Some New Cars Hold Their Resale Value. Others… Don’t.

The time has come to buy a new[-to-you] car, and you’re pondering the age old question: Did the chicken come first, or the egg? No, no. Not THAT age old question, the other one: Will the car I buy hold its resale value?

It might. If a 2015 Toyota Tacoma tops your list, or a 2015 Jeep Wrangler, know that you’ve chosen wisely. Kelley Blue Book gave these models and others (including first-timers Chevy Colorado, GMC Canyon, and the newly redesigned Ford F-150) Best Resale Value accolades.

But if you’ve got your eye on a sportier sedan, or an electric compact, take our word for it, and don’t buy new. Visit Winchester’s hottest used car dealer, Car Credit Nation, and let someone else absorb that depreciation, why don’t ya?

BMW 7 Series

Everybody’s who’s anybody wants one. And really, anybody who wants one usually has the money to buy one new. There aren’t a whole lot of these puppies sitting on used car lots, and the ones that are just don’t get sold. They’re shiny, and fancy… and when something goes wrong, they’re quite expensive to repair. This is the kind of car people lease, and then return to the dealership: Not a long-term investment, and not one you’ll get much for on trade-in.

Fiat 500e

Ooh, it’s shakin’
It’s electric!

Everybody who’s anybody who wants to save the environment wants an electric car. But anybody who wants an electric car thinks Smart, or the Nissan Leaf (though each of these could have also made our list). Fiat isn’t exactly a household name in the US; and those who do remember the brand remember the time when Fiat sold cars here before they’d mastered the whole reliability thing. Their track record has preceded them, and their value is all-around kind of low.

Lincoln MKZ

Everybody who’s anybody wants to be, or sit next to Matthew McConnaughey, but not even close to everybody wants to do so in a Lincoln. Despite the carmaker’s recent attempts to rejuvenate the brand, young consumers still tie “Lincoln” with “old.” And then there’s the competition: The MKZ moves in the same circles as the Accords, Fusions, and Sonatas on the road; they’re just cooler, and more youthful. We wish the MKZ didn’t get such a bad rap; it’s a well-made car, with lovely interior — and one no one wants.

The good news is…

Of course, the good news here is if you like any of the cars on this list, the smartest move you could make would be to purchase one used: At northern Virginia’s most trusted used car dealer Car Credit Nation

Safest & Most Dangerous Cars, According to IIHS

A recent study conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has found safety on the rise, with reported driver deaths on the decline! Until the year 2006, there were no reported crashes with driver death rates of zero. Today, with the issuance of this report from IIHS, there are nine — NINE — models with zero driver deaths 2009 and 2012. I don’t know about you, dear blog reader, but from where we stand (in Winchester, Virginia), a 900 percent increase is something to talk about! Not only that, but overall vehicle crash related fatalities have fallen by a third in the past three years.

“This is a huge improvement in just three years, even considering the economy’s influence,” said David Zuby, IIHS executive vice president and chief research officer. “We know from our vehicle ratings program that crash test performance has been getting steadily better. These latest death rates provide new confirmation that real-world outcomes are improving, too.”

What makes a car safer, or more dangerous?

While the cars on the “more dangerous” list are generally less expensive to purchase than those on the “safer” list, cost is not the deciding factor here. What matters more, found IIHS, is the size of the car on the road. Compact sedans and minicars comprise the majority of the vehicles with higher rates of driver deaths. Six of the nine cars on the other list — a full two-thirds — are SUVs.

That’s quite the shift from the decade’s past rollover crisis, when sport utility vehicles had the highest — not the lowest — driver death rates due to top heavy design. What changed? Electronic stability control (ESC), that’s what. Once a safety feature found only in expensive, high-end vehicles ESC now comes standard. In the seven years between 2004 and 2011, the rollover death rate has been reduced by more than 75 percent.

Highest Rates of Driver Deaths per Million Registered Vehicles

For 2011 and equivalent earlier models, as studied in the years 2009–2012

1. Kia Rio (4-door car, mini): 149
2. Nissan Versa sedan (4-door car, small): 130
3. Hyundai Accent (4-door car, mini): 120
4. Chevrolet Aveo (4-door car, mini): 99
5. Hyundai Accent (2-door car, mini): 86
6. Chevrolet Camaro coupe (sports car, large) 80
7. Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Crew 4WD (pickup, large): 79
8. Honda Civic (2-door car, small): 76
9. Nissan Versa hatchback (4-door car, small): 71
10. Ford Focus (4-door car, small): 70

But on the flip side…

Lowest Rates of Drive Deaths per Million Registered Vehicles

For 2011 and equivalent earlier models, as studied in the years 2009–2012

1. Audi A4 4WD (luxury car, midsize): 0
2. Honda Odyssey (minivan, very large): 0
3. Kia Sorento 2WD (SUV, midsize): 0
4. Lexus RX 350 4WD (luxury SUV, midsize): 0
5. Mercedes-Benz GL-Class 4WD (luxury SUV, large): 0
6. Subaru Legacy 4WD (4-door car, midsize): 0
7. Toyota Highlander hybrid 4WD (SUV, midsize): 0
8. Toyota Sequoia 4WD (SUV, large): 0
9. Volvo XC90 4WD (luxury SUV, midsize): 0
10. Honda Pilot 4WD (SUV, midsize): 2

Five Worst Car Commercials of All Time

Commercials. Love them or hate them, you can’t get away from them.

They feature anthropomorphized farm animals (think Geico), celebrity cameos, catchy jingles, and sometimes even fried eggs (This is your brain on drugs.). They make us laugh. They make us think. They’re the reason we watch the Super Bowl. They’re the reason we compile lists like these — five terrible, horrible, no good, very bad car commercials.

5. The truth is indisputable.

4. No dogs were harmed in the making of this commercial.

3. Vodka can’t help you now, Alex.

2. Hell hath no fury.

1. You can’t have two Minnie Trucks.

Is Your Car Ready for Winter?

Unless you live in Florida or Southern California, chances are pretty good that this winter is going to be less than fun for you, and for your car. Just as you take steps to winterize your home, and your lawn, so, too, should you prepare your vehicle for the arctic (okay, maybe not quite arctic) conditions ahead.

Have your oil changed.

Check your car’s owner’s manual, and then consult with your lube technician about which oil is best for different climates and temperatures. When the weather gets cold, motor oil thickens, and when motor oil thickens, it can’t do its job as well.

Replace your windshield wiper blades.

Eventually, that white stuff they call snow will begin falling from the sky. I don’t know about you out there, but when that happens, I stay inside as much as possible. But in the event that you have to venture out behind the wheel, it’s important that you’re able to see. Windshield wiper blades typically last about a year; November is a great time to change them.

Check your battery.

Check posts and connections to make sure they’re corrosion-free; it might even be a good idea to have a certified auto repair technician check your battery’s ability to hold a charge — especially if it’s more than three years old. Trust us: The last thing you want to deal with on a snowy day is a dead battery.

Check belts and hoses, too.

While you have the technician’s attention, have him check your car’s belts and hoses for wear and tear. Extreme cold temperatures can do significant damage to these, and they should be inspected regularly.

Check your tire pressure.

A general rule of thumb: Your tires lose air pressure at a rate of one pound per square inch whenever the temperature drops by 10 degrees Fahrenheit. Properly inflated tires are the best way to ensure maximum traction; as traction is harder to maintain in wet, icy conditions, you’d be wise to stack the cards in your favor.

Keep an emergency kit handy. 

Better safe than sorry, I always say. Pick up a waterproof bag (from wherever waterproof bags are sold) and stuff it with a blanket, an extra set of dry clothes, a flashlight, flares, jumper cables, tire chains, a gauge, a first aid kit, and maybe even water and food. Keep this bag in your trunk for use in the event of an emergency. You’ll be glad you did.