Had to decide between a used Lexus or a new Kia and I went with the one nobody expected

Two months ago my old Honda finally died at 220k miles. I had about $15k saved up and was stuck choosing between a 2012 Lexus ES350 with 90k miles or a brand new 2024 Kia Forte. Everyone I talked to said go with the Lexus, it'll last forever. But I picked the Kia because I wanted the warranty and modern safety stuff. So far after 6 weeks I do miss the quiet ride and leather seats. But the backup camera is way better and I haven't spent a dime on repairs. Anyone else made a similar choice between old luxury or new economy?

3 comments

3 Comments

anthony_campbell8823d ago

The Lexus would've easily run another 150k miles with basic upkeep while your Kia will start falling apart right after that warranty expires in 5 years. Those leather seats and quiet ride aren't just luxury, they're signs of better build quality and sound deadening that cheap economy cars just don't have. You traded long term dependability for short term peace of mind, and that Forte is going to feel really old really fast compared to that ES350.

kaih3622d ago

Question whether a 5-year warranty really means a car will "fall apart" right after it expires though. Honestly, people act like a Kia Forte is gonna break down in a parking lot the second the clock hits 60,000 miles, but that's just not reality. Plenty of those things are on the road with way more miles than that and they're fine for getting from A to B. Ngl, a Lexus is definitely nicer but we're talking about a basic commuter car here, not a race to 300k miles. Tbh most people trade in long before that anyway so who really cares if the Forte "feels old" in 5 years?

grantw3222d ago

Did you try keeping one past 100k miles though? I had a Forte for 8 years and it held up better than I expected, just needed a few basic fixes here and there. Not saying it's a Lexus but for a basic car it did its job fine.