Finally lost my mind - Honda or Hyunda for new car

pigeon wrote:

slefain wrote:

pigeon wrote: Here's a CPO 2007 530xiT for you not too far away, asking price is 35k but I bet you could get it for 31k out the door. No good way to link to it but plug this VIN into the CPO search at bmwusa.com : WBANN73567B799284 Titanium Grey over black leather, 36k miles, Cold Weather, Premium, Sport packages (loaded), PDC, Sirius radio, AWD, and this might even be a 6-speed stick! It would make a heck of a mommymobile! Plus, get 0.9% financing if you want to finance and BMW picks up your first two payments. Not a salesman, just a BMW fanboi

As much as I'd like a Beemer, that's about $10k more than my budget.

That's what the 0.9% financing is for LOL Seriously, I'd be looking at Chrysler Town & Country minivans if I were you. Never underestimate the need to pack ungodly amounts of kid stuff into a car, and real world transaction prices on a T&C Touring model are likely right in your ballpark despite the $28k sticker. Mucho vehicle for the dollar.

Ah, you said the "m" word. There is no way my wife is going to drive a minivan (at least not yet). It will be tough convincing her the Rondo isn't a minivan. In 10 years when the kids are bigger she might reconsider her stance.

what is so wrong with a Minivan? Short of a full size van or a box truck. there is NO better way to move your crap

I think the key word everyone her has seemed to miss: "WIFE". Mine is the same way. There;s no way a minivan would ever find it's way into our garage. Ever. Luckily our kids have 4 legs and tails so the CrewCab GMC is the good option. My wife is more opposed to a wagon than a minivan. I love wagons.

If you're really stuck on Honda, have you looked at the Crosstour? Not tall and tippy like an SUV, but with same platform as the CRV and priced between it and the Pilot. Kinda like a wagon hatch, with AWD.

Lesley wrote: If you're really stuck on Honda, have you looked at the Crosstour? Not tall and tippy like an SUV, but with same platform as the CRV and priced between it and the Pilot. Kinda like a wagon hatch, with AWD.

I like the CrossTour, but it is out of our price range. I only have $20k to spend. My brother has a Pilot and he loves it, but once again the starting price is out of my range.

My wife LOVES the Jetta TDI SportWagon. She keeps coming back to it but I veto it every time. That does let me know that she likes wagons though. Too bad the Magnum is dead (and stupidly overpriced on the used market).

I am kind of in the same boat. With a 3rd "surprise" kid on the way we need something with 3 rows of seats but my wife is dead set against a minivan. We are looking at an R Class Merc. You can get one of the unloved crossovers for mid to low 20s and it looks like there is more space behind the back row of seats than in most vehicals like it.

Well you didn't ask about the Kia, but my wife's best friend has the comparable Kia and has done nothing more than oil changes in the 100k miles she has put on it. She thinks she is in heaven because the previous car was a Grand Cherokee (from hell).

spitfirebill wrote: Well you didn't ask about the Kia, but my wife's best friend has the comparable Kia and has done nothing more than oil changes in the 100k miles she has put on it. She thinks she is in heaven because the previous car was a Grand Cherokee (from hell).

Well the Kia Rondo is on my list to drive, and the Sorrento does have our interest. Good to know she's had good things. What year is hers?

no harm in saying you bought a Hyundai because it is cheaper. Why worry when you can get 95% of the refinement, 120% of the warrenty, and pay 75% of the price of the Honda and Toyota?

That is a win right there

I want to interject my opinion here. My wife and I bought a leftover Saturn Astra because we expect to need the room for kids. We don't expect it to be big enough for 2 kids. At that point, we'd buy a minivan.

Buy a car that has more than you think you need. The Rondo sounds like a good car. It seems like a first gen Odyssey to me. The build quality in the Kias I've been around while shopping this past summer seems up to par of the lat 90's Hondas. I say 90's because I feel quality started to slip in the early 2000s.

Test drive everything. Bring the kids along. I always brought my brother along to get a third party opinion, which helped greatly. He'd always pick up on something that would bother me later on, like how whatever car makes him feel a little seasick in the back seat, or how a bike won't fit into the hatch. It made elimination go faster.

our 07Hyundai Elantra has cost me one saturday morning due to an o2 sensor that was under warranty. I cant ask much more out of it. Now it has 58,000 and everything is still quiet like a new car. We will buy another one when the time comes.

But the Sante Fe is a larger vehicle than the CR-V. I don't get the comparison between the two at all. If you want to compare apples to apples compare it to the Tucson. The Sante Fe is a "tweener", between a CR-V and a Pilot. So you're getting more car for $100 more. Look at cargo volume from their respective sites... 142 for the Sante Fe and 108 for the CRV.

That is a win right there. But hondahumpers don't care about facts. They only care about the name brand. They don't care about the slumping quality, the rising pricesm, the dropping fuel economy or the wonder transmissions they can't seem to get right after 10 years.

I was looking at the offerings from Honda that I can afford. The Pilot is too much, so the CR-V was in my price range. I have $20k to spend or so, that just keeps the conversation closer to $20k than $30k for the "for just a few grand more" argument. I can swing $22k.

The Tucson is too small, so I chose the Santa Fe. I also looked at the Sorrento, which is also acceptable. And the one I'm really interested in seeing for myself is the Rondo.

I'm pricing the overall package of features, warranty, and size. My wife would prefer to not have a stripped down rental car refugee, so trying to get a few nice things in the package is part of my dilemma.

The biggest thing I'm noticing in all of the non-hulking car-based SUVs is the actual storage space behind the rear seats. I'm trying to find a vehicle with depth, not just height. That is why something like a Kia Soul or Honda Fit is not in the running.

The only reason I'm looking at new cars at all is the fact that used car pricing is downright stupid high right now. On some of the cars I am looking at the only difference between new and used pricing is $2-3k. Might as well pony up the extra $ and get the full warranty and extra miles for yourself. I've been combing the used car marking for 8 months now and pricing is not coming down. Wholesale pricing is even stupider. Used wholesale prices are at what private party should be right now. But trade in value is in the toilet, imagine that.

Datsun1500 wrote: I did not pick CRV vs Santa Fe, the original poster did. Let's look at a Tucson. 2009 Tucson GLS (Auto, 2WD, cloth) Base MSRP: 20720, Invoice 20075, rebate 1000. $19,100 if you can find one, the lowest MSRP around here is 22590. So if you can find one it is $1100 cheaper. When I do math and someone says it is 75% of the cost I would think if the CRV is $20250 the Tucson would be $15200. Must be new math.... You say Hondas are pricey but see nothing wrong with Hyundais at the same price? If a CRV is overpriced at $21955, isn't a Tucson overpriced at $20720? I am not a Honda fanboi, I had a Caravan catch fire, so I figured I would not go that route again and when I compared a Honda to a Hyundai, the Honda won. The Toyota Sienna was not even the ballpark.

Some of your numbers are a little off. Base GLS $19,995 + 750freight - 1,000 rebate= 19740, so invoice would be closer to 19,000. That's $3k difference and less warranty. There's 3 of those across the street from me. Also offering an additional $1000 off because they're 09's, that put's it $4k less which makes it about 80% the price. That's dang close to 75% the price in my book.

Let me trythis again:

Datsun1500 wrote: You say Hondas are pricey but see nothing wrong with Hyundais at the same price? If a CRV is overpriced at $21955, isn't a Tucson overpriced at $20720?

Your numbers. When I pointed out that the Tucson is closer to $19k (instead of 20,720) and the extra grand off puts it about $18k.

Let me guess, snooty private school where they teach you everyone else is inferior?

For the OP:

http://autos.yahoo.com/car-compare/features/;ylt=AsDgJJg4khpreVw5ZoyBXQT0_a1;_ylv=3?trimId0=24401&trimId1=25710&trimId2=25074&hideghost=1

Bobzilla wrote: For the OP: http://autos.yahoo.com/car-compare/features/;_ylt=AsDgJJg4khpreVw5ZoyBXQT0_a1_;_ylv=3?trimId0=24401&trimId1=25710&trimId2=25074&hideghost=1

Interesting, when you compare the 5-year ownership cost of the CR-V and the Santa Fe with 10k a year driving, the CR-V prices at $33,677 and the Santa Fe prices at $30,088. Depreciation is dead even at only a $600 difference. And as I expected the Rondo came in at $3k cheaper overall even for the high zoot model.

Jeez, they are offering $4k off Sorentos right now. Gas mpg sucks though.

The older Sorento's were still body on frame and a solid rear axle. They are beefy, and that's why they suck the gas.

Sorry, 2-3k is a lot to any of us. Plus more warranty and a lower cost of ownership over the long haul so that 3k turns into 6-7k.... but just to make you feel better 19740 compared to 21995 is 2255. So mspr to msrp is 11% change. So you get same car for 2255 less and you get more warranty adn a lower cost of ownership. Plus, no issues with honda trans and EGR's clogging every 40k.

I pulled up Hyundai's site and it was 19745 with freight.(19995 +750 -1000 rebate) I'm guessing YOU are having a comprehension issue. I won't even mention what you can REALISTICALLY buy one for.

Shoot, right now the larger, roomier Sante Fe GLS with auto is 21,245 (22995 +750 -2500), 750 less than the smaller, slower CR-V. And you want me to believe the stripper CR-V is really worth more than a Sante Fe?

I think before you try belittling someone you should do your research. My "voodoo" is straight math off MSRP's. If that is too much of a problem for you to comprehend, I would say you should take 4th grade math over.

EDIT: Oh wait.... someone's fudging their numbers now.... Honda's site calls for a base stripper CRV for 21545 + 710 freight fr a total of 22255. That makes the difference 2510, or 12% difference in price, meaning the hyundai is 88% the price of the honda with a longer warranty and lowercost of maintenance.

OK, we'll go back to BMW fanboi mode. How about the BMW cute ute, the X3. Here's a nice CPO (100k mile warranty) one with low miles (25k), nice options (premium package, xenons and auto trans) for a $24,900 asking price (probably 22k buys it) in Atlanta: BMW X3

The X3 is basically a tall 3-series wagon. Decent rear seat - I've had 2 car seats in one as a service loaner a few years ago - and a large cargo area. Drives nicely though some find it a bit stiffly sprung. The 3.0 motor will run forever. No iDrive Nicer place to spend time than a CRV or Santa Fe IMHO, and the fancy badge looks nice too

Hyundai's and Honda's apparently evoke a lot of passion.

Bobber: Did a Honda pee on your face at one point? Why all the hate? What are the EGR issues and trans issues that you speak of for the CRV? The CRV doesn't have the same exploding transmission problems that you'll find in its V6 brothers and sisters.

FWIW my mother has been driving her '05 with absolutely ZERO problems for over 100K miles. I haven't been in the newest version but hers is a hoot to drive. The handling is very zippy for a mom pod.

Datsun: Go back and look again (comprehension). I never stated anything about 75%. Not once. And the OP has already made resale a moot point. So why harp on imaginary numbers that will mean nothign?

I'd love to get you prices off Honda's site for an 09, but they no longer show them. I can only ofer the current ionformation available to us. Since honda's no longer offering a 2009 CR-V, you can't buy it.

kilgore: Nope. No hate, just tired of the typical bandwagon "it's a honda so it MUST e better in every single way forever and ever" fanboi crap I read daily from the mindless and clueless. IT gets old. Fast. I'd be the same way if it was for Hyundai, GM, [insert brand here]. Honda has had issues with EGR since the mid 90's. Something they sure haven't fixed in the "upscale hondas" I see daily.

Brian,

My wife and I bought a new 2007 Hyundai Vera Cruz in 2008. FWIW, we have put 26,xxx miles on it since. The Vera Cruz has been great, but the service department at Hyundai is lacking. I am guessing it is because the dealership is new. We were in the same boat with the children and the children's "stuff". The Vera Cruz has the third row of seating, but is somewhat a hassle to use. However, even with the third row in use, we still have a bit of room behind the seat for "stuff". The Vera Cruz we bought came with the (IIRC) 230 hp 3.8L V-6. The trans is a little shifty, but one can get used to it. It isn't annoying; it is just different. You don't have to take the car to the dealership for services. You DO have to keep your reciepts and document the services in the Maintenance Log. We buy Hyundai parts (filters, etc.) from the dealership and I install. Prices are not bad, either. After owning a Honda SUV, a Toyota SUV, a Saturn SUV, a Jeep SUV, and driving a few others, I would buy another Hyundai. Believe me when I tell you that I wouldn't just buy it because it was a great car for the price, but a great car (anyway) that I bought at a good price. We walked out of the dealership and paid mid-twenties for a new Hyundai. Yes, it was a year old and had 000101.5 miles on it.

Also, be sure and check with your credit union to see what they can offer you in a new-car auto loan. The best Hyundai could do was 6.0%. Navy Fed offered us a loan that was WELL below that, so it IS worth checking on.........................

-Les

Tradin' in a SuperTurbo Mitsubishi for this thing?

Hehe, no way am I trading in the SuperTurbo MadTyteDorifto Mitsu, that car will be driven to high school by my son!

I admit I've done a LOT more research on the car buying plan than my wife has. We are going to the Gwinnett Mall area on Saturday to tour the car lots and test things out. I am arming myself with as much knowledge about possible vehicles that interest her. She has brought up the CR-V just as many times as she has brought up the Santa Fe. She has also mentioned the Escape because our friend has one and loves it.

Once she picks her mom-mobile it is then up to me to score it for the best price. I am going to try this approach: send an email to the local dealerships saying you want to buy X vehicle for Y price. If you would like to sell a vehicle please contact me. If you do not want to sell the vehicles for X price please do not contact me as I am not interested. Sit back, see who bites.