We are in the market for a "new" used car. I don't have a certain car in mind so was wondering, if you all had some reviews on your cars. I do not want a minivan, probably just some kind of 4 door sedan. The last car we had was an Acura TL, and my husband hated it. He's really tall and it was uncomfortable for him. Thanks in advance!
We bought an 08 malibu this year for its MPG and I love it. We only have 2 kids though. You couldnt get 3 carseats in it. I also had to make sure my big ol stroller fit in the trunk and it does. Its a nice car.
Sorry I don't have a review, but I have found edmunds.com a very resource site to see.
You can search used and new cars along with the average price.
Hi Kelly!
Good luck on your search! Two used cars that come to mind that are great cars (sedans) are the Nissan Altima and the Honda Accord. My husband is 6'2 and he was able to fit into these cars no problem. We LOVED our Altima. Good gas mileage and fun and sporty to drive. We have actually owned 2 Altimas. Good luck!
Hi Kelly,
We drove a Mazda 626 literally until it died! When the kids were small and my hubby is 5' 11". But we were so happy with the Chevy Impala we baught in 2001 when the Mazda died we baught another one in 2006.
I have personally never owned (don't know why) a Honda but EVERYONE I've ever known that has owned one loves it and will never buy anything else!
Good Luck.
Lori K
my dad (car guy) always advised that we get the 'consumer buyers guide to automobiles' it has ratings on every car on the market, with specific information on each year and other qualities. if it's rated well in there, it's a good buy. i don't buy one unless it's rated well in the guide.
Good Morning Kelly, I have a 2001 Malibu LS, the drivers seat goes up and down, back and forth, with touch of a button. Our Eldest son is tall, 6'1 and he puts the seat back as far as it goes. I can't even come close to reaching peddles after he has driven.
This is my second Malibu LS. Two Car seats fit well in the back seat. The back seat can separate through the trunk if you are wanting to tote something long.
I would like to have a Vue? My sister in law has one and I really like the space it has. I would call it Nana's Taxi lol
If it would fit on the plate. I can only take 4 of my 5 gr kids at a time.
Good Luck on your search, we got my car at CarMax in Wichita.
Karen
Nana of 5
Go to Craigslist.com and look up used cars.
Hi kelly,
Not sure what yr your TL was, but the newer ones are much bigger on the inside than they used to be, so your husband might want to try one of them out if you guys liked the car otherwise. (I have a TL and love it) Also, I highly recommend Honda Accords, though they're pretty similar to the TL, but again the newer models are much bigger on the inside than they used to be. What about a Honda CRV or an Acura RDX? Might have more head room. As you can tell I'm a Honda/Acura girl myself. I've had 4 in my lifetime and have never been disappointed with them.
kelly, i bought my second "new" car this summer, although the first was an impulse/desperation situation so i don't really count that one. this time i was VERY prepared and knew exactly what i wanted, and how much i could spend. my advice is look up every single website you can imagine. edmunds.com, kbb.com, even carmax.com (although i wouldn't buy from them, they're really overpriced from what i could tell- but a GREAT way to see lots of models and compare them). i deleted all my sites off my favorites when i got my car, but i literally did four or five months of reseach before i started actually "shopping". have two or three models you like and go test drive them. as much as you can, research, and you'll be SO much happier. the harder you work before you buy, the happier you'll be with the car. good luck!
My husband I are both tall (I'm nearly 6') and have found that nearly all Chrysler/Dodge vehicles have lots of headroom. I have a Chrysler Pacifica and love it.
I drive a 2001 Chevy Malibu and we love it. My husband is kind of tall as well and he doesn't mind drinving it all. The good part is that we really haven't had to put money into beside the normal oil changes, tires, and things like that. They say Malibu are good cars to have. My mom has one, my sister had one...we haven't had any troubles with any of them. Hope this helps! Good Luck in your adventure to by a new car!
I highly recommend the Nissan Altima. My husband and I have a 2005 and we love it! My parents have had 2004 and 2006. My dad was in a very serious car accident in the 2004 Altima. After seeing pictures of the car, no one could believe he only ended up with some scrapes, bruises and a broken arm. Naturally they bought another one after that.
You MUST consult the April issue of Consumer Reports. Nissan Altima, Acuras and Honda Accord/Civics are extremely reliable and fuel efficient but everybody knows that, so that good reputation drives up the price of those used cars. Malibus have a poor reliability track record.
The best combo is a reliable car that no one suspects is reliable, like the Mercury Milan or Ford Fusions. '05, '06 are the best reliability on these models, and they are in the 12-18k range. If you're looking for luxury, check out the Infiniti G35 from '05 or '06. that should keep the Hubby happy ;) (24-30K)
Edmunds is also a critical tool when pricing vehicles.
Definitely check out Carmax. They are great to work with and you really have endless options since you can get a car from any of their places across the country. We bought a Ford Freestyle a few months ago and love it! It gets pretty good gas mileage (we get about 18 in town and 23-25 on the highway). Also, it has the third row for extra kids, or just extra cargo. Good luck!!
Kelly,
My dad is very tall and has to purchase rental cars quite often due to his frequent business trips. He said that the best car that he has driven is the Cheverolet Impala. It works great for his size as well as a great family vehicle. He said that he wished that he would have bought that car instead of the one that they recently purchased. Also, he said that it drives very well.
I love my Ford Freestyle (now renamed the Taurus X). It is like an SUV, but it is built on a Volvo CAR chassy (sp?)so it's low to the ground. I have the basic model, and it has all the bells & whistles. It seats 7 people but completely folds down for hauling things.
I lease a 2006 VW Passat. Nice ride, great mileage (approx 30-32 highway), stylish, large back seat. If you have a convertible car seat that you want rear facing, you will have to put it in the middle or you'd be way to close to the dash. My only complaint is the seat seemed to break down fast. I have lower back problems so I need a lot of lumbar support that I just don't get from it anymore, so we've replaced it with a used 2008 Toyota Rav4 which I also highly recommend. Try going to Edmunds.com and reading consumer reviews on the vehicles you are considering. I also researched trade-in values to see which vehicle would retain its value the best. Good luck!
I recently bought a GMC Acadia. I love it! Saturn also has a sister vehicle. It has eight seats and when those are folded a ton of storage. Plus with a car seat in the second seat you can still put to adults.
Just go take the day tomorrow and go test drive a bunch of different things and then get online and go to http://consumerguideauto.howstuffworks.com to do your research about your favorites. We bought a used car a couple of months ago and this site was a lifesaver. And the best part is it is all free info. It gives you the stats on any car as well has potential problems that have been reported on those vehicles. Good luck and have fun shopping! Oh, and you will get a better price if you DON'T finance through the car dealership. Go to your bank and get pre-approved before you start talking numbers if you are going to be financing. You have more bargining power that way. And I have to second the craigslist.org. We found some REALLY good deals going through individuals instead of dealers.