Does it make any economic sense to replace a running 200k Trailblazer with a 100k Tra

Mulligan

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Looking for some input here as I am not a "car person". Background.... I have kept this car for 11 years and it is still running fine however I keep reading 200k is "stretching it" as far as reliability. If I traded it would be with another later model Trailblazer as they are a discontinued model. I am way too cheap now to get a new one. My current 200k vehicle has had nothing "replaced" on it other than basic worn joints, battery, brakes, and tires.
Do I gain anything by purchasing a 100k Trailblazer or is it likely the same things could fall apart on it that would on my 200k vehicle? If I kept my current vehicle is there anything that should be replaced for prevention purposes such as a water pump?Other than oil changes, air filter changes, a recent tranny drain, S belt change, spark plugs changed 120,000 miles ago, I have done nothing to this vehicle.... When I was young making $20,000 a year, I had no problem getting a loan for $15k vehicle. Now that I could pay cash, I am too damn cheap to consider that option.


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Since your current car has virtually no resale or trade in value and is running well at the moment, it would seem to make sense to keep it until it does break. This is assuming that it is safe to operate.

It is also likely that the price for 100K Trailblazers isn't going up very fast, so this also allows you to keep the money you will spend working for you a while longer.
 
Keep it, don't replace it! My 2003 is still working like a champ. Mine is low mileage compared to yours though, with only 124,000 on the odometer, still runs as smooth as when I bought it brand new. Check out the forums @ gmtnation.com for advice on keeping it for another 100k.
 
If I kept my current vehicle is there anything that should be replaced for prevention purposes such as a water pump?Other than oil changes, air filter changes, a recent tranny drain, S belt change, spark plugs changed 120,000 miles ago, I have done nothing to this vehicle....


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Keep driving it and just do what's in the car's maintenance schedule. If, along the way, the transmission goes out (it's a wear item if its an automatic), then decide if it's worth putting in a rebuilt or moving on.

Don't let a shop try to sell you stuff you don't need (like injector cleaning, alignment, shocks, etc).

Buying another with a 100K miles on it is a risk if you don't know if the previous owner(s) followed good maintenance practices.
 
Buying another with a 100K miles on it is a risk if you don't know if the previous owner(s) followed good maintenance practices.
+1 You know this vehicle and how it has been treated. It won't bring much is you sold it anyway, so just keep driving it. Yes, if you've got 120K on the spark plugs it might be time to put in some new ones. And keep an eye on the oil--she may be using it a bit faster as the rings wear, and you don't want to run low. Also, as the rings wear there will be an increasing amount of "blow by" and that tends to get the oil dirty, so don't stretch the oil changes. When something goes wrong and you are having work done it can make sense to change out a few additional things "while you are in there," but I can't think of anything that should be done "just because." It is a high-mileage vehicle of a type that hasn't got a stellar reputation for reliability, so maybe consider renting a car if you're taking a very long away from sources of help.
 
Thanks all for input. Sam, your comment on the vehicle's reliability made me chuckle. I just assumed this vehicle was a highly rated one, but I must be fortunate as a lot of people (outside of the engine) complain about this vehicles quality of workmanship. My vehicles in the past usually feel apart around 100k but since I have had this one for so long those prior vehicles were built a long time ago so improvements have occurred. I keep going back to what a few other posters have written in thinking why are these vehicles at 100,000 for sale. I know eventually I am going to have to get a SUV eventually, but my lord it's going to be over $30,000 for something that would interest me. The sales tax alone would make me cry. But I can't get over paying 20 something thousand for any type of low mileage one either!


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I can think of two not very good reasons to jump now. First, does the latest model (2009?) have any features that you desire that you don't have now? For instance, Blue Tooth is really handy for hands free calling particularly if you live in a state that has a law against using a handset while driving. Second, if you really, really like your Trailblazer, the fact that they are not making any more of them suggests that you start shopping now. You can search out a low mileage example and buy yourself another 8-10 years of happy motoring, hopefully. But I can't see any value in trading in your 200k model on one that has 100k.

I found a certified, one owner 2008 model on Autotrader with 49k miles for $17k. With 7% sales tax, that's right at $18k. Granted, that is a lot more than $0, but I think you need to take advantage of the fact that you know what you want to drive and that the market for them will be shrinking.
 
I can think of two not very good reasons to jump now. First, does the latest model (2009?) have any features that you desire that you don't have now? For instance, Blue Tooth is really handy for hands free calling particularly if you live in a state that has a law against using a handset while driving. Second, if you really, really like your Trailblazer, the fact that they are not making any more of them suggests that you start shopping now. You can search out a low mileage example and buy yourself another 8-10 years of happy motoring, hopefully. But I can't see any value in trading in your 200k model on one that has 100k.

I found a certified, one owner 2008 model on Autotrader with 49k miles for $17k. With 7% sales tax, that's right at $18k. Granted, that is a lot more than $0, but I think you need to take advantage of the fact that you know what you want to drive and that the market for them will be shrinking.


Yes, the pool is shrinking. I think only about 5-6k were made that year and production ended in late 2008. I'm thinking I want one of these more because of how good this one was to me not as much as the brand itself. When one is retired he has time to analyze his behavior. I find myself to be contradictory. I want to be cheap, but I know the minute this rig strands me on some highway somewhere, I will overreact and get a new one. And then complain about how much I spent! If I can ease myself into the lines of what you are suggesting that may be my best course. Sales tax, property tax, and car insurance costs really annoy me for some reason.


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If you're going to keep a car a long time I'd buy it new, maintain it and drive it another 200,000 miles. You never know why someone has traded in a car or if it had been abused. You could look at a Chevy Equinox, I've driven one for 3 years and haven't had to do anything but change the oil....love the car and get great milage.....I suspect you'll save a bunch on the better mpg you'll get. Doing this may cost you a few bucks more up front but if you average the cost over 10 or more years I believe you'll save more by buying new and maintaining your car than you will by buying used and, maybe, getting someone elses problems.
 
One other factor is that a second sample might not be as good a vehicle. When I worked for MegaMotors, I got a new lease car every year. I always got the same model and color. The differences from one sample to the next, even with no design changes, were surprising (and disturbing). :(
 
Buying 2 or 3 year lease turn in's is a good way to buy a low mileage car with less up front cost than a new one. My neighbor just picked up a 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe SE with 15,900 miles on it for $18,000. That car had an MSRP of $26K+ and destination free of ~$800. They get the remainder of the 5 year 60,000 mile factory warranty also.

The car is immaculate and not a scratch or ding on it. There are lots of cars leased these days and turn in's at 2-3 years are out there. This is another alternative to buying new and not eating so much depreciation in the first couple of years.

I just heard on the tube that Dodge is offering a lease turn in at one year for a new lease with no payment increase (didn't say anything about other terms though).
 
One thing I would do on high milers is change coolant and brake fluid every three yrs or so. I lost a radiator once and had trouble with a brake system due to ignoring those. Both deteriorate.
 
I should mention that one of my weaknesses is driving nice, late model cars so I probably don't view spending less than $20k on a newer car in the same light as most people on this forum.

That being said, there are a lot of small and mid sized SUVs out there now, so you might want to shop around. My advice to friends is that they drive 2 of whatever it is that they think they want to buy. My current ride is a turbo diesel and I love getting 26mpg in a 4,900lb vehicle at 75mph with 2 adults on board (the dreaded carpool.)

If you use the internet to shop you have to search autotrader, cars.com, and possibly the manufacturer's website. I haven't found a search engine that covers them all. I think you have the right approach; start looking now while you are free to negotiate rather than waiting until you're stranded and have to repair or replace.
 
Concerning late model vehicles, I am stunned by the change in their values since I last traded for one 11 years ago. This present vehicle was one model year old when I purchased it. The original sticker price was over $26,000. I bought it from a dealer at under $17,000 and I am no great negotiator. Now I see very little price difference between a new and a one year old vehicle.


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