Hi Marty, my better half and I want a newer vehicle. Is FWD ALWAYS BETTER THAN AWD? We were thinking of getting a NEW Mazda, but they all seem to be AWD. We live up in Michigan and get a lot of snow in the winter. We are retired folks, 68 years old. We only have about 25K to spend. What do you suggest for a reliable long long-lasting vehicle? I am not mechanically inclined. Thanks. Love your YOUTUBE VIDEOS.
what is so good about a corolla?
The Toyota Corolla has merely been one of the most bulletproof series of cars sold in the U.S. since the late 1960s and one of the best-selling cars in the world. There's a reason why they cost more than their competitors. You just need to do your homework and avoid any specific model year that might have inherent problems. (No manufacturer can be 100% consistent over that period of time.) And, as with any used vehicle, a thorough pre-purchase inspection is a must.
@chucktobias ok...what years of the Corolla should I avoid?...ie: mechanical problems...does it have the CVT TRANNY?
We only have about 25K to spend.
You're going to be hard-pressed to find any new car for $25,000 out the door. Even if you're talking $25,000 plus taxes and fees it's going to be tough. (Or are you talking about putting $25K down and financing the rest?)
FWD is better than AWD from the standpoint that it is less complex, uses less gas, and you don't necessarily have to replace all four tires if one is irreparably damaged. AWD does give you an edge in winter conditions.
Mazda does make FWD cars such as the Mazda 3. The 2025 Mazda 3 MSRP starts at just over $25K.
@chucktobias HI...25K is what we have to spend. it does not need to be a new vehicle. are the Mazdas a good line of vehicles? I like the CX-5.
@chucktobias the difference in fuel usage is often insignificant. Not even worth mentioning.
HI...25K is what we have to spend. it does not need to be a new vehicle. are the Mazdas a good line of vehicles? I like the CX-5.
Scotty has said late-model Mazdas are pretty good as they've had a hookup with Toyota since around 2015 which has improved their quality. However some Mazda models may have undesirable features such as "ASS" (Automatic Start/Stop) that cannot be disabled.
If you're limited to a grand total of $25K that pretty much rules out new cars unless you can make a really amazing deal on something relatively inexpensive. (The average transaction cost of a new car these days is over $47,000).
So, you are left to the used market. You can easily find any inherent flaws in a particular model you're considering via an internet search. Be sure to have a good mechanic thoroughly inspect any used car before purchase. Afterwards is too late!
@chucktobias YES...I have been knocking myself out online researching cars....CAR AND DRIVER has a good site where they rate cars on a scale of 1-10...I dont like the cvt trannies in Hondas and others...I am finding reasonable prices on used Mazdas.
I will try to find something with front wheel drive...should I stay away from all this "turbo charged
stuff.?
I would avoid turbocharging for the best shot at not having serious problems. Bear in mind that sources like Car & Driver do not generally make any determination of reliability, they focus on features and "cool tech" that will cost a fortune to repair when the warranty is up.
@chucktobias Who would you recommend as a good source for reviews and comparisons of cars? We are both 68 and need a new vehicle that will last us a good long time.
If you want to find out about inherent reliability problems a particular model may have all you need to do is search on the make, model, and year followed by "problems". Once such site we frequently reference is carcomplaints.com. However with a used car the most important thing is the condition of the specific example you are considering and only a good mechanic can tell you if it's worth buying.
Who would you recommend as a good source for reviews and comparisons of cars?
There's this guy named Scotty Kilmer on youtube who gives no-bs reviews of cars. You can search his Youtube channel, or scroll down to the bottom of our front page to "Video Reviews by Scotty". There you can find many vehicles, kindly categorized and indexed by our very own members to make it easy to find.
You can also search this forum with box in the top right corner.
@imperator yes...Scotty is who got me here. ok, taking it to my mechanic is always a good idea...I have done that before...we do get a lot of snow here in northern Michigan.
Anyone got an opinion on a long-lasting AWD vehicle used or new for around 25K???...I do have a trade in...A 2016 chevy Equinox in good shape.
RAV4
@imperator THE RAV 4 AND HONDAS AND SUBARUS ALL USE THOSE CRAPPY TRANSMISSIONS THAT SCOTTY SAYS TO AVOID!
turn off your CAPS LOCK please. Yeah CVT's aren't the best, but it's Toyota or Aisin . They make good transmissions, so it'll still last a long time. Overall it's still the best choice.
@imperator what is Aisin.? what is the best choice, as you stated?
Aisin is a Japanese company that makes reliable transmissions. You can find them in a lot of Toyotas. Toyota also makes their own transmissions, which are also good on the whole. I'm saying that Toyota cars, despite having CVTs and turbochargers and other things Scotty warns about, are still very good cars relative to everything else on the market. Also, realize that if you want to buy new, you don't get to be that choosy because everybody is moving that way. The Equinox you mentioned is one of the THE WORST SUV's you can buy. They are rolling piles of trash, as Scotty has said multiple times. Again, read the reviews on the main page like I said above. It's all there.
@imperator yes, we found out the hard way about the equinox...it's always in the shop!...if you were to buy a 2024 or 2023 car for us senior citizens what would you buy right now?..we only have 25K to spend.
Corolla
@imperator what is so good about a corolla?
reliability
what years of the Corolla should I avoid?...ie: mechanical problems...does it have the CVT TRANNY?
You can easily find reliability information via an internet search. As mentioned previously, sites like carcomplaints.com make it easy to view problems, TSBs, and recalls for specific years.
Corollas have had CVTs for about the last decade. Per Scotty the Toyota CVTs are the best in the business, particularly models featuring the launch gear. (Earliest CVTs are to be avoided.) You will find in your research that late-model Corollas are not prone to transmission problems.
It's getting harder to find recent cars that have a conventional automatic transmission. If you can stretch your budget a bit and get a really smoking deal (like maybe 10% off MSRP and no dealer add-ons) you might be able to swing something like a new base model Mazda 3 which has a conventional six-speed automatic transmission and would have a full factory warranty. You would need to school yourself on negotiating with dealers, they won't just hand you a great deal. There are plenty of youtube videos on that topic.
@chucktobias OK...does the Corolla come with heated driver seats, and power driver seats??? we live up north in Michigan.
You'd have to check the available options. (These days those things would typically be part of a trim level package rather than individual options.) Of course what a used example has for equipment will depend on what the original owner bought, you'd have to search for one that has what you want.
@chucktobias ok...well it's between a Mazda and a Toyota...used or new...what are the advantages and disadvantages of used or new in these two?
In general the Toyota would probably last longer but if you start out with a new car with a warranty that's something to consider as well, you're not hostage to whatever happened under previous ownership. With your budget it's definitely going to be used for a Toyota though you may be able to squeak by new with a Mazda. You're going to have to do some research on the details between the models you are considering. (Bear in mind that everyone here is a volunteer and not necessarily in a position to do all your research for you.)
@chucktobias Well, as you may have guessed, I'm not a car techie...I really do appreciate all the help you are offering me.soo I a, going to research the Toyota Corolla. Any other sites that you would suggest helping me with my research into a reliable vehicle?...guys like you are a true lifesaver.
Your best bet is to use your favorite search engine, entering something like "year make model problems" for the search terms and see what comes up.
@chucktobias thanks again CHUCK..."once more into the breach!!!
@chucktobias I think I'm going to stop recommending carcomplaints as a source. There is SO much garbage on there. Clearly the staff do nothing to filter out legitimate complaints from chaff, so the numbers aren't reliable IMO. People just post random rants that have absolutely nothing to do with vehicle in question.
You really have to drill down to see the specific complaints on that site.
Is FWD ALWAYS BETTER THAN AWD?
"better" is subjective
AWD obviously gets you better traction. The question is do you need it or not, because it is an added cost. If you get lots of snow then AWD is objectively better.
hello sir, buy a toyota camry , corolla or a honda CRV they will all last longer than you will 🙂 🙂 you'll need to up your dollar amount but you will be glad you did in the end..
