Early Retirement & Financial Independence Community - View Single Post - If you're an ER, do you own "his" and "hers" cars?

Walt34 · 05-17-2008, 07:59 AM

We have a GMC Sierra (full size) 4WD pickup and a Buick Century, a small/midsize sedan. The GMC is "mine", she has driven it twice in five years but is welcome to any time she wants. She says it's too big to handle and she's not comfortable driving it but prefers it on longer drives because visibility is better. Gas mileage on the GMC is of course only slightly better than half of what the Buick gets so lately its been staying in the garage unless truck capabilities are needed.

In the summer the GMC's A/C works much better because it's got room for a huge condenser behind the grille so that's an incentive to use it on very hot days. In winter with snow on the streets the truck is the one used. Even with FWD the Buick probably wouldn't make it up some hills.

Otherwise the Buick gets used for general running around stuff.

We bought them new six months apart and planned on that, both replacing 14 and 18 year old vehicles. GMC just broke 50k miles, the Buick is about to pass 70k miles, 2/3 of that running back and forth to her family's houses. Barring accident or theft we'll keep them until they're unreliable or we can't find parts so I'm meticulous (some say anal) about maintenance. They are 2003 models, both look like they were delivered yesterday.

I'm one of those people who parks in "outer slobovia" at the mall, even in the rain, so they won't be dinged in the parking lot.

05-17-2008, 07:59 AM	#13
Walt34 Thinks s/he gets paid by the post Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: WV Panhandle Posts: 1,781	We have a GMC Sierra (full size) 4WD pickup and a Buick Century, a small/midsize sedan. The GMC is "mine", she has driven it twice in five years but is welcome to any time she wants. She says it's too big to handle and she's not comfortable driving it but prefers it on longer drives because visibility is better. Gas mileage on the GMC is of course only slightly better than half of what the Buick gets so lately its been staying in the garage unless truck capabilities are needed. In the summer the GMC's A/C works much better because it's got room for a huge condenser behind the grille so that's an incentive to use it on very hot days. In winter with snow on the streets the truck is the one used. Even with FWD the Buick probably wouldn't make it up some hills. Otherwise the Buick gets used for general running around stuff. We bought them new six months apart and planned on that, both replacing 14 and 18 year old vehicles. GMC just broke 50k miles, the Buick is about to pass 70k miles, 2/3 of that running back and forth to her family's houses. Barring accident or theft we'll keep them until they're unreliable or we can't find parts so I'm meticulous (some say anal) about maintenance. They are 2003 models, both look like they were delivered yesterday. I'm one of those people who parks in "outer slobovia" at the mall, even in the rain, so they won't be dinged in the parking lot. __________________ Retired seven years ago at age 52. Then decided to get a job. For a while. Or maybe not. I'll think about it.