Reliable, inexpensive for the ex wife - and we don't talk, so...

In reply to Captdownshift (Forum Supporter) :

Ha, I thought I was angry - I am, but really I left it all on the field, so it's time to let go of all that.

My Dear Sainted Mother once asked (at the end stages) how would I feel if I saw her in the company of another man - "good luck to that poor fool."    It surprised her.

Asking here mostly because the daughter put the question to me.  Don't wish the ex ill, but at the same time, poor communication was our Forte (Curtis isn't the only one...), no need to do that again.

LanEvo said:

... or whatever the berkeley ex-wives do with our money LOL.

The less I know, the better....

Good stuff, not sure why I didn't think Toyota sedans, bullet proof.  I'll let the daughter know what to pass along from the list here.

Thanks all.

This ex-wife doesn't sound ex enough.

Did she actually ask for your help?  If not, steer very far away. 
 

If she did, there is nothing wrong with your original Korean theory.  We've had an Elantra in the family since it was new in 2005 and it has been dead nuts reliable. $10K will buy a helluva lot of Elantra. 

Its for the ex wife and you don't talk? Pinto

"We don't talk", that means I wouldn't help.  Let her sort it out, that way you won't be held responsible if anything goes wrong with the car, which inevitably will happen with any used car

I don't really talk to my ex either, but she is a human and I was always the car-savvy person in the relationship.  If she called me and asked what car to get, I would advise her because she's a fellow human asking for help.  Plus, I get to window shop for cars which is always fun.

John Welsh said:

In reply to ГУЛАГ мальчик УР следующий :

The "we don't talk" part makes me think that you'll be the bad guy if the car needs repairs.  Every car needs repairs but if you suggest a "weird" or unique car then you might get bad-mouthed over the choice.  For this reason, I think you need to only suggest the choices that are universally agreed upon as being good cars.  

Some of those are:
Rav4 or CRV or Highlander
Camry/Avalon or Accord
Civic or Corolla
Fit or Yaris

I like the Prius Hybrids and I keep 200k'er alive but I don't recommend high mileage units for the "non-GRM'er crowd" because having them fixed at retail is expensive.  If you're going to be getting a used car fixed at retail I still think plain ole, common gas engine cars are the way to go.  

If GM enters the discussion then I only think whatever the newest 3800 is that you can get.  They stopped the LeSabre in 2005.  

Bro don't get me started on this. 

• Buys ex-wife a brand new Crosstrek in 2020.
• Doesn't bother taking it in for maintenance half the time, even though the dealer gave us "lifetime oil changes." 
• Runs tires to chords.
• Hasn't been washed or cleaned since 2021. 
• AC Compressor clutch goes bad.
• Finally takes it in for brakes, tires, ac compressor, and a few other things. Takes it to the dealer before consulting me, bill is $3000 is gives me the "woe is me card." 
• Like hello, I could have done the brakes and ac compressor and have friends with tire shops that would have charged way less than a dealer. 
• Has me fuming because she's driving my kids around in a car that smells like sour milk and god only knows when the last time any of the fluids, filters, etc have been changed along with the other litany of issues. 

Anyways, I would look a 9th gen Accord if you can find one in that price range. The V6 and I4 in that gen are both solid as are the rest of the car. Not sure if you'll be able to find a 10th gen in that price range. Maintenance should be cheap and to the point. 

Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) said:

I don't really talk to my ex either, but she is a human and I was always the car-savvy person in the relationship.  If she called me and asked what car to get, I would advise her because she's a fellow human asking for help.  Plus, I get to window shop for cars which is always fun.

 

Well said

crv or prius or camry..  

In reply to Datsun240ZGuy :

All of us... well, most... er... some, of us want one! On one thought they were te most reliable car ever made, and the rest ou us just didn't know anything 

How are we talking about Optimas and Sonatas is without mentioning the engine failures?  Recalls, class-actions, warranty extensions, etc!  I bought a 2011 Sonata last year with 101K miles and a newly-replaced engine for my stepson, which includes a lifetime warranty from Hyundai on certain types of failure of the new engine.  I think I paid $9k, and had to do some other work to it, but it's been a good car so far.  But ABSOLUTELY KNOW what cars are effected and don't pay good-car money for one without a factory new engine and the required knock sensor and software upgrades to facilitate the warranty.  FWIW, Hyundai says the failures were caused by some sort of manufacturing process flaw, which they claim was corrected, but it could just as well be a design flaw that still exists.  This is what was covered in the lawsuit for my car.

• 2011-2019 Hyundai Sonata
• 2013-2019 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport
• 2014-2015, 2018-2019 Hyundai Tucson
• 2011-2019 Kia Optima
• 2012-2019 Kia Sorento
• 2011-2019 Kia Sportage

Note there is another lawsuit on another group of cars, so look carefully or just forget the Koreans.

My stepdaughter has a 2013 Camry that I bought a few years ago with 100-ish K and it's been excellent.  I probably paid $11k but that was pre-pandemic.

Good luck!

Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) said:

I don't really talk to my ex either, but she is a human and I was always the car-savvy person in the relationship.  If she called me and asked what car to get, I would advise her because she's a fellow human asking for help.  Plus, I get to window shop for cars which is always fun.

 

My ex is blocked on LinkedIn, email, Instagram, Facebook, and phone number because she wouldn't leave me alone after we got divorced (she is the one who asked for a divorce). Haven't spoken to her since 2016 and don't care to either. 

Fatal flaw with Nissans is the CVT so try to stay away from that.

We have a 13 Elantra that has been good to us. Only issue we have had outside of regular maintenance is the electrical system. For some reason, the electronics will bonk out and the radio, clock, door locks, and trip meter will stop working, and then randomly come back later. Think it's a fuse box issue, but not going to pay $400 for a new one and have to rewire with no guarantee of it working. If you look the issue up, no one has a solve. Not a battery issue or a fuse issue, it just stop working.

Other than that it has been a solid reliable car. 153,xxx and counting.

In reply to DirtyBird222 :

I want to comment about the AC compressor. My dad has a 2015 Forrester XT and is on like the 10th compressor or something (no joke). It's been to the AC specialist 3-4 times since new and gets about 3 compressors put on it every time he is there. It must be some sort or manufacturing flaw with the compressors.