When do you replace your car?

[Better Half]

Thank you for all the advice. I really enjoy all the personal auto stories, keep them coming.

My gut has been telling me to trade in my car while there it still has a bit of value. Then I feel like a wimp when I see older cars on the road. It would be great if I could get a couple more years of use but dont really feel like risking it. My problem is that Im having car repair remorse.

 

[FarmerChick]

I am like FM, I want a safe car.

Do you think people driving 1972 Pintos WANT to drive a bomb on wheels?

LOL

Sorry, that struck me as funny.

I know what you are saying, but I once knew a guy who's family was in financial trouble who used "safety" as justification to buy this huge, expensive SUV. As he was telling me about how great this car was "Aren't you guys tight on money right now?" slipped out of my mouth

He got all defensive and went off on this safety speech. At the time I was driving a 1982 Chevette. He basically accused me of child abuse. It was so hilarious!

LOL--I know what you mean on how it reads.

BUT big difference on safe versus just plain ugly and old. There are tons of ugly and old out there in good condition to drive and many nicer looking and unsafe!

Safe is solely about the vehicle you are driving. If safe and ugly, keep it...LOL---if old and not safe, get rid of it or fix it.

It almost borders on stupid if you put kids in an unsafe car and the person knows it is a bad vehicle, at least to me.

But again, it is the car in question.

 

[FarmerChick]

Thank you for all the advice. I really enjoy all the personal auto stories, keep them coming.

My gut has been telling me to trade in my car while there it still has a bit of value. Then I feel like a wimp when I see older cars on the road. It would be great if I could get a couple more years of use but dont really feel like risking it. My problem is that Im having car repair remorse.

Listen to your gut!!!!

Your gut feelings know it is time to trade etc....just do it and don't question it too much at all. Just things we need to do in life like trade cars etc.

Never risk anything like you or your DH or kids etc. Casr repair remorse is hard on the wallet and mind and go with the gut gal!!

 

[breconbcs]

Best thing to do is listen to your gut. That being said, I need to take my own advise...lol..cause my gut is telling me to sell my '92 4wd Dakota and get something else. There's nothing much wrong with the truck. We did the body work last year, runs good - always starts though the alternator is needing a rebuild, newer tires and brakes, the emergency cable needs to be replaced and we had to drop in a new tranny and the 4wd stick doesn't line up but it's just a plate needs to be welded on which is on the "honey to do list". Problem is it's manual and DH can't drive standard anymore due to his bad back. So I've been flip flopping on getting a SUV (Grand Vitara/Escape/Sidekick) that's automatic. It's hard for me to sell though as it was my first vehicle I have ever bought and it was already 8 or 9 yrs old then..lol.

I know if it wasn't for finding a "backyard" licensed mechanic I would have my 2003 Honda Hybrid sitting in the driveway, cause I swear everyone doubles the price/costs when they hear hybrid. This mechanic has saved me thousands of dollars over the last 6 months alone. I took the car into him for a front bearing (which was going since I bought the car from Honda in 2005), course hadn't done the brakes since I bought it, so of course they needed to be done - front ones anyway back ones were fine (Honda said they would do all around only), next time it was in for an oil change was told tranny cable was going and had to be replaced. So back to the "backyard" mechanic it went. It wasn't the cable, it was the linkage needed to be lubed but Honda said they wouldn't have done that, they would have replaced the cable. Honda only gets oil changes out of me and that will stop once it's paid for.

Now one thing I have found, it's so much cheaper on the pocket book to learn to do some stuff for yourself. Okay I was forced to learn by DH, but I'm glad he did and I push all my female friends to take a course or come over and let DH and I show them even just how to change out the air filter and check fluids to helping do their brakes. Over the years I've learn/done tie rod ends, steering linkage, ball joints, as well as the oil changes, plugs/wires and brakes. Gone to scrap yards and taken vehicles apart and put those parts on the vehicle at home.

But if the vehicle is going to cost more than what it's replacement will to be on the road (not just to buy!), I'd be getting the replacement. But for us, we usually keep on fixing till the engine goes.

 

[miss_thenorth]

Hmmm... past vehicles. Hubby's 1985 ford Bronco (fullsize) upwards of 300,000 Km on it, engine and tranny still running fine, but look down and see exactly where yo are going Wew bought it in 1993, and drove it until 2001

1995 Honda civic. My one and only brand new car. Sold it in 1997. Great car--not worth the payments and insurance.

2000 ford Explorer--now for sale. Reason for selling--not practical for my farm responsibilites 210 000 km--still running great--needs struts though.(body is great)

1995 Jeep Cherokee--sold two? months ago. 270 000 km not one single thing wrong with it. Hubby sold it for his commuter car. sold in three days of being advertised. (body is great)

Replaced with--1996? VW jetta diesel. around 210 000 km runs great. Did I mention it was diesel? Hubby's commuter car, excelent body.

And my replacement. 1997 ford F250 diesel. 240 000 km minimal rust on rear passenger wheel well only.

So, As you can see, we go for the older vehicles. Hubby is very mechanically inclined. Our theory is--as long as the body is in good condition, you can replace other parts. And we would much rather do that than have a car payment, b'c not only do you have the car payment, but you also have to have full insurance coverage on it too for as long as you have the loan.

No, mind you --if we had a lemon, that no matter what, something was always going wrong, or the same things were going wrong again and again.--it would be gone.

And just to add to that list of past vehicles--hubby did have a mustang GT in there for a very short period of time. I say short. boys and their toys, i tell ya. ( no--he didn't crash it-we couldn't afford the insurance anymore due to all of his speeding tickets. It took a long time to get his record clean again

 

[Sunny]

We drive them until some thing major goes out. Or a part that we cant find.. I had a 1987 Buick Skyhawk that lasted forever.. When my family got rid of it, it had over 500,000 miles on it.. I gave it to my grandma.. And she finally got rid of it when the power stearing went out.. We dont replace the car unless the engine, power stearing, or tranny goes out.. Once I replaced the engine on my favorite truck.. But got rid of it when the whole thing had to be rewired because there was an electrical problem that no one could figure out.. All other repairs are just maintance from age and is no big deal.. Also do alot of preventive maintance, that way nothing major happens..

 

[FarmerDenise]

I replace my car when it leaves me stranded in a bad place more than once in a short time and for different reasons, or it is pretty much dead. Right now I am driving a 94 buick lesabre. I take it to the mechanic at the dealership where I bought it, used. They are great there and don't rip you off. I feel very safe in it. I make sure I take it in for the regular oil checks etc that are recommended. Some things don't work too well anymore, but those are not that important. I could get them fixed, but don't want to spend the money on car stuff, that is not really a neccessity.

 

[sylvie]

Someone gave me a 96 Saturn because the dealership offered her $500 trade in on it and that just pushed her buttons. She didn't want them to have it at that price and asked if I wanted it, free.
She was the type that took it in for maintenance frequently and had them fix anything they suggested, so it was well cared for.
The free offer was that if I wanted to get rid of it, pass it to someone who would need it. Well, 5 years later I still have it and have replaced the computer for $700 and brakes and tires.
Little things are beginning to go like the gas cap lever release from inside, the wipers ( we jury rigged them with teflon tape for now) and
assorted other stuff.
I don't drive it much in winter if roads are bad because they don't maintain the hills and I'm surrounded by steep long hills. We switch to the 4x4 truck.

I will drive it until it costs $1500-2000 to fix because we live on a fixed income and that money isn't there.

 

[hennypenny9]

Interesting stories everyone. I've never replaced my car. Got it in 2002, when I turned 16. It's a 1997 Ford Escort. Regular repairs since I got it. Gets decent gas mileage. Aaaand, I will never wonder where I parked it, because it's PURPLE. The only down side is, in the snow and/or ice, I slip and slide like crazy.

It only cost us $1,500, so I guess that if a repair costs more than that, replace it.

 

[big brown horse]

I loved my ford escort too!! It was a four door and ran like a dream until someone decided to smash it into two pieces!