Ot: calling all outside sales reps and Motor-heads... Time 2 buy a new car!

If you want a new car then just say so. I've been driving a 98 Corolla around the midwest for years and it does just fine on the snow. If you have front wheel drive and decent tires then it comes down to he driver not the car. IMO.

I have driven a lot of different units over the years, ranging from domestic to Japanese to European. All have their qualities and will suit someone's purposes, but that is the trick, isn't it? Buy a car you want to drive, since you're going to be sitting in it for thousands of hours. Life is too short for anything else. Cost is less of an issue if you dip into the used car pool, which has become my favorite swimming hole. I have come to love used Mercedes, particularly E-class sedans (I'd love a wagon, but they are hard to come by and relatively overpriced). Buy one with 60K on the clock, find a local mechanic, and be happy every time you get behind the wheel.

Buy 'Merican

The new 2013 Chevy Malibu Eco model is an exceptional car. Sticker says 37 mpg on the highway, but my customers say the regularly get 42-43. Malibu Eco has a 2.4 liter engine with an electric assist motor. It is self sustaining, no plug ins. At red lights the gas engine shuts down and on rapid acceleration the electric engine gives a power boost.

Noise ratings are equal to the Volt, meaning virtual silence. Triple insulation on windshield and doors silent outside noise. The steering is electric and is the same system that is in the Corvette. Traction control and front wheel drive handle snow well. It also is equipped with voice command for many of the audio features, will stream Pandora through a USB or bluetooth interface.

Malibu is very well equipped and very fun car to drive for someone who requires a mobile office. I am at Graff Chevrolet in Bay City, swing by for a testdrive.

We have a Dodge Caliber (they no longer make them, but the newest model is a 2011), and it handles snow fine here in NYC and the burbs.  We also have a stick in it, so that might be part of the difference versus an automatic.  Don't know much about the tire differences, but a decent set of sporty/terrain tires won't set you back too much.

If you really are worried about ice and snow, I've heard good things about the subaru's as well as the Jeep Compass with four wheel drive.  But in general, unless you live somewhere where you really do get a ton of snow and the roads get hairy (like US 23 on the way to A2 in my experience), you should be good.

Consumer reports/jd power rankings statistically insignificant when comparing best to worst. Also things gone wrong feedback that rankings are based on can and do include things like you didn't like where the cup holder was or you dont like the color of the trim around the radio. I work for Ford and our major issue this past year has been with the touch screen technology - some don't like it, some have had difficulty and there have been some functional issues that have now been fixed. However I think it was the right move to finally take the leap and try to be the leader rather than a follower. Ford has several great options: I drive an Edge and love it. The wife drives a 2011 Explorer and loves it - 21 mpg. The 2013 Fusion is going to be outstanding. F-150 is the best. Hybrid options where we're making a big push fusion, soon to be released C-Max, Lincoln MKZ - all best in class in terms of mpg. I hear the arguments of us vs foreign, but the point is that foreign profits go back to headquarters in Japan (which is a closed auto market), Korea, etc. Bottom line, the US is a free market and do what you want, but don't be closed minded, think for yourself, and your perception may not always be correct.

1. Invest in snow tires first and see how your car handles the winter. That will be the most cost effective solution instead of putting down thousands of dollars and locked into a financing agreement for 3 to 6 years.

2. If snow tires do not do the trick, then next year start looking for a car again. All wheel drive is preferable in snow conditions, obviously. Subarus are good ans so are Audi's. A Subaru won't damage your wallet as much as an Audi will. I would also look into negotiating an extened warranty as car repairs on both are not pretty.

3. Always test drive a car more than once and in differnt conditions if you can. If you live in your car as most salesmen do, pay close attention to what ammenities the car has, comfort of seat, which is hard to determine with just one test drive so take several test drives many months prior to when you think you want to purchase or lease if your mileage allows.

4.Check car buying services prior to buying. Costco also has a car buying program if you are a member.

5. Investigate used cars especially Certified factory pre-owned cars that typically include extended warranties (these cars will be more expensive than non CPO but you can still negotiate on them as they have bigger profit margins on them than a new car).

6. Good luck.

Honda Accord. Excellent gas mileage and great acceleration.

We only purchase from the domestics.  I have lived in numerous countries and traveled the world and have to say that only Americans think so poorly of their own domestic auto makers.  I was in Korea when the US renegotiated our trade pack and witnessed the riots and blow back because we pushed them to open up some more of their markets.  It truly left an impression on me.  Korea, along with Japan, have strict quotas regarding the amount of foreign autos they allow in the country.  They protect their domestic markets quite aggresively. 

By contrast a high percentage of Americans won't even consider a domestic car. We are a peculiar people.

 

You spend your 20 grand or more, buy what you want.  But keep in mind, you buy a jap model or korean and the profits go there even if the car is assembled in us.  Same as you buy a ford/gm and the profits go to detroit, even if it's assembled in mexico or canada.....

Next, negotiate your deal esp if you don't get a family discount but even if you do, negotiate a few things......

1  Negotiate a rental/loaner car if for some reason your vehicle has any problems and has to be in the shop outside of routine maintenance...................you buy a ford/toyota/honda/chrysler/gm, it's not their fault your car had a problem and you didn't plan on being down a vehicle........and it's their job to honor the warranty, not give you another car...your dealer on the otherhand, you can negotiate that before you buy the car.

2  Don't tell the salesman your budget and monthly payment, you buy your car on what you can afford and stick to it.  Do your research, know the dealer cost and negotiating room...don't listen to them when they tell you that info isn't right or they go by a black book instead of kelly bluebook or anything else, you go buy info you have and theirs is meaningless and you can walk, let them know you will walk...

3  Check financing options.....you can go through manufacturer credit, usually top option for 0% financing.  But if you aren't check rates at your bank/credit union and compare to what the dealer has...he may give extra incentives on the purchase but only if you go through his bank to finance the vehicle, and that usually means higher interest rates then going rates...

 

4  Perceptions,,,,,,,ignore them......anyone on this board that hasn't bought an american car in the last 5yrs, ignore them, period.  The entire industry has totally changed the last 10yrs completely....Toyota is not the same manufacturer they were 10yrs ago....their vehicles are not as reliable and the reliability ratings have been greatly misleading.  Something people don't know is Toyota's board of directors were indicted for falsifying reliability reports in japan about 8yrs ago....here in the us they have hid and buried their problems till settling lawsuits in the billions to replace engines due to the sludge problem with oil......something I know for a fact they were blaming on owners till they were forced to replace those engines.....in the end they replaced millions of engines in the us that were sold over a 6 yr period earlier in the 2000's.........

Toyota, Honda, Ford, Gm, all of the manufactuers now use the same quality control firms to evaluate their designs and parts.  All of their parts suppliers supply the same parts to the other manufacturers. 

5  Safety,   Last thing on this..........I do own a fusion, and this car is flat out solid.  In another post I stated my car was tboned bigtime and hit in the passenger side by a girl that ran a red light........I am telling you, I would't have trusted my inlaws accord, my old altima in that wreck and certainly not my buddies camery that seemingly has far chintzier interior then the camry's of the 80's and 90's when I thought the camry was a great car....still thought the accord was better car overall. 

 

Again, it's your purchase, but ignore perceptions, test drive what want.........

 

I just bought a new Jeep Wagoneer unlimited that is world class.  With the Penstar you couldn't buy anything better for off road.  I also just bought a Nissan Sentra, I wouldn't go out of my way to buy one.  I only bought it because it was a brand new used car and a great deal.    It is the same as every other compact car, gets good mileage. I bet it runs forever and will be sorry the whole time.