The Best Cars

I'm a lawyer and I specialize in lemon law cases. Many of my clients ask me what car they should buy. Based upon my experience representing clients who have lemon cars, I recommend the following: Buy a Toyota, Lexus, Honda, or Acura. Do not buy any vehicle manufactured by Ford, General Motors, Chrysler, Mercedes-Benz, or BMW. If you must buy a vehicle on my “do not buy” list, make sure it is not a Mercedes-Benz or a BMW.

Before you select a car, be sure to read the latest Consumer Reports Buying Guide, which you can buy for about $10.00 at any bookstore, or online at amazon.com. Do not buy any car (or anything else for that matter) unless Consumer Reports recommends it.

You should also check out the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (http://www.iihs.org/, click “vehicle ratings”) and read the safety ratings for your vehicle. The IIHS is an independent crash testing agency sponsored by the insurance companies. Their testing is far more rigorous than the U.S. Government testing. Do not buy any vehicle unless it is rated Good on the front and side impact tests from IIHS. Ignore the U.S. Government ratings. While I generally disbelieve anything said by insurance companies, the IIHS is one of the few good things that the insurance industry has produced.

Every four years or so, the car manufacturers do a total redesign of each model. Never buy a new model during its first year. First year vehicles are more likely to have problems. Always wait until the second or third year.