FIRE Car

[Kroeran]

I believe our Civic Hybrid has better mileage than the 4/2. We replaced the 96 Civic and gave it to our neice last summer as there was a government subsidy (4k) expiring and though the Civic was not giving us any grief, we were getting nervous about intercity road trips to the airport in the winter.

Whenever I buy a car, I have a talk with myself and DW about the accident - the one in the future that will come out of nowhere....and ask ourselves what sort of vehicle we want to be in when it happens.

last fall, just a few months after buying the hybrid, DW was sitting still in traffic where a parkway ends and merges with city traffic. A marginally smaller car hit her from behind at about 30 mph, totally that car (no injuries). After shaking off the shock of the event and meeting with the cops, DW was able to drive off and got to work with a short delay. The bumper system of the Civic absorbed the entire impact. thank you honda

After great effort on my part to go from three cars (02 thunderbird, geo tracker, civic) to the one car, the darn office moved AWAY from my house, so I picked up a 2000 Jeep Cherokee 150K.

My mechanic loves the simplicity of the Cherokee and cheap aftermarket parts and says we should be able to get it to 300K no problem.

 

[ls99]

Did not buy anything in retirement. Still have same stuff before RE.
A 88 Jaguar w/200000+ miles. Recently did a round to NY, 780 miles round trip, no problems at all, 26+ mpg for the trip, back roads to and mostly on Rte 80 (very hilly in PA) frequent 1000' + elevation changes. Family visit, lots of questions about the high mileage and reliability. Car runs great, though, if there are problems one better be a good mechanic, or have a very fat wallet.

Backed up with a 99 3/4 ton 7.4l suburban, near 100k miles, for towing. DW prefers her 0 something Buick, barely broken in at 60k miles.

When the Jag dies of old age/no parts availability will likely get a 98 or 99 Riviera. Or maybe another old Jag. They are great driving cars.

 

[FinanceDude]

Like the jag..........

 

[OldGuy]

2003 Volvo S60 w/ 90K on the odo. Our second Volvo; when #1 child rolled the '84DL and walked away unhurt, we were sold on these cars. It's just getting broken in, so we'll drive it into the tundra in a few years. It's FWD, which is almost-as-good-as-AWD in the white fluffy stuff. And 28-31mpg at 65mph+ on trips is a great thing.

2009 Subaru Forester 2.5 w/ 9K on it. Agonized over getting rid of the old Liberty, but the Forester's relative gas mileage (26+ hwy) is pretty good, and it's already gone NY-FL-NY in relative comfort. Leased, so we can make a keep/turn in decision in 2.25 years.

And then my president told me to stoke the economy. Here's the latest venture into senior citizenship; 2004 coupe, auto, HUD, 28-31 mpg, "adequate" power, only room for two, and I'm sorry but the color's just cool...

Let the begin.

 

[Urchina]

We're years away from it yet, but I lovelovelove our Hondas. If it's just DH and I with the occasional visitor, I think an Accord (if they're still making them in 30 years) will be our ticket. Handles well, has plenty of zip, gets good mileage, lots of safety features, is durable.

Plus, they come with sunroofs and 6-disc in-dash CD changers, if W2R is still looking....

 

[W2R]

We're years away from it yet, but I lovelovelove our Hondas. If it's just DH and I with the occasional visitor, I think an Accord (if they're still making them in 30 years) will be our ticket. Handles well, has plenty of zip, gets good mileage, lots of safety features, is durable.

Plus, they come with sunroofs and 6-disc in-dash CD changers, if W2R is still looking....

Thanks. That is very likely what I will end up getting, unless I find that I can't let loose of my Toyota loyalties. The Accord coupe with a sunroof looks pretty good to me.

 

[Bestwifeever]

We bought a Civic last month--it's so similar to the Accord we owned about ten years ago, especially size-wise, but has lots more bells and whistles of course. Price was right and mileage is great. We have a "big car" too so didn't really consider the Accord.

We would have looked more closely at a Toyota but the dealership experience was weird (but obviously we weren't that interested or we would have gone to another dealer). Hmmm, I'm going to post a suggestion on Tuesday Hints about it.

 

[cardude]

Here is my new retirement "car". DW just loves it! It's a 2008 Kawasaki Versys 650. Kind of a dual purpose bike, or a Ninja on stilts, or an adult crotch rocket. Whatever it is, it's fun. Gets 55mpg and is pretty fast to me. Got it off Craigslist the other day.

 

[REWahoo]

Here is my new retirement "car". DW just loves it! It's a 2008 Kawasaki Versys 650. Kind of a dual purpose bike, or a Ninja on stilts, or an adult crotch rocket.

Be very careful that it doesn't become a "donorcycle"...

 

[samclem]

My mechanic loves the simplicity of the Cherokee and cheap aftermarket parts and says we should be able to get it to 300K no problem.

Good luck with the Jeep. I'm not surprised that your mechanic likes the fact that you've got it, and believes he can [-]milk it[/-] help you get to 300K miles.

 

[Kroeran]

I hear ya....my belief is that the cherokees went all to hell after 2001 when that German guy took over the company (if I have the story straight), mine is a 2000.

allegedly, this is the mechanic the smart money goes to to keep old cars on the road...I will find out soon enough.

regardless, it will likely get sold or given to a nephew once DW retires or maybe it will become the florida car (hopefully this january)

 

[Walt34]

Be very careful that it doesn't become a "donorcycle"...

I did a lot of reading before I bought my bike. One of the most impressive books was Proficient Motorcycling by David L. Hough. In the first chapter he discusses motorcycle accidents and what leads up to them. I cannot recommend that or similar books highly enough to any motorcycle rider.

Basically, the vast majority of motorcycle accidents happen because the rider either wasn't paying attention or did something stupid, like riding at night, drunk, at 80 mph. Interestingly, the highest accident rates are for riders who have been riding between 24 and 36 months.

I wear all the gear, not just a helmet. That means heavy boots, leather or Kevlar gloves and a riding suit with padding in all the appropriate places.

That said, bad luck does happen. There's not much one can do to prevent a deer from jumping out in front of you, or a DWI crossing the center line. So I slow down a bit when deer are most active, I'm not riding a bike when the bars close, and I don't go around blind turns at a speed too fast to stop if there's gravel or a log in the road.

There's also a chapter in which he interviewed people who have ridden upwards of 300,000 miles on motorcycles without a scratch. He just asked what they do and don't do. What they do is pay close attention to what is going on ahead and don't put themselves in a position where things can go bad fast.

As with so many other things, it's only as dangerous as one makes it.

 

[REWahoo]

Sounds like you are doing all you reasonably can to mitigate the risk of riding.

There's not much one can do to prevent a deer from jumping out in front of you...

A neighbor's dad (in his 50's) was killed on his motorcycle last year when he struck a deer in a residential neighborhood. He died on the scene even though he was wearing a helmet, doing only 30 and the accident happened in front of a doctor's house, who immediately ran out to help.

Be careful...

 

[Kroeran]

the vast majority of motorcycle accidents happen because the rider either wasn't paying attention or did something stupid,quote]

the problem is that it is human nature to not pay attention and do stupid things - which is why the motorcycle I had in my teens was replaced with a sports car for excitment..and why I dont pursue my interest in flying or scuba diving

 

[ls99]

A neighbor's dad (in his 50's) was killed on his motorcycle last year when he struck a deer in a residential neighborhood. He died on the scene even though he was wearing a helmet, doing only 30 and the accident happened in front of a doctor's house, who immediately ran out to help.

Be careful...

Yup, $hit happens.

Here is my ride, 78 Honda hawk II, bought new from the showroom floor in 78. It used to travel on the front rack of my motorhome when I was bumming around the USA.

A little weather beaten. Still runs great.

 

[audreyh1]

Just before I retired, I bought my first SUV. We needed 4-wheel-drive and high clearance for all the outdoor stuff we planned to do. Needed to lug a lot of gear around. Plus later we did indeed start pulling a trailer, etc.

Shortly after retirement we got rid of the second car (an Accord). Have never bought a sedan since.

Audrey

 

[serie1926]

Bertha spends most of her days sitting in the garage waiting for us to FIRE!

 

[ejman]

After being FIRE'd for 7 years, I just bough my first new car since 1990 - a 2009 Dodge Caliber. Between the Cash for Clunkers program and Chrysler rebates the car ended up being $9,300 out the door (brand new) I just couldn't resist that. I had been looking for a car since my old clunker a 1990 Astro ( My last new car purchase) had started using too much oil at 242,000 miles (still original engine and transmission).

I was also looking for better mileage since the Astro averages about 17/18 miles to the gallon. I've only had the Caliber a few days but so far I'm happy with 35 mpg. The car feels nice and peppy but I have the 5 speed manual ( I'm out in the bunnies so I don't have to put up with stop and go commuting traffic - what's ER for if not that?). We'll see how it goes.

 

[dm]

Here is the wife's car, she gave her jeep to one of the kids. And the silver one is my ride to the golf club. We still have a Chevy Avalanche if we have to haul 4 people or more stuff.

 

[Kroeran]

I prefer the Cherokee ; - )

 

[dm]

I prefer the Cherokee ; - )

It lasted about 3 month's before the kid totaled it.

 

[FinanceDude]

Bertha spends most of her days sitting in the garage waiting for us to FIRE!

Sitting in the GARAGE? That's sad.........I love Porsches.........

 

[FUEGO]

Sitting in the GARAGE? That's sad.........I love Porsches.........

BURN! You returned... And just to express your love of Porsches?

 

[W2R]

Sitting in the GARAGE? That's sad.........I love Porsches.........

Welcome back! Yes, I love Porsches too (other people's Porsches, that is -- they are not for me).

 

[serie1926]

Not to worry, I take her out for a good flogging regularly, but look forward to the day when she becomes my DD.