New car advice

[vikramaditya]

I'm looking at a 2008 Saturn (Opel) Astra 4-door after reading favourable reviews. I know the model has been very popular in the civilised world for a few years, but it's new here in the USA. Can anyone give me a reliability report?

[bsharp]

Wait 6 months to a year before buying.

Buying a brand new car is the 2nd worst financial decision anyone can make (having kids is the first, though some would argue). Sign the papers, drive it off the lot, and BAM! You lose thousands in resale value.

Get it slightly used and save money.

[Dragonbite]

Wait 6 months to a year before buying.

Buying a brand new car is the 2nd worst financial decision anyone can make (having kids is the first, though some would argue). Sign the papers, drive it off the lot, and BAM! You lose thousands in resale value.

Get it slightly used and save money.

I got a 1 year old, off of a lease Pontiac Sunfire Convertible for about $5-6,000 off new list price.

Check out the incentives, though. Right now they may be more willing to make a deal than ever before depending on your local economy.

[will1911a1]

I'm in the car business and I can tell you that it is definitely smarter to buy used.

[gn2]

The car that it's based on is from a maker which here in the UK has a reputation for being very unreliable.
I wouldn't touch one.

Get a Toyota or a Honda, they're far more reliable.

[cevans]

I'm in the car business and I can tell you that it is definitely smarter to buy used.

If one isn't concerned with the price or resale value, and isn't taking out a loan, but is quite concerned about time and complications, is buying a new car still a bad idea?

That said, I doubt many people are in such a situation.

[will1911a1]

If one isn't concerned with the price or resale value, and isn't taking out a loan, but is quite concerned about time and complications, is buying a new car still a bad idea?

That said, I doubt many people are in such a situation.

If money isn't a concern then do what you want, it won't matter to you one way or the other it sounds like. If I personally were in the market for another vehicle I would buy used.

[will1911a1]

Get a Toyota or a Honda, they're far more reliable.

Honda and Toyota retain more of their value over time as well which means a lot if you happen to be in an accident and still owe money on your car.

[gn2]

If one isn't concerned with the price or resale value, and isn't taking out a loan, but is quite concerned about time and complications, is buying a new car still a bad idea?

Yes if you have to wait for delivery.

If a used car is in the shop, usually it's available immediately.

I bought a used car with a visa card once and drove away in it inside thirty minutes of first seeing the car.

[issih]

This here:

http://www.topgear.com/content/carsu...all/astra-new/

is sort of the uk equivalent of JD power customer satisfaction surveys, and that is the uk version of the car you are talking about.

127th out of 152 is not exactly stellar :s

Having said that, my mum's old astra was very reliable for many years, so you never really know, not the same model though, previous generation.