Why do some people refuse to buy or even look at cars outside of their favorite brand? It seems so close-minded IMO. Shouldn't one buy the best product at their price point? Not just the Honda (or other) car that they want.

My family owns a:
me - g35 coupe
sis - tsx
mom - rx300
dad -grand caravan

I've also owned 2 Accord sedans. Next summer I'm getting an Elantra. I just choose to buy what's in my budget and reliable/interesting.

 

why are people superstisous?
They just are.

 

Some of it may have to do with dealerships...
That was the reason why my fam kept on getting Oldsmobiles...a friend of the fam was the head of the Olds dealership and we'd always get good deals on their cars and service. Plus it was always great when bringing our car in, everyone knows you and they'll let you take cars out for test drives by yourself while you wait for an oil change...etc. It was great!!

 

While it might be interesting to go from a G35 to an Elantra I'd venture to guess that the finacial reason behind it might not be.
I'd go even one step further - why do people buy in categories or class? The whole notion of best y in the sub $XXK category is ridiculous to me. Most people need a vehicle for some reason but seem to buy for some other. 1/2 the SUVs and pickups today would not be bought if people bought what they really need the vehicle for.
For most folks there are plenty of choices out there to meet their needs - this is where my problem lies. In the US one does not have very many choices of a main stream mid sized 4 door RWD sedan with an MT (only 3 that I can think of now , maybe more next year). Damn I wish I had the choices available in Europe.

 

What's up with your dad? Is he not a car guy or did he blow the transportation budget before he thought of himself? He treats his family right anyway.

 

A G35 to an Elantra? How does that happen?

 

A car is a big investment for some people. If brand X has been good to you, why switch? You buy a car as if you were buying anything else.

 

Actually I'm trading in my auto G35 for a manual G35 coupe, in addition to buying a new auto Elantra. I will be financing both cars on my own this time, whereas I only paid for 1/3 of my current ride. My dad has the oldest car in the family and will eventually trade in for a Toyota Sienna once the minivan breaks down. He definitely is not a car guy and needs the minivan as a work vehicle.

 

Dont mean to pry, but why the need for 2 cars for yourself?

 

I start med school rotations next summer and it'll involve extreme traffic (Chicago) driving into ghetto neighborhoods. I'd be to worried to drive my G there and also manual would suck in that kind of traffic. Even if I kept my auto G, I'd still get the Elantra.

We can never part with the precious (Gcoupe).

 

Ah, now that makes sense. Good luck...

As far as brand loyatly, Im only loyal to certian brands that have maintained a good rep. Im going to stick with Honda/Acura, Toyota/Lexus if I can. But it really depends on whats out at the time. Like right now, if I were to trade in or sell my TSX, I would no doubt get a fully loaded G35 coupe. So, it just depends on what catches my eye.

There are some makes, such as Ford, I will never consider and thats based on other peoples experences with them, reports, recalls and whatnot. Unless ofcourse a 1968 Mustang with a 351 comes along someday

 

Thanks Joe. I would never consider a Ford/Dodge because my family has had very bad experiences with their cars. The only Acura/Honda products I actually like are the TSX and S2000. The TL is ok but it looks worse than the TSX and it's just too big/heavy for my tastes.

 

Yup, chalk up another bad Ford experience.

 

been an acura/honda all my life,

89 accord lx
92 integra gsr <-- my best car, ever
00 civic si
04 tsx

while relatives and friends bought bmws, toyota, subaru and other models and i driven them, in the end i just go back to loving honda....never understood why

 

For my family, it has more to do with the dealership than anything else. My family has always gotten our Acuras from the same dealership. They've always treated us well and we will continue to go back to them as long as they do. I may have to change that since I'm now on the other coast, but by finding a dealership here on the East Coast that meets those same standards, I may continue to buy Honda/Acura if their products continue to be some of the best on the market.

 

I'm staying with Hot Wheels

 

Good luck. I'd wager that you won't have time to drive for pleasure for the next... 5+ years or so

A friend of mine is an ID fellow with a new leased Z4. He never drives it

Instead of a new Elantra, why not get a used Mazda6 or something? They don't hold value well, but are a great car IMO.

 

I am not loyal. I've owned 3 cars from 3 different continents If I like the TSX as much in 5-7 years as I do now, maybe we'll repeat with Acura.