Car buying advice needed

Looking for a new car with the following requirements (most important
first).

1. Back lift gate. (wagon or small SUV)

2. Has to be quiet with very little road noise.

3. Soft cushy drive.

4. 26 plus highway mpg.



I've tried the Subaru Forester and Outback. Tried all the different Hyundai
models. Tried most of the GMC products.



I guess what I am up against is that the whole world loves the new "sport
suspensions" whereby your rear-end feels every saw cut and expansion joint
in the pavement. The stupid looking 'low profile' tires don't help either.



At my age this is probably the last car I will ever purchase and I would
like to get it right. BTW don't mind buying a model that is 2-3 years old.



All group advice appreciated.



Ivan Vegvary

On Sat, 16 Jan 2010 15:03:40 -0700, WW wrote:

>
> "Ivan Vegvary" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Looking for a new car with the following requirements (most important
>> first).
>>
>> 1. Back lift gate. (wagon or small SUV)
>>
>> 2. Has to be quiet with very little road noise.
>>
>> 3. Soft cushy drive.
>>
>> 4. 26 plus highway mpg.
>>
>>
>>
>> I've tried the Subaru Forester and Outback. Tried all the different
>> Hyundai models. Tried most of the GMC products.
>>
>>
>>
>> I guess what I am up against is that the whole world loves the new
>> "sport suspensions" whereby your rear-end feels every saw cut and
>> expansion joint in the pavement. The stupid looking 'low profile' tires
>> don't help either.
>>
>>
>>
>> At my age this is probably the last car I will ever purchase and I would
>> like to get it right. BTW don't mind buying a model that is 2-3 years
>> old.
>>
>>
>>
>> All group advice appreciated.
>>
>>
>>
>> Ivan Vegvary
>>
>>
> Well that leaves out our Dodge 07 Caravan. WW

Or the Volkswagen version...

Ivan Vegvary wrote:
> Looking for a new car with the following requirements (most important
> first).
>
> 1. Back lift gate. (wagon or small SUV)
>
> 2. Has to be quiet with very little road noise.
>
> 3. Soft cushy drive.
>
> 4. 26 plus highway mpg.

> I've tried the Subaru Forester and Outback. Tried all the different
> Hyundai models. Tried most of the GMC products.

> I guess what I am up against is that the whole world loves the new
> "sport suspensions" whereby your rear-end feels every saw cut and
> expansion joint in the pavement. The stupid looking 'low profile' tires
> don't help either.

> At my age this is probably the last car I will ever purchase and I would
> like to get it right. BTW don't mind buying a model that is 2-3 years old.

> All group advice appreciated.

> Ivan Vegvary


I don't think there is such a vehicle.
The closest fit would be a Cadillac Escalade.

On Sat, 16 Jan 2010 11:35:14 -0800, "Ivan Vegvary"
> wrote:

>Looking for a new car with the following requirements (most important
>first).
>
>1. Back lift gate. (wagon or small SUV)
>
>2. Has to be quiet with very little road noise.
>
>3. Soft cushy drive.
>
>4. 26 plus highway mpg.
>
>
>
>I've tried the Subaru Forester and Outback. Tried all the different Hyundai
>models. Tried most of the GMC products.
>
>
>
>I guess what I am up against is that the whole world loves the new "sport
>suspensions" whereby your rear-end feels every saw cut and expansion joint
>in the pavement. The stupid looking 'low profile' tires don't help either.
>
>
>
>At my age this is probably the last car I will ever purchase and I would
>like to get it right. BTW don't mind buying a model that is 2-3 years old.
>
>
>
>All group advice appreciated.
>
>
>
>Ivan Vegvary


If you want the most vehicle for the least money head on down to your
Chrysler dealer and look for a new 2009 PT cruiser. Last I checked it
has a lifetime power train warranty (2010 models don't), even the base
model has all the features 90% of people want, about the only thing it
doesn't have is cruise, you have to buy the Limited PT to get that.
It's got as much interior room as most of the small SUV's, it's quiet,
it has a WONDERFUL ride, I get 23 mpg in my 70% commute, 30% local
driving and on a long run on the freeway the other day it was up over
27 mpg on the readout on the instrument panel.

The downside to the Limited is that it has lower profile tires (so
it's ride is probably a little firmer) and it costs more. You might
get a good deal on a used one since Chrysler products don't hold their
value too well, but you won't get the lifetime warranty (It's not
transferable).

I bought one during the cash for clunkers program and I was VERY
skeptical that I was going to like it very much but I was down to the
last couple days of the program and nothing else I would consider was
cheap enough. Now that I've put 4000 miles on it I feel like it's one
of the most under-rated car buys out there and it's really been a
pleasure to drive as my daily commuter and putt-around car. It's much
quieter and better riding then anything else you can get at almost any
price, it's as quiet as my 2007 crown Vic and rides just as nice, and
the interior finish is actually nice looking unlike the cheap dull
plastic interiors you'll find on most other vehicles you can get for
the same price. Oh, and the manual PT seats are more comfortable then
the 6 way electric ones in my crown Vic. The main negative is that
it gets about 3 or 4 mpg less then most of the newer vehicles of it's
size but you'll pay a lot more for them or will have some other
tradeoff. The other thing some people complain about is that it
doesn't have enough power. It's got enough but it's no race car. Do
yourself a favor and go drive one.

"Ivan Vegvary" > wrote in message
...
> Looking for a new car with the following requirements (most important
> first).
>
> 1. Back lift gate. (wagon or small SUV)
>
> 2. Has to be quiet with very little road noise.
>
> 3. Soft cushy drive.
>
> 4. 26 plus highway mpg.
>
>
>
> I've tried the Subaru Forester and Outback. Tried all the different
> Hyundai models. Tried most of the GMC products.
>
>
>
> I guess what I am up against is that the whole world loves the new "sport
> suspensions" whereby your rear-end feels every saw cut and expansion joint
> in the pavement. The stupid looking 'low profile' tires don't help
> either.
>
>
>
> At my age this is probably the last car I will ever purchase and I would
> like to get it right. BTW don't mind buying a model that is 2-3 years
> old.
>
>
>
> All group advice appreciated.
>
>
>
> Ivan Vegvary
>

Well that leaves out our Dodge 07 Caravan. WW

WW wrote:
> "Ivan Vegvary" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Looking for a new car with the following requirements (most important
>> first).
>>
>> 1. Back lift gate. (wagon or small SUV)
>>
>> 2. Has to be quiet with very little road noise.
>>
>> 3. Soft cushy drive.
>>
>> 4. 26 plus highway mpg.
>>
>>
>>
>> I've tried the Subaru Forester and Outback. Tried all the different
>> Hyundai models. Tried most of the GMC products.
>>
>>
>>
>> I guess what I am up against is that the whole world loves the new "sport
>> suspensions" whereby your rear-end feels every saw cut and expansion joint
>> in the pavement. The stupid looking 'low profile' tires don't help
>> either.
>>
>>
>>
>> At my age this is probably the last car I will ever purchase and I would
>> like to get it right. BTW don't mind buying a model that is 2-3 years
>> old.
>>
>>
>>
>> All group advice appreciated.
>>
>>
>>
>> Ivan Vegvary
>>
>
> Well that leaves out our Dodge 07 Caravan. WW
>
>

this might ride a little better than your average wagon

http://www.cadillac.com/2010srx/#/exterior/

might cost a little more, too.

Personally given your preferences I'd look for an old Malibu wagon or
similar, but I like older cars, and I'm cheap.

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

"Ivan Vegvary" > wrote in message
...
> Looking for a new car with the following requirements (most important
> first).
>
> 1. Back lift gate. (wagon or small SUV)
>
> 2. Has to be quiet with very little road noise.
>
> 3. Soft cushy drive.
>
> 4. 26 plus highway mpg.
>
>
>
> I've tried the Subaru Forester and Outback. Tried all the different
> Hyundai models. Tried most of the GMC products.
>
>
>
> I guess what I am up against is that the whole world loves the new "sport
> suspensions" whereby your rear-end feels every saw cut and expansion joint
> in the pavement. The stupid looking 'low profile' tires don't help
> either.
>
>
>
> At my age this is probably the last car I will ever purchase and I would
> like to get it right. BTW don't mind buying a model that is 2-3 years
> old.
>
>
>
> All group advice appreciated.

> Ivan Vegvary

I wouldnt buy a Chrysler product under any circumstances right now, nor
would I buy a GM as things sit at the moment. Even before Fiat took
Chrysler,
some of their V6 offerings and autotrans just really sucked elephants.

I dont know what Ford has in your area of interest, but if I wanted a
domestic (?), I would look at their offering. Otherwise, Honda and Toyota
both have SUV types of cars that offer good quality, good ride, good
economy.

"Ashton Crusher" > wrote in message
...
> On Sat, 16 Jan 2010 11:35:14 -0800, "Ivan Vegvary"
> > wrote:
>
>>Looking for a new car with the following requirements (most important
>>first).
>>
>>1. Back lift gate. (wagon or small SUV)
>>
>>2. Has to be quiet with very little road noise.
>>
>>3. Soft cushy drive.
>>
>>4. 26 plus highway mpg.
>>
>>
>>
>>I've tried the Subaru Forester and Outback. Tried all the different
>>Hyundai
>>models. Tried most of the GMC products.
>>
>>
>>
>>I guess what I am up against is that the whole world loves the new "sport
>>suspensions" whereby your rear-end feels every saw cut and expansion joint
>>in the pavement. The stupid looking 'low profile' tires don't help
>>either.
>>
>>
>>
>>At my age this is probably the last car I will ever purchase and I would
>>like to get it right. BTW don't mind buying a model that is 2-3 years
>>old.
>>
>>
>>
>>All group advice appreciated.
>>
>>
>>
>>Ivan Vegvary
>
>
> If you want the most vehicle for the least money head on down to your
> Chrysler dealer and look for a new 2009 PT cruiser. Last I checked it
> has a lifetime power train warranty (2010 models don't), even the base
> model has all the features 90% of people want, about the only thing it
> doesn't have is cruise, you have to buy the Limited PT to get that.
> It's got as much interior room as most of the small SUV's, it's quiet,
> it has a WONDERFUL ride, I get 23 mpg in my 70% commute, 30% local
> driving and on a long run on the freeway the other day it was up over
> 27 mpg on the readout on the instrument panel.
>
> The downside to the Limited is that it has lower profile tires (so
> it's ride is probably a little firmer) and it costs more. You might
> get a good deal on a used one since Chrysler products don't hold their
> value too well, but you won't get the lifetime warranty (It's not
> transferable).
>
> I bought one during the cash for clunkers program and I was VERY
> skeptical that I was going to like it very much but I was down to the
> last couple days of the program and nothing else I would consider was
> cheap enough. Now that I've put 4000 miles on it I feel like it's one
> of the most under-rated car buys out there and it's really been a
> pleasure to drive as my daily commuter and putt-around car. It's much
> quieter and better riding then anything else you can get at almost any
> price, it's as quiet as my 2007 crown Vic and rides just as nice, and
> the interior finish is actually nice looking unlike the cheap dull
> plastic interiors you'll find on most other vehicles you can get for
> the same price. Oh, and the manual PT seats are more comfortable then
> the 6 way electric ones in my crown Vic. The main negative is that
> it gets about 3 or 4 mpg less then most of the newer vehicles of it's
> size but you'll pay a lot more for them or will have some other
> tradeoff. The other thing some people complain about is that it
> doesn't have enough power. It's got enough but it's no race car. Do
> yourself a favor and go drive one.

Thanks Ashton,
Definitely will try one out. Plus, I've always liked the body style.

Ivan Vegvary

On Jan 16, 4:15*pm, Ashton Crusher > wrote:

>
> If you want the most vehicle for the least money head on down to your
> Chrysler dealer and look for a new 2009 PT cruiser. *Last I checked it
> has a lifetime power train warranty (2010 models don't),

Before the Chrysler lifetime warranty gets pushed, make sure you tell
the buyer to read the fine print. I've seen more than one person run
away from that program once they read all the stipulations of it and
all the hoops they have to jump through for it to apply.
Also, I'm still trying to determine the definition what the word
"lifetime" here means. If I were buying a Chrysler product, that word
could mean very little. At any time Fiat could say we don't have that
word in our Italian language and when opinion polls drop from any
political administration, they could flip-flip overnight.

"Hachiroku ????" > wrote in message
news
> On Sat, 16 Jan 2010 15:03:40 -0700, WW wrote:
>
>>
>> "Ivan Vegvary" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> Looking for a new car with the following requirements (most important
>>> first).
>>>
>>> 1. Back lift gate. (wagon or small SUV)
>>>
>>> 2. Has to be quiet with very little road noise.
>>>
>>> 3. Soft cushy drive.
>>>
>>> 4. 26 plus highway mpg.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I've tried the Subaru Forester and Outback. Tried all the different
>>> Hyundai models. Tried most of the GMC products.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I guess what I am up against is that the whole world loves the new
>>> "sport suspensions" whereby your rear-end feels every saw cut and
>>> expansion joint in the pavement. The stupid looking 'low profile' tires
>>> don't help either.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> At my age this is probably the last car I will ever purchase and I would
>>> like to get it right. BTW don't mind buying a model that is 2-3 years
>>> old.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> All group advice appreciated.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Ivan Vegvary
>>>
>>>
>> Well that leaves out our Dodge 07 Caravan. WW
>
> Or the Volkswagen version...
>
OP could look for a Chrysler/Dodge van coming off lease in the $15000-20000
range.