AFSCME 3357-HOF'S BLOG

Best Deals of the Month

With media coverage saying rebates on vehicles are starting to diminish, I was surprised to find that there are $4,500 rebates on the Dodge Intrepid and the Dodge Stratus.

According to Edmunds.com, with the rebates, you can get a Dodge Stratus SXT for just a little under $14,000, and an Intrepid SXT for just over $19,000. We might be able to do a little better with our A-Plan (or whatever Chrysler calls it).

I've always liked the Intrepid. I like the swoopy stying. I think the Intrepid is a lot nicer looking than the bloated tank (the Magnum) that will replace it next year.

Last year I rented a Stratus. I found that it was a pleasant, capable family car. It was roomy. The base 2.5 liter 4 cylinder gives sufficient pep for every day driving. It is a little loud, but not as loud as some reviews would have you believe. The most significant negative in my opinion is the real-world fuel economy. In a week with the car, I averaged a little over 18 mpg, about the same as my minivan, and 10 miles per gallon less than my turbocharged Volkswagen Passat, which weighs virtually the same as the Stratus.

The knock on both these cars is that they sell so many to fleets that the resale value is awful. True, but the cars themselves are pretty good, so let's say you buy a Stratus for $15,000. You drive it for 3 years, use up the factory warranty then sell it for $7000. That's an average depreciation of $222 per month. Not a bad deal, and it gets better the longer you hold onto it.

Let's compare to a Honda Accord. Buy it for $22000. Sell it in three years for $12,000 and it cost you 278 per month in depreciation, plus, because the initial sales price was higher, all else being equal, your finance charges would be higher too.

Best new auto prices from Edmunds TMV