If you were buying a car today...

[FinanceDude]

camry or RAV4 can be had for around $20,000 before my trade in

but my wife wants a CRV with leather and that is around $25,000 right now. we need something bigger than a Matrix to hold our $1000 baby stroller

You need:

1)Used Forester (Subaru)

2)Saturn Astra Wagon

3)Saab 95 wagon

Check them out......

Used Passat wagons are quite expensive.........

 

[Marquette]

I absolutely HATE car repairs! I can't convince or negotiate my car into running. I would much rather trade regularly and stay under warranty than to be sitting on the side of the road somewhere.
A distant second is broken shoelaces.

2006 Accord with 81,000 miles on it. Will keep you posted.

Biggest issue so far was that I had to replace headlights last weekend outside of the Dells at 9pm.

 

[al_bundy]

how many of these get the mpg rating of the CRV which is close to 30mpg?

and why would i buy used when i can buy new for about the same amount of money out of pocket? used car with 50000 miles might be cheaper but i'll spend close to that on maintenance changing out breaks, belts and driving to and from the mechanic.

my son will be 2 next year so i might as well buy something with the latest safety features as well

 

[al_bundy]

2006 Accord with 81,000 miles on it. Will keep you posted.

Biggest issue so far was that I had to replace headlights last weekend outside of the Dells at 9pm.

you are still going to have to do normal wear and tear maintenance like it says in the book. new breaks, new belts, new something else just because you are going to hit 100,000 miles.

how much money did you save buying a used honda compared to a new one?

 

[Marquette]

you are still going to have to do normal wear and tear maintenance like it says in the book. new breaks, new belts, new something else just because you are going to hit 100,000 miles.

how much money did you save buying a used honda compared to a new one?

I don't know. I bought it new. I paid 17,348. Sticker was 19k+. A 2005 when I bought the 2006 was 16,500. I'm guessing I'd get slaughtered on a trade-in.

 

[al_bundy]

i check trade in values once or twice a year, and i think the values actually increased for my Matrix over last year. pretty sure it was around $11,000 last year because everyone still wanted an SUV

 

[FinanceDude]

how many of these get the mpg rating of the CRV which is close to 30mpg?

Most all..........

and why would i buy used when i can buy new for about the same amount of money out of pocket? used car with 50000 miles might be cheaper but i'll spend close to that on maintenance changing out breaks, belts and driving to and from the mechanic.

Not if you buy from a place like CarMax where they recon the whole thing.......

I bought my 2003 Honda Accord with 34,000 miles on it in February 2006. I now have 82,000 miles on it, and I have done the following maintenance:

1)Rear brakes at 75,000 miles (were original)
2)New battery
3)New tires
4)New wiper blades
5) 2 transmission fluid drain and fills (at 50,000 and 80,000 miles)

My Accord is a 4-cylinder, so it has a timing chain, meaning no expensive maintenance at 100,000 miles. The only thing I will need is new plugs and changing the brake fluid.

 

[FinanceDude]

I don't know. I bought it new. I paid 17,348. Sticker was 19k+. A 2005 when I bought the 2006 was 16,500. I'm guessing I'd get slaughtered on a trade-in.

You would get $12,000 for it on trade-in, if it was a 4-cylinder......

 

[al_bundy]

how much money did you save compared to buying a new Accord and all the maintenance you've done

 

[lucija]

I agree with you when you say car maintenance is a pain (and I do none of it myself), but (in your case) 10K+ buys you a lot of maintenance! Regardless of money, I do think you should buy the car you need (if you need a larger car, get one).

Our Civic (we bought new) has more than 110000 mi on it and I know we have spent well under $1500 over the life of the car on things other than gas, oil and tires. So far no repairs of any kind were needed. So, how many monthly payments does $1500 worth of maintenance translates into?

By the way, I drive an older version of CRV and get nowhere near 30 mi/gallon.

 

[al_bundy]

toyotas and hondas are notorious for holding their values, so if you buy used and then account for even normal maintenance like tires you will probably save very little money compared to buying new. and even less if you buy new the first time, take the hit and then use the nice resale value as equity to get a similar new car at a nice discount

 

[FinanceDude]

how much money did you save compared to buying a new Accord and all the maintenance you've done

A new Accord was $23,500 at the time,I paid $15,500 3 years old with 34,000 miles...........

I think I'm ahead.thus far...............

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

You would get $12,000 for it on trade-in, if it was a 4-cylinder......

So an hour or two with a hacksaw and voila?

 

[W2R]

I agree with you when you say car maintenance is a pain (and I do none of it myself), but (in your case) 10K+ buys you a lot of maintenance! Regardless of money, I do think you should buy the car you need (if you need a larger car, get one).

I admit it - - my next car is going to be a new car, and my reasons are completely indefensible!! I like the new car smell, the shiny appearance, and the fun and ego boost of getting a brand new "toy". Is that worth $10K+ to me?

YES!!!

But, I wouldn't do it if I was doing some serious LBYM like last year. After ER, I won't have to be quite so thrifty.

 

[lucija]

Want2Retire - I like the new car smell as well. I also like the idea of buying new (and not owning other people's problems). Once I get the car, though, I hang onto it for a while...

 

[W2R]

Want2Retire - I like the new car smell as well. I also like the idea of buying new (and not owning other people's problems). Once I get the car, though, I hang onto it for a while...

Me too - - when I buy my next car, my present car will be ten years old or older. I get fond of cars and don't want to replace them.

 

[haha]

A new Accord was $23,500 at the time,I paid $15,500 3 years old with 34,000 miles...........

I think I'm ahead.thus far...............

Do you have another car to drive for sales calls?

How can a financial products salesperson call on clients in an old Accord? I would think that one of 100 would think that you were frugal, the other 99 would think you weren't any good at markets.

Unless all your clients are engineers- and we all know what that would be like!

Ha

 

[samclem]

toyotas and hondas are notorious for holding their values

True. But, inconsistent with . . .

wife and i put nothing down and financed every single penny at $20,845.

together with . . .

$10,000 is my guess for dealer trade in next year.

So, you expect your 2005 Matrix to have lost about 50% of its value by 2009. That's a big depreciation hit for these reliable, in-demand cars. As you say, they usually don't depreciate much.

Wait, here's the answer!

i take my car for an oil change and a quick check up once a year and that's it. w

Dang it, don't be such a cheapskate! Take that car in for an oil change every three months and it will still have bearings and rings when it is 5 years old .

No charge for the helpful tip.

 

[FinanceDude]

Do you have another car to drive for sales calls?

How can a financial products salesperson call on clients in an old Accord? I would think that one of 100 would think that you were frugal, the other 99 would think you weren't any good at markets.

Unless all your clients are engineers- and we all know what that would be like!

Ha

I have a 2006 Odyssey and an M3, but drive the Accord the most.......

 

[bruce1]

You spent 4 months and wound up with an old Buick? You are a highly motivated man!

Ha

After all I am retired and got to annoy a lot of car salemen.

Bruce

 

[Jay_Gatsby]

Want2Retire - I like the new car smell as well. I also like the idea of buying new (and not owning other people's problems). Once I get the car, though, I hang onto it for a while...

Agreed. I bought a new Accord EX-L in 2006 and haven't regretted the purchase for a minute. The car now has 40k miles on it and the only repair beyond changing the filters has been to replace the brakes.

What really annoys me about having a new car is that it is a "blank canvas" for people to put their [-]stamp[/-] ding/dent of approval on the doors, fenders and bumpers (I now count at least 10 dings of various sizes - most very small, fortunately).

 

[W2R]

What really annoys me about having a new car is that it is a "blank canvas" for people to put their [-]stamp[/-] ding/dent of approval on the doors, fenders and bumpers (I now count at least 10 dings of various sizes - most very small, fortunately).

That is why I am waiting until 2010 to replace my (perfectly good) 2000 Camry Solara. By that time, I should be moved up to Missouri. My car won't be in a public parking lot all day at work like it is while I finish my working years. So, hopefully that will cut down on the dings.

Also, by waiting I won't have to put miles on my new car by driving it across country once, or more likely several times, during our move.

 

[bow-tie]

...What really annoys me about having a new car is that it is a "blank canvas" for people to put their [-]stamp[/-] ding/dent of approval on the doors, fenders and bumpers (I now count at least 10 dings of various sizes - most very small, fortunately).

My DW was rearended in our Bonnevillle. It had over 175k on so they totaled it and I bought it back. Methinks we're given a wide berth from other motorists with all of that paint missing off of the rear bumper.

If I don't get over 200k out of that 3800 drivetrain, I'll be very surprised. The DW wants another car in the bullpen, so now I have to hunt down another used (depreciated) 3800 vehicle from uncle GM. Good thing they put that motor into about a million different models...

 

[bow-tie]

... and I'm not sure what the big deal is with maintaining a used car. It may be luck, but I've only put around 1000 bones in non-routine maintenance in the Bonnie over 140k. I'll take that deal every time when I don't have to pay for some of that depreciation. YMMV I guess.

 

[FinanceDude]

My DW was rearended in our Bonnevillle. It had over 175k on so they totaled it and I bought it back. Methinks we're given a wide berth from other motorists with all of that paint missing off of the rear bumper.

If I don't get over 200k out of that 3800 drivetrain, I'll be very surprised. The DW wants another car in the bullpen, so now I have to hunt down another used (depreciated) 3800 vehicle from uncle GM. Good thing they put that motor into about a million different models...

I had a Grand Prix with the 3100 V-6. I wish I still had that car........