Quote:
Originally Posted by JiriHrdina
Do Hondas/Toyotas really cost less to maintain? The perception is they break down less I suppose? But don't their parts cost way more?
I think the smartest answer given in this thread was if you are buying used it makes more sense to buy a Hyundai, and if you are buying new you should buy Honda/Toyota (if you can afford it).
I know a strangely high number of people with the Hyundai SUV and all of them absolutely love it and have had very few problems.
For what its worth.
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Their parts are no more expensive than Mazda, Nissan, Subaru, Mitsubishi. Generally a lot of the parts used in all Japanese cars are made by the same suppliers like Denso, Hitachi, Mitsubishi, Yazaki, etc. I've burned through a lot of cars over the years and domestic parts in general are cheaper but there's not much variance in Japanese carmakers parts pricing.
As far as your second statement goes that is true if you are looking for best bang for your buck used. There simply aren't good deals to be had on used Honda's and Toyota's while domestics, Hyundai, Mazda, Mitsubishi all have higher depreciation so you can pay a lot less used for what can be a low mileage, unabused, clean used car and in many cases they can be just as reliable as a Honda/Toyota if properly maintained.
Another trade off with Honda/Toyota is that their cars are amongst the most bland and generic out there. There is nothing at all great about the CR-V or RAV4 outside their reputation for reliability. They don't handle as well as a Mazda CX-5 or Subaru Forester. Their interiors are lower rent and lower tech than say a Ford Escape, Hyundai Santa Fe, etc. Styling is subjective but both the RAV4 and CR-V are middle of the road, safe styling. Personally I feel that the 2014 CX-5, Escape and Forrester are superior overall vehicles.