Are you part of the mass affluent class and wondering what type of car to buy? Look no further as Financial Samurai speaks directly to the mass affluent crowd.
We previously described the mass affluent class by income, wealth, and investable assets. Mass affluent is essentially a subset of the middle class that's well educated and upwardly mobile due to their education and optimism.
Given you're reading a personal finance site for fun and education and I'm writing personal finance articles, let's all consider ourselves mass affluent with upside potential! Hooray!
My Desire To Purchase A New Car
After 10 years of owning the same car, I’ve decided to finally buy something new within the next six months. There are a number of problems with Moose, a 2000 Land Rover Discover II, including:
• Warning lights on for the traction control, hill decent, and ABS.
• Check engine light is permanently on.
• Sunroof doesn't open or close.
• Heated seats don't work.
• No Bluetooth.
• CD changer doesn't work.
• Front passenger seat no longer adjusts due to broken motor.
• Cigarette charger doesn’t work, which means I can’t charge my mobile devices on long road trips.
• Brakes are mushy even after changing them two years ago.
• Not sure if the airbags work since they haven't had their 10 year service.
• Gears don't connect once every 50 starts for some reason. Have to turn him off, wait for 10 seconds, and turn back on to reengage the gears.
• Two balding tires that cost $200 to replace each.
Other than these 12 problems I can think of, Moose runs like a champ! Ha! Maybe I should have bought an extended car warranty.
Spending Too Much Money Fixing My Old Car
Over the past three years I’ve spent about $1,100 buying him a new alternator, a new serpentine belt, a tune up, and fixing a massively leaking fuel pump. If there is one more problem that costs over $500, I'm sad to say that I've got to let him go. It’s hard to do because he's been so good to me. Moose has never broken down, not even in the worst Tahoe snow storm. If I’m ever in an accident, I feel safe that Moose will hold up better as well.
I’m starting to fear that I’ll one day get stranded somewhere when Moose experiences some transmission glitch. I know all I have to do is call roadside assistance and wait 45 minutes for a boost or a tow, but that's not ideal if I'm rushing somewhere. If you have an older car, getting roadside assistance for several bucks a month is the best thing ever. I did leave my lights on several times before and roadside assistance came quickly to give me a jump.
I’d love to finally find a new vehicle that has all the creature comforts that many people for the past five years have taken for granted. You know, like being able to plug in your mobile phone to listen to some tunes. I’ve come up with a list of vehicles I’m considering for myself and for the mass affluent. Let me know which particular car or category you’d choose and why.
The Econo Practical Ride
Honda recently came out with its latest Fit model and I think it’s a great choice for a mostly city driver. The car is only about 160 inches long, which makes it ideal for parking in tight spaces. Moose is 184 inches long in comparison. I’ve lost out on many open parking spaces as a result.
The Honda Fit’s fuel economy is around 28-35, more than double Moose’s fuel economy. Instead of costing $70 to drive to Tahoe 210 miles away, I’ll only have to spend $30.
The Honda Fit LX version with alloy wheels (not hubcaps) costs about $19,000 before tax, and $21,500 out the door in California. One thing to note is that the latest Honda Fits are no longer made in Japan, but made in Mexico to reduce costs for Honda. Who knows for sure whether the Mexican made Hondas will be as high quality as the Japanese made Hondas. Only time will tell.
Being frugal and green is a very San Francisco thing to do. Even though Moose guzzles a lot of gas, at least I've held on to him for 10 years, and didn't add pollution by buying another car. If you don’t completely destroy your old car, you are still adding more pollution if you buy a new one.
Driving A Cheaper Car Is A Way To Stay Under The Radar
The Honda Fit is a great way to practice Stealth Wealth. but it's also a great way to get zero attention from all the lovely ladies looking to meet blogger studs. The car enthusiast in me will probably long for a faster, beefer, and more fun car to drive. I’m used to sitting up high, which is very helpful during traffic. Sitting down low feels a little claustrophobic.
With the money saved buying a compact car, I’ll have at least $20,000 more to invest that will hopefully grow in the long run. The problem is that 2014-2015 models are on back order due to too much demand.
Babe magnet rating: 1/10
Stealth Wealth rating: 10/10
Thrill rating: 2/10
Alternative compact cars under consideration:
- Nissan Sentra for $18,500. Lots of space, good price, decent looks.
- Nissan Versa Note for $17,000 – $19,000. New version that looks better, has great space, and costs $19,000 or less.
- Toyota Yaris hatchback for $17,000-$18,000.
The New Mini Moose Car I'm Considering
The Land Rover Evoque came out in 2010 and has won numerous awards, including Motortrends Car Of The Year, and World SUV Of The Year. It has a 240 hp engine, which is 55% more powerful than Moose’s engine. It sits up higher than a regular car, but is lower than Moose.
The Evoque is about 171 inches long, which is 13 inches shorter than Moose and is much better for parking. The only downside is that the rear seats are pretty cramped, and there’s not much luggage space compared to Moose. I would say luggage space is 40% less. Good thing I don’t lug much stuff around.
The Evoque is probably much safer than a Honda Fit if I were to get into a head on, rear, or side accident. It has 10 airbags, is much heavier than a Fit, and has much thicker doors. If I am to have a family, having a heavier, thicker, safer car is important. I don’t know if I could live with myself if my child got injured or died because I decided to go with a compact car. If you could afford a car that was built like a tank to transport your kids, wouldn’t you be willing to pony up if you could afford it?
New Car Is Too Expensive
The big downside with the Evoque is the sticker price. The base model runs for $44,500, and the Limited Edition version (pic) goes for around $60,000. The price violates my 1/10th rule for car buying, but does not violate my net worth rule for car buying. I will either pay cash or have my business buy this car. See: Tax Rules For Buying A SUV Or Truck To Deduct As A Business Expense
I know I’ll really love driving around a Limited Edition Evoque. It looks great with its black 20” rims. The Evoque will make driving fun again, especially on the 3 hour drive to Lake Tahoe during summers and winters. It’ll feel good knowing that I’ve got a more compact car that’s safer and with more horse power. The MPG is not bad at 21-28 either.
The Evoque is a car I could easily own for 5-10 years. The Honda Fit is a car that I could own for 2-3 years and probably get bored as I start thinking to myself what’s the point of saving and making all this money if I don’t live it up a little.
Babe magnet rating: 8/10
Stealth Wealth rating: 4/10
Thrill rating: 8/10
Other car considerations:
- BMW X3. This is BMW’s mid-size SUV (between X1 and X5). Looks OK, and has more rear space. Cost is around $52,000 for the 3.0 litre engine which is larger and faster than the Evoque’s.
- Audi Q5. Been around for at least four years now and a new model will be coming out in 2015 or 2016. Good looking car if you get the S-Line version, which also costs about $52,000.
- Porsche Macan. Porsche just came out with a smaller version of the Cayenne and it looks sweet! There are two models: S and Turbo. The S looks good enough and comes in at about $54,000 with mid-level trim. I'm going to have to take a look.
- Range Rover Sport. I'm a big fan of the latest aluminum body Range Rover Sport. The downsides are that it's very wide at 80″, is a gas guzzler, and costs about $80,000 out the door.
The Electric Car
I finally drove an electric car for the first time and loved it! BMW has come out with the new i3, which is a compact four door. It looks good, and it’s fast! They say the new i3 has the fastest 0-30 time of BMW’s entire fleet.
The i3 costs about $45,000 – $52,000 and has a standard range of about 80 miles on one full charge. You can get a range extender or hybrid motor, but that costs another $10,000 more, making the price hard to digest.
Given the technology is always improving and the battery fades over time, it’s a much better idea to lease an electric vehicle vs. purchasing one. I wrote a pretty extensive article on things to consider when buying an electric vehicle if you’re interested in knowing more.
The biggest problem I have with the BMW i3 is the range. I cannot get to Tahoe on one charge, and it takes anywhere from two hours for a quick charge to eight hours or so for a standard charge. The EV charging stations aren’t fully built out yet.
One solution I’ve thought about is driving for 75 miles up to Tahoe and charging the vehicle while I get lunch or dinner. But even with another 75-80 mile charge up, I will still be 50 miles short of my place! It looks like I will have to either rent a gas vehicle to go up to Tahoe, or use the i3 as my second car, which is not ideal since I only have space for one car in my garage.
Babe magnet rating: 6.5/10
Stealth Wealth rating: 5/10
Thrill rating: 8/10
Other considerations:
- Nissan Leaf. Excellent alternative to the i3 at $32,000. Also won World Car Of The Year when it first came out several years ago.
- Tesla Model S. The P85+ Tesla has a range of 250 miles, and would therefore solve my Tahoe problem. It’s a sweet car that has a lot of space, but it costs about $110,000-$120,000 for this version. I can get a regular version for about $70,000, but it won’t get me to Tahoe. Perhaps it’s best to wait for their more mass market $45,000 version in 2015.
WHICH CAR WOULD YOU BUY?
I’m assuming many of you will say, “none of the above” given there are so many choices and so many different tastes. But humor me a bit and choose one a category (Econo, Mini SUV, Electric) and then the specific vehicle.
I know I should probably just get a Honda Fit given it’s the perfect city car and has everything I need (except for 4WD to Tahoe). It jut doesn’t have the horsepower or desirability. I really dislike driving due to traffic and bad drivers.
But I think I’d enjoy driving a little more if I once again had a luxury car like the Limited Edition Evoque. If I’m going to hold on to the car for another 10 years, the price hit doesn’t feel as bad. Furthermore, there was a time for many years where the Evoque clearly fit under my 1/10th rule for car buying.
The other alternative is to once again do nothing and keep Moose until it finally breaks down on me. I love Moose because I can leave him parked outside and not care too much if he gets bumped, scratched, or even stolen. If someone wants to rage with me on the highway, I have no problem playing bumper cars. If I was driving a brand new car, I’d be more stressed about wrecking it.
Maintenance Costs To Consider
The final consideration I have is the cost of maintenance. The first three years of maintenance are all included for the Honda and the BMW has a 4 year, 50,000 mile warranty. But I’ve got to pay for brakes and new tires with the Evoque if they wear out in the first three years.
According to an Allstate quote on the Honda Civic, it’ll only cost me around $25 a month. The i3 and the Evoque will cost me around $50-70 a month. Not that big of a deal, but still a difference nonetheless. I haven’t gotten a ticket or been in an accident for over seven years, so my driving record is very clean.
I decided in 2019 to live it up by buying a Range Rover Sport. I love the vehicle and it is also important to protect my baby boy. I can be the safest driver in the world, but someone can hit us out of nowhere. I drove a Honda Fit for 3 years and it was great, but I'd feel terrible if something were to happen in an accident.
Be More Responsible, Buy Less Car
Follow my House-To-Car Ratio guide for fiscal responsibility and buy a cheaper car. If you want to eventually reach financial freedom, you should have a house-to-car ratio of at least 50. Cars are guaranteed to depreciate in value, houses tend to appreciate in value.
As the father of the modern-day FIRE movement, I want all of you to have more wealth and more freedom. No car can match the joy you will experience once you are financially free.
Buy Real Estate Instead Of An Expensive Car
Keep your car expenses to a minimum. Instead of buying a fancy new car, use the money to invest in real estate instead. This way, you can build more wealth and achieve financial freedom, which provides way more value than driving a nice car.
To invest in real estate without all the hassle and unexpected costs, check out Fundrise. Fundrise offers funds that mainly invest in residential and industrial properties in the Sunbelt, where valuations are lower and yields are higher. The firm manages over $3.5 billion in assets for over 500,000 investors looking to diversify and earn more passive income. The minimum investment amount is only $10.
Another great private real estate investing platform is Crowdstreet. Crowdstreet offers accredited investors individual deals run by sponsors that have been pre-vetted for strong track records. Many of their deals are in 18-hour cities where there is potentially greater upside due to higher growth rates. You can build your own select real estate portfolio with Fundrise.
I've personally invested $954,000 in private real estate since 2016 to diversify my holdings, take advantage of demographic shifts toward lower-cost areas of the country, and earn more passive income. We're in a multi-decade trend of relocating to the Sunbelt region thanks to technology.
Both platforms are sponsors of Financial Samurai and Financial Samurai is an investor in Fundrise funds.
[…] went back and forth with your help between a sweet 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited for $39,700 and a 2015 Honda Fit EX for $19,025 […]
I originally wrote out an epic post, with prose that would make James Joyce swoon but alas my Apple Juice went dry and now it’s gone forever more.
So here’s the crux: a car is a depreciating asset, nothing more. A bicycle is an appreciating asset that matures the dividend within yourself. The money you save will allow you to rent a car when you need to go to Tahoe, take a cab when it pours.
You live in San Francisco: one of the best cities on America for cycling of less than 47 square miles so you can get anywhere actually easier than with a car.
Once you embrace the bike you’ll never want to waste time in a car ever again.
So I have one point to make… I am like you and I LOATHE driving. I hate it. I thought that if I got a fancy luxury car that’s fun to drive it would make me hate driving just a bit less. I got a fully loaded Ford Edge (at the time, where I worked, I drove clients around and so I couldn’t quite go for the true luxury car… would have looked like I wasn’t spending their money well. ;) )
So my car has 5 LCD screens, tons of toys, panoramic sunroof, DVD players, seat heaters, etc, and while those things are nice, they still haven’t solved the “I hate driving” problem. So just from personal experience, a nice car probably won’t solve that.
my vote is the honda fit and/or waiting if you can & getting a used range rover if that is most practical for your needs.. So…what kind of babe are you looking to attract? A practical babe like myself won’t go for the flash of a more expensive car. A practical babe like me thinks retiring in your 30’s is hot.
Cool. Well, I guess I’m your man!
Easy answer: range rover sport.
How long have you been talking about driving moose until you run him into the ground? I know the RR has been on your mind for a while. Although it defies your 1/10 rule, it will most likely qualify under your net worth rule.
C’mon Sam, you’ve done very well for yourself and should enjoy the fruits of your labor. If you can’t bring yourself to paying $80k, find a used one that’s 1 or 2 years old and let someone else take the hit upfront on depreciation.
When you become FI, you should treat yourself to something you want. What good is having money if you can’t spend it on something you’ll enjoy for many years to come?
Besides, it’ll be a nice write off for the biz….and will score you some points with the ladies for sure.
I’m a sports car guy, nissan GTR as my weekend fun car, BMW335 as my daily commute car and GL450 as my family car.
I totally broke your 1/10 car buying rule :)
Hi Sam! I’m back, I was busy….buying a house! So thank you for all of the advice on work and personal finance…probably wouldn’t have been able to buy a house before 30 without it. And about work… well I still haven’t gotten the promotion or salary, but they gave me the employees and override, which equals the pay I wanted, but I’m still full commish and no title. I have everything I wanted but no title or salary. But I want to move into a salaried management position for security and upward mobility. My dad tells me to screw the title and take the money (and it seems that this is what everyone who I talk to have to say about it), but I don’t want to be this for the rest of mylife…there has to be some kind of progression to my career. I also worry that I’ll never have an exit strategy elsewhere if I don’t come out of here without a title. And the longer I stay in a full commish position, the longer I pigeonhole myself into someone who can only bring value to company as a salesperson. Do you think this is intentional so I have no other options so I stay where I am and keep making the company money? I struggle with this all the time now. What are your thoughts?
Now to be relevant to your post… what about buying a nice used car that satisfies both your practicality and your taste for nice cars? I have an old accord. But I’ve always wanted a Maserati. But I won’t let myself until I’m within the 1/10 rule. So here’s the deal…I’m on track to make $300K this year and next year the model I want will probably be available for $30K cash (it’s going for $40K now). Would I get the 1/10 seal of approval for something like that? Also, maybe I missed this, but is there a rule about having more than one car? Can I keep the accord and buy the Maserati? Or do I have to sell the accord to buy the Maserati? I still wanted to keep my accord as my daily driver for gas efficiency and stealth wealth and just use the Maserati on weekends with my family.
Take the money indeed. If you want to be the CEO, just do what I did and start your own company and make yourself Chairman & CEO!
Not sure why you’d ever want to have two cars for one driver. But if the two cars are combined to be 1/10th or less, have fun!
TOYOTA ALTIMA OK?V6 AUTO RED OR BLACK OR BLUE?
SF CA.
I drive an old car and have made incremental repairs that in aggregate exceed KBB. It’s the sunk cost treadmill. I am single and “older” and have been told by many that I really should upgrade my auto because my car is “getto”. Despite having nice paint, relatively low miles, and proper maintenance.. Theoretically one could date the lovely ladies with little else than social savvy.. Most need some degree of peacocking. Some folks are all hat and no cattle. Some are all cattle and no hat, etc. A lot depends on your social situation and what your goals are.
Moose looks like it will need a $3-3.5k of repairs. $1k for the ABS/ brakes, $1k for the engine, starter problem, and the rest for misc. The most frugal approach would be to just fix Moose, and drive until there is something major, such as engine, transmission, or an auto accident.
You could buy a new “used” car that is 3-5 years old, but it will have unknown issues and you could easily sink an additional $2k into one of those. This is still a frugal option and gets you a late model vehicle with much more life in the engine and transmission. Along with shiny paint, safety features, etc.
In either case, the savings over a new luxury car can be deployed into real-estate or the stock market, or both.
Agreed, although it feels a little weird spending $3,000 on a car that is only worth $2,500.
Agree with you on other invests as well. I just bought some real estate and rented out my old house: https://www.financialsamurai.com/increasing-passive-income-through-leverage/
Not sure if you’ve considered it, but I bought a VW Jetta Turbo-Diesel back in February. It runs like a champ, handles really well, and I’m getting 42 MPG overall. I drive a lot for my business (1700+ miles a month), and the savings on fuel over my last vehicle is tremendous.
Sam, if you’re going to go the Honda Fit direction, hold out for another couple months for the all-new 2015 Fit. In so many ways, it’s a significant improvement on the current Fit, according to every review I’ve read so far.
Just found your website this evening, and am enjoying it very much. Wish I’d found it 20 years or so ago!
Thanks for your efforts here to help others.
I take a different approach to buying cars, always used and a high quality car that is older with more miles.
I just replaced a 2000 528i with 214k miles on her with a 2005 E500 that has 90k for $13k, 9 years ago, it was a $71k car. Someone else can eat the depreciation! Bought the BMW off Ebay 8 years ago and just took good care of her and she of me. I’m hopeful the strategy will be the same with the Mercedes at the end of this run, time will tell.
I say buy an older, nicer vehicle that is well cared for and ‘broken in’. Find a gem that was pampered and you’ll be in better shape in the long run I think. It definitely takes longer, because you need to run across the right car, but I think it’s worth the time invested.
I’m with you, Donald. I bought a gently used ’02 Lexus ES300 (consistently one of the best-ranked cars for reliability many years running in Consumer Reports) in ’07 for about $14,500. Sure, she had 68,000 miles on her when I bought her, but she’s been absolutely trouble-free and running strong, at 139,000 miles now (knock on wood). Original MSRP when she was new? $35,400.
What is the cost profile of repairing/replacing the 12 items to get Moose back up to snuff? I’ve got a 14 year old Toyota Tacoma with 100k miles and just dropped $4k on repair/replacement parts and didn’t bat an eye..because I know it will keep me driving another 5 years plus and I know the “previous owner” as opposed to going and buying something used from somebody else. Plus consider the cost of new in regards to insurance and yearly taxes as well as depreciation. Comes down to what you value…some people value the utility of a new car while others value the lower cost utility of something used with a little TLC..
Hi Sam,
I read all your posts and I am not a frequent commenter but couldn’t stand by on this one. I think you need to go with the Limited Evoque option. Make sure you get the wheels! It is obviously the one you’d be most happy with after reading all your previous posts on cars. The only thing I’d look into is maybe finding one maybe 2-3 years old to feel better about the price.
One thing I’m going to call you out on is to stop trying to rationalize/justify it. The problems you listed with your current car are so minor half are not even worth mentioning! Also, spending $1100 over 3 years is nothing compared to the cost of a new car. The clear choice FINANCIALLY is to just keep your car until it breaks down. But you love cars (as do I), and it will bring you some joy. I think you’ve waited long enough and it’s finally time to enjoy the fruits of your labor (stop feeling guilty). It will hardly make a dent in your financial situation. And I don’t care if it violates your damn 1/10 income rule. Hell, I think you made up the new net worth rule back a years ago just so you could justify buying a new car after you quit your job! You don’t need to rationalize, just realize that you’re dropping a significant amount of cash (for most people) on a car that you like and no financial harm is going to be done to you or anyone else by you driving it.
For save and fairly good gas milage suggest you look at the new 2015 Volvo xc60. The 4 wheel drive doesn’t have the new 4 cyl. w/turbo yet but is a very safe car and can be packaged with the newest active and passive safety features and currently be offered with 50,000 miles of maintenance and service.
I’m in a similar situation. Although not a Range Rover, I have a 10-year-old Ford escape. It only has 88,000 miles, but I’m getting tired of it. Maintenance wise, it’s been okay. But I did just replaced the two back tires, because the wires were coming through.
I looked at BMW X.3’s a few weeks ago. I’m surprised you even consider buying new. Especially when you can typically get nice cars off of the lease that are just 2-3 years old, with low miles.
I’m definitely considering buying a CPO, or a 3-5 year old car. I may pick up one of these cars in my post in 2-3 years if Moose can last that long. The Honda Fit in the picture is the older model, as the new 2015 is on backlog.
I think it’s b/c I have so much going on right now in my life with the move to a new house that I want to simplify and get a car w/ a warranty, and not have to go to the DMV etc. Maybe in a month I will slap my head silly thinking new. But at $20,000 for a new car… it’s pretty good value and worth never having to worry about problems at this stage in my life.
Sam,
Going through the same issues as you. Looked at a RRS and once the price hit 60k “out the door” they almost had to call an ambulance I was hyper ventilating so much. How can people throw down that kind of cash and not even care? I mean I see these every where. I can only assume that they must not have a high net worth because people that do know the real value of money. But I digress…
My picks:
Nissan Xterra about 30k new. Not super luxury but practical, stealth wealth and 4wd. Decent power and rugged. Old tech even in the new models. Can climb mountains though.
Lexus NX 200t. Lease (good rates) or buy. I haven’t been a big fan of Lexus either but I like the more aggressive look. Can get awd and has all the bells and whistles you would want like heated and cooled seats. Probably buy for a little over 40k. Disclaimer: not out yet. Due fall this year.
2015 Ford Edge Sport. Ford? Ehhh LEASE. The new one looks more aggressive and they are going more luxury now. Thicker glass, less noise and plenty of bells and whistles. The sport is 300hp and fun. Watch though like Porsche the options get pricy quick.
2005-2007 Audi S4. AWD, looks good and luxury but can be had under 20k or there about.
Bonus:
The one I’m leaning towards to but you won’t like is the 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8. I like the thought of driving around with some power. Gas mileage? Don’t ask. But ranks up there on the man scale. Climbs mountains with ease.
I was actually thinking about the 2014-2015 JEep Grand Cherokee Limited for about $38,000-$40,000. Those are sweet and much cheaper than the Evoques and Sports.
I used to have a Nissan Pathfinder from 1997. I loved the boxy look. Good luck on your purchase!
Since I drive a Toyota Prius C, I prefer the electric/hybrid, but on the cheaper side. I love the look of a Tesla, but it is way too expensive. I think a small inconspicuous car is best for the city. You can always rent a bigger car when you need one for those few times. Any woman who is turned off to a small inexpensive car is superficial anyway.
Looked at the Prius C. I’m kinda concerned up the safety of the car in a collision, which is why I’m concerned about the Fit.
have you considered a Subaru? Their hatchbacks are pretty spacious for going on trips up to Tahoe and they have all wheel drive. I know they are not great on gas millage but I would rather go with one of these than the SUV’s you mentioned or a small eco car. They fit the mold for a lot of scenarios. Good luck!
(PS before you buy a new car run your old one into the ground!)
After highlighting my 12 problems, I’m surprised nobody has yet commented that I’m close to running moose into the ground with potential safety issues.
That said, I’ve only got 130,000 miles on him.
2 more ideas:
-Audi S4 (AWD, good looks, fun to drive)
-BMW 328d wagon (AWD, 45 mpg, practical, looks good and still fun to drive).
S4 is nice. Gotta get second hand cuz kinda pricey.
Not into wagons yet.
FS, you just bought your ‘forever’ home that is perfect for a ‘family of three’. Buy your vehicle accordingly.
“Why do people park a $50,000 car in their driveway, and keep $500 worth of ‘stuff’ in their garage?” – George Carlin
Prius all the way, baby!
The Prius owners in SF all have a little bit of snooty bent to them for some reason. I’ll pass!
Couldn’t agree more with you Sam. I can’t picture you as a member of Modern Family. “Not that there’s anything wrong with that.” :)
There’s only one vehicle for you Sam…a Chevrolet TAHOE…
LOL, brilliant! I do like the way the beast looks… but it is a beast indeed!
Sam,
I’m not sure you will happy trying to climb San Francisco hills in a Honda Fit. But it is a very practical vehicle.
Since reliability is a concern, I would go with Toyota or Honda. Maybe one of their mid-size sedans or perhaps a crossover.
But…. It’s your money. Buy whatever makes you happy!
I’m pretty sure Hondas are well know for their reliability too Ace.
Actually….. I did mention Honda as reliable. I also like their luxury division: Acura. Showing up in an Acura might impress the ladies!
Anyway…. I’m pretty indifferent to automobiles in general. I just want a reliable appliance which transports me from point A to point B.
You might wish to run some numbers. Perhaps $3000 in repairs is a relatively good deal compared to car payments or the rapid depreciation of new car value (this is a personal finance site).
I do think the Honda Fit is a very practical city car. Cheap on gas and very easy to park!
Go with a compromise: something practical, relatively inexpensive, AWD, and fun to drive: Subaru WRX (or STi if you want to go all out).
I like the older WRXs… super fast too. But for some reason, the Subaru brand doesn’t call to me.