buying my first new car...

[Aravyndra]

I'm looking to buy a new car because mine took a dump on me. (Litterally. It dumped a bunch of anti-freeze and I was told the head gasket is blown and not worth repairing.)

So I figured, I'm going to get myself a new car for once since I've never really owned a new car. (This last one was a 1999 Pontiac hand-me-down from my brother). My main requirements:

2010 or 2011
4/All wheel drive
30+ miles per gallon city and highway
leather seats (I have two dogs... one who sometimes gets an upset stomach on longer trips.)

That's the big stuff for me, as well as having a decent warranty.

Unfortunately, there are like 5 major dealerships within a 2 hour drive from where I live (3 in an hours drive). (our state was the most hardest hit by the government forcing dealerships to close.) So there is NO competition really.

I had it narrowed down to a 2011 Toyota Rav4 limited... but they were not budging price wise. (because there is no competition, they feel they don't need to wheel and deal cause options are limited.)

after figuring things out, the total price was $30,000... and the sales guy came down to $29,200. He also would take my other car as a trade in for $400. I basically told him I'd be looking around for a better deal and that coming down less than $1000 wasn't exactly impressive. Eventually he called me the next day and said he'd let it go for $27,400.

I found a Hyundai Santa Fe, 2011... AWD, leather seats, fully automatic, they are willing to sell for $26,400. The only thing would be that it wouldn't get as good of gas milage as the Rav4.

I told the Toyota salesman if he can match them, I'd get the car today. He basically tried to make it sound like it wasn't that great of a deal because Hyundai is crap... (even though my brother had one and loved it for many years...)

but he refused to come down that extra $1000 to make the sale.

So my main question is... should I just say too bad so sad for you and give the sale to Hyundai? Should I give a second look to Dodge (the only other major dealership I had kind of brushed off.)

or am I being too tough on Toyota and passing up on a good deal to get a 2011 Rav4 for $27,400?

[akboss1]

Don't let anybody tell you Hyundai is crap - we just picked up a 2011 Santa Fe and it has been flawless, we love every aspect of the vehicle. It's smooth, powerful, quiet, and the gas mileage is actually quite impressive - we average about 25 mpg. If you're thinking you will get 30+ with an AWD crossover, you're asking for a lot - if this is a priority, get a car.

We have friends who also own older Hyundai's, and even after years of driving none of them have reported even a single mechanical flaw - I don't even think many Toyota's can boast that these days with the recall mayhem.

The one area where you will notice a difference is resale - the Toyota will inherently be worth more at the end of the day when you go to turn it around, so keep that in mind. It doesn't have anything to do with the overall quality, it's the 'brand cachet' people invest in Toyota's. Overall though, because the Hyundai will cost you less, this is not a major stumbling block.

I'd tell the Toyota guy to stuff it and pick up the Hyundai. The competition from Dodge would be heavy on gas and the interior's don't stack up, so feel free to check them out but I imagine you will be underwhelmed.

Again, we have a Santa Fe and love it, so I have no problems recommending that vehicle.

[Ray paulsen]

Toyota has been on a high horse for years, but somehow the horse's shoe got stuck in the pedal,,, It's time for consumers to understand that brand names buying a car don't mean superior quality.

I will admit Hyundai was crap in the 90's, and the salesman telling you this, lol, is still stuck in the 90's, today the Hyundai with an excellent warrant is second to none. well almost.

I thnk the Santa Fe, is better value for bucks compared to a Rav, but explain to me " akboss " why do we see more " Escapes " on the road than Santa Fe or Rav's in our area ?

[akboss1]

Originally Posted by Ray paulsen

I thnk the Santa Fe, is better value for bucks compared to a Rav, but explain to me " akboss " why do we see more " Escapes " on the road than Santa Fe or Rav's in our area ?

There are lots of reasons people might choose an Escape over a Santa Fe, for the same reason someone might buy a Fusion over an Accord or Sonata. Some people just like dealing with domestic brands, they have owned Ford's for a long time and trust that name. Others don't have access to the dealer network for a lot of imports - Hyundai is still expanding, but their sales figures for this year show they are indeed growing by leaps and bounds. Ford also tends to offer heavy incentives, like the 'employee pricing' program, and putting cash on the hood always lures in a few cost-conscious buyers. And lastly, as you pointed out, there is a handful of people stuck in the 90's when a Hyundai Pony was the car on offer - a rattling, rusting, fumbling and ugly car.

Just look at the newly-released Sonata to see how far Hyundai has come. Because they are growing so fast and strong, they are investing huge money in new manufacturing plants - they have some of the most modern facilities on offer.

[Shpuker]

Originally Posted by Ray paulsen

Toyota has been on a high horse for years, but somehow the horse's shoe got stuck in the pedal,,, It's time for consumers to understand that brand names buying a car don't mean superior quality.

I will admit Hyundai was crap in the 90's, and the salesman telling you this, lol, is still stuck in the 90's, today the Hyundai with an excellent warrant is second to none. well almost.

I thnk the Santa Fe, is better value for bucks compared to a Rav, but explain to me " akboss " why do we see more " Escapes " on the road than Santa Fe or Rav's in our area ?

Advertising..... Hyundai still has a bit of a bad name and Ford does a good job of advertising

[akboss1]

Originally Posted by fivestarauto

What about a nice little peugeot 206 for a first car, pretty whippy cheap and affordable and well good enough for a first car.

They don't sell Peugeot's in North America...the equivalent might be a VW Golf?

[Talbot]

Id go with the Hyundai, they are really stepping up their game and are trying to compete with the german brands nowadays.

[Jamesfranklin]

This is a difficult task to judge which car you will buy for yourself. In this context no one can help you .You need to figure out of your own which type of cars are best in market on the basis of their style and your budget. Along this judge car on the basis of your comfort level.