Returning to U.S.: Google Fi and an Updated "Top 10 Cars for Smart People"?

[Solomon960]

Season's Greetings, fellow Mustachians!

With my employment, I move regularly and can never be confident how long my stay will last where I am. Over the last two years, I have lived abroad and now am preparing to return to the U.S. (to a large south-central urban center I have no prior connections with). Accordingly, while searching for a new place to live, I also must acquire a new (used) vehicle and wish to replace my awful T-Mobile 'international' cellular plan. Being out-of-the-loop on vehicle reliability reports and the latest cellular plan trends, I appreciate your candid feedback on these two compulsory life expenses.

Before departing from the U.S., I owned a Scion xD that reliably moved me from Point A to B without issue. Now, Scion has been obsolete for years and finding any vehicle identified in the "Top 10 Cars for Smart People" post (https://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2012/03/19/top-10-cars-for-smart-people/) with <30K miles is unthinkable. If we were to remake this list, which ten-year-old models would appear below the coveted "Recommended" label? Are any newer hatchbacks ready, reliable, and economical to maintain?

Also, before leaving the U.S., I was a faithful pay-as-you-go Tracfone fan. With Tracfone unavailable abroad, with limited international options, I purchased a used Google Pixel 4a and enrolled in what is now called T-Mobile Essentials. Using my phone for international texts (both sending and receiving), rare data use, and emergency international phone calls (in-and-outgoing), continuing to pay $65/$60 after my domestic return is downright silly. Tracfone seems to have transitioned to monthly prepaid plans that are not cost-effective for one who treats his phone like the occasional tool it is. Is Google Fi the solution (https://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2015/09/20/google-fi-review/)? I didn't choose it before due to its well-documented itch to cancel subscribers' international coverage for remaining outside of the USA 'too long.' (Note: WiFi is NOT widely available wherever I go, including where I perform my 12-hr workdays or when I am travel locally to visit a satellite office.)

I hope you will share your thoughts and/or recommendations as I prepare to return to the homeland. Oh, how I dread needing to own and drive a vehicle again... Thank you.

[jrhampt]

I think the Prius (which was on the original list) would still be on this list.

[Paper Chaser]

The small hatchbacks from the original list have mostly been replaced with small CUVs now. They're the same basic form factor, but sit a little bit higher. That means a bit more ground clearance and easier to enter/exit/load but the trade off is slightly worse fuel economy. Hybridization has spread, and means that brand new minivans are now achieving comfortably more than 30mpg like small hatches were 15 years ago, so a hybrid version of a small CUV can still best a lot of the cars on the old list in mpg.

Personally, I think that you can't really go wrong with a Toyota or Ford hybrid with an eCVT transmission. They're simple, robust, and very fuel efficient. They've come in a bunch of different vehicle body styles so you should be able to find one that works for you and fits your budget.

[spartana]

I still have a tracfone and do the pay-as-you go thing instead of a monthly subscription. Although now that Verizon (or someone??) has taken over Tracfone you need to see if yours will still work. I'm using mine right now via data.

As for cars...I don't have any suggestions but you might find that you don't need one and can use public transit, walk or bike everywhere in your new city. Or that you can be car-lite and just get something for your occasional use.

[kina]

I have tracfone and have gotten my current and prior phones on either QVC or Home Shopping Network Probably QVC but both websites have nice phone bundles that include, in addition to the phone itself, one year of service, 1500 minutes of talk, 1500 texts, and 1.5 gig data. I got my nothing great but suits my minimal needs Moto 5G for about $100. They run specials all the time. Right now, the only thing I add during the year is data which currently sells for $10 for 3 gigs.

[reeshau]

I got Google Fi when I lost my job and work phone in Ireland.  I had it there for 6 months, and have had it for an additional 3 month period, with not a peep about extended international use.  While I did have regular wifi access, I would not be surprised if usage volume is part of their search for customers to remind / hassle / cancel.

Note that you can also buy a US / Canada / Mexico plan from them, and save a buck, then turn it up to global when you need to.  That is on a month-to-month basis, though, so you would need some notice for it to be most effective.  It's not as cheap someUS-only vendors, but we travel often enough that I value the convenience.

We have used it all over Europe, Canada, and the Caribbean with no problems.  Have not been to Asia or Africa with it, to comment there.  I do not believe they have coverage in China.

[rosarugosa]

We have always used Tracfone for our mobile carrier.  We were late, reluctant adopters. We have a monthly plan, but it's only $16 per person per month, so really cheap compared to other carriers and plans.  It looks like they still offer pay as you go options as well.

[RWD]

Adjusting for inflation you would be looking at vehicles under $16k (though used car prices have actually more than doubled since then so up to $20k give or take is still reasonable). You can find quite a few used Chevy Bolt EVs for under $16k (even with under 30k miles). And depending on your tax situation they may qualify for a $4,000 tax credit. It's really hard to beat this car right now for value and low cost of ownership.

[Paper Chaser]

Adjusting for inflation you would be looking at vehicles under $16k (though used car prices have actually more than doubled since then so up to $20k give or take is still reasonable). You can find quite a few used Chevy Bolt EVs for under $16k (even with under 30k miles). And depending on your tax situation they may qualify for a $4,000 tax credit. It's really hard to beat this car right now for value and low cost of ownership.

As long as you can charge where you park.

[roomtempmayo]

If we were to remake this list, which ten-year-old models would appear below the coveted "Recommended" label? Are any newer hatchbacks ready, reliable, and economical to maintain?

Subaru's reliability has increased significantly over the past decade, so I'd probably add the Crosstrek.  A new one is ~$25k list.  I expect you could get one coming off lease for around the $16k mark.

I'm also a little intrigued by Buick's news crossovery, hatchbacky model, the Envista.  $23k list, but probably not much on the used market yet.

And there's the new Corolla Cross, which is $23k new.  In person, it looks very much like a successor to the Matrix.  Probably the best value of the bunch.

[the_gastropod]

Adjusting for inflation you would be looking at vehicles under $16k (though used car prices have actually more than doubled since then so up to $20k give or take is still reasonable). You can find quite a few used Chevy Bolt EVs for under $16k (even with under 30k miles). And depending on your tax situation they may qualify for a $4,000 tax credit. It's really hard to beat this car right now for value and low cost of ownership.

As long as you can charge where you park.

Seconding the Bolt recommendation. I got one last month, and it's by far my favorite car I've owned. It ticks a lot of practicality boxes: hatchback with lots of cargo room, relatively small, so easy to find parking if you're in a city, cheap to run, cheap to maintain (in theory, anyway), quiet, efficient, and über-convenient if you have relatively easy access to an electrical outlet.

 I had some worry about the charging situation before buying one, as I don't have a garage, and park in the street. But it turns out, we only really charge the thing once or twice per week using a regular old 110v outlet. Run an extension cord from the house, and charge 'er up overnight, and it's been just fine. Obviously, this depends on how much you drive. 12 hours of 110v charging adds about ~48 miles to your range, which has been plenty for our needs.

As for cell plans: check out Mint Mobile. Its pricing structure is a bit different from Google-Fi. But if you're *mostly* going to be in the U.S., it's significantly cheaper. My wife and I just pre-paid for 1 year of "Unlimited" service for $15/month each. Like Google Fi, you *can* use it internationally, but it costs an extra fee. It comes out to something like $2/day. If you can roughly estimate how long you might spend outside the U.S., it may or may not come out ahead of Google Fi, but worth checkin' out!