Car buying advice

[MTCyclone43]

"Ford is on track to set a new industry record for the highest number of recalled vehicles in a single year in 2026, having already recalled more than 13 million vehicles. This volume is expected to surpass the automaker's own record-breaking 2025 total of nearly 13 million vehicles affected across 153 recalls.

By mid-July 2026, Ford had issued over 50 separate recall campaigns, driven by widespread issues including software faults disabling trailer brakes in 4.4 million trucks, transmission park system defects in 741,000 vehicles, and wiring hazards in 500,000 Bronco SUVs. The automaker attributes this surge to an aggressive internal strategy to identify and fix safety defects, having doubled its safety teams following regulatory fines in late 2024."

"Ford has rehired approximately 350 veteran engineers, referred to as "gray beard" engineers, after its reliance on AI and automated quality control systems failed to meet production standards. Many of these individuals are former employees who were let go when the company initially shifted toward automation, but they were brought back because AI lacked the nuanced human experience required to ensure high vehicle quality."

 

[MTCyclone43]

"Stellantis is facing multiple significant safety recalls in 2026, primarily involving fire risks, airbag defects, and suspension issues. Recent major recalls include:

Jeep Fire Risk (June 2026): Stellantis recalled over 1.3 million Jeep vehicles globally, including approximately 1.08 million in the U.S. (2021–2025 Jeep Wrangler and Jeep Gladiator models). The defect involves the electric hydraulic power steering pump wiring potentially overheating and igniting combustible materials, even when the vehicle is turned off. Owners are urged to park outside and away from structures until repairs are completed, with notifications expected by July 9, 2026.
Takata Airbag "Do Not Drive" Alert (February 2026): A directive was issued for roughly 225,000 U.S. vehicles (2003–2016 Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram models) containing unrepaired Takata airbag inflators. The chemical propellant can degrade, causing the inflator to rupture and eject metal fragments. Owners were warned not to drive these vehicles until the airbags are replaced.
Side Airbag Deployment Delay (May 2026): Stellantis recalled 419,035 U.S. vehicles due to a software error that could delay side airbag deployment during a crash, leaving vehicles non-compliant with federal safety standards.
Suspension Detachment (March 2026): A recall of 80,620 SUVs addressed a defect where rear coil springs could detach, causing suspension collapse and loss of vehicle stability. This was a follow-up to an insufficient repair from July 2023.
Steel Wheel Defect (July 2026): Approximately 641 units of 2026 Jeep Wrangler and Jeep Gladiator models equipped with steel wheels were recalled. The wheels may have a thin-wall condition causing them to crack or separate, increasing crash risk.
Battery Pack Fire Risk (June 2026): An additional 17,277 vehicles were recalled in the U.S. due to a battery pack defect that could cause fires even when the ignition is off.
Stellantis has faced criticism for the volume of these recalls, with analysts noting 19 separate recall incidents in 2026 affecting around 2.5 million vehicles. "

 

[MTCyclone43]

"Honda is currently executing several major safety recalls in the United States, with the most recent involving over 325,000 Odyssey minivans. These recalls address defects ranging from rearview camera failures to rear suspension corrosion and unintended airbag deployment.

Recent Major Recalls (2026)
Rearview Camera Defect (325,588 vehicles): Affecting 2018–2020 Honda Odyssey models, water may enter the camera causing the image to fail in reverse. Dealers will replace the rearview camera free of charge, with notification letters expected by August 24, 2026.
Rear Suspension Corrosion (880,514 vehicles): Impacts 2016–2022 Honda Pilot, 2017–2023 Honda Ridgeline, 2019–2023 Honda Passport, and 2014–2020 Acura MDX. This issue is limited to states using road salt, where the rear subframe may corrode and fail. Dealers will install reinforcement kits or replace parts for free.
Airbag Sensor Defect (98,892 vehicles): Covers a wide range of models including the Civic, Accord, CR-V, Odyssey, and Acura models from various years. A cracked weight sensor can cause unintended airbag deployment. Dealers will replace the sensors free of charge. "

 

[MTCyclone43]

All the manufacturers are building beautiful, in appearance, vehicles that are seriously flawed mechanical and safety issues. 2026 is a record year for recalls.

 

[SayMyName]

I can't tell you how many Impala and Malibu I see on the road still that are probably over 10 years old. Heck I still see some Pontiacs on the road too and they stopped making that brand in 2010. It's a shame GM doesn't really make a sedan other than the Cadillac now. Eventually will be looking for a car for my daughter in about 4 years and will be interesting to see what kinds of good used sedans will be available since there really aren't too many American motor companies making them anymore other than the luxury types. Betting those sedans are holding their value on the used car market these days.

My Malibu is coming up on 14 years old and nearly 170,000 miles. Most of that mileage came from highway travel (commuted from Ames to Des Moines it's first 5 years). Had some early issues - wheel bearings, A/C compressor - but very minor age-related upkeep items since then. Still has original brakes!

 

[Texbudman]

That Camry is a 99 and is still very reliable, only 160,000 miles.

I wondered if you still had it! Has been a great car

 

[1SEIACLONE]

All the manufacturers are building beautiful, in appearance, vehicles that are seriously flawed mechanical and safety issues. 2026 is a record year for recalls.

Vehicles are a lot more complex today than what they were even 10 years ago, which leads to more recalls and problems. Toyota has had a horrible time with the engine in their trucks, sometimes it takes awhile for them to iron out the bugs in a new model or project. That is why as someone already stated, you should not purchase the first year of a product or a remodel. Let them work the kinks out for a year or two, they will get it right in almost every case.

 

[CYdTracked]

My Malibu is coming up on 14 years old and nearly 170,000 miles. Most of that mileage came from highway travel (commuted from Ames to Des Moines it's first 5 years). Had some early issues - wheel bearings, A/C compressor - but very minor age-related upkeep items since then. Still has original brakes!

Original brakes? That is impressive! At the very least you have to have some kind of vibration from warped rotors by now right?

The one thing I learned from our last car purchase is that some of the OEM tires they put on vehicles lately really suck. Our 2023 Traverse tires I had to replace around 33K I think. Looked up the same tires on Tire Rack and they had horrible reviews - some were saying they were barely lasting past 20K so I guess getting another 10K out of them I should feel fortunate? Put some Firestone Destination LE3 tires on this time that are supposed to be a 70K mile tire. The previous vehicle I bought before that was a 2015 Traverse and the first set of tires I think lasted me at least 60K+? I put the same tire on it again and have 137K on that one now and they are about due for another set so got some good mileage out of them too. Probably put some cheap tires on that vehicle as I don't know how many more years I will get out of it. It's starting to hit me for wear and tear repairs due to age and miles and worst repair was having to replace the torque converter this spring when it had some transmission shudder. There is another big expense item on it I am just dealing with because it's not causing issues right now but the oil seal near the timing chain cover is leaking but not enough that it's ever dripped on my garage floor or caused me to be low on oil so just letting that be as I am not interested in putting around $3000 into it as they have to drop the motor to get to it so it's a labor intensive repair. Just trying to ride that vehicle out another 2-4 years hopefully so I can go at least a couple years without car payments and put away some money for down payment on our next vehicle.

 

[1SEIACLONE]

Original brakes? That is impressive! At the very least you have to have some kind of vibration from warped rotors by now right?

The one thing I learned from our last car purchase is that some of the OEM tires they put on vehicles lately really suck. Our 2023 Traverse tires I had to replace around 33K I think. Looked up the same tires on Tire Rack and they had horrible reviews - some were saying they were barely lasting past 20K so I guess getting another 10K out of them I should feel fortunate? Put some Firestone Destination LE3 tires on this time that are supposed to be a 70K mile tire. The previous vehicle I bought before that was a 2015 Traverse and the first set of tires I think lasted me at least 60K+? I put the same tire on it again and have 137K on that one now and they are about due for another set so got some good mileage out of them too. Probably put some cheap tires on that vehicle as I don't know how many more years I will get out of it. It's starting to hit me for wear and tear repairs due to age and miles and worst repair was having to replace the torque converter this spring when it had some transmission shudder. There is another big expense item on it I am just dealing with because it's not causing issues right now but the oil seal near the timing chain cover is leaking but not enough that it's ever dripped on my garage floor or caused me to be low on oil so just letting that be as I am not interested in putting around $3000 into it as they have to drop the motor to get to it so it's a labor intensive repair. Just trying to ride that vehicle out another 2-4 years hopefully so I can go at least a couple years without car payments and put away some money for down payment on our next vehicle.

Tires can be really up and down on a new vehicle, we have Yokohama brand on our Grand Highlander and they have been great tires, 53K on the vehicle and plan to replace them in the fall. But other tire brands on the same vehicle have not faired as well. We lucked out getting the Yokohama tires, have read others are replacing their factory tires after 30,000 miles or so because they are worn out. It does help if you rotate them every 5K miles.

 

[AuH2O]

My 2018 Highlander has been OK but there are some known problems that Toyota wouldn’t recall. Most notably timing chain cover seal, which is a big repair when it goes. For a modern AWD vehicle it sucks on snow and ice.

Have had an 04 Explorer that I drove for 15 years, a 12 Jetta that I still drive, and a 22 Crosstrek.

I’m not anti-Toyota, but it’s been the worst vehicle in terms of price, performance and service. VW has a lot of things that were bad, but they put out recalls on everything. I’ve very much enjoyed my experiences with VW, Ford and Suby better than Toyota. Just anecdotal experiences for one person.

 

[CyDegen]

My tip: Buy the funnest car you can afford, life is too short to drive a Camry or Accord.

 

[CYdTracked]

Tires can be really up and down on a new vehicle, we have Yokohama brand on our Grand Highlander and they have been great tires, 53K on the vehicle and plan to replace them in the fall. But other tire brands on the same vehicle have not faired as well. We lucked out getting the Yokohama tires, have read others are replacing their factory tires after 30,000 miles or so because they are worn out. It does help if you rotate them every 5K miles.

I rotate mine at every oil change which is around 5-7k. The tires that barely lasted over 30k were rotated every time and still wore way too quick. I they were Bridgestone which surprised me as that is what I have on the other vehicle and they lasted for way more miles. The ones that didn't last long were 18" Bridgestone Alenza A/S 02 which have a 3 star rating on Tire Rack and some of the worst reviews were things like they were terrible in winter driving conditions and 1 review said they were already at 4/32 at 13k miles.

 

[bozclone]

As someone who has spent my career in the automotive industry, it is pretty amazing how good vehicles are given the number of people that play a role in designing and building each vehicle. Not everyone is a super star.

If you can wait, I would drive your current vehicle a while longer and make an effort to save some additional cash.

I bought my daughter a Chevy Trailblazer 3 years ago new because the used market was so expensive. It has been a great car for her.

 

[Clone Head]

I typically buy used cars, I frequently use Autotrader.com as a source for searching for used cars. It has great filtering search capabilities where you can filter on price, location, brand, model, mileage, etc. Where possible I use Carfax reports to look at the routine maintenance records and if the vehicle has been in any accidents. Usually Carfax is available directly through the dealers websites. There are other search engines as well.

I saw in a previous response someone posted some search results that included a 2011 Buick Lucerne. I previously owned one these and it was a great car. Just for kicks I looked at the Carfax for the Lucerne and looks like a well maintained vehicle, https://www.carfax.com/vehiclehisto...qgmlDNzkzIPfSGEIzcmhLdajUwUo4BxU5MOZezgCWfr5k

 

[CYdTracked]

My tip: Buy the funnest car you can afford, life is too short to drive a Camry or Accord.

At least buy 1 "fun" car before you have kids. That is what I did and then traded it in for a SUV eventually as a 2 door sports car is not very practical for a car seat and long trips. Tried it for a few months and quickly realized that fun car time was over. Maybe once they are in college I can possibly look at getting another fun car again, in the meantime I guess I may have to settle for a small truck sometime if I can convince the wife we don't need 2 full size SUVs once the oldest kid starts driving in a few years.

 

[cyfanbr]

My tip: Buy the funnest car you can afford, life is too short to drive a Camry or Accord.

To each their own. I’d rather buy a not extravagant car and then save my money for other experiences such as vacations and early retirement.

 

[cy84]

What version of the Highlander did you end up getting. We have the Hybrid Max, but if they offered the platinum trim in the regular hybrid that is what we would have gotten.

We did not get the MAX and bought the Limited version. We don’t tow or haul so it works great for us . Regular Highlander was a great SUV but we really like the extra room in the Grand.