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TOTD: Which Car Did You Buy New But Quickly Felt Old?

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Buying a new car is an exciting time in our lives. While we genuinely love the new-car smell, the best part about owning a new car is the excitement you feel every time you're about to climb behind the wheel. That new-car feeling goes away eventually, but it wears off faster on some cars than others. For today's TOTD, we want you to tell us about a car you bought new that quickly felt old. In the original thread created by Zoomin, he said that new-car feeling went away the fastest in his Mazda3, while A Latte Fun said that feeling crept in right after driving a new Kia Optima off the lot. Others in the forum also talked about certain cars in which that feeling never wore off. Some of those include the 1999 Acura TL, Nissan Xterra, and Honda Accord. So which are your picks? Let us know in the comments below!
57 comments
d_mcglasson
d_mcglasson

My 1985 Camaro literally began to fall apart within 10,000 miles.  The junkiest car I ever owned.


My 2000 Focus ZX3 was nice, but got boring in a hurry.  I kept it less than a year.  Just not enough car for that point in life.


I had an 89 Mustang LX 5.0 for seven years and 140,000 miles.  That one never got boring, but it did get unreliable.  Should have fixed it a few more times.  I sold it too soon.

joshdfisher93
joshdfisher93

I bought my black 2013 Scion tC in July 2012, the "new car" feeling lasted until February of this year, when someone dinged my passenger side and driver side door, then i curbed it and scuffed the wheel, then a rock hit my roof and shattered the glass... 

rrcarnut
rrcarnut

OK, don't laugh, but I bought a '13 kia Sorento.  I knew there was a "REFRESH" coming, but I had no idea that it would be so extensive. Or that it would come out so early. So my new car looked old after 6 months. I do have to say though, that after 1 1\2 years- it drives like the 1st day I got it. There aren't any rattles or squeaks, leather isn't worn and not one thing has gone wrong (yet). And with all the curb hopping ive done, not one alignment issue. The only thing important to me is that I'm still happy with it.

narebman
narebman

My 1999 Grand Marquis.  It was light years ahead of the old 1991 Cougar it replaced but it almost immediately felt like an old friend that I had owned for years.  My SHO may be similar light years ahead of the Grand Marquis but there are definitely times I miss the old girl.

Lou_313
Lou_313

My wife's first brand new car (1999 Saturn SC2) felt like driving a creaky old hooptie almost immediately after we bought it. It was the most mechanically reliable car we've owned aside from my current car (we just donated it this year after it was handed down to our daughter in '09, it still ran well at 201,000 miles), but it became a rattle-box almost right off of the dealership lot.

Burningstar428
Burningstar428

Ive only owned 3 cars,  and none of them felt old when i got rid of them . My 08 Silverado had the worst interior ive ever been in though. My current car doesn't get old because ive only seen two other people with one (Suzuki Kizashi)

Chris Gargano
Chris Gargano

Contrary to a car feeling old, two cars I own that feel as fresh as the day they were built are my S2000 and BMW 525i (e39)...do research people before buying a brand new car, some of the best cars are used cars that are never going to be built anymore.

Vigo Charger
Vigo Charger

I have rented almost every thing there is to rent. Now I know rentals are probably not so great for a comparison but here it goes. (All the fallowing cars are 2013's) The Challenger V6 5spd Auto, Charger V6 5spd auto RWD, 300C Hemi 5spd Auto RWD, Hyundai Genesis V6 8spd Auto RWD, Malibu 4cyl LT, Jetta 2.5 5cyl, Camry 2.5 4cyl, Maxima V6 CTV all feel dated.  


Mediocre rides include The Taurus V6 FWD, the Escape 1.6t AWD and the Wrangler (they took the spare tire in Chicago and that was fun on turn in. Wheel locks please) and the Avalon.    


My two favorite rentals of 2013 the 300 v6 8spd auto (makes a world of difference in this car) and the New Impala (It's about 1000% better than the last one which dates back to 2000) but would not buy either but would recommend them to anyone.   


A car that I have owed that seemed to have some staying power was my 2000 Toyota Solara SE V6 5Spd Manual what a great car and up until I sold it in 04. I always had compliments and loved the interior layout. Unfortunately Toyota stopped making fun to drive cars such as this and many others.        

icuwit4iiii
icuwit4iiii

The pull of the 283 hp 3.6L V6 in my Chrysler 200 never gets old!!!! Love the ride, take it on long trips all the time, and never get butt fatigue.

rippstik
rippstik

My first car was a 1990 Isuzu trooper. It had the worst engine ever put into a SUV...2.8L v6 backed up by a 4 speed auto. It never got old driving it, because it was so terrible. I almost found joys in its faults. I never quite knew whether I was going to get to my destination or not. I was sad selling it and upgraded to a Toyota Echo (yes, it was an upgrade). I'm starting to get bored with it, but I still enjoy driving a manual!

icuwit4iiii
icuwit4iiii

The pull of that 283 hp 3.6L V6 in my Chrysler 200 never gets old!!! I love the ride, take it on long trips all the time and never get butt fatigue.

torque freak
torque freak

My first car a 99 Toyota corolla it was horrid. It was the worst car I have ever drove it was insanely slow, a rattle trap from hell and the stereo quit working after a month. This was the car my mom gave me when I turned 16 and it was either drive this pos or don't drive.After a year I had enough money saved from my job at sonic to buy a new car. I bought a 91 Pontiac grand Prix and it felt light years ahead of the corolla even though it was almost a decade older. The Pontiac was a huge upgrade for me I drove that grand Prix to 280,000 miles before selling it I loved that car.

dz28
dz28

2014 Taurus SHO... Like alec with the 2013 Escape the list of issues is long and ridiculous.  The car doesn't feel right, act right, drive right, and of course has multiple Sync and build issues.  In this age of really well built automobiles to put a $48,000 car on the market this bad ... well Seth Meyers says it best on SNL "really"? 

Emajor75
Emajor75

2008 Yaris sedan. Compared to the failing 14 year old Honda it replaced, it felt light years ahead. But when the competition brought out cars like the Fiesta, though, it felt dated pretty quickly. 


That Optima pictured is a pretty good example too. Looks great on the outside but the LX model was completely unremarkable from behind the wheel and the front seats were soft and unsupportive in a way that reminded me of Ford and GM sedans from the 90s. Didn't feel as special or modern as the sheet metal or automotive press suggested it would. 


Our 2010 Jetta with 45K still feels brand new, with no interior wear at all, but the so-so fuel economy and lack of ANY modern infotainment technology date it. 

Ryan Shedlock
Ryan Shedlock

My 2010 Jeep Wrangler... 


Bought it in April 2010 and in August Chrysler drops a bomb on me with an off-the-radar interior refresh. And 1 year after that it gets the Pentastar/5-speeed. I knew the Pentastar was 18-months out, I just figured the interior refresh would coincide with it.... needless to say, by the Jeep's 1-year Bday I felt as if i was driving a YJ every time I saw a new(er) JK.

jessi
jessi

I'd have to say pretty much any GM vehicle me or my family have owned.  The cheap interiors that they used to put in their vehicles really aged them quickly.  Now, even my mother's new 2013 Sierra Denali 1500 feels old, but it's because the truck has developed some rattles in the dashboard and the windshield.  It feels like It has been out of alignment since she bought it, because of an annoying low grade shake on the highway... not something you expect or want in a new vehicle. 

F-Movement1
F-Movement1

My 2012 VW Passat. Glad to have a vehicle but I feel like my car is 5 years old

alec
alec

Our 2013 Ford Escape...  Had to write down a list to remember all the issues to mention at our 1000 mile first recommend service.  The list has only gotten longer over the last 38000 miles - 5 separate sqeaks and rattles, random stalls, infinite programming issues with MFT, driver's seat memory, hatch leaking, hatch motor dying, hatch not closing all the way, etc, etc, etc.  Now we're trying to return it under the lemon law (never thought I'd ever have reason to do that!)

Junior02
Junior02

For cars that NEVER felt old...I would choose my 2002 Toyota Rav4! It's got 135,000 miles on it and l think it's aged very well. In fact, people have complimented me on its well-maintained look and usually surprised once they discover the year of the car. I always thought my car looked better than some of the other Rav4 versions like the two-toned body...the gray plasticky looking bumpers made those Rav4's look cheap. I didn't even like the redesign in 2005...they made it look bloated. 

rgarison
rgarison

2010 Toyota Venza purchased new. Right away I new it was a huge disappointment. You could not read the radio dial on a sunny day and the dealer offered no solutions. Also, developed major rattle in the dash after a month which the dealer acknowledged but couldn't fix. Sold after 6 months! No more Toyotas!

'Merica
'Merica

I bought a 2012 Kia Forte and it felt old after the first month. I bought it because I have 4 3/4 ton trucks that we use for work and snow removal. I realized that driving my 06 GMC on the highway over 25,000 mi/yr was not a good idea, so I bought this car to save on fuel. Not only will I never buy another Kia again, but I would never recommend it to anyone. 

Classic Bob
Classic Bob

2007 Mazda 5, never lost it’s zoom zoom, but zoom was soon accompanied by rattle rattle, squeak squeak, clunk clunk and boom boom. a whole orchestra of sounds that one wouldn't consider to be normal engine or road noise..  It still looked new, just didn’t feel that way..

at least i know what i won’t buy next..

joelseff
joelseff

I bought a 2013 Altima 3.5SV that at first it was awesome! then the CVT started frakking up and the airbag sensor kept malfunctioning, then the AC then rattles, than ABS light....ALL IN A MATTER OF MONTHS!!!! it is getting bought back via California Lemon Law now at 3400 miles....Na na na na, na, na, na, na, G O O D B Y E !!!!


Don't know what to buy next.

collegekid2012
collegekid2012

My 09 Aveo.  I bought it because it was cheap and fuel efficient, but it feels like my 97 T-bird has better features.  My T-bird had leather, climate control, and a better sound system.  The aveo takes forever to heat up, seats are uncomfortable, and the stereo is horrible.  If gas wasn't $4 a gallon I'd have kept my V8.  Oh and a 4 speed tranny in an 09 is a joke 

TheClassicCarFactory
TheClassicCarFactory

A late 1970's POS Mustang II Fastback in Black With Gold Pinstripes and rear spoiler; Options included the hair-dryer 4 cylinder engine , missing bolts here-and-there package, and the rear axle hop into the next lane suspension. Traded it within 6 months for VW Rabbit convertible.

AaronG
AaronG

My 2013 Dart Felt new for quite a while since mine was the first one in my county and the first one registered in the county. Also mine was the only one in a 40 mile radius for at least six months. But now I have owned it for over a year and it is still new-ish feeling. I also have a 1994 Ford Explorer (my first vehicle that I still own) NEVER feels old! I love that truck!

Whatnow
Whatnow

2003 Audi A4 1.8T Quatro. after 3 years and 50K miles, the car started to fall apart, and dug me into a financial hole at the time.  In addition, the 2001 Maxima SE I had ran great but after the new model hit in 2003, it seemed very dated. 

mwebber78
mwebber78

Previous generation Subaru Forester - thank God it was leased... The drab interior plastic, droning engine, and box on wheels attitude. Never again.

92Vectra1.6i
92Vectra1.6i

Every Maxima company car I had seemed to age quickly with a 2001 GXE being the worst offender. It still ran really strong when turned in but the interior had lots of worn spots and squeaks and rattles and the rear shocks were gone at 29,000 miles. Still love those VQ V6's (the 2000-2001 3.0's are still my favorites despite the '01 "beater" ) but between the beam axle and rapid wear I never developed a desire to own one. My last Maxima was a 2003 SE and while it held up better than some of the earlier ones I was done with the Maximas after getting a 2003 Mazda 6 S (it was significantly slower than the 3.5 liter Maxima and had a few wear issues of its' own but was so much more engaging a drive it didn't matter).  

Ecoboost V8
Ecoboost V8

2011 Toyota Tacoma, a week after getting it it felt like if I've owned it for ages. Not a bad thing though.

faire
faire

Cadillac's "Art & Science" styling was old the instant I spotted it.


But seriously, MT, what kind of click bait article is this?  Are you trying to turn the word "old" into a negative term?  Well, it isn't.  My trusty old baseball glove gets better with age.  Wine savants know how to store their booze and to wait for it.  Engine mechanics know that, even in this day of super-tight tolerance manufacturing, it takes time for any mechanical system to break in and achieve peak performance.  Steak houses upcharge you for a proper cut of steak that has been aged to just the right tenderness.


"Old" is not "bad".  A bad car that you bought for all the wrong reasons might get worse in one's eyes, but a great car never gets worse as it ages.  That's why classic cars remain so popular.  Quality is timeless. 

GreenGrape29
GreenGrape29

I bought a new 01 Ford Taurus took about 3 days to feel out dated. My 08 CTS always felt good, and I was always excited to drive it, my wife's 07 Infiniti G37x Sedan always put a smile on my face as well.

czydimond
czydimond

@d_mcglassonmaybe you mistreated your Camaro.  I had 2 84 Firebirds and 1 88 and they all got over 150,000 miles.  Fords are what are junk.

Stan Williams
Stan Williams

@Chris GarganoDitto on the e39, my 2003 530i still feels great. Solid, rattle free great, albeit at a cost for proper maint. These cars are well built!

Lou_313
Lou_313

@icuwit4iiii I drove my daughters '13 Dodge Avenger V6 to the dealership for its first oil change and I have to agree, the 3.6L Pentastar is underrated. Definitely a fun engine to wring out.

narebman
narebman

@dz28 I gotta say I'm surprised to hear that.  I have a fully optioned first model year 2010 SHO that I picked up used and aside from some niggling Sync issues it's been an amazing car and almost totally faultless.  The voice recognition works incredibly well, I just wish I didn't have to say the entire title and subtitle of a book in order to get it to play.

The one issue it did have - a mysteriously clogged heater core - was so baffling to the dealership and the big shots at Ford that they fixed it for free even though it was out of warranty.  

Autoray74
Autoray74

@jessi why did you continue to buy gm cars then? Oh that's right...you didnt and you just want to rail against GM. Or you just like to punish yourself. Probably not tho. Just a GM hater.

Ryan Shedlock
Ryan Shedlock

@aarongregory9393 Yeah I feel like my Dart has kept the newness as well (got it 1 year ago today), simply by the fact that you don't see too many of them on the road (especially Rallye's like mine)

redbloodedxy
redbloodedxy

@faire  

It's sounds like you need to up your meds dosage...  we aren't saving babies here, it's just a thread forum.

TheJuiceBox
TheJuiceBox

@faire Talking about cars here...brand new cars.  I don't think there are many people that want there brand new and fresh off the lot car to feel old.  That's the point of this.  Old is not good when it's brand new.


Also, maybe you haven't been to Motor Trend very often, but this is a TOTD (thread of the day).  Every day they post a question to get car people to discuss car stuff.  It's for fun, not "click bait."

GreenGrape29
GreenGrape29

@faire Yesterday I agreed with what you were saying, today it sounds like you are preaching. Just like you named many things that get better with age, many things get worse with age. 

Old is just a word, the subject to which it is tied to (or manner in which it is used), determines weather it is a negative or a positive.

Whatnow
Whatnow

@GreenGrape29 I agree, I own an 11 CTS with 60K miles already on it, and it drives like a champ, the girlfriend still loves her 07 G35 Coupe.

jessi
jessi

@Autoray74 @jessi I have to admit, I personally didn't buy them, but had two given to me and I drove my parents all the time.  When I bought my own car, I decided to stay away from GM vehicles.   

dadio61
dadio61

@Autoray74@jessiYou don't have to be a GM hater to see how cheap they build their cars, but you definitely have to be a GM lover to ignore it.

mwebber78
mwebber78

I agree, I couldn't tell if the engine was suppose to sound like a bucket of washers rattling or not... I was told it was part of the charm in owning a H4 engine... No thanks.

dadio61
dadio61

@Lou_313@dadio61Nope, owned GM all my life until I couldn't take the poor quality anymore. If they ever made something that was anywhere near the quality of any of their competitors, I'd gladly give them another try. No need for name calling, btw

Lou_313
Lou_313

@dadio61 You simply sound like a biased troll who commented simply to spread your negativity towards an automaker who has improved their quality greatly in recent years.

 

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