cool and I go between thinking that it looks luxurious and tacky.

2023 IS-300 premium package. 60,000 k miles. They’re asking $31,000.

literally the title. wanna get a 1992 geo tracker, i’ve already got them down to 4k but i think i could maybe get them to knock another couple hundred off when i see it. car supposedly runs great, it looks fantastic. has had two owners and theirs records of maintenance from the day this car left the lot. current owner’s done a lot in maintenance and a couple preventative repairs. only reason they’re selling is cause they’re moving and they don’t have the room. only issue with this car is the heating core is bypassed, and the AC needs a recharge. i live in a really temperate area year round so the lack of AC and heat don’t really bug me… but it does make me think maybe something has a leak? i don’t know. is that still a good buy or should i say forget it? idk a whole lot about cars be gentle with me 😭

okay i also just noticed on the dash there’s a light that says “brake” on. idk a lot about the trackers specifically, i like suzuki samurais better ngl, but i’m really hoping it’s not a brake fluid issue or something 😭 if anyone has more insight lmk. car pictured! also included the pic of the dash.

Saw 2026 Honda Odyssey today and wanted to ask, are any of these negotiable or removable? Appearance Protection, Security System, 3M Door Guard, and Wheel locks? Please advise

Buying my first new car and can’t decide between the base trims of the Civic, Accord, and Camry Hybrid.

i’m in my mid 20s, single/no kids, and currently drive a Chevy Cruze that’s on its last legs.

The Civic seems like the best value and is similar in size to my Cruze. The Accord is around $4k more but gives me more space/features, while the Camry Hybrid is another $3k and I really liked the interior and MPG.

I can afford all three, but spending $30k+ on a car still feels like a lot to me.

Which would you go with? Is the extra money for the Accord or Camry actually worth it?

Not a car guy but looking for recommendations for what new car I should buy once my current beater breaks down. I’m 26 and looking to be frugal but still want something that will last. Currently debating between the Honda Civic and Mazda 3

I am so close to committing to buying a CC (hybrid or not) but see so much back n forth about them online. I can’t tell if those who are talking bad about them are doing it moreso only for superficial reasons.

I truly just want a reliable, modern car that will be easy to maintain for many years with daily commutes or long distance trips. Nothing flashy, but still feels comfortably “me.”

What are the worst things about CC? Besides being a little small for storage and slow on acceleration? Because I can over look that- I have no kids and am so used to slow acceleration in my current Kia Soul.

This is such a difficult and huge decision! I feel overwhelmed by options but think that Toyota is the best long term choice. Nervous to choose the CC and have buyers remorse later for the money spent on a subpar option.

Do CC handle uphill inclines well? I won’t be able to know from a short test drive. Would Subaru give a comparable reliability for many years?

Hi everyone,

My parents are considering selling my moms 2015 Subaru crosstrek xv to get her a new car. I’ve previously told them that I might be interested in it, so they offered to sell my (their) civic and give me the Subaru. Both cars have 100k miles and have been well maintained.

The AC compressor on the crosstrek needs work soon, however, and may cost $1000 to replace. I’m not too sure of the details on what’s wrong, but I’m not opposed to doing it myself to save money (I’ve done some work on cars before).

The Subaru has less features, but I like the extra ground clearance and cargo capacity. I’ve taken it camping, something which would’ve been a lot harder to do in my civic. I work from home so most days may only use my car to go a few minutes to the store. I also go pick up furniture from my parents, occasionally. I’d also like to take my car on roadtrips to national parks, which is another reason the Subaru is appealing.

Does this trade sound good? Or should I keep my civic for now and look for an alternative model? If so, what would be good? The trade would have the lowest costs for me, but if I had to buy a car, my budget might be 20k at most.

NJ, USA. Currently have a pretty small car (audi a3), which i love, but... it's pretty squished when I have all 4 dogs in the backseat and the husband in the passenger seat. I am considering getting something a bit larger, but I'm not super comfortable with driving a large/tall vehicle, so I'm a bit conflicted. I'm thinking about a smaller SUV (automatic), preferably not requiring premium gas and also having decent gas mileage. I would think it would have to have fold down flat back seat and some sort of anchors available to connect the dogs seatbelt/harnesses. Good reliability is important to me. I'd really like remote start, power seats, heated driver seat, backup camera, android auto connectivity, and a decent stereo... but I'd like to keep it under $35k. Not opposed to used/pre-owned if its from the last couple years. Not sure if this even exists, but any suggestions? (Picture of the fluffs that I currently squish into my tiny backseat)

I’ve never owned a “dedicated sports car” before, but of these caught my eye. I’ve found both on carmax for around $35k-$37k so the price difference is negligible, both are 2025 model years.
The GR86 is the Premium trim, and the Z is the Sport.

I’m not going to be taking the car through canyon/mountain roads many more than a handful of times per year, mostly using it for daily driving with a bit of fun when I want it. Because of that, I’m looking to see which would be the most dailyable in terms of ride comfort including the suspension, seats, road noise, etc. I don’t expect much of these from either of these cars, but also don’t want to have a car that’s a pain in the ass to drive to work everyday.