Has anyone here had much experience with Hyundai or a hybrid that isn’t a a Prius?
I would buy no used hybrid other than a Toyota. Other makes have not had the reliability that Toyota hybrids have shown. And I’d only buy a used Toyota hybrid if my driving was a good fit, with more in-town stop and go driving, and a good number of miles/year, say 10,000 or more. In your price range I’d rather look at non-hybrids, non-AWD, and non-European cars.
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Hyundai / KIA drivetrain warranty is very generous, but only to the first vehicle owner and is not transferable beyond the base part of it.
I will second @texases advise not to consider hybrids other than Toyota and to consider how much you drive, as for hybrid to last it has to be driven regularly and cover some decent distance to properly maintain the battery.
My own experience with Honda hybrid (new!) is not very good, but not even with hybrid itself, the brand in general declined in reliability a lot.
As for Toyota vehicle versus VW GTI - if you compared against some older Toyota, you might reconsider as over the last generation or two they improved their “perceived agility” a lot.
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I agree,the 2020 Corolla handle way better than previous generations and is also available as an hybrid.
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A bit bigger, but the Camry SE (the ‘sportier’ version of the Camry) has decent handling and great reliability. Edmunds liked the 2018 they tested.
I test-drove 2019 Camry SE and LE and it was surprisingly nimble for the size class.
SE was too stiff to my liking, which was understandable given tiny pieces of rubber they call “tires”.
LE was OK-ish for the most of what I needed.
If I only did not select Honda Accord, I would happily motor on, rather than got stuck in litigation and waiting to replace it… likely to Camry.
I’ve had good luck with Autotrader.com. Put in your zip code, a search radius, maximum mileage, price, etc. Here in the St. Louis area, there are dealers that will bring a vehicle to your home for a test drive. A quick search just now turned up dozens of possibilities.
Thank you all for your replies. I’ll see how new of a Toyota I can afford.
I do not think the drive adds any virus risk, if you are going to meet an individual seller I see no difference if you drive 2.5 hours or 10 minutes.
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I suppose you’re right. If don’t give myself the option to spend the night, pack food and water. Even so, I’ll still need to fill my tank, test drive the car, bring it to a mechanic and maybe pee at some point😊
That said, I see your point. If I bought locally and didn’t use a no contact option like Carvana, than I would still need to test drive the car and go to the mechanic. I just wouldn’t need to stop for gas or risk spending the night somewhere if I ran into any delays.
Thanks.
Thank you. I just checked out their site again. I haven’t found very many options, but I’ll just keep checking and maybe something will come up.
I’ve also been checking Facebook, Carvana, and CarGurus.
Mostly, I’m finding options that have pretty high mileage, are too expensive, are pending or are “coming soon” and the details aren’t listed. I’ve been looking since April, so sooner or later maybe I’ll find a good fit.
@Barkydog - did you see this? And my recommendation is to postpone buying completely to reduce exposure.
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Just saying meeting with someone after a 2.5 hour drive or 10 minute drive is the same exposure risk, sure throw in a bathroom break and gas fill, could be a potential threat, but controllable. Not sure what ME is.
It’s a form of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, which can be truly debilitating.
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Stay away from a used VW. I bought a new 2015 GTI and dumped it with 14,000 on it. I had a lot of problems with mine and the 15’s did have problems.
My aunt lived with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome for the last 20 years of her life, had energy for a certain period of time and then had to rest for a few hours. Lived with us for a year or so when she was first diagnosed. She enjoyed her 1988 Honda Crx HF until the rear half of the car was mostly rust and replaced it with a bright red Toyota Matrix.
I’m in favor of the GTI but i wonder if the seller couldn’t meet them somewhere half-way. A friend has bought several cars on Craigslist over the years and meets the seller in a public spot right off the freeway.
I hadn’t read about that. Do you recommend any sites to learn about known issues? (not recalls, but for example, the things that happened to your car.)
carcomplaints.com and consumer reports.
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Thank you. I’m very sorry to hear about your aunt, I hope that she was able to enjoy her life as much as she could. I’m not sure how old she was when it began for her, but mine started in childhood, so I can relate to knowing what it’s like for two decades. I hope that she lived as fully as she could and found joy within her limitations. (Something I have yet to perfect! I think that’s why I like the GTI, it has the energy that my body lacks and makes driving more enjoyable.)
I haven’t looked into the Toyota Matrix, but I will.
It’s nice to hear that someone else is in favor of the GTI.
I’ll also consider asking the family if they could meet me slightly closer to my house- that’s a great point. They have two young kids so I didn’t want to put them out too much, especially if I decide not to buy their car.
Thank you again.
I’m not at a price point to buy a 2020 Toyota unless I wait until about 2025. But, maybe an older Toyota? It seems like most folks on the thread favor Toyota.