Car cost for low mileage driving?

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by imoldernu Trouble is, between the two cars, they're 42 years old... and the things I could do to fix them five or six years ago, aren't in my bag of tricks anymore. The book value on each, is $1,000.

I am "only" 70 years old, but I am already at an age where I don't want a car to be breaking down on me out on the street somewhere. Neither do you, I'm sure. So, I would urge you to consider trading both of these cars in right now, and either leasing or else replacing those cars with the most reliable car you can afford, either new or lightly used. Personally I am a big fan of Toyota since they seldom break down for me. My 2009 Venza is worth 8 or 9 thousand apparently.

When you stop driving, you can sell whatever car you have, and get back some of the purchase price. If you choose leasing you won't have to worry about doing that.

[Mr. Tightwad]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aja8888 Why not pick up a slightly used Nissan Leaf? Almost no maintenance (electric), suitable range on a charge, great for short hops. Plus, you can find low mileage ones pretty cheap these days.

Wisdom.

[aja8888]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Tightwad Wisdom.

Yes, for an old couple that dives locally for 1,500 miles per year, with no long window of needing a car, a used Leaf can be had for $10K (in very nice shape) and will fit the bill. Al T here bought just this a year or so ago for his short trips.

Even with a new car lease, there will be upfront costs to get the lease and use costs during the leasing period.

If I was 8 - 10 years older, this would be my plan, but I am a tad bit younger than Bob and still drive my truck and BMW convertible.

[freedomatlast]

Definitely dump the Seville before you have the common overheating / head gasket issue these cars are known for. Actually the head bolts pull out of the block and the repair will cost much more than that car is worth. Google Northstar head gasket issue or Northstar Timesert Repair. Given that you also suspect transmission problems, definitely time to let it go.

If you are used to, and enjoy, the soft ride of a Town Car and the SLS, I'd stay away from the econo-boxes such as the Leaf.

Test drive a Camry, an Accord and a Sonata and see what you think. Get something you will enjoy and that is comfortable for you, rather than what is the cheapest.

[HarveyS]

No idea on leasing/renting. I would suggest all wheel drive.

Make sure you are comfortable getting in and out. My in-laws cannot easily get in my Infinity X60, but the Highlander is no problem. For others, a low-to-the-ground sedan might not work. Get 4 doors.

I would lean toward a used Rav4 with 30-50K. Negotiate new tires on the buy, and you'll be set. Oil change ($30) once per year, probably a new battery ($100) at some point. When you are done with the car you can sell it for about what you paid since your mileage will be so low. Your cost will be the sales tax paid at the buy plus any depreciation (and the cost of capital, of course).

I've had my 2006 Highlander since 2009 and put about 140k miles on it. Cost of ownership (purchase, sales tax and maint.), assuming the Kelly Blue Book value is about $140/mo. over 10 years. That includes 2 sets of tires, 2 batteries, brakes, timing belt/plugs/water pump, wiper blades and all the oil changes. My 2WD Maxima cost about $225/mo (over 8 years) when I sold it 2 yrs ago.

[Teacher Terry]

We bought a used Toyota Corolla and love it. Fun to drive and easy to park. They are reasonable.

[HarveyS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by freedomatlast Get something you will enjoy and that is comfortable for you, rather than what is the cheapest.

+1

[Koolau]

You probably have enough time to look at lots of cars - going for a "cream puff" that no one else has found. I'd look for most any Toyota of 6 to 10 years old with relatively low mileage. If the body is a little rough, you'll save even more money.

Main thing is to be certain it's comfortable for you and has been well maintained.

Best of luck.

[COcheesehead]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Koolau You probably have enough time to look at lots of cars - going for a "cream puff" that no one else has found. I'd look for most any Toyota of 6 to 10 years old with relatively low mileage. If the body is a little rough, you'll save even more money. Main thing is to be certain it's comfortable for you and has been well maintained. Best of luck.

OP likes the new safety features...so there’s that.

[Rustic23]

Second vote for a used Nissan Leaf. I have a nephew that got one for his 'kids' car. With a range of 80 or so miles, it should do the trick. I just checked a 2015 Leaf is anywhere from $10,000 to $12,000! As there are not many moving parts, maintenance should be a minimum.

[ERD50]

Quote:

Originally Posted by freedomatlast .... Get something you will enjoy and that is comfortable for you, rather than what is the cheapest.

Absolutely. And I'll join the chorus that a used Nissan Leaf EV might be a good choice for your driving - if you find it comfortable.

-ERD50

[sengsational]

You're better off just not having a car if you are in a place served by Uber and Lyft. You get rid of all the expenses... insurance, personal property tax, depreciation, maintenance, all of it. I've gotten Ubers at 4:30 am to get to the airport, no problem. If you go on a road trip just rent a car. I'd bet this comes out cheaper than anything, given very few miles needed. You'll likely get the same drivers, so a chance to make a new casual buddy too!

[Teacher Terry]

Sen, no Uber or Lyft in his town.

[ncbill]

Quote:

Originally Posted by freedomatlast Definitely dump the Seville before you have the common overheating / head gasket issue these cars are known for. Actually the head bolts pull out of the block and the repair will cost much more than that car is worth. Google Northstar head gasket issue or Northstar Timesert Repair. Given that you also suspect transmission problems, definitely time to let it go. If you are used to, and enjoy, the soft ride of a Town Car and the SLS, I'd stay away from the econo-boxes such as the Leaf. Test drive a Camry, an Accord and a Sonata and see what you think. Get something you will enjoy and that is comfortable for you, rather than what is the cheapest.

Dump the Caddy for the reasons above.

Have a local independent mechanic fix the A/C in the Town Car, or pick up a more recent model.

I have a 2007 in Designer trim, which run $5,000 to $8,000 used here locally.

[Teacher Terry]

WR2, your post about cost got me wondering what we spent and it’s half.

[GravitySucks]

Going from a Caddy and Lincoln to a Leaf might be a shock to the system.
How about purchasing a 2 or 3 year old Lincoln. That brand has a large drop on resale value in the first 3 years. 1500 miles a year your probably not going to run into much repair and maintenance cost and further depreciation should also be low.

[Mr._Graybeard]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aja8888 Why not pick up a slightly used Nissan Leaf? Almost no maintenance (electric), suitable range on a charge, great for short hops. Plus, you can find low mileage ones pretty cheap these days.

I was just talking to someone who drove a Leaf for a couple years in Oshkosh. She said she could never get the cabin warm enough in winter without eating deeply into the car's driving range. Oshkosh is a couple hundred miles north of Peru/LaSalle, but the winter weather isn't that much different.

I like the Toyota Synergy hybrid drive system quite a bit. We've found the Prius to be a versatile little car with its hatchback and fold-down rear seats, but as Bamaman often points out, the Camry also comes in a hybrid version.

[tfudtuckerpucker]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShokWaveRider Personally, I think cars are subjective. Some folk like to drive the cheapest car possible, others (like us) would rather drive a nice car. So if you drive a Bentley or a Beetle the price of the car should not be in the equation. Just the running costs. We have friends that drive a Bentley, a Tesla, An Audi, a Hyundai, a Toyota and others. We have a new BMW. Honestly all the running costs are somewhat similar, Yes even the Bentley. The insurance is a little higher for some, but the pleasure gained from not driving a crappy car is priceless. Again this is just our opinion, YMMV. With all due respect, We simply cannot comprehend why anyone would want to drive a Sh*t box in their retirement years, simply to save a few bucks, unless they are forced to of course, but that is a different tory.

I think it helps to compare the difference in 5 year cost of ownership. I checked on some of those models using Edmunds TCO calculator.
Tesla $94,849
Toyota (Camry) $36,515
Audi (A4) $71,769
Hyundai (Sonata) $34,595
BMW (340i) $74,326
Nissan Leaf (hatchback) $37,925

Those are just estimates, but all these factors should be considered.
The low fuel costs for electric cars is attractive, but TCO estimates say they may not be so inexpensive.

[ShokWaveRider]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GravitySucks How about purchasing a 2 or 3 year old Lincoln. That brand has a large drop on resale value in the first 3 years. 1500 miles a year your probably not going to run into much repair and maintenance cost and further depreciation should also be low.

Most all American made cars lose a lot of value right off the Dealership, especially the ones mentioned. I would go for a nice low mileage German, Japanese or even Korean car to minimize one's losses over the long term and to ensure continued reliability.

[Music Lover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShokWaveRider Most all American made cars lose a lot of value right off the Dealership, especially the ones mentioned. I would go for a nice low mileage German, Japanese or even Korean car to minimize one's losses over the long term and to ensure continued reliability.

If someone is looking for value in a used vehicle, then buying a domestic that loses a lot of value fast makes better financial sense than buying a used foreign vehicle that may be overvalued.