Do you REALLY need a new vehicle?

[troutsqueezer]

If they would import those little three-wheeled pickup trucks that are so popular in India, I'd buy one.

 

[deerefan]

To answer the Op's initial question, no, I do not NEED a new vehicle. I NEED air, food, water and shelter. I WANT a new truck but am just too cheap/broke to buy one, so the old Ford keeps chugging along.

 

[D7E]

Just curious.

Would your answers change if the question was "Do you REALLY need a new tractor"?

Steve

I Cant see why i would "NEED" a new tractor , We farm 1400 acres and custom farm another 600 , Do snow removal and logging with tractors aged between 1975 and 1997 , We have 13 tractors now if workload increaed i would buy another secondhand one .

 

[JDgreen227]

Absolutely. I've been telling Sharon I need a new tractor a lot more than she needs a new car--it even happens to be true. :laughing:

I'm going detail her car this spring, put new seat covers on, new floor mats, get a spray can of "eau de new car", and call it good.

"Seat covers...." WOW....look at the big spender. Be sure you search carefully between and under the cushions before you install the new covers...lots of times big bucks can turn up....:laughing:

Oh, just edited this post to say this: One of the reasons I resist buying a new vehicle is because of the obscene sales tax charged by Michigan, many states allow you to trade in a vehicle and get that amount deducted from the sales tax on the purchase price of the newer one. Meaning if you trade in a vehicle worth half as much as the new one you only pay half the sales tax. Here, until recently you paid full sales tax of 6% on the new vehicle even it was purchased for $45,000 and your trade in was worth $44,900. A new law gives buyers here a tiny break...maybe $50 at most on the above transaction.

 

[DeereMann]

I 'needed' a new tractor because of: (1) EPA Tier IV emissions regulations (just beat them), (2) long postponed landscaping work, (3) always wanted/needed a SCUT/CUT.

I was happy to upgrade from an L&G tractor & help out the economy too. That said, my L&G was 11 years old, my previous one was 9 years old, nothing lasts forever, & life is short.

I wasn't impressed with the used market offerings, and the new JD SCUT had all the features I wanted.

So, there!

 

[Verticaltrx]

If I get a vehicle I like and it suits my needs I'll keep it as long as there are still parts to rebuild it. I have a '88 F-250 with 250,000mi, a '97 4runner with 260,000mi, my wife's '91 Honda accord with 315,000mi and a '69 F-350 and '75 C-60 Chevy. Don't plan on getting rid of any of them. Frankly, I hate the crap that automakers are putting out these days.

 

[Katahdin]

I've got a 2001 Jeep TJ (Wrangler) sport that has almost 156,000 miles on it. Other than expendables (tires, wiper blades and a starter) it has been good to me. 2 years ago I replaced the front fenders and stone guarded underneath them. Last fall I blew out a brake line, so this spring I replaced them all. I don't off road it, much. It is all mine and as far as I am concerned at 67 years old, I will never buy another vehicle. This one will last me the rest of my lifetime.

I'm impressed you're 67 and still can get in-and-out of a Jeep TJ!

On my 04' I've had to replace the front sway bar links. My first brake job was last fall, only 53K miles for me so far.

 

[buickanddeere]

If I get a vehicle I like and it suits my needs I'll keep it as long as there are still parts to rebuild it. I have a '88 F-250 with 250,000mi, a '97 4runner with 260,000mi, my wife's '91 Honda accord with 315,000mi and a '69 F-350 and '75 C-60 Chevy. Don't plan on getting rid of any of them. Frankly, I hate the crap that automakers are putting out these days.

Many of us don't have that option. Around here the last 1988 pickups went through the crusher in the salvage yard 10 years ago. Not enough left to drive after rusting out.

 

[Verticaltrx]

Many of us don't have that option. Around here the last 1988 pickups went through the crusher in the salvage yard 10 years ago. Not enough left to drive after rusting out.

Here in the mountains of VA we get plenty of snow and as much salt as anywhere in the country I would guess. It's disgusting how much salt they use, now they also brine the roads before a snow as well. The only thing we do have going is it doesn't stay as cold for long spells like it does up north, so it gives more opportunities to wash a vehicle throughout the winter. I wash mine almost weekly in the winter if they have been out in the salt, they also get a coating of Fluid Film in the spring and fall. All this helps, but my '88 is getting some rust issues in the bed and along the bottom of the cab, my '97 4runner is still rust free however.

 

[RollingsFarms]

"Seat covers...." WOW....look at the big spender. Be sure you search carefully between and under the cushions before you install the new covers...lots of times big bucks can turn up....:laughing: Oh, just edited this post to say this: One of the reasons I resist buying a new vehicle is because of the obscene sales tax charged by Michigan, many states allow you to trade in a vehicle and get that amount deducted from the sales tax on the purchase price of the newer one. Meaning if you trade in a vehicle worth half as much as the new one you only pay half the sales tax. Here, until recently you paid full sales tax of 6% on the new vehicle even it was purchased for $45,000 and your trade in was worth $44,900. A new law gives buyers here a tiny break...maybe $50 at most on the above transaction.

In South Carolina there's a limit to how much you pay in sales tax on a new vehicle. Where they get you is the various counties get to charge you annually whatever they want it seems like! You might pay $300 in sales tax at time of sale but next year when you pay your property taxes your one year old truck is $700 according to the thieves that run the local government. It doesn't depreciate much each year either. My friend has a 2004 Z71 with 200,000 miles on it and he still pays over $150 a year on vehicle taxes. Absolutely rediculous!

 

[brin]

I have a Jeep Cherokee Classic that I bought new in 2000....Black and I love that Jeep - I can't imagine finding anything I'd like better...It has the pep of a sports car and the ride of one too yet it has the utility of a lot of cargo space when needed...I only have 84,000 miles on it and the only thing that has ever been a problem is the AC....and it has been a constant source of aggravation for me and revenue for the Dealer and others....I had a Dodge Ram Pick up I bought new in 1989 and the AC on it was awful too...and their service manager told me Chrysler undersized all the AC units and used the K Car units for their vehicles...my bet it was intentional ...to generate service revenue...But I will drive the wheels of this Jeep before I ever get something else...

 

[Oaktree]

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.

I've only ever had one car that I got rid of because of engine trouble (threw a rod at 250k), then again I live in New England where rust claims them first. Even the one that blew the engine would need some rust repair to get inspected next time around.

I don't know how much you make, but my income sure hasn't kept up with with the price increases on vehicles. $20-30k is a pretty major chunk of what I earn, but you're not going to get much worth driving for under that. Yeah, you get a lot more gadgets, most of which I could live without just fine. I don't know that durability has increased much in the last 10-15 years...everything's so light-duty now to save weight.

I buy a new one about every four years, my accountant said you can drive a new truck or give the money to the government it's your choice!

How does buying a new truck reduce what the government takes from me?

 

[smstonypoint]

In South Carolina there's a limit to how much you pay in sales tax on a new vehicle. Where they get you is the various counties get to charge you annually whatever they want it seems like! You might pay $300 in sales tax at time of sale but next year when you pay your property taxes your one year old truck is $700 according to the thieves that run the local government. It doesn't depreciate much each year either. My friend has a 2004 Z71 with 200,000 miles on it and he still pays over $150 a year on vehicle taxes. Absolutely rediculous!

Which county?

Steve

 

[RollingsFarms]

Which county? Steve

Sumter. Third highest taxes in the state last time I checked.

 

[Renze]

I've never bought a new vehicle, not spent somebody elses (the finance company) money on it. My last vehicle i bought from an older gentleman in a rich neighbourhood, it was well maintained and its one of the last genuine Volvos. it had 320.000km on it and runs like new. If i spent 5 times as much on a younger compact car, i wouldnt have half the comfort and spend a lot more on maintenance because compact cars arent made for the long run.

 

[Looking4new]

I'm impressed you're 67 and still can get in-and-out of a Jeep TJ!

It only has a 2" lift on it with 30x9.5x15's.
I still work, too. 2 ladders per load. Up & down to load and up & down again to unload.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I have a Jeep Cherokee Classic that I bought new in 2000....Black and I love that Jeep - I can't imagine finding anything I'd like better...It has the pep of a sports car and the ride of one too yet it has the utility of a lot of cargo space when needed...I only have 84,000 miles on it and the only thing that has ever been a problem is the AC....and it has been a constant source of aggravation for me and revenue for the Dealer and others....I had a Dodge Ram Pick up I bought new in 1989 and the AC on it was awful too...and their service manager told me Chrysler undersized all the AC units and used the K Car units for their vehicles...my bet it was intentional ...to generate service revenue...But I will drive the wheels of this Jeep before I ever get something else...

Interesting. The only vehicle I have had AC issues with of the 26 vehicles I have now owned is my one and only Dodge.

Chris

 

[Looking4new]

IF the new vehicle is a tax deduction, then it makes sense to buy new every 4-5 years. If not, then keep it until the wheels rot off.

 

[MESSMAKER]

Just read the post in this thread. 187,000,240,000 and still going strong. 25 years ago this was unheard of. Up until about the 90s, if a car made it to 125,000 without major problems, you were lucky. Autos today are incredible. They cost more, but you get more.

 

[D7E]

Just read the post in this thread. 187,000,240,000 and still going strong. 25 years ago this was unheard of. Up until about the 90s, if a car made it to 125,000 without major problems, you were lucky. Autos today are incredible. They cost more, but you get more.

I dissagree . We were gettting just the same miles back in the 80's , But they were simpler , more reliable without electronics and cheaper to repair .