Hi everyone,
Looking for a used small-medium SUV (like everyone else nowadays) in Houston area with a budget of approx 15-18K.
After watching countless videos on Scotty's channel (great channel!!!) and reading this forum I know the answer will be "get a RAV4 or CR-V", but the reality is more complicated - when working with a finite budget one must make compromises. For example, I am looking at two options from the same dealer:
- 2016 CR-V EX in decent condition with 60K miles for 19000$
- 2014 Ford Escape Titanium in excellent condition with 70K miles for 13000$
Now, of course, buying a newer Honda with fewer miles seems better from a reliability point of view than an older ford with an EcoBoost engine. But then you have the 6000$ difference... even if you need to replace the turbo or some other expensive part, it is usually less than that. Also, reliability is a statistical issue - even the unreliable cars don't always break (I had a Fiat that gave me 100K miles before I sold it with no issues besides the regular maintenance).
Besides, the Ford with the higher trim feels more pleasant for everyday use.
So what do you think - Should I pay the extra 6000$ for the Honda?
P.S.
This is a specific example but the situation is very common and everyone who looks for a used car has this dilemma - Toyota and Honda are better brands, but are they overpriced?
Clarification: How many additional miles do you need the car to last you? For instance do you plan to keep the car until it reaches 200/250/300+ hundred thousand miles?
Forgot to mention this important point - I plan to keep it for 2-4 years, so no more than 100K additional miles.
Have you also looked at Mazda’s offerings? (CX-3, CX-30, CX-5)
Keep in mind in addition to engine repair costs in the future, you will have other issues to deal with including electrical and transmission issues. For that model year of the Escape, the top problem trend was transmission failure around 70,000 miles with average cost $4,500 to replace (hardly anyone can rebuild those anymore so you have to replace the whole unit). Plus additional money to troubleshoot electrical issues (not as bad as GM or FCA), also not Ford’s forte. Like I asked right below your post, if you plan to keep this vehicle for a long time and put as much mileage as possible, then the Escape is not the right vehicle. Diligent owner maintenance can only do so much, as reliability/longevity has to be designed/engineered in from the beginning.
https://www.carcomplaints.com/Ford/Escape/2014/
https://www.motorbiscuit.com/the-ford-escape-the-worst-model-year-you-should-never-buy/
https://www.carcomplaints.com/Ford/Escape/2014/recalls/
https://www.motorbiscuit.com/ford-escape-the-most-common-complaints-you-should-know-about/
Yes. I'm not really locked on these two cars, it was just to simplify the question - pay now for the reliability or pay later for the repairs.
Reliability issues aside, I actually prefer the CX-5 and the Forester over both CR-V and Escape, but couldn't find any in good condition and price...
Also keep in mind that in all dealerships, there is no rule saying you cannot negotiate the price. My Camry second hand was to be sold at 25k (only 5k miles at the time under what was probably a for loan out car) without tax license and fees or extended warranty. Took me bout a month but I paid 20k for everything, tax, license and that warrenty included.
1. Are Toyota and Honda overpriced? No. As someone who has always had American cars (and still does) but who now uses primarily 2 Hondas and a Toyota (wife's car) for daily duty, I can attest the build quality and reliability is better than other brands in my experience.
2. Sometimes you have to compromise: True. And in this case, I would go with the Honda. The Ford may have more bells and whistles, but Honda puts their money into longevity and reliability. I'd rather be at home on my sofa than sitting on the side of the road enjoying cooled seats while waiting for the tow truck. And with Ford, I've been there.
I definitely understand saving money and compromising. There is a reason the CRV is more and RAV4's are more....you get what you pay for. Anything over 100k miles is a dice roll on an EcoBoost engine. Also, for what it is worth, the turbo on that EcoBoost runs around $2000 installed. But the expectant lifespan of the engine is 130k miles on average. Average time to replace that motor in labor hours is between 17.7 and 22.7 hours book time. So you're at $4k just in labor assuming it goes smoothly.
And yes, this is a common occurrence:
Guys are paying $6k to $8k for just the engine replacement by the time it's all done.
I would not recommend the Ford.
Wow, very thoughtful post. Yeah, this forum, like the Great Kilmer himself, is very pro-Toyota and Honda. That is for good reason- those brands consistently put out a solid product… but it comes at a premium. And you make a valid point that other brands make good vehicles too (albeit with somewhat higher statistical probability of failure)
Here’s the thing… every year and mile that goes by, the more the reliability of the vehicle is influenced by how it is driven and maintained. A well maintained Ford is eventually going to be better than a poorer maintained Honda, which is why a pre-purchase inspection is so important.
Bottom line: I would guess that the particular Honda you are considering does not justify the price difference. If you like the Ford and the inspection doesn’t find any issues, I would go for it.
welcome to the forum!
Thanks! 🙂
Actually, both are not my top choices, and they are not even in my price range (one is above the other is below).
I don't even know why the dealer presented these two cars as alternatives because they are so different. It's just that when he did I couldn't avoid asking this question - should I pay now for the reliability or pay later for the repairs?
Makes sense. Probably slight advantage Ford, but personal cash flow and budget could be the decisive factor.
Ya pays your money, ya makes your choice.