What do you look for in a car?

General discussion about cars. Looking to buy a new car? Have a great driving story? Post it here!
Post Reply
User avatar
bk7794
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 1561
Joined: Tue Jul 05, 2011 3:16 am
Cars: 00 Civic (Stock)
Location: Central CT

What do you look for in a car?

Post by bk7794 »

Back when I was looking into a car I only cared about one or two things it seemed. Fuel economy and longevity.

Now I'm looking primarily at one thing I overlooked...comfort. Performance is there to an extent as well. Obviously fuel economy is still there, but a car lasting over 200k is kind of put third on my list.

Now I'm wondering what you look at in a car.

Tryin' to bring this forum back...
2004 Honda Accord 2.4 5 Speed
1989 Ford Taurus SHO 5 speed
watkins
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 15880
Joined: Sun Jul 01, 2007 12:42 am
Cars: '08 Saab 9-5 Aero wagon
Location: Salem, MA

Re: What do you look for in a car?

Post by watkins »

Comfort, quickness (not speed, though I enjoy it), reliability, versatility, community
Rope-Pusher
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 11607
Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2009 3:44 pm
Cars: '08 Jeep Liberty
Location: Greater Detroit Area

Re: What do you look for in a car?

Post by Rope-Pusher »

Change.



I usually find it in the seat cushions.
'08 Jeep Liberty 6-Speed MT - "Last of the Mohicans"
User avatar
potownrob
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 7833
Joined: Sun Jun 05, 2005 11:35 pm
Cars: '17 CX-5 GT
Location: Dutchess County

Re: What do you look for in a car?

Post by potownrob »

Rope-Pusher wrote:Change.



I usually find it in the seat cushions.
:o :shock: :P :lol: :oops: :twisted: 8)
ClutchFork wrote:...So I started carrying a stick of firewood with me and that became my parking brake.
User avatar
potownrob
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 7833
Joined: Sun Jun 05, 2005 11:35 pm
Cars: '17 CX-5 GT
Location: Dutchess County

Re: What do you look for in a car?

Post by potownrob »

bk7794 wrote:Back when I was looking into a car I only cared about one or two things it seemed. Fuel economy and longevity.

Now I'm looking primarily at one thing I overlooked...comfort. Performance is there to an extent as well. Obviously fuel economy is still there, but a car lasting over 200k is kind of put third on my list.

Now I'm wondering what you look at in a car.

Tryin' to bring this forum back...
well, i'm probably the worst person to ask about this, having been through 6 cars (96 accord, 03 accord, 02 impreza, 12 jetta, 12 cr-v, 15 accord) in the past 5 years :lol: :oops: :twisted: but, with this last car, at least looking back, i was focusing on 3 main things: practicality, fun, comfort and coolness. i put practicality first there since it is probably the only thing that really kept me from going for the Civic SI coupe. Fun precluded the automatic (CVT) models, which were more fun than the CR-V, but didn't really cut it for me. Comfort was still 3rd to the others. I would've probably still gone for the SI despite barely fitting in the car (granted the seats WERE fairly comfortable - nice and thickly bolstered). Coolness played a roll in not wanting the Honda Fit, mainly since it looked tiny. It was huge inside but tiny outside. I acknowledge that this was probably a superficial and shallow criterion, but 400 lb. me getting out of a tiny car would probably be a sight to see (and photograph).

edit: reliability/dependability is somewhere in there; all the cars i was considering were considered reliable, with the possible exception of the forester with its potential oil consumption issue.

edit 2: fuel economy also probably somewhere in there; all models had at least decent fuel economy for their vehicle types; it probably would've been silly to get the Fit over the others just because it got better MPGs, especially if i wasn't planning to keep it for a long time...
ClutchFork wrote:...So I started carrying a stick of firewood with me and that became my parking brake.
User avatar
six
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 4674
Joined: Thu Mar 16, 2006 4:45 pm
Cars: 2015 Chevrolet SS 6MT
Location: California, U.S.

Re: What do you look for in a car?

Post by six »

My criteria were very succinct, and somewhat superficial. Performance is a given, considering.

- 4 doors
- 3 pedals
- V8
- RWD
- Less important: comfort, luxury

Of which only 3 possible choices exist: the previous-gen CTS-V, the Chevrolet SS, and the BMW M5. Hence my current car...

Very rarely does one get to drive one's dream car. I actually own it, and it's a blast to drive. 8) :)
Image
2015 Heron White Chevrolet SS Sedan 6MT
User avatar
Squint
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 3390
Joined: Thu Apr 21, 2011 12:44 pm
Location: KY

Re: What do you look for in a car?

Post by Squint »

Practicality, manual, fuel economy, features, and lastly comfort - though comfort still obviously matters.

:lol: :lol: @ RP
'15 Mazda 3 iSport Hatch 6MT
'11 Ford Fiesta Hatchback SE 5MT
'14 Giant Escape City 24MT
'97 Honda Civic EX 4AT - Retired @ 184,001 mi

For Pony!
Rope-Pusher
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 11607
Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2009 3:44 pm
Cars: '08 Jeep Liberty
Location: Greater Detroit Area

Re: What do you look for in a car?

Post by Rope-Pusher »

Image

Toes a lot
'08 Jeep Liberty 6-Speed MT - "Last of the Mohicans"
tankinbeans
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 4029
Joined: Tue Apr 26, 2011 9:04 pm
Cars: 17 Mazda6 To, 18 Mazda3 i
Location: Shakopee, MN

Re: What do you look for in a car?

Post by tankinbeans »

If Rob isn't the person to ask, then I am less so. I'm averaging 1 car a year since 05.

93 Aerostar Eddie Bauer (this was cheap $750 and I was 17)
93 Escort LXi (gas was expensive, I was still 17, Aerostar was thirsty also cheap $400)
91 LeSabre (cheap $700, Escort died)
95 Accord EX (Honda, reliable, 18, first nice car I had gotten, sunroof)
03 Accord LX Coupe (wanted a coupe, decent size, enough power, good mileage)
06 Grand Prix (sunroof, Accord Coupe didn't have one, space inside)
11 Forte LX (Grand Prix very thirsty, needed something more efficient)
13 Focus SE (issues with 4th gear in Kia discussed in a couple threads)
98 Blazer LT - concurrent with 13 Focus (mom needed a car and I had always wanted an SUV)
14 Escape (wanted down to one car as people kept asking to borrow my secondary vehicle, the Blazer, decent mileage for its size)
14 Focus ST (power, color, power, sunroof, power, 6 speed)

Oh and NO TOUCHSCREENS
17 Mazda6 Touring
18 Mazda3 iSport
InlinePaul wrote:The driving force of new fangled features to sell more cars [is to] cater to the masses' abject laziness!
Image
User avatar
AHTOXA
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 14693
Joined: Sun Dec 23, 2007 6:31 pm
Cars: '19 4RUNNER TRD ORP
Location: Irving, TX

Re: What do you look for in a car?

Post by AHTOXA »

I've also been through a decent number of cars since 2007 when I joined this forum (on my 8th car now). Some of those were fun cars, others were practical cars and the rest were beaters to drive while the fun cars were parked.

What I look for in a car changes every few years, which is one of the reasons why I've gone through cars, but currently my requirements are as follows:

- has to be a hatch, compact SUV or wagon
- manual
- has to haul bikes, camping gear, dog and friends - all at the same time.
- has to be able to access remote trailheads, forest service roads, logging roads, and mild back country for camping, MTB, backpacking and hiking.


I never really cared about brand - that was always the last of my considerations. Although, I'm going to stay away from GM for a while. I fully understand that my Sonic was not a typical representative of the model and brand, but after the vast number of issues with it that simply would not stop, I've had my fill.

Power is also not a concern to me in the last few years. I tend to enjoy and like a vehicle for its utility and versatility rather than sheer power. Motorcycle serves as the more spirited ride, if I ever want one.
'19 Toyota 4Runner TRD ORP
'12 Suzuki V-Strom 650
User avatar
RITmusic2k
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 2078
Joined: Fri Oct 24, 2008 4:32 pm
Cars: 2004 BMW 330i ZHP
Location: Anaheim, CA
Contact:

Re: What do you look for in a car?

Post by RITmusic2k »

In order of preference, detailed:

1. Manual transmission
2. Rear-wheel drive or AWD
3. Performance
4. Body style (sedan or hatch)
5. Brand (really, "fit and finish" - there's a tier I will not go below)
6. Reliability
7. Styling

In truth, my primary motivator is for my next car to be an upgrade from my previous one. Either a bump in performance or a move upmarket. Then the line item criteria above filter my choice down. I believe the string of cars I've owned since I started buying them for myself (had a few hand-me-downs from family during my school years) follows this trend:

1. 1994 Ford Taurus SHO MTX - manual sedan, but FWD and not the best reliability

2. 2001 Saab 9-3 5-door - move upmarket, huge increase in reliability, moved to my favorite body style and all the extra storage space that comes with it, moderate sacrifice in performance

3. 2000 Saab 9-3 Viggen 5-door - MAJOR performance upgrade

4. 2004 BMW 330i ZHP - move upmarket, move to RWD, "sideways" shift in performance (NA 6cyl with smooth, linear power delivery and a screaming top end, plus dramatically improved handling... as opposed to the "god came down and kicked the car in the rear bumper" acceleration of the Viggen's turbo 4) and move back to sedan body style.

Judging by all the above, my next car should probably be a used M3 sedan.
watkins
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 15880
Joined: Sun Jul 01, 2007 12:42 am
Cars: '08 Saab 9-5 Aero wagon
Location: Salem, MA

Re: What do you look for in a car?

Post by watkins »

RITmusic2k wrote: "god came down and kicked the car in the rear bumper" acceleration of the Viggen's turbo 4
Especially when tuned
Rope-Pusher
Master Standardshifter
Posts: 11607
Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2009 3:44 pm
Cars: '08 Jeep Liberty
Location: Greater Detroit Area

Re: What do you look for in a car?

Post by Rope-Pusher »

Jimmy Hoffa?
Pieces of Flight 370?
Amelia Earhart?
D B Cooper?
That bag of money that fell out the back of the armored truck?
'08 Jeep Liberty 6-Speed MT - "Last of the Mohicans"
SonicHKS
Senior Standardshifter
Posts: 260
Joined: Thu May 17, 2012 4:31 pm
Cars: 2012 Chevy Sonic Turbo
Location: GA

Re: What do you look for in a car?

Post by SonicHKS »

For me, how the car drive's is firmly #1. When I was buying my Sonic I drove a Veloster and a couple other cars and wasn't impressed until I drove the Sonic. Precise handling, very hard to make it understeer (esp for a FWD), hard to make it torquesteer, turns where you expect it to turn, and does all that while maintaining a decently comfortable ride. Only car I've ever driven that's so smooth over bumps yet handles so precisely. Took it to Colorado back in August and it wasn't that bad over nasty ass I-70 in Kansas. Anyways, it doesn't feel like a boat at all, you feel very connected to the car for it being a modern car, etc. I also like the powerband it has, I tend to like GM cars with their torque and long gearing, which the Sonic has for just being a 1.4L. I can cruise around all day shifting at 2500 and its not sluggish....the small turbo lets it achieve peak torque at just 1800RPM. Yet I can wring it out to 6500 and with the VVT its a little peaky too.

Beyond that I care about how it factors into my lifestyle. These days that means 4 doors and fuel economy. Most cars these days have those two things in abundance so how the car drives is how I judge between them all. My Sonic gets 39 mpg mixed and I'm very happy with that.

I don't really care about resale value, or buying Japanese over American for perceived quality, or any of that. Each marque has its lemons and its good cars so I judge the Sonic to be as reliable as any import and so far haven't been proven wrong (except Tony/AHTOXA's results differ). I also like working on cars and domestics are easy and cheap to fix.

In terms of looks or anything else I couldn't care less with my DD. Weekend/sports cars that's a different story but I'm not getting into that here.

That and manual transmission is a given :mrgreen:. Won't consider anything without one.
litesong
Junior Standardshifter
Posts: 6
Joined: Sat Dec 05, 2015 8:13 pm
Cars: two Elantras

Re: What do you look for in a car?

Post by litesong »

1) Cost
2) Cars that don't breakdown suddenly along the road, instantly killing your ability to get to appointments or home & worse, kills you because you're stopped along a dark & rainy freeway & a car plows into you.
3) Reliability---related to 2). Some cars let you get to a mechanic before they collapse entirely(3). Some cars stop along the highway(2).
4) Cost of repairs. I like my mechanic a lot.....just don't like to see him overmuch, 'cept at the grocery store.
4)MPG---Ya got to like NOT polluting & keeping money in your pocket...specially now with the wraps off the super polluter diesels.
5) Wide powerband, so I don't have to be shifting ALL THE TIME, specially in stop&go traffic & in the mountains. This probably means breaking the first four mentioned characteristics.
6) Looks. I finally have an affordable lovely car, which doesn't break the first four rules.
Post Reply