Thing is, Ford has been making much better average cars for a longer time than either GM or Chrysler. When you are thinking of spending a significant sum of money on a car, brand loyalty takes a back seat to money loyalty. Unless you own a significant amount of GM stock, or like paying a lot for repairs, you should always consider the whole cost of ownership; of a vehicle as your first priority when buying a new transportation appliance. Just like shopping for a refrigerator, the bottom line is the bottom line. This is not the 60's 70's or even 80's. The good, fun cars we all know and love were all produced long ago. All that is left now are appliances, and you have to choose the appliance that will perform the best and cause you the least number of headaches. GM's smaller cars (SSR, Cobalt, Aveo) and Chrysler's small cars ( Caliber, Patriot, some other POS I forget) do not offer a good value for the money. They use too much gas, are not as reliable as other cars in their segment, and have no resale value. This is why GM and Chrysler are in such trouble. They fail to make competitive products until you get in to the more expensive models while Ford generally is good across their entire lineup.
In the end, will I buy a Fiesta? Probably not. Right now, I am trying to decide between the Yaris and the Fit. The Yaris may get the nod based solely on price, my ability to theoretically have it paid off in 3 years, and it's timing chain engine. If I decide on the Fit, it will be based on it's use of space. However, unlike the Yaris, the Fit is a desirable model which means there will not be much room to negotiate the price. Honda vehicles tend to sell quite close to the sticker price, which would increase the monthly payment (Toyota has $1,000 cash back on the Yaris right now too). Right now, If I buy either car at it's sticker price, the difference in price per month will be $50. That is a lot of money which could go to other things. Plus, if I paid the extra $50 a month towards the Yaris, it would take over a year off the financing terms, So, the Yaris may be my least favorite, but it lets me get out of the financing term a year earlier, and if I throw my tax refund on it every year, it will be paid off in around 2-3 years. That means I can spend considerably less time paying for it and still have a very usable, ugly little car when I am done that saves me a lot of money on gas. I have not decided 100% yet though, but in the end this thing is just like a toaster to me. It will serve a function and is not really much of a fashion accessory. If your toaster makes toast, do you really care what brand it is?
In the end, will I buy a Fiesta? Probably not. Right now, I am trying to decide between the Yaris and the Fit. The Yaris may get the nod based solely on price, my ability to theoretically have it paid off in 3 years, and it's timing chain engine. If I decide on the Fit, it will be based on it's use of space. However, unlike the Yaris, the Fit is a desirable model which means there will not be much room to negotiate the price. Honda vehicles tend to sell quite close to the sticker price, which would increase the monthly payment (Toyota has $1,000 cash back on the Yaris right now too). Right now, If I buy either car at it's sticker price, the difference in price per month will be $50. That is a lot of money which could go to other things. Plus, if I paid the extra $50 a month towards the Yaris, it would take over a year off the financing terms, So, the Yaris may be my least favorite, but it lets me get out of the financing term a year earlier, and if I throw my tax refund on it every year, it will be paid off in around 2-3 years. That means I can spend considerably less time paying for it and still have a very usable, ugly little car when I am done that saves me a lot of money on gas. I have not decided 100% yet though, but in the end this thing is just like a toaster to me. It will serve a function and is not really much of a fashion accessory. If your toaster makes toast, do you really care what brand it is?
