We’re assuming that because JNC readers are car enthusiasts, you often get asked by your normie friends what kind of car they should buy. Obviously the recommendation will depend on the various needs of the buyer, but is there a brand you find yourself gravitating towards? Do you minimize the number of repair shop visits with a Toyota, open their eyes to the joy a driving experience could be with a Mazda, encourage them to get out and see the world in Subaru? Maybe you’re just a misanthrope and foist a Mitsubishi on everyone. Years ago Honda would’ve probably been at the top of our list, but is it still the king? We want to hear your suggestions and your reasons.
What marque do you most often recommend?
The most entertaining comment by next week will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What car do you not regret selling or letting get away?“.
The answers last week ran the gamut from those who narrowly dodged a bullet to those who suffered greatly. From least misery to most, we’ll start with a few respondents who almost bought a money pit but were wise enough to avoid them, such as James Gilboy and the Isuzu Impulse RS he never bought, speedie‘s decrepit SVX encounter, or Bryan Kitsune‘s miraculous Celica GT-S reprieve from a greedy seller.
Others owned money pits, but were at least able to get the use of a car out of them, including Sammy B‘s pizza delivery Sentra SE-R, Fred Langille‘s financing plagued Kia Spectra, Joel‘s maintenance nightmare Mitsubishi Starion, Ian G.‘s issue-prone DSG MR2 Spyder, or ra21benj‘s Isuzu Trooper II cursed with GM parts bin gremlins.
Some of the most horrific stories we heard belonged to Ian N, who nearly let his Aussie-built Mitsubishi Sigma roll off a cliff, or Taylor C.‘s whose experience with a sight-unseen modified H22A-swapped Accord soured him on ever buying modified cars. Then there was BlitzPig, who suffered the indignity of driving an un-fun 1984 Tercel.
In the end, the winner this week was StreetSpirit, whose Prelude simply crapped out at the worst possible time.
Mine is a tale of a begrudging partnership turning into a short, intense and abusive love story plagued by reliability issues followed by a rescue performed by a former classmate.
So early 2021 I was a fresh-faced graduate engineering my way around storage tanks instead of following my true passion and working on cars. days were long and work was boring but I had a big old trans am that took me from A to B at Mach Freedom with the T-tops off.
Mach freedom however was only possible due to some very un-streetable tuning, rock hard suspension and weight reduction beyond sanity, it was not suited for client visits, passengers or summer as the lack of insulation AC and big greenhouse made it…. well, a greenhouse.
So after getting my umpteenth complaint from HR about the ‘noisy eyesore’ in the parking lot, and life throwing me some pretty heavy curveballs it had to go.
With a thoroughly broken heart and a mildly padded wallet I set out to browse the marketplace and found an 84 prelude that would suit me just fine. Pop-ups, sunroof and 2 doors. It was a wry comfort but comfort still.
On the drive home I found the prelude a nuisance on the highway, buzzing gutless and even though I finally had a radio the thing wouldn’t do more than whisper…
But at the gas station I couldn’t help but look at it, small, efficient, so well designed and the finish was great!
Over the weeks the prelude and I grew closer with me finding joy in corners in ways the trans am never forced me to, it tought me FWD driving, conserving momentum over everything instead of letting the v8 handle things and most of all the precision in its steering was unlike anything I ever had before.
A set of pioneers gave the radio a voice again and I put some work in color matching the bumpers and stock wing to the light blue body color as well as mounting a second wing, chopped up golf-3 lip and some vintage 15’s. I liked the prelude and the prelude liked me or so I thought…
These were pandemic times and after a soul deadening work from home period I was let go from my job, no goodbye, not even an exit meeting with my supervisor, he just ignored me as the sack of potatoes he was…
On a rainy October afternoon I drove home in my prelude after dropping off my stuff at work and a rough 10km before home it completely died on me.
Hours of pushing later I was soaked, the lude home and my legs felt like jello.
I spent the following weeks trying to fix it and it was one issue after another until the carbs needed a rebuild but were completely seized up inside.Being unemployed I sold the lude, it went through about 6 owners and in the meantime, I got a new job, a near free Pontiac grand prix which I fixed and traded for an sb3 civic.
That civic later caught fire due to degraded wiring and the 06 civic daily we had also became an electrical nightmare so Hondas and me are not really a good combination.The lude however ended up with a former classmate who since fitted some motorcycle carbs and made it SING for real.
The prelude was awesome, just not the car for me, please wish me luck on the little Honda vision build in the streetspirit shop right now!
Omedetou, your comment has earned you a set of decals from the JNC Shop!
Having dealt with, until most recently, those models of the Asian persuasion (ie: Japan and Korea), I think that experience can be summed up in several ways … toughness, affordability, style, reliability and economy. My ’72 Honda Z600 Sports Coupe was the epitome of economy with 45/660mpg but, it’s semi-exoticness was a downer. Reliability and toughness really showed up in our Kia Spectra5 as how many cars do you know go over 50 miles without oil (the light didn’t go on until the last moment then: surprise, surprise, surprise!). Stylistically my ’81 Nissan 310 GX Coupe and the ’89 S-Cargo rocked it! The San-Fu BIC Passenger Van was affordable and useful carryall albeit a tad exotic. If there were a way to combine all of these traits into one vehicle, it would be unique but, it wouldn’t be the same as the panache of all of them would be overshadowed by each other’s good points. Sufficeith to say, at the present time, once the S-Cargo has been revamped mechanically, it should very well assume the aforementioned traits. It is tough, stylish and economical and, a useful carryall as well.
Being a mechanic for a long time I get this question a lot. they usually start this fishing expedition by asking me what kind of car I own. When I show them my ’23 BRZ they usually come clean and say “Oh no, I need an every day car”. If I want to keep playing the game I tell them my BRZ IS my every day car. However I usually just answer simply: “Honda or Toyota” and then they say well I was looking at (insert cheesy domestic SUV/crossover here), looking for me to validate the decision they have already made. then I will say words to the effect that I don’t like SUVs and can’t give a fair appraisal of them, and that ends the conversation.
I don’t have to worry about my enthusiast friends/customers because they are informed and can make intelligent decisions about vehicles on their own.
Since long term reliability is usually the top priority with those who ask, my usual answer is Toyota or maybe Lexus if they are looking for something a bit more upscale. If I am talking with someone who wants a bit more driving fun, Mazda is the answer. If they are looking to lease, Genesis might be a good pick. But you can’t really go wrong with almost almost any Toyota, new or used.
The missing brand, Honda, has lost its luster over the past decade or so, at least in my eyes.
I drive Honda, but if I am ever asked this question I usually reply “Toyota”. On the practical side, they have something for every market niche. Whatever you’re looking for, they’ve got a model for you. And much like the old GMC/Chevrolet/Pontiac/Buick/Saturn/Cadillac, sometimes 2 or 3 models for you (I’m looking at you, Corolla Cross, Rav4, Venza, Rav4 Prime, Crown Signia. Seriously, how many small SUVs do you need?). The reliability and engineering is unquestioned, and I sum it up with a story I heard from a friend from my college days.
They would buy old vehicles from junkyards, and proceed to beat the crap out of them. Driving into and out of ditches, through fields, bashing into obstacles at random. When bored of the destruction, they would crash it into a small wood, put in in neutral and a brick on the gas pedal. The group would then drink beer and watch as the engine would blow up. They tried this with an 80’s Tercel, and ran out of beer while the engine kept going. Left the car, went for more beer, came back and while drinking that case the car ran out of fuel. Put more fuel in it from a jerry can they had with them, and finished the case with the engine still red-lining. Finally killed it by draining all the oil out of the engine, then restarting the engine and putting the brick on the accelerator. The engine still went 20 minutes before cratering.
And that’s why you buy Toyota.
Hands down, the Toyota Prius.
I’ve had several cool cars through the years from a Cadillac CTS-V, my RA24 Celica, a 400 hp Aw11, and have driven a plethora of other makes and models.
When it comes to practicality for the majority, people only need one thing, to go from point A to point B. That being said, some people want style. Ok cool, buy the latest generation Prius, because lets be honest, Toyota went hard with the overall sleek design.
Many people want something that gets good to great fuel economy. Get any generation Prius.
I have a close friend, whom we built a 1000 whp A80 Supra for, and he often times would flip me some laughs about my position with the Prius.
Well, he needed to move across the country and was concerned about the amount of gas money he would spend in his Suburban. So I made him a deal on the Prius.
He made it to one state over, and called me “Man, i finally get it, you were right, the Prius is comfortable, and my wallet loves me.”
I have gotten the the question in return, “but what about the batteries?”
As a Toyota specialty shop owner, I have yet to have a Prius in with a diagnosis of needing batteries. At this point, batteries are relatively inexpensive for reconditioned and won’t cost the arm and a leg that any full EV will.
Todays aftermarket, enables Prius owners to put a minor lift kit on them, allowing the ability to use 29″ tires. Still no rock crawler, by any means, but makes for driving on dirt roads substantially easier for peace of mind. They are easy to camp in for 2 people, with the back seats folded down.
Road trips? Dude, no problem. Go eat at that 5 star restaurant, because your not spending all of your money on fuel.
Need to putt around town. Easy peezy. Go run your errands, go on a shopping spree at somewhere that isn’t your local gas station.
Lastly, Toyota Reliability.
Need i really say more?
Outside of majority of peoples day to day needs, a Prius will suffice for everything except towing your luxury yacht you now own because you’re not dumping all your money on fuel.
First of all, one only buys a Nissan when they cannot get a deal at Toyota or Honda. Or if only Nissan offers the kind of car they want.
Subaru is alright, especially now that they did away with their haunted 2.5 liter 4. And now that Mazda cars do not rust like they did in the nineties and early naughties, they can be included in the good names, but usually I recommend only Toyota and Honda.
Oh the horror, think of the children, but lately I feel the koreans are kind of where the japanese were in the late eighties and early nineties, good offering, solid quality and apparently durable vehicles, but the experience may still vary, and the japanese still are very solid and not resting on their laurels like the US carmakers were back then.
And the koreans have a solid offering in the elec car market, while Nissan just sat on its pretty much unupdated Leaf, watching the elec world go by, and when they finally came with their first elec SUV, it performed less than the competition… Oh well, if you can’t get a deal anywhere else…
So if someone mentions wanting to buy a Kia or a Hyundai, I nod approvingly, if they are shopping Toyota or Honda I approve, and pretty much everything else I frown or recommend to lease.
There are a lot of great cars being built these days but I usually recommend, if you’re planing on a long term ownership, go with Honda, Toyota or Nissan. I’ve owned seemingly countless cars in my life time with many models from these brands which gave me zero problems throughout ownership.
A few of the standouts I’ve owned are a “72 Celica, “88 Prelude, “08 Pilot (my vote for best all around vehicle ever) and an “11 Infiniti G37 IPL coupe (which I’ll never sell). Our Acura MDX is still trying to measure up to the Pilot which we owned for 12 trouble free years. So far so good, just a lot of tech to learn how to use for an old guy.
“Anything Japanese…
Except Mitsubishi.”
It’s an interesting question as a car an be an extension of one’s personality. The standard answer ought to be Toyota as they offer a variety of models based on needs, desires and lifestyle. They are reliable, easy to own and have attractive styling that won’t seem dated if one is keeping the car for the duration. However, I’ve yet to buy a Toyota for my personal car. There’s no particular reason why except I always found a car I liked a little more than the Toyota. The current fleet includes a Honda Accord , a Subaru Outback , and a Subaru Legacy–all 6 cylinders. I’ve owned a 2004 Honda Accord EX, Honda Odyssey, Chrysler 300M a VW Jetta, a Mercury Tracer, a 1988 Honda Accord and an Infiniti G20.
My recommendation is usually based on the personality of the requestor. I am just as likely to recommend Mazda and Subaru before Toyota or Honda. To me Subaru is what Volvo was in the 1970s with safety while offering an outdoorsy lifestyle. Mazda offers sporty looks and attractive styling Toyota and Lexus offer the variety that General Motors once did with great reliability. I still include Honda in my recommendation but I feel they are being outflanked by the Hyundai/Kia when it comes to features. I understand Acura needs room but not everyone wants an Acura. I still include Nissan as a recommendation as I can see the appeal of certain models.
Toyota because of reliability. If not Toyota, then Honda. For even better reliability, I recommend any Toyota/Honda with a manual transmission. I then get told, “I don’t know how to drive manual”. I’ll tell them it’s easy to learn because I’m an idiot and all my cars are manual.
Once had a coworker’s wife pushing hard for him to buy her a new Mini Cooper. My brother owned a Cooper S (made by BMW) and told me it was a P.O.S. My coworker ended up buying his wife a Honda…smart guy.
I have a system for sorting my car-advice seeking friends and relatives and so far it works perfectly.
First there’s the money part, if purchase needs to be way cheap I’m a fan of small throwaway cars, y’know a 90’s Starlet, Honda jazz, Mitsubishi Colt or Renault Twingo no matter the brand as long as it’s got a valid inspection and is below 1500.- you can’t go wrong, worst case is they last you a couple months, best case a couple years and you fall in love with the simple utilitarian charm and dynamics of low power featherweight hatchbacks. And before you know it you’re spending your weekends on a Peugeot 205 ripping out cables/interior and drilling out the door handles for extra weight savings like one of my buddies…
If price is not that big of an issue and you’re not into cars it’s Honda/Mazda time or Lexus/Volvo(RWD models only) depending on your needs.
If you like cars and can spin a wrench however, be prepared for any ridiculous marketplace find I can send you…
I tried to make a list for myself.
It seems I’ve owned 18 Toyotas, and 4 Hondas.
No other manufacturers.
It should come as no surprise then that my answer is Chrysler.
OK, it’s not, it’s Toyota.
If they’re ok with vintage, it’s Datsun. Not Nissan but Datsun. For a new ride, it’s Toyota. They redeemed themselves with the new Prius.
I think this response depends on the person that I am recommending the marque to. If it was someone mainly looking for simple appliance, I would just tell them to get a Toyota Corolla and be done with it. It’s straightforward enough and has been statistically worry-free.
If the person was looking for a crossover, then I’d tell them to get a CX-5 (obviously NLA). The crossover market is saturated, and a market I just dislike, but if trying to standout and provide a better driver’s experience, I think the CX-5.
If looking for a family car, I would recommend a Honda Accord or Mazda6. I believe the Honda Accord will provide more of that serene ride, whereas the 6 would offer a bit more of the sporty feeling. I have driven both extensively, and both are great cars with lots of room, great features, and just positive road dynamics.
If looking for a sports car, then I think either an Acura Integra A-Spec, or BRZ / 86 would be solid choices. My neighbor just recently sold his old G37 IPL, and bought an Integra A-spec Tech Package. That long name means his car is the manual transmission. He looked at an Audi A5, but besides a nice interior, the car didn’t do enough for him. He was going to consider the Civic Si, but dealers were all marking up $5k, something Acura surprisingly wasn’t! Let’s not forget the Miata, which I heard 2024 was the last year of pure internal combustion. What a great car, nuff said.
If looking for a minivan, I’d have to say the Sienna. It’s spacious, easy to drive (despite being gigantic), and returns 30MPG. That is simply unheard of for such a big vehicle. I took one from Boston to Toronto, then to Montreal, and back to Boston. Easy to drive, quiet, stuffs 8 people large and small and with space for gear.
Finally, if looking for a luxury car, I would hands-down tell them to look at Genesis sedans. Those cars are just gorgeous, with more tech than a Silicon Valley office. It’s definitely not without some explaining to passer-bys on what exactly the car is, but I think it’d be fulfilling to enlighten others. Price is way competitive, and the Korean reputation is well-established.
Heh, not sure if I really answered the original question here.