Owen778

Looks like you test drove a Fusion S (the base level trim) but a Focus SE (or Titanium). According to Edmunds, the Focus hatchback is not available in S trim, only the sedan. It looks like heated seats are supposed to be an option on the SE and included on the Titanium on both cars.

On my Fusion, you can definitely control the rear AC separately, though that may require the MyFord Touch package (the extra dash electronics).

Agree the Fusion is a smoother ride. That's often true when you compare a hatchback to a mid-size sedan.

jmood

Thanks for telling me that I will call and ask about it it now. No wait - the seatbelt issue. They told me it could not be modified. So unfortunately the Ford Fusion is out for me.

jmood

I haven't tried a Mazda yet. If it were a choice between an Accord and a Mazda 3 sedan, any thoughts? The mazda base price seem 3-4 K cheaper.

rbackhouse

I would doubt it but you can double check with the bankrate web site to see what sort of rate you can get in your area.

jmood

OK, so scratch the Mazda 2. I like the Mazda 6. The price goes up significantly with their "packages", so I will stick with the basic Mazda 6 which they call the "sport" version.

Mazda 6 (Sport, i.e. basic) vs. Honda Accord Sedan LX?
Thanks for your thoughts.

jmood

So here's the rest of my story.

Since the job I was starting was not as an employee but contract based a close friend talked me out of buying a car and said stick to renting until you know more (yes he's very conservative in the non-traditional sense of the word, I know that).

My rentals to that point has been daily/weekly. I started a new monthly rental contract out of a different branch of the same company. It turned out they had given me the wrong car - a car that had been sold - so requested I return asap - which I was able to only to a different location. That location did not have cars in the class I had booked (the cheapest) and I accepted teh first car they offered me, which turned out to be a Nissan Rouge, which is an SUV, something I was not considering previoulsy. So after driving that for several weeks I realized I liked it much more than the others that I've mentioned becuase:

1)The AC vents are round and can be turned 360 degrees or closed off. A silly reason maybe, but important to me. I didn't find this in any of the others.

2)I realized I like being high off the ground. I'm short.


I had NOT considered SUVs before, thinking (a)I don't need an SUV (b)they are gas guzzlers (c)they are more expensive.

However, the price is very close to the Honda and the Mazda I was considering. And the thing about the AC vents and the height are plusses.

I considered used but the certified used ones (2011 model around 45000 miles) were only 3K cheaper than new, so I figure I'll go with new.

I've already been to some Nissan dealers and was ready to buy but got annoyed by something the dealer had said re price on the phone (person A) which totally changed when I arrived (by person B and the manager) so I walked out. Dealers are such time wasters. I will go back when I garner the energy and bite the bullet.

So anyway, anything else I should consider? Am I making a bad choice?

Thanks!

Hotscot

And their indicators never seem to work...

jmood

You mean people who drive them tend to forget to use them? Indicators used to be a reflex for me when turning but not anymore. I don't know why. So sometimes I forget to use them too.

Michael

All car dealers are a pain. When I was buying a car for my son, they wouldn't tell me the price and asked me what I was willing to pay. I said I was paying cash (not financing) and said I'd pay 10% below MSRP. He went to his manager and came back and said, how does $xxx per month sound? I said I'm paying cash. He then responded, can you afford $xxx per month? I said if you continue to play these games, I'm leaving. He said, I'll have to talk to my manager and came back with a counter offer of 10% above MSRP and we walked out as he was yelling, that is just our first offer and it is negotiable.

At that time there were discount car brokers and we went there and stated exactly what we wanted. He said the price is 6% under MSRP but he'll first have to find a dealer with exactly what we want. After a couple of calls, he said he found one about 100 miles away and would be available in two days. We signed the agreement and picked up the car in two days. With the discount broker, we spent maybe 1 hour there and got the car we wanted at the expected price but at the car dealership, we spent about 2 hours there and accomplished absolutely nothing.

jmood

That kind of thing makes me want to scream or kick their heads in with a bat. Maybe it's an IQ issue. Which you can't do ANYTHING about. Sigh...
But also the salesperson - manager structure and set up is an absolute waste of time. There must be a reason it's still on, it must work for the dealers somehow.

jmood

OK, anyone, anything about the Nissan Rogue (NOT about the NEW Rogue). The old one. 2014 and older (because the new one no longer has round AC vents) ????

Michael

It's setup like a con game. Confuse, confuse, confuse.

In reality, there really isn't any manager structure but is just a way to confuse.

Pulaski

Or you could beat them around the head with a shoe.

jmood

OK, ANYONE, ANYTHING about the Rogue please??

jmood

Are you sure? That's even worse. That is indeed deception.