Here's a statement of the obvious: The opinions expressed here are those of the participants, not those of the Mutual Fund Observer. We cannot vouch for the accuracy or appropriateness of any of it, though we do encourage civility and good humor.
- Tires not a big deal. I’d surely have purchased winter tires next season. Cars need to be able to stop as well as go. Why not have the best possible grip on the road?
- This model has power seats fully adjustable including up / down.
Congrats on the Camry. The guy who sold me the Camry was happy to sell me but also sad because it would last for 20 years and no problems. Unfortunately, it was totaled. As usual, I tested all my favorite Japanese cars and small SUV but this time I watched for road noise. The Hyundai Tucson was better and why I bought it. Will see in 10 years. BTW, never in my life I bought new top of the line vehicle. LE for Toyota, LX for Honda, Kia, Hyundai. The last 2 have more features and longer warranty and all gave me what I need. Basically, Camry is such a complete car with unbelievable reliability, no need to look further. My snob brother in law that has been driving BMW 7 for years bought a new Camry because he couldn't afford the BMW. Then he called me and told me how great it is...duh.
Thanks @FD. your earlier comments about car shopping were helpful. I recall you got a dealer to put a substantial amount on a credit card. I tried that trick. But they cited a $2,000 cap. But with nearly a year left on my 0% Fido Signature card, the $2,000 was better then nothing,
The XSE rides & handles like a dream (though most reviewers seem to prefer the softer riding XLE). I started looking in March. Test drove an “upscale” Toyota Crown back then. Nice car. But I thought “premium” build quality lacking. Also test drove an Audi SUV last spring. Over the summer there was some costly home infrastructure work taking place … so lost interest in new vehicles. Two or three weeks ago I drove a Camry XLE. The interior looked like something Grandma might design. Lots of felt / microfiber interior trim where wood or plastic would be more agreeable. I looked at a couple BMWs. And almost test drove an Audi A5-S which turns out about 285 HP from a 4 cylinder turbo. The quote I got from my insurer that morning was enough to make me run. On Nov. 29th I test drove the Camry XSE. Took a 30-45 minute drive with a sales rep on roads of all types - including one in really rough shape. It was clear to me they wanted to make a sale by the end of the month. They offered a decent last minute discount on the vehicle and I jumped. What’s noteworthy is that this one was the lowest priced of all the vehicles I considered. Getting some winter tires next week and having the basic audio system’s 6 speakers changed out for better quality ones. Still, compared to all the vehicles considered this comes in at the best value even considering my upgrades.
@hank’s purchase had given me new-car fever. This lasted a couple of days until our youngest daughter called from NC to report her car totaled by a pot-head who ran a stop sign. Her car was to last thru med school; that would have been May. Shit happens. Insurance company tells her it may take two weeks to adjust the claim. Three cars were involved, but only the smoker got a ticket, though not for impaired driving. He may have seen the benefit of admitting to failure to yield, on the spot.
We just happen to have the perfect replacement car for her to buy, my wife’s low-mileage 2017 Accord Hybrid, not dissimilar to the car @hank traded. Of course, I have not asked my spouse if she would want to give up her vehicle! It may be that used car prices have declined a bit since COVID, but sticker shock still prevails for low-wage earners. One thing for certain is that no one in my family has ever coveted my Odyssey, which also would be a decent used car. My daughter is now getting spoiled driving a new rental Nissan. C’est compliqué.
Hi @BenWP Hoping she didn't have other than mental injuries. Still an unwanted event in one's daily life. Convince her to get a 2023 Camry SE. About $27K + tax, here and there, when having less than 20K miles, which leaves some mileage room to the original warranty.
@BenWP - Sorry to hear of your daughter’s near tragedy. Hoping she came through unharmed. Reminds me of 15 years ago when I had a rented Ford Escort totaled under me while waiting at a red light in Key West. I was the middle vehicle in a string of 3 that a reckless truck driver plowed into going 50 mph. Totaled all 3. An Escalade in front of me and a F150 behind me already stopped. The truck driver got a citation for driving too fast for conditions. It’s no exaggeration to say I’d have lost my head were it not for the govt, required head-rest. Felt like a brick when my head hit it. Airbags deployed inside the F150 - but not in my vehicle.
Car shopping? I found gazing at BMW’s in showrooms first to be very helpful. One I sat in had an incredibly sweet sounding audio system. Much as I would have loved one, they made nearly everything else I looked at seem downright cheap by comparison.
I liked some of the older BMW models. The BMW 3 series was the sports sedan benchmark for many years. Newer BMW models have become larger and heavier and in my opinion not as visually appealing. From my prior research, BMWs were not known to have above-average reliability. Also, repair costs could be high. I think you'll do much better on both fronts with your Camry!
Thanks all for your supportive comments. I should have mentioned that a sore neck has been the only discernable physical injury my daughter suffered. It happens to be a high-stress period for her as she interviews for a residency, a four-year stint at wherever the med school gods decide to send her. If it’s a snowy city, an AWD vehicle will make sense, @hank’s new Camry sounds nice in that regard. She won’t have a salary until Summer, so things are uncertain at best.
I was pleasantly surprised when I learned that the med-school curriculum included a seminar on personal finance for MDs. All second-year students got a copy of The Physician Philosopher’s Guide to Personal Finance by James D. Turner, MD. One of the wisest pieces of advice for new grads earning their first salary is not to buy a BMW and that a resident should continue to live like a med student and that a new MD should live like a resident. Reference is provided to The White Coat Investor, another guide for docs. My daughter has been following the advice to pay down student-loan interest while still a student, even if she can’t afford to pay down the principal. When interest rates on Federal loans hit 8%, she experiences a sense of dread, compounded by dashed hopes every time a proposal to help students with debt gets shot down by unsympathetic politicians.
”One of the wisest pieces of advice for new grads earning their first salary is not to buy a BMW”
Well … I’d agree up until 75 years of age or beyond. Certainly not a prudent financial choice. Photo of one I looked at in an area dealership (Series 2 Sport Coupe). Did not appear to have the semi-autonomyous lane-tracing feature or might have test driven it. Fit like a glove inside. Cognac colored leather. And I know their audio is excellent. I agree with @Observant1 that these would be high expense to own owing partially to the higher maintenance turbo charged 4s everyone seems to be moving to. Tag was around $47K making Camrys appear cheap in comparison.
BTW - I was happy to leave this one behind for @BenWP or @Derf to purchase.
Comments
- Tires not a big deal. I’d surely have purchased winter tires next season. Cars need to be able to stop as well as go. Why not have the best possible grip on the road?
- This model has power seats fully adjustable including up / down.
Unfortunately, it was totaled. As usual, I tested all my favorite Japanese cars and small SUV but this time I watched for road noise. The Hyundai Tucson was better and why I bought it.
Will see in 10 years.
BTW, never in my life I bought new top of the line vehicle.
LE for Toyota, LX for Honda, Kia, Hyundai. The last 2 have more features and longer warranty and all gave me what I need.
Basically, Camry is such a complete car with unbelievable reliability, no need to look further. My snob brother in law that has been driving BMW 7 for years bought a new Camry because he couldn't afford the BMW. Then he called me and told me how great it is...duh.
The XSE rides & handles like a dream (though most reviewers seem to prefer the softer riding XLE). I started looking in March. Test drove an “upscale” Toyota Crown back then. Nice car. But I thought “premium” build quality lacking. Also test drove an Audi SUV last spring. Over the summer there was some costly home infrastructure work taking place … so lost interest in new vehicles. Two or three weeks ago I drove a Camry XLE. The interior looked like something Grandma might design. Lots of felt / microfiber interior trim where wood or plastic would be more agreeable. I looked at a couple BMWs. And almost test drove an Audi A5-S which turns out about 285 HP from a 4 cylinder turbo. The quote I got from my insurer that morning was enough to make me run. On Nov. 29th I test drove the Camry XSE. Took a 30-45 minute drive with a sales rep on roads of all types - including one in really rough shape. It was clear to me they wanted to make a sale by the end of the month. They offered a decent last minute discount on the vehicle and I jumped. What’s noteworthy is that this one was the lowest priced of all the vehicles I considered. Getting some winter tires next week and having the basic audio system’s 6 speakers changed out for better quality ones. Still, compared to all the vehicles considered this comes in at the best value even considering my upgrades.
We just happen to have the perfect replacement car for her to buy, my wife’s low-mileage 2017 Accord Hybrid, not dissimilar to the car @hank traded. Of course, I have not asked my spouse if she would want to give up her vehicle! It may be that used car prices have declined a bit since COVID, but sticker shock still prevails for low-wage earners. One thing for certain is that no one in my family has ever coveted my Odyssey, which also would be a decent used car. My daughter is now getting spoiled driving a new rental Nissan. C’est compliqué.
Car shopping? I found gazing at BMW’s in showrooms first to be very helpful. One I sat in had an incredibly sweet sounding audio system. Much as I would have loved one, they made nearly everything else I looked at seem downright cheap by comparison.
The BMW 3 series was the sports sedan benchmark for many years.
Newer BMW models have become larger and heavier and in my opinion not as visually appealing.
From my prior research, BMWs were not known to have above-average reliability.
Also, repair costs could be high.
I think you'll do much better on both fronts with your Camry!
I was pleasantly surprised when I learned that the med-school curriculum included a seminar on personal finance for MDs. All second-year students got a copy of The Physician Philosopher’s Guide to Personal Finance by James D. Turner, MD. One of the wisest pieces of advice for new grads earning their first salary is not to buy a BMW and that a resident should continue to live like a med student and that a new MD should live like a resident. Reference is provided to The White Coat Investor, another guide for docs. My daughter has been following the advice to pay down student-loan interest while still a student, even if she can’t afford to pay down the principal. When interest rates on Federal loans hit 8%, she experiences a sense of dread, compounded by dashed hopes every time a proposal to help students with debt gets shot down by unsympathetic politicians.
Who Makes the Most Reliable New Cars?
https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/car-reliability-owner-satisfaction/who-makes-the-most-reliable-cars-a7824554938/
Well … I’d agree up until 75 years of age or beyond. Certainly not a prudent financial choice. Photo of one I looked at in an area dealership (Series 2 Sport Coupe). Did not appear to have the semi-autonomyous lane-tracing feature or might have test driven it. Fit like a glove inside. Cognac colored leather. And I know their audio is excellent. I agree with @Observant1 that these would be high expense to own owing partially to the higher maintenance turbo charged 4s everyone seems to be moving to. Tag was around $47K making Camrys appear cheap in comparison.
BTW - I was happy to leave this one behind for @BenWP or @Derf to purchase.