Car Shopping at the Los Angeles Auto Show

My husband went back to work today, after a week when he was underfoot taking some vacation days.

So now I can get back to work, too - beginning with my recap of the L.A. Auto Show, which concluded over the weekend.

It's become something of a tradition for us to attend the show with my car-loving friend, Tim, and his family. But this year, it was a serious endeavor: The lease on my Volvo S60 is up in June and I need to make some decisions.

The car is a joy to drive, but it's had some major mechanical issues (all of which were repaired for free under the manufacturer's warranty). The last one occurred during its most recent routine maintenance: the radiator had to be replaced, at just 30,000 miles.

So as much as I love my Volvo, I don't think I can afford it once the warranty runs out.

That's why I skipped the dream machines at this year's Auto Show (you know, the ones that cost more than my house) and focused on the practical: a vehicle that makes sense for a mom in a carpool.

I'm in a different place from where I was when I entered into my lease nearly three years ago. I had owned my previous vehicle (a Saturn) for 11 years, and drove the one before that (a Ford Tempo) for 11 years as well. With so many new fuel technologies being developed, I was leery of investing in a new car that might be obsolete in a couple of years.

And after turning 50, I think I was experiencing something of a midlife crisis: I'd never owned  anything but a small, practical car. I wanted something sexy... European... yet safe. The Volvo fit the bill.

There are a lot more hybrid models on the market today, but more are in the pipeline - and the technology is still in flux. For that reason, I would want to continue leasing... except for a major lifestyle change that occurred when my daughter started training at a new gym that's 35 miles away from my home. For the first two years with the Volvo, I was able to keep within the 12,000 mile per year terms of my lease. Now, I'm struggling. Carpooling helps -- but I'm still 1500 miles above where I should be.

So I'm going to have to buy my next car, and it will likely be a lot less luxurious than the one I'm driving now. While I want one that's comfortable (because we Angelenos practically LIVE in our cars!), it will also have to be practical, reliable -- and offer enough legroom for my soon-to-be teenager and her friends.

Finally, I want to support the American auto industry - so I would like to find all these wonderful features in a Ford, GM or Chrysler vehicle. I have noticed that GM and Ford (especially) have come a long way in the quality and styling of their products and I'm anxious to try some of them out. (I actually did get to try out GM's new Traverse and loved it. Too bad it's out of my price range.)

That said, I'm not going to choose my next automobile purely out of a sense of patriotism. I need to be sure that the manufacturer will still be in business in six months (or ten years). I want good safety ratings, great gas mileage -- and the most car for my money. That means I'm also looking at models from Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Subaru, Hyundai and Kia.

These are the models that most impressed me at the show:

Chevy Malibu: It's been redesigned on the inside and out, and there's even a hybrid model (although the savings in mileage might not be worth the additional cost). I am looking forward to giving this one a test drive.

Saturn Vue: It's been redesigned (courtesy of GM's European Opel crew) and is less boxy than the original. Its sticker at the Auto Show indicated a 4-star safety rating, so it appears that they've solved the rollover problems of the older model. And there is a hybrid version due out this spring.

My old Saturn was the most reliable car I'd ever owned and it would be nice to get back into one. I may also look at the Aura (which already has a hybrid model available) - but I'm feeling a lot more partial to SUV's and crossovers these days.

Subaru Outback and Forester - the latter has been redesigned. Both get really good mileage and some models are PZEV (partial zero emissions vehicles). And you can get into a fairly full-featured one for about $26,000.

Toyota Prius: Still the leader in hybrid gas mileage, and surprisingly roomy interior. 

Honda Insight: Honda is relaunching its hybrid-only model and it looks like it will give the Prius a run for its low mile-per-gallon money.

I also like the look of the new Civics. I test drove one the last time I was in the market and was not impressed (but at that time, I'd already fallen in love with my Volvo - so nothing was impressing me then).

Other models I want to look at:

Ford's Fusion, Escape, Edge and Flex - although I am afraid the latter two models are too costly for my budget.

Kia Sorento: I rented a Sedona over the summer for our trip to Las Vegas and was impressed with its economy, comfort, and drive.

Nissan Rogue: I think it's cute. I'd like to take it for a test drive.

Hyundai Santa Fe: I hear good things about Hyundais, which look a lot richer than you'd expect for the price. And you can't beat the 10-year warranty.

So there's my list. I think it will be interesting to see what I end up with. The last time I did this, the car I got was NOT one of the ones I was initially interested in seeing.

Comments

[drumsnwhistles.myopenid.com]

If you're buying, don't rule out Scion. I really like Sticks' XB for economy (28-30mpg on fwy, 25 street) and features. It also got the safety/reliability nod from Consumer reports.

I would love to buy a Volt, but I'm afraid the price is out of my league.

[Comfort Addict]

Oh, SoCal. On one hand, I'm glad that you'll at least look at a car from the Detroit Three (believe it or not, a huge number of people won't even go that far). On the other hand, your comment about needing "to be sure that the manufacturer will still be in business in six months (or ten years)" is the sort of thinking that insures their demise.

Oh well. The way the Congress is acting, you won't have to think about this much longer. If they keep dithering, GM will die by year end, Chrysler will be gone by March and Ford will be crippled by the supplier blowback. This will hit the upper midwest, particularly Michigan, like a nuclear bomb and have a similar economic half-life. You, I and the other people of the United States will have to spend ten times the amount of money requested in loans to cover pension guarantees, unemployment, Medicaid, etc. with no possibility of return.

I'm sorry if I'm a bit sensitive on this topic. I just see a lot of prejudice against GM, Ford and Chrysler. Even though Buick's quality tops Toyota and Ford's quality and safety have been extolled by Consumer Reports, it's not enough. It's never enough. It's the sort of thing that African-Americans probably used to feel, that, no matter what they did, they'd never get chosen. Thankfully, Barack Obama is helping us overcome that horrible state. Unfortunately, he'll probably be too late to do the same for the Big Three.

[Donna]

Hey, CA – Good to see you here again.

Please understand I was not trying to diss Detroit here. I really do want to buy an American car this year. In the post I stated that the US companies have come a long way in terms of quality. I spent the entire time at the car show convincing my BMW-driving friends that we cannot allow the Big Three to fail, and that GM and Ford have vehicles worth considering (I’m sorry, but I cannot find a Chrysler model that appeals to me right now). After the show, one of them emailed me to say that I completely changed her mind about GM. It’s not much, but it’s a start.

But I am figuring that a new car will cost me about $25,000 – before taxes and interest on the loan. That is a big hunk of money and I would be crazy not to worry about the company’s ability to honor its warranty in this environment. It’s not a political statement or a death wish – it’s what is honestly going through my mind right now, and I don’t think it’s fair to accuse me of insuring the demise of the American auto industry because I’m concerned about it.

[Donna]

Hey, CA. I understand. We are all very worried about the economy’s downward spiral. I’m afraid to hear the news each morning, because it seems like there’s another bomb dropping every day.

That said, I think last month’s job numbers have made a lot of the industry’s critics to rethink their position vis a vis allowing the companies to fail. I think the government will help them restructure and retool for the 21st Century. There’s hope.

I just feel like January 20 can’t come fast enough.

[Comfort Addict]

Donna,

I'm sorry that I jumped on you. In Michigan, we're all scared to death of what's happening to the auto companies and what that means for our future. It gets to me sometimes.

I appreciate you putting in a good word for Detroit cars to your friends. I honestly believe that GM and Ford have many good cars to see. Chrysler has some good ones coming in a couple of years (if they survive).

You are right to consider a company's future viability in your next vehicle purchase. I think that I was lamenting the Catch-22 aspect of that calculus on the future of GM, Ford and Chrysler. If people think that the companies may not survive, they won't buy their vehicles. If the vehicles don't sell, the companies won't survive. This is why I would like to see Congress approve the bridge loans (albeit with very strict conditions and time limits). If the companies can't make it then, so be it.

Once again, I apologize for unfairly criticizing you above. Thank you for your concern about and support of the American auto industry.