Two years ago, my wife thought she made a sound decision when she bought a 2012 Scion iQ. In her eyes, the iQ was cute and fun like my Smart Fortwos, but should be reliable because it’s a Toyota. Unfortunately, not only has the car been a reliability disaster, but it seems nobody else thinks the car is cute and fun. My mom just revealed that she thinks Sheryl’s car is a massive disappointment and disrespectful to her profession (she’s a lawyer). Now, my wife is looking for a new car that fits her career a little better. What should she buy?
If you’ve been in the car community for long enough, you’re probably well aware of the concept of buying a cheap car that makes you look like you have money. In theory, this is especially handy if you work in a profession where you need to project a certain image, but you might not have the dough to buy a new ride for that purpose. I didn’t subscribe to that idea for a long time. I thought that if you bought a 20-year-old Mercedes-Benz, you wouldn’t be fooling anyone. I thought that you didn’t have to be a car enthusiast to deduce that someone’s driving an old car, no matter the badge that’s on it.
Witnessing my wife’s experiences with her cars has taught me that the concept of “balling on a budget” is shockingly and confusingly accurate. When Sheryl drove a 2010 Toyota Prius, she was seen as a sort of environmentalist lawyer, and she got no complaints. Sheryl told me that she even blended in, as some lawyers do drive Prii and other hybrids because hybrids are green and trendy.
When Sheryl switched to the 2001 BMW 525iAT that we bought from our secret designer, the Bishop, her positive-image score spiked off the chart. Almost daily, she would get compliments about the BMW. There were several instances where guys offered her $5,000 on the spot for the wagon. It blew my mind because that BMW was a rustbucket that I had purchased for just $1,500 – but it did look really clean with tinted windows and fresh wax.
Everyone complimented the BMW, from Sheryl’s clients and opposing counsel to my family. Everyone sort of treated the BMW as a massive upgrade from the Prius. It was almost like Sheryl had won it big or something. Practically overnight, Sheryl was taken as seriously as those lawyers with the billboards and expensive suits, when all she had done was trade a decent hybrid for a cheap and rusty BMW. Clearly, people didn’t care. She really was balling on a budget.
Unfortunately, the BMW’s rust advanced to the point where the car’s jacking points could no longer be used. Worse, driving it 40,000 miles in a single year did a number on the BMW’s engine. So, she decided to pass it on. In hindsight, this was the wrong decision. We could have fixed Wanda the BMW. Even worse, the guy who bought it ended up committing a hit and run with the vehicle after failing to register it for months. Guess who had to mop up that mess? Oh, and then the friend that we loaned the Prius to managed to destroy the car by ramming a deer.
The Cute Mistake
Sheryl found herself in the car market again, and this time, she decided to get weird with it. She adored driving my Smarts, but I warned her that Smarts are way too finicky to drive 40,000 miles a year without major headaches. Sheryl chose the next best thing, the car that was more or less a Smart, but by Toyota.
At the time, I thought it was an okay decision. The example she chose appeared to be in great shape with tons of life left in it. While I didn’t think it was a “lawyer car,” I also knew that Sheryl typically enjoys being underestimated. She sort of plays a character not unlike Peter Falk’s Columbo, and it’s amazing how well it works in real life.
So, she got the iQ, and at first, things were great. The car scored 40 mpg, everyone thought it was oh so cute, and we got a decent deal on it. At first, the car didn’t even give us any issues. It started every single time without failure, even when my own cars failed me. We then drove the iQ most of the length of Route 66, and the car was an absolute joy on that monster of a road trip.
Then, the house of cards began falling apart. We installed an aftermarket cruise control system, which eventually grew a hunger for accelerator pedals. The cruise control managed to kill not just one, but two accelerator pedals over the course of just 10 months.
The problems only get more frustrating from there. The engine had a mystery issue of randomly sputtering and then shutting down while at idle. I replaced the spark plugs and coils, which fixed the issue. Now, the car has an intermittent rough idle. The engine stays running, but something is sometimes unhappy. I went through the work to put the old coils back in, and there was no change.
Update: The iQ has developed a new and fun problem. Last week, it blew both of its low-beam headlight bulbs at the same time. I replaced some somewhat crusty-ish headlight relays and the bulbs. Well, the bulbs just stopped working an hour ago, then came back to life 10 minutes ago. This is fine, totally fine.
As of a couple of weeks ago, gas pedal number three has intermittent failures. This is concerning since we did have the cruise control uninstalled. Previous diagnosis seemingly confirmed that the cruise control killed the gas pedal. But that’s no longer a factor. What’s going on now?
This morning, the iQ presented a new issue when the heater refused to blow warm for 30 minutes of Sheryl’s freezing morning commute. The coolant looks great. Maybe the blend door got stuck? There’s more, from the incessant whining of the CVT and the rust that’s appearing in strange places, to the fact that it occasionally throws traction control errors.
In fairness, the Scion didn’t get like this all on its own. Sheryl crashed the iQ during the summer, and then crashed it again only three weeks ago. Many of these recent issues cropped up after that second crash.
Everyone Hates The iQ
Yet, it wasn’t exactly the unreliability that soured Sheryl’s relationship with her car. Over the past two years, we’ve witnessed how people who used to think of the car as something cute and novel have turned on the vehicle.
The same people who complimented the car or expressed wonder two years ago now call the car a total piece of junk. Clients think Sheryl is a joke because of the car, and opposing counsel have gone from underestimating Sheryl to just openly mocking her. Somehow worse is that Sheryl seems to now have a negative reputation. I cannot begin to type out what these people are actually saying, but they’re calling her a type of transphobic slur who drives the tiny piece of garbage. [Ed note: What is wrong with people? Gee whiz. – Pete]
This negative reputation has reached the point where she lost a lucrative contract, largely because of the car. Her own clients have cursed Sheryl out over her car. Mind you, Sheryl’s law practice is unique in that the client names the price they pay for her work. Many of these people do not pay for her services at all, but demand that she drive a new luxury car. Basically, she’s no longer Columbo.
But the worst sting came from the inside. Not only does Sheryl’s best friend want to commit violence against the iQ, but my mom spent a great portion of Christmas dinner dressing down Sheryl in front of everyone about why she thinks Sheryl’s car sucks.
Seriously, this conversation went on for longer than an hour, and my mom went hard. She said that, by driving the iQ, not only is Sheryl insulting me, but she’s disrespecting the family and me as a whole. Mom also said that if Sheryl cared about me and actually respected me, she’d drive a real lawyer car and make more money. This conversation would normally be way too personal to publish, but it hit me like a ton of bricks because it came out of the blue and was weirdly harsh. Long story short is that, apparently, over the past two years, my mom has lost respect for my wife because of the iQ.
I defended Sheryl throughout this conversation. I have a fleet of crappy, weird cars. I am not disrespected by my wife choosing to drive a weird car. She’s a grown woman and can make her own choices with her own money. But Pandora’s box has been opened. The words that have been said cannot be taken back. It’s clear that everyone now hates the iQ.
Our conclusion is that the iQ is actively harming Sheryl on multiple fronts. She has been depressed about this, and I have been dealing with headache after headache. I honestly have never seen a car cause so much strife before. Yet, most people seem to agree that the iQ sucks. In fact, our very own readers have been saying it for over a year now.
We’ve made the decision to get a different car, but the question is: What car?
So Many Choices
When I posed this question to The Autopian‘s staff and contributors, I used the qualifier that it should be somewhat “lawyer-like.” Ideally, I’d love to pay cash for this car, but that would mean a budget under $10,000. Financing also works, but Sheryl’s not looking to get into a loan on a $40,000 car anytime soon.
First out of the gate was Jason Torchinsky, who recommended a Scion xB. Or, specifically, he said that we should buy a dirt-cheap first-generation xB, and then pay someone to make it the most luxurious xB in the world.
David Tracy was next, and his recommendation was a 1980 Subaru GL wagon. I’m not even sure what to do with this recommendation.
Matt Hardigree returned us to reality with the recommendation for a Lincoln Town Car, but specifically one that isn’t black. The idea there is that Sheryl won’t look like a livery driver. Also, I guess she’d get to say that she’s a Lincoln lawyer?
Stephen Walter Gossin recommended a 2000s Jaguar on the account that they look great, are plenty luxurious, and can be had for dirt-cheap.
My mom said Sheryl’s new car has to be high-end luxury. The wildcard is Sheryl’s best friend, a Honda fangirl, who recommended a mid-2010s Civic, an early 2010s Accord, or an Acura.
As far as Sheryl’s own picks, she wants something like a mid-2010s Subaru Legacy, an Infiniti G37, an Infiniti EX35, a Toyota Avalon, a Lexus LX470, a Lexus LS400, a mid-2010s Mazda3, a Hyundai Veloster, a Hyundai Genesis sedan, or another Toyota Prius. She also wants another BMW E39, but she’s reluctant since the last one didn’t go so well.
The good news is that Sheryl’s mileage has gone down over the past two years. As of now, she puts about 25,000 miles a year on her car, an improvement over her old mileage of 40,000 miles a year. Still, that’s nearly double the national average, so Sheryl needs something that’s at least somewhat durable.
I don’t think a Civic is a good pick. Civics are extremely hearty cars, but I’m not sure it would give Sheryl the image she’s looking for. Likewise, early 2010s Accords are often seen as great first cars, so I’m not sure that will also complete the mission as desired. I know Sheryl also loves the Hyundai Genesis, but will the Hyundai badge turn people off? I also adore Stephen’s suggestion for a highly depreciated Jaguar, but I’m positive my wife will get murdered by repair costs.
The Legacy, Veloster, and Mazda3 are Sheryl’s bucket list cars, so those would be considered in spite of how anyone feels about them.
Since we have direct access to the people who hate the iQ, we started polling them on my cars. I have like 13 crappy cars, so I can easily sell some or give one to Sheryl. Apparently, the most “lawyer” car in my fleet is the BMW E61 wagon that I bought from the Bishop, but that has over 180,000 miles and is already very finicky. I do not trust that BMW to take Sheryl’s beatings without breaking in a hilariously expensive way.
The three cars that both line up with the image goal and with Sheryl’s own desires are the BMW E39, a Lexus LX470, and a Lexus LS400. E39s are easy to find in decent condition for cheap enough. But Sheryl has deep concerns about long-term reliability, which is fair. The two Lexus (Lexi? Lexuses?) are great ideas, but I’ve been gobsmacked at old Lexus values.
Most of the Lexus in my local area have well over 100,000 miles, and their sellers are still demanding $7,000 to $8,000 for them. I could have sworn that these were $3,500 cars back in 2019.
Anyway, I have found some affordable Avalons, Priis, Camrys, and some newer Honda Accords. What’s stopping us from moving forward is just being unsure. I don’t want to blow a ton of cash on a car that fails at improving Sheryl’s image, or worse, is a car she ends up hating.
The shortlist for now is a Toyota Avalon, a BMW E39, a Toyota Prius, a Subaru Legacy, or a Honda Clarity. But we cannot seem to make a decision for fear of making the wrong decision. It’s funny because I’ve purchased cars entirely on impulse before. But that’s me. I can get away with buying a dumb car. My wife doesn’t have that luxury, so I want to get this right.
Whew, it sure took a long time to get here! Now I want to turn it over to you. What car should she buy? Should she just tell my mom and her haters to buzz off? What car would you expect someone who functions like a public defender to drive? Please help me, my brain is melting from the indecision.
Top graphic image: Mercedes Streeter
Avalon is a great answer. I’m in the minority and liked the first generation Venza too. Same platform just slightly taller. It might not have a ton of cred but it will be unique, useful and reliable. Alternatively just buy a Lexus RX350. Used they are a bargain and the 2010-2015 body style has the 3.5 that’s very highly regarded. It’s one of those drivetrains that is shaping up to be incredibly robust. Save money with a FWD version and soak up the road with the quiet disconnect that Lexus is known for.
Accura TSX Sport Wagon. It’s a cheap Honda now and it still looks fantastic and classy.
Avalon fits the bill perfect, my parents owned 2 of them, maybe 3? Who knows? It’s a car that blends wherever. It is a nice car that doesn’t look like it is trying to flex a badge. The ones my parents have have been perfectly reliable. It is a car that just works and you will never have to explain no matter your socio-economic status.
It always fascinates me to see non-car people’s perspectives on cars. They are the same folk who will preach that cars are just “cars”, aka disposable appliances, but on the other hand they will judge the entire content of your character based on the vehicle you drive. Do people do that based on the dishwasher I have?
Volvo V60 or S60, problem solved.
Dunno about reliability, but those do look “Spendinavian” on a budget.
Isn’t your family the same that buys the crapcan RV campers? The irony.
Anyway, I doubt this is really about the car, but at a practical level, a 25k/yr mile daily should probably be something larger, comfortable, and known-reliable.
Working in education has left me in a little bubble when it comes to status bullshit – no one I work with even notices cars, watches, clothes, etc. and the “clients” (teenagers) only notice each other. Note to self: many people outside of the bubble are shitty.
As for the car, anything hybrid from the Toyota or Honda Universes would be my top choice, followed by a good Mazda, which would look/drive better and should be cheaper thanks to greater depreciation. Would anyone poopoo a good CX5?
Sheryl just needs to get a clientele who thinks PT Cruisers are cool.
This is hilarious
I am a pragmatist. Avoid the constant repairs. LS400 solves all the issues; is gorgeous, refined, surprisingly efficient, and (at least the first generation) utterly over-built and the pinnacle of reliability. Coincidently, my brother-in-law-in-law and his wife are both lawyers, and they both drive Avalons. They’re quite efficient and are in the 100k+ range with zero issues ever.
I think you’re onto something with the Avalon. Gives you a near luxury look with easier maintenance and repair costs shouldn’t be terrible, although I am not an authority on parts availability.
I’ll also throw in my pick for a Lincoln LS. Those were supposed to be easy to repair and I bet you could get one with the auto trans pretty cheap since all us enthusiasts look for the rare manual optioned vehicles.
Sorry to hear about the family strife over this. Of all the things to be upset about and fight over this seems overly petty. Perhaps there was some reasoning behind the rant with a more… caring emotion? I certainly wasn’t there but the whole thing sounds strangely random in reading about it. Your family has seen your car adventures we’ve all been reading about for some years but they go after your wife’s little commuter? So weird. Again, sorry and hope things settle down for you after the new cat at least.
Go for the Avalon. It’s big / comfy enough for a lot of miles and close enough to a Lexus to satisfy the image conscious audience.
As much as I love my E39, my 6 mile commute is integral to my confidence in using it as a daily.
It pains me to say this, but I would also vote against the Clarity. I was super into these a while back but the lurching harshness of the EV to gas transition on a test drive fully scared me off. Beyond that, the fabric dashboard trim (rippable / stainable?) was weird and the infotainment was barely usable. I really wanted to make it work, but it was too rough around the edges for me to reconcile. Even in posting this, I am hoping that a bunch of Clarity owners come out to shout me down, haha.
FWIW, the EV/gas changeover issue seems to have been worked out in my co-worker’s ‘24 Accord Hybrid so credit to Honda there.
Single-owner ES or RX hybrid… Lincoln MKS (the one that was a Taurus SHO) maybe?
I agree with other commenters that 1) condition is everything and 2) people are way, way, way out of line for being cruel to Sheryl for her choice of car.
Oh, I also don’t think that people will be turned off by the Hyundai badge on the Genesis for the simple reason that many of them didn’t have Hyundai badges on them.
Someone out in CA is selling a great condition 5.0R for like 9 grand, that might be worth a look.
Ooh, 3.2L Volvos are cheap now and still look pretty new. And a lot of those were well-maintained by wealthy first owners.
My neighbor bought a new Genesis and it had a few reliability issues but the dealer treated him like a potentate (free pickup and delivery from 40 miles away). Not sure if you’d get that treatment as a used owner.
I came right in recommending an Avalon, though it seems half the people before me already did that.
So you want a lawyer-y car but want to delve into the uncanny valley of such things? How about a Kia Cadenza!? Nobody remembers this car ever existed, but it shares a powertrain with other large Kyundai products, so it shouldn’t be impossible to maintain. It’s relatively modern, comfy, plush thing, looks pretty nice, and is pretty damn cheap with reasonable mileage. And nobody will have ANY idea what it is!
Oooh a Cadenza, great idea.
It’s certainly an idea.
I’m surprised that nobody has suggested a Volvo. Professional and quirky at the same time.
Same for a SAAB 900
Came here to suggest Volvo. I’m with you but as a previous Saab owner. NO. Parts will eat her alive $$
I defer to your experience.
Petty climbers all of the haters. What should matter is if Sheryl is good at her job.
I had a lawyer years back who drove a late 60’s ford country squire wagon. He was a very successful and respected lawyer who had a very successful practice. He was worth millions. He had a definite Colombo bumble game going.
IIRC Buffett drove an old wagon for years and he did well.
My recce would be a Lexus 200h. Looks good, economical and it’s a Lexus. Alternatively a 250ux but it might be outside your shopping window.
I’d personally go for an old Peugeot 505 diesel. If u could find a wagon, even better.
Elbows up!
I think Buffett still drives a decades-old Lincoln.
I recall reading somewhere that he drove an old ford wagon. Can’t find the reference. Did find he had a Lincoln town car which he upgraded to a DTS and now has a XTS.
Buffett has long been able to give precisely zero-point-zero fucks about what anyone thinks of his ride. Sheryl unfortunately has to take people’s shallow opinions into some account. People are terrible.
I love driving a shitbox just as much as the average Autopian, but I drive 30,000 miles a year and need to have something reliable. I have lived the life of daily driving a 40 year old project car but back then, my commute was short.
I would recommend any new(ish) Acura. Several accountants I know drive Acuras and those folks are theoretically good with money.
Some of the craziest people I know are accountants.
I think it’s related.
Not sure what car she should buy, but came here to say two things:
Whatever she buys, it should be in great condition in and out. No dents, faded paint, rust, torn upholstery, etc. This is key to creating a good impression.
Your mom was out of line; way out from the sound of it.
OK, I’ve thought of a suggestion: buy the nicest Buick/Olds you can find with the 3800. Or a later Buick Lucerne or similar. Comfortable, reliable, fancy enough, but not too fancy.
1) It sounds like the car is a lightning rod for other issues people are having, whatever those might be. Specifically with your mom, especially because she was attacking like her job and stuff. The car is just a sort of safe way of personally attacking her.
2) I would recommend like a 10 year old Lincoln MKZ. Car is cheap, parts are cheap, and it’s a luxury brand.
I bought another new car, but MKZ was at the top of my used-car list. It’s a lot of car for the money. Otherwise, I’m not a BMW person, but a not-ostentatious low/mid trim level BMW coupe fits the bill for a lawyer. If it’s a long commute, diesel!
This was rather depressing to read, I’m sorry that you and Sheryl have had to deal with this. almost seemed like your mom is really upset about something else and just attacking the car instead seemed like a “safer” thing to let that emotion out…
for the record, I have never hated the iQ, I love it, but I do think that it may not be the best option, but just for the kind of driving she does and not at all because of some status BS.
Maybe something like a Lexus CT? it’s basically a nicer Prius and shallow people get to see you driving a Lexus?
As one who owns a Clarity, which has been a great car, I do not think it works as well for a high mile commute. I do think the Avalon works well. If you want quirky but reliable, how about a Lexus UX 200?
https://www.carmax.com/car/25833801?adcode=SEMMAIA46&network=o&SearchorNative=search&msclkid=9494104df03e1e610df47918c708ba9b&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=KMX_SEM_MSFT_RET_ACQ_NAT_Shopping_NA_BAU_CMBD_4%2F6yrs_NA_NA_B0005O0B&utm_term=79165459429192&utm_content=KMX_MSFT_ACQ_Shopping_NA_BAU_CMBD_4%2F6yrs_NA_NA_NA_NA_E000DGF7
Wow.
This is just…… enraging beyond belief. If I was ever told something like that, even by a parent, that outcome would not be pleasant….
Maybe find an older FWD-based Lexus? For the fuel mileage at least, since I’d imagine most, if not all RWD Lexus’s, aren’t as economical. Or maybe a last couple model year Mazda 6’s?
Gawd, this’ll drive me wild all day.
People used to sleep on the Avalon- they didn’t sell in high numbers so many people were unaware of their existence, and had they an “old person’s car” reputation among those that did. Up until the pandemic it was pretty easy to find an Avalon for less than a similar age/mileage Camry but was also better equipped.
Sadly those days have come and gone, but I think the Avalon is still a great choice. She piles on the highway miles and a big sedan is the best option for that. Their bulletproof reliability will help cover the cost in the long term.
Also the Venza. In black for the impression. Also sad beyond measure at the haters. Seems that the orange peel has normalized hate. PS: mom shut the fuck up.
Wow, certainly a lot to take in, here. Based on what you’re describing, Avalon Hybrid or ES300h is my vote. If you can finance a $20,000 vehicle, you can find several sub-90k mile examples of both. It won’t light an enthusiast’s fuse, but it will be dependable, comfortable, fuel efficient and offer at least some perception of luxury.
I’m certainly Team Avalon. One more option to throw in the ring to keep things a little more interesting –
When I was interviewing for a sales job with a car stipend to cover lots of highway miles I was looking at CPO Cadillacs. No one wants sedans anymore, and as a result there are some great deals out there on low-ish mile cars that come with an extended warranty. CPO Genesis was also on my radar but I didn’t get the job and stopped looking before I gave the Genesis and real consideration. That’s if pushing the budget to ~$20k is an option.
Otherwise the newest Avalon you can afford, mileage doesn’t matter.
Just get a VW Golf. Anything with the EA888 will be fine. My Mk7.5 GTI has handled my 25k/yr commute like a champ, & it looks great and is a great 30mpg+ highway cruiser while still fun in the corners. Can even be had with a manual if that’s important.
Tho the Mk7 GTI is slightly out of the price range- you can either get an older MK6 one, or just get a regular MK7 Golf. For me- I think the greatness of the GTI is worth financing. There is also the option for an Alltrack.
Why not just get another Prius, and this time don’t loan it to anybody?
If a Prius get a 2016 or later. The third Gen she had previously was going to need head gaskets eminently. Same problem with the Lexus CT200h, which has the same drivetrain as the third gen Prius.