Car buying - Who do you trust?

smerka · June 2016

So we have been looking at minivans this week. My car needs shocks and struts and that's another large chunk of money I just don't want to sink into it. We have pretty much narrowed it down to the Honda Odyssey and Kia Sedona. The Odyssey gets glowing reviews from Consumer Reports but Sedona not so much. The Sedona is significantly cheaper (~$5,000 with 0% financing and some weird thing where they are making the payments for the summer). A lot of the complaints from Consumer Reports are the way the Sedona drives which I didn't really agree with when I drove it. The reliability is similar to the Odyssey. Resale doesn't so much matter because we will run it into the ground. So do you take Comsumer Reports as gospel or go with your gut when it comes to how it drives?

Xstatic3333 · June 2016

I take Consumer reports as gospel on safety and reliability. Drivability and handling, though, are so personal. Many don't love how the Fit drives, for example, but it's just fine for me. With that said, I love Hondas. I really trust them as a brand, but since so many feel similarly it's harder to get a really good deal than it is with your Kias and similar.

LillibetteV · June 2016

I agree with Xstatic - safety and reliability I would 100% trust Consumer Reports on, but the rest is very personal. Living in New England everyone I know looooooves Subarus and ya know what - it's just ok in my opinion (which is a big step up from the pure hatred I felt for ours in the past!). Saying that in NE is total blasphemy! And I don't care - I think Subarus are way overrated and I stand by that opinion. I loved my VW so much more than I will ever get on board with the Subaru in terms of driving and handling.

Xstatic3333 · June 2016

LillibetteV said:

I agree with Xstatic - safety and reliability I would 100% trust Consumer Reports on, but the rest is very personal. Living in New England everyone I know looooooves Subarus and ya know what - it's just ok in my opinion (which is a big step up from the pure hatred I felt for ours in the past!). Saying that in NE is total blasphemy! And I don't care - I think Subarus are way overrated and I stand by that opinion. I loved my VW so much more than I will ever get on board with the Subaru in terms of driving and handling.

Blasphemer! J/k. They are pretty much worshipped around here, it's true. My beef with them is the gas mileage impact of the AWD. I'm kind of a stickler for good mileage.

smerka · June 2016

The Kia does just fine with safety and reliability (same as Odyssey). The warranty is also significantly better. The Odyssey is getting a redesign for 2017 so I'm thinking I could get a good deal on a 2016, but their 'best' price was only $2,000 less than invoice. I feel like I for sure wouldn't regret getting the Odyssey but is the extra money worth that? The Sedona is kind of an unknown in my mind. I hate buying cars which is why I only do it every 12 years.

LillibetteV · June 2016

Xstatic3333 said:

LillibetteV said:

I agree with Xstatic - safety and reliability I would 100% trust Consumer Reports on, but the rest is very personal. Living in New England everyone I know looooooves Subarus and ya know what - it's just ok in my opinion (which is a big step up from the pure hatred I felt for ours in the past!). Saying that in NE is total blasphemy! And I don't care - I think Subarus are way overrated and I stand by that opinion. I loved my VW so much more than I will ever get on board with the Subaru in terms of driving and handling.

Blasphemer! J/k. They are pretty much worshipped around here, it's true. My beef with them is the gas mileage impact of the AWD. I'm kind of a stickler for good mileage.

We have the impreza hatchback so the mileage is decent, but it has no zip! When I hit the gas pedal I like my car to move - what a crazy concept. Also there was one winter when I slid out 3 times in the snow! That same winter I also drove my VW and had way better traction. We kept the Subaru DH had bought (before we were married) because it was a 4 door (over my 2door), but I'll be fighting tooth and nail to get a different brand when we buy again in about 10 years lol.

hoffse · June 2016

smerka said:

The Kia does just fine with safety and reliability (same as Odyssey). The warranty is also significantly better. The Odyssey is getting a redesign for 2017 so I'm thinking I could get a good deal on a 2016, but their 'best' price was only $2,000 less than invoice. I feel like I for sure wouldn't regret getting the Odyssey but is the extra money worth that? The Sedona is kind of an unknown in my mind. I hate buying cars which is why I only do it every 12 years.

I think it is, honestly. H and I drive Hondas because you don't have to do anything to them outside of routine maintenance. It's like driving old faithful or something.

The prices on the 2016 will drop a lot once the 2017's come out, but they usually get released in late summer/early fall.

One thing to consider is the new safety technology. I haven't looked at the Odyssey, but see if there's an option for Honda Lane Watch or automatic braking. That technology should be trickling down the trim levels each passing year until it's standard. H and I wouldn't replace our cars just to get that, but next time we buy a car (probably winter for us), we will buy a car with that technology.

A $5K difference over 12 years is an extra $416/year (or $34/month) to drive the Odyssey. If you like it more, I wouldn't quibble over that kind of money given how long you will be keeping it.

LillibetteV · June 2016

I would also consider fuel efficiency - that can make or break how expensive the car is in the long run. A little extra money up front is worth it to save on gas, but if the Kia is cheaper AND more efficient then that might help you make a decision. (I honestly don't know the mileage for either car, but that was a hypothetical).

labro · June 2016

Definitely trust Consumer Reports for safety and reliability ratings and I agree with everyone else re: handling. For what it's worth, I've driven in both the Odyssey and the Sedona although the model years are both older...and I much much preferred how the Odyssey felt on the road. The Sedona didn't handle well, had a horrible turning radius, etc. So what would make it for me would be how it felt on the road and of course my budget. Does the $5k make it or break it for you? What kind of financing can you get elsewhere (although that 0% is pretty tempting!)?

smerka · June 2016

The mileage isn't that much different. Honda 19/28. Kia 18/24. I do not do that much highway driving. The Kia can add Blindspot detection and rear cross traffic alert for $1900 (part of a bigger package). The Honda has a better Cool Box which may put my husband over the edge. I need to drive the Honda again to get a feel for it. Hondas financing is .9% vs 0%. We have to finance part of it (maybe half).

jcdamomma · June 2016

I drive a 2006 Honda Odyssey. We have only had to do routine maintenance on it. I have 140K miles on it and hope to double that. I would recommend the Odyssey.

short+sassy · June 2016

More Honda love. I bought a Honda Civic as a 2-year-old used car. Paid $12,000 (this was over 15 years ago) I drove that baby for 11 years. The driver's side window motor had to be repaired for $200 toward the end of my owning it. I also had the a/c condenser go out twice, though the first time it was still under warranty.

At year 11 (from my owning it) the transmission starting slipping. It would have been more than the car was worth to fix it, so I sold it for $2,000. All said, I spent $10,000 to have a car to drive for 11 years with only one small necessary repair. Pretty awesome! Though the a/c condenser would have been spendy to fix, if I had spent the money.

Car buying - Who do you trust?

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