New Car Time! Your Input, Please.

Okay, my turn. I might be looking for a new car real soon. Got into a fender bender in a Walmart parking lot that took out my bumper, the whole front bumper. No other damage except to the bumper and the shock absorbers behind the bumper that protect the car frame. Since my car is 10 years old state farm is considering declaring the car a total loss. I have a lexus RX! Not sure if I want to spend a lot for a new RX so am considering getting a Lexus NX. Any comments on the NX? How is the pickup? I want a car with a little power, my RX is a 6 cyl but the NX is a 4 cyl. Looked at the RAV but it doesn't have the hp I want. Same with the CRV and the lexus UX. Any other suggestions that doesn't cost an arm or a leg? With money from insurance I probably looking at spending another $25k so looking for a decent car with power in the $40k range. Looking at a SUV, got too comfortable with the higher base.

 

Get a repair estimate, find out how much they want to pay you for the car, and find out how much it will cost you to buy the car back from the insurance company. Once you have all three numbers, decide if you want to drive a 10 year old RX with a “salvage title” that will diminish its value should you want to trade it in a year or two. You don’t mention how many miles are on the odometer, but what was the car worth the day before your mishap? A Lexus RX with 100,000 miles is just getting broken in.

However, if you have the new car itch, you gotta scratch it.

If you want to stay with the RX, maybe consider a certified pre owned. I recently saw a 2017 with 36k miles, it was going for $32k. CPO cars come with a great warranty.

good luck.

The Genesis G70 with the 3.3 Turbo has an extra large glove box for all the speeding tickets you may get.

 

Thanks for your input. Actually the problem is that the repair shop has to take apart the car to see what else is wrong. If there was frame damage or damage under the hood then state farm will declare a total loss because of the cost to fix (they have to raise the engine to fix so costs will go up considerably). I just dropped off the car at the shop so it will take a few days to take apart and reappraise if necessary. I really don't have a lot of time to research buying back and fixing car if it is salvaged so will probably just pick up another car, esp since the car is 10 years old. Not a lot of miles, only hit 50k this year so I wanted it to last a couple or more years before I get my next car but the point may be moot. I have a friend who buys salvaged cars at auto auctions. He likes my car because he could probably pick it up for cheap, fix the car and resell it and make a few thousand or keep it himself but his recommendation if the car is declared total is to just get another car esp since I am busy right now (will be going to vegas in a few weeks and have to do a biopsy on my thyroid, etc. etc.).

 

Lots of options out there. Read. Test drive. Get online and get various dealers trying to get your business.

 

No comment on what to buy, but thoughts on how to buy. I've bought my last three cars without visiting the selling dealer until I signed documents and picked up the car. Just did it all through various dealers' internet sales departments after deciding what I wanted. I put it out there to a handful of local dealers via email, tell them I want email communication only because I want everything in writing, take the best offer and then given them all one shot at beating it. I then tell the winning dealer (which actually is the best-priced one convenient to me, since that's worth something too) that if the price is a penny higher than stated when I come in, I'm walking. Has worked well every time. I get the upsell attempts from the F&I person (warranties, coatings, etc.), but that's it. Funny comment from the sales guy when I went in to sign and pick up my last car (Toyota Highlander) - "So, it's the businessman!" But he admired my approach - gave me a car that had just arrived rather than an identical one that had been sitting on the lot for awhile.

Side note - a friend of mine has a daughter who is a salesperson at a Toyota dealership. Prior to that she was at a Subaru dealership. She confirms that the above approach will get the best price. She says dealerships live as much on volume these days as individual car profit since the manufacturers give them volume-based incentives. Going to a dealership to negotiate a car purchase just gives them leverage to work you.

 

Last four done that way. Didn't see the actual vehicle until the day of the test drive and handing over the $$$.

I'm looking at Audi CPO now for an A4 Quattro.

 

I did my lexus that way, drove to northern virginia for it (different sales region so different wheel option I wanted - and a better trade-in for my AWD than NC). Thought I did that with my current subaru but I was in that damn dealership for 4 hrs. I was so furious I complained vociferously and will not buy from them again. So that's 2 subaru dealers I won't use because they've screwed me over. Better buy something else next time bc I think I'm running out of dealerships ;-)

 

Using True Car could’ve made the job a little easier, as they will contact the dealers for you

 

I have a Subaru, I was in the dealership for 6 hours on a Saturday. The price of the car was negotiated, the only negotiation was my trade in, it was the paperwork that took forever because they were super busy. They did buy me lunch.

 

I learned an important lesson with last new (my current) car. The service at the dealership really matters, as does the manufacturer.

I've now had the true lemon experience. My car died on its sixth day. It became a long and dramatic saga. But the dealer provided outstanding support throughout the process. Even gave me some gifts. The manufacturer representative and State law all worked seamlessly. And I have a newer, better car, every gimmicky option, for my original purchase price.

Only downside... now I'm spoiled.

 

May I ask what you were upgraded to?

 

I bought an Audi QX5... mid tier feature package. Was near end of model year. Was replaced with one year newer, I got to order whatever color, interior color I wanted, and its the top tier feature package. I think the trim level is Prestige.

 

Yeah, I was negotiated on price (through Costco) had the correct car, everything. It was the paperwork and that's what I said was BS - there was nothing except an id and VIN check that needed to be done in person, so when I asked weeks in advance if we'd done everything remotely possible, they lied to me...

 

I test drove the brand spankin new Hyundai Tucson 2022 today and.....it might be love.

Seriously though, drive before you buy. At least a couple different vehicles especially if you don't know what you want.

 

I wholly agree ! Glad you had a positive lemon experience, at least in the end.

I had a lemon with a brand new 2012 Sonata and....it was a shitshow. In the end I did not have the patience or time to drag out the bs, so the dealer cut me a check for all I paid at the time, we called it good, and I got another car instead. Still a sour experience with that dealership, and some lasting bullshit on my credit (from that particular dealership) until years later.

Since then I've have positive experiences with new and used cars, but shit Kearny Mesa H- I mean uh. A dealership in San Diego can be totally avoided.

 

Oh well. Confirmed, I have to get another car. State Farm declared the car a total loss. They will be giving me $15k for the 10 year old lexus RX so I can use that help pay for a newer model car.

I asked state farm about salvage and fixing the car up but they will only give me $6k for the car (the salvage amount) and I have to pay the rest to fix the car.

So strange, repair shop estimated the fixes to be in the $10k range but they rather just write the car off as a total loss because many times there are added costs to fix the car so they don't want to bother. If I take it as salvage I would probably have to put up another $5k, probably more to fix.

I was thinking of picking up a newer car in the next year or two so maybe it's best that I pick up a newer car now.

Now, what to get. I was thinking of a Lexus NX but also looking at the RAV4. But I want a car with some guts and the RAV doesn't have the hp as the NX. Same with the Hondas and Hyundais. My brother has a Tuscon and likes it but he said it doesn't have guts.

 

Have you considered electric?

 

The NX is .9 seconds faster and gobs more money. Get a CX-5 if you want a mid-small ute that performs more like a rice rocket.

 

I love the Hyundai palisade. Lots of space and comfort.

 

No electric. My condo doesn't have anyplace to plug in. Maybe in a few years when they mandate that buildings accommodate electric cars. Plus I want a car with some power.

I had a friend that had a cx-5. nice car but not much pickup as the NX. Not that the NX can compare to the RX for power. Yes the NX is more expensive but I don't put a lot of miles on the car and I usually keep the car 12 to 15 years so willing to pay a little more for a car that will last those years.

Thought about the Hyundai Santa fe but I drove the car once and felt it was a little too big for my tastes, guess that's why I don't want another RX, would rather have a smaller car with some power.