# Help: choosing wife's next car **URL:** \ **Category:** Buying/Selling\ **Created:** [September 3, 2016, 4:35am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-choosing-wifes-next-car/95238 "2016-09-03T04:35:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![steveng](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@steveng](https://community.cartalk.com/u/steveng)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2016, 11:16am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-choosing-wifes-next-car/95238/21 "2016-09-06T11:16:06Z")
Good look with the BMW, did you get the range extender? Also, I don’t find it silly to ask people here about finding a car for your wife. Sometimes other people see things differently and offer their experiences and help you rule out something. ---
**Author:** ![bcompton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@bcompton](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bcompton)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2016, 11:58am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-choosing-wifes-next-car/95238/22 "2016-09-06T11:58:14Z")
Thanks Steve! No our I3 does not have the range extender. Primary attraction for us of an electric vehicle is the substantial simplicity ( virtually no maintenance, far fewer things to break or leak, etc.) over vehicle with a gasoline engine. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2016, 12:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-choosing-wifes-next-car/95238/23 "2016-09-06T12:47:49Z")
Last year, I had a brief conversation with an elderly couple who had bought an I3, and they said that they love it! ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2016, 5:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-choosing-wifes-next-car/95238/24 "2016-09-06T17:20:07Z")
This thread just confirms my feeling that asking total strangers on an internet forum what vehicle to purchase is silly. I wonder how long this discussion could have gone on before someone recommended a BMW I3. ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2016, 5:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-choosing-wifes-next-car/95238/25 "2016-09-06T17:46:23Z")
Well, we don’t have much to go on. OP wants a $40k or less new or used car with “personality” and a nice ride, and probably 4-door because of the kid. They want it to not look anything like most other cars on the road, which rules out… well… Most other cars. Cars that do look different such as the Mini have already been rejected. OK. Maserati. You can get a Quatroporte with around 50k miles for just under 40k. If you’re not worried about maintenance costs, you won’t find much more personality in a 4-door. Porsche Panamera. You can get a 5-year old one for just under 40, they look like nothing else out there, and are very well built. Good ride. Fast. 4 door. Probably a little lighter on the wallet than the Maserati in the maintenance department, but they’re still gonna cost more than a Honda to keep on the road. But Hondas look like other sedans, so… Assuming OP is not concerned about higher maintenance costs (in which case, to adapt an old racing saying, "personality, reliability, affordability; pick 2) they’re going to need to look toward more exotic vehicles to satisfy what they say they want. ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2016, 7:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-choosing-wifes-next-car/95238/26 "2016-09-06T19:01:51Z")
The OP says they have purchased a vehicle. ---
**Author:** ![Dusenberg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/54ee81/32.png) [@Dusenberg](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Dusenberg)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 2:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-choosing-wifes-next-car/95238/27 "2016-09-10T14:43:12Z")
Hey, Subaru Outback or Subaru of similar line. Just to let you know, I’ve taken an Outback in undriven snow and accelerated, it’s four wheel drive didn’t slip at all, couldn’t get the tires to spin. Excellent all wheel drive design, decent looks, reliability, these cars have more to offer than most. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 2:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-choosing-wifes-next-car/95238/28 "2016-09-10T14:46:52Z")
You’re a little late to the party, Dusenberg. Four days ago, the OP posted the following: > [@bcompton](#): > > We wound up buying the I 3. It looks like it will be good for a child car seat. Of course range limitation is the big variable for electric cars but this one seems like it will be OK - time will tell. When battery capacity is not a constraining factor this thing is the most fun to drive car I have ever tried. When you drop the pedal it feels like someone lit a rocket behind the car! And never buying another gallon of gas for it is pretty great. Thanks everyone for the great helpful suggestions. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 3:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-choosing-wifes-next-car/95238/29 "2016-09-10T15:05:43Z")
Miata. And if she gets mad at you, I did not say that. 😜 ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2017, 1:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-choosing-wifes-next-car/95238/31 "2017-02-15T13:55:05Z")
The people who started this thread have already purchased a vehicle 5 months ago. That means we are done here. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2017, 2:52am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-choosing-wifes-next-car/95238/32 "2017-02-16T02:52:09Z")
Go to the car show in March if she hasn’t already bought something but I’d bet she would favor a VW and they are pretty smooth riding. ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2017, 4:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-choosing-wifes-next-car/95238/33 "2017-02-16T04:08:16Z")
I am going to try this one more time. They bought a BMW i3 in sept. 2016. 😈 ---
**Author:** ![galant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/77aa72/32.png) [@galant](https://community.cartalk.com/u/galant)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2017, 6:02am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-choosing-wifes-next-car/95238/34 "2017-02-16T06:02:31Z")
I think the suggestion are for their next car; after the i3 is all used up! ---
**Author:** ![Dusenberg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/54ee81/32.png) [@Dusenberg](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Dusenberg)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2017, 11:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-choosing-wifes-next-car/95238/35 "2017-05-16T23:47:07Z")
Thanks for the update. [Previous page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-choosing-wifes-next-car/95238.md?page=1)