Bought a new car

[Jerry1]

I'm close to retirement (working part time) and have been leasing my cars the last many years. Today I bought my first new car in a long time (the last one was for my wife; a 2004 which we ended up giving to my daughter).

Inspired by the thread about old cars and the number of miles on them, I'm thinking this may be my last new car. My wife and I are 60 and 55 respectively and I hope this car will last 10-15 years. At the rate some of the cars members on this forum have (150,000+ miles), 10 years seems likely and 15 seems very possible.

Of course I will maintain it judiciously and any other thoughts on how to get 150,000 to 200,000 miles out of a car are appreciated.

In a year and a few months, my other car (lease) will expire and I expect I will get a used car at that point. The one we bought today is expected to be our nice car. The other car will be a second car and if I'm still working, it will be my daily driver for awhile.

It will be interesting to go from leasing to buying (owning). I used to own, but I never go the extreme high mileage that people are getting today. We'll see how this goes.

 

[braumeister]

60 years old and looking at your "last car"? Nonsense, you'll have at least one more if not two or three.

Look at the features that are common in cars today that were not even imagined ten years ago. The one thing you can expect is that the rate of change will increase, so a typical car ten years from now may make anything you buy now seem primitive in comparison.

Just a simple example: ten years ago a backup camera was really rare. Today I couldn't imagine buying a car without one, and you won't even be allowed to buy one without it come 2018.

Your next car may even drive itself!

 

[Big_Hitter]

make? model?

once I FIRE I'm guna start working on old scoobs as a hobby, so I'll have a collection

 

[Another Reader]

I bought a new car last month and was wondering the same thing. I hope my negotiating skills are still sharp if I ever have to buy another one.

 

[Bamaman]

I've had over 100 new cars. But my MegaCorp was paying for most of them.

Our 2008 sports sedan has 113K miles and looks and drives like the day it was new. Our 2 year old SUV is our people hauler, and it's got 50K miles. We love it. My diesel pickup is 14 years old with 114K miles, and it's scheduled to wear out in another 30 years.

Funny how long the new vehicles will last if you're careful choosing the brands and models. I've chosen specific models that are some of the most durable in their class--and with the higher resale values.

 

[Another Reader]

Lexus, Toyota and Honda. We should be good for at least 10 years. Maybe 15.

 

[beanctr88]

Jk

 

[CRLLS]

I really envy some of you that don't live in the rust belt (salted roads in the Winter) I got about 12 years out of my new '99 and '02 vehicles before they totally rusted away. Mileage was not an issue.

A coupe of years ago I bought a used '00 Jimmy with ~ 90,000 miles from down south. I think this will be my last "2nd car" and I hope it will last 12 years up north too. By the time I'm in my 70's, I don't think I'll be towing other cars and boats. I only put on about 4k per year.

Our other DD car is a '12 Hyundai purchased new. I expect to have it last about the same time but will have only 100k by then. With a 10 yr 100,000 mile warranty, I expect repair costs will be minimal.

I have a 3rd, toy car but that doesn't count.

 

[Jerry1]

make? model?

once I FIRE I'm guna start working on old scoobs as a hobby, so I'll have a collection

2017 Chevy Equinox

Large enough for when we pick up the grandchildren (3) yet small enough for our primary driving needs and gas mileage.

CRLLS - I live in Michigan with heavily salted winter roads. Cars are pretty good these days. The 2004 that I gave to my daughter is still pretty solid with no visible rust.

Braumeister - You are correct that the new cars will advance, however, I don't think the main function of getting from point A to point B will change all that much. I think my age (under 60) will have more to do with needing a newer car than the change in technology. I sure hope I outlive this car, but at 65 to 70, I'm not sure what my needs or options would be when that happens.

 

[DrRoy]

Of course I will maintain it judiciously and any other thoughts on how to get 150,000 to 200,000 miles out of a car are appreciated.

That's all I do, keep up with the maintenance. My previous two cars were a Malibu and a Pontiac G6. I took both to 180-190K miles.

 

[pb4uski]

I really envy some of you that don't live in the rust belt (salted roads in the Winter) I got about 12 years out of my new '99 and '02 vehicles before they totally rusted away. Mileage was not an issue. ....

.... I live in Michigan with heavily salted winter roads. Cars are pretty good these days. The 2004 that I gave to my daughter is still pretty solid with no visible rust. ...

My experience is more like CRLLS... I was forced to trade our 2005 Colorado last summer because the frame was so rusted that it would not pass inspection.

When I was a teenager, we routinely oil undercoated cars each year or got Ziebart on new cars. Then the automakers got better in their factory rustproofing and we stopped undercoating for most of my adult life. But more recently, between the use of recycled steel and the state's use of brine rather than salt, we are now seeing more rust on untreated cars so people are now back to undercoating their cars annually or every other year.

I'm less concerned in that one of the cars we take to Florida so it never sees snow and the truck only sees snow/salt for a couple weeks a year when we are home for the holidays but those who are here over the winter have to deal with the issue.

 

[Danmar]

60 years old and looking at your "last car"? Nonsense, you'll have at least one more if not two or three.

Look at the features that are common in cars today that were not even imagined ten years ago. The one thing you can expect is that the rate of change will increase, so a typical car ten years from now may make anything you buy now seem primitive in comparison.

Just a simple example: ten years ago a backup camera was really rare. Today I couldn't imagine buying a car without one, and you won't even be allowed to buy one without it come 2018.

Your next car may even drive itself!

Totally agree. Last car? No way. I bought an M5 in 2013. Said to myself this will be my last "M" car. I'm 66 and enjoy driving it so much, no way it's my last "M". Although not excited about self driving. I like driving too much.

 

[CRLLS]

2017 Chevy Equinox

Large enough for when we pick up the grandchildren (3) yet small enough for our primary driving needs and gas mileage.

CRLLS - I live in Michigan with heavily salted winter roads. Cars are pretty good these days. The 2004 that I gave to my daughter is still pretty solid with no visible rust.

Braumeister - You are correct that the new cars will advance, however, I don't think the main function of getting from point A to point B will change all that much. I think my age (under 60) will have more to do with needing a newer car than the change in technology. I sure hope I outlive this car, but at 65 to 70, I'm not sure what my needs or options would be when that happens.

Well, Good for you, really! My experience is: My '99 Buick Century we bought new started rusting at about 9 years old. It had rusted fuel line leaks, rusted fuel filler neck, rusted out brake lines (surprise!), rusted out rockers. I got 13 years out of it before we decided to scrap it. My '02 PT cruiser, again bought new had rusted out "K frame" (Front suspension frame) and rust-frozen mounting nuts for same, rust holes in the rocker panels along with broken bolts for the sway bar mounts. That was sold at 12 years old.

Are they better than they were? YES! But not 15 or 20 years good in my experience. Not yet anyway. Speaking of rust, all of my cars in the last 20 years sure beat my '72 Vega. So there is that point of reference

 

[pb4uski]

DW had a '72 Vega that was really bad... we called it the Bondo Buggy. It also burned oil ... about a quart every 1,000 miles... maybe even worse... I don't recall exactly,

 

[Chuckanut]

I really envy some of you that don't live in the rust belt (salted roads in the Winter) I got about 12 years out of my new '99 and '02 vehicles before they totally rusted away. Mileage was not an issue.

I thought you folks parked the good car in the garage until the snow stopped, and bought a old clunker to drive about and get rusted out?

 

[Chuckanut]

I am sure my 2012 Toyota is good for at least 8-10 more years, but, realizing that I am not getting any younger, I am starting to think that replacing it in 2-3 years with a car that has things they help me avoid getting into accidents would be a good idea.

 

[CRLLS]

I thought you folks parked the good car in the garage until the snow stopped, and bought a old clunker to drive about and get rusted out?

The good car is parked in the garage........

 

[H2ODude]

DW had a '72 Vega that was really bad... we called it the Bondo Buggy. It also burned oil ... about a quart every 1,000 miles... maybe even worse... I don't recall exactly,

Ah, those were the days. We had a 72 Pinto and were pretty smug that we didn't have a Vega with it's oil eating habits....until Pintos started exploding upon rear impact! I actually liked the darn thing, it was the last car I had that I could fix anything on; no real electronics to speak of. Finally got rid of it because neighbors wouldn't let their kids ride in it.

Cars have come a long way. I remember when getting 100,000 miles on one was a real achievement and if you got there, it was likely falling apart. Today I think 100,000 is expected without much repair expense. We don't put that many miles on ours and they could easily be our last, but the new features will cause us to replace. Sorta like electronics...nothing really wrong with what you've got but the draw of the new features can just be too much.

 

[kcowan]

I am reminded of a friend whose Dad decided to buy a brand new Cadillac. Six months later he died of a heart attack and his son was the executor. Turns out Dad had about 6 months of money left! Perfect!

 

[Bamaman]

The good car is parked in the garage........

The Lotus Super 7 is my favorite of all times. They simply have never been outclassed in SCCA racing in its class.

Is yours a Lotus? Or, Caterham? Or, other replica? What engine's it got?

 

[Teacher Terry]

WE have a 2007 Toyota and a 2010 HOnda accord both having about 50k/miles on them. We bought the Toyota from a friend when the wife could no longer drive. WE will probably have them another 10-15 years. WE are 58 & 62. When one of them dies we will just share a car since there is also Uber. I figure for those times we each need to be gone at different times it will be cheaper to use Uber then to have a 2nd car. When I lived in WI our cars rusted badly. We had a truck where there was a small hole in the bottom so we put a rug over it so it wasn't so cold when driving. WE get occasional snow here and you never see a rusted car.

 

[W2R]

[...] I'm thinking this may be my last new car. My wife and I are 60 and 55 respectively and I hope this car will last 10-15 years. At the rate some of the cars members on this forum have (150,000+ miles), 10 years seems likely and 15 seems very possible.

My thinking at your age was just like yours so I see nothing wrong with it. I retired at 61, and bought a car at that time that I figured might be my last car.

By now I'm 68, and I don't see myself quitting driving at 70 as planned. I will probably drive at least until 75 or longer.

Something I *have* noticed is that I am not driving as much, or as far, as I once did. I only spent $359 on gas during all of 2016, and I wasn't intentionally cutting back. It just happens all by itself, I suppose. That is about 1/3 as much as I spent when I was your age. It's hardly worth paying insurance to drive that little but I am not ready to quit entirely.

Another observation is that the other drivers seem crazier every year. Could it be me? Surely not.

Once I do decide to stop driving, I guess I will rely on taxi or Uber.

 

[ERD50]

I thought you folks parked the good car in the garage until the snow stopped, and bought a old clunker to drive about and get rusted out?

A garage can make rusting worse. It's warmer, so the snow/ice/salt melts and is more active.

I just sold my 2000 Volvo, ran it in the winter, salted streets, and rarely washed it. It developed a little rust at the left front fender at about age 14, never got bad. In my experience, cars are doing pretty well with salt these days.

The rust proofing can make things worse - it can trap moisture. I have yet to see a place like Consumer Reports recommend it, or any place that has actually tested it scientifically.

-ERD50

 

[check6]

I retired at 61, and bought a car at that time that I figured might be my last car.

Let me guess, a Toyota Venza?

 

[brucethebroker]

Ah, those were the days. We had a 72 Pinto and were pretty smug that we didn't have a Vega with it's oil eating habits....until Pintos started exploding upon rear impact! I actually liked the darn thing, it was the last car I had that I could fix anything on; no real electronics to speak of. Finally got rid of it because neighbors wouldn't let their kids ride in it.

Cars have come a long way. I remember when getting 100,000 miles on one was a real achievement and if you got there, it was likely falling apart. Today I think 100,000 is expected without much repair expense. We don't put that many miles on ours and they could easily be our last, but the new features will cause us to replace. Sorta like electronics...nothing really wrong with what you've got but the draw of the new features can just be too much.

DW brought a 73 Vega to our marriage. Engine was good (no oil burning), but front fenders were so rusted they flapped in the breeze. I found a nice Vega GT body with a bad engine. Swapped engines, then, about 2 weeks later, the engine overheated (check engine light was defective), and that was that. Oh well...

Also bought a new Pinto in 79. No air, no auto, but only $3999 out the door. Sold it a couple of years later when exploding gas tanks spooked us.