Which car should I buy?

Question

I am debating between 2 cars: a 2004 Volvo S40 with 40K miles (fully loaded) for $17K and a brand new Honda Civic EX-L for about $22K. Purchasing the Civic would come with a 5year/100K warranty, better gas mileage and the abilty to keep the car for a longer time period. The Volvo is a great car at a more reasonable price (for my budget), however, does not have a warranty and may require more expensive maintenence over the years. I cannot decide which route to pursue (spend more for the Civic and hopefully put less maintenence into it and drive it for a few extra years or purchase the Vovlo). Any suggestions??? Thanks.

Answer 1

I think you're being smarter by trying to get a better car used, but you should be able to ad a warranty on the Volvo. If you have to pay a bit more it would be worth it. You get the car you want with the protection of a warranty.

Answer 2

I'm not certain about the value of the Volvo you found, buy that sounds high to me for an S40. My last car is was a Volvo and I loved it. It was involved in an accident and I couldn't afford to get a new one (my dad wanted me to go new) so I got a VW. The Volvo was a very nice car and I would recommend it to anyone. The maintenance was very reasonable. My recommendation is to get a used Volvo as it has already lost a lot in depreciation so you won't lose the initial loss. The Civic will be $10,000 in 3 years :(

Answer 3

I guess you should also compare insurance quotes for these cars before buying one, for example here: http://autoinsurance.hotusa.org

Volvo S40 will be much more expensive to insure.

Answer 4

I would go with the car that gets the better gas mileage.  Honda's are also cheaper to get fixed also...and if it still has some warranty that's also a plus. Don't get me wrong Volvo makes Gd cars but a Honda is cheaper to keep maintenance..Also make sure they offer GAP insurance. Don't wanna get stuck wit something u cant drive

Answer 5

Hondas are very reliable. They also maintain a good reputation for safety like Volvo. Volvo, on the other hand, have inconsistent reliability and you make take your chances on it. But you will never regret owning a Honda. It may last for 20+ years!