Looking for a new car...thoughts/comments/suggestions welcome

**Potemkine** · 07-03-13, 11:05 PM

So, I'm looking for a new car to replace my current 2003 Sequoia. The thing drives like a tank and guzzles gas like no other.

What am I looking for?

I'm looking for a crossover/small SUV with as good gas mileage as possible. So far, I've looked at the 2013 Ford Escape Titanium, 2013 Toyota RAV-4 Limited, and Honda CRV EX-L with navigation (I really don't need navigation per say because I use my phone, but I would get more features with it as opposed to without it). Although, the more and more I look at the comparisons (configuring to measure apples to apples as much as possible) the more, the Honda CRV EX-L is falling away.

I LOVED the escape, but it's running about $2,200 more than a comparable RAV-4 which has less features. As far as I can tell, for the extra $2,200:

Pros:
8" touch display infotainment console vs a 6.1",
~60 more horse power,
9 sony speakers vs 6 from JBL,
twice the sun roof size

Cons:
~ -2/-3 MPG city/highway,
- 4 cu. ft of cargo space
$48 more in insurance ($8 more a month)

Unknowns:
MyFord Touch: I have heard really bad things. Any one have it and can comment on it?
Ford reliability: I know their pickups are superb, but what about everything else? I think on the whole Toyota's are more reliable
Both are first model year re-designs.

Purchasing:
I'm trading in my Sequoia and hoping to get somewhere around $6000 to $7000 for it.
I'd probably lease first, then purchase the rest of the vehicle. Best possible way to keep the costs down, as far as I can tell (am I wrong)?
The Toyota has a 3 year/36,000 mile lease whereas the Ford has 2 year/10,700 (per year) which I am not crazy about.
IF in the event I purchase, I am hoping to put down around 30% of the total car's value between the trade in and money down.

Timeline:
End of August ish to maximize the best possible deal on end of the month quota and making room for 2014 stock.

So, what is your collective wisdom, members of TPG? Is it worth the little extra for the Ford and risk the reliability? Is the MyFord Touch really THAT bad (I'm a techy and work in IT so learning technology comes easy). Should I be looking at another one instead?

**deathgodusmc** · 07-03-13, 11:17 PM

Trucks are one thing but a car is a car with a few exceptions. Its all about the preventatives. Dont wait to change your oil or trans fluid and so on and they will all last about the same. That being said what you should do is call around and get prices on like parts. See what the brakes, alternator, or tires are going to cost. Lower repair costs can easily make up for the price difference. As of yet i have not heard anything bad about the escape. In fact i haven't even worked on one yet. Most of the tech that goes into making all of those cars has been stolen or borrowed between companies. So there really is very little difference between them.

**Potemkine** · 07-03-13, 11:24 PM

Originally Posted by deathgodusmc

Trucks are one thing but a car is a car with a few exceptions. Its all about the preventatives. Dont wait to change your oil or trans fluid and so on and they will all last about the same. That being said what you should do is call around and get prices on like parts. See what the brakes, alternator, or tires are going to cost. Lower repair costs can easily make up for the price difference. As of yet i have not heard anything bad about the escape. In fact i haven't even worked on one yet. Most of the tech that goes into making all of those cars has been stolen or borrowed between companies. So there really is very little difference between them.

Yeah, that's one of the things I'm proud of about my truck. I've taken excellent care of it on maintenance. I always take it to the dealer for the work to be done. That's an interesting point though, about the maintenance costs. Frequent and cheap vs more expensive and rare (Ford vs Toyota).

**deathgodusmc** · 07-03-13, 11:32 PM

Originally Posted by Potemkine

Yeah, that's one of the things I'm proud of about my truck. I've taken excellent care of it on maintenance. I always take it to the dealer for the work to be done. That's an interesting point though, about the maintenance costs. Frequent and cheap vs more expensive and rare (Ford vs Toyota).

Thats where dealers like hyundai, kia, and geo were getting people. Sure the car is 8 grand but the starter was 600 without labor. Of course now some of the parts are getting very hard to get. If geo wasn't such a pos it would be a collectible already.

I take care of my truck as well. Im a firm believer in if somethings going to suffer it will be my car because the truck makes me money. The truck has the original drive train with 265k and runs like new. The car has had the trans rebuilt and 4 clutches already with 150k. Some of that might be my fault though because it goes thru at least twice as many rear tires as it does front ones.

**deathgodusmc** · 07-03-13, 11:36 PM

Oh yeah and whatever you do make sure if you go with the toy or honda that there is nothing special about the drive train. The sticker shock i got when i had to order drive axles from nissan in japan because a trans that should not have been here made it into my wives car was painful.

**deputyfestus** · 07-04-13, 12:31 AM

AAA names top cars of of 2013 | azfamily.com Phoenix

**deathgodusmc** · 07-04-13, 10:42 AM

Plus never pay sticker price. Odds are you can get it for less then the 36k if thats the one you like more. Every time i go i listen to their shit and tell them what im willing to give. It takes a couple hours on average but i always end up leaving without the vehicle and getting a phone call the next day saying come sign the paperwork. They have to believe you really dont care.

**SmokenScion** · 07-04-13, 02:00 PM

The Range Rover Version of the Escape?

**deputyfestus** · 07-04-13, 02:17 PM

Originally Posted by SmokenScion

The Range Rover Version of the Escape?

Are you referring to this?

**Gumby** · 07-04-13, 03:09 PM

To your specific questions.

My wife's 2011 Fiesta has an earlier version of the Ford electronics package. I rather like it. However while it will work with Android or iOS, it definitely has more capabilities when paired with a Windows phone.

I hear good things about the Subaru Forester in that market, but I spend a lot of time on Subaru forums so I may be hearing some biased sources.

You guys stateside are getting screwed on the warranty for new cars. Our Fiesta came with a standard 7 year / 70,000 mile bumper to bumper. It was the only reason I bought her a new car instead of a used one.

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