Whatever you do, DO NOT BUY a Dodge Grand Caravan! I know that's not on your list, but for anyone reading, I cannot stress that enough. In a year, the place I work has had no less than 5 of them have the transmissions go out. Currently, there are 2 brand new one's in the shop for transmission problems, with less than 1000 miles on them. I'm talking brand new; one wasn't even rented, I don't think and the other was rented out maybe once. We just got another one back from the shop and the transmission was supposedly fixed. It made it from Richmond to right over the Tennessee line before it went out again.

 

If you manage to get one that's not completely screwed up when you first buy it, it seems they usually make it to about 20,000 miles before the transmission goes out. This is confirmed with customers I have picked up from the Dodge dealership that have taken their cars there and then rented from us until there car is fixed. I have never seen a vehicle like this, that is practically guaranteed to break down.

We have a 2006 Altima and love it. It is loud on the interstate if you have the radio down but otherwise it is great. 30+ MPG as well. It is a 4 cylinder and not a 6.

We have a winner.....better looking car of the bunch too.

 

See, JD...get us outside of P/R and we can agree!

I suggest you get one from Mike Wilson's. That way I could bring it to you and you could fly me back home....

 

:thumb:

 

Just don't buy an American car, regardless what that ridiculous Saturn commercial says.

 

:thumb:

 

Either of the 3 would be great, I'll buck the trend and say go with the Corolla.

I'm a Toyota guy, so of course I'm going to say Corolla, especially if looking at a new one. I really like the new body style, and it's really not that much smaller than an Altima. My neighbor has an Altima, and that thing has been in and out of the shop constantly. Toyota still ranks at the top for quality, although it has been sliding these past few years. IMO, for a compact car, no-one compares in quality/reliability to Toyota and Honda. They've been doing it for years.

 

With the Altima, how well you know the history of the car is key. When I bought my Camry, the lady had every receipt for everything done, and she had the maintenance book filled out. I knew right there that she took care of the car.

I am actually going to dealership down here in Bradenton that will give me a Brand New Sentra for 13,500. I guess I will see when I get down there. Corolla's for some reason are cheap down here and I am definitely looking at that right now as well.

See, JD...get us outside of P/R and we can agree!

 

 

:lol: in P/R I am a pot stirrer......we probably agree on ore than you think.

I bought my Toyota 9 years ago. When I was looking, I talked to several people buying their 2nd or 3rd Toyota. I keep waiting for something to go wrong so I can buy another Toyota. I have had ZERO problems with it, as long as I keep doing routine maintainence.

I agree with a couple of others in that it is hard to beat a Toyota. We owned a little Corolla years ago and it ran great. I can't remember the miles on it when I sold it but it was way up there (well over 100K). With proper routine maintenance (oil changes,etc.) don't think that milage on a Toyota is much of a factor. I don't know why I ever got away from them (Toyota). I wish that I owned one and our next vehicle will probably be a Toyota.