I am moving this August to Colorado, and am going to be a university student. I am looking for a car that is reliable and affordable, and easy to drive. I am not looking to lease, I am looking to finance. I have perfect credit. Tips or suggestions?
Genuine questions: what do you consider “affordable?” What do you consider “easy to drive?” And, even if you have perfect credit, do you have much of a credit history?
By affordable, I mean something that is less than 30k. This will be my first time living somewhere where there is snow, so by “easy to drive” I mean something that can handle well in the snow as well without feeling heavy or intimidating. And I have a lot of credit history and all that, credit will not be an issue for me.
I have lived in the Denver Metro area for 15 years and even drove an ND Miata with winter tires one year for my 60 mile daily commute. That being said, if you are new to the area and want peace of mind, get a car with the following:
- AWD is not a must but it helps, plus it makes a difference in resale value especially here in CO
- Tires will make the biggest difference in inclement weather, get a set of winter tires and use them from October to April
- Similar to the AWD comment above, elevated ride height is not a must but it helps when there is snow/ice on the road and we get large potholes at the end of winter. So get an SUV/CUV (preferably with smaller wheels), it also helps with the resale value
- Look for finance deals offered directly by the manufacturer, something like 0.9% or 1.9% financing deal for 60 months
I know you said you do not want to lease, but hear me out. Denver Metro is prone to have frequent hail between May and August. Once your car has the hail damage in its carfax, it will lose a good chunk on resale value. If you lease, that drop in value is not your problem. If you finance and purchase the car, you will be on the hook for that loss of value from the inevitable hail damage.
If you don’t mind the slow acceleration, perhaps look at a Subaru Crosstrek?
I think @moodyhank makes some compelling reasons to consider leasing.
either a Mazda or a Subaru is in your future
Thanks for the tips, really helpful.
Is there any models in particular you could recommend?
Most vehicles from the same manufacturer share the same DNA and common feel, so in deciding which model, it really depends on what size (small, medium, or large) and form factor (sedan, hatchback, or SUV) you want and whether you can afford it.
Subaru has low APR financing on the Outback, which isn’t selling as well as they imagined. Probably a good finance option if you keep it long-term.
It depends, if you are set on purchasing new (as opposed to leasing) I would probably buy a hybrid Toyota for the resale and reliability though at $30k or below base Corolla Cross is probably your only option. If leasing is an option Mazda tends to lease well and they make good cars for a mainstream brand. In fact a light used CX-5 could be a great option too if you are looking to buy used. Subaru is very popular here so deals tend to be worse than rest of the country since the dealers know the next guy walking in will likely buy the car. I just picked up a cheap GLB loaner for a family member so that is a lease option too.