What Kind of Car Should Leslie Buy?

Hi, this is Leslie Harris, and I am in the market for a new car.

Let me start by saying that I really like the car that I have right now, which is a Subaru Legacy, but, it’s got over 170,000 miles, and it’s time for a new set of wheels. Since I know nothing about cars, I thought I would come to you, the River listeners, since many of you are experts in this area.

First of all, there’s a raging debate about whether to buy new or used. I have always bought late model used cars, because of the environmental impact of buying new. However, I have heard that financially speaking, this is a bad option. What is your opinion?

Second, what do you think I should buy? The Subaru Legacy is a sporty sedan, seating five. I think I would like to stick to something similar, but I also want something that gets good gas mileage. I’ve also heard that I should wait a bit, as car prices are really high right now, but is that for new or used?

Please let me know your thoughts in the comments!