Smoothest and Quietest Rides (under $40 thousand)

Welcome to Gearhead Central @Andrew B.

I have some questions.

What are you driving now that isn't doing the job?

Are you looking at all cars or just a full size, compact and so on?

Are sound levels and comfort the only features that matter (other then the reclining seat) or is there more.

Are you in the US? $40000 goes father there then it does in Canada so it changes the list of cars.

For used cars, how old is too old and what is the maximum mileage you would want on it? Would you want it to still have warranty left on it?

James

 

Your welcome.

Your 94 Mazda 626 has (Front Legroom (in.) 43.20). So since leg room is important, I won't bother suggesting something with much less then that. Comfort is a personal thing. My mother is really picky about seat comfort. She can end up in pain for days in the wrong seat too long. From what I remember she liked the seats in the Oldsmobile Intrigue I owned. So did my wife and I. My wife and mother like the seats in the 2010 Toyota Corolla we have. I don't like them at all. The only good thing I can say about them is that the drives seat is that he base can be raised in the front. I don't know why I like this but it makes it a bit more comfortable for me.

I'm guessing you are taller then me so we need a different amount of leg room. I like leg room as well but might not need as much. I'm not big on small cars because of that and other things.

What I would do if you have the time is to get a lot of suggestions like you are doing and then spend some time test driving cars. That is the best way to see if the ride and sound levels meet your standards. I think I have driven a 626 around the same age as yours (use to own a detail shop). I think most newer cars would be quieter then that unless it is designed to let in certain noises like you said.

One thing I will mention about comfort is the wheels. Things have changed since 1994 when you bought your car. I'm sure you noticed this. Standard rim sizes are larger then the optional rims back then. This means lower profile tires which are great for handling but not always great for comfort. They can transfer the feel of the smallest groves, rocks and bumps into the car. You can feel and hear this in some cars. Going with the smaller tire will save you money on the car and replacement tires, but also should cut down on road noises. So while I love the 18-20" wheels, you might be better off with the 16-17" bigger cars. Unless its a small car and then you should be looking at the model with the 15".

Some of the cars I would look at are...

2014 Buick Regal. It has a starting price of $30000 which is good. I have heard great things about the new Buicks. The leg room is a little lower at 42.1" but it is close enough to put on the list I think. With a 6 year 70000 mile warranty you won't have to worry about repairs for a good while. Since you don't drive a lot it sounds like you will get the full 6 years.

2014 Lincoln MKZ. Base of $36000 is near the top of your budget. The leg room is 44.30" so it gives you a little more room to stretch out.

2014 Chysler 300. This is one car I have drove a few times and I love it. From what I remember it is quite (couldn't hear much over the nice stereo system so that is one thing I do remember). The base is $30000 which is great but the leg room might come in a bit short for you at 41.2". I think the car is at least a quick look. Even just to sit in it to see how it feels. If it passes that test it should be driven. I drove this with the 20" rims from what I remember and the ride was great. I think for you it might but fine but might be more inline with what your looking for with the 17" wheels.

2014 Acura TSX. This starts at $30000 and has 42.2" of legroom. I haven't been in the 2014 but I did drive a 05 or 06 I believe. It was a nice car and I don't remember road noise being an issue.

2014 Ford Fusion. With a base of $22000 and legroom of 44.3", I think this car is worth the look. My in laws have the model before it and it is a nice car. I think the newest ones look even better.

I found a list of top leg room for mid sized cars and It was the Hyundai Sonata 45.5", Kia Optima 45.5" and Nissan Altima 45" coming in as 1st, 2nd and 3rd. The Fusion was 4th. Hyundai as come a long way and I know a lot of happy owners but for me I'm not sold on them yet. I guess I still remember the Hyundai Pony. But they would be worth a look. The Kia is a brand that hasn't won me over. When the Sorento came out I was interested because it was way lower then anything in its class for price. It wasn't bad but I'm glad I didn't go with it. They have come a long way since then. The Optima is the one car in there line up that catches my eye. It gets great reviews. I want to test drive one sometime and see what they are like.

Another car I would look at is the Hyundai Genesis. I know what I said about my feelings about Hyundai but the Genesis almost makes me forget about all that. (Even with my odd feelings for the name plate, the brand does get good reviews) My friend @Doug Carter sold Hyundai for a little while and I remember him being impressed with them. Maybe he will jump in here and give his opinion about their line up and if any of them fit what you are looking for. The Genesis is about $36000 in the US and has about 44.3" of legroom.

Two cars that would be worth checking out are the Accord 42.5" and Camry 41.6". The Accord has been a good car for a long time and so has the Camry. I find that Toyota's lack excitement but they are good cars. The Camry might be a bit low for you in legroom on paper. The Mazda 6 42.4" might also be worth a look. You have owned your Mazda for 20 years now. I looked at buying one in the mid 2000 range. It was brand new. One of the major things that stopped me from buying that was some of the interior trim pieces that I didn't think would hold up finish wise and the lack of torque which bothered me.

The use market opens up a lot of possibilities. Mercedes E class, BMW 5 series, Cadilliac, Audi and so on. The Marcedes CLS and C class would be in your range new and I think they would be worth a look. The BMW 3 series and Audi A4 would be in range new as well. You might even find some deals as the 2015's roll out.

One more car I would look at is the Volkswagen CC. I love the look of that car and the leg room isn't too far of most of the normal cars at 41.6".

Those are the cars that I would look at myself. I would think that there would have to be one in that list that would make you happy. If you have the time and patience I would look over the list and compare features and so on. Then knock off ones that just don't do it for you. Then I would take the list of ones that are left (even the ones your not too sure about) and test them out. For some you might even have to look at a different trim level because they can have different seats which can make a big difference. Maybe even walk in and tell them you want to look at one of each seat style. You need to find the one that fits your body right so it is worth the extra little time. And for some it will only take a few minutes adjusting the seat to realize that that one may or may not be worth even test driving. Have fun with it.

One last thing. I can't believe I forgot to mention the Infiniti G37. I drove some of the G35's and they were great driving cars. I would put that high on the list as well.

James

 

Your welcome. I read or watched video reviews on most of the cars listed. Some did mention a stiffer ride but they might not be too stiff. That is where a test drive is needed.

Your right about the legroom. That's why I said on paper. You can have two people of the same height and one will fit good in one car and the other won't. Some habe longer legs, some sit different and so on.

One thing I forgot to mention. If you have more then one person driving the car, a good feature would be memory seats. Part of a comfortable ride is having the seat set just right. With the memory function you can save that perfect setting and put it back after someone else drives it. It saves playing with the seat. My Oldsmobile didn't have that one feature. Once I had the seat just right and my wife changed it. I never could get it in that exact spot again.

Please keep use updates on your search. It will be good to hear what you add and remove and for what reasons. The LaCrosse was one I was going to put on the list. I forget why I didn't out it on.

James

 

I love the look of the new Impala. The only reason I didn't put it on the list was that it was a full sized car. I haven't drove the new new one but I have heard good things about them. I think they they are worth a look.

Of they have big wheels it should be ok switching to a smaller rim and bigger tire. The main issue is you might be buying one that just isn't perfect for you hoping that you can correct or it. If it works then your good if not you could have a car and rims you don't want anymore.

James

 

Length wise it's only about a 1.5' longer so it isn't that bad.

Firm doesn't always mean mean harsh. A harsh rough ride is what I think will bother you firm one might not. That is why it is good to build a list and then start the test drives to feel them out.

Have you always kept your cars that long?

I hope your health improves.

James

 

I find I keep mine a long time. Income and the rising price of cars if normally the reason. I went in many times to buy a new vehicle and walked because of games they were playing and or the sales persons lack of knowledge on their product. Sometimes I just couldn't justify the payments.

James

 

Hopefully one of them will fit you to a t. Test driving a lot of cars is a good thing to do but not everyone does it.

James

 

So how is the search going @Andrew B. ?

James