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What's a good choice for a car/SUV Lakeside?


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12 hours ago, El Cartero said:

When you make the plunge to actually go out and buy a car I would suggest you go to S&S Auto.   He will take you to Guad, show you the vehicles which meet your requirements and then you can test drive to seek your level of comfort.

I do not have experience. But many here have. He is not interested in getting involved with anything priced under $14,000 U.S., and the fee is close to $800 to $1,000. Do not listen to me, check it our for yourself. If that is your price range, and you are a total newcomer, that is the way to go.

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51 minutes ago, CHILLIN said:

I do not have experience. But many here have. He is not interested in getting involved with anything priced under $14,000 U.S., and the fee is close to $800 to $1,000. Do not listen to me, check it our for yourself. If that is your price range, and you are a total newcomer, that is the way to go.

 

We bought our CRV from S&S. He did not charge a fee for getting our vehicle.

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I have a Nissan Xtrail -- similar to Rav4 or Honda CRV but generally less expensive. The model was never marketed in the US (Canada?) but is quite common here. 4 cylinders (economical), good ground clearance, big enough. 

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The Nissan X-Trail is marketed in Canada but not in the US.  I have had a disappointing experience with S&S as indicated by Chillin.  Good place to go if you want to buy a new car (Honda or Ford), are new here, are not comfortable travelling to the dealerships in Guadalajara to do your own buying or don't want to get involved with the "Mexican" process to licence and insure, paperwork, funds transfer, etc.  S&S offers a buying service but you pay for it.  I used them for my first purchase when I got here but now, years later, I am very comfortable with buying cars here myself - it is an easy process once you know how to do it..

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Having purchased both new and used cars from dealers in Guadalajara, I can assure you that it is easier than buying a car in the USA.  The prices are less negotiable, but fair, and the dealer often includes a few extras.  They also take care of getting the car registered and plated in your name, then deliver it to your home, usually within 3 days.  Driving in for service was always easy and efficiently done.  Most have cookies & coffee, too.

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We bought a Honda Fit NOB for when we moved here. Then they changed the rules so we couldn't keep it when we went Permanente, so we sold it and got another Fit (made here in MX) because we liked the other one so well. It works well for us in most cases. Here are specific comments:

Advantages

Small and VERY easy to park, especially on narrow streets. Great turning radius, narrow enough with folding mirrors that it's less of a concern for being hit by passing cars. Lots of windows and excellent visibility, so it's easy to see where you are in relation to other vehicles. I'm short (5' 1"), and can easily see around me, move the seat and steering wheel enough to be very comfortable, yet it also works well for my 6' husband to drive. Lots of space inside for passengers and cargo, especially since the rear seats can fold up or down to handle long/tall things. We easily carry everything we need from Costco trips every couple months. Minimal problem with topes, even if loaded with people/cargo, as long as you approach them carefully. No rattles/squeaks after plenty of time on the streets here... well built. Great resale value. Great gas mileage (driving from KC to Lakeside with car fully loaded, I got in the upper 30's MPG). Good A/C, even without tinted windows.

Disadvantages

If you plan much long-distance travel, the seats can get uncomfortable after awhile. Do-able, especially if you bring a pillow for your lower back, but other cars might be more comfy. If you like to hit curbs or attack topes, you might want something with more ground clearance. Cup holders are somewhat annoying. If you plan to haul a LOT of stuff or larger items, you might need a different vehicle.

Overall, we feel ours works well for us. It's a great mix of features, and the fact that it gets around well at lakeside and parks easily is more important than the cargo space (we have friends with larger vehicles for the rare occasion that we need more room, or we can get things delivered). Funky plus... we have a "thing" with other yellow Honda Fit owners that we wave to each other when passing on the streets. :)

Feel free to ask if you have specific questions. Good luck with your shopping!

Heather

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I have a few large bumps going up a steep hill to my house, in upper Ajijic and when it's raining I actually need 4 wheel drive, for maybe 1/3 of a block (The steep hill is slippery when wet and I wanted a car a little bigger than a Fit.

S&S autos brought out a new Honda CRV for me to try on my street and to drive around.

To make a long story short I bought a new CRV in 2013 from S&S auto and have been very happy ever since.

I would highly recommend them if you want to buy a new car. And a presume but do not know that their used cars are of good quality as well

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17 hours ago, CHILLIN said:

I do not have experience. But many here have. He is not interested in getting involved with anything priced under $14,000 U.S., and the fee is close to $800 to $1,000. Do not listen to me, check it our for yourself. If that is your price range, and you are a total newcomer, that is the way to go.

S & S only charge you a fee when you are purchasing a used vehicle. There is no charge when purchasing a new vehicle through them.

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On 1/12/2017 at 8:30 PM, gogirl said:

We bought our CRV from S&S. He did not charge a fee for getting our vehicle.

From what I remember, if you are buying a new car, there is no fee as he gets paid by the dealer.  The fee comes into play when you are purchasing a used vehicle.

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For a first time buyer, dealing with S&S is an especially good idea if you are shopping for a used car. Spencer will steer you to cars that are reliable and serviceable here, and will only take you to dealers he considers honest. You have to keep in mind that every used car on those lots has been 'cosmetically enhanced' to a certain extent; certainly thoroughly cleaned inside and out, but also with odometer rollbacks. We eventually settled on a 2006 CRV. That was six years ago, and it is still going great. As others have noted, a great choice for here.

Pete

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I drive a Jeep Grand Cherokee - bought new one year before moving here. For scale, nothing larger than a Jeep. Anything else like Ford Explorers, Siennas, Chevy Tahoes, are just too wide to park on the streets. As someone above mentioned, take into account a vehicle high enough to go over topes.....and consider doors of vehicles that can be opened once parked parallel to curbs - Curbs are generally high and some car doors cannot be opened once parked. My Jeep is 15 years old. I take good care of it - Jeeps are rugged to take a beating over cobblestones....something to think about

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  • 4 months later...
On 1/10/2017 at 3:43 PM, dcstroker said:

Forgot to mention if you don't want to go as small as the Fit or as expensive as the CRV  there is also the Honda HRV. It's based on the Fit drive train, has more ground clearance a little nicer interior.

How is that car over Topes and cobblestones. Any info would be great;y appreciated as far as ride quality.

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Why are people afraid to shop directly the discount you would get is given to the local guy.  Did you need someone up north to buy a car   We received a large discount and many items given to us free.  Do not be afraid.  Most delearship have someone that speaks English and they are more than happy to help you.

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Daisy... agree. 

The Chev Trax is one of the most popular SUV's here. It is made in Mexico, has a great reliability record, excellent on gas and often some discounts or financing specials. It is also sold as a Buick model but overly expensive and imported from Asia. Honda CR-V's are very good but significant price increases for new over past 2 years. 

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