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24 votes
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If you had to buy a car today, what would you buy?
Lots of details I've been driving a 2006 Honda Ridgeline for the last 13 years. The engine is still reliable, just change the oil and keep fluids topped up, but there is rust in the frame that...
Lots of details
I've been driving a 2006 Honda Ridgeline for the last 13 years. The engine is still reliable, just change the oil and keep fluids topped up, but there is rust in the frame that won't pass inspection. I'm going to take it in to get it looked at this week, but I am afraid it won't be worth repairing. If I have doubt that it can be safely repaired (I'm fairly risk averse), I would rather replace it.
This model Ridgeline is basically a Honda Pilot with a bed. I've often said it's the perfect amount of truck for a software engineer. I do think I'd like to have another truck, but I'd consider other options, like a smaller SUV or a larger hatchback.
The truck has been our go-to travel car for road trips. We tend to bring a ton of stuff, so the bed has been nice, but having interior cargo space might also be useful. We don't do as many big hauling / years things as we used to, so the truck bed is probably optional.
I was hoping that by the time I wore out the Ridgeline, there would be more plugin electric or real hybrid options, but it seems like there aren't many options. I wouldn't buy a Rivian or Tesla (not been around long enough). But I'd definitely be interested in peoples thoughts about hybrid options out there. If I'm looking at used hybrids, what kind of things should I worry about with the battery?
The conventional wisdom when I was growing up was that a used car lost half its value when you drove it off the lot, so it was better to buy used. But in recent years, I've been seeing something more like linear depreciation. Helping my dad buy a new truck last year, it seemed like the year-old or two-year-old used options were just a few thousand less than new.
Bottom line: I live in Western Pennsylvania in the US. I may shortly need to replace my aging Honda Ridgeline. I need a mid-sized truck/van/SUV that can be a good "road trip" car for a family of three that chronically overpacks.
What car do you like? What car buying or car selling wisdom do you have in the post-pandemic car market?
35 votes -
Waymo plans robotaxi launch in Washington, DC in 2026
15 votes -
Waymo is now offering 24/7 robotaxi rides in Silicon Valley
23 votes -
Volkswagen ID.4 was the best-selling EV in Europe, top three in the US last month
20 votes -
Of trains and tanks. Or does the German political class actually know how bad things are?
21 votes -
NPR host Adrian Ma remembers his girlfriend who died in Washington, D.C. plane crash
21 votes -
New EV batteries are making electric cars cheaper and safer
14 votes -
Pathfinder 1: The airship that could usher in a new age just had its first outdoor flight
16 votes -
Cruise announces US layoffs as GM acquires defunct robotaxi company
10 votes -
Medical transport plane crashes in Philadelphia night of Jan 31
24 votes -
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport closed after a military helicopter collides with a landing regional jet
51 votes -
Is Colorado's EV incentive worth it?
8 votes -
Canoo files bankruptcy, claiming funding shortfalls
21 votes -
Toyota reduces price of new hydrogen car in California to just over $15,000 — with $15,000 of free fuel
34 votes -
Texas sues Allstate Insurance over its collection of driver data
26 votes -
What robotaxis brought San Francisco
13 votes -
Drone collides with firefighting aircraft over Palisades fire, in Los Angeles, Federal Aviation Administration says
23 votes -
Massachusetts bill could fully legalize kei cars and override RMV ban
58 votes -
California high-speed rail project: Here’s where Central Valley construction stands
17 votes -
NTSB animation - In-flight collision during Dallas Air Show B-17 accident
4 votes -
Hank Green on the recent US drone sightings
16 votes -
US President Joe Biden administration grants California waiver to ban gas car sales in 2035
48 votes -
Chrysler only sells a minivan. The iconic American brand’s days could be numbered.
20 votes -
Kansas City receives new streetcars for Main Street extension
12 votes -
More riders than expected have used Oklahoma City's RAPID NW bus line
11 votes -
Honda confirms new Prelude hybrid coupe is coming to the US in late 2025
8 votes -
$10 billion in government loans announced for United States EV charging network, battery production
13 votes -
Mystery drones over New Jersey spark concerns as FBI investigates
20 votes -
Amtrak sets all-time ridership record in fiscal year 2024 (and other accomplishments)
23 votes -
GM exits robotaxi market, will bring Cruise operations in house
11 votes -
US Department of Justice suspends controversial airport search program after investigation
34 votes -
Portland Airport grows with expansive mass timber roof canopy
36 votes -
Waymo outsources fleet operations to African fintech Moove in Phoenix and, soon, Miami
14 votes -
Zipcar tech glitch strands US customers in random places for hours - prevents cancelling or ending ride booking
11 votes -
Porsche Macan gets recalled for exessively bright headlights in US
21 votes -
Car maintenance/replacement advice
I have a 2014 CRV, it loses oil horribly and I'm going to have to check it a couple times a week or risk my engine. The mechanic was hesitant to even help me limp it along and said basically...
I have a 2014 CRV, it loses oil horribly and I'm going to have to check it a couple times a week or risk my engine. The mechanic was hesitant to even help me limp it along and said basically there's no fix besides replacing the engine. He put 3 quarts in that day. I didn't have a warning it was low other than the loud start.
I'm trying to decide if it's worth continuing maintenance on this car or worth trading in now while the engine is still kicking (and switching to an electric used car probably) or nursing this along for another year or so. We have a car loan on a wheelchair van we're trying to refinance which means I'll be looking at cars that are about equivalent in value to the CRV.
Thoughts? Advice? Besides keeping oil in my car because I didn't know it was this bad. Ó╭╮Ò
19 votes -
In Northeast D.C., a rancorous post-election fight erupts — over bike lanes
15 votes -
Automatic braking systems save lives. Now they’ll need to work at 62 MPH.
29 votes -
Swedish battery cell maker Northvolt, which produces cells for electric vehicles, has announced that it has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the US
6 votes -
US awards $1.5 billion in grants to improve passenger rail along Northeast Corridor
18 votes -
Caltrain's electrification project is paying off
32 votes -
New York Governor Kathy Hochul to relaunch congestion pricing with $9 base toll, sources say
15 votes -
Waymo’s robotaxis are now available to everyone in Los Angeles
16 votes -
2024 update on LA Metro projects
8 votes -
Hanford Viaduct - California High-Speed Rail construction progress
15 votes -
US voters greenlight over $25 billion in public transportation ballot measures in 2024
47 votes -
California EV maker Aptera unveils solar car with 64 km of daily, charge-free range
18 votes -
Amtrak Wolverine (MI), Southwest Chief (AZ) services to see design advancements, right-of-way acquisition with $126 million in grants
12 votes -
US airlines now required to automatically refund you for canceled flight
71 votes