Searching for Value in the Auto Market
The car shook so much on the highway, its rearview mirror vibrated into a blur...
Running its heater at full blast could barely "take the chill out of the interior."
It needed 37.5 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 50 mph, and it threatened to flip over if you tried to swerve at that speed.
Its bumpers were "virtually useless against anything more formidable than a watermelon," and sitting inside proved "psychologically as well as physically uncomfortable."
During its 1,200-mile break-in period, you couldn't drive it faster than 45 mph, at a steady high speed, or up a steep hill... or its pistons could seize, damaging the engine and abruptly preventing you from steering.
Instead of regular engine oil, it required the oil you'd use for a speedboat's outboard motor. It needed a fresh quart every 260 miles... and always the same brand of outboard motor oil.
This wretched automobile was the 1970 Subaru 360. Consumer Reports' April 1969 review deemed it "Not Acceptable."
The Subaru 360 was not an anomaly.
Consumer advocate Ralph Nader launched his career with a 1965 exposé of the Chevrolet Corvair's unusual risk of spinning out when you went around a turn. And in the 1970s, the Ford Pinto became infamous for a poorly placed fuel tank that caused the cars to easily explode in rear-end collisions.
The auto industry used to routinely offer terrible, downright dangerous cars to American drivers. You may have owned one yourself over the years.
It's different today. Just about any new car today can seem pretty good.
Even a 122-horsepower 2025 Nissan Versa – the slowest and cheapest car for sale in the U.S. – is significantly quicker than a V8-powered 1985 Cadillac Eldorado. It's packed with safety features and other technologies that nobody had even imagined just a couple of decades ago.
So by historical standards, modern cars are incredibly safe, incredibly fast, incredibly comfortable, and incredibly economical.
But that doesn't mean all modern cars are the same. Some are objectively better than others. Others may be great for some folks' needs but not for yours. And many are great but cost too much.
That's where I (Brady Holt) come in... As a managing editor at Stansberry Research, I help produce our world-class investing advice and strip out Doc Eifrig's most egregious puns.
But I also spend my time testing and reviewing dozens of new cars every year... something I've done since 2008.
And when I hear someone say that "you can't go wrong with any car," I know that's not true. Whatever your wants, needs, and budget, there's one "best car" out there for you.
I just put together a special report for Doc's paid subscribers: "The Retirement Millionaire Car of the Year for 2025." It highlights three of my favorites, along with some of my recommended alternatives – and some popular models to reconsider.
If you already subscribe to Retirement Millionaire, you have access to this report right here. (If you don't, click here to get a subscription for 70% off the regular price.)
While I can't give away the winners here... by explaining how I chose them, I hope I can help you think critically about your next auto purchase, too.
My main focus was a core quality that I know a wide variety of our readers can appreciate: value.
The average new car in the U.S. costs $48,039 as of March 2025, according to the Kelley Blue Book. And I see no signs that prices are about to come down.
Many great cars cost more than $48,039... magnificent luxury vehicles, extraordinarily capable trucks, and wildly fast sports cars. But here's the good news: Most folks don't have to shell out for one of those cars to meet their needs. You won't find any of those vehicles among the top recommendations in my new report.
Instead, I focused on cars that offer a lot for the money. These are vehicles that are roomy enough, comfortable enough, and all-around nice enough to tempt someone out of a bigger, more expensive car.
When you buy a new car, take the time to really consider what you need. Anything beyond that is a discretionary expense – something that you might like but isn't a core feature of transporting yourself, your family, and your stuff.
Buying a more decadent car may be exactly how you want to treat yourself. But it's always worth asking if you would rather use those extra funds for something that might make a bigger difference in your own life, like travel, dining, home remodeling, or a larger nest egg.
That depends on you... But if you do decide to spend more of your discretionary budget on something other than your car, one of the cars highlighted in this report could help you do that.
Again, Retirement Millionaire subscribers can check out the report here.
And if you don't subscribe, you're missing out...
Retirement Millionaire includes Doc's monthly stock recommendations and his model portfolio of other active stock picks, which are up an average of more than 100% since he first told subscribers they should buy.
The newsletter also includes Doc's personal-finance tips and health advice – plus my own "Car of the Month" auto reviews... my Car of the Year report... and another brand-new report called "How to Beat the Auto Market," which can help you save thousands of dollars by shifting how you think about your next car purchase.
Doc is also offering a special price on Retirement Millionaire right now... By subscribing today, you get a full year of access to the monthly newsletter... the model stock portfolio... and all of the Retirement Millionaire issues and reports that Doc and his research team have published since 2008.
For all the details, including how to claim your 70% discount, click here.
And if you have a car question or want to share your experience, send us an e-mail: feedback@healthandwealthbulletin.com. We read every letter.
What We're Reading...
- Something different: Volkswagen recalls 5,700 ID.Buzz electric vans because their seats are too spacious.
Here's to our health, wealth, and a great retirement,
Brady Holt with Dr. David "Doc" Eifrig
May 13, 2025