Not Toad Choice April 17, 2018, 05:05:52 pm In looking at all of the safety features in the newer vehicles these days, I am rethinking how I want to encase myself when I drive.We don't intend to tow any new(er) vehicle, so that is not a factor. I have not set foot inside of a new car in approximately ten years, so plan to be overwhelmed. We have recently swapped out our 1991 Mitsubishi sedan for a 2009 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT, which has copious (and overwhelming) bells and whistles. I can only imagine what has happened in the ensuing years. All for the good, I suppose.Formerly we had the small, four-door, 'round town and short road trip sedan, and the larger Sportsmobile campervan for use with the 2005 RB. Now . . . the Sportsmobile and the Grand Caravan are closer in size, but miles apart in usefulness.So I am thinking that swapping the Dodge Caravan for a smaller, yet sturdy, vehicle might be in my near future. Without divulging my own research conclusions, I am curious as to the opinions of the more automotive-savvy members of this board.Increased safety is my primary goal. Virtual hugs, Judie
Re: Not Toad Choice Reply #1 – April 17, 2018, 05:37:57 pm Judie, I don't consider myself automotivally (is that even a word?) savvy in any way but hopefully some others will chime in. Just wanted to say that the changes in just the last 10 years in technology can be quite overwhelming but good, as well. Going from our little Kia Spectra commuter car with very little technology to our present Subaru Outback was quite a change and it's taken some time to wrap my head around the advancements. The safety features in the Outback are amazing; I especially appreciate the Adaptive Cruise Control and the Eyesight system. Things are advancing rapidly and will only get better, safety-wise!
Re: Not Toad Choice Reply #2 – April 17, 2018, 05:40:07 pm My recommendation is to go to Ratings | NHTSA to do some reading. Second choice would be http://www.iihs.org/iihs/ratings this will give you an objective basis to make some decisions.Ken F in CA 1 Likes
Re: Not Toad Choice Reply #3 – April 17, 2018, 10:33:12 pm How do you plan to use the car? It is difficult to recommend something based on your post. For example if you live and drive primarily in town and don't plan to do long distances I might recommend a hybrid - if you can get use to the car breaking when you slow down. This actually takes a steady foot on the peddle when commuting in traffic. If you do not have a steady foot the regenerative breaking can be annoying for some. If you do a lot of long traveling on the interstate with this car I might recommend something else. How many people, just you and the hubby? Do you plan to tow this car? Will it be driven in the snow. Do you have a bone density issue (if yes, a convertible fun car might be in order like I suggested some years ago to my wife that the minivan should be replaced with a go to hell red BMW convertible. 1 Likes
Re: Not Toad Choice Reply #4 – April 18, 2018, 12:33:24 am My first Subaru Outback lasted for 15 years and when it was time to buy a new car, I opted again for a Subaru. The safety features, reliability, all wheel drive, and general styling were my deciding factors. I truly enjoy the drive, opting for a four cylinder for mileage. Subaru’s are not known for gas mileage but the safety elements far outweigh the cost to drive. Since I am retired, I don’t drive as much and have only put on about 6,000 miles in a year. My Outback will last me for the rest of my life I am thinking. Enjoy the hunt for a new car! And given the cost to purchase now, take your time to make your decision. Happy Trails,Jules 2 Likes
Re: Not Toad Choice Reply #5 – April 18, 2018, 07:50:40 am Quote from: Jules - April 18, 2018, 12:33:24 am Subaru’s are not known for gas mileage but the safety elements far outweigh the cost to drive. We use our Outback for mostly longer trips and I've been pleasantly surprised by our highway mileage, a little over 32 mpg which is not bad for full-time AWD. And note that the safety features and AWD system are available in most of the different Subaru models. The Forester would be my second choice.
Re: Not Toad Choice Reply #6 – April 18, 2018, 10:24:46 am We've been looking at new cars, too. We currently have a 2011 Kia Soul which we really like and that hasn't given us a lick of trouble...so we probably won't replace it until it dies.However, in our search, we've pretty much settled on a Subaru, in our case, the Impreza 5-door hatchback. It gets good gas mileage (27/37) and has all wheel drive which our Soul doesn't have. Of course, by the time we get around to actually buying a new car, things may change, but that would be our choice now.
Re: Not Toad Choice Reply #7 – April 18, 2018, 11:54:44 am "However, in our search, we've pretty much settled on a Subaru, in our case, the Impreza 5-door hatchback. It gets good gas mileage (27/37) and has all wheel drive which our Soul doesn't have. Of course, by the time we get around to actually buying a new car, things may change, but that would be our choice now."In my research yesterday, I pretty much stuck to looking at the Subaru Outback (which has been a favorite of mine for almost 20 years) and of course the Forester. I briefly looked at the CR-V, which also has great appeal. I hadn't drilled down to the Impreza, but a quick perusal just now shoved it right up there in the "look at this one a bit more" category.I want to get as much information under my belt before I go to look at vehicles at a dealer showroom, take a test drive, and submit to the hassle of talking to a salesman. We do not have a dedicated Subaru dealer here in TinyTown, but go to Tucson often enough to look there within a few months. We looked at Subarus in the early 2000's, and remember being massively impressed at the time. Even found a Forester at a good price, but didn't want to take on a standard transmission, although I had learned to drive on same. The less my aging brain must remember at this point, the better!I'm just starting to investigate the various "buying services" - like AAA and CarMax. Initial impression is that the prices are not only not negotiable, but that they seem somewhat higher - at least to me - than what might happen at a dealer. The last time I bought a new car was in 1990 (Toyota Tercel for $8K), so am totally out of practice with dealing with high-pressure salesmen.Am open to suggestions for automotive informational websites to peruse to get myself up to speed. Have gone through a few, but don't know which are the most respected. Recommendations?I was impressed with the automatic controls that are purported to keep one's vehicle from inadvertently crashing into another (or any barrier), but wonder if all of that unbidden stopping/starting/moving/slowing might prove distracting to me as the driver. Has anyone experienced these features? How did they seem to fit with your driving prowess that was learned long ago in the DIY age. Perhaps these features are so subtle as to not become a source of distraction???Sorry to seem so "out of it", but not having kept up with automotive technology, I have been overwhelmed by the number of new features even in our recently-acquired 2009 Dodge Grand Caravan, and am shaking in my boots thinking what an additional nearly decade of improvements have brought to the automotive industry!Perhaps the Amish have a good idea about transportation methods! Virtual hugs, Judie < -- checking for rent-a-stable space in town
Re: Not Toad Choice Reply #8 – April 18, 2018, 12:35:51 pm My wife's 3-1/2 years old 2015 Forester XT has been trouble free and a difficult car to get to do something stupid.The electronic nannies keep the vehicle going in the right direction in rain and slippery conditions even when trying to get it to slide or break loose...and I have tried. The computer will not let the turbo wind up if the traction isn't there.It is a great car to drive in the rain or snow, especially when using X-mode.The new Subarus have a great suite of safety devices, if you buy the premium package.The interior is roomy, one of the few cars to have more than enough leg room for the driver while still have plenty of room in the rear seats, it sits five comfortably, while still have lots of storage in the back.My only complaint is the CVT transmission but that is the way the world is going.If it had not cost several thousand more, Acura's version of the CR-V, the RDX, was appealing with a real automatic and the wonderful V-6 engine, can't say I thrilled with any of Subaru's engines or transmissions combinations.Now maybe if we had a WRX, with a six speed manual, I would feel different.Before buying any car, it's worth spending a day or two, in the big city, looking at the wide range of cars available today.So many of them are wonderful cars but we don't bother or have change to test drive them all.I rented a Nissan Sentra a couple weeks ago, in rainy Portland, was impressed how solid the car felt and the way it handled the wet conditions. I bet there are a dozen or more cars that would be similar and would make good, safe vehicles.Larry 2 Likes
Re: Not Toad Choice Reply #9 – April 18, 2018, 04:12:52 pm In case some DO want to talk towable....Bought a 2016 Subaru Crosstrek, manny tranny. Nice car with an incredible lack of torque being the only weakness. Subaru no longer recommends flat towing of any of their vehicles but we flat towed our 2007 manny tranny Forester in the ACC mode which didn’t spin the odometer. Newer models tell you to place the key in the ON position which DOES spin the odometer. Doesn’t really bother me as I drive cars until they have little resale value then donate them to charities.Again, Subaru no longer recommends towing any of their vehicles. We towed the Forester for thousands and thousands of miles and have towed the Crosstrek about 1,500 miles with no problems. If you get the right Subaru person to speak with they will admit that you can still tow them but their legal beagles have convinced management to change their stance most likely because some folks don’t set up their toad properly , cause damage and then go after the company for reparations.Dave (yes, i’m an attorney so I can bash the profession) 2 Likes
Re: Not Toad Choice Reply #10 – April 18, 2018, 06:51:21 pm QuoteThe last time I bought a new car was in 1990 (Toyota Tercel for $8K), so am totally out of practice with dealing with high-pressure salesmen.Remar Sutton pointed out that the average used car saleperson sells more cars in a week than most of us buy in a lifetime in his book How Not to Get Taken Every Time As an Amazon Associate Lazy Daze Owners' Group earns from qualifying purchases.
Re: Not Toad Choice Reply #11 – April 18, 2018, 11:25:09 pm Judie, a couple of resources that will help in your research:Subaru Research Site- specs, prices, options, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014,.... This is a website created by a dealer in Washington state and is very helpful in comparing the different models and years.Subaru Outback - Subaru Outback Forums. This is a forum you will need to register for but will help you learn about issues concerning Outbacks.The good news nowadays is that you don't even need to set foot in a dealership to do your negotiating. You will need to visit the dealership to do test drives, and to finalize the deal, of course, but once you know exactly what you want, you simply e-mail the internet department at the various dealerships in your region to get a price. That's how I purchased mine. This was a new process for me as well but it works. I checked with several dealerships in my area and, based on my research, did not like the prices they were quoting me. I ultimately ended up getting an acceptable price through the Internet department at a dealership in the Bay Area, several hundred miles away, and made my purchase there.The automatic safety features do take some time to learn and to trust. After awhile, you'll learn their capabilities and weaknesses first-hand, but reading through the Subaru forums and asking questions can help you beforehand as well as after purchase. Feel free to contact me if I can be of help.
Re: Not Toad Choice Reply #12 – April 18, 2018, 11:59:07 pm "Judie, a couple of resources that will help in your research:"Thanks, Greg. I have dipped my toe into this stream, but much appreciate your references. They look very promising. I should be able to come up for air in a couple of months!!! Virtual hugs, Judie
Re: Not Toad Choice Reply #13 – April 19, 2018, 10:38:28 am Judy, if you are a Costco member, you might also check out their auto purchase program as a price check. — Jon 2 Likes
Re: Not Toad Choice Reply #14 – April 19, 2018, 11:12:13 am "Judy, if you are a Costco member, you might also check out their auto purchase program as a price check. -- Jon"I'm not, unfortunately. It's a 160-mile round trip to Tucson, so we usually go only for medical things, and they take the whole day - ALWAYS! But thanks for the clue. I've been thinking of joining anyway because of the online possibilities, and this might be one of them.I've been wondering about these buying services, i.e. how does the dealer take to doing the nuisance work of test drives, etc., to then have the sale made elsewhere? Or does the buying service negotiate with the dealer where you have done the test drive?The purpose of all this is to acquire a vehicle with good ground clearance to accompany us on trips for excursions down not-so-good roads - not off-roading adventures. The Subarus seem to have 8.7", which is a big improvement over our low-slung 5.1" 2009 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT.If this is veering off topic - a toad to TAKE with the Lazy Daze, but not to TOW with the Lazy Daze - I apologize, and welcome personal contact. Others' experiences are of great value to me. Virtual hugs, Judie
Re: Not Toad Choice Reply #15 – April 19, 2018, 11:19:28 am We have a manual tran Forester and we really like the headroom and visibility compared to the Outback. I grew up with manual transmission vehicles but would prefer an automatic. In early 2017 I had the opportunity to drive a new Forester and Outback as loaner vehicles while our 2011 was having recall work done and I was impressed with the comfort and convenience but I will still go for the better view of the Forester.I like the Honda CRV but was astonished to find that they just keep lowering the ground clearance. The last I checked they are at 6.5" coming down from 8.5".Jim
Re: Not Toad Choice Reply #16 – April 19, 2018, 11:23:23 am One other thing. The independent 4 wheel suspension on our Forester rides so much better on rough roads than the 2008 Chevy HHR that we used to own.Jim
Re: Not Toad Choice Reply #17 – April 19, 2018, 12:26:17 pm Quote from: Judie Ashford - April 19, 2018, 11:12:13 am I've been thinking of joining anyway because of the online possibilities, and this might be one of them.I've been wondering about these buying services, i.e. how does the dealer take to doing the nuisance work of test drives, etc., to then have the sale made elsewhere? Or does the buying service negotiate with the dealer where you have done the test drive?When we bought our new last car, we spent several days looking at various makes and models the conventional way, test driving them at the dealer .We also checked with the Costco program and Consumer Reports for the 'best' prices.When we decided on what we wanted, I sent email bid requests to all the Subaru dealer's fleet managers, within a 100 miles radius.Most didn't respond but Santa Monica Subaru did, with a bid that was in the range we had expected.The ordering ordeal was done over the phone and internet, a few weeks later we picked the car up .There was no pressure to buy anything extra, we wrote them a check and would have been out of the dealer in less than an hour if one of the salespeople have not wanted to show us how everything worked and how to synch our phones.Easiest new car buy ever. I hate dealing with auto salespeople and the negotiations with a passion.Larry 1 Likes
Re: Not Toad Choice Reply #18 – April 19, 2018, 02:55:48 pm I'm no help.For the last couple of years my driver has been a 1978 Mercedes 240D.It's a tank of a car and will probably outlive me.While it does not have any modern safety features I still feel plenty safe driving it around.It runs and drives beautifully and is very comfortable for a 40 year old car.Best of all, it has an auxiliary fuel tank in the trunk, giving me about 1000 miles of range.Perfect for the coming zombie apocalypse. 2 Likes
Re: Not Toad Choice Reply #19 – April 20, 2018, 11:31:00 am USAA has a car buying service if you want to go that route and are a member:Welcome to USAA!
Re: Not Toad Choice Reply #20 – April 20, 2018, 11:51:01 am "USAA has a car buying service if you want to go that route and are a member:"I get a lot of mail from USAA requesting that my husband open an account, but that has never floated to the top of the TO DO LIST.Would welcome advice about the usefulness of such an account. Do others have these accounts and find them to be of enough value to acquire yet more paperwork in the USPS mailbox, or even e-correspondence? Virtual hugs, Judie
Re: Not Toad Choice Reply #21 – April 20, 2018, 12:00:59 pm Judie,I know there are several folks that are long time USAA members so hopefully they will chime in. I just recently joined, mainly because I was fed up with our home insurance policy which kept rising significantly every year despite the fact we never made a claim. Because we are located in a "wildland fire" area, our choices are limited. USAA was willing to insure us and very easy to work with (all done online). Time will tell if they jack up our rates every year but at least we are saving quite a bit this year!We also signed up for their cash-back VISA card which gives us 1.5% back on all purchases. I have not used their, or any other company's buying services so can't speak to that.
Re: Not Toad Choice Reply #22 – April 20, 2018, 12:36:41 pm Quote from: HiLola - April 20, 2018, 11:31:00 amUSAA has a car buying service if you want to go that route and are a member:Welcome to USAA!AARP Has a car buying service as well but I know nothing about it.Jim
Re: Not Toad Choice Reply #23 – April 20, 2018, 12:48:51 pm Quote from: HiLola - April 20, 2018, 12:00:59 pmJudie,I know there are several folks that are long time USAA members so hopefully they will chime in. I just recently joined, mainly because I was fed up with our home insurance policy which kept rising significantly every year despite the fact we never made a claim. Because we are located in a "wildland fire" area, our choices are limited. USAA was willing to insure us and very easy to work with (all done online). Time will tell if they jack up our rates every year but at least we are saving quite a bit this year!We also signed up for their cash-back VISA card which gives us 1.5% back on all purchases. I have not used their, or any other company's buying services so can't speak to that.USAA has consistently gotten good ratings for their claims handling. Here is a link to some information that is helpful in researching that kind of thing. Best and worst home insurance companies | Clark HowardI have never used them but would if I could.However, premiums are about a lot more than your claims history. If USAA has a bad year in your state or locale with heavy claims payments and expenses rates are likely going to go up whether you filed a claim or not. States regulate insurance companies and have a say in rate increases. Here is an article that talks about how they are regulated. How Insurance Rates Are RegulatedJim 1 Likes
Re: Not Toad Choice Reply #24 – April 20, 2018, 08:20:13 pm 2019 Subaru Forester Preview - Consumer Reports 1 Likes
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