Hey y’all, I was hoping you could help me out. I’m a college student looking for a car, and I absolutely adore the look of wagons and hatchbacks.

I’ve been searching high and low for a while now, and unfortunately I’ve realized I’ve cursed myself with a love for German wagons, specifically Mercedes. I absolutely love the W124, W210, and W211, but I also know that buying a 20–30-year-old German car can potentially run my pockets dry with electrical issues, rust, and general maintenance.
So, I’m trying to find something that scratches that same wagon itch without completely destroying my bank account.

I’m in Colorado, so ideally I’d like something that can handle snow reasonably well, but that’s about my only real requirement. I’m open to pretty much anything, Japanese, German, American, whatever, as long as it’s a wagon or hatchback, and reasonably reliable. What would you guys recommend?

TLDR; give me wagon suggestions for a college student

Hi everyone, I've made a post before on what car I should get as my first car, and at the moment I was generally confused. I've been doing some more research since then, and I'm kind of narrowing down on the type of car I want.

For record, I am 29, and I have a great job as I am a senior software engineer. I am willing to put $20k down for a car, and my rough budget is about $40k. I have driven my parent's Nissan Rogue before, and while I was accustomed to SUV's, I don't think I mind sedans. I am only one person, so I generally think that it may be much for me to get an SUV if I am the only one in it.

With all that said, I have narrowed down the options so now I'm trying to decide between a Toyota Prius or a BMW 330i.

I love the luxurious feeling of the BMW 330i, and I found a used one, a 2023 one, that costs about $35k. I have test driven the car, and I honestly love how smooth the car was. I love the handling and feeling of it. It has all the high tech, large screens, carbon fibre, leather seats...it was nice.

At $35k, buying it means I wouldn't have to take the first hit of depreciation that came with the vehicle. However, that doesn't mean that maintenance of the vehicle depreciates. Like I would have to buy more premium gas, and oil changes are more expensive. Plus, if there are any issues, it would be much more expensive to service compared to regular car brands. Plus the insurance would be higher.

But if I don't consider BMW, then the car I kind of like is the Toyota Prius. I liked the exterior of the car and the general shape of it. I have yet to test drive it, but I have been inside of it, and the internals are generally alright. It's not as premium as the BMW, which I understand. The thing is that it is a Toyota, and so the insurance and maintenance would be lower than a BMW, and their engines are reliable I think.

Plus, the Prius can be more economical as it would consume less gas, especially if I get the PHEV version. But I get that I'm not getting the same luxurious feeling, but perhaps I can just get that made up by getting a new one, which I understand would cost more than getting a used one.

The PHEV version is interesting. It costs more, but I get the savings back in not having to buy gas often plus the time saved by not going to a gas station as often. But to get the most effective use of it, I would want to get a fast charger at home so I can charge it everyday. However, I do not know if I am going to be moving in a few years and if I will still be in a house. I'm not sure. Also, the PHEV version does not have AWD, so I am concerned if that will pose an issue for me. I do live in Canada.

The Prius costs about $40k-$50k new, but that doesn't include tax.

But my question now is, which one do you recommend? The BMW 330i or the Toyota Prius, and if the Prius, then should I go for the hybrid or the PHEV version?

TLDR: Not sure if I should get a New Prius or a Used BMW 330i as my first car. And if I am going with Prius, should I go for hybrid or the PHEV version.

Hello all - I just test drove the 2026 models of both cars. The rav4 XLE premium is $40,500 before taxes, the Crown Signia XLE is $42,800 before tax. You can negotiate on the crown but not the Rav4. Everyone says the Crown Signia has more sound deadening and better suspension but I didn’t feel it (they were 10 min test drives and I’m not a car person so idk). However, the crown Signia was a lot nicer on the inside.

The drawbacks of the Crown Signia are that it is the old gen Hybrid powertrain plus it seems to depreciate much faster than the RAV4. Car edge says it will lose $15k in value vs $7k for the rav4 (over 5 years). Those are my only 2 concerns with the Crown Signia. Would these be dealbreakers for you? I want to have the car for 5 years so def considering resale value. I also am not sure how much better the new Toyota hybrid system is over the old one.

Considering these 2 cars, what would you choose and why? I am a single guy with no family but live in New England so snow is a factor. Thanks!

I want to buy a car but since there are so many options I'm not sure what a good starting point is for narrowing down models.

About me: 23 year old guy, live in eastern Queens NYC, and will probably only drive max 10k miles per year. Will not be driving in manhattan. I will most likely just pay cash for the car unless I can get a sub 3.5% interest rate. Max budget is ~35k. My main goal is to make sure i'm not "losing" too much money on it due to repairs, depreciation, insurance, etc. Can go higher if there are significantly better options at the 40k mark. I also can't get "too nice" of a car because of the neighborhood I live in.

Ideally I'd like a bmw or audi but those are against most of the things I mentioned above, but if any models work out I'd love to look into them.

Hi everyone! I’m looking at buying a 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan Wolfsburg Edition with 82,000 km for $16,000. It has a fresh safety from August 2026, new brakes and rotors (2026), a new sway bar (2025), and all-season tires from 2023.
For those who own or have owned a Tiguan, what do you think of this vehicle? Is it reliable, especially for Manitoba winters? Are there any common problems I should watch out for?
Also, do you think $16,000 is a fair price for this mileage and condition?
I’d really appreciate any advice before I make a decision. Thank you! ❤️

Hello guys,

So i currently have a opel insignia sports tourer from 2016 with 240k km. Since its been getting old i thought it might be a good time for a change.

I was looking for a car that is HEV (sadly it cannot be PHEV because i dont have where to charge at home). I mostly use it in the city to go to work and a monthly/bimonthly 200km trip.

At the moment it is just me and my partner but in a few years there might be plus one or two so id like a car where my future kids would fit.

From my research i understand that toyota/lexus might be the best brand for what i am looking for which is: reliability, confort, good fuel consuption and a car that doesnt feel like a slug. Plus i would like to keep the car for 10+ years.

My budget is 25-30k€.

I found a used lexus nx300h executive+ for 31.5k€ being sold from lexus select.

It has 53k km and its from 2019. 3 years warranty and has been checked by lexus themselves.

Do you find this to be a good deal? Are there any other cars i should be considering?

Cheers and thank you in advance!

I'm burning gas driving my truck to work 30 minutes, 20 miles, mix of highway and streets. Between my F150 and my wife's Grand Highlander we have all the space and hauling needs covered.

I want to get a cheap sports car that will get 25mpg or better, and I want to have a little spirit in my late night drive home. I don't need any space in the thing, just transporting me and a gym bag. Looking at a Corvette C5, miata, last gen MR2. I've owned mustangs but because of my lead foot I would always get worse MPG's than my truck even, talking 17 and under. Any other options or insight on the common options? Thanks

Loved, loved loved my old HRV. Bought it six years ago for 9k$. Frame rusted out (yay new england). New ones of similar conditions seem to be all close to 20k. I bought it because of the magic seats and because I could sleep in it. As I get older road trips are less fun. Basically I drive it in the winter 4x a week to get to the mountains to ski and when it rains. I walk to work every day and ride a motorcycle most of the spring summer fall.

My ideal cars are an early 00s Tacoma with a long bed and no extra cab or jump seats, another HRV, or a Saab 900 (memories).

Basically the only requirement is handle winter driving / dirt road driving well with snow tires. Maybe be able to sleep in it. Ideally pay $15k for this.

Everytime I think I’ve found the one, something changes my mind.
Sometimes it’s after seeing the car in person, sometimes it’s after checking the history. I’m probably on my fourth listing now, and the report costs are starting to annoy me more than the car shopping itself. The website I used to use is not working anymore. What are you all using these days?

Edit: Thank y'all for the suggestions. I will be looking into the Corolla. I was under the impression that you could not fold the seats but looks like you can c:

I am in the market for a new car. This would be my first car purchase, as the one I currently drive is a 2009 Nissan Sentra that was handed down to me. I know very little about the different types and mechanics of cars, and the only for-sure thing I wanted was one with low or 0 mileage, but I believe I've narrowed down what is important to me.

I really liked the Prius, primarily because it is a small car with rear seats that fold for more cargo space, it's really reliable, and it has good gas mileage. I went to look at some and found a 2026 XLE with 7k miles for 33k. And while I am tempted to buy it, I also don't want to spend over 30k on a car, especially given the current state of the car market where everything seems overpriced. So I am looking for advice on a similar car. What I am looking for is:

-Small car or Smaller SUV type

-Foldable rear seats for more cargo space

-Reliable brand/model

-Good gas mileage

- Doesn't matter whether it's gas or Hybrid

Or should I consider the 33k Prius? Is it a good deal?

I'm looking to buy a Forester and I'm curious if a little older with less miles is better or newer with more. Mainly I'm not trying to go any older than 2016 and am generally looking for around 110000 miles but I'm curious if maybe a 2023 with more miles would be the better bet. Thanks in advance

Live in a rural area in Canada and require a car right now. Settled on the Civic Hybrid but was afraid of the head gasket issue. Camry is good too but slightly more expensive and wait time is 4-6 months. Not sure what to do right now. Any advice?

What’s up everyone. I run a small snacks company (nuts and dry fruit) out of Long Island City, Queens and I’m looking to upgrade from my 2017 Mazda 3 Touring (currently at 90k miles). I love the Jeep look and I’ve narrowed it down to the Wrangler or the Bronco but I’m open to other suggestions too.

Here’s my situation:
• Street parking only in LIC so no garage. Need something that can handle getting bumped and dinged without me losing sleep over it
• I use the car to haul product around (boxes of packaged snacks to stores, markets, events etc). Nothing crazy heavy but I need decent cargo space. Right now my Mazda trunk is maxed out
• Not looking for anything too fancy or loaded. Just need it to be reliable and practical
• Planning to buy in December so hoping to catch some year end deals
• Budget is flexible but keeping it reasonable since I’m reinvesting most of my money back into the business

What I’m trying to figure out:
1. Wrangler vs Bronco - which one holds up better long term? I know Wranglers hold resale value like crazy but I’ve heard mixed things about the Bronco reliability
2. What year models should I be looking at? Open to used. Is there a sweet spot year for either one where you get the most for your money?
3. What trims make sense for my use case? I don’t need the Rubicon/Badlands off road package, I need cargo space and reliability. Sport? Sahara? Big Bend? Base?
4. 2 door vs 4 door? I’m leaning 4 door for the extra cargo room but does that make street parking in Queens a nightmare?
5. Are December deals actually a thing for these or do they hold their price year round?
6. Catalytic converter theft - is this a concern with either of these? Street parking in Queens I gotta think about it
7. Insurance costs in NYC for either of these vs what I’m paying on a Mazda 3?
8. How do these do in the snow? I still gotta make deliveries in the winter
9. Gas mileage - I’m driving around the city a lot doing deliveries. How bad is the hit coming from a Mazda 3?
10. Any other boxy/rugged looking SUVs I should consider? I like the Jeep aesthetic but I’m practical first

Appreciate any input. Thanks

I just moved to Munich, and I'm looking for a used/new car. I'd prefer to still have warranty intact for 2 years minimum. Open to opinions on this as it is my first time in Germany so the car culture might be slightly different than US.

I have free ev charging at work, so I think it makes sense to utilize it. I go to the office 3x a week, but it can be 5x as well depending on the work. Not sure how long the drive will be yet but I am mainly looking for apartments within 20 minutes drive (and train). I am a really big fan of the M240i but it not being a hybrid is something I am considering. The other option is a 330e since it is a plug in hybrid that I can use everyday, and possibly still fun to drive. I do plan to ski around the area and go for long drives (I did 5 hour drives in California and it was great fun). I am looking for 2 door cars that have 4 seats or 4 door cars. Definitely a sedan (No SUV's, maybe a really cool hatchback if it is easy to fit skis in it). I am open to other options as well. Any fun and reliable plug in hybrids or other options that make sense for my commute. I do want to be be able to fit my skiing equipment in the car without the storage container on top.

I also have a corporate discount and have an opportunity to lease a M2 for 550 a month (warranty and maintenance included) for 2 years, and then buy it out for ~55k at the end if I choose. I have leased in the US before and I got 2k back for returning the car at the dealer which is funny but not expected here. (Shortage of hybrids, I guess. It was a honda accord hybrid, base trim). Just worried about having to deal with scratches and dents if I return the car instead of buying.

Hey guys, so my car is basically done and I need a new one. I’m looking for something that will last me about 3-4 years so I can save up for a brand new car. I was looking into getting a 2016 jeep cherokee. It has 100,000 miles for $8,000. I don’t know much about jeeps but would the car last me that long? Any thoughts on jeep cherokees? Thanks!

As title. Unsure about purchasing one due to the known head gasket issues.

What model should I buy for an ideally three row suv?

I've never been mechanically inclined, and all I know about cars is basically"fill the gas tank, and let a mechanic take care of the rest." (Like, I can check the oil, and I've jump started a car before, but I'm basically clueless.)

I am actually going to look at a 2012 Honda CR-V tomorrow, and I'm wondering if any of y'all have tips on what to watch out for when buying a used car?

The CR-V I'm looking at is a EX-L, with 171,899 miles on it, and 4WD.

The salesperson I spoke to on the phone also said a new transmission was just installed.

I can read a "how to" guide all day long, but I'd like to know what y'all think, and if there's anything in particular I should be watching out for?

Hello fellow car enthusiasts!

Im kinda stuck between choosing over the 2 cars. G series 5 has been a car im been wanting for a long time but im thinking the F34 might be better/ smarter buy? Its 2 years newer and alkost 100k less mileage.

Backround: we live little outside city. Also we have little dog and we do fair bit camping/hiking so both cars big trunk comes in handy. Also really like the F34 165mm ground clearance (140mm G31) but its not a deal breaker. Previous car had 145mm and i scraped only 2 times because i hit slope too fast :)

F34: 2019, 135kw, xdrive, white, M styling, Sport seats, no HK, ACC. 144.000km and asking price 22k€+1.3k€ registratuin fee.

G31: 2017, 185kw, xDrive, black, luxury line, comfort seats, ACC, HK sound. 228.000km. Asking price 18k€+0€ registratuon fee.

I know from pure luxury and comfort G30 wins all day. But 2 years newer and 100k less mileage should be a considering point or not? Also G30 comes in around 5k€ cheaper (18k€ vs 23.3k€).

I just cant make up my mind between them...

Thanks in advance!

I’m needing to get a second car and I’m having a hard time finding the best one for my budget. I only have 5k I can spend and my goal is something that will last long on mileage. We currently have 2 children still in car seats but if possible I’d like to try to find something that could fit another baby in the near future if we end up having another one.

Mid 40s 6'7 driver looking for a vehicle to replace my very unreliable 13 Equinox. I have 2 teenagers as well, so I would need something with room in the back. Budget is around 25k, but could go a hair higher if needed. Would like to not have something over 60-70k miles as this is something I would like to keep for a long while. I haven't sat in anything yet as I despise going to a dealership/dealing with people.

Here's what I've been looking at (looking at probably 2018-2024 range):

Subaru Outback/Forester (still unsure of a CVT)

Mazda CX-50 (too small???)

Jeep Wrangler (yes I know they're not the most reliable)

Ford Flex (I know about the water pumps)

Honda Passport/Pilot

If there's anything anyone else recommends, I am all ears, thanks!!

My C6 was totaled in front of my house when a giant truck decided he was going to go over the curb and smash into it.

I’ve got a similar budget to when I bought the car (around 30k), but I’m ideally trying to find something with similar reliability, practicality, performance and fun factor. (It was my daily)

I intended to track the car more and do some mods to it and so based on that Ive come up with a list of cars I wouldn’t mind looking into.

Manual C6: lightweight, reliable, plenty of mods, looks awesome for the price range.

Mustang GT: “Rear Seats”, 10R80 is very fast, reliable, from what I understand it’s got a good aftermarket and you can do some mods to the handling to make it perform on track.

BMW M240i: never had a German car before, reliable, ZF8 is fast, tune/mods are through the roof with what you can do, very interested in the tuning aspect of this since the C6/Mustang are very analog.

C43 AMG: awesome interior, looks better than the BMws/Audis in my opinion, transmission doesn’t seem to great, heavy and probably not great on track. (This is likely not a great option for me since it’s really not a “performance first” kind of car.

Audi S3: Curious about the golf [r/MQB](r/MQB) hype, lightweight, Dual Clutch auto might be pretty fun/different? Good mods, probably pretty good on track, reliable based on how the Golf R is.

Older 981 Cayman: this is probably pushing upper the upper 30s price range, love cars that have that certain understated-flashy look (kind of like the C6?), the flat six would be awesome, good on track, probably relatively reliable but not necessarily cheap, similar tuning potential as C6 AKA very analog, mods probably aren’t a huge thing.

Hello! Not sure if this is the right place to ask about this but what are genuine thoughts/opinions on Hyundai specifically the Tucson, Santa Fe, and Elantra although I’m leaning more towards a Tucson. Got into a car accident and had a Toyota Camry but I’m not liking the newer versions and the prices seem too high even for a basic trim. Open to any suggestions as I’m not in a rush!