# I don't always buy a car, but when I do, I prefer to know what I'm doing. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 18, 2019, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-always-buy-a-car-but-when-i-do-i-prefer-to-know-what-im-doing/829777 "2019-02-18T18:01:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![SigMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@SigMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SigMan)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2019, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-always-buy-a-car-but-when-i-do-i-prefer-to-know-what-im-doing/829777/21 "2019-02-19T03:47:04Z")
If you’re not sitting in it you’re not buying it. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2019, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-always-buy-a-car-but-when-i-do-i-prefer-to-know-what-im-doing/829777/22 "2019-02-19T13:05:03Z")
My gf has purchased a bunch of Subarus over the years. She bought a one year old Subaru a while ago that she never drove until she drove it home. Everything was done via email. I took her to the dealership, she gave them a certified/cashiers check for the balance due, and she drove it home. I waited in my car. Whole thing took ten minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2019, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-always-buy-a-car-but-when-i-do-i-prefer-to-know-what-im-doing/829777/23 "2019-02-19T14:57:33Z")
Another thing to think about; the Crosstour sold under 80,000 overall (based on Google search results), so I wonder if parts are going to be hard to get as it ages. Meanwhile Subarus are so common that there should be no problem finding parts. But if you like the idea of a Honda vehicle, consider the CR-V. I think it’s their top-seller, with almost 400,000 sold last year alone. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2019, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-always-buy-a-car-but-when-i-do-i-prefer-to-know-what-im-doing/829777/24 "2019-02-19T14:58:55Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > Don’t you have NextDoor out there? Or Yelp? I’ve only used Yelp for restaurants. Sometimes it’s steered me right, but not always. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2019, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-always-buy-a-car-but-when-i-do-i-prefer-to-know-what-im-doing/829777/25 "2019-02-19T15:03:38Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Another thing to think about; the Crosstour sold under 80,000 overall (based on Google search results), so I wonder if parts are going to be hard to get as it ages. Meanwhile Subarus are so common that there should be no problem finding parts. The Crosstour shares a platform with the Accord, so I would hope that parts availability (at least for the mechanical bits) won’t become an issue. > [@](#): > > But if you like the idea of a Honda vehicle, consider the CR-V. I think it’s their top-seller, with almost 400,000 sold last year alone. I’ve never really been an SUV kinda guy; just doesn’t seem to be quite what I’m looking for. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2019, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-always-buy-a-car-but-when-i-do-i-prefer-to-know-what-im-doing/829777/26 "2019-02-19T15:11:09Z")
I was thinking of the parts unique to the Crosstour, like the rear hatch and such. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2019, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-always-buy-a-car-but-when-i-do-i-prefer-to-know-what-im-doing/829777/27 "2019-02-19T19:28:05Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > The Crosstour shares a platform with the Accord, so I would hope that parts availability (at least for the mechanical bits) won’t become an issue. > > I’ve never really been an SUV kinda guy; just doesn’t seem to be quite what I’m looking for. I recommend that you at least test drive a CR-V. They really are quite good cars. I have about 225,000 miles on mine and it not really SUV like at all when driving it. The advantage would be that you likely would have a vastly increased inventory to choose from. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2019, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-always-buy-a-car-but-when-i-do-i-prefer-to-know-what-im-doing/829777/28 "2019-02-20T02:46:06Z")
> [@Dag\_Otto](#): > > I recommend that you at least test drive a CR-V. They really are quite good cars. I have about 225,000 miles on mine and it not really SUV like at all when driving it. The advantage would be that you likely would have a vastly increased inventory to choose from. I’ll take a look at one, but I’m not sure it would have enough space. I don’t carry large things around very often, but when I do it’s often something awkwardly shaped like a bicycle or a curling team. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2019, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-always-buy-a-car-but-when-i-do-i-prefer-to-know-what-im-doing/829777/29 "2019-02-20T06:58:24Z")
The back seats fold down, giving you good space. Mine, a 2008, is a third generation (2007–2011), and while the back seats are somewhat bulky and heavy, they do unbolt fairly easily and when they are out it can hold a lot. But a bike is no problem which the back seats in. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-always-buy-a-car-but-when-i-do-i-prefer-to-know-what-im-doing/829777.md?page=1)