What Are You Top Priorities When Purchasing A Vehicle?

When I bought my last car I was looking for something used so I wouldn't lose out too much on resale. Something with cheap replacement parts in case if something does go wrong (ruling out many european and even some japanese vehicles). Something with 2 doors. Something that was FWD or AWD since technically I live further North then Moscow Russia. A non box shaped car. Something heavier that has a smoother more refined ride. At the very bottom of this list I suppose I wouldn't buy any vehicle with less than 7mpg... which is a pretty loose restriction lol.

definitely how it drives, i.e. handling, braking, and ride comfort. if i was to choose only one, it'd be handling.

handling/chassis balance
engine
exterior design
seat comfort/interior design
ride

most people are liars when it comes to this subject. They say they worry about looks, performance, features. But, bottome line, people will drive a piece of crap or not the car they really want (being realistic, like a ferrari or some other supercar) because of price and monthly payments. For example, people will drive other makes because they don't want to pay more for a mercedes, knowing mercedes is a more luxurious car.

true, if you're talking about ford/toyota/volkswagen buyers. but not true for luxury car buyers who tend to be much less price sensitive. mercedes buyers aren't suddenly going to buy a camry because it's cheaper.

I look for performance first and comfort 2nd while prestige is not very high on my list and fuel efficiency is only moderate when giving consideration.

I think I do what everyone else does: I use my own subjective criteria, skewed my evaluation with my perception and beliefs, and then I get what appeals to me :-)

manual transmission FIRST...doesn't have it...I look elsewhere....

2ndly, it's features like handling, wheels/tire options...

3rdly...getting options that I want that aren't overly bundled in with things I don't want

YES, the above will take into consideration price and payments/interest rates....BUT I'll NEVER compromise my first factor....I have to row my own gears

In order ... Price, safety, performance in all weather conditions, quality, sustanability, styling, comfort, luxury, reliability (last, because reliability is no longer a differentiator, most top brands have excellent reliability already and I really don't care about spending an extra 1.24 minutes in the car shop then the next best rated car if in turn I satisfy my other, more important requirements).

As far as sustainability, it has not come into play yet (No, I will not buy a Prius as I will never drive a minivan either, besides when considering Well-to-wheels energy consumption the Prius is no better off than existing diesels, or ICEs for that matter) but my next vehicle most likely will be a TDI Diesel since the EVs I'm researching (E-Trons, Tesla S) are still some time away from production. The Tesla S specifically, will need to be proven a bit more given its nacent status before I venture seriously into considering one, but I really like what I see so far.

1) Performance (steering, handling, chassis, ride, reliability)
2) Price
3) Exterior

Safety, both passive and active. I use to live outside of Stuttgart where it was often foggy. I noticed the Abahn wrecks on the flatbeds: VWs and Opel' s were accordions, Beemer's and Merc's still has the passenger compartment intact. Since coming back, that's all I have bought. Not just for the passive safety, which others have caught up with, but the active safety, esp lighting, steering and most importantly brakes. I can't tell you how many times Beemer and Merc brakes saved my bacon. A lot of people buy BMW and MB for performance, status, etc. I buy for safety.

I admire GM for their much improved brakes(no doubt influenced by Lutz), and am WAITING for Ford to do the same. Shame on their engineer CEO for improving all aspects of their product line, including Passive Safety, but seemingly ignoring the most important: brakes. ( I hope the use of Bremos spreads).

The best way of surviving a collision is to avoid it. The best cars that still do that are German.
(And their added mass helps if that can't be done.)

like focal, 1)i must have a manual gear box 2)comfort because i drive about 30-35K miles/year and i'm 6'6" 3)handling.

this leaves me restricted to 2 brands that i can afford BMW and Audi. i fit perfectly well in their entry level (for some strange reason) and mid level sedans. not too comfortable in the falgships unless it's the long wheelbase which is also weird to me.

for me personally:

1. driver's seat leg room (I am 6'7")
2. leather driver's seat comfort & good lumbar support (I have some lower back trouble; I HATE cloth seats)
3. horsepower/torque
4. exterior styling
5. Stereo: iPod & Android connectivity & compatibility (I use both)
6. Stereo: loudness, clarity, powerful bass
7. luxury convenience features (auto up-down windows, heated seats, cooled cupholders, etc.)
8. interior cargo & cabin storage space
9. reliability / build quality (there are variances, but almost all new cars fall within my parameters these days)
10. brand prestige/dealer experience (e.g.: I would buy an ES/GS/LS instead of an Avalon, just for the Lexus dealer experience & loaner cars)
11. price/value

As it stands, based on my criteria and what I could reasonably afford in the near future, my next car should be the Buick LaCrosse, I don't like the Maxima's CVT. I dig Cadillacs though, so I'm definitely interested in the XTS, and I'd be sold if/when they build a Cadillac version of the Lambda crossover wagon (I have driven and really like the Enclave, Traverse, and Acadia; it would be great if they made one with the styling and interior features from the Escalade)

At 6'7" my god what do you drive currently?

if you're looking to put bodies in the trunk, then nothing beats a Ford. the Mercury Grand Marq and the new Ford Taurus have the biggest trunks on any cars I have seen.

Top of the list:
1. Performance
2. Looks
3. Brand
4. Dealer

.....

Bottom of the list:

97. Nav/On-Star/other electronic gadgets
98. Reliability
99. "Green-ness"
100. MPG

When i bought my current car
1) Manual transmission
2) Reliable
3) Affordable
4) Fun
5) Not a fuel hog
Shopping brand range from : Toyota, Honda, Subaru, Mazda, VW
desired : celica GT-S (2ZZ engine) , Honda Prelude VW GTI

Now:
Like the geekiness, engineering of Hybrids( esp. Toyota Prius)
Interested in the CT200H

Manual Trans. (No flappy paddles)
Lightness!!!!!
RWD
controls and steering feel
good visibility
Short overhangs
reliability
practicality and cargo room

I couldn't agree more

1) 4 wheel disc brakes (I refuse to go near any vehicle with drums)
2) Auto transmission (If I'm making the payments then it's got to be doing the majority of the work)
3) Over 30mpg on average (I'm hoping to get into a diesel at some point)

The above requirements are for an every day A-B car. Other considerations come and go depending on why I am buying it. I have no problem with minivans or wagons (if you need the utility then you do, there is no point in being childish about it). I wouldn't buy a manual unless it is a car that is not driven every day because I hate traffic bitterly and have a motorcycle for that very reason. I will not EVER consider a vehicle without 4 discs at the corners. That is not debatable.

My list:
1. wife's approval
2. price
3. utility
4. performance
5. safety
6. resale value
7. reliability

I love manual transmissions, but don't mind autos. I appreciate luxury, but am not yet at a point in my life that it is an important detail.