how come nobody does a comparison study?

There are indeed many 'costs' to owning a vehicle and one could argue that the average Camry will outlast the average Taurus but the average Camry costs at least 20 to 30% more to drive home than the average Taurus, as well as much more to repair. Very few buyers run their vehicles forever. The average new car buyer in the US replaces their vehicle in three or four years. The average used car buyer in the US replaces their vehicle in two or three years. My one son bought the 2003 Mercury variant of the Taurus, a loaded V6 Sable. He runs 25K miles a year, buys a new vehicle every two years and was keeping his 2001 Accord for his daughter. The difference in the total drive home price for a similarly equipped 2003 V6 Camry was an astounding $9,400 more, which adds over $400 to two year monthly payment!! He priced another Accord but that would have cost $8,600 more than the Sable. He bought the 2001 Accord because they too were supposed to be trouble free but he had reoccurring brake problems with his Accord and a transmission problem. He decided not to trade it because none of the dealers was offering a fair trade price. They were all only willing to give him an amount equal to about $3,000 LESS than wholesale.

mike hunt

Owner wrote: