How do you compare cars when deciding what to buy?

[z1ggy]

This is just a topic I wanted your various opinions and processes on. I do not plan on buying anything soon, but I like to toy around with the idea and plan for things so I can create a path to save up enough cash for a nice down payment.

I've created an excel spreadsheet with some various math going on inside the cells which when given raw data about vehicles, can tell me which are objectively "best" based on the criteria I have set forth.

For example, I'm looking at mid and full size sedans in the "sporty" segment. I gather data on various comparable cars such as price, TCO, HP, 0-60 time, MPG and cargo capacity. I then give each one of those criteria a weighting, based on what I value most in a car. Then I have some excel magic happen (not worth explaining unless asked for) and it spits out a list of best to worst according to the weighting.

I find it hard to use subjective data like comfort, features, handling and looks. Here is the example below:

I still can't decide if I want to even include 0-60 time. Really what I'm after with that is if two cars have similar HP, I want the one which is "quicker" to get some more points.

How do you all decide how to buy a car when faced with many options?

 

[Zivic]

don't buy a car based on a spreadsheet. narrow your choices by a spreadsheet, but best way to make a decision is to drive them

 

[Sid59]

• cost of car
• features
• make and model
• how does it drive

That's the order. Decide how much i'm willing to spend for the absolute features i'm looking for. that narrows down the field to the make/model. From there, it's usually 2-3 companies and driving them.

 

[Yuriman]

Since I buy used, I buy the most interesting car that fits my price range. I've been on a hybrid kick lately. Reliability wins points for me too, but I like cars to tinker with.

 

[z1ggy]

Since I buy used, I buy the most interesting car that fits my price range. I've been on a hybrid kick lately. Reliability wins points for me too, but I like cars to tinker with.

This is another thing that I find hard to quantify. I'm a huge fan of doing most of the easy work on a car. For me that's oil, breaks, wipers, head lights and minor mods. If my top 3 cars all happened to be ones I can't easily work on due to design features, car 4 scores less but I can easily work on it, I may still end up with that one unless it's significantly more $$.

 

[Crono]

I don't use a spreadsheet, but I do have a priority list that helps me narrow down my options to a few cars I'm really interested in. Price, expected reliability and maintenance costs, fuel efficiency, handling, acceleration, power-to-weight ratio, brakes, safety, and features/options all come into play.

Design is also an overriding factor, as I don't think it's worth paying for a bland or ugly looking car, even if it meets other criteria (this is why Toyota sedans don't make the cut, but the FR-S would).

 

[Wuzup101]

I only really buy vehicles that are "speciality" or "niche" vehicles of some sort. Not that I'm specifically looking for that, but they are generally what appeals to me. I've never made a spread sheet, as things like MPG and maintenance costs generally aren't a major concern for me (within a class / price range of car). I've never needed the numbers to help me decide what car I wanted; however, I can definitely see that being useful in a segment where there is a lot of competition. The first car I purchased out of college was a 2008 Evo X, as it was easier to afford than a comparable STI, I liked the way the Evo drove better, and mitsu had 0% for 60 months while subi didn't. I didn't really consider anything else, and really wasn't interested in the STI anyway. Drove that for 7 or so years and then bought a 2015 Corvette. Wasn't anything really in that price range that had similar performance and features (M3 wasn't available yet... and the GT350 specs/price weren't even released). Next vehicle is going to be a Raptor... because monster truck lol...

 

[agent00f]

don't buy a car based on a spreadsheet. narrow your choices by a spreadsheet, but best way to make a decision is to drive them

I've found it's difficult to get a good feel for a car on a typical test drive. Even what you might consider dealbreakers are things you can used to.

That's actually good news since there are few truly bad cars sold today and you can mostly live with it anyway.

 

[monkeydelmagico]

I read the auto sites. Comparison reports and reliability reports help narrow the field some. Then go test out the top few choices. For late model used car I like to see dealer service history. If I have a tough decision between two I will check out the specialty forums. Sometimes folks with a bunch of experience point out things you did not notice.

 

[bruceb]

First I decide on my price range. Next I determine which makes I would not consider. Then comes body style (prefer a 2 door coupe). Next comes how the exterior looks (some are just horrible). Then I look at the interior (is it configured well, easy to get to major functions, etc)
Then I look at what power trains they offer.(I do not want a 4 cylinder car if it can be avoided) .. After all that we go and actually see them, maybe test drive.

 

[OverVolt]

Cost and needs.

I actually care more about drivetrain, engine type, etc. The on paper stats don't mean much to me. I also avoid low profile tires because the costs don't justify the benefits. To me cars are just a transportation appliance and are not status symbols. They're a status symbol you can take a loan on twice what you can actually afford, so really its a competition of who is the biggest dumbass with money.

I know some people who bought a Porsche Cayenne and through various trades ended up paying $1,000/month for a diesel VW which they desperately needed to cut bills with its good gas mileage.

Its just so dumb. 1 bad wreck and no matter how nice the car is it will never drive the same.

I can appreciate a nice car as an enthusiast/hobbyist but really people are buying them for status, and on credit, which is risque judgment in my opinion. I always intend to pay off all my cars or buy cash.

 

[OverVolt]

First I decide on my price range. Next I determine which makes I would not consider. Then comes body style (prefer a 2 door coupe). Next comes how the exterior looks (some are just horrible). Then I look at the interior (is it configured well, easy to get to major functions, etc)
Then I look at what power trains they offer.(I do not want a 4 cylinder car if it can be avoided) .. After all that we go and actually see them, maybe test drive.

A low displacement 4 cylinder on premium gas has very little 3rd order harmonic resonance AKA "The economy car jiggle"

A straight 6 is a balanced design as is a V6. Inline-4's really aren't that bad and Boxer 4's are actually a balanced design as well. So you can get a smooth running subaru. There are $50k Audi's with 2.0 inline turbos.

But yes engine type makes a huge difference in driving character. Low displacement V6's or low displacement inline 4 turbos are probably the way of the future.

 

[Yuriman]

A low displacement 4 cylinder on premium gas has very little 3rd order harmonic resonance AKA "The economy car jiggle"

A straight 6 is a balanced design as is a V6. Inline-4's really aren't that bad and Boxer 4's are actually a balanced design as well. So you can get a smooth running subaru. There are $50k Audi's with 2.0 inline turbos.

But yes engine type makes a huge difference in driving character. Low displacement V6's or low displacement inline 4 turbos are probably the way of the future.

I can hardly tell the 1.3L I4 in my wife's Civic Hybrid is running. There's almost zero vibration transferred into the chassis.

 

[bruceb]

4 cylinder are ok, but I like the V6 engines much better.

 

[HitAnyKey]

I buy a car based on the predicted number of headaches. Car's with proven history and relatively simple designs are my preference. No turbos/superchargers, or CVT transmissions, or super expensive tire sizes and only regular gas. I want to feel assured that day after day that car is going drive like it did when I first bought it without costing me a fortune. Yes I am a bit of a cheapskate now.

 

[JulesMaximus]

If it has a CLS550 badge on it. I'll buy it.

Cost and needs.

I actually care more about drivetrain, engine type, etc. The on paper stats don't mean much to me. I also avoid low profile tires because the costs don't justify the benefits. To me cars are just a transportation appliance and are not status symbols. They're a status symbol you can take a loan on twice what you can actually afford, so really its a competition of who is the biggest dumbass with money.

I know some people who bought a Porsche Cayenne and through various trades ended up paying $1,000/month for a diesel VW which they desperately needed to cut bills with its good gas mileage.

Its just so dumb. 1 bad wreck and no matter how nice the car is it will never drive the same.

I can appreciate a nice car as an enthusiast/hobbyist but really people are buying them for status, and on credit, which is risque judgment in my opinion. I always intend to pay off all my cars or buy cash.

I have to ask you one question: Why would you assume that everyone who buys nice cars is living paycheck to paycheck and can't afford them?

We financed both our cars even though we have enough cash in the bank to have paid for them outright. With finance rates as low as they are it made no sense to pay cash for them. Our income is well above our monthly expenses and we could have easily afforded two brand new luxury cars if we wanted.

 

[JulesMaximus]

4 cylinder are ok, but I like the V6 engines much better.

And twin turbo V8 engines are even better!

 

[gorcorps]

I go to dealers and drive them.

No amount of research is going to tell you how you fit in a vehicle, and how comfortable you are with the handling. Test drive cars when you have a spare day with nothing to do, just to see if something else you didn't consider before feels good. Most people only test drive when they're in the market, and they do a bunch of them all at once which can be exhausting. After having a new car nearly totaled in a bad accident, I'm now always prepared to make a choice on a new vehicle at any time. You never know when you'll be forced into the market after something like that.