View Full Version : need to pick your SL brains - unknown newer vehicle vs. dependable older one
Blackdog Lin
3-6-12, 9:27pm
Driving a 1994 Chevy Astro van since 1998 and she's been a honey. The very definition of "anti-lemon" - paid for all along, cheap taxes and insurance, maintenance to the tune of $350.00/yr., and she only strands me once every 2 1/2 years, on average. Decent gas mileage, but not great. And I said from day 1 that I'd take her to 200,000 miles.
That day is here. We're at 197,000, I'm looking at retirement, and there's the possibility of a cash windfall in my near future. So I'm thinking: (1) do I take a chance on the next 50,000 miles going as smoothly as the last 100,000, and just keep her till she rusts into the ground? Or (2) spend the windfall on something newer, something more gas-efficient, something to take us through our retirement years. I will not buy new (can't afford it anyway), it would be something used in a mid-sized 50,000-miles-on-it-or-so model. And I'd have the benefit of being able to negotiate a cash price. And I like the idea of having a more dependable vehicle (newer one) to get us through the next 15 years. But the ol' Astro is A PROVEN vehicle! She's dependable to a fault. I know her and almost love her. She has rarely let me down, and really, I would have no problem trying to get another 70,000 miles out of her. I just don't know if it would be the right decision.
What say you, Simple Living people? Looking for ideas and thoughts on this little life decision.....
Get another vehicle. Dependability + better mileage. I recommend a Toyota Yaris or ECHO, though I don't believe these count as midsized. They are fantastic, economical vehicles.
early morning
3-6-12, 9:42pm
Bank the windfall, and buy a newer car only when you need to. I dislike parting with cars that still run, lol. You know your van. You know she's been taken good care of. What's the rush?
The problem with a vehicle with 200,000 miles on it is you may get more, but how much? Will it break down at a bad time or place? There is no guarantee's with a newer vehicle, but the odd's are better just because the parts shouldn't have as much wear and tear on them. I'd start looking, you could always give the van to the kids or a friend if you want to keep in touch.
Well.....you could get 300,000.
We're at 332,000.
But if I came into a windfall and I needed nothing else? I'd buy a newer little truck. Still have to be able to haul my kayak around.
Of course, you can keep driving a little longer without committing to another 50.000 miles. Simply replace it when it needs something significant.
If you believe you'll be driving more long trips in retirement, that may be a fair reason to replace it. As someone with the retirement goal of not boarding a domestic airline flight for 10 years, that's what I would do.
HumboldtGurl
3-7-12, 12:57pm
I would put that money away in a savings account, and keep driving your current vehicle, until the cost of repairing it exceeds the value of the vehicle.
The problem with driving it into the ground, which is what we do with our cars, is that you are stuck with no car when the thing goes kaput. And then you have to run around and look for an appropriate used vehicle. That's hard to do when you've got no car of your own. You'll do a better job and get one best suited to you if you take you time and shop in advance.
Both of our cars went kaput in 2009 and we bought 2 new ones, largely due to the bother of finding a suitable used vehicle. I wanted a used station wagon but that is so specific, it was impossible to find. DH would have been ok with a used small truck, but those are very popular and are surprisingly expensive. We just gave up and bought new cars.
Blackdog Lin
3-8-12, 9:11pm
Appreciate the ideas. I'm thinking, after hearing from y'all and chewing it over, that the best idea is the simplest one: just bank the windfall for now, specifically toward a new(er) vehicle purchase, and keep driving ol' dependable. Then if and when she starts costing more money than it's worth to keep her, start looking then for a new one.
She's not our only vehicle, just the most dependable one and the "family" vehicle. Also have an old beater of a '92 Ford F150 with 150,000 miles on it which would get us around locally if necessary. But the truck is truly a rough one - you'd laugh at some of the "creative fixes" this one has (have to use vise-grips to turn the air from heating to conditioning. and etc.)
(Can you tell? We're really not into appearances when it comes to our vehicles. Just dependability.)
:)
Appreciate the ideas. I'm thinking, after hearing from y'all and chewing it over, that the best idea is the simplest one: just bank the windfall for now, specifically toward a new(er) vehicle purchase, and keep driving ol' dependable. Then if and when she starts costing more money than it's worth to keep her, start looking then for a new one.
She's not our only vehicle, just the most dependable one and the "family" vehicle. Also have an old beater of a '92 Ford F150 with 150,000 miles on it which would get us around locally if necessary. But the truck is truly a rough one - you'd laugh at some of the "creative fixes" this one has (have to use vise-grips to turn the air from heating to conditioning. and etc.)
(Can you tell? We're really not into appearances when it comes to our vehicles. Just dependability.)
:)
um, you have AIR CONDITIONING in your truck!!!!!??????ha ha ha.
DH's 22 year old truck had no air. His new one does, though.
My little truck has 180,000 miles on it and shows no sign of letting up. So we keep AAA (in case we get stuck) and keep banking our "next car fund", earning a tiny bit of interest on it while we wait for the old girl to decide she's had enough. I DO love my truck, no doubt about it...she fits me like a glove. Now, if I were planning a long arduous drive, like a drive Back East, I'd consider buying another car first. But I think I'd still keep her!
My little truck has 180,000 miles on it and shows no sign of letting up. So we keep AAA (in case we get stuck) and keep banking our "next car fund", earning a tiny bit of interest on it while we wait for the old girl to decide she's had enough. I DO love my truck, no doubt about it...she fits me like a glove. Now, if I were planning a long arduous drive, like a drive Back East, I'd consider buying another car first. But I think I'd still keep her!
Dh's truck was 22 years old and had only 80,000 miles on it. We just drive around locally.
The '97 truck has 330,000 - that's a lot of art show miles. Branson to Baltimore and Philly. Branson to the Keys of FL. Branson to NM and CO. Branson to Detroit. and everything inbetween.
The '00 Durango is about to roll 200,000. I'm anxious to replace it because it only gets 13 mpg.
I just rented a yaris last week. It's tiny, but it doesn't feel crowded inside. Barely uses gas. I liked it a lot.
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