Used Car shopping for DD - any opinions on these models?

[cjzimmer1]

DD is going for her road test this afternoon and with hopes of her passing, I have starting hunting for a car for her.

She is almost 20, will be paying cash for the car.  Goes to school about 10 minutes from home and work is about the same distance.  So it's mostly local driving, she is not likely to have many other people in the vehicle with her so not really worried about space.  She does prefer smaller cars as she finds them easier to drive but will adapt to whatever we find for her.  We are looking at newer used cars because she doesn't have a lot of extra money to sink into car repairs at this time plus we would like to have her drive it for a good long time if possible.

We are looking at model year 2019-2022.  These are the cars that are consistently coming up in her price point:

Chevrolet Spark

Nissan Versa

Ford Fiesta

Mitsubishi Mirage

Anyone have experience or knowledge of these cars?  Or have other suggestions (We are not considering Kias and Hyundais at this time due to the easy of theft that has been rampant in our area)?

ETA: We are a Honda Family so that's all I really know but they are out of range for her.

ETA2:  Just thought of another question, Would you consider a vehicle that had been a rental? Or stick to only those owned personally?

Edited March 8, 2023 by cjzimmer1

[mommyoffive]

Nissan

I had an Nissan Altima for my first car, bought it used and then we kept it for a long time.  10 plus years?  Never a single problem.  In my experience Nissan is like Toyota and Honda.

Edited March 8, 2023 by mommyoffive

[Indigo Blue]

Nissan or Mitsubishi. Probably Nissan for first choice. 

[Spryte]

Nissan would be my first choice of those, too. Followed by Mitsubishi.

[Ann.without.an.e]

Go for the Nissan

Avoid the Chevy and Ford if possible. Chevy shouldn't even make cars (their trucks and suburbans are good though). DS had that car and it was one problem after another. ETA: The above opinion is from my now more matured DS who is an auto mechanic and he understands now.

I begged him to go with Honda, Toyota, or Nissan. If you need a used car then those three are just more reliable. I always knew this to be true but once we were comparing cars at Carmax and he showed us the price difference in an extra warranty per model and the warranty was soooo much lower on Hondas, Toyotas, and Nissans. They anticipate a lot less money in repairs. ETA: believe it or not the next cheapest was Kia, still far cheaper than Ford, Chevy, GMC, etc. 

Edited March 8, 2023 by Ann.without.an.e

[cjzimmer1]

39 minutes ago, mommyoffive said:

Nissan

 

19 minutes ago, Indigo Blue said:

Nissan or Mitsubishi. Probably Nissan for first choice. 

 

13 minutes ago, Spryte said:

Nissan would be my first choice of those, too. Followed by Mitsubishi.

 

11 minutes ago, Ann.without.an.e said:

Go for the Nissan

I'm glad to see such agreement!  One more question, would any of you consider purchasing a vehicle that had been used as a rental or is better to stick with vehicles that had been used for personal use only?

[Arcadia]

Nissan, unless Mitsubishi has more dealers in your area. For example the infamous Takata airbag recall that affected multiple brands, ease of locating a dealer for recall repairs is a nice thing to have.

I would be comfortable with rental cars that are long term lease. My friend had a three year car lease so her car would be something that is more pampered than a Hertz/Avis rental car that is leased by days. Personal use is no guarantee unless you know the driver. My husband tends to hit the curb when parking so wheel alignment would need to be a regular maintenance line item or our tires would suffer.

[rebcoola]

We really liked the  nissan.   We had the fiesta for 3 months as a test for a new company car and it was weird no one liked it. 

[gardenmom5]

I will never buy another nissan.

Dd and ds both had mice get into their fans.

The *labor* to fix the nissan was 2 - 3 times what the Toyota cost.  Same mechanic.   It was all what was involved with reaching the fan.

 

[DawnM]

5 minutes ago, gardenmom5 said:

I will never buy another nissan.

Dd and ds both had mice get into their fans.

The *labor* to fix the nissan was 2 - 3 times what the Toyota cost.  Same mechanic.   It was all what was involved with reaching the fan.

 

Nissan has gone down quite a bit.   The merger with the European company made them go downhill.

OP, I wouldn't buy any of the ones you listed.   Just based on consumer reports.  We have 3 Toyotas and a Honda.

 

[gardenmom5]

3 minutes ago, DawnM said:

Nissan has gone down quite a bit.   The merger with the European company made them go downhill.

OP, I wouldn't buy any of the ones you listed.   Just based on consumer reports.  We have 3 Toyotas and a Honda.

 

My sil had a Nissan years ago, and I drove it a few times.   It handled like a slug.

I only bought this one because we were pressed for time and had to buy something. 

 

[kbutton]

2 hours ago, cjzimmer1 said:

One more question, would any of you consider purchasing a vehicle that had been used as a rental or is better to stick with vehicles that had been used for personal use only?

Yes. You can get a carfax report for those as well. My parents drove a former rental car forever, and it was a great car for them. 

Regarding models...there are tradeoffs whether you go with foreign or domestic, but our best comparisons are either very different cars from your list (we have a Volvo that is reliable until it's not, and then it's like buying a clunker every time we need something fixed), or else they were before cars had so many computerized parts (old Corolla vs. old Electra), and I assume that makes a difference.

[Scarlett]

I would buy an older Toyota or Honda before any on that list. 

[Bambam]

We investigated for a time several years ago (5?) getting a Nissan Versa. I think it is the cheapest model they make, and it felt like it. We have only purchased Honda and (one) Toyota in the past 15-20 years, so I can't offer any other suggestions.

We always go to the library and pull the appropriate issues of Consumer Reports to see what they say about cars. I think they have a Used Car Guide too. Sometimes we go ahead and get the subscription with online access if we will be researching several purchases. 

[Ausmumof3]

I think Ford Fiesta is one DH mentions as being really bad in vehicle accidents but I can double check later when he’s home? Either way, I’d look pretty carefully at safety ratings for all of them.

[marbel]

My daughter has a Nissan versa and loves it. I don't remember the model year but I'm pretty sure it's older than what you are looking at. We had our (very trusted) mechanic look it over and he said it was a good vehicle. She has had no trouble since she bought it about a year ago.

We have a 2011 Mitsubishi Galant that has been fantastic for us, fwiw. But it is larger than what you are looking for. Our mechanic advised against a Mirage as that was what she had wanted.

In general I've always avoided former rentals as I've seen the way some people treat them.

[knitgrl]

This might be totally irrelevant, but way back in 2007, I needed a new to me car. So I went to the used Toyota place to look at Corollas. (That's what I learned to drive with, and Toyota is a good company.) I drove a used one off the lot and had my mechanic look at it. He said it had been in an accident, and the dealership was so surprised. 🙄 Then I looked around at the new cars in the lot next door, and it was only $2,000 more for a new Toyota Corolla. I was going to have car payments anyway. An extra $2,000 for new vs. paying for someone else's problem seemed like a good deal to me. We still have the Corolla. I love it. It's also a manual transmission. I will be so sad when we have to let it go.

[Sunshine State Sue]

I sold my old Toyota Solara to a friend whose mother had given her a Ford Fiesta.  My mechanic said absolutely terrible things about the Fiesta. Said they made them to last only to the last car payment. Said they were designed so that a huge assembly was needed to replace one tiny piece.  Said my old Toyota would last longer than her newer Fiesta.  Stay away.

[easypeasy]

From the list: Nissan. But, have her compare shop prices with Toyota/Honda bc one of those will last her forever, no joke. For me, it would be worth saving just a little bit longer to buy a Honda/Toyota!

12 hours ago, cjzimmer1 said:

I'm glad to see such agreement!  One more question, would any of you consider purchasing a vehicle that had been used as a rental or is better to stick with vehicles that had been used for personal use only?

Thumbs up for the rental car purchase!!! You can get a Carfax, as someone stated above. We've had two within the past decade because it was so much easier to just BUY the car than to deal with a used car salesman (and the prices were excellent & the cars were in amazing condition... I have seen others in less-than-amazing condition on the car-rental-for-sale lot, so don't be afraid to wait for a great condition one to come through!! The cost will be the same because they base it off car mileage more so than condition). If you go through Hertz, sign up to their Gold Member Club (or whatever it is called) and tell the car salesman you have it. It's a few hundred dollars off a car purchase. Other rental places might have a similar setup.

[cjzimmer1]

2 minutes ago, easypeasy said:

From the list: Nissan. But, have her compare shop prices with Toyota/Honda bc one of those will last her forever, no joke. For me, it would be worth saving just a little bit longer to buy a Honda/Toyota!

Thumbs up for the rental car purchase!!! You can get a Carfax, as someone stated above. We've had two within the past decade because it was so much easier to just BUY the car than to deal with a used car salesman (and the prices were excellent & the cars were in amazing condition... I have seen others in less-than-amazing condition on the car-rental-for-sale lot, so don't be afraid to wait for a great condition one to come through!! The cost will be the same because they base it off car mileage more so than condition). If you go through Hertz, sign up to their Gold Member Club (or whatever it is called) and tell the car salesman you have it. It's a few hundred dollars off a car purchase. Other rental places might have a similar setup.

We have 3 Hondas already so we know they are a good brand, just that it will take nearly all her savings to get into a range to find a nice one.  And I'm not sure we want her finances to be that tight.  

Her getting a vehicle is far more important to my sanity than it is to her.  I'm currently running out 4 times a day to move her to/from college and later work.  Life at home (and schooling of younger siblings) has taken a serious hit with me having to run her around so much.  So in theory it sounds good to just have her wait till she saves more, but I NEED her to get a car ASAP.

The rental cars I'm looking at are being sold through dealerships. I didn't even know you could buy directly from car rental places.  I'd have to look around for one of those as I don't think there is much here.  

[Emba]

All I can say is, when we were buying DD a car, there were a couple of Chevy Sparks available locally, and they are cute, but after researching them online, they are prone to problems, and my DH would never buy one.

[Soror]

14 hours ago, knitgrl said:

This might be totally irrelevant, but way back in 2007, I needed a new to me car. So I went to the used Toyota place to look at Corollas. (That's what I learned to drive with, and Toyota is a good company.) I drove a used one off the lot and had my mechanic look at it. He said it had been in an accident, and the dealership was so surprised. 🙄 Then I looked around at the new cars in the lot next door, and it was only $2,000 more for a new Toyota Corolla. I was going to have car payments anyway. An extra $2,000 for new vs. paying for someone else's problem seemed like a good deal to me. We still have the Corolla. I love it. It's also a manual transmission. I will be so sad when we have to let it go.

 

19 hours ago, Scarlett said:

I would buy an older Toyota or Honda before any on that list. 

 

19 hours ago, DawnM said:

Nissan has gone down quite a bit.   The merger with the European company made them go downhill.

OP, I wouldn't buy any of the ones you listed.   Just based on consumer reports.  We have 3 Toyotas and a Honda.

I would also buy an older Toyota or Honda before buying any of the ones you listed. A good car that has been well-maintained should get 15 years easily. 

You don't have to buy a car so new to have a reliable car. 

I loved my Honda Civic but I wouldn't buy one these days. (1) they cost too much- they used to be more of an entry-level car but they are gearing them towards young guys who like to race them and the cost is too close to the Camry and Accord to make it worthwhile and (2) they cost more to insure because of that. 

I'd go for a Corolla. They are known to last forever but check to see what model years are best used. They get hella good gas mileage, even the regular model. I strongly considered a Corolla for me but ended up going with the Camry as I decided I wanted one slightly bigger. (would have went with the Accord but I didn't like the look of the new generation)

I'd preferably look for a one-owner vehicle. Personally, I'd not want a rental car because they have tons of people driving them and I'd not trust everyone that drives them has treated them well.

To add to that I have a 2014 Nissa Versa for my work car. It is a very, very cheaply made vehicle. On the plus side, it is small and I don't have to pay the gas. Those are the only pluses. Road noise is bad. It isn't terribly comfortable. Idiots designed the interior. It is doggy- takes 5 years to get up to speed. It does not drive smoothly and sounds rather rough. I am not impressed in the least with it. Now, the owner of the company is meticulous with maintenance and repairs on them- everything is kept up and done at a dealership but it is just a sh*t car.  I'd rather drive my husband's 2007 Honda Accord (which was a grandpa car and still runs like a top). 

I've bought 6 used cars in the last 1.5 years. I also do not enjoy ferrying children all the time. I feel your pain. I know the driving and shopping for used vehicles are both unpleasant activities.  I'd have a daughter to keep on looking and looking and looking. It takes persistence to find cars and especially to find ones that haven't been marked up to ridiculous prices (another reason I'd not buy one so new is it would be hard to find one where the price was low enough it wouldn't be worth it to buy new). With all this car buying we use KBB extensively to get a feel for what things should cost (and I never, ever pay over KBB and keep it to the low range at that). I'd look at different models and see what KBB shows is in your price range. Then I'd check Car and Driver, Edmunds, JD Power and also look for car forums online. Dd1 wanted a Mazda CX5 because of its excellent safety ratings. We've never had a Mazda so I wasn't sure about that- ratings were good but I also checked online to hear what mechanics and owners had to say before oking it. 

[Scarlett]

Our youngest son had a 1 owner 2006 Toyota Corolla that was such a good car.  It had about 250k miles on it when he was rear ended and it was totaled. He looked and looked for a used car…..ended up buying a new 2022 Toyota Corolla hatchback.  He loves it.  Gets 35 MpG….sometimes more.  
 

If I was looking for used Toyota now I probably would. It go as old as 2006 unless miles were low.    
 

Carguru.com is another good site to check local and current values. 
 

 

[Arcadia]

@Soror our Corolla was bought in 2006 and has high mileage with all the road trips we took and also we are a one car family. The CE model is the cheapest, we have manual windows instead of power windows. We changed our tires recently for the second time and considered that good because the ride to kids’ german school is filled with potholes. 
 

I am finally seeing a lot more inventory for used and new when driving past dealerships compared to last year so hopefully OP could find something good.

[Spy Car]

If you decide to expand the search into high-quality older automobiles, such as Hondas and Toyotas, let me add one more option to the search: The second generation Mazda 3, which I believe were made from 2010-2013.

The quality and reliability on these Mazda's is very similar to that of famously excellent Hondas and Toyotas, but--while these are not high speed "performance" cars--the Mazda 3 IMO is set up as more of a "driver's car" than the Civics and Corollas of this vintage. They handle beautifully, with a responsive steering and a suspension that hits the sweet spot between having a comfortable ride, while also feeling sporty. Really a pleasure to drive. More like a European car in its ride quality. But still reliable.

And while aesthetics are up to personal taste, IMO the looks of the second generation Mazda 3 have really held up well. They were well reviewed at the time of release, and they are still well reviewed today as used vehicles. 

One to at least consider if you can find one at the right price, condition, and mileage.

 

Also came in a "hatch" variant:

 

 

The cars on the current list above are all kind of concerning when it comes to quality, value retention, and cost of upkeep, sorry to say.

Bill

 

 

 

[cjzimmer1]

18 hours ago, Spy Car said:

If you decide to expand the search into high-quality older automobiles, such as Hondas and Toyotas, let me add one more option to the search: The second generation Mazda 3, which I believe were made from 2010-2013.

The quality and reliability on these Mazda's is very similar to that of famously excellent Hondas and Toyotas, but--while these are not high speed "performance" cars--the Mazda 3 IMO is set up as more of a "driver's car" than the Civics and Corollas of this vintage. They handle beautifully, with a responsive steering and a suspension that hits the sweet spot between having a comfortable ride, while also feeling sporty. Really a pleasure to drive. More like a European car in its ride quality. But still reliable.

And while aesthetics are up to personal taste, IMO the looks of the second generation Mazda 3 have really held up well. They were well reviewed at the time of release, and they are still well reviewed today as used vehicles. 

One to at least consider if you can find one at the right price, condition, and mileage

Also came in a "hatch" variant:

The cars on the current list above are all kind of concerning when it comes to quality, value retention, and cost of upkeep, sorry to say.

Bill

One of the other reasons for wanting a newer car that I forgot to mention upfront is the safety features.  When I taught the oldest 2 kids we had older cars without all the fancy aids, they learned how to check and double check and triple check if needed before doing anything.  I didn't have access to an older car when teaching DD and despite my attempting to teach her not to rely on those aids, she does.  I am concerned that her brain will go on "auto pilot" and not perform proper visual checks because the car isn't beeping at her.  I can and will continue to drive with her till I'm sure she acclimates safely to her new vehicle but getting something closer to what she is familiar with will speed up the process (and I'm so very tired of chauffeuring).  Besides I know the extra warning systems have saved me a few times when I missed something and I have 30 years of driving experience over her.  I can't fault her for liking them too. 

But I will keep a Mazda in mind if we find anything as we are hunting. 

[BeachGal]

We check out mechanics’ forums for specific models and years. It’s one way to find out what sort of problems specific cars tend to have.

[Soror]

12 minutes ago, cjzimmer1 said:

One of the other reasons for wanting a newer car that I forgot to mention upfront is the safety features.  When I taught the oldest 2 kids we had older cars without all the fancy aids, they learned how to check and double check and triple check if needed before doing anything.  I didn't have access to an older car when teaching DD and despite my attempting to teach her not to rely on those aids, she does.  I am concerned that her brain will go on "auto pilot" and not perform proper visual checks because the car isn't beeping at her.  I can and will continue to drive with her till I'm sure she acclimates safely to her new vehicle but getting something closer to what she is familiar with will speed up the process (and I'm so very tired of chauffeuring).  Besides I know the extra warning systems have saved me a few times when I missed something and I have 30 years of driving experience over her.  I can't fault her for liking them too. 

But I will keep a Mazda in mind if we find anything as we are hunting. 

Fyi 2018 and up have backup cameras. Different makes and models started before then. I'd google different ones to see when they started offering those options. Fyi my 2018 Camry and my daughter's 2018 Mazda cx-5 both have backup cameras, Blindspot monitors, and lane departure warning and correction.

[Spy Car]

1 hour ago, cjzimmer1 said:

One of the other reasons for wanting a newer car that I forgot to mention upfront is the safety features.  When I taught the oldest 2 kids we had older cars without all the fancy aids, they learned how to check and double check and triple check if needed before doing anything.  I didn't have access to an older car when teaching DD and despite my attempting to teach her not to rely on those aids, she does.  I am concerned that her brain will go on "auto pilot" and not perform proper visual checks because the car isn't beeping at her.  I can and will continue to drive with her till I'm sure she acclimates safely to her new vehicle but getting something closer to what she is familiar with will speed up the process (and I'm so very tired of chauffeuring).  Besides I know the extra warning systems have saved me a few times when I missed something and I have 30 years of driving experience over her.  I can't fault her for liking them too. 

But I will keep a Mazda in mind if we find anything as we are hunting. 

Reasonable considerations. 

When I read that she likes smaller cars, has a short commute, and that "she doesn't have a lot of extra money to sink into car repairs," that particular Mazda 3 (2010-13 Second Gen) leaped into my mind as a possible alternative to ever-reliable Hondas and Toyotas.

It is true these have none of the advanced safety warning features of current automobiles, or the latest infotainment features.

But it is a sweet car to drive. Nice looking (for my taste), and reliable. I love the way Mazda engineers set these up. While not a "sports car," this is vehicle that would put a smile on the faces of driving enthusiasts for its handling and suspension. There is something to be said about having a car that has confident handling that allows one to get out of the way of on-coming accidents. What's  called "active safety." I'd rate this Mazda 3 as "the best in class" of this vintage, and by some margin.

Do put any prospective car through some extreme evasive maneuvers before purchase.  

Best wishes on the hunt.

Bill

 

[maize]

On 3/8/2023 at 10:52 AM, cjzimmer1 said:

 

 

 

I'm glad to see such agreement!  One more question, would any of you consider purchasing a vehicle that had been used as a rental or is better to stick with vehicles that had been used for personal use only?

Our first car had been a rental. We had no trouble with it, I think most rental companies are pretty good about regular maintenance.

[Bambam]

My 2013 Honda Accord has a backup camera.
My dd's 2014 Toyota Camry has a backup camera. 
So some older cars have those backup cameras - but not the lane, another car too close to you alerts.  

When my youngest went for her road test, she did not look in the side mirrors nor rearview mirror nor turn around and look when backing up. She only used her camera. She has several points taken off for that. You should never only rely on the backup cameras IMHO. But maybe since I learned to back up without, maybe that is why I still check with my mirrors and actually looking before using the camera? I still use my mirrors and turning my head depending upon where/dimensions of backing up too. 

[Spy Car]

10 minutes ago, Bambam said:

My 2013 Honda Accord has a backup camera.
My dd's 2014 Toyota Camry has a backup camera. 
So some older cars have those backup cameras - but not the lane, another car too close to you alerts.  

When my youngest went for her road test, she did not look in the side mirrors nor rearview mirror nor turn around and look when backing up. She only used her camera. She has several points taken off for that. You should never only rely on the backup cameras IMHO. But maybe since I learned to back up without, maybe that is why I still check with my mirrors and actually looking before using the camera? I still use my mirrors and turning my head depending upon where/dimensions of backing up too. 

It is weird, because my wife just got a new vehicle and it is the first one either of us has had with a rearview camera. And neither of us feels the slightest bit confident using the camera assist. We both look in the mirrors and over our shoulders and don't trust our use of this newfangled camera system one bit. LOL

I suppose we will get used to it?

Bill

[Scarlett]

13 minutes ago, Spy Car said:

It is weird, because my wife just got a new vehicle and it is the first one either of us has had with a rearview camera. And neither of us feels the slightest bit confident using the camera assist. We both look in the mirrors and over our shoulders and don't trust our use of this newfangled camera system one bit. LOL

I suppose we will get used to it?

Bill

Our 2015 Prius has it and I still don’t rely on it completely.  

[Spy Car]

39 minutes ago, Scarlett said:

Our 2015 Prius has it and I still don’t rely on it completely.  

But do you keep screaming,"Get off my lawn"?  

Neither of us are used to this back-up camera idea at all.

Bill

[Indigo Blue]

6 minutes ago, Spy Car said:

But do you keep screaming,"Get off my lawn"?  

Neither of us are used to this back-up camera idea at all.

Bill

Dh has a new truck and it’s our first backup camera. With him, it’s funny because he is deathly allergic to new technology and will balk and resist at every turn. But for some reason, he adjusted to the backup camera very well. I don’t use it at all. 

[Indigo Blue]

@Scarlettare you there? I’ve been wondering if you’re feeling better yet. 

[Scarlett]

3 minutes ago, Indigo Blue said:

@Scarlettare you there? I’ve been wondering if you’re feeling better yet. 

Ugh I am not.  I am going to update on my medical question thread.  

[cjzimmer1]

1 minute ago, Bambam said:

My 2013 Honda Accord has a backup camera.
My dd's 2014 Toyota Camry has a backup camera. 
So some older cars have those backup cameras - but not the lane, another car too close to you alerts.  

When my youngest went for her road test, she did not look in the side mirrors nor rearview mirror nor turn around and look when backing up. She only used her camera. She has several points taken off for that. You should never only rely on the backup cameras IMHO. But maybe since I learned to back up without, maybe that is why I still check with my mirrors and actually looking before using the camera? I still use my mirrors and turning my head depending upon where/dimensions of backing up too. 

Backup cameras have been around long enough that most everything we've seen have that.  We are hoping for the auto braking features (to help prevent rear ending someone), lane departure warnings and she would love to have the blind spot detectors.

Middle DS got dinged for using the camera too much on his driver's test.  I drilled it into DD she absolutely couldn't use it on the test (and she didn't she had a nearly perfect score) but the test was like 10 minutes and honestly not really real life at all if you ask me.  But yes, I want her turning her head and looking and just having the cameras as a back up in case she missed something (but then there is how she drives in real life which doesn't match what I would like)

[cjzimmer1]

1 hour ago, Spy Car said:

It is weird, because my wife just got a new vehicle and it is the first one either of us has had with a rearview camera. And neither of us feels the slightest bit confident using the camera assist. We both look in the mirrors and over our shoulders and don't trust our use of this newfangled camera system one bit. LOL

I suppose we will get used to it?

Bill

I find all the gadgetry to be very distracting so I just pretend it doesn't exist.  I once had a young salesman trying to emphasize how great it was and I told him I found it distracting and it made me slightly dizzy trying to look at it and the road and I wished I could just turn it off but since I can't I just ignore it.  He was pretty horrified that I didn't appreciate this stuff that he clearly thought was something special.   But yes I have adapted some.  I still don't use the backup camera at all (and it's been 8 years now) but I do appreciate the blind spot detector.

Edited March 11, 2023 by cjzimmer1

[Clarita]

49 minutes ago, Spy Car said:

Neither of us are used to this back-up camera idea at all.

I've 100% used the auto-park function on my mini-van. Note there is a downside the car doesn't help you get out of the spot and the car is quite good at parallel parking (better than me anyway). My husband won't use it or well he says he forgets that it's there.

[Spy Car]

23 minutes ago, cjzimmer1 said:

I find all the gadgetry to be very distracting so I just pretend it doesn't exist.  I once had a young salesman trying to emphasize how great it was and I told him I found it distracting and it made me slightly dizzy trying to look at it and the road and I wished I could just turn it off but since I can't I just ignore it.  He was pretty horrified that I didn't appreciate this stuff that he clearly thought was something special.   But yes I have adapted some.  I still don't use the backup camera at all (and it's been 8 years now) but I do appreciate the blind spot detector.

I would really like a blind spot detector.

Strangely, we could not get one on our new car (despite it being a common feature to the vehicle). To get the "special edition" color we wanted, we had to accept they only come one way. W/o a blind spot detector. Harumph. 

I need to play with the back up camera some more. I suppose i will adjust. Or not.

Bill

[Kuovonne]

When I purchased my most recent car, I insisted on a backup camera, even though I had never had a car with one before. I got used to it very quickly. It makes parallel parking and backing into parking spots so much easier!

I wish that our other vehicle had a backup camera. I cannot see the end of the vehicle when I am in the driver’s seat.

[knitgrl]

On 3/9/2023 at 2:44 PM, Spy Car said:

 

Awww. It looks like it has a big, friendly grin. It might even be laughing. So many new vehicles look angry.

[Indigo Blue]

3 minutes ago, knitgrl said:

Awww. It looks like it has a big, friendly grin. It might even be laughing. So many new vehicles look angry.

Wow! It does! As opposed to this one:

[knitgrl]

That one is definitely seething with rage. 😆

[Indigo Blue]

8 minutes ago, knitgrl said:

That one is definitely seething with rage. 😆

Isn’t it? 

[Indigo Blue]

9 minutes ago, knitgrl said:

That one is definitely seething with rage. 😆

It’s like Legos. Remember when they looked so happy, sweet, and content? Somewhere along the line during the boys years of Lego enjoyment, the Legos became very angry. I used to ask them, “WHAT is happening to the Legos? Just look at this face, filled with irritability and indignation! Why are they so mad?”