Help Me Choose a New (Used) Car

[Birddog1911]

Okay, sorry. But I'd never buy a vehicle off of craigslist. Just too many shady folks out there.

[michael_aos]

I'm curious about the Ridgeline.

My wife drives a 2002 Accord and we love it. Eventually I think I'd lime to trade my '99 Discovery Series I for a pickup truck.

[michael_aos]

The only vehicle I've purchased off Craigslist was a 2004 Chevy Astro cargo van.

Had to replace the fuel-pump very shortly after I bought it. Pretty sure the previous owner suspected it was failing.

Been rock-solid otherwise.

[BigMat]

I'm curious about the Ridgeline.

My wife drives a 2002 Accord and we love it. Eventually I think I'd lime to trade my '99 Discovery Series I for a pickup truck.

Get a Ridgeline, even my wife wants one now. Sorry tacoma owners, but they keep up off road and have front wheel drive, and cost a ton less! damn near a perfect truck in my opinion unless you need a serious full size truck, they just don't have the bed for it. I have no complaints and have had no issues.

[jmg8550]

I hate rangers...They suck. Tacoma for the win.

Likewise

[michael_aos]

Tacoma for the win.

Although I've never driven one, I've always thought the Tacoma was pretty awesome. Admired them from afar.

On paper though, they aren't that impressive. Gas mileage kinda sucks, and the motor is really dated.

I keep thinking if I were to buy a new pickup (which isn't realistic for me, but for arguments sake) I'd have to look at the all-new 2011 Ford F150.

[theGinsue]

I learned a very important lesson with a '90 4Runner. I will never buy another "All New" anything again.

In Aug '95 the main seal failed while it was sitting in my carport - huge pool of oil under the truck; two weeks later a power window acuator died. In Oct '95, a week after getting to CO, the Starter failed - a week later the parking break cable broke. In Dec '95 (two days before Christmas) the head gasket blew and although I pulled over and stopped the engine immediately, it fried the engine bad. Over the next 6 months I had another 5k+ worth of issues. Lucky for my I was "dumb" (according to my friends) enough to have bought an awesome extended warranty which covered everything except about $500 (even the rental and tows) - but NOT my time. All of this with less than 60k miles on the thing and well cared for.

I didn't find out (it was by accident) until '97 that Toyota had known since '92 about the weakness with the head gasket. They just refused to do anything about it. It was the first year of an "All New" Toyota 4Runner.

After that experience, I've had enough "All New" to last me a lifetime. If I ever buy another used car again, I'll wait until the major features on the vehicle are a couple of years old.

[michael_aos]

I"All New"

Definitely valid points.

The "all new" F150 motor was introduced in the F250 last-year, so it's had a little time to gel.
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[theGinsue]

Ah, now that's a horse of a different color.

get it...horse..horse-power....get it?

[Irving]

I'm sorry BigMat, but I'm extremely skeptical about your claims that a Honda Ridgeline is the equal to any truck that is 4WD with a center locking diff off road. I believe that you were able to go there with the Ridgeline, but it must have been a pretty manageable trail. No hate from Honda either from me.