Ok, so we LOVED making our road trip and plan to make many more (as age and health allow), so we are car shopping well ahead of our anticipated purchase date sometime in Feb. if all works out.

I convinced hubby to just try a small SUV, a 2007 Hyundai Tuscon, since he had never driven one. He liked being up higher, which I knew he would. The extra space, especially in the front leg area was nice. The handling is much different than our Elantra, lol.

However, we saw an Impala that had already been sold, and did some research. Cripes, we can buy one of those that's 4 years newer for about the same price and it would have the factory warranty still. We didn't get to test drive one yet.

Hubby has done extensive research on several cars and the Impala (and the Tuscon) was on his "good" list as far as problems, recalls, reviews etc.

Any thoughts? Reviews? Criticisms?  Suggestions?  We want affordable, comfortable, dependable transportation for long trips.

I had a 67 Impala... that's probably of no help to you at all - I just had to say it.

Yeah, we do love Hyundai products. It's the cost vs age that has us stumped. If we can get a newer, dependable "American" model for less, I'm all for that! We have also considered the Sonata, but we can't afford brand new unless some very attractive financing deals come down the pike.  I love the msn site and it's one of those that hubby uses for research. After all his research, I do more, lol. He says I'm better at it. I go to other, less known communities, that have mechanics and owners as members. Very enlightening.   btw, we will not lease. Too much pressure to keep the car pristine.

LOL Sid! I had a gold 68 Impala convertible. Thing leaked like a sieve around the windshield. I had to keep a towel handy for when it rained......and it rains a LOT in Alabama.  

sooz, I did a search about the best time to buy a car. Winter, after the new models come out, on Fridays at the end of a month, an hour before closing. LOL. The last bit is just about psychology. End of month crunch for quotas, Fridays late because they all just want to get the hell out of there. ha ha ha ha, it makes sense. Do a search because there are all kinds of little tips about how to get the best deal, from dealing directly online because the internet department is not bound by the "let me talk to the manager" song and dance and have more leeway, to going directly to the  on-site internet department at a large dealership, bypassing the salesmen for the same reason.    One big thing. Never, ever tell them your payment limit or total price limit. That blows any change of haggling.

We've all heard the jokes:

Ford = "Found on road dead" - or - "Fix or repair daily"

Fiat = "Fix it again Tony"

Pontiac = "Poor old nut thinks its a Cadillac"

But did you know there's one for Chevrolet?

C Cracked
H Heads
E Every
V Valve
R Rattles
O Oil
L Leaks
E Every
T Time

I thought the one for Chevy was "Body by Fischer.  Motor by mistake."

sooz, oddly enough the Hyundai new car warranty for Canada is 5 yrs and 100,000 km. (62,000 miles approx)What a rip off!  I thought that Hyundai was Hyundai was Hyundai. 

Unless its Hyundai Lite of Canada Ltd.

So, we bought a car. Much earlier than planned, lol. Figures. Hubby starts his search and research, we go try a few to see which we like and found a pretty sweet deal. 2006 Fusion with 66,000km (40,000) mile on it! A five speed, whooohooo! Don't find many mid sized sedans that are stick shift. It's what we wanted. We bought it from the dealer in a small town  who knows the original owner. They've sold her 3 fusions. They even had all the maintenance records. Nice. We bought an after market warranty that has a $50 deductible if we take it to that dealer.

LOL @ me trying it out. It's been a lot of years since I drove a standard, but it's like riding a bike. The clutch was much tighter than my old Corolla, so it took me a few tries to shift smoothly. It's a 4cylinder, but being a stick shift, it has a lot of pep. Varroooom!

For me the best feature of all is the power drivers seat. Now I can see over the steering wheel and hood without a cushion.

Florida, here we come!!!!

I forgot to say that, well, it's not the color I wanted. I said at the beginning that I would NOT buy another burgandy car, lol. We've bought 3 and all have been burgandy. Well.............this one is officially "Merlot". That's my story and I"m sticking to it. ROFL, at least it will be easier to find in a parking lot for the first while. I only have to look for the familiar color. (if I remember where I parked )

We'll probably fight over whose driving with the 5 speed. Usually I don't care.  

  

I love driving stick. In fact, I've only had one automatic.

I'd need to see some colour chips to make sure.

LOL, funnily enough, hubby had found an even sweeter deal. A fusion, but it was Purple. I mean pastel to medium Barney purple. When I reminded him that it wasn't a factory color, he realized that's not a good thing. lol 

What's with purple cars these days? I see them and I think "Welch's" grape juice.