What’s a good car choice for the value investor?

[muscleman]

Toyota or Honda.

 

Look at what the Uber/lyft drivers use.

 

To truly answer the question, we can likely deduce the average value investor is not an Uber driver but rather a white collar worker who earns a reasonable amount more than the Uber/lyft driver. Therefor, the answer is Lexus and Acura’s.

 

Toyota still hasn’t fixed the automatic acceleration problem, and even in 2019 there were cases when the driver pressed the brake and the car accelerated out of control. Toyota==Russian Rullette.

Damn I was not aware. Good advice would be make sure to check the recalls for your VINs and even not the full recalls but also the service bulletins. Also check some car owner forums. My 2013 CRV hasn’t given any problems (knock on wood), bought it 3 years used with 20k miles. So there some anecdotal data if at all helpful.

 

2013 CRV is fine but don’t buy a new 2019 one. I heard their new engine has serious problems and the engine oil level increases as time passes by.

However Honda is known for the poor quality of the transmission. They build their own tranny which uses a weird technology and a lot of Honda Odassy drivers say the tranny won’t last over 80k miles. Not sure if the CRV uses the same tranny.

[Gilp]

 

If you're willing to buy used you can get a 4 or 5 year old A4 with low mileage and a good maintenance history for well under $20k.

 

I will agree here, if you don't drive much, then it's a matter of taste more than cold value decision.

 

Audis do have nice exterior/interior design. I personally like the modern Mercs' interior design, it is really well done.

 

And one more unorthodox idea, used electric car, like a Nissan Leaf. They are cheap to buy second hand and cheap to run. There are some upsides and downsides though.

 

Here is a good overview of living with Nissan Leaf for 6 months(great channel btw for car/tech/numbers guys outhere):

 

[LC]

Toyota or Honda.

 

Look at what the Uber/lyft drivers use.

 

To truly answer the question, we can likely deduce the average value investor is not an Uber driver but rather a white collar worker who earns a reasonable amount more than the Uber/lyft driver. Therefor, the answer is Lexus and Acura’s.

 

Toyota still hasn’t fixed the automatic acceleration problem, and even in 2019 there were cases when the driver pressed the brake and the car accelerated out of control. Toyota==Russian Rullette.

Damn I was not aware. Good advice would be make sure to check the recalls for your VINs and even not the full recalls but also the service bulletins. Also check some car owner forums. My 2013 CRV hasn’t given any problems (knock on wood), bought it 3 years used with 20k miles. So there some anecdotal data if at all helpful.

 

2013 CRV is fine but don’t buy a new 2019 one. I heard their new engine has serious problems and the engine oil level increases as time passes by.

However Honda is known for the poor quality of the transmission. They build their own tranny which uses a weird technology and a lot of Honda Odassy drivers say the tranny won’t last over 80k miles. Not sure if the CRV uses the same tranny.

Alright, well you’re fuckin killing me here ;)

 

No problems with the tranny (yet). Biggest problem is the actuator in cold weather. There’s a service bulletin out on it but based on my review the severity does not seem super high. Worst case it’s a 600$ fix. But I’ll look into the transmission- thx for the heads up. What do you drive Btw?

[EricSchleien]

Huge fan of my 2019 Subaru Forester Sport :)

[fareastwarriors]

If you have access to home charging, get an EV. Bolt, Tesla, etc.

[muscleman]

Toyota or Honda.

 

Look at what the Uber/lyft drivers use.

 

To truly answer the question, we can likely deduce the average value investor is not an Uber driver but rather a white collar worker who earns a reasonable amount more than the Uber/lyft driver. Therefor, the answer is Lexus and Acura’s.

 

Toyota still hasn’t fixed the automatic acceleration problem, and even in 2019 there were cases when the driver pressed the brake and the car accelerated out of control. Toyota==Russian Rullette.

Damn I was not aware. Good advice would be make sure to check the recalls for your VINs and even not the full recalls but also the service bulletins. Also check some car owner forums. My 2013 CRV hasn’t given any problems (knock on wood), bought it 3 years used with 20k miles. So there some anecdotal data if at all helpful.

 

2013 CRV is fine but don’t buy a new 2019 one. I heard their new engine has serious problems and the engine oil level increases as time passes by.

However Honda is known for the poor quality of the transmission. They build their own tranny which uses a weird technology and a lot of Honda Odassy drivers say the tranny won’t last over 80k miles. Not sure if the CRV uses the same tranny.

Alright, well you’re fuckin killing me here ;)

 

No problems with the tranny (yet). Biggest problem is the actuator in cold weather. There’s a service bulletin out on it but based on my review the severity does not seem super high. Worst case it’s a 600$ fix. But I’ll look into the transmission- thx for the heads up. What do you drive Btw?

 

 

I drive a 2018 Chrysler Pacifica. Chrysler is also not great for reliability but I need a van that can carry 7 adults comfortably and there are few choices. But who knows what the problem might be for the Pacifica.... I know the Engine is a great one and the tranny was quite problematic in 2016 but the 2018 one should have fixed most problems

 

 

[BG2008]

Given that you're a value investor - and cheaper than sin!

Might I recommend a humble bicycle ..... with a detachable motor on the back, for the hills !!

Buy vintage, buy quality, and it could well even appreciate over time.

 

No gas or insurance, maintenance is already paid for.

And all that exercise is going to ensure that you live a lot longer - and cashing many more pension cheques.

... making the whole thing a positive cash flow, positive NPV choice  ;D

 

SD

 

Great advice for the singles here, my wife told me we need a 7 seater so that we only take one car when we go out with her family.  Somethings in life is not worth fighting over.  Acura MDX it is.  The overlook risk of a bike is a crash.  Yeah, I did a mid air tuck-and-roll in Central Park 12 years ago on a warm Thursday night.  My helmet was crack which meant that my skull wasn't.  I haven't had the same urg to get on a bike since. 

[Cardboard]

A guy I know once responded to another fellow who was saying: "This guy is really cheap, he must have a lot of money"

 

"To have money, you must make some first."

 

So the best car for a value investor would be a really rare vehicle that will appreciate in value.

 

Cardboard

[John Hjorth]

Great reply, Cardboard!,

 

Happy New Year to you.

[Castanza]

A guy I know once responded to another fellow who was saying: "This guy is really cheap, he must have a lot of money"

 

"To have money, you must make some first."

 

So the best car for a value investor would be a really rare vehicle that will appreciate in value.

 

Cardboard

 

A lot of my fellow employees are from Prague. One of the guys I work with bought a 70k Volvo x60 here in the states. He said that in two years when he returns he can resell the car in Prague and get 100% if not more back. Apparently he calculated the shipping and duty costs.

 

I have not verified it myself, but seems like an interesting angle to take. Have to say I’m quite skeptical about it.

[muscleman]

If you could do basic maintenance yourself, then a well-maintained, low mileage Porsche Boxster / Cayman / 911 below $30k. There is a good chance that you'd be able to sell it for about the same or even at a higher price in the future.

 

"They are endless money pits" - Scotty Kilmer

 

 

If you want reliable, no-brainer cars and you like the design, I would go with Toyota.

Most of the Hondas are great as well.

 

Recent Mazdas are great value for money, reliable almost as the Toyotas, have very nice design(I love them).

 

Also consider Hyundai/Kia - very good value/features etc..

 

If you are willing to spend more or want more premuim brands, check out Lexus/Acura/Genesis. Especially Genesis can be a great value second hand.

 

Avoid anything German, specially premium German(Mercedes/BMW/Audi), unless you really like them.

 

Also better avoid anything with CVT or Dual Clutch transmissions. They tend to have many problmes and are expensive to repair.

 

Do you have any specific models in mind? What is your budget? Willing to buy second hand?

Size/shape(passenger/SUV?).

 

I wouldn’t trust Scotty Miller. I think he may be paid by Toyota. Toyota is very good at marketing it’s crappy cars through self media. I remember one day Scotty said his son bought a new Toyota Tacoma and expected to keep it for decades. If you check Consumer reports or other car review channels, you can see that the new Tacoma is one of the least reliable pickup truck on market.

Its highest end TRD PRO off road trim is also a complete joke. Search for a YouTube video for Honda Ridgeline base model driving into Death Valley Race Track, with a Tacoma TRD as the support vehicle and see what happened. The Tacoma’s all four suspension exploded after 6 miles while the Ridgeline base model made it back in the end with tiny leaks in one suspension.

 

[Castanza]

If you could do basic maintenance yourself, then a well-maintained, low mileage Porsche Boxster / Cayman / 911 below $30k. There is a good chance that you'd be able to sell it for about the same or even at a higher price in the future.

 

"They are endless money pits" - Scotty Kilmer

 

 

If you want reliable, no-brainer cars and you like the design, I would go with Toyota.

Most of the Hondas are great as well.

 

Recent Mazdas are great value for money, reliable almost as the Toyotas, have very nice design(I love them).

 

Also consider Hyundai/Kia - very good value/features etc..

 

If you are willing to spend more or want more premuim brands, check out Lexus/Acura/Genesis. Especially Genesis can be a great value second hand.

 

Avoid anything German, specially premium German(Mercedes/BMW/Audi), unless you really like them.

 

Also better avoid anything with CVT or Dual Clutch transmissions. They tend to have many problmes and are expensive to repair.

 

Do you have any specific models in mind? What is your budget? Willing to buy second hand?

Size/shape(passenger/SUV?).

 

I wouldn’t trust Scotty Miller. I think he may be paid by Toyota. Toyota is very good at marketing it’s crappy cars through self media. I remember one day Scotty said his son bought a new Toyota Tacoma and expected to keep it for decades. If you check Consumer reports or other car review channels, you can see that the new Tacoma is one of the least reliable pickup truck on market.

Its highest end TRD PRO off road trim is also a complete joke. Search for a YouTube video for Honda Ridgeline base model driving into Death Valley Race Track, with a Tacoma TRD as the support vehicle and see what happened. The Tacoma’s all four suspension exploded after 6 miles while the Ridgeline base model made it back in the end with tiny leaks in one suspension.

 

The new Tacoma is still in the early stages of the model. If you go and look at the 2015 model they are basically tanks. I know a guy personally who had a 2015 Tacoma TRD and did 20k miles overland throughout the course of a year (he took a leap year). He went all over the states and ran some pretty difficult runs. Didn’t have a single issue.

 

I have a 2017 Tacoma and it has been rock solid. I’m not a fan of the new auto transmission which is in my opinion not programmed correctly. At least not as refined as it should be. But the shift points don’t necessarily translate to poor mechanical durability. Both engines V6 and 4 cylinder are extremely reliable and have been proven over time. Toyota us also known for their extreme testing. Not to mention professional race results speak for themselves. Tacoma and Tundra win the Baja 500 and simply dominate the field

 

I will agree that the TRD package is not worth the money you shell out. You could save yourself some money and just install some OME Coils paired with Bilstein 5100’s and OME Dakar leaf springs. That would take you anywhere in North America with confidence.

 

Luckily if you’re in Europe or Asia you can get your hands on the Hilux which is legendary for dependability.

 

There is also a huge difference between a Honda Ridgeline and a Tacoma. One the Honda is basically a Pilot with a bed. It has independent suspension (think car). It’s not a truck. The Tacoma has a solid axle and a truck chassis.

[muscleman]

If you could do basic maintenance yourself, then a well-maintained, low mileage Porsche Boxster / Cayman / 911 below $30k. There is a good chance that you'd be able to sell it for about the same or even at a higher price in the future.

 

"They are endless money pits" - Scotty Kilmer

 

 

If you want reliable, no-brainer cars and you like the design, I would go with Toyota.

Most of the Hondas are great as well.

 

Recent Mazdas are great value for money, reliable almost as the Toyotas, have very nice design(I love them).

 

Also consider Hyundai/Kia - very good value/features etc..

 

If you are willing to spend more or want more premuim brands, check out Lexus/Acura/Genesis. Especially Genesis can be a great value second hand.

 

Avoid anything German, specially premium German(Mercedes/BMW/Audi), unless you really like them.

 

Also better avoid anything with CVT or Dual Clutch transmissions. They tend to have many problmes and are expensive to repair.

 

Do you have any specific models in mind? What is your budget? Willing to buy second hand?

Size/shape(passenger/SUV?).

 

I wouldn’t trust Scotty Miller. I think he may be paid by Toyota. Toyota is very good at marketing it’s crappy cars through self media. I remember one day Scotty said his son bought a new Toyota Tacoma and expected to keep it for decades. If you check Consumer reports or other car review channels, you can see that the new Tacoma is one of the least reliable pickup truck on market.

Its highest end TRD PRO off road trim is also a complete joke. Search for a YouTube video for Honda Ridgeline base model driving into Death Valley Race Track, with a Tacoma TRD as the support vehicle and see what happened. The Tacoma’s all four suspension exploded after 6 miles while the Ridgeline base model made it back in the end with tiny leaks in one suspension.

 

The new Tacoma is still in the early stages of the model. If you go and look at the 2015 model they are basically tanks. I know a guy personally who had a 2015 Tacoma TRD and did 20k miles overland throughout the course of a year (he took a leap year). He went all over the states and ran some pretty difficult runs. Didn’t have a single issue.

 

I have a 2017 Tacoma and it has been rock solid. I’m not a fan of the new auto transmission which is in my opinion not programmed correctly. At least not as refined as it should be. But the shift points don’t necessarily translate to poor mechanical durability. Both engines V6 and 4 cylinder are extremely reliable and have been proven over time. Toyota us also known for their extreme testing. Not to mention professional race results speak for themselves. Tacoma and Tundra win the Baja 500 and simply dominate the field

 

I will agree that the TRD package is not worth the money you shell out. You could save yourself some money and just install some OME Coils paired with Bilstein 5100’s and OME Dakar leaf springs. That would take you anywhere in North America with confidence.

 

Luckily if you’re in Europe or Asia you can get your hands on the Hilux which is legendary for dependability.

 

There is also a huge difference between a Honda Ridgeline and a Tacoma. One the Honda is basically a Pilot with a bed. It has independent suspension (think car). It’s not a truck. The Tacoma has a solid axle and a truck chassis.

 

 

My point is that Scotty Miller said his son RECENTLY bought a New Tacoma AND expect it to last decades. Even non mechanics like us know the new Tacoma is no good. So I think he is paid by Toyota to advertise for them.

[Castanza]

If you could do basic maintenance yourself, then a well-maintained, low mileage Porsche Boxster / Cayman / 911 below $30k. There is a good chance that you'd be able to sell it for about the same or even at a higher price in the future.

 

"They are endless money pits" - Scotty Kilmer

 

 

If you want reliable, no-brainer cars and you like the design, I would go with Toyota.

Most of the Hondas are great as well.

 

Recent Mazdas are great value for money, reliable almost as the Toyotas, have very nice design(I love them).

 

Also consider Hyundai/Kia - very good value/features etc..

 

If you are willing to spend more or want more premuim brands, check out Lexus/Acura/Genesis. Especially Genesis can be a great value second hand.

 

Avoid anything German, specially premium German(Mercedes/BMW/Audi), unless you really like them.

 

Also better avoid anything with CVT or Dual Clutch transmissions. They tend to have many problmes and are expensive to repair.

 

Do you have any specific models in mind? What is your budget? Willing to buy second hand?

Size/shape(passenger/SUV?).

 

I wouldn’t trust Scotty Miller. I think he may be paid by Toyota. Toyota is very good at marketing it’s crappy cars through self media. I remember one day Scotty said his son bought a new Toyota Tacoma and expected to keep it for decades. If you check Consumer reports or other car review channels, you can see that the new Tacoma is one of the least reliable pickup truck on market.

Its highest end TRD PRO off road trim is also a complete joke. Search for a YouTube video for Honda Ridgeline base model driving into Death Valley Race Track, with a Tacoma TRD as the support vehicle and see what happened. The Tacoma’s all four suspension exploded after 6 miles while the Ridgeline base model made it back in the end with tiny leaks in one suspension.

 

The new Tacoma is still in the early stages of the model. If you go and look at the 2015 model they are basically tanks. I know a guy personally who had a 2015 Tacoma TRD and did 20k miles overland throughout the course of a year (he took a leap year). He went all over the states and ran some pretty difficult runs. Didn’t have a single issue.

 

I have a 2017 Tacoma and it has been rock solid. I’m not a fan of the new auto transmission which is in my opinion not programmed correctly. At least not as refined as it should be. But the shift points don’t necessarily translate to poor mechanical durability. Both engines V6 and 4 cylinder are extremely reliable and have been proven over time. Toyota us also known for their extreme testing. Not to mention professional race results speak for themselves. Tacoma and Tundra win the Baja 500 and simply dominate the field

 

I will agree that the TRD package is not worth the money you shell out. You could save yourself some money and just install some OME Coils paired with Bilstein 5100’s and OME Dakar leaf springs. That would take you anywhere in North America with confidence.

 

Luckily if you’re in Europe or Asia you can get your hands on the Hilux which is legendary for dependability.

 

There is also a huge difference between a Honda Ridgeline and a Tacoma. One the Honda is basically a Pilot with a bed. It has independent suspension (think car). It’s not a truck. The Tacoma has a solid axle and a truck chassis.

 

 

My point is that Scotty Miller said his son RECENTLY bought a New Tacoma AND expect it to last decades. Even non mechanics like us know the new Tacoma is no good. So I think he is paid by Toyota to advertise for them.

 

Well the newest TRD Pro ships with Bilstein 4600’s. So a suspension failing has nothing to do with Toyota and everything to do with Bilstein. To say an entire vehicle is terrible because aftermarket shocks supplied by another company failed is a bit disingenuous.

 

When it comes to brand reliability it’s always Toyota, Lexus at the top and Buick. All of the big 3 American brands are way near the bottom (cough cough Jeep). Toyota Tacoma’s, Land Cruisers, Tundras and 4 Runners often do last decades if they are properly taken care of.

 

I’m probably a bit biased but hey everyone is with something they own  :P  But I’m also not a fanboy. I recognize the flaws. That’s why I bought the 10 year warranty  :P

[Spekulatius]

If you could do basic maintenance yourself, then a well-maintained, low mileage Porsche Boxster / Cayman / 911 below $30k. There is a good chance that you'd be able to sell it for about the same or even at a higher price in the future.

 

"They are endless money pits" - Scotty Kilmer

 

 

If you want reliable, no-brainer cars and you like the design, I would go with Toyota.

Most of the Hondas are great as well.

 

Recent Mazdas are great value for money, reliable almost as the Toyotas, have very nice design(I love them).

 

Also consider Hyundai/Kia - very good value/features etc..

 

If you are willing to spend more or want more premuim brands, check out Lexus/Acura/Genesis. Especially Genesis can be a great value second hand.

 

Avoid anything German, specially premium German(Mercedes/BMW/Audi), unless you really like them.

 

Also better avoid anything with CVT or Dual Clutch transmissions. They tend to have many problmes and are expensive to repair.

 

Do you have any specific models in mind? What is your budget? Willing to buy second hand?

Size/shape(passenger/SUV?).

 

I wouldn’t trust Scotty Miller. I think he may be paid by Toyota. Toyota is very good at marketing it’s crappy cars through self media. I remember one day Scotty said his son bought a new Toyota Tacoma and expected to keep it for decades. If you check Consumer reports or other car review channels, you can see that the new Tacoma is one of the least reliable pickup truck on market.

Its highest end TRD PRO off road trim is also a complete joke. Search for a YouTube video for Honda Ridgeline base model driving into Death Valley Race Track, with a Tacoma TRD as the support vehicle and see what happened. The Tacoma’s all four suspension exploded after 6 miles while the Ridgeline base model made it back in the end with tiny leaks in one suspension.

 

Scotty Kilmer has a video out there “Why not to buy a new Toyota Camry”, so if he is paid by Toyota, he doing a bad job promoting the brand. Anyways, I have never heard of him before and I am surprised anyone would take your tube opinions as a gospel?

[muscleman]

If you could do basic maintenance yourself, then a well-maintained, low mileage Porsche Boxster / Cayman / 911 below $30k. There is a good chance that you'd be able to sell it for about the same or even at a higher price in the future.

 

"They are endless money pits" - Scotty Kilmer

 

 

If you want reliable, no-brainer cars and you like the design, I would go with Toyota.

Most of the Hondas are great as well.

 

Recent Mazdas are great value for money, reliable almost as the Toyotas, have very nice design(I love them).

 

Also consider Hyundai/Kia - very good value/features etc..

 

If you are willing to spend more or want more premuim brands, check out Lexus/Acura/Genesis. Especially Genesis can be a great value second hand.

 

Avoid anything German, specially premium German(Mercedes/BMW/Audi), unless you really like them.

 

Also better avoid anything with CVT or Dual Clutch transmissions. They tend to have many problmes and are expensive to repair.

 

Do you have any specific models in mind? What is your budget? Willing to buy second hand?

Size/shape(passenger/SUV?).

 

I wouldn’t trust Scotty Miller. I think he may be paid by Toyota. Toyota is very good at marketing it’s crappy cars through self media. I remember one day Scotty said his son bought a new Toyota Tacoma and expected to keep it for decades. If you check Consumer reports or other car review channels, you can see that the new Tacoma is one of the least reliable pickup truck on market.

Its highest end TRD PRO off road trim is also a complete joke. Search for a YouTube video for Honda Ridgeline base model driving into Death Valley Race Track, with a Tacoma TRD as the support vehicle and see what happened. The Tacoma’s all four suspension exploded after 6 miles while the Ridgeline base model made it back in the end with tiny leaks in one suspension.

 

The new Tacoma is still in the early stages of the model. If you go and look at the 2015 model they are basically tanks. I know a guy personally who had a 2015 Tacoma TRD and did 20k miles overland throughout the course of a year (he took a leap year). He went all over the states and ran some pretty difficult runs. Didn’t have a single issue.

 

I have a 2017 Tacoma and it has been rock solid. I’m not a fan of the new auto transmission which is in my opinion not programmed correctly. At least not as refined as it should be. But the shift points don’t necessarily translate to poor mechanical durability. Both engines V6 and 4 cylinder are extremely reliable and have been proven over time. Toyota us also known for their extreme testing. Not to mention professional race results speak for themselves. Tacoma and Tundra win the Baja 500 and simply dominate the field

 

I will agree that the TRD package is not worth the money you shell out. You could save yourself some money and just install some OME Coils paired with Bilstein 5100’s and OME Dakar leaf springs. That would take you anywhere in North America with confidence.

 

Luckily if you’re in Europe or Asia you can get your hands on the Hilux which is legendary for dependability.

 

There is also a huge difference between a Honda Ridgeline and a Tacoma. One the Honda is basically a Pilot with a bed. It has independent suspension (think car). It’s not a truck. The Tacoma has a solid axle and a truck chassis.

 

 

My point is that Scotty Miller said his son RECENTLY bought a New Tacoma AND expect it to last decades. Even non mechanics like us know the new Tacoma is no good. So I think he is paid by Toyota to advertise for them.

 

Well the newest TRD Pro ships with Bilstein 4600’s. So a suspension failing has nothing to do with Toyota and everything to do with Bilstein. To say an entire vehicle is terrible because aftermarket shocks supplied by another company failed is a bit disingenuous.

 

When it comes to brand reliability it’s always Toyota, Lexus at the top and Buick. All of the big 3 American brands are way near the bottom (cough cough Jeep). Toyota Tacoma’s, Land Cruisers, Tundras and 4 Runners often do last decades if they are properly taken care of.

 

I’m probably a bit biased but hey everyone is with something they own  :P  But I’m also not a fanboy. I recognize the flaws. That’s why I bought the 10 year warranty  :P

 

 

The new Tacoma has more problems than just the suspension. It is rated the least reliable pickup

[Castanza]

If you could do basic maintenance yourself, then a well-maintained, low mileage Porsche Boxster / Cayman / 911 below $30k. There is a good chance that you'd be able to sell it for about the same or even at a higher price in the future.

 

"They are endless money pits" - Scotty Kilmer

 

 

If you want reliable, no-brainer cars and you like the design, I would go with Toyota.

Most of the Hondas are great as well.

 

Recent Mazdas are great value for money, reliable almost as the Toyotas, have very nice design(I love them).

 

Also consider Hyundai/Kia - very good value/features etc..

 

If you are willing to spend more or want more premuim brands, check out Lexus/Acura/Genesis. Especially Genesis can be a great value second hand.

 

Avoid anything German, specially premium German(Mercedes/BMW/Audi), unless you really like them.

 

Also better avoid anything with CVT or Dual Clutch transmissions. They tend to have many problmes and are expensive to repair.

 

Do you have any specific models in mind? What is your budget? Willing to buy second hand?

Size/shape(passenger/SUV?).

 

I wouldn’t trust Scotty Miller. I think he may be paid by Toyota. Toyota is very good at marketing it’s crappy cars through self media. I remember one day Scotty said his son bought a new Toyota Tacoma and expected to keep it for decades. If you check Consumer reports or other car review channels, you can see that the new Tacoma is one of the least reliable pickup truck on market.

Its highest end TRD PRO off road trim is also a complete joke. Search for a YouTube video for Honda Ridgeline base model driving into Death Valley Race Track, with a Tacoma TRD as the support vehicle and see what happened. The Tacoma’s all four suspension exploded after 6 miles while the Ridgeline base model made it back in the end with tiny leaks in one suspension.

 

The new Tacoma is still in the early stages of the model. If you go and look at the 2015 model they are basically tanks. I know a guy personally who had a 2015 Tacoma TRD and did 20k miles overland throughout the course of a year (he took a leap year). He went all over the states and ran some pretty difficult runs. Didn’t have a single issue.

 

I have a 2017 Tacoma and it has been rock solid. I’m not a fan of the new auto transmission which is in my opinion not programmed correctly. At least not as refined as it should be. But the shift points don’t necessarily translate to poor mechanical durability. Both engines V6 and 4 cylinder are extremely reliable and have been proven over time. Toyota us also known for their extreme testing. Not to mention professional race results speak for themselves. Tacoma and Tundra win the Baja 500 and simply dominate the field

 

I will agree that the TRD package is not worth the money you shell out. You could save yourself some money and just install some OME Coils paired with Bilstein 5100’s and OME Dakar leaf springs. That would take you anywhere in North America with confidence.

 

Luckily if you’re in Europe or Asia you can get your hands on the Hilux which is legendary for dependability.

 

There is also a huge difference between a Honda Ridgeline and a Tacoma. One the Honda is basically a Pilot with a bed. It has independent suspension (think car). It’s not a truck. The Tacoma has a solid axle and a truck chassis.

 

 

My point is that Scotty Miller said his son RECENTLY bought a New Tacoma AND expect it to last decades. Even non mechanics like us know the new Tacoma is no good. So I think he is paid by Toyota to advertise for them.

 

Well the newest TRD Pro ships with Bilstein 4600’s. So a suspension failing has nothing to do with Toyota and everything to do with Bilstein. To say an entire vehicle is terrible because aftermarket shocks supplied by another company failed is a bit disingenuous.

 

When it comes to brand reliability it’s always Toyota, Lexus at the top and Buick. All of the big 3 American brands are way near the bottom (cough cough Jeep). Toyota Tacoma’s, Land Cruisers, Tundras and 4 Runners often do last decades if they are properly taken care of.

 

I’m probably a bit biased but hey everyone is with something they own  :P  But I’m also not a fanboy. I recognize the flaws. That’s why I bought the 10 year warranty  :P

 

 

The new Tacoma has more problems than just the suspension. It is rated the least reliable pickup

 

Or the most reliable and the Tundra as #2. Guess it depends where you look. Though I didn’t see any reports with 2016+ Tacoma as being unreliable

 

https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/the-most-reliable-new-trucks-on-the-market

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/repairpal.com/reliability/midsize-truck.amp

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[RUFeebz]

Have to put two more thumbs up for Toyotas. My wife and I both drive older Toyotas both bought used. 09 Prius, 07 Camry and have over 250k km on each of them without a hiccup. The camry is starting to get a bit loose in the suspension but otherwise has been rock solid.  Debating on whether to freshen it up or get soething newer.  The prius has been rock solid.

I do all the maintenance on the vehicles only issue with the camry was the water pump but it was an easy fix. Have not had a single issue with the prius. Wouldn't hesitate to buy another prius.

 

Prior to this my family was a GM family and although they also lasted quite a while the difference in build quality on the Toyotas was signficant.

[Orchard]

https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/the-most-reliable-new-trucks-on-the-market

 

Great article.

 

"For each new car in the U.S. News rankings, our editors analyze credible reviews about the new car to assign a score that represents what professional critics say about it."

 

https://cars.usnews.com/methodology

[Fairfaxnut]

Maybe you should go farther out into the depreciation curve and buy 10 years or older.  Usually the quirks and maintenance issues are well documented on the net at this age and you can typically buy, drive for a few years, and sell for the same price (Rinse and Repeat).  It will add a level of humility and "i don't care what others think" to your subconscious as well which, I believe, is essential to being a great value investor.  ;)

[Guest oakwood42]

Jim Kenize, an automotive journalist, once wrote the most sensible car purchase would be buy a 3-4 year old Buick - drive it into the ground, and repeat.

 

Full disclosure - that is exactly what I did.  So far it has worked out for me.

 

PS, I don't know if this advice is still applicable, since if I am not mistaken, GM is discontinuing the Buick line.(Perhaps parts will be more difficult to get - I am just guessing)

 

PPS, I also agree with the cars mentioned above

 

buick +1

[james22]

I value invest so I can drive a car I like?

[DooDiligence]

I value invest so I can drive a car I like?

 

Yes, as long as you don't overpay for something that breaks down on you.

[Orchard]

Yes, as long as you don't overpay for something that breaks down on you.

Unless you have a large stake in the dealership servicing it.

[LongHaul]

For me I just want a vehicle that will relatively safely and cheaply take me from A to B.  When one looks at what a car is it just a lot of metal, plastics, rubber and other materials.

Put your emotions aside on it.

 

Many mechanics have told me get a Honda or a Toyota as they are well designed and highly reliable. 

I personally like the Toyota brand a bit better.  A warranty company data also had a lot less claims with Toyota's.

Toyota has a top down engineering and quality culture (The finance guys at the top are generally an avoid).  I appreciate simplicity in engineering and design.  I think I read the engines are engineered to last 250k miles and the transmission are known to be very reliable.  (pro tip:  If buying used look at the prices of used tranny's to see how reliable they are - if expensive that means there is a lot of demand for used tranny's).

All of this can vary by model.

 

I try to avoid over complicated engineering and more bells and whistles because the more parts there are the higher the chance of it breaking. 

So I personally would avoid like the plague Mercedes - garbage engineering for reliability in my opinion.  Way too complicated and costly to repair and unreliable.

 

I bought my Toyota car new, a long time ago.  Totally stupid decision. 

 

Here is my ad for older cars which Madison avenue wont tell you. 

The benefits of an older car:

 

1.  Much cheaper to buy (especially if you compound it out over decades)

2.  No need for collision insurance

3.  No worries if your kids or dog mess up the interior

4.  No worries about minor dings (parking etc.)

5.  Not creating envy.

6.  Less time in switching cars every few years.

 

Sam Walton drove a old beater pickup truck.  I was surprised at how badly it looked when I saw it first hand. 

Smart guy.  Munger and Buffett also drove beaters in the early years. 

 

Munger's daughter asked why he drove such a crappy car and Munger said "To keep the Gold diggers away!"