Everyone has their favorite car maker for a different reason: experience, passed-down knowledge from Dad/uncle/grandpa, info they picked up online, etc. As I write this, I think about all the times my dad told me, “You can’t go wrong with a Honda, just stay away from Jeep.” (The man currently drives a Jeep…)
Today, we’re going to discuss the various car makers and what’s so good (or not so good) about them.
As we’ve shared many times, keep in mind what matters most in a car is:
- Where it’s coming from: The Source
- How it was taken care of previously: The Condition
- What it’s like now: The Reconditioning
First, let’s talk Honda and Toyota. Most of our team loves these cars: they have a reputation for being reliable for the long haul. They cost a bit more upfront, but that’s because Honda and Toyota have the reputation of consistency across all models and sizes of vehicles. Hondas and Toyotas can stand the test of time and have been known to handle more miles than some others.
That being said, we don’t love ALL Hondas and Toyotas. We don’t love the one down the street or on Facebook that Joe Schmoe is selling, the one that smells like smoke or has a huge accident report history or has a glitchy transmission.
Why don’t we love them? Well, besides the obvious condition issues which can be nearly impossible to spot online, we don’t know Joe. We don’t know where Joe gets his cars, which means we are out on those vehicles, even if they’re Honda or Toyota. In today’s market, the source matters as much as the condition. All Hondas might have been created equally, but that doesn’t mean they’re all currently in equal condition.
Now, let’s talk The Other Guys. These are the names like Ford, Chevy, Hyundai, Kia, Jeep, Dodge, Mitsubishi, and the list goes on. These vehicles can be excellent and cost a bit less. They cost less because their brands lack consistency across all types of vehicles, NOT necessarily because they are lower quality vehicles.
For instance, Ford sells more trucks (F-150’s) than any other brand, but for a few years, their smaller cars (Fiestas) were having transmissions issues. That lack of consistency across their models is what diminishes the brands name, and therefore what those vehicles are worth.
We recommend these “other guy” brands all the time when they’re (1) from trustworthy sources and (2) are in good condition. These vehicles often help clients with a tighter budget or those who don’t need one single vehicle to last fifteen years.
The take away? Hondas and Toyotas can be amazing, true! But they can also flip the other way if they aren’t sourced and cared for properly. At MATS, we are not always going to recommend the Honda Odyssey over the Dodge Grand Caravan if it’s not (1) from a better source or (2) in better condition. Car-buying is never as black and white as the opinions your dad (or mine) passed down to us.
Knowing the ins-and-outs on each brand and each of their models, knowing which models have problems when made within certain years, and knowing what a vehicle’s actual condition is compared to what it should be is what MATS specializes in. We have bought more cars over the past few decades than anyone’s car-guru family members, and the MATS team promises to be your expert; we have done the research necessary to get you in the best, right vehicle.