*sigh*
It's time. Time to go into the world of dishonest dealing, broken deals and high-pressure shenanigans.
Nope, I'm not talking about politics, it's time for me to break down and finally get a new car. The old 2004 Mazda3 is North of 125K miles, and my wife's car is not too far behind. And while I've enjoyed not having to make a car payment for about 4 years now, I have to accept the reality that having two high mileage autos in the family is probably not a long-term recipe for success.
Add to that the fact that I'm getting older, and driving the sporty, admittedly fun to drive outside of rush hour, Mazda3 with rock-hard suspension and a manual gear box is just not practical anymore.
But, what kind of car?
Those of you who know me know that I'm a sucker for Mercedes-Benz. It's my favorite brand by a mile. I'm also a fan of BMW and Audi.
But I think not.
What I really need is a 4-door sedan that gets good gas mileage. I also don't want to spend a bundle on this so that I have more money for other, more fun things, like travel.
So it's a commuter car then, with an automatic transmission, some (but not all of the) bells and whistles and a price tag that's somewhere around or under $25K. Unsurprisingly this leaves me with several options. In fact, this evening, I scouted out almost 20 cars that fit the profile. From the ridiculous (The Dodge Dart "GT") to the surprisingly affordable (Acura ILX) and all points in between.
One thing I've seen with auto reviews is that they often don't focus on things that are important to the common Houston driver. Most of us don't CARE how much "tech" a car can handle (hint: most of them can handle a lot) and it doesn't really matter how fast a car goes from 0 (or naught, in Top Gear parlance) to 60.
Nope, what you need to know about cars (or trucks) is the following:
1. Gas mileage - How much/little, and what size is the tank. This latter is more important than you think, especially on long trips.
2. Suspension - Let's face it, Houston's roads suck. And if you drive a car with a hard suspension (for example, the Mazda3) you're likely to come back home with your spine compressed by 3 inches.
3. Handling - One of the downfalls of a softer ride is fluffier handling. Does any car in my price range get it right? We'll see.
4. Total cost to own. - A good deal buying the car is great, but how reliable is the thing? This is important and I've been blessed the last 10 years to own a couple of very reliable cars.
5. Ooomph. - While 0 to 60 is not that important, you do need enough power to pass someone when the need arises. Also, to accelerate onto the freeway. (Do you hear me Prius drivers?)
Notice I didn't mention badge prestige. That's because I don't care about it, at all. I'm just as likely to get a KIA as I am the Acura if the former is a better value for money.
So, I'm going to test-drive around 20 cars and report back here my thoughts on them. This, of course, should mean nothing to you because you're going to have your own list of wants in a car. That said, maybe something I write will appeal to you, possibly it will help you in your buying decision.
Hopefully, you'll laugh a little as well along the way.
