I am currently in the process of buying a new car after 16 yrs of owning my current vehicle. Your videos have been excellent. Thank you so much for doing this work - cars have changed so much that you have been very helpful in figuring out this expensive purchase. Great work!
Excellent advice, David. I will add that you should also try and duplicate your daily / weekly driving routine to see if the new vehicle fits your lifestyle, park in your grocery store parking lot, visit your ban and post office, go through the drive through and gas station you use most often, etc. This will give you a real feel of how life in the new vehicle will be for you.
This was a great video. I tell people all the time. You cannot get a proper evaluation in 10 minutes. I will usually rent the vehicle for a trip. When you put 500 plus miles in a vehicle you learn a lot. Prime example, we had a 2024 Grand Wagoneer L for 4 days. After the second day, the drivers sitting position was not as comfortable. The infotainment system started having quirks. That turbo charged engine is not as smooth as a v8. Like you said. Do a proper test drive or be prepared for disappointment. 😂
👍 Great advice overall. Renting the car one is interested in is a good idea but every rental car place I’ve called will always qualify reservation with, “..we can’t guarantee the exact model you ask for”. In 40 years of renting cars I haven’t once got the requested car. Also, if possible, don’t be in a rush to decide on a car (and especially don’t appear to be or to gush about the car to salesperson!)
Renting first is essential IMHO to discover important characteristics like seat comfort after 1+ hours of driving. It's how I discovered Rav4's are too noisy and directionally unstable at highways speeds for my taste whereas Sienna Vans were better in both respects and Camry LE's far better.
David, These are excellent suggestions. 👏👏👏👏 For mainstream cars, a full weekend rental would be optimal but I suspect the Canadian market has not yet returned to a balanced supply level where this will always be possible. 🤔
I am an obsessive compulsive test driver lol. In B.C, a certain Range Rover dealer use to call me to come test drive refresh or unique updates of my particular preferred model. The GX550 is the first vehicle I ever reserved and purchased, with no previous test driving experience. Always very informative, thank! 😊
Thanks Sayuri! Good thing that you are still happy with the GX 550 though! I'm still undecided if I'm going to keep the 2023 GX or upgrade to 2025... by the way do you use linkedin? How do I find you in linkedin?
@@AutomotivePress Since I improved the approach angle and have better tires, I really love how the GX performs and now becoming attached, like I did with the 5th gen 4Runner😊 I seen the 2025 LX specs and US pricing, and the 700h Overtrail starts well within the price I said it would need to be for me to consider, but I'm not interested though. I decided I'll buy a fuel efficient daily driver, and keep my GX. I would not even hint at contact information on a TH-cam comment section😂. That would not be very smart for a 4'10, 100 lbs woman. I had a bad experience with Facebook during university. I learned a very valuable lesson. I still have your emails from a previous comments, anyway! I'll be in Vancouver for the holiday, but not driving there again. Both ways was over 2000 miles. The GX has a small 21 gallon tank, which is frustrating.
@@lunamaria1048 Hey Sayuri many thanks for many replies. I agree that the new GX is an excellent buy and I plan to upgrade from the Land Cruiser to the GX next year... I still love the old 4Runner though. Anyhow would love to catch up with you and maybe your dad as well, so send me a message please using my outlook email. Thanks again.
@@AutomotivePress Ohh I definitely miss my 2019 4Runner TRD OR Premium. Selling it was hard for me, but it is in VERY good hands. I had it very customized for how I used it, and built a lot of wonderful memories and nostalgia through great adventures in it, including driving it across Canada (Vancouver to Halifax, then back, after a weekend in Nova Scotia) with my only mechanical issue being a flat tire, in Ontario, that was 100% my fault lol. I will always love that platform and 4.0! 😊
Buy a 2025 Camry XLE AWD. Cannot go wrong. Loaded same options in an suv would cost 10k more! Including AWD. Everyone wants to break themselves because they want to be high up.. then any mini pickup hovers over them anyway. Loving my loaded 25 Camry XLE! Basically a Lexus IMO. 46mpg city. 47mpg hwy. And the most relaible thing on 4 wheels. Still gonna be people buying Nissans LOL 🤮
@@thewireman134 Based on all the positive glowing reviews of the Camry I had settled on it as the car I would buy. Of course I went for a test drive and was surprised to find it too cramped as well as a bit tight to get in and out of, although it drove fine. Ended up testing a Honda Accord the next day and found it much easier to enter and exit. Interior seemed roomier too. There’s a right fit for everyone, just not always what we expected.
Hello David this off topic. I was in Hong Kong this last week for bit of holiday and I could’ve sworn I saw you at the Dan Ryan’s in harbor city mall. I’m a fan so I was shy to disturb your dinner to ask if it was really you. Was it?
nice video , thanks , but I know what I want, right now I just need a full size sedan entry luxury level, a double cabin high suspension truck, and a rugged SUV 8 seaters, all of them at least with 300 HP, nothing less than that, am I going to have real use or purpose for all that? of course not, hahahahaha since wanting is different of provinding I will just keep the list hahahahaha
I am currently in the process of buying a new car after 16 yrs of owning my current vehicle. Your videos have been excellent. Thank you so much for doing this work - cars have changed so much that you have been very helpful in figuring out this expensive purchase. Great work!
You are very welcome!
Excellent advice, David. I will add that you should also try and duplicate your daily / weekly driving routine to see if the new vehicle fits your lifestyle, park in your grocery store parking lot, visit your ban and post office, go through the drive through and gas station you use most often, etc. This will give you a real feel of how life in the new vehicle will be for you.
Thank you for your comments and additional points!
This was a great video. I tell people all the time. You cannot get a proper evaluation in 10 minutes. I will usually rent the vehicle for a trip. When you put 500 plus miles in a vehicle you learn a lot. Prime example, we had a 2024 Grand Wagoneer L for 4 days. After the second day, the drivers sitting position was not as comfortable. The infotainment system started having quirks. That turbo charged engine is not as smooth as a v8. Like you said. Do a proper test drive or be prepared for disappointment. 😂
Good morning David. Thanks for the education.
👍 Great advice overall. Renting the car one is interested in is a good idea but every rental car place I’ve called will always qualify reservation with, “..we can’t guarantee the exact model you ask for”. In 40 years of renting cars I haven’t once got the requested car. Also, if possible, don’t be in a rush to decide on a car (and especially don’t appear to be or to gush about the car to salesperson!)
Neither myself, so it's good theory but will fail in real life 😕
Renting first is essential IMHO to discover important characteristics like seat comfort after 1+ hours of driving. It's how I discovered Rav4's are too noisy and directionally unstable at highways speeds for my taste whereas Sienna Vans were better in both respects and Camry LE's far better.
David, thank you for this great video and what specific items to look out for when buying a vehicle.
You're welcome and thank you always for your feedback!
15min test drive with sales bloke next to you will be max what you can have hopes in UK
Friends, family, and coworker's vehicles are also a good source for taking test drives.
if you nail it down to one model, then try to rent one, thru one of the rental places or Turo for a couple of days.
David, These are excellent suggestions. 👏👏👏👏 For mainstream cars, a full weekend rental would be optimal but I suspect the Canadian market has not yet returned to a balanced supply level where this will always be possible. 🤔
It's still tough but usually premium dealers like Lexus or even Porsche will let you take a car over night (for regular customers)...
@@AutomotivePress This is just one more example of how it pays to buy your new cars at Lexus or Porsche dealerships. 😉
I am an obsessive compulsive test driver lol. In B.C, a certain Range Rover dealer use to call me to come test drive refresh or unique updates of my particular preferred model. The GX550 is the first vehicle I ever reserved and purchased, with no previous test driving experience.
Always very informative, thank! 😊
Thanks Sayuri! Good thing that you are still happy with the GX 550 though! I'm still undecided if I'm going to keep the 2023 GX or upgrade to 2025... by the way do you use linkedin? How do I find you in linkedin?
@@AutomotivePress Since I improved the approach angle and have better tires, I really love how the GX performs and now becoming attached, like I did with the 5th gen 4Runner😊 I seen the 2025 LX specs and US pricing, and the 700h Overtrail starts well within the price I said it would need to be for me to consider, but I'm not interested though. I decided I'll buy a fuel efficient daily driver, and keep my GX.
I would not even hint at contact information on a TH-cam comment section😂. That would not be very smart for a 4'10, 100 lbs woman. I had a bad experience with Facebook during university. I learned a very valuable lesson.
I still have your emails from a previous comments, anyway! I'll be in Vancouver for the holiday, but not driving there again. Both ways was over 2000 miles. The GX has a small 21 gallon tank, which is frustrating.
@@lunamaria1048 Hey Sayuri many thanks for many replies. I agree that the new GX is an excellent buy and I plan to upgrade from the Land Cruiser to the GX next year... I still love the old 4Runner though. Anyhow would love to catch up with you and maybe your dad as well, so send me a message please using my outlook email. Thanks again.
@@AutomotivePress Ohh I definitely miss my 2019 4Runner TRD OR Premium. Selling it was hard for me, but it is in VERY good hands. I had it very customized for how I used it, and built a lot of wonderful memories and nostalgia through great adventures in it, including driving it across Canada (Vancouver to Halifax, then back, after a weekend in Nova Scotia) with my only mechanical issue being a flat tire, in Ontario, that was 100% my fault lol. I will always love that platform and 4.0! 😊
Thank you for good points.
Buy a 2025 Camry XLE AWD. Cannot go wrong. Loaded same options in an suv would cost 10k more! Including AWD. Everyone wants to break themselves because they want to be high up.. then any mini pickup hovers over them anyway. Loving my loaded 25 Camry XLE! Basically a Lexus IMO. 46mpg city. 47mpg hwy. And the most relaible thing on 4 wheels. Still gonna be people buying Nissans LOL 🤮
@@thewireman134 Based on all the positive glowing reviews of the Camry I had settled on it as the car I would buy. Of course I went for a test drive and was surprised to find it too cramped as well as a bit tight to get in and out of, although it drove fine. Ended up testing a Honda Accord the next day and found it much easier to enter and exit. Interior seemed roomier too. There’s a right fit for everyone, just not always what we expected.
No thanks I don’t want a sedan. 😂
Smart
Yo, Lemme drive this car up on some gravel roads for an hour 😅
Hello David this off topic. I was in Hong Kong this last week for bit of holiday and I could’ve sworn I saw you at the Dan Ryan’s in harbor city mall. I’m a fan so I was shy to disturb your dinner to ask if it was really you. Was it?
Must be my doppelganger! I wish I could visit Hong Kong but I wasn't there unfortunately...
@ haha super carbon copy. Btw I just ceramic coated my new land cruiser Prado after watching you video, it was done while I was in HK
nice video , thanks , but I know what I want, right now I just need a full size sedan entry luxury level, a double cabin high suspension truck, and a rugged SUV 8 seaters, all of them at least with 300 HP, nothing less than that,
am I going to have real use or purpose for all that? of course not, hahahahaha since wanting is different of provinding I will just keep the list hahahahaha
With the new dealership sales tactics, there are no chances you can do a different test drive every hour...
I have been able to do it multiple times and my friends are also doing this now... just have to reserve a spot in advance
David, is it wise to pull fluid samples- Motor Oil, ATF, COOLANT ETC.. Also oil and ATF FILTER.
Could be helpful but it's not necessary since you want to change fluids based on mileage or time anyways (even if the fluids are still in good shape)