Help me pick a new car for my mother-in-law
12-28-06, 04:24 PM
#31
Lexus Fanatic
An Outback wagon....and I love it, despite its reputation for being a " feminine " car. We usually don't get really severe winters here, but DO get heavy snow periodically...and I wanted the snow and ground clearance. The regular Legacy sits too low for my tastes....although the Legacy GT, particularly the limited-production Spec-B model, is, admittedly, a hoot to drive.
12-28-06, 04:38 PM
#33
Lexus Fanatic
12-28-06, 05:01 PM
#34
Guest
Posts: n/a
Tough to meet all the reqs 
But its clear she wants new after leasing new cars so often!
This may be a hit on the "fancy" but slightly off white, may be able to be had at a good price to buy, on the smaller side, leather and if she wants to lease like the caddy....
2007 TSX Special Lease
$299.00 per month for 36 months. $1,999.00 total due at signing.
But its clear she wants new after leasing new cars so often!This may be a hit on the "fancy" but slightly off white, may be able to be had at a good price to buy, on the smaller side, leather and if she wants to lease like the caddy....
2007 TSX Special Lease
$299.00 per month for 36 months. $1,999.00 total due at signing.
But for her, I think the TSX is perfect. Loaded, harmless, reliable.
12-28-06, 05:42 PM
#35
Lexus Fanatic
I agree. Quality-wise, she could do lot worse. But the question is, it it a big enough car for her? While somewhat more plush inside, it is basically the size of a U.S.-market Civic....and the smaller-than-U.S.-market Accord that is sold overseas.
12-28-06, 06:36 PM
#36
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
iTrader: (20)
As I mentioned, she's elderly, short (now) and petite, so the TSX would be plenty big enough. Mike and I sat in one once and I thought the interior was very nice.
12-28-06, 10:35 PM
#38
Lexus Champion
Another vote for the TSX. I'm normally not a fan of Honda/Acura FWD sedans, but the TSX is a fine car. I've had fully loaded TL's, MDX's, and TSX's as loaner vehicles, and I've driven them 100+ miles a day. The TSX is the most balanced of the three and is surprisingly comfortable for a small car. It's definitely a good car for the money.
However, I'd take the $299 lease for a G35 if it's for the revised model.
However, I'd take the $299 lease for a G35 if it's for the revised model.
12-30-06, 06:58 AM
#40
Lexus Fanatic
That's funny, O.L.T.
I wonder if that is the type of vaccum cleaner that Sonny Barger ( the leader of the Hell's Angels biker gang ) uses in prison to help clean the place....generally every prisioner not in solitary has a prison job. ( He has, of course, been in and out of prison numerous times )
I wonder if that is the type of vaccum cleaner that Sonny Barger ( the leader of the Hell's Angels biker gang ) uses in prison to help clean the place....generally every prisioner not in solitary has a prison job. ( He has, of course, been in and out of prison numerous times )
02-10-07, 10:17 AM
#41
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
iTrader: (20)
Well, the time has come to make the decision on my mother-in-law's 2004 Cadillac CTS lease. It's up in 2 weeks.
It has just 13000 miles and she can buy it out of the lease for about $20K including taxes, tag, etc. I think that's the way we're going to go because it's so cheap and the car is running just fine. She will still have another year's warranty on it.
Question for my learned CL friends...
- Is there any room to negotiate the price if buying a car at lease end? I've looked at market value for the car and it's HIGHER than she can buy it for ($21-22K to buy before 6% taxes) so I figure the dealer wouldn't want her to buy it so they can make money on it as a certified pre-owned?
Any other thoughts on going this route? The dealer wants her in a new Cadillac of course and she could get another 3 yr lease for less than buying this 3 yr old car, but my thought is, even if she only keeps this car a year, she can get prob. $15K for it, and go from there.
Thanks!
It has just 13000 miles and she can buy it out of the lease for about $20K including taxes, tag, etc. I think that's the way we're going to go because it's so cheap and the car is running just fine. She will still have another year's warranty on it.
Question for my learned CL friends...
- Is there any room to negotiate the price if buying a car at lease end? I've looked at market value for the car and it's HIGHER than she can buy it for ($21-22K to buy before 6% taxes) so I figure the dealer wouldn't want her to buy it so they can make money on it as a certified pre-owned?
Any other thoughts on going this route? The dealer wants her in a new Cadillac of course and she could get another 3 yr lease for less than buying this 3 yr old car, but my thought is, even if she only keeps this car a year, she can get prob. $15K for it, and go from there.
Thanks!
02-10-07, 01:02 PM
#42
Lexus Fanatic
Well, before we can give you any more advice or suggestions, the big question, as you stated in your thread-opening post, is........does she or doesn't she want another Cadillac?
You said back then that she wanted a Toyota or a Toyota product.
If she DOES want another Cadillac, or is willing to settle for another one, then, IMO, then it would make sense to go ahead and do another 3-year lease on a brand-new DTS. Three main reasons I would suggest the DTS over the CTS. First, as an older woman, she would probably prefer the DTS's ride.....despite the lower-profile tires and slightly stiffer suspension on the new models the new DTS still rides a little better than the base CTS, and a LOT better than the CTS-V. Second, although no Cadillac has a repair record anywhere near the average Toyota product, the DTS has a somewhat better reliability record than the CTS, which shares much of the unreliability of its basic platform.....the German Opel Omega.
Third, I'm sure that both you and your wife are concerned for her mother's safety, and in general, the somewhat larger and heavier DTS would likely provide better crash protection than the CTS. All Cadillacs, I believe, come standard with the On-Star Accident Response system as standard, where, in any impact hard enough to fire off the air bags, it tags the precise GPS location of the car, sends a signal to the Cadillac On-Star Center, and the nearest fire, police, and tow-truck units are immediately notified.
And, technically, a fourth issue......IMO a new Caddy would make more sense than to buy off her used one, because Cadillacs, in general, tend to get more and more unreliable as they age.......and your mom, of course, has the notoriously unreliable CTS.
Now, of course, if she DOESN'T want another Cadillac.....we can go from there.
You said back then that she wanted a Toyota or a Toyota product. If she DOES want another Cadillac, or is willing to settle for another one, then, IMO, then it would make sense to go ahead and do another 3-year lease on a brand-new DTS. Three main reasons I would suggest the DTS over the CTS. First, as an older woman, she would probably prefer the DTS's ride.....despite the lower-profile tires and slightly stiffer suspension on the new models the new DTS still rides a little better than the base CTS, and a LOT better than the CTS-V. Second, although no Cadillac has a repair record anywhere near the average Toyota product, the DTS has a somewhat better reliability record than the CTS, which shares much of the unreliability of its basic platform.....the German Opel Omega.
Third, I'm sure that both you and your wife are concerned for her mother's safety, and in general, the somewhat larger and heavier DTS would likely provide better crash protection than the CTS. All Cadillacs, I believe, come standard with the On-Star Accident Response system as standard, where, in any impact hard enough to fire off the air bags, it tags the precise GPS location of the car, sends a signal to the Cadillac On-Star Center, and the nearest fire, police, and tow-truck units are immediately notified.
And, technically, a fourth issue......IMO a new Caddy would make more sense than to buy off her used one, because Cadillacs, in general, tend to get more and more unreliable as they age.......and your mom, of course, has the notoriously unreliable CTS.
Now, of course, if she DOESN'T want another Cadillac.....we can go from there.
Last edited by mmarshall; 02-10-07 at 01:16 PM.
02-10-07, 09:21 PM
#44
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
iTrader: (20)
If she DOES want another Cadillac, or is willing to settle for another one, then, IMO, then it would make sense to go ahead and do another 3-year lease on a brand-new DTS.
Re: DTS - she (and my father-in-law may he RIP) drove Deville's / DTS forever before she got the CTS this last time because she wanted something smaller, so the DTS is out.
IMO a new Caddy would make more sense than to buy off her used one, because Cadillacs, in general, tend to get more and more unreliable as they age.......and your mom, of course, has the notoriously unreliable CTS.
Now, of course, if she DOESN'T want another Cadillac.....we can go from there.
Now, of course, if she DOESN'T want another Cadillac.....we can go from there.
And if she buys it she still has a year bumper to bumper warranty left and if anything does come up and the car seems to be troublesome, it can still be sold quickly enough.
02-11-07, 07:37 AM
#45
Guest
Posts: n/a
Yo bit, Toyota for the first time has lease deals and incentives on the Prius...
Toyota quietly puts first incentives on Prius
Richard Truett | Automotive News / February 5, 2007 - 1:00 am
Amid all the recent talk in Washington about raising fuel economy standards, Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. was quietly trying to work off a backlog of unsold Prius hybrids by offering the first incentives on the fuel-saving hatchback.
Seven of Toyota's 12 U.S. sales regions were offering a low lease payment, cut-rate finance deals or cash to the dealer for each unit sold. In California, Toyota spokesman Bill Kwong said the incentives were to help ensure that Toyota meets its sales target for the Prius.
The company wants to sell 150,000 units in the United States this year.
Deals included a $249 monthly lease contract in New York state. Prius customers in Michigan, Ohio and Kentucky could finance a Prius through Toyota for as little as 3.9 percent for 36 months.
Kwong said Prius sales have remained steady, despite large fluctuations in gasoline prices. Toyota sold 106,971 Prius models in 2006, down from 107,897 sold in 2005, according to the Automotive News Data Center.
The incentives were scheduled to end Wednesday, Jan 31.
Toyota quietly puts first incentives on Prius
Richard Truett | Automotive News / February 5, 2007 - 1:00 am
Amid all the recent talk in Washington about raising fuel economy standards, Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. was quietly trying to work off a backlog of unsold Prius hybrids by offering the first incentives on the fuel-saving hatchback.
Seven of Toyota's 12 U.S. sales regions were offering a low lease payment, cut-rate finance deals or cash to the dealer for each unit sold. In California, Toyota spokesman Bill Kwong said the incentives were to help ensure that Toyota meets its sales target for the Prius.
The company wants to sell 150,000 units in the United States this year.
Deals included a $249 monthly lease contract in New York state. Prius customers in Michigan, Ohio and Kentucky could finance a Prius through Toyota for as little as 3.9 percent for 36 months.
Kwong said Prius sales have remained steady, despite large fluctuations in gasoline prices. Toyota sold 106,971 Prius models in 2006, down from 107,897 sold in 2005, according to the Automotive News Data Center.
The incentives were scheduled to end Wednesday, Jan 31.