Speaking of CT, I worked a project that required that I travel to western CT for a month at a time. I found that taking the train from BWI airport to New Haven and renting a car took the same or less time than flying from the same airport nonstop to Hartford and driving to the job site. Most of the time savings is early arrival at the airport. With the train, you pick up your ticket, step onto the platform, and wait for the train to arrive. Sometimes public transportation makes sense.
Looking for a vehicle has never been easier . The new car build your own web sites can give you a very accurate price and show you views and specifications. Sites like AutoTrader can give a good picture of what used cars in your area are priced at. Certified Pre-owned Cars are just that.
I will add there a lot of new vehicles in the market at the $20000 range and with low interest rates that would be my first choice.
That is assuming OP wants a new car and car payments
I did mention Auto trader and other such sites for used vehicles.
4 Dr sedans are not hot sellers now, I’d suggest shopping for a new Camry, Accord, Civic, or Corolla. Rav 4 and CRVs are hot now, hence deals won’t be as good. A new sedan could work now and handle the 1st child when the time comes.
JD Powers gave a winning nod to the 2012 chevy malibu, could fit the price range nicely. Any used car get it inspected by a mechanic!
@UncleTurbo “4Dr sedans are not hot sellers now”
Please explain this
Camry and Accord have always been good sellers, as far as I know
Used Camry or Accord. No brainier cars for longevity and economy in four cylinder form. $15000 will get you one just a few years old and less then 50 k miles. You are then good for another trouble free 100k . There are so many used out there, you have a great shot at getting a really good one. SPend THE FULL $15k on these cars, you will save money on repairs in the long run. These are safe choices for reliability, economy and comfort on extended trips, Check consumer reports.
dagosa nailed it. I was reading the original post and the first thing that popped in my head was a 2011 or 2012 Camry or Accord with 35 to 60k on the odometer. $15,000 is spot on for these excellent, roomy, reliable, (boring), and trouble free cars.
@db4690 - the current best selling cars are small SUV’s, then PU’s, then large SUV’s due to moderate gas prices. Prius, Camry, Accord’s are not selling that well, and this has been reported on AP and other news articles.
@UncleTurbo If/when gas prices are no longer “moderate” . . . that will change
I’ve seen it happen time and time and time and time and time and time again . . .
I clearly remember about 15 years ago, when gas prices were extremely low, people were ditching their small and mid-sized cars, in favor of suburbans and excursions
Even petite women that were uncomfortable driving big vehicles
Then, a little while later, when prices were not low, they were CRYING about the cost of refueling their vehicles, and wanted me to feel sorry for them, and their mistake(s)
Some of these same people that got rid of their small cars were asking me if I’d sell them my Corolla
Some of the very people that literally called me a LOSER for driving such a car, and were literally laughing in my face and pointing fingers at me
I looked them straight in the eye(s) and told them " . . . . you. You were laughing at me just awhile ago, and now you realize I was right. I wouldn’t sell my car to you at any price. . . . . off"
I’m sure we all know what words we can use to fill in the blanks
While I was comfortably getting 37mpg, they were crying at every fill-up
I’ll say one thing . . . if I buy a truck, I’m keeping my car. And I won’t be complaining about the cost to fill up. Because I’ll research the truck’s fuel economy before buying. And because I know that fuel prices will . . . in all likelihood . . . go up, and perhaps dramatically
