This is my first question to the group here: I need to buy a car and an trying to finalize my decision. My current ride is a 1995 Ford Escort hatchback. It's not really worth anything (maybe a few hundred), and I don't want to put any more money into it. It runs okay, but every time I drive it I'm afraid the whole exhaust system is going to fall off. I want to forestall being stuck on the side of the road somewhere.
My lifestyle has been rather Mustachian since probably before MMM was even born -- very frugal, making do fairly well with little income. I drive as little as possible -- currently, about 2 miles a day. But I need a car, for one, because I play the cello, and it's impractical and extremely inconvenient to travel without one when toting a cello. Also, and I haven't seen this addressed here at all, as a woman I do not always feel safe walking or taking public transportation, particularly at night, though I'm okay with it during the day and when there are a lot of other people around.
I have pretty much decided to buy a new car, and here is my reasoning: The cars I am considering are the Honda Fit and the Ford Focus. All the other small cars in this price range are too small for the cello without a lot of hassle getting it in and out. New, they are around $17k; used, they are still going to be over $10k, probably closer to $15k, and I feel once you get up there you might as well spend the extra couple thousand and get a new one, with the warranty and without other people's problems. I am not a car person and I do not have the time, skills, or inclination to repair them myself, and I have not had good experiences buying used cars. Yes, you lose a little money once you drive the new car off the lot, but you do get something for that.
We have the cash to buy new, so no loans will be involved.
In case anyone has skipped all that, I have pretty much decided to get the Fit Sport model with manual transmission. My husband has a 2010 with automatic and he loves it, I've driven it, the cello fits in easily, it's comfortable, it's highly rated as being reliable. However, I did test drive a Ford Focus, and that also seems like a nice car that I might be able to get a little cheaper, but its repair rating by Consumer Reports is rather low. I've owned three Ford Escorts, and they have all been good and basically trouble-free cars. Plus, I like the idea of buying American.
So any opinions on this (either my reasoning for buying a new car or my choices)? Thanks for any thoughts.