The Car Search Begins

dooneybaby

dooneybaby

O.G.
Dec 12, 2008
3,102
5,173
#1
I'm the kind of person who gets way ahead of herself. I can't help it. It's part of my personality.
With that said, I've already begun the search for my next vehicle, even though my purchase target date isn't until June 2018. (Yes, I know.)

It has to be a small size SUV and 4WD, or AWD. I have to go to work even when there's a blizzard. I'd also like leather upholstery.

My first choices were either the Mercedes GLK350 or BMW X3, but my vehicle has to last me at least 150,000, and I hear that after 100,000 miles, BMWs encounter numerous electrical problems. And a Mercedes is very expensive to maintain as well.
So I started looking at the Volvo XC60, but I hear that's also expensive to maintain.

Even the Volkswagen Tiguan 4WD can become as expensive as a Mercedes or BMW, so why not just get the Mercedes or BMW or Volvo?

I have no clue as to what to get.
Any ideas? Anything else I should consider?
Or maybe the Mercedes and BMW aren't as much of a hassle to maintain as I think.
Please, help.
What SUVs are you guys happy with?
 
#3
Four years is a long time when it comes to cars. I guarantee you no matter what you decide today, in 2018 things will change and you will be turned on to something new. Just keep reading Consumer Reports and magazines like Car & Driver. They always have advanced notice of what the car companies are busy developing.
 
#5
dooneybaby said:
...My first choices were either the Mercedes GLK350 or BMW X3, but my vehicle has to last me at least 150,000, and I hear that after 100,000 miles, BMWs encounter numerous electrical problems. And a Mercedes is very expensive to maintain as well...

...I have no clue as to what to get.
Any ideas? Anything else I should consider?
Or maybe the Mercedes and BMW aren't as much of a hassle to maintain as I think.
Please, help.
Click to expand...
I have a 2008 Mercedes with 170,000kms (105,000mi) on it and I've done nothing to it, other than brakes (which set me back a nice $1725). No major repairs but it's had all of it's scheduled maintenance done at the dealership on time.

I am not a fan of SUVs but I know some people like them. Mostly because premium fuel here is $6.20/gal and it's not a cheap fill up, and as well, being a single woman, I don't need seating for seven people.

The new Mercedes GLA comes out this fall and I think it's kinda cute. It's small and is available with 4matic. I hear they'll be priced around $45K so not expensive.
Also, if you're looking for something a bit smaller, what about the BMW X1?
 
#6
I have BMW X3 and it perfect! It is the actual size, not too big but not small + its comfortable and fast! It doesnt spend so much gas, so I think for a long run it's quite worth buying it
 
#7
I have the volvo convertible C70, and while I love it, it is much more expensive to maintain than other cars, although I can't compare the maintence costs to luxury vehicles because I haven't had any. It's also very sensitive, the tires especially. If you go over a pot hole, (this has happened to me before & to someone else who has the same car), it can blow out your whole tire and I think one tire for me was over 500. Like everything that happens to all my friends' cars, when it happens to my car, it's like 3 x the cost. And it's not great on gas. For those reasons, I think when I pick out my next car, it will not be a volvo. However, the quality and the speakers are very good. Also volvos are very safe and most volvo keys have this thing on them--where if you lock yourself out of your car by accident you can push a button on the key and pull out & ultimately you can get back into your car without buying a new key fob or calling for assistance.
 
#9
dooneybaby said:
I'm the kind of person who gets way ahead of herself. I can't help it. It's part of my personality.
With that said, I've already begun the search for my next vehicle, even though my purchase target date isn't until June 2018. (Yes, I know.)

It has to be a small size SUV and 4WD, or AWD. I have to go to work even when there's a blizzard. I'd also like leather upholstery.

My first choices were either the Mercedes GLK350 or BMW X3, but my vehicle has to last me at least 150,000, and I hear that after 100,000 miles, BMWs encounter numerous electrical problems. And a Mercedes is very expensive to maintain as well.
So I started looking at the Volvo XC60, but I hear that's also expensive to maintain.

Even the Volkswagen Tiguan 4WD can become as expensive as a Mercedes or BMW, so why not just get the Mercedes or BMW or Volvo?

I have no clue as to what to get.
Any ideas? Anything else I should consider?
Or maybe the Mercedes and BMW aren't as much of a hassle to maintain as I think.
Please, help.
What SUVs are you guys happy with?
Click to expand...
4 years is a long time. idk if you are going to purchase new but if you are, you won't know reviews of those cars, cars can change a good bit between years sometimes. that being said i'm in a similar situation as you (except i'm looking for an awd car and looking to buy a car now). i've owned bmw, audi, & mercedes and i'm pretty fed up with the various problems with expensive fixes (i'm not even going to a dealer for fixes). i'm looking into infiniti & lexus.
 
#10
Anything German is going to be expensive to maintain. If you're worried about maintenance costs I'd recommend something non-European. I don't really think they're a hassle to maintain, you just have to understand going in that general maintenance is going to be more expensive than with other cars. Although it seems to me the maintenance costs of European cars are no longer far ahead of American or Asian luxury cars. The maintenance costs on a Lexus or a Cadillac are going to be expensive too. If you're worried about maintenance costs go non-luxury.
I have an X3 and I love it, but I haven't had it very long. My family has had good luck with BMWs though. X5 lasted well, traded it in, but it was still in good shape after 12 years, 100,000+ (don't remember exactly how many, it was probably close to 150,000 though) miles. The Audi Q5 was my second favorite small SUV when I went car shopping. It will also be expensive to maintain though. I would look at the new Porsche Macan. Look at the Cayenne as well. Again, they'll be expensive to maintain. The Lexus RX. I know a few people who really like theirs. The Cadillac SRX might also be worth looking at. My family is big on Cadillacs as well, but I don't think they're near as well made as they once were. I worry about it lasting 150,000 miles.
Things will have totally changed by 2018 though. For example, I never liked the X3, but they totally redesigned it the year I went car shopping and I loved it. By 2018 the SUV market might be totally different.
What are you driving now? Have you been pleased with it?
 
#13
V0N1B2 said:
I have a 2008 Mercedes with 170,000kms (105,000mi) on it and I've done nothing to it, other than brakes (which set me back a nice $1725). No major repairs but it's had all of it's scheduled maintenance done at the dealership on time.

I am not a fan of SUVs but I know some people like them. Mostly because premium fuel here is $6.20/gal and it's not a cheap fill up, and as well, being a single woman, I don't need seating for seven people.

The new Mercedes GLA comes out this fall and I think it's kinda cute. It's small and is available with 4matic. I hear they'll be priced around $45K so not expensive.
Also, if you're looking for something a bit smaller, what about the BMW X1?
Click to expand...
The BMW X1 is cute, but there's not enough cargo space.
 
#15
CuTe_ClAsSy said:
Anything German is going to be expensive to maintain. If you're worried about maintenance costs I'd recommend something non-European. I don't really think they're a hassle to maintain, you just have to understand going in that general maintenance is going to be more expensive than with other cars. Although it seems to me the maintenance costs of European cars are no longer far ahead of American or Asian luxury cars. The maintenance costs on a Lexus or a Cadillac are going to be expensive too. If you're worried about maintenance costs go non-luxury.
I have an X3 and I love it, but I haven't had it very long. My family has had good luck with BMWs though. X5 lasted well, traded it in, but it was still in good shape after 12 years, 100,000+ (don't remember exactly how many, it was probably close to 150,000 though) miles. The Audi Q5 was my second favorite small SUV when I went car shopping. It will also be expensive to maintain though. I would look at the new Porsche Macan. Look at the Cayenne as well. Again, they'll be expensive to maintain. The Lexus RX. I know a few people who really like theirs. The Cadillac SRX might also be worth looking at. My family is big on Cadillacs as well, but I don't think they're near as well made as they once were. I worry about it lasting 150,000 miles.
Things will have totally changed by 2018 though. For example, I never liked the X3, but they totally redesigned it the year I went car shopping and I loved it. By 2018 the SUV market might be totally different.
What are you driving now? Have you been pleased with it?
Click to expand...
I've been driving a Honda CR-V for about 11 years. I know I sound unrealistic, but I'd like to keep each car for 15 years. I'm planning what to purchase now, just in case my Honda doesn't last that long. I didn't want to spend too much on a vehicle because I live in the Washington-Metro area, and eventually someone is going to hit it. I'd go crazy if I were driving a Mercedes or BMW and someone smashed into it.
My Honda hasn't cost me anything this year, except for oil and filter changes. That's nothing. But for 2012 and 2013, I probably paid about $5,000 in repairs, such as replacing a catalytic converter, etc.
I'm also not used to having a car payment. Over the last 17 years, only two of those years have I had a car payment, and that was about $320 per month.
Even if I put down $20,000 to $25,000, I don't want my car payments to go over $350 per month.
 
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