Hello - another question for the hackrs. It’s a crazy car market, and unfortunately I’m on a poor grad student budget so looking to minimize luxury/comfort for reliability and value
Both are around the same price: ~$16k, but the Mitsubishi comes with a 1 year limited powertrain warranty from Hertz
GMC pros: bigger car, can serve well for weekend trips around Norcal. 2x more horsepower at 300hp. According to the Carfax, it was maintained very regularly with service/oil changed at least 1x/year. Higher resale/trade in value than the Mitsubishi currently by ~$2-3k Mitsubishi pros: newer model year, great backup camera. nimble handling on local roads. 1 year limited warranty from Hertz (only powertrain and transmission)
GMC cons: 2016 model and slightly higher mileage. The tires probably need replacing soon. Could be more reliability issues given older model. Sluggish handling on local roads / car feels bigger than actual is. Dealer claims we don’t have a return period but according to CA law, buyers have 2 days to check with a mechanic for any issues and return for any mechanical fault. Mitsubishi cons: tiny/subcompact SUV. woefully underpowered that I feel uncomfortable driving on highway. It is a previous rental/fleet car and generally worried that Hertz did the bare minimum in terms of maintenance. Although the saleperson said Hertz regularly changes oil/maintains the car, the autocheck report shows only 1 oil change done since 2018 - so I’m not sure I can trust their word.
I realize extended warranties are dubious value but I am looking to get one for the peace of mind. 3rd party bumper to bumper coverage for 60k/5 years (whichever first) comes out to both ~$600-700/year for both vehicles (slightly higher for GMC). Comes out to $50-60/month which is not insignificant but protects against all high cost fix issues.
Please let me know if any thoughts and comments. Which one would you go with? Thank you for the help!
Why not get a brand new Toyota Corolla? They are reliable and hold their value. Not sure why you need an SUV unless you are hauling kids or need the extra space.
So, to summarize, you are a poor grad student but are comparing two very used ex-rental SUVs and then go on to list pros and cons that have everything to do with the luxury/comfort you claim to be minimizing. Oh, you must be fun to shop with.
I am always amused when I read that rental cars are abused by the renters. I have been renting cars for over 50 years and have never abused or misused one.
Perhaps when these comments are made I should read “I always beat the crap out of rental cars”?
I should have provide a little more context - my fiance is the poor grad student and this would be our second car. I’m her fiance who will be buying the car and having her pay me monthly installments at a 0% interest This one would be used as a point A to point B for a couple days a week for her work commute, so it really needs to just “work”. Plus points if we can use it on the weekends for longer road trips to save miles on my X5 rental, but not a core use for this new car.
I realize I picked probably the worst 2 options of the lot but with 5 year old / 100k mile CRVs and RAV4s going for $22k+ this seemed like the better option. Online searches have not yielded much in terms of value either.
We need the car for 1-2 years, monthly budget is around $300. That’s why we wanted to buy used and then sell it at the end to recoup some. Leasing in the current market seems like terrible timing.
It’s actually more for my sense of comfort. My fiance is an inexperienced driver and I’d want for her to have higher ground clearance.
LOL- it’s not been a fun search either. See above - not for me, for my fiance as a commuter car.
This is super intriguing. Is this a Nissan Frontier? Where can I find a dealer willing to do a 99% RV? The 18 month term is actually perfect for us.
Exactly - I always take care of rentals as I don’t want to be dinged in the end.
This one would be used as a point A to point B for a couple days a week for her work commute, so it really needs to just “work”. Plus points if we can use it on the weekends for longer road trips to save miles on my X5 rental, but not a core use for this new car.