I have a 2013 Kia Forte EX. It’s got 130k miles on it, and I bought it 5 years ago with all maintenance records provided, and I have taken my 15 years of lessons from Car Talk and done all my maintenance.
I know there may be some strategic elements about price hikes and so on, but I’m asking this more from a mechanical point of view, I think.
As we speak, the car is at the shop because I am yet again for the second time in a year having clunking over even the smallest bumps. I’m not looking at my receipts right now but I know there were ball joint replacement and control arm replacement last year. I think I’m forgetting the other stuff.
Anyway, what I have been trying to decide is whether it makes more sense to have a car that can withstand the awful roads in Vermont and northern New Hampshire. I’m careful about potholes, but road maintenance is marginal at best here and a lot of people live on dirt roads.
I love not having a car payment, but I’m also wondering if I should begin budgeting even more robustly for frequent suspension repair or look at a different car that is constructed more for bumpier terrain. I did some browsing of some newer cars that were a bit higher off the ground, but the specs regarding suspension seemed to be written in numerical terms. I don’t know what that translates to in real life. For instance, are crossovers any different, or are they just SUVs on a car base that isn’t much different from a regular old car? Is it a trim line issue?
There are no repairs on a 12 year old car, only maintenance. Once the suspension issues are sorted, it should be OK for a while. The mechanical parts aren’t the most expensive part though. What is the body condition? If rust is starting to bloom through the paint, it is likely time to move on.
Given the miles on the car and the roads you must travel, I’d guess the front strut mounts have deteriorated. Bad strut mounts tend to make a noise we called “loose lumber” because it sounds like a pile of 2x4 lumber bouncing around in the front or rear. A pair of “quick struts” which include the strut, springs, mounts and small bits as an easy to install unit might be needed about now. RockAuto has several brands listed under $100 each.
The rear shock is less than $30 and is a simple design not likely to make noise but if you are doing the fronts, might as well the rears.
Another clunk can come from the stabilizer bar end links. Also cheap and easy to replace… but I’d guess they have been replaced already.
This all assumes the car is still solid. Rust is a big problem in the northeast. A 12 year old car is well into the point of structural rust being a concern. Structural rust can send a car to the recycling bin. If your mechanic can poke a small screwdriver through any part of the underside, you are getting close to the scrap yard. It might be a good idea to sell the car while it is still serviceable to someone needing car for a couple of years.
As for a newer car… Small SUVs are, indeed, generally based on sedan platforms. They are lifted a bit for clearance so they can take rougher roads. There are changes that make them somewhat capable of driving off-road and they offer optional all-wheel-drive. I like sedans myself and would drive one if I still lived in Ohio with its bad roads and rust.
I second the repairs that were already mentioned, but I want to add some advice…
if and when you decide to buy a new(er) vehicle. If I was dealing with a lot of bad roads on a regular basis, I would probably buy a compact pickup truck. Some examples would be Ford’s Ranger & Maverick, the Honda Ridgeline, and the Toyota Tacoma.
VDCdriver makes a good point, some of the roads around me are being widened and the roads are absolutely terrible to the point people are slowing to a crawl over parts of them, with my daughters back issues (twin 11" rods in her back) she is having very bad pain, and all the cars she has ridden in makes her back hurt going down that one road but my Tacoma just really smooths them out and she loves the way it rides, when I test drove the Tacoma’s, I found the 4wd was even smoother than my rwd, and these Tacoma’s are about bullet prof and have a cult following for off roaders, so they are built for your roads…
As for cars, Subarus have a lot of ground clearance and AWD might be useful in northern NH and VT. Even though many guys around here have poo-pooed buying a used Subie, a thorough prepurchase inspection should help avoid a bad decision. Carolyn knows that, of course. The selection in the Boston metro area, including Manchester, should be a lot better than up north.
+1
Subarus are so popular in New England that it shouldn’t be difficult to find an indy shop that is very familiar with that marque. Yes, Subaru did once have a reputation for head gasket problems after 100k miles or so, but that situation was resolved by the 2012-2013 model year.
AFAIAC, the only big red flag when buying a used Subaru manufactured after 2012/2013 would be mismatched tires, as that would damage the center viscous coupler.
Hi everybody. Yes, thank you, @jtsanders. Maintenance!
Thanks for all your thoughts. Ding ding ding - both sway bar links and a ball joint were today’s replacement. It wasn’t too bad from a cost standpoint.
@mustangman brought it up and I hadn’t mentioned I had creeping dread about rust. New Hampshire is a high salt state, Vermont has limits. Shop said there is a number of “tender spots” and in about a year I would have to start having work done, but I know you can’t outrun rust.
I don’t think my tires are low profile, @TheWonderful90s. 205/55 R 16. I have winter tires for about half the year. Are you asking because you’re saying that affects suspension?
I do like having a sedan, but side note that. when my coworker drove me to work today I was in her tundra (way bigger than I need) and it was a nice riding experience.
So for now I think I will start looking for another car and try to find a buyer who would like a well maintained car with all its records for the rest of its viable life.
Hello Carolyn. Sent you a longer message via Slack, but I favor the Subaru Crosstrek, Forester, and Outback Wilderness series. They are hugely popular in our area of NH for their beefy suspensions and practical tire sizes. I have a Ford Bronco Sport Badlands which is similar, but I warn folks the Ford is not the equal to the Subies in terms of general reliability. It was nice of Volvo to think of me. If you end up shopping new, phone a bunch of dealers and see if any have leftover new 2024s. My dad just scored a deal on a Crosstrek Wilderness last month. Good luck!
Carolyn , vehicle choice is a personal matter but since you have time to make a decision here are 2 vehicles that I like for your situation. Chevrolet Trax and the Kia Soul.
@VOLVO-V70 yes, it’s very particular to the individual. I appreciate the ideas to narrow down to a pool of vehicles that might be better under these circumstances and then test around in that set.
If I’m going to recommend a vehicle for you or anyone else in this situation, I’d point you to a 2017 Toyota rav4. I see some with 80k miles going for 15,000 dollars.
They are built to last a lifetime. I have a 2021 with almost 70k miles on it. Zero issues since owning it. I don’t even ask question here about it because the thing just never gets sick.
It is mostly driven in NYC for my doctor appointments, and the roads in NYC are horrible!
I like to buy things that are durable and reliable. It gives a peace of mind.
