Repair-It

I am hoping to replace my wife's Kia Rondo within the next couple years before it hits 100k and hopefully before I have to do any real maintenance or repairs (I can already hear Kevin sighing). Replacing this car isn't going to be the most exciting purchase process I have been through. One of the only things I like about the Rondo is that it actually offers some level of utility thanks to it being a small, tall wagon. It would be nice to retain some of this utility in the replacement vehicle, but not 100% necessary. I would also like to get something more fuel efficient for my wife's in town commute. Getting mid to high teens is kind of depressing. A few options I can think of off the top of my head:

Mazda CX-5 This is probably the driver's car of the bunch, which isn't saying much. Being a Mazda means the resale will be less than great, so there should be some deals in the used market. Fuel economy with the Skyactiv engine should be good.

Honda CR-V This is what my wife originally wanted when she bought the Rondo. Had she bought this, I probably wouldn't even have car shopping on the horizon now. Honda resale may make this less appealing in the used market.

Ford C-Max Despite all the mileage disappointment, I still feel like this is a decent vehicle underneath it all. I am hoping the resale on these is not great, although it's too early to say. Even if it only gets high 30s commuting, that will still cut the fuel bill in half conservatively vs the Rondo. It also has the tall wagon shape that make it more useful than the Prius for hauling stuff.

Nissan Leaf This one is kind of an odd ball in this group, but it is perfectly suited to my wife's commute and we both have free charging available at work, which makes the operating costs extremely low. If the price point for the used ones can hit ~$10k in the next couple years, this may interest me. After all my incentives and supplier pricing, I can already get a brand new one for around $17-18k.

Of those, the Leaf is actually the most interesting, for obvious reasons. Though I guess the overall driving enjoyment award may go to the Mazda. But at N/A 4 cylinder power levels, I'm going to be extreme and say "go EV or go home."

You can see I am struggling with car ideas for my own wife, as the very first car I actually test drove in support of this future plan is an 06 Grand Prix GXP. So it's going to be hard for me to select amongst uninteresting choices. So the Leaf gets the nod for interesting powertrain. That's the best I can do.

Oh, and not a 2014 Corolla. So boring.

It would be cool if the Spark EV went on sale in more states than Oregon and California and you could get a $199 lease. Unfortunately I think it may be too small. Even the Leaf looks practical by comparison.

I looked at some C-Max prices online yesterday and it looks like they are starting to depreciate at a pretty good rate. One interesting option might be the C-Max Energi, if you could find one.

By the way, don't worry about me buying a Corolla. I don't really have any interest in a sedan. I would like to get a hatch or wagon for utility.

I am going to add the CTS Wagon to the list. The trajectory of current resale values may make this an intriguing option in a couple years.

I did a quick price survey on some CTSs:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cadillac-CTS-V-/121800088960 High milez, but this is one of the lowest prices I have seen on a V2. Unfortunately it was owned up north and probably driven through the winter given the mileage.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cadillac-CTS-CTS-/291612945325 This is encouraging to see. It does have the minor accident history, but the price is certainly reasonable considering the year, mileage and equipment. I would feel good about something in the $15k range.

No nav on the V? That's weird...I thought it was standard. It looks really good though. And that price is insane. Yeah, OH. But with highway miles, and a nice car, maybe it was washed frequently or even garage kept. Did I mention that is an amazing price?

The second one says FE2. I think you want FE3.

Also, the subtitle is:

2009 Cadillac CTS V Supercharged Sun Roof

Don't stick your fingers in there...

Bob wrote:http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cadillac-CTS-V-/121800088960 High milez, but this is one of the lowest prices I have seen on a V2. Unfortunately it was owned up north and probably driven through the winter given the mileage.

You know this car would be ripe for doing exactly what I've done with my CTS-V. You get the cheaper, higher mileage one (but in very good cosmetic and mechanical condition) and then drive it occasionally (i.e. not daily). It will retain its value, it will not get all beat up and worn out from the rigors of daily driving, but it will give you 100% of the performance, fun and satisfaction of what the car was designed to do, when you DO drive it. This is how I treat my CTS-V and why it's only lost like $3k of value in 5 years. So I support this model. And it would probably work out quite nicely for this V2 (or one like it).

This model, by the way, aligns perfectly with nice, expensive cars. Consider:
- They depreciate more in the first place, making for better used car value
- They have a steeper depreciation to mileage curve, making for even BETTER used car value
- Since they were and still are nice cars owned by people who care (or are far more likely to care), it is easier to find well-kept examples. But these well kept examples are still excellent value due to the first two points. Which is why my advice to your dad on the V1 is the same for these: buy on price and condition, period.

And by the way, as for your up north/rust comment, this car is only 6 years old (mine was 5), so the amount of actual rust should be fairly modest and would completely stop with your ownership.

The alternate point that was on used luxury cars was the incredibly expensive maintenance and repair bills on less than reliable cars at the point of them being on the lower priced used market. I am just saying this doesn't work for all luxury cars. Good luck owning a used Jag or Land/Range Rover.