r/whatcarshouldIbuy

I placed a deposit for a 26' Model Y Performance to be delivered in December or January but in the meantime I am looking at other options.

I will be test driving a 2023 BMW i7 xDrive60. Very different cars but I am a big guy and for my budget $130k msrp 30k mile examples are available. I saw one for $55,169 with all the options I want but stupid dealer sold it even though I had gone in first and they said it was being reconditioned.

Other options: C8 Stingray, 8 Series, and many more...

Test drove GLE450, EQS SUV, i5 M60, M4, EQE AMG. Liked the M60 and AMG EQE but so far the Model Y is winning given that it's new and can drive itself, but I only drive about $4k miles a year.

Hey everyone. Still searching and looking at few options of vehicles. Live in Alberta where winters are very cold (-40°c). Kinda broadening options a bit for price range and total km range with reliability. Looking at

-toyota bz.

-chevy equinox EV.

-hyuindai inoq5

All need to be AWD, I keep seeing how the ioniq 5 has the most room but how big of a difference is there between these options. Mostly just need room for 360 car seats as I have 2 kids. Otherwise it's a work commuter. We have a bigger palisade as a regular family driver

Sorry everyone forgot to mention I don't wanna spend over $55k CAD.

I keep seeing streets packed with $50k–$80k vehicles, and the math just doesn't add up to me. 

Even with a $100k income (taking home ~$5.5k/month), a $1.5k total monthly vehicle expense takes up over 25% of net income. 

How are so many people financing or leasing these vehicles without completely blowing up their monthly budgets?

Need help deciding all i see are mostly biased comments

2027 Hyundai Santa Fe Caliagraphy Ultimate ($62k Canadian)

Or

2026 Honda CR-V Touring Hybrid, 9,606 KM ($48k Canadian)

Or

2024 GRAND HIGHLANDER XLE AWD STANDARD PACKAGE, 30,500 KM ($51,395 Canadian)

Hi everyone!

I’m in the market for a new (to me) car and I’m having a serious dilemma, so I’d love some honest opinions!

My requirements:

Budget: £25,000–£40,000

Ideally a 2025–2026 model, low mileage

Plug-in hybrid (petrol + electric) as I have a home charger
Something luxurious, elegant and sporty-looking

Preferably a compact SUV

A beautiful interior is really important to me

Good reliability and reasonable maintenance costs

I’ve spent quite a bit of time researching cars and recently visited BMW, Mercedes and Range Rover showrooms.

Mercedes GLA: Completely ruled this out. I was really underwhelmed by the interior, and discovering the Renault connection with the petrol engine didn’t particularly appeal to me either.

BMW X1 xDrive25e: I actually really liked this in person. The technology, electric range and practicality are all appealing. My only hesitation is the exterior. I really don’t want something that looks too boxy or like a generic family SUV.

Range Rover Evoque P270e: Absolutely love the styling and luxurious interior. It’s probably closer to the aesthetic I’m looking for. However, I’m concerned about Land Rover’s reputation for reliability, potentially expensive repairs and the relatively limited electric range.

The BMW 4 Series really appeals to me aesthetically, but unfortunately it isn’t available as a plug-in hybrid.

Essentially, I want something sleek, sophisticated and a little sporty. I don’t want to spend £40k on a car that ticks every practical box but doesn’t excite me when I look at it!

My questions:
Between the BMW X1 PHEV and Range Rover Evoque PHEV, which would you choose and why?

Are the Evoque’s reliability concerns genuinely as bad as their reputation suggests, particularly for newer models?

Are there any other beautiful, luxurious plug-in hybrids I should consider within my budget?

Would you prioritise a newer car with lower mileage or a slightly older, higher-specification premium model?

I’m UK-based and would particularly appreciate opinions from anyone who owns or has driven these cars.

Thanks in advance! 😊

Currently in med school and my Audi finally died. Max budget is $17500 and I strongly prefer AWD since travel to MN often to see family and ideally would love to land in a residency back in MN. I've been looking at 2016-2017 CX-5s, 2015 Toyota Rav 4s, and 2016ish CRVs. Are any of these options more reliable than the others? Are there any other reliable AWD vehicles in leaving out?

Currently have a 2021 jeep grand cherokee l and hate it. We have two kids (almost 1 and 3) and it’s just not big enough for road trips and all the kid stuff we need at this phase of life along with one of us sitting in the back with them.

Another kicker, my work will be doing return to office next point. So I’ll be driving 60ish miles a day commuting.

I was initially looking at Tahoe or GMC Yukon, but now with how much gas prices are and retailer commute - I don’t think that’s the smart move and I should look into EVs.

Problem with that is, finding a large EV is so hard if you’re not wanting to spend $100K, which I absolutely don’t want to. I’m looking at used and max wanna be in the high 50’s or low 60s.

I’m so lost. Does anyone have any recommendations

Looking for some financially sound advice on my current vehicle situation and what makes the most sense over the next 5–10 years.

I currently own two vehicles, both paid off:

2013 Lexus RX 450h
90,000 miles
Excellent condition, mechanically and cosmetically
Well maintained, no major issues
Averaging around 22–23 MPG on the highway

2014 VW Jetta SportWagen TDI
130,000 miles
Deleted with a RawTek diesel exhaust kit
Timing belt recently replaced
Approximately 100,000 of those miles are highway miles
Averaging around 42 MPG on the highway
Also just recently paid off

Here’s my situation:
I drive approximately 30,000 miles annually, much of it highway driving for work. I also need to maintain two vehicles for my household.
Both cars are paid off, which is obviously a great position to be in. However, I’m approaching the point where I’m wondering whether continuing to put significant mileage on aging vehicles is the most financially sensible strategy.
I’m not particularly interested in taking on car payments unnecessarily, but I’m also conscious of depreciation, potential major repairs, maintenance costs, fuel economy, and the possibility of getting ahead of expensive mechanical failures.

What would you do in my position?
Keep both vehicles: Drive them until major repairs make them economically impractical, banking the money I’d otherwise spend on payments.

Sell the VW: Take advantage of whatever resale value it has left and replace it with something newer, more reliable, and fuel-efficient.
Sell the Lexus: Cash out while it’s still relatively low mileage and in excellent condition, replacing it with something newer.

Sell both: Start fresh with two newer vehicles, potentially hybrids, that would offer better fuel economy and lower maintenance costs.

Something else: Is there a smarter strategy I’m overlooking?

I’m especially interested in the total cost of ownership, not simply monthly payments. With 30,000 miles of annual driving, fuel costs, maintenance, depreciation, insurance, and long-term reliability all factor into the equation.

Would you keep driving these vehicles for another 5–10 years? At what mileage or repair-cost threshold would you consider selling either one?

I’m curious what people who have been in similar situations, particularly those who drive a lot of highway miles, have found to be the most financially prudent approach.

TL;DR: Two paid-off, well-maintained vehicles: a 2013 Lexus RX 450h (90k miles) and a deleted 2014 Jetta SportWagen TDI (130k miles). Drive roughly 30k miles/year and need two cars. Keep both and run them into the ground, replace one, or sell both while they still have value? Looking for the smartest long-term financial strategy.

Took a new job in March and my commute went from basically nothing to 61 miles each way, mostly interstate. Driving a 2010 4Runner with just over 203k on it, paid off, still runs great, but im burning close to $480 a month in gas now and that number kind of made me sick when i actually added it up. Budget is around $17,500 cash. Been looking at 2019 to 2021 Corolla Hybrids but tbh a used hybrid battery with 90k on it makes me nervous, dont know if thats a real concern or just internet paranoia. Keeping the 4Runner too isnt an option, one parking spot. Would you keep driving it and eat the gas or is the math actually in favor of switching? idk, anyway.

A lot of posts here come down to "X or Y?", so I ran the numbers on popular pairs. For each pair I priced both cars the same (3 years old, 20% down, 60-month loan, 12k miles a year, US-average insurance and fuel) so only the car's own costs differ: resale value, fuel, and repairs. Resale is from iSeeCars' 5-year depreciation data, repair costs from CarEdge.

Biggest gaps over 5 years:

- Lexus RX vs BMW X5: RX about $15,800 cheaper, almost all resale

- Toyota Sienna vs Honda Odyssey: Sienna about $9,200 cheaper

- Tacoma vs Colorado: Tacoma about $8,800 cheaper

- Tundra vs F-150: Tundra about $8,600 cheaper

- RAV4 Hybrid vs Model Y: RAV4 Hybrid about $8,600 cheaper, even after the Tesla's lower fuel cost

- 4Runner vs Grand Cherokee: 4Runner about $6,400 cheaper

Closer than I expected:

- Camry vs Accord: about $700 apart

- Silverado vs Sierra: about $600 apart

- Model Y vs Mach-E: about $700 apart

- Crosstrek vs CX-30: about $600 apart

The pattern: resale value decides most matchups, more than fuel or repairs. A car that holds its value can cost thousands less to own even when it's thirstier.

Big caveat: this is at the same price. If one car is $4k cheaper to buy, that can flip the result, and your insurance quote and loan rate matter a lot. Happy to run a specific pair if you're deciding between two.

Well, lots to talk about!

So, I recently sat in my neighbour’s NB Miata, and man, it’s amazing and comfy! His is a manual transmission in a dark green colour. I think he said it was a 1998? And it’s a full 100% “upgrade” from stock, but everything is still “stock” spec.

I’ve always loved these cars. I even have a picture of one I drew when I was like 11 lol.

Anyways, I’ve been thinking about buying one recently, and man, some of these cars are cooked lol. Since I live in Canada and need a daily driver, I’m not sure if it’s a good idea to use a Miata to fill that spot in my life. (Even though it only snows roughly 18 days out of the year.)

But I already know I would have to spend a lot of my money on a car if I had one, especially on rust repair. I already know most of these cars will have tons of rust. It’s just the way it is.

So, should I just spend my money on my dream car and use it as a daily, or should I get something else? Please help!

(I’d have to spend money on rust repair with any car, so if I’m going to, I’d want it to be a Miata lol.)

It's pretty comprehensive. There's a lot of data and categories to parse through. I hope someone out there finds this helpful!

Is this a good deal for a 2011?

170k miles. No rust issues. Clean carfax.

Still the original radiator but it's in good shape. Heater tees and hoses have been replaced. Everything works and service records are decent. New belt, new alternator, clean AF and no known issues.

25k seems high, but it is in pristine shape. Will be getting a PPI done before purchase.

This would be my daily driver, 70 miles per day total.

https://www.cargurus.com/details/438725325