Advice on a "forever car" under $30K?

[Anonymous]

The only type of vehicle that I'd consider a forever car is a pickup truck.

[Anonymous]

Subaru Forester or the Outback if you want more space inside. I know a number of people who drive their Subarus for years and years with only regular maintenance needed. I can count off the top of my head at least five people in my neighborhood who are driving Subarus that are at least eight years old and two different guys I see driving Outbacks that are 14 or 15 years old. And then, of course, a number of people with newer Foresters and Outbacks.

You can’t go wrong with a Subaru if you’re looking for reliability, in my experience.

[Anonymous]

I'd get a CRV, Forestor/Outback or a RAV-4. All should be about $25k. Go test drive them and see which one you like best.

They are all great cars that will last you a very long time. Especially if you don't use it all that much!

[Anonymous]

I don't trust Toyota, before you consider it google the Toyota breaking problems recalls.
I vote for Honda for reliability and Subaru for this and comfort and more fun. Nisan is also good size have pretty good reputation.





Whichever brand you decide, I would put a big weight on interior size. If you are buying forever car, you need something that kids can grow into adult bodies in so you need a lot of room. Don't buy a small car that fits now because once you will have teens, it will be a nightmare.

[Anonymous]

Nissan's reputation has cratered over the past decade and no longer considered a reliable car. Toyota is still king of that hill, followed by Honda. Where Toyota had had problems (see rust on frames in the Tacoma) they extended the warranty and offered full frame replacements

[Anonymous]

Tiguan

[Anonymous]

OP, if you're interested in a Civic, also drive the Mazda 3. Great car.

[Anonymous]

Not sure of the cost these days, but my TSX has been great. We do annual 2 week road trips over 1200 miles (usually me and 2 kids, sometimes my spouse). sometimes our trip include camping. I haven't used a roof rack or anything. Mine is 15 years old.

[Anonymous]

Used Audi allroad. Reliable, elegant, cheap, good fuel economy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Used Audi allroad. Reliable, elegant, cheap, good fuel economy.

R u joking? Notorious for expensive maintenance. You must be the troll that said Tiguan.

[Anonymous]

What about Hyundai or Kia? I’ve rented and liked driving them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:no one has yet mentioned the Mazda CX5, but it also meets your needs and is a great car. We're 9 years into our first Mazda and have never needed anything beyond routine maintenance. It's fabulous.

I bought used Mazda3 and have driven it 11 years with no problems. I really want a new car but Mazda is not dying.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn’t get a Toyota nowadays. I witnessed an accident where the Prius airbags failed to inflate. Turns out there is a recall on Priuses and other Toyotas for that, and another one for them repeatedly stalling. I won’t compromise my family’s safety.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Subaru Forester or the Outback if you want more space inside. I know a number of people who drive their Subarus for years and years with only regular maintenance needed. I can count off the top of my head at least five people in my neighborhood who are driving Subarus that are at least eight years old and two different guys I see driving Outbacks that are 14 or 15 years old. And then, of course, a number of people with newer Foresters and Outbacks.

You can’t go wrong with a Subaru if you’re looking for reliability, in my experience.

The older Subarus were much more reliable. We have had three of them and the 2015 has had to be taken in three times for repairs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:RAV 4 or CRV. In the burbs there is more of car pooling with kids though so many find even a smallish 3rd row space is worth having. We went from small wagon (just us 4) to...minivan. Room for kids and theit sports stuff.

+1 Meh. Depends on your family. We don't usually car pool with more than 1 extra kid, so the CRV has been fine for us. I don't envision myself driving a mini-van full of lacrosse players.