Why I don't mind really cheap new cars.

[SteveSS]

I not saying I don't like $75K+ muscle cars, I do. I just don't mind cheap cars. Hard plastic interiors? A favorite nit pic of car reviewers. Bring it on, doesn't bother my driving experience in the least. Underpowered? Give me a manual transmission, I'll still have fun winding it up to redline at every shift and dumping the clutch at every start. Cornering? Nothing more exciting than cornering in a cheap car and hanging it out on the edge of its abilities. Now uncomfortable seats on a long trip might bug me but around town driving, no problem. No rear camera or huge infotainment screen? So what? I've been driving old cars forever.

For those of us who enjoy older cars driving is fun and the challenge of their lack of sophistication is part of the enjoyment. Have you ever knocked around in an old truck? It's fun. I understand if you're trying to impress women and you show up for your date in a Mitsubishi Mirage she's not going to be impressed but women are funny. They're more impressed by a clean car than a new muscle car. Note: There were no real cheap American cars.

2023 Mitsubishi Mirage ES​

Price: $17,650 (including $1,095 destination)
Combined fuel economy: 39 mpg

 

[68BabyBlue]

I've gone a step beyond - I drove cheap used economy cars for decades, as cheap as my wife would tolerate. In recent years, I've driven her hand me downs, and as a result now drive a Lexus. Current one is 21 years old, we bought it in 2011 for $11,000. The money saved payed for my GTX collection.

 

[cr8crshr]

Well, I guess you get what you pay for then...cr8crshr/Bill

 

[SteveSS]

Sometimes you do sometimes you don't. When I worked as a product designer we would doll up the base model so the client could charge customers more for it with a fancier brand name. I won't say who it was but it was a well-known global company.

Ultra-luxury cars that lose 90% in a few years? Are you going to buy a new Maserati knowing it's a POS that will be next to worthless in a few years? Paying more is not always getting more.

Authorized Maserati Dealer

​

New 2024 Maserati GranTurismo Modena AWD​

$161,965​

MSRP $181,965
Willow Grove, PA
(267) 692-8641
Request Info

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https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/new/n...rceContext=NEW#listing=365318421/NONE/DEFAULT

 

[#41]

I've gone a step beyond - I drove cheap used economy cars for decades, as cheap as my wife would tolerate. In recent years, I've driven her hand me downs, and as a result now drive a Lexus. Current one is 21 years old, we bought it in 2011 for $11,000. The money saved payed for my GTX collection.

Up until recently, the average cost of my daily driver 4+ decades has been under $500. I blew that outta the water having purchased a 21 Ram this month (the premium cost of aging, I guess).

In this State, every time you buy a vehicle new or used, you pay about 10% sales tax on the purchase price or estimated value of the car. You go broke if you drive anything that's not cheap.

 

[mmissile]

I'm tired of spending 100K on an old piece of junk, that requires constant upkeep, terrible fuel mileage, no creature comforts, etc...
I bought 2 new cars this year, and love them both. This was due to having put a 6.4 and Nag1 into my mom's old car. With the handling and braking upgrades...it was just lacking in comfort. I fixed that. I'll keep my Duster project, but will broom all the old junk, now. Already sold 2, 2 to go.

 

[YY1]

2015 Renegade latitude 2WD 1.4 turbo six speed manual.

MSRP $21,995.

I paid 15K at 2.5 years old with 30K miles.

Just turned over 100K.

Biggest issue so far- non critical sensors failing.

Super fun to drive. 6750 RPM redline.
Seats 4 in comfort.
Sounds like a Ferrari.
Handles pretty good for a tall, square car.
Good power and torque for the weight.
Pulls a trailer. (I've pulled my Dakota with it once)
34 MPG average in that 70K miles.

 

[threewood]

I prefer old cars to anything new. I have a 2023 Yukon at work (5.3l with cylinder deactivation) and the best mileage it has ever seen is 13 mpg. It sucks. My 62 Belvedere with 318 Poly gets 16 mpg and is everything I need. No electronic bs to fail, no multiple ECUs to fail. Just simplistic, rudimentary reliability.

 

[Detective D]

Most expensive car I ever bought was my "order it" brand new '13 AWD Hemi Charger. All said out the door it was 28k. After trade it was 24k.
Yes, I paid 28k for a brand new hemi AWD Charger, it was 10 years ago. Now lookie what they run, without the AWD. Thanks Obama.
I have 78k miles on it now. I used it for commuting but in recent years it was the winter vehicle and this year it is ceding that to the Dakota. I intend to keep miles low so when the cash for clunkers 2 electric boogaloo happens probably next year or early '25 and used prices go insane, I can cash in. If somehow logic rules the day and the current state of EV stuff backs down, I will still have my nice low milage car, so I don't see a downside.

Otherwise in second and third place were the Expedition I bought that was traded in years later for the Charger at 10k and the '02 8.1/Allison 2500HD I bought from my mechanic at 9k. I have the 2500 yet, it is the tow rig. 118k miles on it.

My daily commuter Dakota I paid $1000 for(53k miles) at an estate sale. I am up to 55k miles now.

I find people buying even these "cheap" new cars silly. I get it, some one has to buy a new car or there are no used ones right? But the price tags on new stuff now days is plainly absurd.