Photo by Muffy Aldrich
The Modern Guide to The Thing Before Preppy

Monday, August 8, 2022

"What is a Prep to do?" What Are the Best New Cars (Make and Model) Today?

 

In the comments section, a question from MaineWasp, a long-time and pre-eminent  TPD/SWNE reader: 

Muffy needs to compile a list of acceptable driving machines. I had *no* idea Volvo was now Chinese-owned. I'm in the market for a new vehicle, one that I can drive into the ground. I actually despise buying new vehicles and looking at these comments: "Audis are bad, " Volvos are bad" "Jeep Wagoneers: 'I've never seen the appeal'" etc----what is a Prep to do?

 

85 comments:

  1. I've heard it said that Subaru is the poor man's Volvo. Having owned four of them I can attest to their quality. My current Crosstrek, by the way, was made in Layfette, Indiana.

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    1. Yeah it depends on the year and model for any car. The truly trad car is the car that is reliable and looks elegant. Volvo models have changed from certain years some are TANKS and you should buy them others underwent engine changes which resulted in lots of expensive problems you want to stay away from. Subarus, I am not a fan of but I do not have a large family to worry about. Personally I would get an older Range Rover that had the Jaguar engine before the switch to the BMW U.S. engine which was a poorly made engine that had nothing but MAJOR problems. Basically I would avoid all newer BMWs when they switched over to the U.S. models to many engine problems. So then then you are down to a reliable luxury car which are not blingy etc.. My personal choice would be between an older range rover w/jag engine OR an older Porsche Macan or Q5. Those are the choices I would make cause I still want to move large plants etc around, luggage, travel and still is sporty etc..Basically you want reliability and have it look nice if you have to do other things in your life to me an older Range Rover checks every box. I mean sure some parts are going to break and need to be repaired like ALL Range Rovers & lux cars but the car will keep running like a clock. I would gladly keep an old Range Rover going than something major in something newer and unreliable down the line. I dunno it just seems wasteful in a way? Some of the older models of RR even have most of the current bells and whistles the console if you really want can be replaced with apple carplay full screen etc.. I am used to buying quality and making that last through the years.

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  2. Volvos may be owned by the Chinese - but still made in Sweden

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    1. Or the US; specifically South Carolina - hrplo

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    2. My S90 was made in Daqing, China. It was awful.

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    3. Looks like Volvos produced in China are solely for Asian markets. Maybe parts are produced in China but it looks like the majority of Volvos are assembled in Sweden. - hrplo

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    4. Volvo has plants in Sweden, Belgium, China, and Mexico, as well as a dozen plants in the US and three in Canada.

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  3. Toyota Land Cruiser. On my second. Probably need one more to reach the end of my driving days. GLH

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    1. Discontinued by Toyota, but Lexus makes a version.

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    2. Sadly discontinued new. They hold their used value VERY well, though.

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  4. Subarus seem to abound in all prep-forward environments. :)

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    1. I agree. Prep school parking lots are filled with Subarus.

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  5. Land Rover….. any model will dol

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    1. I lost all respect for Land Rover when they went into the luxury car business - get a vintage Defender.

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    2. Rover, when it was part of part of British Leyland and earlier, made luxury car well before the first Land-Rover was produced after the war. That continued into the 1970s. Queen Elizabeth owned some 3-litre and 3½-litre models for her personal use. That was probably their most luxurious post-war model. The Range Rover, on the other hand, was initially more of a utility vehicle when it was introduced over 50 years ago than it is now. I've owned both a Land-Rover and two Rover sedans and I'd call the sedans luxury cars on par with some Volvo models, which sold for about the same price. I haven't seen a Rover sedan in ages.

      One pre-war Rover model was used in advertising when someone managed to drive to the South of France faster than the luxury train called The Blue Train (Le Train Bleu) using a Rover Light Six, in 1935. In advertising, it became the "Blue Train Rover."

      Now you know the rest of the story.

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  6. Riceburner...aka Toyota Land Cruiser new or old. Would put it up against my 1992 Volvo 240 Wagon. Yep, I own a 2013 Toyota Land Cruiser. It is built like a tank. Enuff said.

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    1. What is this “Enuff said “ BS ? Sets my radar off.

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  7. Even though it is actually a BMW, the Mini can be a ton of fun. I drive an Oxford green 2008 S convertible. A ragtop with the top down always feels right. A ragtop with the top is about as un-prep as it gets. My English setter on the passenger seat with the wind in his hair is a nice addition. He also spruces up my wife's BMW SUV.

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    1. It was so much fun with my Mini convertible 2010 (still mede in the UK!), pepper white with navy blue jeans top and stone grey leather. Wonderful car which we purchased when relocating to South of France. Lovely time, thanks for making me smiling! Sold it 2 months ago and wasn't really sure if shouldn't keep it "forever"...

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    2. Recent Mini owner here, 2014 S. Definitely a blast to drive. And you get that feeling of being part of a "club."

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  8. because there is no Earth 2 , an EV

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    1. Plus you get the added benefit of all that highly extractive mineral mining by children in developing countries, thus fueling economic growth

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  9. Our old Land Rovers are all still going strong!🇬🇧

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  10. When Li Shufu purchased Volvo in 2010 he claimed he was going to be very hands off. Design and some production would still be in Sweden. Other production of mainly S60's and newer XC90's (2022) would be done at the new plant in South Carolina as of 2015. Volvo has had a commitment and a goal of safety through their long life and it still stands today. In 2008 they made a claim that they'd be "casualty free" by 2020; they're still working on it. As for me and my family we will seriously consider Volvo over Mercedes, Audi, Volkswagen, BMW, and Subaru based on our mechanic's advice.

    For scope: we're a growing family of three, we live in the PNW where Subaru's are EVERYWHERE and people are smug about it and where driving a Subaru means something else entirely. - hrplo

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    1. Are you in Portland by chance? When I visit family there it seems like every other car is a Subaru.

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    2. I'm not the original commenter, but I happen to live in Portland, and I drive a Subaru. It is true: Folks moving to Portland are issued either Subarus or old Volvos. Upon receipt, new Portland recruits shout in unison, "This is my Subaru. There are many like it but this one is mine."

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    3. Smug is the right word for it. As a PNW transplant from New England, it was shocking to see the self-congratulatory airs of Subaru drivers. The same people tended to peacock in Patagonia as well. Utterly perplexing.

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    4. I think folks just like Subarus. People get self-congratulatory on social media and in competitive social circles, but I don't see a lot of that in real life around here. That said, Portland certainly had a self-congratulatory vibe when there was a sketch comedy show devoted to making fun of it, but that era is decidedly in the past.

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    5. Haha Nevada, love the FMJ reference. Anonymous X 2- Having visited Portland regularly since the 1970's I am not sure it is so much smugness as kind of a feeling of being part of a club, just a very outdoorsy laid back vibe that I have not seen in the other 45 or so states I have visited - except maybe Utah. Honestly the "smugness" seems almost identical to the New England Volvo vibe, which I would categorize more as "clubbiness".

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    6. "My Subaru is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life. Without me, my Subaru is useless. Without my Subaru I am useless...Amen."

      Yes, I am in the Portland area; a suburb to be exact. If it is a "clubbiness" it's a "yea, I guess I see you with your Subaru. But yea, mine's different. I put a bird on it."

      - hrplo

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  11. I am more than happy with my 2022 Honda CR-V. Great quality excellent gas mileage!

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    1. With no interest in car snobbism, I too am a happy Honda owner, since 1973! Quality, dependability, easy to fix, no nonsense, good trade-in value. I now drive a 2009 CR-V which I want to keep because I don't like the newer design (the pointy back windows especially.)

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    2. 2018 CRV - I prefer the pointy back windows but to each their own. I asked my mechanic for advice when my Explorer was ready to retire - he blurted out "Just get a Honda!" I owned one convertible sports car, loved it but I never need to signal anything with my car selection again. Reliability above all for me.

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    3. Honda Civic, 2000, outlasted 2 husbands....so far.

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  12. Audis are refined and understated although pricey. Subarus are very yankee preppy, incredibly practical and well built but their look leave something to be desired -- and if you want to drive into the ground, low cost to fix. I love my VW Sportwagen in navy blue...great looking and fun to drive....but sadly they are no longer being imported.

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    1. As the former and current owner of Audi (with BMW between the two models) I can assure you that they might be refined and understated BUT the quality is gone too. Audi A8 9 years ago was a very good car, Audi A6 combi is a poor quality and design (in details) and overpriced one. BMW 7 which we had for last 7 years and sold in 2021 was a great car but overloaded with electronics which even authorised service was helpless when came to problems. Not to mention design of the trunk, when you opened it when raining, all the water was coming in. I don't even want to start how much did it cost and what one should expect for the money. After test drives only Subaru Outlander was convincing us but unfortunately it was not "eco" enough for tough Austrian laws when registering a new car. Shame! To the other anonymous below on Volvo and China, I think I was the one which mentioned that Volvo belongs to Chinese Geely and no, I don't see that China became something worse than European governments at the moment. I really do hope we are not going too politically here, it's a wonderful lifestyle & culture blog, but having homes in 3 different European countries and working with China for over last 25 years I don't see much difference between politics here and there. One can only see it having enormous and detailed knowledge on China, not reading headlines in certain newspapers. And you know what, I do really miss Chinese quality in textile products for example, when comparing them with Bangladesh, India or Sri Lanka. You don't even see that West started this "all front war" not China, making a terrible mistake 4 decades ago with moving most of the production to China or other Far East countries. Just to remind you that American companies were the ones which started. Even if I am the beneficient of this, I will repeat again: it was a big mistake. If Volvo would keep its excellent quality from the past, I would pay for it with pleasure, neither I want my money to go to the oppresive countries pretending to be oh so democratic, green, tolerant and God knows what else and pay for their slogans from the past having nothing to do with reality.

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    2. Please tell me more abour oppresive European countries? I guess you mean the one where they regularly shoot up schools? Oh, wait.

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  13. I was one of the users who was very critical of Volvo in the other comment section and I'm still surprised how anyone can look beyond the connection between Volvo's owners and the ruling party in China. It doesn't matter where the car is made but where the parent company is from and subsequently where the money goes. People seem to conveniently ignore what China has become and what it will contiunue to be and moreso what it will continue to do, namely launch an all front war against the West and what it stands for. Our consomption has become a way of voting for or against certain realities and I would hope that people realized this and acted accordingly.

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    1. So what is being said is that I should judge a car company's ties with a nemesis of the US NOW vs judge a car company's ties with a nemesis of the US from the past?  If I cut ties with everything in my life based on a company's ties with a country's past or present government that would include ALL of the German car companies, the Japanese car companies, wait, that would mean German anything, Japanese anything, Italian anything, and on and on.  Welp, there goes my Bayer aspirin, Ford (as if they were even on the table), my husband's Hugo Boss shirts and suiting, IBM products, Adidas shoes, anything Chanel, my L'Oreal Kerastase hair products, etc etc.  

      It's not as if Xi is rolling up in a custom Volvo S90 to official functions in country.  He's arriving in huge Hongqi, trying to promote the Chinese auto industry.  

      In the meantime I'm going to put my child to bed, kiss my husband, and pray that he doesn't have to be deployed to either the East or the West before his time is up.  

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    2. No need to be obstuse. 21st century China is vastly different to any other country you've mentioned. They're on a quest to take back what they view as rightfully theirs while their methods and means are far superior to othert countries mentioned.

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    3. I don't see anyone recommending "cutting ties with everything in your life"--the suggestion is to be circumspect about supporting Chinese industry. Agree with it or not, it's hardly a far-out idea.

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  14. Though I rather buy American, Japanese and Korean cars are the most reliable than all other makes. I have heard that Subaru parts are all made in America.

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  15. We have always had at least one Volvo continuously since 1973, usually two at once, sometimes three, . We now have only one car, and it is a Subaru.

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  16. I have a 2001 Toyota Highlander AWD, still going strong! I plan on being buried in it.

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  17. Well, the simple thing to do would be to check out what your friends are driving. But that can be limiting and after all, one has to consider what one's own needs are.
    For the family man, a minivan is the practical thing for the wife. I don't know if any minivans are preppy enough though. My wife drives a VW Sportwagen, also in blue, but they are no longer available. Incidentally, the owner's manual is 500 pages long, in one language. Not a very big car, to be honest.
    Some of my relatives claim that no matter what kind of car or SUV you have, you still need a pickup truck. My wife wouldn't let me buy one, though, or a Mercedes, either. So, I bought a Ford.
    If you ever need to pull a trailer, you'll need something bigger and that's where the likes of Jeep Wagoneers and Chevy Suburbans come in. If you ever get a Suburban, get a black one. It adds mystery. It will make people wonder and that's good for them.

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  18. My first 2 cars were Honda Accords and since then I've owned 3 Acuras - TSL, MDX and RDX. All have been great, reliable cars.

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  19. The question itself is flawed. What you want is something reliable and inexpensive. Once you start thinking in terms of make and model, you've already fallen in to their trap.

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    1. Right. A car is a car is a car. Reliability and suitability for your location and uses are all you need. The rest is just silly status-consciousness.

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    2. You've hit the nail on the head!

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    3. Yes, my rational self tells me that a car is just a metal box to get around in. But my irrational self desires a Mercedes S class with the active suspension that reads the bumps and potholes ahead of you so you don't have to feel them.

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  20. Spouse drives an Outback Touring & loves it. Worth a test drive. There is a reason people buy them beyond smugness.

    If price doesn't matter, BMW X3/X5. Lovely interior, fun to drive. Audi and Volvo are in the same vein (eg Q5 or XC60), great interior + nice driving experience, with a greater likelihood of getting a problem child repair-wise. Lexus, Acura, Toyota, or Honda mid-sized SUVs if you favor reliability and are balancing luxury, price, value. They may lack some pizzazz, but these are the cars that run forever like those old Volvo 240s.

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    1. Bring back the Swedish brick! Loved it 35 years ago and would love it now!!

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  21. My brother in law has a brother who owns a garage. He and his staff service the local Amazon and police department vehicles as well as those of long time customers, friends, and family. “Today, cars are built about as well as can be built,” he says. Pay attention to regular maintenance and your car will last a long time. My own car he has serviced since 2007. He calls it, “a moon car.” That’s one that has over 239,000 miles on the odometer. The quality of today’s vehicles is reflected in the average age of a car on the road. It’s now 12 years. They simply make cars better now. If all you’re looking for in a new car is transportation, there’s no need to spend over $40,000. If you spend more than that on a car, your purchase is not about transportation.

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    1. I agree with you, mostly. But I also think that most of the improvements in the quality of vehicles are either not noticed or are unappreciated. For instance, the paintwork on vehicles is so much better these days, so much so that it probably doesn't need waxing. Likewise, the anti-rust protection has improved, too, although the tendence of certain cars in the past to rust was more a function of the design of the sheet metal. But salt and other snow removal chemicals can be a problem in the North.
      Engine technology these days usually means longer maintenance intervals than previously, although they cost more. In spite of the additional complication of the engine and related parts, cars seem to be more reliable and will continue to operate at the same efficiency--or they won't work at all. There doesn't seem to be an in-between.

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    2. Do you mean cars are like sheep? They’re either alive or dead?

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    3. In a sense. They either work just fine or they won't work at all. I was told that certain BMW models will stop the engine before it overheats to the point that it causes serious damage, although I don't remember the gritty details. It used to be (this is decades ago) that cars needed frequent tune-ups, timing checked and so on. They'd run badly, the gas mileage would suffer, they would miss (misfiring on a cylinder), things like that. I'm not so sure there has been much progress in tires or brakes.

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  22. My husband and I drive the 2017 BMW X1. It was a gift last year and we love it! Since there is just the two of us this is the perfect small SUV. It is a Deep Olive color which is unusual and the vehicle is fun to drive. Plenty of room in the trunk area and has a smooth, easy ride. I would definitely recommend this fabulous car and it is actually a pleasure to go out driving in it. Best car we have ever owned and plan to enjoy our BMW X1 for many years to come!

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    1. I drive a 2015 BMW X1. The price was quite good and I plan to keep it in our family for 20 years. Very solid car, reliable, understated design, smooth, and highly functional.

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    2. I love my 2015 BMW X1 and plan to have it for a long time. Very reliable, was economical to purchase, has a nice no-bling design, light electronics, understated design, highly functional, and smooth.

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  23. I'm obviously an outlier here, but I associate prep with frugality. A gently used Toyota or Honda (with lots of dog hair and alumni stickers) is my idea of a preppy car.

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    1. I'm no preppy, which you've probably figured out by now, but the Best Man at our wedding was, having attended Sidwell Friends school in D.C. He drove a Ford Grenada (this was 40 years ago), although he had a Rover 2000TC when I first met him. Other friends and family members, all on my wife's side, of course, either attended a prep school (before being kicked out in one case) or were otherwise associated with one, mostly with Episcopal High School in Alexandria or Virginia Episcopal School in Lynchburg. Nobody had a particularly noteworthy car.

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    2. In George W. Bush's book about his father, he says that when George H. W. Bush (as preppy as they get) was a congressman, he and Barbara drove an AMC Gremlin. That's thoroughbred preppy to me.

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  24. Higher end German vehicles are wonderful, though perhaps a tad more expensive to maintain than others. And, maintenance is key, no matter the make. We've owned a succession of German cars, and have generally been happier with them than with their North American counterparts - trucks/SUVs included. When our Ford SUV suffered a rather spectacular mechanical (and perhaps psychological) breakdown, and the same year a deer - somewhat egotistically, I thought - decided to leave an imprint of its body on the front of my otherwise pristine C300, my wife and I both decided to take VW up on its offer of discounted 2019 Alltracks (Golf wagons with VW's fabulous 4Motion all-wheel-drive - think Lambo, but in reverse...), just before VW decided to retract most of their cars from the North American market. Alltracks are also "lifted" about an inch-and-a-half, and are great in north-eastern Ontario winters, where we are often the unwilling recipients of "feet" of snow. We paid $28,000.00 for my white Alltrack - taxes-in, and I don't think I've owned a better, or more practical, vehicle. No mechanical issues. Peppy, roomy, and a gas on the road (if, you'll pardon the poor pun...). Speaking of gas, mine gets about 670k to the tank. That rivals my brother-in-law's hybrid Escape, without the worry of a large pile of electronic gadgetry to go off, particularly once the warranty runs out. Oh, and Ford's not had what one would call a "stellar" build quality of late; evidenced by the recent change in its senior quality control manager, and myriad (if not overwhelming) recalls. We tried the Subaru Cross-trek, but found it was as noisy as an old school bus, poor on fuel consumption, drove like an unwieldy truck, and hated the wrap-around Star Trek-style dashboards (yes, more than one). A vehicle should look and feel like a vehicle, not an inter-stellar UAP... unless you're cut from that cloth. We're not. Love our VWs, and more's the pity they're no longer being imported here. Looks like our next automobile will be an Audi A4 Allroad wagon. Or, perhaps one of Audi's more "expedient" other shooting breaks...

    Your intrepid reader from north of the 49th parallel,

    Banacek

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  25. Some Toyotas, and Hondas are driven by "old" money in eastern North America; and for good reasons. Nevertheless, we lost our "old" money in 1939, across the pond, and haven't seen hide-nor-hair of it since then. So, despite their German, and possibly questionable origins, the VW Group's vehicles are currently our go-to choices. Their quality is hard to beat, and we can't be too picky; the options are quickly running out. And anyway, one of my great grandmother's was Austrian German, not unlike 'ole Ferdie P. himself...

    B.

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  26. I'm a Lexus driver. RX-350 to be more precise. Great engineering, reliability, high resale value, quiet and comfortable.

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    1. the "vintage" Lexus RX is achieving iconic status

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  27. Make do with the best Jeep, Volvo, BMW, and Mercedes (Rover only gets honorable mention) are offering at any given time. There aren’t many good options just now, even within these families. Most of what passes for preppy in the car department are better understood as Yuppie. Asian cars of any kind are a bridge too far for me - just take public transportation if you want to feel that dehumanized. And as for the Suburban/Tahoe family? If you live in Fairfield County, please, before blessing us with your Napoleon complex, ask someone who does not like you to rate your parking lot skills at, say, Stew’s. If they give you a green light, then fine, buy your behemoth.

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  28. You are squarely on the money with this my friend. I’d rather buy a used certified Volvo, BMW, or Mercedes E-wagon than the highly plasticised Asian luxury brands or late model Euros. For me the older the Eurowagon the better! And Fairfield County with Nuevo Chic “here I come are you looking at me yet” I’m sorry Karen and family it’s not preppy nor Ivy, norTraditional…I believe my daughter calls it try-hard or is it yuppie?

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  29. Thanks Muffy, these were great comments. I've had the pleasure and displeasure of driving Land Rovers: 109 wagon, my sisters 110, my Land Rover Defender which I traded in for a Disco---worst mistake of my life. Audi: 76 Audi Fox; '70 Mercedes hand me down; Chevy Tahoe phase of """buy American"""---it's a dreadful vehicle. I still have my dad's Jeep Wagoneer and the 70 Mercedes but I need something new.

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  30. The old prep cars, Volvos, Saabs, Land Rovers, Jeep Wagoneers, and VW bugs have been replaced with Subarus and Volkswagens, or any German sedan. If you can find one of the old prep vehicles and restore it, go for it.

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  31. I’ve enjoyed VW’s and Audi’s over the years especially my wife’s A4 Avant before we had kids (much more fun to drive than my old Prius). The major issue with VW group is the inevitable electrical problems. The engines will keep running well. I’ve almost bought a Volvo XC70 a few times but in the end went a different direction. I made the switch to Outback Touring because I was fed up with having to take my Audi to a mechanic to change the battery mounted under the seat. They had to always reset the computer or some such afterwards. I plan on passing the Outback on to my daughter in a few years and will see what the car market looks like. I might seek out a MB 300TD if there’s nothing to my liking. A Grenadier might be the only new vehicle that appeals to the 10 year old inside me.

    No sedans, only wagons/hatchbacks.

    I can’t say if any of these are really Preppy or Yuppie or “Basic” as the kids say today.

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    1. When Rover put a V-8 engine, which came from Buick, into their P6 model, the under the hood (the bonnet) space was crowded, so the battery was moved to the trunk (the boot). But it was easily accessible. I had one and it was a very fast car. The hood scoops looked tacky, though.

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  32. For generations, my family has always owned GM American made cars, and so will my husband and I. Lincoln, Olds, Buick were always favorites. They've always run well and have been reliable. --Holly in PA

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    1. Reliable through divine intervention! American made cars are headaches. They may be better now however growing up I recall my dad picking me up in Boston freshman year in a Olds Cutlass Supreme. He showed up at my dorm looking as if he just battled his way through a chicken defeathering machine. Turned out upon exiting the Olds the driver side door handle broke so he had to crawl out across the passenger seat to exit vehicle. Mind you that was last time an American car every stood in our driveway!!!

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  33. I have a Certified 2017 BMW x1 that I bought used from a reputable dealer in the Boston area. A sensor came on shortly after purchase and the dealership fixed it - no charge. I did not pay for an extended maintenance plan, but the oil changes at the local dealership are fair and they throw in a lot of perks. It drives well and it has an eco-mode that allows 538 miles range per tank! The profile is more like a wagon than an SUV. It is a small cabin, like a sedan, but I prefer that feature. The trunk is not huge, but it's plenty big for a couple of large bean totes, suitcases, farmer's market hauls, etc. My machine is silver. I got a screaming deal because it was just before the chip shortage and because nobody wanted the 2017 as it was the last year it didn't come with Apple Play. I listen to NPR over the air so I didn't need the tech added value.

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  34. Chevrolet Bolt...very sedate styling and colors for an electric vehicle. Is secretly very comfortable and a rocket when needed. Easy to care for (no gas, oil changes, mufflers brakes hardly ever). 250K range. I've driven every prep mobile from Saab, Volvo, BMW, Mercedes and this is the car I love the best. IT also has the benefit of being affordable and not putting out horrid fumes that harm the evviro.

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  35. VW GOLF TDI SPORTWAGEN. Diesel gives 40 to 50 miles per gallon depending on how you are driving. Sports car handling. Spacious cabin for dogs, kids and beach things. Hauls Hampton One sailboat with ease. Thule rack for surf and paddle boards. Perfect car.

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  36. I've owned both a VW Sportvagen and a Subaru Outback. They're both good cars in their own ways, and extremely common in college towns throughout the northeast.

    The Sportvagen had a ton of torque, good tight suspension, and handled snow very well in FWD with a set of dedicated snow tires. It was short on creature comforts, and wasn't really a highway cruiser.

    The Outback is much bigger, has softer suspension, and the AWD system is so good that we haven't bought dedicated snow tires for it yet (shame on us, snow tires on steel wheels mounted to a nice wagon are essentially preppy). It came with both carpet and rubber mats, which we've appreciated. I could see getting another one in the future.

    I also love the Buick Tour X, which is/was about the closest thing to an 80s wagon as has been offered in two decades or so. Too bad it's been discontinued, but not surprising.

    Looking at the new crop of electric vehicles, it seems like they're almost all compact crossovers. Ish. What an unfortunate category of vehicles.

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    1. Often look down at my VW Sportwagen speedometer only to realize that I am about to achieve my century. Usually Zeppelin or Wagner on the radio.

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  37. Fairfield county native though we spent summers in Cape Ann on the North Shore of MA growing up. My father gave me his old 7 when I turned 16, I bought a Z4 in college, moved to a 5 series when I made VP and have been trading in new 7’s ever since it died. Jeep GC for the nanny and extra trips; recently
    Traded in for an F-150 so we can trailer horses to and fro. My wife went from Wrangler to Mini Cooper to Volvo XC90 when the kids showed up - now on her 3rd Suburban. Both boarding school, DC for College. Four kids and most parents (moms) of our ilk drive Suburbans, Land Cruisers, X5s or GLs - that’s the view at Country Day car line. Prep and old money WASP is interchangeable from my
    Perspective. Who the heck knows how they are trying to redefine prep in this day and age. No one on tv looks like us any more - so we watch old school content. Safety, prosperity and culture thrives in the bubble. And BTW Subaru is NOT prep nor (on the other extreme) is anything a rapper or professional sports player would drive. Good luck.



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  38. I have to throw my hat into the ring for Subaru as well. Granted I am a native Southerner but I am from one of the most prep enclaves in the South, Mt. Brook, AL. Driving around town you are just as likely to see a Subaru as a Mercedes, Range Rover or any of the other traditional (typical) brands. I am on my second Outback and they have been such good vehicles that we bought my wife the larger model Ascent. We both have the top of the line Touring package and they are just as good looking and comfortable as any BMW or Lexus that we have owned. Reliable in the extreme, they can go anywhere I have ever needed to drive. Heavy rain, ice and slush on the roads as well as unpaved roads are no problem. They are comfortable on longer trips on the interstates as well. The three and a half hour drive up to our mountain house is part interstate, part curvy mountain highway and part mountain fire road to get there and our Subaru's are reliably safe and comfortable on any terrain and in any weather.

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  39. As someone who has owned mostly Honda's with a Mini thrown in for good measure, I've not loved a car as much as my current Mazda CX5. Great handling in various conditions/situations and extremely responsive steering. It was truly love at first drive. I will drive the wheels off it.

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