Leasing a Hyundai Sonata - Value & Features

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Greg Bernhardt
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I'll be in the market for a new car this coming summer. The last couple cars I have leased and still like the idea. I would like to ask the question that if reliability and resale value are not important (because of a lease) then it seems the hyundai sonata is the best value. It has a good engine and packed with features for around 22k.
 
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Ivan Seeking said:
I just drove a Nissan Altima that was HOT [fast, not stolen].

Yeah but a good Altima is going to be 25-28k. I'm looking for the best around 20-23 without regard for reliability and resale value.
 
Ivan Seeking said:
Wow, I didn't expect the price to be that high. They [Enterprise car rental] offered a buy-out at around 17-18K.

What year, my quote is for a new.
 
I assumed that it was a 2006. It seemed like new and the mileage was still pretty low... I think it had around 15K miles.

One thing though: It didn't get very good mileage, which is no surprise considering the performance.
 
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Greg Bernhardt said:
Would it be able to get me through the snow/ice ridden months of winter in wisconsin? :biggrin:

I doubt it...:frown: We have not had any snow to speak of since I bought a 4wheel drive. Now that I traded it, it will probably snow all winter. :-p
 
Stay with either a honda or camry.
 
If you don't mind driving around in a sophisticated shoe box you might want to look at the Honda Element. They sell for about $23,000 including all wheel drive.

http://automobiles.honda.com/models/model_overview.asp?ModelName=Element
 
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Greg Bernhardt said:
Would it be able to get me through the snow/ice ridden months of winter in wisconsin? :biggrin:

I just got a Subaru Impreza and love it. I had expected to compromise some performance for the safety, but I've been having a ball with it, and with AWD, it better handle the snow well (that's why I got it...my old car could handle snow, but not snowy, curvy, steep mountain roads). The only downside is the AWD does compromise gas mileage. I just took it for my first long distance highway drive today, and it did well (have to fill it up to see how well), but for local driving, the mileage is definitely a lot lower. The only other caution I got on it is that they are known for wearing the brakes pretty fast, but I'm not sure if that's just because people around here spend too much time braking on mountain roads. It definitely does a good job of hugging the road on curves (I am worried I'll wind up with speeding tickets driving it though...I don't notice how fast I'm going in it). It has the same engine as the Subaru Legacy, so there's definitely a lot of power to go with that small car. It would fall under your price range too.
 
I have a Subaru Impreza and its awesome 137,000 strong, just had to change the plug wires. As for the Hyundai. My dad bought a brand new Elantra 3 years ago. At 175 miles, yes 175, not 175,000, the engine died and it needed a new engine shipped in from quality Korea. I would not suggest anything Hyundai. However that's just me.
 
there is NO value in a new car
as soon as you leave the STEALERS lot
you lose value

I love old volvos the rwd ones
not the new fwd [fords]
they are super safe
run for ever
and are cheap
if you want fast add a turbo with junk yard parts cheap
 
Greg, your best bet is to buy a lightly used (2-3 years old) Subaru and let the original purchaser take the depreciation hit, then run it 'til it drops. My wife has a 2002 Legacy sedan that we bought used, and the performance is great, the gas mileage is very good, and the handling is out of this world. Put a set of studded tires on that rascal, and it handles snowy/ice roads like it's riding on rails. It handles far better than my Nissan 4x4 pickup or my trusty but long-departed Pathfinder in bad weather. If you want a bit more cargo space and maybe a bit more clearance, the Forester wouldn't be a bad choice. Accord and Camry are tops for warm climates, but an all-season car in your climate should be AWD.
 
I agree with Ray and Turbo. A used car 2 to 3 years old is generally the best bet for value.

I'd make a couple of exceptions. If you're looking for a performance car, you'd have to be careful buying used since the person that bought it new probably bought it so he could drive it like it was designed to be driven. If I break down and replace my Jeep Cherokee with a Jeep Wrangler, I'll probably buy new, as well. You find a lot of older off-road SUVs that were bought primarily for runs to the grocery store, but there's really only one reason to buy a Wrangler.
 
My 95 Grand Prix just hit 119000 :-) It's going to get replaced with a hyundai tiburon, or Mazda 3 (maybe a low-end g6) after the winter season is over. I'm a poor college student, so those are really the only cheap yet good looking options. Though the biggest selling point of a hyundai, is the simple fact you don't need to worry about it for 5 years... God I love their warranty!
 
Greg Bernhardt said:
I'm leasing a new car, don't try and talk me out of it :)

The Subaru Legacy 2.5i SE does look like an interesting option.
Leasing is a commitment to a life-time of car payments. If you will buy a program car (returned lease vehicle) instead of a new one, the big depreciation hit has already been taken, and when you have paid it off, you have equity in your vehicle. Then, should you trade it for a newer model in 5 years or so, you get something back for it. If you lease a vehicle for 3 years, you have essentially bought the vehicle for the car dealership and then when you give it back to them, they will nail you for excess mileage, etc.

We bought my wife's car from a college instructor who was going to buy another new car because the 3-year warranty was about to run out. He had ZERO mechanical aptitude and relied on the dealership for all routine maintenance, etc. We got a very sporty, clean, lightly used AWD for $11,000. If you lock into a 3-year vehicle lease at $305/month, you'd pay $11,000 plus registration, insurances, taxes, etc. and have nothing to show for it when you turn in the vehicle. Japanese vehicles are very durable and typically you can get about 200,000 miles or more out of them. My first Pathfinder lasted 17 years (with a bit of body-work) and over 200,000 miles despite the fact that I used it to go fishing off-road in some brutal places. Have I talked you out of a lease yet? :biggrin:
 

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