# Which car brand is better?



## Rexkh (Mar 15, 2015)

Dear Car Consumer

I want to buy a used car so I need a little bit of your advice on comparing the car brand and cost. I search on internet to get a used car and with the same price I can get Toyota 2005 or Hyundai or Kia 2008 and Hyundai and Kia usually have lower mileage. Do you think which one of the three will last longer?


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## treva84 (Dec 9, 2014)

Rexkh said:


> Dear Car Consumer
> 
> I want to buy a used car so I need a little bit of your advice on comparing the car brand and cost. I search on internet to get a used car and with the same price I can get Toyota 2005 or Hyundai or Kia 2008 and Hyundai and Kia usually have lower mileage. Do you think which one of the three will last longer?


From that era, probably the Toyota. Go to your local library and browse a copy of Consumer reports that focuses on used cars. That will give you more objective evidence.


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## sags (May 15, 2010)

With cars that old it doesn't matter. Buy the vehicle in the best shape that you can find. 

I would narrow the search to ultra low kilometer vehicles, and look to dealership trade ins that have a history of good maintenance.

Put the word in to a local dealership that you are looking for an older vehicle in great shape. They usually send everything over a certain age to auction anyways.


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## Video_Frank (Aug 2, 2013)

Rexkh said:


> Dear Car Consumer
> 
> ...which one of the three will last longer?


Check out this site, particularly this graph. No question.


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## cainvest (May 1, 2013)

Short answer ... the newer one with less mileage.

Longer answer ... Each vehicle, from each maker will likely have its specific set of problems. Some problems may only exist with specific model choices, like a 2.0L engine vs a 2.4L in the same vehicle ... one may be a dud with the other being very reliable. In the end you need to get detailed info on the vehicle(s) you're looking at and search the internet forums related to those brands/models to find out.


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## Rexkh (Mar 15, 2015)

So in conclusion, I should get Hyundai or Kia from Korea instead of Toyota from Japan since it is a newer model with lower mileage. Is that your recommendation?


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## Spudd (Oct 11, 2011)

Consumer Reports recommends the following:

Mazda3 s (2008)
Pontiac Vibe (2005-08)
Volkswagen Rabbit (2007-09)
Acura TL (2005)
Acura TSX (2005)
Toyota Avalon (2005)
Hyundai Sonata 4-cyl. (2006-08)
Kia Optima 4-cyl. (2007-08)


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## Rexkh (Mar 15, 2015)

During the search I also found some brands like Dodge, Chrysler and Ford in good price in my area. If you were me, which one would you chose?


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## Sherlock (Apr 18, 2010)

You should buy a Chevrolet Express because they are roomy and have a good engine.


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## indexxx (Oct 31, 2011)

This is a great resource also:
http://www.kbb.com

Personally, I stay with Toyota, although my next vehicle may be a Mazda 3 or a Honda. Pontiac Vibe is the same as Toyota Matrix- very good gas mileage and lots of room. VW Golf series can be good buys.


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## Rexkh (Mar 15, 2015)

I know Toyota is excellent quality but it is older than Hyundai 3 years. Does it still has better quality? Sound like Pontiac Vibe is high quality as Toyota but are all model from Pontiac good quality too?


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## indexxx (Oct 31, 2011)

There is no easy answer because there are so many differences between individual cars. How hard has it been driven? Any accidents? Was it well maintained or mostly ignored- regular oil changes etc? How much mileage? Where was it stored- outside or in a heated garage? Highway or city miles- city driving is much harder on brakes, shocks, steering components, etc. Which models are you comparing? The best way is to either have a friend who can look at them with you, or pay a good mechanic to do an inspection. 

Pontiac can be hit and miss- as can any manufacturer. Some of Ford's later models can be great- but you can also find bad examples in otherwise good models.


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## GreatLaker (Mar 23, 2014)

Edmunds is a good automotive resource, especially the forums. One caution is that cars with lower sales volume will be less represented in the forums, so my appear to be less troublesome, when in reality it is just that few were sold. 
http://www.edmunds.com/
http://forums.edmunds.com/


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## Brian K (Jan 29, 2011)

If it was me, I'd go with the Toyota hands down over the others - provided there is some indication of regular fluid changes - engine, transmission, brake pad and rotors in decent shape and coolant changes. Toyota have had a longer reputation for reliability and quality than Kia or Hyundai (which are Korean brothers like Chevy and GM). Perhaps prior to purchase arrange to have it inspected by a Toyota dealer (yes it will cost you a bit) but they may have records of the work that was done and any recalls that might need to be done. In some cases TSB's are recommended but not covered under a recall and you can negotiate the price depending on the work required. Also look buy a Consumer Reports magazine where they rate the reliability of vehicles to give you an indication of reliability etc. Toyotas have a higher resale price but remember 'you get what you pay for'. I don't own any Toyotas - only Ford and GMC and both have been quite good but for the age you are talking about you are worried about previous maintenance history and historical longevity - IMO.


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