Do you REALLY need a new vehicle?

[Utopia Texas]

The whole American capitalistic system is based off of folks spending their brains out and buying things they do not need and throwing out things that are still useful. Be a patriot, buy a new vehicle every 3-4 years, and then max out your credit cards as much as possible. I hate how foreigners don't understand how the system works !

 

[JDgreen227]

The whole American capitalistic system is based off of folks spending their brains out and buying things they do not need and throwing out things that are still useful. Be a patriot, buy a new vehicle every 3-4 years, and then max out your credit cards as much as possible. I hate how foreigners don't understand how the system works !

Foreigners and my ex-wife both....:laughing: As the saying goes: Fools buy things they don't need and cannot afford in a vain attempt to impress people who don't care.

 

[dodge man]

Buying a new vehicle from a dollars point doesn't usually make sense but for me its kind of a hobby. My wife and I have bought both new and used vehicles. My current truck is 10 years old and has a 120,000 miles on it. I also own a Dodge Challenger that is a 2010 and has only 12,000 miles on it. For some people a car or truck is just another tool, like a washing machine or a stove. Its just to get from point A to point B. For other people its a passion. They are the ones that always wax them twice a year and keep them in excellent condition. It is without a doubt more of a passion for me.

 

[LiveRoll]

Well, I am beginning to look at things differently, with these new vehicles, I find they are over electrified, over engineered ( if you can't capably back up and park your vehicle, you shouldn't be driving. It's all part of the driving test required to have a licence) The whole entire existence of the new vehicles seems to depend on the battery, no electrical source = dead in the water.
$ 70,000.00 for a new SUV?? you used to be able to buy a decent Kenworth for that kind of money and probably still can.
Going against the grain I just purchased Myself a "new" to Me pickup. 1975 Ford F-250 4x4 "Factory Highboy" Dana 44 Dana 60, gear drive transfer case, all metal body, functional mirrors ( for backing up and parking) 260 air conditioning. Enough metal in the body to probably build 2 newer model vehicles and a person can open the hood, and actually work on it instead of just plugging it into a computer, and having it tell you what parts to replace as opposed to fix which seems to be the norm of all things mechanical these days....



There,, My rant for the day is done!!

Cheers

Roger

 

[Baby Grand]

I buy new and do most maintenance myself until the cost of maintaining (6 month average) starts to get close to payments on a comparable, new vehicle, or until something requiring major cash infusion occurs - by major I mean more than 1/2 the going used price that I could expect to get for it if I sold it without the problem. Usually get 12 to 15 years of service doing this before I scuttle the car.

 

[Baby Grand]

Well, I am beginning to look at things differently, with these new vehicles, I find they are over electrified, over engineered ( if you can't capably back up and park your vehicle, you shouldn't be driving. It's all part of the driving test required to have a licence)

... <snip> ...

Ha-ha! That's really funny, Roger. Before I took my DMV test, my mom took me to an empty parking lot and made me drive that VW bug around the perimeter in reverse using just the mirrors. My ears get hot whenever I see those ads for self parking cars or hear the wonks at Google palaver endlessly about cars that will drive themselves. I'm agin it! (shakes fist in air).

 

[DeereMann]

I worry about reliability as I spend a lot of time going back and forth to the woods properties. I need to minimize potential for breaking down on the county roads in the middle of nowhere in a driving sleet storm at night, etc.

That alone is not a case for new vehicles too often. The question is, in this scenario, what is 'too often'? And now that the pricing is going up to the moon with all the electronic gizmos you can't seem not to get with the truck, I'm in kind of a quandry. I used to sell/trade in app 5 years, below the magic 100,000 mile mark. :confused3:

 

[Gary Fowler]

Wife's care is 11 years old and I bought her a new one figuring to sell the old one before it started having problems. Well that didn't happen, she prefers to drive the old one. Says she is saving the new one for whenever the 2003 Olds Bravada quits working. Now I guess I will have to start looking as some maintenance since it has about 99K miles with all original except for a water pump and one front wheel bearing. We do take the Honda CR-V when we take a long trip since it gets about double the gas mileage of any other vehicle that we have. Bought it in Aug 203 and it has 2500 miles on it which equals 2 trips to Houston and a little bit of running around here to keep the battery charged.

 

[Oaktree]

Last "NEW" vehicle I bought was back in 1984! :laughing:

I got you beat. The last (and only) new car I ever bought was in 1970 when I graduated college and got my first "real" (ie-fulltime) job. It was a 1970 Dodge Dart with a 318. A true one owner car, drove it for 13 years and just under 300k before rust took its toll. Was actually pretty good on gas...I'd get mid-ish 20s on the highway.

Given the obscene prices new vehicles are going for today, it's highly unlikely I'll ever buy new ever again.

I used to sell/trade in app 5 years, below the magic 100,000 mile mark. :confused3:

These days 100k is barely broken in, even the el-cheapo econoboxes will go that long or longer.

 

[houstonscott]

My brother is coming out this morning to return my utility trailer that he borrowed last fall, and show off his new pickup. He has always been one of those guys who trades in for a new model every 2-3 years and never own one that is paid for. As for me, I have been driving the same full size SUV since Y2K and it has been paid off for ten years now, and I feel no urge to replace it as the body and drivetrain are still in excellent condition. Need to install new brakes this year and flush the cooling system and replace the coolant and replace the window motor in a passenger side window. So, doing all that means I am looking at $500 worth of repairs, maximum, which is about one monthly payment of about 100 on a new $55,000 Yukon XL. It always baffles me why people replace a perfectly good and paid-off vehicle and end up with another round of payments just to have a newer vehicle. My GF has a 3 year old Malibu, 40,000 miles and one more year of payments...it needs tires soon and brakes next year...and she wants to buy a new one NOW...makes no sense to me at all. Did you buy a new vehicle because you NEEDED it, or because you WANTED it?

Some people don't want to fuss around with repairs and breakdowns, all things you are willing to accept with a high milage truck. Besides that, some people earn enough it makes no matter to them. Some people have gotten their finances aligned so that food, shelter, transportation, leisure, power, water, are no longer a worry, at all, forever. If that's the case why slug it out in an old truck? What's wrong with want it? They might just have more ambition than you. HS

 

[DFB]

I got you beat. The last (and only) new car I ever bought was in 1970 when I graduated college and got my first "real" (ie-fulltime) job. It was a 1970 Dodge Dart with a 318. A true one owner car, drove it for 13 years and just under 300k before rust took its toll. Was actually pretty good on gas...I'd get mid-ish 20s on the highway.

Given the obscene prices new vehicles are going for today, it's highly unlikely I'll ever buy new ever again.



These days 100k is barely broken in, even the el-cheapo econoboxes will go that long or longer.

Wow 1970...hmm I don't think I was barely big enough to reach the gas and brake pedals back then :laughing:

Though I remember a buddy of mine had used Dodge Dart when we were in high school

My latest vehicle had the highest mileage of any of my used purchases at 88,000k

 

[brain55]

This topic is on my mind right now for a couple reasons. First is that tomorrow will be 3 years since I bought my used 2008 F450, I've put 96k miles on it and it came with 41k. I use this truck everyday and more than half of its miles it tows my nearly 17k lb trailer. I've put 46k miles on it since the short block and both turbos were replaced at 91k miles under warranty. I don't want to make any major repairs out of pocket. The other reason is that I just got my tax bill for last year. The cost and depreciation would nearly make the payment of a new truck and I really need more truck I need something that will last 10 years vs three or four. I'm definitely considering a class 7 truck instead of a pickup.

Brian

 

[Katahdin]

By most logic in this thread I'm due for a new vehicle, my Jeep TJ is now 10 years old, but I decided to buy a new Yanmar LX instead. My plan is to keep my Jeep TJ for another 10 years. That's one nice thing about buying a Jeep, the aftermarket is so good you can keep them running forever.

Owning and maintaining a used vehicle is also a great excuse to take that money you'd be spending on new payments, taxes, insurance, etc and purchase new tools instead!

 

[brain55]

To me a truck is just another tool. I spend a pile of money every year on tools and have since I was 19 it's just part of being a mechanic.

Brian

 

[troutsqueezer]

When I was young and handsome and on the lookout, I used to buy flashy cars to match my persona. Now that I'm old with a few dents here and there, my vehicles still match my persona.

These days I am a point A to point B person. I started becoming this way when one day, the wife, in her not-too-old Prius started down the driveway and remembered that she forgot something so she put the car in reverse and started backing up to the house. Backing up is not one of her strong points. Before very far, she ran into a tree on the side of the road. Rather than stop and pull forward, she kept it in reverse and tried to power through it, turning the wheels to steer away from the tree. That put dents and scratches all the way from the tail light to the headlight. I haven't had it fixed and I never will. She'll just back up again sometime and do it all over again. I just changed my attitude. Now life's a lot easier. :drink:

 

[Oaktree]

That's one nice thing about buying a Jeep, the aftermarket is so good you can keep them running forever.

Just the other day I was at the gas station filling up (something you do fairly often with a Jeep), and a total stranger walked up to me and asked me if it was for sale. Probably should have asked what he'd offer for it, but then I'd have to go out & find something else...I hate car shopping and besides this one's still in good shape and I like it.

Don't know what I'd look for when it comes time to replace it. I like the utility of it, but would like something a little less thirsty.
Test drove a Suburu, but it was way too cramped inside. Caravan maybe? Everyone I've known who's had one liked it, but on-line reviews aren't so good.

 

[JDgreen227]

So...you guys advise me what I should do:

Option 1: Replace my Y2K GMC XL that has a perfect body and near perfect interior that needs only about $500 worth of repairs this year, something I drive less than 2,000 miles yearly.

OR

Option 2: Replace my 2002 JD 4210 E-hydro that is nearing 1200 operating hours and accumulates about 110 more per year. Needs a new hood, a hydraulic system fluid and filter change but nothing else.

OR:

Option 3: Instead of making payments on a new Option 1 or 2..use my spare cash to pay down my current mortgage.

I am long past the age where I need to impress anybody with a new toy. An easy choice, isn't it?

 

[Diamondpilot]

So...you guys advise me what I should do:

Option 1: Replace my Y2K GMC XL that has a perfect body and near perfect interior that needs only about $500 worth of repairs this year, something I drive less than 2,000 miles yearly.

OR

Option 2: Replace my 2002 JD 4210 E-hydro that is nearing 1200 operating hours and accumulates about 110 more per year. Needs a new hood, a hydraulic system fluid and filter change but nothing else.

OR:

Option 3: Instead of making payments on a new Option 1 or 2..use my spare cash to pay down my current mortgage.

I am long past the age where I need to impress anybody with a new toy. An easy choice, isn't it?

Pay down your mortgage. Then you can pay cash for something newer.

Chris

 

[buickanddeere]

Given the obscene prices new vehicles are going for today, it's highly unlikely I'll ever buy new ever again.

Vehicles are cheaper accordingly and offer more than they did 25 years ago

With unleaded fuel and fuel injection. Engines now last 300,000 miles instead of a barely ruining rattling cloud of smoke at 100,000 miles like 1970's and early 80's vehicles where.

 

[Danny C]

Seems to me the OP might be a little jealous of his brother....Also seems to me that most of the "drive it into the ground" types have about 100 (exageration) cars they drive! Register, insure, maintain, saftery/polution check 3-4+ vehicles plus the pain of breakdowns and one's time to repair and it's a no-brainer to get a new (1 year or newer) vehicle every 4-5 years.